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For owners

Before any encroachment on cultural heritage or on land for construction within a registered archaeological site, cultural heritage consent must be obtained from the competent regional unit of the ZVKDS, and before that, cultural heritage conditions must be obtained. All construction, maintenance work and other works, activities and practices that alter the appearance, structure, internal relationships and use of the cultural heritage site are considered to be interventions.

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ZVKDS Council
ZVKDS Bulletin Šrajbarski turn Castle
Why work with us?

Working with us

Are you renovating a building that is a cultural heritage site or is located within a protected area, in the historic centre of the city, is your site within a registered archaeological site?

How does participation in the procedure work?

In the window Applications you can choose the form required for your plan. Send the completed application form to the relevant Regional Unit or Centre for Preventive Archaeology, together with the required annexes.

Our experts will review your application and ask you to complete it if necessary. If your application is complete, they will then issue you with a cultural heritage condition or consent.

What information can you get from the ZVKDS experts?

The experts of the ZVKDS can provide you with information on the origin and history of the building, archival data on the contractors and the craftsmen, information on the position of the monument in space, information on the building history and, on this basis, the cultural protection conditions for regular maintenance or renovation work on the façade, the building furniture (windows, doors), the roof or attic, the park around the building, etc. For more information, please refer to the building's dossier, which is attached as an example: Facility dossier

Why work with ZVKDS

Reasons and benefits for working with us.

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Register
Conditions and consents
Interventions in the archaeological heritage
Applications
Conservation plan
Manuals

Does your building have the status of immovable cultural heritage?

Is your site within a registered archaeological site?

Both answers can be found in: Register.

The Register of Immovable Cultural Heritage is the official, computerised database of cultural heritage in the territory of Slovenia, under the responsibility of the State. Anyone can initiate a declaration and entry in the Register, but the proposal must be formally prepared by the Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

 

 

 

The procedure for obtaining cultural heritage conditions and consents, and the form of these acts, depend on whether or not the development is subject to a building permit.

Interventions subject to planning permission

For interventions for which the Building Act and the Regulation on the Classification of Structures require a building permit, the cultural heritage consent is issued in the form of an opinion in accordance with the Building Act.

"For such interventions, the investor shall submit an application on the forms prescribed by Regulation on the detailed content of documentation and forms in the construction of buildings, in to:

  • an application for cultural heritage conditions on the form  Annexes 8A
  • the request for a cultural heritage opinion shall be made on the form set out in  Annexes 9A 

These forms also specify the annexes to be attached to the application for each type of cultural heritage condition or consent. The application shall be submitted directly or by post to the competent ZVKDS regional unit.

Interventions not subject to planning permission

For interventions for which a building permit is not required, investors shall submit an application for cultural protection conditions using the Application for Cultural Protection Conditions form and an application for cultural protection consent using the Application for Cultural Protection Consent form.

 

 

After obtaining the cultural and environmental protection conditions for interventions in the archaeological heritage, preliminary archaeological investigations must be carried out before obtaining the cultural and environmental protection consent for the building permit.

The Centre for Preventive Archaeology of the ZVKDS can be selected or authorised to carry out preliminary archaeological investigations and to manage the procedure for obtaining the cultural protection consent for the investigation from the Ministry of Culture.

 

If the investor is building a self-contained dwelling or non-profit rental housing to be built on building land in the area of a registered archaeological site within a settlement, he can apply to the Ministry of Culture for funding from the state budget for archaeological surveys. According to an amendment to the Rules (Official Gazette 37/11), the Ministry of Culture finances such archaeological research on the basis of a call for proposals published on the Ministry's website in the first months of the calendar year. In all other cases, the investor of the development shall be the payer of the archaeological research and the post-excavation treatment of the archive.

The ZVKDS has prepared applications to request the release of documents in the procedure.

Please save, sign and send the completed application form together with the annexes to the relevant Regional Unit or the Centre for Preventive Archaeology of the ZVKDS for archaeological research.

The cultural protection conditions may require the preparation of a conservation plan as a condition for obtaining a cultural protection consent.

The Design Department of the ZVKDS Restoration Centre designs interventions in the built heritage and prepares conservation plans. Interventions are monitored through the management and coordination of works, as well as through supervision. Documents:

Conservation plan

Conservation Plan Regulations

The guides you will find below contain instructions, information or advice on a specific topic or procedure. They are designed to help users understand and carry out specific tasks or processes.

