World Heritage Research Articles

Between Transcendental and National: Wooden Churches of Slovakia

ABSTRACT The Eastern Carpathian Mountain region is home to Slavic peoples, who celebrate the bringing of Christianity by Saints Cyril and Methodius in the ninth century. The mountainous region retains small village churches, some dating from the eighteenth century, each established within agrarian communities by Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox denominations. Despite village subjugation under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Nazi occupation, Russian “liberation” and Socialist-era suppression of non-Orthodox denominations, these exquisite vernacular structures have remained and illustrate the continuing transcendental experience for worshipers but also now shared with those who celebrate them as symbols of national resistance, as well as tourists who come to experience them as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Sharing a common church object, traditional typological and formal aesthetic approaches that have been established by researchers for these structures are contrasted against a phenomenologically rooted set of embodied modes for meaning across examples from extant structures within Slovakia. Embodied approaches provide, via modes of lived experience, a deep offering into what each church shares with their ecological landscape, village, and history; a holistic visceral tapestry key to their appreciation complimenting the typological and differently affirming their continuing value.

The use of heritage in the place-making of a culture and leisure community: Liangzhu Culture Village in Hangzhou, China

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the use of heritage – or, rather, heritages – in place-making in the Chinese context, through the lens of a case study of Liangzhu Culture Village (LCV), a newly built residential community near a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Based on archival research and ethnographic fieldwork conducted from 2019 to 2022, this study finds that not only Liangzhu heritage but also Buddhist and Confucian intangible heritages are used in place-making. The findings show that Liangzhu heritage functions through a top-down mechanism by which stakeholders such as the government and heritage experts formulate policies and strategies concerning urban development and heritage conservation and the real estate developer uses heritage to promote its projects. Some tangible and intangible heritage attributes are used to enrich the community’s cultural flavour and foster residents’ attachment to the community. Tangible elements of Liangzhu’s heritage are expressed in the built environment, such as the layout and naming of key roads, public spaces and cultural facilities. The local residents’ meaning-making of Liangzhu heritage is related to their national identity and national pride. Also, Liangzhu heritage provides the residents with tourism and leisure opportunities. The residents tend to use traditional Chinese heritages in their daily lives as a way of fostering attachment to the community and enhancing their relationships. The study contributes to a better understanding of heritage’s complex role in urban development.

Resident well-being and perceptions of World Heritage Site management: divide between urban and rural WHSs

ABSTRACT This comparative case study focuses on residents’ subjective well-being (SWB) and their perceptions of conservation and tourism in two prominent World Heritage Sites (WHSs) in Turkey, i.e. (rural) Cappadocia and (urban) Istanbul’s Historical Peninsula, to evaluate them in tandem with their governance frameworks. A modified SWB survey instrument is administered to residents in both WHSs. The most notable differences in SWB surface in community, environment, and standard of living domains favouring Cappadocia – underlining tourism’s varied influence on SWB domains in rural and urban settings. While the perceived association between conservation and tourism is stronger in Cappadocia, Istanbul’s residents view conservation more positively. These differences point towards conservation’s perceived instrumental role in facilitating tourism development in rural WHSs and the disconnection of urban WHS residents from conservation efforts and tourism management. Our findings suggest SWB may complement tourism impact analysis and build a bridge between residents, policymakers, and administrators. Addressing the disconnection between residents and tourism and conservation-related frameworks and initiatives to increase resident awareness of heritage value are suggested as potential contributors to the long-term viability of WHSs as heritage tourism destinations.

UNESCO, mining heritage and the scalar sustainability of tourism geographies at industrial World Heritage Sites

