THE SITE
The Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region (Ore Mountains) is a UNESCO World Heritage property extending across south-eastern Saxony in Germany and north-western Czechia. The transboundary cultural landscape reflects more than eight centuries of mining activity and documents the development of one of Europe’s most influential mining regions. The extraction of silver, tin, cobalt and other metals shaped settlement patterns, technological innovation, administrative structures and cultural life across the region.
The World Heritage property comprises mines, mining landscapes, water management systems, processing facilities, and a network of mining towns and settlements. These towns developed as administrative, economic, educational and cultural centres and retain characteristic urban layouts and architectural forms closely linked to mining activities. The wealth generated during the peak mining periods of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, particularly through silver extraction, left a lasting imprint on the built environment and contributed to the distinct identities of the settlements within the region.
Lauenstein Castle forms part of this cultural landscape and represents an important component of the Ore Mountains’ mining heritage. Located close to the Czech border and overlooking the Müglitz River, the castle occupies a prominent rocky outcrop and has a documented history spanning more than 700 years. Originally constructed in the late twelfth century, the castle underwent several phases of transformation. From the sixteenth century onwards, it was substantially remodelled into an official administrative residence under Hans Münzer, a mine owner and councillor from Freiberg.
The main building of Lauenstein Castle is an example of Saxon Renaissance architecture. Its interior features include a two-bay, cross-vaulted armorial hall with a stucco ceiling dating to around 1600, as well as 23 carved sandstone console stones depicting human heads. These elements represent notable examples of interior decoration and craftsmanship from the period and contribute to the architectural value of the castle.
Beyond its architectural qualities, Lauenstein Castle served for centuries as an administrative centre and played an important role in the economic and cultural development of the eastern Ore Mountains. Today, the castle is owned by the Municipality of Altenberg and houses the Eastern Ore Mountains Museum, which presents the history and heritage of the region to the public.
In 2019, Lauenstein Castle, together with the nearby Church of St Mary and St Laurentius, was recognised as a component of the UNESCO World Heritage property Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region. This designation acknowledges the castle’s contribution to the outstanding universal value of the mining landscape and its close connection to the historical development of the Ore Mountains.
THE TRAINING COURSE
The European Heritage Training Course at Lauenstein Castle in 2026 will continue the long-term conservation and restoration of historic wall paintings and plastered architectural surfaces within the castle ensemble. The training course builds directly on the interventions carried out during previous editions and follows a phased conservation approach developed in close coordination with the Eastern Ore Mountains Museum Schloss Lauenstein and the Saxon State Office for the Conservation of Monuments.
Practical conservation work will focus on decorated interior surfaces from different historical periods that require continued stabilisation, consolidation, and protection. Participants will work on wall paintings affected by material degradation, surface instability, and earlier interventions before European Heritage Volunteers’ engagement at Lauenstrein Castle. The training activities will include the consolidation of detached areas, filling of cracks, edge stabilisation and surface protection, carried out in accordance with established conservation methodologies and ethical guidelines. Particular attention will be given to areas with stratified decorative layers uncovered during earlier training courses, allowing participants to engage with the complexity of interiors shaped by successive historical phases.
In addition to hands-on conservation work, the training course will place emphasis on the treatment and consolidation of layered decorative schemes. Participants will learn to recognise, document and carefully treat multiple historical plaster and paint layers, combining cleaning, consolidation, and protective measures. Selected areas will be documented before, during and after intervention through photography, sketches and written records, contributing to the museum’s internal conservation documentation and supporting future planning.
The training course will be led by an experienced conservator-restorer with long-standing professional involvement at Lauenstein Castle. Technical guidance will be provided on site throughout the course, ensuring that all interventions meet professional standards and respond to the specific conditions of the historic interiors. Museum staff and conservation professionals will contribute to the coordination of activities and to the definition of priorities within the broader conservation framework of the site.
The educational programme will complement the practical work with structured learning components. Introductory sessions will situate the conservation interventions within the context of the Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region World Heritage property, linking site-specific work to the wider cultural landscape and its outstanding universal value. Guided explanations of wall paintings and interior decoration will be closely integrated with the daily work, enabling participants to connect theoretical principles with direct observation and practice.
Further elements of the programme will include excursions to related heritage sites within the Ore Mountains region, providing comparative perspectives on mining heritage, architectural development and conservation practice. A visit to the restoration atelier of the Saxon State Office for the Conservation of Monuments will offer insight into current conservation projects and professional approaches to the treatment of wall paintings and sculptural surfaces.
An integral element of the educational programme is the participants’ presentations. Each participant is required to prepare and deliver a presentation related to the thematic focus of the activities on site, introducing a case study from their country of origin. This component connects the practical work undertaken during the programme with comparable heritage practices in different cultural and institutional contexts. Through this structured exchange, participants reflect on conservation approaches, management frameworks, and current challenges, contributing to a broader comparative understanding of heritage preservation. The presentations are intended to encourage critical dialogue, intercultural exchange, and the articulation of informed professional perspectives within an international group of emerging heritage practitioners.
The training course will take place from July 19th to August 1st, 2026, and is organised by European Heritage Volunteers in cooperation with the Eastern Ore Mountains Museum Schloss Lauenstein and the Saxon State Office for the Conservation of Monuments.
The course forms part of the World Heritage Volunteers Campaign 2026, implemented within the framework of the World Heritage Education Programme of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
