Refurbishment of the St. Bonifatius Church: A look back and forward

Refurbishment of the St. Bonifatius Church: A look back and forward

In the anniversary year of the St. Bonifatius Church in Wiesbaden, the impressive building on Luisenplatz unfortunately has to remain hidden behind scaffolding and planning. However, the diocese of Limburg is calm and pointed out that the church was not yet fully completed when it was inaugurated in the summer of 1849. Even then, the facade and the towers were incomplete and it was indeed a construction site.

The original building, which was built in the neoclassical style, suffered a dark fate and collapsed shortly before his consecration due to construction. The architect Philipp Hoffmann took on a new attempt to build a church that should be of great importance for Wiesbaden. He linked traditional style elements with Gothic elements and ancient arches, which accelerated the building four years after the first laying of the foundation stone.

an ambitious renovation project

The current renovation is the largest construction project since the church was built, as Pastor Klaus Nebel explains. Planning began eight years ago, and he assumes that the work will take four more years. The first section included the renewal of the west tower, which is now completed. At the moment it is being worked on the east tower and on the south facade that are completely equipped.

After a comprehensive examination of the structural conditions, it can be seen that the project is much more extensive than originally assumed. Each component is carefully examined: "Each stone is turned over once," said parish priest fog, the part of the group that supervises the renovation. The cost of the restoration amounts to a double -digit million amount, with the diocese of Limburg bearing the main load.

the preservation of history

The goal of the monument preservation is to stay as close as possible to the original building. This means that the plaster from the time of reconstruction after the Second World War is replaced by an "earthy brick tone" in order to preserve the historical content of the church. Henriette Freifrau von Preuschen, district conservator, emphasizes how important it is to respect the vision of Hoffmann and to shape the cityscape sustainably.

The challenges of time and weather have heavily used the building fabric. Restorer Stephan Klöckner explains that new stones and ornaments have to be made to replace the old ones. However, the differences in the coloring will adapt after a certain time, and so the separation between old and new will hardly be perceptible. Under the stonemasons that are in use, up to six craftsmen are also active on the construction site.

For future maintenance work, the towers will be equipped with a carrier that makes working easier for the rope climbers. All windows of the church are also removed and cleaned during the renovation work.

The interior renovation is still imminent, and it will also represent an elaborate project that may be the largest of the work that is still in front of the church.

Regardless of the continuing construction work, the parish will actively take part in sociable life in Wiesbaden, for example in the "Night of the Churches" on September 6th and at the "Day of the Open Monument" on September 8th. Under the leadership of art historian Simone Husemann and Küster Roland Marx, visitors can explore church history and the treasury. The events offer a welcome opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage of the St. Bonifatius Church despite the construction site.

The anniversary year will end with the Corpus Christi festival and a parish hall to Fulda. Pastor Nebel has hope that at these last celebrations the scaffolding on the facade will already be dismantled, so that the angels on the towers can look freely over the city. The first celebrations in the anniversary year will be a challenge, but the anticipation for future completion is tangible.

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