Flanders Heritage Agency

Its tasks include inventorying and protecting valuable buildings, landscapes, archaeological sites and  historic vessels in Flanders.

The legislation provides for five possible protection statutes: a monument, a city- or townscape, a cultural landscape, an archaeological site, and a historic vessel.

Protection entails legal consequences, including passive and active preservation of the heritage and a prohibition on demolition or destruction.

The Flanders Heritage Agency advises and collaborates with owners, designers, developers, and local authorities on dossiers, permits and the providing of advice and information.

The agency also provides financial support to owners and managers of protected immovable heritage and heritage landscapes in the form of grants, loans, reduction of personal income tax, and reduction of sales and gift tax.