Revitalisation of the Ruins of the Abbey-Tower at Sint-Truiden

The restoration of the ruins of the Abbey-Tower in the city centre of Sint-Truiden in Belgium is presented as an example of the tedious and comprehensive task involved in all restoration or rehabilitation projects, where the extra cost of the restoration must be justified by the added value connected with the conservation of authenticity and with the contribution to sustainable development. The development and evolution of the project took 28 years, between the damages caused by the fire in 1975 and the start of the restoration in 2003. Since 2004, the restored ruin started a new life as a beacon of the city of Sint-Truiden, highly appreciated by tourists as well as by the inhabitants.