The change in attitude can be marked by the reconstruction in 2015 of the Sufi mausoleums at the Timbuktu World Heritage Site in Mali after their destruction in 2012.
This consisted of a manifesto of seven points:[4] The Athens Charter proposed the idea of a common world heritage, the importance of the setting of monuments, and the principle of the integration of new materials.
The conservation and restoration of monuments must have recourse to all the sciences and techniques which can contribute to the study and safeguarding of the architectural heritage.
Items of sculpture, painting or decoration which form an integral part of a monument may only be removed from it if this is the sole means of ensuring their preservation.
Its aim is to preserve and reveal the aesthetic and historic value of the monument and is based on respect for original material and authentic documents.
It must stop at the point where conjecture begins, and in this case moreover any extra work which is indispensable must be distinct from the architectural composition and must bear a contemporary stamp.
Evaluation of the importance of the elements involved and the decision as to what may be destroyed cannot rest solely on the individual in charge of the work.
Replacements of missing parts must integrate harmoniously with the whole, but at the same time must be distinguishable from the original so that restoration does not falsify the artistic or historic evidence.
Additions cannot be allowed except in so far as they do not detract from the interesting parts of the building, its traditional setting, the balance of its composition and its relation with its surroundings.
The sites of monuments must be the object of special care in order to safeguard their integrity and ensure that they are cleared and presented in a seemly manner.
In all works of preservation, restoration or excavation, there should always be precise documentation in the form of analytical and critical reports, illustrated with drawings and photographs.
[1] The Venice Charter and its subsequent interpretations have attracted criticism, especially by those who perceive it was built upon the Modernist biases of its creators.
Major advances over the last 40 years in traditional design fluency and building crafts skills have undercut and outmoded many of the assumptions implicit in the Venice Charter.
As a result, many now believe that visual harmony, aesthetic balance and the essential character of a place are of greater importance than abstract Modernist theories.
"[7] Issue is taken particularly with the words in Article 9: "Any extra work which is indispensable must be distinct from the architectural composition and must bear a contemporary stamp."
It has been commonly interpreted to mean that interventions and additions have to be in Modernist styles, rather than being discreetly indicated by such devices as dated cornerstones and descriptive plaques.
Its principal objective was to provide a theoretical framework that would enable new buildings and additions to be in greater harmony with their historic surroundings.
It states: “New construction in historic settings, including alterations and additions to existing buildings, should not arbitrarily impose contrasting materials, scales, or design vocabularies, but clarify and extend the character of the place, seeking always continuity and wholeness in the built environment.”[7] Beginning with the World Heritage Convention (1972), some of the limited explanations in the Venice Charter were revised.
He pointed out the necessity of a new document, or an effective adaptation, with consideration of the need "to be addressed with caution and wisdom, with respect for all cultures and above all with ethical and intellectual discipline.