THE TOWNS AND THE PAST OF THE NATION: IDEAS FOR PRESERVING THE URBAN BUILT PATRIMONY IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This article investigates some subjects of fundamental importance for the preservation of the Brazilian historical patrimony. As in any process memory production, the preservation of the built patrimony implies, of necessity, some options, which are never innocent. When someone chooses to preserve certain types of buildings or certain urban space, unavoidably condemns other realities to be forgotten, that is to disappear. The definition of what to preserve, what to let be destroyed, is an act of power, which implicates in great social responsibility. There are no neutral, pure, exempt decisions. But in a time when resources are always scarce, they should be distributed consciously to assist the explicit demands of social memory. Those responsible for heritage management should, at least, have full conscience of the effects of their actions upon collective memory and, maintaining an ethical posture, be explicit about the criteria that determining their choices of what to remind and of what to forget. This is the main objective of this article.

Key words: Heritage, historical cities, heritage management, Brazilian History, memory.