Bavarian Monument Protection Medal 2025: Honor for cultural treasure guardians!

Bavarian Monument Protection Medal 2025: Honor for cultural treasure guardians!

On July 15, 2025 it was that time again: the awarding of the Monument Protection Medal 2025 took place in the festive setting of the Alte Münze in Munich. A total of 16 personalities and communities from Bavaria were honored for their commitment to monument preservation. Minister of Art Markus Blume and Prof. Mathias Pfeil, the general curator, honored the award winners, who were described as “true treasurers of Bavaria”. Blume highlighted the importance of her work for cultural monuments and promised around 66 million euros for monument preservation in 2024 and 2025 to further support these important projects. This shows that the country has a good hand when it comes to preserving its historical treasures.

It was particularly gratifying to receive the award from Ute Christine and Josef Meier from the Berchtesgadener Land district, who were honored for the renovation of the historic town house. Your work follows the trend of voluntary work, which is becoming increasingly important in Bavaria. The district shows that there is a feeling for preserving traditions and history even in the heart of the Alps!

The award winners in detail

The awarding of the Monument Protection Medal, which is a wonderful signal for all monument preservationists, covers many beautiful stories of dedication and commitment. The winning projects are wide-ranging:

• Stadt Freising (Lkr. Freising) für die Generalsanierung des Asamgebäudes.
• Verein für Heimatgeschichte im Zweiseenland Kochel e. V. (Lkr. Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen) für die Instandsetzung des Schusterhauses von 1581.
• Ute Christine und Josef Meier (Lkr. Berchtesgadener Land) für die Instandsetzung des historischen Stadthauses (Kategorie Klimaschutz).
• Anna Ulrike Bergheim (Lkr. Fürstenfeldbruck) für ehrenamtliches Engagement in Archäologie und Bodendenkmalpflege.
• Anna Kern und Sebastian Heinzelmann (Lkr. Unterallgäu) für die Instandsetzung des Vöhlinschlosses.
• Tilman Ritter (Kempten) für langjährige Tätigkeit als Stadtheimatpfleger.
• „Goldener Anker GBR“ (Lkr. Nürnberger Land) für die gemeinschaftliche Sanierung eines Gasthauses.
• Bianca Wägner (Lkr. Fürth) für die Instandsetzung der ehemaligen Huf- und Wagenschmiede.
• Stadt Marktsteft (Lkr. Kitzingen) für die Instandsetzung des Alten Hafens (Kategorie Klimaschutz).
• Landrat Wilhelm Schneider (Lkr. Haßberge) für den Kauf und die Instandsetzung des Alten Schlosses in Gereuth.
• Oberbürgermeister Andreas Starke (Bamberg) für sein Engagement in Denkmalschutz und Denkmalpflege in der UNESCO-Welterbestadt Bamberg.
• Katharina Freiin von Waldenfels (Lkr. Wunsiedel) für die Instandsetzung eines Wohnhauses.
• Archäologische Arbeitsgruppe Kronach (Lkr. Kronach) für ehrenamtliches Engagement in der Erforschung von Bodendenkmälern.
• Freifrau und Freiherren Riederer von Paar zu Schönau (Lkr. Schwandorf) für die Instandsetzung einer barocken Orangerie.
• Kapellenverein Anger e.V. (Lkr. Regensburg) für die Instandsetzung der Katholischen Nebenkirche Mariä Heimsuchung „Kapelle Anger“.
• Andrea und Florian Weininger (Lkr. Landshut) für die Instandsetzung des ehemaligen Mesnerhauses (Kategorie Klimaschutz).

The suggestions for the award are no coincidence: they are submitted by governments, districts, districts, churches and the Bavarian State Association for Homeland Care. The group of honorees is colorful and diverse, and they are all united by a passionate commitment to the care and preservation of our cultural treasures. BGland24 emphasizes that these are not just lone fighters, but communities that together make a strong statement for their homeland.

A look at the last few years shows that the monument protection medal is a valuable instrument for raising awareness of monument preservation in Bavaria. With record funding and the creation of new positions in the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation, like StMWK reported, the course is clear: Preserving our architectural history is a joint task that we must continue to take up in the future. Bavaria remains not only a land of mountains and lakes, but also a land of history and culture.