During the storm in question at the beginning of November, you could see from the Grote Markt how the southern obelisk moved back and forth due to the storm winds. The fire brigade then decided to additionally secure him with ropes to the roof structure of the town hall.
After another storm on November 7, the obelisk was dismantled and transferred to a workshop for research and repair. That investigation showed that there was no construction error, but there was play in the various parts of the column. That immediately explains why the obelisk moved during the storms.
READ ALSO. City Hall will have to make do with one less obelisk for a while, experts will investigate whether the column has suffered storm damage
© Jan Van der Perre
Two torn solder seams have now been repaired and additional reinforcements have been applied to the seams. The obelisk was put back into place on Friday morning with a mobile telescopic crane. At the same time, the second obelisk, which was not damaged, was also checked and preventively strengthened.
“Obelisks are the crown”
“If Antwerp is the ‘crown of the cities of all of Europe’, as Vondel attributed to us, then the obelisks are the crown of our proud city hall. That is why they were carefully checked and restored during the recent restoration,” says Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA).
From April 2018 to June 2022, the town hall underwent a complete restoration. The facade was also tackled with various decorative elements. The two copper obelisks with gilded sphere and spire were completely dismantled and restored.
“Severe rust had affected their interior and anchorage. A new structure of red copper and stainless steel made the obelisks ready for the future, all other parts were thoroughly restored and the spiers were re-gilded with gold leaf,” explains Bart De Wever.
Originally, the facade of the town hall was covered with two stone obelisks. These were replaced by copper copies in the seventeenth century, but it is not certain whether the current versions actually date from that period. A restoration was already carried out in 1992, but few anti-rust measures were taken.
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