Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape

Threats identified at the time of inscription of the property:

• Incomplete Management Plan
• Need to restrict vehicle access to the acropolis
• Need to improve the monitoring system by specifying which organization is responsible for monitoring each indicator and include seismic monitoring

On 3 December 2015, the State Party submitted a report concerning the state of conservation of this property, which is available at the following web address: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1457/documents/ and provides information on the progress achieved in implementing the recommendations adopted at the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List, as follows:

• The Management Plan has been improved and finalized. Currently, the Plan has been submitted for formal approval to the Turkish authorities.
• A list has been provided with regards to the regular monitoring of the state of conservation and management of the property, which is undertaken by the key parties involved in monitoring the property, including seismic monitoring.
• Restriction of vehicle access is currently being researched as to its feasibility as well as exploring different means of providing safe access to the Acropolis.
• To prevent floods, the State Party is preparing a Restoration and Amelioration project to preserve the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Survey works of the Selinos Brook Amelioration project as well as a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) report will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre.
• Height restrictions: in accordance with the Committee Decision, the new height limits for construction have been approved to maintain the visual links between the Acroplis and Tumuli.

The strong commitment of the State Party to the conservation and management of the property should be noted; as well as the fact that virtually all the recommendations made by the Committee at the time of inscription in 2014 have been acted upon.

It should be noted that the State Party has successfully made progress with regards to the Management Plan and it is currently in its final stages and awaiting approval from the authorities. The need to sustain these efforts to comprehensively address concerns should be underscored, particularly in relation to the efficiency of the management system, state of conservation, and visitor management and public use. The draft Management Plan has been received and it will be the object of an ICOMOS technical review to be submitted separately to the World Heritage Centre.

With regards to the monitoring system of the property, it is noted that the State Party has specified which organization is responsible for each monitoring indicator. It should also be noted that seismic monitoring has also been assigned an organization and that research will be carried out, in the first half of 2016, with Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Research Institute to monitor the effects of the seismic waves on archaeological and medieval structures of the site. Financial resources are also being explored for the purchase of the monitoring equipment. This development aims to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the property.

Due to windy weather conditions and resistance from the local population, the restriction of vehicle access to the Acropolis is currently being reviewed. Research is currently ongoing to find other modes of transport as well as whether the restriction of vehicles is feasible in the long-term.

Other conservation issues include the Selinos Brook Amelioration Project, which has been embarked on to prevent floods to the site. A survey and a HIA will be undertaken in conformity with ICOMOS Guidelines on Heritage Impact Assessments for World Heritage cultural properties, and subsequently submitted to the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies for review.

In light of the progress made by the State Party, it is considered that the main concerns of the World Heritage Committee are currently being addressed. It is however recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to continue with the implementation of all relevant measures and plans, improving protection effectiveness and defining appropriate degrees of intervention for each element of the property, in order to prevent any threats to its OUV.