Two Greek monuments, the Byzantine Church of St. Peter in Kastania, Mani and the traditional watermill in Agios Germanos, Prespes, are among the winners of the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award 2016 that will be celebrated during a high-profile event at the historic Zarzuela Theatre in Madrid on the evening of 24 May.
The European Commission and Europa Nostra revealed the winners of the 2016 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, Europe’s highest honour in the heritage field. The 28 laureates from 16 countries have been recognised for their exemplary achievements in conservation, research, dedicated service, and education, training and awareness-raising. Independent expert juries assessed a total of 187 applications, submitted by organisations and individuals from 36 countries across Europe, and selected the winners. Citizens from around the world can now vote online for the Public Choice Award and mobilise support for the award-winning project(s) from their own or another European country.
The projects chosen by the juries are excellent examples of creativity, innovation, sustainable development and social participation in the heritage field throughout Europe. Among the remarkable initiatives awarded in 2016 are: the renovation of a suspended walkway built on the steep sides of a gorge which has opened up an area of phenomenal natural beauty to all visitors, thus attracting a new wave of tourism to the region (Spain); the development of an industrial style of digitisation which resulted in the digitisation of nearly 9 million zoological, botanical and geological specimens, from across Europe and beyond, of tremendous value to researchers everywhere (the Netherlands); the efforts of the employees of a national museum who worked hard and without pay for three years in order to keep the museum active in a difficult political situation, as well as of the activists who assisted them (Bosnia and Herzegovina); and an awareness-raising project which encourages citizens to ‘adopt’ monuments of cultural and historic significance in their communities, to care for them and to put them back into use (Finland). For the first time, an Award has also been presented to an outstanding project from Iceland: the rehabilitation and conversion of the French Hospital in Faskrudsfjordur into a museum.
Cultural heritage treasures
“I warmly congratulate the winners and their teams for their exceptional work. Thanks to their talent and commitment, numerous European cultural heritage treasures have been safeguarded and revitalised for the benefit of present and future generations. Their projects raise awareness of cultural heritage as a strategic resource for Europe’s society and economy. Cultural heritage unites people, builds bridges between the past, the present and the future. At the same time, it generates economic growth, promotes sustainable development and fosters social participation and inclusion – which is today more vital than ever. That is why we support this Awards scheme and other heritage projects through our Creative Europe programme and will continue to do so,” stated Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
“All these award-winning achievements prove that heritage matters to Europe and its citizens. Cultural heritage is a driver for sustainable economic development and a cohesive force for our multicultural societies, as has been widely acknowledged by EU Institutions and is clearly demonstrated in the recent report ‘Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe’. I am delighted that this year’s Awards Ceremony will take place in my native town Madrid, in particular at a location with such a special heritage as the Zarzuela Theatre,” added Plácido Domingo, the renowned opera singer and President of Europa Nostra.
High-profile event
The winners of the European Heritage Awards 2016 will be celebrated during a high-profile event co-hosted by EU Commissioner Navracsics and Maestro Plácido Domingo on the evening of 24 May at the historic Zarzuela Theatre in Madrid. The European Heritage Awards Ceremony will assemble up to 1,000 people, including heritage professionals, volunteers and supporters from all over Europe as well as top-level representatives from EU institutions, the host country and other Member States. During the ceremony, the seven Grand Prix laureates, each of whom will receive €10,000, and the Public Choice Award winner, chosen from among this year’s winning projects, will be announced.
