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Historic Centre of Prague

Czechia
Factors affecting the property in 2023*
  • Housing
  • Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Development of high-rise constructions on the Pankrác Plain
  • Lack of effectiveness of existing planning, management, and conservation measures for the property, particularly lack of specific regulations for high-rise developments
  • Lack of Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for proposed projects which may affect the OUV of the property
  • Lack of a finalized Management Plan
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2023

N/A

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2023
Requests approved: 2 (from 2003-2014)
Total amount approved : 115,000 USD
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2023

On 30 November 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/616/documents/. Progress in a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

  • The Metropolitan Plan reflects input from the March 2021 seminar on ‘Integrating Urban Heritage in Urban Planning Processes’ and has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre. The 2019 Management Plan has been published in English. The Architectural­Urbanistic Analysis of the Prague Heritage Reservation has been finalised. The City of Prague Principles of Territorial Development are being updated to take into account the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. In 2021, the Czech Parliament approved a new Building Act, which continues to protect architectural and archaeological heritage. There is broad cooperation among government agencies to ensure that heritage is integrated into statutes and processes, as reflected in the Tourism Development Strategy;
  • A consensus was reached in March 2022 that Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) can be applied to assess the impact of major projects and proposed regulatory changes on heritage;
  • An open-ended moratorium cannot be placed on major construction projects for more than 19% of the city, given Prague’s status as the country’s capital, the current housing crisis and the lack of legal capacity. The City of Prague contends that the intent of the moratorium is met by the stricter regime within the property and its buffer zone. A cumulative assessment of the impacts of projects within the property, its buffer zone and its wider setting, which have occurred since the time of the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List, has not yet been completed;
  • An architectural competition and changes to the land use plan are in progress for the proposed cable car connecting Podbaba-Troja­Bohnice. The winning designer will prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment documentation. The New Florenc competition has been completed and the outcome submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review. It will be modified as necessary in response to the ICOMOS technical review;
  • Other projects include works on the North-South Trunk Road, monitoring the condition of the Vyšehrad Station, an urban planning study of the Žižkov Freight Station, a competition for a railway bridge in New Town and urban projects on the right bank of the Vltava. The Pahic Savarin project has been postponed. The city has addressed Committee’s decisions with regard to the Pankrác Plain, restricted construction in the Pentagon and the Metropolitan Plan provides that future construction will not exceed the height of existing structures.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2023

The State Party has made significant progress in placing the conservation of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) at the centre of its decision-making for the property. The completion of the Metropolitan Plan and the Architectural-Urbanistic Analysis of the Prague Heritage Reservation, the publication of the Management Plan in English and the adoption of new statutes which include heritage protection provisions are all welcomed. The ICOMOS technical review concluded that the Metropolitan Plan addressed concerns expressed by the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission, including the proposed processes for integrating cultural heritage into wider government statutes and processes. The State Party also acknowledged that HIAs can and should be used for the evaluation of major projects and regulatory changes which may affect the OUV of the property. It would be appropriate to recommend that HIAs be aligned with the methodology of the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context.

The property remains at risk from development pressures and new projects, and although the process for the Podbaba-Troja­Bohnice cable car project is supported, it should be subject to an HIA, which, in accordance with Committee Decision 44 COM 7B.44, should, together with the corresponding Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments, be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies. ICOMOS has provided a technical review of the proposed Prague Philharmonic Hall, and it is also recommended that an HIA be prepared for this project, including verified visual representations of the views from the property, including views of Prague Castle once the final design is settled. An ICOMOS technical review of the New Florenc competition outcome concluded that the proposed approach for the neglected area on the edge of the property was promising and recommended that the State Party fine-tune the Masterplan and design code. The technical review of the possible replacement of the Railway Bridge across the Vltava to the west of Vyšehrad Station concluded that the bridge is a key element of the panorama of Prague, which contributes to the OUV of the property, and that its capacity and long-term future need to be secured. It is desirable that the current consultative approach be continued for these projects and the Kavčí Hory Residence Park.

