Contextualising Authenticity and Integrity Within Historic Towns/Cities

There have been notable differences in heritage definition. While traditional cultures continue in some contexts, the modern approach towards heritage conservation gradually developed starting from Europe over the past few centuries. The notions of integrity and authenticity were first understood in reference to important works of human creativity, later defined as works of art. The question of authenticity has been subject to international debate, resulting in the Nara Document (1994), which recognises both traditional culture and modern life without ignoring the importance of material evidence. Consequently, the identification of integrity and authenticity in historic urban areas needs to distinguish the significance of the traditional built fabric particularly when sustained by traditional life and customs, while for the modern planned territory reference is found in urban master plans. This article aims at discussing the concepts of integrity and authenticity identifying the social and cultural characteristics that define the significance and are also references for evaluation of historic towns and cities.