The Transylvania Trust Foundation aims to protect, restore and care for the region’s architectural heritage. For this purpose, the Foundation has been organising Built Heritage Conservation Trainings since 1999, as well as various research and creative workshops, with the aim of contributing to the preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. For its educational activities, in 2008 the Foundation was awarded the Europa Nostra Grand Prix, Europe’s most prestigious heritage conservation prize, and in 2020, the Prize of the National Cultural Fund Administration.

Co-funded by the The Administration of National Cultural Fund in Romania, the project “Valorisation of Traditional Building Crafts through Digital and Practical Training” aims to preserve and valorise intangible cultural heritage through a series of interdisciplinary educational activities, such as the documentation and promotion of traditional craftsmanship techniques in the form of an online course and organising a Traditional Building Crafts and Historic Building Conservation Training programme at Bánffy Castle in Bonțida, where 25 students will receive practical training in the following traditional building crafts: stonemasonry, masonry, vault and arch restoration/reconstruction, mural decorations and specialised techniques, traditional joinery, furniture restoration, carpentry.

During the training, the participants will acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills on the protection of the historical environment, the compatibility of different materials and methods, as well as the restoration of built heritage. The theoretical lectures will be delivered by renowned members and experts of Romanian and foreign universities. During the practical training, the students will be directly involved in the restoration of the castle buildings.

The online course will serve as a resource for those working in traditional building trades, while also informing and engaging young people. The course will be divided into three modules: 1. traditional stone carving/stonemasonry (introduction, work phases, surface treating, case studies of field work, making/forging traditional tools, etc.); 2. Traditional masonry (introduction, use of traditional tools, work stages reagrding vault restoration/reconstruction, materials used, stencils, pigments and colours in mural decorations, etc.); 3. Traditional joinery (introduction, sourcing and handling wood, joints, work stages, painted or polychrome wood, etc.).

In case of both the online and practical trainings we collaborate with professionals with decades of experience.

Sponsor: The Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN)

“The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.”