🤔 How accessible is heritage, in general? And what about the information about this heritage? Unfortunately, it is often not accessible enough, and the lack of accessibility becomes a daily challenge for those who need it most.

The heritage of Roșia Montană is no exception—heritage buildings are generally not adapted for people with various vulnerabilities. This is why, whenever we think about presenting and interpreting heritage, we try to fill this gap, at least by making the available information more accessible.

For people with intellectual disabilities, we published easy-to-read brochures two years ago, prepared and tested together with field specialists (thank you, Ruxandra Mateescu / Supereroi printre noi). Together with our colleagues at the Roșia Montană in the World Heritage Association, we also developed a written and visual content section in clear, simple, easy-to-read language as part of the UNESCO Site Audio Tour (again, with Ruxandra’s support).

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We are now taking a first step toward offering additional information for people with visual impairments. As part of the same UNESCO Site Audio Tour, they can already listen to available information about various sites in the village, and starting in the coming days, they will also be able to get a sense of the buildings’ volumes, beyond what the audio information alone can provide.

Specifically, the Roman Catholic Church, Unitarian Church, Reformed Church, former maternity building, former town hall, casino, cultural center, Casa Petri (former bank), and the Reformed parish house will each receive a tactile relief plaque installed on the totems already in place for the audio tour!

This is a first attempt, a test that we hope to improve and adapt for as many heritage sites in Roșia Montană as possible. We hope it will be useful!

🍀 A huge thank you to Răzvan Bucurescu, a dedicated volunteer with the Adopt a House program, for all his pro-bono help in adapting and 3D printing the tactile plaques! 🍀

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These plaques were printed based on the building surveys carried out by ARA Association through the Adopt a House program in recent years (thank you to all the volunteers involved!). As partners in the “Roșia Montană Interpreted” project (carried out with co-funding from AFCN) and implemented by Roșia Montană in World Heritage Association, we are delighted that these plaques will be installed on the first nine totems in the village, which already feature QR codes linking to the UNESCO site audio guide.

You can find more details about the UNESCO Site Audio Tour at: HERE.

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🥳 And since we’re talking about heritage being accessible to everyone, the same project mentioned above also produced brochures and stories specially crafted for children’s understanding and curiosity (thank you, Iulia Iordan!). Fun activities, challenges spiced with prizes and good cheer are also part of it. You can find these materials at the village shop, Casa Petri Roșia Montană, the ground floor of the Unitarian Parish House, and at the Reformed Church. And of course, the Google Maps route is available via the audio tour link.

Biserica Reformată – găzduiește în caestă perioada Expoziția Ordinul Cătilor Colorate, semnată de artistul Ion Barbu. Vă invităm să îi treceți pragul!

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We look forward to welcoming you to Roșia Montană!

Visit, listen, stay a few days to get a fuller picture of this place. Reach out to a local guide to take you along the trails and village lanes, or take as much time as you need to discover each point of interest.

It’s worth it!