Alba County: Towards a Balanced Development of the Territory Based on Its Cultural Heritage
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Alba county: towards a balanced development of the territory based on its cultural heritage. Marian Aitai To cite this version: Marian Aitai. Alba county: towards a balanced development of the territory based on its cultural heritage.. In International Conference of Territorial Intelligence, Sep 2006, Alba Iulia, Romania. p. 103-110. halshs-00515920 HAL Id: halshs-00515920 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00515920 Submitted on 3 Jun 2014 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. PAPERS ON REGION, IDENTITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ALBA COUNTY: TOWARDS A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY BASED ON ITS CULTURAL HERITAGE Marian AITAI Executive Director [email protected], Tél: 0743098487 Professional address Alba County Council, 1, I.I.C. Bratianu Square – R-ALBA IULIA, Romania. Abstract: The objective of the paper is to make a brief presentation of the cultural potential of the Alba County, as a major opportunity for future development. As the formulation of the development strategy is in progress, only the analysis stage being completed, this paper will provide some personal ideas on the future development policies that need to address the sensitive issue of cultural heritage. Keywords: Cultural heritage, Development strategy, Policy, Tourism. 103 International Conference of Territorial Intelligence of Alba Iulia 2006 (CAENTI) | http://www.territorial-intelligence.eu INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF TERRITORIAL INTELLIGENCE ALBA IULIA 2006 ALBA COUNTY: TOWARDS A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY BASED ON ITS CULTURAL HERITAGE INTRODUCTION Structure of the paper: Facts: The paper is structured on the following chapters: The cultural heritage of Alba County, from the cultural landscape of rural areas to the historic town Chapter 1: Characteristics of the cultural centres of Alba Iulia, Blaj and Aiud cities, is the heritage in Alba County; expression of its identity. It is important for the Chapter 2: Cultural based opportunities for County Council to spread cultural value of this land county sustainable development; through the other EU countries by strengthening the Chapter 3: Policy recommendations for the an cultural facilities, upgrading and maintaining the integrated development strategy quality of public space and reviving commemorative sites. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN ALBA The cultural heritage of the rural and urban areas is COUNTY an economic factor which may contribute substantially to regional development. The In the last decades, development policies have accessibility within the region, the quality of focussed especially in Europe on an integrated infrastructure and services, and the last but not approach of cultural, social, economic and least, the quality of the public management, are environment aspects, where cultural heritage plays seen as crucial factors for location decision of new a catalytic role for socio-economic development. In companies, and precondition for tourism this context, Alba County Council will formulate a development. new policy for an integrated management of the county’s potential. At the same time, the access to culture and the participation in cultural life are fundamental rights, Alba County has a privileged position in the therefore the county policy will promote cultural country, as regards the cultural heritage, both from diversity and will protect cultural identity, while quantitative and qualitative point of view. The ensuring the long term benefits on natural, cultural county is perceived as a place linked to the whole and economic environment. history, preserving important archaeological and historical vestiges. A series of studies and What should be done? regulations developed at national and county level were used to build a general framework for the The Alba County is in the process of developing, by management of cultural heritage, in line with the the end of the year, its development strategy, based Guiding Principles for Sustainable Spatial on 4 pillars: socio, economic, cultural and spatial. Development of the European Continent (CEMAT, The main aim of the strategy is to balance both Hanover 2000). preservation and development of the build and natural heritage. This can play an important role of The 7th principle of a planning policy for social and spatial balancing, and in the protection of sustainable development in Europe refers to conservation areas and environmentally sensitive enhancing the cultural heritage as a factor for areas. development: “Increasing the appeal of settlements and regions for investors, tourists and the general Objective of the paper: public by enhancing the cultural heritage makes an important contribution to economic development The objective of the paper is to make a brief and to strengthening regional identity. Spatial presentation of the cultural potential of the Alba development policy should contribute to integrated County, as a major opportunity for future management of the cultural heritage conceived as development. As the formulation of the an evolutionary process protecting and conserving development strategy is in progress, only the the heritage and taking into account the need of analysis stage being completed, this paper will modern society”. provide some personal ideas on the future development policies that need to address the sensitive issue of cultural heritage. 104 International Conference of Territorial Intelligence of Alba Iulia 2006 (CAENTI) | http://www.territorial-intelligence.eu PAPERS ON REGION, IDENTITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT This chapter will look at the cultural landscape in Alba County classified in two main categories: The rural areas present a diverse valuable tangible tangible and intangible heritage24, considering their heritage at the level of: specific features in urban and rural environment: traditional architecture in Arieşeni, Gîrda, The tangible heritage includes: historic Vidra, Avram Iancu, Albac, Mogoş, Ponor, monuments, archaeology, architecture, visual Rîmeţ, arts, museums, and collections. historic centres of rural settlements, in Roşia The intangible heritage covers the area of Montană, temporary visual arts, theatre, music, dance, wooden churches and monasteries, including also techniques and skills, popular castles, houses, and palaces, traditions of clothes, local customs/cuisine, industrial architecture, mining galleries in local events. Roşia Montană, Neolithic fortifications and human settlements, 1.1. The tangible heritage Dacic fortifications. At the county level, there are 668 listed Two places in the county are listed on the World monuments25, as well as a series of conservation Heritage List: areas of category A and B. All these are spread over urban and rural areas26. Câlnic is a village site with fortified church, having a considerable value for ethnology, In urban areas, the most important cities are Alba history of architecture, planning, and also Iulia, Aiud, and Blaj, representative both for the social and religious history. existing monuments, and national scale events. A Căpâlna is a Dacic fortification, having purely second range of towns, Abrud, Baia de Arieş, military function, with an unique defensive Câmpeni, Cugir, Ocna Mureş, Sebeş, Teiuş şi system, characteristic for the classical phase of Zlatna, have a high density of monuments, and the Dacic civilisation. archaeological site. 1.2. The intangible heritage The following examples point out the variety of this urban heritage: The intangible heritage can be identified on the Alba Carolina citadel - Alba Iulia; whole county area, with different categories having Urban representatives buildings - Alba Iulia; different concentrations in urban and rural areas. Urban ensembles - Alba Iulia, Sebeş; Churches and monasteries - Alba Iulia, Blaj, In urban areas, categories like libraries, theatre, Zlatna, Sebeş; music and cinema can be easily found, Roman fortifications - Alba Iulia; accompanied by specific events related to important Antic cities - Municipiul Alba; dates in the national history, like in the cities of Memorials - Alba Iulia, Blaj, etc Alba Iulia, Blaj, Sebeş, Aiud, or to important characters in the national culture/history (Mihai The importance of Alba Iulia, the capital city of the Viteazul, Horia Cloşca and Crişan, Avram Iancu, county, goes beyond the local level, up to the representatives of the movement called Scoala national and international level. The historic city Ardeleana, etc.) centre is involved in the programs of the European Institute for Cultural Routes (Millennium Program). In the case of Alba Iulia, the intangible heritage of As capital of Dacia Apulensis, during the Roman the city is also associated with a series of events Empire, the city has important vestiges of the linked to the National Day. All related activities, Roman civilisation impact. The city image is like the beautification of the city, meetings and determined today by the Vauban citadel, placed in festivals, contribute to increasing the importance of the city centre, and accommodating