Szanowni Państwo!

It gives us great pleasure to present an issue of “Ochrona Zabytków” prepared by a new editorial board, and reviewed and approved by an equally new Editorial Council composed of outstanding specialists – members of various professions associated with a broadly comprehended protection of historical monuments, and representatives of numerous research milieus actively participating in the scientific life of our country. Our quarterly contains articles proposing diverse views about conservation and many other problems related to the protection of, and care for historical monuments. “Ochrona Zabytków” is to comprise a forum for publications and discussions involving the widest conservation circles. We wish to include descriptions of conservation, restoration and revitalisation undertakings concerning concrete historical objects – from individual works of art to parks, cemeteries, villages and whole towns; we also plan to consider all the aspects – legal, material, technological, aesthetic, etc. – of the protection of historical monuments as well as their administration and utilisation. In accordance with a tradition cultivated by “Ochrona Zabytków” we would like to invite representatives of the conservation services, conservators, practicians and theoreticians, the custodians and users of historical monuments, both state and self -government as well as private owners, to cooperate with us. It is our intention to outline as comprehensively as possible the work performed in Poland within the range of our vast interests and within the context of the obstacles and achievements in other countries; we also aim to indicate the positive effects of different ventures, especially those which can be regarded as exemplary. We are counting on the fact that our authors will enable their readers – professionals and lovers of historical monuments, interested in their fate – to enrich their knowledge; hopefully, in “Ochrona Zabytków” they shall discover ample information on assorted accomplishments. We wholeheartedly recommend both this issue and the forthcoming ones. Jacek Rulewicz Director of the National Centre for Historical Monument Studies and Documentation