ABSTRACT

This chapter explores briefly the history of conservation and the principles and

practices that have developed from the eighteenth century onwards. The main

emphasis is on ideas about conservation and, in particular, architectural

conservation, with its focus on the individual building or monument. After a

brief review of pre-eighteenth century antecedents it considers the dominant

conceptions of the treatment of historic buildings that crystallised in the

nineteenth century – stylistic restoration and conservative repair – the latter

concept equating to the idea of ‘modern conservation’ (Jokilehto 1999).