The role of the architectural heritage in the process of creating the image of contemporary Polish cities. Its perception and evaluation

Abstract

Architectural and urban heritage, can form and support the competitiveness of the town, opening up extra chances for employment, investment and social life - on a higher level than the concurrence does. But to achieve such a stage the local community must be conscious of the wealth of cultural heritage it has in the environment, people must be taught to recognize, to asses, to appreciate and – finally – to protect historical monuments and their details. In any conditions of rapid urbanization, social pressure can save many valuable architectural objects and complexes. Education and promotion of architectural heritage could improve these processes. The scope of the paper is to present how the city inhabitants understand the meaning of the selected historical urban and architectural structures, details, their expectations about the forms of information and the promotion of the historical heritage. I will also present the method of checking the knowledge of architectural heritage and the level of identity the city inhabitants have about the historical place. The study was included in the public space in the center of silesian cities within the limits set by the observation, according to the criterion of historical and aesthetic values in a given area's monuments. The criterion where the intensity of retail and service functions and the administration.