Overview

• The nationwide open day begins in Gera at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum, with local leaders underscoring the value of DDR-era architecture and a city council vote backing preservation of the KuK.
• Organizers say over 5,000 monuments are accessible across more than 2,000 municipalities, with this year’s focus on reassessing DDR modernism.
• Major cities expand access to usually closed sites, with Cologne listing more than 150 locations and offering free programs, some by advance registration.
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern honors the Stralsund group Dorfkirchen in Not with the state heritage prize, as the state maintains more than €3.5 million annually for church restorations through 2029.
• Recent examples of altered or lost structures sharpen the push for stronger stewardship, while the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz coordinates diverse tours, talks, and special transports nationwide.