Imbued with a message from the past, the historic monuments of generations
of people remain to the present day as living witnesses of their age-old
traditions. People are becoming more and more conscious of the unity
of human values and regard ancient monuments as a common heritage. The
common responsibility to safeguard them for future generations is recognized.
It is our duty to hand them on in the full richness of their authenticity.
It is essential that the principles guiding the preservation and restoration
of ancient buildings should be agreed and be laid down on an international
basis, with each country being responsible for applying the plan within the
framework of its own culture and traditions.
By defining these basic principles for the first time, the Athens Charter of
1931 contributed towards the development of an extensive international movement
which has assumed concrete form in national documents, in the work of ICOM
and UNESCO and in the establishment by the latter of the International Centre
for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property.
Increasing awareness and critical study have been brought to bear on problems
which have continually become more complex and varied; now the time has come
to examine the Charter afresh in order to make a thorough study of the principles
involved and to enlarge its scope in a new document.
Accordingly, the IInd International Congress of Architects and Technicians
of Historic Monuments, which met in Venice from May 25th to 31st 1964, approved
the following text:
ARTICLE 1. The concept of an historic monument embraces not only the single
architectural work but also the urban or rural setting in which is found
the evidence of a particular civilization, a significant development or an
historic event. This applies not only to great works of art but also to more
modest works of the past which have acquired cultural significance with the
passing of time.
ARTICLE 2. The conservation and restoration of monuments must have recourse
to all the sciences and techniques which can contribute to the study and safeguarding
of the architectural heritage.
ARTICLE 3. The intention in conserving and restoring monuments is to safeguard them no less as works of art than as historical evidence.
ARTICLE 4. It is essential to the conservation of monuments that they be maintained
on a permanent basis.
ARTICLE 5. The conservation of monuments is always facilitated by making use
of them for some socially useful purpose. Such use is therefore desirable but
it must not change the lay-out or decoration of the building. It is within
these limits only that modifications demanded by a change of function should
be envisaged and may be permitted.
ARTICLE 6. The conservation of a monument implies preserving a setting which
is not out of scale. Wherever the traditional setting exists, it must be kept.
No new construction, demolition or modification which would alter the relations
of mass and color must be allowed.
ARTICLE 7. A monument is inseparable from the history to which it bears witness
and from the setting in which it occurs. The moving of all or part of a monument
cannot be allowed except where the safeguarding of that monument demands it
or where it is justified by national or international interest of paramount
importance.
ARTICLE 8. Items of sculpture, painting or decoration which form an integral
part of a monument may only be removed from it if this is the sole means of
ensuring their preservation.
ARTICLE 9. The process of restoration is a highly specialized operation. Its
aim is to preserve and reveal the aesthetic and historic value of the monument
and is based on respect for original material and authentic documents. It must
stop at the point where conjecture begins, and in this case moreover any extra
work which is indispensable must be distinct from the architectural composition
and must bear a contemporary stamp. The restoration in any case must be preceded
and followed by an archaeological and historical study of the monument.
ARTICLE 10. Where traditional techniques prove inadequate, the consolidation
of a monument can be achieved by the use of any modem technique for conservation
and construction, the efficacy of which has been shown by scientific data and
proved by experience.
ARTICLE 11. The valid contributions of all periods to the building of a monument
must be respected, since unity of style is not the aim of a restoration. When
a building includes the superimposed work of different periods, the revealing
of the underlying state can only be justified in exceptional circumstances
and when what is removed is of little interest and the material which is brought
to light is of great historical, archaeological or aesthetic value, and its
state of preservation good enough to justify the action. Evaluation of the
importance of the elements involved and the decision as to what may be destroyed
cannot rest solely on the individual in charge of the work.
ARTICLE 12. Replacements of missing parts must integrate harmoniously with
the whole, but at the same time must be distinguishable from the original so
that restoration does not falsify the artistic or historic evidence.
ARTICLE 13. Additions cannot be allowed except in so far as they do not detract
from the interesting parts of the building, its traditional setting, the balance
of its composition and its relation with its surroundings.
ARTICLE 14. The sites of monuments must be the object of special care in order to safeguard their integrity and ensure that they are cleared and presented in a seemly manner. The work of conservation and restoration carried out in such places should be inspired by the principles set forth in the foregoing articles.
ARTICLE 15. Excavations should be carried out in accordance with scientific
standards and the recommendation defining international principles to be applied
in the case of archaeological excavation adopted by UNESCO in 1956.
Ruins must be maintained and measures necessary for the permanent conservation
and protection of architectural features and of objects discovered must be
taken. Furthermore, every means must be taken to facilitate the understanding
of the monument and to reveal it without ever distorting its meaning.
All reconstruction work should however be ruled out “a priori.” Only
anastylosis, that is to say, the reassembling of existing but dismembered parts
can be permitted. The material used for integration should always be recognizable
and its use should be the least that will ensure the conservation of a monument
and the reinstatement of its form.
ARTICLE 16. In all works of preservation, restoration or excavation, there
should always be precise documentation in the form of analytical and critical
reports, illustrated with drawings and photographs. Every stage of the work
of clearing, consolidation, rearrangement and integration, as well as technical
and formal features identified during the course of the work, should be included.
This record should be placed in the archives of a public institution and made
available to research workers. It is recommended that the report should be
published.
The following persons took part in the work of the Committee for drafting the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments: Piero Gazzola (Italy), Chairman; Raymond Lemaire (Belgium), Reporter; Jose Bassegoda-Nonell (Spain); Luis Benavente (Portugal); Djurdje Boskovic (Yugoslavia); Hiroshi Daifuku (UNESCO); P.L de Vrieze (Netherlands); Harald Langberg (Denmark); Mario Matteucci (Italy); Jean Merlet (France); Carlos Flores Marini (Mexico); Roberto Pane (Italy); S.C.J. Pavel (Czechoslovakia); Paul Philippot (ICCROM); Victor Pimentel (Peru); Harold Plenderleith (ICCROM); Deoclecio Redig de Campos (Vatican); Jean Sonnier (France); Francois Sorlin (France); Eustathios Stikas (Greece); Mrs. Gertrud Tripp (Austria); Jan Zachwatovicz (Poland); Mustafa S. Zbiss (Tunisia)