World Heritage Research Articles

The legacy of Erich Mendelsohn – expression and context in the architecture of Modern Movement.

In 2021, the international community of architectural and art historians started the so called “Erich Mendelsohn Initiative”, with the goal of inscribing the architectural legacy of Erich Mendelsohn on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Despite some efforts, the final list of nominated buildings, along with the Statement of their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the title of the nomination has not yet been established. This article presents a new, authorial look at Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy in view of the UNESCO World Heritage. It analyses the global significance of Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy in the opinions of leading architectural historians of the 20th century. The article puts forward the preliminary list of Mendelsohn’s realisations which should embody his legacy, the criteria for assessment their historical value and the proposed title of the nomination. The main part of the article is defining the first two sections of the “Statement of Outstanding Universal Value”, to be presented in the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. According to the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention they are: the “Brief synthesis”, and the “Justification for Criteria”. In conclusion, the author argues, that the most significant qualities of Erich Mendelsohn’s architectural works are their strong expression and their dialog with the local context. Therefore, these features should be the main subjects of the Outstanding Universal Value Statement, the title and in the main narrative points of the nomination dossier for the inscription of Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Venice Charter – between protection and socially useful purpose.

The principles of the Venice Charter are still invoked worldwide as a crucial reference point in discussions and practices related to heritage preservation. However, the Charter’s lack of clarity in defining stakeholders and procedural steps raises significant issues about who has the authority to determine the appropriateness of new functions for monuments. This deficiency can lead to decision-making that might not fully consider the diverse cultural values and historical significance of the sites, potentially resulting in conservation outcomes that are more economically than socially driven. This paper examines how national and international conservation policies have expanded upon the Venice Charter to address social participation and the concept of "socially useful purposes" in World Heritage site management. Focusing on Germany and Poland World Heritage cities, the study explores how national and international guidelines have expanded upon the Venice Charter to incorporate social participation and the concept of "socially useful purposes" in the management of World Heritage sites. It delves into the role of Site Management Plans as dynamic documents that have evolved from strict preservation frameworks to policies encompassing social participation, thereby enhancing community engagement and meeting a broader spectrum of conservation needs and stakeholder interests.

Sustainable livelihoods following an extreme event: Post‐earthquake practices of the Tibetan community in Jiuzhaigou World Heritage site, China

Sustainable livelihoods following an extreme event: Post‐earthquake practices of the Tibetan community in Jiuzhaigou World Heritage site, China

Responsible tourist behavior in ecotourism: the roles of value, satisfaction and intention

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate and analyze the decisive factors that affect tourists’ environmentally responsible behaviour in tourism sites. The relationship between perceived value (PV), ecotourism intention (EI), satisfaction (S) and environmentally responsible tourist behaviour (TB) were discussed in the study. The research sample consists of the visitors of Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of India. The survey used convenience sampling methods with 189 domestic tourists and then analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results establish that perceived value and ecotourism intention directly affect environmentally responsible behaviour. However, satisfaction does not have any impact on responsible behaviour of tourists, which suggests that satisfied tourists do not necessarily mean responsible tourists and a more strategic approach is needed to be developed. These strategies are discussed in the managerial implications and recommendations for future research.

Impact of climatic-meteorological conditions on Polish wooden cultural heritage: an example of world heritage sites featuring wooden churches near Krakow

Poland has many wooden churches that require special protection under current climatic conditions. In this study, geographicl, land use, hydrological, climate, and meteorological data were collected for the area under investigation. Taking the six wooden churches near Krakow, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as examples, I qualitatively and quantitatively explored the impact of climatic conditions on the cultural heritage sites of Poland. Findings include the following: (i) the region is located at the headwaters of Polish rivers, with higher elevations making it less prone to major floods, thus reducing hydraulic impact on wooden churches; (ii) although the fire risk in the area of the wooden churches studied in this research is relatively low compared with that in Poland as a whole, the buffer zones of the wooden churches consist mainly of forests, grasslands, and farmland, with a low proportion of artificial surfaces and minimal human activity, leading to significant fire risks, notably, the Church of the Archangel Michael in Binarowa faces the greatest fire risk, with a fire weather index near 50%; (iii) under current climatic conditions, the relative humidity around the wooden churches typically exceeds safe levels for wooden structures year-round, only falling within protective ranges during the summer; (iv) on the basis of historical climate conditions over the past 40 years, the relative humidity in September and total annual precipitation in the study area show a significant increasing trend, indicating that the moisture protection pressure on the wooden churches in the area is expected to increase in the future. Finally, I offer specific guidelines for safeguarding and restoring Poland’s wooden churches, focusing on moisture control, insulation, and drainage. This study is expected to offer potential data and theoretical support for future related work.