The manuals are aimed at different target groups, including users, providers and commissioners of services. Some manuals are more general and cover basic information, while others are more specialised and deal with more detailed aspects of a particular topic. The purpose of the manuals is to provide users with clear and practical information.

Find a manual

Časopisni izrez, ki kaže na vlogo ZVKDS

On 11 July 1913, France Stele placed an advertisement in the Laibach Zeitung and Slovenski narod, announcing that on 1 July the Imperial-King's Central Commission for the Protection of Monuments had begun its official representation for the Kranj region and that Stele would be available to clients in his office on the 1st floor of the house at 25 Mestne trg in Ljubljana during the above-mentioned office hours, as long as he was not absent from his fieldwork.

St Mary's Rotunda in Koper, during renovation
Testimonials

St Mary's Rotunda

Without them, there would be nothing. Every week we get together to review what's been done and plan the way forward.

Dr. Primož Krečič, Cathedral Parish Priest of Koper, on the cooperation with ZVKDS OE Piran on the renovation of the Rotunda of the Virgin Mary in Koper, 21 March 2024
Gradišče near Divača, fresco, Church of St Helena
Summer School

Gradišče near Divača

We are proud to host such an important institution as the International School of Restoration in the beautiful surroundings of the Church of St Helena in Gradišče. The annual International School is the result of excellent cooperation between the ZVKDS, the Municipality of Divača and the villagers of Gradišče. The International Restoration School has put the Church of St Helena on the map of important heritage buildings with famous frescoes. I believe that we will continue our excellent cooperation and create another beautiful story.

Alenka Šturcl Dovgan, August, 2023
Testimonials

Ljubljana - city centre

I have a property in the city centre of Ljubljana with a listed facade. I wanted to replace the windows and install air conditioning. I received excellent help and guidance from the ZVKDS experts when choosing the windows.

anonymous
Villa Pick. The-largest-fortification-is-protected-heritages.-Source_Photo-file-ZVKDS-author-Hana-Brus-2024-
Testimonials

Villa Pick

Villa Pick has recently been declared a cultural monument of local importance. We are very proud of this. It should be stressed that the designation is mainly the result of excellent cooperation with the team of ZVKDS OE Ljubljana. Throughout the whole process, they have provided us with professional assistance, both in terms of advice, support with the required documentation and, of course, in discovering the rich history of Villa Pick itself. A great credit goes to Mrs. Hana Brus, M.A. in History. The whole process of the proclamation and all the intermediate stages, which took about a year, was a pleasant and interesting experience for us, where we all learned something new together.

Lazar Sakan, owner of Villa Pick and Dušan Vukmirovic, project manager
Ceiling painting in Gruber Palace, Ljubljana, detail
Testimonials

Gruber Palace

The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia operates in the premises of the Gruber Palace and, as it is a protected monument, its users are in contact with the ZVKDS Restoration Centre on several occasions. A special chapter of our cooperation is the restoration of the ceiling painting above the staircase. At the beginning, we were a bit worried about how we would "get along" with the staff of the ZVKDS RC, but our fears were completely unnecessary. After a few months, the scaffolding on the staircase was no longer visible, and the ceiling painting, which after four years had shone anew, was given a new-old artist and a new title. The restoration work and discoveries were presented at two high-profile scientific conferences at the end of the project. Good cooperation between all heritage managers and the ZVKDS is necessary and useful, and can also be enjoyable. Let's not be afraid of restorers!

Dr. Andrej Nared, 2018/2022
Testimonials

AAS

Regarding the cooperation between the National Museum of Slovenia and the Centre for Preventive Archaeology of the ZVKDS in the project of publication of three highway protection surveys (Dragomelj - AAS 106, Pržanj - AAS 107 and Kamna Gorica - AAS 114), our experience has been very positive. At CPA, you have been flexible and we have been able to extend the original timelines accordingly, given the scope and logistical complexity of this project, so that the final result in the form of three comprehensive monographs is of a much higher quality as a result. We at the NMS are also pleased with the professionalism and flexibility of the editorial team of the Archaeology on the Highways of Slovenia series, who have been very cooperative in the editorial preparation of the books, in the coordination of difficult technical issues and in the exchange of proofreading.

Dr Peter Turk Curator of Prehistory, National Museum of Slovenia

Frequently asked questions

General
Conservation
Archaeology
Restoration

What is a cultural monument?

