World Heritage Day 2025: Discover historical treasures in RLP and Saarland

World Heritage Day 2025: Discover historical treasures in RLP and Saarland

On Sunday, June 1st, the 20th UNESCO World Heritage Day will be celebrated in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. Under the motto “Educate, connect, inspire”, numerous events are offered that invite both locals and tourists into the fascinating world of world heritage. The Völklinger Hütte in Saarland opens its doors on this day with a varied program that includes guided tours for children, exciting time travel and a sound walk. Admission for the tours is five euros, while reduced entry to the current exhibition “The True Size of Africa” in the Gebläsehalle costs nine euros.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Schum sites in Speyer, Worms and Mainz offer free guided tours. In Worms, visitors can visit the Rashi House Jewish Museum and hear stories about the important Shum community, based on original sources from the 14th century. Speyer, known for its two world heritage sites, the Judenhof and the Kaiserdom, attracts visitors with musical performances in the Judenhof and a short concert in the cathedral. The tours of the “Beith Shalom” synagogue, the cathedral and the Shum community center cost between zero and 15 euros. A special highlight for families is the family rally, where children receive lanyards as a reward.

Diversity and history of the Shum sites

The Shum sites are named after the Hebrew initials of the historic cities of Speyer, Worms and Mainz, which were centers of Jewish learning in the Middle Ages. In Mainz, free guided tours of the old Jewish cemetery “Judensand”, one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe, are also offered. Here participants learn more about prominent personalities, gravestone symbols and funeral rituals. Male visitors are required to wear headgear.

The program is supplemented by a variety of events. In Bingen, visitors can take part in discovery tours, a historical crane demonstration and a history walk in the park at the Mouse Tower - admission is free. Significant history is also conveyed in Trier, Germany's oldest city, with an audio walk and a Porta Nigra rally for families.

Nationwide day of action and outlook

UNESCO World Heritage Day, which is opening this year for the first time in Saarland at the Völklinger Hütte, will also celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024. The event aims to showcase the World Heritage Sites as significant extracurricular learning spaces that highlight themes such as sustainability, peace and cosmopolitanism. In addition to the celebration of world heritage, the focus is on the opening of the “MAN & MINING” exhibition, which deals with global raw material mining and its consequences for people and nature. These events highlight the unique value of World Heritage sites and their fragile condition worldwide.

In summary, visitors can expect a rich program that allows them to experience both the cultural diversity and the historical depth of the World Heritage sites in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. n-tv reports on these special events, while the Völklinger Hütte presents itself as a central player in preserving and communicating humanity's heritage. Völklinger Hut highlights the importance of World Heritage sites, which play an important role in society as ambassadors of the past.