Recommendations and Strategies for the Establishment of a Guideline for Monument Documentation Harmonized with the Existing European Standards and Codes

Information on current state of immovable cultural heritage is important for specifying measures necessary to preserve the heritage in an appropriate condition and ensure that the maintenance required to keep it at this level is well defined. In this framework, EU-CHIC project aims to set-up a system introducing a concept of the “Cultural Heritage Identity Card”, which will develop into a systematic collection and storage of data on immovable heritage objects across European and neighboring countries. This work supports sustainable maintenance, preservation and revitalization of historic sites and monuments. This is achieved through the development of a guideline for the assessment of efficient documentation systems that identify the parameters needed for the characterisation of the preservation state of a monument and its possible alterations during its entire lifetime. In order to develop and test the recommendations for efficient compilation of the data pertinent to each monument under observation, the development of criteria, indicators and protocols as part of a common methodology that encourages the exchange of document between European countries is initiated. The criteria encompass all potential factors affecting the building structure, the non-structural elements, the architectural value and any other aspects ranging from the functionality of the monument/building, to its historic value. This has been achieved through an integrated survey of existing documentation protocols in the field of cultural heritage protection, and through implementation of recommendations about criteria for harmonizing these protocols, both which provide a new documentation methodology. This new methodology is an upgrade of current documentation methodologies, and responds to criteria and indicators for risk assessment and the technology state of diagnostics and data management. A guideline will provide the essential document for further development of European policies for the traceability of cultural assets and harmonization of criteria for the future maintenance of European Cultural Heritage.