Pro Monumenta – Preventive Maintenance of Monuments
Pro Monumenta is a national initiative supporting the sustainable upkeep of built heritage. Through inspections, craft training, and public engagement, it demonstrates how early intervention and skilled maintenance can reduce costs and improve conservation results.
Pro Monumenta is a nationwide initiative focusing on the preventive maintenance of immovable cultural heritage. Led by the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic, the comprehensive approach combines regular inspections, traditional skills training and targeted public outreach. It is co-funded by the EEA and Norway Grants and implemented in partnership with the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage (“Riksantikvaren”).
Pro Monumenta has addressed the shortage of traditional craft skills by establishing three regional training centres, each focused on a specific technique: Trnava on lime-based mortars and blacksmithing; Banská Štiavnica on structural carpentry and shingle roofing; and Levoča on historic window restoration and masonry. These fully equipped centres include administrative offices, workspaces, and tool storage. In total, 33 craftspeople, monument owners and administrators participated in nine workshops.
These regional teams were each reinforced with an additional technical specialist, further increasing the programme’s access to expertise and capacity. Teams operate mobile workshops and are trained to intervene quickly to address minor defects during inspections, producing detailed technical reports and tailored maintenance plans. By integrating drone inspections and specialised vehicles, the teams are able to conduct at least 100 on-site visits annually, even in hard-to-access locations.
Public awareness was raised through “Gutter Cleaning Days” held in four historic towns across Slovakia, combining practical demonstration with educational outreach. In addition, a series of instructional videos was developed and shared online, helping monument owners better understand and apply basic maintenance techniques.
The results are tangible: hundreds of technical reports have been produced and many buildings have benefitted from preventive repairs. The project also helped shape national policy – applicants for large-scale state renovation grants are now required to include Pro Monumenta inspection reports as part of their submissions, improving restoration quality and accountability.
The success of the model has attracted international attention. Inspired in part by the Dutch “Monumentenwacht” (winner of a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award in 2003), Pro Monumenta has inspired initiatives such as “Fixus Mobilis” in Lithuania, and contributed to heritage policy developments in both Norway and Romania. By demonstrating the value of early intervention, skilled craftsmanship and regular monitoring, the project offers a practical and transferable model for long-term heritage care that balances cost, authenticity, and preventive action.
The Awards’ Jury highlighted “the project’s environmentally sustainable and cost-effective approach to monument maintenance,” noting “its scalability across diverse heritage contexts and its contribution to making a convincing business case for prioritising maintenance.”
“The transferability of skills and the robust methodology of Pro Monumenta should inspire Europe-wide implementation,” the Jury added.
Contact: Branislav Rezník | The Monuments of Board of the Slovak Republic | branislav.reznik@pamiatky.gov.sk | www.promonumenta.sk