5,000 euros for Freudenburg: renovation secured thanks to citizen donations!

5,000 euros for Freudenburg: renovation secured thanks to citizen donations!

On September 19, 2025, on the occasion of Open Monument Day, the Freudenburg in Freudenberg, Rhineland, was put in a festive light. The Burgfreunde Freudenberg e.V. welcomed numerous visitors with a hearty snack and thus showed how important awareness of our cultural heritage is. At the same time, a donation of 5,000 euros was handed over to Mayor Roger Henning on this occasion, which will be used specifically for substance-preserving measures to renovate the Freudenburg.

“We have to do something to stop the castle’s decline,” said Peter Hofmann, chairman of the Castle Friends. His words reflect the urgent need to preserve historic buildings like the Freudenburg, which have outstanding cultural value. Mayor Roger Henning thanked the generous donation and announced that the city would also provide the same amount for the renovation work.

The path to the renovation of Freudenburg

But that's not all: Henning hopes to find more donors and successfully submit grant applications to public donors. The preservation of the Freudenburg is not only of architectural importance, but also plays a central role in the formation of the region's identity and could boost tourism. How on financial-foerdermittel.de Castles are important cultural witnesses that need to be preserved.

After all, there are many funding programs that offer tailored grants for the maintenance of such historic sites. The German federal states have special monument protection funding that covers up to 50% of the eligible costs. The German Foundation for Monument Protection also supports private owners through grants for substance preservation and restoration.

Promotion and support

Another piece of the puzzle on the way to successful restructuring could be the participation of foundations and private organizations, which occasionally also offer generous help. The exact funding level varies greatly and depends on the respective projects and their requirements. The funding application itself must contain detailed plans and cost estimates and be submitted on time.

However, the actual implementation is not without challenges. The application process is often complex and requires a comprehensive inventory of the building's condition. This is the only way to determine the real need for conservation and to define the right measures.

In this sense, the application for funding could also be supported by the nationwide initiative for monument protection. Loud kulturstaatsminister.de Medium-sized construction and craft businesses in particular benefit from such programs. Up to 50 percent of the costs can be covered here, which could certainly be a ray of hope for Freudenburg.

Overall, the initiative in Freudenberg shows how important it is to preserve historical buildings. The castle is a defining element of the region's cultural heritage and it is vital that both the local community and public funders work together to save this valuable piece of history. The goal of preserving the Freudenburg for future generations remains a shared task in which every contribution counts.