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If you are interested in cultural heritage and its protection in Slovenia, have a question, initiative or compliment for us and would like to get in touch with us, please contact us. Below you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions.

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Frequently asked questions

General
Conservation
Archaeology
Restoration

What is a cultural monument?

A cultural monument is a movable heritage that represents a distinctive creative achievement or makes a valuable contribution to cultural diversity. It is an important part of the space or heritage of the Republic of Slovenia or its regions and constitutes a source for understanding historical processes, phenomena and their relationship to present-day culture and space. A registered immovable heritage asset may be declared a cultural monument. Cultural monuments enjoy the highest level of protection under the law.

What is the difference between a cultural monument of local and national importance?

A cultural monument of national importance is an immovable heritage of outstanding importance for the country and is therefore declared a cultural monument by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
A cultural monument of local significance is an immovable heritage asset of special importance for the municipality. A cultural monument of local importance is declared by the municipality in whose territory the monument is located.

How is a cultural monument of national importance declared?

A proposal for the designation of a monument is made by the IPCHS at its own discretion or on the initiative of someone else. The IPCHS then prepares an expert basis or a study identifying the protected values that justify the designation as a cultural monument. The owners of the property consenting to the designation must also agree to the designation. A cultural monument of national importance shall be declared by an act of the Government, which shall publish the decree of declaration in the Official Gazette.

How is a cultural monument of local importance declared?

The procedure for declaring a monument of local importance is essentially the same as that for declaring a monument of national importance. The difference is that the procedure for declaring a monument of local significance is managed by the competent municipal authority and that a monument of local significance is declared by a decree of the municipal council of the municipality. The adopted decree on the proclamation is published in the municipality's official gazette.

What are the owner's obligations if he owns a cultural monument?

The acquisition of the status of a monument implies the establishment of a legal regime that directly affects the ownership and other rights of the owners, possessors and users of the heritage. Any intervention in a cultural monument must be subject to cultural protection conditions and then to cultural protection consent. The owner must treat the monument in such a way that its cultural values and social significance are consistently respected and preserved.

What is the difference between a registered immovable heritage asset and a cultural monument?

Registered immovable heritage is protected passively, which means that the state or municipalities only supervise interventions, but cannot enforce any active protection measures, e.g. prescriptions on behaviour, maintenance of the heritage, state co-financing of restoration. However, monuments can be protected directly and actively, which means that the State and local authorities can actively intervene in monuments by adopting protection measures, co-financing restoration, etc.

What is the legal basis for the designation as a cultural monument?

The designation as a cultural monument is regulated by the Law on the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No 16/08, as amended) in Articles 11 to 13.

How does a monument lose its status as a monument?

The termination of the status of a monument is determined by the authority responsible for the designation of monuments according to the procedure laid down for the designation of a monument (government or municipal council). The reason for the termination of the status of a monument is, for example, the destruction of the monument.

What happens if a monument is declared a monument of local and national importance?

If the same thing is declared a monument of national importance and a monument of local importance, the protection regimes of the two acts must not conflict. In the event of a conflict between the two acts, the provisions of the act declaring the monument of national importance and the protection measures issued on the basis thereof shall prevail.

How does the IPCHS deal with violations or unauthorised interference with heritage?

The ZVKDS is a professional institution, not an inspection or infringement body.
Anyone can report violations of laws, regulations and acts governing the protection of cultural heritage, etc. to the Inspectorate for Culture and the Media, which carries out inspection duties.

I am interested in buying a plot of land, a plot of land, a building that has the character of a cultural heritage or a cultural monument. Where can I get more information to help me decide?

For more information, please contact the local ZVKDS regional unit.

What do I need to take into account when renovating a heritage building?

Once your application has been received, the competent Regional Unit will issue you with the cultural heritage conditions that you must comply with for the renovation.

How to access additional funding for renovation?

IPCHS does not have dedicated funds for the restoration of cultural monuments, according to its founding act. As a professional institution, we can help you with expert advice, surveys (if necessary), finding appropriate project solutions together with the owners, etc.
The Ministry of Culture, which organises calls for tenders for the restoration of cultural monuments owned by local and religious communities, as well as by other legal and natural persons, can provide funding for the restoration of heritage sites. At the municipal level, individual municipalities also organise calls for tenders for the co-financing of restoration works on cultural heritage buildings or monuments.

