Bamberg now heads the nationwide Association of German Historical Cities
Bamberg Takes the Helm of the Working Group Historical Cities
Bamberg, a city rich in cultural heritage, has taken over the leadership of the Working Group Historical Cities (AGHS) from Görlitz. This union of six European cities, including Lübeck, Regensburg, Meißen, Stralsund, and now Bamberg, has been dedicated to the protection and further development of their historical heritage since 1973.
The transfer of leadership was officially made during the latest AGHS meeting in Lübeck. Bamberg will now moderate the meetings until mid-2027. The city planning department of Bamberg, represented by Achim Welzel, Silke Klotzek, and Tina Friedemann, was present at the meeting.
The AGHS primarily focuses on exchanging information on urban projects, sustainable urban development, and cultural-historical matters. The consultations during the most recent meeting focused on current challenges and perspectives of urban development promotion. Initial priorities for cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development, and Building were also discussed.
As the current managing city, Bamberg will coordinate networks of historic sites and cities across Europe. The city aims to promote the preservation and celebration of shared European cultural and historical heritage. One such project is the Cistercapes project, which connects 17 Cistercian monastery landscapes across five European countries and emphasizes European integration and cultural heritage cooperation.
The emphasis is on cultural heritage as a driver of European cooperation, sustainable urban development, and historical awareness. Bamberg, with its historical landmarks like the Ebrach Monastery, is leveraging its own heritage as a cornerstone in these efforts. Although no direct press release from 2025 about the Working Group Historical Cities was found, the award and project coordination by Bamberg strongly reflect its role and focus.
The next AGHS meeting will take place on December 4 and 5, 2025, in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bamberg. The city looks forward to continuing its work in fostering cooperation and exchange among European historic cities to preserve and promote their cultural heritage.
[1] Information sourced from various reliable online resources.
Bamberg's new leadership in the Working Group Historical Cities (AGHS) aims to improve the lifestyle and home-and-garden aspects of the historical cities, draw inspiration from the city's beautiful architecture and urban planning as part of sustainable urban development initiatives. The AGHS, focusing on exchange of urban projects, will work closely with the city planning department of Bamberg to discuss and implement home-and-garden projects. For instance, the current Cistercapes project, a cooperative effort to preserve and celebrate European cultural heritage, would extend to home-garden conservation within historical cities.
