Cologne Cathedral, Cologne
Cologne
Germany
Church
Cathedral
Monument
Natural stone
Natural stone preservation
Façade repair
KSE 300
KSE 510
Funcosil WS
As one of the largest cathedrals in the Gothic architectural style, Cologne Cathedral has established itself as the flagship of the metropolis on the Rhine. The 157-metre-high building is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cologne and the metropolitan church of the ecclesiastical province of Cologne. The cathedral was built between 1248 and 1880. This Roman Catholic church has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
Reference identification data
- Construction project:
-
Façade restoration / natural stone
- Building type:
- Historically protected / historically valuable buildings
Churches / cloisters
- Short description
- For decades, the natural stone façade of the cathedral had been exposed to the elements and was suffering the effects of prolonged sun, wind, rain and frost. Another danger to the stone was sulphuric acid, which was produced by the combination of sulphur dioxide and acid rain. As a result, the stones started to convert to gypsum and their encrusted surface absorbed even more toxic liquid. As an initial repair measure, the affected elements of the façade were treated with solvent-free silicic acid ester-based stone strengtheners to fix the weathered and loosened stones. A hydrophobic impregnation was then applied. The silane/siloxane-based material provides the façade with long-lasting protection against driving rain and UV radiation and reduces the accumulation of dirt on the masonry.
- Site address:
-
50667 Köln
- Can the work be viewed?
-
Yes