Petra
Factors affecting the property in 1996*
- Commercial development
- Ground transport infrastructure
- Housing
- Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
- Management activities
- Management systems/ management plan
- Solid waste
- Other Threats:
Conservation of antiquities
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- impact of new hotels under construction in the vicinity of the World Heritage site of Petra
- insufficiency or non-existence of sewage disposal facilities
- uncontrolled development of villages in the vicinity of the site
- proliferation of shops
- insufficient conservation of antiquities
- other encroachments upon the integrity of the site
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1996
Total amount approved : 79,500 USD
| 1995 | Flash flood control at Petra (Approved) | 29,500 USD |
| 1987 | Contribution towards research work on weathering and ... (Approved) | 50,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1996**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1996
The Centre was informed of the existence of different construction or road widening projects leading to the site, of the construction or the uncontrolled elevation of houses in the vicinity of the site and in particular at Um-Sayhun, with the aim of accommodating tourists, and the use of cement in the creation of tourist itineraries within the site and in particular for the stairway leading to the Djebel al-Khubta.
Finally, numerous juniper trees were burnt, with negative effects to the natural environment of the site. A mission to the site, foreseen for March, did not take place due to the change of government in Jordan. UNESCO has expressed its concern to the national authorities through its Bureau in Amman, and, by letter of 19 March, has informed the Permanent Delegation of the problem concerning the damage caused by tourists.
Action Required
The Bureau recommends that the Royal Kingdom of Jordan undertake the measures necessary to ensure the long-term conservation of the World Heritage site of Petra, and more particularly that it:
- halt all projects for the construction of new tourist roads, and carefully evaluate the impacts of the road-widening project of Wadi Musa at Taybeth;
- carefully evaluate the location of the water purification station;
- prolong the interdiction of building authorizations for hotels until the zoning regulations as proposed by the UNESCO experts can be adopted;
- halt all construction of new houses, as at Um-Sayhun, or the elevation of existing houses for tourist purposes and enforce the construction regulations;
- prohibit the use of reinforced concrete in developing or repairing the site, such as for the stairway leading to Djebel al-Khubta;
- protect the juniper trees and the vegetation of the natural environment of the site.
The Bureau encourages the national authorities to continue the implementation of effective long-term protection for the site, and the measures advocated by the Petra Management Plan of the UNESCO experts.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1996
20 BUR IV.7
Petra (Jordan)
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat concerning several problems threatening the conservation of Petra, the Bureau recommended that the authorities of the Royal Kingdom of Jordan undertake the measures necessary to ensure the long-term conservation of the World Heritage site of Petra, and more particularly that it:
- halt all projects for the construction of new tourist roads, and carefully evaluate the impacts of the road-widening project from Wadi Musa to Taybeth;
- carefully evaluate the location of the water purification station;
- prolong the interdiction of building authorizations for hotels until the zoning regulations as proposed by the UNESCO experts can be adopted;
- halt all construction of new houses, as at Um-Sayhun, or the elevation of existing houses for tourist purposes and enforce the construction regulations;
- prohibit the use of reinforced concrete in developing or repairing the site, such as for the stairway leading to Djebel al-Khubta;
- protect the juniper trees and the vegetation of the natural environment of the site.
The Bureau encouraged the national authorities to continue the implementation of effective long-term protection for the site, and the measures advocated by the Petra Management Plan of the UNESCO experts.
JordanExports
* :
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.
