Organ removed for renovation of the town hall

For the renovation of the Görlitz town hall, a large part of the organ by master organ builder Wilhelm Sauer (1831-1916) has to be removed. At the end of October, scaffolding was erected for this purpose, and now an organ workshop is busy dismantling it, according to the Görlitz city administration. The organ workshop is cleaning and storing the dismantled parts and repairing damage where necessary. Removing, cleaning, storing and reinstalling the instrument will cost around 380,000 euros.

Remaining parts of the organ will be given a protective cover

The organ roof will also be replaced as part of the renovation. "The current wooden beam construction will be replaced by a new organ roof made of reinforced concrete," it said. The costs for the organ roof amount to around 350,000 euros. Some parts of the Sauer organ - including the bellows, pipes and console - will not be removed. They are too sensitive and need to be protected from possible damage. They will therefore be encased in a protective cover.

Art nouveau building to receive a modern extension

The art nouveau building, which opened in 1910, is not only to be renovated, but will also receive a modern extension. This will allow it to serve as both a concert hall and a modern congress center with 1,400 seats. The listed building has stood empty for more than 20 years. According to the city, more than 50 million euros will be invested. The federal government and the Free State of Saxony are funding the project in equal parts with a total of around 44 million euros.

Work to be completed in 2029

Construction work began in spring and is due to be completed in 2029. The modernized building will be available for congresses, conferences, concerts and other cultural events. There will be around 1,400 seats in the large hall, it was reported. The removal of the organ was originally planned for May and June, but was delayed due to a review procedure at the public procurement chamber.