The Emperor Charles chimney in the Liberty of Bruges Museum (Brugse Vrije) has been successfully restored. The historic fireplace dates from the 16th century, but deathwatch beetles were literally eating away the ancient wood inside the chimney and in the attic above. The renovation took seven months and cost over half a million euros.
The Emperor Charles chimney dating from 1529 stands in the Liberty of Bruges Museum and pays tribute to Emperor Charles V, the Ghent-born Holy Roman emperor, Lord of the Netherlands and Duke of Burgundy. The emperor and his ancestors are depicted on the chimney that is considered to be one of the most important Renaissance works of art of the Low Countries.
When it came to light that deathwatch beetle was eating the chimney’s wood and the attic above, Bruges city council did not hesitate. Restoration work began in September of last year. This was no easy job. During the renovation the chimney was dismantled as much as possible.
‘Fixed elements were treated with microwave blasting. The wood is heated to the core to a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius to decimate the beetles’ larvae,’ explains conservation architect Benoit Delaey. “We placed the loose elements and paintings from the aldermen’s chamber in a special anoxic tent In this tent oxygen is sucked out and replaced by nitrogen to exterminate the insects.’
West Flemings share investment with Flemish government
A good seven months later, the restoration is complete. The city of Bruges invested 550,000 euros, half of which came from a generous grant from the Flemish government. ‘Thanks to the approach taken by various restoration experts, not only was the damage repaired, but the Liberty of Bruges once again boasts a paragon of our rich past,’ says heritage alderman Pieter Marechal. ‘This shows how important it is to invest in our historical heritage.’
Examination of sculptures leads to new insights
The restorers also examined the sculptures above the chimney. ‘We knew from documents that the sculptures were severely damaged between 1840 and 1850 and were restored afterwards. The damage described was so severe that we were sure the sculptures had had to be replaced. A number of crowns were also missing.’
During the restoration, it turned out that the sculptures had not been replaced, but that the original sculptures are still on the chimney. ‘My compliments to the sculptor and his staff who carried out the restoration so competently at the time. The crowns are so well embedded in the original sculpture that you can’t see that this is a restoration. They fooled even the greatest scientists for almost 150 years.’
Open to the public soon
From 5 April, the restored alderman’s chamber will once again open to the public at large. Everyone will then be able to admire the chimney with their own eyes. The alderman's chamber can be visited every Saturday and Sunday, from 9.30am to 5.30pm.
The Liberty of Bruges, the Brugse Vrije
The Liberty of Bruges was the title of an independent administrative, financial, and judicial section of the County of Flanders since as early as the 12th century. The area comprised the region and towns around Bruges, bordered by the North Sea, the Western River Scheldt (Schelde), and the River IJzer. It had its own council, which was based at the Burg, the Castle of Bruges, but had no jurisdiction over the city of Bruges itself. At the end of the 14th century, the Liberty of Bruges became the fourth subsection of the County of Flanders, alongside the three major cities of Bruges, Ghent, and Ieper. It was not until 1795 and the Napoleonic Age that the Liberty of Bruges became defunct.