2023-09-15 17:42:48
European Heritage Days take place this weekend, September 16 and 17. The event opens to the public the doors of European historical sites, both public and private.
First modification: 09/15/2023 – 17:42
2 min
With information from Patricia Moribe
It is an opportunity to see the inside of imposing buildings that are not always open to the public. In Paris this is the case, for example, of the Elysée Palace, seat of the Government, the Senate, the Opera, several ministries and embassies. There are more than 50,000 events across Europe, more than half in France and 17,000 in Paris alone.
Tours are guided and many places require prior reservation. The Elysée Palace, for example, has been part of the event for five years. But to avoid long lines – which lasted up to four hours in previous years – the official residence of the President of the Republic launched an online reservation system. The 7,000 places were soon sold out and additional dates were added for October.
Popular culture
After thematic years on art (2019), education (2020), inclusion (2021) and sustainable heritage (2022), this year they highlight oral traditions, rituals, crafts, festivals and shows that have been passed down from generation to generation .
There are many options for all tastes. Rehearsals of the musical “The Lion King” at the Mogador Theater, the backstage of the mythical and sensual Crazy Horse, the imposing Bastille Opera, or visits to universities such as the Sorbonne, libraries and embassies.
You can also see in situ the extraordinary work of artisans such as the Louvre Museum’s restorers, illuminators, gardeners and bookbinders.
Another program that promises to attract many visitors is learning about the restoration process of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which burned down in 2019. Conferences, debates and workshops with experts are part of the weekend menu.
In anticipation of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, many events are sports-oriented. The Tuileries Garden, for example, will present a route linked to physical culture, from the games of little Louis 13 to the Paris Olympic Games of 1900, from the fencers of yesteryear to the runners of today.
European event
In the north of France, in Roubaix, the highlight is the André-Diligent Museum of Art and Industry, known as La Piscine, precisely because it houses a sumptuous Art Deco swimming pool, built between 1927 and 1932 by the architect Albert Baert.
Created in 1984 by the French Ministry of Culture, initially under the name “Open Day of Historical Monuments”, the event soon achieved great success and was organized over two days. Since 1991 it entered the European calendar and since 1999 it has been organized jointly with the European Commission.
Each country has its own version of the event. In the United Kingdom it is called Heritage Open Days and is held from September 8 to 17. In Germany, it is called Tag des Offenen Denkmals; Kulturminnedagene, in Norway; and Muinsuskaitsepäevade, in Estonia.
#Europe #celebrates #heritage #opening #doors #historic #buildings