Castles and fortified Cities - International Colloquium

What does the notion of authenticity mean in different countries? What role
can be assigned to old military fortresses? Should monuments be restored? If
so, what techniques and what materials should be used? Between interpreting,
reinventing, freezing at a moment in time, identically rebuilding, etc.,
points of view and biases vary depending on national cultures, sensitivities
and periods.

Through examples from around the world, from Lebanon to Algeria, by way of
Greece, Japan and Korea, this conference examines this complex notion of
authenticity, as applied to architectural heritage, fortifications and the
study of castles.

Organised as part of the application by 'the City of Carcassone and its
sentinel mountain castles' to be added to the UNESCO world heritage list, the
event presents conservation models that have been used on other cultural
assets. It offers a comparative study of the choices and practices brought
into effect on exceptional heritage sites, in particular through the prism of
international rules on authenticity.