The Historic and Artistic National Heritage

The Historic and Artistic National Heritage Institute (Iphan) is a federal institution, associated with the Ministry for Culture, responsible for the preservation, disclosure and inspection of Brazilian cultural assets, and also for ensuring that these may be used by current and future generations.

Established back in November 1937, Iphan was created by Brazilian artists and intellectuals of the time, and for more than 60 years it has been responsible for the protection and preservation of much of Brazil’s cultural heritage. The management of these assets is carried out through guidelines, plans, preservation instruments and reports, which inform the situation of the assets, as well as what is being done and what still needs to be done.

Seturce/Embratur Enlarge

• Teatro José de Alencar, in Fortaleza, is one of the buildings listed by the Iphan. The frontispiece has metallic structures in the Corinthian style

There are, all in all, more than 20 thousand listed buildings, 83 urban centers and settlements, and 12,517 archaeological sites registered, not to mention over one million objects, some 250 thousand book volumes, documents and photographic records, as well as cinematographic records held on video.
Iphan is present in all Brazilian states and also in some Brazilian municipalities, with 27 Superintendencies and 25 Technical Offices scattered around the country, as well as four Cultural Centers. The head offices are based in Brasília and in the Gustavo Capanema Palace in Rio de Janeiro.

Source:
The Brazilian National Historical and Artistical Heritage Institute (Iphan) (content in portuguese)