ISSN: 1871-417X

EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE REVIEW

SUMMER 2015

EUROPA NOSTRA represents a rapidly growing citizens’ movement for the

safeguarding of Europe’s cultural and natural heritage. Our pan-European
network is composed of 240 member organisations (heritage associations
and foundations with a combined membership of more than 5 million people),
140 associated organisations (governmental bodies, local authorities and
corporations) and also 1100 individual members who directly support our
mission.

TOGETHER,
• we form an important lobby for cultural heritage in Europe;
• we celebrate excellence through the European Heritage Awards organised
by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Union; and
• we campaign to save Europe’s endangered historic monuments, sites and
cultural landscapes.

We are the Voice of Cultural Heritage in Europe.

NORWEGIAN WOOD
MUNCH, IBSEN AND GRIEG
PREHISTORIC ART
VIKINGS, TALL SHIPS AND HISTORIC RAILROADS
INTERVIEWS WITH EU COMMISSIONER TIBOR NAVRACSICS
AND UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL IRINA BOKOVA

NORWAY SPECIAL
Building A New Bertelsmann

digital
international
fast-growing

Bertelsmann is an international media, services and education company with

180 years of history. We stand for a combination of creativity and entrepreneurship
that empowers the creation of first-rate media, communications, and service
offerings to inspire people around the world and to provide innovative solutions for
customers. As a media house that promotes the arts and puts creativity at the heart
of its value creation and corporate culture, Bertelsmann is strongly committed to
safeguarding Europe’s cultural heritage.

We are honored to express this commitment in supporting the EU Prize for

Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards.

www.bertelsmann.com
 03

Welcome
By Plácido Domingo,
President of Europa Nostra
It is a great pleasure for me to introduce the Norway Special of our Heritage in Motion Magazine. It will take you on a
discovery tour of the rich heritage of Norway, the host country of the Europa Nostra Congress 2015: from a skillfully restored
wooden farmhouse near Vågå to the prehistoric rock art of Alta; from the breathtakingly beautiful Nærøyfjord to the amazing
Urnes stave church. This edition of our Magazine will show you how important the tangible and intangible heritage is for
local communities in Norway, and what pride and joy it brings to people’s everyday life.

Cultural heritage is a positive force. It gives hope, it helps us to connect with one another and it shows us our common
humanity. This is why cultural heritage is so vitally important. That is also why, in times of conflict, heritage is so often the
victim of deliberate destruction.

Only recently alas, we have helplessly witnessed the destruction of millennia old cultural treasures in Iraq, Syria, Yemen
and Libya. In the light of all those deplorable developments, we could not have had a more symbolic stage for this year’s
celebration of ‘the best of the best’ of Europe’s heritage achievements: Oslo City Hall - the home of the prestigious Nobel
Peace Prize Ceremony. Our European Heritage Awards Ceremony will be organised, like every year, with our key partner -
the European Union, represented by Tibor Navracsics, the EU Commissioner responsible for Education, Culture, Youth and
Sport. He has also kindly accepted to share with the readers of this Norway Special his ideas and plans to support cultural
heritage in Europe. I am also particularly grateful that Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO - who shall be our special
guest in Oslo - has granted us an exclusive interview promoting the campaign #Unite4Heritage which UNESCO launched last
March under her leadership.

One thing is certain: to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for Europe, we must put a special emphasis on the youth.
We therefore have to put every effort in improving our educational systems. Art, culture and history are essential for
understanding our world and also for fully deploying the creative talents of our youth.

Cultural heritage is a strategic resource that can help us boost a sustainable development of Europe’s cities and countryside.
Norway shows the way as it has continuously invested in many heritage projects, not only at home but also in Central,
Eastern and Southern Europe (through the EEA & Norway Grants), boosting economic development and fostering social
cohesion for local communities. You can read more about such projects in this Magazine.

The production of this Norway Special would not have been possible without the invaluable input of our country
representation Europa Nostra Norway and Fortidsminneforeningen, the Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient
Monuments, our main member organisation in Norway. We also wish to thank all Norwegian public and private organisations
that have given us their advice and support. Finally, our special gratitude goes to three organisations that have made financial
contributions towards the production of this Magazine: the European Union, through its Creative Europe programme; the
EEA & Norway Grants provided by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, through the EFTA’s Financial Mechanism Office, and
UNESCO, through the Norwegian National Commission.

Since this Magazine can show you only a glimpse of the great variety and dynamism of the Norwegian heritage field, we invite
you all to visit and discover Norway for yourself. We can promise you an amazing and enriching experience!
CONTENTS
06 Norwegian Wood

HERITAGE
LIVING
Norway’s cultural heritage pur sang

14 Life in Stone

DREAMS
The Vigeland Park

CITY
22 ATheStrong Constitution

FEATURE
History of Eidsvoll Manor

TREASURE
26 Heavenly Design
The Stave Churches of Norway

30 Building Bridges

FEATURE
The EEA and Norway
Grants system

TREASURE
34 Alta Rocks!

38 AHeritage
Sustainable Future for
FEATURE

The Directorate for Cultural

Heritage

46 An Artist’s Dream
COUNTRY
DREAMS
 THEN & NOW
60 Then & Now

76 Turning Copper into Gold

INDUSTRIAL
The Story of Røros

HERITAGE
96 Unite4Heritage

PARTNER
Interview with UNESCO Director-
General Irina Bokova

104 “Heritage helps us to shape our

PARTNER
vision of the Europe of the future”
Interview with Tibor Navracsics,
European Commissioner for
Education, Culture, Youth and Sport

108 Ålesund’s Guardian Angel

PARTNER

The Kjell Holm Foundation

Articles on youth projects are marked with

World Class Travel / 18
Smooth Sailing / 42
Born to Ski / 50
Tasty Traditions / 54
Letters from Norway / 66
Panorama / 72
Building Future Heritage / 80
The Heart of the Land Sámi
Culture / 84
The Power of Heritage / 88
The Sweet Revenge of Mrs
Mullion / 90
A Room With a View / 92
Child’s Play The Educational Side of
Norwegian Heritage / 102
Family Treasures / 112
WikiLovesMonuments / 114
Modernist Memories / 118
From Music Kindergarten
to Concert Podium / 122
The 7 Most Endangered /
124
Cultural Heritage Counts
for Europe / 126
06 Restored
wooden joints
lıvıng herıtage

Norway’s cultural heritage is

mostly made of wood, pure and

Norwegian simple; glorious oak, trustworthy

pine and spruce and bendy birch.
Norwegian monuments don’t crave
for attention, they beautifully and

Wood
Forget about stately homes of fine
stone and marble, golden palaces
reflecting the evening sun, grandiose
granite monuments of rulers long gone
and of civilisations lost in time.
quietly do what they are supposed
to do; protecting their owners from
the elements. From the summer
farms high in the mountains to the
wooden manors of the magistrates,
from the small villages along the
rugged coastline to the medieval
stave churches, Norway’s
magnificent wooden heritage is
perfectly in tune with the natural
environment.
 07

The Society for the

Preservation of Norwegian
Ancient Monuments
(Fortidsminneforeningen),
organises in cooperation with
Europa Nostra an intensive,
7-day workshop focusing on the
traditional crafts and building
techniques of Norway. The
programme has been specially
designed to coincide with the
Europa Nostra Annual Congress
in Oslo (10-14 June 2015) and
will allow young European
crafters (18-25) to take part in
hands-on training sessions in
conservation and restoration,
township development and
environmental protection with
a special focus on learning about
traditional Norwegian wooden
craftsmanship and masonry.
The programme will also include
visits to museums and special
excursions.

To say that Norwegians have Numedal

storage building
a passion for wood is an
understatement. Norway’s 19th century
photo of
identity is still closely connected a wooden
to traditional farm life, even boarding house
though most Norwegians now live in Vågå

in the city. Almost every family

has hands-on experience with
agrarian culture and heritage
restoration. If you visit a holiday
cabin – and a surprising number of
Norwegians has one – for Easter
or Christmas, you cannot just sit In recent years the restoration to be protected, they need to be
back and enjoy. The roof has to be of abandoned farms and country used and maintained, has become
made snow free, the fences need manors has taken flight. The common place among young
to be mended and the wooden realisation that these often Norwegian families looking for a
sheds must be repaired and tarred. medieval houses not only need change of pace.
08 Lindvik’s farm
lıvıng herıtage

which they have – building by

building – converted into a hotel.
“It needed a lot of work. It took
us years and years to get this
far.” His wife Else nods her head
One such an enthusiastic couple is in silent confirmation. “There
Dag and Else Lindvik. When they are many rules and regulations
bought their farm in Vågå (roughly and you have to very creative to
in the middle of Norway ed.) it transform the different houses
was in a rather sad and derelict into comfortable hotel rooms,”
state. Dag talks passionately he explains while he shows us
about his work on the farm, around a large storage log-house
in which a luxurious bedroom has
been placed, like a box within a
box. “Every building needed new
ideas and a different approach to
combine modern amenities with
The Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo historical elements. It was quite a
challenge.”
In 2004 Arne Berg and Håkon.
Christie won the The European
Union Prize for Cultural Heritage Norwegian farms are slightly
/ Europa Nostra Awards in the
category Dedicated Service for their different from traditional farm
research and work on medieval houses in countries such as
wooden architecture. As curator of
the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, Germany or the United Kingdom.
Berg had relocated and conserved Large wooden log structures are
hundreds of rural wood buildings
en Christie had worked for more not easy to build, nor easy to take
than 60 years on stave churches. apart and rebuild somewhere else.
Living room Lindvik Farm There are practical limitations

in the length and weight of the
logs you can use. So in Norway
everything ended up with its
own little building; the owners,
their parents, the hired help,
the equipment, the chickens,
the pigs, the hay and the cows.
A Norwegian farm is a large
collection of wooden buildings,
huddled together like a close knit
family and in a sense they are.
In the Lindvik farm all the log
houses, great and small, have
now been converted to rooms.
It is a charming hotel in a fairy-
tale setting. “In the winter we
have the use of the whole main
house,” Else explains showing
us the comfortable rooms of the
beautifully restored manor house,
their children playing in front of
the open fire place. “In summer we
move upstairs and use these rooms
for our guests as the breakfast and
dining rooms.”
Dag regularly rubs the authorities
the wrong way. When they wanted
to come inside to document all the
heritage elements in the house, he
flatly refused. It made the front
pages. Dag is still annoyed by the
attitude he encountered. “Listen,
we have restored this house, it is
our investment, our life and they
want to come in to make lists of
what they consider historical
elements. These then become an
integral part of the house and its
listing. That could make selling it
much more difficult and I won’t
stand for it.”
Dag’s work on his Lindvik farm
is nearing its completion and
09
Main building
Lindvik Farm
Hotel room
Lindvik Farm
he is becoming restless. He
bought another property nearby
where he can start again. “It’s
in a dilapidated state, but it
has a lot of potential,” he says
enthusiastically while he is
climbing with some difficulty
inside the main building. The
floors are in a pretty bad state and
the roof has seen better days but
some progress has already been
made. The smaller outhouses
however seem on the verge of
collapse. It feels more like a
collection of nightmares and
sleepless nights, than a promising
ensemble of heritage buildings.
But Dag and Else’s enthusiasm for
the restoration is undiminished
and with their passion and
perseverance it certainly will, once
again, become a success.
10 The Odelsrett, or rune right, dates back to the
Viking age and has had a large influence on the
lıvıng herıtage

development of the Norwegian countryside.

If a family has lived on a plot of land for a
considerable time and the property is sold
to a stranger, family members have the right
within a specified period of time (which varies
through history, for instance 5 or 10 years)
to buy it back at the price paid, with the
additional cost of any improvements made. It
offers some protection for the daughters – who
have the right to buy it back if father sold it
to a male relative – as well as the extended
family of brothers, uncles and nephews – for
instance if a farmer dies without children. As
a result, much of the land tends to stay in the
possession of one family for centuries.

Ola Harald Fjeldheim also

works on his family farm. He is
the director of the Society for
the Preservation of Norwegian
Ancients Monuments
(Fortidsminneforeningen) which
protects and celebrates Norwegian
Ola Fjeldheim’s heritage and is responsible
farm
for some of Norway’s most
spectacular wooden heritage,
such as the Urnes stave church
(UNESCO World Heritage).
In the 1990s, Ola Fjeldheim used
his Odel right (see encadre ed.) to
buy back his family’s property. “It
was to be demolished and I could
not let that happen. It was quite
a gamble. Other family members
were not interested, but I saw the
possibilities. I never regretted it,
although it was far from easy. The
Onsrud farm was built in 1897 and
was owned by my family since
1917.”
Onsrud is a large and restful place.
Most of the farmland, the forest
and pastures are leased out. The
white-washed main building and
the surrounding outhouses are
one by one in the process of being
restored. Befitting a heritage
professional, he does much of the
work himself. He received some
funding, but it is mostly a long
lasting labour of love. As much as
possible the original style, colors
and materials are brought back,
but obviously some choices had to
be made. It may be very alluring
to live in a beautifully restored 19th
century house as long as it does
not include the original plumbing
and sanitary facilities. The walls
and doorways were carefully
scraped off layer by layer to
discover the colours and types of
paint used. The traditional linseed
oil pigments have a different
Stove Fjedheim farm
texture than modern acrylics and
allow moisture to seep through. to live in a museum. It is a slow
“We are keen to keep the character process, but we are getting there,
of the house, but we don’t want one building at the time. We get a
 Restored buildings Fjeldheim farm 11

of one of the small restored houses

fantastic home, with a history and
a soul. One of the larger structures
we have recently finished. It is
a comfortable and useful space.
We will start renting it out for
gatherings and meetings.”
“One of the unique features of
Norwegian heritage is that most
houses are made like a do-it-
yourself construction kit. We
sometimes joke that Norwegian
monuments are like Lego. They
were designed in such a way that
they can be taken apart and build
up again. That makes it relatively
easy to just replace a log or part
of a log. You do not have to tear
an old house down, you can use
elements of the old in the new,”
Fjeldheim explains on the veranda
next to the main manor house.
“It’s living heritage.”
To be able to restore Norwegian
heritage, you need knowledge
and wisdom. And you cannot
learn it from books, knows
Roald Renmælmo. He is the
only Norwegian out of six PhD.
students at the University of
Göteborg, the highest education
for craftsmen available in
Europe. He has come to the
Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo –
which houses a fine collection of
historical wooden monuments – to
demonstrate the importance of
historical knowledge for wooden
heritage conservation.
“Through my PhD., I work in
conservation and restoration on
what we call snikkar in Norwegian.
The word has a general meaning as
carpenter but it is more specifically
an expert in wood-joining or a
cabinetmaker. One of the problems
is that heritage monuments and
sites are usually interpreted by art
historians and not by carpenters,”
Renmælmo explains, slightly out
of breath due to his demonstration
on how to properly shave a
floor plank. “There is very little
documentation in writing. You
have to approach the problem from
a practical perspective. Which
As most of Norway’s cultural heritage consists of
wooden monuments, there is a serious need for
well-educated and practically schooled craftsmen.
Thousands are needed in the years to come, and not
enough young students are trained on a yearly basis.
The Handicraft School of Hjerleid in Dovre (Vågå) is
one of the top vocational training facilities in Norway.
Here students come to learn traditional skills, to
become for instance a carpenter or a blacksmith. The
blacksmith teacher is from Georgia in the USA and
he is busy beating a still malleable dragon’s head into
shape for an annual competition which he hopes he
will win. Outside a snowy chill still roams the valley,
but the foundry is warm and cosy with the steady
sound of hammers and fire. The school shops shows
the quality of the work being done by the students
and the teachers in the field of wood carving, furniture
making, icon painting and tool making. And the
students and teachers also build traditional log cabins.
If you are lucky you can even buy one for €12,000
(without floor, windows, door or delivery).
The Hjerleid school and craft center is a collaborative
effort. Besides the handicraft School, there is a Centre
for Rural Culture as well as several small autonomous
businesses. They organise weekend courses for
individuals as well as businesses.
Restored log house
12
lıvıng herıtage

Roald Renmælmo at work

logs did the builders use and why?
What kind of tools did the black
smith use and how and when did
they use them. You have to check
the museum collections. There
is a direct connection between
the wood and the carpenter. It
starts already in the forest with
the selection of the trees. A saw
mill sorts afterwards, but you
can save a lot of time and energy
Ornamental door frame
One of Norway’s oldest
wooden houses
by selecting the trees carefully.
With a machine you cannot make
tapered forms but with traditional
wood working tools you can. I can
compete with a machine, because
most of the planks that come out
of a saw mill I cannot use. It all has
to do with the work-flow. You have
to learn by doing. When you do the
work, you can find solutions that
would otherwise allude you. By
following the carpenter’s work-
flow, you discover the tricks of the
trade.”

“Some people say the trees do not

have the same quality as before. I
do not believe that is true. We just
have to understand their selection
process, for instance the use of
birch on grass roofs. The new ones
start leaking after a few years
while much, much older roofs are
still going strong. There is nothing
wrong with our birch, we just did
In the serene Numedal we discover one of
the oldest wooden houses of Norway. From not understand the technology. If
the outside it looks like any other white- we check the old ways of building,
washed farm, but as soon as you enter you
find yourself surrounded by medieval logs. On we discover the craftsmen worked
the side of the building there is hidden panel quickly and efficiently. In fact,
which shows the original ornamented door
frame of the original house. they worked much more efficiently
than we.”

Traditional workbench
“Research is necessary and the
carpenters need to go back to
school. It is forgotten knowledge.
There is true value in the historical
buildings, there are construction
secrets to be discovered.” He
stands up and shows me a long
workbench which looks like two
thick planks fitted together. “I
discovered this model in an old
shed. It helps to make floor boards
which fit perfectly together,
something you cannot accomplish
with an electric saw. Another
aspect is the smooth surface of
the wood, it has to be evened out.
You need a craftsman to show you
how this is done. I was lucky to be
Wood shavings are
important
13
Skrivergården Undesløs
taught by an old carpenter, born in
1908, who showed me not to use a
clamp for instance, but to use my
leg, it gives a much better result.
And he used a hemp-cord covered
in soot, it makes it easy to mark
the lines to precisely cut the wood
with an ax. The shavings of wood
were used for isolation between
the logs. You can learn a lot from
how logs and planks were made
and what tools they used from
these shavings. I found the tool Skrivergården Undesløs is a beautifully located
manor house, about 1 1/2 hour drive from Oslo. The
box of Knut Warsen Høis (1799- property dates back to medieval times, but the present
1882). He made his own tools and house was designed by architect Otto Friis and built
in 1859. Traditionally it was the seat of the local
even monogrammed them. His representative of the national government, who lived
work teaches me so much. These and worked here, but over the years it had lost much
of its former charm and had changed into a normal
traditional craftsmen were far Norwegian farm. In 2004, Steinar Wangensteen Naess
removed from what we normally – a civil engineer, business man and author – bought
the property and started an ambitious restoration
think of as carpenters. They were project. He had already worked at the farm for many
connected to other toolmakers, years and bought it from his aging uncles to fulfill
his long held dream to make Undesløs once again an
across Europe.” estate in the heart of the local community. He shows
us all the work already done, including the recreation
of the ornamented wall paper and the restoration of
You can find more on Renmælmo’s
the epic battle scene paintings of the reception room.
research on Skottbenk.wordpress. Large parts of the
country estate
com and hyvelbenk.wordpress.com
have been brought
back to their
former glory, with
great emphasis
on contemporary
colors and
details. But there
are still many
rooms in need
of Wangensteen
Naess’ passionate
attention and it
will take a few
more years until
the property
is completely
restored to its
heyday splendour
Reconstructed wallpaper
 Life in Stone
14
cıty dreams

Two laughing children riding piggyback on their

voluptuous, naked mother; a baby jumping up and
down in blind anger; an elderly woman solemnly
contemplating her potentially short future…

Norwegian
Wood

The Vigeland Installation in
Frogner Park is an immense
sculpture park, the work of one
artist, Gustav Vigeland (1869-
1943). Walking around the Circle
of Life and the Monolith or the
ornamental fountain, is it easy to
see why the park is one of Norway’s
top tourist attractions. The nudes,
over 200 in total, were sculpted
by Vigeland and are very human
- some are almost fragile - despite
being made of bronze and granite.
The great Monolith shows 121
figures trying to crawl their way up
to the sky, to the divine; humanity
bound together by a common goal.
Just this one sculpture took 14
years to complete. At first glance
the monumental art has that
idealised form we know all too well
from the 1930s and 40s, but if we
look closer we discover that the
imagery is far from traditional;
there is humour and emotion
and a keen understanding of the
foibles of the human condition,
chiseled in stone and cast in iron
and bronze.
Below the bridge, by the stream,
is a peaceful, small playground
where young parents may rest on
15
Studies for Circle of Life
and the Monolith
Circle of Life and
the Monolith
Vigeland
Museum
benches while their children play
surrounded by eight lovely, small
children in bronze. In the centre, a
small, unborn, infant is mounted
on its head, ready to enter the
world. The imagery is unusual to
say the least. But then again, so
was the artist who created them.
Vigeland, who was born as Adolf
Gustav Thorsen, was a smart man
16
cıty dreams
The fountain in
Frogner Park
Studies for the
Fountain
with a keen eye for his own legacy.
When city development made it
necessary for the municipality to
tear down his studio, he struck
a unique deal with far reaching
implications. He would get a new
studio and apartment in Frogner
Park, free of rent for the rest of
his life. In return he would donate
his art to the city, who would
dedicate a museum in his honour.
Vigeland died in 1943 and in 1947
the Vigeland Museum and the
Vigeland Installation were opened
to the public. Instantly, the park
became one of Oslo’s most popular
and lasting cultural heritage icons.
The museum adjacent to the park is
a wonderful time machine. Walking
between the original sculptural
designs of the park, it feels as if we
are walking through the artist’s
mind. Some of the sculptures in the
park are high up on columns or in
the middle of a fountain, but here
we can see their ingenious, flowing
forms up close. It also becomes
clear that Vigeland could never
have accomplished all this on his
own. He was assisted by a small
army of highly skilled craftsmen
for all the major plaster and iron
casting and stone masonry.
The museum has a collection of
over 1500 sculptures and 12,000
drawings, as well as photographs,
letters and notebooks. Considering
that the museum and park
welcome well over a million
visitors a year, Gustav Vigeland
would have been very pleased
indeed.
Gustav Vigeland Gustav’s younger brother 17
working 1905 Emanuel Vigeland (1875-
1948) was also a very
talented artist and his
museum at Slemdal is
one of Oslo’s best kept
secrets. The museum’s
main attraction is a dark,
barrel-vaulted room,
completely covered with
fresco paintings. It depicts
human life from conception
till death, in dramatic
and often explicitly erotic
scenes. Emanuel eventually
decided that the museum
should also serve as
his mausoleum. All the
windows were closed and
his ashes were to rest in
an urn above the entrance
door.
 World Class Travel
18
ındustrıal herıtage
Travelling through the fjords of Norway
is always an unforgettable experience,
but with the historical Flåmsbana, the
small rejuvenated railroad from Flåm
to Myrdal, it is even better.
Plans to build the railroad to
connect the Flåm ferry with the
Oslo-Bergen railroad system was
a long time in the making. Finally,
in the 1940s the Flåm-Myrdal
railroad was officially opened.
After decades of success, the line
started to seriously lose money.
At the same time, tourists began
to show an interest. The line
was privatised, the ticket prices
went up sharply, and the railroad
started a new life as one of the
most popular tourist attractions
of Norway with over half a million
passengers a year.
The small village of Flåm is
dwarfed by an enormous cruise-
Interior train ship, which itself is dwarfed by
the enormous mountains of the
Aurlandsfjord. This is in the heart
of the west Norwegian fjords, a
UNESCO World Heritage site,
which focusses on the nearby
Nærøyfjord in addition to the
Geirangerfjord, which lies further
north on the west coast.
The passengers stream out like a
colourful river unto the platform.
It is a busy and happy crowd
from all over the world, with
eyes in constant admiration of
the Norwegian landscape. The
train itself is a sober, but pleasant
affair and its wooden interior fits
perfectly with the natural setting
of the village. The single-track
train route takes us along some

On the way to Myrdal
of the most spectacular sites in
Norway, from lush valleys with
solitary farmhouses to imposing
rock-faces with long, cascading
waterfalls. With every twist and
turn of the train, a new panorama
reveals itself. Towards the end,
a stop is made close to a roaring
waterfall, spraying its visitors
with a fine mist. Here a surprise
artistic performance unfolds
with a mysterious, singing wood
nymph. Be aware, whoever enters
the endless forests and timeless
mountains. This seductive
creature may lure the listener into
the caves where the hideous trolls
reign, as Henrik Ibsen’s famous
Peer Gynt play teaches us...
19
The station at
Then it’s all over, the spell is Flåm
broken and the slightly damp
Waterfall with
tourists re-board the train. The wood nymphs
journey continues to pleasant
Myrdal, where the historic Curious
inhabitant of the
Flåmsbana connects to daily trains Nærøyfjord
between Oslo and Bergen.
Not far from Flåm, in the heart
of the Nærøyfjord, we find the
village of Gudvangen. From here,
we can take the ferry to the other
side of the Sognefjord, a seemingly
normal form of daily transport,
but with divine views. Like a row
of hulking dark giants, the steep
mountains are almost perfectly
reflected in the deep, clear water
of the fjord. In between the gray
granite rocks, we see little pockets
20
ındustrıal herıtage

The little church of green - small villages with

of Bakka
colourful wooden houses, almost
too idyllic to be real.

