UNESCO Heritage Research Articles

Marketing Heritage: A Solution for the Management of a UNESCO Heritage Site

Marketing Heritage: A Solution for the Management of a UNESCO Heritage Site

The Reichenbach & Ertel Meridian Circle at the Tartu Old Observatory: Great Moments from the History of a 200 Years Old Instrument

This article examines major events in the 200-year history of the meridian circle of Tartu’s (Dorpat) Old Observatory based on archival sources and primary literature. It analyses why and how the Reichenbach & Ertel meridian circle was ordered in 1817/1822 and gives an overview about the three major works done with the help of it: the position measurements of 3220 stars in Friedrich Wilhelm Struve’s famous catalogue of binary stars (1827), the Struve Geodetic Arc (UNESCO Heritage site since 2005), and the so-called zone observations in the last quarter of the 19th century under the leadership of Ludwig Schwarz, when the meridian circle and the observatory were already somewhat deteriorated. Besides contributing to large projects, the Tartu meridian circle was used for everyday astronomical timekeeping and training of the younger generation of astronomers for at least 140 years (1822-1964).

MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE SOIL COVER OF THE TERRITORY OF THE MITROPOLYCHI GARDENS OF THE CITY OF LVIV

Metropolitan gardens are gardens located on the territory of the complex of St. George's Cathedral in Lviv within the Lviv Plateau in a zone of increased complexity of geological conditions and a significant difference in relief. Metropolitan gardens are a kind of standard of nature, which allows to track the course of natural processes in the environment. The territory, which includes the Svyatoyurska Mountain with gardens, belongs to the UNESCO heritage. Since the founding of the Metropolitan Gardens, there have been practically not conducted various studies of soil formation conditions, study of their features. Having studied the literary sources, it is worth noting that insufficient attention was also paid to the study of the soil cover of Metropolitan Gardens. Within the territory of the study are widespread sod-carbonate, sod-silty soils with varying degrees of degradation and anthropogenic-variable soils (urban soils) are common. The presented soils undergo significant changes in the process of economic and recreational influence, intense anthropogenic load causes compaction of the upper layers of the soil cover, a decrease in field moisture capacity, and a decrease in porosity indicators. If natural (sod-carbonate, sod-glay) non-urbanized soils are characterized by high acidity and a lack of nutrients, then, unlike them, anthropogenic-modified soils (urban soils) are characterized by a neutral or alkaline reaction and a sufficient amount of nutrients. At the same time, they are often distinguished by high drainage and low water maintenance, as well as the imbalance of humic and fulvic acids. The morphological features of the natural and anthropogenic-transformed soils of the Metropolitan Gardens of the city of Lviv. The data of the morphological descriptions of the soil horizons make it possible to trace a certain mosaic of the soil cover of the study area, which combines natural sloping areas and landscape-engineering objects in the form of embankment terraces. Keywords: Metropolitan Gardens; Lviv Plateau; urban soil; turf-carbonate soils; sod clay soils; anthropogenically transformed soils.

Symbolism of a detail. Architectural masterpieces of the UNESCO Heritage Town of Zamość

The Town of Zamość is located in the south-eastern part of Poland and is the worldwide UNESCO Heritage fortress whose beginning dates back to the end of the 16th century. Built in cruda radice, the Zamość architectural value derives primarily from its unique, historical plan which remained the original compositional form envisioned by a brilliant, broad-minded, ambitious man of European Renaissance – Jan Zamoyski. Urban layout of the Town mimics the anthropomorphic distribution of key body parts encapsuled within the frame of the most up-to-date examples of ‘architectura militaris’ for those times. The smart spatial organization of space allowed not only for the flexible introduction of new functions in larger, urban scale but also the exposition of the intricate beauty of architectural ornamentation and detail of crucial representative buildings. Within the plethora of reverberating, classic examples of details there are also some which convey important, symbolic meaning which is very much connected to the history of the Town.

