Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue

• Demolition and inappropriate development in the buffer zone known as the ‘Jewish Quarter’
• Inappropriate use of public areas and street amenities
• Lack of conservation of residential housing in the area inscribed as World Heritage
• Increased traffic volume

Total amount provided: 800 million HUF (ca. 2.7 million EUR) EU support for the “Street of Culture” project 

On 30 January 2015, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/400/documents. Progress on a number of issues regarding conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous session is presented in the report as follows:

• The establishment of a grants program in 2013 to support the renovation of Budapest’s historic buildings which has resulted in a number of projects being undertaken including the renovation of the Academy of Music, as well as renovation works of the old Jewish quarter and its surroundings;
• The preparation of a “Historic Property Threat Map” to contribute to the monitoring of the property. The map will examine and assess the risk factors (technical conditions and conditions of use) affecting the property. The monitoring of the property will also be aided by the Műemlékőr (Monument Watch) programme and will commence with the preventive maintenance survey of 6 Andrássy Avenue buildings in spring 2015;
• Amendments to Act LXIV of 2001 on the Preservation of Cultural Heritage to better assess the impacts of development on the property and synchronize the interests of the owners and the preservation of the property’s character;
• The Management Plan for the property is currently in preparation and expected to be completed by June 2016 and will also assess: the possible enlargement of the buffer zone, with the addition of Margit Island and other areas;
• Information about several completed, on-going and planned projects, such as Royal Garden Bazaar Rehabilitation and Partial Reconstruction, including Multipurpose Hall, Exhibit Spaces, Urban Garden and Underground Parking Garage, renovation project of the Buda Castle Quarter and the Kossuth Square development project with a three-level underground garage and a visitors center;
• The Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the Liget Budapest project with a new Museum Park, including a regulatory Plan Map for the City Park Building Regulations, has been submitted for evaluation by the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies in February 2015. The State Party plans to start the construction work of the Liget Budapest project in 2016.

The State Party has responded to all the issues raised by the World Heritage Committee and has supplied information about the protection of the property.

It was noted that the Parliament at the recommendation of the government amended Act LXIV of 2001 and its related regulations, as well as that the Gyula National Heritage Preservation and Property Management Center, operating as a mid-level governing body for heritage preservation, provides expert opinions on certain types of procedures affecting the World Heritage area. However, it is still unclear if the appropriate restrictive regulations and rules for concluding agreements by the Municipalities with partners (a Partnership Plan), prior to making town development or regulatory plans, have been established in order to prevent serious deterioration of architectural and urban coherence.

It is noted that progress is now being made on the Management Plan during which process the proposed enlargement of the buffer zone will be examined. 

It is recommended that the Committee commend the State Party for the establishment of the “Historic Property Threat Map” and the Műemlékőr (Monument Watch) programme. However no details were provided on when the map is due for completion. It is also recommended that the map be completed as part of the development of the property’s Management Plan to develop a prioritized works program and framework or action.

The progress made by the authorities and in particular those concerning renovation of historic buildings to prevent further deterioration of the Jewish quarter and Becsi Street is noted.

The State Party provided additional information on the rehabilitation and partial reconstruction of the Royal Castle Garden Pavilions, in the Buda Castle Quarter, including Multipurpose Hall, Exhibit Spaces, Urban Garden and Underground Parking Garage and the Kossuth Square development project with a three-level underground garage and a visitors center projects.

It is noted that a preventive archaeological excavation, as well as all relevant protection measures, including a mobile steel door and mobile aluminum flood protection gate, were accomplished by the authorities within the framework of the Kossuth Square development project.

However, the State Party did not submit HIAs for these projects as it was requested by the Committee. The 2013 Reactive Monitoring mission had reservations on the variety of new services for transport and access planned within the Royal Castle Garden Pavilions to overcome the height differences between the riverside and Royal Palace complexes, and recommended to submit an alternative solution to the World Heritage Centre for review. Regarding the project at Kossuth Square, the mission recommended that the State Party submit detailed reports concerning soils, geology and hydrology. It is recommended that the Committee express its concern that the State Party completed these projects without consulting the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and without taking into account the decision of the Committee.

ICOMOS has made an initial assessment of the HIA for the Liget Budapest project which is currently in the design competition stage. It is recommended that before a final assessment can be made on the impacts of this project on heritage, the State Party submits the final designs and plans for the project so that a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts can be undertaken. It is finally recommended that the Committee take note of the steps taken by the State Party to improve the protection of all components of the property and its buffer zone and may request that it implements all relevant measures and plans, defining appropriate degrees of intervention for each element of the property, to support the appropriate implementation of its decisions in order to prevent any threats to its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).