From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cultural heritage ("national heritage" or just "heritage") is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Often though, what is considered cultural heritage by one generation may be rejected by the next generation, only to be revived by a succeeding generation.

Physical or "tangible cultural heritage" includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts, etc., that are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. "Natural heritage" is also an important part of a culture, encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna. These kind of heritage sites often serve as an important component in a country's tourist industry, attracting many visitors from abroad as well as locally.

The heritage that survives from the past is often unique and irreplaceable, which places the responsibility of preservation on the current generation. Smaller objects such as artworks and other cultural masterpieces are collected in museums and art galleries. Grass roots organizations and political groups have been successful at gaining the necessary support to preserve the heritage of many nations for the future.

Significant was the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage that was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972. As of 2006, there are 830 World Heritage Sites: 644 cultural, 162 natural, and 24 mixed properties, in 138 countries. Each of these sites is considered important to the international community.

A broader definition includes intangible aspects of a particular culture, often maintained by social customs during a specific period in history. The ways and means of behavior in a society, and the often formal rules for operating in a particular cultural climate. These include social values and traditions, customs and practices, aesthetic and spiritual beliefs, artistic expression, language and other aspects of human activity. The significance of physical artifacts can be interpreted against the backdrop of socioeconomic, political, ethnic, religious and philosophical values of a particular group of people. Naturally, intangible cultural heritage is more difficult to preserve than physical objects.

• Art conservation and restoration
• Canadian Register of Historic Places
• Collecting
• Cultural Heritage Management
• English Heritage
• Ethnobotany
• Folklore
• Heritage tourism
• Historic Preservation
• ICOMOS
• Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
• Museology
• National Register of Historic Places
• Preservation
• UNESCO
• Virtual Heritage
• World Heritage Sites

• U.S. Library of Congress - American Memory About the collections of photographs, documents and drawings
• Cultural heritage policy - history and resources Getty Museum
• Cultural heritage search engine
• Cultural routes and landscapes, a common heritage of Europe (English and French language)
• EPOCH – European Research Network on Excellence in Processing Open Cultural Heritage
• Mediterraneum. Protection, consevation and valorization of cultural and environmental property (English, French, Spanish and Italian language)
• National Register of Historic Places Travel itineraries in the U.S.
• Web Journal on Cultural Patrimony (English and Italian language)
• Cultural Heritage in Greece on Google Maps
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Official website
  • Cultural heritage information from UNESCO
• Archeologia.be - Cultural Heritage Law
• Inventory of Heritage Organisations in Europe(English, French, German and Dutch language)