Newsletter No. 5
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NEWSLETTER NO. 5 LAUNCHING (G)LOCAL LEVEL HERITAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP: STRATEGIES AND TOOLS TO UNITE FORCES, SAFEGUARD THE PLACE, MOBILIZE CULTURAL VALUES, DELIVER THE EXPERIENCE Bucharest old town Monastery Snagov Here is the project Sagittarius newsletter no. 5. The project has turned into the second half. In the first quarter of this year JTS from Budapest approved the extension of the project until the end of May 2014. Work of the project partners is focused on the preparation of projects and sites for the establishment of the roving museum and heritage trail. Through the education in the Golden bow participants gained adequate knowledge of the heritage management. All this knowledge has contributed in the preparation of high-quality and interesting selections of sites of natural and cultural heritage that each project partner wants to present in the project Sagittarius. 1. HERITAGE REGISTER Heritage register is the list of natural and cultural attractions. Each project partner has selected 10 locations and attractions that he would like to present in the context of "Heritage trail" These cultural or natural heritage assets he has to examined, described and pictured together with interested colleagues, satellite partners or managers of the sites. Based on a prepared form, each project partner has to prepare an inventory of heritage. The inventory contains information on the type of heritage (building, complex, archaeological sites, open space, etc.). Register followed the identification and description of the sights. Project partner had to describe the name and type of sights and specify the location, we have also described the access to the sights. Then followed the description of the ownership of the asset, current and past use of asset (mainly buildings and complexes). Every attraction we have put into place and a certain historical period. Cultural and natural heritage, historic buildings, archaeological sites become interesting when they are defined by the people and events that are associated with them. The most difficult part of the description of each site represent search of the historical facts, collecting stories and legends of the people who once lived here and gave the buildings, towns and cities the seal, to which we listen with interest also today. The challenge presents also discoveries of natural beauties and phenomena, phenomena that are rare or unique in some places. A key advantage of heritage is its depth and diversity. This is to be achieved with a collection of heritage sites of all project partners representing 8 countries of South Eastern Europe. With a heritage register we want to create and establish an advanced tool. With this tool we want to give both natural and cultural heritage of the area a generally recognized identity. 2. FORTH TRANSNATIONAL MEETING AND STUDY VISIT IN BUCHAREST The activities on the project Sagittarius lead to the 4th Transnational Project Partners Meeting, that was hosted by Romanian project partners Institution of National Economy and National Institute for Research&Development in Tourism from Bucharest. The meeting took place from 13th to 16th of May 2013 in hotel Novotel in Bucharest. 2.1 Forth Transnational Project Partners Meeting (Bucharest) Project partners met in the morning in the hall. The meeting started with a welcome speech by prof. Gheorghe Zaman, director of INE and corresponding member of the Romanian Academy and Mrs. Iulia Dragulea from the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism of Romania. The salutation was made also by the project manager Dorothea Papathanasiou Zuhrt. The meeting was continued with a review of the activities on the project. This was also the Steering Group Committee Meeting. We reviewed the progress of the activities on the project. Representatives of all project partners briefly reported what was done on the project from the last meeting in Freiburg. We discussed some delays in the implementation of activities and plans for the next reporting period. We also pointed out that sometimes appear the communication problems between the Lead Partner and the project partners. Project partners meeting Project partners meeting The meeting continued with a review of spending the project budget. Stella Arapoglou has prepared an overview of budget disbursement for each project partner under interim reports. We found that the disbursement should be accelerated, since it is quite behind the implemented activities. Each project partner has to forecast the amount of funds to be spent within 5th interim report. After that we have the quality Control Committee Meeting. At this meeting it was pointed out the need to update the project website and add some content. At the same time we all should increase the number of visits to the website. External contractors of Romanian partners INE have prepared web application of Heritage register. They made the presentation about the