In the past around 100 years, the church tower of the parish church Scharten has been inclined to the west by 13 centimeters. This also testifies long cracks in the walls, an ever increasing gap between the tower and the nave as well as stones that loosened up and crashed in one of the last heavy storms.
“We now have to stabilize him so that he does not tend to continue to and renovate,” says Erich Hölzl, financial manager of the parish. There were already ground probes up to ten meters deep. With concrete injections, it should be stabilized and another tilt of the church tower is prevented.
Difficult construction project
Three construction companies have already canceled due to the difficult task, says Hölzl. Now the expertise of a special company from Linz is required, with which there was a first conversation in the previous week. According to an initial rough estimate, around 300,000 euros will be necessary to renovate the 500-year-old church tower with its distinctive two meter “radiation wreath-Madonna” on the top of the tower.
In addition to the structural challenges, the project also means financially a big task for the parish. Because the tower stabilization and renovation is only the first of three planned stages. An external renovation of the nave including a new drainage to prevent the moisture from climbing into the walls, as well as the redesign of the outer place are planned. The total costs will be around 900,000 euros.
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Image: Krai
Source: Nachrichten
