European Heritage Days - Ευρωπαϊκές ημέρες πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς

Theme for 2025: Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future

Θέμα 2025: Αρχιτεκτονική Κληρονομιά - Γεφυρώνοντας το παρελθόν με το μέλλον

Dates: 26-28 September 2025

Ημερομηνίες: 26-28 Σεπτεμβρίου 2025

Greece is celebrating the European Heritage Days with the shared European theme for this year “Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future” paraphrased as “Architectural Heritage: bridging the past to the future”, on 26-28 September.

The theme coincides with the 50th anniversary of the European Charter of the Architectural Heritage (1975) and the 40th anniversary of the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (Granada, 1985). These two documents, along with the Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (Faro Convention, 2005) give emphasis to the fact that architectural heritage is a key element for Europe’s common history and the identity of local communities, hence it is necessary to be preserved and protected. 

This year’s theme calls for exploring the diversity of the buildings that surround us as well as any other infrastructure of all scales and styles, in terms of technical design, function and use as well as aestheticism. It concerns not only grand emblematic buildings and monuments but also streets, buildings and houses in which people work and live daily.

Event organisers are encouraged to design events around a wide range of aspects of architectural heritage like:

• - The function (i.e. the use) of buildings (e.g. religious, commercial, industrial, domestic or monumental architecture commemorating historic events)
• - The styles that have been developed at different times on a local and national level as well as elements of them that have been adopted by architectural styles of other countries and civilisations
• - The materials that have been used for the construction of buildings and monuments, e.g. quarrying of local stones can yield information about the geology of an area and the history of local quarries, while importing resources from other areas may reflect historical connections in aspects of trade, conquests, or movements of population
• - Agricultural architecture, since archaeological heritage is not only about urban environments but also about farmhouses, agricultural buildings or other (architectural) elements that compose the agricultural landscape
• - The architects of buildings, either famous or local professionals
• - The stories of people and loci, ranging from important historical events to personal aspects, based on the perception that buildings may incorporate deep personal meanings but at the same time they are important for collective memory, or they are powerful symbols of cultural identity that connect people with local, national and international events
• - The “difficult” heritage, which includes places connected with painful or under dispute histories like wars, oppressive regimes, colonisation or extermination –i.e. showcasing places worthy of recognition and preservation, since they help us to learn from the past, to encourage social dialogue and promote democratic values
• - The archaeological architectural heritage, which involves remains of buildings and sites, reflects the struggle between human activity and nature’s role in the course of time, their current state of preservation, and their role in presenting the past (in the context of either grand planning or plain functional constructions)
• - The intangible heritage, in terms of exploring knowledge, skills and techniques required for the construction of buildings (e.g. quarrying, stone carving, application of renderings, gilding etc.), many of which are preserved to the present or others that are in danger of extinction.
• Crucial to this year’s celebration is also modern architecture, with examples, ideas and concerns around modern buildings which may constitute future architectural heritage, by exploring current architectural concepts regarding the design, aestheticism, function and use of materials as well as interaction with the environment.
• Finally, another important aspect of this year’s theme is the preservation of historic buildings, mainly through sustainable practices which would face the challenges and threats arising from the climatic changes, bearing in mind that many constructions had not been designed to endure extreme weather and environmental conditions.
• European Heritage Days 2025 will be celebrated in Greece from 26 until 28 September with most events being with physical presence of visitors while there will also be some digital ones that will broadcast in real time or not through the electronic media of the organising institutions and will also be hosted at the country’s social media pages (https://www.facebook.com/EHDaysGR/, https://www.instagram.com/ehpk_greece/).
• On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 September, entry will be free of charge to all state archaeological sites, museums and monuments for all visitors.