WH Properties in Serbia:Religious Heritage - Between State,

Church and Conservation

International SeminarThe role of the religious communities in the management of world heritage properties

Kiev, 2-5 November 2010

The state – social changes

• Period after the World War II, socialism

• Period after the 1990’s, democracy, transition process

Conservation practice

• Religious heritage as a historical monument.

• Living religious heritage.

Religious community

• Marginalization

• Renewal of churches, increase in public interest, building new churches

Conservation guidelines (period after the WWII) : Churches, monasteries, liturgical objects and frescoes remain functional but are regarded

strictly as historical monuments.

Conservation and restoration were the only preservation methods.

Auxiliary buildings (dormitory and refectory) were built outside the monastery perimeter.

Period after the 1990’s:Significant social changes give way to important changes in the life of religious communities.

• Strengthening the role of the Church in the community• Churches and religious communities law, adopted in 2006.• Increasing number of clergy• Increasing number of believers • Demand for building new churches• Demand for expanding the auxiliary buildings area• Demand for church comfort improvement

Conservation guidelines (period after the 1990’s):Protecting the living religious heritage.

• Strengthening of the dialogue with the Church.• Reconstruction as a method of preservation.• Responding to crucial needs of the monastic community, as a living liturgical

organism: church, refectory, dormitory in the monastery perimeter.• All the work on heritage is done in accordance with the conservation and

restoration methods: it is based on detailed research and analysis and it is well documented.

Case study 1Djurdjevi Stupovi – monastic life renewal in the WH site

Monastery Djurdjevi Stupovi, fully conserved, before the renewal.

Church and public movement for the renewal of Djurdjevi Stupovi monastery: Let’s Renew Ourselves -Let’s Build the Stupovi!

After conservation and restoration, before the auxiliary buildings reconstruction.

After the reconstruction.

After the conservation and restoration, before the reconstruction. After the reconstruction.

Ideal reconstruction.

Case study 2Sopocani Monastery – return of the monastic life into the monastery perimeter

Present situation, after the conservation and restoration.

Church proposal for the auxiliary area reconstruction.

The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia Proposal

The 3D model of auxiliary buildings reconstruction design.

• This heritage is at the same time: a sacred place, a cultural and world heritage site. It belongs to both the religious community and the state, to both the believers and laypersons, as well to the whole mankind.

• In the process of safeguarding the WH properties, there always are different participants with, often, different goals and priorities.

• In order to resolve the issues common ground should be identified instead of opposing the views.

By way of conclusion: