The international project “Rhine Castles 2” (Castles on the Upper Rhine 2) was selected for new funding on July 9, 2026, by the Monitoring Committee of the INTERREG Upper Rhine program. The cross-border project is being led at Mainz University of Applied Sciences by Christian Deichmann from the BIM Lab at Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
With over 300 preserved castles, the Upper Rhine region boasts an extraordinary medieval heritage. Nevertheless, today’s national borders still make it difficult to perceive this shared cultural space. The predecessor project “Castles on the Upper Rhine” (2023–2025) laid the groundwork for cross-border cooperation to raise awareness of this shared heritage.
“Castles on the Upper Rhine 2” builds on this work. Together with more than 30 partner institutions from the fields of cultural heritage, tourism, research, and local governments in Germany, France, and Switzerland, the project aims to further establish the Upper Rhine as a region of castles and to promote the exploration of castles in the three countries.
The project focuses on new educational programs and digital tools, the scientific documentation and 3D modeling of castles, a permanent exhibition at Hohkönigsburg Castle in Alsace, joint tourism initiatives, and cultural events. These measures are complemented by research activities, publications, and educational programs that make this cross-border cultural heritage visible and tangible.
The project has a total budget of 3.06 million euros and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with approximately 1.6 million euros over a three-year period as part of the INTERREG Upper Rhine program.
