Why are historic sites important?

As I recently noticed, there has been insufficient respect to our old

architectural monuments in the media around the world. Articles
appeared tackling the topics of new innovative designs and
modern architecture projects. However, lacking attention to our
heritage.
The popular opinion has been that it is more simple, beneficial
and cheaper to build new buildings instead of preserving the old
ones. Demolish the crumbling shack and construct a shiny
skyscraper. You cannot escape the progress, or can you? I want to
tackle this topic and remind of the often forgotten benefits of
keeping our heritage intact.
First of all, preservation and restoration plays a cultural role. Old
buildings teach us about the history that happened before we
were born and promotes the respect for those who lived in
different times and different societies. Architectural monuments
cultivates pride of our past and heritage making us unique in the
world. For Paris is knows for the Eiffel tower, London for the Big
Ben and etc. Historical structures bring character and certain
charm to the neighborhood that people live in. Moreover,
restoring an old building is often way cheaper than building the
new one. Just think of all the costs you can save on creative
project team, interior dcor and other things that were initially
already thought of in the old structure.
Secondly, economy is an important merit of keeping the old.
Architectural monuments are great attractors of tourists.
Everyone likes to experience the spirit of the place, which most
often is represented through architecture. Tourists can provide
locals with jobs and extra income. Restoring locally important

historical structures generates workplaces for both local people

and international experts. Restoration works require more skills
and knowledge than simple building and thus result in higher
salaries and also contribute to boosting the economy.
Finally, it is environmentally friendly. Building new green buildings
and energy-saving houses is important, but restoring the old ones
is as green as it can get. Preservation and restoration is the
ultimate form of recycling. It helps reduce construction waste and
save the energy that is usually spent on manufacturing and
transporting building materials and tools.
Hopefully, these short points will make you think of an decaying
oldie not as an object of demolition but as an opportunity of
reborn and contribution to the local wellbeing.

As well as being indispensable to the study of history and

archaeology, the historic thread of our environment is vital to our
understanding of how our society and our landscape have
developed over time. Its contribution to modern life is varied.
Enhancing our quality of life: In contributing to the familiar,
aesthetic quality of our surroundings, where we live and work, the
historic environment enhances our sense of well-being. As it is all
around us and easily accessible, it provides a setting for a great
variety of local activities.
Knowing ourselves: the historic environment is fundamental to
our sense of place, helps link us to our roots and underpins our
sense of cultural identity. It is of value for what it tells us about
past society, modern culture and human interaction with the

environment, and it helps give us a long-term view of social and

environmental change.
Place-making: the historic environment contributes significantly to
peoples sense of place and their enjoyment of different spaces.
The character of our local landscape and townscape is largely the
product of historic development, and this is reflected in the
diversity and distinctiveness of field patterns and settlement layouts, as well as in building styles, materials and cultural
traditions. This historic character is not only attractive in its own
right, but it can act as a catalyst for creative new designs.
Sustainability: the historic environment represents considerable
past investment of physical, natural and intellectual resources.
Where archaeological and historic features already exist, it makes
good sense to make the most of the resource they provide, rather
than destroy them or allow them to decay with consequent
cultural, environmental, social and economic costs.
Environmental regeneration: the historic environment can make a
beneficial contribution to the regeneration of both urban and rural
areas. Through the adaptation of historic buildings for modern
uses, and in providing a high quality setting for new development,
the historic environment provides a unique environment where
people choose to live and work. Their inherent quality provides an
opportunity for reviving run-down areas.
Employment and economic success: the historic environment can
make a significant contribution to economic prosperity. The
historic environment generates value by creating a high quality
setting for modern life, attracting inward investment and helping
to create economic prosperity. The economic benefits of tourism
are also closely linked to the historic environment - 83% of visitors

to Scotland come primarily to visit historic sites and make an

important contribution to the Scottish economy. Attracting visitors
to an area provides economic benefits through direct employment
linked to the historic sites, as well as to tourism-related
businesses, while heritage projects also generate employment
and play an important role in maintaining traditional skills for
wider application.
An educational resource: the historic environment provides a
focus and resource for lifelong learning about the human past and
how people have inhabited the landscape and used natural
resources through time. This aids teaching about our modern
culture and our present environment.
Recreation and access: archaeological and historic sites are
popular places for recreation, attracting local people and visitors
alike.
Our broader environment: investigation of the historic
environment contributes significantly to our understanding of
environmental change and the impact of human activity on
natural resources through time. Such knowledge of the past is
vital for informing management decisions today. Historic features
frequently provide locally important habitats for flora and fauna,
the nature of which is often closely related to human activity in
the past.