Monument protection; application for a grant from the State Office for Monument Preservation

The eligibility criteria differ depending on whether the grants relate to listed buildings or archaeological sites.

Architectural monuments

As a general rule, the application must be submitted before the start of the project for which funding is sought, unless the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (BLfD) has expressly given its written consent to the project commencing earlier. The project for which funding is sought must have been agreed with the BLfD prior to its implementation.

In principle, and as a matter of course, consultations are held most easily during the BLfD’s regular consultation days at the local heritage protection authority responsible for the historic building in question, where decisions on heritage law permits or planning permission may also be taken.

Archaeological sites

Applications for grants for work relating to the recovery and discovery of archaeological monuments must be submitted directly to the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (BLfD) only once the excavation has been fully completed, including the submission of the excavation documentation.

Work on the archaeological project must have commenced on 1 May 2025 at the earliest.

The work must have been carried out in accordance with the planning permission granted under heritage legislation and in consultation with the BLfD – Department of Archaeological Heritage Conservation.

The ANBest-P (for the private sector) and ANBest-K (for the local authority sector), in the version in force at the time the measure commences, must be observed. Owing to the subsequent grant procedure, this essentially concerns section 3 of the respective ANBest guidelines on the award of contracts.

Eligible for funding are the costs relating to the archaeological excavation as a heritage project, excluding equipment costs and work carried out by the local authority on a cost-plus basis.

Work on the project for which a grant is being applied for may not commence until the grant has been approved, unless the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments has expressly given its consent in writing (e.g. by email) to the work starting ahead of schedule.

Approval for an earlier start to works relating to the recovery and discovery of archaeological remains is generally deemed to have been granted.

• A cost estimate from an architect or detailed quotations from tradespeople or companies, setting out the nature and scope of the planned work in detail
• Photograph of the property for which the grant is being applied for to carry out repairs

• Confirmation that the excavation documentation and the finds have been submitted in full to the competent authority specified in the permit notice
• Final invoice from the specialist archaeological firm, which must itemise the following items separately:
  • Staff costs for fieldwork,
  • Costs for preparing the excavation documentation,
  • other service charges,
  • where applicable, costs for the conservation treatment of the find and accompanying scientific analyses, as agreed with the BLfD

• Section 22 of the Act on the Protection and Preservation of Monuments (Bavarian Monument Protection Act – BayDSchG)

  Services

• State Office for the Preservation of Historic Monuments – Information for owners of historic monuments
• Guidance on the protection of listed buildings for owners of listed buildings

   

In all cases, an application is required, which should preferably be submitted electronically.

Architectural monuments

Applications for grants for work on a listed building should be submitted as early as possible to the local heritage authority responsible for that particular listed building.

Archaeological sites

The application must be submitted directly to the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (BLfD).