- What is the national heritage?
- Characteristics of the national heritage
- Types of national heritage
- World Heritage
We explain what national heritage is, its characteristics and what types exist. Also, what is the heritage of humanity.
What is the national heritage?
It is understood by heritage national to the set of goods, rights, charges and obligations that belong to a Condition sovereign and that are peculiar to it due to its history, its geographical location or the traditions from his town. Just as a person (natural or legal) manages their personal assets, the State has full power and ownership over their national assets.
In its different meanings, the term heritage comes from the roman law, and was used to name the inheritable family property of the patrician citizens (that is, the nobles), transmitted from generation to generation. The term was composed of the Latin words father ("father and monium (“received”), that is, “received from the father”.
But in the case of national heritage, it is about what has been inherited from previous generations and that belongs to all citizens, that is, public heritage.
Characteristics of the national heritage
The national heritage is characterized by the following:
- It has its origin in history, the geography wave culture of the country, and therefore does not have an established owner, but is public property and inalienable, managed by the state.
- It is made up of the landscapes, archaeological remains, natural wonders, geological resources, architectural works and cultural practices that are typical of a nation and of a town.
- has a relevance historical, aesthetic, scientific and/or economic such that it cannot be easily priced or evaluated and is therefore often considered invaluable.
It can be classified, like any other type of heritage, in:
- Estate tangible, which can be touched.
- Estate intangibles, which are experienced through other senses.
Types of national heritage
National heritage encompasses different types of heritage, such as:
- The natural heritage, which encompasses the scenery, natural wonders and water resources that are specific to geography and topography of National territory. Some examples of this are: the Grand Canyon in the United States, the Angel Falls in Venezuela, the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador or the Dead Sea in Israel.
- The cultural heritage, which includes the languages, traditions, crafts, decorations, dances, songs and religious practices of a country, as well as the material and immaterial elements that this implies. Some examples of this are: the celebration of the Day of the Dead of Mexico, the numerous native languages of Bolivia, the Sanfermines fairs in Spain or the tradition of singing Fado in Portugal.
- The historical and archaeological heritage, which refers to the traces of the national past, whether they are exposed to the light of day or stored in archaeological sites. It can be about material elements that recompose the history national (or even prehistoric) or immaterial elements that enunciate it, such as oral stories. Some examples of this are: the statues of heads on Easter Island, the paintings in the caves of Altamira in Spain, or the concentration camps built by Nazi Germany in Poland.
- The architectural heritage, which refers to the buildings, ruins and great national monuments built by the population of a country, either in ancient or modern times. Some examples of this are: the Eiffel Tower in France, the pyramids of Tikal in the jungles of Guatemala, the sphinxes and pyramids of Egypt, or the Great Wall of China.
- The artistic heritage, which encompasses the artistic expressions typical of a nation, in its very different possible genres, from those consecrated with the Fine arts, even those of popular origin. Some examples of this are: the Gioconda of Leonardo DaVinci in Italy, the popular singers and songwriters of northern Argentina, the murals of the Mexican Diego de Rivera or the poems of the English romantics of the 19th century.
World Heritage
The World Heritage Site is selected for its global relevance.
Many of the world's great works or natural monuments are so famous, imposing and historically relevant, that they are no longer considered (only) the national heritage of a country, but heritage of the humanity whole, that is, heritage of relevance not only locally, but worldwide. The unesco is the international organization in charge of cataloging, preserving and publicizing these sites of global importance, which can also be of different types:
- Natural heritage of humanity, areas that possess outstanding natural beauty, bear witness to the process of formation of the planet (or the known world) or contain habitats and unique biological reserves on the planet. For example: the Iguazú National Park in Argentina, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Dja Fauna Reserve in Cameroon, or the Komodo National Park In Indonesia.
- Cultural heritage of humanity, locations that reflect the creative genius of the human being, that reflect their capacity for beauty, that offer a unique testimony to the history of the species or that are directly related to living traditions, beliefs or artistic traditions of global importance. For example: the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru, the Himeji Castle in Japan, the Bam fortress in Iran, or the Copan archaeological site in Honduras.