RUINS project

      Topic of project were medieval ruins. In Europe there are at least several thousand historical ruins. Owners and managers of these sites struggle with the same problems: protection of ruins is problematic due to ongoing process of destruction, and modern use of ruins is limited.
      Project objective was to give “the second life” to medieval ruins through modern management and attributing contemporary, socially useful functions, while preserving historical value of these sites.
      Project aimed to develop and disseminate transnational guidelines and integrated model of contemporary use, modern management and protection of medieval ruins in Central Europe in order to enable elaboration of comprehensive management plans for ruined historical sites. Elaborated comprehensive management plans will help owners and managers of historical ruins, local, regional and public authorities exploit economic potential of this heritage in economic development of regions, and to preserve value of medieval ruins as cultural heritage.
      Traditional approach to preservation of ruins has been focused on only one issue - how to maintain historical ruins from technical point of view. Innovation of project is to go beyond technical problems and to create integrated model that brings together 3 elements: contemporary use, modern management and sustainable preservation of ruins. Activities undertaken within project were combination of research tasks concerning documentation and evaluation of technical state of ruins, conservation tasks concerning the form of protection of ruins and, most of all, activities aimed at contemporary use and modern management of historical ruins.
      Cooperation of 6 countries with various traditions and experiences  result in development of universal models that could be applied for management, use and protection of medieval ruins all over Europe, providing European added value.