Original scientific paper
Demographic Revitalisation and Protection of Cultural Heritage: The Example of The Primorsko-Goranska County
Ivan Lajić
; Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The paper deals with the effects of demographic development on cultural heritage. In view of the facts that in regard to cultural heritage people take on the role both of creators and consumers, it is very important to regulate, with full awareness, their position, so as not to endanger cultural heritage. Socio-economic, political and other reasons, during various historical phases, assign value to constructed areas, but later, when the attractiveness of these areas disappears or certain of their functions terminate, the human component (forms of settlement) fades away as well. In this respect, through the logic of “attractiveness – repulsion” or, if we use the usual terms “push – pull”, the population leaves the areas concerned (settlements or a part of them) and depopulation results. Demographic revitalisation involves a system of measures and actions aimed at improving the parameters of demographic development. Demographic revitalisation, especially of rural areas and small towns, would halt the on-going expansion of depopulated landscapes in Croatia. This paper deals with the demographic revitalisation of areas within the Primorsko-Goranska (= Gorski Kotar) county that are closely linked to diverse modalities of cultural-historical heritage (urban and rural wholes, ethno-zones and locations, cultural landscapes). As a part of the system of anti-emigrational measures it would be vital to transform the network of existing settlements and to strengthen those rural milieux that also have certain urban traits. In such a situation gradual anti-emigrational focal centres would be created along the main rivers in Gorski Kotar and with the development of various forms of family economy valuable ethno-zones would be preserved. The danger facing ethno-zones and locations in Primorje and on the islands derives from the pressure of housing and infrastructure development, whereas the Gorski Kotar area is suffering from the opposite problem.
Keywords
revitalisation; demographic development; cultural heritage; depopulation
Hrčak ID:
108231
URI
Publication date:
29.9.2000.
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