UNESCO declares religious settlement in Saxony as World Heritage

UNESCO declares religious settlement in Saxony as World Heritage

The President of the German UNESCO Commission, Maria Böhmer, expressed her joy over the decision of the World Heritage Committee regarding the Herrnhut Settlements. "The Herrnhut Settlements stand for cultural and spiritual exchange across borders and continents - they are diverse and thus a symbol for the World Heritage idea."

These settlements were planned according to the same principles but contained regional distinctiveness. The simple architecture reflected the ideals of the religious community. Many houses of worship of the community were modeled after the church in Herrnhut.

Herrnhut, a city in Saxony, is the founding place of the community, an old term for a commune. A precursor existed as early as the 15th century, and the framework conditions of the settlement were established in the 18th century. The evangelical community has approximately one million members worldwide, with a significant portion in the eastern African country of Tanzania.

There are now numerous settlements worldwide. The one in Herrnhut in Oberlausitz is considered the prototype. In 2015, a settlement of the Reformation movement in Denmark was added to the World Heritage List. Now, the World Heritage was expanded to include transnational World Heritage Sites.

"We now have three World Heritage Sites in Saxony - and all three are transnational," declared Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU). The feeling of being part of the cultural heritage of humanity is indescribable. "I am proud that Herrnhut has obtained the World Heritage title and wholeheartedly congratulate them," he added.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is still in session until Wednesday. A decision on another possible World Heritage Site in Germany is expected on Saturday. This concerns the Residence Ensemble in Schwerin, consisting of approximately 40 different buildings. The Schwerin Castle serves as the center, where the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern currently has its seat.

1. Maria Bohmer, the President of the German UNESCO Commission, expressed her joy over the inclusion of the Herrnhut Settlements in the World Heritage List, as they symbolize cultural and spiritual exchange across borders.
2. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, currently in session in Bonn, is also considering adding the Residence Ensemble in Schwerin to the World Heritage List, consisting of about 40 different buildings with Schwerin Castle as the center.
3. The simple architecture of the Herrnhut Settlements, including numerous houses of worship, reflects the ideals of the Brethren Community, with many structures modeled after the church in Herrnhut, a city in Saxony.
4. In addition to the Herrnhut Settlement in Saxony, there are numerous settlements worldwide, with the one in Denmark also being recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2015, expanding the list to include transnational World Heritage Sites.
5. The news of the Herrnhut Settlements being granted World Heritage status was met with enthusiasm by Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer, who declared that his state now has three transnational World Heritage Sites and expressed pride in Herrnhut's achievement.
6. The Brethren Community, with approximately one million members worldwide, has a significant presence in the eastern African country of Tanzania, demonstrating the global reach and influence of this spiritual movement founded over five centuries ago in Germany.

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