Most of the cities in the world usually have old and historical buildings that are commonly located in special areas regarding their own historical story in the past. Preserving them has been debatable among the Government, citizens, and other stakeholders for centuries, especially in the recent modernization era. There are two reasons for protecting and even using historical buildings must be supported instead of destroying and replacing them with modern buildings. These are potential utilizations of the buildings as an office or public area and promoting them as tourist attractions.
Old buildings, somehow, have a strong construction so that they are still in good condition although they were built many centuries ago. Moreover, historical buildings also have great architecture with many rooms and corridors that can be used as offices or public facilities such as hospitals, banks, malls, etc. For instance, many old and historical buildings in Indonesia that were built by the Dutch during the colonialism era are used as the Government office. However, these buildings still need minor renovation and additions like the installation of air conditioners, electricity, and internet connections to make them more suitable and enjoyable for modern people.
Historical buildings, as the name that is given to them, obviously have a lot of stories for the next generations. It can be an interesting attraction to the public so these buildings can be promoted by the city government as tourism destinations. For example, Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, has a special area near its old harbor with many historical buildings that were constructed by the Dutch. So, Jakarta’s government set up this area as a tourist area that is usually called “Kota Tua Jakarta” or the old city of Jakarta. The buildings were used as museums so the public and tourists could enjoy and learn the historical stories of Jakarta in the past.
In conclusion, preserving the historical buildings is important because they can be used as public facilities and tourism.