EU Support

Portico is a cooperative project between the European cities of Chester (UK), Ghent (Belgium), Cologne (Germany), Utrecht (Netherlands) and the Initiatief Domplein in Utrecht.

Supporting the project financially is the EU's INTERREG IV-B programme. The aim of ‘Portico -Towards future-proof historic cities' is to develop new methods, techniques and ideas on how to advance urban development with the cultural legacy of our historical sites, be they above or below ground.

As part of this scheme, surveys and studies are being compiled on air-conditioning and building techniques compatible with the conservation of extant structures and materials in connection with historic architectural monuments and archaeological sites. Such data are highly relevant for the planning and construction of the Archaeological Zone at Cologne. Further considerable funds are also being made available for redesigning the presentation of the Ubian Monument.