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State of Conservation (SOC)

Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches (2010)

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0
Total Amount Ap proved: 0USD

Missions**

March 2005: joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS mission.

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Volume of a new building and re-designing of the Plaza of Santa Teresa located between the Alcazar Gate in the town walls and the extra-muros Church of San Pedro;

b) Lack of buffer zone and integrated management plan;

c) Inadequate legal protection;

d) Inadequate respect of the Operational Guidelines (para. 172) before construction and restoration were undertaken.

Corrective Measures
Current conservation issues

Current conservation issues

On 1 February 2010, the State Party submitted a report concerning the progress of the works related to the development of the integrated Management Plan for the Old Town of Àvila with its Extra-Muros churches.

This report states that a first draft of the Special Management Plan of the registered property and its buffer zone is at the stage of revision and discussion. The plan will be based on a detailed analysis of the outstanding universal value attributes and the link between all components, in the context of their contribution to the town as an entirety.

A meeting with the Mayor of Àvila and the Director of the World Heritage Centre took place at UNESCO on 26 March 2010 to discuss the planned development of an underground car park, with a capacity of about 300 vehicles, integrated into the slope of the Northern town’s wall. The aim of the new car park is to reduce traffic in the Old Town of Àvila and accompany the revitalization of the green belt surrounding the town wall. The documentation was received the 14 April 2010 and is being evaluated by ICOMOS.

Conclusion
Decision

  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

34COM7B.101
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B.Add,

2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 8B.53, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009,)

3. Notes the progress of the property's Management Plan and the documentation submitted concerning the car park project, which is being evaluated by the Advisory Body;

4. Refers the examination of the buffer zone suggested for the Old Town of Àvila and its Extra-Muros Churches, Spain, to the State Party, in order to allow it to finalize the property's Management Plan;

5. Requests the State Party to provide three printed copies and an electronic version of the management plan to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2011;

6. Also requests the State Party, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to not take any decisions concerning the car park project submitted by the State Party to the World Heritage Centre, until receiving comments from ICOMOS concerning this project.

34COM8B.60
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC-10/34.COM/8B and WHC-10/34.COM/INF.8B1.Add,

2. Refers the proposed buffer zone for the Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches, Spain, back to the State Party in order to allow it to finalize the management plan for the property and to develop a retrospective Statement of Outstanding Universal Value as the basis for the management plan;

3. Notes that further progress has been made in developing a detailed management plan that will respond to the needs of the city in terms of protection of the built fabric and to the need to sustain and enhance the social and economic framework of the city

4. Considers that the management plan should be based on an agreed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value that must be primarily based on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property that was recognised at the time of inscription. Whereas other values might well have been identified since inscription in response to changing ideas of heritage and can be the subject of the management plan, there is a need to differentiate between the Outstanding Universal Value, which is non-negotiable, and other values.

Draft Decision: 34 COM 7B.101

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B.Add,

2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 8B.53, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009,)

3. Notes the progress of the property’s Management Plan and the documentation submitted concerning the car park project, which is being evaluated by ICOMOS;

4. Refers the examination of the buffer zone suggested for the Old Town of Àvila and its Extra-Muros Churches, Spain, to the State Party, in order to allow it to finalize the property’s Management Plan;

5. Requests the State Party to provide three printed and electronic versions of the Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2011;

6. Also requests the State Party, in conformity with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to not take any decisions concerning the car park project submitted by the State Party to the World Heritage Centre, until receiving comments from ICOMOS concerning this project. 

Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches
State Party:
Spain
Date of Inscription: 1985
Nomination records (Year): 2007, 1984, 2007, 1985, 2010
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (iii)(iv)
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports (year)
2010
2007
2006
2005
2004
1993
Threats*
  • Housing
  • Legal framework
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Management activities
  • Other Threats:
Documents
WHC-10/34.COM/7B.Add
Other Documents:
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
SOC ID: 583

* : 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.