(, , , ) is a category of the heritage register in
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. The term is also used in
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
and other Spanish-speaking countries.
The term literally means a "good of cultural interest" ("
good
In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil. The specific meaning and etymology of the term and its ...
s" in the economic sense). It includes not only material heritage (
cultural property), like monuments or movable works of art, but also
intangible cultural heritage
An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. In ...
, such as the
Silbo Gomero language.
Some ''bienes'' enjoy international protection as
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
s or
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
The Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage—such traditions, rituals, dance, and knowledge—and ...
.
History
In Spain, the ''Bien de Interés Cultural'' category dates from 1985 when it replaced the former heritage category of ''
Monumento nacional ''(national monument) to extend protection to a wider range of
cultural property. The category has been translated as "Cultural Interest Asset."
''Monumentos'' are now identified as one of the sub-categories of ''Bien de Interés Cultural.''
Sub-categories
The movable heritage designated as ''Bienes de Interés Cultural'' ("Cultural Interest Assets") includes archeological artfacts, archives and large works of art. Such protected objects may well be kept in a building which is itself a BIC.
*Non-movable heritage is divided into the following classifications:
**
''Monumento'' (monument)
**''
Conjunto histórico'' (historical ensemble, group or set)
**''
Jardín histórico'' (historical garden, e.g. the
Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid)
**''Sitio histórico'' (literally a historic site, the term is used for
cultural landscapes, e.g.
Riotinto mines)
**''Zona arqueológica'' (archaeological area or zone, e.g.
Archaeological site of Atapuerca)
Regional variants
Under the Spanish system, regions maintain their registers of cultural heritage (see
Patrimonio histórico español). There have been some differences in approach between
autonomous communities
The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Spa ...
.
An example is
bullfighting (which at a national level is now regulated by the Ministry of Culture). Madrid's regional government considers that bullfighting events should be protected as cultural heritage.
In contrast, in Catalonia a
ban on bullfighting came into effect in 2012, although this was later overturned by the
Supreme Court
In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.
See also
*
Lists of Bienes de Interés Cultural
*
Patrimonio histórico español
References
External links
*
The Protection of Historic Properties: A Comparative Study of Administrative ...By Consuelo Olimpia Sanz SallaProcedimiento y proceso administrativo práctico, Volume 2XX Jornadas del Patrimmonio Cultural de la Región de MurciaBy Pedro Collado y José Antonio Melgares (coord.)Boletin de la Real Academia de la Historia. TOMO CCII. NUMERO III. AÑO 2005By Vv.aaCuerpo Tecnico de la Comunidad Autonoma de Extremadura. Especialidad ..Código de la Administración Gallega By Jaime Rodriguez-Arana Muñoz, Miguel Ángel Sendín GarcíaManual de arte rupestre de CundinamarcaBy Alvaro Botiva ContrerasXXII Jornadas de Patrimonio Cultural de la Región de MurciaBy Varios AutoresLos tesoros del mar y su régimen jurídicoBy Jesús Ignacio Fernández DomingoCódigo legislativo de CantabriaBy Cantabria
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bien de Interes Cultural
Culture of Spain
Culture of Venezuela
Law of Spain