The Venice Charter and Cultural Landscapes: Evolution of Heritage Concepts and Conservation Over Time

The concept of cultural heritage has significantly evolved since the 1964 Venice Charter, which initially emphasized tangible constructs like monuments and sites. Over time, this framework broadened to include landscapes, intangible heritage, cultural routes, historic urban landscapes, and rural landscapes. The study traces this evolution through key documents such as the 1982 Florence Charter on Historic Gardens and UNESCO’s 1992 Operational Guidelines for World Heritage, highlighting how the Venice Charter influenced these developments. It also explores current challenges in conserving cultural landscapes, including recognizing associative values and indigenous knowledge, while maintaining continuing agricultural landscapes.

Goetcheus, C., & Mitchell, N. (2014). The Venice Charter and Cultural Landscapes: Evolution of Heritage Concepts and Conservation Over Time. Change over Time, 4(2), 338–357. https://doi.org/10.1353/cot.2014.0018