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A Bien de Interés Cultural is a category of the heritage register in Spain. The term is also used in Venezuela, and other Spanish speaking countries.
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The term literally means a "Good of Cultural Interest" (a "good" in the economic sense), although a better translation could be "Heritage of Cultural Interest", as Spain protects not only material heritage, like monuments or movable works of art, but also intangible cultural heritage, such as the Silbo Gomero language.
Some Bienes enjoy international protection as World Heritage Sites or Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
History
In Spain the category of Bien de Interés Cultural dates from 1985 when it replaced the former heritage category of Monumento nacional (national monument) in order to extend protection to a wider range of cultural property. Monumentos are now identified as one of the sub-categories of Bien de Interés Cultural.
Sub-categories
The movable heritage designated as Bienes de Interes Cultural includes archeological artefacts, archives and large works of art. Such protected objects may well be kept in a building which is itself a BIC.
Regional variants
Under the Spanish system regions maintain their own registers of cultural heritage (see Patrimonio histórico español). There have been some differences in approach between autonomous communities. An example is bullfighting (which at a national level is now regulated by the Ministry of Culture). Madrid's regional government considers that bullfighting events should be protected as cultural heritage, whereas in Catalonia a ban on bullfighting came into effect in 2012, although this was later overturned by the Supreme Court.