Key facts about the building
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Name: Sesava Evangelical Lutheran Church
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Work carried out: technical inspection of the building
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Age of the masonry: since 1633 (walls more than 390 years old)
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Origins: 1567 (the first wooden church)
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Historical note: Jānis Čakste, the first president of independent Latvia, was baptised here in 1859.
Engineering risk points in the inspection
For an early 17th century masonry building, the inspection focuses on:
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Deterioration of lime mortar and masonry: over the centuries moisture and salts wash binders out of historic fieldstone and brick masonry.
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Stability of foundations and soil: old churches have no modern damp-proof courses, so groundwater changes and rising damp directly affect the foundations.
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Historic timber structures: the roof rafters and floors that have served for centuries need a detailed check for rot and structural fatigue.