Heritage grants support more than historic buildings – they support regional development and local communities.
As part of the Eu-Repair project Estonian National Study, several case studies explored how renovation grants are essential for restoring valuable built heritage and strengthening local communities.
Through the “Local Development and Poverty Reduction” Programme, funded by the EEA and Norway Grants, several historic buildings across Estonia have been restored:
–Kesk 19 in Valga, one of the town’s oldest surviving buildings, was carefully restored and now houses a café, bringing new life to the historic town centre.
–The Evald Okas Museum in Haapsalu was renovated with improved structural and technical systems, allowing it to remain open for most of the year and contributing to the vitality of Haapsalu’s historic centre.
These two examples show that well-targeted renovation grants not only preserve cultural heritage but also create vibrant town centres for communities and visitors.
