National Theater part of European Route of Historic Theaters

BELGRADE - National Theater in Belgrade has been included in the Adriatic Route, part of the European Route of Historic Theaters, the Serbian national theater announced on Thursday.

Theaters founded prior to 1920 are selected based on their architectural significance and historic value, with an aim to create a network of cultural routes across Europe putting them together in a joint map of cultural tourism.

One of the objectives is to draw attention to the common spiritual ground and shared roots of theater buildings across Europe and the significance of theaters as a European cultural heritage.

The international conference on the topic of preparing historic theaters for the future, held last week in Hvar, Croatia, gathered the representatives of around 70 theaters across Europe.

The National Theater in Belgrade, with its beautiful and excellently preserved architecture and, above all, its rich history, was chosen to be a part of the Adriatic Route, connecting historic theaters in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia.

The theater's Research Center established communication with the Association of Historic Theaters in Europe and submitted materials and photos that led to its inclusion in the Adriatic part of the European Route of Historic Theaters.

The project is funded entirely from the Culture Program of the European Union and it was initiated by the Hvar Heritage Museum and 12 partner countries.

The conference was held under the auspices of PERSPECTIV - Association of Historic Theatres in Europe.

Photo Tanjug/T. Valic, illustration