Recognition with Medals for Preservation of Landmarks - 7 Recipients Hail from Franconia
In a grand ceremony on July 15, 2025, the Bavarian State Minister for Science and the Arts, Markus Blume (CSU), and Mathias Pfeil, the General Conservator of the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments (BLfD), honoured seventeen individuals and groups for their exceptional commitment to preserving, preparing, and enriching Bavaria's cultural monuments.
These seventeen laureates, referred to as "the true guardians of Bavaria's treasures," were awarded the Bavarian Heritage Protection Medal 2025. Seven of these awards went to recipients from Franconia, with two each in Middle and Lower Franconia, and three in Upper Franconia.
The recipients' projects span a wide range, from the meticulous restoration of a Renaissance castle to the climate-appropriate renovation of a historic harbor. One notable example is the careful preservation of a shoemaker's workshop over 350 years old.
The Heritage Protection Medal winners have demonstrated a significant amount of "power and passion" in the care of Bavaria's cultural monuments. They have saved buildings from decay, researched their region's history, passed on monument preservation knowledge, or highlighted their region's cultural peculiarities.
Mathias Pfeil explained that monument preservation preserves identity, animates places, and shapes the future. This funding is to ensure that "Bavaria's treasures not only endure but can be discovered and appreciated by each generation anew."
In 2024 and 2025, funds for monument preservation have been provided at a record level of around 66 million euros each year. This year, seven Bavarian Heritage Protection Medals were awarded to monument owners, volunteers, municipalities, and communal representatives.
Apart from the Heritage Protection Medal, a café in Franconian Switzerland was also awarded the State Prize "Village Renewal and Building Culture" this year.
While the names of the seventeen laureates and their specific projects for which they were recognized are not publicly available at this time, their actions serve as a testament to the power of preservation and the stories of people who have taken action and had the courage to preserve and shape the future.
The seventeen recipients of the Bavarian Heritage Protection Medal 2025, acknowledged for their significant contributions, have not only preserved but also enriched the home-and-garden landscape of Bavaria with their conservation projects, ranging from the restoration of a Renaissance castle to the preservation of a 350-year-old shoemaker's workshop. Their lifestyle embodies a passion for Bavaria's cultural heritage, ensuring these treasures continue to be a source of identity, renewal, and learning for future generations.
