L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre
Factors affecting the property in 2010*
- Housing
- Management systems/ management plan
- Solid waste
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) New constructions within the historic centre;
b) Lack of valid detailed planning documents;
c) Inadequate infrastructure including the sewage system
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2010
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2010**
2004: ICOMOS-German World Heritage Foundation mission; March 2010: joint World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2010
On 1 February 2010, a state of conservation report was submitted by the State Party. The report did not address directly the issues outlined in Decision 33 COM 7B.126 adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009). The World Heritage Centre received a petition from representatives of the city’s civil society requesting to prevent the construction of a 7 storey building on the site of the former Franciscan monastery’s garden and park. A joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to L’viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre took place from 1 to 6 March 2010.
In its report the State Party covers the following issues:
a) Main factors affecting the property
The State Party reports that the main factors affecting the property are:
- Development pressures;
- Danger of loss of the visual integrity of the city due to the development pressures within the property, its buffer zone and beyond its limits;
- Deformation of buildings due to the geological condition of the soil;
- Intensive deterioration of decorative elements due to atmospheric pollution.
b) Projects which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property
A comprehensive programme of preservation of historical buildings in L’viv was carried out by the State Party from 1998 to 2007. A draft State Programme of restoration and regeneration of the historic buildings of L’viv was developed in 2008 and submitted to the relevant authorities for review. The State Party’s report mentions some restoration projects, such as the Armenian Cathedral and residential buildings at 3 and 23 Rynok Square. The construction on the site of the former Franciscan monastery’s garden and park was not mentioned either by the State Party or by the mission in its report.
The State Party’s report mentioned the financial assistance received for the development and restoration of the Historic Centre of L’viv, the establishment of a monitoring system for the monuments, and the project “Shared Heritage”.
The joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission expressed its concern about the overall state of conservation of the property, and in particular of the considerable threat to the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property due to inappropriate methods used regarding the conversion of historic buildings and the absence of dwelling rehabilitation standards.
c) Management and Urban Master Plans
The State Party reports that a strategic management plan for 2009-2015, when completed, will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre. The Urban Master Plan is expected to enter into force in summer 2010.
The State Party also mentions that the UNESCO summer school volunteers completed an inventory of historic buildings in L’viv. In 2007-2008, three restoration and stone conservation training summer schools were organised.
d) Tourism pressures
The State Party report notes the increased number of tourists to L’viv, the “Cultural Capital” of Ukraine in 2009. The development of additional tourist infrastructure in the city is expected for the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Euro 2012 finals.
e) Monitoring and research
The State Party’s report mentions several monitoring and researches conducted, such as the monitoring of temperature changes and humidity; geodesic monitoring and tracking of deformation of buildings; archaeological survey on any ground excavation; engineering and geological analysis of soil in the historic city, and research of the structural stability of historic buildings. Awareness of the importance of the visual panorama has been raised by means of a project involving the placement of coloured balloons over planned construction sites at the relevant height. Photographs were then taken from important viewpoints in order to assess the likely impact of the planned construction.
The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note, with deep concern, serious changes in the urban fabric and the considerable threat to the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property due to the inappropriate rehabilitation methods resulting in a deteriorating of living-standards, the replacement of residences by the hotels, the loss of inhabitants, a substantial visual impact of some developments, as reported by the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission of March 2010.
Recognizing the enormous challenges faced by the State Party and the supporting work on sustainable development being undertaken by different agencies, including the European Commission and Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies consider that the completion of the management plan will provide a platform that should allow the State Party to obtain further support from the international community for conservation and rehabilitation.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2010
34 COM 7B.104
L’viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre (Ukraine) (C 865)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 7B.126, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009),
3. Notes the results and recommendations of the March 2010 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission and requests the State Party to take them into account;
4. Also notes the work carried out by the State Party on the strategic management plan and also requests the State Party to submit it to the World Heritage Centre in three paper copies and an electronic version;
5. Expresses its deep concern regarding the overall state of conservation of the property, and in particular, serious changes to the urban fabric and considerable threat to the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property;
6. Urges the State Party to immediately adopt all necessary measures aiming to ensure the safeguarding of the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property, including guidelines for the restoration and conservation of the urban fabric;
7. Also urges the State Party and the municipal authorities to immediately halt any development projects, and in particular at the Citadel and construction at the former Franciscan Monastery, which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property, and to inform the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, on any intention to undertake or to authorize such projects;
8. Calls upon the international community to consider supporting the conservation and rehabilitation of the urban fabric;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property, including the results of monitoring and survey of the urban fabric, the strategic management plan and the urban master plan as approved, as well as the report on the use of the historic buildings and monuments, for examination by the World Heritage Committee, with a view to considering, in the absence of substantial progress, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger at its 35th session in 2011.
Draft Decision: 34 COM 7B.104
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 7B.126, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009),
3. Notes the results and recommendations of the March 2010 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission and requests the State Party to take them into account;
4. Also notes the work carried out by the State Party on the strategic management plan and also requests the State Party to submit it to the World Heritage Centre in three copies;
5. Expresses its deep concern regarding the overall state of conservation of the property, and in particular, serious changes to the urban fabric and considerable threat to the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property;
6. Urges the State Party to immediately adopt all necessary measures aiming to ensure the safeguarding of the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property, including guidelines for the restoration and conservation of the urban fabric ;
7. Also urges the State Party and the Municipality authorities to immediately halt any development projects, and in particular at the Citadel and construction at the former Franciscan Monastery, which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property, and to inform the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, on any intention to undertake or to authorize such projects;
8. Calls upon the international community to consider supporting the conservation and rehabilitation of the urban fabric;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property, including the results of monitoring and survey of the urban fabric, the strategic management plan and the urban master plan as approved, report on the use of the historic buildings and monuments, for examination by the World Heritage Committee, with a view to considering, in absence of substantial progress, to inscribe the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger at its 35th session in 2011.
Ukraine
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.
