The 15th-century altar, carved by Wit Stwosz, is the centrepiece of St. Mary’s Basilica in the southern Polish city.
The Wit Stwosz altarpiece has undergone a thorough preservation and restoration process.
It originally stood at 18m high and 11m wide and its figures depict residents of medieval Kraków, who sat as models for the artist.
The work is therefore an interesting source of knowledge on the culture, customs, and history of the city, officials have said.
In 2012, concerns were raised about the condition of the altarpiece, and a commission was established to assess its stability. It concluded that the altarpiece was “stable, yet threatened.”
To preserve this priceless piece of heritage, a programme of research, conservation and preventive measures was required.
In 2015, in order to keep the altarpiece in place in the basilica, a workshop was established behind the altar where conservators worked for over 1,000 days. Special scaffolding was built in front of the altar, allowing visitors to watch them at work.
The team worked on over 200 figures, with the largest weighing in at 250kg and exceeding 3m in height, as well as thousands of individual sculpted elements.
The conservation performed by the experts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków involved a full spectrum of scientific possibilities. The structural wood was consolidated, cracks were filled, and the original fillers were respected.
Remnants of repainting from a later period were removed, and the arrangements of figures and microarchitecture on the corpus and predella were renovated.
These works uncovered the original Gothic complexion of the figures and the framing, revealing the original intentions of the Nuremberg master.
Research and analysis also served in developing guidelines for fire prevention and emergency evacuation.
Extensive international consultations were an essential part of the project, involving experts in Gothic sculpture conservation from Poland and Europe, who exchanged knowledge and ideas, yielding many new discoveries.
The awards’ jury described the project as “an achievement on an impressive scale.”
Its citation says: “The restoration of this magnificent altarpiece is a unique and exceptional achievement. The meticulous conservation of the Wit Stwosz Altarpiece in St. Mary’s Basilica, based on thorough research, was carried out by professionals who demonstrated great respect and sensitivity towards the original work.
"The project brought together people from different countries, reflecting the international importance of the site and the need for cooperation in preserving European heritage.”
Thirty outstanding heritage achievements from 21 countries have won this year’s European Heritage Awards.
The awards are funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and are granted in five categories: Conservation and Adaptive Reuse; Research; Education, Training and Skills; Citizens’ Engagement and Awareness-Raising; and Heritage Champions.
The awards ceremony will be held on September 28 in Venice, during a European Heritage Cultural Summit held by the Europa Nostra organisation with the support of the European Commission.
(mk/gs)