Centro de estudos sobre a Mudança
Socioeconómica e o Território

The spiritual legacy of St. Francis of Assisi (1181/821226) characterises European culture and survives through his rules, spiritual texts and mendicant orders; despite this, many architectural complexes have lost their original function and values. The importance of mendicant friars in the transformation of urban and rural landscapes has been recognized only recently. The project aims to study the ItalianSpanishPortuguese Franciscan Observance network, in order to define a “Atlas” of documentation and knowledge for conservation, protection and promotion of this scattered Cultural Heritage (CH). The remote location of these buildings and their connection with the surrounding landscape and territory instances the issue of peripheral and abandoned areas and contributes to defining a map of criticalities. The proposal aims at combining traditional and innovative techniques in order to develop risk assessment methodologies, protocols, and tools and to create userfriendly interfaces for the management and the enhancement of CH (T1). The poor conditions of some buildings, due to hydrogeological instability, abandonment or earthquakes, require the definition of strategies for the conservation, protection and management of this vulnerable heritage (T3). Furthermore, the project aims at developing new strategies for layered experiences through ICT (T4) and innovative methods to reuse, through the interaction, the CH, by designing hiking and cycling routes (T2). The expected outcomes will facilitate awareness of European citizenship based on the sharing of common values and achievements and will promote an understanding of Europe's history based on its physical, intangible and natural heritage. Noting that the identification of a common European cultural heritage may be achieved via cultural routes tracing the history of peoples, migrations, and the spread of the major European currents of civilization in the fields of philosophy, religion, culture, arts, science, technology, and trade.