Kizhi Pogost
Factors affecting the property in 2008*
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
- Management systems/ management plan
- Other Threats:
Structural integrity of the Church of the Transfiguration
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Structural integrity of the Church of the Transfiguration;
b) Absence of an integrated management plan that addresses overall management of the World Heritage property;
c) Tourism development pressures affecting the property.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2008
Total amount approved : 38,540 USD
| 2001 | International Workshop on the preservation and ... (Approved) | 29,540 USD |
| 1992 | Mission of 3 experts to define the state of ... (Approved) | 9,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2008**
1992, 1993, 1994: ICOMOS mission; August 2002: UNESCO / ICOMOS / ICCROM mission and on-site workshop; April 2007: World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2008
As requested by the World Heritage Committee, the State Party submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 5 February 2008 the state of conservation report which only partially responds to the requests made by the World Heritage Committee.
The State Party informed that significant progress had been achieved in implementing the decisions by the World Heritage Committee, in particular the implementation of technical preparatory work for restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration, as well as the reinforcement of risk preparedness measures. The first pilot restoration works have started by the Kizhi Museum Reserve Direction in compliance with the request by the World Heritage Committee.
However, in the Explanatory Note annexed to the State Party report, the Director of the Kizhi Museum Reserve underlined that, at this stage, the complete restoration works cannot be started without clearly designated delegated administrative and executive authority for this project, although the World Heritage Committee requested at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007) that the State Party start immediately with the repair and restoration works of the Church of Transfiguration.
The World Heritage Centre noted that the report was prepared by the Directorate of the Kizhi Museum Reserve. As site manager, the Director provided very detailed and complete information on its activities concerning this World Heritage property, including environmental and landscape issues.
The information requested by the World Heritage Committee, which is missing in the State Party report (e.g. draft of the integrated management plan for Kizhi Pogost; maps indicating the boundaries of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone), should be provided by the Federal authorities. It seems that they are still not actively involved in the process concerning the restoration works or the preparation and implementation of a comprehensive management plan for this World Heritage property, which should include tourism development, an overall vision for the site as well as clear boundary and buffer zone definition (including its eventual revision).
The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS underline the importance of the participation of all stakeholders concerned at all levels to the process of the safeguarding, protection and management of the World Heritage property, as well as the preparation of the state of conservation reports requested by the World Heritage Committee. Taking into account the importance and difficulties of the restoration works of the Church of the Transfiguration, as well as specificities of the fluvial tourism development the State Party could be invited to create a Special State Committee or Group with two commissions, one in charge of the restoration works, other of the management and tourism development issues.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2008
32 COM 7B.104
Kizhi Pogost (Russian Federation) (C 544)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7B.88, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),
3. Urges the State Party to start immediately with the repair and restoration works of the Church of Transfiguration;
4. Notes the continuous efforts by the Directorate of the Kizhi Museum Reserve in the management of the World Heritage property, which represents a small part of the territory of the Reserve and encourages the site management to continue its work towards an integrated management plan for the property;
5. Also urges the State Party to urgently confirm the implementation of the necessary administrative arrangements concerning the delegation of authorities for the restoration works, as well as the funds made available for restoration works for the duration of the project;
6. Invites the State Party to establish a Special State Group in charge of effective coordination, in close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, of the implementation of the World Heritage Committee's decisions and the recommendations by the Reactive Monitoring missions concerning this property;
7. Requests the State Party, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, to prepare a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value, including the conditions of integrity and authenticity, for the consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 33d session in 2009;
8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a progress report on all issues mentioned above, including the following documents:
a) detailed progress report of the restoration works;
b) three printed and electronic copies of the draft integrated management plan for Kizhi Pogost including a tourism strategy, risk preparedness measures and maps indicating the boundaries of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone;
c) revised and approved documents concerning protected areas of the Kizhi Museum Reserve including the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone;
for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009, with a view to considering, in the absence of substantial progress, the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Draft Decision: 32 COM 7B.104
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7B.88, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),
3. Urges the State Party to start immediately with the repair and restoration works of the Church of Transfiguration;
4. Notes the continuous efforts by the Directorate of the Kizhi Museum Reserve in the management of the World Heritage property, which represents a small part of the territory of the Reserve and encourages the site management to continue its work towards an integrated management plan for the property;
5. Also urges the State Party to urgently confirm the implementation of the necessary administrative arrangements concerning the delegation of authorities for the restoration works, as well as the funds made available for restoration works for the duration of the project;
6. Invites the State Party to establish a Special State Group in charge of effective coordination, in close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, the implementation of the World Heritage Committee’s decisions and the recommendations by the reactive monitoring missions concerning this property;
7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a progress report on all issues mentioned above, including the following documents:
a) Detailed progress report of the restoration works;
b) Draft Statement of outstanding universal value, including the conditions of integrity and authenticity;
c) Three printed and electronic copies of the draft integrated management plan for Kizhi Pogost including a tourism strategy, risk preparedness measures and maps indicating the boundaries of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone;
d) Revised and approved documents concerning protected areas of the Kizhi Museum Reserve including the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone;
for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009, with a view to consider, in the absence of substantial progress, the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Russian FederationExports
* :
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.
