On 25 July 2016, the fortified churches of Felmer and Șoarș (near Fog.) were full of activity: people between cameras on tripods, ladders on the walls, papers, sketches and drawings. Preparations for care and emergency measures as part of the roof programme of the Fortified Churches Foundation were in full swing. Important inventory investigations were carried out, focusing on wall plaster.
The main questions were: Is it medieval, modern or repair plaster? Are there hidden murals? Which material was used? To which construction periods are the works to be assigned? What are the causes of the damage?
The construction history and the damage to the entire facilities in Felmer and Șoarș were researched, documented and analyzed. The results provide information on the causes of damage and enable the creation of conservation concepts. Further investigations will follow this year. The first emergency measures could begin in autumn 2016.
The building investigation was made possible with the help of the following monument specialists:
Team Felmern
– Loránd Kiss and Ferenc Marton (ARCUS VEREIN), graduate restorers of plasters and murals,
– Henriette Lemnitz, graduate restorer for natural stone,
– Alina Bârlă, ethnologist, and Radu Bârlă, historian.
Sebastian Bethge coordinated the activities as monument conservator of the Fortified Churches Foundation.
