The aims of our exhibitions and the work of our Scientific Advisory Board

In November 2000, a board of experts began to work in order to guarantee the scientific fundaments of our second exhibition, Castles and Bazaars in Crusader Times. The central ideas of the exhibition have been formulated by the Advisory Board – cultural exchange instead of the common prejudice of a simple bloody confrontation in Crusader Times. Although the conflicts are present, phases of peaceful living of Christians and Muslims even in those days are strengthened in order to give hints for a fruitful cohabitation and interaction for Europe today by presenting a piece of history that Christians and Muslims have in common.

The GIB e.V.’s upcoming projects are:

• Interdisciplinary Symposium in January/February 2006 in cooperation with the European Castle Society and the German Castle Society at the Marksburg at Braubach on the Rine:

• Construction of the Hospitaller Castle Crac des Chevaliers according to the method of tachymetrical  measurement i.e. a model in a scale of 1:26,5 ;  footprint 19 x 19 feet;
   height 7,4 feet

• The exhibit will have some 2,000 figurines handmade and created for the purpose using the latest scientific information. These figurines will be of Muslim and Christian dignitaries, armed men and civilians. 

• The exact point in time represented in the exhibition is the phase of Sultan Baibar laying siege to the castle in 1271. 

• Creation of a model of a section of the Bazar of Aleppo, scale 1 : 25, 4 x 4 m. The model will sue data established by a local architect in spring 2002.     

• The exhibition will have some 750 figurines and items used in bazar life created using the latest scientific information.

• Talks on aspects of the ICRS’s work given by members of the Board of Scientific Advisors at board meetings or the society’s general meetings

• Creation of texts, diagrams, geographical plans and drawings and outlines of historical sites using the latest scientific findings to be used in the show boards.

• Creation of a catalogue to go with the exhibitions, to be published in several languages

• Creation of a scientific publication on the topic of the exhibition (published in German under the direction of Mathias Piana with the title Burgen und Städte der Kreuzzugszeit  im Vorderen Orien