On the Trail of Living Heritage. Part 2

Crossing into the Czech Republic, the next morning (October 18, 2025) continued in Slavonice - a Renaissance town glowing in pastel hues, where heritage and creativity meet.

Famed for its diamond vaults - masterpieces of late-Gothic craftsmanship from the 15th and 16th centuries - and it’s preserved facades, Slavonice feels like a painting comes to life. Once a prosperous merchant town along medieval trade routes between Bohemia and Austria, it now stands as one of the best-preserved examples of Renaissance urban planning in Central Europe. Yet behind its beauty lies a living network of artisans, planners, and visionaries who are redefining what rural creativity can mean in the 21st century.

Just beyond the town square, the Slavonice Builders’ Lodge, founded in 1992, continues the region’s legacy of craftsmanship - blending traditional techniques with modern restoration methods. Their work on historic monuments embodies the very essence of Slavonice: where old skills meet new ideas, and heritage is built to last.

Walking through the cobbled streets of the town, every facade told us a story - merchants’ houses bearing geometric stucco patterns, courtyards echoing with craft, and vaulted ceilings revealing the artistry of local masons. Yet behind this historic beauty lies a living network of artisans, planners, and visionaries redefining what rural creativity can mean in the 21st century.

At the Spolkový dům (Community House), we were welcomed by local cultural leaders who shared how art, restoration, and community engagement breathe new energy into heritage spaces. Once a historic residence, the building now serves as a cultural and creative hub, hosting ceramics and design workshops, art residencies, and exhibitions that reconnect people with place. Here, tradition becomes a tool for innovation and identity-building - a tangible expression of what the Danube Ruralscapes project aims to foster across the region.

“Heritage is not a museum piece", said Dr. Balint Kadar, Budapest University of Technology and Economics - Lead Partner of Danube Ruralscapes. “It’s a material we build with.”

In the afternoon, we boarded the Wackelstein Express, a heritage train maintained by the Waldviertel Railway Association, Austria. Running between Heidenreichstein and Alt-Nagelberg, the train carries passengers not just across landscapes, but across time.

Pulled by a restored Diesel locomotive of the 2091 series from the 1930s, the train preserves the engineering spirit of an era when rail connected even the most remote corners of rural Austria. Inside, the atmosphere is pure nostalgia: wooden benches polished by decades of travel, the open-air Cabrio coach letting in pine-scented air, the cozy “Jausenwagen” serving local snacks and laughter, and a special bike wagon ready for modern-day explorers of the countryside.

As the train rattled through the forests and landscapes, its rhythm felt like the heartbeat of the Waldviertel - a reminder that even in motion, landscapes carry memory, and journeys through them connect more than just places. Once used to transport wood and glass between villages, the line now tells stories of renewal: of how heritage can keep moving forward, connecting people, landscapes, and memories across generations.

Our tour came to its final stop at Hojná Voda, Czech Republic, a small mountain village tucked away in the slopes of the Novohradské Mountains. As the clock struck four, a clear bell rang through the autumn air - a gesture of welcome that seemed to echo far beyond the valley.

Here, we were greeted not only by local hosts but by the rhythm of village life itself - slow, sincere, and deeply connected to the landscape. The village traces its first written mention to the mid-16th century when settlers were drawn by a healing spring discovered here. Just four kilometres above the village lies the Hojná Voda primeval forest, one of Central Europe’s oldest protected woodland areas (declared in 1838) - a silent witness to centuries of nature, culture and resilience.

Over warm coffee and lively discussions, Mrs. Katerina Kurz from the community centre (NGO Spolek Hojná Voda) shared inspiring good practices: from sustainable tourism initiatives and landscape-care associations to local food and craft cooperatives that link generations and keep rural traditions alive.

Each story carried the same message - that innovation does not always begin in cities or institutions, but often in small places where people care enough to create change together.

“Sometimes the smallest villages ring the loudest ideas.”, said Mrs. Mincheva-Yordanova from National Tourism Cluster “Bulgarian Guide”.

As the final light faded behind the hills, Hojná Voda felt less like a destination and more like a lesson - a reminder that rural resilience begins not with scale, but with connection.

Across two countries and countless discussions, our study trip revealed how living heritage - the harmony of people, place, and purpose - continues to shape the future of Danube’s rural regions.

From the reimagined factory halls of Krems, through the sunlit vineyards of Wachau and the Renaissance streets of Slavonice, to the quiet mountain calm of Hojná Voda, every stop carried the same message:
rural innovation begins with people who care.

As our Danube Ruralscapes journey continues, these experiences weave together a growing network of partners and local actors - all working to build creative, inclusive, and sustainable ruralscapes across the Danube Region.

We are not only preserving heritage - we are reimagining it as a living force for the future. Because the story of the Danube’s rural landscapes isn’t written in stone - it’s written every day, by the people who choose to care, create, and connect.

#DanubeRuralscapes