State subsidies may be granted, subject to certain conditions, for the restoration and enhancement of buildings of historical, architectural, artistic, scientific, technical or industrial interest, which have retained their typical or historical character and are protected by national or communal measures.

The subsidies help cover a portion of the additional expenses occasioned by the relevant measures.

Applications for subsidies are managed by the National Institute for Architectural Heritage (Institut national pour le patrimoine architectural – INPA).

Who is concerned

All natural and legal persons, communes, associations of communes and associations who:

• wish to carry out works contributing to the conservation or restoration of the original appearance of a building, with the aim of safeguarding its historical substance; and
• agree to observe the recommendations made by the National Institute for Architectural Heritage.

Prerequisites

You are eligible to receive a subsidy if:

• the building has retained its typical or historical character;
• the building is covered by a national or communal protection measure;
• the works contribute to the conservation or restoration of the original appearance of the building.

The term national protection measure should be taken to mean the listing of a building, or its inclusion on the supplementary inventory.

The communal protection measure consists in the listing of a building as a building to be conserved in a protected sector of communal interest in the general development plan of a commune.

The subsidy can cover the following:

• façade works;
• roofing works;
• flashing works;
• structural works;
• ironworks and locks;
• window installations;
• restoration or renovation of doors;
• works inside the building to safeguard its historical substance;
• services of an architect and/or engineer and, where applicable, scientific analyses.

How to proceed

Step 1 to be accomplished before the start of the works

Submitting the application

You must file your application for a subsidy before the start of the works using the specific form (available under 'Forms / Online services');

• either online via the MyGuichet.lu platform; or
• by post to the following address:

Institut national pour le patrimoine architectural (INPA)
26, rue de Münster
L-2160 Luxembourg.

The online procedure requires authentication, i.e. in order to submit your application, you need:

• a LuxTrust product (e.g. Token, Smartcard or Signing Stick); or
• an electronic identity (eID) card.

Supporting documents

You must include the following supporting documents with your application:

• representative photos showing all sides of the building to be restored;
• plans and quotes for the project depending on the intended works;
• a certificate from the commune proving the building's communal protection status if it is not protected by a national measure.

Site visit and promise of subsidy

Thereafter, an expert from the National Institute for Architectural Heritage (INPA) will schedule an appointment for a site visit to discuss on-site the different types of work to be carried out.

If your application is accepted based on the quotes and after having sought the opinion of the INPA, the Minister for Culture will send you a promise of subsidy.

The promise indicates the type of works that will be subsidised as well as the percentage or lump sum that the subsidy represents in relation to the costs to be incurred.

Monitoring of works

The works for which subsidies are granted are monitored by the National Institute for Architectural Heritage (INPA). The INPA's recommendations must be observed by the project owner during the works.

If the project owner fails to observe these recommendations, the INPA will report such failure to the Minister for Culture, and the subsidy promise is partially or totally cancelled.

Step 2 to be accomplished after the end of the works

Submitting the application

At the end of the works, the National Institute for Architectural Heritage (INPA) will send you a form to be duly completed and returned by post to the following address:

Institut national pour le patrimoine architectural (INPA)
26, rue de Münster
L-2160 Luxembourg.

Supporting documents

You must attach the following documents to the form received after the end of the works:

• receipted invoices; and
• photos of the restored building.

Amount of subsidies

The total amount of the subsidy is set by the Minister for Culture after having sought the opinion of the National Institute for Architectural Heritage (INPA).

Eligible works can be subsidised as follows:

• up to 25 % of expenses incurred for buildings that are protected at the communal level, not listed as national monuments, not proposed for listing and not registered in the supplementary inventory;
• up to 50 % of expenses incurred for buildings that are listed as national monuments, proposed for listing or registered in the supplementary inventory;
• over 50 % of expenses incurred for buildings that are listed as national monuments, and on the basis of an opinion issued by the Cultural Heritage Commission (commission pour le patrimoine culturel).

Forms / Online services

Who to contact