THE VENICE CHARTER AND HERITAGE AT RISK: THE CASE OF SOCORRO’S CHURCH

Cláudia Nunes de Lima e Andrade; Samantha de Oliveira Nery; Leonardo Barci Castriota

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Paper Title

THE VENICE CHARTER AND HERITAGE AT RISK: THE CASE OF SOCORRO’S CHURCH

Authors

Cláudia Nunes de Lima e Andrade
Samantha de Oliveira Nery
Leonardo Barci Castriota

Modality

Abstract

Subject area

5. Disaster and Conflict Resilient Heritage - Cultural heritage is increasingly vulnerable to disasters and conflicts and subject to rapid destruction, as evidenced by the recent fires, floods, earthquakes and escalating armed conflicts in different parts of the world. At the General Assembly 2023 in Sydney, ICOMOS Advisory Committee approved the theme of “Disaster and Conflict Resilient Heritage - Preparedness, Response and Recovery” as the theme for the Triennial Scientific Plan 2024-2027. In keeping with the spirit of open, innovative, constructive intergenerational dialogue, and the strategic focus, this sub-theme will address the suitability of the Venice Charter with the theme of disaster and conflict-resilient heritage, emphasizing its broader implications for heritage discourse, development models, and resilience strategies.

Publishing Date

11/04/2025

Country of Publishing

Brazil | Brasil

Language of Publishing

en-US

Paper Page

https://www.even3.com.br/anais/icomos-scientific-symposium-2024-439820/886993-the-venice-charter-and-heritage-at-risk--the-case-of-socorros-church

ISBN

978-65-272-1284-3

Keywords

Cultural heritage preservation; Heritage at risk; Venice Charter; Disasters; Value-based Conservation.

Summary

In the last few decades, there has been a sharp increase in natural and anthropogenic disasters worldwide. These events result in threats to lives, displacement of people, and risks to their natural and cultural heritage. Along with the rise of disruptive events, several studies have examined monument relocation and techniques applied in the restoration, dismantlement, and reconstruction of architectural heritage in compliance with the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (Venice 1964). Likewise, some recent social and anthropological studies cover the importance of intangible heritage in the lives of refugees and other uprooted people. However, there is still little investigation on the impact of such changes concerning the associative values and relationship between users and their built heritage after displacement, resettlement, or after a long interval before such places of cultural significance can be accessed and enjoyed again. Therefore, a key question arises around how, from the stance proposed in the Venice Charter (1964), to conserve associations and meanings within the cultural heritage of threatened groups and those deprived of their territory. This discussion centers on the case of the Church of Nossa Senhora Mãe Augusta do Socorro (1737), a threatened heritage site located in the district of Socorro, in Barão de Cocais, Minas Gerais, Brazil, listed by the municipality in 2006 as a site of historical and artistic value. In addition to these acknowledged values, the church plays a vital role in social cohesion. Nevertheless, due to the imminent risk of an iron ore tailings dam bursting in February 2019, the district was declared a self-rescue zone. Considering the incidents at Mariana (2015) and Brumadinho (2019), all the inhabitants of Socorro had to leave the area, taking only the bare essentials. A few days later, the State Public Prosecutor Office ordered the removal of the various artwork and integrated artistic features from their church to another one in the municipality. Since then, the building has remained closed and will probably stay in a state of abandonment until the dam decommissioning, scheduled for 2029. To forecast the outcomes of these events on the significance of cultural heritage, we conducted critical transversal readings of research on displacements in Asia, Africa and Americas, resettlements, restoration of cultural heritage, and urban recovery in areas affected by conflict. Complementarily, we carried out field work and interviews with displaced people. The analysis points to the insufficiency of the recommendations in the Venice Charter, which prioritizes preserving the material integrity of monuments - especially in fragile contexts, where the assets are apart from their guardians and susceptible to degradation and destruction. We conclude that dealing with the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites requires a broader perspective, recognizing the significance of an asset beyond its fabric, and demanding new precepts to safeguard the intersubjective relationship of social groups with their heritage. Moreover, repair programs should account for the intangible dimension of built heritage and the implications of disruptions on the conservation of those assets in the long term.

Title of the Event: ICOMOS SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM 2024
City of the Event: Ouro Preto
Title of the Proceedings of the event: ICOMOS 2024 Scientific Symposium Proceedings
Name of the Publisher: Even3
Means of Dissemination: Meio Digital

How to cite

ANDRADE, Cláudia Nunes de Lima e; NERY, Samantha de Oliveira; CASTRIOTA, Leonardo Barci. THE VENICE CHARTER AND HERITAGE AT RISK: THE CASE OF SOCORRO’S CHURCH.. In: ICOMOS 2024 Scientific Symposium Proceedings. Anais...Ouro Preto(MG) Convention Center / UFOP/ UFMG Campus, 2024. Available in: https//www.even3.com.br/anais/icomos-scientific-symposium-2024-439820/886993-THE-VENICE-CHARTER-AND-HERITAGE-AT-RISK--THE-CASE-OF-SOCORROS-CHURCH. Access in: 19/05/2026