PurposeIndustrial heritage works within a world of contradictions, contentions and scalar liminality. Archaeologists and historians focus upon oral histories and discourses of tangible and intangible memory and heritage while planners and economists see industrial World Heritage, in particular, as a marketing ploy to redevelop deindustrialized spaces. Within this liminality, we explore the potential for geographical perspectives to solder such contradictions into transdisciplinary heritage assessments and tourism contexts. How might the spatial tools of landscape and scalar analyses expose alternative and sustainable futures within broader patterns of industrial heritage management and consumption?Design/methodology/approachUsing three comparative cases, interview and landscape methods and conducting discourse analysis within a spatial and scalar framework, we explore the increasing presence of industrial World Heritage.FindingsWe present both an institutional reflection upon the complexities of heritage discourse across complex spatial configurations and the intersectional historical, cultural, political, environmental and economic geographies that guide and emerge out of World Heritage Designations. Framed scalarly and spatially, we highlight common interpretation, tourism and heritage management styles and concerns found across industrial World Heritage. We point out trans-scalar considerations for future municipalities and regions looking to utilize their industrial landscapes and narratives.Originality/valueWe believe that more theoretical groundings in space and scale may lead to both the flexibility and the applicability needed to assess and, in turn, manage trans-scalar and trans-spatial complex heritage sites. These perspectives may be uniquely poised to assess the complex geographies of industrial, particularly mining, World Heritage Sites.

Characterizing the seismic response and basin structure of Cusco (Peru): implications for the seismic hazard assessment of a World Heritage Site

Characterizing the seismic response and basin structure of Cusco (Peru): implications for the seismic hazard assessment of a World Heritage Site

Smart village - new strategy for the development of Piniq’s reality

Finiq is an Albanian municipality located near the ancient city of Phoeniciae in southern Albania. It is located a few kilometres from the Greek border and a few kilometers from the Ionian Sea. Finiq is located almost at the foot of the slope of the hill on which this ancient city had developed, almost to represent its contemporary continuity. Many problems have plagued this village, including depopulation, isolation from the main roads of the region, and a loss of identity. Analyzing the city of Finiq, however, many resources can be used for greater enhancement of the municipality. What characterizes them is the strategic position close to the elongated and characteristic hill, from whose summit you can admire all the pan- orama, from the plain to the hills to Lake Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ancient city of Phoinike has developed on top of the relief and is a settlement that finds its most accomplished monumental expression around the middle of the third century B.C. also becoming the capital of the region, of which today some traces remain, such as the cyclopean walls, the ancient entrance, the theatre. Among the most important archaeological emergencies of the area, in fact, there is the mon- astery of San Nicola, which stands on a hill, surrounded by the wide bend of the river Bistricta. The ancient complex included a large wall with seven watchtowers, of which today only a few traces remain. Within the walls survives only the Byzantine monument, still used by the community for the celebration of their religious rites. Other small villages were merged into the municipality of Finiq, such as Aliko, Dhiver, Livad- hja, and Mesopotam. Finiq and the other towns could be conceived from the perspective of a smart village, enhancing the strengths of rural reality, and starting a transformation from tourism: the naturalistic and historical cultural potential can allow the villages of the area to become an important attraction of the area, obtaining visibility and funding for its development. By smart village, we mean a rural area that, starting from its potential, tries to find solutions for its territory. At the basis of this challenge are the communities themselves that implement a series of strategies and shared projects to achieve a common goal: the development and growth of their rural area. In conclusion, this study aims to analyze other "smart" villages in Europe, which started from the enhancement of their heritage for the development of their area: each area is different from the others and each project is different from the others, but the common results are comparable. From these "case studies", it will be possible to under- stand how Finiq can become "smart", and which approach is needed to strengthen the area.

Digitalization and Protection of Cultural Heritage by Establishing a Sustainable Legal Framework

The regulatory framework for protecting cultural heritage implies the need to implement an adequate international legal framework for achieving better care and preservation of our historical and cultural heritage as part of the world heritage. Looking up to rapid developments in digitalisation, in the light of regulating complex management processes, requires the establishment of sustainable legal and regulatory framework in comply with the highest standards of protection of cultural heritage.

Cultural Sustainability in the Historic Environment: An Application of Structural Functionalism Theory

ABSTRACT Approaches to cultural sustainability in the historic environment aims to recognise and leverage their inherent cultural potential. Historic areas have been the focus of increased attention due to their significant cultural capacity compared to other urban areas. This study aims to develop a conceptual model for cultural sustainability in historic environments, using Structural Functionalism Theory as its analytical framework. Cultural sustainability is conceptualised as a comprehensive construct, with its components drawn from various charters, declarations, and international protocols related to the preservation of historic sites, established by organisations like the Organisation of World Heritage Cities, UNESCO, and ICOMOS since the 1990s. Some components have also been chosen based on prior research. Through documentary research and literature reviews, the functions of each component are aligned with Structural Functionalism Theory. The research results offer a detailed analysis of the cultural sustainability system. In this framework, symbolic capital, cultural neighbourhoods, authenticity, and value serve the functions of adaptation, goal attainment, integrity, and latent pattern maintenance, respectively. This analysis follows the principles of the Structural Functionalism Theory by examining the distinct functions and roles of these components at the secondary level. The historic environment of Dardasht provides a practical example where the model has been applied.

