The Museum of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn is implementing the project “Conservation and restoration of the 14th c. castle in Lidzbark Warmiński – a pearl of gothic architecture in Poland – stage II” in partnership with The Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research.
Improving the state of preservation of the priceless cultural heritage that is the 14th c. castle of the Bishops of Warmia in Lidzbark Warmiński in the territory of historical Warmia is the main objective of the project. The activities aim at protecting cultural heritage against the progressing degradation, improving the quality of monumental substance and enrichment of the cultural offer by increasing the potential of the Museum of Warmia.
The current project (2014-2016) represents a continuation of the conservation and refurbishment operations conducted within the frameworks of the project called the “Emergency conservation works on galleries of Lidzbark Castle” (2009-2011). The project objectives were the protection of the cultural heritage and increasing tourist attractiveness of Lidzbark Warmiński. The works were focused on refurbishment and preservation of the open castle galleries, which are exceptional in the European scale.
The first stage of work aimed at revitalising the historical seat of the Bishops of Warmia in Lidzbark Warmiński cost 1,234,000 euro, of which 988,000 originated from the Norway Grants. The rest was provided by the territorial government of Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship as own contribution. Project activities focused on five components: repair of the pulpit roof of the galleries, drainage of the yard and renovation of its cobble stone surface , conservation of the brickwork of the gallery walls and the 18th c. sundial, conservation of the stone elements of the galleries and the wooden railing of the stairs leading to the first floor.
Conservation of the polychromies uncovered on the walls and vaulting of the first floor of the galleries, as well as interdisciplinary studies on those paintings, represented the most important and spectacular element of activities within the frameworks of that project. The uncovered and conservatively protected paintings dated from the last two decades of the 14th c. and revealed the very high artistic level of decorations in the residency of the Bishops of Warmia. Studies conducted indicated links to the Czech art of the court of Charles IV. The paintings were most probably commissioned by Bishop Henry III Sorbom, Uncovering the paintings hidden under several, or even some tens of, layers of whitewash represented an immense challenge for the conservation specialists and researchers determining the subsequent revitalisation activities at the castle of Lidzbark Warmiński.
Those works were conducted within the framework of the project “Emergency conservation works on galleries of Lidzbark Castle”. The quality and importance of their research and conservation accomplishments were noted in the competition called “Sybil 2011 – the museum related event of the year”. For implementing the project, the Museum of Warmia and Mazury was amongst the finalists in the “management” category of the competition.
Improving the state of preservation of the priceless cultural heritage that is the 14th c. castle of the Bishops of Warmia in Lidzbark Warmiński in the territory of historical Warmia is the main objective of the project. The activities aim at protecting cultural heritage against the progressing degradation, improving the quality of monumental substance and enrichment of the cultural offer by increasing the potential of the Museum of Warmia.
The current project (2014-2016) represents a continuation of the conservation and refurbishment operations conducted within the frameworks of the project called the “Emergency conservation works on galleries of Lidzbark Castle” (2009-2011). The project objectives were the protection of the cultural heritage and increasing tourist attractiveness of Lidzbark Warmiński. The works were focused on refurbishment and preservation of the open castle galleries, which are exceptional in the European scale.
The first stage of work aimed at revitalising the historical seat of the Bishops of Warmia in Lidzbark Warmiński cost 1,234,000 euro, of which 988,000 originated from the Norway Grants. The rest was provided by the territorial government of Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship as own contribution. Project activities focused on five components: repair of the pulpit roof of the galleries, drainage of the yard and renovation of its cobble stone surface , conservation of the brickwork of the gallery walls and the 18th c. sundial, conservation of the stone elements of the galleries and the wooden railing of the stairs leading to the first floor.
Conservation of the polychromies uncovered on the walls and vaulting of the first floor of the galleries, as well as interdisciplinary studies on those paintings, represented the most important and spectacular element of activities within the frameworks of that project. The uncovered and conservatively protected paintings dated from the last two decades of the 14th c. and revealed the very high artistic level of decorations in the residency of the Bishops of Warmia. Studies conducted indicated links to the Czech art of the court of Charles IV. The paintings were most probably commissioned by Bishop Henry III Sorbom, Uncovering the paintings hidden under several, or even some tens of, layers of whitewash represented an immense challenge for the conservation specialists and researchers determining the subsequent revitalisation activities at the castle of Lidzbark Warmiński.
Those works were conducted within the framework of the project “Emergency conservation works on galleries of Lidzbark Castle”. The quality and importance of their research and conservation accomplishments were noted in the competition called “Sybil 2011 – the museum related event of the year”. For implementing the project, the Museum of Warmia and Mazury was amongst the finalists in the “management” category of the competition.
