The European Commission and Europa Nostra have revealed in Brussels / The Hague (14 April 2015) the winners of the 2015 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, considered Europe’s most prestigious prize in the heritage field. The 28 award winners, selected from 263 applications submitted by organisations and individuals from 29 countries, are honoured for outstanding achievements in four categories: 1) conservation, 2) research and digitization, 3) dedicated service to heritage, and 4) education, training and awareness-raising.

The European Heritage Awards Ceremony will take place on 11 June at the Oslo City Hall and will be co-hosted by Fabian Stang, Mayor of Oslo, Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Plácido Domingo, the renowned opera singer and President of Europa Nostra. At the ceremony, seven of the selected winners will be named as Grand Prix laureates, receiving €10,000 each, and one will receive the Public Choice Award, chosen in an online poll conducted by Europa Nostra.

“Cultural heritage is one of Europe’s biggest assets. It brings countless cultural, economic, social and environmental benefits to all of us. I would like to congratulate the winners of the 2015 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, who are the perfect example of what dedicated and competent Europeans can do for heritage – but also for our European identity, contributing to a sense of belonging. We all need to keep working together to help communities and citizens take ownership of our heritage, make it part of our daily lives and preserve it for the generations to come,” said Commissioner Navracsics.

“This year’s winners are powerful examples of creativity and innovation at work for Europe’s cultural heritage. They also demonstrate that heritage matters to Europe and its citizens. We trust that, under the leadership of President Juncker and Commissioner Navracsics, the European Union’s strategy for an integrated approach to cultural heritage will be further developed and implemented,” added Plácido Domingo.

2015 AWARD WINNERS

Category Conservation

The Picturesque Garden of the Museum van Buuren in Brussels, BELGIUM
Armenian Church and Monastery in Nicosia, CYPRUS
Boulingrin Central Market Hall in Reims, FRANCE
Antouaniko Mansion in Chios, GREECE
Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, HUNGARY
Nuragic Sculptures of Monte Prama in Sardinia, ITALY
Paleochristian Mosaics of the Basilica Complex in Aquileia, ITALY
The Halls Amsterdam: Centre for Media, Fashion Culture and Crafts, THE NETHERLANDS
Manor House in Eidsvoll, NORWAY
Cathedral in Tarazona, SPAIN
Salt Valley of Añana, Basque Country, SPAIN
Armenian Church of St. Giragos in Diyarbakir, TURKEY
Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, UNITED KINGDOM
Stonehenge: Surrounding Landscape and Visitor Centre in Wiltshire, UNITED KINGDOM

Category Research and Digitization

HERMES: Hermoupolis Digital Heritage Management, Syros, GREECE
Restoration of Lasithi Plateau’s Windmills with Perforated Sails, Crete, GREECE
Wonders of Venice: Virtual Online Treasures in St. Mark’s Area, ITALY
Learning from las Cuencas: the Cultural Landscape of the Asturian Coalfields, SPAIN

Category Dedicated Service

The Rundling Association, Jameln, GERMANY
Huis Doorn Association of Friends, Doorn, THE NETHERLANDS
Churches Conservation Trust, London, UNITED KINGDOM

Category Education, Training and Awareness-Raising

Programme for Owners of Rural Buildings in Estonia, Tallinn, ESTONIA
The Garden City of Stains, FRANCE
The Fota Walled Garden, Cork, IRELAND
Saving Past Testimonies for Building a Future, Chisinau, MOLDOVA
The Outbuilding Project, Roros, NORWAY
Heritage Skills Initiative, Newcastle upon Tyne, UNITED KINGDOM
Young Archaeologists’ Club, York, UNITED KINGDOM

Photo: József Hajdú