From Gudvangen you can also

cycle or drive along the fjord to
the tiny village of Bakka, passing
through a roughly chiselled
tunnel, which opens up to a
spectacular view of the fjord.
Bakka is cultural heritage in
perfect harmony with nature. A
small road leads along the bottom
of the valley. It is like driving
through a 19th century Romantic
painting. Seagulls float around
in the air above the whitewashed
wooden church, and in the
distance we can just see a fishing-
boat with angling enthusiasts.

Since 1893 Hurtigruten provides the vital shipping transport between the coastal
cities, towns and villages of Norway, carrying local passengers, freight and guests. It
is a useful service, but also one that provides exceptionally beautiful sights along the
route. From the famous northern lights of winter to the abundant green coastal areas
of summer, Hurtigruten combines a longstanding heritage travel experience with
modern comfort. In Stokmarknes you can visit the Coastal Express Museum, which
not only shows the history of Hurtigruten, but also harbours an example of floating
heritage in the form of the MS Finnmarken.

The Hurtigruten ship MS Trollfjord in the

harbour of Bergen, Norway.
 21

sharıng experıences on
socıal good communıcatıon

ınternatıonal
conference
istanbul
february 2016

www.hemzemin.org
 A Strong
22
feature

Constitution
The History of Eidsvoll Manor

Eidsvoll Manor Eidsvoll Manor is an

Eidsvoll Manor exceptionally well-located
in the 19th
century country estate in one
of the fertile agrarian
settlements north
east of Oslo. The word
The industrialist Carsten Tank
‘picturesque’ cannot Anker (1747-1824), one of the
often be used without a Fathers of the Constitution of
Norway, bought the house in
cynical hesitation, but 1794. He wanted a modern home
this intimate collection and started a lengthy process of
of wooden buildings extensive reconstruction and
innovation. He created a total floor
dating back to the late area of more than 2,000 square
18th century, may be an meters, with interior designs
exception. inspired by contemporary French
and Danish architecture. When he
finally settled on Eidsvoll together
with his family in 1811, it was one
of the largest and most modern
private residences in the country.
Eidsvoll Manor, however, would
be more than a splendid home;
it would become a central
location in Norway’s history
comparable – in more ways
than one – to Independence
Hall in Philadelphia in the US.
Independence Hall was where
the United States Declaration
of Independence and the United
States Constitution saw the light
of day. Eidsvoll Manor was where
Norway took the opportunity to
declare independence on 17 May
1814, adopted a constitution based
on American and French models,
and elected the Crown Prince of
Denmark and Norway, Christian
Frederick, as king. Carsten
Anker welcomed the National
Assembly in his house and it was
 The Office Hall 23
on the second
floor

The Office
Hall in the 19th
century

in the long white-washed room on Detail of the

the second floor, the 72 m2 Office restored paint of
the Office Hall
Hall, where the Riksforsamlingen
held their plenary meetings
that would change the destiny
of a country and a people. It is a
simple but nicely decorated space
with long wooden benches and
a podium placed in front of the
window. On the walls Anker’s
portrait collection watched the
proceedings. The manor house has
since then been given the name
Eidsvollsbygningen. The famous
Syttende Mai (17 May) is still a
national holiday.

It did not really turn out the

way the gathered Norwegian
nationalists had hoped. Denmark
had lost Norway due its alliances
during the Napoleonic wars, but
the international community
decided the country should not
become independent, but become
a part of Sweden. After a short
military conflict, the Swedish
king officially took over. But
some form of independence was
maintained (except for foreign
policies) and large parts of the
modern constitution survived
the transition of power to the
Swedes. It was only in 1905 that
Norway would be officially and
completely independent. For most
Norwegians, however, the ‘400
Year Night’ – as the years under
Danish rule are known – ended
in 1814. Norway, for all intents
and purposes, views 1814 as one
of its most defining moments as a
nation.
Already a few years after the
constitution was signed in Eidsvoll
Manor, trouble was brewing.
As an industry, Eidsvoll was
never a booming business and
Carsten Anker was bankrupted The meeting
at Eidsvoll as
in 1822. His valuable possessions painted by Oscar
were sold at auction in 1823. It Wergeland
(1844-1910)
was however also clear that the
memory of Eidsvoll for Norway’s Be a part of Oscar
history should be preserved. Wergeland’s
famous painting
A group of people led by poet
Henrik Wergeland organised a
fund-raising that enabled them to
buy the buildings and pavilions
and save them for posterity.
Cousin Oscar Arnold Wergeland
(1844-1910) created his famous
historical painting of the National
Assembly at Eidsvoll, which shows
24
feature
Interior all the key players in Norway’s
declaration of independence and
The giftshop
constitution.
Over the centuries the manor
house was many times restored,
adapted and repaired. For the
200th anniversary in 2014, the
government decided that a major
restoration should be carried
out. Some heritage organisations
wanted the restoration to reflect
all the different periods in the
history of the building, but it
The Centre for
Democracy
was decided to restore the main
building, the pavilions and the
gardens to their state in 1814.
Although the building was in a
surprisingly good condition, it was
necessary to repair some damage
to the wooden construction,
to restore the interior and to
reconstruct the facades and the
basement as well as the kitchen
and servants’ quarters. The
restoration was based on actual
discoveries in the building and a
rich collection of sources.
The delicate work on Eidsvoll
Manor won the European Union
Prize for Cultural Heritage /
Europa Nostra Awards in the
category Conservation in 2015.
The Jury were entranced by the
authentic recreation of colours,
tapestries and textiles to recreate
the astonishingly bright tones and
richness of the period. Despite
many earlier restorations and
renovations, many hitherto
undiscovered traces of the
original interior and exterior were
identified.
Visiting Eidsvoll is an exciting
discovery of light and colour.
The architecture and the interior
design of the manor house
is simple but inspired. The
geometrical forms and the flower
decorations in bright motives,
combined with the reconstructed
tapestries and carpets, show us
the alluring quality of early 19th
century Norwegian luxury. The
gardens and the modern Centre for
Democracy – with a car protruding
from its facade – are a favourite
get-away on sunny weekends.
Some of the buildings of the
industrial past of the estate are
also still visible on the grounds.
Since 2009 Eidsvoll Manor is part
of the Norsk Folkemuseum.
25
26
treasure

Heavenly Design
Urnes Stave They seem to have been designed by mythology and
Church
built by legend. The stave churches of Norway are
Detail wood
carving Urnes unique heritage. When you first encounter these
Stave Church
mysterious black and brown wooden structures,
starkly contrasting with the green valleys and the blue
sky, they represent a fragile humanity in a huge and
overwhelming, natural setting.
Despite their unusual appearance, The history of the stave churches
they are strangely at ease with probably goes back to the Viking
their environment, like they were age, but the earliest examples
purposely designed to complete of the 28 surviving churches in
an almost perfect scenery. Perhaps Norway, date back to the 12th
they were. These churches were century. Today the churches
not created by architects, but by contain a magical quality, but the
local craftsmen, incredibly skilled medieval realities of the north of
in woodwork. It feels as if the Europe were far from fairy-tale
surrounding forest was tamed and like. These were harsh times,
tarred and turned into a building. where farmers had to work hard to
scrape a meager living of the scarce
Interior Nore 27
Stave Church
bits of fertile soil. The Viking
gods taught the people to face the
challenges of life by putting up
a tough and fearless fight, while
the new Chistian god made the
villagers live in a state of perpetual
fear and guilt and much time was
wasted to find ways to stop the
man upstairs from tormenting
them. It was a tough life where a
God was not a close, comforting
friend but a harsh master. It is
not hard to imagine the poor but
resolute congregation, their worn
faces lit up by candlelight and the
reflection of the snow outside,
praying for an early spring, a good
harvest, the health of a sick child.

The wooden churches have

survived for centuries for several
reasons. One was the idea to put
the staves – which are the main
supporting structure of the church
– on stone foundations, thereby
preventing rotting of the wood.
It was also easy to replace parts
of a wooden log-building without
losing structural integrity. On
top of that, every few years the
churches were tarred to safeguard
the wood against the challenging
weather conditions. Over the years
the wood would become more and
more light and more vulnerable,
indicating it was time for another Nore Stave
layer of this protective black Church
coating. The tar was not made of Uvdal Stave
crude oil, but coaxed out of charcoal Church
after a lengthy process of burning
wood in artificial mounds until a
black molasses would ooze out.

There may once have been more

than a 1000 of these churches,
dotted along the fjords and forests,
little beacons of light during the
long months of darkness. The
churches were cold in winter and
the congregation had to dress
warmly as they stood listening
to the sermon. These were sober
28
treasure

Lom Stave
Church in the church, especially from the
benches on the second floor, but
Roof Lom Stave
Church holes were made in the wood to
gain limited visual access.
Borgund Stave
Church and the
19th century The Lutheran Reformation in
parish church
the first half of the 16th century
had a decisive influence in
Norway. Catholicism became
illegal and Catholic property was
confiscated by the state. Priests
became pastors. Monasteries were
deserted. Luckily many of the
buildings since only later were unique features of the churches
The stave churches are
often decorated with the walls covered with colourful – from the intricate woodwork
incredible intricate paintings, exotic flowers and re-telling ancient pagan stories to
woodwork. Roofs are
lined with dragons and abstract decorations inspired by the wonderful paintings that cover
portals retell some of European examples. Benches were some of the stave churches from
the ancient stories of
the land. One such story slowly introduced and each local top to bottom – survive to this day.
can be found around the family might have their own name
entrance of the Uvdal
Stave Church. The slain and symbol carved on the sidebar. At the end of the 19th century,
dragon Fafnir and his Even today these ancient names it was officially decided that
treasure is the source
of much deceit and are still connected to the people in churches should be able to house at
treachery. The story the village and surrounding farms. least one third of the population.
has many twists and
turns, but one of the Women would sit separately, on The stave churches were also
protagonists, Gunnar, the side facing north. Important considered a fire hazard as the
is throw into a snake-pit
by the evil Atli, which
families would sit closer to the doors traditionally opened to
Gunnar playing the harp with may be representing pulpit. The widow of a former the inside, potentially locking
his toes, Uvdal Stave Church Attila the Hun. Gudrun
pastor would sit next to the in the congregation at a time of
– his malevolent sister
and wife of Atli – feels sorry for him and throws him a altar in a specially made wooden panic. In every town new and
harp. Although he is chained, he manages to pacify the structure, away from prying eyes. larger churches were built, and
snakes by playing the harp with his toes. But because this
is a Norwegian myth and not a fairy-tale, one adder fails to The minister and the altar were therefore the stave churches lost
fall asleep and kills him. difficult to see from some positions their usefulness. Some of them
were dismantled, and parts used
in other buildings, while others
started to deteriorate due to lack
of maintenance. The Vang wch, for
example, was bought, disassembled
and later rebuilt in Poland. The
28 stave churches still with us
today, only survived thanks to the
dedication of individuals and the
local community. Eight churches
are now the responsibility of the
Society for the Preservation of
Norwegian Ancient Monuments
(Fortidsminneforeningen).
Some churches were handed
over to the Society, others were
bought. Twenty churches are the
responsibility of the state and
municipalities. Simple enough, one
would assume, but the heritage
world in Norway is not organized
like anywhere else...
Heritage monuments are the
responsibility of the Ministry of
Environment while museums are
the responsibility of the Ministry
of Culture. The responsibility for
the restoration and maintenance of
the stave churches, many of which
are open to the public, is thereby
somewhat unclear.
Jørn Holme is Director General
of the Directorate for Cultural
Heritage in Norway, which
is part of the Ministry of the
Environment: “We have initiated
a programme to restore all the
28 stave churches in Norway.
This project will be completed
this year. The aim of the Stave
Church Preservation Programme
is to restore and preserve the
churches and show the cultural
and historical values that
they represent. Several of the
construction sites have been
open to the public, to show the
traditional handcraft.”
According to the Society for
the Preservation of Norwegian
Ancient Monuments the repairs
29
are indeed well taken care of, but
there is no current programme for
the maintenance of the churches.
This is a shared responsibility of
the two ministries. Most of the
stave churches have no support
from the government to keep them
open for visitors. And of the eight
churches of the Society, only one
is able to sustain itself. The rest is
dependent on volunteers and gifts.
This is however the responsibility
of the Ministry of culture.
Is there also not a danger that the
small and vulnerable churches
have more visitors than they can
handle?
Director General Jørn Holme:
“The number of tourists generally
does not reach danger levels as
the relatively small size of the
churches also limit the size of
the groups. The out of the way
locations of the stave churches
also help minimize mass tourism,
though large groups, especially
from the cruise ships and coach
tours, do present challenges. Some
Norwegian Forest Cat at the
of the stave churches are still used graveyard of the Nore Stave Church
as regular parish churches, and
this regular use is important for The Norwegian Forest Cat is lively,
the general conservation.” sturdy and long haired. It is a
real Viking cat and its ancestors
probably were mousers on the
Although most churches are taken ships that sailed across Europe
in the early middle ages. These
care of, the risk levels remain high. cats are perfectly attuned to the
The funding for the upkeep and harsh Norwegian winters with
their woolly underbelly and their
accessibility of these magnificent tendency to take very long naps.
heritage treasures should be made
The cat was nearly extinct; as early
permanent and secure, and not be
as 1938, the Norwegian Forest Cat
dependent on the dedicated work of Club tried to protect the species.
volunteers, occasional gifts and ad In the 1970s the breed was for
the first time officially registered
hoc project financing. The church internationally.
of Urnes is the only one of the 28 to
If you are lucky, you can still see
be included in the UNESCO World them in action around the local
Heritage list. Maybe the listing farms. One of them even guards the
ancient Nore Stave Church. Excited
could be enlarged to include all by visitors, he frolics around like
Norwegian stave churches? This a fluffy ball of madness, jumping
on and off the ancient graves and
might help to ensure a bright and under and along the benches of the
safe future to the remaining stave church.
churches of Norway.
30
feature

Building Bridges
The EEA and Norway Grants system

Norway is not a part of the European Union. This,

however does not mean that there is no close
cooperation. The European Economic Area (EEA)
Agreement between the European Union and Norway
(as well as Iceland and Liechtenstein) opens the
internal market of the EU.

The Green
Synagogue in
Rezekne, Latvia
The Agreement includes a
common goal of reducing social
and economic disparities in
Europe. To this end the EEA and
Norway Grants were introduced.
The Grants also promote bilateral
cooperation between cultural
players in beneficiary countries
and those in Iceland, Liechtenstein
and Norway. Such cooperation is
crucial to accelerate knowledge
development in Europe’s cultural
and creative sectors.
The Grants are available to the EU
member countries that joined the
EU and the European Economic
Area (EEA) in 2004, 2007 and
2013, as well as Greece, Spain
and Portugal. Between 2009-
2014 a total of € 1,798 billion was
awarded.
There are many programme areas,
ranging from environmental
protection and climate change to
civil society and research. Cultural
heritage is one of the priorities.
Almost all beneficiary countries
have decided to use a significant
part of their allocated funding
on cultural heritage projects.
A survey in 2012 evaluated the
effect of EEA Grants on cultural
heritage projects. One of the
main findings of the survey
showed that projects not only
contributed to the conservation
of the cultural heritage itself,
but also were drivers of local and
regional growth. As well as its
intrinsic value, cultural heritage
brings a significant contribution
to job creation and growth. This
instrumental benefit of cultural
heritage is often undervalued.
Spending on conservation of
cultural heritage by public
and private bodies is worth an
estimated €5 billion a year. Figures
published by the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) show that
40% of worldwide tourism has
a cultural dimension. Besides
this, cultural heritage is also
a key resource for sustainable
development and social cohesion.
It is time to find out more about
the funded projects and learn more
about the ideas behind the EEA
and Norway Grants from Vidar
Helgesen, Minister of EEA and EU
Affairs and Chief of Staff at the
Office of the Prime Minister.
Norway particularly supports
programmes in Eastern and Central
31
Vidar Helgesen,
Europe, although Spain, Portugal, Minister of EEA
Greece and Malta are also covered and EU Affairs
by the Grants scheme. Cultural
heritage projects are an important
area for the EAA and Norway
Grants. Could you explain the
importance of cultural heritage in
the Grants scheme?
The main objectives of the EEA and
Norway Grants are to contribute
to reducing social and economic
disparities and to strengthen
bilateral relations.
We currently provide a total
of EUR 204 million to cultural
heritage and diversity programmes
in 14 countries. These programmes
have resulted in 243 contracted
projects to date. Cultural actors
from the donor countries are
involved in 143 of these projects.
This offers considerable potential
for knowledge exchange between
the beneficiary countries and
Norway. In the longer term, we also
expect the programmes to have a
positive impact on people’s lives.
A Eurobarometer survey
found that 76% of Europeans
are of the view that ‘Europe’s
cultural diversity is the defining
characteristic of Europe and that
this diversity actually helps to
increase the impact of European
culture’.* Our common cultural
32
feature
heritage and the diversity of
national and regional cultures are
assets that – now more than ever –
need to be protected and promoted.
In the light of the growing
problem of hate speech and violent
intolerance that we are seeing
across Europe, and the shocking
recent events in Paris, Brussels
and Copenhagen, there is a clear
need to raise awareness about the
role of culture in building bridges
between people.
However, in the development
of the current cultural heritage
programmes, we have noted
that the focus is often on the
safeguarding and conservation of
cultural heritage, rather than on
the strategic role played by cultural
Over the years
many of the
high quality
projects
supported
by Norway
through the
EEA Grants
have won the
European
Union Prize Liubavas watermill in Lithuania was
for Cultural carefully restored and made into a
museum. The project has been awarded
Heritage / the European Union Prize for Cultural
Europa Nostra Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards in 2012.
Awards.
Some recent
examples are:
heritage as a source of identity
for communities and in local and
regional development. This is
not unique to our programmes;
it seems to be the case for many
programmes and projects across
Europe. More emphasis needs to be
put on highlighting the importance
of cultural heritage management in
connection to its environment. If
we succeed in promoting cultural
heritage in neighbourhoods,
towns and regions, we will also
strengthen strategic cultural
heritage management, as part of
a broader strategy for local and
regional development. This is
something that is also recognised
by the European Commission,
for example in the Commission’s
Communication “Towards and
integrated approach to cultural
heritage for Europe.”
Why did you not earmark the
money for cultural heritage projects
in the same way as you did for the
environmental grants?
There is no challenge that poses a
greater threat to future generations
than climate change. This is
recognised by both the EU and
Norway. It was therefore only
natural to set a minimum threshold
Kuldiga Restoration Centre in Latvia
won the award for its remarkable work in
education, training and awareness-raising
in 2013. The centre was established as
part of aproject between Kuldiga, Drøbak,
and The Norwegian Crafts Development.
for programmes relating to the
environment and climate change.
Cultural heritage is included as
one of a total of ten priority sectors
in the current agreements with
the EU on the EEA and Norway
Grants.
Will Georgia and Moldova - who
recently signed up to join the
cultural programme of EU - be
eligible for funding under the EEA
and Norway Grants scheme?
The EEA and Norway Grants are
available to EU member states
that also qualify for support from
the EU Cohesion Fund. Countries
eligible for support from the EU
Cohesion Fund are EU member
states whose per capita Gross
National Income per capita (GNI)
is less than 90 % of the EU average.
Since Georgia and Moldova are
not members of the EU, as such
they fall outside the scope of this
funding.
You support cultural heritage
projects across Europe, but does
it also have positive effects for
Norway and the Norwegian
cultural heritage sector?
The Chalet of the Countess Edla in Sintra,
Portugal, was destroyed by fire in 1999.
With financial support from Norway
through the Grants and in cooperation
with the Norwegian Institute for Cultural
Heritage Research (NIKU), the interior
and exterior of the wooden building was
restored and opened to the public. The
project received the award in 2012.
Bilateral cooperation in cultural
heritage programmes and projects
benefits all those involved. At a
governmental level, the cultural
heritage programmes created
a new arena for strengthening
our cooperation with cultural
heritage authorities across Europe.
The Norwegian Directorate for
Cultural Heritage and the Arts
Council Norway work closely with
European partners on developing
several of the programmes.
This kind of cooperation and
knowledge-sharing is important
for finding the best solutions for
protecting and safeguarding our
shared cultural heritage.
The positive effects for the
Norwegian cultural heritage sector
are also clear. So far, of the 243
contracted projects, 143 involve
partners from the donor countries
(e.g. associations, museums,
local/regional/state institutions,
artists, etc.). Cooperation
of this kind encourages the
sharing of knowledge and
expertise, stimulates accelerated
learning, and contributes to a
more international focus of the
Norwegian cultural and cultural
heritage sectors.
The Home for Cooperation, an
educational centre in the Buffer Zone of
Nicosia, Cyprus, which was supported by
Norway Grants, won the award in 2014
Through the Grants, Norway has
financed many projects which have had
a lasting impact on the communities
involved. A few examples:
The Green Synagogue in Rezekne,
Latvia is one of those exceptional
projects. Vocational students from
Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School
(Arendal, Norway) are helping to
restore the Green Synagogue in
Rezekne together with Latvian
students and local craftspeople. The
project gives Norwegian and Latvian
students practical experience of
restoring historic buildings. It also
gives them experience of working
with professionals, and prepares
them for the job market. Projects like
these show that funding through the
Grants can help safeguard European
cultural heritage, increase contact and
knowledge sharing between European
cultural heritage sectors, as well as
having wider social and economic
effects for the project participants and
surrounding communities.
Pro Monumenta is an important
project in the Slovak Republic. The
Monuments Board of the Slovak
Republic is working with the Norwegian
The Linhas de Torres Vedras (Historical
Route of Defense Lines of Torres Vedras) -
a military defence ring in Portugal made up
of 152 fortresses constructed by the Duke
of Wellington during the Peninsular War
– was battered by erosion and gradually
fell into disrepair. €1.5 million support
through EEA Grants has helped to halt
the decline. The restoration of the fortress
lines has led to the establishment of a
new historical sightseeing route, allowing
tourists and local visitors alike a chance to
enjoy and learn about the era. The project
was awarded in 2014.
The Green 33
Synagogue
project in
Rezekne, Latvia
Directorate for Cultural Heritage on
this project, which aims to prevent
the further decay of cultural heritage
by implementing a national system
for regular maintenance of historic
buildings in Slovakia. Three groups of
specialists and craftspeople are working
with owners of historic building and
public administrators to make small
repairs and evaluate the conditions of
buildings on a regular basis. The project
is a good example of how Norway and
Europe can learn from each other and
develop new and innovative solutions
in the public sector.
The Young Guardians of Heritage
project in Slovenia spreads knowledge
on traditional handicraft through
involvement of youth and local
specialists. The Museum Centre of
Hordaland in Norway and Heritage Learn more
House in Slovenia work together about all the
with students and traditionally projects at
skilled workers on activities such eeagrants.org
as blacksmithing, boat-building,
linen-production and storytelling * European
in the area surrounding Cerknica Cultural Values,
Lake. The goal is not only to preserve Summary
traditional handicrafts but also to Report; Special
create sustainable jobs for young and
Eurobarometer
unemployed Slovenians.
278 / Wave
67.1
Miskolc is a large city in northern Hungary, with a proud
history from medieval times. However more recent times
have seen sharp industrial decline. The recession has had
a devastating impact with large numbers of young people
moving away to find jobs. Under the Atjaro (Passage) Project,
supported by Norway through the Grants, an extensive
cultural heritage protection programme has been introduced.
It focuses on the preservation of the city’s industrial past and
the revitalisation of its surviving built heritage, promoting
a renewed sense of urban identity and recreating a feeling of
local pride. The project won the Grand Prix in the category
Education, training and awareness-raising in 2014.
 Alta Rocks!
34
treasure
The view has probably not changed much in the last
7,000 years. The coastline of this part of Finnmark may
have shifted slightly, but standing on the Alta rocks
overlooking the bay, we can still very much see what
the prehistoric tribes that chiseled and scratched
images of their world in the rock saw, so long ago.
The large and smooth rock-faces
are a giant picture book which give
us a unique opportunity to learn
about the daily lives of the people
who once roamed these lands.
The rock art of Alta, in the very
northern part of Norway, has been
inscribed on the UNESCO World
Heritage list since 1985.
Alta is a remarkable place with
a long history. Laila Davidsen,
the mayor of Alta, is proud of her
city. She explains that Alta is the
place to be in summer and winter.
Skiing, sleigh riding or looking
cool in a 2,500 m2 hotel made of
ice, Alta has a lot to offer. It is a
modern, friendly town, dominated
by the shiny new Northern Lights
Cathedral.
Northern Lights Cathedral
The reason we are here however
lies just outside the city to the
west. The mysterious rock art was
first uncovered in 1973, although
the locals probably knew about
its existence for a long time. They
had been protected against the
challenging arctic conditions by
layers of moss and most were in
excellent condition. The art is
between 7,000 and 2,000 years
old. There are thousands of
different human figures, some
even on skis, hunting, fishing or
dancing. We see large boats with
people rowing on the ocean, we
discover enclosures with reindeer
and shepherds, we even see bears
and their cubs walking along the

