CONTEXT andSTATE of ART of

TANGIBLE HERITAGE in CAHUL DISTRICT MOLDOVA

Tangible cultural heritage-evolution of meanings

TANGIBLE HERITAGE was traditionally defined as archaeological and architectural heritage Now the term includes besides buildings also urban areas, countryside, landscapes, objects -

“historic environments or places”-European charters or World Heritage documents trends moving from defining specific categories

towards cultural landscapes and integrated conservation areas

Tangible heritage-movable and immovable

Immovable heritage( buildings , historic places) gain more value through living along with movable heritage( artifacts produced by different cultural groups, as traditional clothing, decorative textiles and objects, productive utensils, etc.) significant elements for architecture, science, technique or culture – enabling us to “touch the past" and validate memories of previous generations.

• Protected by the “Law regarding the protection of historical monuments” nr.1530-XII-22 June 1993 and subsequent modifications (2012), the monuments included in the “Register of monuments protected by the state" represent only 5206 objectives, of which 4086 are of national importance and 1120 of local importance.

• The South region of Moldova - specific Cahul district - is included in the “Register of monuments protected by the state” only with a small number of objectives

CAHUL 9 objectives (1memorial house, 2 churches, 5 monuments of art, 1 park) BORCEAGBORCEAG 1 objective (1 church) COLIBASICOLIBASI 2 objectives (1 church, 1 monument of art) VALENIVALENI 3 objectives (1 church, 2 monuments of art) SLOBOZIA MARE SLOBOZIA MARE 3 objectives (1 church, 2 monuments of art)

Tangible Immovable Heritage in figures

Legislative background for tangible heritage

“The Register for protected natural and built areas” (2001) provides protection only for surroundings including objectives from the “Register of monuments protected by the state” or by local territorial administrative units.

But where are included all elements of tangible heritage we find at international level protected and included in development strategies and plans as:

• urban historic public places• vernacular architecture in significant ethnographic areas• traditional industries• cultural landscapes

An answer to this can be found in the analysis of the territory, from a more complex point of view- including the “forms of space” created by communities and also communities themselves living these territories.

CAHUL

• Developed on a commercial road from the Danube to the east, situated between hills, Cahul was first a village named in the XVI century Scheia (1502) in the XVIIIth Frumoasa/ Formoza(lat) -1716 and in 1835 becomes the town of Cahul - which since 1980 has also the statute of balneal resort.

The XIXth century represents the most significant urban development period for the city- economic, social and cultural enhancement taking place.

Tangible heritage assets in project-area villages

• BORCEAGBORCEAG, first mentioned in documents from 1770. - Main monument one Orthodox church- 19th Century Caves (1890) - unpreserved for the moment- Natural reserve forest• VALENIVALENI, first attested in 1430 (under the name of BALINTESTI)- Important craftsmen area (wood carving, reed knit, musical instruments and embroideries) - Church of Saint Spiridon (1914) - Two memorial monuments- Ethnographic Museum “Bread Museum”- Natural Scientific Reserve “Lower Prut” and Balane Lake- Geological Monuments – precipices and outcrops

Archeology - tangible heritage: Traian’s Wall remains,126km starting from Valeni/Vadul lui Isac villages to Tatarbunar (Ukr) - a landmark for a larger territory as roman history can be followed in three countries –Romania, Moldova and Ukraine

Valeni village – landscape , tangible values of the Natural Scientific Lower Prut reserve

• SLOBOZIA MARESLOBOZIA MARE, first mentioned in documents from 1436. - The village has impressive dance and songs heritage (traditional music orchestra, choirs,

dance ensembles) - Orthodox Church of Archangels “Mihail and Gavril”(1871)- Museum of History and Ethnography (“Plai Natal”)- Natural reserve “The Lower Prut and Belen Lake”• COLIBASICOLIBASI, first mentioned in documents from 1711.- Orthodox Church 1897- Culture House and two libraries - Traditional houses covered with reed - Local craftsmen (sheep skin coats, straw objects, etc.) National level tourism development strategies include the“Road of the Wine”program (2004),

connecting BORCEAG to SLOBOZIA MARE in “the Lower Danube" touristic route, man-made and natural landscape representing some of the rich tangible heritage of the area.