A Ranking Analysis of Geological and Engineering Factors of Historical Monuments’ Stability Response: A Case Study of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine

The historical monuments of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” play an important role in the context of preserving the UNESCO World Heritage. The scientific understanding of the buildings and structures safety management the priority of conducting repair and restoration works, the organization of their technical condition monitoring, and changes in the components of the geological environment in their locations is crucial. The purpose of this study is to identify potentially hazardous areas on the territory of the Lavra for the operation of structures by conducting a point-based integral assessment of the stability potential of the natural and technogenic system with the integration of geospatial methods and to rank the structures using the analytical hierarchy process. According to the modeling results by 17 stability factors and using ArcGIS, 37% (8.7 ha) of the Lavra territory is located in the zone of moderate hazard, 23% (5.4 ha) in the zone of potential hazard, where the manifestation and conditions of more than five dangerous engineering and geological processes intersect, and 40% (9.4 ha) in the zone of relative safety. In each zone, 10 representative structures were selected for ranking according to the stability of natural and technogenic operating conditions and their current technical condition, which is determined by nine criteria. The analysis using two methods identified the areas most at risk from seasonal fluctuations and possible military impacts and allowed us to scientifically substantiate the priority of repair and restoration work and the possibility of properly planning management measures for the selected structures, as well as to offer recommendations for improving the monitoring of the geological environment of the Lavra.

Joint Management Plans in World Heritage serial nominations: the case of Álvaro Siza’s Modern Contextualism Legacy

One of the most important challenges faced by any listed cultural heritage is the development of a management system that conveys a resilient and integrated approach that can sustain its values for future generations. Management is one of the main factors affecting World Heritage Sites; thus, the increased complexity of a serial nomination enhances this risk. By integrating different stakeholders, a Joint Management Plan (JMP) is a key tool to settle common procedures and help different managers maintain a satisfactory balance in safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in each component part. This paper aims to provide a framework for the development of JMPs for serial nominations, with support on the nomination proposal “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”. Methods result from the cross-analysis of (i) policy analysis; (ii) archival research and digital documentation; (iii) collaborative strategies (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, consultations); (iv) fieldwork. Results confirmed that the development of JMPs must be sustained by an open and dynamic process, where engagement, mediation of conflicts, and flexibility are key principles. This work approaches a significant subject concerning the management of World Heritage serial nominations, focusing on JMPs for serial nominations, which are a rising trend in heritage management. A demonstration is applied to the WH nomination of works by Álvaro Siza, a prominent figure in worldwide contemporary architecture.

Special Issue: 100 years of scientific excavations at UNESCO World Heritage Site Monte San Giorgio and global research on Triassic marine Lagerstätten

Only a few Swiss fossil localities are known globally and of which, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Monte San Giorgio, which extends from Switzerland into Italy, is the most important one. Following the discovery of the occurrence of articulated skeletons of marine reptiles in the local mines, large excavations were organized by Bernhard Peyer from the University of Zurich starting 1924. With this collection of articles, we commemorate the successful excavations and research, which initiated the publication of a series of monographies, mostly on the vertebrates but also on the invertebrates of this locality. Especially with the discovery of several remarkably similar Konservat-Lagerstätten in China, the discoveries from Monte San Giorgio gained global relevance. New methodologies such as computed tomography produced a wealth of new data, particularly on endocranial anatomy of several tetrapods.

Willingness to Pay for Conservation and Sustainability of Lenggong Valley as World Heritage Site (WHS)

Willingness to Pay for Conservation and Sustainability of Lenggong Valley as World Heritage Site (WHS)

Performance Comparison of GLCM Features and Preprocessing Effect on Batik Image Retrieval

The use of the Grey-Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) for feature extraction in image retrieval with complex motifs, such as batik images, has been widely used. Some features often extracted include energy, entropy, correlation, and contrast. Other than these four features, the addition of dissimilarity and homogeneity features to the GLCM method is proposed in this study. Preprocessing methods such as Histogram Equalization (HE) and Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) are also used to see whether the two methods can increase the precision value of the retrieval results. This study used the Batik 300 dataset, which consists of 50 classes. Batik was chosen because this type of image has complex patterns and motifs so that it will maximize the role of the GLCM method itself. In addition, Batik is also a world heritage art, so its sustainability needs to be maintained. The test results show that adding dissimilarity and homogeneity features and using the CLAHE method in the preprocessing step can improve model performance. Combining these two methods has produced higher precision values than not using either. Batik, a globally recognized art form, holds the status of a world heritage, necessitating the preservation of its sustainability. Test results have demonstrated that incorporating dissimilarity and homogeneity features, alongside using the CLAHE method during the preprocessing stage, leads to enhanced model performance. The amalgamation of these two methods has yielded precision values that surpass those achieved when either method is used in isolation.

HERITAGE TOURISM: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OVER THREE DECADES (1994-2023)

This qualitative study explores the relationship between tourism and places recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, whether tangible (WHS) or intangible (ICH). In the last two decades there has been a growth in the number of resources with UNESCO recognition. It aims to fill the research gap in the analysis of heritage tourism using bibliometric techniques. Data were collected from 886 documents in the period 1994-2023 (December) from the Web of Science database. Using the VOSviewer software, scientific maps were created showing the current and future line of research in this scientific field. The results show evidence of related research on Tourism sustainability at UNESCO sites in China and Tourism sustainability of cultural heritage for the whole period. In addition, two new research topics from 2016 are identified: Motivation and satisfaction of heritage tourists and Authenticity of intangible heritage. The results help to visualise the structure and trends of heritage tourism research, which can help researchers, policy makers and destination marketing organisations (DMOs) to gain knowledge and understanding of existing studies and current research topics.

Erbil Citadel as a Brand for the City, the Role of Residents Awareness and Perceptions

The branding of cities through their historical and cultural assets has become a pivotal strategy in urban development and tourism. This study focuses on Erbil Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its potential as a brand for Erbil, a city with a rich historical backdrop and flourishing urban landscape. The study aimed to explore the perceptions of Erbil’s residents regarding the cultural significance of the Citadel and its potential as a city brand. A mixed-method survey questionnaire was conducted, collecting data from around 440 residents through both manual distribution around the Citadel and an online platform. The findings were analyzed using SPSS 23 to provide both descriptive and inferential statistical insights. The findings show that locals are well aware of the Citadel’s significance as a significant historical and cultural symbol of the city. The vast majority of participants acknowledged its unique visual attributes and their representation of the city’s cultural and historical identity. Additionally, the results showed that citizens’ perceptions of the Citadel as a good component of city branding were positively correlated with their level of cultural awareness. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on city branding and heritage sites by providing empirical evidence on the impact of residents’ cultural awareness on their perceptions of heritage sites as city brands. The results highlight how crucial cultural education and community involvement are to maximizing the branding potential of historic locations. Policymakers and urban planners may find the findings of the study useful in utilizing Erbil Citadel’s historical relevance to strengthen Erbil’s brand identity internationally.

HANUMANDHOKA DURBAR SQUARE: ENGAGING COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABLE PRESERVATION IN A LIVING MUSEUM

Comprehensive investigation focuses on Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Kathmandu, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a living museum with a wealth of artistic, architectural, and historical significance. The research emphasizes the site's mythical, religious, and cultural significance as well as how it has shaped traditions and practices. One of the key objectives of the research is to examine how Hanumandhoka can preserve its original while improving to become a unique museum. The research employs an interdisciplinary methodology to investigate how contemporary advancement might coexist with the conservation of cultural heritage. The methodology incorporates qualitative research techniques including field observations, interviews, and archival research with an ethnological approach. Stakeholder theory and cultural evolutionary theory were applied to analyze the interaction between the community and the evolving cultural practices within the site. The findings highlight that to ensure that the local population actively engages in the protection and promotion of cultural assets, community engagement has to be prioritized in preservation approaches. Furthermore, educational initiatives and environmentally conscious tourism practices are essential to maintaining Hanumandhoka sustainability as a cultural heart.

