Yet another grant for restoration of the Aula Leopoldinum

During the press conference organised in the University of Wrocław on 10 April, Cezary Przybylski confirmed that, as every year, the local government allocated PLN 5 million for the cultural heritage preservation in Lower Silesia. These funds will enable to carry out the restoration work of 146 buildings. The Aula Leopoldinum is one of them. The first phase of the conservation is currently underway. The next stage will cover the restoration of the gallery’s construction. The cost is estimated at about PLN 160 thousand. By the decision of the provincial committee for the cultural heritage preservation, which was responsible for the examination of the applications, the University of Wrocław was granted one of the largest subsidies of PLN 100 thousand.

“The renovation of the gallery is necessary, which is why we are really glad that we have received the subsidy. This stage cannot be divided into smaller phases and spread over time, so the rest of the costs will have to be covered by the University. The restorers have to complete this phase in order to go on to the next stages of work, e.g. the conservation of the upper vault, which the city of Wrocław will fund” – explains dr Łukasz Krzywka, the Rector’s Representative for Cultural Property Preservation. Tadeusz Samborski, a member of the government of Lower Silesia, assured that the University will receive the subsidy and that the employees can start the tender procedures and begin preparations for the renovation. The University is obliged to settle the grand by the end of the year.

Initially, the total cost of the renovation was estimated at about PLN 8 million but today it is known that it may be slightly higher. The University, granting PLN 1 million, financed the first stage of the project, creating the restoration plan and the execution designs. A very detailed conservation and construction research was carried out in years 2008-2009. It determined precisely the condition of the ceiling, the wall paintings, the stucco, the mouldings, sculptures, historical furnishing, gildings and the woodcarving elements. The system which guarantees the optimal humidity and temperature in the Aula was developed. Such a system would enable to create better conditions for preserving the Aula’s decor.

The cost of the construction work related to the installation of the air conditioning, lighting and utilities comes to PLN 350 thousand. The conservation, restoration and reinforcement of the ceiling above the Aula, carried out in 2015, was financed by the Municipality of Wrocław, which granted the University of Wrocław a subsidy of more than PLN 900 thousand. It was only the beginning of the restoration, but this stage’s completion was crucial for carrying out further renovation work. This independent construction of the ceiling, enabled restorers to eliminate, or at least minimise, the transmission of the loads onto the false barrel vault, which is the frame for the vault paintings. The complex conservation of the art decor is the most expensive and time-consuming task. The cost is estimated at about PLN 5-6 million. For that reason, it was necessary to divide work into smaller phases. The first stage covered the renovation of the dais, which thanks to the Municipality of Wrocław’s subsidy of nearly PLN 1 million, was restored to its former splendour in 2016. At the end of February, restorers began working on the other important element of the Aula – the matroneum. The balustrade was the first part that underwent restoration. It was possible to start this stage of work thanks to prof. Rudolf Lenz’s intercession, which provided the funds from German sponsors. The subsidy of PLN 100 thousand, granted by the Marshal’s Office of Lower Silesia Voivodeship, will cover the costs of two-thirds of the restoration of the matroneum’s construction. About PLN 1 million will be spent on the renovation of the vault paintings and sculptures within the gallery, which will be carried out later this year. The University and the Foundation for UWr still have to look for sponsors who would support financially the conservation of the paintings below the gallery and the complex renovation of the auditorium.