Kizhi Pogost

• Structural integrity issues at the Church of the Transfiguration
• Lack of an integrated management plan addressing the overall management of the World Heritage property
• Tourism development pressures

On 17 December 2015, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/544/documents/, and provides detailed information on the progress made with the conservation efforts, the implementation of the remedial measures identified in 2010, and the recommendations of the Committee:

• A revised Management Plan submitted to the World Heritage Centre in November 2015 contains key provisions such as the sustainable tourism development strategy, spatial and land-use regulations, a Disaster Risk Management Plan, guidelines on landscape management, guidelines for restoration and a monitoring programme. The Action Plan for 2015-2026 has also been completed;
• No new developments within the buffer zone and adjacent areas have been permitted. In accordance with the approved development concept, the project for the museum entrance area was elaborated in close collaboration with international experts and amended according to the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and recommendations provided;
• Measures have been taken to address the possible impact of tourism through the development of a sustainable tourism strategy and guidelines for tourism development;
• Comprehensive restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration is continuing according to schedule and encompasses all recommendations provided throughout the Reactive Monitoring and ICOMOS Advisory missions and the Committee’s decisions, pertaining to the technical aspects of the restoration as well as training components and site management;
• Training and capacity-building activities have been developed and carried out. An educational and training centre on wooden architecture conservation was established in 2014, followed by an agreement signed in 2015 between ICCROM and the Kizhi Museum on the organization of international courses. A new UNESCO Chair of Wooden Architecture Research and Preservation has been established in October 2015.

The overall progress achieved in the continuing conservation and restoration measures is commendable and is the result of the dedication of the Kizhi Museum staff and the commitment of the State Party. This significant progress has also been accomplished through the process of continuous discussion and cooperative efforts of all stakeholders involved.

The restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration has entered a challenging period although progress is good and the work is being carried out with high quality. It is recommended that the introduction of new strengthening systems be kept to a minimum and that traditional methods should be preferred. Further it is important to note that there is a potential danger of loss of interior elements due to conservation challenges. This concerns in particular the beams of the heaven ceiling. Removing the original ceiling beams, which are part of the original construction and almost complete church interior, would constitute a loss of authenticity and integrity and would affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Therefore, the re-establishment of every part of the church, including construction and interior, to a state close to original is recommended as the goal of the restoration works. During the critical phase of the restoration works in 2016, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies suggest that the State Party consider inviting another follow-up Advisory Mission to assess the progress on the conservation measures and the finalization of the management plan. It is critical that funds be secured to ensure that the work can continue.

It is noted with great concern that the developments of the museum entrance project are being planned despite the previous decisions of the Committee. Only the possibility to reuse existing buildings for museum staff accommodation should be explored, as previously recommended by the Reactive Monitoring missions. Primarily, the objective of the entrance project should be to spread the pressure and reduce the impact of tourism on the property, rather than to increase tourism.

In response to earlier recommendations, the authorities moved the visually obtrusive floating restaurant to another location. Nevertheless, the 2015 ICOMOS Advisory Mission noted that a large floating pier has been added to the guest house, and a road section has been constructed leading to the guest house and this causes concern in relation to visitor management. Therefore, it is recommended that the Committee reiterate that the control of development and fluvial regulation, as well as land-use, remain a substantial challenge and necessitate strict application of legal regulations and sensitive tourism development.

While the Management Plan “Kizhi Pogost 2016-2026” is an improvement and contains some positive changes, it requires further development and should focus on the establishment of sufficient protection measures both within and outside the buffer zone area. Detailed comments are provided to the State Party.

In relation to capacity building and training, the recent developments for the setting up of a training centre, the agreement for the organization of international training courses with ICCROM, as well as the development of a UNESCO Chair on Wooden Architecture Research and Preservation are commendable. The competences and experiences obtained at Kizhi can hereby be shared with other professionals and projects internationally and within Russia.