Alsfeld selected!European model town for monument protection

To counter the wave of demolitions of historical buildings that was rampant after the war, a movement emerged in the 1970s that championed monument preservation and promoted it through various initiatives. This movement culminated in 1975 with the Council of Europe’s proclamation of the European Architectural Heritage Year under the motto “A Future for Our Past.”

In Alsfeld, the first measures had already been taken in 1962, leading to what was then an exemplary restoration. In 1973, these efforts resulted in Alsfeld’s inclusion in a pilot program for the preservation of protected monuments, becoming a model for the renovation of small towns with medieval town centers. The renovation of the Old Town was finally officially recognized with the title “European Model Town for Monument Preservation.” Alsfeld finds itself in illustrious company: the other German model towns are Trier, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Xanten, and Berlin.

The establishment of the Regional Museum (today the City Museum) in the Minnigerode and Neurath houses was one of the City of Alsfeld’s contributions to the European Architectural Heritage Year. The buildings honored at the time received this commemorative plaque. Even today, attentive visitors can still discover them on various buildings throughout the Old Town. (MJ)