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Safeguarding measures I
25th October 2005 to 27th January 2006
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60 years after the destruction of the castle and 50 years after the previous major building work, the safeguarding measures began at last. It is really astonishing that the substance of the building has survived so well in spite of permanent rain water penetration and extensive vandalism. Many precious details have of course been lost, however the stonework can still be preserved through suitable protective measures. The work of securing the building will continue to progress step by step from year to year.
In a relatively short time the Trust Fund reached a decisive target stage when the official start of the safeguarding measures began on the 25th October 2005. This restoration work was only possible with the help of the state Saxony-Anhalt. There were many hurdles to be overcome and a lot of patience was needed before this work commenced. Repairs were started firstly with the particularly sensitive roofing. The emergency roof from 1954/1955 was decked with a new covering and was fitted out with new drains and water pipes.
As a second part of the rebuilding efforts, it was found necessary to install new ceilings - two of them in the area of the middle risalit were of great width. During the building of the ceiling more than 1,000 “Cobiax” spheres were imbedded in the concrete as a technical novelty in order to minimise the weight. The ceilings secure the middle part structurally and open up the stairway once again. A smaller ceiling was installed above the ground floor at the entrance area on the courtyard side. With these safeguarding measures, the history of the castle is being written once more.
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Safeguarding measures II
10th January 2007 to 23th March 2007
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One year after the successful completion of the first comprehensive renovation, the second phase of the safeguarding measures began. In this way the desired continuity was achieved. The implementation of the planned rebuilding work was enabled only through the financial support obtained from the state Saxony-Anhalt, from the Saxony-Anhalt lottery commission and from the town Zerbst/Anhalt.
Based on the first safeguarding measures, it was now technically feasible to install further ceilings in the east wing of the castle. In total, ten ceilings were installed north of the middle risalit between the ground and first floors and the second and top floors respectively. In this area the work was particularly urgent since there was no protective emergency roofing in situ. Rain and melting snow water used to collect in the area of the ground floor and was continually seeping through down into the lower basement.
On the other hand, in order to minimise the load "Cobiax" hollow plastic spheres were installed in four of the larger steel reinforced concrete ceilings. The fitting of tension rods between the outer walls and the new ceilings provides the necessary stability to this part of the building. The next building task will consist of the installation of more steel reinforced concrete ceilings south of the middle risalit. On completion of this work, the structural conditions will be in place to allow us to consider either covering the cornice or installing a new roof.
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Restoration of the sandstone floor in the entrance hall
7th July 2008 to 28th August 2008
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The entrance hall of the castle lies on the ground floor of the east-wing middle risalit and serves as the main meeting place of the Zerbst castle Trust-Fund. Through the massive destruction in 1945 and the vandalism which came later the sandstone floor was considerably damaged. The many missing pieces were a source of danger to the users and made it much more difficult to organise events.
A firm of stonemasons took over the restoration of the sandstone floor. The work was carried out carefully and in accordance with best conservation practice in order to preserve the historical character of the floor. The sandstone slabs which could still be repaired were reutilised. A large number of slabs had to be rounded off with suitably old material from the cellar of the castle.
The entire floor slab surface was taken up, sorted and carried off to the stonemason's workshop. The slabs, some of which were 30cm thick, were cleaned, cut to size and were respectively either shortened or expanded to fit in. A new floor foundation was laid afterwards in the hall. The laying out of the sandstone slabs with chalk grouting mortar followed according to plan. Simultaneously the hall was wired for electricity and two windows were installed in accordance with historical precedent. The restoration work was financed exclusively by donations.
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Restoration of the sandstone figure "Strength"
30th September 2008 to 3rd November 2008
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In the centre of the first exhibition room one finds a sandstone figure - larger than life. Adorned with club and lion skin it represents the virtue "Strength". The statue once stood on the balcony of the east-wing middle risalit until it fell down at the beginning of the 1990s as a result of being vandalised and suffered grevious damage. The Zerbst castle Trust-Fund laboured with great difficulty to clean the 1.2 tonne heavy statue, which was recovered from the prince's stables. The task of installing the statue in the exhibition room in 2005 was carried out by a specialist firm.
Because of the fall from the balcony and the wanton destruction carried out by vandals, the sandstone figure had indeed suffered serious damage to the face, arms as well as other body and clothing parts. With the financial assistance of both the Sparkasse-Trust Anhalt-Zerbst as well as from donations, it was possible for the Zerbst castle Trust-Fund to partially restore the look of the statue back to it's original design.
Historical photographs and drawings formed the basis for the restoration of the figure, which was carved and completed in 1747 by the Franconian sculptor Brunner. The reconstruction of both the face and the arms proved to be particularly time consuming and costly. Now the figure "Strength" forms the visual focus in the first exhibition room and the attractiveness of the permanent exhibition has been once again enhanced.
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Safeguarding measures IV
10th November 2008 to 27th February 2009
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In spite of our best efforts the financing of the "Safety measures III" was not able to be implemented in 2008. Instead it was possible to implement the "Safety measures IV" in the winter half year 2008/2009. The support of the state of Saxony-Anhalt and that of the Lotto-Toto Saxony-Anhalt as well as the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld and the city of Zerbst/Anhalt made this possible. The Trust fund was required to and able to match these inputs out of its own resources. These matching contributions came from donations from visitors to the castle as well as from financial assistance from well wishers and supporters.
The completed work built upon the previous "Security measures II". All efforts were concentrated on the northern part of the east wing. The wall masonry of the second storey was restored to its original standard through the removal of an old cement covering and loose stone material. After this work was finished five new steel and concrete ceilings were installed above this storey. Cobiax spheres were once again installed to minimise the weight in both of the broad ceilings. In parallel with this work the main cornices on the town and yard sides were restored. These had been missing ever since 1945. They have a height of 70 centimetres and rise evenly above the wall masonry. The enormous cornices are heavily reinforced and are directly connected to the ceilings. A temporary slanting sheet iron roof concludes the work. The rain gutters and water spouts attached to the roof channels off rain as well as meltwater.
With the "Safety measures IV" the restoration work on Zerbst castle was steadily continued. Through these measures this part of the building has been stabilised and made weather proof. The original substance of this area of the castle, which dates back to the 18th century, was able to be preserved.
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Ground floor toilets
30. April 2009 to 19. August 2009
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Appropriate sanitary facilities are a vital necessity when one wishes to organise top class events in the castle. In 2005 two small toilets were installed by the castle-association in the upper basement and these remain still in operation and cater for events in the adjacent wine bars.
The new toilet facility was erected on the ground floor of the castle. It is located next to the main hall, which serves as the main meeting place for the castle-association members. Thus direct access to the toilets is now possible without having to use the stairs.
As a precondition for the installation of the toilet facility, reinforced concrete slabs had first to be laid and this work was carried out under the "Protective work measures II" program in 2007. Thus, the room, which was helplessly exposed to the elements from above for the past 62 years, has once again obtained a new lease of life. A partition was erected in the room next door, so that seperate Ladies and Gents facilities could be installed.
The two new large windows, patterned after an historic design, allow plenty of light into the rooms and in the evening, an appropriate electric system takes care of the lighting. Both of the toilets are fronted by a corridor, which, like the entrance hall, has also a sandstone slab surface. Two plain doors with fanlights patterned after the windows, form the entrance to the Ladies and Gents toilets. Both the walls and floors were decorated with plain tiles and hand washing facilities were installed in the lobbies of the toilets, which were also erected using a drywall installation technique. In the Ladies room there are two toilet bowls and in the Gents room one toilet bowl and three urinals. The facility was financed exclusively out of funds from the castle-association and has been steadily in use since the "Evening in the castle" event in 2009.
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Safeguarding measures V
5th October 2009 to 14th January 2010
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Just a few months after the completion of the "Safety Measures IV" program, it was once again possible for us to further pursue the ongoing task of preserving the baroque castle from decay. Once again the association was able to benefit from the generous support of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the Lotto-Toto GmbH Saxony-Anhalt, the district of Anhalt-Zerbst and the city of Zerbst. The association was able to provide its own share to the task at hand out of contributed donations. We are extremely grateful for the support and donations received.
The "Safety Measures V" program was focused on the area between the middle risalit and pavilion.While the vaulted ceilings above the ground floor withstood the effects of the bombing in 1945, the wood- beamed ceilings, of the floors above, were totally destroyed. The ceilings between the 1st and 2nd floors, which were missing for more than 64 years, have now been fully restored. The five new reinforced concrete slabs provide the necessary stability in this section of the building once again. Just like in the northern part of the building, Cobiax-globes were incorporated in the ceilings of the two larger rooms in order to minimise the attendant load. Since the ceilings were installed, the rooms on the second floor have been given a new lease of life. They will serve as a working platform for removing the rotten ceilings above and will be rebuilt later with the inclusion of a temporary roof. Additionally, repairs were made to the rooms on the first and second floors. The walls, which were damaged by vandals were closed off and broken door-lintels were repaired.
The "Safety Measures V" program allowed the association to continue with its ongoing work in Zerbst castle. Some interesting pieces have been preserved in the rooms on the first floor, which once belonged to the apartment of Princess Johanna Elizabeth.The rooms have been refurbished and will be open to visitors at the beginning of the 2010 season.
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Vault renovation in the Corps de Logis
15th March 2010 to 12th July 2010
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In spite of the massive destruction suffered in 1945 and the subsequent decades of dramatic material losses due to vandalism and weathering, two large vaults were preserved in the the main wing of the castle.The vaults, dating from around 1690, are located directly above each other and have a floor space of approximately 80 square metres each.
A temporary roof once protected the upper vault until it was demolished due to vandalism. Massive water-penetration not only severely damaged this vault but also bit by bit the lower vault too. In the end vegetation grew up all over the place and the roots of the shrubs and trees crept unhindered and unprotected into the joints and crevices of the vaults.The combination of these negative factors meant that the building bricks of the single layered vault became loose, broke off and fell down. In the severe winter of 2009/2010 a vault arch capping almost collapsed completely.There existed the real danger of the total loss of the upper vault by the strongly reduced vault suspension strength and also the probable risk of the loss of the lower vault by the accumulation of stray stones and rubble. Something had to be done urgently! Since no funding was available short-term, the board of directors of the association took the decision to fund the necessary reconstruction work both from their own resources and also from donations.
Before starting the actual construction work the vault had to be first propped up and supported and the damaged areas had to be completely shuttered. Thereafter the remains of the temporary roof were disposed of and tons of rubble removed. After the complete exposure of the brick walls, the missing bricks were replaced and the arch capping closed. Finally the concrete was poured and a level walkway was installed .To protect against future moisture ingress bitumen sheets were laid and drainage was installed. The two historic vaults have now been restored, are protected and are once again accessible.
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Safeguarding measures III, Phase 1
1th September 2010 to 18th February 2011
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The implementation of the Protective Measures III program was originally planned for 2007/08 and included structural engineering measures to preserve the so called Pavilion, which lies in the south area of the east wing. Unfortunately, the proposed financial plan could not at first be implemented. After once more applying for financial support, it had to be taken into account, that it would not be possible to achieve all of the tasks at hand because of the limited amount of finance available. Thus, it was necessay to split up the implementation into several smaller steps.
An important focus of the first phase of the work was the removal of the ailing reinforced steel stone ceilings above the ground floor; these dating from the period 1954/55. The inferior quality of the former building material and the poor maintenance of the seals, meant that the temporary ceilings, with unsuitable reinforced concrete beams, were badly damaged and could not be repaired. In a similar fashion to the renewals already carried out, modern reinforced concrete slabs with tie rods were installed in the south area of the Pavilion above the ground floor. In addition, damaged door lintels and other wall openings were refurbished. Thus much of the baroque substance in this area was able to be preserved. After being destroyed in 1945, new historical room cubatures were subsequently able to be built and are now once again accessible.
Another fundamental point was the creation of a new staircase at the original location in the central south area of the Pavilion. The new reinforced concrete construction leads up from the top souterrain over the parterre and further up to the first floor and is so designed, that it meets all modern evacuation and fire protection requirements. The staircase opens up not only the upper rooms, but also serves as a "working stairway" for further construction endeavours and helps to relieve the main sandstone staircase.
The first phase of the Protective Measures III program was sponsored by the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the Lotto-Toto GmbH Saxony-Anhalt, the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld and the city of Zerbst / Anhalt. The necessary monetary input of the association came from donations. Our most heartfelt thanks goes out to all our sponsors and supporters.
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Safeguarding measures III, Phase 2
8th August 2011 to 27th January 2012
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The fulfillment of this protective measure was made possible mainly due to the financial support of Saxony-Anhalt, the Lotto-Toto GmbH Saxony-Anhalt, the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld and the town of Zerbst/Anhalt. The necessary matching financial contribution of the association was raised from donations. We most heartily thank everyone, who was involved in this effort.
Further structural work has been carried out in the preservation of the so-called pavilion, in the southern area of the East Wing. At first three of the no longer viable and dilapidated ceilings above the ground floor and the first floor, had to be removed as well as two provisional and equally desolate supporting walls. In addition, two unsuitable, makeshift, retaining steel-concrete girders were dismantled. All items disposed of were from the period 1954/55. They were substantially damaged due to weather exposure, were threatened by collapse and were no longer repairable.
Just like the already implemented protective measures, three modern steel-reinforced concrete slabs with tie-rods were installed in the pavilion above the ground and the first floor. In addition, a new, non-visible joist had to be integrated as a result of the partially weakened walls. Some defects in the rising walls were also repaired.
The staircase construction in the middle of the southern-area of the pavilion, which was started during the first building phase, was now extended from the first to the second floor. The new steel-reinforced concrete staircase, with solid bannisters, now conforms to the current "escape route and fire safety regulations". The staircase allows access to the rooms on the individual floors, and now functions as a practical gangway for all further building work.
With the second phase of the protective measure III, whose content basically followed the previous protective measures, another area of Zerbst Castle could be saved from total loss. In addition, the newly acquired rooms were integrated into the showroom area of the Association.
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Plastering the entrance hall
16th April 2012 to 31 May 2012
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The entrance hall on the ground floor of the castle occupies the entire width of the central projection and originally formed the main entrance to the east wing. Its simple, classical character was intentionally willed and this allowed for an ever increasing amount of ornamentation right upto the main room of the tract on the first floor, the audience room. The entrance hall was almost completely destroyed by the fire in the castle in 1945.
The Zerbst castle association intends to gradually restore the hall to its prewar condition. After the installation of a steel concrete ceiling, the fitting out of windows and provisional doors as well as the laying out of the new sandstone floor , it now serves as the main event room in the castle.
The walls, which had suffered the most damage through both the loss of plaster and through being severely smeared with graffiti, were then newly replastered by hand in a traditional manner.The remaining historic plaster surfaces were retained and duly integrated. It was thus considered to be necessary, that the new plaster coating should have a minimum thickness of at least four centimeters. Missing stucco decorations were highlighted by roughened areas. After the completion of this work, the symmetrical wall structure, with some double Doric pilasters, came once more back into prominence. Two crystal chandeliers lend the room a decidedly festive character. The financing of the renovation work was made possible exclusively through donations.
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