Historic Centre of Lima

• Fires in 1998 and 2001 (issue resolved) ; 
• Need of formalization of the procedures to set up a Management Coordination Unit to implement the Strategic Plan;
• Need of revision of the Master and Strategic Plans;
• New development projects within the historic centre including urban transportation systems (cable car and Corredor Segregado) and interventions in historical buildings.

The World Heritage Centre received the state of conservation of the property on 23 March 2010. The report provides information on the current state of the property, including conservation interventions at historic buildings, and information on other actions taken by the Municipality.

From 19 to 23 of January 2010, a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission was carried out at the property, as requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009). The mission report is available online at the following Web address: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/500

a) Management system

The report does not include specific information about the management system currently in place. It mentions agreements signed with other entities for the conservation and management of the property. For example, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima subscribed an agreement of inter-institutional cooperation with the National COPESCO Plan to implement signposts at the property, in accordance to the Strategic Plan, to provide information about the historic property and services. Also, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima and the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation have completed the Framework Cooperation Agreement for Development to strengthen the Office of the Historical Centre of Lima - PROLIMA and promote consultation and participation of civil society in processes of urban renewal and improvement of living conditions at the Historic Centre of Lima. The cooperation Protocol between the Ministry of Housing and Guidance in the territory of the Government of Andalusia and the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima has also been signed to promote policies for housing, architecture, territorial and urban planning and mapping.

The mission report states that the management and general condition of the Historic Centre has improved in the past years. It indicates that the protected area is physically and administratively divided by the Rimac River, situation that hinders an integrated approach for the Management of the entire property. It notes that decision-making processes for the property still lack clarity in regard to the role and responsibility of each of the involved entities and other stakeholders. There is a legally based approach rather than one based on consensus and advice from technical institutions is not included at all times, particularly in urban interventions. The mission considers that coordination between the National Institute of Culture, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima and the Rimac Municipality needs to be enhanced to streamline planning and approval processes. It also notes that legislative and regulatory measures have to be carefully evaluated to identify potential gaps that can impact the outstanding universal value, authenticity and integrity of the property.

b) State of conservation of the property

The Metropolitan Municipality of Lima reports that priority has been given to urban and architectural infrastructure to guarantee the quality and condition of the urban entity and its population and to integrate the protection of heritage. It has developed a database to identify properties and risk. In 2009, the Special Technical Commission of Uninhabitable Declaration and the Determination of the Ruinous Condition or Hovel of the properties of Historic Centre of Lima, evaluated 78 properties and by resolution adopted by the Sub- Department of Urban Authorizations (RSAU) of the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima, declared uninhabitable those properties for reason such as: vulnerability of the structures and high-risk of collapse or lacks minimum conditions of safety or and the precariousness of their electrical and sanitary installations. These resolutions are put to knowledge for the owners or occupants, in order to execute projects to transform it into habitable property.

Some of the measures implemented by the Municipality for the Historic Centre include the installation of security cameras, the rehabilitation and parchment of streets and paving of sidewalks, maintenance of ornamental lighting, street furniture and green areas. The Municipality has also promoted a gastronomy circuit to promote larger investment in goods and services, improve quality of restaurants and preserve culinary traditions. Tourist circuits have also been promoted for the Historic Centre. Specific projects that were reported on by the State Party, as requested by the World Heritage Committee, are briefly discussed next:

- Municipal theatre

Work has continued on interventions to recover the Municipal Theatre after a fire affected it. The project has taken into account the qualities of the original design but considers modern systems for theatrical mechanics, lighting, sound and safety measures.

The mission has some concern regarding the division of the project into separate entities when it has to be sent to the National Institute of Culture (INC): for example the restoration project for the building has been approved and is well underway, while the structural reinforcement has not yet started and was going to be sent to the INC for evaluation. It notes that a comprehensive evaluation of the complete and finalised projects needs to be carried out before starting the works, in order to guarantee a complete overview of the projects.

- Metropolitan museum

The project, to be housed at a historic monument at the buffer zone, is currently in the feasibility analysis phase.

The mission does not have any significant concern and considers that this change of use - from an administrative function to a cultural one – does not affect the heritage character of the building and its setting, which is already the location of two other important museums of the city: the Italian Art Museum and the Lima Art Museum.

