WYKORZYSTANIE RPO W SYSTEMIE FINANSOWANIA OCHRONY ZABYTKÓW NA PRZYKŁADZIE RPO WOe

In Polish conditions and relatively poor condition of public finances, funding protection of monuments is also made with a significant share of funds from the European Union A good example of such is the funding under the Regional Operational Programmes of individual provinces. This article attempts to present the role of Regional Operational Program in the system of financing the protection of monuments in Poland, activities related to the protection of cultural heritage and to present the project of monument protection funded by Regional Operational Program of the Opole Voivodeship. The cultural heritage of a nation in the form of material and intangible heritage of previous generations is a key to building national identity, because without it teaching respect for tradition and culture would be impossible. However, in a market economy cultural heritage in the form of monuments should be treated also as a factor supporting regional development. Presented policy on the use of funds for activities related to the protection of cultural heritage, protection of monuments and the funds allocated for this purpose that EU funds, especially the Regional Operational Program, will not replace the system of financing these activities from public funds, which is administered by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, but they can be a good complement to this system.