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ContextĀ andĀ stateĀ ofĀ artĀ ofĀ TangibleĀ heritageĀ inĀ CahulĀ district,Ā RepublicĀ ofĀ MoldovaĀ
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1.Ā Introduction.RepublicĀ ofĀ MoldovaĀ andĀ CahulĀ districtĀ tangibleĀ heritageĀ
LocatedĀ inĀ theĀ southernĀ partĀ ofĀ theĀ RepublicĀ ofĀ Moldova,havingĀ aĀ surfaceĀ ofĀ 448200Ā ha,Ā CahulĀ
districtĀ isĀ composedĀ ofĀ plainsĀ andĀ hillyĀ areas,Ā withĀ overĀ 11%Ā forestsĀ occupieingĀ theĀ districtĀ landĀ andĀ
anĀ importantĀ naturalĀ scentificĀ Reserve,Ā betweenĀ PrutĀ riverĀ andĀ theĀ Danube,āThe Lower Prutā
natural reserve, formed of meadows, ponds and natural lakes.Landscape represents the integrator
factor that embraces a small size localities system, formed of one town- Cahul- and 55 localities, of
which 37 communes and 18 villages.
Itās geographical position and the history of this region shaped a multicultural environment, present
in the cultural life of the villages and also in their tangible and intangible heritage.
Tangible and intangible heritage are interrelated by a dynamic link, as tangible values -built, natural
or artefacts-protection is significant for communities identity in the future and enable them to
develop in a sustainable way, based on their heritage and cultural values, they become aware of.
Although in terms of figures, tangible heritage recorded in the oficial Register for Monuments in the
Cahul district is not significant, cultural spaces(linked to a site, landscape or to a building) as a
market place or a village square are part of the local identity, being both a site and socio-cultural
place, due to their significance for the community or inhabitants.
2.Ā TangibleĀ culturalĀ heritageāĀ evolutionĀ ofĀ conceptsĀ
ApproachingĀ internationalĀ definitionĀ ofĀ tangibleĀ heritageĀ inĀ chartersĀ orĀ resolutionsĀ atĀ EuropeanĀ
level,Ā theĀ changeĀ ofĀ theĀ conceptĀ canĀ beĀ seenĀ asĀ anĀ evolutionĀ fromĀ specificĀ categoriesĀ (emblematicĀ
monumentĀ buildingsĀ orĀ archeologicalĀ remains)Ā toĀ aĀ largerĀ arrayāĀ groupsĀ ofĀ lessĀ importantĀ buildings,Ā
manāmadeĀ sites,Ā artifactsĀ andĀ landscapesāĀ includingĀ naturalĀ features,Ā geologicalĀ andĀ physiographicalĀ
formations,Ā naturalĀ landscapesĀ butĀ alsoĀ cultural/manāmadeĀ ones.Ā Ā
TheĀ conservationĀ ofĀ tangibleĀ heritageĀ asĀ wellĀ asĀ safeguardingĀ andĀ transmittingĀ culturalĀ practices,Ā
traditionalĀ knowledgeĀ andĀ skillsĀ callsĀ forĀ puttingĀ tangibleĀ heritageĀ inĀ itsĀ widerĀ contextĀ āĀ relatingĀ itĀ
moreĀ closelyĀ toĀ theĀ concernedĀ communitiesĀ āātranslateāĀ intangibleĀ heritageĀ toātangibleĀ formsĀ
āofĀ heritage,Ā asĀ inventories,Ā records,Ā exhibitions/Ā museumsĀ andĀ supportĀ theĀ practitionersĀ forĀ theĀ
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5.Ā TerritorialĀ sustainableĀ developmentĀ throughĀ tangibleĀ andĀ intangibleĀ heritageĀ
TheĀ visionĀ overĀ theĀ territorialĀ developmentĀ isĀ basedĀ onĀ aĀ systemĀ ofĀ objectivesāheritageĀ
rehabilitationĀ andĀ valorizationĀ (natural,Ā tangibleĀ andĀ intangible)Ā beingĀ amongĀ theĀ prioritiesĀ toĀ beĀ
consideredĀ (bothĀ fromĀ authoritiesĀ pointĀ ofĀ viewĀ asĀ fromĀ stakeholdersā).Ā
HowĀ hasĀ eachĀ villageĀ orĀ eachĀ townĀ toĀ actĀ inĀ orderĀ toĀ preserveĀ itsĀ identityĀ andĀ authenticityĀ butĀ atĀ theĀ
sameĀ timeĀ toĀ developĀ inĀ aĀ balancedĀ way,Ā toĀ ensureĀ aĀ moreĀ qualitativeĀ lifeĀ forĀ itsĀ inhabitantsĀ andĀ anĀ
