1.         Historic Centre of Lima (Peru) (C 500ter)

Year of inscription on the World Heritage List  1988

Criteria  (iv)

Year(s) of inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger  N/A

Previous Committee Decisions  see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/500/documents/

International Assistance

Requests approved: 0 (from 1989-2002)
Total amount approved: USD 94,500
For details, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/500/assistance/

UNESCO Extra-budgetary Funds

N/A

Previous monitoring missions

N/A

Factors affecting the property identified in previous reports

Illustrative material  see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/500/

Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2002

Main issues:

Fire of 29 December 2001 in the "Mesa redonda" Quarter, located in the buffer zone of the Historic Centre of Lima.

New information:

On 29 December 2001, the densely populated "Mesa redonda" Quarter, located in the buffer zone of the Historic Centre of Lima, was badly damaged by fire caused by fireworks.  This fire claimed 275 victims, 162 lost and 1,000 injured, as well as material damage of US$10,000,000, affecting more than 5,000 small enterprises and leaving more than 10,000 jobless.

Four blocks of houses were severely damaged and three others were indirectly affected by the flames, smoke and water, in particular the Chinese Quarter situated in the Historic Centre itself.  Two buildings of heritage value were destroyed by fire, and four others were severely damaged. The latter, presently supported by temporary structures, risk damaging twelve others.

The efforts of the fire-fighters were hampered by defective equipment and almost non-existent preventive measures (absence of emergency exits and local fire fighting equipment).  Prior to the fire, the ensemble of the Historic Centre was identified as being located in a high-risk zone.  In fact, there is no preventive plan for natural or man-made catastrophes, whereas almost all the heritage buildings are of wooden construction or in "quincha" (mixture of mud and branches).

Since the fire, the President of the Republic of the State Party has decreed a "state of emergency of the high-risk zone situated in the Historic Centre of Lima".  The President has also issued another decree authorising the Ministry of Works and Promotion to approve reconstruction projects of public property in the area of the Mesa redonda.  Furthermore, a certain number of emergency measures have been taken by the Municipality, the National Institute for Culture (INC) and the Government, such as:

Moreover, during the rehabilitation work, the INC had upgraded the Prehispanic water system, in use until the Colonial period.

With the Emergency Assistance of US$ 48,000 requested from the World Heritage Fund, the Municipality, in co-operation with INC and other national institutions, should develop a safeguarding plan for the disaster area and its surroundings, seek solutions for the rehabilitation of homes, ensure the systematic updating of safety standards of the trades people, and the implementation of preventive measures for the ensemble of the Historic Centre.

Action Required

The Bureau commends the rapid actions undertaken by the State Party following the tragic fire of 29 December and strongly encourages it to reinforce its efforts in the implementation of preventive measures against potential natural and man-made risks in the so-called high risk area of the Historic Centre of Lima.  The Bureau also requests the State Party to provide before 1 February 2003, for submission to the 27th session of the Bureau, a progress report on the measures undertaken for the rehabilitation and safeguarding of the site.

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2002

N/A

Analysis and Conclusions of the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM

N/A

Decision Adopted: 26 COM 21B.64

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Congratulates the State Party on the rapid actions undertaken following the tragic fire of 29 December 2002;

2. Encourages the State Party to reinforce its efforts in the implementation of preventive measures against potential natural and man-made risks in the so-called high-risk area of the Historic Centre of Lima;

3. Requests the State Party to provide by 1 February 2003, progress report on the measures taken for the rehabilitation and safeguarding of the site, for examination at its 27th session in June/July 2003;

4. Requests to carry out, as soon as possible, a reactive monitoring mission on the construction plan for modern buildings in the historic centre and to provide by 1 February 2003, a report for examination at its 27th session in June/July 2003.

Decision Adopted: 26 BUR XII.118-124

XII.118 The Bureau noted the damaged caused by the fire of 29 December 2001, in Lima.  The "Mesa redonda" Quarter, densely populated and located in the buffer zone of the Historic Centre of Lima, was severely damaged by fire caused by fireworks. This fire claimed 275 victims, 162 lost and 1000 injured, as well as material damage of US$ 10,000,000, affecting more than 5000 small enterprises and leaving more than 10,000 jobless.

XII.119 Four blocks of hourses were badly damaged and three others were indirectly affected by flames, smoke and water, in particular the Chinese Quarter situated in the Historic Centre itself. Two buildings of heritage value were destroyed by fire and four others were severely damaged and are presently supported by temporary structures, and risk damaging twelve others.

XII.120 The efforts of the fire-fighters were hampered by defective equipment and almost non-existent preventive measures (absence of emergency exits and local fire fighting equipment). Prior to the fire, the ensemble of the Historic Centre was identified as being located in a high-risk zone.  In fact, there is no preventive for natural or man-made catastrophes, whereas almost all the heritage buildings are of wooden construction or made of « quincha » (mixture of mud and branches).

XII.121 Since the fire, the President of the Republic of the State Party has decreed a "state of emergency of the high-risk zone situated in the Historic Centre of Lima". The President has also issued another decree authorising the Ministry of Works and Promotion to approve reconstruction projects of public property in the area of the Mesa redonda. Furthermore, a certain number of emergency measures have been taken by the Minicipality the National Institute for Culture (INC) and the Government, such as:

XII.122 Moreover, during the rehabilitation work, the INC had upgraded the Prehispanic water system, in use until the Colonial period.

XII.123 With the Emergency Assistance of US$ 48,000 requested from the World Heritage Centre, the Municipality, in co-operation with INC and other national institutions, should develop a safeguarding plan for the disaster area and its surroundings, seeking solutions for the rehabilitation of homes, ensure the systematic updating of safety standards of the trades people, and the implementation of preventive measures for the ensemble of the Historic Centre.

XII.124 After noting additional information provided by the State Party, the Bureau commended the rapid actions undertaken by the State Party following the tragic fire of 29 December. It strongly encouraged the State Party to reinforce its efforts in the implementation of preventive measures against potential natural and man-made risks in the so-called high-risk area of the Historic Centre of Lima. The Bureau also requested the State Party to provide before 1 February 2003 for submission to the 27th session of the Bureau, a progress report on the measures undertaken for the rehabilitation and safeguarding of the site.