UNESCO World Heritage Site "Classical Weimar" - Historic Cemetery Renovation of the perimeter wall

After the creation of the "Monument Preservation Framework Concept" for the Historic Cemetery Weimar in 2011, DÄRR LANDSCHAFTSARCHITEKTEN were commissioned by the City of Weimar to develop the planning for the restoration and repair of the enclosing wall in accordance with monument preservation requirements. Within the scope of this work, about 2/3 of the wall was renovated on both sides. The historical enclosure wall was partly in a ruinous condition, static impairments made a comprehensive renovation necessary, since e.g. areas of the wall showed a strong lateral inclination, parts had broken off or the stability of individual grave monuments was no longer given. With an average height of 2.10 m and a width of approx. 0.60 m, the wall was predominantly built as a double-shell natural stone masonry with sandstone capping. It has some particularly elaborate architectural surfaces, some of which date from the time of first occupation. Extensive as-built documentation was required to gather all the information needed for the masonry renovation. Survey plans and a photogrammetric survey of the wall surfaces on both sides were prepared.
The static-constructive structural survey of the masonry sections for the restoration of the stability and long-term preservation was carried out by the engineering office Dr. Krämer GmbH, Weimar. The restorative specialist planning services, such as examination of the architectural surfaces with their different materialities, existing gravestones, grave slabs and tablets as well as their fixings were examined and described by the graduate restorer Sven Raecke. All the information gathered was presented in detailed plans by DÄRR LANDSCHAFTSARCHITEKTEN.

The restoration required extensive measures from a static-constructive point of view, such as the repointing of the outer masonry shells, bricking up of the masonry crown, addition of cover plates, crack restoration, removal and rebuilding of masonry areas with bulges or deformations, anchoring of the inner shell by interlocking or needle anchors, removal of gravestones and natural stone cladding for the restoration of the load-bearing masonry, as well as the installation of root bridges for trees worth preserving. The damaged historic plaster surfaces in the area of the graves were conserved with the masonry repair and missing areas were completed with lime plaster visually adapted to the existing plaster.

With the comprehensive renovation, the sustainable preservation of the authentic original substance of this world cultural heritage and thus the preservation of the genius loci is ensured.