SOLNHOFEN LIMESTONE IN MODERN SACRED ARCHITECHTURAL ENVIRONMENT

17-03-2023

The Solnhofen limestone flooring was one of the defining stylistic features of the Hungarian church architecture in the 18-19th centuries.

We can still find the 200-300 years old Solnhofener floor tiles (coming from the quarries in Bavaria, South-Germany) in many baroque and neoclassical churches, former abbeys and bishop's palaces. In some of these buildings the old Solnhofen flooring have been replaced with new Solnhofen tiles in the recent decades during the renovation works and now the visitors can see there the new Solnhofen flooring. Its unique appearance and elegance contribute to the atmosphere and character of these historical buildings.

On the other hand, in the case of newly built churches or even other public buildings, we can hardly find examples of the use of this limestone despite of its outstanding technical properties. It is hard and compact with very high strength and wear resistance compared to other limestones, so it is considered the most durable and long-lasting limestone floor covering.

In a recently built new chapel in Budakeszi, however, the characterful Solnhofen floor tiles (well-known from ornate baroque church interiors) have been placed in a modern, clean architectural space, so it is possible to examine a new Solnhofen flooring in an unusual environment.

The interior white walls of the chapel, the light coming in from the windows placed on the upper part of the walls and the light-colored wooden furniture create a surprisingly bright and clean space. The finely honed limestone flooring alternating in different tonations from beige to brown complement the walls and furnishing with its warmer shades. It provides a fine contrast and create a friendly overall effect without breaking the unity and harmony of the room.

This newly built chapel clearly shows that Solnhofen limestone, which was previously thought to be too characteristic and therefore unsuitable for modern spaces, can be harmoniously integrated into modern sacral (and even secular) buildings through a carefullly considered design concept. As a result, solnhofen limestone can contribute to the high architectural quality in such environment as well.

You can find pictures of the chapel in the below gallery.

More about solnhofen limestone on our web site:
- general information >>
- types of surface finishes >>

Info about the German producer of the solnhofen limestone: www.ssg-solnhofen.de

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