application and show us the entry of data into the application. Data that each project partner prepared in a form of heritage registry for 10 selected locations will be loaded in application. Then they showed us how the data and pictures will be visible on the website. In the end they show the link of all locations on display. The locations from 8 countries will be presented on the inlet side and users can select various reviews. This presentation was also the introduction to the Technical Committee meeting. After the presentation project partners had debate about the inclusion of individual pilot projects in the application. We saw how the application of heritage register will work in practice. Each project partner has to clear out whether the description of chosen locations is appropriate for application or needs some improvements. 2.2 Forth Transnational Study Visit (Bucharest) The purpose of the two-day study visit was to see the different locations in Bucharest and its surroundings. These locations are part of the heritage trail, which is being prepared by the Romanian project partners. Through viewing the locations we comment their historical significance, their attractiveness, uniqueness, interesting stories and events - aspects how to attract visitors to choose to see the very same cultural or natural heritage. 4rd Transnational Study Visit - Day 1 First day of study visit we drive to four historical locations near Bucharest with bus. First we visited the Ştirbey Palace. Palace is part of a wider domain which also comprises a church, a chapel, a summer pavilion, a park, a water tower and a lake. The construction works at the palace started in 1850 by order of Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei, back then prince of Wallachia, but the structure was completed no sooner than 1863, under Alexandru Barbu Ştirbei. The Gothic elements are more or less visible, both inside and outside the building. The prestige of the palace was repeatedly acknowledged by the fact the building was often used for receiving the noble guests of Alexandru Ştirbei (public figures, cultural and political personalities, scientists, businesspeople and so on). The palace was restored and converted into a restaurant. Stirbey Palace The way then led us to the Mogoșoaia Palace which is situated about 10 kilometers from Bucharest. It was built among 1698-1702 by Constantin Brâncoveanu. It combines Venetian and ottoman elements. The palace bears the name of the widow of the Romanian boyar Mogoș, who owned the land it was built on. The Palace was to a large extent rebuilt in the 1920s by Martha Bibesco. The Palace had been given to Princess Marthe Bibesco by her husband, Prince George Bibesco who later also deeded the land to her. She spent all her wealth from the many books she wrote in its reconstruction and it became the meeting place for politicians and international high society, a quiet retreat during the growing turmoil of the 1930s. Prince George died in 1941 and was buried in the small, white 1688 church on the grounds of the Palace. The Palace is now a popular tourist destination, but although the grounds and gardens are beautiful, the interior of the palace itself is under reconstruction and presently houses a museum and art gallery. Entrance to the Mogosoaia Palace Next location was Snagov Monastery that stands on a remote island in the middle of Snagov Lake. The first records of there being a monastery on Snagov Lake date back to 1408 (although some sources date it to 1364), at which time it had been newly built by Mircea the Elder. Vlad Tepes' associations with Snagov stem from when he had the monastery rebuilt during the 15th century in honor of Mircea who was his grandfather. During this time it would have been one of the wealthiest and most prominent churches of the Wallachia Empire, most likely due to its patronage by Tepes and the easily-defensible island setting. Rumors abound of the ruler constructing torture chambers within the monastery, although this, along with the great enigma of Vlad Tepes' death, remains unproven. After his death during battle with the Ottomans in 1476, Tepes' body was, according to legend, buried at Snagov, minus his head which was sent to Istanbul preserved in honey, so that the Sultan could prove to doubters the formidable prince was finally dead (war between Wallachia and the Ottoman Empire had lasted some years). Excavations of the grave under the monastery altar in 1931, however, revealed an empty grave which, simultaneously, fuelled claims of the Dracula connections with Snagov being a sham and, to some Dracula devotees, provided proof that he was still roaming the earth. Snagov Monastery The first day of the study visit we completed in Caldarusani Monastery. This monastic establishment was founded by Matei Basarab Voivode. The monastery was built on the location on which, in 1638, there had existed a wooden skeet. Initially, there were constructed three sides of the monastic cells and the eastern defense wall of the holy establishment.