Mowing with a scythe is a living cultural heritage that is still performed in many places (credit, Joel Nilsson, CC BY 4.0)

Finland: 4th – 10th September

This year in Finland, Cultural Environment Days – Kulttuuriympäristöpäivät – is taking part in the shared Living Heritage theme with the title ‘Living Legacy’. Organisers such as museums, libraries, schools and hobby clubs have been encouraged to take part in the theme through activities such as singing, cooking, crafting and dancing. Events will allow visitors to experience and celebrate a wide range of traditions and customs from sledding to farming and storytelling with guided tours and walks, open doors and lectures expected across the country. In addition to events running throughout the year, over 50 events are planned for the Cultural Environment Days week in September. These include a day of arts activities such as a dance workshop and magic show in Haapavesi, a presentation in Loviisa discussing the work and activities of local museums as guardians, recorders and promoters of cultural heritage, and a free course for participants to learn the skills of making traditional wooden fences in Riuttala.

Find out more: kotiseutuliitto.fi/kulttuuriymparistopaivat

Sweden: 8th – 10th September

The Swedish programme for Cultural Heritage Day – Kulturarvsdagen – will be based on the shared Living Heritage theme. Cultural environments, landscapes and places will welcome visitors across the country on the second weekend of September, with events exploring cultural traditions and memories, methods of passing knowledge and skills through the generations, and the active role of people in building a sustainable and resilient future. A wide range of subjects and activities are expected, from crafts and foods to demonstrations of renovation and cultivation techniques. Examples of good practices from history will be highlighted, alongside an exploration of digital initiatives and the future of heritage communications. Amongst the events available, visitors can rediscover the history of piano music and singing at home with a traditional salon evening gathering in Uppland, share memories of food and family recipes over a slice of cheesecake in Hälsingland and learn about the traditional methods of turning flax into yarn in Västmanland.

Find out more: raa.se

Switzerland: 9th – 10th September

This year’s European Heritage Days in Switzerland is looking at the theme ‘Repair and Reuse’. Events are encouraged to examine the sustainability of historic buildings and how they can be preserved alongside environmental goals. Specific areas of interest will include the use of local, natural and recycled materials as well as ways to reduce energy consumption in renovation and development projects. Around 400 events are planned, including tours, lectures, workshops and exhibitions. Highlights include a visit to the workshop studios in the conservation and restoration department at the Bern University of the Arts, an on-site tour of the restoration work at the 16th century Basel Gate in Solothurn, and a family-friendly workshop to learn traditional painting restoration techniques in Rheinfelden.

Find out more: kulturerbe-entdecken.ch

Netherlands: 9th – 10th September

Open Monumentendag 2023 in the Netherlands is marking the 20th anniversary of UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage by celebrating the shared European Heritage Days theme, Living Heritage. As well as exploring crafts, traditions and customs, events will also be contextualising the link between intangible culture and heritage buildings. Each year around 5,000 monuments open their doors to over a million visitors, but this year is the first time the programme will open with a public launch event. Planned on the day before events start across the rest of the country, visitors at the opening event in Zwolle can enjoy live music, theatrical performances and a manufacturing market demonstrating how traditional products are made from natural materials. Other events throughout the festival are expected to feature a wide variety of intangible heritage topics including storytelling, farming and cookery. There will also be a photo competition challenging visitors to capture iconic moments from their visits.

Find out more: openmonumentendag.nl

Germany: 10th September

Open Monument Day – Tag des offenen Denkmals – in Germany will be celebrating the event’s 30th anniversary in the country by exploring the extraordinary qualities and unique features of historic buildings with the motto ‘Talent Monument’. The theme will be looking at what makes a monument special and will be particularly drawing attention to lesser-known places. All styles and ages of architecture will be taking part, from half-timbered houses to 20th century concrete buildings in a celebration of every monument, whether a famous theatre or an inconspicuous chapel. More than 5,500 cultural sites are taking part this year, and visitors can choose from over 500 tours. The programme will launch in Münster with an open-air stage of musical entertainment and 100 guided tours providing opportunities to see restoration work in action and places not normally open to the public across the city. Other highlights for 2023 include entry to the Baroque Erbdrostenhof palace and 1970s Mainz City Hall, as well as a mix of in-person and digital events.

Find out more: denkmalschutz.de