rocks with their path scraped out
in the rock-face. Sometimes the
natural lines of the rock are used
to suggest rivers and boundaries.
Mysterious creatures, layered
one on top of the other, seem to
be engaged in some kind of ritual.
And everywhere herds of animals.
The rock carvings on some of the
panels open to the public have
been painted red. Curator Karin
Tansem explains: ”The figures
were not originally painted red.
This was done recently to make
them more clear, to make them
stand out against the rock-face, but
the paint is damaging the art. We
are looking for ways to get rid of it,
while at the same time protecting
the rock art better.”
In total there are seven locations
around Alta where rock art has
been discovered so far, some in
better condition than others.
Tansem:”We cannot open all
sites to the public. They are just
too fragile and too susceptible to
erosion.” The large side next to
the museum is accessible through
wooden pathways that rise above
the art. Seeing the ancient figures
come alive in the long shadows of
the evening, is an amazing sight.
The reindeer and the elks, the deer
and the bears, still visible after
thousands of years as they seem to
rise from the rock.
It is unclear who made the art, but
probably tribes from the forests
and plains met with coastal groups
near the Alta rocks. There are
similarities with the traditional
figures on the Sámi drums,
used to connect the living to the
spirit world. The easy accessible
bay may have been a place for
shamanic rituals or a location
35
The rocks are
vulnerable
The Tirpitz, the largest battleship to weather
in the German navy, used Kåfjord conditions
near Alta as a harbour from the
spring of 1943 to the autumn of
1944. It was attacked and damaged
by British planes and was moved
to a location near Tromsø. On 12
November 1944, British Lancaster
bombers scored two direct hits on
the battleship. A deck fire spread to
an ammunition storage and the ship
blew up. A total of 971 sailors and
officers were killed, 806 were saved.
After the war the wreck of the ship
was broken up and sold off. The
Tirpitz Museum in Kåfjord has
the world’s largest collection of
images and objects from the Tirpitz
and keeps the memory of these
important events alive.
36 A chiseled
Struve Geodetic Arc near Alta
picture of four
treasure

hardly visible
boats

The same
picture with
high contrast

Alta has not one, but two locations

for more mundane activities like
trade and the exchange of stories
and experiences. One can but
wonder what drove the artists
who created this immense relief
sculpture thousands of years ago.
What are they trying to tell us?
Are they just recording what had
Panoramic view
from one of rock
happened? Are they capturing a
art sites wishful dream in stone? Are they
trying to make a connection with
the gods and the animal spirits?
Whatever the truth underneath
the Alta rocks precisely is, the
images create an immediate link
between the spectator and the
past, a human bond stretching
across the millenniums. They are
a lasting testimony for the human
experience in the far north of
Europe.
on the UNESCO World Heritage
list. German astronomer Friedrich
Georg Wilhelm von Struve (1793-
1864) dreamed of establishing the
exact size and shape of the earth. He
wanted to be the first to accurately
measure a meridian. He initiated
an enormously ambitious project,
the Struve Geodetic Arc. This chain
would develop into a line of survey
triangulations of almost 3.000
kilometres length, stretching from
Hammerfest in Norway all the way
to the Black Sea, crossing many
borders in the process. The World
Heritage listing consists of 34 of the
original station points established
by Struve and his colleagues
between 1816 and 1851 - four points
in Norway, four in Sweden, six in
Finland, one in Russia, three in
Estonia, two in Latvia, three in
Lithuania, five in Belarus, one in
Moldova and four in Ukraine. It is
a perfect example of international
scientific cooperation and the only
UNESCO listed heritage which is
backed by ten countries. The first
station point is in Hammerfest and
the second in Alta.
UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE IN NORWAY
• Bryggen
• Urnes Stave Church
• Røros Mining Town
• Rock Art of Alta
• Vegaøyan – The Vega Archipelago
• Struve Geodetic Arc
• West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord
38
A Sustainable Future
feature
for Heritage
The Directorate for Cultural Heritage
The beautiful The historic, white building
cultural
environment of in the centre of Oslo is a maze
Sør-Gjæslingan of offices and meeting rooms
(photo Nord-
and a beehive of activities.
Trøndelag
fylkeskommune) The Directorate for Cultural
Heritage (Riksantikvaren) has
The restoration
of Ringebu Stave a large portefolio of challenges
Church and responsibilities both within
Norway and beyond. It is tasked
with the management of all the
listed buildings in Norway and
acts as advisor for counties and
municipalities in preservation
of unlisted cultural heritage.
But the organisation does much
more. It deals with topics ranging
from fragile polar heritage
sites, the heritage of indigenous
groups and national minorities
and the safeguarding of cultural
environments. The directorate
leads the way with projects such
as the Stave Church Preservation
Programme (which started in 2001
and will be completed in 2015) and
Heritage Here – see the invisible,
a project to highlight culture and
nature on mobile telephones and
tablets.
And the work does not stop at the
borders. There are and have been
projects in Ukraine, Georgia and
even Uganda, to name but a few.
The Directorate has, for example,
for over ten years, enjoyed a
long and fruitful cooperation
with organisations in Georgia,
including ICOMOS Georgia, the
National Museum of Georgia and
their sister organisation National
Agency for Cultural Heritage
Preservation of Georgia.
 The Directorate for Cultural Heritage
is one of the supporters of the Europa
Nostra congress in Oslo. Director
General Jørn Holme: “We are very
pleased that the Europa Nostra
Congress and European Heritage
Awards Ceremony are held in Norway
this year. The cultural heritage
voluntary sector in Norway is strong
with the Society for the Preservation
of Ancient Norwegian Monuments as
one of the most important and oldest
cultural heritage NGOs in Norway.
Dating back to 1844, it is also the oldest
nation-wide voluntary organization in
the world. Together with other NGOs
they provide an invaluable contribution
to the safeguarding of Norwegian
cultural heritage. The congress and
award ceremony will be an opportunity
to highlight and celebrate this
contribution.”
The cultural heritage sector in
Norway is organised slightly
differently to the equivalent
in many other countries. The
Directorate has been part of the
Ministry of the Environment since
the ministry was founded in 1972.
But there is a lot of cooperation
with other ministries in the field
of cultural heritage; the Ministry
of Culture obviously, but also the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs under
whose responsibility the cultural
heritage projects of the EEA
Grants programme are managed
(see also page 30).
But being part of the Ministry of
Environment may be beneficial, as
many cultural heritage protection
issues are closely related to the
protection of the environment.
Sustainability is a key factor. For
instance, the effects of climate
change on cultural heritage
monuments and sites have taken
a front row seat in the discussions
and decisions. Climate change in
Norway will impact negatively
on cultural heritage. More wind,
more floods and landslides,
higher sea levels increase the
risks. Many archaeological sites
could get dangerously exposed
when the warming climate causes
the protective layers of ice and
snow to melt. The Directorate
has initiated a pilot project on
how local, regional and national
heritage management can best
protect heritage sites in a changing
climate.
39
The International Course on Wood Conservation
Technology (ICWCT) has been organized every other
year since 1984 and over 300 participants from all
over the world have completed the 6-week course
so far. It is a cooperation between Riksantikvaren,
ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the
Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)
and NTNU (the Norwegian University of Science and
Technology). The ICWCT alumni are very successful
in their careers and often occupy leading positions
within their organisations. Norway’s wealth of
wooden heritage and their knowledge and experience
in the field of conservation, ensures that the course
scores highly in the participant evaluations. It helps
strengthen Norway’s international reputation as a
centre of excellence and paves the way for further
international projects. Through the dissemination of
knowledge and skills required for the treatment and
conservation of wood, the ICWCT also contributes to
Norway’s obligations regarding international charters
and conventions.
The next ICWCT will be held in May/June 2016. The
course announcement and application form will be
available on ICCROM’s website in May 2015. The
deadline for applications is 30 September 2015.
Excusions of the International Course on Wood
Conservation Technology (ICWCT)
40 Norway has seven UNESCO World
Heritage listed sites:
feature

• Bryggen in Bergen
• Urnes stave church
• Røros Mining town
• The Rock Art of Alta
• Vega Archipelago
• West Norwegian Fjords
• Struve Geodetic Arc
Six more sites have been proposed

Bryggen in
Bergen, one best way possible. Calculating
of Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions from
UNESCO World
Heritage listed
old buildings often has interesting
sites results. It turns out that adapted
reuse is more climate friendly than
demolition or new construction.

The Directorate for Cultural

Heritage (Riksantikvaren) is
not afraid to take controversial
decisions. For instance, they
St. Olav’s Ways officially listed the brand new
near Dovrefjell, a
Norwegian National Opera and
heritage pilgrim
path from Oslo Ballet in Oslo. The challenges
to Trondheim and opportunities in the field of
(photo Ragnhild
Hoel) heritage need a clear vision and the
power of example. The ambition
Improving the energy efficiency standard (CEN standard) to of the Directorate is to lead the
of historic buildings is also an save energy, reduce greenhouse way to a sustainable future for
important issue. The organisation gas emissions while at the same heritage, in Norway and across the
is developing an European time preserving the sites in the globe.
 WWW.EXPONATEC.DE
WWW.EXPONATEC.COM

MUSEUM • MUSEUM KULTURERBE • HERITAGE

18 – 20
NOVEMBER
2015

KONSERVIERUNG • CONSERVATION AUSSTELLUNG • EXHIBITION

INTERNATIONALE

Exhibition: © CERN – Universe of Particles. ATELIER BRÜCKNER / Michael Jungblut

FACHMESSE

Museum: © Kunsthalle der Neuen Residenz, Heritage: © Hypo-Kulturstiftung,

FÜR MUSEEN,
KONSERVIERUNG
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Kooperationspartner von Partner von

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Tel. +49 180 6267747, exponatec@koelnmesse.de
 Smooth
42
treasure
Sailing
Norway is a seafaring nation
pur sang and it is therefore
no coincidence that some of
the most famous ships in the
world can be found here.
It is not just the physical heritage that is
important, but it is the dreams and the
ambitions of the great explorers that makes
them so valuable. These are people who
sailed over the horizon to the unknown
and the undiscovered. And it is important
to note that they were not clueless
adventurers, relying on whatever destiny
had in store for them: they were well-
prepared, professional men, with a plan.
The great polar explorer Amundsen wrote
in his book The South Pole about how
preparation was the key to his success:
“I may say that this is the greatest factor –
the way in which the expedition is equipped
– the way in which every difficulty is
foreseen, and precautions taken for meeting
or avoiding it. Victory awaits him who has
everything in order – luck, people call it.
Defeat is certain for him who has neglected
to take the necessary precautions in time;
this is called bad luck.”
Oseberg ship

These magnificent heritage ships,
which formed naval history, can all
be found close to one another on
Bygdøy, Oslo’s museum peninsula.
It is a wonderful conglomerate
of museums, pleasant villages
and heritage sites. The Norsk
Folkemuseum for instance has
a rich collection of heritage
treasures and shows historical
buildings from across Norway. The
pensinsula is also the location of
his Majesty the King’s summer
residence Kongsgården.
The Viking Legacy
The Oseberg ship in the Viking
Ship Museum is a large, black
wooden vessel with an beautifully
crafted ornamental bow. Because
it is hard to see the ship in its
totality, the museum has made
special balconies from which you
can get a feeling of the size. It was
found in a burial mound at the
Oseberg farm near Tønsberg in
south of Oslo and dates back to
the early 9th century. The ship was
excavated in 1904-5 and is one of
the most important Viking finds.
It is a miracle that it survived in
such a perfect condition. The ship
was not the only thing that was
found. Although all valuables had
already been stolen, a remaining
wooden cart and a collection of
Oseberg ship excavation in Midgard Historical 43
1904/5 Centre
Detail of the
Oseberg ship
Midgard Historical Centre in Borre is built in the form of
a Viking Ship. This is not a coincidence as the museum
is located next to Northern Europe’s largest collection
of Viking burial mounds. It is one of Norway’s most
important national heritage sites and it is quite an
experience to walk along the perfectly round, green
hills. In the Viking age Borre was an important meeting
place. The museum recently reconstructed the great
Viking Hall, meant for gatherings of the aristocracy. The
remains of two of such ceremonial buildings have been
excavated near Borre.
Midgard Historical Centre gives young and old the
possibility to brush up on their traditional Viking skills
from throwing axes on wooden poles to shooting with a
bow and arrow. midgardsenteret.no/en/
While travelling through Norway, you can often discover
smaller Viking burial sites, sometimes unusual outcrops
in the middle of an open field, sometimes hidden in the
forest, overgrown by trees.
decorated sleighs as well as other
objects, gave a unique insight into
the world of the Vikings.
Viking ships were sturdy enough
to make transatlantic crossings.
They traded with people from
Ireland to Iraq, from Russia to the
Mediterranean and even North
America. For some time it was
thought that the Oseberg Ship
and the two other ships of the
museum, the Gokstad and the
Tune, were ceremonial ships made
especially for burials, unable to
defend themselves against the Small Viking
burial site
44
treasure
The Kon-Tiki
(with Heyerdahl
left) in San
Franscisco
harbour in 1947
Stone boat
artifact in
the Kon-Tiki
Museum
Roald perils of the sea. Recent research
Amundsen in
1899 however has proven that repairs
had been made to the Tune and all
three ships must be regarded as
seafaring vessels. Replicas have
been built based on the designs of
the Oseberg and Gokstad, showing
the amazing resilience of the ships
in all kind of weather conditions.
In a real sense the legacy of these
Vikings ships is once again a living
heritage.
The Kon-Tiki Adventure
Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002)
was the personification of post-
war optimism. His hands-on
experimental archaeology
and the consequent Academy
Award winning documentary
made him a worldwide sensation.
Heyerdahl subsequently
made many other voyages to
demonstrate the possibility of
contact between ancient cultures.
He took the Egyptian replica ship
Ra II to America and the Tigris
through the Arabian Sea.
In May 2011, the Thor Heyerdahl
Archives, which include his
personal diaries, photographs,
research and manuscripts, were
added to UNESCO’s Memory of
the World Register. The Kon-Tiki
and other Heyerdahl ships and
mementos are on view at the Kon-
Tiki Museum. kon-tiki.no/en/
The Strongest Ship .
Many explorers had tried to
reached the earth’s poles, but
without much success. Their
ships had been crushed by the
ice. Explorer Fridtjof Nansen had
another idea; use the strongest
oak, iron, Norwegian pine and
greenheart that money can
buy and build a small, compact
ship that can withstand almost
anything. Then bolt the ribs
together for double strength and
captured the imagination of
a generation. The Norwegian
adventurer and ethnographer
believed that modern man
undervalued the seafaring
capabilities of ancient peoples.
He did not just write about it, he
set out to prove it with high profile
sea-journeys that nearly always
caused him to brush feathers with
the scientific community.
He challenged the established idea
that the ancient people could not
have made long sea-journeys by
building a traditional raft and sail
8,000 km from South America to
the Tuamotu Islands.
His Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947
 45

laid them only 5 cm apart. He 1926 Amundsen was the first to

called this Samson of a ship Fram
(meaning ‘forward’) and used it
for his 1893 Arctic expedition in
which he wanted to freeze the
vessel in the polar ice and then
slowly drift towards the pole. It did
not work but the ship performed
admirably. Another trip, with Otto
Sverdrup, proved that Fram was
the little ship that could.
World fame came when Roald
Amundsen (1872-1928) sailed it
to the South Pole. He then used
dog sleighs to successfully reach
the South Pole on 14 December
1911. Amundsen was also the
officially and indisputably reach
the North Pole, in the airship
Norge. In a sad turn of affairs
Amundsen was to disappear
without a trace two years later,
while trying to save the crew of the
Italia which had crashed on its way
back from the North Pole.
After 1912 the Fram was no longer
used. The strongest wooden ship
of its time was slowly falling apart.
But a group of polar explorers, lead
by Otto Sverdrup, saw the need the space. When you leave the Roald
Amundsen and
for preservation of this important main deck and climb down, it his 1911 team
historical ship and managed to quickly becomes clear how intense by artist Håkon
find funds to salvage and repair it. these long journeys must have Fagerås

first to traverse the Northwest
Passage, north of the Canadian
mainland. Since June 2013, the
ship he used, the Gjøa, has his
own wing in the Fram Museum on
the Bygdøy peninsula. On 12 May
On 20 May 1936 the Fram Museum
was opened by King Haakon VII
and Prince Olav.
The Fram Museum is built around
the Fram ship, which dominates
been. For months on end the Fram Museum
explorers and their crew would
be sharing these modest living
quarters sailing through the ice-
cold and often treacherous waters
of the arctic ocean.

The 73 metres long, fully rigged three-mast ship

Christian Radich is one of the most beautiful
tall ships in the world. It was built as a training
ship in 1937 with money from the estate of mill
owner and sailing-enthusiast Simeon Christian
Radich (1822-1889). 80 students could be
trained to be sailors, learning everything from
cooking to carpentry and engineering. The
ship sailed across the world and became a true
legend, due to the film Windjammer (1958)
and later the Onedin Line TV-Series (1971-
80). Today the ship is run by a foundation and
is still an important youth training facility,
sailing with paying trainees to foreign ports
on summer trips and participating in tall ship
competitions and large sail events around the
world.
46

An Artist’s Dream
Painter Edvard Munch’s bold,
country dreams

seemingly spontaneous brush

Inspiration can come in many ways. Some
artists may erroneously believe that pining
away in a drafty attic is necessary for
accomplishing true artistry. Norwegian artists
all seem to know that the great outdoors plus
a little comfort offers much better options.
strokes seem to follow the rainbow.
Author Henrik Ibsen’s words seem
to have a life of their own, between
the lines. Composer Edvard Grieg’s
melodies capture the heart of the
country, while staying light on their
feet. And for violinist Ole Bull, the
world seemed scarcely big enough.
These great artists are all connected
to one another in unexpected ways.
It was Ole Bull who hired Henrik
Ibsen as a writer and a stage-
manager for his theatre in Bergen,
and he discovered the talents of
Edvard Grieg at a young age. It was
Henrik Ibsen who consoled Edvard
Munch after his paintings had been
savagely criticized, and who asked
Grieg to compose the music for his
epic Peer Gynt play. The protagonist
of the play, Peer Gynt, was modelled
after Ole Bull.

Let us pay a visit to some of the

unique heritage places these great
Norwegian artists left behind.

View from the

balcony of the
Lysøen island
estate Lysøen island estate

Ole Bull (1810-1880) was the
first Norwegian superstar. The
virtuoso violinist and composer
was considered to be on par with
Paganini. His personality was
simply too large for an ordinary
life: he performed across Europe,
and even once played on top
of the pyramids of Gizeh; he
was a highly vocal supporter of
Norway’s quest for independence,
and founded his own state in the
USA. His most lasting cultural
heritage legacy is the beautiful
wooden castle on Lysøen island
near the city of Bergen. This is
where he spent the last days of
his life giving house concerts and
walking on his 650 acre island
estate. It is an incredibly beautiful
location, and the island and house,
which are now the property of the
Norwegian heritage organisation
Fortidsminneforeningen are open
to public. The wooden concert-hall
is still in use. The interior of the
house is a mixture of styles, as it
was for many years used by Bull’s
family. We can find 1870s chairs
next to 1960s lamps: a conscious
restoration choice.
His protégé Edvard Grieg (1843-
1907) also travelled across Europe
and became world-famous during
his lifetime. He is one of great
composers of the Romantic era,
Ole Bull 47
and he managed to incorporate
Norwegian identity and nature
into his music. He was a friend
of Franz Liszt and met Igor
Stravinsky. He was one of the
first composers to record his
music, so we can still, amazingly,
hear him play today. In 1885
he and his wife Nina visited
the Troldhaugen estate, not far
from Ole Bull’s island. They
immediately fell in love with
the modest villa, and it became
Troldhaugen
their summer residence. After
estate
his death the city council, in a
moment of lunacy, got rid of the Grieg (in the
middle) in
villa’s contents. This was later Troldhaugen
48 Ibsen statue
in front of his
country dreams

museum

New concert-
hall of
Troldhaugen

Captured on
camera: Ibsen
(on the right)
can be seen
checking the
time during his
regular morning
walk

regarded as a rather rash decision
of the unfortunate kind, and
they bought back what could be
retrieved. Grieg’s widow was much
involved in the efforts to make
Troldhaugen into a lasting legacy,
a rather successful operation. Even
Grieg’s body was brought back to
Bergen, and laid to rest in a rock-
face grave at the bottom of the hill
on the lake’s shore.
Today Troldhaugen is an
amazing, living museum with a
newly constructed concert hall
Henrik Ibsen in
with almost daily concerts. The
1863/64 performing artists look out onto
Grieg’s modest composer’s hut,
with its inspiring view of the
Nordås Lake.
Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was
already an established poet and
playwright – the father of the
modern realistic drama - when
he asked the young Grieg
to set his Peer Gynt
play to music. It
would become one of
Grieg’s most edited
and most beloved
masterpieces. Ibsen
wrote in Danish
and spent most of
his time in Italy and
Germany, but he is
nonetheless Norway’s
most celebrated dramatist.
After Shakespeare, he is the most
performed playwright in the world.
The last years of his life he returned
to Norway and became a central
figure in the artistic scene of the
capital. He lived in a conveniently
located house, close to the royal
palace. His house is now
a museum. Some of his
most treasured quotes
are embedded in the
sidewalks following
the route of his daily
walk from Arbin’s
gate to the Grand
Café. Ibsen never
seemed to be able to
open up and let people
get to know him, and at
his death Grieg described
his feelings: “Although I was
prepared, the news came as a
shock. How much do I owe him!
 49

Munch’s house
in Åsgårdstrand.
The red building
is his former
studio.

Munch’s
painting of Ibsen

Munch’s
painting of
Åsgårdstrand

Munch’s self-
portrait with
skeleton arm
(1895)

Poor, great Ibsen! He was not bought himself a summer house

happy; it was as if there was a lump
of ice in him, which never melted.
But beneath this lump of ice lay a
warm love of mankind.”
Edvard Munch (1863-1944)
revered Ibsen and hardly dared
to approach the elderly and aloof
genius. Their meeting in 1895,
when Munch was under a lot of
pressure because the Oslo art
scene thought his exhibition
Frieze of Life was scandalous, sick
and the result of an insane mind,
was an important turning point
for Munch. Ibsen came to the
exhibition and Munch explained
his paintings to him in detail.
Afterwards Ibsen said to him:
“Things will go with you as they
did with me: the more enemies, the
more friends!” In 1987, after Munch
had had some success in Paris, he
in Åsgårdstrand, in the south of
Norway. He called it his Happy
Home and the place continued to
inspire and delight him for many
years. This charming wooden
house is now museum. Munch
had a very personal relationship
with his paintings, and he liked to
keep them close. After his death,
he left over a thousand paintings
and thousands upon thousands *Troldhaugen,
of drawings and prints to the Lysøen as well
as Siljustøl,
city of Oslo. His collection can be dedicated to
seen in the Munch Museum and composer
the National Art Gallery. A new Harald Saeverud
(1897-1992), are
landmark museum is being planned all part of KODE
next to the Norwegian National – Art Museums
of Bergen.
Opera and Ballet, designed by the kodebergen.
Spanish firm Herreros Arquitectos. no/en
 Born to Ski
50
lıvıng herıtage

The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is the largest ski event in the

world. Close to Oslo, the Holmenkollen has been part of skiing
history since it hosted its first competition in 1892.

Holmenkollen
Ski Festival

The jumping hill, the
Holmenkollbakken, has been
artificially enlarged and heightened
every generation or so. It is so
high in fact, that the jumpers
now seem to descend straight
from the heavens, their gravity-
defying jumps mesmerising the
crowds. The fans come from across
Europe and the Holmenkollen
galleries are a colourful tapestry
of nationalities, sporting a usually
crazy assortment of hats and wild
wigs. Every few seconds, all heads
turn to one direction and the eyes
are fixed on the speeding jumper,
in the hope to lift him or her a few
metres higher by sheer will power.
The Norwegian King and Queen
informally view the proceedings
from their royal box and
enthusiastically share the passion
for the sport with their people. It is
a spectacular, lively celebration of
an ancient tradition which started
thousands of years ago, when the
prehistoric Norwegians scratched
images of themselves in the rock
face, hunting on skis through the
vast wilderness.
Underneath the metal super
structure, the Holmenkollen Ski
Museum is the oldest of its kind in
the world. The museum presents
over 4,000 years of skiing history
as well as artifacts from the
Norwegian polar explorations and
an exhibition on snowboarding
and modern skiing inventions.
51
Ski jump
The festival is
popular with
Norwegian troll
families
Skiing is to Norwegians what
water is to fish. You cannot
imagine one without the other
and a few times a year the country
comes to a complete stop as the
families disappear to the slopes for
their annual skiing outings. They
have been doing it longer than
anyone else in the world.
In many parts of the country,
putting a flat piece of wood under
your feet was the easiest way to get
around in winter. In early spring
52
lıvıng herıtage

Holmenkollen
Ski Museum

Koning Olav V
(1903-1991) was
an accomplished
athlete. The
People’s King
(Folkekongen)
also jumped
from the
Holmenkollen
ski jump.

