A millionaire couple has given £550,000 to Gloucester Cathedral’s famed Harry Potter cloisters, which have come to symbolize Hogwarts.
The medieval cloisters, which appeared in three Harry Potter movies—the Philosopher’s Stone (2001), Chamber of Secrets (2002), and the Half-Blood Prince—were preserved thanks to a donation from Hans and Julia Rausing (2009).
When lines are evenly spaced apart and follow the same curvature, they resemble a fan on a wall or ceiling and are known as fan vaults in Gothic architecture.
The hollow cloisters, a staple of British design, were first noted at Gloucester Cathedral in England in the fourteenth century.
But a research from 2019 said that they were endangered and in in need of protection.
Gloucester Cathedral’s cloisters, late 14th century. The intricate fan vaulting, the first instance in Britain, is plain to see.
No one can fail to be moved by Gloucester Cathedral’s cloister’s overpowering beauty as they walk through it, according to Julia and Hans Rausing, who contributed the funding for restoration.
“The fan vaulted ceiling in particular is notable in its exquisite stonemasonry design, and its visual effect impacts the many thousands of visitors to the Cathedral each year.”
We are honored to contribute to the preservation of this great example of medieval construction so that tourists and worshipers may continue to appreciate it for hundreds of years to come.
Gloucester’s acting dean is a canon The cloisters, with its spectacular “fan-vaulted” roof, is one of Gloucester Cathedral’s most famous and stunning areas, according to Dr. Andrew Braddock.
It is a site of interaction, meeting, thought, and amazement, drawing thousands of people a year to its central location in the cathedral’s structures.
This initiative will guarantee that the cloisters remain accessible to all people and stay at the center of the cathedral’s daily rhythm of life for future generations.
In the Victoria period, fan vaults suffered severe damage as a result of workmen patching them with cement, which caused fractures and water damage.
Tradespeople will have to work tirelessly to remove the cement used by the Victorians 200 years ago in order to restore the spectacular structural shapes.
Filming of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in 2001. The fan vaults were featured in two other Harry Potter films including the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Hans and Julia Rausing (seen in the photo) contributed £550,000 to the renovation effort. No one can fail to be moved by the Gloucester Cathedral’s cloister’s stunning beauty, according to what they stated.
According to experts, the cement is preventing the stones from breathing, which has led to the rot and mildew on the walls.
The Cloister was an integral component of the monks’ everyday lives when it was finished in or about 1412; it served as their living space for eating, sleeping, studying, and exercising.
The location is presently utilized for community gatherings, art displays, and times of prayer and meditation.