The Site

Mauerbach Charterhouse, founded in 1314 by Duke Frederick the Fair of Austria, is one of the most historically significant monastic sites in Austria. Established as a Carthusian monastery, it served as a place of contemplation and religious devotion for centuries. The monastery suffered considerable damage during the Ottoman sieges of Vienna and the Neulengbach Earthquake of 1590, leading to its reconstruction in the Baroque period. Following its dissolution under Emperor Joseph II in 1782, the site was repurposed as a poorhouse and later fell into disrepair. In the late 20th century, Mauerbach Charterhouse was restored and given a new function as the Information and Training Centre for Heritage Conservation under the Federal Monuments Authority of Austria, becoming a centre of expertise in traditional building techniques and restoration practices.

Within Mauerbach Charterhouse, one of the largest historical brick collections in Austria is housed, reflecting centuries of architectural evolution and craftsmanship. Spanning from the Middle Ages to the present, the collection comprises approximately 1,200 individual pieces, including masonry bricks, floor tiles, roof tiles, ceiling bricks, and decorative bricks. These items offer valuable insights into historic construction methods and material use, serving as an important resource for conservation research and restoration efforts.

The collection was formed by merging various specialised collections from different departments of the Federal Monuments Authority, including the Information and Training Centre for Heritage Conservation, the Department for Conservation and Restoration, and regional heritage conservation offices, as well as collections from the Technical University of Vienna.

Beyond serving as a repository of historic building materials, the collection is an essential research and documentation tool. It supports the dating of historic buildings, helps determine the origin of materials, and provides insights into traditional craftsmanship techniques. The catalogue of historic bricks aids scholars and conservators in identifying the most appropriate methods for conservation measures, ensuring that interventions remain authentic and compatible with historic structures.

Alongside historical specimens, the collection includes modern replacement bricks and tiles, crafted by small traditional manufacturers in accordance with historic samples to ensure visual, structural, and constructive-physical authenticity to be applied for repairs and conservation of heritage sites. Additionally, the collection contains industrial substitute materials that have been tested as alternatives for historic buildings but have proven inadequate in either appearance or material properties. These comparative materials serve as a decision-making aid for professionals engaged in the maintenance and restoration of historic structures, ensuring that conservation measures adhere to best practices in heritage conservation.

As part of its mission to promote best practices in heritage conservation, the Federal Monuments Authority of Austria is committed to expanding the accessibility of this collection. The inventory shall be gradually digitised and made publicly available, ensuring that researchers, conservators, and heritage professionals can utilise this resource for the study and preservation of Austria’s built heritage.

The Project

The European Heritage Volunteers Project continues the long-standing collaboration between European Heritage Volunteers, the Burghauptmannschaft Österreich, and the Information and Training Centre for Heritage Conservation in Mauerbach Charterhouse, exploring a new area of heritage work at the site. While previous projects at Mauerbach Charterhouse have focused on historic plasters and traditional masonry techniques, this project will shift towards archival research, cataloguing, and material documentation, contributing to the study and preservation of historical building materials.

The project will centre on the processing and inventorying of the historic brick and tile collection at Mauerbach Charterhouse, an important reference for understanding historic techniques and material developments over time. The participants will engage in cleaning, weighing, sorting, classifying, and documenting individual objects, following a standardised inventory system developed by the Federal Monuments Authority of Austria. Given the highly specialised terminology associated with brick and tile classification, a technical glossary will be provided, ensuring consistency in the description.

Each participant will also conduct a detailed study of one or two objects, ensuring that the inventory reflects a broad cross-section of historical periods, typologies, and production methods.

The final database in which the gained date will be inserted align with the Mauerbach Charterhouse’s broader initiative to make its material collections publicly accessible, reinforcing its role as a heritage research and conservation training centre. In future, the bricks and tiles will be housed and exhibited on the upper floor of the library at Mauerbach Charterhouse.

As a follow-up to the documentation and cataloguing of the collection, mid-term publications are planned, highlighting the collaboration between European Heritage Volunteers, the Burghauptmannschaft Österreich, and the Federal Monument Authority of Austria. This research will therefore not only enhance the publicly accessible database but may also contribute to furthering academic and conservation studies in historic bricks and tiles.

The work will be guided by one of Austria’s most renowned historic building researchers and carried out in close collaboration between the Burghauptmannschaft, the authority responsible for managing the Austrian state's historic properties, and the Austrian Federal Monuments Authority, and European Heritage Volunteers.

The educational programme will provide the participants with a structured introduction to the research about historic bricks and tiles, integrating expert-led lectures and guided visits. A specialist lecture will focus on the development, technology, and typologies of historic roof tiles, offering insights into manufacturing techniques, regional variations, and conservation challenges. Participants will also visit the Brick Museum in Penzig near Vienna, where they will explore a wider collection of historic building materials and their applications in restoration projects. Additionally, an excursion to Vienna will provide the participants with a broader historical and cultural context, offering the opportunity to explore the city's rich architectural heritage and its significance as an imperial capital. The visit will highlight the diverse historical layers that have shaped Vienna’s built environment and conservation practices, with a particular focus on the materials used in construction, such as bricks, tiles, and stone elements.

An important part of the programme will be the participants’ presentations, which will focus on the theme of historic bricks and tiles and their role in heritage conservation. The participants will share case studies from their home countries, examining how bricks and tiles have been traditionally manufactured and incorporated into local architectural styles. These discussions will encourage comparative perspectives on material heritage, fostering a broader understanding of regional differences, conservation methodologies, and best practices in preserving architectural materials and elements.

The project will take place from September 1st to September 13th, 2025, and is jointly organised by the Burghauptmannschaft Österreich and European Heritage Volunteers, in collaboration with the Information and Training Centre for Heritage Conservation under the Federal Monuments Authority of Austria.