is the official term to describe National Heritage Sites listed by lawAccording to international law, the English term is Cultural property, but can also be called ''Protected monument''. in German-speaking areas of Europe, to protect and spread awareness of cultural heritage.

Austria

In Austria, the (BDA), the institution in charge of the National Heritage Sites, administers the list of objects, which it formally refers to as Denkmalgeschützte Objekte.

Belgium

The Institut du Patrimoine is the institution in charge of the National Heritage Sites of Wallonia, which includes the National Heritage Sites of the

German-speaking Community of Belgium The German-speaking Community (, , DG), also known as East Belgium ( ), is one of the three Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, federal communities of Belgium. The community is composed of nine municipalities in Liège Province, ...

. Various local websites with public information are maintained, and various initiatives are undertaken to assist owners of protected properties and to increase public awareness, most notably the European Heritage Days, which are called "Tage des offenen Denkmals".

Germany

As cultural matters lie largely within the responsibility not of the national government, but of the 16 states ( Bundesländer), the 16 respective heritage protection authorities (Landesdenkmalämter) survey and list official monuments.

Switzerland

The Kulturgüterschutz is the institution in charge of the National Heritage Sites of the German-speaking areas of Switzerland. They maintain the inventory of protected objects and also organize the European Heritage Days, which are called ''Europäischer Tag des Denkmals''.

Emblems

File:Denkmalplakette Deutschland.JPG, Emblem used to mark protected buildings and other structures in Germany. File:Logo Tag des Denkmals 2011 - 02.jpg, Logo for the European Heritage Days, which are organized by the DSD and are called ''Tag des Denkmals'' in Austria. File:Kulturdenkmal 4 Sprachen.jpg, "Cultural property" in four languages, including "".

References

{{reflist Heritage organizations German words and phrases