- Towards a Sustainable Management of Cultural Heritage in Greek Cities and Regions. The role of spatial planning    431 kb by    Beriatos, Elias & Papageorgiou, M. & Ch. Nikolakopoulou, J. Lainas | beriatos@otenet.gr    Short Outline The paper investigates the spatial-territorial dimension of the cultural heritage in Greek cities and regions and draws the conclusions for the role of spatial planning as a catalyst for the protection and enhancement of cultural resources. Abstract Cultural heritage is the combined works of man and nature that deserve protection and conservation. Contemporary spatial planning must incorporate the management of cultural and natural heritage as an indispensable element for the sustainable spatial development and the liveability of cities and regions. Furthermore cultural heritage could play an important role for the improvement of the quality of life in urban and rural areas. However, protection and management of cultural heritage is a complicated process aiming at the preservation and enhancement of cultural goods and values that deserve the appropriate care as documents of the cultural identity of societies of the past. The aim of this paper is to contribute to a critical approach of the problems that natural and cultural heritage of Greece is facing today as well as of the possible solutions for its protection. In this context, the paper investigates the spatial-territorial dimension of the cultural heritage of Greece in comparison with the natural environment/heritage. Firstly, an overview of the institutional framework is presented, as well as the related policies and projects in progress, at national and European levels. Secondly the paper attempts to elaborate an index presenting all kinds of monuments and sites (traditional settlements, archeological sites, historic buildings castles ect) at the level of basic administrative units (districts) and a map showing the spatial distribution of these monuments in the country. Thirdly, the paper argues for the need to establish the appropriate managing authorities of monuments and sites, similar to those of protected areas. Finally, the necessary comments/ conclusions are made for the role of spatial planning as a catalyst for the integration of the various sectoral policies concerning the protection and enhancement of cultural resources. These conclusions could serve for the formulation of a new strategy and for the elaboration of the national guidelines in the field of spatial planning in relation to heritage. Keywords Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2011: LIVEABLE CITIES: URBANISING WORLD, Meeting the Challenge   Click to open the full paper as pdf document   Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper