Amsterdam Declaration Comparison with Athens and Venice Charter

 

After WW2, for the sake of protecting natural and cultural heritage, particular institutions have gathered in meeting of varying scales and developed certain principles, criteria’s and regulations. These developments have been recorded in various sorts of documents.

Athens Charter, 1931 emphasizes on criticizing certain mistakes that have been implemented that would result in loss of character and historical value.  This charter emphasizes on protecting cultural heritage to the extreme of reburying an excavated site if it is not planned on being restorated immediately. The artwork that are located around the historical site should be removed since they were designed to be discouraged. Historical sites must be under strict governance. They should be conserved without making drastic changes. Changes should be aligned with the period that the original structure has been constructed and the area surrounding the heritage site. If the edifice is being restored in order to be used for a purpose, this purpose must be similar or familiar to the original purpose of the edifice. The material does not have to be the same as the original material. Modern materials like reinforced concrete should be used in order to increase the life span of the building. In the case of an emergency, public authorities are obligated to take any measures and in order to protect monuments with historical value for different countries.

Venice Charter, 1964 is developed in order to enlarge the scope. As the humans become more conscious about the importance of cultural heritage, problems become more complex and they should be handled with a detailed charter. Structures must have a regular maintenance and should be renovated for a purpose. The location that the historical heritage was found must not be relocated or any artwork should be relocated for the purpose of preservation. Material selection should be in accordance with the original materials. And additions are strictly forbidden, so if the historical are is in ruins, only maintaining the building is allowed.

Amsterdam Declaration, 1975 is aiming to develop a more international, larger scoped regulation for the preservation of historical heritage. Contrary to charters mentioned above, Amsterdam Declaration emphasizes on preserving towns/villages/historical interests rather than just structures. Financial aid for all historical preservations must be funded. And any major change should be avoided on rehabilitating old areas. In Amsterdam Declaration, education about the topic of restoration and preservation is also mentioned. This allows the younger generation to be informed about the topic even further and be conscious about local cultural heritages.

        The scopes are changing as the time progresses, level of detail increases. But mainly Amsterdam Declaration handles restoration on a larger scale by involving urban and regional planning. One of the principles that the Venice and Athens Charter have in common is the documentation and publication of any sorts must be done in a detailed manner. Reports and documentation about restoration process must be shared internationally. Apart from Amsterdam Declaration and Athens Charter, Venice Charter does not include proposal for any sort of government responsibility. But rather  focuses on peoples perceiving of restoration and conservation. While Amsterdam Declaration proposes independent organizations to be encouraged.