Conservation of the Late Romanesque Sandstone Portal of the Church of the Premonstratensian Convent in Kraków, Poland

The church of the Premonstratensian Convent in Kraków is an early brick structure with stone detail, dating to the mid-13th century. One of the most precious elements preserved of the original church is the monumental late-Romanesque portal made of sandstone. In the wake of the accrual of cultural layers outside the church in the following centuries, what used to be the main portal leading into the church found itself sunk in the ground up to half of its height. Additionally, the portal was covered by a baroque tower in the 17th century. That had a highly negative impact on the condition of the portal which currently urgently required undertaking interdisciplinary research and conservation works. The archaeological digs made it possible to uncover the complete portal, while the research aimed at defining the reasons and degree of damage to the stone. The research consisted in petrographic examinations, examination of the structure of decay caused by dampness and salt, and electric conductivity tests of the sandstone. The conclusions from the research provided the foundation for designing and implementing a conservation works strategy to save, preserve, and show this exceptional work to the public.