Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey

Threats identified at the time of inscription of the property:

• Management Plan and its Operational Master Plan not yet approved (issue resolved)
• Lack of an overall risk management plan for the property, including also risk preparedness against floods, explosions and other types of accidents (issue resolved)
• Need to approve and enforce protective measures related to the panoramic views from and towards Corvey (issue resolved)
• Renewable energy facilities: Possible wind farm (issue resolved)
• Continuing further systematic research and non-destructive archaeological investigation both for conservation and research purposes (issue resolved)

The State Party submitted a state of conservation report on 8 December 2017, a summary of which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1447/documents/. The report provides information on the progress achieved in implementing the recommendations adopted during the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, as follows:

• A study was undertaken in order to analyse the possible impact of wind farm projects on the property’s OUV, and identify potential threats. On 8 December 2017, the State Party provided the World Heritage Centre with a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), which follows the ICOMOS Guidelines, as well as several visual impact studies. The HIA shows that the development of wind farms around the municipal area of Höxter could have a visual impact on the integrity of the property, but that this impact is reversible. According to the report submitted by the State Party, the “city of Höxter’s planning department does not intend to authorize further construction of wind farms threatening the property’s visual integrity according to the results of this study”;
• The additional measures which have been implemented relate to: a comprehensive conditions assessment and long-term monitoring plan; a new set of proposed conservation measures for the architecture and murals in the Carolingian Westwork and Choir of Saint John, expected to be completed in 2018; further systematic research and non-destructive archaeological investigation; and planned presentation on the “Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey” has for the museum and outside the Church, including a multimedia installation in the Choir of Saint John;
• The State Party has made significant progress on the implementation of conservation activities, including the development of the visitor centre in the “Vorburg”. Moreover, the State Party has stated that the management of “Civitas Corvey” has been transferred to a charitable organization “Corvey GmbH” with the purpose of ensuring long term and sustainable use of public or private funding for charitable purposes and that the State Party has successfully made available national funds of 2.7 million euros to the property for conservation measures and improvements for visitors to the property.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note that there are no other current conservation issues, which may have an impact on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and that the state of conservation of the property is being adequately addressed.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are of the view that the Committee’s recommendations are being addressed continuously by the State Party and no further reporting is required in the short term. The State Party is encouraged to continue with the implementation of the measures requested by the Committee and with those envisaged in the Management Plan, notably the implementation of a Steering Committee, involving the offices and stakeholders that worked to develop the management and Master Plans, in order to ensure an appropriate state of conservation and to prevent threats from affecting its OUV.