Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena
Factors affecting the property in 2014*
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Construction of TRANSCARIBE, a new public transportation system and its impact on the wall;
- Lack of a regulatory conservation management system for the property;
- Impact of the harbour public works on the fortifications of Cartagena;
- Need for urban regulations for the protected area;
- Lack of a Management Plan.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2014
Total amount approved : 108,800 USD
| 1999 | Technical Co-operation request for the Integral ... (Approved) | 60,000 USD |
| 1993 | Provision of experts for the preparation of a master ... (Approved) | 19,000 USD |
| 1991 | Contribution to a monitoring exercise of the following ... (Approved) | 3,300 USD |
| 1990 | Preparation of legislation for the preservation of the ... (Approved) | 5,000 USD |
| 1989 | Additional contribution to a seminar on the ... (Approved) | 7,500 USD |
| 1988 | Specialists to advise on the protection and restoration ... (Approved) | 14,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2014**
2003: ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission; 2006: joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2014
In response to the requests made by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session (Decision 36 COM 7B.98), the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/285/documents. It encompasses the completion and implementation of the Special Protection and Management Plan for the property, as well as progress in the elaboration of the Conservation Action Plan for the components of the serial property, and the demarcation of its boundaries.
The State Party submitted the proposal for revised boundaries for the property for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in the context of the retrospective inventory exercise. Approval for the proposal is still pending. With regard to the Conservation Action Plan, in 2012 the Ministry of Culture delegated the administration and protection of the fortifications of Cartagena to the Workshop School of Cartagena (Escuela Taller de Cartagena) through a Loan for Use Agreement (commodatum). The agreement requires the Workshop School to submit annual reports to the Ministry of Culture on the activities of maintenance and conservation undertaken in the fortifications.
Documentation was submitted on technical studies undertaken for the preservation of San José and San Fernando Fortresses within the framework of proposed development projects for the expansion of Bocachica Canal, planned to provide access to large vessels to the Bay of Cartagena. It is imperative that those refereed studies be concluded to ensure that proper conservation measures are imposed to restrict any potential impacts on the integrity and authenticity of the fortresses by the increase in marine traffic.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2014
The State Party has made some progress in the strengthening of conservation measures and overall protection for this serial property. No further reporting to the World Heritage Committee is currently required. Nevertheless, further continuing cooperation will be necessary with the State Party in the monitoring of the state of conservation of the property, to ensure the implementation of the Special Protection and Management Plan, the conservation action plan for all the components of the property and the close scrutiny of the current project for the expansion of the Bocachica Canal.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2014
38 COM 7B.98
Omnibus Decisions
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B.Add,
- Takes note with satisfaction of the measures taken by the States Parties concerned to address its previous requests to mitigate the threats on the Outstanding Universal Value of the following World Heritage properties:
- Town of Luang Prabang (Lao People's Democratic Republic),
- Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments (Russian Federation),
- Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison (Barbados),
- Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena (Colombia),
- Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan (Mexico),
- Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay),
- Royal Palaces of Abomey (Benin),
- Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (Ethiopia),
- Aapravasi Ghat (Mauritius);
- Encourages the States Parties concerned to pursue their efforts to ensure the conservation of World Heritage properties;
- Reminds the States Parties concerned to inform the World Heritage Centre in due course about any major development project that may negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value of a property, before any irreversible decisions are made, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.
Draft Decision: 38 COM 7B.98
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B.Add,
- Takes note with satisfaction of the measures taken by the States Parties concerned to address its previous requests to mitigate the threats on the Outstanding Universal Value of the following World Heritage properties :
- Town of Luang Prabang (Lao People's Democratic Republic),
- Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments (Russian Federation),
- Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison (Barbados),
- Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena (Colombia),
- Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan (Mexico),
- Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay),
- Royal Palaces of Abomey (Benin),
- Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (Ethiopia),
- Aapravasi Ghat (Mauritius);
3. Encourages the States Parties concerned to pursue their efforts to ensure the conservation of World Heritage properties;
4. Reminds the States Parties concerned to inform the World Heritage Centre in due course about any major development project that may negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value of a property, before any irreversible decisions are made, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.
ColombiaDocuments examined by the Committee
38COM (2014)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.
