A Network with Impact: MEP Monika Hohlmeier Honours Cisterscapes Project for European Cultural Work
In a ceremonial event held at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU in Brussels, Member of the European Parliament Monika Hohlmeier, together with District Administrator Johann Kalb of Bamberg, honoured the 17 partner locations of the Cistercian network Cisterscapes – Connecting Europe with the European Medal of the EPP Group. This award had previously been presented to Kalb on 23 November 2024 in Hirschaid to mark the project’s recognition with the European Heritage Label, a symbol of lived European cooperation. “I am pleased that Monika Hohlmeier accepted my request to honour all participating Cistercian landscapes,” Kalb stated.
“Cisterscapes embodies the core of Europe: shared values, cultural depth, and cross-border connection,” said Monika Hohlmeier. “This project links people, regions, and histories — from Upper Franconia to Slovenia.”
State Minister Blume added: “The EPP European Medal is the cherry on top of our efforts to care for cultural landscapes here and across Europe.”
More than a cultural project, Cisterscapes is a European success story.
The network brings together former Cistercian landscapes in Germany, Poland, Czechia, Austria, and Slovenia, united by the spirit of the Cistercian Order, which, as early as the Middle Ages, spread knowledge, craftsmanship, and culture across borders.
Today, Cisterscapes focuses on education, regional development, sustainable tourism, and a shared cultural narrative that makes Europe feel alive and connected. It is also a practical example of how European priorities like sustainability and cross-border cooperation can be translated into local, tangible projects.
Since its launch in 2019, the project has received more than €1.2 million in funding, mainly through the EU LEADER programme, with an additional €1.5 million secured through 2028. Other key funders include the Upper Franconia Foundation, the Bavarian State Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism, the District of Bamberg, the Dioceses of Bamberg and Würzburg, and various local partners and counties such as Sparkasse Bamberg.
For the region of Upper Franconia, Cisterscapes has become a European flagship — bringing financial benefits, cultural enrichment, and new international visibility.
“I have strongly advocated in Brussels for the recognition and support of Cisterscapes,” Hohlmeier emphasised. “The project’s pan-European reach is a powerful signal for cultural work in rural areas.”
Cisterscapes is the first and only project in Bavaria to be awarded the European Heritage Label, one of the EU’s most significant cultural policy instruments. It honours places that shape Europe’s history and identity. Cisterscapes is unique in that it connects multiple countries and shows how deeply Bavaria is culturally rooted in Europe.
The Brussels ceremony brought together representatives from the European Commission, MEPs, district administrators, mayors, and other regional stakeholders.
