Decision 45 COM 8B.21

Historic Centre of Gorokhovets (Russian Federation)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Defers the examination of the nomination of the Historic Centre of Gorokhovets, Russian Federation, in order to allow the State Party, with the advice of ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre, if requested, to:
   1. Develop coherent argumentation for the justification for inscription of the nominated property in order to demonstrate how or in which way the architectural monuments and/or the urban landscape of the historic centre of Gorokhovets stand out in illustrating a particular significant stage in human history or how it illustrates in an outstanding way the history and historical development of the wider geo-cultural region,
   2. Develop an appropriate comparative analysis, including a thorough, well-structured, criteria-based qualitative assessment of relevant comparators, presented in a clear and comprehensive manner,
   3. Revise the boundaries as may be necessary to ensure the integrity of the nominated property in light of a revised justification, as well as its appropriate protection;
3. Considers that any revised nomination would need to be considered by an expert mission to the site;
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
   1. Preparing a long-term integrated conservation programme paired with a careful conservation approach that allows for the long-term conservation of key architectural monuments and the respectful modernisation of the urban fabric without compromising their authenticity or their historical and cultural values,
   2. Legally enacting the management plan once a Heritage Impact Assessment process has been embedded in it and a full range of projects have been included in its action plan,
   3. Considering the inclusion of the Znamensky-Krasnogrivsky Monastery ensemble in the nominated property, if relevant with the revised justification for inscription,
   4. Expanding the buffer zone boundary at the north-western corner of the nominated property, or providing visual, mapping or viewshed analyses that justify the current delineation;
   5. Further developing the monitoring system to encompass all the attributes that support the potential Outstanding Universal Value, while also taking into account the main factors affecting the nominated property,
   6. Mapping important urban features and architectural elements of the nominated property as a whole in order to analyse and demonstrate the different construction types, interventions and evolution of the historic centre, and of the individual constitutive buildings and ensembles by means of detailed architectural drawings.