Inspección General de Monumentos Históricos y Artísticos y de Bellezas Naturales, 1914-1930

Abstract

The protection of archaeological, artistic and historical monuments dates from the 19th century; however, is in 1914, with the Law on Conservation of Historical and Artistic Monuments and Natural Beauties and in 1916 with the Law on Conservation of Monuments, Buildings, Temples and Historical or Artistic Objects, when the Mexican State formalized the protection of cultural heritage furniture and the goberment considered it as part of universal culture. The objective of this article is to present a brief history of the General Inspection of Artistic Monuments and Natural Beauties, Institution that preceded the current National Institute of Anthropology and History (inah) founded in 1939 by mandate of President Lázaro Cárdenas del Río. Within the framework of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of this foundation, we have proposed to relate a good part of the history of the General Inspection basing our study on documentary and graphic sources found in various archives and in the newspaper of the time.