Gauging the threat of invasive species to UNESCO world heritage sites relative to other anthropogenic threats

Gauging the threat of invasive species to UNESCO world heritage sites relative to other anthropogenic threats

230 Optimising Outdoor Recreational Activities in Bali, Indonesia: The Significance of the Cultural Landscape Subak as a Health-Enhancing Environment

Abstract Purpose Subak – the terraced rice landscapes of Bali – appears to be more protected and better preserved than the rest of the greenspaces in Indonesia. As one of the first studies of outdoor recreational activities in the cultural landscape subak, this study aims to describe the significance of this environment – which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site – for the activities to promote and improve health and well-being. Methods The study compiled a quantitative questionnaire answered by fifty-eight respondents, five semi-structured in-depth interviews, and a series of participant observations. Results Based on mixed methods analyses, the results revealed: (1) outdoor recreational activities in the subak areas have yielded benefits, namely improved cognitive and social skills, as well as an enhanced state of health and well-being, (2) the role of the subak areas in facilitating outdoor recreational activities has shown cognitive, emotional, and behavioural changes in the study participants, and (3) outdoor recreational activities in the subak areas have fostered a more environmentally conscious mindset that helps improve human health and well-being. Conclusions This study elucidated possible implications that underlined the activities in the subak as a way to adopt pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) and thereby helped improve human health and well-being, protect the subak environment, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of this study, particularly SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production. Overall, the mixed methods analysis applied in the study provided new transcendent perspectives that in future research can form the starting point to emphasise the significance of the greenspaces, namely the cultural landscape subak, as a health-enhancing environment for outdoor recreational activities to promote and improve health and well-being. Funding The fieldwork was funded by the Swedish government Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) through a scholarship of 27,000 SEK.

Economic risks of environmental setbacks in Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park

SummaryIguaçu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces threats from proposed legislation aimed at downgrading its protection to allow reopening of the Caminho-do-Colono road, which would fragment the National Park. This study assesses the National Park’s importance in preserving native vegetation and its economic significance via payments for environmental services. We evaluated different scenarios, demonstrating how these resources are vital for certain municipalities. By comparing economic performance before and after the road’s closure, our findings reveal that, contrary to local beliefs, the closure did not negatively impact the local economy. Additionally, these legislative bills are legally infeasible and fail to offer environmental or economic benefits, favouring small interest groups over the collective good. This research highlights that the Caminho-do-Colono road is not a viable approach to municipal development. Instead, maintaining the National Park’s integrity is crucial for both ecological preservation and economic stability in the region. Our analysis underscores the broader implications of environmental conservation efforts and the necessity of rejecting projects that compromise protected areas. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the National Park’s role, emphasizing the need for sustainable development that aligns with environmental and community well-being.

Preventive conservation – a means of sustainability of cultural heritage: The case of the M’Zab Valley

Abstract The management of heritage sites is fundamental to their conservation and sustainability, and more broadly, it contributes to the preservation of the environment. This article highlights the conservation plan developed for one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Algerian context: the M’Zab Valley in Ghardaïa. It has managed to preserve its specific character over the centuries thanks to the management operations that have been necessary for its continuity. The main question of this study is what are the management actions adopted in the M’Zab Valley with regard to the Ksourian architectural heritage to ensure its sustainability? Given the exploratory nature of this research, we chose a qualitative and inductive method. The study is based on a combination of several investigative tools: interviews, observations and photographs. The aim of the article is to highlight the efforts made by the Algerian public authorities and the local community to implement cultural heritage management measures in a particular context. The results of the analysis reveal, first, that the implementation of the permanent plan for the safeguarding and enhancement of the protected sector of the M’Zab Valley has proven itself in the preservation of monuments, sites and historic buildings, but also all the contexts associated with the daily life of people. Second, the rehabilitation operations of the historic ksour shall ensure the authenticity of the buildings and their integrity with the environment will be kept while adapting them to the current needs of users. Third, the combination of efforts between public institutions, the Office for the Protection and Promotion of the Valley of M’Zab, the local community and associations avoided the weakening of traditions and ancestral values through awareness missions, heritage education programmes, the application of heritage laws and regulations, and scientific and historical documentation of local heritage. Finally, the involvement of the local community in all operations on their local heritage ensures the transfer of local knowledge.

