Centro de estudos sobre a Mudança
Socioeconómica e o Território

Over the centuries, religious built heritage played and essential role in Europe, shaping social, economic, environmental and cultural values. It defined communities and left a deep imprint on territorial development and their silhouettes, still visible in present-day city landscape. In Portugal, as well as in Norway, at present, the dominant religions face common challenges, socially, in terms of dwindling communities, environmentaly and economically, due to the reduction of the number of parishes and the territorial change that result from this. this often leads to a low utilization rate or even redundancy of religious buildings. The transHERITAGE iniciative aims to establish a first cooperation among Portuguese and Norwegian partners, aimed at knowledge sharing and creating access to innovative solutions using the transformative role of religious heritage: its potential to cause importante and enduring changes in the territories of northern and southern Europe.