ARC5031 - Lesson 3 Towards Modern Restoration Principles Carta Del Restauro and Venice Charter

ISTANBUL KULTUR UNIVERSITY
ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS
LESSON 3: TOWARDS MODERN RESTORATION PRINCIPLES:

CARTA DEL RESTAURO AND VENICE CHARTER
ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

TOWARDS MODERN RESTORATION PRINCIPLES:
When the archaeological excavations or the still-standing ancient structures are examined,
it is observed that these buildings were partially renewed with additions and repairs over
time. But, there are some distinct differences between the past and today’s restorations. In
the past, only monumental buildings were taken under conservation with different
methods for different reasons, today the scope of conservation has exceeded, and modest
buildings that make up the historical urban texture are also included in the scope of
conservation.

Although the history of conservation practices goes too far, the transformation of repairs
into a scientific occupation only started in the 19th century.
• ‘‘Stylistic Restoration’ or ‘Stylistic Unity’
• ‘Anti-Restoration Movement’ or ‘Romantic Movement’
• Historic Restoration
• Towards Contemporary Restoration Theory

Italian Camillo Boito (1836- 1914) reconciled

and unified ‘Stylistic Unity’, ‘Romantic
Movement’ and ‘Historic Restoration’
theories in a contemporary way.
Camillo Boito

According to contemporary restoration theory which manifested by Boito in 1883;
• Monuments are important evidences of human history. For this reason, they must be
respected and must not be changed in an illusory or misleading way.
• If an intervention for a monument is necessary, consolidation is better than repair; repair
is better than restoration. Renewal (or renovation or reconstruction) or new additions must
not be preferred.
• If a new intervention is necessary, it must be coherent with the old, but must be
differentiated from the old and must define itself.
• Additions that belong to different periods must be accepted as parts of the monument
and must be conserved. If these parts of different periods spoil each other, then the
restorer must make a decision to solve this problem.
• All the restoration process and the related interventions must be documented carefully
through reports, drawings and photographs.

• Following the clear definition of Boito, Gustavo Giovannoni (1873-1947) developed this
theory further. Giovannoni is one of the first defendants, who insisted on more scientific
restoration studies and conservation of monuments together with the historic urban fabric
surrounding them.
These developments were discussed and adopted by experts at the "First International
Congress of Architects and Technicians of Historic Monuments", held in Athens in 1931.

The Athens Charter for the Restoration of Historic Monuments - 1931
Adopted at the First International Congress of Architects and Technicians of Historic
Monuments, Athens 1931:
At the Congress in Athens the following seven main resolutions were made and called
"Carta del Restauro":
1. International organizations for Restoration on operational and advisory levels are to be

established.
2. Proposed Restoration projects are to be subjected to knowledgeable criticism to prevent
mistakes which will cause loss of character and historical values to the structures.
3. Problems of preservation of historic sites are to be solved by legislation at national level
for all countries.
4. Excavated sites which are not subject to immediate restoration should be reburied for
protection.
5. Modern techniques and materials may be used in restoration work.
6. Historical sites are to be given strict custodial protection.
7. Attention should be given to the protection of areas surrounding historic sites.

General Conclusions of the Athens Conference:
I. DOCTRINES. GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

II. ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE MEASURES REGARDING HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
III. AESTHETIC ENHANCEMENT OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
IV. RESTORATION OF MONUMENTS.
V. THE DETERIORATION OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
VI. THE TECHNIQUE of CONSERVATION.
VII. THE CONSERVATION OF MONUMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.
a) Technical and moral co-operation.
b) The role of education in the respect of monuments.
c) Value of international documentation.

The Conference expresses the wish that:
1. Each country, or the institutions created or recognised competent for this purpose,
publish an inventory of ancient monuments, with photographs and explanatory notes;
2. Each country constitute official records which shall contain all documents relating to its
historic monuments;
3. Each country deposit copies of its publications on artistic and historic monuments with
the International Museums Office;
4. The Office devote a portion of its publications to articles on the general processes and
methods employed in the preservation of historic monuments;
5. The Office study the best means of utilising the information so centralised.

• Contemporary Restoration Theory and Historical Site Conservation
(Left) 85% of the buildings in Warsaw were destroyed by the end of the Second World War.
(Right) The ruins of Old Town Market Square

The condition of the buildings before and after the restorations between 1945 and 1951

After the war, a five-year (1945- 1951)

reconstruction campaign by its citizens
resulted in today's meticulous restoration of
the Old Town of Warsaw, with its churches,
palaces and market place. It is an
outstanding example of a near-total
reconstruction of a span of history covering
the 13th to the 20th century.

The Venice Charter (1964):
"In order to decide on the principles regarding the conservation and repair of old buildings
and to place these principles on an international basis“ the 2nd International Congress of
Architects and Technicians of Historic Monuments, which met in Venice from May 25th to
31st 1964, approved these principles under the name of the Venice Charter.
At the meeting, it was aimed to create a new set of principles by emphasizing the problems
that emerged in the intervening period, where the articles of the Athens Conference
adopted in 1931 were insufficient in solving.
The concept of "historic monument" has been redefined in the first article of the Venice
Charter, which consists of 16 articles. The concept of historic monument", which has
reached the dimension of "urban or rural settings in which is found the evidence of a
particular civilization, a significant development or a historic event” from “a single
structure”. The concept has been expended including also “not only to great works of art,
but also to more modest works of the past which have acquired cultural significance with
the passing of time.”

Definitions:
Article 1: The concept of a historic monument embraces not only the single architectural
work, but also the urban or rural setting in which is found the evidence of a particular
civilization, a significant development or a historic event. This applies not only to great
works of art, but also to more modest works of the past which have acquired cultural
significance with the passing of time.
Article 2: The conservation and restoration of monuments must have recourse to all the
sciences and techniques which can contribute to the study and safeguarding of the
architectural heritage.
Article 3: The intention in conserving and restoring monuments is to safeguard them no

less as works of art than as historical evidence.