- Urban renewal of El Rastro and La Soledad Square

The project, which has been in implementation since 2003, considers the restoration of monumental areas and the construction of new housing compounds that improve the living conditions of the resident population in the area.

The mission considers that the restoration of the Casa de las Trece Puertas and its neighbourhood properties meet international conservation principles and practices and will have a very positive impact on the perception of this sector enhancing the streetscape and, because of the public function of some of those houses, encouraging life to come back to the core of the Historic Centre. It underscores the social aspects and involvement of the local population during the planning process as a key to the success of this type of intervention and to develop a sense of ownership.

The mission noted that despite the work carried out by the Municipal Government, there are still significant issues to address, including the slum condition of certain areas, insecurity and traffic. Projects defined in these areas will need to take into account requirements set forth in the Operational Guidelines and international standards for conservation.

- High Capacity Segregated Corridor (Corredor Segregado) project

The Municipality indicates that the development of the High Capacity segregated corridor has continued to manage and improve public transportation. The central corridor goes through a portion of the Historic Centre of Lima and Section II crosses through the buffer zone. The National Institute of Culture has defined criteria for the location and dimensions of stations so as to make them less aggressive to the context.

The mission expressed its concern for Section II, the decision to bring high capacity buses into the Historic Centre and that an alternative route should have been explored to preserve its character, as requested by the National Institute of Culture. It notes that designs have been modified to address observations made but underscores that the construction of the station at Jiron de la Union should not proceed because of the impact it would have on the circulation pattern, the rupture of the visual setting of the monumental area and the impact on the old canalization revealed during archaeological excavations. It regrets that the project was not discussed in accordance to Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines prior to proceeding with the implementation. It was stated that during the last day of the mission, the Municipality indicated that the station at Jirón de la Unión would not be constructed.

- The “Teleférico de Lima" (cable car) project

This issue was not mentioned in the report submitted by the State Party however technical documentation was received on the subject and the mission conducted an analysis of the situation. The mission noted that the project consists of implementing a cable car system that would link the Parque de la Muralla - Parque Malecón del Rio to the summit of Cerro San Cristobal. The objectives of this project include the creation of a commercial, recreational and tourism product, which would allow the spatial integration of important icons of Lima City. There have been several proposals presented and the INC has requested changes for the architecture of the station in the top of the San Cristobal Mountain in order to maintain its physiognomy. A new Directorial Resolution by the INC disapproved the cable car path included in the project because it does not comply with Municipal Ordinance no. 602 which states that interventions in the mountains that attempt against the natural physiognomy are forbidden and in response to the Decision of the World Heritage Committee at its 33^rd session (Seville, 2009). The mission considers that implementing the project would impact the Outstanding Universal Value of the property by affecting the visual landscape of the historic area and the intangible values associated with the Cerro San Cristobal, considered sacred in prehispanic times and currently part of a pilgrimage route. During the mission, the Municipality expressed its acceptance to the resolution of the INC and indicated that the contract with the cable car company would be dissolved.

c. Other issues: the Rimac River area

The mission noted with concern the implementation of various projects along the Rimac River that have not been presented to the World Heritage Centre for consideration and review. The Parque de la Muralla and Parque del Malecón del Río, and the Centro Habitacional La Muralla are contemporary projects that are slowly modifying the character of the river landscape. Other projects still under consideration (a commercial centre and a recreational complex at Parque Cantagallo in Rimac, and a housing project at Montserrate in the Cercado) could all have some serious impact on the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property.

In the framework of the Periodic Reporting exercise for the Region, the “Workshop on the preparation Retrospective Inventory, retrospective Statement of Outstanding Universal Value of the properties included on the World Heritage List and an introduction to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting for the Latin America and Caribbean Region” took place in November 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The focal point for Peru participated and was trained on how to produce the retrospective Statement of Outstanding Universal Value which should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre by 31 July 2010.

To conclude, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note the progress made in setting up the management system for the property but remain concerned about the lack of a holistic, systematic and concerted approach for decision-making at the property, including the limited coordination that is still prevalent among entities mandated with the conservation of the property and limited public involvement. An operational and effective management system should take this into account and also consider the integration of heritage specialists at the Municipalities to work with the National Institute of Culture in matters related to the property. They note that as private funding is available, major projects affecting the urban landscape of the property may continue to be planned. All these projects should be sent to the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies prior execution as indicated in the Operational Guidelines.