Memorial museums as an object for studying cultural and historical heritage in the system of modern education

Introduction. Preservation and study of cultural and historical heritage is one of the strategic tasks of modern society. UNESCO has played a major role in the implementation of these tasks for many years. UNESCO suggests that cultural and educational tourism, as a way of consuming cultural attractions, among which museums occupy an important place, is an effective method of studying world heritage. The purpose of the article is to prove the role of memorial museums as an objects of cultural and educational tourism and a factor in the study of cultural and historical heritage. Materials and methods. The research materials and methods are based on an analysis of the specifics of memorial museums as an object of study of cultural and historical heritage. The methodological basis is the theory of museum communication, the theory of “memory studies”, as well as methodological aspects of the study of cultural and historical heritage in the system of modern education. The research materials are based both on traditional methods and on the use of an interdisciplinary approach, including sociocultural and activity methods. Results. The results of the study are based on the analysis of information on the topic of educational and scientific activities of two modern memorial museums: The State Memorial Historical-Literary and NaturalLandscape Museum-Reserve of A. S. Pushkin “Mikhailovskoye” and the State Memorial Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad, which have a unique history and status as objects of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Authors analyze media files from museum data, materials from online broadcasts of conferences, seminars and round tables, interviews, lectures and publications of researchers. Conclusion. The conducted research helps to determine further ways of developing educational tourism and the role of the memorial museum as an object for studying cultural and historical heritage with the aim of using it in the process of educational and outreach activities.

Unveiling the deterioration formation process of the rammed earth city wall site of the Ancient City of Pingyao, a World Heritage Site: occurrence, characterizations, and historic environmental implications

Unveiling the deterioration formation process of the rammed earth city wall site of the Ancient City of Pingyao, a World Heritage Site: occurrence, characterizations, and historic environmental implications

Place and Memory in Commemorating Remembrance of George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site

This paper seeks to delve into the dynamic interplay between place and memory at the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a focus on how its physical monuments serve as vessels for collective memory and narrators of the city's history. This study engages with theoretical perspectives of memory and place to analyze commemorative processes and evaluates their role in maintaining cultural continuity and identity. The study conducted semi-structured interviews and distribute surveys among a carefully selected cross-section of George Town's populace, thus ensuring a representative narrative mosaic. The inquiry will include an assessment of the site and exploring its significance in the community's social fabric. The study recognizes the complexity of interpreting memories within ever-changing urban landscapes and addresses potential biases. Childhood memories, especially when structures remain, shape a person's image of a place. Their tales demonstrate their love for it. The length of a person's relationship with a place most affects their opinion. Long-term residents like it more. Place and memory are vital to commemorating George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This relationship must frequently be adapted to urban life. The city acknowledges memory interpretation, resolves prejudices about memorial traditions, and embraces inclusive narratives to preserve cultural memory for future generations. The outcomes will offer new insights into conservation strategies and enrich our understanding of historical urban environments.

Urban Language Practices in a UNESCO World Heritage Site: A Case Study of George Town, Penang

The case of multilingual and multicultural George Town World Heritage Site (GTWHS) illustrates that language practices among its urban community are varied across different settings and interlocutors. The study aims to identify current language practices in GTWHS, particularly those influenced by urban space and repertoires. Using a mixed-method research design, the study included a sample size of 156 respondents and covered areas in both the Core and Buffer Zones of George Town, Penang. Data analysis then comprises discussions on language repertoires of the interlocutors within the domains of the respective social interactions. Findings of the study show that the use of English, Malay, Mandarin and code-switching are several of the patterns of language use that can be observed in the city. The ability to style shift among the respondents is also indicative of language patterns that interact with both the physical and social settings that they belong to. As a result, these language practices can be fluid in order to facilitate the needs of the communicative activities as the interlocutors relocate themselves in different spaces or domains within the George Town city. More importantly, the study highlights heterogenous populace, linguistic repertoire and cultural practices as determinants that further characterise the overall cityscape of urban social environment and its speech community.