Sondre Norheim

The skis of
famous ski
pioneers,
including
Sondre
Norheim, in the
Ski Museum

it was the fastest way to reach the
summer farms, high on the hills.
The hunter and the farmer would
track through the snow-covered
forests, returning with game and
firewood. One long ski for gliding
and balance and one short ski for
kicking. For most Norwegians
skiing was a practical solution for
a transportation challenge, but to
some it became clear that skiing
could be much more than that. It
could be a sporty endeavour. It
might even be fun! In the Edda,
the 13th century Icelandic saga, we
 53

find that King Harald Sigurdsson
(1046-66) was famous for being
able to ski really fast. And in the
18th century already military races
were organised. It would however
take until the 19th century before
skiing would become a national
sensation of speed and grace.
On March 21, 1843, the world’s
first public competition was held
in Tromsø, in Northern Norway.
It would however be the Telemark
area (in the middle of Norway)
that would boost the popularity
of the sport beyond Norway. Folk
and Norwegians started to fan out
across the world as missionaries
of slalom and ski-jumping. It
is safe to say that it were the
Norwegians who taught the world
to ski. Norheim ended up in
North-Dakota in the US and taught
the Americans how to slide and
jump. Others travelled to Austria, of the world and showed just “Skiing
Birchlegs
Switzerland and the Balkans. In how cool skiing could be. Fridtjof Crossing the
the Alps, the so-called Alpine Nansen wrote a popular book about Mountain with
the Royal Child”
skiing became part of Austria’s his adventures in Greenland (1890) is a famous
identity, like the Telemark skiing and Roald Amundsen skied to the painting by
had done in Norway. Right from South Pole in 1911. During the First Knud Bergslien
(1827 – 1908),
the start the Alpine tradition was Winter Olympic Games, Norway on show in the
a very different. Here skiing did ruled supremely as the athletes Ski Museum

hero and potato farmer Sondre
Norheim innovated the bindings,
the ski form and the technique,
dazzling the crowds in 1868 with
his incredible quick turns, high
jumps and maneuverability.
Skiing became something
intrinsically Norwegian, even
something patriotic. Schools and
ski factories opened their doors
not grow out of necessity, it was
immediately associated with the
lifestyle of the rich and famous
with luxury resorts, champagne
dinners and film industry glamour.
Everywhere the Norwegians
shared their passion for the sport,
it became a success. Norwegian
explorers captured the imagination
finished 1, 2 and 3 at 3 of the 4 Some of the skis
skiing competitions. The sport in the collection
are over a 1,000
conquered the world from South-
years old
Korea to the Andes, from Turkey
and Morocco to South Africa.
Skiing is truly Norway’s lasting
legacy and biggest export success,
a cultural heritage tradition to be
proud of.
54
culınary

Tasty Traditions
“Twenty years ago Norwegian cuisine was virtually non-existent,”
claims Tor Sannerud, former director of VisitOSLO. “But now it is an
extraordinary place for food, with five Michelin-star restaurants and
many inventive chefs. We are not just talking about international
cuisine, might I add; there has also been a rediscovery of traditional
Waffles are Norwegian food. Oslo is now one of the best capitals for fine dining
very popular
in Norway in the world.”
 Private dining 55
room in the
Engebret Café

of Ibsen, Grieg and Munch and

improvised heraldic shields of
other famous regulars. We are
comfortably sitting in one of the
original lounges of the café to talk
about Norwegian delicacies.

“When I started here nine

years ago, the menu was a bit of
everything and there was very
little focus,” the proprietor of
Engebret continues. “Now we
have signature dishes from the
Linie-aquavit
north of Norway,
where I come
from originally.
We always have
a reindeer dish
as well as salmon
and aquavit on the
Engebret Café
menu, and also
many seasonal
“Norwegians did not have a while serving coffee. Johnsen is dishes. Now, in
tradition of eating out. The idea the owner of the Engebret Café February and
of going out to a restaurant to eat in the centre of Oslo, the oldest March, it is the
fish just did not occur to them. But restaurant in town which first season for skrei.”
all that has now changed,” adds opened its doors in 1857. Engebret Skrei! The word
Erik Schultz, Chairman of Europa is the traditional meeting place alone makes the
Nostra Norway. “Norwegians for artists and politicians and eyes of the whole
used to say ‘meat is food and fish still today a who’s who of the company glaze over
is fish’ and that says it all really,” Norwegian cultural world can be for a second. The
Kay Johnsen says with a smile seen all around us with paintings winter-cod comes
56
culınary
Skrei
The Walt Disney film Frozen (2013)
Skrei prepared was a worldwide success and won
two Academy Awards. It was
Drying fish on loosely based on Hans Christian
the Lofoten Andersen’s fairy tale ‘The Snow
(photo Thomas Queen’. In preparation of the
film, artists from the Walt Disney
Faivre-Duboz)
company travelled to Norway to find
inspiration for the look and feel of
the film. The historical district of
Bryggen in Bergen and the UNESCO
World Heritage Geirangerfjord
and Nærøyfjord, as well as several
locations in Røros and Trondheim
found their way into the movie. In
the film we meet a smart reindeer
with one antler and his owner.
We see trolls who converse in
Scene from the Norwegian, and Princess Elsa even
film Frozen with meets a merchant in the middle of
Princess Elsa the forest called Oaken, who sells
and merchant
Norway’s favourite traditional food,
Oaken ©Disney Lutefisk.
all the way from the Barents Sea
in the arctic down to the Lofoten
Islands in the north of Norway
for the breeding season. The lily-
white, succulent meat is lean and is
traditionally cooked without much
ado. The liver and roe are usually
also prepared and served together
with the fish, accompanied by a
red wine. It is one of the highlights
of the Norwegian culinary year.
“You really have to be quick
with the preparation of skrei,”
Johnsen explains. “Nothing is
in such a hurry as a dead cod, we
say in Norway. You have to boil
it carefully to perfectly preserve
the texture of the meat. And of
course serve it with Norwegian
potatoes.” Erik Schultz adds:
“Norwegian potatoes have a short
growing season but because of the
long summer nights, they grow
continuously and have a wonderful
taste.”
But skrei is not the only cod
that triggers a strong emotional
response from the Norwegians.
Lutefisk is loved by many, hated
by some. Some make the joke that
so many Norwegians emigrated
to the United States just to escape
having to eat lutefisk. But even in
America the lutefisk is still going
strong. It has become the dish that
in a way defines a true Norwegian.
Many Americans of Norwegian
descent eat lutefisk for Christmas.
Lutefisk starts out as dried cod. It
really matters whether the fish is
dried in a drying-room or outside
in the wind. Johnsen adds“After
drying, people trained as sniffers
pick out the best quality. There are
six different qualities. You then
soak the dried fish in water and
caustic soda for a considerable
time, and then you have to rinse
it, and rinse it again, until it has

the perfect texture.”
“Not every family
grows up with it.
It is a bit of an
acquired taste.
I still remember
vividly the smell
of caustic soda
in the house. You
Caraway
mustn’t forget that the whole
procedure has been developed to
keep fish last through the winter
and make dry fish taste more
fresh,“ adds Erik Schultz. “I am a traditional stock-fish, based on
member of the Lutefisk Club that a 1,000 year old tradition. The
meets here in Engebret every
year since 1893,” Tor Sannerud
explains with a knowing smile.
“We are a group of 70 and eat
lutefisk on the last day of the
official season, the third Friday
in January.”
We talk briefly about that
other fish from Norway that
has conquered the
world. Norway’s
unique coast
line and fjords
offer excellent
opportunities for
aquaculture and
Norway has grown
to become the largest
producer of Atlantic salmon
in the world. It is an important
industry based on an important
heritage. And then there is the
Lofoten islands alone, where the
drying conditions are excellent,
exports over 4,000 metric tons
a year. It should not be confused
with clip-fish – more easy to
produce by salting the cod – and
which has a market which is
seven times as large. Stock-fish
as well as clip-fish have founded
age-old culinary heritage
Flat-bread is a typical Norwegian
unleavened bread that can be stored in
57
dry conditions next to forever. It is best
eaten with jam or salty butter.
traditions across the globe from
Brazil to Nigeria, from Portugal
to the Caribbean.
We are joined by Halvor Heuch,
executive of the Arcus Company
and one of the country’s
foremost experts on aquavit. He
just launched another special
blend for the international
market. “Aquavit started out in
the Middle-ages as a bitter, a sort
of Underberg, you might say,”
he tells us. “It was a Swedish
countess, Eva Ekeblad de la
Gardie, who discovered that one
could get a lot more aquavit out
of fermented potatoes instead of
corn or grain, and that was very
important for the production
volumes.”
Aquavit, the elixir of life, gets
its distinctive taste from herbs
like caraway and dill, which are
added to give the neutral spirit
its distinctive flavour.
“The real boost came in the
early 19th century. The history
of stock-fish is actually closely
connected to the history of
aquavit,” Heuch explains over
coffee. ”It was a Norwegian ship
that went to Batavia in Indonesia
to sell stock-fish. In its cargo
it also carried aquavit in used
sherry barrels. The trade went
badly, and the Indonesians did
not like what the Norwegians
58
culınary
Sherry barrel had to sell. Therefore, the
on the golf barrels came all the way back
course near
the Atlungstad to Norway. When the Lysholm
Brenneri production company people
Atlungstad
checked if it was still okay, they
Brenneri noticed something wonderful
exterior had happened to the taste. The
months on the ocean in the old
barrels had given the aquavit
a great taste. They kept it a
secret at first, but soon barrels
of aquavit travelled up and down
with the clip- and stock-fish to
for instance Brazil. This became
the famous Linie-aquavit which
carries the exact date on which
the barrel crossed the equator.”
“We are very busy with the
restoration of the last potato
distillery of Norway from
The tasty dairy
products of the
Aydem farm
1855, the Atlungstad Brenneri
(by Lake Mjøsa in Stange
ed.) where we can show the
whole production process as
a working museum. I want to
make the public more aware of
the variety and quality of the
drink. Traditionally you drink
aquavit with beer, but preferably
not a pilsner. Moreover, you
should never drink it cold. Many
Brown cheese or brunost
is a popular Norwegian
goat’s cheese made out of
whey and cream, with a
caramel sweet taste. Aydem
is a traditional farm in
the centre of Norway that
produces brunost for the
best restaurants in Norway.
They also make pultost, a
cheese dating back to the
Viking age.
Aquavit was literally a drink for
all occasions and at the beginning
of the 20th century, the aquavit
consumption reached alarming
heights. It therefore came as no
surprise that the teetotalers’
movement, which promoted
total abstinence of alcoholic
consumptions, became very strong
in Norway. This was to have a
profound influence on the rules
and regulations about alcohol
in Norway as well as in other
Scandinavian countries. Alcohol
in Norway was - and still is - sold
by a state monopoly. Brands like
Simers, Lysholm, Opland and Løten
have been in state hands since 1927,
but kept using the original recipes
and kept the quality. Although
companies may import and produce
alcohol more freely now, there are
still many rules and regulations.
restaurants across the globe
serve it in a small glass but it
should be enjoyed like a cognac,
in a wide warm glass. I have
been talking to glass-makers to
create a new glass.” Heuch has
been working for many years
in the aquavit business, but is
still full of ideas and dreams of
ever expanding markets for this
spirit, so closely connected to
Norway’s history and heritage.
Norway’s culinary heritage is
inspiring chefs across the globe.
They are changing age-old
traditions into new and tasty
sensations. The existence of
Norwegian cuisine is no longer
wishful thinking, it is a dream
come true.
60

Then & Now

then & now

Everywhere you look around you in Oslo, the city is buzzling with activity.
New architectural marvels are making their way to the skies or rise up
from the water of the bay. The mix between the old and the new, the
present and future heritage is always a delicate balance. To paraphrase the
French journalist and writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, is it true that the
more things change, the more they stay the same? What can we discover if
we look at archival photographs and the present situation. History often
casts a long shadow, but sometimes the changes are quite remarkable,
sometimes hardly noticable. If we travel around Oslo and Norway, how
much stayed the same and how much changed?

Aerial view of Oslo City Hall

Oslo in 1950
with the City There is only one word really suitable for the City Hall
Hall and the
railway station
of Oslo; monumental. The policital and administrative
Vestbanestasjon heart of Oslo is a magnificently enormous structure of
(now the Nobel red bricks, built to impress.
Peace Center)

Oslo City Hall

It was first proposed in 1915, but it would take until
1950 before the citizens could enjoy the Oslo City
Hall’s unique architecture and art collection.
Walking around the building and into the main
entrance, it not just the ornamental fountain that
draws the attention, everywhere you are surrounded
by murals and sculptures capturing the mythical
spirit of Norway. The Great Hall is an impressive
space with wall to wall paintings. It is a perfect venue
for important functions, including the Nobel Peace
Prize award ceremony.
Interior City Hall (photo Felix Quaedvlieg )
On 11 June 2015 it is the location of the European
Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra
Awards ceremony. The Long Gallery, the Banquet
Hall and the City Council Chamber; they all have a
unique personal atmosphere, richly decorated by
Norwegian painters and sculptors. The Munch Room,
the Storstein Room and the Krohg Room are all
named after the artists who’s works are displayed.
Nobel Peace Center
The Nobel Peace Center close to the City Hall celebrates
its 10th anniversary (6 –11 June). It has become one of
Norway’s most topical and important museums, and
one of the most visited. The listed building dates back
to 1872 and was, until 1989, a railway station (Oslo
Vestbanestasjon).
61
The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize was
awarded to the European Union
The Nobel Peace prize, according to
the will of Alfred Nobel (1833-1896),
should be awarded “to the person
who shall have done the most or the
best work for fraternity between
nations, the abolition or reduction of
standing armies and for the holding
and promotion of peace congresses.”
The prize was inspired by peace
activist Bertha von Suttner (1843-
1914) who had worked as a personal
assistant for Alfred Nobel in Paris
and this meeting had left a lasting
impression on both. Nobel would
support the peace movement
and Bertha’s initiatives for many
years. They kept in close contact
and it is clear that the reason the
philanthropist put the establishment
of a prize for peace in his will had
much to do with their friendship.
He had also clearly intended her to
be one of its recipients: and so she
was – in 1905 – the fifth person and
the first woman to receive the Nobel
Peace Prize.
The ceremony was for many years
held at the Nobel Institute. From
1947 till 1990, the setting was the
auditorium of the University of Oslo.
In 1990 the event moved to the Oslo
City Hall.
French cartoonist
Plantu created this
special work of art
to celebrate the
2012 Nobel Peace
Prize, awarded
to the European
Union. He is the
driving force
behind the NGO
Cartooning for
Nobel Peace Prize (designed by Peace.
GustavVigeland, see article on
page 14)
62
then & now

Gamle Bybro in
1915 Gamle Bybro and Bakklandet
The restored The Old Town Bridge (Gamle
area of
Bakklandet
Bybro) of Trondheim has been
a landmark for centuries. It has
been rebuilt many times and the
current version dates back to
the middle of the 19th century.
The bridge crosses the Nidelva
river and is the main connection
between the town centre and the
Bakklandet neighbourhood.
This area of narrow streets
lined with colourful wooden
houses is one of Trondheim’s
main touristic attractions. It is
a delightful collection of small
shops, restaurants and homes.
The brightly painted warehouses
are a picture perfect postcard of
Trondheim’s long trade history.
It is almost unbelievable that the
city council was planning to tear
the whole district down, in an ill-
advised attempt to modernise that
part of the city.

Storting-
bygningen in
1890

Stortingsbygningen
The Norwegian Parliament
buildings (Stortingsbygningen) in
the centre of Oslo were designed
by Swedish architect Emil Victor
Langlet and were opened in 1866.
Bryggen Bruggen in 63
1899 (photo
The UNESCO World Heritage Olaf Andreas
listed Bryggen area of Bergen is Svanøe)
a collection of large historical
warehouses in the harbour of the
city. Narrow alleyways between
the buildings lead you to open
areas behind the houses, now
occupied by charming cafés and
restaurants.

Inner courtyard

Stiftsgården in
1890
Stiftsgården
The royal residence (Stiftsgården) is an attractive
wooden building, painted in dark yellow, in the centre
of Trondheim. It dates back to the 18th century and
is one of the largest wooden buildings in Northern
Europe. Originally built as a merchant’s house, it has
been in use by the royal family for centuries.
64
then & now

Akershus castle Akershus and Tjuvholmen

Interior
The Akershus castle and fortifications at the entrance of
Akershus
Oslo’s harbour cover a large area. From the walls you have
Detail of a 1869 an panoramic view of the bay and the city. The castle dates
painting by
Friedrich Paul back to the 13th century and has over the centuries been
Thumann (1834- Oslo’s (then also known as Christiania and Kristiania)
1908)
most prominent defensive building. The banquet halls
and reception rooms were designed on a grand scale. The
Royal Mausoleum in the castle contains the tombs of
many of the kings and queens of Norway, including King
Sigurd I, King Haakon VII and King Olav V.

The industrial Tjuvholmen district on the opposite side

of the bay has been rigorously redesigned. The whole
area has been rejuvinated with modern architecture
and the new Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art
designed by Renzo Piano. Here we find city beaches,
new apartment buildings and a large selection of trendy
restaurants and shops. In summer it is a beehive of
Front Nidaros
activities and it is another perfect example of the power Astrup Fearnley Museum of Restored industrial building
Modern Art in Tjuvholmen
Cathedral of heritage renovation.

Trondheim in Nidaros Cathedral

1915
The 11th century Nidaros cathedral
in Trondheim was built over the
tomb of Saint Olav, the king and
patron saint of Norway. It is also
the end of a famous pilgrim’s route,
which may date back thousands
of years. The St.Olav Ways or Old
Kings’ Road starts in Oslo and
passes through the Gudbrandsdal
valley, crosses the Dovrefjell
mountains and continues through
the Oppdal and Gauldalen valleys.
The road fell in disuse after the
arrival of the railroads, but has
recently been revived by walking
enthusiasts as well as pilgrims.
 65

The Rosa
Europa
Nostra
Make 2015 a season to remember!

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This wonderful rosebush will grow ever more beautiful
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The Rosa Europa Nostra is not just an attractive
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And there is more! For every rosebush you buy € 5 is
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heritage organisation Europa Nostra to help protect
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So fill your garden with the beautiful Rosa Europa Nostra
and help save Europe’s heritage.
The Rosa Europa Nostra Rose was exclusively created for
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heritage and has won in 2012 the Golden Medal in Monza.
You can order your Rosa Europa Nostra online at
www.rosaeuropanostra.eu
Special offer € 14,95 exclusive of mailing costs.
You can buy up to 10 roses for the same shipping cost.
Order today and have it delivered next week.
In Belgium the flourishing Rosa Europa Nostra will be
available in all AVEVE shops from June on.
66
short story

Letters from
Norway
Tønsberg today

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was

an Enlightenment moral and political
thinker, as well as an acclaimed writer
and translator from England.

She spent her youth taking care of sick friends and

relatives but started to come into her own after
publishing Thoughts on the Education of Daughters.
She immediately gave away the money she earnt to help
a poor family in need, a clear symbol of her kind but
impulsive nature. She lived during the Enlightenment
and the French Revolution when throughout Europe
and the New World, new political and philosophical
ideas were heralded in and longstanding traditions
were thrown out of the window. Her London publisher,
Joseph Johnson, took her on as an editorial assistant
and reviewer. In this new, exciting literary and political
environment, she quickly honed her skills as a political
Mary writer and thinker. Her groundbreaking A Vindication of
Wollstonecraft
the Rights of Woman (1792) is considered one of the first
painted by John
Opie (1761-1807) feminist writings and was much ahead of her time.
She was rather unlucky in love and
in 1792 we find her in Paris, trying
to forget a married man she was
involved with. There she met an
American named Gilbert Imlay.
She never officially married him,
but soon gave birth to a girl. Imlay
however neglected her more and
more and she decided to take her
own life. Imlay stopped her and
convinced her to go on a trip to
Scandinavia to conduct business on
his behalf. And so a week after she
had decided to commit suicide, she
is on her way to Sweden. We can
only imagine what her emotional
state must have been: a desperate
woman travelling alone in a
country where she knew nobody.
But her observations are honest
and direct and give us a unique
view of daily life in the late 18th
century in Norway. She travelled
from Sweden to Larvik and then via
Tønsberg to Oslo.
Her relationship with her ‘husband’
deteriorated further and when
she returned home from Norway,
he seemed more interested in an
actress from a travelling theatre.
She decided to drown herself in
the river, but was rescued. In
1796 her very successful Letters
written during a short residence in
Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
was published. In 1797 she married
William Godwin. In that same year
she died as the result of childbirth
complications. She was only 38.
Her newborn girl would also grow
up to be a successful writer and
would become world-famous as the
author of Frankenstein (1818) and
as the wife of poet Percy Bysshe
Shelley.
On travel writing
“Travellers who require that every
nation should resemble their
native country, had better stay
at home. (...) The most essential
service, I presume, that authors
could render to society, would be
to promote inquiry and discussion,
instead of making those dogmatical
assertions which only appear
calculated to gird the human mind
round with imaginary circles, like
the paper globe which represents
the one he inhabits. This spirit of
inquiry is the characteristic of the
present century, from which the
succeeding will, I am persuaded,
receive a great accumulation of
knowledge; and doubtless its
diffusion will in a great measure
destroy the factitious national
characters which have been
supposed permanent, though only
rendered so by the permanency of
ignorance.”
On the Norwegians
“As the Norwegians do not
frequently see travellers, they
are very curious to know their
business, and who they are - so
curious, that I was half tempted
to adopt Dr. Franklin’s plan,
when travelling in America,
where they are equally prying,
which was to write on a paper,
for public inspection, my name,
from whence I came, where I was
going, and what was my business.
But if I were importuned by their
curiosity, their friendly gestures
gratified me. A woman coming
alone interested them. And I know
not whether my weariness gave
me a look of peculiar delicacy, but
they approached to assist me, and
William Godwin 67
inquire after my wants, as if they
were afraid to hurt, and wished
to protect me. The sympathy I
inspired, thus dropping down
from the clouds in a strange land,
affected me more than it would
have done had not my spirits been
harassed by various causes - by
much thinking - musing almost
to madness - and even by a sort
of weak melancholy that hung
about my heart at parting with my
daughter for the first time. (…)
The Norwegians appear to me
to be the most free community I
have ever observed. The mayor
of each town or district, and the
judges in the country, exercise
an authority almost patriarchal.
They can do much good, but little
harm, - as every individual can
appeal from their judgment; and as
they may always be forced to give
a reason for their conduct, it is
generally regulated by prudence. Akershus
“They have not time to learn to and Oslo
(Christiania)
be tyrants,” said a gentleman to harbour anno
me, with whom I discussed the 1800 painted
by John William
subject.”
Edy (1760-1820)
68
short story
Fishing Lodge On Norwegian weather
Brochure on trout
“I never endured a winter in
fishing in Norway this rude climate, consequently
(1887)
it was not the contrast, but the
real beauty of the season which
made the present summer appear
to me the finest I had ever seen.
Sheltered from the north and
eastern winds, nothing can exceed
the salubrity, the soft freshness of
the western gales. In the evening
they also die away; the aspen
leaves tremble into stillness,
and reposing nature seems to
be warmed by the moon, which
here assumes a genial aspect.
And if a light shower has chanced
to fall with the sun, the juniper,
the underwood of the forest,
exhales a wild perfume, mixed
with a thousand nameless sweets
that, soothing the heart, leave
images in the memory which the
imagination will ever hold dear.
The natural (…) Never was a southern sky
beauty that
more beautiful, nor more soft its
Wollstonecraft
experienced can gales. Indeed, I am led to conclude
still be found that the sweetest summer in
across Norway
the world is the northern one,
Letters written during a short
residence in Sweden, Norway, and
Denmark was a great success and
had an important influence on
the romantic poets and writers of
the 19th century. Norway became
a favourite destination for the
artistically inclined in the course
of that century. The rugged natural
beauty had a magnetic pull on
European travellers who saw how
quickly the Industrial Revolution
changed their own countries.
English mountaineers discovered
the fjords and snow-topped
mountains and taught the
Norwegians the joy of mountain
climbing. Foreign angling
enthusiasts invaded the Norwegian
countryside in search of the
perfect river or lake for trout and
salmon. The sport fishermen built
impressive wooden houses along
the streams which resembled
the colonial lodges of the Africa
savannahs with wide verandas
and beautiful vistas. The influx
of tourists and visitors forever
changed the image of Norway and
made it a symbol of unspoiled,
natural beauty.
the vegetation being quick and
luxuriant the moment the earth
is loosened from its icy fetters
and the bound streams regain
their wonted activity. The
balance of happiness with respect
to climate may be more equal
than I at first imagined; for the
inhabitants describe with warmth
the pleasures of a winter at the
thoughts of which I shudder.”
On the farms
“The wooden houses; farms
constructed with logs, and even
little villages, here erected in
the same simple manner, have
appeared to me very picturesque.
In the more remote parts I had
been particularly pleased with
many cottages situated close to a
brook, or bordering on a lake, with
the whole farm contiguous. As the
family increases, a little more land
is cultivated; thus the country is
obviously enriched by population.
(...)
The farmers not fearing to be
turned out of their farms, should
they displease a man in power, and
having no vote to be commanded
at an election for a mock
representative, are a manly race;
for not being obliged to submit
to any debasing tenure in order
to live, or advance themselves
in the world, they act with an
independent spirit.
I never yet have heard of anything
like domineering or oppression,
excepting such as has arisen from
natural causes. (…) Near most of
the towns are commons, on which
the cows of all the inhabitants,
indiscriminately, are allowed to
graze. The poor, to whom a cow is
necessary, are almost supported
by it. Besides, to render living
more easy, they all go out to fish in
their own boats, and fish is their
principal food. The lower class of
people in the towns are in general
sailors; and the industrious have
usually little ventures of their own
that serve to render the winter
comfortable.”
EUROPEAN HERITAGE LABEL 2015
The European Heritage Label is given by the European Commission
and highlights outstanding heritage sites with a particular European
dimension, celebrating and symbolising European integration,
ideals and history.
The European Heritage Label Ceremony took place on 15 April, 2015
in the Solvay Library, Brussels in the presence of Tibor Navracsics, the
European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
During the ceremony the European Commission presented the
European Heritage Label to the following sites:

• Münster and Osnabrück – Sites of the Peace of • Kaunas of 1919-1940, Lithuania

Westphalia, Germany
• Union of Lublin, Poland
• Hambach Castle, Germany
• The May 3, 1791 Constitution, Poland
• The Heart of Ancient Athens, Greece
• The historic Gdańsk Shipyard, Poland
• Archive of the Crown of Aragon, Spain
• General Library of the University of Coimbra,
• Residencia de Estudiantes, Spain Portugal
• Abbey of Cluny, France • Charter of Law of Abolition of the Death Penalty ,
Portugal
• Robert Schuman’s House, France
• Franja Partisan Hospital, Slovenia
• Pan-European Picnic Memorial Park, Hungary
• Museo Casa Alcide De Gasperi, Italy
The Best in
Heritage ©

Projects of Influence

www.thebestinheritage.com

24 - 26 September 2015,
... the world’s only annual survey of award-win
 In partnership with Europa Nostra
Under special patronage of ICOM

Professionals need quality information and benchmarking occasions; there

are annually hundreds awarded institutions world-wide and a great num-
ber of exceptional projects not so well known to the international, profes-
sional public. The aim of the Best in Heritage is to give these examples of
best practice further occupational and public attention, thus providing all
conference participants with insights into innovative practices, successful
management approaches, extraordinary professionalism and present day
trends & tendencies.

