Get to know the heritage

The Cultural Heritage Law of the Community of Madrid

The concept of heritage is dynamic and has evolved throughout history to accommodate the testimonies of the tangible and intangible culture of peoples in their various manifestations.

Heritage is a fundamental legacy of a nation's historical trajectory and identity, contributing to its social cohesion.

Thanks to international conventions and treaties, and to national and regional legislation, we now have a legal framework for the protection of our cultural heritage, its research and dissemination, which are fundamental obligations of the public authorities.

According to Cultural Heritage Law of the Community of Madrid 8/2023 of March 30, the Cultural Heritage of the Community of Madrid includes the material and immaterial assets of its territory that are recognized as having a historical, artistic, monumental, architectural, archaeological, paleontological, ethnographic, industrial, scientific and technical interest.

Download Law 8/2023 on Cultural Heritage of the Community of Madrid >>

How do we protect heritage?

Establishing protection categories (BIC, BIP and listed assets), as well as advising and collaborating with the owners of the assets.
With inspections and authorizations for works, restorations on heritage assets or archaeological and paleontological activities.
Managing a BIC and BIP Registry and a Cultural Heritage Catalogue.
Promoting and disseminating cultural heritage with initiatives such as visiting BICs.
Promoting heritage education.
Monitoring and controlling the art market.
Establishing a sanctions regime.

All movable, immovable and intangible assets of the region's cultural heritage must be protected under a general regime, although the law also establishes several categories of protection.

Those assets that have special relevance are declared as Assets of Cultural Interest (BIC) and those assets that, without having exceptional value like the BIC, have a special historical or artistic significance, are declared as Assets of Patrimonial Interest (BIP). BIC and BIP environments are also protected to ensure their integrity, observability and understanding.

The BIC and BIP properties They are grouped, in turn, into several categories: Monument, Historic Complex, Cultural Landscape, Historic Garden, Historic Territory, Ethnographic Site, Industrial or Scientific Site, Archaeological or paleontological Zone or Cultural Itinerary.

The rest of the assets are Goods Cataloged, including all movable property found in museums and collections owned by the Community.

Discover some examples of assets declared in the Community of Madrid:

Monument

Church of San Agustín

A Historic

Patones de Arriba

Cultural Landscape

El Gasco Dam

Historical Garden

Finca Vista Alegre

Historic place

Hermitage of Santiago

Industrial or Scientific Site

The Buitrago de Lozoya Communications Station

Archaeological or paleontological zone

Piedra Escrito Deposit

Woman in a ruffled dress dances with her arms raised, in the background a group of musicians with flamenco guitar and cajón

Intangible Heritage

The flamenco

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How do we declare an asset?

The declaration of an Asset of Cultural Interest corresponds to the Governing Council of the Community of Madrid by means of a Decree at the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport and the declaration of an Asset of Heritage Interest corresponds to the head of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport, by means of an Order.

The declaration procedure has several phases and involves both the competent administrations, in this case the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, as well as the owners and the consultative bodies.

Declaration procedure The Regional Council of Cultural Heritage Historical Heritage Commissions

The process begins with a initiation file, which includes a technical report with a description of the property, justifying the reasons why it has a significant value or special historical and artistic significance, its state of conservation and uses. The process may be initiated by the General Directorate itself or at the request of any individual or administration.
Interested parties are notified and published in the Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid, From that moment on, the precautionary protection regime for the property was determined.
A is established public information period of one month during which anyone may examine the file.
The meeting takes place Regional Council for Cultural Heritage and a specialized report is requested from consultation institutions.
The procedure of declaration It is resolved within a maximum period of between 12 and 16 months.
After notifying the interested parties and publishing in the BOCM, the declared property enrolls in the Registry of Assets of Cultural Interest or Registry of Assets of Patrimonial Interest as well as in the Catalogue of Cultural Heritage of the Community of Madrid, communicating it to the Ministry responsible for cultural heritage.

El Regional Cultural Heritage Council It is the main consultative body on cultural heritage, formed by public administrations and institutions and associations established for the protection of cultural heritage. Its functions are to study and advise on matters of cultural heritage.

In the process of declaring an Asset of Cultural or Heritage Interest, the Community of Madrid may consult, among other institutions, the Royal Academy of History, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, the Public Universities of Madrid , to the Higher Council for Scientific Research and to the Madrid professional associations related to the subject to request their assessment reports.

The Historical Heritage Commissions, They are also consultative bodies. Their main function is institutional collaboration between the Community of Madrid and the municipalities, and they are formed in those municipalities that contain declared real estate assets.