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Rural Heritage
The village is the heart, not the periphery of the world
Romania stands as the longest-lasting rural and agrarian society in the European Union, preserving an array of legacies from an ancient world. Here, the village still looks like a village, sometimes complete with traditional elements and, most importantly, with a traditional way of life. This, in turn, becomes a competitive advantage in a world that has lost treasures which here still endure.
Romania is home to Europe’s only landscape that includes mountains, hills, plains, floodplains, and the Danube Delta, as well as the Black Sea coast—a natural richness that has shaped equally diverse ways of building homes and villages, each with unique architectural and cultural characteristics. Additionally, Romania holds the largest number of protected areas in Europe, some bordering long-established villages and enhancing their scenic charm.
Currently, for both Romanians and foreigners, the Romanian village, especially in Transylvania, has become a hot topic and one of the main reasons to visit the country.
King Charles III of Great Britain speaks about Transylvania:
"This combination of natural ecosystems, (...), agriculture, and human cultural system. It is a unique relationship of perfect integration and of immense importance. This is the last corner of Europe where you can see true sustainability and the resilience of an ecosystem for the benefit of people and nature."
It’s worth mentioning that both specialists and the public show increasing interest in rural life, not only because they recognize the essential benefits it brings to daily life but also because, as our knowledge, resources, and comforts grow, people continually return to their roots and nature to rediscover themselves. Thus, we can all help preserve an area that is crucial not only to our history but, most importantly, to our present and future.
Let us make the most of this rural space.
Text by Andrei Tache and Alexandra Mihailciuc, documented and written as part of the 2024 Heritage Lab workshop. The audio guide is a project by the Designers, Thinkers, Makers Association and the Biertan Town Hall in the Culture & Cultures: Connecting the dots project, co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration.
Audio guide produced in 2024 via the Culture&Cultures. Connecting the dots project.
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