Europa Nostra
The EU Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards recognises outstanding achievements in cultural heritage. His Royal Highness The Crown Prince took part in this year’s award ceremony on Thursday evening. Two of the prizes went to Norwegian projects.
The Europa Nostra Awards are highly prestigious in the field of cultural heritage. This year’s award ceremony was held in Oslo City Hall in connection with the 2015 European Heritage Congress in Oslo on 10–14 June.
A total of 28 prizes were awarded, selected from among a record 263 applications from 29 countries. The prizes are divided into four categories:
- Conservation – conservation, enhancement and adaptation;
- Research and digitalisation;
- Dedicated service (by individuals and organisations);
- Education, training and awareness-raising.
Two Norwegian prize-winners
Two Norwegian projects were among the winners this year. The Eidsvoll House received an award in the “Conservation” category for the extensive work carried out prior to the bicentennial anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution. The Outbuilding Project in Røros received an award in the category of “Education, training and awareness-raising”.
For a complete list of prize-winners, please see the Europa Nostra website (link at right).
The Eidsvoll House
The Eidsvoll House was restored to its past splendour prior to the bicentennial anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution in 2014. Both the exterior and interior were returned to their original condition. Research into historical sources uncovered previously unknown information about the building’s original exterior and interior, and the restoration followed this to the minutest detail.
The Outbuilding Project
The historic centre of Røros has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for many years. The objective of the Outbuilding Project has been to restore old outbuildings which were part of the urban farmyards used by the miners. As little of the original material as possible is removed, and all repairs are thoroughly documented. So far, 400 outbuildings have been returned to a condition that should last well into the future with normal maintenance.
The Public Choice Award
Crown Prince Haakon presented the Public Choice Award on Thursday evening. While the 28 prize-winners were announced in advance, the winner of the Public Choice Award was announced for the first time during the ceremony. The winner is selected by the European public through an online poll, and the Crown Prince revealed that the people had chosen the restoration of the Nuragic sculptures of Monte Prama in Sardinia as the winner.
The Nuragic civilisation dominated Sardinia from 1 800 BC to the 2nd century AD, when the island came under the rule of the Roman Empire.
Current news
Welcoming the Restauration to the US
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, along with a couple of thousand attendees, welcomed the sloop Restauration to New York, exactly 200 years after the vessel carrying Norwegian emigrants arrived in the United States. In 1825, they crossed the Atlantic in search of a new and better life. This voyage is regarded as the beginning of organised emigration from Norway.
Met with Governor Walz in Minnesota
Minnesota is one of the states in the United States where a large proportion of the population has Norwegian ancestry. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon is therefore also visiting this state and its largest metropolitan area, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, during his trip to the United States to mark the 200th anniversary of Norwegian emigration to the US.