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Scientific Committee

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The Scientific Committee of the Castle Road

The Scientific Committee of the Castle Road 2.0 project was established with the aim of providing expert support for the development of the Castle Road as a cross-border cultural network and a significant European Cultural Route. Its establishment arises from the need to consider the rich heritage of castles, palaces, monasteries and fortresses in the area between the Danube, the Alps and the Adriatic in a holistic, professionally sound manner and within a broader European context.

The central task of the Scientific Committee is to connect scientific, professional and research-based perspectives with the practical further development of the Castle Road. The board contributes to the understanding of the historical, architectural, art-historical, cultural and social significance of castles, palaces, monasteries and other cultural heritage sites included in the network. With its expertise, it supports the development of content that serves not only the presentation of individual monuments, but also the communication of shared historical connections, cultural influences and cross-border stories that shape and unite this area.

An important role of the Scientific Advisory Board also lies in ensuring the professional quality of the content created within the project. The board accompanies the reflections on how cultural heritage can be preserved, interpreted and integrated into contemporary cultural tourism – in a way that respects its authenticity, its historical value and its significance for local communities. In doing so, it contributes to the sustainable development of the Castle Road and to greater visibility of the shared cultural heritage in Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, Hungary and the wider region.

The Scientific Advisory Board thus represents an important link between research, monument preservation, interpretation and the development of cultural tourism. Its work strengthens the professional foundations of the Castle Road 2.0 project and supports the mission of the Castle Road as a space of cooperation, knowledge, dialogue and shared European cultural heritage.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board

The Scientific Advisory Board comprises renowned scientists and distinguished experts from universities, museums and cultural institutions from four countries:

Name

Institution

Country

Harald Heppner

University of Graz

Austria

Thomas Gußmagg

Thermenland Süd- und Oststeiermark Marketing GmbH

Austria

Leopold Toifl

Landeszeughaus Graz (Styrian Armoury)

Austria

Peter Wiesflecker

Styrian Provincial Archives, Graz

Austria

Zsuzsa Barbarics-Hermanik

University of Vienna

Austria

James Miller

FH JOANNEUM

Austria

Bettina Habsburg-Lothringen

Joanneum Styria

Austria

Gabriele Jedliczka

Pfeilburg Fürstenfeld

Austria

Ivana Horbec

University of Zagreb

Croatia

Dubravka Botica

University of Zagreb

Croatia

Tina Košak

Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, ZRC SAZU

Slovenia

Marko Štuhec

University of Ljubljana

Slovenia

Márta Velladics

University of Budapest

Hungary

András Forgó

University of Pécs

Hungary

Executive Board of the Castle Road

Name

Function on the Executive Board

Andreas Bardeau

President

Josef Wallner

Vice-President

Georg Winkler-Hermaden

Treasurer

Thomas Gußmagg

Secretary of the Board

Mag. Christine Schwetz

Vice Secretary of the Board

Nina Peischl

Deputy Secretary

Advisory Board

Name

Function

Katarina Jerebic

Advisory Board

Danilo Čeh

Advisory Board

Barna Szabó

Advisory Board

Béla Básthy

Advisory Board

Mag. Sonja Liechtenstein

Advisory Board

Dr. Bettina Habsburg-Lothringen

Advisory Board

Zvonka Lazar Borak

Advisory Board

Mag. Gabriele Jedliczka

Advisory Board

Mag. Andrea Kager-Schwar

Advisory Board

Contact

Honorarkonsul Mag. Andreas Bardeau

President:

Honorary Consul Mag. Andreas Bardeau
E-Mail: office@schlosskornberg.at
Phone: +43 664 512 4224

Route Manager:

Sonja Skalnik
E-Mail: office@schlosskornberg.at ·
Phone: +43 664 512 4224

The edited volume Castles, Manor Houses and Monasteries between East and West – Cultural Heritage in the Danube-Alps-Adriatic Region was produced within the Castle Road 2.0 project, following the international expert conference held in Bad Radkersburg in 2025. The trilingual academic publication – Edited Volume (in Slovenian, German and English) brings together scientific perspectives, historical analyses and current questions concerning castles, manor houses and monasteries and their significance in Europe.

Contributions by renowned experts from Slovenia, Austria, Croatia and Hungary shed light on the shared cultural heritage of an area that has been shaped throughout history by encounters, exchanges and cultural influences between East and West. The volume, edited by Harald Heppner, Katarina Jerebic, Tina Košak and James William Miller, was published by the Scientific Research Centre Bistra Ptuj in 2026.

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