A Tumble in Time: Probing Fissures at the Hamburg Michel's Tower
- Underground exploration reveals fissures at Hamburger Michel site
Let's chat about ol' Hamburg's iconic landmark – the Michel, or St. Michaelis. Known for drawin' in around 1.5 million visitors annually, this bad boy's been standin' tall since way back when. But things might take a turn for the historic, as those tower folks have discovered deep cracks. Go figure, right?
They've been probin', drillin' those cracks up to five meters deep in the masonry. According to Uwe Pfeiffer, the project bloke in charge of the tower's facelift, these bad boys are potentially a sneaky pathway for rainwater to waltz inside the structure. Sounds like a wet mess, doesn't it?
Renovatin' and Remainin' Works
"So far, those drill cores support our initial suspicions 'bout the condition of the 400-year-old gypsum masonry," says Uwe. Here they're investigatin' moisture, masonry salts, and if the masonry's playin' nice with modern building materials.
They're planning to fix those cracks come summer, and if the weather's good, they'll carry on with the rest of the roof and tower cornice work later this year. These repairs had to take a winter hiatus, but hey, Mother Nature ain't always cooperative.
The Man of the Cloth Appeals for Donations
The repairs are runnin' about 1.3 million euros, but they're still 400,000 short. They've raked in 900,000 already, but to start the summer renovation, they're wantin' the other 400,000. The church's chief pastor is callin' upon you to lend a hand. If you're feelin' philanthropic, you can donate and help save a little piece of Hamburg history.
- Hamburg
- St. Michaelis
- Landmark
- Drilling
- Repairs
- Donations
The Commission has been informed about the progress of the presentation of the draft directive for addressing the structural issues at St. Michaelis in Hamburg, where deep cracks have been discovered in the masonry of the iconic landmark. Uwe Pfeiffer, responsible for the tower's renovation, suggests that these cracks could potentially allow rainwater to seep inside the structure, raising concerns about compatibility between the 400-year-old gypsum masonry and modern building materials. To raise funds for the estimated 1.3 million euro repair costs, the church's chief pastor is appealing for donations from the public to save this important piece of Hamburg history.
