Ruce a historie

17/07 – 31/07
RENO
Vols: 10+2
Age: 18+

Project: Svojsin with its baroque castle is an ancient village located in Western Bohemia 40km west of Pilsen (Plzen). It was founded in the 12th century. The region has a very long and striking history. Czech, German and Jewish people were living here for centuries. World War II, the eviction of the German population and the communist era led to the negligence and devastation of many cultural and historical sites. In the last years the village is trying to renovate and preserve some important local cultural sites as the castle with its park.

Work: The volunteers will work mainly in the park of the Svojsin castle: they will help to renew the park and some of its buildings and maintain those parts, which are already restored. In case of bad weather conditions you will work inside the various castle buildings, performing maintaining tasks.

Study part: Learn more about the preservation of historical sites.

Leisure time: Trips to the surrounding countryside and to some historical towns nearby.

Accommodation/Food: In one of the buildings belonging to the castle. Meals will be partly prepared by the participants, partly served in a restaurant in the village.

Location: Svojsin

12/08 – 26/08
RENO/CULT
Vols: 8+2
Age: 18+

Project: The project takes place in Holesov, a small Moravian town, known for its large prewar Jewish community. The community was wiped-out during World War II and has only very few members today. The workcamp supports the work of the local organization Olam, which maintains the local Jewish cemetery and organizes a festival of Jewish culture during your stay.

Work: Volunteers will work on the local Jewish cemetery (about 90% of the working time), where they will liquidate invasive plants and ranking plants. Furthermore, they will help with the technical preparations of the festival “Jewish Culture Week”, which is taking place in Holesov during the workcamp (10% of the working time). Bring suitable working clothes with you. The work might be physically demanding, weekends are usually working days (because of the festival) but you will get days off during the week.

Study part: You can learn more about Jewish culture and visit concerts and films during the festival. Tours to local monuments. Volunteers interested in Jewish culture are especially welcome!  

Leisure time: Trips to the surroundings, free entrance to cultural activities organized by the local cultural centre, free access to the local swimming-pool, meet members of the local tourist youth association (they have their clubroom in the place you stay at).

Accommodation/Food: In the former gamekeeper’s lodge belonging to the local castle. Please bring a sleeping bag. The participants prepare their own meals.

Location: Holesov.

15/08 – 06/09
RENO/CULT
Vols: 13+2
AGE: 18+

Project: The ruin of the Cimburk castle lies in a forest in Southern Moravia and is very isolated from civilization. The castle was founded in the 14th century and abandoned in 1705. Now you can find only ruins of the castle, which form a significant landmark in the lovely countryside. The organization Polypeje is trying to preserve the remains of the castle and organizes cultural events there.

Work: Volunteers will help with the preservation of the castle ruins (work with wood, sort and move stones and other materials, brick, clean, plaster, build walls, assist with archaeological work...). Additionally they will help with to prepare cultural events, work in the kitchen and do general maintenance tasks. You work even if it’s raining, so bring good boots and rain gear.

Leisure time: Trips to the surrounding countryside, visiting nearby historical towns and monuments (Kromeriz – UNESCO town, monastery Velehrad, castle Buchlov), get to know traditional Moravian music and much more.

Study part: workshops, lectures by experts and excursions to the surrounding area according to the interest of participants.

Accommodation/Food: In tents or in a very simple wooden hut. Take a warm sleeping bag and a sleeping mat! The volunteers will help to prepare the meals. At the project place, there are only dry toilets. Water for washing is taken from a well about 2 km from the castle ruin. A shower is provided only 2 or 3 times a week at the swimming pool in the town of Korycany, which is 4 km away. The living conditions are very basic - please don’t expect any comfort and be aware that you will not be able to wash yourself every day! The project is a good choice for people who are fond of the medieval way of living and are not afraid of hard manual work.

Location: Castle Cimburk, 4 km from Korycany, Southern Moravia.

18/06 – 02/07
RENO/STUDY
Vols: 16+2
Age: 18+

Project: The site of the workcamp is the ruin of the Hartenberg castle with its neglected park.
The castle was purposely set on fire several times and is now in a very bad state. With the help of volunteers and the non-governmental organization Hartenberg o.s., the castle is being gradually reconstructed. Parts of the castle will be used for cultural, ecological and educational activities as well as for the support and development of volunteering.

Work: Help to prepare an educational seminar, which will take place after your stay. (Includes manual preparations of the accommodation and the grounds around it). Create activities for a children day at the castle area. Assist with the reconstruction of the castle and maintain the surroundings. Your tasks will include various forms of manual work such as carrying stones, brick work, preparing plaster, plastering and removing and sorting rubble. This part of the work will be physically demanding. Bring warm clothes, working boots and rain-gear.

