The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica

International Colloquium and Workshop

 

„The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica

and the Prospects of its Revitalisation “

B a n s k á   Š t i a v n i c a,      September 21 – 29, 2007

 

LEAFLET, Application Form

 

Context of the international colloquium and students’ workshop:

The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica is a remarkable Baroque landmark dominating the surrounding landscape, situated just opposite to the historic settlement. The Calvary is a complex of 17 chapels, 3 churches (Lower Church, Sacred Stairs, Upper Church), building of the Prison and Holy Grave. The complex consists of many architectural details, valuable historical structures, and works of art and craft, which seem to be seriously threatened.

 

The current state of the historical complex is a consequence of the absence of public interest to the fortune of one of the most beautiful Calvary complexes in both Slovakia and Europe.

Many publications about the Calvary have been issued already but still they fail to document or record damages, missing elements of art and other movables. The threats to the monument have not been articulated yet. The ongoing losses of values have not been monitored; the diagnosis of the historical structures has not been done. This situation is not favourable for elaborating a complex project proposal for the revitalisation of the Calvary.

 

The international workshop for university students and their teachers as well as the international colloquium for experts shall react to the very acute need to revitalise and conserve the Baroque Calvary complex as well as to the actual need to develop capacities of students in cultural heritage preservation and their understanding of the fact that cultural heritage preservation is an interdisciplinary problem.

 

 

Aims:

 

1. To host a 9-day international multidisciplinary workshop for students of architecture, history of art, restoration and theology in order to analyse the state of the Calvary in Banská Štiavnica – from the point of view of the many disciplines participating in the project and to start looking for the starting point as regards further conservation and revitalisation of the unique monument.
2. To organise a 2-day international colloquium with wider participation of experts and open to public, which would pick up the threads of the knowledge acquired during the workshop with the aim to judge the current state of the Calvary, compare the complex with similar ones in Europe, search for inspiration and partnerships for the project and thus improve the present situation and prevent further decay of the complex.
3. To issue a publication titled „The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica and the Prospects of its Revitalisation “ based on the knowledge acquired during the on-site survey and research in archives performed by students and their teachers during the workshop as well as on the results of the colloquium.
   

Objectives:

Students´ workshop

-          To perform an on-site research including a territorial and architectural survey of the Calvary complex;

-          To confront the present state of the Calvary with its original state and development phases;

-          To elaborate a detailed study comparing the present state of the site, its architecture, decorations, furnishing as well as its spiritual meanings and message with the former life of the Baroque Calvary complex.

Colloquium

An experts‘ examination of the challenges - making also use of the results and findings of the workshop – a search for possible perspectives, further steps to take in the process of its safeguarding, and for an outline of the future especially towards a management plan for the site with regard to its specificities. 

General

-          To issue a publication entitled „The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica and its revitalisation prospects“ in form of a detailed confrontation study outlining the vision of its possible revitalisation process;

-          To emphasize the multidisciplinary character of cultural heritage preservation and restoration issues.

 

 

Preliminary programme:

 

21. 9. -  27. 9. 2007 – international and multidisciplinary workshop for students and teachers (ca 20 students and 10 teachers):

-- Survey of the current state of the Calvary complex, its documentation including the buildings, the cultural landscape in its surroundings (students of architecture and urban planning);

-- Documentation of the current and original art and craft decorations of the chapels and churches (students of history of art and conservation-restoration);

-- Research into the current spiritual state of the sacral complex and into its original and possible future use (theology students).

 

28.9. - 29. 9. 2007 – International Colloquium:

We expect that experts from Slovakia and Europe, mainly from the countries where the cult of Sacred Mountains and Calvaries used to be spread in past, participate in the colloquium.

The colloquium is intended to bring together relevant experts - architects, preservationists, art historians, conservators-restorers, theologians as well as representatives of local and state authorities.