Officials responsible for upkeep Ulm Minster Church in Ulm, German say the stone base of the Gothic tower, which has long acted as a lightning rod to late-night revelers looking to relieve themselves, is being eroded by the salt and acids in human urine, Südwest Presse reports.
The magnificent 162-meter-tall steeple of Ulm Minster dominates the German city of Ulm, which lies on the River Danube in Baden-Württemberg.
"I've been keeping an eye on it for half a year now and, once again, it's coated with urine and vomit," says Michael Hilbert, head of the department that maintains the building. Mr Hilbert tells Suedwest Presse that he's not the "Pinkelpolizei", or "pee police", but wants official action over the anti-social problem. "This is about preserving law and order," he says.
Ulm Minster's steeple measures 161.53m (530ft), and the building is often referred to as a cathedral because of its sheer size. Its sandstone base recently underwent a costly restoration, Deutsche Welle notes.
As in many cities, the area around the church is used for events throughout the year, With festive season just around the corner, and a wine festival and Christmas market scheduled to take place in the Münsterplatz town square, Mr Hilbert says organisers should provide free toilets so that men stop gravitating towards the building's magnificent Gothic frontage when nature calls.
A city spokeswoman tells Suedwest Presse that while police patrols have increased, virtually nobody has been caught in the act recently, and she accepts that the higher fines have had no effect. The problem is likely to persist for as long as there are people, she says.
While Ulm Minster is widely regarded as the world's tallest church at the moment, it will be surpassed in height once Barcelona's Sagrada Familia is finally completed in 2026. Gaudi's masterpiece is due to rise to 172.5m (566ft) once finished.
Posted by , Published at October 25, 2016 and have
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