Leisure time: You can go hiking in the mountainous countryside, go canoeing, make sport and music or go on a day-trip to some of the famous spa-towns in the region. Take some games, music instruments, flags, films and other items, which are typical for your cultures with you.

Accommodation/Food: The accommodation will be very basic; please don’t expect any comfort! You will sleep in a cottage near the castle in two common rooms. Take a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat with you. The toilet and showers will be provided in a container. The participants will cook from common resources in a small kitchen. Bring your local recipes.

Location: The castle ruin is situated near the village Hrebeny in western Bohemia, not far from the town Sokolov.

26/06 – 09/07
ARCH/RENO
Vols: 13+2
Age: 18+

Project: The project takes place in the outdoor museum of the village Modra in the beautiful region South Moravia. The museum shows every-day life and agricultural production in one of the most remarkable periods of the Czech history. It offers scientific presentations and educational programmes (like pottery and experimental melting of metal). At the area archaeological exploration is done continuously.

Work: The work takes place outdoors, mainly in an archaeological open-air museum. Help with the construction of new buildings for the open-air museum, archaeological exploration (diggings), help with the organization of local cultural events and participating in them, other manual work according to the current needs of museum.

Study part: Excursion to the Great Moravian Empire Monument in Stare Mesto, which offers an exhibition documenting this important era of Czech history, lecture by PhD. Ludek Galuska on life in the Great Moravian Empire.

Leisure time: Sport with the local youth (football, volleyball…), visit of a wine cellar, guided tours to the surrounding tourist sights – Castle Buchlov, Castle Buchlovice, basilica in Velehrad, the towns of Uherske Hradiste and Kromeriz.

Accommodation/Food: In the community house on mattresses, bring your sleeping bag! The volunteers will cook together from common resources.

Location: Village Modra, near the small town of Velehrad and about 6km from Uherske Hradiste.

04/07 – 26/07
RENO/CULT
Vols: 13+2
AGE: 18+

Project: The ruin of the Cimburk castle lies in a forest in Southern Moravia and is very isolated from civilization. The castle was founded in the 14th century and abandoned in 1705. Now you can find only ruins of the castle, which form a significant landmark in the lovely countryside. The organization Polypeje is trying to preserve the remains of the castle and organizes cultural events there.

Work: Volunteers will help with the preservation of the castle ruins (work with wood, sort and move stones and other materials, brick, clean, plaster, build walls, assist with archaeological work...). Additionally they will help with to prepare cultural events, work in the kitchen and do general maintenance tasks. You work even if it’s raining, so bring good boots and rain gear.

Leisure time: Trips to the surrounding countryside, visiting nearby historical towns and monuments (Kromeriz – UNESCO town, monastery Velehrad, castle Buchlov), get to know traditional Moravian music and much more.

Study part: workshops, lectures by experts and excursions to the surrounding area according to the interest of participants.

Accommodation/Food: In tents or in a very simple wooden hut. Take a warm sleeping bag and a sleeping mat! The volunteers will help to prepare the meals. At the project place, there are only dry toilets. Water for washing is taken from a well about 2 km from the castle ruin. A shower is provided only 2 or 3 times a week at the swimming pool in the town of Korycany, which is 4 km away. The living conditions are very basic - please don’t expect any comfort and be aware that you will not be able to wash yourself every day! The project is a good choice for people who are fond of the medieval way of living and are not afraid of hard manual work.

Location: Castle Cimburk, 4 km from Korycany, Southern Moravia.

22/07 – 05/08
RENO/ENVI
Vols: 12+2
Age: 18+

Project: Grabstejn is a former medieval castle, which was later rebuilt as a renaissance chateau. It was severely damaged under the communist regime, but has been reconstructed during the last years. Now it holds some exhibitions, there are guided tours and during the summer festivals and concerts take place. Staying in the castle is quite romantic. It is surrounded by a beautiful mountainous countryside, which is perfect for hiking. The camp is therefore suitable for people who do not mind long walks and who enjoy being in the countryside.

Work: The work is manual and you will perform different tasks according to the current needs and to your abilities! You will help in the park of the castle, do some simple construction works, remove invasive vegetation, cut wood and move materials. Your tasks may include some manual work in the castle itself.

Study part: Learn more about the castle and get access to the parts, which are normally not open to the public.

Leisure time: It is possible to go swimming in a near-by lake, to go hiking in the local mountains, visit Liberec, several castles and other interesting sights of the region.

Accommodation/Food: On wooden floors in one room of the castle. The facilities and living conditions are basic and a bit dusty. Bring a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and your own eating set! The volunteers will cook for themselves.

