Merriam-Webster defines the act of preservation as: a) to keep safe from injury, harm, or destruction – Protect, b) to keep safe from decomposition – Maintain . Human beings have traditionally given great importance to preservation of objects. This preservation can be in the form of the making of photo albums or the saving of things that we think are special to us. People generally do this to preserve memories. The first photograph of a child, wedding pictures or a gift from a friend – by preserving these things, the person is not looking to only save the thing that is special, but the memories of the events linked with them. Family also sometimes have heirlooms; things that are passed on from generation to generation. These are felt to be things of pride, a mark of lineage. The heirloom is either passed on to the oldest member or someone who is considered to be most deserving of the next generation.
However, unlike family photo albums or heirlooms, cultural or heritage sites do not belong to anyone. The government does not own them and neither does the public. Yet, heritage sites are related with an entire people. Some are thought to be global treasures such as the Taj Mahal in India pr the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Others hold national importance such as the Washington Monument or Mount Rushmore in the USA. Individual states and cities also have their own heritage sites that the government and the people want to preserve. A large amount of funding is given towards the maintenance and preserving of these sites and damaging them could be a crime. Why such monuments need to be preserved? What value do they hold and for whom?
A community’s identity is linked to its cultural heritage and history . When one thinks of certain cities, its most famous heritage site automatically comes to mind – Rome’s Colosseum, Greece’s Acropolis, India’s Taj Mahal, Egypt’s Pyramids, Britain’s Stone Henge, The Great Wall of China. Each of these monuments speaks a lot about the history and culture of the land which they belong to. But their historic or cultural importance is not the only reason why a government or people need to preserve these monuments. They have a positive influence on the quality of life of the community to which they belong. They also offer cultural, social, educational, economic, and environmental benefits .
Culturally and socially, monuments are like a reminder of a community’s rich and great past. They may have been made to mark great achievements of community members or specific historical events that were important to the identity of the community. The monuments may also be a part of community traditions and practices that, although not followed today, form an important part of the community’s background. Having heritage sites around them allows people to remember the greatness that they are capable of, building pride in their heritage and adding to their self confidence. Heritage also brings the people of a community together. The beauty and greatness of these sites make the locality a better place to live in. Historic sites, particularly those that have been made to mark a fight that was won, allows people to appreciate their current free lives, encouraging them to work towards a better living. Several heritage sites mark the sacrifices that a few people made for the freedom, equality and the happiness of an entire community. These monuments allow the community to not only remember these sacrifices and brave actions, but also to honor and appreciate them.
Heritage sites also present a lot of educational value for the entire community. People visiting these sites can see, touch and experience in real the subjects that they would otherwise have learned only through books. For example, students of architecture can learn a lot from the designs and methods used by the makers of famous European castles or palaces. Experts are still shocked by the genius shown in the construction of monuments such as the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Several pieces of heritage that can be seen in big museums such as the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., allow for a fun method of education where students and community members can see the works that they have learned or read about. Heritage sites do not just provide educational value in the field of history, but others such as architecture, transport, urban planning, sociology, mathematics, environmental studies and economics in addition to a host of other subjects. By preserving heritage sites, governments are making use of the great educational benefits that they bring for the entire.
Preservation of heritage sites is also great for the environment. To begin with, many heritage sites such as court houses, palaces and town houses are still being used for different things. For example, in the state of Rajhastan, India, many palaces have been changed into five start hotels . Not only is this a great way to draw tourists and show the cultural heritage of the country, but it also costs only a small part of the price of building a new building. Also, since these sites are already made, it takes very little resources and raw materials to renovate them. This way, the bad environmental impact of fresh constructions is removed.
In short, it can be said that heritage sites have a lot of cultural, social, educational, environmental and economic benefits for the community, in addition to being a cause of national pride. They form an important part of a community’s identity and provide several benefits. It for this reason that governments as well as people give a lot of importance to the preservation of heritage sites.
Works Cited
Egypt State Information Service. Tourism - Introduction. 2007. 26 April 2013
Grossman, Loyd. Save our past and create a better future. 11 December 2009. 26 April 2013
Historic Hawaii Foundation. Why historic preservation? 26 April 2013
Merriam-Webster. Preserve. 26 April 2013
Shubh Yatra. Royal retreats of Rajasthan. 26 April 2013
Thammy, Evans. Great Wall of China: Beijing and Northern China. Bucks, UK: Bradt Travel Guides, 2006.
