Colonial City of Santo Domingo
Factors affecting the property in 2002*
- Housing
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
- Legal framework
- Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
- Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Need for the adoption of a Master Plan
- Housing rehabilitation programme
- Tourism development programme
- Lack of maintenance
- Hurricane in 1999 (issue resolved)
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2002
Total amount approved : 82,207 USD
| 2000 | Study on Cultural Tourism in the Historic Centre of ... (Approved) | 24,207 USD |
| 1998 | Emergency measures at the Palacio de Diego de Herrera ... (Approved) | 50,000 USD |
| 1990 | Assist the authorities in the revision of the ... (Approved) | 8,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2002**
1993: monitoring mission; August 1998: expert mission; August 2001: ICOMOS Advisory mission
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2002
Previous deliberations:
25th session of the Committee (Chapter III.285)
25th extraordinary session of the Bureau (WHC-01/CONF.207/3, p.53)
Main issues:
Construction work for a hotel chain and improvement of legislation for heritage protection.
New information:
The State Party's national Bureau for Monumental Heritage provided the World Heritage Centre, on 31 January 2002, with a preliminary report in Spanish; an English translation was subsequently provided on 11 February 2002. The report concerned the state of conservation of six colonial houses built by Nicolas de Ovando, situated in the Historic Centre of the colonial town, and the measures which have been undertaken.
- The national Direction for Heritage met to define the strategy to be followed and to initiate the required actions to be undertaken vis-à-vis the occupants renting the buildings, with a view to changing the use of the houses.
- The work has been temporarily halted. This halt will provide a time for reflection for a new concept of the hotel project that will enhance the use of inner spaces (patios) as links between the buildings.
- The national Bureau for Monumental Heritage has requested the Secretariat of the Environment of the State Party for a report on the impact of the destruction of the sewage system on the urban tissue.
- New legislation (rules, standards and/or laws) is being formulated, a draft law for monumental heritage should be ready by 8 March 2002.
Action Required
The Bureau requests the State Party to provide a report before 1 February 2003 for submission to the 27th session of the Bureau, with additional information on the progress of the work, the Secretariat of the Environment's report and on the decisions taken concerning the draft law for monumental heritage.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2002
26 COM 21B.43
Colonial City of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
The World Heritage Committee,1. Takes note of the state of conservation report and adopts the decision of the Bureau, contained in document WHC-02/CONF.202/2, paragraphs XII, 116-117;
2. Requests the State Party to provide a report by 1 February 2003, to include additional information on progress made, as well as on the report of theEnvironment Secretariat and on the decisions taken concerning the draft law on monumental heritage, to be examined by the 27th session of the Committee in June/July 2003.26 BUR XII.116-117
Colonial City of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
XII.116 The Bureau noted that the State Party's national Bureau for Monumental Heritage provided the World Heritage Centre, on 31 January 2002, with a preliminary report in Spanish (an English translation was subsequently provided on 11 February 2002), on the state of conservation of six colonial houses built by Nicolás de Ovando, siutated in the Historic Centre of the colonial town, as well as the measures which have been undertaken.
1) The national Direction for Heritage met to define a strategy to be followed and to initiative the actions to be undertaken vis-à-vis the occupants renting the buildings, with a view to changing the use of the houses.
2) The work has been temporarily halted. This halt will provide a time for reflection for a new concept of the hotel project that will enhance the use of inner spaces (patios) as links between the buildings.
3) The national Bureau for Monumental heritage has requested the Secretariat of the Environment of the State Party for a report on the impact of the destruction of the sewage system on the urban tissue.
4) New legislation (rules, standards and/or laws) is being formulated, and a draft law for monumental heritage has been finalised.
XII.117 The Bureau requested the State Party to provide a report before 1 February 2003, containing additional information on the progress of the work, the Secretariat of the Environnement's report and on the decisions taken concerning the draft law for monumental heritage, for submission to the 27th session of the Bureau.
The Committee may wish to take note of the decision taken by the Bureau and examine information that may be made available at the time of its 26th session and take the appropriate decision thereupon.
Dominican RepublicDocuments examined by the Committee
26COM (2002)Exports
* :
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.
