HERITAGE
sites, organisations, museums, orders & symbols

Heritage refers to something which is inherited from one's ancestors. It has several different senses, including:

• Cultural heritage, a nation's historic monuments, museum collections, etc.
• Natural heritage, a nation's fauna and flora, natural resources, and landscape
• Tradition, customs and practices inherited from ancestors
• Inheritance of physical goods after the death of an individual
• Biological inheritance of physical characteristics
• Birthright, something inherited due to the place, time, or circumstances of someone's birth

This section of the site focuses on the first two senses listed above:

Cultural heritage ("national heritage" or just "heritage") is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Often though, what is considered cultural heritage by one generation may be rejected by the next generation, only to be revived by a succeeding generation.

Physical or "tangible cultural heritage" includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artefacts, etc., that are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. "Natural heritage" is also an important part of a culture, encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna. These kind of heritage sites often serve as an important component in a country's tourist industry, attracting many visitors from abroad as well as locally.