Description
The main objective of the project is to restore the magnificence of 7 unique old Orthodox churches of European significance, which will become part of joint religious tourism route under a system of routes called “Vestiges of Orthodox Faith” - that is the Orthodox Parish of St. Nicholas in Białowieża, the Orthodox Monastery of St. Marta & Maria on Grabarka Hill, the Orthodox Parish of Mohter of God in Kobylany, the Orthodox Parish of Mohter of God in Sławatycze, the Orthodox Parish of Dormition of the Mohter of God in Hrubieszów, the Orthodox Parish of St. Nicholas in Tomaszów Lubelski, the Orthodox Parish of Transfiguration in Lublin. The project includes complex digitalization of results of works and numerous movable historical objects. The general aim of the project is restoration of buildings related to the Orthodox tradition in Europe with development of cultural and religious tourism. Problems which the beneficiaries have to cope with through the project: bad technical condition of the Orthodox churches, the surrounding areas, movable historical objects and the furnishings of the churches; poor aesthetic reception of the facilities due to their squalid appearance; insufficient use of the cultural properties of the Orthodox churches in tourist services; insufficient tourist information about the facilities; lack of preserved satisfactory data about the appearance of the facilities in the past and a need for digitalisation of the desirable condition of preservation of the facilities.
Summary of project results
The stated objectives of the project have been achieved. The implemented project enabled to bring back the lost Orthodox tradition at the eastern extremities of Poland as well as to support the development of cultural and religious tourism. Revival of the destroyed heritage of the Orthodox culture along with its surroundings and the creation of new cultural tourism products have accelerated the development of the regions in which the particular historic Orthodox churches are located. The renovated Orthodox churches deemed as new tourist products stimulated and increased tourist traffic in the facilities concerned - the Orthodox Parish of St. Nicholas in Białowieża, the Orthodox Monastery of St. Marta & Maria on Grabarka Hill, the Orthodox Parish of Mohter of God in Kobylany, the Orthodox Parish of Mohter of God in Sławatycze, the Orthodox Parish of Dormition of the Mohter of God in Hrubieszów, the Orthodox Parish of St. Nicholas in Tomaszów Lubelski, the Orthodox Parish of Transfiguration in Lublin. The increased tourist traffic triggered indirectly GDP growth in the regions covered by the project, and as a result, the increase in the income level of the local community rendering services to tourists was reported. As a result of the implemented project, seven refurbished cultural facilities of the total volume of 18 100 m3 were secured against deterioration. Owing to the project, the facilities of a total area of 1760 m2 were made accessible for the tourists and one facility will be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. In addition, the project has allowed the maintenance of six mobile monuments. As a result of the project implementation, seven collections of cultural heritage were digitised. The results of the above mentioned are presented on the new website
www.dziedzictwo.cerkiew.pl
Summary of bilateral results