Studia Geotechnica et Mechanica, Vol. XXXV, No. 1, 2013 DOI: 10.

2478/sgem-2013-0007

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HISTORICAL BUILDING

OF THE LATIN SCHOOL IN MALBORK

ZENON DUDA, KATARZYNA KRYZIA

AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakw.

Abstract: The paper summarizes the reconstruction of the historical building erected in the 14th
century, during the times of the residence of Grand Master of the Teutonic Order Winrich von Kni-
prode, currently referred to as the Latin School. It characterizes the location of the Latin School in
the urban conservation area of the town of Malbork. The building is situated in the stretch of the but-
tressed brick escarpment on the Nogat River in the line of the historic defensive walls of Malbork.
The paper also outlines the history of this building, constructed and managed by the municipal
authorities of Malbork, which for a long time was a seat of a Patronage of Saint George and the Mer-
chant Guild, and next, from the 16th century until 1864, the building housed a school where basic
Latin was taught. Next, the situation of this historical monument in the 20th century is discussed.
In the next part of the paper, the geological conditions of the site where the building was erected
are discussed. The conducted archeological and architectural exploratory research related to the his-
torical building with a particular emphasis on historic preservation and restoration works focusing on
the building and its surroundings is presented and analyzed. Currently carried out design, construc-
tion and adaptation works allowing new functions to be embedded into this building are also dis-
cussed.
The paper shows the benefits due to the realization of the reconstruction program of the de-
graded building of the Latin school in the historic quarter of the town. These activities are aimed at
the conversion of the currently derelict building by means of embedding new functions into it. There
are being designed, among others, an interactive educational center modern library, astronomical ob-
servatory, craft museum and multifunctional hall, allowing proper conditions to be created for the
development of educational, artistic and tourism related activities in the reconstructed building.
The reconstruction of the historical building is a positive response to its deterioration resulting
from former activities and it will contribute to the improvement of the quality of cultural life of both
local inhabitants and visitors.

1. INTRODUCTION

The dynamic development of civilization in the 20th century necessitated the sophis-
tication of scientific and technological activities meant to solve complex problems re-
sulting from the past and also from present-day requirements. One of the directions of
these activities is the broadly understood conservation of archeological and histori-
cal/architectural sites constituting the wealth of the material culture of a given nation.
Cultural heritage sites, weakened by the passage of time, endangered by short-
sighted human activities and deteriorating ecological conditions of the natural envi-
ronment frequently require taking measures aimed at stopping the ongoing degrada-
tion process, eliminating the reasons for the damage and restoring these sites to their
former historic and functional value.
86 Z. DUDA, K. KRYZIA

Activities leading to the reconstruction of a building have to be complex and per-

manent in nature, which can be attained by the realization of tasks the aim of which is
not only eliminating the results but also, and primarily, the hazards contributing to the
degradation of a historic building. Most often tasks performed to realize this purpose
include subsoil surveys and, if necessary, soil stabilization and drainage activities, and
also protecting the underground floors and foundations of the building. The comple-
tion of these works is an indispensable requirement for undertaking preservation and
restoration works in the overground floors of a historical building.
The brick building of the Latin School, dating from the 14th century, is an example
of such approach to the cultural heritage preservation within the urban conservation
area of the town of Malbork. The current state of the building, located in the stretch of
medieval fortifications, requires undertaking complex reconstruction activities, which
would allow for introducing infrastructural functions pertaining to the development of
cultural, tourism-related and educational activity.
The realization of the reconstruction program of the historic building of the Latin
School is supposed to create in the degraded municipally owned structure new chances
and opportunities pertaining to general development, for inhabitants of the areas neigh-
bouring the restored building, with a view of preserving its cultural heritage.

2. THE LATIN SCHOOL IN MALBORK HISTORY

The historical building of the Latin School, erected and managed by the municipal
authorities of the town of Malbork, dates from the 14th century and the reign of Grand
Master of the Teutonic Order Winrich von Kniprode. The building is located in the
stretch of the buttressed brick escarpment on the Nogat River in the line of the historic
defensive walls of Malbork [11].

Fig. 1. The location of the Latin School in relation to the Castle and the town of Malbork
(the 15th century view according to C. Steinbrechts reconstruction)
 The reconstruction of the historical building... 87

Originally, Malbork, a medium-sized town concerning its area, settlement develop-

ment and economy being artisanal, commercial and agricultural in character, developed
owing to its favourable waterway connections with the Nogat and Vistula Rivers. At that
time the building in question presumably acted as a seat of the Merchant Guild, where
grain, timber, animal skins, horses and wine were traded among other things. For a long
time, supposedly, a Patronage of Saint George was based there as well. Next, from the
16th century until 1864, the building functioned as a school where basic Latin was taught.
It was destroyed in the fire which spread through the town in 1899, and was rebuilt in
1900 as a typical warehouse [1], [2], [8]. Another fire in 1945 ruined the building. Due to
its heritage value, a documentation of its reconstruction and site planning was prepared in
1971, but the construction works carried out by Historical Monuments Preservation De-
partment (Pracownia Konserwacji Zabytkw) were suspended because of the lack of suf-
ficient funding and were restricted only to a partial restoration and reconstruction of the
doors and staircases. In 1978, the building was taken over by the Youth Centre (Mo-
dzieowy Dom Kultury), which converted it into a water sports centre (Fig. 2) [4], [7].

