Tyre
Factors affecting the property in 1996*
- Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
- Marine transport infrastructure
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Need to establish an international safeguarding campaign
- Land fill project in part of the bay to build a tourist complex
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1996
Total amount approved : 4,000 USD
| 1986 | Consultancy to evaluate damage to Tyre (Approved) | 4,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1996**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1996
UNESCO organized a mission of two experts to the site, from 24 November to 4 December 1995.
Tyr
By letter of 22 December 1995, the Centre transmitted to Mr Michel Eddé, Minister of Culture and Higher Education, the Committee's thanks for the assurances given concerning the Lebanese Government's desire to protect the site of Tyr and its surrounding natural environment, and in particular with regard to a project for a commercial and tourist port adjacent to the northern part of the old port.
During its visit, the expert mission to the site stressed that the project for a commercial port in the immediate vicinity of the site appeared to have been abandoned and that another more distant location was being sought.
It however emphasized that the hippodrome and the aqueduct, situated to the east of the World Heritage site, should clearly be protected against different urban development projects.
By letter of 13 March 1996, UNESCO transmitted to Mr. Michel Eddé the experts' reports and recommendations concerning the two sites.
Action Required
The Bureau thanked the Lebanese authorities for the efforts undertaken for the conservation of the sites of Baalbeck and Tyr, and recommended they take the necessary measures to ensure their preservation:
Tyr
continue to ensure that no tourist or commercial port project be envisaged in the immediate vicinity of the World Heritage site,
take legal and financial action to preserve the hippodrome and the aqueduct.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1996
20 BUR IV.7
Tyr (Lebanon)
The Bureau took note with satisfaction of the information provided by the Delegate of Lebanon, namely that the project to extend the northern part of the port had been completely abandoned following a Council of Ministers decree and that a joint project of the Ministry of Urbanism and the General Directorate of Antiquities was being implemented to remove the unsightly constructions from the Roman aqueduct.
The Bureau thanked the Lebanese authorities for the efforts undertaken for the conservation of Tyr. It recommended them to take all legal and financial measures to preserve the hippodrome and the aqueduct. It assured them that a request from the Lebanese Government for international assistance would be favourably considered, as soon as funds are available, in order to implement the recommendations of the UNESCO experts and to contribute towards the launching of the international safeguarding campaign.
Lebanon
* :
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.
