Summer School "Future Roman Trails"

The Summer School Future Roman Trails focuses on the development of innovative and sustainable cultural routes in the cross-border region north of the former Roman Danube frontier – in the Weinviertel (Lower Austria) and South Moravia (Czech Republic).

Historically, this area marked both a frontier zone of the Roman Empire and a dynamic contact zone between Romans and Germanic tribes. It was shaped by military conflicts during the Marcomannic Wars as well as by phases of peaceful interaction. Today, the archaeological traces of this past are often difficult to recognise and only marginally integrated into tourism – yet they hold fascinating stories of encounters, conflicts, and cultural exchange.

Course Content:

Particular attention is given to the largely invisible Roman heritage of of today’s border region, current tourism-related challenges, and modern approaches to interpretation – in particular interpretive methods and forms of storytelling.
Participants will engage with

• the Roman–Germanic history north of the Danube frontier,
• an analysis of the current tourism context in this transnational region, and
• ways to translate this historical landscape into cultural and tourism-oriented route concepts.

A special focus lies on the development of thematic “Roman Trails” – from selecting and structuring possible routes to creating coherent narratives and assessing existing infrastructure.
In addition, participants will acquire skills in storytelling and innovative interpretation methods, including digital visualisation techniques that make the region’s hidden heritage accessible in new ways.

Learning Approach:

The Summer School provides space to explore new perspectives on the interplay between cultural heritage, landscape, and regional identity. The teaching format combines expert inputs and preparatory readings with practice‑oriented group work.
The outcome is a set of concrete route concepts, refined through dialogue with project partners and regional stakeholders.