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Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg

Austria
Factors affecting the property in 2017*
  • Ground transport infrastructure
  • Housing
  • Legal framework
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Water infrastructure
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Water infrastructure (hydroelectric power station Salzburg-Lehen) (issue resolved)
  • Ground transport infrastructure (train station project outside the buffer zone) (issue resolved)
  • Housing (urban development pressure, high-rise projects)
  • Management systems/ management plan (integrated approach towards management; apparent lack of legislative and planning mechanisms)
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2017
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2017**

January 2009: joint World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission; April 2013: ICOMOS Advisory mission

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2017

On 30 September 2015, 14 March 2016, 3 June 2016, and 29 December 2016, the World Heritage Centre has received information from third parties regarding the state of conservation of the “Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg”, in particular regarding the Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl Platz.

On 1 October 2015, 24 March 2016, 6 June 2016, and 20 January 2017, letters were sent to the State Party, requesting information on the state of conservation of the property.

On 1 December 2016, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/784/documents and addresses the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee as follows:

  • Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl Platz (Residential Buildings City Life Rehrlplatz): copies of the final plans of the project were submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 30 April 2016;
  • Development at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2: a modified project was built and a report was sent to the World Heritage Centre on 2 June 2016;
  • Project at Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstraße / Bahnhofsvorplatz: taking into account the recommendations of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission, such as the reduction of the overall height of the building, construction work of a modified version of the project has already started;
  • Residential Building Priesterhausgarten: following serious concerns expressed in the report of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission, the project has been halted;
  • Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad: following the recommendations of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission, the original project was abandoned, and a new project has been designed, dividing the building into two parts and reducing its overall height;
  • Revision of the Management Plan including provisions to ensure the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV): the legal process to harmonize the boundaries of the property with the Protection zone I has been completed. The incorporation of provisions in the Management Plan to ensure adequate protection of the OUV is ongoing, however, the Management Plan is not completed yet;
  • Apparent lack of adequate legislative and planning mechanisms: the State Party does not mention the development of a comprehensive urban land use plan, a draft of the recommended amendments to the protection framework was initiated, and a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) has been prepared regarding the Monikapforte project. Subsequently to the analyses of the HIA a revision of the plans has been initiated. Currently, the authorities of the City of Salzburg are waiting for the presentation of the revised plans. The complete project documentation will be immediately be provided to the World Heritage Centre once available.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2017

Although the State Party submitted copies of the final plans of the Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl-Platz project, the World Heritage Centre continued to receive information from civil society concerning the potential impact of this project on the state of conservation of the property. ICOMOS recommended in a Technical Review (October 2016) that the latest version of these plans should be further revised before approval of the project, as the recommendations of the 2013 mission remain unfulfilled, such as reducing the height of the project.

Regarding the development at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2, no clear information has been provided on whether the project has been reduced in height, nor if there have been any improvements as to the over-dimensioned openings of the loggias, as expressed by the 2013 mission recommendations.

Regarding the Project at Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstraße / Bahnhofsvorplatz, it is noted that construction work of a modified version of the project has already started. However, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide more visual information on how exactly the recommendations of the 2013 mission were taken into account.

It is noted that, following concerns expressed in the 2013 mission report, the Residential Building Priesterhausgarten has been halted. It is however recommended that the Committee request the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed with regard to any future developments of this project.

Regarding the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad, it is noted that the original project was modified, following the 2013 mission. However, it is also recommended that the Committee request more information on how exactly the recommendations of the mission are taken into account.

Progress made with regard to the Management Plan is noted. However, it is regrettable that the Management Plan has not been completed yet. Therefore, it is recommended that the Committee strongly encourage the State Party to complete it as soon as possible and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

Regarding strengthening the legal mechanisms for the protection of monuments in their setting, progress is noted, however, it is regrettable that no further progress has been reported concerning strengthening legislative and planning mechanisms through the development of a comprehensive urban land-use plan, as recommended by the 2013 mission.

It is noted that the results of the HIA concerning the new bypass at Monikapforte project has prompted the authorities to revise the project and updated project information will be made available to the World Heritage Centre; and it is also recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to continue carrying out HIAs for all major projects, which may threaten the OUV of the property, such as the development project at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2, the project at Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstraße / Bahnhofsvorplatz, and the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad project.

