Open Houses is a non-profit network dedicated to the preservation and reactivation of historic buildings and sites as shared cultural spaces. Rather than treating heritage as static or purely commemorative, Open Houses understands historic places as environments shaped through continued use, dialogue, and collective responsibility. The organisation initiates and supports projects that combine hands-on conservation with cultural, educational, and community-oriented activities, enabling sites to remain physically accessible and socially meaningful. The main objective of Open Houses is to reactivate historic sites as living parts of their communities, supported by international volunteers who contribute to their conservation and rehabilitation through practical engagement.
The origins of the organisation date to the mid-1980s, when volunteer groups in East Germany began restoring endangered village churches. These efforts quickly evolved beyond repair work into the reanimation of the buildings as lived spaces for exhibitions, music, discussion, and communal engagement. This approach (linking practical preservation with active participation) remains central to Open Houses today.
European Heritage Volunteers is an international programme network initiated and administered by Open Houses to extend these objectives across Germany and beyond. Conceived as a platform for capacity building in the heritage field, it brings together students, emerging professionals, and skilled craftspeople to participate in hands-on conservation projects, training courses, and educational initiatives at heritage sites. The programme combines practical work, such as traditional building techniques, landscape conservation, documentation, and maintenance, with structured learning components addressing heritage theory, site management, and cultural context. Implemented in cooperation with site owners, conservation authorities, and partner organisations, European Heritage Volunteers functions as a bridge between professional heritage practice and international exchange, fostering the transmission of traditional skills, interdisciplinary learning, and shared responsibility for the safeguarding of cultural heritage.

In 2026, the European Heritage Volunteers Project at Lohra Castle will begin a two-stage conservation cycle within the castle ensemble. This first instalment builds on the interventions carried out in previous years and initiates the 2026 works focusing on historic timber roof structures in the economic and agricultural area of the castle.

Work will concentrate primarily on the former sheep barn, the largest structure within the outer castle zone, while also preparing further interventions on selected roofs of additional historic economic buildings whose origins range from the medieval period to later modifications in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. These buildings represent the productive infrastructure of the castle and form an essential component of the ensemble’s historical development.

Hands-on conservation will be led by a carpenter specialised in traditional timber construction. Participants will begin the repair and reinforcement of roof structures affected by structural weakness and material degradation. Interventions will include stabilisation of timber elements, selective replacement of severely damaged components with handcrafted pieces executed according to historic carpentry techniques, and the retention and reuse of original material wherever possible. All works will follow a repair-oriented approach guided by material compatibility and careful sequencing in preparation for the continuation phase.

This phased and methodical framework ensures that tasks initiated during this first stage can be systematically advanced and completed during the subsequent project period, reinforcing Lohra Castle’s model of sustained, craft-based conservation.

Accommodation:
Participants will be accommodated in a historic buildings within the castle complex. Shared rooms and essential facilities, including sanitary amenities and kitchen access, will be provided to ensure a functional and comfortable stay within the heritage setting.
Food:
The meals will be prepared together as they are part of the community life, what means that every participant will be responsible for the meal at least once during its stay. So, it would be very nice if the participants could bring typical recipes from home in order to introduce each other to the preparation of food from all over the world.
Insurance:
In cases of accident and liability all participants from foreign countries are insured by Open Houses. Nevertheless, individual travel insurance is recommended. Participants from outside European Union are insured in cases of illness, too. Participants from the European Union should bring their European Health Insurance Card.
Finances
All costs linked to the project are covered, including food, accommodation, insurance and transportation during the stay at the project. Travel costs to and from the camp place are not covered. Participants should organise their journey to and from the project place by themselves and on their own expenses. Furthermore, participants should bring their own pocket money.

Lohra Castle, situated in the heart of Germany in Northern Thuringia, graces the scenic hilly landscape on the edge of a natural reserve area. As one of the largest castles in Thuringia, its historical significance dates back to the Middle Ages, boasting a rich heritage that spans over a millennium.
The castle's architecture is a testament to the passing centuries, with traces of each era preserved throughout this ensemble of buildings. From medieval fortifications to remnants of an 11th-century tower, and a Romanesque double-floored chapel from the 12th century to a Renaissance-era manor house, Lohra Castle encapsulates a fascinating historical evolution. Even the stables and other agrarian structures from the 19th and early and mid-20th centuries contribute to the ensemble's captivating charm, offering visitors and heritage enthusiasts a glimpse into the past.
In the 1990s, Open Houses, the parent organisation of European Heritage Volunteers, took up the noble mission of rescuing and revitalising this forgotten monument through cultural activities.

Special requirements are sending a CV, application form, and motivation letter to office@heritagevolunteers.eu prior to selection there will be an interview. Candidates should be interested in the topic of the project / training course and demonstrate it in the motivation letter and interview.

Will be provided in the infosheet.