Church of Saint George (Reichenau)

The church was built in the late 9th century to house the relic head of Saint George, a gift from Pope Gregory II, which commemorated a visit to Rome by Abbot Hoito in 896.

The church interior is decorated with wall paintings that depict stories and figures from scripture and was designed for those who dedicate their lives to prayer and worship.

According to UNESCO, the island, including the frescoes of the Church at St. George, are protected based on the following criteria: the remains bear witness to the role of Medieval Benedictine monasteries; they are a strong example of monastic architecture in Central Europe from the 9th to 11th century; and they held great artistic significance in Europe at the time.

[6] The paintings depicting the life of Christ were to be preserved in an authentic state and not restored, reflecting their historic and artistic value.

The Swiss technique of Bildtapeten, or picture wallpaper, was introduced to the church as a way to display a clean mural without restoring the original work.

For example, the Bildtapeten might be lowered for mass to provide a complete picture of the paintings, then raised to reveal the original frescoes when art historians or other experts are inspecting the walls.

These groups collect data on indoor climate, microclimate impacts, air motion, radiation, and visitation.