SCHLOSS HELLBRUNN’S TILED STOVE

In 2019, we undertook a condition assessment of a richly decorated early 17th-century tiled stove from Hellbrunn Palace in Salzburg, Austria. This monumental ceramic object, located in the palace's former dining hall, had sustained significant damage over the years due to environmental stress and inappropriate past repairs.

Our goal was not only to stabilise the stove structurally and materially but to also preserve its historic and aesthetic values. The actual conservation project took place between 2021 and 2022, under the supervision of Austria’s Federal Monuments Authority (BDA), and supported by Hellbrunn Palace's administration.

The Tile Stove at Hellbrunn Palace

This tiled stove is a rare and remarkable example of Alpine ceramic craftsmanship, consisting of 126 individually glazed ceramic tiles, decorated in a style akin to Italian maiolica. Installed during the reign of Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus (1612–1619), the stove is both a functional heating device and a decorative statement, rich with allegorical, mythological, and heraldic motifs.

Constructed with stacked hollow bricks and iron reinforcements, it stands on a delicate iron base within a wall niche. Its design includes architectural mouldings, multi-level figurative panels, and hand-painted glaze and gilding details—many of which were obscured or compromised by past repairs.

Condition Assessment

When we first examined the stove, it exhibited extensive damage: blistering and loss of glaze, cracks along mortar joints, structural instability, and poorly executed past repairs.

Environmental monitoring revealed large temperature differentials between the stove’s interior and the room, contributing to deterioration. Cracks were traced to instability in the wooden floor below, requiring structural intervention.

Aesthetic integrity was compromised. Excessive grout and mismatched paint altered the stove’s appearance, making it seem more deteriorated than it really was. Some tiles didn’t quite fit—suggesting they came from different workshops—forcing the original assembler to creatively bridge gaps with mortar and overpainting.

Intervention Overview

Our strategy combined structural, aesthetic, and ethical conservation practices:

Safe Access

In addition to a standard raised platform tower, a custom-built wooden platform allowed safe work around and behind the stove, without adding any weight to the structure.

Structural Stabilisation

Floor beams were reinforced to prevent further cracking and instability.

Glaze Consolidation

Fragile and hollow glaze areas were stabilised.

Revealing Original Surfaces

Overpainted mortars were removed to expose original tile edges and surfaces. New grout was applied with sensitivity to texture and colour.

Retouching & Finishing

All fills were retouched with acrylic paints to unify the appearance while remaining identifiable.

Preserving Previous Interventions

Stable but discoloured historic repairs were cleaned and preserved as evidence of the stove’s long life.

Improving Airflow & Maintenance

A new mesh-covered dust cover was installed at the rear to allow air circulation and prevent moisture issues.

Outcome

Rather than aiming for a perfect surface, this conservation honoured both the visible and hidden histories of the object. Today, the tiled stove is structurally secure, visually legible, and ready to be appreciated by future generations.

Tiago Oliveira - Project conservator

Inês Feliciano - Project conservator (based in Lisbon, Portugal)