Values and Heritage Conservation

The notion of heritage and the practice of conservation have changed significantly since the 1964 Charter of Venice stipulated that the intent of conservation was “to safeguard…monuments… no less as works of art than as historical evidence” and that the aim of restoration was “to preserve and reveal the aesthetic and historic value of the monument … based on respect for original material and authentic documents.” Since then the scope of heritage has expanded, both in terms of type and scale, and in relation to the time interval between creation and preservation. The characteristics and contexts of different types of heritage places have necessitated the revision of conservation principles and guidelines.Today conservation is understood to encompass any action designed to maintain the cultural significance of a heritage object or place, and is a process that starts at the moment a place is attributed cultural values and singled out for protection. In this complex environment, the protection of values and significance has been seen as a unifying principle of practice. These values are attributed, not intrinsic; mutable, not static; multiple and often incommensurable or in conflict – can challenge established conservation principles. The nature of cultural values has serious implications for the impact of conservation on the values of a place, the universality of conservation principles, and the protection of the heritage for future generations.