IN-PERSON: Prague – Section A

Abstract

Working with architectural heritage is a complex task. To fully grasp a historic building, practitioners have to rely on surveying, recording, and building archaeology to extract information from the building. But the kind of narratives that are put forward, rely on the methods, techniques, and practices used. Some information is emphasized and preserved for the future, and some is not. Tveje Merløse Parish Church, dating from the Middle ages, underwent restoration in the 1890s, which was based on thorough archaeological studies. There was a strong focus on the original Romanesque parts of the church, which resulted in the demolition of later additions to the church, such as the 15th-century vaults. But in a few instances, the focus on originality as the basis for the intervention was not possible to be maintained, which pushed the architects towards other solutions. This paper examines the conservation process of Tveje Merløse Church in Denmark, and will address issues of the legal basis, the question of originality versus copy, and architectural practices in recording cultural heritage. What aspects and characteristics were appraised? How were the building archaeological findings used to create meaning in reshaping the church? And what narratives was the building placed in? What was to be preserved and thus kept in collective memory?