Every year, European Heritage Days aim at engaging participants with a special theme and inspire the next generation of heritage creators. This year’s theme “Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future” honours the 50th anniversary of the "European Architectural Heritage Year" of 1975.
The celebrations of European Heritage Days 2025 offer thousands of free events in the 50 countries of the European Cultural Convention. Events take place between August-November every year, with September being the launching month for many European Heritage Programmes.
EHD 2025 events in the Netherlands, will take place during 13-14 of September and visitors will explore architectural works which were “Built to Last” including castles, mills, defence constructions, or Neoclassicals, the Amsterdam School, Art Nouveau and Brutalism.
In Lithuania, Architectural Heritage is explored as a link between the past, present and future. From 18th-26th September, visitors will have the opportunity to reflect on how climate change will affect the built environment in 200 or even 500 years and what to do to best preserve it for future generations.
In Germany, visitors of buildings participating in the VALUE-full: Priceless or Irreplaceable? opening on the 14th of September, may find an answer to questions on the social value of the built environment and on why preserving monuments is important.
In France, the weekend 19-21 of September will include celebrations on the 100 years of the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts which took place in Paris in 1925 and was influential in highlighting the Art Deco movement.
The European Heritage Days are the most widely celebrated of Europe. In 2024, more than 21 million people joined over 51,000 events across 42 countries. The Programme can boast up to 20 million visitors every year and generates the greatest value, Euro for Euro, of any “European” cultural project.
The European Heritage Days started in 1985 by the Council of Europe and has been co-organised with the European Union since 1999.
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Images - Courtesy of the European Heritage Days