Criteria for evaluation of modern architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support its preservation

PurposeAs detailed criteria for evaluation of modern architecture do not yet exist in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), the aim of this paper is to assist in their development by providing an analysis of the scope of those criteria in the related international documents. The research objective is to identify what values of modern architecture were historically and are currently considered significant to merit its preservation.Design/methodology/approachThe research methods include a review of relevant literature, collecting data from the B&H and international organisations criteria for evaluation of architectural heritage; a comparative analysis of the collected data to propose criteria for evaluation of modern architecture in B&H that are aligned with the evaluation criteria of UNESCO’s World Heritage List and with Docomomo’s criteria.FindingsThe above comparative analysis showed that such criteria could be developed by selecting relevant criteria from a long list of criteria for evaluation of built heritage in B&H, which currently do not consider architecture built after 1960.Practical implicationsThe proposed evaluation criteria will be tested on different typologies of modern architecture in B&H to enable wider discussion of stakeholders and relevant agencies on their applicability.Social implicationsThe proposed evaluation criteria will contribute to the promotion of architectural heritage of the 20th century in B&H.Originality/valueThere has been no previous research on how to develop criteria for evaluation of architectural heritage of the 20th century in B&H.

Future climate risks to world cultural heritage sites in Spain: A systematic analysis based on shared socioeconomic pathways

Rapidly advancing anthropogenic climate change is a severe threat to cultural heritage worldwide. World cultural heritage sites (WCHS) are recognized by UNESCO as having outstanding international importance. Identifying and quantifying the impacts of climate change on the WCHS is therefore crucial for the development of long-term protection policies. Spain, the subject of the present study, is one of the most important world heritage countries in terms of the number of sites and is highly vulnerable to climate change under global scenarios.This study identified the main climate risks faced by Spain's WCHS on the basis of future climate data from four shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios under the most recent version of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), the most up-to-date global climate model available. Risks include sea level rise and coastal flooding, fire risk and drought risk, hydrodynamic scouring and corrosion, and biodegradation. Some WCHS are located in regions that are projected to experience surface warming exceeding the global average by 2100 under the SSP5--8.5 scenario, with a doubling of extreme climate risk (a gradient from scenarios SSP1--2.6, SSP2--4.5, SSP3--7.0 to SSP5--8.5). Under this shared socioeconomic pathway, three Spanish WCHS are at risk of being submerged by seawater by 2100. On the basis of historical data, we identified greater potential fire risk in regions where Spain's WCHS is located than in other regions in Europe, with eight WCHS experiencing weather-induced fire hazards exceeding 95 %. Considering the combination of LUC types within the Spanish WCHS, we identified two WCHS that exemplify this risk: 1) the archaeological site of Atapuerca, which is primarily occupied by broad-leaved forest, and 2) the Caliphate city of Medina Azahara, which is surrounded by natural grasslands, emphasizing the need for fire prevention in woodland and grassland areas. Furthermore, we quantified the hydrodynamic scouring risk, corrosion and biodegradation risk, and drought risk in the entire region where Spain's WCHS are located from 2081 to 2100 and clustered them on the basis of risk characteristics. We found that under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, the overall pattern of climate risk faced by Spain's WCHS did not change significantly from the present, but there were clear changes under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. We also identified that Spain's WCHS listings are at greater risk from different climate risks. This study predicts the potential impact of climate change on Spain's WCHS, emphasizing the crucial role of “carbon neutrality” in reducing various climate risks to Spain's WCHS and providing guidance for the development of future long-term protection policies.

Visual Impact Assessment Method for Cultural Heritage: West Lake Cultural Landscape in Hangzhou, China

Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) is a critical tool in managing cultural heritage, evaluating the impacts of development and construction projects on the visual aspects of heritage values. However, VIA is often constrained by subjectivity, low public participation, and a lack of generalizability. This study aims to develop a methodological framework for a more objective and comprehensive assessment of visual impacts on cultural heritage. The study establishes criteria for indicators based on the value attributes of cultural heritage, develops an assessment indicator system, and integrates visual sensitivity assessment through multi-factor calculations with visual perception assessment using the AHP method and questionnaire surveys. This constructs an assessment framework that combines both objectivity and subjectivity. The Shangri-La Hotel East Building project at the World Heritage site of the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, China, is employed as a case study to empirically demonstrate the framework’s practicality and effectiveness. The results indicate that the Shangri-La East Building significantly impacts the attributes of the West Lake. The conclusion demonstrates that the indicator system, grounded in the attributes of cultural heritage, enhances the framework’s applicability across different contexts. The integrated assessment framework, which includes both a quantitative assessment of visual sensitivity and a public-participation-based assessment of visual perception, is shown to be effective in predicting the visual impacts of proposed projects on heritage values. The study also underscores the importance of Heritage Impact Assessment as a preliminary evaluation.

