The ancient heating system was uncovered in the courtyard of the former vocational school in Basel.
Keystone-SDA
Archaeologists in Basel have uncovered an almost intact medieval hot-air heating system during renovation work at the site of the former Gnadental monastery, a find described as unique in Switzerland.
The heating system was uncovered in the courtyard of the former vocational school at Petersgraben 52, it was announced on Wednesday. It was located beneath the walls and mortar floors of the former medieval convent of Gnadental and is thought to have heated the community’s dining hall.
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Based on architectural and historical considerations, the experts dated the system to the 13th to 14th centuries. According to a statement, the structure consisted of an underground chamber lined with stones for heat storage and a firebox channel beneath it. Warm air flowed into the room above through eight closable openings.
A unique find in Switzerland
Such stone-chamber air-heating systems are extremely rare in Switzerland. The Basel find is said to be unique due to its almost complete state of preservation and is also considered one of the most significant examples in Europe. The find is to be incorporated into the renovation project at Petersgraben 52.
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Gnadental Convent was built around 1231 outside the city walls of the time for the Franciscans. But they moved to the newly founded Barfüsser Convent just 20 years later. The buildings then housed Cistercian nuns and Poor Clares. The monastery took its name in 1279 from lay sisters from Gnadenthal near Niederwil, Aargau. These were incorporated into the Order of the Poor Clares and remained there until the monastery was dissolved in the wake of the Reformation.
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Unearthing a cemetery from the Middle Ages
After the Reformation, some of the convent buildings continued to be used. In 1573, for example, a granary was built using building materials from the convent, particularly from the church. At the end of the 19th century, the granary was demolished to make way for the vocational school. This marked the disappearance of the last visible remains of the monastery. It was only the recent excavations that brought these remains back to light.
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
