EDUCATIONAL AND COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF ADAPTATION OF NON-USE SPACES IN MONUMENTAL SACRAL OBJECTS.

ABSTRACT

The area of attics and towers in historic churches in Europe are yet quite inaccessible places for visitors, shrouded in the atmosphere of mysticism, hiding many secrets. Introduction of the new public function into the non-used zones of the monumental sacral objects has many aspects including educational and cognitive ones which are discussed in the following article. The article indicates items that can be found in the zone above the vaults of temples - construction: roof truss, vaults, dormers, towers, windows; - decors: piles, metal fittings, carvings, ceramics; - mechanisms: carillons, bells, tower-clocks which represent the heritage of European engineering, architectural and technical thought. The introduction of additional secular functions to the attics of continually functioning sacral objects allows to expose these values and present them to a broader group of recipients. Furthermore undertaking innovative activities such as combining lay and sacral functions in one sanctum has the pioneering nature at the interface between the protection of monuments, architecture, social sciences and economics and a unique opportunity to explore knowledge on many levels and scientific fields, which makes a significant contribution to the science development.

Keywords: secular and sacral functions in monumental churches, adaptation of churches attics, European heritage of engineering, architectural and technical thought, educational and cognitive aspects of adaptive re-use of church attics