Trichtlinnburg - an introduction followed by an account of facts

Maastricht, Tallinn and Salzburg — three popular European tourist destinations — are gradually transforming into ‘theme parks’. All construction activities undertaken in these cities ensure the preservation of historical monuments. City centres are mutating into shopping malls for international fashion and fast-food chains. Lucrative real-estate ventures are booming. The consequence is a tension between urban development and urban preservation, cultural heritage and mass tourism, economic interests and the urban life-world. This tension is relevant for artists, filmmakers, designers, architects and urban planners since it also concerns the future of their cities. Within this framework the project Trichtlinnburg, its name a reference to an imaginary place, undertook a context-oriented, multi-vocal as well as mobile series of events in Maastricht, Tallinn and Salzburg. More than forty separate, multidisciplinary projects were developed and in the process the artists and researchers endeavoured to arrive at precise definitions of both the respective place and the public they chose to focus on. They actively involved the inhabitants as well as the art public in different ways. The book publication is a fourth element of Trichtlinnburg. Authors and photographers observed, researched and documented the three cities and contributed to the consistently partial and subjective receptions of Trichtlinnburg and came up with fresh and critical views. Their contributions are enhanced by inside perspectives on Tallinn, Maastricht and Salzburg, presented in various text formats that emphasise the local spectrum of perceptions and effects. The publication is rounded out by an index of all Trichtlinnburg events, embedded in information of local and supra-regional origin.