Traditional Lime Mortar (Intangible Heritage)

The geology and raw materials of the Swabian Alb have always influenced various areas of industry, such as the traditional production of lime mortar. Limestone was available in large quantities, which helped to drive industrialisation in the region.

For the production of lime mortar, crushed limestone chunks are burnt with wood in a pit, extinguished with water and then mixed with sand. Other substances can also be added, such as animal hair, which serves as a plaster base for problematic substrates. Lime mortar is mainly used for plastering and grouting walls and is still widely used today in renovation and restoration work on listed buildings. While every farm used to have a small pit for producing lime mortar, traditional production largely lost its importance over the course of the 20th century, as industrially produced mortar is easier and cheaper to produce.

The preparation and use of traditional lime mortar was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2016. You can find out more about the craft by visiting the lime kiln museum in Untermarchtal.