Wooden Crane from the Time of Wenceslas IV:
Public Building of the Replica of the Medieval Crane
Based on Illustrations from the Wenceslas IV Bible from
1390 - 1400
Prague Castle 2006
Wooden machines powered by humans have been depicted since the time of
ancient Rome, and their development is probably associated closely with the
development of new scientific disciplines - like geometry and mechanics - in ancient
Greece.
The idea of using cranes with wheels appeared in the
Middle Ages in connection with the Gothic architectural style and development of
trade. Cranes in partially built cathedrals were
dominant features of medieval towns for many decades, and they are often found in period illustrations in manuscripts, town plans and
maps. Since the beginning of the 20th century, wooden cranes powered by humans
have been used to transfer goods in ports and markets.
The cage crane from the Wenceslas IV Bible is a unique illustration
of a particular kind of crane, and the system for its construction was
an exceptional technical development of the Prague royal workshop
at the close of the 14th century.
Several replicas of these ingenious machines have been built during recent
decades. However they are mainly replicas of newer cranes
built using contemporary technologies and tools. The goal of the modern-day Prague project is to make a replica of the cage crane, typical of Central
Europe at the time of the reign of the last of the Luxembourgs, using only Medieval tools and techniques.
The crane's design is based on
illustrations from the Wenceslas IV Bible and
research of historical sources and preserved historical wheels around the world. The trees for the crane have been individually
selected and chopped down with axes in the forests near the town of
Hluboká nad Vltavou. All the beams are hand-hewn, planks and boards are cut
with hand frame saw, and they will be bound
together with historically accurate carpenter's joints.
After the crane is exhibited at Prague Castle, it will be
transferred to Tocník Castle, where it will be used during the reconstruction of
the roof frame of the Royal Palace. It will then become a part of the castle
exposition.
Related Links (in Czech):
www.arstignaria.com
www.roofs.cz
Technical parameters of the crane:
Ground plan of the cage 3.70 x 3.70 m
Pole height 9.70 m (11.0 m with the base)
Shoulder reach 3.00 - 5.20 m
Crane weight without people and load 35 kN (3500 kg)
Maximum load weight 10 kN (1000 kg)
Organizers:
Prague Castle Administration and National Technical Museum in Prague
Project Authors: Petr Ruzicka, Ing. Vít Mlázovsk‡
Carpenter's Court Tignaria spol. s r.o.,
www.arstignaria.com
Master carpenter: Petr Ruzicka
Journeymen: Jano Labant, David Stejskal, Jan Kolár, David Keltner, Filip Medílek,
Václav Chotetick‡v
Trainees and assistants: Vladimír Dvorák, Filip Laval, Miroslav Mikes, Tomás Ruzicka, Petr Kolár
Smith's works: Ebel a spol, Kovárství Budyne
Bronze castings: Stará hut s.r.o. - art foundry, Ales Svojitka
Project cooperation: Ing. M. Pilecká, Ing. Z. Rieger, Zastoupil and
Král - geodesists
Partners:
CSOB - main partner - enabled to design and construct the crane
thanks to their generous financial donation
The town of Hluboká nad Vltavou and Lesy CR - polesí Hluboká
donated wood and enabled us to select and hand-hew the round timber
Lesy Hluboká nad Vltavou a.s. provided free transport of the round
timber to the place of the construction
ASTRON Buildings S.A., Luxembourg participated in financing of the
project documentation
Foto Skoda and LinWorks s.r.o. supported the video documentation of
the project
Professional partners:
Handshouse Studio, Norwell, MA
Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Academy of
Sciences of the Czech Republic
National Conservation Institute, specialized office of Central
Bohemia in Prague
Media partner: Ad architektura