A cultural monument is a movable heritage that represents a distinctive creative achievement or makes a valuable contribution to cultural diversity. It is an important part of the space or heritage of the Republic of Slovenia or its regions and constitutes a source for understanding historical processes, phenomena and their relationship to present-day culture and space. A registered immovable heritage asset may be declared a cultural monument. Cultural monuments enjoy the highest level of protection under the law.

What is the difference between a cultural monument of local and national importance?

A cultural monument of national importance is an immovable heritage of outstanding importance for the country and is therefore declared a cultural monument by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
A cultural monument of local significance is an immovable heritage asset of special importance for the municipality. A cultural monument of local importance is declared by the municipality in whose territory the monument is located.

How is a cultural monument of national importance declared?

A proposal for the designation of a monument is made by the ZVKDS at its own discretion or on the initiative of someone else. The ZVKDS then prepares an expert basis or a study identifying the protected values that justify the designation as a cultural monument. The owners of the property consenting to the designation must also agree to the designation. A cultural monument of national importance shall be declared by an act of the Government, which shall publish the decree of declaration in the Official Gazette.

How is a cultural monument of local importance declared?

The procedure for declaring a monument of local importance is essentially the same as that for declaring a monument of national importance. The difference is that the procedure for declaring a monument of local significance is managed by the competent municipal authority and that a monument of local significance is declared by a decree of the municipal council of the municipality. The adopted decree on the proclamation is published in the municipality's official gazette.

What are the owner's obligations if he owns a cultural monument?

The acquisition of the status of a monument implies the establishment of a legal regime that directly affects the ownership and other rights of the owners, possessors and users of the heritage. Any intervention in a cultural monument must be subject to cultural protection conditions and then to cultural protection consent. The owner must treat the monument in such a way that its cultural values and social significance are consistently respected and preserved.

What is the difference between a registered immovable heritage asset and a cultural monument?

Registered immovable heritage is protected passively, which means that the state or municipalities only supervise interventions, but cannot enforce any active protection measures, e.g. prescriptions on behaviour, maintenance of the heritage, state co-financing of restoration. However, monuments can be protected directly and actively, which means that the State and local authorities can actively intervene in monuments by adopting protection measures, co-financing restoration, etc.

What is the legal basis for the designation as a cultural monument?

The designation as a cultural monument is regulated by the Law on the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No 16/08, as amended) in Articles 11 to 13.

How does a monument lose its status as a monument?

The termination of the status of a monument is determined by the authority responsible for the designation of monuments according to the procedure laid down for the designation of a monument (government or municipal council). The reason for the termination of the status of a monument is, for example, the destruction of the monument.

What happens if a monument is declared a monument of local and national importance?

If the same thing is declared a monument of national importance and a monument of local importance, the protection regimes of the two acts must not conflict. In the event of a conflict between the two acts, the provisions of the act declaring the monument of national importance and the protection measures issued on the basis thereof shall prevail.

How does the ZVKDS deal with violations or unauthorised interference with heritage?

The ZVKDS is a professional institution, not an inspection or infringement body.
Anyone can report violations of laws, regulations and acts governing the protection of cultural heritage, etc. to the Inspectorate for Culture and the Media, which carries out inspection duties.

I am interested in buying a plot of land, a plot of land, a building that has the character of a cultural heritage or a cultural monument. Where can I get more information to help me decide?

For more information, please contact the local ZVKDS regional unit.

I need to prepare a conservation plan for the building, who can I contact?

The Design Department of the ZVKDS Restoration Centre also prepares conservation plans. You can contact them using the contact form above.

Which annexes do I need to attach depending on the application I have chosen?

Answer

How soon after submitting my application can I expect a reply?

Answer

What do I need to take into account when renovating a heritage building?

Once your application has been received, the competent Regional Unit will issue you with the cultural heritage conditions that you must comply with for the renovation.

How to access additional funding for renovation?

The Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (ZVKDS) does not have dedicated funds for the restoration of cultural monuments, according to its founding act. As a professional institution, we can help you with expert advice, surveys (if necessary), finding appropriate project solutions together with the owners, etc.
The Ministry of Culture, which organises calls for tenders for the restoration of cultural monuments owned by local and religious communities, as well as by other legal and natural persons, can provide funding for the restoration of heritage sites. At the municipal level, individual municipalities also organise calls for tenders for the co-financing of restoration works on cultural heritage buildings or monuments.

Is my building a cultural heritage site or is it located in an impact zone?

You can check the answer in the Cultural Heritage Register. You can access the register via the ZVKDS website, the Advice for owners window.