In addition to inspiring array of best practices, the programme features

rich social and cultural content organised with help of Dubrovnik Muse-
ums, all taking place in the Renaissance city core of Dubrovnik.

Photo by Pakslis Krishno

Dubrovnik, Croatia
ning museum, heritage and conservation projects
72
PANORAMA

Panorama
Norway has probably the best panoramas in the world;
from the northern lights flaming on the winter skies
to the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage fjords;
from the small fishing communities along the rugged
coastline to the wide open spaces of the far north.
In the winter
Norway is
famous for its
Aurora Borealis,
the northern
lights, seen here
at Lyngenfjord
near Tromsø
(photo by
Ximonic)

Norway’s nature is grand and
monumental and you can walk
for days without seeing another
soul. But still, dotted across
this timeless landscape, we find
small pockets of human activity;
a colourful fishing community
nestled in the fjord or a collection
of farmhouses on the edge of a
deep pine forest. Some of the cities
73
are magnificent testimonies to
Norway’s old traditions of fishing
and trade with brightly painted
warehouses and traditional shops.
74
PANORAMA

The charming
village of In 2004 the Heathland Centre
Solvorn where (Lyngheisenteret) at Lygra won the
the ferry leaves European Union Prize for Cultural
for the UNESCO Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards for
World Heritage their museum for the preservation of
Urnes Stave the traditional European heathlands.
Church Twenty-eight traditional buildings have
been restored and about four kilometres
Troldhaugen, of pathways have been made. Professor
the estate of Peter Emil Kaland is one of the
composer enthusiasts behind the project, seen
Edvard Grieg here walking through the heathlands.

Trondheim
warehouses
along the river
Safeguarding heritage since 1844
The Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient
Monuments is serving as a local partner for Europa
Nostra’s Heritage Congress 2015. We welcome all
participants to Oslo and hope you enjoy your stay!
Our society was founded in 1844 and is one of the
world’s oldest voluntary heritage organizations. Over
the years, we have fought to save many historical
structures from decay and demolition.
We own and maintain some of the most beautiful
buildings in Norway, including eight stave churches,
four medieval stone churches, two fortresses and the
ruins of four monasteries.
A visit to one of our properties is like a visit to the
past. Marked by time and the people who lived before
us, these buildings stand ready to welcome new
generations. We want their unique atmosphere to be
accessible to all and keep them open to the public.
We also place a lot of emphasis on research and
education within the heritage field, arranging lectures
and practical courses. One of our most important
tasks is teaching children and youth about historical
monuments, so they can take care of our heritage in the
future.
Why become a member?
We have local branches in all parts of Norway,
safeguarding the historical character of each region.
As a member, you support this effort. You also become
part-owner of our 40 properties and contribute to their
upkeep.
If you are fond of old buildings, The Society for the
Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments is for
you!
For more information:
post@fortidsminneforeningen.no
www.stavechurch.com
 Turning Copper
76
ındustrıal herıtage

into Gold
The Story of Røros
It is one of the coldest places on earth. The forests that
once enveloped the town have disappeared into the
hungry furnaces of the factories and iron foundries. Black
slag heaps surround the city, an apocalyptic scenery
where nothing dares to grow, ever.

But still...

Kjerkgata, Røros

Kjerkgata
in 1869
(photo Elen
Schomragh)

This old copper mining town
and its surrounding landscape
is one of Norway’s most popular
UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Røros, which lies as the end of a
long valley leading all the way
back to Trondheim, has risen like
a phoenix from the ashes after
centuries of industrial activity.
Unlike many wooden cities from
the 17th century, Røros did not burn
down to the ground. The last time
flames engulfed the town was in
1679. This means that most of the
18th and 19th century buildings are
still with us today.
When the mining industry first
came to Norway, many experts
had to be hired from Germany. The
management of the mine spoke
German, and today many words
still have a German ring. German
influences are also noticeable
Outbuilding
in the architecture. The well-
planned city-grid with charming
timber-built houses on both sides
of the long, straight streets, are
now home to tearooms, galleries
and arts & crafts shops. So many
tourists wanted to buy a little
house in charming Røros, that the
municipality made it obligatory to
live in the houses permanently.
The parish church is a miracle
of wood. The recent renovation
- with the help of highly skilled
77
craftsmen, some of them trained in Parish church of
Røros
Germany - has brought the church
back to its original splendour. Interior
The floor had to be completely
renewed. The portraits of the
priests were restored and put back
to watch over the parishioners
during mass. All except one, as
one of the priests had such a bad
reputation that his portrait was
placed behind the altar where
nobody would have to see him.
The wooden shingles of the roof
were still in a surprisingly good
shape. The craftsmen discovered
that the shingles was covered with
an interesting mix of tar, sand and
charcoal, a recipe that could be of
great value for other restorations.
The Outbuilding Project is about the
restoration and maintenance of the
outbuildings of the urban farms in
Røros. The project is unique with its
collaboration between the craftsmen,
the owners, the local museum and
the municipality. Skills are shared,
methodologies exchanged and costs
compared. The result is not only a
successful restoration exercise covering
400 buildings since 1996, but also the
development of a local, highly qualified
group of restorers. The project won
a European Union Prize for Cultural
Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards in 2015.
78
ındustrıal herıtage

The house (on
the right) of Heritage organisation
painter Harald Fortidsminneforeningen has two
Sohlberg (1869- important urban farm properties in
1935) Røros. Per Amundsagården dates back to
the late 1700s and is a typical example of
Painting of a Røros farm. The building was already
Røros by Harald protected in 1923 but was still taken
down to make place for a gas station. The
Sohlberg
Norsk Folkemuseum at Bygdøy near Oslo
kept the wooden structures in storage,
The same
viewpoint today and 40 years later the farm could be
rebuilt in Røros. Rasmusgaarden is one of
the oldest farmsteads. Parts of the timber
construction can be dated to the late
1600s, and the farm has changed little
since the early 1800s.
fortidsminneforeningen.no
Per
Amundsagården
The church is not the only location
in town where the heritage
skills of craftsmen are needed.
Every restoration in the town
needs special expertise and local
knowledge. One of the unique
features of Røros’ architecture
is the urban farm. The city is
truly a collection of small farms.
Behind the doors of many of the
houses in the centre of town, we
find minute, hidden yards with
small outbuildings for cattle, hay
or equipment. The miners could
make a little extra money this
way, and for a long time this was
a perfect combination. When the
mines started to close, however,
this specific kind of farming died
with it. Many of the outbuildings
then became derelict. The so-
called Outbuilding Project is keen
on turning the tide (see encadre
page 77).
So how can we help the private
owners of heritage buildings in the
city? Simen Bjørgen, director of
the Norwegian Cultural Heritage
Fund (Kulturminnefondet),
which has its headquarters in
Røros, explains: “If you want to
protect cultural heritage, you
have to help the owners. Our main
strategy in Røros and elsewhere
for that matter is to collaborate
closely with the owners. We can
help financially with 30% of the
costs. The owner has to come up
with the rest, but part of this can
be restoration work he or she
does himself. After 10 years of
operation, we have given grants to
more than 1600 projects.”

Just outside the town centre,
between black hills of slag and
a foaming river that supplied
much of the mine’s energy
over the centuries, we find the
Røros Museum. Although the
original building was destroyed
by fire in 1975, the smeltery
was carefully reconstructed on
its old foundations and turned
into a museum. One of the most
interesting displays shows
ingenuity in the way river power
was used in the daily operations of
the smeltery. In the great halls, the
fires roared from 1646 until 1953,
an incredibly long period. For a
look inside an actual mine you can
travel to the nearby Olav’s Mine,
which is open to the public.
Røros is a delight to visit
and shows clearly how the
development of industrial heritage
79
The Norwegian Cultural Heritage
Fund (Kulturminnefondet) regularly
organises a Professional and Crafts
Seminar to train young people
in cultural heritage projects and
encourages the development of new
arenas for cooperation and knowledge
transfer within the industry and with
the owners of cultural heritage.
kulturminnefondet.no
can be successfully deployed to Røros Museum
create highly skilled jobs and Miners in the
economic growth. Every year Røros Museum
more of the town is restored,
The midwinter-
helping the city to become a festival in
top destination in summer and February is a
wonderfully
winter. The usually very cold cool experience
midwinter-festival in February, (photo Thomas
Rasmus Skaug)
has become an international event
and the traditional sleigh ride from The river that
Trondheim to Røros is one of the was instrumental
to Røros’success
highlights of a week of festivities.
 Building Future
80
opınıon

Heritage
Imagine a landscape of rocks and moss, with
patches of snow even in summer, a herd of wild
reindeer just visible on the horizon.

In come the architects of

Snøhetta to capture the view in
a rectangular building of wood
and steel. Inside, on the flowing
wooden benches, people are
enjoying the warmth of a fire
place and observing the scenery
through a panorama window as
if it was a giant 3-D flat-screen.
The almost surreal design makes
the magnificent view, strangely
enough, more real than the real
thing. The Norwegian Wild
Reindeer Centre Pavilion is located
on the outskirts of Dovrefjell
National Park, around the
mountain that gave the famous
Norwegian design company their
name, Snøhetta. The pavilion was
built in 2011.
Norwegian
Wild
Reindeer Imagine a large and rather
Centre
Pavilion
ugly industrial harbour on the
Interior eastern side of Oslo, an industrial

environment to be found in so
many coastal cities. In come the
architects of Snøhetta to build
a white mountain of stone and
glass, the Norwegian National
Opera and Ballet. It is not
only a building, it is also a new
urban space to be enjoyed by
the whole city. The building,
which was finished in 2008, is
the first in the redevelopment
plans of the area. Already in
2009 it received the Mies van
der Rohe Award, the European
Union Prize for Architecture.
The Government then took the
unique step to have the building
officially listed. We ask Jørn
Holme, director of the Norwegian
Directorate for Cultural Heritage
(Riksantikvaren), about the
reasoning behind listing such a
new building.
81
Norwegian
Wild
Reindeer
Centre
Pavilion
“The Opera house in Oslo is listed
Interior
because it is an extraordinary
example of world-class
architecture. The Directorate is
responsible for the protection
of cultural heritage dating
from different eras, not least
modern Norwegian architecture.
According to The Cultural
Heritage Act, buildings of
historical and architectural value
can be listed with no restrictions
regarding the age of the building
in question. By listing the Opera
house, we wanted to secure the
building and the space it deserves
for the future, as it is situated in an
area with high building pressure.”
“There are very few examples of
modern architecture that have
been listed in Norway. The Opera
house is in a unique position.
That the Opera house is already
82 In the same harbour area, the city of The Spanish studio Herreros
Oslo wants to create a new Munch Arquitectos won the architectureal
opınıon

Museum, dedicated to the artist competition, and the museum will

Edvard Munch who left many of
his artworks to the city. The new
museum will allow the curators to
show much more of the collection
than is physically possible at the
current location.
arise a stone’s throw away from
the Norwegian National Opera
and Ballet. The new museum will
probably be completed in 2018.
*snohetta.com

Norwegian
National Opera
and Ballet

Vulkan Bigård

listed is an advantage– it gives
predictability, and a unique
opportunity to protect the
building in a good way. Currently,
any planned changes to the
building occur as a result of close
cooperation between the Opera,
Statsbygg and the Directorate
for Cultural Heritage in Norway.
This way, we ensure that the
Opera house that is cherished by
everyone is well cared for.”
It is safe to say that wherever the
architects of Snøhetta appear,
something extraordinary happens.
From the National September
11 Memorial Museum Pavilion
in New York to the Library of
83
Detail of the
Library of
Alexandria in Egypt, from the
Alexandria
restoration of the Grand Palais (photo
in Paris to the re-design of the Snøhetta)
famous Karl Johans street in
the centre of Oslo, from interior
design to restyling famous brands,
Snøhetta seems to be on a roll.
A new project is the Vulkan
Bigård, an architectural beehive
for the city. Bees are under threat
across the world and we are
extremely dependent on them for
crop pollination. Snøhetta teamed
up with many partners to create a
comfortable home for them within
the city limits, which can help to
raise awareness about their vital
role in our lives.
84
lıvıng herıtage

The Heart of the Land

It is solitary rock outcrop, close to the water
of the fjord, on the outer side of the Komsa
mountains, holy to the Sámi, the indigenous
people of the north.

The Áhkku rock

 85

The sacrificial stone is 5 metres

high and called Áhkku, the
old woman, but you need a lot
of imagination to detect a face
hidden in the contours of the rock.
In the traditions of the coastal
Sámi, belief is closely associated
with natural features like rock
formations and boulders that
stand out from the crowd in the
wide panoramas of the Finnmark
province. Behind the Áhkku
rock, we discover small objects,
mementos, such as a half empty
bottle: sacrifices to summon good
fortune. Some of these sacrificial
stones have been in use for
centuries and the forefathers of the
local Sámi offered fish and fish oil
to ensure good weather and good
fishing. The Áhkku rock is one
of the many sacred places in the
Riddu Riđđu (literally ‘little storm Sacrifices behind
northern parts of Norway, Sweden, dressed in traditional colourful on the coast’) is an international the Áhkku rock
Finland and Russia where the Sámi clothing. It may all look a bit indigenous festival which annually
takes place in Kåfjord, not far from Albino reindeer
traditionally live. This is the heart touristy, but underneath the outer Alta. The festival has a focus on
of Sápmi, their homeland, with layers of modern commercialism, Sámi and indigenous people’s art Sámi family in
and culture with a diverse program 1890
thousands of years of history and there is much to discover. Berit featuring music, films, seminars,
cultural traditions. Eira’s ancestors roamed these work-shops, art, literature and
theatre. Riddu Riđđu 2015 is held
lands already thousands of years 8-12 July. Riddu.no
Next to the large tent, which serves ago. “Reindeer are the key to my
as a restaurant, there is green culture. They are usually shy
meadow with a small reindeer herd. and quite smart. They love their I travelled with my family on the
One of them looks like an albino. lichens. They are good swimmers annual treks. It is a strange idea,
“White reindeer are holy,” explains but we also used to have boats to but photographs of me, my sister
Berit Anne Sara Eira of Boazo Sámi help them across water. While they and my grandmother are now in
Siida, a Sámi information centre now sometimes pull snowmobiles, the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo.
and shop on the outskirts of Alta they used to pull sleighs. Up to She lifts a reindeer fur parka
town. She is an inviting woman the time I went to primary school, from a hanger in the tent with an
86
Fireplace in tent
lıvıng herıtage
exposition on Sámi culture. It’s
tiny and heavy. “This was my
coat, can you believe it? You wear
it inside out on your naked skin.
You have special, long leather
pants to go with it and the pointy-
toe shoes are also made of leather
turned inside-out. This is a coat
for adults,” she says while lifting
– with considerable difficulty –
a reindeer jacket. “Your name
would often be shortened and
embroidered on your vest. When I
got married my name was added on
to my husband’s vest.” While she
serves up a large helping of bidus,
a thick, brown soup made from
boiled reindeer meat, carrots and
Interior tent
potatoes, she explains about the
The Sámi Pathfinders initiative was
originally a three-year pilot project,
in which three Sámi youths visited
schools across Norway, sharing
information about Sámi culture
and society. The initiative was a
great success and was continued.
The Sámi Pathfinders travel
primarily to secondary schools, but
they are free to attend other arenas
for young people. The young Sámi
Pathfinders are adequately trained
at the Sámi University College in
Kautokeino.
Coat
daily life en route. Life was tough
but it had its magical moments.
The restaurant is a semi-traditional
Sámi tent with an open fire place
in the middle and reindeer fur all
around for comfort. “Everybody
had their own spot in the tent,” she
explains with a nostalgic smile.
“Women were sitting in the back on
the left side, guests left and right
from the entrance and the kitchen
was in the back. The long-term huts
could be quite luxurious and large.”
It’s not hard to imagine what life
must have been like on the annual
reindeer trek.
Christianity came to the north
very slowly and for centuries
the traditional Sámi gods were
still appeased by offerings. The
shaman (noaidi) looked to the
future and the past, using his
magic drum (meavrresgárri). He
used the antler of a reindeer or the
bone of a bear – the only animal
related to man – to beat himself in
ecstasy and enter the other world.
The authorities did not like the
practices very much and from
the end of the 17th to the middle
of the 18th century, much of the

Berit Anne Sara Eira of the Sámi
information centre shows an
embroidered vest
confrontation between indigenous
Sámi religion and Christianity was
focused on these ‘evil’ drums. The
drums are decorated with symbolic
forms and figures and can still be
seen in several museums around
the country, including the Norsk
Folkemuseum in Oslo. That
museum also owned a holy Sámi
boulder, but the stone has now
been returned and replaced by a
replica.
Nowadays half of the Sámi people
lives in Norway. The other half
lives in Sweden, Finland and
Russia. Many have moved to the
city, but there are still a few small
groups that live in the traditional
way, fishing or reindeer herding.
Relatively recently the cultural
heritage of the Sámi – their
customs, music, religion and
languages – have come to the
forefront. Sámi languages, which
are related to Finnish, Estonian
and Hungarian, are seriously
endangered.
The resistance of the Sámi
community against the
government’s plans for a
Magic drum
87
hydroelectric power plant in
the Alta river in late 1970s and
early 1980s put the spotlight on
Sámi rights in an unprecedented
way. The Sámi are now entitled
special protection and rights,
guaranteed by the Norwegian Kåfjord church
The Kautokeino rebellion (1852)
Constitution and the Sámi Act. was one of the few violent
uprisings by the Sámi against the Graves of the
The Sámi Parliament (Sámediggi)
representatives of the Norwegian Kautokeino
plays an important political role government. The rebel leaders rebellion
and a constitutional amendment Mons Somby and Aslak Hætta
were decapitated in Alta as a
states that is the responsibility of result of it. Their bodies were
the authorities of the Norwegian buried just outside the Kåfjord
church graveyard near Alta,
State to create conditions enabling in unblessed ground. Their
the Sámi people to preserve skulls ended up the Institute
for Anatomy in Oslo. In 1985 a
and develop their language, protest was launched and finally
culture and way of life. Much has in 1997 the bodies and skulls
were reunited and the graveyard
changed over the years and the
was extended to include the
Sámi culture is a significant part graves.
of Norway’s heritage. But the
troubles are far from over. The
arctic north is under threat of
large scale industrial development
and Sámi cultural heritage stands
in the way of the vast needs
for oil and mining. Industrial
logging, fishing rights and the
effects of global warming also
have a profound influence on the
traditional cross-border Sámi’s
way of life. Who gets to decide
what the future will hold?
88
ındustrıal herıtage

Over a hundred years ago, the

workers at the Tyssedal power
plant, located in the middle of
Telemark, would use the same way
up for their maintenance work.
You can also wonder how they ever
got any work done with this kind
of spectacular view. Far down,
too far down for comfort, is the
power plant itself. The impressive
industrial heritage buildings were
constructed between 1906 and
1918 by the side of the Sørfjord.
Since 2000, the historical
power plant is protected by the
Directorate for Cultural Heritage
(Riksantikvaren). It was once
one of the largest high-pressure
power plants in the world.
Neighbouring Odda and Tyssedal
developed from dreamy, wooden
villages into flourishing industrial
communities.

The award-winning Norwegian

The Power of
Tyssedal power
plant in the
Museum of Hydro Power and
Sørfjord
Industry uses the Tyssedal power
Climbing up can station and the old intake-tunnels,

Heritage
be a challenge
Climbing up along the old water pipes is not
an experience for the faint-hearted, despite
the safety lines and the guide.
the water basins, the water pipes
and the guards’ houses to tell the
story of hydro-power and of the
beginning of modern Norway.
Water and electricity literally
powered Norway’s transition into
a modern nation.
 89

Interior
The power station was designed
by architects Thorvald Astrup Dinner is served
in the power
and Victor Nordan and they put station
a lot of love and passion into
their designs. They believed that
industrial buildings should be as
aesthetically beautiful as any other
structure of importance. Entering
the plant gives the sensation of
walking into a blue and white
cathedral dedicated to the god
of electricity, with impressive
turbines and high rising columns,
brass fittings and Bakelite levers
and switches. It seems clear that
the architects had found their
inspiration for Tyssedal in Italian
churches and basilicas.

In recent years extensive

renovation work has been done,
revitalising the power plant and
developing the tourist potential of
the whole district. It has brought
new energy to the area, which
again demonstrates the power of
heritage for regional rejuvenation
and development.

Photo’s courtesy of Norsk Vasskraft

og Industristadmuseum. NVIM.no
90 Else Sprossa Rønnevig,
country dreams

a vivacious heritage
expert, is going on a
grand tour of Norway in a
4x4 with matching trailer
to bring her heritage
message to universities,
local communities and
municipalities.

Rønnevig is winner of the prestigious

Olavsrosa

It is a 9 week, 40 lectures trip which

will take her from the far south
to the high north. The energetic
communicator has a reputation of
speaking her mind. Her self-chosen
middle name is testament to that.
She took on the honorary name
of Sprossa (which can be roughly
translated als Mullion) as a result of
her battle against the introduction
of big windowpanes when the
modernization wave hit the

The Sweet traditional rural villages of Norway.

