View of the west façade of Valjala Church. Photo: Mart Viljus
The project “Studies on the Condition and Painting Techniques of the Murals of Valjala Church for the Development of Conservation Methods. Monitoring of Indoor Climate and Its Relation to Factors Affecting the Condition of the Murals” is funded by the Ministry of Culture within the framework of the Estonian Cultural Research and Development Programme 2023-2026.
Valjala St. Martin’s Church is one of Estonia’s oldest architectural monuments, featuring unique 13th-century wall paintings in its interior. The building is in poor condition, and persistent excessive moisture has caused serious damage that directly threatens the paintings and their surface layers. The research project focuses on studying the Apostle painting on the north wall of the choir, aiming to document its condition, assess the damage, and develop a conservation methodology for it. Indoor climate monitoring will be restarted to identify the causes of excess moisture. The project compares data collected in 1990 and between 2009 and 2019 with new research results. The outcome will be a scientific overview of the microclimate and damage mechanisms, which will serve as a basis for planning indoor climate stabilization and the preservation of the paintings. This project complements other studies aimed at improving the church’s critical condition.
Project duration:
01 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
Partner:
Tallinn University of Technology
Collaborating institutions:
The Royal Danish Academy
University of Amsterdam
Budget:
€80,000
Funder:
Ministry of Culture (Estonian Cultural Research and Development Programme 2023–2026 (KUM-TA))
Further information:
Anneli Randla – anneli.randla@artun.ee
Estonian Research Information System (ETIS)