Cultural Heritage Days, or Open Doors Days, has been organised by Hungary's Office of Cultural Heritage Protection for the past ten years. It marks Hungary's contribution to European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union. Each year the office picks a special theme, such as museums, schools, parks, cemeteries or Art Nouveau buildings. The theme last year, which was the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, was Socialist Realism. This year the theme will be classicist architecture during the reform period of 1825-1848. However, the office has also acknowledged the 800th anniversary of the birth of Saint Elisabeth of the Árpád Dynasty and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Count Lajos Batthyány.
This year's European Cultural Days will also include a new initiative, called City Mission, which focuses on sacral architecture. Churches and other religious buildings around the city will be open late into the evening, and religious leaders from around the world have been invited to participate in events connected to City Mission in Budapest. Other European cities participating in City Mission include Vienna, Lisbon and Brussels.
More than 80 buildings will be open to the public during European Cultural Days, including ones in a number of villages such as Vál, Szank, Bóly, Drávaiványi and Görcsönydoboka.
European Cultural Days in Hungary will officially open at the Reformed College in Sárospatak.
Source: Múlt-kor
