Authenticity and integrity as qualifiers in managing living historic cities

Authenticity and integrity are accepted qualifiers for cultural sites for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Mentioned in various principles and frameworks, they have significant implications for heritage management guidelines and strategies. In Living historic cities, which are dynamic and subject to change applying these qualifiers is very complex. The paper critically discusses the challenges of defining authenticity and integrity within policies and their application on the ground. It argues that authenticity and integrity must embrace change as a constant factor and that a third qualifier – sustainability – must be incorporated into the management of historic cities.