“I started in Brekkestø,” she

Revenge explains. “It is a small village

on the southern coast of Norway,
located on the island of Justøy. I

of Mrs
noticed my neighbours started to
take out their nicely mullioned
windows and replace them with
single, double glazed ones. They
Else Sprossa
Rønnevig Mullion were easier to clean and kept the
drafts out. Fair enough, but it

looked terrible. The traditional
houses in the villages were defaced
by these big windows. I should
accept modernity, they told me,
because who wants to live in
a museum? They gave me the
derogatory nickname Sprossa.
I thought, I’m just going to use
that and took it on as an honorary
name. It has been with me ever
since. It also gave me a clear idea
of what I wanted to do with my
life. I wanted to share my heritage
knowledge, I wanted to help people
understand the true character of
a village. This is essential for the
well-being of a community. It was
hard to make my opinions heard at
first, but I had more success with
the outsiders who owned summer
houses. These people never felt
the need to change their windows,
because they were only there in
summer. So what may be regarded
as bad news in some places, this
‘foreign’ ownership actually helped
to protect the traditional look and
feel of these villages.”
“It is this idyllic character of all the
houses together, especially when
observed from the seaside, that
makes these villages so unique.
The length and quality of the logs,
the maximum width and height of
the logs; it is all the practical result
of the local possibilities. The same
craftsmen who made the sailing
vessels, also built the houses.
They were pretty good at keeping
the roofs free of leaks, as you can
imagine. They used oak, spruce,
pine and birch and tar coaxed from
resin. They painted the fronts of
the houses in white - which was
more expensive - and the rest of
the building in red, which was the
cheapest paint.”
“I also got very interested in
the brick ovens which were
traditionally a part of many of these
farm houses. This was a technique
that was largely forgotten, but I
remembered that my grandmother
had one, and started experimenting.
This was ‘learning by doing’ indeed,
and when the owners decided to
start reusing this ancient technique,
the ovens brought a lot of life back
to the houses. It is the traditional
way of making bread and nowadays
pizza. You can build them in new
homes instead of having a modern
grill or a barbecue. It is a traditional
Norwegian oven, and it can bring so
much joy and togetherness to each
and every home. It smells good,
tastes good, and feels good!”
Else Sprossa Rønnevig is an avid
photographer and prolific writer,
and she has published many books
and practical guides; on baking
bread, on restoring your windows
and your doors, on rebuilding your
brick oven or choosing colours and
materials for your heritage home.
“It is such a joy to work with
Rønnevig on her 91
grand tour of
people, especially young people, Norway
and create something out of
nothing. We are now busy with
a country estate from 1805. You
cannot sell those kinds of houses,
it is too much effort to restore
them into homes. I believe you
can bring them back to life in a
communal effort. We are restoring
and learning new things every day.
We hope to create a centre around
ecological food production. The
property has acres of land, and
we can combine traditional crops
with heritage food production.
Carpenters can come and learn the
traditional building methods. It is
an ideal place to the valuable idea
of ‘learning by doing’.”
Traditional
windows
replaced by
modern ones
Traditional
brick oven
Mrs Mullion may have diversified
her message from mullioned
windowpanes to community
welfare, her enthusiasm and
passion are undiminished. She has
become a national treasure in the
process. That kind of success surely
tastes sweet!
 A Room With a View
92
country dreams

Sigurd Kvikne, the proud owner

of the old, family run hotel on
the Sognefjord, turns the chair
around to show the inscription
on the bottom of the seat. “Kaiser
Wilhelm sat in this chair on 25 July,
1914 in the afternoon from 5 to 5.30
when he and his entourage paid a
visit to Professor Hans Dahl in his
villa at Strandheim, Balestrand,
Sogn, when the war broke out. He
left on the Hohenzollern for Kiel
when Austria and Serbia were on
the brink of war.”
Kviknes Hotel
It looks just like any other traditional chair in one of
Kviknes Hotel in
the tasteful lounges of Kviknes Hotel in the village of “My family bought this set at an
1890
auction. Many people assume
Balestrand in the western part of Norway, but you have that the Kaiser stayed at our
to look a little closer. hotel during his many visits to
Balestrand, but he stayed on board
his ship moored in the bay. Of
course he would visit the hotel

occasionally, but he would usually
spend time with his friend, the
painter Hans Dahl, who lived a
short walk from here,” Sigurd
Kvikne explains.
Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German
Emperor and King of Prussia,
was a great fan of Norway and
especially of the beautiful fjords.
From 1889 to 1914 he visited
Balestrand on an almost yearly
basis, often staying for long
stretches of time. He would arrive
on his beloved, 120 metres long
imperial yacht the Hohenzollern
II usually in July and stay until
August. The first year he was
accompanied by his wife, but
later he went on his so-called
Nordlandfahrt with a group of
carefully selected officers. He
93
The sculpture of the legendary king
Bele, a gift from the Kaiser
Kaiser Wilhelm II felt a personal
connection to Fridtjof the Bold,
a legendary Viking ruler who
perhaps once lived in the area. He
commissioned his friend Max Unger
to create a larger than life statue
in the small village of Vangsnes.
In 1913, the enormous statue was
shipped in pieces and assembled by
his sailors. Another statue of another
legendary king, Bele, was created for
the town of Balestrand. The ancient
king still looks out over the fjord
contemplating the challenges of life.
The Norwegians were not sure how
to respond to these honours, and
over the years there have been calls
to tear them down. So far they are
still there and have become quite the
tourist attraction.
adored being at sea and he spent Sigurd Kvikne
shows the chair
literally years on board the the Kaiser sat on
Hohenzollern. The emperor loved
Kaiser Wilhelm
the romantic setting of Balestrand
(3rd from right)
and he could be seen visiting with Hans
garden parties and taking long Dahl (2nd from
right) and Max
walks. The Kaiser was then the Unger (4th from
most photographed person in the right) in the
Sognefjord.
world, and in a real sense the first
movie star. He even brought his
own team on his trips to the fjords.
Norway, in his opinion, still had
94 Walaker Hotel
country dreams
that original, traditional charm
that Germany had lost. He was
not alone in his admiration of the
Sognefjord. This poetic, natural
masterpiece has inspired artists
and writers since the middle of the
19th century. It is an idyllic place
nestled between placid, mirror-
like fjords and high towering
mountains, often topped with
snow. Balestrand still is one of the
most popular holiday destinations
of Norway.
Kviknes Hotel has a long history
that goes back to 1877, when Ole
Kvikne took over the local inn at
The ‘Dragon
Villa’ of painter
Hans Dahl
Balestrand. The present white
wooden building was built in
1894 and extended in 1913 and
still is a landmark of Norwegian
hospitality. In the 1960s the
wooden building was almost
torn down to be replaced by a
Modernist design, better suited
to the ever increasing number
of tourists that wanted modern
accommodations. Luckily, a
compromise was reached and the
charming structure with its many
historical details and sculptured
woodworks is still with us today
and more popular than ever.
Kviknes Hotel is a member of the
Historic Hotels of Europe, a partner
of Europa Nostra.
Not far from Balestrand, just across
the fjord from the UNESCO World
Heritage stave church of Urnes,
lies the beautifully located village
of Solvorn. There we find another
family run hotel, which is also a
member of the Historic Hotels of
Europe. The Walaker Hotel has been
owned by the Nitter family since
1690, and it is hard to overstate the
charm of the house and the lush
gardens that surround it, a perfect
setting for the lovely, light summer
nights of the Norway .
Huis Doorn
After the war Kaiser Wilhelm II was
exiled to the Netherlands where
he lived until 1941 in Huis Doorn.
His estate is nowadays a museum.
The Friends of Huis Doorn was
formed over 20 years ago to support
this 17th century manor house. The
commitment of some 180 volunteers
who - when threatened with closure
due to the withdrawal of state
support - saved the museum through
their efforts, was in 2015 awarded the
European Union Prize for Cultural
Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards in
the category Dedicated Service.
The Kaiser and his family in Doorn
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96
PARTNER
Unite4Heritage
Interview with At Europa Nostra we believe that
cultural heritage sites never reflect
just one period or one culture, but
UNESCO that they are always the result of
different cultural influences and
Director-General ideas. Would you agree with that?
Irina Bokova No culture stands alone – each
reflects centuries of exchange and
dialogue, between people, across
all borders. Culture is more than
monuments and books – culture is
who we are. It is the wellspring of
collective imagination, meaning
and belonging. No society can
flourish without culture. No
development can be sustainable
without it, and it is the basic
foundation of lasting peace.
Take the UNESCO World Heritage
site of Palmyra, which is now
under severe threat from violent
extremists in Syria. It embodies
the notion of outstanding
universal value, on the crossroads
Unite4Heritage
at the UN
of exchanges and trade between
the Roman empire, and Indian,
Arab and Persian civilizations,
with an extraordinary blend of
culture and art. Palmyra tells us
today that all cultures enrich each
other, and that there is no pure
culture in the world. This is the
message we need today in order to
live together in a globalized world.
This is why we should care about
the cultural heritage of other
societies, even those far away,
different from our own, because
they tell us something about what
it means to be human, in terms
of aspirations, as single human
family. At UNESCO, we always say
that every culture is unique, each
is woven into the wider story of
humanity, each participates in the
narrative of human aspirations,
each blends tradition with
modernity.

Over the centuries cultural heritage
has always been a victim of wars
and conflicts, but this time around
with the war in the Middle-east,
it feels different. What are your
thoughts on that?
As you say, culture has always
been the victim of conflict – but
what we see today is new. We face a
cultural and humanitarian tragedy
that calls on us to propose a new
approach, a new vision for peace.
Think back to 2012, when rebel
groups took control of the fabled
city of Timbuktu in Mali and
started to destroy the city’s
millennial mausoleums and
mosques. The French news agency
AFP then interviewed a man said
to be part of the extremist group.
“There is no world heritage, it
doesn’t exist,” this man declared,
in reply to UNESCO’s call for its
protection.
Since then, in Iraq and Syria, along
with a humanitarian crisis, we see
the orchestration of unprecedented
cultural cleansing. We see the
systematic persecution of people
on cultural and religious ground
– Assyrian, Shaback, Yezidis…
Christians, for instance, have been
forced to flee their homes marked
by the letter “Noun” for Nazrani,
meaning Christians –- reminding
us of the darkest hours of the
20th century. We see efforts to
eliminate the diversity and culture
of coexistence that are the DNA of
this region. We see the intentional
destruction of irreplaceable
landmarks, and the systematic
looting of ancient sites for illicit
trafficking, to finance extremist
groups. We see the destruction of
schools, the abduction of school
girls, and attacks on journalists,
freedom of expression and free
thinking. All of this is part of the
same strategy, which I call “cultural
97
cleansing”, to destroy identities, UNESCO’s
Director-
to tear social fabrics. These are General Irina
attacks against the people of Bokova and
Iraq. They are attacks against all UN Secretary-
General Ban
humanity. Ki-moon
Safeguarding heritage is much more
than just a cultural issue?
The protection of heritage has
become a security imperative – a
peace imperative. Attacks on
heritage and diversity are tied to
a propaganda strategy deployed
on social and other media, to
destabilize populations, to recruit
foreign fighters and disseminate
hatred. Violent extremists do
not destroy heritage as collateral
damage. They target monuments
and sites to strike populations at
their core. This is a tactic of war, in
a global war for hearts and minds.
In Iraq, the museum of Mosul,
Iraq’s second most important
museum, has been assailed with
98 jackhammers. Parts of the city of
PARTNER
Hatra has been bulldozed. Nimrud
has been dynamited. In Syria,
Palmyra is under attack. The great
Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo has
become a battlefield. We must
stand up against forces that seek
to divide Iraq, because they attack
the humanity we all share. This
is why I have been to Iraq twice in
the last 6 months, to stand with
the Government and people of Iraq
and work to protect heritage and
fight against illicit trafficking of
cultural objects.
Some critics say that cultural
heritage is not important, when
people are suffering?
UNESCO
Director- UNESCO faced criticism in
General Irina the past for denouncing the
Bokova’s visit
to Baghdad in
destruction of heritage in
March 2015 situations of conflict. I recall
hearing: UNESCO is out of touch
– people are dying and they only
care about stones and monuments.
I think however that this feeling
has changed. Today, I believe
there is a clear understanding
that violent extremists do not
choose between people and
culture – they attack both. This
means we need also to defend
both. The destruction of cultural
heritage is an integral part of the
humanitarian crisis. The United
Nations Security Council is taking
this issue extremely seriously,
with an important resolution
adopted on 12 February 2015,
Resolution 2199 on the financing
of terrorism, for which UNESCO
strongly advocated, which
recognizes the link between the
illicit trafficking of cultural objects
and the financing of terrorism. I
briefed all Members of the United
Nations Security Council in New
York, to explore the best ways to
respond to this challenge. The
fact that the Security Council is
discussing culture and conflict is
rare enough to be noticed. I believe
this shows a change of mind-set, in
the way we consider and address
this challenge. Violent extremism
cannot be defeated by weapons
alone. We need to mobilize also
the power of education and
culture to strengthen resilience
and build back social fabrics. As
the journalist William Kristol
wrote recently, in the long term,
a girl with a book is sometimes
more powerful than a drone in the
sky in the fight against violent
extremism.
So what is the way forward?
We need to strengthen the Iraqi
education system, train teachers,
teach values, tolerance and
citizenship, knowledge of the
diversity of cultures. This is the
importance of UNESCO’s work
in Afghanistan, for instance, to
train the Afghan police in literacy,
to empower girls and women
through education. This idea is
not new, it was expressed in the
opening lines of the UNESCO
Constitution, penned 70 years ago:
“Since war begins in the minds of
men, it is in the minds of men that
the defences of peace must be built”.
I deeply agree with the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights:
we must respond to weapons
of mass destruction with mass
instruction.
UNESCO is acting across the
board. First, to mitigate risks of
destruction and pillaging, through
monitoring and capacity-building.
Second, to fight illicit trafficking,
working with neighbouring
countries. Third, to document in
detail what has been destroyed
and prepare for reconstruction.
We are working with the
International Criminal Court, to
ensure that those who destroy
heritage are brought to justice,
because the deliberate destruction
of heritage is a war crime. This
calls for intelligence sharing,
satellite imagery, and stronger
cooperation. For Syria and Iraq,
we have launched comprehensive
Emergency Responses Plans –
with the support of Japan, the
European Union, INTERPOL,
the World Customs Organization,
ICOMOS, ICCROM, and many
others. UNESCO is bringing all
partners together, to connect
the dots between the cultural
sector, humanitarian and security
professionals, so that protection of
heritage becomes an integral part
of all emergency responses.
We value our partnership with
Europa Nostra and its many
initiatives to bring people
together through culture. We
need a broad coalition of partners
working in different fields – we
cannot work in silos. We must
all raise our voice for a common
message, on the internet, in the
media, everywhere, to counter
the propaganda of hatred. When
violent extremists say humanity is
not a single community that shares
values – we must respond with a
different narrative. When they say
World Heritage doesn’t exist -- we
must respond by showing that
exchange and dialogue between
cultures are the driving force of all
history. We must explain the value
of this heritage, and why it matters
to us today, especially to people
who are unaware and wonder why
we should protect it.
Tell us about the #Unite4Heritage
campaign?
I launched the #Unite4Heritage
campaign in Iraq, with students
from the University of Bagdad,
to mobilise global support for the
protection of cultural heritage. It
uses the power of social networks
to create a global movement for
protecting and safeguarding
heritage under threat, in Iraq
and elsewhere. We must counter
the propaganda of violent
extremism, and this cannot be
done by political speeches only.
We need the full engagement of
youth, telling their own stories
about the importance of heritage,
to strengthen the narrative of
humanity united around shared
values. Defending the cultural
heritage and diversity of Iraq
starts with each of us – it must
start with the respect we carry for
our own heritage and diversity.
I invite all members of Europa
Nostra to join this campaign.
Europa Nostra of course fully
supports this important campaign.
It may take some time before the
tangible results of the campaign will
be visible, but what do you hope the
creating of this new narrative will
accomplish?
I am convinced that by putting
forward a different narrative, a
narrative of humanity as a single
community, sharing values, a past
and a future, we can succeed in
the long run. Heritage stands on
the frontline of conflict – it must
be at the frontline of any strategy
for peace. The stakes are high, but
we can act, as we have in the past.
UNESCO helped save the temples
of Nubia, in Egypt. UNESCO
rebuilt the old bridge of Mostar,
in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
UNESCO has created a Syrian
Observatory of Cultural Heritage
and I am encouraged by recent
99
developments in Bosra (Syria)
where fighters have agreed to
prevent the destruction of this
World Heritage site – the idea of
‘protected cultural areas’ is close
to my vision, and I believe we
should explore it further.
The protection of culture has also
been integrated in the mandate
of the peacekeeping force – the
MINUSMA. This is a major
step forward, and I believe all
peacekeeping forces should be
sensitized, with the protection
of heritage incorporated in their
mandate. As a consequence, we
are training these soldiers on
The destruction
the role of heritage for resilience of Hatra in Iraq
and recovery – 8,000 heritage
passports have been distributed,
while 700 soldiers from 50
nationalities have already been
trained.
We are also working closely
with the International Criminal
Court, sharing information and
documenting the destruction, so
that perpetrators can be brought to
justice. The deliberate destruction
100 Convention on
the Protection of
PARTNER
the Underwater
Cultural
Heritage in
Paris, April 2015
of Heritage is a war crime under
the Statute of Rome of the
International Criminal Court, and
Mali may be the first time when
this notion is fully examined and
enters into the overall prosecution
of such conflicts. This is a ground-
breaking step.
Most importantly, in Timbuktu,
UNESCO is rebuilding mausoleums
destroyed in 2012 with the local
population, showing how culture
can restore self-esteem and
confidence and mobilize different
communities. Culture gives us the
strength to look into the future,
to resist and to recover, to bind
humanity together. And I pledge
today that, together, we will rebuild
and restore the marvels of Iraq.
Heritage is threatend not only in
times of war, but also in times of
peace due to all sorts of unsuitable
and unsustainable development
projects. Europa Nostra therefore
stongly welcomed the adoption
in May 2013 of the Hangzhou
Declaration which firmly recognizes
the role of culture and cultural
heritage as a pillar for sustainable
development. This Declaration also
formed a conceptual framework
for the project “Cultural Heritage
Counts for Europe,” the results of
which will be presented during the
Europa Nostra Congress in Oslo in
June. What is the key message of
Hangzhou Declaration and how can
we put it into practice?
The Hangzhou Declaration
demonstrates the link between
culture and development and
brings together a decade of
evidence and initiatives to
showcase culture’s indispensable
role for sustainability. Culture is
what enables sustainability – as a
source of strength, of values and
social cohesion, self-esteem and
participation. Culture is our most
powerful force for creativity and
renewal. The Declaration places
culture and cultural heritage at the
heart of public policy and urges
governments, civil society and the
private sector to harness the power
of culture in addressing the world’s
most pressing developmental
challenges. Therefore, I think, that
the “Cultural Heritage Counts for
Europe” project carried forward by
Europa Nostra, together with other
European heritage organisations,
will prove to be very interesting
and helpful.
Europa Nostra will participate
as observer at the forthcoming
39th session of the World Heritage
Committee from 28 June to 8
July 2015 in Bonn, Germany.
How can we effectively and more
systematically work together to
strengthen the voice and the role
of civil society organisation for the
sake of a proper implementation
of the World Heritage Convention
and for a better safeguard of World
Heritage Sites in Europe and in the
rest of the world?
Europa Nostra was admitted as a
UNESCO NGO partner in 1997.
Since then, our partnership has
enabled both our organizations to
benefit from each other’s expertise
-- be it in identifying common
solutions to important heritage
issues, or in sharing networks
for improved dissemination
of information about our
achievements.
Europa Nostra has been
participating as observer at
all World Heritage Committee
sessions since the 31st session held
in Christchurch, New Zealand in
2007, thus gaining most valuable
insight into the challenges and
issues concerning preservation of
World Heritage properties.
Participating at the 39th session of
the World Heritage Committee in

Bonn will offer a great opportunity
to show Europa Nostra’s support
for a stronger and more regular
dialogue between public bodies and
civil society concerned with the
safeguarding of the World Heritage.
The organization will join a wide
range of international civil society
organisations which met for the
first time at the 37th session of
the World Heritage Committee in
2012 in St. Petersburg to discuss
ways in which they can contribute
to improving the safeguarding of
World Heritage.
UNESCO also appreciates
the recognition of exemplary
practices in heritage conservation,
management, research, education
and communication promoted by
Europa Nostra through the annual
EU Prize for Cultural Heritage /
Europa Nostra Awards. This is an
important contribution to stronger
public recognition of cultural
heritage as a strategic resource for
societies and it helps place culture
and heritage onto the agenda of
policy decision makers at all levels.
In conjunction with the 39th Session
of the World Heritage Committee
you also organise the World
Heritage Young Experts Forum?
How can we motivate young people
to play a stronger role in our shared
efforts to safeguard World Heritage?
A Young Experts Forum “Towards
a Sustainable Management of
World Heritage Sites” will take
place from 18 to 29 June in Bonn,
Germany, in conjunction with the
39th session of the World Heritage
Committee. This forum will bring
young heritage experts from all
around the world aged between
20 and 30 to exchange ideas about
sustainably managing World
Heritage sites. Youth forums
such as this one are extremely
important for transmitting
heritage values. Young people are
empowered to make decisions,
pass-on knowledge and act in
culturally appropriate and locally
relevant ways to help redress
the problems that threaten our
common heritage and future.
Youth forums, workshops and
volunteers youth action camps
encourage young people to actively
take part in World Heritage
related activities. Respect for
cultural diversity among young
generations is fostered and
promoted thereby, serving as a
vector for reconciliation in post-
conflict countries and a catalyst of
regional cooperation.
UNESCO celebrates this year its
101
70th anniversary and Europa
Nostra celebrated recently (in 2013)
its 50th anniversary. It is our hope
that our two organisations will
intensify its cooperation to become
true partners for heritage. We hope
you share this vision?
I very much look forward to
intensifying our cooperation,
building on common goals and
achievements. It is essential to
stand together at a time when
heritage is so seriously threatened.
When appointed UNESCO
Goodwill Ambassador, Mr.
Placido Domingo presented an
innovative proposal to strengthen
the cultural education for youth,
and I am certain that we can do
more in this regard, to sensitize
youth to cultural heritage, also in
the framework of the campaign
I mentioned earlier. Europa
Nostra’s support to UNESCO’s
heritage preservation work
through its large network and UNESCO
Goodwill
its campaigns against the many Ambassador
threats to cultural heritage is Plácido
also very important. Cooperation Domingo during
the ceremony in
and solidarity between heritage 2012
organizations, at all levels, is
vital to ensure that our heritage
is preserved as testimony to
our shared past and that it will
continue to be enjoyed by future
generations.
unesco.org
102
feature

In this nationwide action project,

groups of children and young
people up to 18 years of age improve
and rehabilitate a heritage site
or cultural monument, making it
accessible and spreading knowledge
about it to others in the community.
With this successful initiative,
the children and young people
involved, learn about cultural
heritage close to their homes.
They take part in practical work,
such as repairing and cleaning
heritage sites, monuments or
cultural landscapes to prevent their
deterioration.

Since the implementation of the

project, over a 1,000 heritage sites
have been rehabilitated in this way.
Over 20,000 children and young
people have been involved in the

Child’s Play
improvement work, and more
than 150,000 hours have been
spent working at the heritage sites.
They also helped to promote the
The Educational Side of Norwegian Heritage sites to hundreds of thousands of
people. By cleaning and clearing
In 2012 Norwegian Heritage (Norsk Kulturarv) won small-scale landmarks in forests,
the Grand Prix in the category Education, Training fields and other rural areas, the
next generation is actively made
and Awareness-raising of the European Union Prize
aware of these heritage treasures.
for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards for their Otherwise they might have become
innovative programme Improve a Heritage Site. victims of degradation and neglect.
The jury was impressed by the
Improve a quality and the scale of the project.
Heritage Site
“The collaboration of schools with
Project
local authorities is an example of
best practice at low cost that can be
recommended to teaching institutions
all over Europe. The Jury appreciates
the pedagogical approach of engaged
teachers with young schoolchildren
on heritage sites.”

Improve a Heritage Site is just one

of the many initiatives Norwegian
Heritage has started in recent years.
A pilot project started two years ago
called the Norwegian Taste Skule
(School of Taste). Taste Skule is a
campaign aimed at kindergartens
103
and primary schools to help kids
develop a wider sense of taste and
to gain a better understanding
of food production cycles and
nutritional values. Over a hundred
teachers of primary schools and
kindergartens participate yearly
in the culinary courses given by
famous Norwegian chefs. The
teachers then return to their
respective schools to teach the
children what they have been
taught. A resource booklet has
been made available with tips,
experiences and recipes. The
schools are stimulated to start
their own vegetable gardens and
use traditional ways of cooking
food. The teacher’s courses
are free, the participation fees
are waived, but schools, and
kindergartens must cover their Award ceremony
in Lisbon in
travel and accommodation costs.
June 2012,
then director
Norwegian Heritage does more Simen Bjørgen,
flanked by EU
than create new programmes Commissioner
for children and young adults. Androulla
Vassiliou and
Their main goal is to help secure
the President
and protect Norwegian heritage of Europa
for future generations. The civil Nostra, Plácido
Domingo
society organisation was founded
in 1993 and has about 2,000 School of Taste
Project
members. It has its headquarters
in Vågå. Their vision for heritage
is protection through use.
There are many (commercial)
School of Taste
possibilities in developing ‘living
Project
heritage’, tangible as well as
intangible. In that way income
is generated which can help with
the maintenance and upkeep of
cultural heritage. Norwegian
Heritage is particularly concerned
with the interests of the owners
of listed and protected properties.
The organisation provides
financial and academic assistance
and promotes a sustainable
utilization of cultural heritage
sites and monuments.

