For Open Monument Day on September 13, 2026, the Bamberg World Heritage Center presented a diverse program centered on the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Old Town of Bamberg.” The focus was on the theme “World Heritage and Sustainability.”

The event drew considerable interest: Numerous visitors took the opportunity to learn about the connection between historic sites and sustainability and to engage in conversation with staff members of the Bamberg World Heritage Center. This led to suggestions and a lively exchange about the significance of World Heritage for the city and its residents.

The exhibition “World Heritage and Sustainability—The Future Is Older Than You Think” used examples from Bamberg and UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world to demonstrate that many principles of sustainable and climate-adapted design are already embedded in historic building methods, urban structures, and land-use patterns. Whether it’s natural cooling through courtyards, green roofs, and wind towers; the use of local materials; traditional water management systems; short distances and diverse urban neighborhoods; or the repair and further development of existing buildings—traditional knowledge offers concrete solutions to today’s challenges.

Historic Mill Districts

In keeping with the nationwide theme “NetzWERKE: Monuments & Infrastructure,” four short guided tours titled “Bamberg in the Network: Mills, Water, and World Heritage” provided insights into the history of Bamberg’s Lower and Upper Mill Districts. The tours explained how the mills along the Regnitz River were interconnected and the significance of water, mills, and their various uses for the city’s development. As part of a larger economic and social network, the individual mills collectively shaped the historic urban structure, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tours also drew parallels to present-day Bamberg and other World Heritage Sites around the world. Here, too, participants took the opportunity to ask questions and share their own perspectives and experiences.

Complementing these events was the exhibition “World Heritage and Sustainability,” on display at the Bamberg World Heritage Center since July, which was created in cooperation with students of European Ethnology at Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg. Four interactive stations demonstrated how World Heritage sites can contribute to sustainable development—for example, through social interaction, regional cycles, and historical and ecological building methods. Hands-on activities and experiments allowed visitors to engage with these topics in an exciting way and experience them firsthand. The exhibition will remain open at the Bamberg World Heritage Center through the end of October.