Difficulties in controlling developments, which can threaten the OUV of the property, will persist until adequate planning and management mechanisms are put in place. Progress has however been achieved since January 2017 in the revision of the local Protection Act for the Historic City of Salzburg which incorporates the core zone of the World Heritage property and now corresponds to the area of the Historic City, which as a whole is protected by the local protection act.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2017
41 COM 7B.41
Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg (Austria) (C 784)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7B.76, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
  3. Noting that the final plans concerning the proposed new development at Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl Platz (Residential Buildings City Life Rehrlplatz) were submitted to the World Heritage Centre, requests however the State Party to further revise these plans before approval of the project, as long as the recommendations of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission remain unfulfilled;
  4. Also noting that a modified version of the development project at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2 has already been built, regrets that the State Party did not provide more detailed information with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 mission;
  5. Further noting that the construction work of a modified version of the Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstrasse / Bahnhofsvorplatz project has already started, also requests the State Party to provide more information on this project as well as details on the modified project of the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad, with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 mission, and to keep the World Heritage Centre informed on any future developments regarding the halted Residential Building Priesterhausgarten;
  6. Reiterates its concern about the apparent lack of adequate legislative and planning mechanisms to protect the property from the various proposed urban and infrastructure developments and further requests the State Party to:
    1. Develop a comprehensive urban land use plan, which includes provisions for protection mechanisms and regulatory measures to ensure the adequate protection and control of the property and its landscape setting,
    2. Strengthen legal mechanisms for the protection of monuments in their setting,
    3. Carry out Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for projects, which may threaten the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) for the property, in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for World Heritage cultural properties, such as the development project at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2, the project at Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstraße / Bahnhofsvorplatz, and the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad project;
  7. Notes that the legal process to harmonize the boundary of the property with the Protection zone I has been completed and strongly encourages the State Party to complete the revision of the Management Plan, including provisions to ensure adequate protection and conservation of all attributes, which convey the OUV of the property, and its setting and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
  8. Urges the State Party to implement all the recommendations of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission;
  9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 43rd session in 2019.
Draft Decision: 41 COM 7B.41

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7B.76, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
  3. Noting that the final plans concerning the proposed new development at Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl Platz (Residential Buildings City Life Rehrlplatz) were submitted to the World Heritage Centre, requests however the State Party to further revise these plans before approval of the project, as long as the recommendations of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission remain unfulfilled;
  4. Also noting that a modified version of the development project at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2 has already been built, regrets that the State Party did not provide more detailed information with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 mission;
  5. Further noting that the construction work of a modified version of the Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstrasse / Bahnhofsvorplatz project has already started, also requests the State Party to provide more information on this project as well as details on the modified project of the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad, with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 mission, and to keep the World Heritage Centre informed on any future developments regarding the halted Residential Building Priesterhausgarten;
  6. Reiterates its concern about the apparent lack of adequate legislative and planning mechanisms to protect the property from the various proposed urban and infrastructure developments and further requests the State Party to:
    1. Develop a comprehensive urban land use plan, which includes provisions for protection mechanisms and regulatory measures to ensure the adequate protection and control of the property and its landscape setting,
    2. Strengthen legal mechanisms for the protection of monuments in their setting,
    3. Carry out Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for projects, which may threaten the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) for the property, in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for World Heritage cultural properties, such as the development project at Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thunstr. 2, the project at Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstraße / Bahnhofsvorplatz, and the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad project;
  7. Notes that the legal process to harmonize the boundary of the property with the Protection zone I has been completed and strongly encourages the State Party to complete the revision of the Management Plan, including provisions to ensure adequate protection and conservation of all attributes, which convey the OUV of the property, and its setting and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
  8. Urges the State Party to implement all the recommendations of the 2013 ICOMOS Advisory mission;
  9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 43rd session in 2019.
Report year: 2017
Austria
Date of Inscription: 1996
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iv)(vi)
Documents examined by the Committee
SOC Report by the State Party
Report (2016) .pdf
arrow_circle_right 41COM (2017)
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.


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