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State of Conservation (SOC)

Meidan Emam, Esfahan (2004)

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0
Total Amount Ap proved: 0USD

Missions**
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

Urban Pressure; Tourism Pressure; Fire, Earthquake.

Additional Details:

Lack of full coordination between the concerned authorities

Corrective Measures
Current conservation issues

The State Party submitted a progress report on 31 January 2004, providing an update on the situation at this property.

 

The report stated that on 27 January 2004 a consultation meeting was organised in Isfahan between the head of the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization (ICHO), the Governor of Isfahan, the Mayor of Isfahan, the relevant authorities of the commercial complex and a number of other concerned institutions and individuals. The following decisions were reached:

 

a)       All parties agreed on the necessity of reducing the height of the commercial complex in order to minimize its negative effects on the World Heritage property as recommended by the July 2002 UNESCO mission;

 

b)       In reducing the height of the above-mentioned building, operational and structural considerations should be taken into account;

 

c)       Therefore a technical committee comprising ICHO’s experts and representatives of the Governorship, Municipality, and the City Islamic Council will be established. This committee should carefully study the architectural as well as the structural details of the commercial complex and propose a plan for the reduction of its height to the Technical Committee of ICHO;

 

d)       The required legal documents will be prepared by ICHO, the Governorship, Municipality, and the City Islamic Council to prepare the ground for the implementation of the final decision.

 

The Secretariat asked the ICHO to provide further information on the plan for the reduction of the height of the commercial complex.

Conclusion
Decision

  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

28COM15B.63
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee, 1. Having examned the state of conservation of this property, 2. Commends the State Party for having favourably considered the recommendations of the international urban planning expert and ICOMOS joint mission of July 2002 and the UNESCO monitoring mission findings which took place in June 2004 ; 3. Notes with appreciation the creation of a technical committee composed of national and local authorities to reach a compromise solution, being elaborated between the national and local authorities, to reduce the height of the commercial complex in order to minimize the negative impact of this high-rise building on this World Heritage property; 4. Encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to nominate the extension of the World Heritage property of Meidan Emam, to include the historic axis consisting of Friday Mosque, the Bazaars, the ancient bridges, the Zayanderoud River, and the South Chahar Bagh Avenue; 5. Requests the State Party to continue their efforts to ensure the conservation of the authentic setting and integrity of the historic city of Esfahan surrounding the Meidan Emam World Heritage property; 6. Further requests the State Party, particularly the local authorities, to pursue the implementation of the decision adopted by the National Technical Committee to reduce the height of the Jahan-Nama Commercial Complex to minimize the negative impact this Complex causes upon the setting, function, and integrity of the Meidan Emam World Heritage property and Historic City of Esfahan; 7. Requests UNESCO and ICOMOS to closely monitor the progress in the implementation of the decision of the National Technical Committee and to provide assistance if requested by the State Party; 8. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2005, a progress report on the actions undertaken to mitigate the negative impact of the Commercial Complex to be examined by the World Heritage Committee at its 29th session in 2005.

Draft Decision:28 COM 15B.63

The World Heritage Committee,

1.       Takes note of the report presenting the developments at the site further to the ICOMOS mission of July 2002;

2.       Commends the State Party for having favourably considered the recommendations of the international urban planning expert and ICOMOS joint mission of July 2002;

3.       Notes with appreciation the creation of a technical committee composed of national and local authorities to reach a compromise solution, being elaborated between the national and local authorities, to reduce the height of the commercial complex in order to minimize the negative impact of this high-rise building on this World Heritage property;

4.       Requests the authorities of Iran to continue their efforts to ensure the conservation of the authentic setting and integrity of the historic city of Esfahan surrounding the Meidan Emam World Heritage property; 

5.       Requests the Secretariat and ICOMOS to continue to co-operate closely with the Iranian authorities in the organization of a stakeholders' meeting in Esfahan, supported by the Government of France.

Meidan Emam, Esfahan
State Party:
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Date of Inscription: 1979
Nomination records (Year): 1979
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (i)(v)(vi)
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports (year)
2012
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Threats*
  • Commercial development
  • Other Threats:
Documents
WHC-04/28.COM/15B
Other Documents:
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
SOC ID: 1457

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.