The pictures went around the globe: the Basilica Mondsee came to world fame as a wedding setting for one of the best-known music films ever. The characteristic double towers still attract hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. This year the foundation stone for the best -known church of the Salzkammergut for the 555th time – and the basilica is made fit for the next century with a new slate of the German premium producer Rathscheck. At the same time, the US cinema “The Sound of Music” celebrates its 60th birthday: The history of the Trapp musician family has been moving since 1965 million, was internationally shaped by Austria and is considered one of the most watched films.
146 748 rectangular slate stones from Rathscheck Schiefer should protect the imposing church for another 100 years. The renovation work on the more than 3400 square meter roof area is already two years, which is expected to shine completely in sustainable slate in autumn. The stones come from the Spanish winning facilities from Rathscheck and were adapted to the desired format 40 x 25 centimeters with the help of the latest technology in the style of the traditional stone shingle cover.
Hand in hand work at a lofty height between the 20-meter-high eaves and the 37-meter high first monument protection specialist and slate deck from Austria and Germany on the completion of the 70-meter-long and 34 meter wide roof, which corresponds to an area of the equivalent of 30 single-family houses. For entrepreneurs Franz Greil, this is “particularly demanding work because of the awareness of the property.”
“It was like a finger of God,” recalls Hannes Strobl from the Finance Committee of the parish of St. Michael Mondsee in the church newspaper of the terrible hailstan weather, which was the decisive factor for sustainable renovation. In the summer of 2021, parts of the Mondseeland devastated several centimeters thick ice grains and fiber cement plates containing asbestos, with which the basilica had been covered in the 1960s as an inexpensive alternative to natural slate. The Mondseer were still lucky in misfortune: the valuable interior of the church with frescoes and high altar was spared from the water masses, but as a result, however, there were repeatedly detached triggers that had arrived at the end of their lifespan.
Refurbishment was also necessary in view of possible health risks by damaged asbestos plates in order to obtain the subsequent generations built in numerous sections in numerous sections. Although a covering with copper was also discussed, the parish decided in cooperation with monument protection and the Diocese Linz for slate in order to be well prepared in the future in extreme weather events. The natural stone is extremely resistant to storm, hail and snow.
More than four million euros are estimated for the renovation of the roof structure and roof. Because at the beginning of construction, ten percent that the parish itself must be brought up from donations were missing, the responsible persons were missing in a special idea: Anyone can make a 10-euro roof donation via a website and is immortalized by name, photo or a personal dedication on a virtual slate stone possible from 146,748 (basilikamondsee.com). “God is the builder – but nothing stands in the Bible of the financing,” Reinhard Bell, pastor and rector of the basilica, advertises contributions. With ski jumping legend Andreas (“Andi”) Goldberger, he has a prominent supporter: “Whenever I come home, I look forward to seeing the church towers,” speaks the electoral moon lake and 20 times the World Cup winner from the soul.
The Basilica Mondsee (2005 by Pope John Paul II with the honorary title “Basilica Minor”) gained worldwide celebrity in 1965 by the music film “The Sound of Music”. The strip is still one of the most successful productions of all time with five Oscars. Millions of people moved the history of love and suffering from the Trapp family, which was based on the real life, which lived in Salzburg and fled to the USA in front of the Nazis shortly before the Second World War. As a “Trapp Family Singers”, the real family in America made music career. With the publication of Maria von Trapp’s memoirs (“from the monastery to the world success”), who provided material for several movies, baron and baroness and the seven children also became popular in Europe in the 1950s. The film crew with the leading actors Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in the Salzburg region took eleven weeks. The film hit “Edelweiß” was so successful that it was incorrectly regarded in America into the White House as an Austrian national anthem.
For Rathscheck Schiefer, the renovation of the Basilica Mondsee is more than one of many prestige objects in monument protection. The rarely used stone shingle covering shows how diverse slate can be used. Once slate stones with classic scale -like formats shaped the image of valuable building fabric today combined builders and planners with rectangular slate stones today high demands on contemporary design and permanent care. Almost 250 variation options make unique unique items from every roof and facade – and they are in conjunction with efficient integrable photovoltaic elements in harmony with monument protection. Info: www.rathscheck.de/rockstar