Restoration feasibility study by using alkali activated mortars based on Mt. Etna volcanic ash: The case study of Monreale Cathedral (Palermo, Italy)

This paper describes for the first time a case-study regarding the applicability of alkali activated mortars based on volcanic-ash (Mt. Etna) directly on-site on a UNESCO Heritage site known worldwide, the Monreale Cathedral (Sicily, Italy). In the perspective of “Advanced Green Materials for Cultural Heritage” project, small damaged areas of the mosaics were selected to test the application of bedding mortars for the filling of lacunae and the repositioning of detached original tesserae, as well as the replication of the mosaic decorations by engraving and painting on the finishing mortars or by the realization of new pre-casted tesserae. Both the critical aspects of preparation and the steps taken to improve operative conditions (e.g. use of Ca-additive) have been highlighted. The monitoring of results over time confirms the intervention’s success, representing in this way a pioneering on-site cultural heritage application of these materials.

Soil conditions and vegetation cover of the «Oruku-Shynaa» cluster of the «Ubsunurskaya Hollow» reserve (southern part of the Republic of Tyva)

The paper presents the results of the study of soils and vegetation cover of the Oruku-Shynaa cluster, a natural feature of the Ubsunur Hollow Biosphere Reserve, which is a possible acquisition of the UNESCO heritage. The Ubsunur Hollow, the northernmost of the inland basins of Northwestern Mongolia, is the destination of Inner Asia, where nature preserves an exceptional parade of landscapes of unusual diversity, which predetermines the creation of biosphere reserves in Russia and Mongolia by a cluster approach. Nine clusters have been created on the territory of the Republic of Tuva (Russia). One of them is Oruku-Shynaa. The purpose of creating the Oruku-Shynaa cluster is to study natural complexes and objects, preserve biodiversity, and carry out long-term environmental monitoring of the reference territories of the Ubsunur Hollow. The background soils are brown desert-steppe soils, which have local hydromorphic manifestations of meadow, saline, and solonetsous soils. The study of the temperature of soils in the middle of summer showed that the most mobile dynamics of soil temperature is observed at a depth of 5 cm from the surface. The reaction of meadow-peaty soil is neutral, in solonchak soils it is strongly alkaline, the humus content in solonchak soil is negligible (0,42%), and in meadow-peaty-humus soil it is quite high (9,24%). There is quite a lot of magnesium in saline soils (up to 29 mmol/100 g of soil), and nitrogen (1,10%) in meadow-peat-humus soil. There is a lack of phosphorus in all soils. The cluster is characterized by a high complexity of vegetation cover, expressed in a combination of phytocoenoses of real (glycophytic), saline (halophytic) meadows, steppes, reed beds and woody shrub vegetation. The soil and vegetation cover of the Oruku-Shynaa cluster of the Ubsunur Hollow Nature Reserve generally reflects the regional specifics of the natural situation of floodplain-channel complexes of arid Central Asian territories. The largest areas are open spaces occupied by halophytic vegetation under brown meadow-desert-steppe soils on lake-alluvial deposits. The introduction of the protected regime caused a restructuring in the structure of phytocoenoses, where signs of waterlogging are observed, peat accumulation in the upper horizon of the soil profile, an increase in dead mass (mortmass) in plant communities; an active salinization process is underway in the soil cover.

World Cultural Heritage Discourse

This review of articles follows the methodology of H. Snyder (2019) and based on a study that was a collection, analysis and comparison of relevant publications in the field of UNESCO cultural heritage studies over the past five years by quantitative methods in the Web of Science and Scopus repositories. The scientometric analysis made by means of the VOSviewer_1.6.16_ exe CitNetExplorer_1.0.0_exe programs made it possible to distinguish the most relevant and cited articles in a vast array of publications the most relevant and cited articles, verified by the scientific community, focused the attention of scientists on semantic “nodes”, that is, values that guide social practices. The undertaken study shows that the concepts of UNESCO heritage, and identity in connection with heritage, are not limited to the traditional framework of ethnos and governance, but include a wide range of social, natural and personal conditions, the study of which is of great theoretical and practical significance. The study of the actors involved, including natural and technical non-humans, makes it possible to take more effective conservation policies in the context of natural and environmental changes, world heritage management policies, identity policies in relation to place and heritage, reduce the distance between the “managers” of heritage and those for whom it is being managed, residents close to the heritage, civil society representatives who identify with the groups re-gathering around the heritage.

