Stift Zwettl receives European medal: A victory for the culture of Europe!

Stift Zwettl receives European medal: A victory for the culture of Europe!

Zwettl, Österreich - The Zwettl Abbey ensures positive headlines with a great award. On July 16, 2025, it received the European Medal of the EVP parliamentary group in Brussels. This award took place in the Bavarian State Representation and was presented by MEP Monika Hohlmeier and the Bamberg district administrator Johann Kalb. Abbey archivist Andreas Gamerith was on site to accept the coveted award. This clearly shows that the Zwettl Abbey is not only a cultural heritage, it is also a place that is active in international cooperation.

The media -effective award is a highlight of the “Cisterscapes - Connecting Europe” project, which networked the former Cistercian landscapes in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia. The aim of the project is to make the rich cultural -historical legacy of these regions visible and tangible. Since the project launch in 2019, more than 1.2 million euros in funding has been mobilized, and another 1.5 million euros are to be secured by 2028. At the award ceremony, Hohlmeier emphasized the importance of the project for the strengthening of common values and cultural connection at European level culture in focus

The exhibition "Cisterscapes - Zwettl and its monastery landscape", which opened in the old town hall in Zwettl in early May, complements the success story. This exhibition will be shown by October 2025 and presents interesting insights into the Cistercian culture of the region. As part of the project, the Cistercian landscape around the Zwettl Abbey was awarded the European Cultural Heritage Seal, which underlines the importance of this region.

Another important aspect of the “Cisterscapes” project is the close cooperation between the partner cities Vyšší Brod, Zwettl and Žďár Nad Sázavou. On November 30, 2024, these cities submitted an interreg application to obtain financial resources for expansion of visiting centers, cross-border hiking and bike excursions as well as for cultural events such as exhibitions and concerts. These initiatives are intended to promote the cohesion between the regions and bring the beauty and diversity of the Cistercian landscapes closer Stift-zwettl.at .

a strong network

The Cisterscapes network comprises 17 Cistercian monastery landscapes from five European countries and was awarded the European Cultural Heritage Seal on April 17, 2024 in Antwerp. The European Commission thus shows the important role of the Cistercians for European integration. International cooperation goes back to 2019, when the Interreg project "Cistercian landscapes: Vyšší Brod-Zwettl-Žďár Nad Sázavou" was launched to promote European cohesion based on a common history.

The interest in the monastery landscape and the Cistercian traditions are unbroken. For example, on May 9, 2025, celebrations for awarding the Waldviertel carp pond industry were held as a "agricultural World Heritage Site". There are also numerous events, such as workshops and pleasure weeks that are now offered in the partner cities. All of this shows that there is something in the Zwettl Abbey and the region, and people are ready to raise this cultural treasure chest.