Five countries have managed to get their names into the European Union prizes for cultural heritage – the Europa Nostra awards: the Netherlands (twice), Spain, the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania. Six awards were made on the basis of a number of categories mostly relating to the respect the countries have shown to their cultural and heritage sites and set an example not only to Europeans but to the cities all over the world.
The awards are to be presented in Durham Cathedral in the UK on the 12th of June this year. Each award is set to be worth a notable €10.000, an amount thought to be well deserved on the basis of varying criteria.
The conservation award shall go to the Czech Republic thanks to the Czechs’ conservation of the southern facade of the castle in Cesky Krumlov. It has been described as an excellent example of respectful conservation and the Czechs now boast one of the most beautiful castle sites in Europe.
One of the awards to go to the Netherlands is for dedicated service, a feat which has been described as the one which has proven the importance of volunteers. This category concerns the Stichting Stadsherstel. The award for research shall end up in Spain, in particular with the Inventory of the Fortified Military Architecture, a feat which has been praised for supposedly raising awareness in terms of Spain’s military heritage.
As for the education award, this one shall end up in Banffy castle in Romania. This project has been described as an ideal example of how functions can work for each other. More precisely: how conservation came through training and training was performed for conservation.
