Expert Workshop on Benchmarks and chapter IV of the Operational Guidelines Management of World Heritage site – the Historic centre of town – using the experience of Riga Arch. Juris Dambis, Head of the State Inspection for Heritage protection Paris, 2 to 3 April 2007

The inscription of the Historic centre of Riga on the World Heritage List in 1997

Historic centre of Riga - outstanding universal value

The values for what Riga was included in the World Heritage List Criteria (i) and (ii): (i) to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius (ii) to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design

Urban planning tissue Recognized value of the Historic centre of Riga

Medieval and later urban fabric Recognized value of the Historic centre of Riga

Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture Rīgas vēsturiskā centra vērtības Recognized value of the Historic centre of Riga

19th century architecture in wood. Rīgas vēsturiskā centra vērtības Recognized value of the Historic centre of Riga

Management of dangers in the World heritage site – Historic centre of town

Cultural heritage losses and problems in Historic centre of town 25% of losses are caused by natural tear and wear, as well as nature circumstances 75% of Cultural heritage losses are mostly caused by deliberate economic activity

Problems 1.Collocation of the transport attracted buildings in the city centre disregarding the eventual consequences. 2.Demolishing historical buildings, motivating that it is easier and cheaper to build up a new one than to restore the historical buildings. 3.Attempts to build up public open space, green zones 4. The fire menaces 5.Construction of big supermarkets that endangers the existence of small shops in the historical buildings thus ruining essential income resource for preservation of these buildings. 6.Changing the original elements of the buildings to the modern ones (plastic windows, doors etc.) and losing the authencity of buildings. Cultural heritage losses and problems in Historic centre of town

Problems in Historic centre of town - transport

Problems in Historic centre of town - demolishing

Problems in Historic centre of town – fire menaces

Problems in Historic centre of town – economic impact

Monitoring mission from the Advisory Bodies and/or the World Heritage Centre: missions consultations recommendations remarks

The case of Historic centre of Riga was examined for 3 times in World Heritage Committee (27, 28 and 29th Committee sessions). The important decisions taken that affect the site: 27COM7B.69 (in 2003) 28COM 15B74 (in 2004) 29COM 7B.78 (in 2005) Results of monitoring

The realized undertaking from State Party: mass media campaign drawing society’s attention drawing the Parliament and Government attention Results of monitoring

HISTORIC CENTRE OF RIGA CONCEPCTION FOR THE PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT. VISION 2002/2020 Results of the State Party’s undertaking

Law „On Preservation and Protection of the Historic Centre of Riga” came into force in 25 June 2003 Results of the State Party’s undertaking

Better Cooperation - The Council for the Preservation and Development of the Historic Centre of Riga Results of the State Party’s undertaking

Risinājumi – Normatīvie akti Situation before the adoption of the law Results of the State Party’s undertaking

More obvious rules : The Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers Nr 127 on the Preservation and Protection of Historic Centre of Riga, adopted 8. March, Results of the State Party’s undertaking

Plan of the concrete action : the Preservation and development plan of the Historic Centre of Riga adopted the 7th February 2006.

Results of the State Party’s undertaking

The actions that constitute a menace to the Outstanding Universal Value of Historic centre of Riga are stopped (But how long?)

Benchmarks for the inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger

The cultural heritage sites aren’t similar. Every site needs it’s individual approach.

The site could be menaced, if it’s substance and authencity are endangered: The planning : if the historic urban planning tissue is changed The building : if the historic buildings are demolished or transformed, the proportions between historic and new constructions are ignored The public open space: gradual losing of historical green zones and watercourses Reasons that could lead to the inscription of Historic centre of town on the list of World Heritage in Danger.

The site could be menaced, if it’s qualities are endangered: If the historical urban landscape is gradually transformed The scale : if the visual uniqueness is dismounted with the volume and scale of new buildings (considering that a town is an alive organism in development) If the character of building is gradually lost The use of materials : if the original elements of the buildings are changed to the modern ones If the artisan (craftsmen) work gradually lost his quality The lost of historical fittings Reasons that could lead to the inscription of Historic centre of town on the list of World Heritage in Danger.

The site could be menaced in case of lack of maintenance and public instruments for the management of site: Lack of heritage policies Lack of legislation Lack of management plan Lack of public awareness Lack of state and municipality cooperation and joint action Reasons that could lead to the inscription of Historic centre of town on the list of World Heritage in Danger.

Reasons that could lead to the exclusion of Historic centre of town from the list of World Heritage in Danger Objects that degradate the site are removed or transformed to fit the historical landscape there is created a system of measures enabling to function (legislation, monitoring institutions, financial resources) that disposes of problems and detains the further dangers.

Correction of mistakes due to the history (the high-rise building erected in 70-ties ).

Correction of mistakes due to the history (the high-rise building erected in 70-ties ).

Correction of mistakes in the project stage

Correction of mistakes in the project stage

In case Historic centre of Riga due to the attention heed by UNESCO WHC, the Council of Europe, international and local specialists, the effective legislation is created and the preservation of outstanding values is provided.

Qualitative human living space – relationship between old and new

Arch. Juris Dambis, Head of the State Inspection for Heritage protection Thank you for your attention!