Decision 46 COM 7B.8

Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue (Hungary) (C 400bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/24/46.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 7B.56 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Reiterates its request to the State Party to finalise the Management Plan for the property as soon as possible and to submit its final draft to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to its adoption;
4. Regrets that, despite the Committee’s request to halt work on the National Hauszmann Programme (NHP) in order to allow for dialogue on how it might be modified, work has been undertaken to ‘renew’ Hauszmann-designed structures in the Buda Castle Quarter, which has not been approved by the Committee either in principle or in detail;
5. Also regrets that, despite several requests by the Committee, full details of the Buda Castle Quarter project, including the justification for reconstruction in relation to documentary evidence and the proposed methodological approach, have not been provided, nor have Heritage Impact Assessments or Conservation Plans;
6. Also notes that, based on details provided in a promotional brochure on the NHP, extensive reconstruction work undertaken since 2019 includes the facades of the Guardhouse and Riding School, the Stöckl Stairway, the Karakash Pasha Tower, the Hauszmann Ramp and the South Range of the Castle, including the complete recreation of the interior of St Stephen’s Hall to its early 20th century form, and further notes that reconstruction of the north range of the Castle is underway, and that reconstruction is planned for the Archduke Joseph’s Palace, the former Hungarian Red Cross Headquarters, the Royal Defence Headquarters, and the National Archives of Hungary;
7. Reiterates its concern about the negative impact of the continuation of the NHP works on the state of conservation of the property, with potential cumulative negative impacts on its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), including its authenticity and integrity, as noted in previous decisions of the Committee;
8. Requests the State Party to invite, as soon as possible, a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to assess the overall state of conservation and management of the property, including the potential negative impact of the continuation of the NHP works on its OUV, and allow a full understanding of what has been accomplished in the context of the recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and subsequent decisions of the Committee;
9. Notes the commitment by the State Party to revive the ICOMOS advisory assistance on the management and development of the property, but invites it to consider directing any future advisory assistance by ICOMOS towards the implementation of the recommendations of the forthcoming Reactive Monitoring mission;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2025, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session, considering that the urgent conservation needs of this property require a broad mobilization to preserve its Outstanding Universal Value, including the possible inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger.