During the nineteenth century, a change developed in the way
architectural objects from the distant past were viewed by
contemporaries. Such edifices, be they churches, castles, chapels or
various other buildings, were not only admired for their aesthetic
values, but also for the role they played in ancient times, and their
role as reminders of important events from the national past.
Architectural heritage often was (and still is) an important element of
nation building. Authors address the process of building national myths
around certain architectural objects. National narratives are
questioned, as is the position architectural heritage played in the
nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries.