Historic Centre of Bukhara
Factors affecting the property in 2013*
- Effects arising from use of transportation infrastructure
- Management activities
- Management systems/ management plan
- Solid waste
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Lack of a proper conservation and management plan;
- Recent hotel constructions which would negatively affect the integrity of the property (issue resolved);
- Heavy traffic, pollution and poor sewege system (issue resolved);
- Use of new building material and methods4.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2013
Total amount approved : 71,960 USD
| 2002 |
Restoration of the medersa “Rachid” at Bukhara World ...
(Approved)
Reapproval: 05 Dec, 2003 (n°1589 - 21,960 USD)
|
21,960 USD |
| 1995 | Emergency assistance for Chor Minor Madrassa in Bukhara. (Approved) | 50,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2013**
October 2010: World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2013
On 28 February 2013, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, providing an overview of actions carried out to address the decisions made by the World Heritage Committee and the recommendations of the 2010 reactive monitoring mission.
a) Management Plan
Since 2008, the Principle Department on Preservation and Utilisation of Cultural Heritage Properties in cooperation with UNESCO Office in Tashkent have been developing a GIS database of the Historic Centre of Bukhara. The final field surveys, planned for June to September 2013, will provide the essential information for the development of the management plan. These include identification of conservation issues as a means to develop conservation scheme and guidelines for housing; identification of sustainable human use and benefits with the property and its buffer zone; collection of legislation, decrees and local programmes for the definition of management objectives; identification of weaknesses and gaps in institutional and economic frameworks; and development of monitoring and reporting based on the GIS system. The potential management plan shall be integrated into the urban development master plan. Pending its completion, annual maintenance works are based on the existing legal frameworks under the responsibility of the Board of Monuments, the Bukhara Regional Inspection and regional authorities.
b) Potential negative impacts on the authenticity and integrity of the property
The State Party reports that no major conservation and restoration projects have been carried out within the property and its buffer zone. The national laws and decrees regulate and protect the property, namely restricting and prohibiting construction activities within the property and its buffer zone to ensure that these do not affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property.
As part of the “State Program on research, conservation, restoration and adaptation to the modern use of cultural heritage of Bukhara until 2020”, adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers in March 2010, works are being carried out to eliminate negative factors threatening the authenticity of the property. These include a transportation scheme regulating traffic within the property and its buffer zone (part of the Master Plan of the city of Bukhara); improvement to historic streets through demolition of unauthorised buildings and shops; improvement of architectural facades through removal of later additions, advertisement panels and signboards; cleansing of historical irrigation networks and canals. Large-scale constructions beyond the buffer zone are regulated according to their effects on the property.
The 2011-2012 tourism development programme, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, includes conservation of individual monuments and creation of tourism facilities.
c) Potential projects within the property and/or buffer zone
The State Party reports that there are no major projects planned which may affect the property’s OUV.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2013
The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies take note of the information on the progress made with the development of the GIS system, as a basis for the preparation of the Management Plan for the property. They recommend that the Committee requests the State Party to finalize the management plan and develop a coordinated conservation approach to bring together key conservation activities for the improved protection of the Historic Centre.
In addition, they also recall that the establishment of a Steering Committee, as recommended by the World Heritage Committee and the reactive monitoring mission, is essential to ensure that all activities within the property and its buffer zone are adequately overseen and coordinated.
Recalling the potential threats identified by the reactive monitoring mission in 2010, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies recommend that the Committee expresses its concern about the slow progress made with the Management Plan and the lack of coordination with regard to the conservation and restoration activities carried out as part of the State Program.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2013
37 COM 7B.68
Historic Centre of Bukhara (Uzbekistan) (C 602rev)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.79 , adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Notes the progress made by the State Party with the development of the GIS database as part of the development of the Management Plan;
4. Requests the State Party, as a matter of urgency, to complete the Management Plan and implement it as soon as it is finalized and to establish a Steering Committee for the property to ensure its proper management and conservation;
5. Also requests the State Party to develop a coordinated conservation approach to bring together key conservation activities carried out and planned within the property and its buffer zone;
6. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2015 , an updated report on the state of conservation and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015.
Draft Decision: 36 COM 7B.68
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.79, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Notes the progress made by the State Party with the development of the GIS database as part of the development of the Management Plan;
4. Requests the State Party, as a matter of urgency, to complete the Management Plan and implement it as soon as it is finalized and to establish a Steering Committee for the property to ensure its proper management and conservation;
5. Also requests the State Party to develop a coordinated conservation approach to bring together key conservation activities carried out and planned within the property and its buffer zone;
6. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2015, an updated report on the state of conservation and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015.
UzbekistanExports
* :
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.