How do I obtain cultural protection conditions?

Cultural heritage conditions and consents are issued by the ZVKDS Regional Units. Please send the completed Application Form, which can be found in the Advice for owners - Applications window, to the ZVKDS Regional Unit responsible.

Where can I get information on whether I need to carry out archaeological research on a plot of land ?

Information can be obtained from the local competent regional unit of the ZVKDS, which prescribes the implementation of archaeological investigations by means of cultural protection conditions.

We would like to obtain an estimate of the cost of carrying out an archaeological survey. What documents do I need to attach to my application for a cost estimate?

The application for the cost estimate must be accompanied by the cultural protection conditions or cultural protection consent or the cultural protection opinion of the competent regional unit of the ZVKDS and the planned intervention in space (IDZ, PGD, etc.) in .dwg format.

What is the procedure to be followed once the archaeological surveyor has completed the archaeological investigation on the site ?

The archaeological survey is completed with a certified report on the archaeological survey, which is approved by the responsible conservator of the competent regional unit of the ZVKDS. Further procedures for obtaining a cultural protection consent or additional cultural protection conditions, depending on the results of the archaeological survey carried out, are conducted at the locally competent regional unit of the ZVKDS.

How long after the Ministry of Culture has granted the cultural protection consent for the investigation and removal of an archaeological remains shall archaeological investigations be carried out?

The archaeological investigations shall be carried out in accordance with the schedule of the selected contractor.

We have received the cultural heritage consent for the investigation and removal of the archaeological remains, issued by the Ministry of Culture. What are the next steps?

After receiving the cultural heritage consent for the investigation and removal of the archaeological remains, archaeological investigations can be carried out. The client of the archaeological survey should, after obtaining the above consent, contact the appointed archaeological survey contractor to carry out the archaeological survey. After the fieldwork, the cabinet processing of the data and material discovered and the preparation of the report on the archaeological research will be carried out. The entire procedure of starting the archaeological research in the field, preparing and submitting the report on the research carried out and handing over the archive to the competent museum is managed in the ISeD application, which can be accessed at the following link: https://www.gov.si/zbirke/storitve/informacijski-sistem-edediscina/.

What are the deadlines for submitting applications for subsidies for preliminary archaeological investigations ?

Each year, the Ministry of Culture publishes a call for applications for funding for archaeological research on its website, which contains all the information on how to submit an application (forms, required elements of the application, deadlines, etc.) (https://www.gov.si/zbirke/storitve/financiranje-predhodnih-arheoloskih-raziskav-za-investitorje-stanovanjske-gradnje/).

Where do I send my application for a subsidy for preliminary archaeological investigations?

You submit your application to the Ministry of Culture (https://www.gov.si/zbirke/storitve/financiranje-predhodnih-arheoloskih-raziskav-za-investitorje-stanovanjske-gradnje/).

Where can I find out if I am eligible for subsidies for preliminary archaeological research?

Information can be obtained from the Ministry of Culture (https://www.gov.si/drzavni-organi/ministrstva/ministrstvo-za-kulturo/).

Where can I get a list of qualified archaeological surveyors ?

The Ministry of Culture keeps a register of qualified operators.

The cultural protection conditions received require that preliminary archaeological investigations be carried out. Where can I find out who all can carry out archaeological research?

Information on qualified archaeological surveyors can be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, which keeps a register of qualified contractors.

Who prescribes what kind of archaeological investigations should be carried out on a plot of land?

The type of archaeological research is prescribed by the cultural protection conditions issued by the locally competent regional unit of the ZVKDS.

Do I also need to carry out archaeological investigations on the plot/land on which the building already stands ?

Archaeological investigations must be carried out on all land within a registered immovable heritage site, if so stipulated by the cultural heritage conditions.

How do I get an artwork/object restored at the Restoration Centre?

The procedure depends on the subject and is determined individually.

Can we determine the authenticity of a picture (or other object) in the science section?

Yes, the authenticity of an image is primarily established through natural history research.

Examples of good practice

The Saline Sea through time

The Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Culture is actively engaged in a comprehensive set of identification, documentation, study, evaluation and interpretation of the salt pans heritage at several levels. Through fieldwork, the study of material and non-material sources, and cooperation with cultural heritage stakeholders, we pursue the goal of preserving and revitalising the centuries-old heritage of salt pans and salt pans.

Text by Tomaž Kljun

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Solina today, photo by Matjaž Kljun, 2022, ZVKDS OE Piran
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