Removing Stained Glass Windows for Restoration

A team of glaziers from Northeast Stained Glass in New Jersey carefully removed two more bays of clerestory stained glass windows this week, working from the 75-foot scaffolding structure. The meticulous, labor-intensive process will be repeated for the remaining windows in The Basilica as the historic stained glass undergoes restoration.

Each bay is removed and transported in protective crates to the Femenella & Associates studio in New Jersey, where the leading that holds the glass together is repaired. Every window receives a detailed inspection and thorough cleaning before being shipped back to Minneapolis, where new protective glazing will be installed on the exterior. Once restoration is complete, glaziers from Northeast Stained Glass will reinstall each panel, returning the windows to their original places high above the nave.