European Heritage Days

Heritage Open Days was established by The Civic Trust in 1994 as England's contribution to European Heritage Days (EHD).

The aim of the European Heritage Days programme is to increase public awareness of the importance of heritage, and to awaken the interest of young Europeans in their common history.

The Council of Europe created the event to bring people closer to their cultural heritage by throwing open the doors to historic monuments and buildings – preferably those which are usually either closed or are only partly accessible to the general public (Guido Knops, Director, King Baudouin Foundation, European Co-ordination Office, 1993). To ensure that no-one was excluded from enjoying the benefits of the event, the Council of Europe made it a key requirement that access to all properties taking part in European Heritage Days should be offered free of charge.

European Heritage Days are held annually in September in 49 countries from the Baltic to the Balkans, from Iceland to the Iberian Peninsular, highlighting not only the dazzling diversity of Europe's heritage, but also its intercultural links. As varied as the cultural landscapes are the approaches in putting the idea into practice.

In addition, Heritage Open Days opens a window to Europe by giving a full list of the participating countries, including dates and contact details for the respective heritage days. If you want to know when Malta will open its historic gems to the public or what theme Estonia has chosen, please click on Europe Out & About section on the top menu bar.

For more information on European Heritage Days, please visit the European Heritage Days Liaison Office website or the Council of Europe website.

To find out more about London Open House, European Heritage Days in Wales, European Heritage Days in Northern Ireland and Scotland's Doors Open Days, visit our gateway website.