Legislation of Cultural Heritage

Academic Year 2026/2027 - Teacher: MARCO GAETANO PULVIRENTI

Expected Learning Outcomes

The course aims to provide a complete reconstruction of the legislation on cultural heritage, with specific reference to the activity and organization of public and private institutions with regard to the management of cultural heritage, artistic heritage and the landscape. In particular, the course will analyze the various legal instruments available in order to protect and enhance the cultural heritage, including through the use of new technologies.

 

Knowledge and Understanding

At the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of the fundamental principles governing cultural heritage and landscape law, with particular reference to the national, European and international legal sources regulating this field. They will understand the evolution of the legal concept of cultural heritage, the administrative organization responsible for its protection and enhancement, as well as the legal framework established by the Italian Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code.

Students will also acquire knowledge of the main legal institutions relating to cultural and landscape assets, the administrative procedures for their protection, the instruments for their enhancement, the management models of cultural institutions and sites, and the distribution of powers among the State, the Regions and local authorities.

 

Applying Knowledge and Understanding

At the end of the course, students will be able to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of practical cases concerning cultural and landscape heritage. They will be able to identify the applicable legal framework for different categories of cultural property, interpret the relevant legal provisions and understand the functioning of administrative procedures relating to the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage.

Students will also be able to examine administrative acts, protection measures and selected case law, identifying the relevant legal issues and the responsibilities of the public authorities involved.

 

Making Judgements

Students will develop the ability to critically assess the legal issues concerning the conservation, protection, management and enhancement of cultural and landscape heritage, taking into account the need to balance the public and private interests involved.

They will be able to formulate independent judgments on issues relating to the protection of cultural heritage, land use, public enjoyment of cultural assets and the role of public administrations, applying an appropriate legal reasoning method.

 

Communication Skills

At the end of the course, students will be able to use the technical legal terminology relating to cultural heritage and landscape law appropriately. They will be able to present clearly the main legal concepts and administrative procedures and to discuss the topics addressed during the course both orally and through short written assignments.

Students will also be able to support their arguments by referring to legal sources, constitutional principles and the main judicial decisions in the field.

 

Learning Skills

At the end of the course, students will have acquired an appropriate learning methodology enabling them to further develop their knowledge of cultural heritage law through the consultation of legislation, case law, legal scholarship and administrative documentation.

They will be able to update their knowledge in response to legislative developments and new interpretative approaches, thereby acquiring competencies useful both for further academic studies and for professional activities in the fields of cultural heritage protection, management and enhancement.

Course Structure

The course will be carried out according to teaching methods suitable to allow the acquisition of all the basic notions indicated in the training objectives. During the lessons, cases and materials previously provided to students will also be discussed.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance is not compulsory.

Detailed Course Content

Cultural heritage - Protection, management, enhancement and circulation of cultural heritage - Public bodies of cultural heritage - The supranational regulation of cultural heritage - Legal protection of the landscape.

Textbook Information

One of the following:

 A. Crosetti, D. Vaiano, Beni culturali e paesaggistici, Torino, 2023, p. 338

S. Amorosino, Diritto dei beni culturali e del paesaggio, Padova, 2024, p. 347

M.G. Pulvirenti, Patrimonio culturale e ordinamento pluralista, Torino, 2022, p. 244


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For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

The teachers undertake, within the limits of the financial resources, to ensure as far as possible that a copy of the adopted texts is available in the departmental library or (in the case of hard-to-find texts, articles and essays) to make them available on Studium, in accordance with the applicable copyright laws.

VERSIONE IN ITALIANO