Custom Search

Historical Buildings

by Sandhyaa V
(Mysuru, India)

What do we do with old historical buildings? Are they important for the society?

Yes, definitely! They are important and I think we should preserve them as best possible we can, because...

Historical buildings mark the heritage of a city. They should not be destroyed to make way for modern buildings. Monuments are important treasures left behind by history for the modern world.
Old buildings of historical interest speak volumes about the bygone era. They symbolize strength, sacrifice, talent, perseverance, pain, suffering and joy endured by the people who existed in the yesteryears. It has a sign of how a city has come to stand where it is now at present from where it was in the past. The past is not to be destroyed; rather it is to be preserved for future generations so that people know why they are living a better life in terms of comforts and conveniences as compared to our ancestors.

Another reason to keep old buildings is to provide inspiration to archaeologists, historians, artists, architects and construction engineers. These buildings astound us with the amount of information hidden within their walls. Archaeological surveys are still not enough to explore the valid reasons behind every initiative; historical evidences and artefacts only continue to baffle researchers; artists are left overwhelmed by the wide imagination as demonstrated by the old wall, ceiling or floor paintings; and finally engineers and architects

are stunned by the marvellous structures built with such limited resources back in the day which display a lot of intellect, intricacies, perfection and patience to make them so strong that they have stood the test of time for many centuries.

Yet the most commercially important reason to keep such old buildings is to favour tourism. Historical sites are an important source of revenue both for the state and the country. Both localites and foreigners derive pleasure visiting old sites making them one of the best destinations for tourists. It gives people a chance to experience the old world charms and an ideal retreat from the busy hustle-bustle of modern-day life. It is also a great chance for those trying to make business out of selling souvenirs and it is also possible to obtain donations for maintenance from interested parties.

Therefore, destroying the already diluted history in any form is the work of an insensitive and insensible society. A more meaningful act would be to plan a city with its modern constructions alongside the old ones by keeping the old sites separate and allowing them enough space to breathe.

Hence, I would like to end with a quote by ‘Steve Berry’:

“A concentrated effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, and economic legacies – all of the things that quite literally make who we are."
***