Historic Centre of Sighişoara
Factors affecting the property in 2001*
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2001
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2001**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2001
The Secretariat transmitted this information to ICOMOS and to the State Party. In its comments, ICOMOS expressed its great concern about this proposal, underlining that whilst the proposed theme parks and golf course lie outside the World Heritage site, and probably outside the buffer zone, their potential impact on its visual setting may be great. Letters requesting further and detailed information on this project have been sent to the Permanent Delegation of Romania. On 1 October 2001, the Delegation provided the Secretariat with an article published in the Romanian Business Journal. This article underlined that the total surface of the Dracula Land project is 60 ha; that, according to the Ministry of Tourism of Romania “the town of Sighisoara represents the ideal place for the implementation of this “special programme” and that the “motivation of this selection has been based on the following arguments [notably] the existence of the unique medieval Germanic citadel further inhabited in Europe, part of the UNESCO patrimony which in the absence of a constant effort of rehabilitation and invigoration will reach – in keeping with UNESCO experts- the stage of total degradation in a maximum 50 years”. Furthermore, the article indicated that the work that will be carried out as part of the “special programme” has taken into account the following objectives:
· the rehabilitation and invigoration of the citadel of Sighisoara and the creation in this space of an exclusive accommodation and entertainment zone (in keeping with the model offered by the well known Vienna based Grinzing)
· the construction of the Sighisoara (Dracula Land) theme park
· the construction of a golf course
· the construction of a cable transport installation likely to facilitate access from the Citadel of Sighisoara to the theme park.
· the rehabilitation of the infrastructure through the building and upgrading of a series of roads (….).
In this context, the Government of Romania adopted on 6 July 2001 an Ordinance pertaining “to the endorsement and implementation of the special programme of tourist development of the Sighisoara area.” Upon receipt of this information, the Secretariat requested the Permanent Delegation of Romania to transmit as soon as possible a detailed report on this project proposal. At the time of the preparation of this document, the requested information has not been provided by the State Party.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2001
The Bureau may wish to examine additional information from the State Party that may be available at the time of its session and adopt the following decision for transmission to the Committee:
“The Committee notes with concern the building project of the two theme parks and a golf course in the vicinity of the site which can have a potential negative impact on the visual integrity and setting of the site. The Committee requests the State Party to provide a detailed report on the project by 1 February 2001, and in particular maps showing the exact location of the proposed facilities, to be submitted for examination by its twenty-sixth session (June 2002).”
Romania
* :
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.
