| The Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites | |
|---|---|
| Created | 31 May 1964 |
| Location | Venice, Italy |
| Author(s) | see: The Committee |
| Purpose | Conservation and Restoration of the Monuments and Sites |
The Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites is a set of guidelines, drawn up in 1964 by a group of conservation professionals in Venice, that provides an international framework for the conservation and restoration of historic buildings.[1] However, the document is now seen by some as outdated, representing Modernist views opposed to reconstruction. Reconstruction is now cautiously accepted by UNESCO in exceptional circumstances if it seeks to reflect a pattern of use or cultural practice that sustains cultural value, and is based on complete documentation without reliance on conjecture. The change in attitude can be marked by the reconstruction in 2015 of the Sufi mausoleums at the Timbuktu World Heritage Site in Mali after their destruction in 2012.[2]