French stonemason restores medieval canal in Brașov using dry stone techniques

Romain Giudicelli Bernard, a French stonemason living in Romania, is restoring a section of the Graft Canal in Brașov using a traditional dry stone masonry technique.

He adapted this method to accommodate modern electrical cables that power the Brașov Maternity Hospital. Bernard shaped and adjusted stones so they fit together directly without the need for mortar to hold them in place.

He used mortar only on the back of the wall to prevent water from leaking and to protect the underground infrastructure. Architect Alexandra Stoica noted that most of the current wall was built in the 1960s using stone and mortar. The Graft Canal is an artificial waterway created between the 14th and 15th centuries to manage excess water from the Brașov Fortress.

Authorities plan to expand these restoration works to protect the medieval walls from floods originating in the Șchei neighborhood. The local mayor's office is preparing documents to renovate the entire discovered area of the Graft stream using either shaped stone or solutions to cover the reinforced concrete walls.