M. Gantner: Wide-span roof structures in Catholic church building 1600 to 1850

In the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries, a vast number new churches were built in the rural areas of central, northern and eastern Switzerland. Especially from about 1750 onwards, one can speak of a veritable building boom, which, in some regions, lasted until the middle of the 19th century. The single-nave church enjoyed great popularity throughout this period. In eastern Switzerland it was the master builder Johann Ferdinand Beer, a native from the Vorarlberg region, and in central Switzerland the master builders Jakob Singer and Niklaus Purtschert, who as successful entrepreneurs practically dominated the building trade in the second half of the 18th century. In architectural history, the development of regional types of hall churches is associated with these three people. These so-called Landkirchenschemata were later adopted by subsequent generations of master builders and were used - with minor modifications - in certain regions until shortly after 1850. While the architectural development of these country churches has already been sufficiently researched, no one has yet focussed on their roof structure.

As part of a research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Holzer on the "Evolution of the wide-span timber roof in northern and central Switzerland 1600–1850", 101 wide-span roof structures over Catholic single-nave churches were systematically studied. On the basis of these data, the individual components of the constructions can be examined and compared in order to observe certain lines of development, some of which can be traced across all regions. On the other hand, the documented roof systems can be brought together with the respective master builders, the historically identifiable carpenters and the surviving plans. Thus it becomes apparent that from at least the 18th century onward, the master builder determined the construction of the roof structure, even if he was not a carpenter but a trained stonemason. Specific construction systems can be associated with individual master builders - above all Jakob Singer, Niklaus Purtschert and Johann Ferdinand Beer - and their influence on subsequent generations can be assessed. The large number of constructions examined also makes it possible to determine where constructive innovations first appear and from which master builder they originated. A look at roof structures built later also tells us how successful these innovations were in the end in the built environment.