Vilket Värmland?

Abstract

The Swedish system of listing buildings, byggnadsminnesförklaring, is a conservation tool which requires selection. Only a very limited number of objects can receive the protection of byggnadsminne. This study focuses on the past and present use of the system in the Swedish region of Värmland; the purpose of the legislation when it was introduced in the 1960s, how it has been implemented and the outcomes in this region. It investigates the objects that have been chosen to be conserved for future generations and the process behind this selection. The paper concludes with a discussion about the image of the region and the history that is communicated by these protected objects. The study concludes that some aspects of our heritage have been protected to a far greater extent than others, the listed buildings therefore provide an incomplete image of the region and its history. Many historical perspectives that are recognized as important in the development of Värmland have not been selected in the process. The author’s conclusion is that the idea of a typical listed building has influenced the selection process as much as the idea of the region and its history. There is therefore a clear need to complement the present selection with new objects, in order to protect and maintain a wider local history for generations to come. The author currently works with heritage conservation at the county administrative board of Värmland. The source material consists of regional and national archive content, laws, draft laws and studies concerning heritage conservation, as well as interviews and discussions with co-workers and previous co-workers.