Eesti Muinsuskaitse Selts

Välissuhted

AGORA

AGORA – Network sustainable tourism development in the Baltic Sea region is a network of countries around the Baltic Sea aiming at developing sustainable tourism and getting an overview of sustainable tourism projects supported by the EU.

The strategic focus of the activities of the Estonian Heritage Society is on introducing ancient monuments from pre-historic times to modern people, stressing the continuity of culture and development of sustainable life-styles.

The project concentrates mainly on pre-historic and early Middle Ages monuments, which despite the fact that they are rather well protected by law, they are still little known to the younger generation.  Archaeological monuments have played an important part in creating the national identity and interpreting our history, but also in establishing cohesion with our neighbouring countries and the EU.  Good co-operation contacts are illustrated by numerous examples from the Bronze Age to the Hanseatic times.  Information materials to be compiled during the project will introduce the pre-historic lifestyle to the tourists, or at least make them think how it was to live many centuries ago and if there is anything we can learn from our predecessors and their ways of life.

The idea to join this project came from the fact that during the past years research of archaeological sites and medieval buildings and also their conservation has increased considerably.  Archaeologists often attempt to leave open constructions in situ for the public to see.  The periods and types of monuments vary across Estonia and it would be good to collect the information in a simple and easy-to-understand way and make this information available in a modern way, including electronically.

Planned results:

Creation of (8) different routes in all Estonia, introducing the total of 100 cultural heritage objects; publication of information material; inclusion of the routes in the tourism destinations and programmes in Estonia.

The objects on the routes will be selected according to a time period or  topic, e.g.:

1. Cosmic Impact – a tour of meteorite craters, combining natural and cultural sites.
2. Underwater open air museum – historic shipwrecks, underwater cultural heritage.
3. Following the traces of Stone Age people.
4. Historic lighthouses as testimonies of ancient trade routes.
5. Cup-marked cult stones – eastern outpost of the Nordic Bronze Age.
6. Reconstructions of prehistoric burial grounds – in honour od our predescessors.
7. Prehistoric hillforts
8. Places of sacrifice – reappearance of pre-christian religion?

1.
3.5.7.
Results of activities:

Introduction and promotion of early history of Estonia;Protection of cultural landscapes by their better introduction;

Attractive methods for sustainable tourism by the creation of specialized routes;

Easily obtainable information about the history and heritage of Estonia for a large number of people;

Traditional hiking and tourist routes in Estonia will be supplemented by a series of specialized cultural heritage routes that are compiled by heritage specialists and natural scientists;

Exchange of best practices between project partners.

The total of 8 routes are planned to be designed in the project, allowing the chosen objects and sites to be combined among different topics (as mentioned above).

The objects shall be signposted by a common symbol or logo which will be easily recognizable.  Information boards at the objects will give visitors preliminary information about the object.  In addition, brochures or flyers will be produced about the cultural routes, which give information about the sites ad objects and advice on how to visit them.

For people who prefer electronic information systems we intend to work out a digital travel guide, either on the internet or a special CD.  As an innovative approach we shall join the so-called mobile phone assisted travel guides, which already are in operation in Estonia today.  This is a service that enables information about tourist sights to be heard over the telephone.  At present such service is offered by the largest road atlas producer in Estonia “Regio “, and the EMS intends to co-operate with this company by supplementing the atlas with codes that will give information on sight about the project related objects and sights.  In principle, this system is similar to the audio guides used in museums, only that this system operates over the mobile phones.  The project will use the open-access cultural heritage register on the internet and other open data bases.

One of the results that we hope to achieve in the project is to compile a database about the chosen objects and sites, which will be an excellent basis for various publications to be compiles about cultural heritage in Estonia, either in a traditional book format or any other format, like e.g. CD or internet-based information.

The project is an ideal basis for expanding the introduction of Estonia  history to other time periods, different objects or routes to both the Estonians and people from abroad.

 For further information please consult www.agora-tourism.net

    Muinasradade sõnum kaasaja rändurile

Interreg III b programmi Agora neljakümne nelja partneri koostöö ühendavaks teemaks on Lääanemeremaade säästev kultuuriturism. Eesti partneri – Eesti Muinsuskaitse Seltsi – osa selles on tutvustada erinevaid loodus- ja kultuurimälestisi. Ühendava teema „Muinasradade sõnum kaasaja rändurile” alla on koondatud eri ajastute ja eri liiki mälestiste tutvustamine. Need on rühmitatud teemade järgi, kuid esitatav materjal ja tutvustatavad paigad on valitud selliselt, et huviline saaks võimalikult mitmekesist teavet ja elamusi ka üksikobjektide külastamisel või mingis väiksemas piirkonnas rännates. Valik on koostatud selliselt, et üldtuntud ja kuulsad paigad ja objektid vahelduvad vähemtuntud, kuid seejuures mitte vähem väärtuslikega. See printsiip moodustabki ühenduslüli teiste partnerprojektidega, edendades säästvat kultuuriturismi ühelt poolt koormuse hajutamisega ning teiselt poolt huvi äratamisega paikade vastu, mis seda kahtlemata väärivad. Sama kaht poolust on silmas peetud ka rahvusvahelisest aspektist. Läänemere äärse Eesti mälestiste mitmekesisus ja selle tutvustamine ka kaugematele külalistele on valiku tegemisel olulisel kohal.

Sõnum kaasaja rändurile peaks kujukalt näitama sajandite, geoloogiliste objektide puhul isegi aastatuhandete ja –miljonite jooksul tekkinud ja inimese poolt kujundatud maastiku osi. Kohati nagu ime läbi meie päevini säilinud, on nad sõnumitoojaks kaugetest aegadest, millega tutvumine paneks rändaja mõtlema ka kaasajale ja tulevikule, sellele, kuidas säilitada pärandit, aga ka sellele, millised tunnismärgid jäävad maha meie ajastust, milline on meie sõnum tulevastele põlvedele.

Kõik tutvustatavad paigad on ühel või teisel viisil tänapäeval seadusega kaitstud. Nende avastamine ja kaitse peaksid olema algatavaks eeskujuks ka neile paljudele muististele, mida veel pole kas avastatud või siis vääriliselt kaitstud. Loodame, et tehtud valik selleks head ainet pakub.

Muinasradade koostamisel, uurimisel ja tutvustamisel on Eesti Muinsuskaitse Seltsil olnud palju häid koostööpartnereid. Teadlased Tallinna Ülikoolist ja Tallinna Tehnikaülikoolist, muinsuskaitsjad Muinsuskaitseametist ja seltsi arvukatest algüksustest – kõigile neile kuulub Agora projekti osaliste siiras tänu. Agora projekti, Interregi programmi ja Euroopa Liidu toel valminud projekt jätab kindlasti oma jälje ka maastikule. Järgigem siis paigast paika  rännates neid kolme logo kui tunnismärki paigast või rajatisest, mis on kindel osa Läänemere kultuurist ja ajaloost ning teeviit tulevikku!

 Lisateave www.agora-tourism.net

Projekti toetab Euroopa Liidu programmi Interreg IIIb projekt AGORA

This project is supported by EU programme Interreg IIIb AGORA

Lisatud dokumendid:
AGORA 100 sites included in tourist routes
Agora pilot excursion “Field workshop in rural landscapes”
Invitation to Agora meeting in Tallinn, 2007
Lighthouses as testimonies of ancient trade routes
Agora Newsletter – Tallinn goes to Darss!
Agora information booklet