Project: European Waterways Heritage : Re-evaluating European Minor Rivers and canals as Cultural Landscapes
| Acronym | EuWather |
| Duration | 01/09/2015 - 30/08/2017 |
| Project Topic | The presence in many European countries of artificial waterways connected to natural hydrography can be considered as a relevant cultural heritage. Characterized by an intrinsic hydraulic complexity, this heritage goes back at least to the Middle Age, develops further during the Renaissance and reaches its maturity during the industrial era. The connection between natural and artificial waterways favoured the expansion of urban centres and the development of European trade, thus interacting with flood control strategies and the “construction” of rural landscapes. It is indeed a multi-functional heritage that deserves today a renewed, coordinated commitment to its re-valuation, by considering both its structural hydraulic artefacts (canals, bridges, locks, shipyards, mills…) and their related waterscapes. As European major hydrography, such a hydraulic network is often a tourist resort. However, as minor hydrography, it’s still a hidden potential for sustainable development. EUWATHER aims to promote the knowledge and rehabilitation of the unique cultural heritage of minor waterways and historic canals in 4 European pilot regions. |
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Project Results (after finalisation) |
A project database publicly available through an open-source platform linked to the project website, allowing access to all data collected during the project and reversed in the SDI (Spatial Data Information). • 11 new digital itineraries for Italy, Spain, UK and the Netherlands, downloadable for free from the project website as well as from the platform, co-designed with local communities and stakeholders through various workshops and meetings. • A methodology and a reference model to start digitising the European minor waterways’ heritage, promoting innovative ways of valorising it through IT tools. • A “manual for practitioners” aiming at stimulating the production of similar trails in Europe, freely downloadable from the website, explaining how to build a new digital route for tourist purposes along minor waterways and valorise its tangible and intangible assets. |
| Website | visit project website |
| Network | HERITAGE PLUS |
| Call | JPI Cultural Heritage and Global Change |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universita Ca’ Foscari Venezia | Coordinator | Italy |
| 2 | University of Brighton | Partner | United Kingdom |
| 3 | Universiteit Leiden | Partner | Netherlands |
| 4 | Universitat de Girona | Partner | Spain |