European Cultural Route of Reformation
The ECRR project is the first regional development initiative in Central Europe that aims to capitalize upon the rich Reformation heritage. Making use of the increasing worldwide demand for touristic offers relating to the Reformation, ECRR will create the first transnational cultural route network, applying for recognition by the Council of Europe, which focuses on the Reformation heritage of Central Europe. It will create a critical mass of Reformation-themed offers to put Central Europe on the map for spiritually focused visitors from all over the world, and thus unlock investments and attract more visitors to Central Europe.
 
The legacy of the Reformation, albeit still widely neglected as a regional resource, is an essential part of the shared history and culture of Central Europe. The managing bodies of existing paths in Germany and Austria will now join forces with regions in Hungary, Poland, Italy, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic to set up the transnational European Cultural Route of Reformation. Within the project, the partners will work together to set up the route network, reflecting the wide array of Reformation heritage in Central Europe – from the legacy of reformators such as Martin Luther, Jan Hus, and Primoz Trubar, to the traces of bible smugglers during the counter-reformation. A common management structure and a joint umbrella label will be developed as tools to promote the route and its regional and transnational chapters to a worldwide audience.

The partners will closely collaborate to support each other in the set-up of routes, and in fostering innovative cooperation structures. A mentoring and review scheme will be introduced to allow for a targeted transfer of knowledge and good practices from experienced to less experienced regions. Furthermore, the project will build stakeholder capacities by means of trainings in order to support the valorisation of the route for regional development and tourism.