Case Study: Largest timber-framed Churches in Europe (Lutheran Churches of Peace, Jawor & Świdnica) achieve protection of 1,000s of visitors with Xtralis VESDA-E VEP

VESDA protects 1,000s of tourists at the largest timber-framed churches in Europe

VESDA protected thousands of visitors at the 17th‑century Lutheran Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica — Europe’s largest timber‑framed churches, recently restored at a cost of €4.1M and able to hold up to 7,500 people. The heritage site required an unobtrusive, highly sensitive smoke detection solution that preserved the historic fabric and peaceful worship atmosphere, avoided visual impact, and prevented nuisance alarms from incense while coping with a challenging timber environment and high daily visitor numbers.

The site was upgraded from VESDA VLP (installed in 2010) to the backward‑compatible VESDA‑E VEP aspirating system, delivering very early warning with 1.5× the previous sensitivity, support for up to 40 Class A sampling holes and 560 m of pipe, and advanced nuisance rejection and user controls. The result is a discreet, easy‑to‑maintain system that protects over 1,000 daily guests, preserves the churches’ appearance, and allows the priest to temporarily adjust sensitivity during ceremonies.