Between July 28 and August 11, more than 50 Ukrainian and Romanian volunteers joined forces at the Lanckoronski-Rzewuski Palace complex in Rozdil, Lviv region, Ukraine. This initiative, part of the European project “UREHERIT: Architects for Ukrainian Heritage,” included educational workshops and conservation activities led by Ro3kvit: Urban Coalition for Ukraine, the Romanian Order of Architects (ROA), and heritage-focused NGOs such as Building Ukraine Together (BUR), ProPatrimonio, Monumentum/Ambulance for Monuments, and Studio Govora.
Volunteers worked on emergency conservation and cleanup at the former Archives and Stables buildings of the Palace complex, uncovering historical elements and addressing prior unsuitable modifications. They used compatible materials to secure historic structures, preparing them for future use as public exhibition and community spaces. Under Ambulance for Monuments’ guidance, volunteers also restored wooden roofs and terraces, mastering traditional woodcarving techniques.
Educational activities were hosted at Rozdil’s recently restored Old School, where experts from ROA provided training on heritage restoration practices and community-driven planning. Local community members contributed actively, supporting logistics, sharing local recipes, and participating in the restoration efforts. The participants helped resurface and uncover historical elements like historical brick and stones or architectural components from Soviet era or more recent inadequate interventions and secured the historic textures with compatible mortars and materials. Afterwards the volunteers cleaned and prepared the structures for their future function as venues for public exhibitions, cultural or community events and opened it for the first time for the Rozdil Summer School closing event.
Under the guidance of the Ambulance for Monuments, volunteers actively participated in the restoration of roofs, terraces, and other wooden elements of the damaged buildings. During this work, they acquired hands-on experience from the Ambulance restorers, mastering traditional woodcarving techniques, making replacements, and creating rafters into distinctive shapes including horses’ heads ends.
The heritage camp emphasized public involvement, aiming to foster a deeper connection between the Rozdil community and the Palace complex. Surveys, workshops, and mapping activities explored the Palace’s potential as a cultural hub. This approach reflected UREHERIT’s mission to preserve cultural identity and heritage through international collaboration and participatory methods.
The two-week initiative successfully rehabilitated parts of the Palace complex for immediate use, marking the first step in a long-term restoration process. The effort concluded with a closing event for volunteers and residents, followed by a local festival attended by 600 people. The heritage camp initiative attracted a lot of attention from the Ukrainian volunteers, with the number of applications 5 times exceeding the number of available places. This showed a great interest among youth to participate in heritage rebuilding, being the first of this kind for BUR – Build Ukraine Together, an NGO organising volunteer rebuilding camps in Ukraine since 2014, which was administering the camp and coordinating Ukranian volunteers.
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The European cultural project “UREHERIT. Architects for Ukrainian Heritage: recreating identity and memory” started in 2023 and is implemented by a consortium of 11 organizations: Lithuanian Association of Architects (project coordinator), Association of Architects of Sweden, Federal Chamber of Architects and Engineers of Austria (BKZT), Royal Danish Academy, Institute of Technology and Architecture (IBT), Romanian Order of Architects (ROA), National Council of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators of Italy (CNAPPC), Federal Chamber of German Architects (BAK), Association of Estonian Architects, National Union of Architects of Ukraine, Ro3kvit: Urban Coalition for Ukraine, Kharkiv School of Architecture and the Architects Council of Europe (ACE) as associate partner.
Over a period of three years, cultural heritage specialists from several EU countries and Ukraine, architects, urban planners, engineers, other professionals, local government officials and communities from Ukrainian cities will explore – through research, workshops, public discussions, events, continuing professional development and educational programs for architectural schools – issues related to the protection and restoration of Ukrainian cultural heritage. The project is initiated by the Lithuanian Association of Architects and co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author (s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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