2024 European Heritage Awards: Alma Vii Saxon Church restoration project in Romania wins Grand Prix, Public Choice Award

The rehabilitation of the Saxon Church in Alma Vii, in Romania’s Sibiu county, won the Public Choice Award at this year’s European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards.

The Alma Vii project raised the largest number of votes, cast via an online poll with the participation of some 10,000 citizens from all over Europe.

The Saxon church restoration project was also one of the five laureates of the Grand Prix, selected from among this year’s 26 winners of the European Heritage Awards. They were selected by the Board of Europa Nostra, based on the recommendation of an independent jury of experts.

Besides the project in Romania, the winners of the Grand Prix 2024 were the Citizens’ Rehabilitation of the Tsiskarauli Tower in Akhieli, Georgia – a Grand Prix winner in the category Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising; the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme in Ireland - Grand Prix winner in the category Education, Training & Skills; the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities in Croatia – a Grand Prix winner in the category Heritage Champions; and the Ignacy Historic Mine in Rybnik, Poland – a Grand Prix winner in the category Conservation & Adaptive Reuse.

The Alma Vii Saxon Church project was a Grand Prix winner in the category Conservation & Adaptive Reuse.

The restoration not only preserved the church’s architectural and historical integrity but also “empowered the local community and fostered sustainable tourism development.” The project, supported by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation and the EEA Grants, was coordinated by the Mihai Eminescu Trust.

“The conservation of the Saxon Church in Alma Vii is a strong example for fortified churches, and for religious heritage which no longer has a surrounding, original community to care for it. The meticulous yet minimal intervention ensured the use of compatible materials and solutions which were sensitive to the original structure. This is evident in how the original bricks and tiles were retained, and how the patina was conserved. This sustainable approach is also evident in the high-quality results, achieved with limited funding. The project has restored the cultural landscape of this small village, and included community engagement to the highest level, thus instilling a sense of responsibility for this heritage,” the Awards’ Jury said when announcing the 2024 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards in May.