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Navigation:  Project ERHT / European Route

Alpine Route

Of monks and farmers, citizens and festival goers

 

The Alpine route of the European Route of Historic Theatres leads through the South of Germany and through Switzerland, back to the roots of European theatre: theatres of holy orders and theatre halls, peasant, box, studio and festival theatres.

 

In the 16th century, the Jesuits integrated theatrical play into their education. The oldest theatre in Switzerland, the municipal theatre in Solothurn, was initially used by Jesuit monks. The oldest theatre of Benedictine monks on the other hand is a self-contained theatre that can be found in the baroque monastery of Ottobeuren (Germany).

The peasant population was equally keen on acting and hence built its own theatres. One of the most beautiful playhouses is located in Flintsbach (Bavaria).

The Teatro Sociale in Bellinzona is shows the archetypical auditorium with boxes all around, designed for dazzling Italian operas. The Münchner Kammerspiele, an art nouveau theatre, on the other hand has been exclusively built for intimate plays.

The Prinzregententheater (Prince Regent theatre) and the Théâtre du Jorat in Mézières show how different theatres can be: In Munich the visitors will find a magnificent building for Richard Wagner’s operas, whereas in the little village of Mézières, a big wooden theatre hosts the festival of poet René Morax.

Discover this theatrical variety in the surroundings of the stunning Alpine landscape and the Alpine foothills!

With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union

 

 

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The European Route of Historic Theatres

Theatre has been a corner stone of European culture for over 2500 years. The buildings created for this art mirror our history. They can be found everywhere in Europe. Together they form a very special part of our common European heritage.

The “European Route of Historic Theatres” was initiated in 2007. It proved to be an excellent idea for travellers and theatres alike, and the European Commission agreed to support its extension to all of Europe until 2017.

Every six months, a new part of the European Route will open, until the European Route will be complete in 2016. It consists of 12 part routes, each comprising about 10 theatres, so that one can easily travel along any part route in a week (or see two or three theatres during a week-end trip).

The part routes of the European Route of Historic Theatres are:

  • Iberia Route (Spain, Portugal)
  • French Route
  • Channel Route (Great Britain, Netherlands,  Belgium)
  • German Route
  • Nordic Route (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
  • Baltic Route (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia)
  • Black Sea Route (Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece)
  • Adriatic Route (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia)
  • Emperor Route (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary)
  • Alpine Route (Southern Germany, Switzerland, Northern Italy)
  • Italian Route I + II

As of autumn 2013, five part routes are already operating: the Nordic Route, the Channel Route, the German Route, the Emperor Route and the Italian Route I in northern Italy. In the following years, we are planning to open the next routes like this (subject to change):

Opening 2014: Adriatic Route and French Route

Opening 2015: Baltic Route and Iberia Route

Opening 2016: Alpine Route and Black Sea Route

More information: www.europeanroute.info

 

Existing routes of the European Route: