Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata

• A series of structural collapses at the property
• Building projects in the vicinity of the property
• Management system
• Inadequate restoration and maintenance; lack of skills
• Ineffective drainage systems
• Visitor pressure

Total amount granted: USD 183 487: Italian Funds-in-Trust

On 1 February 2014, the State Party submitted the progress report, as well as the revised integrated management plan of the property. In November 2014, a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property was undertaken and provided a set of recommendations to the State Party. On 30 January 2015, the State Party submitted an updated state of conservation report. Both reports are available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/829/documents/. The State Party report contains detailed information addressing the recommendations made by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session and the progress made with the implementation of the recommendations made by the Reactive Monitoring missions in 2013 and 2014. 

A proposal for the modification of the boundaries of the buffer zone of the property was also submitted by the State Party in 2014. It was referred back by the Committee (Decision 38 COM 8B.51) to the State Party for more detailed information concerning the levels of protection and management arrangements for the buffer zone with regard to urban development. These issues were discussed during the recent Reactive Monitoring mission and the State Party is examining the measures that need to be taken to ensure effective protection and management within the proposed buffer zone.

The State Party reported that the Grande Progetto Pompei (GPP), implemented since July 2014 and supported by the European Union, contributed largely to the restoration, consolidation and maintenance of the property. Numerous conservation and restoration works have been carried out, as well as the development of a water drainage system. All interventions so far implemented were reviewed in November 2014 during the Reactive Monitoring mission.

The State Party’s efforts to develop a range of mechanisms to safeguard and develop the property are acknowledged. After having reviewed the site management and the draft Management plan, the conservation works carried out in Pompei as part of the GPP and the current condition, as well as other major conservation issues such as drainage, site security and visitor pressures, the Reactive Monitoring mission concluded that the property is no longer at risk and its Outstanding Universal Value is maintained thanks to the substantial improvements that have been achieved.

The GPP and the maintenance programme have addressed many of the conservation issues raised by previous missions and a number of buildings that were at risk have now been secured. The mission identified some additional five buildings that remain at risk and should be included in the safeguarding programme. In view of the conclusion of the GPP programme by end 2015, the sustainability of resources both human and financial, is of concern. Therefore, the State Party should seek an extension of the GPP and assess the resources needed to sustain the future management and conservation of the property.

Furthermore, the mission noted that legal issues are preventing necessary works at Pompei, notably in the case of the Schola Armatururam and the store building outside the Porta Nola. These issues need to be resolved as a matter of urgency in order to continue the required consolidation works.

Progress on the management plan is welcomed but further efforts would be needed in order to produce an effective and implementable plan. The mission recommended that the Management plan be used as a tool for effective cooperation with the surrounding communes, and formulated specific recommendations in this regard. In addition, adequate monitoring indicators of the state of conservation of the property should be developed as a basis for future planning and resourcing.

It is recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to resubmit the proposal for the buffer zone modification taking into account the recommendations of the mission and the Committee’s Decision 38 COM 8B.51.

A major problem for the conservation of the property is the lack of drainage of rain water. This issue has been identified by the GPP and a major scheme has been developed to create a network of drainage channels. The mission recommended that the results of the drainage work in Region II and IX of Pompei should be carefully monitored, and if successful, a similar programme should be envisaged for the other unexcavated parts of Regions IV and V, and possibly I.

It is also recommended that the Committee invite the State Party to maintain the staffing levels after the GPP has been concluded and to integrate the temporarily provided wardens into the regular system, in order to be able to open the property to the public on a permanent basis.