Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures

• Ground transport infrastructure (Large-scale development projects such as road building)
• Housing (Traditional housing and proposed demolition of mahalla residential areas)
• Management deficiency (Impact of urban landscaping programme on the authenticity and integrity of the property)
• Management Systems/Management Plan (Lack of strategic approach to urban conservation; Lack of implementation of the management plan and need to integrate with the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Recommendation)
• Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure (Proposed ‘Samarkand City Tourist Zone’)
• Others (Conservation of urban fabric)

Total amount granted: USD 50,000 from the UNESCO/Spain Funds-in-Trust; 2016: USD 30,670 from the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust project for the Application of the UNESCO Recommendation on Historic Urban landscape (HUL, 2011) at the World Heritage properties of the Historic Centre of Bukhara and Samarkand; 2019: USD 43,115 UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust project for Building capacity in managing WH properties, interconnection of development and heritage preservation in Uzbekistan

On 10 February 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/603/documents/ and provides the following information:

• The President and Cabinet of Ministers have adopted resolutions to improve conservation and management of the property, preventing inappropriate development and promoting cultural, spiritual and historical heritage. A roadmap has been developed to facilitate conservation and implement Committee Decisions. An International Advisory Committee (IAC) was established, with an opening ceremony in September 2021 and the first technical hybrid session held in July 2022. A Scientific-Expert Council of the Agency for Cultural Heritage has been appointed;
• Seminars and conferences involving international and local experts occurred in Shakhrisyabz and Khiva in 2021, including on the requirements of the World Heritage Convention, the Operational Guidelines and the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL);
• Construction and demolition work within the property and its buffer zone must be approved by the Agency for Cultural Heritage, while those within the property must also be agreed through the National Commission for UNESCO;
• As means to strengthen communication and awareness of local communities, guidelines have been prepared for the protection of neighbourhoods, the introduction of infrastructure and modifications to residences. The implications of the moratorium on the demolition of residences are under consideration. The property has been promoted on social networks and in the media, with an emphasis on preventing unauthorized works. Information signs and desks have been established;
• Conservation works for the Bibi Khanoum ensemble are planned in 2022-2023. A conservation plan is being prepared and international experts from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey, the National Commission, and Ministry of Tourism are involved. The project proposal will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre;
• The proposed astronomical complex will not be built near the Mirzo Ulugbek Observatory, but instead at the ‘Samarkand Tourism Center’, 4 km outside the buffer zone. Demolition of the intrusive Imari building is under consideration. Changes to the Hilton Hotel, as requested by the Committee, are not reported, as the hotel is located outside the boundaries and buffer zone of the property;
• The revised traffic scheme for the city no longer proposes expansion of the main transport routes within the property and buffer zone;
• A proposal is being developed for the property’s buffer zone, which will be formally submitted to the World Heritage Centre in accordance with the Operational Guidelines.

On 9 May 2023, the World Heritage Centre sent a request for clarification to the State Party concerning the third-party information reporting many new demolition and renovation projects and ensuing protests by local inhabitants.

The State Party and its agencies continue to address previously identified threats to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property through regulatory change, capacity building, preparation of additional guidance documents, proposed conservation works and other initiatives. This progress should be supported through the IAC for World Heritage properties in Uzbekistan. The Committee may wish to welcome the launch of the IAC in September 2021 and the organisation of its first technical session in July 2022, for which the contribution of the late leading expert Dr Michael Jansen, should be deeply thanked, and emphasize that this mechanism should advise the national authorities on the conservation of cultural heritage properties and the implementation of Committee decisions and previous mission recommendations. The IAC has expressed support for revision of the buffer zone of the property and the proposed Urban Design Guidelines.

A draft Management Plan has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre and reviewed by ICOMOS but requires substantial revisions to incorporate the outcomes of the 2020 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission and previous Committee decisions. The State Party is yet to submit the revised Master Plan integrating the HUL approach and the new Urban Design Guidelines for the protection of neighbourhoods, the introduction of new infrastructure and modifications of existing residences, as requested by the Committee in Decision 44 COM 7B.40. The Urban Design Guidelines should include a public realm design code, as recommended by the 2020 mission. The overall moratorium on demolition and new development should remain until the integrated Master Plan for the city and further revised Management Plan are finalised and submitted to the World Heritage Centre and reviewed positively by the Advisory Bodies. The revision of the traffic scheme for the city, which no longer proposes the expansion of the main transport routes within the property and buffer zone, will reduce traffic impacts. The reported training initiatives are noted, but further capacity building on HUL is needed for those directly involved in the management of the property.

The relocation of the astronomical complex proposed near the observatory Mirzo Ulughbek to 4 km outside the buffer zone, following technical review by ICOMOS, is welcome, as is progress towards modification or removal of the Imari building. However, the property remains adversely affected by other intrusive urban development, and changes to the Hilton Hotel, which is within the setting of the property in an area that may form part of the proposed buffer zone, should be reconsidered in line with the recommendations of the 2020 Reactive Monitoring mission.

Public awareness activities undertaken by the authorities are appreciated, including those contributing to the understanding of rules and regulations within the property and its buffer zones, notably by the Presidential Resolution of June 2021.

Physical conservation of the Bibi Khanoum Ensemble and Mosque remains pressing but should proceed in logical stages, guided by expert advice, with priority given to urgent stabilisation works. The Committee may wish to express support for the progress achieved but also remind the State Party to submit the proposed conservation plan and details of the proposed works to the World Heritage Centre.

The State Party has submitted information about intended conservation projects, including restoration and repair works at Chorsu Trade Dome, Koshhovuz, Shah-i-Zinda, Gori Amir, Registan, Samarq and Sherdor, Tillaqori and the Ulugbek complex, which has been subject to initial review and comment by ICOMOS. Some of the proposed works affect significant monuments and may involve the replacement of considerable fabric, some of which may be original. The State Party has been asked to submit detailed project documentation, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to enable a technical review by the Advisory Bodies. ICOMOS has also provided a technical review of a proposed Samarkand Hotel Concept Design in the northern part of the so-called ‘New Russian (European) city’, concluding that the proposed use of the site is appropriate, but that in its present form the project would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the OUV of the property and advising that the design should be revised.

As proposed by the State Party, the proposed minor boundary modification to adjust the buffer zone so that it aligns with mahalla boundaries should reflect the recommendations of the 2020 Reactive Monitoring mission, have regard to the advice of the IAC, and be prepared and submitted in accordance with Paragraph 164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines.