Our application
Paderborn applies for the European Heritage Label 2025
The city of Paderborn is applying for this award with its unique urban river landscape as part of the important heritage of Europe's water culture. The sustainable use of water is crystallising as a major challenge for the European community. Paderborn's water heritage tells the story of how water has been used in the city over the centuries and what technical innovations this has brought about throughout Europe.
Join in the excitement!
What is the European Cultural Heritage Label (EHL)?
The EHL has been in existence since 2011 and is awarded to places and sites that have a special significance for European values. They are representative of the common European history and culture. Over 60 sites, some of them transnational, in 22 different countries have already been awarded the European Heritage Label.
Paderborn is applying because...
- Charlemagne already recognised the advantages of the favourable location at the springs and founded the city of Paderborn - people from all over Europe have shaped an urban European water culture for more than 1200 years.
- although the Pader is the shortest river in Germany at 4.6 kilometres, the inner-city headwaters are a unique natural phenomenon in Europe.
- the typical medium-sized town was a highly representative site in terms of hydropower utilisation in Europe during the early modern period.
- the protection and conservation of the Pader river landscape contributes to the preservation of Europe's cultural and natural heritage.
- the Pader river landscape and its headwaters illustrate in a special way that water is not only natural, but also historical, political, social and cultural.
- the Pader river landscape has always been closely linked to the life and cultural identity of the local population. In the future, it will be important to strike a balance between the interests of nature and culture in the spirit of European values.
Our goals
European water culture Paderborn - a cultural and natural heritage based on the Pader springs. We want to:
- present a representative, highly developed European water culture.
- create a regional and international awareness of the water landscape.
- provide knowledge for Europe and make it visible.
- promote an intercultural, European dialogue.
- preserve, value and develop the river landscape.
Application and timetable
The path and the goal!
Who we are
You can only move mountains (and rivers!) together
The application for the European Heritage Label was developed in scientific and partnership-based cooperation with the University of Paderborn. In addition to ensuring scientific content, this cooperation offers the opportunity to bring research topics into society. At the same time, the integration of scientists in this application process in the area of university teaching has created a broad and practice-oriented programme for students.
The application process was led by Prof Dr Peter Fäßler (University of Paderborn - Faculty of Cultural Studies, Institute of Contemporary History) and
Claudia Warnecke (Technical Councillor City of Paderborn/ right).
Our partners
We would like to thank all supporters of the application project. The numerous accompanying activities, events and measures make the project "Stadt.Mensch.Fluss. - The Pader for Europe" project a very special one.
The application book "City. People. River."
The official application is based on a strictly structured application form from the European Commission with numerous formal requirements. In addition to the application, the book accompanying the application provides a wide range of background information and includes basic knowledge about the cultural and natural environment of the Pader. In particular, the many events and measures that have already been realised and developed in connection with the application initiative are presented here and reinforce the potential to become a European Heritage Label site.