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A. Kadłuczka and K. Stala
the stylistic and technical diversity of its individual parts, while also showing the
mission of the Order of St. Dominic in Poland at the time, which combined religious goals with political ones, in a completely new light, revealing the crucial role
of the monastery in Sandomierz. It was meant to be a coordination centre for the
Order’s initially broad operations in the territory of the Kievan Rus’, which ceased
because of the destructive Tartar invasions in 1241 and 1259. Traces of the initial
layout were discovered in the remains of the southern wing, which was demolished
in the nineteenth century, and which had initially been located further southwards,
enclosing a larger, square-shaped cloister garth, as well as in the bonding of the
so-called Romanesque cellar with a single column, located in a corner of the eastern
and southern wing, which remained after the reduction of the functional and spatial
programme of the two-segment chapterhouse. The area where the southern wing
and the south-western corner of the monastic complex were located is a strategic
site, both from an academic point of view and in the aspect of the spatial recomposition and conservational renovation of this exceptional site of Polish Medieval
architectural heritage. The archaeological and architectural research that has thus far
been performed, despite its limited extent, enables the delineation of strict protection zones and areas where further research should develop, in addition to initiating
design work on restoring the historical spatial composition based on contemporary
conservation doctrine, using innovative technical solutions. The chief premise of
these solutions is to obtain a synergic effect as a result of the harmonious combination of existing sections and new architectural forms, along with a non-invasive
technical intervention aimed at the necessary securing and preservation of heritage
substance. In light of the findings that have proven crucial to the history of the
Convent and medieval Polish architecture, the definition of directions and conditions for building a model of the restitution of its southern wing—which is to be
programmed so as to minimise or even eliminate construction-related interference in
surviving authentic historical substance—becomes paramount. Based on contemporary architectural heritage theory and an analysis of the structure’s primary research
nodes, the proposed technical, technological, functional and spatial solutions were
based on the doctrinal priority of the historical layout’s landscape recomposition
and making the most precious relics that document the beginnings of the Convent
accessible to the public.
Keywords Architectural heritage · Research and protection · Revalorisation
1 Introduction
Within the cycle of medieval Poland’s civilisational, cultural and technological transformation, we are dealing with two key turning points of fundamental significance to
academic research on Polish civil engineering and architecture, which also condition
the pursuit of optimal methods of conserving and restoring historical and heritage
A. Kadłuczka and K. Stala
the stylistic and technical diversity of its individual parts, while also showing the
mission of the Order of St. Dominic in Poland at the time, which combined religious goals with political ones, in a completely new light, revealing the crucial role
of the monastery in Sandomierz. It was meant to be a coordination centre for the
Order’s initially broad operations in the territory of the Kievan Rus’, which ceased
because of the destructive Tartar invasions in 1241 and 1259. Traces of the initial
layout were discovered in the remains of the southern wing, which was demolished
in the nineteenth century, and which had initially been located further southwards,
enclosing a larger, square-shaped cloister garth, as well as in the bonding of the
so-called Romanesque cellar with a single column, located in a corner of the eastern
and southern wing, which remained after the reduction of the functional and spatial
programme of the two-segment chapterhouse. The area where the southern wing
and the south-western corner of the monastic complex were located is a strategic
site, both from an academic point of view and in the aspect of the spatial recomposition and conservational renovation of this exceptional site of Polish Medieval
architectural heritage. The archaeological and architectural research that has thus far
been performed, despite its limited extent, enables the delineation of strict protection zones and areas where further research should develop, in addition to initiating
design work on restoring the historical spatial composition based on contemporary
conservation doctrine, using innovative technical solutions. The chief premise of
these solutions is to obtain a synergic effect as a result of the harmonious combination of existing sections and new architectural forms, along with a non-invasive
technical intervention aimed at the necessary securing and preservation of heritage
substance. In light of the findings that have proven crucial to the history of the
Convent and medieval Polish architecture, the definition of directions and conditions for building a model of the restitution of its southern wing—which is to be
programmed so as to minimise or even eliminate construction-related interference in
surviving authentic historical substance—becomes paramount. Based on contemporary architectural heritage theory and an analysis of the structure’s primary research
nodes, the proposed technical, technological, functional and spatial solutions were
based on the doctrinal priority of the historical layout’s landscape recomposition
and making the most precious relics that document the beginnings of the Convent
accessible to the public.
Keywords Architectural heritage · Research and protection · Revalorisation
1 Introduction
Within the cycle of medieval Poland’s civilisational, cultural and technological transformation, we are dealing with two key turning points of fundamental significance to
academic research on Polish civil engineering and architecture, which also condition
the pursuit of optimal methods of conserving and restoring historical and heritage