The ceiling
The project of complex renovation of Aula Leopoldine (the Leopoldine Hall) began with the most important matters, that is, from renovating, repairing and enforcing the construction of the ceiling. For this goal, the Foundation for the University of Wrocław received PLN 910.000 grant from the city monument conservator of Wrocław to protect the national heritage.
Making an independent construction of the ceiling, which does not allow for the transmission of the loads onto the false barrel vault, which is the frame for the paintings of the Leopoldine Hall was the first stage of the renovation work. The renovation was preceded by a series of studies, the aim of which was to determine the real state of the construction of the ceiling of the Hall and state of the floor immediately below it, which are the Balzer room and Polonia Wrocławska room and the corridor leading to them. Conducting the research, taking measurements and designing a project was a task of a team of four members led by Prof. Jerzy Jasieńka, who was chosen by the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology.
One of the elements of technological research was the loading of Aula alloy. The role of the crowd loading the alloy was performed by students of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 2008 r. Photo: Łukasz Krzywka/UWr CC BY-NC 2.0
The reinforcement of the construction of the ceiling of the Hall took place from June to December 2015 and were conducted from the side of the former Auditorium Comicum, the Balzer room, Polonia Wrocławska room and the corridor leading to them. The polychromy on the photographs below are the fragments of the original paintings decorating the walls of a place where a Jesuit drama used to be staged, discovered in 2010. The ceiling above the Hall was reinforced by introducing new elements of construction, serving also as fire protection, while the floor of the former Auditorium Comicum was replaced. The renovation did not interfere with the University ceremonies held in the Hall, which was still available to visitors, as the work was conducted in the rooms directly under the Hall.
The general contractor was the Przedsiębiorstwo Budowlano-Konserwatorskie Castellum Sp. z o.o. (limited liability company) from Wrocław.
Entrance hall leading to the Balzer room (opposite) and to the Polonia Wrocławska Hall (left) after removing the old floor. Photo: Dominika Hull/UWr/CC-BY-NC 2.0
