Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow
Factors affecting the property in 2009*
- Housing
- Other Threats:
Erection of a monument in honour of Marshal G. Zhukov
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Erection of a monument in honour of Marshal G. Zhukov;
b) Ongoing and accelerated urban development pressures;
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2009
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2009**
December 2007: joint World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS / ICCROM reactive monitoring mission;
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2009
The World Heritage Committee at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008) requested the State Party, in line with the recommendations of the reactive monitoring mission carried out in December 2007, to halt any new construction within the property or in the surrounding area of the property which could visually affect it prior to the:
- Delineation and approval of a buffer zone;
- Approval of adequate and effective protective juridical regulations within the buffer zone;
- Establishment of an effective control mechanism and institutional framework between all stakeholders involved in the management and protection of the Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow, including the establishing of a Special Coordination Boardaiming at enhancing the protection of the property and its buffer zone;
- Preparation of the visual impact study for existing construction projects;
The World Heritage Committee also requested the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with 3 copies of the Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow, World Heritage property management plan, as well as to implement the recommendations of the reactive monitoring mission, and in particular, to submit to the World Heritage Centre details concerning all ongoing projects, including visual impact studies for the projects of the “Middle Trading Rows” complex and the “Zaryadye” complex (former Hotel “Russiya”), as well as other planned urban development projects within or nearby the World Heritage property, and to conduct, prior to the construction works within the “Middle Trading Rows” complex, necessary soil investigations under the Red Square, St. Basil Cathedral, Kremlin Walls and the “Middle Trading Rows”, including the underground water levels, in order to minimise any impact of future construction inside of the “Middle Trading Rows” on components of the World Heritage property,
The Committee requested moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property, including progress reports on the requested measures noted above and described in the reactive monitoring mission report, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009.
Following the transmission letter with the World Heritage Committee’s Decision 32 COM 7B.106 dated 11 September 2008, a number of communications between the State Party and the World Heritage Centre took place in October 2008, March and May 2009 in an effort to stress the urgency of responding to the World Heritage Committee’s request.
Despite the efforts, no report has been received from the State Party.
In the absence of the state of conservation report from the State Party, the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS are seriously concerned over the implementation of the recommendations of the 2007 reactive monitoring mission.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2009
33 COM 7B.119
Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow (Russian Federation) (C 545)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7B.106, adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),
3. Regrets that the State Party has not provided a state of conservation report for the property, as requested in Decision 32 COM 7B.106;
4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2010, a report on the state of conservation of the property and further progress achieved on the implementation of the recommendations made by the 2007 reactive monitoring mission, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010.
Draft Decision: 33 COM 7B.115
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7B.106, adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),
3. Regrets that the State Party has not provided a state of conservation report for the property, as requested in Decision 32 COM 7B.106;
4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2010, a report on the state of conservation of the property and further progress achieved on the implementation of the recommendations made by the 2007 reactive monitoring mission, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010.
Russian FederationExports
* :
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.
