DOI article:
Stepien, Piotr M.: Badania i konserwacja baszty Lubranki
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19889#0042
The period of the Nazi occupation witnessed considerable
disadvantageous alterations in the tower: morę ceilings ofreinforced
concrete were madę, the first-floor room was refashioned (this
including the removal of spiral stairs and a garderobę) as well as
the cellar, the connection of the tower with the south wing galleries
was altered and the end part of this wing disfigured; also a number
of Windows were remade and extensions erected. Between 1965 and
1969 the Board for Restoration of the Wawel Royal Castle carried
out repairs to the crowning part of the tower, necessitated by the
construction disaster. Analysis of the history and architecture of the
tower was included in morę extensive elaborations.
Studies of the tower were not resumed until 1999, when they were
undertaken in connection with its planned conservation. The author
discusses results of these investigations, presenting successive stages
of the building and refashioning of Lubranka. The time bracket for
the construction of the tower is set by the years 1447 (the beginning
of Casimir the Jagiellonian’s reign) and around 1460 (the building of
the Sandomierska Tower). The two towers are defensive structures
supplementing the earlier, Gothic enceinte. They were located in the
Southern part of the hill which was most vulnerable to the enemy’s
attack. The author analyses the architectural form of Lubranka,
claiming that its walls up to the level of the offset above the fifth
floor should be regarded as a homogeneous stmcture (except for
minor alterations); he also discusses some technological details and
brings forward some analogies. The investigations have confirmed
the character of Lubranka both as a “gun tower” (i.e., fully adapted
for the use of fireanns) and partly as a dwelling. Furthennore, they
have shown that soon after the erection of the tower it was decided to
heighten it and that the work was done rather hurriedly. In the author’s
opinion the building of this superstmcture may have been caused by
the armed conflict with Matthias Corvinus in the 1470s.
Lubranka, together with its superstmcture, was nine storeys high,
including a cellar and the ground floor in the lowest, rectangular
plinth part, six storeys in the body, and a projecting attic on stone
corbels. It was probably already then that the tower was covered
with a high conical roof behind crenellation, as is known from the
iconography of 1536/1537. In addition to this iconographic materiał,
the author discusses the first source references dating from the early
16,h century. Successive mentions document the constmction of
an extension with three overground storeys, connecting the newly
erected south wing (the curtain wali, 1530-1532; the colonnade
of the galleries, 1534-1535) with Lubranka. At the same time the
lower storeys of the tower (the ground, first, and second floors)
were adapted for their new functions connected with the pałace,
this including the enlargement of window openings on the first floor
which were fitted with cross-windows in Late Gothic surrounds.
It was probably also then that the original box-machicoulis was
remade into a garderobę. References for the years 1540-1541 record
repairs after the 1536 fire. Various kinds of work. but mainly repairs,
continued in the following years; the records show that the tower did
not lose its defensive character (harquebuses are mentioned).
The work referred to in BielskTs Chronicie in 1595 is interpreted
by the author as the dismantling of the top storey of the tower, above
the corbelling, and the execution of a new, lower top and roof. In
the author’s opinion during this reconstmction the wali of the attic
was built in the fonu known from the iconography of the tum of
the 18lh and 19lh centuries, with a panel division and smali circular
Windows.
The author analyses successive mentions and iconographic
records, including those relating to the State following the 1656 fire, as
well as the inventories describing the plan and fumishing of the rooms
(1665, 1679, 1692, 1709, 1736, and 1739). Two of the few changes
to which the elevations of Lubranka were subjected in the modem
era concemed the position of the openings on the sixth floor and the
building in of an embrasure for smali firearms on the ground-floor
level. In that period the tower walls were covered with a thin coat
of limę plaster painted reddish. The tower survived the disastrous
fire of 1702 which seriously damaged the castle; however, it was
gradually falling into min. The attempts to repair it in 1761-1762
were thwarted by the ravages wrought by the siege and occupation
of Wawel by the Russian troops during the Confederation of Bar
in 1772. The tower, as well as the entire pałace, underwent repairs
only in connection with the visit of Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski
(1787). The appearance of the tower in the early 19th century, that is,
after its renovation, is well known thanks to numerous iconographic
records discussed in the present paper.
