THE SITE
Mühlhausen, located in Thuringia in central Germany, is a historic town characterised by a largely preserved medieval urban structure and its association with major historical developments of the late Middle Ages and Reformation period. As one of the most influential Free Imperial Cities of the Holy Roman Empire, Mühlhausen developed as a regional centre of trade, craftsmanship, and ecclesiastical life. Its extensive system of fortifications and dense historic fabric reflect this former political and economic autonomy.
Beyond its medieval prosperity, the town is historically linked to the events of the German Peasants’ War (1524–1525) and to the reformer Thomas Müntzer, whose activities in Mühlhausen shaped its historical memory. The town is also connected to the early career of Johann Sebastian Bach. Today, Mühlhausen presents a coherent ensemble of ecclesiastical buildings, civic architecture, and vernacular structures that illustrate successive phases of urban development.
The project site is situated in the suburb of St. Petri, historically located outside the medieval walls. This quarter accommodated craftsmen and labourers associated with construction trades, including lime burners, stonemasons, and tile makers, whose activities supported the town’s building economy. A group of four modest half-timbered houses survives here on three adjoining plots, forming a small historic courtyard of high documentary value.
Constructed in different phases, the buildings represent vernacular urban housing across several centuries. The oldest structure, dated through dendrochronology to the 1350s, preserves early carpentry methods such as sword tenon joints and continuous rail beams. These features provide rare evidence of medieval timber construction techniques that were later replaced by more standardised forms.
The ensemble is currently under gradual conservation and is being prepared for use as a small museum complex dedicated to everyday urban life between the late medieval and early modern periods. The conservation approach aims to retain the original spatial organisation and material character of the buildings, deliberately avoiding intrusive modern installations in order to communicate pre-industrial living conditions. Future management of the site will be ensured by the “Zurück in die Mitte” (Back to the City Centre) Association, which is committed to strengthening the historic centre of Mühlhausen through preservation, interpretation, and public access to lesser-known urban heritage.
THE TRAINING COURSE
The 2026 European Heritage Training Course continues the engagement of European Heritage Volunteers with the ongoing conservation programme of the half-timbered ensemble. Conservation works at the site began around 2023, while the involvement of European Heritage Volunteers through a training course started in 2025 in support of these efforts. Building on the progress achieved during the previous year, the 2026 edition will focus on the further stabilisation and repair of the half-timbered structures and the gradual preparation of the buildings for their future interpretative use.
A principal focus of this year’s activities will be the application of traditional clay construction techniques. Participants will prepare and use clay mortars for masonry and surface treatments, including the application of a coarse base layer containing straw as reinforcement, followed by a finer finishing layer. Through this process, participants will gain practical understanding of the structural and climatic behaviour of clay as a historic building material and its role within vernacular construction.
This work is closely connected with a second focus on traditional masonry techniques, involving the construction and repair of wall sections using natural stones set in clay mortar. These interventions combine earthen building methods with historic stone construction practices typical of modest urban architecture, requiring careful selection, placement, and bedding of stones in order to achieve both structural stability and material compatibility. Additional activities will include minor carpentry works necessary to prepare surfaces for plaster application, as well as the repair of paved areas within the courtyard using natural stone.
Across all areas of work, particular emphasis will be placed on the recycling and reuse of existing materials, including clay, masonry stone, and paving elements, reflecting historic practices of resource efficiency while supporting sustainable conservation approaches.
The conservation tasks will be led and supervised by an experienced master stonemason specialising in traditional masonry techniques, who will provide technical instruction and theoretical insights into the historical significance of the materials, their application, and related conservation challenges.
Introductory inputs, on-site explanations, and guided visits will provide participants with an understanding of regional vernacular construction traditions, the material properties of earth-based building, and the methodological considerations involved in conserving modest urban housing as heritage. These activities will relate the practical work to broader questions of material authenticity, repair compatibility, and the continued relevance of traditional craftsmanship.
As part of this educational framework, participants will spend one weekend at Lohra Castle, a medieval complex with more than a thousand years of documented history that today serves as the operational base of the European Heritage Volunteers Programme and is administered by its parent organisation, Open Houses. Situated within a rural landscape historically shaped by agrarian use and small-scale settlement structures, the site provides a complementary perspective to the urban context of Mühlhausen. The visit will introduce participants to the history of the castle, its rescue from progressive decay through volunteer-based conservation efforts since the late twentieth century, and its present function as a centre for international heritage training and volunteering exchange. Attention will also be given to the wider historical landscape, including its connections to the German Peasants’ War, thereby linking the excursion thematically to Mühlhausen’s own historical significance. The stay will include guided exploration of the site and its surroundings, alongside time to experience the landscape context, before returning to Mühlhausen to continue the training activities.
An integral element of the educational programme will be 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 2nd August to 16th August, 2026, and is organised by European Heritage Volunteers.
