Roman Trails Summer School Brings Together Archaeology, Tourism and Heritage Interpretation
From 6 to 10 July 2026, the University for Continuing Education Krems in Austria hosted a five-day Summer School organised as part of the cross-border Interreg Roman Trails project. The programme focused on the shared Roman heritage of South Moravia and the Lower Austrian Weinviertel region, its potential for tourism, and ways of making archaeological heritage more accessible and engaging for the public.
The Summer School brought together experts in archaeology, history, tourism and cultural heritage interpretation. The opening day explored the Roman presence in South Moravia and the Weinviertel region, archaeological sites and recent research. Representing the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Balázs Komoróczy and Marek Vlach presented the Roman period in South Moravia and selected topics from current archaeological research.
The following sessions focused on heritage tourism and the development of tourism trails connecting archaeological sites. Topics included approaches to heritage presentation, tourism strategies in both border regions, and experiences of interpreting archaeological sites for visitors.
Another important part of the programme addressed inclusive heritage interpretation, including approaches for children and visitors with accessibility needs, as well as the use of digital technologies. Balázs Komoróczy, Marek Vlach, Pavla Růžičková and Katarína Liščáková from the Institute of Archaeology in Brno contributed a session on digital heritage interpretation. Alongside lectures, participants engaged in group work exploring practical tasks related to the project’s themes.
The final day featured group presentations and a joint excursion to two significant archaeological sites: Mušov in South Moravia and Stillfried in Lower Austria. The visits provided an opportunity to connect the topics discussed during the week with tangible examples of archaeological heritage on both sides of the Czech-Austrian border.
