Altar & Baldacchino Relocation

The A&A Machinery Moving, An MEI Company team was recently brought on to relocate a delicate altar and baldacchino structure within a historic church. The baldacchino, a German-made masterpiece dating back to 1904, needed to be moved approximately 26 feet towards the front of the church to make room for additional pews. The only access to the altar and baldacchino was through a 30” wide single man door which limited the equipment that could be utilized for the project.

The A&A team devised a plan to build a wooden structure consisting of 2”x4”, 2”x 10” and plywood to support the baldacchino. This posed a challenge as the baldacchino had an arched ceiling and four exterior arches to consider. The new wooden structure was designed to offer load-bearing support while minimizing its attachment to the old structure. The team jacked up the wooden structure and placed it onto four custom low-profile dollies leaving the baldacchino floating just above floor level. Once close to its new location, the legs were removed and turned 90 degrees to save space. This project took one week to complete, and no damage was done to the historical architecture.

The MEI crews are trained and experienced in rigging sensitive equipment. If you need to move a fragile sculpture or art, MEI is ready to take on your project. Learn more at: Sensitive Equipment Rigging

Learn more about the history and what a baldacchino is @ https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/what-is-a-baldacchino/