GEOTOURISM CURRENT STATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS: A CASE STUDY IN THE CAO BANG UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK, VIETNAM

Cao Bang Geopark is one of three UNESCO heritage sites in Vietnam, with unique geological, landscape and cultural properties of high value to tourism. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the potential for geotourism development in Cao Bang Global Geopark, thereby proposing reasonable development strategies in the future. The research using the multi-criteria assessment and SWOT analysis tool found that Cao Bang Global Geopark has a high ability to attract tourists and exploit large tourism resources globally. However, the infrastructure, technical facilities, human resources and investment capital for geotourism are still limited and need to be improved. The research results can be considered useful references for academia and managers in finding strategies and solutions for sustainable geotourism development at Cao Bang Geopark in the future.

Complex spatiotemporal changes in land-use and ecosystem services in the Jeju Island UNESCO heritage and biosphere site (Republic of Korea)

SummaryJeju Island, designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site, continues to face the anthropogenic pressures of reckless development for regional tourism and economic revitalization purposes. Because land use/land cover (LULC) affects ecosystem services and human well-being, it is crucial to comprehensively identify the causes of changes in LULC based on long-term analyses. This study examined LULC changes on Jeju Island over 47 years from 1973 to 2019 and quantified changes in four ecosystem services: habitat quality, carbon stock, water yield and cumulative viewshed. From 1973 to 1998, forest land increased from 22% to 56%, but these restoration efforts were conducted in grassland, reducing that land type from 42% to 17%. This process increased the areas of highest habitat quality from 68% to 73%, and carbon stock increased from 20 to 30 million tonnes. Between 1998 and 2009, the area of cropland more than doubled from 21% to 44%. As a result, the areas of highest habitat quality decreased from 73% to 49%, and carbon stock decreased from 3.0 million tonnes to 2.3 million tonnes. Our analysis could help stakeholders and policymakers to develop their management planning and improve ecosystem services through restoration and conservation policies on Jeju Island.

Reassessment of Malaysia's Tourism Policy on Bidong Island

Tourism industry is an important component in the service industry and plays a key role towards the economic sustainability. However unprecedented, and continuous developments in the tourism industry have exposed to many threats such as physical destruction of fauna and flora, ocean acidification, coral mining, and invasion of species. Looking into these considerations, this study aimed to discuss the reassessment of Malaysia’s tourism policy focusing on UNESCO heritage sites and underwater cultural heritage in Bidong Island, Terengganu. The uniqueness of Bidong Island creates an important value as one of Malaysia’s significant assets which need to be conserved and preserved of its heritage values and amazing resources. Apart from being rich with natural resources, this incredible island has rare and amazing biodiversity, exclusively for a wealth of unique marine life. Nevertheless, Bidong Island still lags in development as one of the tourist destinations as this island has the potential to generate the economy of the state of Terengganu. Therefore, this study aims (i) to re-evaluate Malaysia's tourism policy toward Bidong Island; (ii) to analyze the framework based on the development and conservation of UNESCO heritage and underwater cultural heritage, and (iii) lastly, to examine the 360-degree application to strengthen the tourism sector in Bidong Island. This study employed a qualitative design, relying on field observation and interviews with the selected informants that are directly involved in the tourism development sector. The findings of the study highlighted the need for comprehensive action in structuring Malaysian tourism policy in Bidong Island during the unprecedented disruptions by COVID-19. These include planning strategies to encourage the sustainability recovery, fostering digital transition, and shifting to a greener tourism system, and directing for the future. Based on these claims, this study proposes action plans that need to be emphasized by the government to develop Bidong Island as part of UNESCO heritage sites and underwater cultural heritage by determining the stakeholder roles, planning executions, and identifying and evaluating cultural assets. The study also proposes a 360-degree application in the tourism industry as aligned with Malaysia’s tourism policy from 2020 to 2030. Guided by these findings, this study able to provide insights in booming the tourism industry activities at Bidong Island as well as offers helpful suggestions to government officials, scholars and tourism firms to reinvest and revitalize Bidong Island as a resilient and sustainable tourism sector.

Digitization of Urban Heritage Preservation Practices for Vilnius City

For UNESCO Heritage site Vilnius City, urban heritage preservation (UHP) is an important task aimed at monitoring various risks associated with preservation of heritage valuables in urban heritage areas. Those valuables can be small and large, tangible and intangible: building façade, building doors, windows, roof elements, gates, panorama view on a heritage site, heights of the building, volumes of the building, etc. Risks to heritage valuables may vary from gradual and cumulative processes (such as age-related degradation) to sudden and catastrophic events (such as floods, fires, or armed conflict). There are also risks connected to the intentional or unintentional destruction of cultural heritage. Those usually are the cases of city infrastructure development and purposeful rebuilding of the heritage objects.

