Historical and Cultural Heritage of Horezu Micro-Region

Historical and Cultural Heritage of Horezu Micro-Region - Protection, Valorization and Rehabilitation
Supported by the Norwegian NGO Fund

Problems to be addressed by the project

Horezu microregion has an impressive concentration of historical and cultural heritage. It has one World Heritage Monument, the only one in South Romania - Hurezi Monastery and more than 50 other classified monuments of national or local interest. But most monuments are threatened by interventions which do not respect conservation rules, and together with the new buildings, they are seriously and irreversibly jeopardising the local identity, and implicitly its potential for cultural tourism. The area has also well preserved cultural traditions and traditional occupations that unfortunatelly are not included in a systematic effort of preservation and contemporary use.

The project goal is to increase the degree of protection, valorization and rehabilitation of the cultural and historical heritage and of its use for local development in Horezu micro-region

The project specific objectives

Adoption by the local governments and owners of heritage objects of measures to protect and promote the cultural heritage of the Horezu micro region
Develop and promote 3 pilot cultural projects that open new perspectives for revitalizing and using material and immaterial heritage of the area
Increase public appreciation and capacity to promote local heritage of local communities (local governments, culture institutions, public)
Re-building of local identity which harmoniously combines heritage values with modern occupations in order to promote the cultural tourism

The following results are planned to be achieved at project end

Full documentation of the micro region classified cultural heritage on DVD and printed catalogue, with graphic illustrations, archive of scanned photos
Evaluation report of the heritage current situation - damages and risks
Urban plans and regulations that enforce heritage protection and promote the local traditional style through the new buildings
Adoption of at least 3 corrective measures by the local governments in 3 localities (technical and financial solutions to support owners of heritage objects)
Complete and correct information available for cultural heritage owners concerning their obligations
Preserving and promoting on site the existing heritage objects by signaling at least 50% of them
Producing at least 2 complex cultural products (exhibition, art works, written works, photos and documentary films) to promote (1) religious paintings and (2) traditional occupations and products
Raising awareness of at least 20 teachers and 200 pupils on the importance of the micro-region historical heritage - buildings, occupations, traditions
Promote the historical heritage to at least 10 major cultural and tourism institutions, magazines, national media and at least 2000 tourists in order to develop the cultural tourism in the micro region

FPDL partners in this project are a good combination of experience and technical skills, which are critical for project success: Horezu Local Government, Asociatia Depresiunea Horezu, Asociatia Atlante - France, CIMEC Institutul de Memorie Culturala, Fundatia Arhitext Design, Asociatia Tinecoart.

Project duration - December 2009 - November 2010.