Raymond Lemaire (1921-1997) was a Belgian architect, art historian, and a pioneer in the conservation of monuments. A professor at the Catholic University of Louvain, he was a central figure in the drafting of the 1964 Venice Charter, a foundational document that establishes the international principles for conservation and restoration. He was also a co-founder and the first Secretary-General of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), an organization created to promote the application of these principles. His most celebrated practical work is the restoration of the Groot Begijnhof (Great Beguinage) of Louvain, an exemplary project that integrated the historic complex into modern university life, becoming a model for urban conservation. For this work, he received the first Europa Nostra award in 1978. His approach, which combined rigorous historical research with sensitive architectural intervention, has profoundly influenced the theory and practice of cultural heritage conservation globally.