Tangible heritage assets in project area villages

Tangible heritage and territory

• Contributing to the IDENTITY of a territory and facilitating the BRANDING for an important area, TANGIBLE HERITAGE becomes the basis for sustainable local development in Europe.

• A driver for socio-economic development, TANGIBLE HERITAGE can be seen as a priority for National Development strategies and programs as it brings to the territory and the community living on it a qualitative answer to their problems:

jobs and household income raise, village or city centers new life, small business development and quality tourism at a adapted scale (cultural, rural or eco-tourism).

• The framework implemented by the “Strategy for tourism development in Republic of Moldova, Cahul district” is in accordance with a sustainable development of the territory through heritage enhancement and a cultural network system development as the strategy objectives show: (1)creation and development of touristic infrastructure of the Cahul district (specific objective the identification and rehabilitation of rural households as touristic pensions),(2)creation of touristic itineraries, based on existing potential (preparation of a data base for the touristic resources of the district, drawing of touristic itineraries, promotion programs launch), (3)promotion of Cahul as touristic destination

Tangible heritage and territory

• 15,000 cultural sites represent Republic of Moldova heritage

Only 5,206 are included in the “Register of monuments protected by the state” - of which 2,696 are archaeological sites, 1,284 historical monuments, 1,261 architectural monuments, 225 art monuments.

The monuments of “national importance” represent 4,086 and of “local importance” 1,120 and the south region of Moldova is represented only by 20 - the low impact on the territory development being by the fact that the “Protected natural and built areas Law “protects only the surrounding area of objectives included in the Register.

CAHUL

• TANGIBLE HERITAGE shapes the image of the town-even if only average 20 representative buildings still exist in Cahul:

- the Cathedral “Archangels Mihail and Gavril” 1837-1850 - the old Russian orthodox church - the Monastery of Saint “Cneaz Vladimir” - the Museum of Cahul county - memorial house - monuments of art/memorial monuments - culture house - theatre - university - public libraries - historic park

Minor historic centers development

• The 4 villages and the town of Cahul face the need to have a coherent plan for development, and heritage - TANGIBLE and INTANGIBLE - as HERITAGE is what connects these localities the most - at the same time, each one of them complementing the existing values of the others.

TANGIBLE HERITAGE includes a large variety of assets for the district of Cahul - part of them being neglected or not enhanced at their proper value.

Archeology – architecture – art – traditional objects and handicrafts - natural landscape - vineyards - all have to contribute at a balanced development for the “places” but first of all for the communities.

Linking these “places” in a network - a cultural one, the “spirit of place" can be revived and development for communities can be achieved in a sustainable way.

In Europe and around the world, successful stories of villages benefiting from sustainable development based on heritage enhancement can be seen - as one close to the Republic of Moldova, in Romania, region of Transylvania, can be taken as a proof that motivated and aware communities of their local heritage value, can achieve wonders- the village of RIMETEA, county of ALBA, ROMANIA.

MINOR HISTORIC RURAL CENTER REVIVAL

RIMETEA VILLAGE ,ALBA COUNTY – ROMANIA Facing neglect and dereliction, a village of less than 1,100 inhabitants, attested since the XIII th century as a colony of German miners, has a rich tangible heritage

represented by private and public buildings, technical and traditional crafts objects from several periods of time and from different ethnic groups .

Between 1996-1997 a foundation, Transylvania Trust, in partnership with international experts and financing bodies, started a program of restoration, revitalization and development for the territory of the whole village and of the neighboring village – the village of COLTESTI.

The success was recognized at european level - the Prize given by the European Union for Cultural Heritage - Europa Nostra Awards in 1999.