The alterations madę by the Austrians in the 1850s brought about
a considerable change in the appearance of the tower: the roof and
the panelled wali were dismantled and replaced by a pseudo-Gothic
crenellation and a Iow pavilion roof hidden behind it. The elevations
of the tower were covered with a thin floated coat of limę plaster
painted red, brickwork being imitated by white joints painted on
a red ground. Also the window surrounds were painted.
In the next part of the paper the author describes the condition
of the tower prior to its consenation and discusses the main points
of the plan. In technical terms the cracks, delamination, and brick-
face losses in the tower walls posed the gravest threat. In addition,
serious damage to stone details was observed. In accordance with
the principles accepted in the programme of the restoration of the
monuments on Wawel Hill, it was assumed that the work should not
be limited to anotherprovisional repair but should comprehensively
solve the technical and conservation problems of the tower. As a
result of analysis of historical sources and architectural studies, the
proposals in the project included the reconstmction of the top part
of the tower as documented in the iconography of the tum of the 18th
and 19Ih centuries, as well as the reconstmction of the garderobę in
the west elevation and of the ground-floor window surrounds; thus
the tower elevations were to be restored to their appearance in the
period of the functioning of the royal residence until the end of the
18lh century. Computer visualizations were of essential importance to
the appraisal of these proposals of consen ation. During the meeting
of the Conservation Commission chaired by Prof. Dr. Jan Ostrowski,
Conservator of the Monuments of Wawel Hill. on 14th May, 2001, the
submitted variants were assessed. the above-described consenation
guidelines being accepted.
The plan was carried out in the years 2002-2003. The author
describes elements of the Steel construction of the roof, the
reconstmction of the attic wali and the garderobę as well as the
technologies of reinforcing the walls. In accordance with historical
records, the roof was covered with ceramic tiles. Finally, the
paper discusses the conservation of the stone- and brickwork and
architectural details.
disadvantageous alterations in the tower: morę ceilings ofreinforced
concrete were madę, the first-floor room was refashioned (this
including the removal of spiral stairs and a garderobę) as well as
the cellar, the connection of the tower with the south wing galleries
was altered and the end part of this wing disfigured; also a number
of Windows were remade and extensions erected. Between 1965 and
1969 the Board for Restoration of the Wawel Royal Castle carried
out repairs to the crowning part of the tower, necessitated by the
construction disaster. Analysis of the history and architecture of the
tower was included in morę extensive elaborations.
Studies of the tower were not resumed until 1999, when they were
undertaken in connection with its planned conservation. The author
discusses results of these investigations, presenting successive stages
of the building and refashioning of Lubranka. The time bracket for
the construction of the tower is set by the years 1447 (the beginning
of Casimir the Jagiellonian’s reign) and around 1460 (the building of
the Sandomierska Tower). The two towers are defensive structures
supplementing the earlier, Gothic enceinte. They were located in the
Southern part of the hill which was most vulnerable to the enemy’s
attack. The author analyses the architectural form of Lubranka,
claiming that its walls up to the level of the offset above the fifth
floor should be regarded as a homogeneous stmcture (except for
minor alterations); he also discusses some technological details and
brings forward some analogies. The investigations have confirmed
the character of Lubranka both as a “gun tower” (i.e., fully adapted
for the use of fireanns) and partly as a dwelling. Furthennore, they
have shown that soon after the erection of the tower it was decided to
heighten it and that the work was done rather hurriedly. In the author’s
opinion the building of this superstmcture may have been caused by
the armed conflict with Matthias Corvinus in the 1470s.
Lubranka, together with its superstmcture, was nine storeys high,
including a cellar and the ground floor in the lowest, rectangular
plinth part, six storeys in the body, and a projecting attic on stone
corbels. It was probably already then that the tower was covered
with a high conical roof behind crenellation, as is known from the
iconography of 1536/1537. In addition to this iconographic materiał,
the author discusses the first source references dating from the early
16,h century. Successive mentions document the constmction of
an extension with three overground storeys, connecting the newly
erected south wing (the curtain wali, 1530-1532; the colonnade
of the galleries, 1534-1535) with Lubranka. At the same time the
lower storeys of the tower (the ground, first, and second floors)
were adapted for their new functions connected with the pałace,
this including the enlargement of window openings on the first floor
which were fitted with cross-windows in Late Gothic surrounds.
It was probably also then that the original box-machicoulis was
remade into a garderobę. References for the years 1540-1541 record
repairs after the 1536 fire. Various kinds of work. but mainly repairs,
continued in the following years; the records show that the tower did
not lose its defensive character (harquebuses are mentioned).
The work referred to in BielskTs Chronicie in 1595 is interpreted
by the author as the dismantling of the top storey of the tower, above
the corbelling, and the execution of a new, lower top and roof. In
the author’s opinion during this reconstmction the wali of the attic
was built in the fonu known from the iconography of the tum of
the 18lh and 19lh centuries, with a panel division and smali circular
Windows.
The author analyses successive mentions and iconographic
records, including those relating to the State following the 1656 fire, as
well as the inventories describing the plan and fumishing of the rooms
(1665, 1679, 1692, 1709, 1736, and 1739). Two of the few changes
to which the elevations of Lubranka were subjected in the modem
era concemed the position of the openings on the sixth floor and the
building in of an embrasure for smali firearms on the ground-floor
level. In that period the tower walls were covered with a thin coat
of limę plaster painted reddish. The tower survived the disastrous
fire of 1702 which seriously damaged the castle; however, it was
gradually falling into min. The attempts to repair it in 1761-1762
were thwarted by the ravages wrought by the siege and occupation
of Wawel by the Russian troops during the Confederation of Bar
in 1772. The tower, as well as the entire pałace, underwent repairs
only in connection with the visit of Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski
(1787). The appearance of the tower in the early 19th century, that is,
after its renovation, is well known thanks to numerous iconographic
records discussed in the present paper.
The alterations madę by the Austrians in the 1850s brought about
a considerable change in the appearance of the tower: the roof and
the panelled wali were dismantled and replaced by a pseudo-Gothic
crenellation and a Iow pavilion roof hidden behind it. The elevations
of the tower were covered with a thin floated coat of limę plaster
painted red, brickwork being imitated by white joints painted on
a red ground. Also the window surrounds were painted.
In the next part of the paper the author describes the condition
of the tower prior to its consenation and discusses the main points
of the plan. In technical terms the cracks, delamination, and brick-
face losses in the tower walls posed the gravest threat. In addition,
serious damage to stone details was observed. In accordance with
the principles accepted in the programme of the restoration of the
monuments on Wawel Hill, it was assumed that the work should not
be limited to anotherprovisional repair but should comprehensively
solve the technical and conservation problems of the tower. As a
result of analysis of historical sources and architectural studies, the
proposals in the project included the reconstmction of the top part
of the tower as documented in the iconography of the tum of the 18th
and 19Ih centuries, as well as the reconstmction of the garderobę in
the west elevation and of the ground-floor window surrounds; thus
the tower elevations were to be restored to their appearance in the
period of the functioning of the royal residence until the end of the
18lh century. Computer visualizations were of essential importance to
the appraisal of these proposals of consen ation. During the meeting
of the Conservation Commission chaired by Prof. Dr. Jan Ostrowski,
Conservator of the Monuments of Wawel Hill. on 14th May, 2001, the
submitted variants were assessed. the above-described consenation
guidelines being accepted.
The plan was carried out in the years 2002-2003. The author
describes elements of the Steel construction of the roof, the
reconstmction of the attic wali and the garderobę as well as the
technologies of reinforcing the walls. In accordance with historical
records, the roof was covered with ceramic tiles. Finally, the
paper discusses the conservation of the stone- and brickwork and
architectural details.