Historic Centre of Sighişoara

a) Dracula Park project ;

b) Deterioration of monuments in general and the fortifications in particular ;

c) Lack of protection and maintenance measures, local responsibility and funding strategies.

The State Party’s report, received on 15 February 2008, provided information on the state of conservation of the property, projects, and activities undertaken by the National Institute of Historic Monuments of Romania and the Municipality of Sighisoara since the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee (Christchurch, 2007), as follows :

Monitoring of the state of conservation

The monitoring of the state of conservation of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara was included in the 2007 work plan of the National Institute of Historic Monuments. All the problems linked to the protection of the property were assessed during the missions of specialists of the Institute. The report contained statistics concerning the state of conservation of the property: 44% of the buildings are in good condition; 29% are in fairly good conditions; 20% are in poor condition; 7% are in a very bad state of repair. Around the walls of the City, extending over 930 m, the experts noted collapsed areas where the stability of the structure was at risk. The towers, fortifications and most of the houses of the city suffer from cracks in the walls, uneven floorboards or damage to the wooden structures. Masonry and plastering suffer from condensation, infiltrations and mould. The experts also evaluated examples of interventions on the buildings (use of inadequate material, replacement of traditional carpentry, irregular interventions on the façades), as well as examples of reuse of houses threatening the historic urban fabric.

”Action plan” comprise proposals and recommendations to follow during the different interventions on buildings, as well as proposals for public areas and infrastructure which have been prepared by the experts in the framework of the Feasibility Study for the Rehabilitation and Revitalization Project for the Historic City of Sighisoara, approved by the National Commission for Historic Monuments in July 2007.

Protection and management of the site

With the report on the state of conservation, the State Party transmitted the « Framework Protection and Management Programme of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara » completed by the National Institute of Historic Monuments with international assistance, as well as the Strategic Development Plan for Sighisoara prepared at the request of the Municipality of the City (« Support for Cities » - URBACT 2002-2006 project). The Framework Programme addresses all concerned institutions and organizations, includes a plan of activities for 2007-2012 for the protection of the property. The State Party informed that the Ministry for Development, Public Works and Housing granted financial support for the implementation of the Urbanism and Protected Areas Plan of Sighisoara.

In collaboration with the Tourism Association of Sighisoara, the Municipality has elaborated a Sustainable Development Plan for Tourism to improve the quality of tourism and diversification of services. A Tourist Information Office was opened in June 2007, thanks to support from the UNESCO Office in Venice. At each entrance to the city signage announces the inscription of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara on the World Heritage List. The National Institute of Historic Monuments collaborated in the preparation of the methodology for the evaluation of potential tourism of the territory, integrated into the National Spatial Development Plan.

Rehabilitation, restoration, construction

The consolidation project for some parts of the surrounding wall of the Citadelle, as well as the paving project of the streets and publics areas of the Citadel are progressing.

Training activities

In November 2007, the National Institute of Historic Monuments and the Municipality of the City of Sighisoara organized a seminar on the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara.

Promotional activities

In 2007, the Ministry of Culture and Cults published an album « Romania. Patrimoine Mondial. World Heritage ». Several promotional activities were organized in Sighisoara during 2007.

The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS noted that the report prepared by the national authorities contained detailed information concerning the state of conservation of the property, as well as details relating to implemented projects. All initiatives on the part of the national authorities aimed at the continued monitoring of the state of conservation of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara should be encouraged.

The report mentioned that the Framework Programme for the Protection and Management of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara, was addressed to all the institutions and organizations concerned. However, the report does not indicate whether the Plan for the Protection and Management of the Historic Centre of Sighisoara is completed and approved by the State Party.