The restoration project of the Convent of the Capuchos distinguished in Prague at the Ceremony of the European Awards for Cultural Heritage

At the European Cultural Heritage Awards Ceremony, which took place this Monday, 26 September at the "State Opera" in Prague, the capital of Czechia, the Convent of the Capuchos restoration project was awarded the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award 2022, in the category of Conservation and Adaptive Reuse. At the award ceremony of the most prestigious European prize in the field of heritage, promoted by the European Commission and Europa Nostra and financed by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, Dorabela Charneca, Administrator of Parques de Sintra, went on stage to receive this important award on behalf of the company. After thanking the organising entities, she commented: "The conservation, restoration and requalification interventions of the Convent of the Capuchos involved solutions that offered the optimal compromise between the stability and safety of the structures and the preservation of the historical and material identity of this valuable site in the Sintra Mountains, the first cultural landscape considered by UNESCO as World Heritage of Humanity. This award recognises the dedication of Parques de Sintra employees, who believe that History and Culture are key elements in the identity that unites us and allows us to look with hope to the future."

When this year's winners were announced last June, the Judging Panel, composed of independent experts, praised the Convent of the Capuchos restoration project in these terms: "Its remote location and poor state of conservation made the restoration of the Convent of the Capuchos especially challenging. Nevertheless, Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua has carried out a high-quality restoration that is a remarkable example of humble and sensitive heritage. The restored convent stimulates an inherently more sustainable form of slow cultural tourism by attracting visitors to monuments located in a wider area of Sintra."

During the ceremony, which marked the 20th anniversary of the European Cultural Heritage Awards, 18 European countries were honoured for 30 outstanding projects in this area. At the event, which was attended by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and by Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger, Executive Chairman of Europa Nostra, the five Grand Prix winners were also announced: Silknow (France/Germany/Italy/Poland/Slovenia/Spain) – Innovation; Symphony (Spain) – Digital Transformation; Rivers of Sofia (Bulgaria) – Social Cohesion and Welfare; Va' Sentiero (Italy) – Sustainability and Climate Action; and Costa Carraras (Greece) – International Relations (posthumously). The Public Choice Award went to the Ukrainian project, "World Vyshyvanka Day."

The European Cultural Heritage Awards Ceremony was one of the highlights of the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2022, held in Prague between 25 and 27 September. Part of the programme of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it was hosted by Europa Nostra with the support of the European Commission.