Is my building a cultural heritage site or is it located in an impact zone?

You can check the answer in the Cultural Heritage Register. You can access the register via the IPCHS website, the Advice for owners window.

How do I obtain cultural protection conditions?

Cultural heritage conditions and consents are issued by the IPCHS Regional Units. Please send the completed Application Form, which can be found in the Advice for owners - Applications window, to the IPCHS Regional Unit responsible.

Where can I get information on whether I need to carry out archaeological research on a plot of land ?

Information can be obtained from the local competent regional unit of the IPCHS, which prescribes the implementation of archaeological investigations by means of cultural protection conditions.

We would like to obtain an estimate of the cost of carrying out an archaeological survey. What documents do I need to attach to my application for a cost estimate?

The application for the cost estimate must be accompanied by the cultural protection conditions or cultural protection consent or the cultural protection opinion of the competent regional unit of the IPCHS and the planned intervention in space (IDZ, PGD, etc.) in .dwg format.

What is the procedure to be followed once the archaeological surveyor has completed the archaeological investigation on the site ?

The archaeological survey is completed with a certified report on the archaeological survey, which is approved by the responsible conservator of the competent regional unit of the IPCHS. Further procedures for obtaining a cultural protection consent or additional cultural protection conditions, depending on the results of the archaeological survey carried out, are conducted at the locally competent regional unit of the IPCHS.

How long after the Ministry of Culture has granted the cultural protection consent for the investigation and removal of an archaeological remains shall archaeological investigations be carried out?

The archaeological investigations shall be carried out in accordance with the schedule of the selected contractor.

We have received the cultural heritage consent for the investigation and removal of the archaeological remains, issued by the Ministry of Culture. What are the next steps?

After receiving the cultural heritage consent for the investigation and removal of the archaeological remains, archaeological investigations can be carried out. The client of the archaeological survey should, after obtaining the above consent, contact the appointed archaeological survey contractor to carry out the archaeological survey. After the fieldwork, the cabinet processing of the data and material discovered and the preparation of the report on the archaeological research will be carried out. The entire procedure of starting the archaeological research in the field, preparing and submitting the report on the research carried out and handing over the archive to the competent museum is managed in the ISeD application, which can be accessed at the following link: https://www.gov.si/zbirke/storitve/informacijski-sistem-edediscina/.

What are the deadlines for submitting applications for subsidies for preliminary archaeological investigations ?

Each year, the Ministry of Culture publishes a call for applications for funding for archaeological research on its website, which contains all the information on how to submit an application (forms, required elements of the application, deadlines, etc.) (https://www.gov.si/zbirke/storitve/financiranje-predhodnih-arheoloskih-raziskav-za-investitorje-stanovanjske-gradnje/).

Where do I send my application for a subsidy for preliminary archaeological investigations?

You submit your application to the Ministry of Culture (https://www.gov.si/zbirke/storitve/financiranje-predhodnih-arheoloskih-raziskav-za-investitorje-stanovanjske-gradnje/).

Where can I find out if I am eligible for subsidies for preliminary archaeological research?

Information can be obtained from the Ministry of Culture (https://www.gov.si/drzavni-organi/ministrstva/ministrstvo-za-kulturo/).

Where can I get a list of qualified archaeological surveyors ?

The Ministry of Culture keeps a register of qualified operators.

The cultural protection conditions received require that preliminary archaeological investigations be carried out. Where can I find out who all can carry out archaeological research?

Information on qualified archaeological surveyors can be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, which keeps a register of qualified contractors.

Who prescribes what kind of archaeological investigations should be carried out on a plot of land?

The type of archaeological research is prescribed by the cultural protection conditions issued by the locally competent regional unit of the IPCHS.

Do I also need to carry out archaeological investigations on the plot/land on which the building already stands ?

Archaeological investigations must be carried out on all land within a registered immovable heritage site, if so stipulated by the cultural heritage conditions.

How do I get an artwork/object restored at the Restoration Centre?

The procedure depends on the subject and is determined individually.

Can we determine the authenticity of a picture (or other object) in the science section?

Yes, the authenticity of an image is primarily established through natural history research.

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