Band 7+: Write about the following topic: In some countries, more and more people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house or building they live in. What are the reasons for this? How can people research this? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Knowing about the history of a house or building has been attracting attentions in some countries, particularly in historically important and culturally rich regions. There are multiple reasons which grabs the habitant’s attention to find out the history of where they live.

First, some people believe that the historical and the cultural events that have happened in the house, give cultural and spiritual value to the place. For instance, if the house has wittnessed political arguments, where probably important decisions have been made, the prestige and the pride can travel through the time. Secondly, nostalgia effect might lies in the understanding the past history of the house. Imagine drinking tea on a couch next to the fireplace, while knowing your father, and grand father were doing the same during the past decades.

Beside the emotional aspects and personal experience, some people think it is crucial to know how and when the place has been constructed, or who designed and made it. As an example, some assume that concrite buildings are more durable than iron-based ones. Moreover, different materials need different methods of maintenance. In addition to the previous reasons, it is essential to repair and reconstruct a building if a debilitating event, such as earthquake or other natural disasters has weakened the structure.

In order to gain more information about the history of the house, several options may help. If it is a famous building, the most accessible way is to search on the internet and seeking the information from a local guide. However, this method is not going to work for ordinary houses. Therefore, the easiest way to figure out the past history of the building is asking the previous owners. Prior landlords typically knows more about the history of the house than the current owner. Furthermore, to assess the age of the material and design of the house, consulting with an architecture or a civil engineer would be highly recommended.

All in all, people might gain interest in knowing the history of their houses due to nostalgia, memories through years, safety, and reconstruction issues. Noticing about the history can metaphorically gives personality to the house.