De monumento nacional a património cultural. Proteção e salvaguarda da arquitetura medieval antes e depois de 1979

Abstract

n 1979, the Portuguese state rectified the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Heritage, which, in its 5th article, reinforces the responsibility of the signatory states to protect, preserve and enhance the 'cultural and nat-ural heritage situated in their territory and under the condi-tions appropriate to each country'. Aware of the consequences that these legislative milestones have had in the field of her-itage management on a national scale, particularly in terms of changes to the framework of guardianship, the allocation of heritage and the updating of public management policies, we intend to understand how these have impacted on the understanding of the cultural significance and safeguarding of medieval buildings. How did medieval buildings, valued as National Monuments, gradually come to fulfil a new purpose and be approached as endogenous resources? We will seek to discuss these issues through a critical analysis of the regulatory and institutional framework, both before and after the inter-national commitment made by the Portuguese State in 1979.