New life of the old city: revitalization of monuments of historical and cultural heritage of Lutsk and Lublin
Project goal: To increase tourism attractiveness of Lutsk and Lublin by creating joint international tourist destinations on the basis of the common historical and cultural heritage.
Donor: Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020 of the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument
Lead Beneficiary: Executive Committee of Lutsk City Council
Beneficiary: The Gmina of Lublin
Implementation period: 01.08.2018–31.07.2022
Budget for Lutsk: 1,149,209 EUR
Grant for Lutsk: 1,034,282.93 EUR
Co-financing from the local budget: 114,926.07 EUR
Main activities in Lutsk:
1. The completion of restoration and renovation works in the Chortoryisky Tower with a defensive wall and the Jesuit Monastery with a total value of over UAH 30 million. The works were completed on July 30, 2021.
The main restoration activities carried out at the architectural monuments of national importance were as follows:
- Chortoryisky Tower: restoration of facades; waterproofing of foundations and walls; replacement of the tower's roof and shingles; repair of basements; replacement of floors, windows, doors, heating and lighting systems;
- The defensive wall: the preservation and enhancement of the defensive wall involved strengthening the foundations of the preserved part; implementing conservation measures; restoring the traces of the lost fragments; reconstructing the gates within the defensive wall.
- Jesuit Monastery: restoration of the southwestern part of the building; waterproofing of the foundations; arrangement of the basement, repair and roofing of the risalits; restoration of the Jesuit Monastery underground cells (arrangement, clearance of walls and archways, flooring, replacement of utilities, repair and replacement of lighting and ventilation).
- Improvement of the territory: clearing, landscaping; replacement of fences and gates; organization of space including the arrangement of sightseeing alleys and viewing areas, sites for the historical artifacts display, lighting of the territory.
2. On May 19, 2020, while implementing restoration work beneath the Chortoryisky Tower and the southwestern part of the Jesuit Monastery, previously unknown underground cells dating back to various periods between the 15th and 18th centuries were discovered. As an integral part of the project, these basements underwent a thorough archaeological investigation and clearance. An 18-meter corridor connecting the known and newly discovered cells was found and restored. Previously, the corridor was blocked by soil and construction debris.
3. Arrangement of a museum-workshop of chivalry and medieval times now operates in restored historic buildings. The process of arranging the museum started in early 2021. It contains a number of thematic exhibitions and modern multimedia installations:
- a specially adapted venue for scientific, educational, cultural, entertainment and other events, where visitors can see an exhibition of knightly armor, learn about the peculiarities of the educational process in the collegium, visit medieval Lutsk using virtual reality, meet holographic ghosts, and a robotic Jesuit monk.
- an interactive smart board that serves as an electronic 3D encyclopedia. Every underground cells visitor of the Jesuit Monastery can use the gadget.
- an audio tour with a QR code that allows visitors to listen to audio recordings about the most prominent tourist sites in Lutsk and to plan the best routes to the selected locations. The presentation of the five-language web service took place after testing and installation of QR codes.
Main activities in Lublin:
1. Revitalization of the Gothic Tower in Lublin.
2. Holding two Polish-Ukrainian open-air festivals "Festival of Legends" in Lublin to promote the history and obscure historical monuments of Lutsk and Lublin.
3. Information campaign.
4. Organization of training seminars in Lublin.
