The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-10/34.COM/8B and WHC-10/34.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Approves the extension of the City of Graz - Historic Centre to include Schloss Eggenberg and to become City of Graz - Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg, Austria, on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The City of Graz - Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg bear witness to an exemplary model of the living heritage of a central European urban complex influenced by the secular presence of the Habsburgs and the cultural and artistic role played by the main aristocratic families. They are a harmonious blend of the architectural styles and artistic movements that have succeeded each other from the Middle Ages until the 18th century, in the many neighbouring regions of Central and Mediterranean Europe. They embody a diversified and highly comprehensive ensemble of architectural, decorative and landscape examples of these interchanges of influence.
Criterion (ii): The City of Graz - Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg reflects artistic and architectural movements originating from the Germanic region, the Balkans and the Mediterranean, for which it served as a crossroads for centuries. The greatest architects and artists of these different regions expressed themselves forcefully here and thus created a brilliant syntheses.
Criterion (iv): The urban complex forming the City of Graz - Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg is an exceptional example of a harmonious integration of architectural styles from successive periods. Each age is represented by typical buildings, which are often masterpieces. The physiognomy of the city and of the castle faithfully tells the story of their common historic and cultural development.
Integrity and authenticity
The extension of the City of Graz - Historic Centre property to include Schloss Eggenberg significantly strengthens the integrity of the property. The extension gives rise to the new enlarged buffer zone which is continuous, and includes the ancient road. Furthermore, the castle and its gardens have conserved satisfactory architectural and structural integrity.
The external authenticity of the castle is good, and that of the baroque interior on the first floor is excellent. The authenticity of the ground floor, which has been converted into a museum, and that of the garden, which has been partly redesigned and restored, are of a lower level which however remains acceptabl
Protection and management requirements
Schloss Eggenberg is protected under the Austrian Monument Protection Act (533/1923 and amendments). The Management Plan has been in place since 2007 and brings together the town plan of 2009 and all protection and conservation decisions related to the extended property and the buffer zone, which was enlarged to include the road leading from the historic centre of the city of Graz to Schloss Eggenberg. The Coordination Bureau for the extended property has been in place since 2009, and has been granted strengthened and effective overarching powers. However, particular care needs to be taken with regard to urban development pressures inside the property and its buffer zone, in order to maintain the outstanding universal value of the property and ensure that it is fully expressed.
4. Recommends that the State Party ensure effective control of works projects in the various parts of the enlarged buffer zone so as to ensure the long-term conservation of the property's landscape integrity.
