Actually, only a little bit of weeds around the bike stand next to the church should be removed with a weed burner. But on that Friday afternoon six weeks ago, not only a bit of greenery went up in flames – the fire also caught the wooden door and the east facade of the parish church Seliger Pater Rupert Mayer in Poing. Many of the shimmering white ceramic tiles that are the hallmark of the church, which was only consecrated in 2018, burst from the heat. It will probably be a few months before the facade looks like it did before the fire, as a spokesman for the archbishop’s ordinariate explains.
In September, scaffolding will be erected to remove damaged parts of the facade
At the moment it is still a matter of getting a detailed picture of the damage. In September, scaffolding will be put in place for further study of the facade. Step by step, tiles and natural stone elements can then be removed from the framework to determine the damage, according to the spokesman for the ordinariate. The substructure, thermal insulation and sealing would also have to be checked for damage. Only after these investigations can a rehabilitation concept be developed and the costs for repairing the damage can be quantified. Immediately after the fire, the amount of damage was already estimated at several 100,000 euros. “Depending on the extent of the damage, the renovation can take several months. The aim is that the fire site is no longer recognizable after the work has been completed,” says the professor.
A pile of broken pieces after the fire: several of the shimmering white tiles have been destroyed by the fire.
(Photo: Christian Endt)
A unique selling point of the church, which has won several architectural awards, could also make the renovation a particular challenge: the shimmering, snow-white tiles, which – together with the extravagant shape – have given the church the nickname “God’s ski jump”. They are handmade and not easy to buy. According to the spokesman for the Archbishop’s Ordinariate, there are replacement tiles, but not in sufficient numbers. However, the manufacturing company could probably be commissioned to produce new tiles. Tiles that are soiled with soot but are otherwise not damaged should be cleaned and reused if possible. According to the spokesman for the ordinariate, cleaning attempts are already being made. The natural stone elements in the lower part of the wall can probably be replaced in the same way with elements from the same quarry.
The Ordinariate will probably not assert any claims for damages against the part-time employee of the church who caused the fire. The fire insurance will pay for the renovation, the church foundation and the archdiocese will probably not incur any costs, it is said.