The Influence of Contamination from Concrete Materials on the Growth and Accumulation of Metals within an Invasive Weed (Salix spp.)

Urban riparian vegetation is frequently dominated by invasive weeds, whose growth is often attributed to the elevated nitrogen and phosphorous in urban waters and soils. However, less recognition is given to other urban contaminants that may influence riparian vegetation. Previous studies have indicated that the dissolution of concrete modifies water and soil geochemistry and potentially enhances the growth of invasive species. This study investigated the relationship between urban water quality and the growth of an invasive urban riparian weed, willow (Salix spp.), to examine the contribution and influence of concrete materials. The study used water from endangered upland peat wetlands within and adjoining the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, many of which are in urban catchments and suffer degradation from water pollution and invasive weeds. In this study, willow cuttings were grown in a laboratory using four water treatments: pristine (non-urban), urban, and non-urban water exposed to two different concrete materials. The urban and concrete-exposed water treatments were associated with increased plant growth measures in addition to increased concentrations of barium and strontium that bioaccumulated in plant tissue.

Eocene maar sediments record warming of up to 3.5 °C during a hyperthermal event 47.2 million years ago

Eocene hyperthermal events reflect profound perturbations of the global carbon cycle. Most of our knowledge about their onset, timing, and rates originates from marine records. Hence, the pacing and magnitude of hyperthermal continental warming remains largely unaccounted for due to a lack of high-resolution climate records. Here we use terrestrial biomarkers and carbon isotopes retrieved from varved lake deposits of the UNESCO World Heritage site ‘Messel Fossil Pit’ (Germany) to quantify sub-millennial to millennial-scale temperature and carbon isotope changes across hyperthermal event C21n-H1 (47.2 million years ago). Our results show maximum warming of ca. 3.5 °C during C21n-H1. We propose that two components are responsible for the warming pattern across the hyperthermal: (1) the massive release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere-ocean system and (2) half-precession orbital forcing indicated by ~12.000-year temperature cycles. The carbon isotope record of bulk organic matter indicates a sharp, 7‰ decrease at the peak of the hyperthermal, corresponding to increased organic carbon content and a shift in the lake algal community. Collectively, our proxy data reveal the structure of continental temperature response during the hyperthermal event that is characterized by overall warming with a superimposed pattern of sub-orbital scale temperature fluctuations.

Urban Guidelines and Strategic Plan for a UNESCO World Heritage Candidate Site: The Historical Centre of Sharjah (UAE)

Urban Guidelines and Strategic Plan for a UNESCO World Heritage Candidate Site: The Historical Centre of Sharjah (UAE)

Application and Development of Firefighting Technologies in Industrial Heritage: Experiences and Insights from Macau

Due to the irreversible nature of the consequences of fire, fire protection is a major challenge and source of problems for all types of built heritage. This study aims to establish sustainable fire protection technology strategies by generalizing fire prevention and control technologies and measures against extended burns. This study aims to explore Macau’s industrial heritage’s historical development and technological applications in the field of fire protection using literature analysis, field investigation, and spatial information visualization methods. It will be carried out using the industrial heritage of Macau as the object and systematic analyses from the screening and processing of fire protection historical data, fire risk assessment, and the migration of fire protection focus. The results show that (1) the fire protection of the industrial heritage of Macau has gone through a total of three phases: passive fire protection, transition of fire protection methods, and active fire protection, and the relied-upon fire protection technologies have been iterated and renewed continuously during this period. (2) When the fire load factors of industrial heritage increase, the fire vulnerability assessment substantially changes, and the center of gravity of heritage fire protection shifts from controlling the scope of disaster to reducing the fire risk. (3) The construction of a suitable and effective ecological model of fire protection technology can provide appropriate fire protection solutions for the preservation and reuse of Macau’s industrial heritage in a complex cultural context. Therefore, this study will help to solve the current dilemma of sustainable application and development of fire protection technology for industrial heritage. This study hopes to provide ideas and strategies for reference on industrial heritage fire protection issues in the development of similar world heritage cities.