Volunteering is an ideal instrument to bring abandoned or overlooked heritage sites back to the awareness of the public. This may happen for different reasons: because a heritage site is in danger to fall in decay, because a heritage site which had been so far accessible for the public is endangered by privatisation, because important elements of a bigger heritage ensemble are in danger to become forgotten, or others.

In most of the cases the voluntarily engagement can be only the first step to draw the publics’ attention on the particular heritage site or on its state of conservation, and in a second step more substantial measures must follow. But sometimes interventions on a voluntary base which originally had been planned only as a singular or temporary action become the starting point of a long and sustainable process, of substantial and responsible activities for endangered heritages.

Also European Heritage Volunteers’ own history had started in that way – with small, temporary and very specific measures in order to protect endangered heritage sites from decay – as repairing roofs, undertaking water management measures, creating supporting constructions for the static stabilisation of heritage sites and similar activities. Having these own experiences in mind European Heritage Volunteers supports initiatives which are willing to overtake the – temporary or permanent – responsibility for endangered heritage sites by organising volunteering projects at these sites.

Traditional lime plasters
Mauerbach Charterhouse / Lower Austria
AUSTRIA

Training Course Summer 2024

Conservation & Restoration of wall paintings from various periods
Lauenstein Castle / World Heritage Site Ore Mountains Mining Landscape / Saxony
GERMANY

Training Course Summer 2024

Conservation of walls and vaults in traditional masonry techniques
Tematín Castle / Trenčín Region
SLOVAKIA

Volunteering Project Summer 2024

Conservation & Documentation of historical walls and surfaces
Berend Lehmann Museum and former synagogue Halberstadt / Saxony-Anhalt
GERMANY

Training Course Summer 2024

Conservation works at a historical paper mill
Niederzwönitz Paper Mill / World Heritage Site Ore Mountains Mining Landscape / Saxony
GERMANY

Volunteering Project Summer 2024

Conservation & Restoration of historical surfaces
Lielstraupe Castle / Cesis Municipality
LATVIA

Training Course Summer 2024

Survey & Documentation of earthen vernacular architecture
Mandritsa Village / Ivaylovgrad Municipality / Haskovo Region
BULGARIA

Training Course Autumn 2024

Conservation of historic roof structures in traditional wood techniques
Lohra Castle / Thuringia
GERMANY

Volunteering Project Autumn 2024

Conservation works at a traditional vernacular ensemble
Gornji Stoliv / Kotor Municipality
MONTENEGRO

Volunteering Project Autumn 2024

Construction of a roof structure for an emblematic vernacular building
Zaroshke / Prespa Lake Area / Korça Region
ALBANIA

Training Course Autumn 2024

Archaeological excavation & Documentation of ceramic mosaic elements
Palauet Nolla / Meliana / Valencia Community
SPAIN

Training Course Autumn 2024

Translocation of a wooden building from the early 20th century
Ensemble of the Museum Forum Konrad-Wachsmann-Haus Niesky / Saxony
GERMANY

Past Training Course

Conservation of historic plasters and surfaces at the remains of a former synagogue
Former synagogue Halberstadt / Saxony-Anhalt
GERMANY

Past Training Course

Documentation & Research at a castle from the 13th to the 20th centuries
Lielstraupe Castle / Cesis Municipality
LATVIA

Past Training Course

Conservation & Restoration of frescos
Capela de São Brás Portel / Alentejo Region
PORTUGAL

Past Training Course

Traditional masonry techniques & traditional vaults
Tematín Castle / Trenčín Region
SLOVAKIA

Past Training Course

Documentation of a monastery church
Shativank Monastery / Vayots Dzor Region
ARMENIA

Training Course 2022

Conservation works at the entrance area of a fortified church ensemble
Ensemble of the fortified church Movile / Sibiu County
ROMANIA

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation works at cave churches & Documentation of frescos
Cave churches & St. Anna Chapel at Great Prespa Lake / Korça Region
ALBANIA

Past Volunteering Project

Documentation of historic monastery walls
World Heritage Site Yuso & Suso Monasteries / La Rioja Region
SPAIN