Progress has been made on the implementation of previous mission’s recommendations. However, there are outstanding issues, and the Committee should request the State Party to provide further updates regarding the alignment of laws and regulations with requirements for heritage protection and management of World Heritage properties, as well as the update of the Principles of Territorial Development, which should take into account the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. The State Party is yet to provide the requested assessment of the cumulative impacts of all projects undertaken within the property, its buffer zone and its wider setting from the time of its inscription on the World Heritage List. The rationale for the State Party’s decision not to implement the Committee’s previous request to introduce a general moratorium on major projects is noted. It is appropriate that the Metropolitan Plan provides that future construction will not exceed the height of existing structures on the Pankrác Plain and that construction of the Pentagon is restricted, such that a process is now in place for appropriate building regulations.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2023
45 COM 7B.183
Historic Centre of Prague (Czechia) (C 616bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.44 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
  3. Commends the State Party on the progress made in complying with the requirements and processes of the World Heritage Convention, its Operational Guidelines, previous Committee decisions and mission recommendations, including the completion of the Metropolitan Plan and the Architectural­Urbanistic Analysis of the Prague Heritage Reservation, the publication of the Management Plan in English, the new Building Act, the advice that the City of Prague Principles of Territorial Development are being updated taking into account the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, and the integration of heritage into government processes and agencies;
  4. Welcomes the State Party’s decision that Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) will be prepared for major projects within the property, its buffer zone or wider setting and for regulatory changes, which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, requests that these HIAs adopt the methodology of the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and reiterates its previous request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in conformity with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines:
    1. HIAs for all proposed projects which may affect the OUV of the property,
    2. An assessment of the cumulative impacts of all projects executed within the property, its buffer zone and wider setting, from the baseline condition of the property at the time of its inscription on the World Heritage List, on the OUV of the property;
  5. Reiterates its previous request to the State Party to submit the proposal for the cable car project between Podbada-Troja-Bohnice within the buffer zone of the property, along with the corresponding Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments, including an HIA, and also requests the State Party to submit an HIA for the final design of the proposed Prague Philharmonic Hall, including verified visual images of the views from the property, including Prague Castle, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
  6. Notes the information provided by the State Party about a range of conservation and other projects, and further requests the State Party to revise and amend the proposals for the Vyšehrad Railway Bridge and the Masterplan for New Florenc in accordance with the technical reviews provided by ICOMOS, and to continue to inform the World Heritage Centre of the specific proposals for these projects as well as for the proposed Kavčí Hory Residence Park and for other projects, which may affect the OUV of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
  7. Also welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission and requests furthermore the State Party to provide updates regarding:
    1. Advancement in aligning national and local laws and regulations with those necessary for heritage protection and management of World Heritage properties in accordance with the World Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines and in line with international norms and standards that may include new laws as well as amendments to existing ones, such as the Amendment of the State Heritage Care Act and the Act for Cultural Heritage Preservation,
    2. The forthcoming update of the City of Prague Principles of Territorial Development to take into account the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, and building regulations that may be varied for each quarter or historical block as appropriate, to guide and manage the identity of the built form at a range of scales, from volume and height to building materials, colours, railings and doorframes;
  8. Notes further that although the State Party has not implemented the Committee’s previous requests to introduce a general moratorium on major projects within the property, its buffer zone and wider setting, the Metropolitan Plan provides that future construction will not exceed the height of existing structures in the Pankrác Plain, that construction in the Pentagon is restricted and that a process is now in place to develop and implement appropriate building regulations;
  9. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, 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 47th session.
Draft Decision: 45 COM 7B.183

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.44, adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
  3. Commends the State Party on the progress made in complying with the requirements and processes of the World Heritage Convention, its Operational Guidelines, previous Committee decisions and mission recommendations, including the completion of the Metropolitan Plan and the Architectural­Urbanistic Analysis of the Prague Heritage Reservation, the publication of the Management Plan in English, the new Building Act, the advice that the City of Prague Principles of Territorial Development are being updated taking into account the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, and the integration of heritage into government processes and agencies;
  4. Welcomes the State Party’s decision that Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) will be prepared for major projects within the property, its buffer zone or wider setting and for regulatory changes, which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, requests that these HIAs adopt the methodology of the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context, and reiterates its previous request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in conformity with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines:
    1. HIAs for all proposed projects which may affect the OUV of the property,
    2. An assessment of the cumulative impacts of all projects executed within the property, its buffer zone and wider setting, from the baseline condition of the property at the time of its inscription on the World Heritage List, on the OUV of the property;
  5. Reiterates its previous request to the State Party to submit the proposal for the cable car project between Podbada-Troja-Bohnice within the buffer zone of the property, along with the corresponding Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments, including an HIA, and also requests the State Party to submit an HIA for the final design of the proposed Prague Philharmonic Hall, including verified visual images of the views from the property, including Prague Castle, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
  6. Notes the information provided by the State Party about a range of conservation and other projects, and further requests the State Party to revise and amend the proposals for the Vyšehrad Railway Bridge and the Masterplan for New Florenc in accordance with the technical reviews provided by ICOMOS, and to continue to inform the World Heritage Centre of the specific proposals for these projects as well as for the proposed Kavčí Hory Residence Park and for other projects, which may affect the OUV of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
  7. Also welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission and requests furthermore the State Party to provide updates regarding:
    1. Advancement in aligning national and local laws and regulations with those necessary for heritage protection and management of World Heritage properties in accordance with the World Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines and in line with international norms and standards that may include new laws as well as amendments to existing ones, such as the Amendment of the State Heritage Care Act and the Act for Cultural Heritage Preservation,
    2. The forthcoming update of the City of Prague Principles of Territorial Development to take into account the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, and building regulations that may be varied for each quarter or historical block as appropriate, to guide and manage the identity of the built form at a range of scales, from volume and height to building materials, colours, railings and doorframes;
  8. Notes further that although the State Party has not implemented the Committee’s previous requests to introduce a general moratorium on major projects within the property, its buffer zone and wider setting, the Metropolitan Plan provides that future construction will not exceed the height of existing structures in the Pankrác Plain, that construction in the Pentagon is restricted and that a process is now in place to develop and implement appropriate building regulations;
  9. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, 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 47th session.
Report year: 2023
Czechia
Date of Inscription: 1992
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iv)(vi)
Documents examined by the Committee
SOC Report by the State Party
Report (2022) .pdf
arrow_circle_right 45COM (2023)
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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