Legal protection of cultural property is protection prescribed by the Constitution and laws for the purpose of permanent preservation of material and cultural values in the Republic of Serbia. Cultural goods are things and creations of material and spiritual culture of general interest that enjoy special protection established by law.
Cultural goods are characterized by three elements:
Depending on their physical, artistic, cultural and historical properties, they are divided into: cultural monuments, spatial cultural and historical entities, archaeological sites and famous places. Cultural goods, depending on their importance, are classified into categories: cultural goods, cultural goods of great importance, and cultural goods of exceptional importance. The protected environment of an immovable cultural property enjoys the same protection as the cultural property.
A cultural property of exceptional importance is a cultural property that has one of the following characteristics: it has special significance for the social, historical and cultural development of a people in national history, or for the development of its natural environment, bears witness to crucial historical events and personalities and their actions in national history, represents unique examples of the creativity of its time or unique examples of natural history, has a great influence on the development of society, culture, technology and science, has exceptional artistic or aesthetic value.
A cultural asset of great importance is a cultural asset that has one of the following characteristics: it is significant for a specific area or period, it bears witness to social or natural phenomena, or the conditions of socio-economic and cultural-historical development in certain periods, it bears witness to significant events and prominent figures from national history.