Parthian Fortresses of Nisa

Lack of interpretation and visitor management plan.

At its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008), the World Heritage Committee requested the State Party to submit a interpretation and visitor management plan and to provide three copies of the completed management plan.

The State Party submitted its report on 28 January 2009. A summary management plan activities against results achieved to date is included as part of the report. The schedule is presented in five sections – site protection, conservation, promotion and education, presentation and interpretation and visitor management. Each section is dealt with under headings of ‘regular activities to be implemented’, ‘short term activities’ and ‘long term activities’ up to 2010. The plan indicates that work has been accomplished on all sections.

A detailed interpretation and visitor management plan has not been submitted as a separate plan, but proposed actions to 2010 are indicated in the summary management plan. They include increasing the number and training of guides, and the construction of a new site museum and visitor facilities. The location of the latter is not indicated. Presentation and interpretation works have included the installation of site location maps and plans at the entrance, and information boards in English, Russian and Turkmen at the archaeological sites.

The report also outlines progress on the following:

a) Site protection works completed in 2008 include drainage works to the Red Building complex at Old Nisa, the planting of a hedge around Old Nisa and the development of new visitor routes around the property via corridors connecting halls, aimed at avoiding visitor access on walls.

b) Conservation works completed in 2008 include roof drainage at the Site Museum; conservation of the Red Building, partial restoration of the exterior walls of the Round Building and cleaning and partial restoration of the Great Square Building and auxiliary structures.

c) Promotion and education works completed in 2008 include development of a new tourist route for the Great Square Building, and interpretation material about the property including a booklet, post cards and brochures.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies consider that the positive progress made in implementing the management plan covers most of the recommendations made at the time of inscription (Decision 31 COM 8B.30). Key priorities of site drainage and conservation/protection of the excavated remains have been addressed.

Since the management plan covers only the period up to 2010, consideration should now be given to revising the Plan for a further three to five years to identify action plans in the following five years to 2015, so that applications for national budget and/ or other funding can be secured in a timely manner.

In the framework of the forthcoming periodic reporting exercise for the Asia Pacific region, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies will provide assistance to the State Party to formulate a Statement of Outstanding Universal Value for the property.