"Enhancement of Căpriana Monastery for the Promotion of the Unique Ecclesiastic Heritage by Cross-border Cooperation and Digitization, acronym EnCaMo."

Funded under the Joint Operational Program Romania – Republic of Moldova 2014-2020, thematic objective 3, priority axis 2.1, through the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI). The duration of the project is 18 months.

What is EnCaMo?

“Moldova” National Museum Complex (CMNM) Iași, Romania and Căpriana Monastery, Republic of Moldova, sharing the same concern towards preserving treasures of spiritual and cultural heritage values, started the implementation of the project Enhancement of Căpriana Monastery for the Promotion of the Unique Ecclesiastic Heritage by Cross-border Cooperation and Digitization, 2SOFT/2.1./76, acronym EnCaMo.
The project has a duration of 18 months and is financed under the Joint Operational Programme Romania – Republic of Moldova 2014-2020, Thematic objective 3 (Promotion of local culture and preservation of historical heritage), Priority 2.1 (Preservation and promotion of the cultural and historical heritage), through the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI). The total value of the project is of EUR 109,760.00, out of which EUR 97,760.00 represent the EU funds and EUR 11,000.00 the co-financing of the two institutions.
The idea of setting up a museum within the Monastic Complex of Căpriana, that would protect and valorize,  from a museum perspective, the archaeological liturgical artefacts which belonged to Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni, occurred throughout the years that these artefacts were in a process of conservation-restoration at the Centre for Research and Conservation-Restoration of the Cultural Heritage within ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, Romania.
The partnership between ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, Romania and Căpriana Monastery, Republic of Moldova started in 2002, when conservation-restoration works were performed for the archaeological material originating from the monastery’s necropolis (”Assumption of Virgin Mary” Church – the oldest church within the monastic complex) following the archaeological researches coordinated by Prof. PhD. Hab. Gheorghe Postică.
This partnership also continued throughout the period 2016 – 2019. Between the 25th and the 27th of August 2016, at Căpriana Monastery, archaeological researches were performed in the context of the canonization procedure of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni. The interdisciplinary team that took part to the archaeological researches equally included specialists from the Centre for Research and Conservation-Restoration of the Cultural Heritage within ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași. Their mission was to perform post-situ conservation procedures and to organize the transport of the archaeological artefacts to ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, in compliance with the conservation-restoration standards in force. The conservation-restoration of the archaeological inventory, originating from the tomb of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni, was performed by the experts of the Centre for Research and Conservation-Restoration of the Cultural Heritage within ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, between 2016-2019, based on a contract financed by Căpriana Monastery, Republic of Moldova. The archaeological research of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni’s tomb allowed bringing to the surface a treasure that is unique and valuable for the universal cultural heritage. The archaeological pieces discovered inside the tomb were classified as follows: memorial or votive pieces of the interred person, clothing pieces of the interred person and pieces from the coffin.

Objectives

The project aims the conservation, valorization and tourist promotion of the unique ecclesiastic heritage, with a historical value, discovered in 2016, on the occasion of archaeological researches carried out at Căpriana Monastery, Republic of Moldova, in the context of the canonization of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu – Bodoni.
This common transnational cultural heritage will be the base for the foundation of the first religious museum in the Republic of Moldova, on the premises of Căpriana Monastery and will constitute the subject of a permanent digital exhibition within ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, with a view to increasing by 20% the number of tourists to visit the newly founded museum within 24 months since the project implementation.

  • To develop the cross-border institutional cooperation in the field of conservation and valorization of an unique ecclesiastic heritage;
  • To promote an unique ecclesiastic heritage, to consolidate the cultural identity and to stimulate the potential of the cultural and religious tourism in the project implementation area;
  • To digitize the religious heritage with the help of the 3D technology, using a new immerse and interactive projection technique, thus offering the visitors an unique virtual experience.

Expected results

  • Creating a project promotion web site
  • Organizing the permanent exhibition of Căpriana Monastery’s Museum and opening the museum, which will thus become the first museum with archaeological artefacts in the Republic of Moldova; launching the Guide of Căpriana Monastery’s Museum;
  • Setting up a permanent digital exhibition inside Moldavia’s History Museum within ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, unique in Romania through the use of the immerse technology;
  • Organizing at ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași of an international symposium „Save Together our Common Heritage”;
  • Setting up within ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași a temporary exhibition entitled  The Liturgical Vestments of Saint Hierarch Gavriil (Bănulescu – Bodoni) Saved by Restoration-Preservation before the religious artefacts will become part of the permanent exhibition of the future museum;
  • Publishing a Good practice guidebook on the conservation and valorization of heritage objects
  • Conducting an intensive training programme in the field of preventive conservation and valorization of the cultural heritage, for two weeks, held by the specialists of ”Moldova” National Museum Complex of Iași, for a number of three participants from Căpriana Monastery;
  • Organizing two events, one in Romania and one in the Republic of Moldova, addressed to the representatives of travel agencies;
  • Purchasing specialized equipments.

Target group and beneficiaries

The target group of the project is represented by the staff of religious institutions, museums, tourists, tourism agencies as well as the general public, indifferent of the age, religion, education, coming from the two partner countries.
The project’s end beneficiaries will be represented by the monastic staff of Căpriana Monastery, as well as by all those involved in the field of conservation, restoration and promotion of the cultural heritage in the Republic of Moldova. Likewise, various categories of audience will benefit from a new and unique museum in the Republic of Moldova and from a permanent digital exhibition in Romania, which will give them access to an archaeological ecclesiastic heritage through modern and interactive elements of museum technique.