heritage as a part of the future

Abstract

What role will cultural heritage play in shaping the future? Will the link between the past and the future be broken or will it be preserved? Ilya Georgievich Lezhava If we try to imagine a future in which there is no longer anything called historical and architectural heritage, what will happen? If suddenly the real and often powerful tendencies to “destroy everything and build anew” prevail? Who will want to live in such a “city of robots”, as the young poet Alexander Delfinov described it: In the city of robots there is no single centre There is no building below one kilometre Armoured citadels are all around Tangled tunnels lead underground There are no plants in the vicinity The buildings guarantee absolute sterility... People dedicated to preserving heritage are often seen as worshippers of the past. This is unfair. Preserving heritage is caring for the future. We continue the theme of historical and architectural heritage for the sake of the past and present, but mainly for the sake of the future.