Fig. 2. The Latin School after its partial restoration in the 1970s (photograph by Z. Duda)

For a long time the preserved parts of the building have represented merely fractions
of the medieval enclosure and now the building is undergoing reconstruction aiming at
converting the former function of the Latin School into a new one [6], [7], [10].

3. THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HISTORICAL BUILDING

OF THE LATIN SCHOOL

Currently the reconstruction of the building is being supervised by the Malbork

town administration. The intention of the investor is to convert the historical building
88 Z. DUDA, K. KRYZIA

so that it could assume new functions promoting cultural, tourism-related and educa-
tional activities.
The scope of the project embraces the following elements: the reconstruction of the
historical building, introduction of new functions pertaining to general development,
site planning of the areas surrounding the building and partial restoration of the defen-
sive walls around the building [12], [13].
The preliminary stage of the reconstruction of the Latin School included archeo-
logical (Fig. 3) and geological studies which allowed the selection and application of
the proper kind of foundations and the drainage system in the existing soil and hydro-
logical conditions [3], [14].

Fig. 3. Excavation site, May 2012 (photograph by Z. Duda)

Fig. 4. A soil-profile in the region of the defensive walls [5]

 The reconstruction of the historical building... 89

Both the defensive walls and the Latin School are located on postglacial rock de-
posits. The soil profile showing the sequence of the layers in banks of the Nogat River
is illustrated in Fig. 4. Postglacial rock deposits are composed mostly of clay-loam,
sand loam and fine sand with numerous fine rock fractions. They contain also heavy
loam rich in clay, proglacial clays, sand pockets, sandy gravel and gravel [4], [5].

Fig. 5. Plan of land development [14]

The foundations of the building will be located on a system of reticulated root piles
with reinforced concrete skeleton construction and a slab on grade. Further construc-
tion works will involve a partial removal of the original walls and ceilings and then
constructing a four-storey slab-on-grade building with a pitched roof. The building,
fitted with all the installations, will be reconstructed in accordance with the traditional
brick-and-mortar technology with reinforced-concrete columns supporting the struc-
ture of the pitched roof. Figures 6 through 9 show the current state of progress of the
construction works and the to be situation.
After the completion of the construction works, the project will proceed to the
stage of furnishing the reconstructed historical building of the Latin School with elec-
tronic equipment and multimedia, embellishing it, providing sanitation and hygiene
facilities and organizing the exhibition of the craft museum. Due to all these works
both inhabitants and tourists will be provided with the opportunity to use a modern
educational center. The building will house, among others, a state-of-the-art, fully
computerized library, with multi-terminal access to the Internet, astronomical obser-
vatory, interactive educational center enabling to further the knowledge gained within
the traditional education system, craft museum and multifunctional hall used for cul-
tural and social purposes.
90 Z. DUDA, K. KRYZIA

Fig. 6. The state of progress of the construction Fig. 7. The state of progress of the construction
works, December 2012; the north-west side works, December 2012; the south-east side
view (photograph by Z. Duda) view (photograph by Z. Duda)

Fig. 8. The west facade design of the Latin School in Malbork [3]

Other works included in the reconstruction project of the Latin School are land de-
velopment works in the area around the building (Fig. 5). In particular, they will com-
prise road surfacing, providing pedestrian walkways, landscaping, installing benches,
trashcans, road signs and information plaques. All these elements will account for the
overall orderly and aesthetic appearance [12], [13].
 The reconstruction of the historical building... 91

Fig. 9. The south facade design of the Latin School in Malbork [3]

One more aim which will also be accomplished is the restoration of the old medie-
val defensive walls surrounding the building of the Latin School. The restoration will
involve removing old plaster from the walls, abrasive blasting of the walls, pilasters
and cornices and renovating the thick Gothic walls by completing them with the
missing elements and exchanging the binding material. Moreover, a biocidal impreg-
nation, anti-salt protection and water proofing of the brick surface of the walls and
their coping as well as their insulation below the ground will also be performed in the
course of the reconstruction [14].

4. SUMMARY

On the basis of the synthetic characteristics of the endangered historic building and
the works related to its conservation it is possible to conclude that:
The reconstructed historical part of the defensive walls, and, in particular, the
building of the Latin School, which was left to decay for a long time, gradually dete-
riorating, will provide a unique cultural and recreational offer for both the inhabitants
of Malbork and tourists.
After the reconstruction and introduction of new, modern functions into the build-
ing, the Latin School will be inspirational from a social point of view, allowing for
92 Z. DUDA, K. KRYZIA

a number of different methods for educating the public and acquainting people with
the old craftsmanship.
In the reconstructed historical building of the Latin School in Malbork it is possi-
ble to boost tourism thanks to the modernization works and restoration of the fortifi-
cations.
The reconstruction of the building is a positive response to the decrepit state of the
building caused by former activities and it will contribute to improving the quality of
the cultural life of the inhabitants of the region.

REFERENCES

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[3] DUDA Z., A comprehensive program of preparatory work for the development of the concept and
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[4] DUDA Z., The project of potential rescue-intervention works of parts of the historic walls of Malbork
(in Polish), Krakw, 1998 (unpublished).
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