Conservation:
Article 4: It is essential to the conservation of monuments that they be maintained on a
permanent basis.
Article 5: The conservation of monuments is always facilitated by making use of them for
some socially useful purpose. Such use is therefore desirable, but it must not change the
lay-out or decoration of the building. It is within these limits only that modifications
demanded by a change of function should be envisaged and may be permitted.

Conservation:
Article 6: The conservation of a monument implies preserving a setting which is not out of
scale. Wherever the traditional setting exists, it must be kept. No new construction,
demolition or modification which would alter the relations of mass and color must be
allowed.
Article 7: A monument is inseparable from the history to which it bears witness and from
the setting in which it occurs. The moving of all or part of a monument cannot be allowed
except where the safeguarding of that monument demands it or where it is justified by
national or international interest of paramount importance.
Article 8: Items of sculpture, painting or decoration which form an integral part of a

monument may only be removed from it, if this is the sole means of ensuring their
preservation

Restoration:
Article 9: The process of restoration is a highly specialized operation. Its aim is to preserve
and reveal the aesthetic and historic value of the monument and is based on respect for
original material and authentic documents. It must stop at the point where conjecture
begins, and in this case moreover, any extra work which is indispensable must be distinct
from the architectural composition and must bear a contemporary stamp. The restoration,
in any case, must be preceded and followed by an archaeological and historical study of the
monument.
Article 10: Where traditional techniques prove inadequate, the consolidation of a

monument can be achieved by the use of any modern technique for conservation and
construction, the efficacy of which has been shown by scientific data and proved by
experience.

Restoration:
Article 11: The valid contributions of all periods to the building of a monument must be
respected, since ‘unity of style’ is not the aim of a restoration. When a building includes the
superimposed work of different periods, the revealing of the underlying state can only be
justified in exceptional circumstances and when what is removed is of little interest and the
material which is brought to light is of great historical, archaeological or aesthetic value,
and its state of preservation good enough to justify the action. Evaluation of the
importance of the elements involved and the decision as to what may be destroyed cannot
rest solely on the individual in charge of the work.
Article 12: Replacements of missing parts must integrate harmoniously with the whole, but
at the same time must be distinguishable from the original, so that restoration does not
falsify the artistic or historic evidence.
Article 13: Additions cannot be allowed except in so far as they do not detract from the
interesting parts of the building, its traditional setting, the balance of its composition and
its relation with its surroundings.
Historic Sites:
Article 14: The sites of monuments must be the object of special care in order to safeguard
their integrity and ensure that they are cleared and presented in a seemly manner. The
work of conservation and restoration carried out in such places should be inspired by the
principles set forth in the foregoing articles.

Excavations:
Article 15:
• Excavations should be carried out in accordance with scientific standards and the
recommendation defining international principles to be applied in the case of
archaeological excavation adopted by UNESCO in 1956.
• Ruins must be maintained and measures necessary for the permanent conservation and
protection of architectural features and of objects discovered must be taken. Furthermore,
every means must be taken to facilitate the understanding of the monument and to reveal
it without ever distorting its meaning.
• All reconstruction work should however be ruled out "a priori” (in advance). Only
‘anastylosis’, that is to say, the reassembling of existing but dismembered parts can be
permitted. The material used for integration should always be recognizable and its use
should be the least that will ensure the conservation of a monument and the reinstatement
of its form.

Publication:
Article 16: In all works of preservation, restoration or excavation, there should always be
precise documentation in the form of analytical and critical reports, illustrated with
drawings and photographs. Every stage of the work of clearing, consolidation,
rearrangement and integration, as well as technical and formal features identified during
the course of the work, should be included. This record should be placed in the archives of
a public institution and made available to research workers. It is recommended that the
report should be published.

• Çağdaş Restorasyon Kuramı ve Tarihi Çevre Koruma
• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization / Birleşmiş

Milletler Eğitim Bilim ve Kültür Organizasyonu)
It was established in 1945 as a private institution of the United Nations.
• ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites / Uluslar arası Anıtlar ve Sitler
Konseyi),
It is the council that determines and supervises the criteria of the values that make up the
World Heritage List. It was established in 1965.
• Council of Europe (Avrupa Konseyi)

It is an intergovernmental organization established in 1949 to defend human rights,
democracy and the rule of law across Europe. The European Court of Human Rights is
attached to the Council of Europe.

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ISTANBUL KULTUR UNIVERSITY

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS

LESSON 3: TOWARDS MODERN RESTORATION PRINCIPLES:

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

• ‘‘Stylistic Restoration’ or ‘Stylistic Unity’

• ‘Anti-Restoration Movement’ or ‘Romantic Movement’

• Towards Contemporary Restoration Theory

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

Italian Camillo Boito (1836- 1914) reconciled

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

According to contemporary restoration theory which manifested by Boito in 1883;

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

1. International organizations for Restoration on operational and advisory levels are to be

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

General Conclusions of the Athens Conference:

I. DOCTRINES. GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Conference expresses the wish that:

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

After the war, a five-year (1945- 1951)

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

Article 3: The intention in conserving and restoring monuments is to safeguard them no

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

Article 8: Items of sculpture, painting or decoration which form an integral part of a

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

Article 10: Where traditional techniques prove inadequate, the consolidation of a

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

The Venice Charter (1964):

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization / Birleşmiş

• Council of Europe (Avrupa Konseyi)

ARC5031 CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/ LECTURER ŞEYDA ŞEN

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