The EHD are the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events in Europe
The European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission since 1999, are the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events shared by the inhabitants and visitors of Europe. The pan-European nature of this project contributes to bringing citizens together and highlighting the European dimension of cultural heritage in the signatory States of the European Cultural Convention. Over 70 000 events are organised every year in order to help raise awareness of the value of this common heritage and the need for its conservation for present and future generations.
2025 Shared annual theme - "Heritage and Architecture: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future"
In 2025, #EuropeanHeritageDays will be dedicated to Heritage and Architecture under the shared theme: "Heritage and Architecture: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future".
Event organisers are welcome to adapt this theme in ways that would best suit their language and culture. The 2025 theme “Architectural Heritage” emphasizes the artistic and technical achievements of architecture, showcasing everything from grand monuments in bustling cities to vernacular buildings in rural areas. It highlights how architecture goes beyond mere functionality, serving as a powerful symbol of local and national histories, cultural identity, and collective memory.
European Heritage Days are being celebrated in 48 European countries, and can sometimes bear a different name. In different countries we are also recognised as: “Tag des Denkmals” (Austria), “Journées du Patrimoine”, “Open Monumententdag” (Belgium and Netherlands), “Muinsuskaitsepäevade” (Estonia), “Tag des offenen Denkmals” (Germany), “Kulturális Örökség Napjai” (Hungary), “National Heritage Week” (Ireland), “Kulturminnedagene” (Norway), “Kulturarvsdagen” (Sweden), “Heritage Open Days”, “Open House London”, “Doors Open Days” and “Drysau Agored” (United Kingdom).
