Legal protection of Brasilian Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Cultural heritage is a diffuse value, inherent to any social group, from the most rudimentary to the most complex. It matters in values of identity and common principles, which enable the emergence and maintenance of collective living spaces. As such, it is protected by the 1988 Constitution of the Republic, which outlines, from the outset, administrative instruments aimed at protecting it. Among these mechanisms, the tombamento is particularly noteworthy, especially considering its exclusive vocation as an instrument aimed at protecting culturally important goods and values. Hence the present text, which aims to study the tombamento institute, tracing its origins and its principles, such as those placed in the national legal system.