THE ROLE OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE IN THE CLASSIFICATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF MERGED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to reveal the role of historical and architectural heritage in the classification of amalgamated territorial communities (hereinafter referred to as ATCs) and their sustainable (balanced) development. To substantiate the importance of an authentic rural environment as a key prerequisite for the tourist attractiveness of a community and, consequently, its economic prosperity). The research methodology is based on general scientific empirical methods. Since the topic of this article is mainly theoretical in nature, the main methods consist of analyzing existing regulatory documentation, official community and regional development programs, cartographic sources, etc. The theoretical basis and practical experience of Ukrainian and foreign activities in territorial management are compared, with an emphasis on the territorial protection of historical heritage and historically valuable rural environments at the local and regional levels in the context of Ukraine's decentralization and the transfer of significant powers to local authorities in the field of management of local cultural heritage sites and protected areas. The conclusions provide a generalized list of classifications of amalgamated communities, emphasizing the absence in Ukrainian legislation of a division based on the protection of local historical and architectural heritage. Therefore, based on an analysis of foreign experience in the territorial protection of architectural and archaeological monuments within the historically inherited rural environment, the author's definitions of ATCs are proposed and justified according to their historical and architectural potential as a prerequisite for the development of local tourist centers and networks and a guarantee of sustainable (balanced) development of the community as a whole. The implementation of the research results in practical activities consists in choosing the optimal strategy for the growth of the economic well-being of the local population. The realization of the potential of the historically inherited rural environment within local communities with its colorful tangible and intangible assets is a prerequisite for the tourist attractiveness of a given locality (region), and the development of infrastructure will contribute to the involvement of the rural population in the service sector and, as a result, improve its economic well-being given the spread of tourism as a leading modern industry of the economy.