Threats and Membership of Kandovan in UNESCO

This research aims to explore the heritage and tourist zone of Kandovan in Iran, currently undergoing the UNESCO registration process, but facing rejection due to threats in the area. The primary goal is to offer valuable insights to the Kandovan municipality and officials, assisting them in recognizing and mitigating the prevailing threats to secure the designation of Kandovan as a UNESCO heritage site. The examination of the heritage zone in Kandovan, Iran, involved a comprehensive approach incorporating a literature review, interviews, and on-site observations. Interviews were conducted with Kandovan officials to inquire about the heritage criteria, existing challenges and threats, future initiatives, and notable transformations. Field observations were employed to assess the physical characteristics and layout of the heritage area, residents' interactions with the heritage sites, and issues affecting tourists, including accommodation shortages and architectural concerns. The findings of this study have identified the threats present in Kandovan, as acknowledged by UNESCO. The majority of these threats have emerged as a consequence of the expanding urbanization and tourism activities in Kandovan, emphasizing the need for effective management and controlled development in the area.

THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS BETWEEN TOURIST EXPLOITATION AND DEGRADATION, CASE OF EL KALA NATIONAL PARK (ALGERIA)

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area and is among the countries in the world that possess a rich natural and cultural heritage due to its size, diversity of regions, environments, cultures, and the civilizations that passed through it, including Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Ottomans, and others. Our study area, the El Kala National Park, is one of the most important regions in Algeria with significant natural and cultural resources. It boasts an important coastal strip with numerous beautiful beaches and tourism expansion zones that could attract investors. Additionally, it contains various ecosystems, including lakes, dunes, forests, diverse flora and fauna and historical sites from different eras, most notably the El Kala Church. However, this heritage faces degradation due to irresponsible practices, such as the destruction of vegetation in summer 2022, despite existing protective laws. These challenges prompted our study, which partly examines Algeria's policies on tourism, environmental conservation, and heritage preservation. The research methodology employs a combined approach, starting with a historical analysis of the park's status since its UNESCO world heritage classification. We then address the natural ecosystems in the area, illustrated with images, and present a comprehensive study of tourism potentials. Finally, we conduct an in-depth analysis using the SWOT method to obtain a holistic view of the region's natural ecosystems and cultural heritage. Based on our findings, we offer conclusions and recommendations to promote tourism and drive regional development while preserving the ecosystems and natural and cultural heritage of El Kala National Park from degradation and damage.

A novel measure indicating that a management strategy reduces the likelihood of human-made threats to Cultural World Heritage Sites

The aim of this study is to present a novel measure of which pairs of human-made factors are most threatening to a Cultural World Heritage Site when time as well as its characteristics, including location, are controlled for. A system of Probit equations is employed on information from the UNESCO State of Conservation and World Heritage databases on the nine most frequently reported external threats (housing, tourism, transportation, destruction, illegal activities, land conversion, accommodation supply, loss of identity and war and civil unrest). This allows an analysis that covers all sites, with 22,190 observations over a time period of 45 years. Threats from war and civil unrest, destruction of heritage and illegal activities all appear in pairs and are strongly correlated with each other. There are also high positive correlations between threats from housing and land conversion, tourism and housing, accommodation and transportation as well as tourism and accommodation. Until 2009, there is an increase in the probability of threats, after that, stagnation is observed. Cultural World Heritage Sites in Africa and the Arab countries face the highest risk of a reported threat. Based on the novel measure, a second step of the analysis employing fixed-effects Logit estimations reveals that threats from tourism, housing and transportation are more seldom identified if the site in question has a management plan.

In Search of New Dimensions for Religious Tourism: The Case of the Ancient City of Nessebar

Religious tourism is a growing phenomenon that is increasingly intertwined with cultural tourism, particularly in countries like Bulgaria, which possesses a wealthy heritage of religious interest. The Ancient City of Nessebar, a UNESCO World Heritage site with a rich religious history, provides a unique case study for examining this dynamic. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, including documentary analysis and case study methodology, to investigate the current state of religious tourism in Nessebar. The research revealed the underutilization of Nessebar’s religious sites for tourism purposes, despite their potential value. A complex interplay between mass tourism, cultural preservation, and the decline of traditional religious practices was identified.