Bishop's Palace

Background

Located at the foot of the Transylvanian Alps, the city of Sibiu has long been a cultural center for Romania. Founded in the twelfth century, Sibiu came under Habsburg rule in the early eighteenth century. It was during this period that the city’s magnificent baroque architecture was created, strongly influenced by Viennese tastes. Along with Brukenthal Palace, the Bishop’s Palace is viewed as a prominent example of late-baroque architecture in Sibiu. The palace, constructed in 1802, was built by Senator Anton Filek to replace the mayor’s residence and was highly influenced by Brukenthal Palace, which had been built 15 years earlier. This is perhaps most evident in the decorative elements, rendered using stone and polychrome stucco, which are featured on the façades of both palaces.

How We Helped

Like Brukenthal Palace, the façade of the Bishop’s Palace has suffered the damaging effects of pollution, deferred maintenance, and ineffective previous repairs. A specialist in baroque polychrome studies conducted a technical mission and study at both palaces, helping to identify appropriate constituents, finishes, and colors for replacement stucco. In 2007 and 2008, in collaboration with the Transylvanian-Saxon Foundation and the Romanian Ministry of Culture, WMF, through the Robert W. Wilson Challenge to Conserve Our Heritage, supported the restoration of the main façade of the Bishop’s Palace using the appropriate materials and techniques suggested by the technical mission and study. The façade was thoroughly washed and repaired, then repainted. Maintenance was also done on the gutters, the roof, and the stone elements.

Why It Matters

The city of Sibiu was the European Cultural Capital for 2007 and the Bishop’s Palace and Brukenthal Palace are two of its most important and enduring monuments. In addition to restoring these significant cultural landmarks to their former glory and preserving them for future generations, the restoration of their façades has served as a model for conservation work at many of Sibiu’s other historic landmarks.