Heritage and History Project (2002-2004)
Between 2002 and 2004, the Heritage and History has been funded with support from European Commission. This project had the objective of promoting the pooling, transmission and distribution of knowledge about the heritage and history of the European royal residences. This enabled members of the ARRE to meet one another and address their experiences in numerous areas. This project was aimed at professionals in the fields of culture, tourism and heritage (architects, conservators, lecturers, landscapers, managers, security agents, marketing agents, etc.), as well as to the general public, particularly to children between 8 and 12 years old.
Wishing to develop a concrete, playful and innovative approach to European heritage, notably via a comparison of the 15 royal residences in Europe, the project made it possible to carry out several activities.
The international conference Couleurs de l’architecture was the first occasion to take an account of the knowledge and methods of analysis and intervention in regards to the materials and colors of roofs and façades of the palaces of Europe, thanks to the participation of architects, conservators, historians, art historians, and restorers.
http://crcv.revues.org/sommaire58.html
The staff of the residences were also able to exchange their know-how and methods through international, touring, and technical trainings. The themes addressed were:
protection of art works and the security of visitors and works;protection, maintenance, administration and promotion of gardens and parks; museum reserve collections; reception and services proposed to foreign visitors; multimedia tools.
Addressed to the general European public, the website Days of Royalty offers visitors the ability to compare the diverse ways of life of the different sovereigns through the centuries, European artistic currents, and the architectural differences between residences. www.daysofroyalty.com
Aimed at children between the ages of 8 an 12 and thought of as compliment to scholastic programming, the educational website www.royaldidax.org teaches about the key figures, palaces and exchanges between the royal residences via educational worksheets in English, French and Italian.
The Charter of the Network of European Royal Residences, the conclusive step of the Heritage and History project, has identified the unifying points that enable the members of the ARRE to collaborate on common projects.
Lastly, plenary meetings have made it possible for the heads of each residence to follow and orient the advancement of the project.