Walled City of Baku (Azerbaijan)
Built on a site inhabited since the Palaeolithic period,
the Walled City of Baku reveals evidence of Zoroastrian,
Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian
presence in cultural continuity. The Inner City (Icheri
Sheher) has preserved much of its 12th-century defensive
walls. The 12th-century Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy) is built
over earlier structures dating from the 7th to 6th centuries
BC, and the 15th-century Shirvanshahs' Palace is one of
the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture.
The walled city of Baku sustained significant damage during
the earthquake of November 2000 and is increasingly affected
by the pressure of urban development, the absence of conservation
policies and by dubious restoration efforts. In 2003 the
World Heritage Committee inscribed the site on the World
Heritage List in Danger due to the urgency of the situation
and to ensure that concerted efforts are made to halt ongoing
demolition of historic buildings.
Conclusions
and Recommendations of the Round Table
on safeguarding
the World Heritage site of the Walled City with the Shirvanshah's
Palace and Maiden Tower, Azerbaijan (6-8 October 2004)
The Round Table on safeguarding the World Heritage site
of the Walled City with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden
Tower (6-8 October 2004) was attended by representatives
of the Ministry of Culture, the Baku Municipality, the National
Commission of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, the Azerbaijan ational
Academy of Science, the Union of Architects, the Shirvanshakh
Palace Preserve Museum, the Walled City of Baku Reserve,
the Cultural Heritage Support Project, the Institute for
Restoration of Monuments and Sites, the World Bank Azerbaijan
Office, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM.
The Round Table:
1. Strongly regrets that demolition and inappropriate urban development continues despite the Presidential Decree of 2003 to halt uncontrolled development within the World Heritage property, and urges that this Decree is enforced;
2. Recognises the urgent need to establish a strategy for safeguarding the World Heritage property that should include the development of a comprehensive management plan; addressing safeguarding measures, conservation issues, development control and tourism management as well as archaeological research, community involvement and promotion of the property;
3. Further recognising the need to ensure better coordination etween the Ministry of Culture, the Baku Executive authorities and other stakeholders, suggests to establish a Coordination Council in order to discuss issues of common concern, such as the preparation of an integrated inventory as well as the elaboration of a comprehensive management plan and its eventual implementation;
4. Further recognising that future conservation activities is based on the inventory of all monuments, buildings and their infrastructures indicating the physical conditions as well as the methodologies of renewal within the World Heritage property, equests relevant institutions, notably the Baku Minicipality, Shervanshah Reserve, Azerbarpa, Walled City of Baku Reseve, to provide existing information to be compiled by the Coordination Council.
5. Invites the Coordination Council to consider developing
a common platform, on the basis of the existing administrative
structure, in order to efficiently implement activities
foreseen in the strategy and comprehensive management plan;
6. Endorses the UNESCO Action Plan for safeguarding the
World Heritage property as being prepared by the World Heritage
Centre;
7. Invites the Government of Azerbaijan to allocate fundings for safeguarding the World Heritage property and to explore further extra-budgetary funding possibilities.