Location: Castle Grabstejn near Chotyne in Northern Bohemia. Public transport is rather limited in the area. There is only one local train, so the main means of transportation will be your feet :-). Be prepared to walk about 30 to 45 minutes to buy food in the nearest town!

Note: On the weekend after the project finishes, a cultural event will take place at the castle. If you wish, you can prolong your stay on your own expenses.

24/07 – 07/08
ENVI/RENO
Vols: 11+2
AGE: 18+

Project: The workcamp takes place at the site of the famous castle Kynzvart, which belonged to the councillor Metternich in the 19th century. The castle has a charming park and an amazing history, which goes back to the 13th century. It is situated in the westernmost corner of the Czech Republic, near the spa towns Karlovy Vary - Marianske Lazne - Frantiskovy Lazne.

Work: The volunteers will work in the castle park and in the surrounding forest park. They will mainly perform maintenance and gardening tasks such as cleaning paths, weeding, removing fallen branches and leaves, making wood etc. Bring good working clothes, rain-gear and boots.

Study part: Guided tour through the castle Kynzvart.

Leisure time: Different kinds of sports, swimming in the nearby ponds, trips to nearby spa towns.

Accommodation/Food: In the castle area in a house. Take your sleeping bag and sleeping mat. A bathroom and a small kitchen are available. The volunteers will prepare their meals on their own.

Location: Lazne Kynzvart (area of castle Kynzvart), about 11 km from Marianske Lazne.

30/07 – 13/08
RENO/STUDY
VOLS: 16+2
AGE: 18+

Project: The site of the workcamp is the ruin of the Hartenberg castle with its neglected park.
The castle was purposely set on fire several times and is now in a very bad state. With the help of volunteers and the non-governmental organization Hartenberg o.s., the castle is being gradually reconstructed. Parts of the castle will be used for cultural, ecological and educational activities as well as for the support and development of volunteering.

Work: Help to prepare topics for a big seminar, which will take place in 2012 (includes evaluation of materials, preparation of theoretical information, discussions). The volunteers will also assist with the reconstruction of the castle and maintain the surroundings. Your tasks will include various forms of manual work such as carrrying stones, brick work, preparing plaster, plastering and removing and sorting rubble. This part of the work will be physically demanding. Bring warm clothes, working boots and rain-gear.

Leisure time: You can go hiking in the mountainous countryside, go canoeing, make sport and music or go on a day-trip to some of the famous spa-towns in the region. Take some games, music instruments, flags, films and other items, which are typical for your cultures with you.

Accommodation/Food: The accommodation will be very basic; please don’t expect any comfort! You will sleep in a cottage near the castle in two one common rooms. Take a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat with you. The toilet and showers will be provided in a container. The participants will cook from common resources in a small kitchen. Bring your local recipes.

Location: The castle ruin is situated near the village Hrebeny in western Bohemia, not far from the town Sokolov.

02/07 – 30/07
STUDY/RENO
VOLS: 16+2 (only from Europe, only 1 volunteer from each country!)
AGE: 18+

Project: The site of the workcamp are the ruins of the Hartenberg castle with its neglected park.
The castle was purposely set on fire several times and is now in a very bad state. With the help of many volunteers and the non-governmental organization Hartenberg o.s., the castle is being gradually reconstructed. Parts of the castle will be used for cultural, ecological and educational activities as well as for the support and development of volunteering.

Work: At this pilot project people from all over Europe will meet to discuss alternative lifestyles and solutions for problems of the 21-century. The volunteers await theoretical discussions and lectures, workshops and seminars as well as practical excursions and tasks. The topics and methods will be developed together with the group and could include healthy living style, ecology and others. Part of the project will be also manual help with the preservation of the castle and maintaining its surroundings. Your tasks will include various forms of manual work such as carrying stones, brick work, preparing plaster, plastering and removing and sorting rubble. This part of the work will be physically demanding. Take some games, music instruments, flags, films and other items, which are typical for your cultures with you.

Leisure time: It is up the volunteers: hiking in the mountainous countryside, canoeing, sport and music or day-trips to some of the famous spa-towns in the region.

Accommodation/Food: In tents or in a house near the castle in a common rooms. The accommodation will be very basic, don’t expect any comfort! bring a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat. The toilet and showers are provided in a container. The participants will cook from common resources in a small kitchen. Bring your local recipes. Don’t forget to bring warm clothes, working boots and rain-gear.

Location: The castle ruin is situated near the village Hrebeny in western Bohemia, not far from the town Sokolov.

Note: A motivation letter sent with the application form is strictly required.