attractiveĀ surroundingĀ forĀ tourismĀ adaptedĀ toĀ thisĀ territorialĀ scaleāmainlyĀ ruralāculturalĀ tourism?Ā
AĀ startingĀ pointĀ shouldĀ beĀ theĀ understandingĀ andĀ valueĀ ofĀ tangibleĀ heritageĀ (startingĀ withĀ aĀ
scientificĀ evaluationĀ ofĀ allĀ tangibleĀ assetsĀ inĀ theĀ area,Ā implementingĀ aĀ largerĀ visionĀ forĀ theĀ actualĀ
nationalĀ conceptĀ ofĀ āmonuments ā , by including historic urban public spaces, vernacular
architecture, traditional industries and cultural landscapes).FollowingĀ stepsĀ regardĀ aĀ coherentĀ viewĀ ofĀ
territorialĀ development,Ā includingĀ allĀ facetsĀ ofĀ heritageāĀ natural,Ā tangibleĀ andĀ intangible.Ā
Finally,Ā theĀ territorialĀ strategyĀ ofĀ developmentĀ willĀ connectĀ theseĀ localitiesĀ inĀ aĀ culturalĀ network,Ā
eachĀ settlementĀ enhancingĀ itsĀ identityĀ Ā Ā butĀ benefitingĀ asĀ aĀ wholeĀ fromĀ theĀ diverseĀ heritageĀ ofĀ theĀ
otherĀ localities.Ā ThisĀ culturalĀ territorialĀ systemĀ isĀ valuableĀ alsoĀ inĀ termsĀ ofĀ communityĀ developmentĀ
asĀ inhabitantsĀ willĀ beĀ involvedĀ alongĀ withĀ localĀ authoritiesĀ inĀ theĀ upgradingĀ ofĀ theirĀ environment,Ā
raisingĀ theĀ qualityĀ ofĀ lifeĀ byĀ preservingĀ andĀ revitalizingĀ theĀ valuableĀ assetsĀ ofĀ theirĀ territoryĀ inĀ
heritageĀ basedĀ projects.Ā
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6.Ā AĀ modelĀ ofĀ minorĀ historicĀ ruralĀ centerĀ revivalĀ andĀ managementĀ
TangibleĀ andĀ intangibleĀ heritageĀ ofĀ RimeteaĀ village,Ā AlbaĀ county,Ā RomaniaĀ
Attested since the XIII th century, the village of Rimetea was known for processing iron and mining
by German miners, is situated in Transylvania historical region of Romania, in a valley surrounded
by rocky mountains. Natural and built architectural landscape form an unique environment which
was threatened by neglect or by improper, ā unsympatheticā-as defined by Transylvania Trust
Foundation professionals- interventions on historical buildings.
The best stage of the settlement development was during the XVIIIth century- architectural
ensembles from XVIII-XIXth centuries being preserved and enhanced through this heritage
conservation and development project.
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Initiated by professionals and NGOs, financially and scientifically supported by international bodies
(as the Vth district of Budapest and former vice president of ICOMOS), a grant system was
implemented and coordinated by Transylvania Trust Foundation since 1996, during 10 years being
offered to130-140 building owners grants to preserve and have a pro-active attitude towards
conservation of the area values (buildings and plots as well).
The project developed also an educational tool for students (1996-1998 an architectural survey was in
place) and most important for local community economic and social life-employment for craftsmen
and possibility in learning traditional skills related to old buildings rehabilitation.
Recognized as a best practice for vernacular heritage, Rimetea village heritage project was awarded
by the European Union the prize for Cultural heritage- Europa Nostra award 1999.
As a long term objective, by rural and cultural tourism this area was brought to a new life, tangible
heritage, intangible heritage and nature sustaining development adapted to the local context, the
importance of protecting tangible and intangible heritage being significant not only for reflecting on
and better understand the past but also to maintain the identity and pride of their inheritance, for local
communities in the future.