Mining Heritage and Mining Landscape Krušnohoří/Erzgebirge as a Part of the UNESCO Heritage

The article deals with the perception and methods of management of the mining heritage and mining the landscapes from the perspective of individual stakeholders, entities and interest groups. The first part deals with the conceptualization of heritage in general, discussing various ways of defining and looking at heritage; later, the general discussion focuses on a specific group of heritage, which is the mining heritage. The following is an introduction to the area of interest of the Jáchymov region (part of the Ore Mountains, i.e., an area characterized by a long mining history and a number of mining monuments). It is important, mainly, because it is part of the world heritage; the Mining Cultural Landscape of the Krušnohoří/Erzgebirge was added to the UNESCO list in 2019. The second part of the article is devoted to field research in the Jáchymov region. The aim of the research was to find out how the mining heritage in the Jáchymov region is treated, and how and for what purposes it is used. Representatives of the public, private and non-profit sectors from the local, regional and national levels were involved in the research. Research is a comprehensive view of the process of heritage formation and management.

Evaluation of Kastamonu Tourism Studies in terms of Institutionalization and Local Development in the Preparation Process for UNESCO Heritage Lists and Programs

Özet
 Amaç: Bu çalışma, Kastamonu’nun UNESCO Miras Listeleri ve Programlarına hazırlık sürecini yerel kalkınma ve kurumsallaşma açısından değerlendirerek literatüre katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır.
 Yöntem: Örnek olay çalışmasından yararlanılmıştır. 
 Bulgular: Şehirlerin UNESCO Programları ve Miras Listeleri hazırlık süreçleri farklı aktörler arasında iş birliği geliştirmeyi ve iş birliği kültürü oluşturmayı teşvik eder.
 Tartışma: Turizm pek çok ulusal ekonomi için gelir kaynağı yaratan önemli bir sektör, 2019 yılında 1,4 milyar dolar uluslararası turizm gelirleri ile istihdama katkı sunuyor (UNWTO, 2020). Etkisinin büyüklüğü destinasyonlar arasındaki rekabeti artırırken her bir destinasyon marka değerini artırmaya yönelik çalışmalara da hız veriyor. Bu değeri olumlu yönde etkileyen unsurlardan biri de destinasyonun belli standartlara sahip olduğunu gösteren uluslararası etiketler ya da bir diğer ifade ile marka değeri taşımalarıdır. Bu noktada, Türkiye’de de destinasyonlar uluslararası ağlara dahil olmak için önemli çalışmalar yapmaktadır. Özellikle son yıllarda, artan başvuru sayısı ile öne çıkan UNESCO Yaratıcı Şehirler Ağı, şehirlerin marka değerlerini artırmak için hazırlandıkları rekabetçi programlardan biridir. 7 yaratıcı tema üzerine kurulu programa, Kastamonu da gastronomi şehri olmak için çalışmalarını sürdürmektedir. Bu çalışmada Kastamonu UNESCO Yaratıcı Şehirler Ağı hazırlık sürecinin kurumsallaşma ve yerel kalkınmaya etkileri değerlendirilecektir.

Investigations on alternate lime-pozzolana based mortars for repair of heritage structures

