Фото © Danube Ruralscapes
Danube Ruralscapes Project: Report from the Second Study Tour and Project Partnership Meeting in Austria and the Czech Republic, October 15-18, 2025
From October 15 to 18, 2025, the project partnership meeting and second study tour of the international research project INTERREG Danube Ruralscapes took place across Austria and the Czech Republic. The multi-day event, centered around the theme “On the Trail of Living Heritage”, focused on collaborative planning models, rural innovation, and the integration of cultural heritage into community-led development.
The event was attended by the team from the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Architecture: Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Djukić (Project Manager), Nikola Mitrović, Research Assistant (Communication Manager), Emilija Jović, Junior Research Assistant (Researcher), and Jovana Stefanović, Junior Research Assistant (Researcher). The team actively participated in all program segments alongside international project partners and local stakeholders.
Project Parnership Meeting at the University of Krems (October 15)
The gathering commenced with a Project Parnership Meeting hosted at the University for Continuing Education Krems (Campus Ost). The day was structured around a series of highly collaborative professional workshops, such as Preparation of Professional Work in order to lay the groundwork for upcoming project phases between Project Partners (PPs) and Associated Strategic Partners (ASPs), develop Ruralscapes Planning Model, the methodology for Danube Ruralscapes Action Plans and communication activites focused on organizing microregional networks and local project promotion.
Фото © Danube Ruralscapes
Фото © UBGD-FA
Фото © Danube Ruralscapes
Exploring Good Practices: Study Tour in Austria and the Czech Republic (October 16–18)
Following the Project Parnership Meeting, the team embarked on a study tour to observe living heritage and adaptive reuse in practice. In Krems, partners visited the former Stein Tobacco Factory, an early ferro-concrete industrial building now thriving as an educational and cultural hub. The path continued through the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape, where the team explored the medieval Spitz Castle and its Red Gate.
Фото © UBGD-FA
Фото © UBGD-FA
A notable highlight in Austria was a trip on the Wackelstein Express, a narrow-gauge railway maintained by the Waldviertel Railway Association. Traveling aboard a train pulled by a restored 1930s diesel locomotive, participants experienced firsthand how preserved heritage infrastructure connects people and landscapes across generations.
Фото © Danube Ruralscapes
Crossing into the Czech Republic, the team explored Slavonice, one of Central Europe’s best-preserved Renaissance towns. A key highlight was the visit to the Spolkový dům (Community House), which beautifully exemplifies how historical spaces can be revitalized to serve contemporary community needs. Here, tradition serves as a tangible tool for innovation and identity-building through a through community engagement and a living network of local artists and artisans. The study tour concluded with a visit to the quiet mountain village of Hojná Voda, offering profound insights into rural resilience and deep connections to the natural landscape.
Фото © Danube Ruralscapes
Фото © UBGD-FA
Through the combination of the Krems parnership meetings and the cross-border study tour, the Faculty of Architecture team and their international partners have successfully defined key methodologies and themes, setting a strong foundation for the project’s upcoming strategic and pilot actions in Serbia and other targeted microregions.
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Copyright: National Tourism Cluster “Bulgarian Guide” (NTC-BG), Sofia, Bulgaria and University of Belgrade – Faculty of Architecture (UBGD-FA)
Translated and edited by: University of Belgrade – Faculty of Architecture (UBGD-FA)
Danube Ruralscapes is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
MORE INFORMATION:
https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/danube-ruralscapes
https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/danube-ruralscapes/news/on-the-trail-of-living-heritage
https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/danube-ruralscapes/news/on-the-trail-of-living-heritage-part-2
