Dikke Toren restoration
In the January storm of 2018, the St. Lievensmonster Tower (popularly called the "Fat Tower") made regional news when one of the tower's pinnacles came down came down. Immediately after the storm, the remaining pinnacles were checked. A small number of them were dismantled because of doubts about structural safety.
In addition to the condition of the pinnacles, several defects were identified on the tower by Monument Property immediately after its transfer in 2016. For example, grouting was missing in several places, natural stone had deteriorated and the stained glass needed attention. Consequently, a grant application was submitted by Monumentenbezit in 2017 to restore the shell of the tower.
Phase 1: Restoration south and west sides.
Through September 2019, the south and west sides of the tower (the two sides with the greatest amount of damage) were addressed. The facades were completely scaffolded in order to restore the masonry and pointing. Several natural stone components were also addressed and the stained glass panels were re-glazed. Finally, new roofing was also applied to the circumference. In a subsequent maintenance period, work on the north and east facades will be performed.
Want to know more about the St. Lievensmonster Tower? Take a look at the monuments page.