The Federal Monuments Authority Austria

100 Years of the Austrian Monument Protection Act | 1923 – 2023

In 1923, the Austrian Monument Protection Act was passed by the National Council. In the anniversary year 2023, the Federal Monuments Authority Austria invites you to a series of events throughout Austria that present the diversity and variety of our monuments and the people behind them.

A few years after the end of the First World War, the young Republic set a milestone in the preservation of monuments with the passing of the Austrian Monument Protection Act by the National Council on 25 September 1923. Prior to that, there was no legal protection of historic monuments. Since 1923, the Federal Monuments Authority Austria has had the legal mandate to enforce the public interest in the preservation of our cultural heritage. However, the Monument Protection Act also provides the framework for responding to constantly changing needs while preserving monuments sustainably and their historical, artistic and cultural significance. During the last year, for example, the Federal Monuments Authority Austria focused on the energy efficiency of monuments under the motto “Monument protection is climate protection”.

In the anniversary year 2023, there will be events all over Austria. The events will seek to show the diversity and variety of Austria’s cultural heritage and provide an opportunity for communities to talk together about current and challenging topics on monument protection and preservation.