* kulturarv.no
104
partner

“Heritage helps us to
EU
Commissioner
Tibor Navracsics

shape our vision of the

Europe of the future”
Interview with Tibor Navracsics, European
Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport
Tibor Navracsics, who became catalyst for innovation, economic however that has his particular
European Commissioner for growth and new jobs. He has to interest and the European Heritage
Education, Culture, Youth and find ways to empower young Label is one example of that. Time
Sport in 2014, does not have an people of all social and cultural to sit down with the Commissioner
easy job. The former Hungarian backgrounds to participate in civic and find out more about his ideas
Minister of Foreign Affairs and and democratic life. From the and policies.
Trade has a large portfolio filled world of sports to the world of arts,
to the brim with tough challenges from universities to the media, On 15 April, the EU Institutions
that range from identifying how Commissioner Navracsics has celebrated 16 sites from all over
to modernise Europe’s education many duties and responsibilities. Europe which have received
systems to promoting culture as a Cultural heritage is an area a ‘European Heritage Label’.
What importance do you attach
to Europe’s shared heritage and
history?
I believe heritage is, first of all, a
vital part of our collective identity
as Europeans. It roots us firmly
in our past, but it also helps us
to shape our vision of the Europe
of the future. It is a source of
inspiration for thinkers and artists,
and a driver of our cultural and
creative industries.
It is also a highly valuable resource
for economic growth, employment
and social cohesion. But heritage
is not a passive inheritance. Its
survival depends on the efforts
of every generation to re-discover
and re-interpret it. Heritage needs
to be accessible to all so that it can
enrich the lives of hundreds of
millions of people.
The 16 sites we have just awarded
are concrete and accessible
testimony to Europe’s history,
culture and development. They tell
our story from the cradle of Europe
in the Heart of Ancient Athens
where the most essential aspects
of European identity were formed,
from the development of classical
art and theatre, to democracy,
philosophy, logic, equal rights and
sciences. And they extend to the
Picnic on 19 August 1989 at the
Hungarian-Austrian border that
contributed to the collapse of the
Iron Curtain in Europe.
I think we need to strengthen
European citizens’ sense of
belonging to the Union. And that
is precisely what the European
Heritage Label is all about.
Could you give us an example of a
heritage site that have left a deep
mark on you in your native country
Hungary?
Well, this will have to be Trinity
Square in my hometown of
Veszprém! It is a great example
of how cultural heritage can
remind us of our history and take
a central place in our everyday
lives at the same time. Trinity
Square is surrounded by historic
buildings, among them the Castle,
St. Michael’s Cathedral and Gizella
Chapel, built in the 13th century
and the city’s oldest building.
Walking around here, you can
feel the city’s past. But it also has
a vital role in the life of the city
today: A whole range of events
take place here, from religious
celebrations to festivals such as
VeszprémFest, a music festival.
And even on a normal working day,
sitting there with a coffee, you can
really feel life pulsating in the city.
July 2014, the European
Commission published its
Communication ‘Towards an
integrated approach to cultural
heritage for Europe’ which
recognises cultural heritage as a key
resource for Europe and calls for
‘mainstreaming’ of cultural heritage
across all relevant EU policy
areas. Will the new Commission
give due priority to the adequate
implementation of EU’s strategy
for heritage, also in line with the
vision and ambition which were
unanimously agreed by the EU
Council of Ministers during the
EU 105
Commissioner
Tibor Navracsics
meets Europa
Nostra (from
left to right):
Board member
Piet Jaspaert,
Secretary
General Sneška
Quaedvlieg-
Mihailović,
Commissioner
Navracsics,
Executive
President Denis
de Kergorlay,
Board member
Astrid Weij
Greek and Italian Presidencies of
last year?
The Commission has already
started to develop a more
integrated approach to the
preservation and valorisation
of Europe’s cultural heritage, as
recommended by the Council in
its Conclusions of May 2014 on
Cultural Heritage as a strategic
resource for a sustainable
Europe and of November 2014
on Participatory governance of
cultural heritage.
In addition to the initiatives in
support of Cultural heritage under
the Creative Europe programme,
we are cooperating with other parts
of the Commission, for example,
to support the development of a
dynamic future-oriented cultural
heritage research and innovation
agenda for the EU in Horizon 2020.
We are also working with Member
States, in the framework of the new
Workplan for Culture 2015-2018, in
order to identify innovative models
for participatory governance for
cultural heritage.
But let me also take this
opportunity to thank the European
Parliament for preparing a
Resolution on cultural heritage
that will be discussed in the
second part of this year - and
the Committee of Regions
106 The European
Youth Forum in
partner
Cluj, Romania
that recently welcomed the
Commission Communication
on heritage, acknowledging that
there is an opportunity to meet
the challenges of the cultural
sector with a strategic, global and
integrated approach.
The world has been witnessing
abominable deliberate destructions
of priceless heritage sites in Iraq,
Syria, Yemen….What can the EU
do to join forces with other major
organisations, such as UNESCO
and the Council of Europe, to
counteract such acts of destruction?
And can the EU not do more to
combat illicit trafficking of works of
art ?
The European Commission, the EU
as a whole, strongly condemns this
deliberate destruction of cultural
heritage.
As concerns cooperation with
other major organisations, the
EU is a party to the UNESCO
Convention on the Means of
Prohibiting and Preventing the
Illicit Import, Export and Transfer
of Ownership of Cultural Property
(1970) and the Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions
(2005). Concretely, the EU directly
supports the UNESCO-run Action
Plan for Cultural Heritage in Syria.
Since 2014, the EU has devoted
EUR 2.5 million to this project. In
a first phase, the main activities
have been the provision of training
for technical staff from museums
and cultural heritage structures.
Another main project will be the
development of a police database
of looted artefacts, which will
systematically gather information
on Syrian cultural objects that
have been stolen and or illicitly
exported.
The Council of the EU has
adopted two regulations (in
2003 for Iraq and 2015 for Syria)
banning imports of cultural goods
coming from these two countries.
Moreover, there is a specific
Regulation (1332/2013) providing
that goods removed without the
consent of the legitimate owner
could be returned to Syria, but
only upon two conditions: Their
legitimate owners have to be
identified and there is no risk of
these goods being used as economic
assets in the conflict.
On the wider issue of illicit
trafficking of cultural goods and
import into the EU, the new EU
Work Plan for Culture 2015-2018,
adopted on 25 November by EU
Member States, includes a study
on Illicit trafficking of cultural
objects. This study will focus
on EU import rules for cultural
objects illegally exported from
third countries. As for now, in fact,
there are only rules at EU level
addressing the export of cultural
goods from the EU.
Cultural Heritage comes often
under threat also in times of
peace. Especially, in Central and
Eastern Europe, heritage is often
under threat due to unsuitable
development plans, due to lack
of adequate resources or due to
bad governance. These countries
need stronger support, not just
financially but also in terms of
education and awareness raising.
What role can the European Union
Institutions, and especially the
European Commission and the
European Investment Bank, play
in this respect? And how important
is the impact of the Norway and
European Economic Area Funds?
First of all, I would like to highlight
the range of EU instruments that
are available to support cultural
heritage, including the Creative
Europe programme, Erasmus +,
Horizon 2020 and in particular
the Funds of the Cohesion Policy
– which is the policy with the
greatest capacity. We have detailed
these instruments in the mapping
report* which accompanied the
2014 Commission Communication
on cultural heritage. Between
2007 and 2013, the European
Regional Development Fund
allocated almost EUR 6 billion to
the protection and preservation of
cultural heritage, the development
of cultural infrastructure and
support for cultural services.
This Fund was of great benefit
for Central and Eastern European
countries.
We have already seen that regions
and cities that promote heritage
in the context of a broader
cross-sector approach in their
operational programmes have been
successful. For this reason, the
Structural and Investment Funds -
with a total budget of € 351 billion
- will continue to be available to the
EU Member States, in particular
to those in Central and Eastern
Europe, in the programming period
2014-2020. The main challenge
now is to make heritage part of
cities’ and regions’ long term
integrated development strategy.
In times of budget cuts we are also
trying to strengthen partnership
and cooperation. In particular,
the Creative Europe Programme
includes an entirely new financial
instrument for the cultural
and creative sectors, developed
with the support of European
Investment Bank Group.
Finally, I would like to stress
our important and growing
cooperation with the European
Economic Area (EEA). With a
contribution of almost € 190
million (2009-2014) for the
protection and revitalisation of
cultural heritage in fourteen EU
countries, and especially in Central
and Eastern Europe, the EEA and
Norway funds is an important
support mechanism for heritage.
Since 2002, Europa Nostra
organises, in partnership with the
European Commission, the EU
Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa
Nosta Awards. In June, we shall
have the pleasure of welcoming you
in Oslo for this year’s European
Heritage Awards Ceremony. What
is, in your opinion, the importance
of our Awards?
We are proud to be your partners economic growth, job creation
107
for the EU Prize for Cultural and social cohesion. EU-wide
Heritage/ Europa Nostra Awards. comparable data is lacking.
The Prize is, without any doubt,
the most important recognition In order to remedy this situation,
in the European heritage sector the Commission is currently
- and highly regarded outside of joining forces with Eurostat to
Europe as well. During these last develop reliable, comparable and
thirteen years, we have witnessed up-to-date cultural statistics. New
the strong impact the Prize has on figures will be delivered over this
the winners themselves, on the year and next.
cultural heritage sector as a whole
and on people who are motivated to At the
exhibition Van
get involved in heritage. Gogh in the
Borinage in
Mons, Belgium
We strongly believe that the top-
quality work of the winners in all
the four categories of the Prize
deserves to be widely known -
be it in conservation, research,
dedicated service or education,
training and awareness-raising.
The winners are an important
source of inspiration for us on
how to tackle the main challenges
faced today by cultural heritage.
We intend to better integrate
and share their experience with
Member States when coordinating
policy developments, or when
communicating with other
departments of the Commission, At the European
with the European Parliament as Heritage Label
ceremony
well as with the general public.
The Robert
Schumann
In Oslo, we shall present to the House in
public the results of an EU funded Scy-Chazelles,
project called “Cultural Heritage France, one of
the European
Counts for Europe.”* Can you Heritage Label
please share with us your own award winners
expectations from this project? The results and recommendations
of the project “Heritage counts”
There is growing political interest regarding the impact of heritage
among Member States and the policies on economy and society
European Parliament in the come therefore at the perfect time.
*
ec.europa.eu/
development of an evidence-based We will soon have a much better culture/library/
approach to cultural policy-making picture of the contribution culture reports/2014-
at European and national level. and heritage make, in particular, to heritage-
mapping_en.pdf
Europe’s sustainable development.
Unfortunately there is only partial This contribution is certainly very *
there is an
article on the
evidence of the contribution of important, but has so far been project included
the heritage sector to promoting difficult to quantify. in this magazine
108
Ålesund’s Guardian Angel
country dreams
Fishery Museum
The Holm
family with Kjell
Holm on the
right
In all honesty, his heart
was never really in the
cod-liver oil business. Kjell
Holm (1919-2009) really
wanted to be a farmer,
an art collector or an
adventurer. The Holm
family had first come
to Ålesund in the 19th
century and had worked
their way up
from coopers to
become one of the
most important
herring and cod-
liver oil producers
Cod-liver oil
of Norway.
The Kjell Holm Foundation
The medicinal properties of
the oil for ages had been much
appreciated by parents and reviled
by children across the world. The
Oluf Holm company was famous
for its Gold Medal prime quality.
The company kept an eye on all
aspects of the business and had
its own fleet, laboratories, cold
storage and production facilities.
After the unexpected death of his
father in 1947 and then his brother
in 1950, Kjell Holm took up the
reins and headed the company
for over a decade. He ceased
operations and sold the company
in the 1960s and then travelled the
globe, settling in the USA and in
Switzerland. However, he never
lost touch with Ålesund and his
native Norway. The globetrotter
perhaps felt most at home
on his medieval farm
Sandbu in beautiful Vågå
in the middle of Norway.
The farm was a gift from
his parents for his 21st
birthday. It is one of the
best preserved farms
of its kind, and Holm’s
beloved lifework. Over the years,
he restored the 23 houses of the
farm and even built a chapel on the
same location where there once
had been one in medieval times.
Kjell Skorgevik of the Kjell
Holm Foundation - a foundation
Holm established on his 75-years
anniversary, and to whom he
later bequeathed his fortune and
all his properties in Vågå and
Ålesund - shows me the plaque
commemorating the European
Union Prize for Cultural Heritage
/ Europa Nostra Awards, which
Sandbu won in 2002. “He was
very proud of that award,”
Skorgevik explains. “Kjell Holm
put an enormous amount of work
into making Sandbu what it is
today. Every small house is filled
with historical objects. He was
a great collector of Norwegian
heritage: paintings, furniture,
copper kettles, traditional tools,
ornaments or clothing. Many
items were brought to Sandbu;
they create the charming interiors
of the many houses surrounding
the courtyard. Where better to

show them than here, where they
fit so perfectly? Kjell Holm was
proud of his collection of buildings
and precious heritage pieces, and
at the same time deeply skeptical
to the idea of turning it into a
Museum. The Foundation has
engaged the Lillehammer museum
to record all the objects, more than
6,000 in all. Sandbu is not an easy
place to make into a museum,
because how can you protect all
these small treasures?”
One of the bedsteads we pass
wears a crown. “At the outbreak
of World War II, the King, the
Crown-Prince and the Norwegian
government escaped from Oslo,
and travelled north to avoid the
occupying forces. In Vågå, they
all stayed at Sandbu, hoping this
was far enough away from the
invaders, but to no avail. Their
journey would not stop until they
reached safe haven in London.
The beds are still there, and are
sometimes used when guests are
invited to stay at Sandbu. I sleep
in the bed of the crown-prince,”
Skorgevik explains with a smile.
Holm’s own antique canopy bed
is surrounded by wooden angels
of many shapes and sizes. Kjell
Holm was deeply affected by the
death of his father, who passed
away before he was exonerated
from accusations of collaboration
in World War II, and that of his
beloved brother, who died in a
plane crash. Both died three years
apart, but on the same day, the
22nd of June, and Holm felt he was
protected from a similar fate by
the power of his guardian angels.
Not far from Ålesund, crossing
the idyllic coastal landscape
around town, we discover the
Alnes Lighthouse, built in 1876
and now a café and exhibition
space. The nearby 12th century
small, marble church of Giske
is a beautiful example of robust
and down-to-earth Norman
architecture.
The church of Giske
109
The medieval
farm Sandbu in
Vågå
Kjell Holm had always felt a strong
social responsibility to share his
wealth. He established the Kjell
Holm Foundation to support
cultural and social projects in
Ålesund. One of the many projects
he supported in the 1990s were
the stained glass windows by artist
Frans Widerberg in Volsdalen
Church. Since Holm’s death
in 2009, at the age of 90, the
Foundation has tried to honour
his legacy in the best possible
way, not just by the preservation
110 Kjell Holm’s bed
in Sandbu with
country dreams

guardian angels

Kjell Holm next

to his heritage
award

Interieur Sandbu

The royal bed in of the Sandbu farm, but also by

Sandbu
restoring several historical houses
connected to the Holm family,
especially in the area where a few
wooden buildings escaped the
big fire. The Foundation also has
initiated the building of a replica
of a Sunnmøre bank fishing vessel,
a characteristic Ålesund cutter
(bankskoyta.no). The Foundation
is the main supporter of several
projects in the fields of art,
cultural heritage, music and sports
in Ålesund.

So who knows, guardian angels

may be real after all...

Kjell Holm may have been at his happiest
at Sandbu. Here he also spent some warm
Norwegian summers with Sonja Henie,
the famous Norwegian figure skater and
Hollywood movie star. However, most
of the time they were literally worlds
apart and their relationship was doomed.
They still stayed friends until her death
in 1969.
Sonja Henie (1912-1969) was a three-
time Olympic Champion, a ten-time
World Champion and six-time European
Champion. She acted in over 15 films.
After two failed marriages and a string
of affairs, she married the Norwegian
shipping magnate and art patron Niels
Onstad. Together they accumulated a
Kjell Holm with Sonja Henie
large collection of modern art, which
they donated in 1968 to create the
Henie-Onstad Art Centre (HOK), ten
kilometres south of Oslo. Today HOK
is one of Norway’s leading venues for
contemporary and 20th century art.
It is an active arena for debate and
focusses on the relationship between
art, music, performance and the
historical avant-garde.
The HOK collection consists of more
than 4,000 objects, ranging from its
core collection with works by Pierre
Soulages, Maurice Estève, Hans
Hartung, Picasso, Matisse and Juan
Gris to collections of the Fluxus and
Cobra movements.

Walking through Ålesund, it quickly
becomes clear that this is not an ordinary
Norwegian town. The city harbour is lined
with Art Nouveau warehouses and the
stone buildings of the shopping streets are
decorated with flowers and abstract forms.
Where are the traditional wooden houses
so typical of all old Norwegian towns?
On 23 January 1904, a great fire broke out,
always a hazardous affair in an old city of
wooden buildings. Strong winds caused
the flames to engulf the whole city centre,
destroying almost a 1,000 houses. 10,000
people fled the city and temporarily lived
in smallholdings and farms outside the
city limits. As if by a miracle, only one
person died: an elderly lady who went
back to get her purse and ironically lived
next door to the fire station.
With so much destruction, hope for
a quick recovery seemed small, but
immediately after the disaster the
international community responded.
From all over the world, means of
assistance were sent to the stricken
town. The German emperor Wilhelm II,
who had fallen in love with Norway and
holidayed in the nearby fjords every year,
was shocked by the devastating effects
of the fire and immediately sent ships
with personnel and equipment to help
the desolate population. With all this
help, the city was completely rebuilt in
three years time, and the Emperor even
had a street named in his honour: Keiser
Wilhelmsgate. The fire turned out to be
a blessing in disguise for the cramped,
old city. A few years earlier, the whole
building industry had crashed, and many
of the Norwegian star architects and
builders were therefore available when the
rebuilding started. The shiny new town,
built in the fashionable Art Nouveau
111
style, was a modern city of stone with Ålesund today
finely designed buildings, ready for the
Ålesund shortly
20th century.
after the fire
Ålesund is a member of Réseau Art
Nouveau Network (artnouveau-net.eu).
The Network is also part of the Council
of Europe Cultural Routes. Hotel
Brosundet was recently redesigned by
the famous architects of Snøhetta.
But not all of Ålesund was destroyed.
Small pockets of wooden buildings
survive to this day. Along the street at
the bottom of the hill on which the town
is built, some traditional houses still
remain. Some of these beautifully white
washed wooden buildings are owned Typical Ålesund street
by the Kjell Holm Foundation and have
been carefully restored. Molovegen 10
is now the Fishery Museum and dates
from 1860. It used to be the factory
for the production of cod-liver oil.
Molovegen 12 consists of three small
wooden houses (1862). In one of these
houses Kjell Holm’s great grandfather
started as a cooper. For 110 years the
houses were owned by the family and
the Foundation bought them back in
2011, when the buildings were seriously
dilapidated. Molovegen 16 dates back
to 1890 and was used for storage until
Houses of the Kjell Holm Foundation on Molovegen
1875. The Foundation managed to
buy it in 2012 and the building is now
carefully restored to its former function
as storage for equipment for fisheries.
This will be a valuable building when
the fishery vessel, the Ålesund cutter
is ready. The vessel will be run by
the Sunnmøre Museum and bring to
the school-children of Ålesund both
knowledge and experience about what
it was like to be young fishermen,
fishing for cod and herring in the North-
Sea.
112

Family Treasures
ındustrıal herıtage

Not many people do what Christen Sveaas did. Kistefos Træsliberi, a pulp
mill and hydro-electric power plant that was started by his ancestor Anders
Sveaas in 1889, had been sold to outsiders in the 1980s. Sveaas became a
successful investor and bought back his family’s company in 1993.

The art and culture lover had a

dream: he wanted to solidify his
family’s industrial heritage for
the future while at the same create
a unique setting for a modern
sculpture garden.

The industrial heritage site lies

about 45 minutes north-west of
Oslo on the fast flowing Randselva
river. In the late 19th century
entrepreneur Anders Sveaas saw
the potential and acquired the
rights to the waterfall and the
surrounding area to build a pulp
mill. The electricity generated by
The Arthall
(photo by the waterfall powered the mill.
Mahlum) Some of the waste material was
used to warm the cabins through
a form of early central heating.
In the boiler room, this still can
be seen today. Production started
in the 1890s, survived the 1930s
world crisis and the mill continued
to operate until 1955.

The brick buildings were then left,

with most of the equipment still
Prime Minister
intact; hauntingly beautiful spaces
Erna Solberg with forgotten, rusty machinery,
– with a proud waiting for better times. Those
Christen
Sveaas next times came in 1993 when Christen
to her – starts Sveaas turned his family’s heritage
up machinery
at Kistefos
into a technical and industrial
Museum in monument of national importance.
June 2014 The Kistefos Museum is not only
(photo by Jørn
Haakenstad) an industry museum around the
former pulp mill; it is also an art
gallery and Scandinavia’s largest
park of contemporary sculpture.
The factory buildings at Kistefos
are all listed buildings.*
 113

Pulp Press
The daily life of the workers and (Kistefos) 2013
their supervisors is captured in the is a permanent
artist-architect
‘Foreman’s house’, restored back work by A2
to the style of the1920s when the Architects
(photo by Jiru
paper industry was skyrocketing.
Havran)
The former mess hall, where the
workers used to eat and relax,
has been transformed into Kafé
Konsulen. There is a coal shed
with a carriage and sleigh, a fire
station and a working carpentry
shop. Kistefos is very much a
living heritage site, a working
museum where the old industrial
age can be experienced up close.

Perhaps even more important

than the industrial heritage
is the tranquil and inspiring
environment. The river and the
19th century buildings form a
perfect backdrop for a modern
sculpture park with national
and international creations that
seem to interact perfectly with
their surroundings. Nature is
sometimes reflected on their
*During the
surface or even flows through 2015 Europa
it. Besides Norwegian artists, Nostra Congress
in Oslo the
we meet artists like Fernando Industrial and
Botero, Tony Cragg, Anish Kapoor, Engineering
Shintaro Miyake and Marc Quinn. Heritage
Committee
(IEHC)
Kistefos Museum is a true family organised
a special
treasure that can now be enjoyed excursion to
by all. Kistefos
114

WikiLovesMonuments
PARTNER

While celebrating
its fifth edition,
WikiLovesMonuments,
the world’s largest
photography competition,
welcomed its millionth
image submission. It is
a perfect moment to
evaluate the project
and take a look
where it is heading.
WikiLovesMonuments has
been a partner of Europa
Nostra since 2011.
Did you know? Alnes 115
lighthouse by
• that most of the photo Henny Stokseth,
2013
submissions in the past years
came from Ukraine, Poland and
Germany?

• that even Antarctica

participated in 2013, with 22
submitted photos?

• that in Italy, Greece and

Egypt, publishing photos
of monuments may require
government permission?
116
PARTNER

Wikimedia Netherlands
started the project in 2010 as
a international challenge to
appreciate, photograph, and
share monumental buildings
and their environment through
Wikipedia. Over twelve thousand
photos were submitted in the
first year. This success led to a
dramatic growth. Volunteers
started organising competitions in
Kjeungskjær
More than just a competition
dozens of countries: across Europe being transferred to Wikipedia’s
lighthouse by
Rune Halvorsen,
in 2011, globally in 2012. The Alongside the competition, data sister project: Wikidata, which
2012 Guinness Book of World Records describing the officially recognized will allow the structured lists to be
has recognised the competition cultural heritage monuments further enriched with information
as the largest in the world, with has been collected by Wikipedia and context. All submitted images
over 300,000 submissions each volunteers, resulting in a database are available through Wikimedia
year since 2012. Over the past with more than 1,3 million Commons, Wikipedia’s image
five editions, a total of 1,2 million buildings in 53 countries. 450.000 collection. All images can be used
photos were submitted to the of those now have an image linked freely, as long as the author and
competition from 65 countries. to them. The database is slowly license are credited.
 117

These images are also actively
added to articles on Wikipedia,
one of the world’s most popular
sources of information. As a
contribute articles to Wikipedia
about heritage sites. That way, we
can share the Europe’s beautiful
heritage sites with more and
our standing invitation, and Jøvik and Great
Cormorants near
just start editing Wikipedia, Ullsfjorden, Tromsø,
one article at a time. Norway by Siri
Uldal, 3rd place 2014

heritage ambassador, you can
contribute in many different ways
to this wealth of material: you
can release and upload your own
photographic material (as long as
you use a free license), or you can
more people each year. If you are We sincerely hope to welcome Holy Mountains
interested, please get in touch with you as participant in the 2015 Monastery,
Sviatohirsk, Ukraine
a local chapter of Wikimedians competition! by Konstantin
in your country for more Brizhnichenko, 1st
place 2014
information. Of course, you are
also more than welcome to take up
118
partner

Modernist Memories
Y-building with
Picasso’s art
today

Y-building
sideview today Modernist architecture is going through a tough time.
All over the world the buildings, which once signified
hope and progress, are now being seen as big concrete
obstructions to urban rejuvenation.

In discussions about what
can stay and what must go in
urban development, Modernist
buildings usually lose the popular
vote. At the same time there
is an undercurrent of growing
appreciation for the best examples
of the Modernist Movement. For
instance in Greece and Portugal,
recent initiatives have been
taken to generate a new interest
in preserving and protecting the
architecture.
In Norway, one Modernist
building finds itself at the
centre of this discussion. It is
not just an argument about
architectural styles but it is also
deeply connected to Norway’s
traumatic memories of 2011. In
that year a terrorist attack on the
Government Quarter in the centre
of Oslo and a summer camp of the
Labour party’s youth movement at
Utøya island, resulted in 77 deaths
and 319 wounded.
119
1950’s
During the attack the buildings
of the Government Quarter were
damaged, quickening discussions
about their future.
By creating his designs for the
monumental Government Quarter
in Oslo in the 1950s, Architect
Erling Viksjø was inspired by the
Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer
and the Swiss-French architect Le
Corbusier and their United Nations
headquarters in New York. The
high-rise H-building was finished
in 1958, followed in 1969 by the
sculptural Y-building, with its
three curved wings. At the time
they were sensational buildings,
using a pioneering technique for
the treatment of exposed concrete.
Modernist artists, including Pablo
Picasso, were asked to create
special works. Picasso made five
murals, his first works in concrete,
sandblasted into the inner and
outer walls of the H and
Y-building.
120
partner

The Society for the Preservation

of Norwegian Ancient Monuments
(Fortidsminneforeningen) made
2015 the year of Youth and
Heritage and all departments of
the organisation are encouraged to
create at least one youth centered
activity.
Only a small amount of the
members have as yet active
teaching programmes and site
visit programmes for children and
young adults. As 24% of Norway’s
population is under 19 years old,
it is vital that special activities
are being organised. These kids
are tomorrow’s homeowners and
decision makers. Therefore it is
important to reach children and
young people and let them share in
the importance of cultural heritage
and learn by doing. These actions
do not have to cost a lot of money;
they need creativity, innovation
and participation, also from the
parents.
Several branches already created
Interior with usable and scalable projects,
Picasso’s art which can be copied by others.
All new ideas and projects will
Y-buildig be posted and shared on the
staircase (photo Fortidsminneforeningen website by
by Trond project leader is Ole Petter Lerseth.
Isaksen)
fortidsminneforeningen.no

In June 2011 the Directorate for

Cultural Heritage proposed to
list both of Viksjø’s buildings
as protected monuments, but
the process was halted after the
bomb went off. The Government
Quarter is now perceived as
much more than a just collection
of ministerial offices, they have
become symbols and survivors
of a terrorist attack. As a result,
the government decided to make
a virtue of necessity and initiated
plans to rigorously redesign the
whole quarter. They propose to
keep the H-Building and demolish
the Y-building to create more space
and to better connect different
parts of the city.

Those who dislike the building

because they consider it to be an
Picasso holding
exponent of Soviet-style Brutalism
his design say “good riddance”. But the
proposed demolition also draws
121
strong protests from experts in
the fields of arts and architecture
who see it as an artistic and well-
balanced structure. “The Picasso
murals can be placed somewhere
else,” say the people in favour
of demolition. “The Picasso
murals are an intrinsic part of the
building,” say the people against.

