Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Factors affecting the property in 2001*
- Earthquake
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2001
Total amount approved : 75,000 USD
| 2001 | Consolidation and restoration of the Cathedral of ... (Approved) | 75,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2001**
July and August 2001: 2 expert mission to the site
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2001
The State Party sent a report on the “Evaluation of damages in the Historical Centre of Arequipa, following the 23 June 2001 earthquake and a draft reconstruction plan”.
The emergency assistance approved by the Bureau at its twenty-fifth session is being fully implemented and thee first mission of an expert in rehabilitation and restoration, Ms. Dora Arízaga, was undertaken in July 2001. This aim of this mission was to assist the Municipality of Arequipa in revising the Master Plan in the light of the new situation, setting priority projects, defining a mechanism for the implementation of reconstruction and rehabilitationactivities in the Historical Centre, and assist the authorities in the formulation of a first project profile to be submitted to the IDB. Ms Arízaga carried out a second mission in August 2001, to examine the draft law for the creation of “The Reconstruction Fund for the Historical Centre and Monumental Area of Arequipa”, as well as to advise on the formulation of the emergency and urban reconstruction programme of Arequipa. A consolidated report should be ready by the end of September. The national and municipal authorities have expressed their appreciation for the expert mission.
ICCROM provided immediate assistance by sending two experts from Chile in June 2001, to assist the Municipality of Arequipa’s conservation laboratory for the safeguarding of the movable objects from the damaged monuments.
Assistance has also been provided to the Municipality of Arequipa from the Italian Government, the Spanish International Co-operation Agency and the City of Paris.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2001
25 BUR V.250-253
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa (Peru)
V.250 The Secretariat informed the Bureau that it had received through the Permanent Delegation of Peru a report from the Mayor of Arequipa on the damages that the earthquake of 23 June 2001 caused to the Historical Centre of Arequipa. It was reported that:
- about 20% of the monuments in the city show considerable damage, particularly around the Plaza Mayor;
- 15% of the buildings in the Centre are uninhabitable;
- 60% have suffered moderate or light damage;
- the Cathedral has lost two of its towers and one third of its central cupola;
- numerous monuments, churches and convents have cracks in walls and cupolas.
V.251 The report also stated that the Master Plan, in its final phase of preparation, would have to be amended in view of the new situation.
V.252 The Bureau expressed its regret about the loss of human life and the damage caused by the earthquake to housing and infrastructure. It expressed concern about the damage to the Historical Centre of Arequipa that was inscribed on the World Heritage List only some six months' ago. The Bureau offered its support and assistance to the Government of Peru, the Municipality and the people of Arequipa in the undertaking of immediate stabilization works, the assessment of the damage and the drawing up of a conservation and restoration programme.
V.253 The Bureau requested the Peruvian authorities to submit, if possible by 15 September 2001, a detailed report on the damage, the response given to avoid further deterioration and the restoration programme that is foreseen.
25 BUR V.90
State of conservation
The Secretariat reported on the earthquake that occurred in the south of Peru on 23 June 2001 and caused the loss of life of seventy people, made more than 20,000 people homeless and seriously affected the infrastructure in the region. It also reported that the World Heritage site of Arequipa suffered damage, most particularly the cathedral. The Secretariat noted that the inscription of the site on the World Heritage List in 2000 was the culmination of a great effort of the national and municipal authorities in establishing adequate protection and management arrangements for the site. A more detailed report on the state of conservation of the city is included under paragraphs V.250 to V.253 below.
25 BUR VII.37
Requests for International Assistance - Emergency Assistance - Cultural - Peru
(iv) Emergency Assistance
Cultural
Peru - "Consolidation and restoration of the Cathedral of Arequipa"
VII.37 The Bureau approved this request for an amount of US$ 75,000, and requested the Secretariat that the assistance be implemented through the UNESCO Representative in Lima who should be requested to release funds on the basis of detailed budget and work-plans and who should carefully monitor and report on the execution of the works.
The Bureau may wish to examine information that may be available at the time of its session and take the appropriate decision thereupon.
Peru
* :
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.