The winners will also present their remarkable heritage accomplishments during the Excellence Fair on the morning of 24 May at the headquarters of the College of Architects of Madrid and participate in various networking events to be held during the European Heritage Congress in Madrid (22-27 May) organised by Europa Nostra in the framework of its network project ‘Mainstreaming Heritage’, which has the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
2016 AWARD WINNERS
(listed alphabetically by country)
Category Conservation
- Conversion of De Hoorn brewery into a creative hub, Leuven, BELGIUM
- Byzantine Church of St. Peter in Kastania, Mani, GREECE
- Traditional Watermill in Agios Germanos, Prespes, GREECE
- The French Hospital in Faskrudsfjordur, ICELAND
- The Diocletian Baths: charterhouse and open-air pool, Rome, ITALY
- Museum Oud Amelisweerd in Bunnik, Utrecht, THE NETHERLANDS
- Fort Kijkuit in Kortenhoef, Noord-Holland, THE NETHERLANDS
- Cathedral and Diocesan Museum in Santarém, PORTUGAL
- The King’s Little Pathway in El Chorro gorge, Malaga, SPAIN
- Six Churches in Lorca, Murcia, SPAIN
- Knockando Woolmill in Aberlour, Moray, UNITED KINGDOM
- Wimpole Hall’s Gothic Tower in Wimpole, Cambridgeshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Category Research
- Preservation of underwater archaeological sites, European project coordinated in Copenhagen, DENMARK
- ‘Granaries of Memory’, Bra, ITALY
- Digitisation of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center’s collection in Leiden, THE NETHERLANDS
- Conservation study of the village Gostuša in Pirot district, SERBIA
- Prehistoric Picture Project. Pitoti: Digital Rock-Art, Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM
- Category Dedicated Service
- Employees and Activists of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, BiH
- Mrs. Giulia Maria Crespi, Milan, ITALY
- Friends of the Storfjord, Sunnmøre, NORWAY
Category Education, Training and Awareness-Raising
- ‘The Great War through the eyes of a child’, Roeselare, BELGIUM
- ‘Star in School’, Karlovac, CROATIA
- ‘Adopt a Monument’, Tampere, FINLAND
- Preserving and promoting dance heritage, Berlin, GERMANY
- ‘The Little Museum of Dublin’, Dublin, IRELAND
- Cultural Heritage Education Programme: “Apprendisti Ciceroni”, Milan, ITALY
- Sustainable Development of Mourela Plateau, Peneda-Gerês National Park, PORTUGAL
- ‘Heritage Schools’, Bristol, UNITED KINGDOM
A Europa Nostra Award is also presented to a remarkable heritage achievement from a European country not taking part in the EU Creative Europe programme.
Category Dedicated Service:
National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Niasvizh”, Niasvizh, BELARUS
About EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards
The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards was launched by the European Commission in 2002 and has been run by Europa Nostra since then. It celebrates and promotes best practices related to heritage conservation, research, management, voluntarism, education and communication. In this way, it contributes to a stronger public recognition of cultural heritage as a strategic resource for Europe’s economy and society. The Prize is supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
In the past 14 years, organisations and individuals from 39 countries have submitted a total of 2,540 applications for the Awards. Concerning the number of entries by country, Spain is first in the ranking, with 480 projects, followed by the United Kingdom, with 276 applications. Italy occupies third position (239 entries), Germany fourth (190 entries), and France is in fifth place (114 entries). With regard to the categories, Conservation has had the most submissions (1,524). Next comes Education, Training and Awareness-Raising (378), then Research (319), and, finally, Dedicated Service to Heritage (297).
Since 2002, independent expert juries have selected 426 award-winning projects from 34 countries. In line with the number of entries, Spain tops the list with 59 awards received. The United Kingdom is in second place with 58. Italy comes third (33 awards), Germany fourth (28 awards), and Greece fifth (25 awards). Regarding the categories, Conservation has the most winners (256) followed by Dedicated Service to Heritage (63), Education, Training and Awareness-Raising (55), and, lastly, Research (52).
A total of 88 Grand Prix of €10,000 have been presented to outstanding heritage initiatives, selected from among the award-winning projects.
The EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards has further strengthened the capacity of the heritage sector in Europe by highlighting best practices, encouraging the cross-border exchange of knowledge and connecting various stakeholders in wider networks. It has also brought major benefits to the winners, such as greater (inter)national exposure, follow-on funding and increased visitor numbers. In addition, it has raised awareness of our shared heritage amongst the general public while highlighting its intrinsic European character. The Prize is therefore a key tool to promote Europe’s heritage.
The two winners from Greece in this year’s awards are described as follows:
GREECE, Mani – BYZANTINE CHURCH OF ST. PETER IN KASTANIA
The church of St. Peter is the oldest of the ten Byzantine monuments in the village of Kastania. It is a cross-in-square domed structure of the late 12th century, with a portico added to the west side in the 13th century and a bell tower which was constructed in 1813. The church was in a poor state before the work began and faced serious structural problems due to weather exposure, inherent weaknesses and inappropriate past interventions. The interior decoration of an exquisite programme of Byzantine frescoes had also suffered greatly over the church’s 800-year lifespan.
The high quality restoration of the church included the securing of the building’s structural issues and the conservation of the interior decoration. The care which went into every aspect of the work is remarkable. The jury noted “the significance and importance of this European monument and its illustration of the Byzantine contribution to European culture”. The frescoes, which had previously been largely unintelligible, can now be studied in detail and will no doubt be of great value to researchers of Late Byzantine art. The restoration also made visible certain parts of the masonry work, located just under the roof tiles, which had previously been obscured by later additions. “The high-quality of the work both inside and outside is commendable and highlights many important aspects of Byzantine art and architecture in this period, particularly notable is the cloisonné masonry technique which the team has beautifully preserved”, the jury said.
The restoration of this charming church was warmly welcomed by the local community who was fully aware of the cultural and economic dimensions of the project. Their enthusiasm was apparent in the celebrations organised for the completion of the project. The preservation of St. Peter’s church has attracted new touristic interest to the remote village of Kastania and may inspire more initiatives to preserve its rich cultural heritage. The jury noted that “the collaboration of private and public bodies to make the renovation possible and the commitment to complete the work to the best possible standard is a wonderful example of what can be achieved in the many similar churches throughout the region. This is especially considering the adverse economic conditions that have been felt there. It is a model for the preservation of cultural heritage on a broader basis in Europe”.
GREECE, Prespes – TRADITIONAL WATERMILL IN AGIOS GERMANOS, PRESPES
Of the 20 watermills in Prespes’ region, the watermill in the village of Agios Germanos is the only one which has been fully restored. The mill, located in the mountainous region of the National Park of Prespa, was originally constructed in 1930. The mill is in full working order and has three different mechanisms: one which grinds flour, another for cleaning fabrics and the third for textile finishing. The restoration involved repairing the building which was in a critical condition, reconstructing the destroyed mechanical systems, rebuilding the water supply system and installing new constructions in the surrounding area so that the mill is easily accessible to visitors. “With this Award, we commend the recovery of this early industrial mill which is highly characteristic of industrialisation in Europe. The complexity of the mill and the water supply system is beautiful and has been restored with a high level of expertise”, the jury stated.
The project was ambitious with the goal being to create a “living monument” of the region’s industrial heritage as well as reinstating the production of edible flour, which would in turn enhance and support traditional occupations in the village and the cultivation of organic cereals in the surrounding area. The engagement of volunteers and the whole community actively supported this project, with the village itself expressing its enthusiasm early on and devoting time to the construction and operation of the watermill. The jury noted “the high educational and social engagement which contributed to the sustainable economic and environmental development in the village and in the region on a wider scale. In addition to this, the project has inspired collaboration trans-nationally in this crucially located region, contributing to a culture of reconciliation and good neighbourliness”.
The project dedicated itself to creating a site in the Transboundary Park between Greece, Albania and FYR Macedonia which could create a point of common cultural values between these three countries. “This project sets a wonderful example for other similar sites in this beautiful region. Its social impact as well as the preservation of this fine example of industrial heritage is worthy of the highest merit”, the jury noted.
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