## 1 Introduction
Diffraction-based techniques are fundamental tools for the characterization and understanding of materials of different typologies, including those relevant to cultural heritage. X-ray diffraction methods are often chosen to perform advanced analyses of a material's structure. The aims of investigations include problems of diagnosis and conservation of built heritage. An illustrated summary of the information that can be obtained from diffraction data is presented in [23; 24]. The certification of a heritage object can be achieved by applying thermal analysis methods. TG, DTG, and DSC methods are used to investigate the degradation of materials as a result of natural aging. Each analyzed material has a thermogram curve (TG, DTG, and/or DSC curve) that is unique and can be considered a characteristic of the material. The non-isothermal parameters can be used to distinguish new and old material by the ratio of mass losses in thermo-oxidation processes, as shown in [25; 26]. Scanning microscopy techniques have emerged as powerful scientific tools for material analysis and are also used in the protection of built heritage. The diffusion of scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analysis has proven to have the widest application among the available scanning microscopy techniques. The characterization of building materials, investigation of the degradation mechanism under the action of weathering, as well as the validation of new, compatible, and performing materials, created for the conservation of existing heritage, are some major research areas in which the application of the above-mentioned techniques may be found [27]. The research presented in this study is based on the significance of a historic monument within the broader framework of restoration policies and aims to enhance the value of an emblematic construction in Galati County. The building reflects the first half of the 19 th century--a historically significant period for the region. This was when the foundations of the unification of the Romanian Principalities were laid, and the building under restoration hosted events that preceded the unification process. The case study objective is Costache Conachi Manor, a structure with intrinsic cultural, architectural, artistic, and urbanistic value, as well as memorial and symbolic significance. Its value, concerning aspects such as rarity or uniqueness, is dependent on the quality of its materials, its craftsmanship, general design, and location (Figure 1). Figure 1: Costache Conachi Manor: (**a**) Location in Romania; (**b**) Aerial view of the area; (**c**) The manor and the park complex; (**d**) The main building of the manor in its current state. With the classification of the building as a historic monument, the criteria of authenticity, uniqueness, and rarity were also highlighted. At the same time, the historical, cultural, and architectural-urbanistic significance became evident--elements that will contribute to enhancing the region and the location as an expression of promoting cultural diversity at the national level, as well as advancing knowledge through the dissemination of information about prominent personalities from a specific historical moment. The intrinsic artistic value places the construction, from an architectural perspective, in the category of works of art. Authenticity is an attribute of built heritage resources, encompassing four aspects: material, workmanship, location, and design. This component justified the restoration of the monument to the 1941 condition (Figure 2), using specific materials and procedures, along with the architecture characteristic of that period. Over time, the original structure of the manor has suffered an advanced degree of material degradation and damage caused by the action of environmental factors or earthquakes, as the building is located in the immediate vicinity of the Vrancea seismic source, one of the most active seismic zones in Europe, known for strong earthquakes of intermediate depth.