Renovation of the spirits barn of the Lihula manor into community handicraft centre and heritage protection information centre

About this project

<p style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">The project <strong>objective</strong> is to increase the attractiveness of Lihula as a living and visiting environment by fixing up the oldest settlement’s heritage conservation area.&nbsp;<strong>During the project</strong>, Lihula Manor’s historical vodka granary shall be renovated to become the <strong>community’s handicraft house and heritage conservation information centre.</strong></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">The project involves renovating a historical vodka granary, so it can be taken into public use. In addition, it shall be furnished as a handicraft house where wood, forging, and pottery workshops shall be held. Local masters shall operate there; it shall be possible to watch them work and also get hands-on experience (both excursions and individual visits). Moreover, as a whole, the vodka granary shall operate as a heritage conservation information centre where people who own properties in Lihula’s oldest settlement heritage conservation zone and also people from further away, wishing to renovate their old buildings authentically, can receive renovation-related help and support. The residents can bring their building details there and renovate them themselves under the eyes of instructors. Be it either an old window, door, decorative detail, wall anchor, or bent and rusty forged hinge. Excursions and individual visitors are also welcome, workshops and training shall be organised. The pottery house which already operates in the manor’s main building as a pottery class would use plaster moulds and create decorative details from plaster. In addition, the workshop would also have potter’s wheels where clay pots, jugs, and bowls can be created, following the example of Lihula’s rich imported pottery finds. Therefore, the vodka granary would be completely in public use, useful for the local community and also interesting for the tourists.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">In total, 333 square metres shall be renovated in the building and this shall include wood workshop and classroom, restoration examples hall, meeting room, pottery oven and workshop and forge.</span></span></span></span></p>

Bilateral cooperation results

The National Trust of Norway gave their advice and shared their practices on restoration (materials, techniques etc) and tightening the cooperation with the local community. In 2022, Lääneranna people visited the project partner in Norway and also, the people of the National Trust of Norway visited Lääneranna municipality to share their views and practices on heritage protection and possibilities.

Project partners

• National Trust of Norway Donor project partner· Norway
• Paide unit of Information Centre for Sustainable Renovation Project partner· Estonia