Past Training Course

Interpretation of privately owned heritage sites & their community
Kasteel van Groot Bijgaarden / Brussels / Dilbeek region
BELGIUM

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation of historic plasters and mortars & heritage documentation
Former synagogue and mikweh Halberstadt / Saxony-Anhalt
GERMANY

Past Training Course

Documentation of historic walls surrounding a monastery complex
World Heritage site Yuso Monastery, San Millán / La Rioja Region
SPAIN

Past Training Course

Conservation of Baroque church interior
Benedictine Abbey Tyniec / Malopolska Region
POLAND

Past Volunteering Project

Documentation & Preparation of later conservation measures
Mariabrunn Monastery Complex / Vienna
AUSTRIA

Past Training Course

Conservation of traditional wooden architecture
Kenozero National Park - Gorbachikha Village / Arkhangelsk Region
RUSSIA

Past Volunteering Project

Documentation of a manor house from the 19th century
Aleksander Melik-Pashaev House Shaumiani Village / Marneuli Region
GEORGIA

Past Volunteering Project

Restoration of historic windows at a monastery complex
Schlierbach Monastery / Upper Austria
AUSTRIA

Past Training Course

Conservation measures at buildings in an open-air museum
Sagalund Museum / Kimito Island / Aboland Region
FINLAND

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation works at roof constructions & roofs of a historic ensemble
Lohra Castle / Thuringia
GERMANY

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation of a medieval wall
Ensemble of the fortified church Movile / Sibiu County
ROMANIA

Past Volunteering Project

Roman and Medieval lime plasters and mortars & fresco techniques
World Heritage site Studenica Monastery / Raška District
SERBIA

Past Training Course

Architectural documentation of traditional wooden architecture
Kozichkovi houses / Kotel / Sliven Region
BULGARIA

Past Training Course

Conservation works at a fortified church ensemble
Ensemble of the fortified church Hosman / Sibiu County
ROMANIA

Past Volunteering Project

Documentation & Conservation of coloured surfaces and stucco elements
Effendi Villa Kobuleti / Autonomous Republic of Adjara
GEORGIA

Past Training Course

Conservation & Restoration of sculptures at a castle complex
World Heritage site Historic Centre of Vienna, Upper Belvedere Castle
AUSTRIA

Past Training Course

Traditional masonry & rebuilding of traditional vaults
Tematín Castle / Trencín Region
SLOVAKIA

Past Training Course

Rescue & Conservation works at a Neo-Gothic mausoleum
Halsbrücke / Saxony
GERMANY

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation of a traditional wooden chapel & a wooden water mill
Kenozero National Park / Archangelsk Region
RUSSIA

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation of the roof of a church from the 14th century
St. Mary's Church at Maligrad Island / Korca Region
ALBANIA

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation of Baroque furnishings
Church of Benedictine Abbey Tyniec / Malopolska Region
POLAND

Past Training Course

Restoration of plasters and coloured surfaces in a Renaissance castle
Erxleben Castle / Sachsen-Anhalt
GERMANY

Past Training Course

Abolishment of recent conversions & uncovering of the original state
Former Grand Hotel Waldlust Freudenstadt / Baden-Württemberg
GERMANY

Past Volunteering Project

Marking of the excavated outline of a former chapel with flagstones
Marksburg / Rhineland-Palatinate
GERMANY

Past Volunteering Project

Preservation of a church from 1303 and of surrounding monuments
Zorats Chutch / Vayodz Dzor Region
ARMENIA

Past Volunteering Project

Preservation of a church from the 11th century
Himara / Vlora Region
ALBANIA

Past Volunteering Project

Traditional stone techniques in a fortress complex
Couchy Castle / Aisne Départment
FRANCE

Past Training Course

Conservation of Baroque marble elements
Church of Benedictine Abbey Tyniec / Malopolska Region
POLAND

Past Training Course

Documentation of Baroque wall paintings in a monastery church
Pidkamin / Lviv Oblast
UKRAINE

Past Volunteering Project

Conservation of the floor of a medieval church
Church St. Julià Vallfogona de Ripollès / Catalonia Region
SPAIN

Volunteering Project 2020