Conservation of Historical Monuments

CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC MONUMENTS

The Conservation of Historic Monuments (CMH) is within the Cultural Affairs Department, the department in charge of historical monuments. This service ensures the application of the regulations relating to the public or private historical monuments of Martinique, by implementing their protection, their conservation and their development.

The missions: This service, also run by the ABF, has the following missions:

• identifies and implements legal protection procedures for buildings and informs the public;
• instructs and prepares response programs and conducts operations on protected monuments, furniture and buildings;
• ensures scientific and technical control (see forms practicals CSE – and research locations)
• animates and enhances regional heritage through labels and annual events.

Protection under Historical Monuments:

It is not a label but a legislative device of public utility based on principles of scientific analysis. The heritage value of a property is assessed by examining a set of historical, artistic, scientific and technical criteria. The concepts of rarity, exemplarity and integrity of goods are taken into account. It comes from the Law of 31 December 1913 on Historical Monuments, now codified in Book VI of the Heritage Code. French legislation provides for two levels of protection for historic buildings:

• inscription under the title of historical monuments (IMH) for buildings that “…are of interest ofstory or ofsufficient art to make its preservation desirable…” is done within the regional framework. It is concretized by a decree of the Prefect of Martinique after opinion of the Regional Commission of Heritage and Sites (CRPS).

• classification for historical monuments (HSLC) which concerns buildings …dhave present conservation from the point of view of history or art a public interest.. » is a measure of national recognition taken by order of the Minister of Culture and Communication after opinion of the National Commission of Historic Monuments (CNMH). To be submitted to the CNMH for its opinion, the application must first be validated by the CRPS.

A protective measure ensures the monument of legal devices and technical skills that help ensure its conservation. Thus, a monument or a protected object cannot be transferred (given, sold, bequeathed...) without the Minister responsible for Culture and Communication or his representative at the local level being informed. Classified objects cannot be exported. The classified building is not subject to legal servitudes that could cause damage.

The Ministry of Culture and Communication created this logo to inform the public of the existence of monuments protected under the law of 13 December 1913. The MH plaque affixed to a building thus indicates that the public is in the presence of a protected monument (HSLC - listed and HMI - listed) that is distinguished by its heritage interest and that it is recognized by the State from a historical and/or architectural point of view. Marking a monument with an MH plaque is both a way of valuing it and a way of reminding the public of the community’s interest in it. http://www.rempart.com/n/plaque-monument-historique/n:120348

Regional Heritage and Sites Commission (CRPS): Composed of qualified persons and representatives of the Ministries of Culture, Environment and chaired by the Prefect, gives an opinion on the proposals for protection, resulting from a thematic census or specific requests. Registration decisions are taken by prefectoral decree. Proposals for classification are submitted to the National Commission for Historical Monuments. Generally, these committees meet once a year and a permanent delegation examines applications for protection in advance.

Construction and Archaeology: Where the planning, construction and construction operations concern land containing archaeological remains, the interest of which requires conservation on the spot, which impedes the carrying out of the planning, the Prefect of Martinique requests the classification of all or part of the land as historical monuments. In this case, the Minister responsible for Culture and Communication notifies the landowner of a proposal for classification under the conditions provided for by the legislation on historical monuments - Article R. 523-16 of the Heritage Code.

Les Historical monuments in Martinique:

Martinique currently has 101 protected historical monuments whose property is public or private.

22 CBM are classified and 79 MH are registered.

• insert MH list Practical information - Historical Monuments in Martinique

The typology of Martinique’s historical monuments:

• 23 religious architecture (church, presbytery, calvary...)
• 20 industrial architecture (rum, sugar...)
• 18 domestic architecture (house, villa, house...)
• 8 civil engineering (bridge, lighthouse, fountain...)
• 7 military architecture (forts, battery, powder magazine...)
• 5 architecture of administration or public life (town hall, prefecture, museum...)
• 3 cultural architecture - research - sport - leisure (observatory, library, theatre...)
• 3 funerary architecture - commemorative - votive (tomb, statue, cemetery...)
• 3 hospital architecture - assistance - social protection (hospital, asylum, colonial house of health...)
• 3 archaeological sites (Vivé, petroglyphs, remains of the Rousseau background...)
• 2 commercial architecture (Surena bakery, ruins rue Bouillé...)
• 2 judicial architecture - penitentiary - police (courthouse, prison of Siparis...)
• 2 town planning (Lamentin fountains...)
• 1 school architecture (lycée Schoelcher...)
• 1 category not listed (house of the Bagnard...)

Other Missions :

Within DAC Martinique, the ABF plays the role of advisor for architecture. He is therefore in charge of promoting knowledge of architecture and access to architectural culture to all citizens. Finally, he participates in the supervision of the profession of architect and follows the conditions of practice.

REFERENCE TEXTS, RESOURCES AND DOCUMENTS

• Heritage Code «Book VI: Historical monuments, sites and protected areas» -
• Circular no. 2007-013 of 1 October 2007 on “the reform of the regime for authorisations of works on buildings protected under historic monuments”
• Practical guides Work on MH Registered and Classified link or PDF

Fact Sheets

PRACTICAL GUIDE WORK MH CLASS

PRACTICAL GUIDE WORK COMPLETED

2007-013- circular scheme of work authorizations on protected buildings

2012-022_Glossaire_termes_MH

2012-036-Qualibat Qualification - MH – 04-09-12

CST fact sheet

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