The Society for the Preservation

of Norwegian Ancient Monuments
(Fortidsminneforeningen) states
that the decision to tear down
the nearly intact Y-building is
incomprehensible and that this
important cultural monument
with integrated art by Picasso,
must be preserved. They argue
that the political decision is
contrary to acknowledged (inter)
national values, and alternatives
for preservation have not been
duly considered. The architectural
and artistic merit of the
Y-building, as well as its historical
and symbolic significance, is
uncontested. Preliminary reports
from consultants assert that
both structures can be usefully
integrated in the envisaged new
plans for the Government Quarter.
So what to do? It is clear that the
H and Y-building belong together
and that you cannot have one
without the other. It is also clear
that it must be possible to find
a compromise between renewal
and rejuvenation. The H and
Y-building represent an important
part of Norway’s history, which is
only enhanced by the damage they
suffered in the attacks of 2011.
Preservation therefore has to be
the first and foremost option and
with close cooperation between
parties, this can be done without
hindering plans for Oslo’s urban
development.
The Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments
(Fortidsminneforeningen) protects and celebrates Norwegian heritage; from
medieval stave churches to mountain farms, from boat- and lighthouses to
historical ships, roads and ruins. Many of these important monuments have
been preserved thanks to their actions. The organisation was founded in
1844/45 by Norwegian artists, who had ‘discovered’ Norwegian heritage on
study tours through villages and valleys. It makes Fortidsminneforeningen
the world’s oldest national voluntary organisation which is still in operation.
HM Queen Sonja is the patron. The royal commitment has been passed down -
already King Oscar I (1844-1859) showed the association this honor.
In those early years the organisation was formally entrusted with the
responsibility for cultural heritage and later played an important role in
establishing the government’s Directorate for Cultural Heritage’s Office in 1912
and creating the heritage protection laws of 1920.
Quickly after its foundation in 1844, the association also began to acquire
properties - by purchase or as gifts – to save them from demolition or decay.
In total they manage forty monuments in Norway, among them eight stave
churches, four stone churches and four monastery ruins from the Middle
Ages. Among the first properties were the monastery ruins on Tautra (1846),
the Urnes and Borgund stave churches, Steinvikholm ruined castle in Skatval
and Finnesloftet Voss. Of more recent date are farm buildings in Westport
and Vågå. As a property owner the organisation has gained experience
and expertise with restoration, maintenance and operation and this vital
information is actively shared among the members of the organisation.
Fortidsminneforeningen plays an important role in the public debate on
cultural heritage. They are the government watchdog and take a pro-active
role in heritage preservation. They are a nationwide civil society organisation
with 21 local branches and 7,000 members, which includes not only private
individuals but also municipalities, institutions and associations. They strive
to keep as many properties open to the public as possible, which can be a
challenge in some more remote areas where volunteers are hard to find.
The organisation publishes manuals to help heritage home owners, to help
organise crafts workshops, lectures evenings and many excursions. Their
popular yearbook has been published since 1844.
Fortidsminneforeningen is truly the heart of Norwegian civil society in the field
of heritage.
122
lıvıng herıtage

From Music
Kindergarten to
Concert Podium

Mary Barratt
and Henrik
Adam Due
The founders of the
Barratt Due Institute
of Music, pianist Mary
Barratt and violinist
Henrik Adam Due, wanted
their music school to
be really different. They
embraced the idea that
children, young people
and more adult students
should be taught under
the same roof.
Pupils play together with older
students, students play together
with professional performers - and
so on.
They officially started their
institute in 1927. In 1931 they
moved into the red wooden heritage
house on Lyder Sagens Gate in
Olso, where the school still resides
today. The musical couple believed
that working with talented young
musicians involves much more
than developing their technical
skills. As musical pioneers
they recognised that musical
understanding and sensitivity,
the development of meaningful
attitudes and relationships, and a
well-balanced interaction between
home and school are all essential
in the formation of well-rounded
musicians. Over the years the
institute has developed into a
cultural centre where music is
the natural centre of all activities,
independent of age-barriers.
For generations the institute has
managed not only to attract the
best teachers, but they have also
‘produced’ some of Norway’s best
performers and musicians from
child prodigy Eva Knardahl in the
early days to the performers of
today such as solo trompetist Tine
Thing Helseth, violinists Vilde
Frang and Henning Kraggerud,
jazzmusician Frode Barth and
Eurovision winner Alexander
Rybak, to name but a few of an
almost endless list. For three
generations, the Barratt Due
Institute of Music has been the
leading institution in Norwegian
music life. And it is still a family
business. Stephan Barratt-Due
jr. is the current school’s artistic
123
The Barratt
Due Institute of
Music
director. He also leads the
Institute’s ensemble-in-residence,
Oslo Camerata.
Stephan Barratt-Due Jr. and
his wife, Soon-Mi Chung, were
presented with the Norwegian Arts
Council’s Honorary Award in 2012
for their work to make the institute
into one of the most significant
music conservatories in Europe.
The Barratt Due Institute of
Music organised a series of special
performances in Oslo’s City
Hall during the ceremony of the
European Union Prize for Cultural
Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards
2015.
124
HERITAGE IN DANGER
The 7 Most
The 7 Most
Endangered
poster for 2014
Endangered
Saving endangered monuments, sites
and landscapes lies at the heart of
Europa Nostra’s mission. We campaign
side by side with our partners and
member organisations to rescue
heritage treasures throughout Europe.
On 4 May, during the European
Heritage Congress in Vienna,
Europa Nostra and the European
Investment Bank Institute revealed
The 7 Most Endangered sites for
2014. In August, Europa Nostra,
together with the Google Cultural
Institute, launched an online
exhibition to raise wider awareness
about these selected sites.
From September to December,
heritage and financial experts
– appointed by Europa Nostra,
the European Investment Bank
Institute and the Council of Europe
Development Bank (associate
partner of the programme) – went
on missions to 6 of the 7 sites
and met with local and national
stakeholders to develop feasible
action plans for each of them.
The specialists presented the
results of the visits and made
their recommendations on 20
February 2015, during the meeting
of the Board of Europa Nostra in
Brussels. Michel Magnier, Director
for Culture and Creativity at DG
EAC of the European Commission,
also joined the meeting. In his
address, Magnier congratulated all
partners of The 7 Most Endangered
programme on “this exemplary
initiative and cooperation,”
which is now supported by the
Creative Europe programme of
the European Union through the
networking project Mainstreaming
Heritage. Magnier noted the The
7 Most Endangered programme’s
commitment to integrating
the sites into the life of the
local communities as well as to
involving local stakeholders in
heritage management.
The mission related to the Colour
Row Settlement in Russia is
expected to take place later in
the year. The final technical and
financial reports of all projects
will be made public in the course
of 2015.
The 7 Most Endangered
monuments and sites listed for
2014 are:
Historic Stage Machinery of
the Bourla Theatre, Antwerp,
BELGIUM
The Bourla is the last remaining
municipal theatre in Europe
with original stage machinery,
created in 1834. If the historic
and still workable machinery
is dismantled and replaced by
modern equipment - as proposed
by the resident company - one of
the only theatres in Europe where
19th century operas and dramas
can be staged authentically will
be irreparably lost. Nominated
by PERSPECTIV - Association of
Historic Theatres in Europe.
Neighbourhoods of Dolcho and
Apozari, Kastoria, GREECE
Mission to the Neighbourhoods of
Dolcho and Apozari, Kastoria, Greece
These quarters, with their
medieval churches and 18th-19th
century mansions, make the
lakeside mountain city of Kastoria
one of the most distinguished
in southeast Europe. Local
authorities, NGOs and private
partners have joined efforts to
restore the historic buildings but
increased national and European
support is needed. Nominated by
Elliniki Etairia in cooperation with
the Municipality of Kastoria.
Mission to the Citadel of Alessandria,Italy
Citadel of Alessandria, ITALY
Built between 1732 and 1808, it
was the setting of several key
moments in the history of both
Italy and Europe. The most
imminent threat to the monument
is the proliferation of a very
invasive weed, the roots of which
are seriously undermining the
walls. The local community and
authorities are strongly engaged
in making the Citadel viable but
they need widespread (inter)
national know-how and financial
help. Nominated by FAI - Fondo
Ambiente Italiano.
Carillons of the Mafra National
Palace, PORTUGAL
The two towers of the Mafra
National Palace feature a unique
set of 120 cast bronze bells, divided
into hour, liturgical and carillon
bells. The restoration of the largest
18th century carillons in the world
would allow the fruition of the
most singular expression of the
musical European Baroque and
foster an international cultural
circuit. However, this can only
Mission to the Carillons of the Mafra
National Palace,Portugal
be achieved with transnational
technical and financial help.
Nominated by Centro Nacional de
Cultura.
Mission to the Wooden Churches in
southern Transylvania and northern
Oltenia, Romania
Wooden Churches in southern
Transylvania and northern
Oltenia, ROMANIA
Small communities built these
vernacular structures, using wood
from Romania’s thick forests
and traditional construction
techniques, in the 18th-19th
centuries. Despite their cultural
importance, numerous churches
have been abandoned over the
past few decades. The local
community has made major efforts
to rehabilitate these religious
buildings but they have to be
backed at national and European
levels. Nominated by Pro
Patrimonio Foundation.
Colour Row Settlement in 125
Chernyakhovsk, RUSSIA
Built in 1924, the Colour Row is
the only remaining example of
the early work of the renowned
German architect Hans Scharoun
in former East Prussia. It is an
immediate forerunner of other
pioneering social housing projects
in Germany. Restoring the Colour
Row is a technical and financial
challenge which has to be tackled
with (inter)national cooperation.
Nominated by International
Centre of the Roerichs.
Mission to the Synagogue in Subotica, Serbia
Synagogue in Subotica, SERBIA
Built in 1902, this is one of the
finest examples of Art Nouveau
religious architecture in Central
Europe. Once the spiritual home
of the large Jewish community
in the region, the synagogue
has been neglected since World
War II. Despite the restoration
works undertaken in recent
decades, the building remains
highly endangered. International
expertise and solidarity are
needed to save this architectural
and cultural gem. Nominated by
Europa Nostra Serbia.
Check the latest developments
on europanostra.org/7-most-
endangered
126
Cultural Heritage
partner
Counts for Europe
Over the years heritage organisations have claimed that caring
for Europe’s cultural heritage has many benefits and advantages.
Believing something and proving something however are two
different things. If cultural heritage is to be at the heart of European
and national policies, hard facts are needed to back up the claims.
raises awareness on the multiple
benefits of cultural heritage and
presents policy recommendations
for tapping into heritage’s full
potential.
The project was officially
The project Cultural Heritage launched on 5 December 2013 in
Counts for Europe gathers, Brussels during the European
analyses, consolidates and Policy Conference on Cultural
disseminates existing data on Heritage organised by Europa
the impact of cultural heritage Nostra on the occasion of its 50th
on the economy, society, culture anniversary. Policy makers, civil
and the environment. The project society organisations, academics,
researchers and heritage
professionals, as well as regional
and national authorities and
representatives of European and
international institutions gathered
to advocate for a true EU strategy
for cultural heritage.
Cultural Heritage Counts for
Europe is led by Europa Nostra
in partnership with 5 other
organisations, ENCATC (the
European network on arts and
cultural management and policy
education), Heritage Europe-
EAHTR (European Association of
Historic Towns and Regions, UK),
the International Cultural Centre
(Krakow, Poland), the Raymond
Lemaire International Centre
for Conservation (KU Leuven,
Belgium), and the Heritage
Alliance (as associate partner from
England, UK).
The project is made possible
with the support of the Culture
Programme of the European
Union.
Cultural Heritage Counts for
Europe shows that Cultural
Heritage is a strategic resource for
a sustainable Europe and can play
an important role in helping to
deliver Europe’s social, economic,
cultural and environmental
priorities. –For the first time, this
study provides the evidence base
to clearly demonstrate the wide
ranging benefits of investing in
Cultural Heritage. These are some
of the key findings of the report.
• Cultural Heritage is a key
component and contributor to
the attractiveness of Europe’s
regions, cities and towns in
terms of inward investment,
developing culturally creative
quarters and attracting business
- thereby enhancing regionally
competiveness both within
Europe and globally. The report
highlights examples such as the
Zsolnay Cultural Quarter in Pecs
(Hungary), the Motor Valley
Cluster near Modena (Italy), the
Sheffield’s Creative Industries
Quarter (UK) and Temple Bar in
Dublin (Ireland).
• Cultural heritage provides
European countries with a
unique identity that creates
compelling city narratives
providing the basis for effective
marketing strategies aimed
at both developing cultural
tourism and attracting inward
investment. The report
discusses the socio-economic
impact, tourism and investment
developments of a cross-
section of 878 sites included in
the UNESCO World Heritage
list. It also points out that the
atmosphere of any historic city
or even a single historic building
conveys a strong message of
long-term credibility, reliability
and prestige.
• Cultural heritage is a significant
creator of jobs across Europe
covering a wide range of types
of job and skill levels. The
cultural heritage sector is for
instance estimated to produce
approximately 26.7 indirect jobs
for each direct job. An estimated
306.000 people work directly
in the heritage sector but the
indirectly created jobs amount
to 7.8 million. A World Bank
study shows that for every
million USD invested in building
rehabilitation 31.3 jobs are
created.
• Cultural heritage is an
important source of innovation,
generating new ideas and
solutions to problems and
creating innovative services
ranging from digitisation of
cultural assets to exploiting
cutting edge virtual reality
technologies - interpreting and
making historic environments
and buildings accessible to
citizens and visitors. Cultural
heritage stimulates for instance
ICT innovation related both to
the digitalisation of heritage
resources and the need to
present them to a wider public
127
Heritage
using virtual technology.
Counts, an
Cultural heritage can also be international
source of innovation itself, conference on
the economic,
generating new ideas and social,
solutions, as depicted in an environmental
and cultural
example of an ablative laser
impact of
technological system developed heritage was
in a Florence creative cluster to held in Castle
Arenberg,
clean and protect works of art. Katholieke
Universiteit
Leuven,
• Cultural heritage has a track
Belgium
record on providing a good (photo by
return on investment and is Juhanson)
a significant generator of tax
revenue for public authorities
both from the economic
activities of heritage-related
sectors and indirectly through
‘spill over’ from heritage-
oriented projects leading
to further investment. The
Borgund Stave church in Norway
for instance has maintenance
costs estimated at approximately
2 million NOK (about €
240.000) per year. The income
from tickets is 1.75 million NOK.
The study shows however that
the church is a main attraction
in the region and generates some
11 million NOK of income taxes
per year.
128 • Cultural heritage is part of the neighbourhoods, towns and education and learning, including
partner

solution to Europe’s climate
change challenges both through
the protection and revitalisation
of the huge embedded energy
in the historic building stock
and as a catalyst for sustainable
heritage led regeneration -
prolonging the physical life of
buildings and reducing urban
sprawl respectively. The study
shows for instance that reusing
and repairing existing building
stock has clear environmental
benefits. The level of energy
efficiency of pre-1890 public
buildings at least matches, and
sometimes exceeds, that of the
most sophisticated modern
buildings.
• Cultural heritage contributes
to quality of life providing
character and ambience to
regions across Europe making
them popular places to live,
work in and visit –attractive
to residents, tourists and the
‘creative classes’ alike. The
study for instance shows, as
examples from the Netherlands
and Iceland have demonstrated,
that the ‘creative classes’
choose work places and places
of residence by taking into
consideration aesthetic values,
the presence of historic buildings
and the beauty of the natural
environment.
• Cultural Heritage combines
many of these factors to build
social capital and help deliver
social cohesion across Europe
- providing a framework for
participation and engagement
and an essential stimulus to
a better understanding of history,
feelings of civic pride and belonging,
and fostering cooperation and
personal development. The project
shows for instance with various
examples that participants of
heritage projects improved various
skills, such as ICT, technical and
research skills as well as social and
communication skills.
• The conclusions of the EU-funded
cooperation project Cultural
Heritage Counts for Europe project
will be presented during the Annual
Congress of Europa Nostra in Oslo
on 12 June 2015 in the Aula of the
University of Oslo and be made
widely available thereafter.
encatc.org/
culturalheritagecountsforeurope/

The Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe project will be presented in the
ornamental University Aula in Oslo. In 1914 Edvard Munch (1863-1944)
was commissioned to decorate the hall, and after two years of hard work the
monumental collection of paintings finally arrived. Munch said about his murals
for the aula: “I wanted the decorations to form a complete and independent world
of ideas, and I wanted their visual expression to be both distinctively Norwegian
and universally human.” When entering the University Aula, the paintings make
the large room feel light, bright and full of colour. They capture the excitement of
scientific discovery and the power of nature.
 129

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APPRECIATION
JUDGE MAURICE CARUANA CURRAN

by
Denis de Kergorlay, Executive
President of Europa Nostra

It was with the deepest sadness

that we in Europa Nostra learnt
of the death of Judge Maurice
Caruana Curran.

Maurice, who was greatly loved by

all of us who had had the honour
and privilege of knowing and
working with him on the Council
of Europa Nostra, will always be
remembered as a man of great
Judge Maurice culture, knowledge, intelligence,
Caruana Curran wisdom, integrity and charm.
at his retirement
from the bench
1983 He was one of the Founding
Fathers of Europa Nostra, joining
the Council in 1967 soon after we
were formed, and serving on it
with great distinction for the next
thirty-five years. In 2005, it was a
great pleasure for me to be present
in Stockholm when Maurice was
Europa Nostra
awarded the Europa Nostra Silver
Sılver Medal
Award For Medal for Dedicated Service to
Dedıcated Heritage Conservation by HRH
Servıce 2005
Marcel van Jole
(1916 – 2014)
Prince Henrik, Prince Consort of
Denmark and President of Europa
Nostra.
In the words of the citation, he
was given the Award “for his
unwavering commitment to the
ideals of conservation, for his
ability to speak fearlessly for
heritage and for his unflinching
spirit of volunteership”.
Judge Maurice Caruana Curran
dedicated his life to the cause of
the rich cultural heritage of Malta.
He is considered by all to have
been the pioneer and pillar of the
Maltese conservation movement.
His founding of Din l-Art Helwa
in 1965 was an act of the greatest
importance for it was to this cause
that his outstanding qualities of
judgement, courage and leadership
were directed for fifty years. How
proud he must have felt to see
the association he founded and
nurtured for so long celebrate its
Golden Jubilee this year!
He succeeded in greatly raising
the awareness of the public and
successive Maltese governments
to the importance of Malta’s
extraordinary heritage, lobbying
energetically against its abuse
and the destruction of Malta’s
traditional architecture and
the effects of uncontrolled
development.
Maurice was an outspoken and
fearless defender of Malta’s
natural environment and cultural
heritage. For this, Europa Nostra
salutes him. He will be greatly
missed both by Malta and by
the pan-European federation for
heritage in Europe that is Europa
Nostra, on which he has left an
indelible mark.
IN MEMORIAM
by
Olivier de Trazegnies,
Council Member of Europa
Nostra & Europa Nostra
Belgium
For many years, Europa Nostra,
just like the temples of ancient
Egypt, was guarded by a lion. Far
from being a solemn sphinx, it
was a lovely and lively lion with
a gorgeous mane of snowy hair,
with playful and friendly eyes.
Who would not recognize our late
Marcel van Jole in this description?
Few men have given so much effort
in spreading the “good word” and
have given the organisation such a
recognition. The thirty thousand
copies of his book “The Power
of Example” are a publishing
phenomenon of which many of the
current members of Europa Nostra
are unaware.
Born in Rotterdam of Belgian
parents in 1916, this great art
lover and critic ironically was a
mathematician by training. After
the war - in which he was wounded
and, despite being a teacher,
participated in the resistance - he
held a considerable number of
official positions, both in education
and in politics. For twelve years
(1959-1971), he taught at the State
University of New York; he worked
for the King Baudouin Foundation,
for the Queen Elisabeth Music
Chapel and l’Alliance Française
and he was vice-president of
the International Association
of Art Critics. He published
countless books and curated many
exhibitions, as for instance the
presence of art works in the metro
in Brussels and Brussels Airport.
MARCEL VAN JOLE
Marcel van Jole
in 2006 in Malta
He came to Europa Nostra in Nostra Medal of Honour for his
1985. He was Vice President and outstanding contribution to the
Executive Committee member activities of Europa Nostra.
until 2004, and his personality
and dedication, aided by his wife We will retain this picture of him:
Christiane Taeymans, has left a a man who, in all areas where he
lasting legacy in the organisation. demonstrated his talents, would
He helped to bring about the raise the bar and strive for the
merger of Europa Nostra and the best. He left this world at a very
International Castles Institute advanced age. He had lost none of Marcel van Jole
with Europa
(IBI) and founded Europa his wit nor his capacity for work. Nostra’s
Nostra Belgium. He tirelessly And we know that Europa Nostra Mrs Dineke
de Koster-
advocated for the preservation of had a special place in his heart.
Burgersdijk
monuments such as the Cogels-
Osylei in Antwerp. It is not just
our national, Belgian heritage that
owes much to his perseverance
and passion, but his efforts were
also appreciated internationally.
He was an officer of the Legion of
Honour (1990) and received the
Gold Medal of European Merit
(2005). In 2004, together with Sir
Christopher Audland from UK,
Marcel van Jole received a Europa
 CALL FOR ENTRIES 2016

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT

AND SHARE YOUR
SUCCESS!
DEADLINE:1 OCTOBER
2015

More info:www.europanostra.org

The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / It stimulates creativity and innovation, through the
Europa Nostra Awards is Europe’s most prestigious power of example.
accolade in the heritage field.
Every year, it honours the most outstanding In 2016, the awards will be given to up to 30
heritage achievements from all over Europe. remarkable heritage projects and initiatives. Seven
It recognises the excellence and dedication will be selected as Grand Prix winners, receiving
by architects, craftspeople, heritage experts, €10,000 each, and one will be given the Public
volunteers, schools, local communities Choice Award.
and the media.

Published by EUROPA
NOSTRA
The Voice of Cultural
Heritage in Europe
European Cultural Heritage
Review (May 2015)
ISSN:1871-417X
President
Plácido Domingo
Executive President
Denis de Kergorlay
Secretary-General
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović
Editor in Chief
Wolter Braamhorst
Concept
TV Culture
Articles written by
TV Culture (except where
noted)
Special Thanks
Marianne Roald Ytterdal
Erik Schultz
The Society for the
preservation of Norwegian
Ancient Monuments
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović
Text editing
Marianne Roald Ytterdal
Proofreading
Athina Mitropoulos
Photography
TV Culture
Wiki Commons
(except where noted)
Production Websites EUROPA NOSTRA All rights reserved.
MYRA, Istanbul, Turkiye europanostra.org INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT
myra.com.tr No part of either publication may be reproduced
myra.com.tr Lange Voorhout 35 in any material form, including electronic means,
Design Supervisor tvculture.nl NL - 2514 EC The Hague without the prior written permission of the
Rauf Kösemen norengros.no copyright owners.
T +31 (0) 70 302 40 50
Coordination F +31 (0) 70 361 78 65 The views expressed are those of the authors and
not necessarily those of Europa Nostra.
Damla Özlüer info@europanostra.org
Periodical Design The European Commission support for the
production of this publication does not
Tülay Demircan, Banu Y. Ocak This publication is co-funded by the constitute an endorsement of the contents which
Creative Europe programme of the reflects the views only of the authors, and the
Page Layout
European Union Commission cannot be held responsible for
Gülderen Rençber Erbaş any use which may be made of the information
contained therein.
Technical Controls
Harun Yılmaz Every effort has been made to trace the copyright
holders of old material.
Paper and Printing
Where these efforts have not been successful,
Per Arnesen, NorEngros
AS, Oslo copyright owners are invited to contact the editor.
Building A New Bertelsmann

digital
international
fast-growing

Bertelsmann is an international media, services and education company with

180 years of history. We stand for a combination of creativity and entrepreneurship
that empowers the creation of first-rate media, communications, and service
offerings to inspire people around the world and to provide innovative solutions for
customers. As a media house that promotes the arts and puts creativity at the heart
of its value creation and corporate culture, Bertelsmann is strongly committed to
safeguarding Europe’s cultural heritage.

We are honored to express this commitment in supporting the EU Prize for

Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards.

www.bertelsmann.com
 ISSN: 1871-417X
EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE REVIEW
SUMMER 2015

EUROPA NOSTRA represents a rapidly growing citizens’ movement for the

safeguarding of Europe’s cultural and natural heritage. Our pan-European
network is composed of 240 member organisations (heritage associations
and foundations with a combined membership of more than 5 million people),
140 associated organisations (governmental bodies, local authorities and
corporations) and also 1100 individual members who directly support our
mission.

TOGETHER,
• we form an important lobby for cultural heritage in Europe;
• we celebrate excellence through the European Heritage Awards organised
by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Union; and
• we campaign to save Europe’s endangered historic monuments, sites and
cultural landscapes.

We are the Voice of Cultural Heritage in Europe.

NORWEGIAN WOOD
MUNCH, IBSEN AND GRIEG
PREHISTORIC ART
VIKINGS, TALL SHIPS AND HISTORIC RAILROADS
INTERVIEWS WITH EU COMMISSIONER TIBOR NAVRACSICS
AND UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL IRINA BOKOVA

NORWAY SPECIAL