{"id":27559,"date":"2015-11-18T13:53:38","date_gmt":"2015-11-18T13:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev2.atlatszo.exot.hu\/?p=27559"},"modified":"2019-07-19T13:54:45","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T13:54:45","slug":"saxon-fortified-churches-turned-into-disney-style-kitsch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atlatszo.ro\/en\/eu-penzek-en\/saxon-fortified-churches-turned-into-disney-style-kitsch\/","title":{"rendered":"Saxon fortified churches turned into Disney-style kitsch"},"content":{"rendered":"

After these buildings defied the centuries, renovation works funded by the EU caused permanent damage to the A-category historical monuments.<\/strong>
\nThe basic restoration principle, namely, historical accuracy, was neglected during the restoration works of the fortified churches. This is why some churches today look like the settings of cheap adventure movies.
\nIt\u2019s not re<\/b>discovery: it\u2019s wilful destruction<\/strong>
\nThe project named \u201eRediscovering Fortified Values\u201d (Tezaure Fortificate Redescoperite \u2013 Rediscovered Fortified Treasure \u2013 Sustainable Development of the Central Region puts into focus the touristic value the fortified Saxon churches of Transylvania) and was launched in 2011, initiated by the Romanian Evangelical Church<\/a>. The church is also the beneficiary.
\nThe Regional Operational Programme provided 5 million euros for the restoration of 18 Saxon churches<\/a> in Sibiu, Mure\u0219 and Bra\u0219ov counties. There will be a second project with a budget of 15 million euros, in which another 12 fortified churches will undergo restoration.
\nWe talked to several well-known restorers during the two months long research period. The experts were referring in the strongest terms to the project, criticizing every aspect from planning to administration and implementation.
\nThe project has nothing to do with rediscovering the value of the fortified churches. On the contrary, it aims to destroy them in order to provide a Disney-style historical approach \u2013 one of our sources said.<\/p>\n

\"Az<\/a>
The fortified church in Arkeden (Archita) in 2011, before it was restored<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Az<\/a>
The church from Arkeden, after the restoration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

20 years warranty, but reparations will be nee<\/b>ded in a couple of years<\/strong>
\nDuring the works, the old tiles, which in many cases bore hand-written messages with historic value, were replaced with new ones, of dubious quality. We know by now that the tiles not only look like plastic, they are of poor quality; there are already cases where despite the producer\u2019s warranty of more than 20 years, the new roofs needed reparations within a couple of years.
\nThe mass produced tiles don’t have the same shape, appearance or mechanical characteristics as the tiles made in traditional tile mills. The evenly red colour of the modern tiles, a colour obtained through the addition of additives, stands in stark contrast with the traditional tiles used in the Transylvanian villages, damaging the street view.
\nBut not the tiles were the only problem during restoration: eyewitnesses say that on the building sites, workers with improper qualifications worked without supervision. Their unprofessional work together with the use of modern construction materials caused irreparable damage to the A category monument buildings.
\nHammer drill, chainsaw and concrete<\/strong>
\nIn some cases, traditional plaster was taken down with power drills. They replaced traditional plaster with a harder, concrete-based mix, which in some places is already falling off the walls in large chunks.
\nCement mixed with lime mortar was applied sloppily to the fortified walls, staining and often covering completely the original stone. Chainsaws were used to saw through the original timber beams, which were joined with modern factory timber. In some cases, modern engineering bricks of different dimensions were used to replace traditional bricks, posing potential structural problems for the future. <\/span>
\nThe old wooden beams were cut with chainsaw and replaced with new ones. In some cases, the new bricks that were used had different sizes than the original ones \u2013 this can lead to structure related problems. Archaeological surveys were either missed out completely or carried out quickly and inadequately.<\/span>
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