Lime was one of the predominantly used construction materials during ancient times world over. However, its prominence was repressed with the invention of cement. Though cement was found to be useful in many applications in construction industry, it was ascertained detrimental as a repair material particularly for heritage structures. The primary reason is the incompatibility of cement with the substrate (ancient lime) and masonry units in terms of mechanical and durability characteristics. From the previous investigations on ancient mortars performed at UNESCO heritage listed Ramappa temple and two other temples in Warangal fort, the binder was found to be lime and the fine aggregate used was siliceous sand. Also, the binder in the ancient mortars was in between weak and moderate hydraulicity. In view of this and some specific interests, it was thought that lime can be a better repair material. Since, lime characteristics depend on its source and location, in the present study, physical, mechanical and durability characteristics of two aerial limes (Lime-I and Lime-II) based mortars with replacements of fly ash/Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) from 0 to 75% were focused. In the present work, 1:3 and 1:1 mix proportions of lime-based mortars were studied for mechanical and durability studies. Among the binders, Lime-fly ash and Lime-GGBS binders required lower water content than pure aerial lime binders (Lime-I and Lime-II) for attaining similar consistency. Lime-GGBS binders exhibited faster setting characteristics than lime-fly ash binders and pure aerial lime binders (Lime-I and Lime-II). Among the mortars considered, Lime-II based 1:1 proportion mortar with 66% replacement level of lime with GGBS showed highest mechanical strength properties with compressive and transverse strengths of 9.02 MPa and 2.46 MPa respectively. It showed least porosity, water absorption and rate of strength loss to alkali (NaOH) immersion with 31.23%, 18.52% and 9.42% respectively. However, lower capillary absorption of 0.39 Kg/(m2.min0.5) was attained for a Lime-II based 1:1 proportion mortar with 75% replacement level of lime with GGBS. All the lime-based mortars exhibited good thermal resistance. Salt crystallization resistance was better exhibited by 1:1 mix proportion lime-GGBS based mortars. However, least drying shrinkage of 1.02 mm/m after 70 days was obtained for Lime-II based 1:3 proportion mortar with 75% replacement of lime with fly ash. Lime-GGBS based mortars specifically with 66% replacement of lime with GGBS exhibited better mechanical and durability characteristics. Also, these mortars showed close resemblance with the physical properties of ancient mortars like porosity and were made of similar materials like lime and siliceous sand, thereby establishing their potential as repair material for heritage structures.

Interpreting the Diachronic Past: Time and the Archaeological Record in the Presentation of Mediterranean World Heritage Sites

ABSTRACT Archaeological sites constitute ideal locations for visitors to get in touch with the past, although their fragmentary nature can pose multiple challenges regarding their understanding. In this paper, the diachrony of the archaeological record is argued to be a handicap in the public interpretation of sites. Several temporal features of the archaeological record are discussed from a theoretical point of view, as well as their implications for the presentation of archaeological sites to non-expert audiences. The article also aims to explore how diachrony is conveyed in predominantly sun-and-beach touristic contexts. For this purpose, the interpretive exhibits of seven UNESCO heritage sites from Malta, Sardinia, Ibiza and Minorca are analysed. Finally, some conclusions are drawn regarding good practices on presentation and comprehension of archaeological sites.

Ancestral and vernacular architecture as contemporary heritage, tourist and cultural resource. The case of the “palafitos” and the route of the 16 UNESCO heritage churches of Chiloé, Chile

The present study aims to explore how spaces designed with ancestral and vernacular architecture can become a heritage, tourist and cultural resource.The analysis of the stilt houses and the route of the 16 UNESCO heritage churches of Chiloé, Chile has been selected as a case study, since: (1) it is an ancestral and vernacular architecture unique in the world, (2) they are part of the cultural and patrimonial tourist offer of the Chilean Patagonia, (3) has a balance of patrimonial and intangible material conservation that has managed to keep the gentrification and identity of the territory under control, (4) its 16 churches have been declared patrimonial by UNESCO.The methodology is developed through the analysis of a complete palafito from the constructive and architectural point of view, together with a church part of the patrimonial route. Followed by an analysis of press headlines and interviews, based on established parameters that allow understanding the link between architecture, transformation into a cultural and tourist resource together, and gentrification. It is concluded that the vernacular architecture of stilt houses and churches in Chiloé configures a valuable contemporary heritage resource that must be preserved and asserted in balance with the tourist dimension that it attracts thanks to its uniqueness.

The adhesively-bonded glass brick system of the Qaammat Pavilion in Greenland: From research to realization

