Building Culture in Focus: 21st Austrian World Heritage Sites Conference 2026 in Rust am See

From October 8 to 9, 2026, the 21st Austrian World Heritage Sites Conference will bring together experts, site managers, and representatives from politics, administration, and science in the UNESCO World Heritage site "Fertő-Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape." Organized by the Austrian Commission for UNESCO, the State of Burgenland, and the Fertő-Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape World Heritage Management, this year's conference is dedicated to the central question of the future: How can a sensitive approach to building culture and sustainable construction succeed in historical cultural landscapes of outstanding universal value?

Building Culture and Sustainable Development in World Heritage

The protection and further development of historically evolved landscapes require a balanced interaction between heritage conservation, modern architecture, and sustainable resource management. The conference highlights the planning, legal, and design frameworks necessary to preserve the character and Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage sites while enabling contemporary usage concepts.

Program Overview

Thursday, October 8, 2026 – Seehof Rust: Anniversary and Pannonian Building Culture

• Part I: 25 Years of World Heritage – Fertő-Neusiedlersee
  • Retrospective & Panel: Discussion with contemporary witnesses and companions, including Hans Niessl (former Governor / Honorary Chairman of the Neusiedler See World Heritage Association), Erwin Preiner (Chairman of the Neusiedler See World Heritage Association), as well as former site managers Hannes Klein and Richard Giefing.
  • Future Perspectives: Presentation on shared responsibility and transnational management by Lina Jires-Karner (Site Manager AT), Csilla Sütő (Site Manager HU), and Ruth Pröckl (National World Heritage Coordination Office at BMWKMS).
• Part II: (Building) Cultural Landscape
  • Keynote: Reiner Nagel (Federal Foundation for Building Culture, DE) speaks on building culture as a societal and design responsibility.
  • Pannonian Building Culture: Nikolaus Gartner (Architekturraum Burgenland) examines the transformation and challenges of regional building culture.
  • Traditional Craftsmanship: Jacobus van Hoorne gives a lecture on reed roofing and the reed economy at Lake Neusiedl, yesterday and today.
  • Federal Level: Elias Molitschnig (BMWKMS) presents current developments in building culture at the Austrian national level.

Friday, October 9, 2026 – Donnerskirchen and Breitenbrunn: Practice and Design

On the second day, the conference activities move to the Bio-Landgut Esterhazy in Donnerskirchen as well as to Breitenbrunn:

• Part III: Shaping Cultural Landscapes
  • Panel Discussion "Design Advisory Boards as a Path forward?": Expert panel featuring Peter Adam (Federal Monuments Authority Austria), Ulrike Herbig (ICOMOS AT), Wolfgang Wallner (formerly State of Burgenland), and Harald Stühlinger (TU Wien).
  • Nature and Landscape: Michaela Kojnek-Kroiss (Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park) lectures on the delicate balance "Between Steppe and Lake."
  • Sustainable Tourism: Patrik Hierner (Burgenland Tourismus) highlights collaborative approaches to tourism and World Heritage protection.
• Excursions & Practical Examples
  • Tour of the Bio-Landgut Esterhazy.
  • On-site visit and technical discussion regarding the "New Beach and Lido Breitenbrunn" project with Karin Eichberger and Antonio Lubina (Esterhazy Betriebe AG).

Conclusion and Significance

The 21st Austrian World Heritage Sites Conference in Rust illustrates that World Heritage protection extends far beyond preserving individual monuments. It provides a vital platform for nationwide exchange among all 12 Austrian World Heritage sites and sets key impulses for sustainable, architectural-culturally responsible action in cultural landscapes.