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State of Conservation (SOC)

Cologne Cathedral (2008)

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0
Total Amount Ap proved: 0USD

Missions**

November 2003: Workshop 

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Urban development pressure through high-rise building project impacting on the visual integrity of the Cathedral as a landmark;

b) Lack of buffer zone.

Corrective Measures
Current conservation issues

Buffer zone:

The State Party of Germany, in its letter dated 30 January 2008 provided the World Heritage Centre with a map of a buffer zone, as requested by the World Heritage Committee. It covers the east bank of the Rhine with the size of 258 hectares. This buffer zone was already adopted by the City Council of Cologne on 14 December 2006, but was not officially submitted to the World Heritage Centre according to the procedures in place. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the buffer zone, the State Party stated in its report that ”any future planning decision and measures in the Cathedral buffer zone will take into account the outstanding universal value and the visual integrity of the World Heritage site”. The boundaries of the buffer zone were transmitted to ICOMOS for review, as a minor boundary modification (to be discussed under Item 8 of the Agenda – Document WHC-08/32.COM/8B.Add).

 

Urban renewal of Deutz:

As part of the consultation process, a workshop was held for the design of a planning framework for the site of Cologne/Deutz, the ICE railway terminal and its surroundings. Its results were presented in the State Party report of 2007 defining three World Heritage status compatible solutions for the area of the Kölnmesse/ Deutz train station. Based on the three proposals, framework requirements have been formulated for the planning decisions. No further decision regarding the implementation of a proposal has been taken at the time of the preparation of this document.  

Conclusion
Decision

  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

32COM7B.92
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decisions 30 COM 7A.30 and 31 COM 7B.110, adopted at its 30th (Vilnius, 2006) and 31st (Christchurch, 2007) sessions respectively,

3. Notes the submission of a buffer zone including the east bank of the river and recalls the need to take into account the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and its integrity for any further development in the buffer zone;

4. Takes note that an urban planning consultation process for the development of the Deutz area took place in 2007, and urgesthe State Party to provide further information prior to taking a decision concerning the future development of this area;

5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a detailed report on the progress concerning the proposals of urban development in the Deutz area.

32COM8B.60
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1.Having examined Documents WHC-08/32.COM/8B.Add and WHC-08/32.COM/INF.8B1.Add,

2. Approves the minor modification to the boundaries of Cologne Cathedral, Germany;

3. Requests that the protection measures which apply to the new buffer zone should be specified in more detail, thereby supplementing the management plan;

4. Recommends that reflection should continue concerning the limits of an extended buffer zone based on historic criteria.

 

Draft Decision: 32 COM 7B.92

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decisions 30 COM 7A.30 and 31 COM 7B.110, adopted at its 30th (Vilnius, 2006) and 31st (Christchurch, 2007) sessions respectively,

3. Notes the submission of a buffer zone including the east bank of the river and recalls the need to take into account the outstanding universal value of the property and its integrity for any further development in the buffer zone;

4. Takes note that an urban planning consultation process for the development of the Deutz area took place in 2007, and urges the State Party to provide further information prior to taking a decision concerning the future development of this area;

1. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a detailed report on the progress concerning the proposals of urban development in the Deutz area.

Cologne Cathedral
State Party:
Germany
Date of Inscription: 1996
Nomination records (Year): 1983, 1995, 2008
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (i)(ii)(iv)
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports (year)
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Threats*
  • Housing
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Other Threats:
Documents
WHC-08/32.COM/7B
Other Documents:
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
SOC ID: 863
Inscription on the Danger List
Year: 2004 -2006
Threats to the Site:
  • Urban development pressure through high-rise building project impacting on the visual integrity of the Cathedral as a landmark;
  •  Lack of buffer-zone

* : 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.