An adhesively bonded, solid-glass brick pavilion has been designed by Konstantin Arkitekter as a landmark within the Aasivissuit – Nipisat UNESCO heritage in Greenland. The sculptural glass structure, measuring approximately 3.2 m in diameter × 2 m in height, faces a diverse set of engineering challenges compared to existing adhesively bonded glass brick structures. Placed in a remote location in the arctic circle, it has to withstand winter temperatures as low as -35 °C, and be built under a limited budget with the aid of the local population. Hence, key for the successful construction of the pavilion is finding an adhesive that satisfies the structural and aesthetic requirements of the project and simultaneously provides a simple and fast construction that spares the need for specialized building crew and sophisticated equipment, and is able to withstand the polar winter temperatures. Applicability and shear tests in (i) lab temperature conditions and (ii)) -5 °C lead to the final selection of: (a) 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Polyurethane Adhesive DP610, which has a higher shear strength capacity, 1 mm gap filling capacity and is clear in colour, for bonding the bottom rows of the pavilion where higher strength is required due to the reduced overlapping of the bricks; and of (b) DOWSIL Experimental Fast Curing Adhesive developed by Dow Silicones Belgium particularly for this project, with a satisfactory shear strength, 3 mm gap filling capacity and white colour for the rest of the pavilion; its considerably larger gap filling capacity facilitates the ease of assembly as it can accommodate within the joint thickness the anticipated ± 1.5 mm standard size deviations of the soda-lime cast glass solid bricks and the possible accumulated deviations during construction. The paper further describes the application of the adhesive, first on a small-scale prototype, and then on site, and presents the encountered engineering and logistical challenges during the construction of the pavilion in Greenland.

The Methodological Principles of Setting Up Soil Monitoring in Protected Areas

The article discusses the methodology of organizing soil monitoring in the territory of Eastern Fennoscandia. The history of developing monitoring studies of soils is presented. The main stages of monitoring are shown. Soil monitoring requires an adequate selection of indicators to match the type of impact and the mission of the monitoring. The importance of complex studies in soil monitoring is shown. It is noted that it is possible to change the monitoring objects in response to the increase in anthropogenic impact. The need for international cooperation in monitoring the natural environment in connection with global climate change is discussed. Continuous and consistent observations based on integrated research are what enable a reliable assessment of the current state of the natural environment in protected areas. This particularly applies to soil monitoring in valuable UNESCO heritage sites (e.g., rock art – White Sea and Lake Onega petroglyphs).
 Keywords: natural environment, protected areas, soil monitoring

Extreme Longevity: Analysis of the Direct or Indirect Influence of Environmental Factors on Old, Nonagenarians, and Centenarians in Cilento, Italy.

Longevity is rightly considered one of the greatest achievements of modern society, an achievement understood as the possibility of increasing the healthy part of life and not only its full duration. This study investigated the phenomenon of regional longevity in Cilento by analyzing the association between longevity indicators and some environmental factors, in order to understand if factors such as altitude, climate, UNESCO protected areas, and hinterland can directly or indirectly influence the measure of healthy living and lead to longevity. Demographic and environmental data were collected through the Archives of the Cilento municipalities, the National Institute of Statistics, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, and the Italian National Commission for UNESCO. The Geographically Weighted Regression were used to determine the association between longevity indicators and environmental factors. Correlation analysis between the longevity indicators was investigated in order to have a complete picture of longevity in Cilento. It was discovered that Cilento longevity is mainly found in the central area of the territory and from there, by age groups, it widens towards the south-eastern area. This designated area is part of the hilly area of the Cilento, at an altitude between 400 and 700 m above sea level. The towns of this area are part of the UNESCO heritage and are characterized by a transitional climate between Mediterranean and temperate climate. Moreover, the correlation analysis between the six indicators of longevity has confirmed a linear relationship between the six variables and this indicates that in the years to come there will be the probabilities of a generational turn over between the old, great old, nonagenarians and current centenarians, provided that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic subsides.

A Walk through Urban Decay: al-Hattaba Is Worth Saving!

Beyond the glamour of Cairo history lies a different side of the city that unravels the unique beauty of urban decay. Al-Hattaba, a UNESCO heritage area, is caught in between these narrations of beauty and decay; the beautiful home whose inhabitants want to keep and grow, and the formally enlisted dangerous informal space subject to eviction and demolition.
 Al-Hattaba embraces the beauty of its rich and diverse history, growing through time. It beholds moments of prosperity, failure, change, beauty, and loss.
 Urban decay photography is used to interpret al-Hattaba’s controversy and explore the bonds between time and memory. We take the reader through a visual journey in al-Hattaba.
 It constitutes a photo-sequence that considers al-Hattaba in reflection of its background context, the Citadel of Saladin; historic and residential buildings, some abandoned and attempts of local renovation. This urban setting reflects a rich visual diversity that witnessed its changes through time. We argue that the essence of al-Hattaba’s beauty is in its urban decay. It is a space that will never fail to amaze its visitors with its hidden beauty.