1993 (no. 4)
** DUBROVNIK REVISITED In 1979, the historic medieval town of Dubrovnik, Croatia, was inscribed as a cultural site on the World Heritage List. In 1991 and 1992, Croatia was thrust into civil war with Serbia, and at the 15th session of the World Heritage Committee in December 1991, Dubrovnik was added to the List of the World Heritage in Danger. US/ICOMOS has closely followed developments within Croatia, and, since 1986 has administered the restoration of the Ameri Palace, a medieval home on the small island of Korcula, near Dubrovnik. While work on the Ameri Palace has been delayed, no fighhng has taken place in that town. The following comments are excerpted from the preface by F. Meder, Director of the Instltute for the Protection of the Cultural Monuments of the Republic of Croatia, from the recently published Unesco report _Dubrovnik 1991-1992_. The old city of Dubrovnik, famed throughout the world, bears timeless witness to Croatian history and culture. Situated on the eastern coastline of the Adriatic, it dates back to early antiquity. Its inclusion in UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1979 attests to its international significance as one of the world's finest treasures. Celebrated as a city of stone, sun and sea, a city of art, a city of famous seamen and traders, a city of political wisdom and pacifism in the Republic of Ragusa, Dubrovnik is, today, no more than a city of houses ravaged by fire, with roofs destroyed or damaged, stone facades and pavings cracked and reliefs and sculptures smashed, most of which, be they Romanesque statues or Baroque balustrades, are masterly examples of the art of stone-carving. The memory is still with us of those moments when the destructive forces of nature, unleashed in the form of earthquakes, ruined the architectural treasures of the city of Dubrovnik. Nevertheless, December 6,1991, shall remain engraved on our memory as the day on which Dubrovnik was subjected to the most dreadful devastation of modern times. The following day, alongside local preservation specialists, UNESCO representatives conducted a detailed survey of the ravages which the shelling had caused to the historical monuments. Once the shells had ceased to rain on the city, preventive action was taken, beginning with the clearing of the debris, the provisional covering of damaged roofs and the preservation of the parts of burnt-out buildings that had survived. These activities were followed by a detailed inventory of the damage to the architectural heritage and the measures to be taken for their restoration. It is in this context that the UNESCO Plan of Action is of such tremendous importance. Devised as a program of restoration for the old city, inscribed on the World Heritage List, the Plan of Action includes the survey, classification and evaluation of damage, a global repair program and an estimate of costs. Agencies to be entrusted with the work are also designated. During preparation of the Plan of Action, the basic criteria and principles of methodology to be applied were defined by a national and international group of experts at a seminar organized for the purpose. As preparations for this plan were being completed, Croatia's enemies recommenced shelling Dubrovnik. May and June 1992 marked a new phase in the destruction, wrought by even more lethal weapons than before. As soon as the attacks on the city began, appeals to halt the destruction were made by Frederico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, and cultural organizations throughout the world. But nothing could prevent the destruction of this historic city of universal interest, whose buildings bear the emblem of the Hague Convention. It was at this point that the Expert Advisory Comrnission for the Rehabilitation of Dubrovnik was set up with the participation of national and international experts. Since the start of hostilities, UNESCO's representatives have shared in the trials of Dubrovnik, while contributing to the preparation of the Plan of Action and coordination of activities. Aid initiatives for the restoration of the city are being taken at various levels. Governmental and non-governmental organization have been collecting information on priorities for restoration work and have proved ready to play a part in these endeavors, while others have launched fund-raising campaigns. In mid-1992, peace came to Dubrovnik. This particular region represented an area that was particularly rich in natural and cultural resources and is now little more than "scorched earth," in line with the enemy's strategy. A multitude of historical sites have been systematically pillaged and burnt. It will be a long time before the consequences of such acts can be properly accessed. Dubrovnik, a city inscribed since December 1991 on the List of the World Heritage in Danger, has always stood next to resplendent villas harmoniously integrated into one of the finest Mediterranean landscapes, with small outlying towns, villages, convents and churches all historically embodied in the territory of the Ragusan Republic. The Rehabilitation of Dubrovnik and the safeguarding of its cultural wealth are matters of constant concern. Let us therefore give the city our assistance without further delay so that it may recover its former splendor. Let us help the city now so that it may help us tomorrow, both ourselves and future generations, to discover the tremendous breadth of human creativity. It is in this manner that this city, which has ever been steadfast, will continue to bear witness in the most striking way to the destiny and role of Croatia in the community of nations. F. Meder, Director Institute for the Protection of the Cultural Monuments of the Republic of Croatia ** THE PLAN OF ACTION The UNESCO Plan of Action will meet the following objectives: Identify, protect, preserve and present cultural property damaged by the shelling in 1991 and 1992 within the limits of the city as defined by its inscription on the World Heritage List; Develop by means of proper professional training the human resources of agencies and organization involved at local, municipal, national and regional levels; Identify, develop and promote the restoration projects and a strategy for the preservation and presentation of the old city; Ensure that the various operations necessary for the protection of cultural property be carried out in the best possible conditions and according to restoration principles and methods so as to preserve the exceptional unity of the urban fabric; Ensure the participation of the national and international communities in the various operations; Communicate project needs to decision-makers and public opinion in order to obtain broad-based participation from the national and international communities in the form of financial contributions, services and materials. For copies of the complete, 2 volume, illustrated report and restoration plan of Dubrovnik, write: UNESCO, Department of Physical Heritage, 1, rue Miollis, 75015 Paris, France. For the text of Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954), and the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) write: US/ICOMOS, 1600 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. ** THE SHELLING The Old City of Dubrovnik, protected by the provisions of both the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954), and the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) was nevertheless subjected to attacks with powerful weapons over a period of nine days in October, November and December, 1991. Although these monuments bore the emblem of the 1954 Hague Convention (pictured on page 1), and the United Nations flag flew on the ramparts, Dubrovntk was bombarded once again for three days in May and eight days in June 1992. In the course of these repeated attacks, some 2,000 shells of different calibers feU on the inner city. An inventory of damage was conducted in 1991 and subsequently in 1992 by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and revealed that 563, or 68.33 per cent of the 824 buildings within the historic inner city had been hit by projectiles. 438 roofs had been damaged by direct hits and 262 by fragments. 314 direct hits were recorded on the fronts of buildings and on the paving of streets and squares. Nine buildings were completely destroyed by fire. ** HOUSE OF FABERGE TO BE RESTORED The Faberge Arts Foundation of Washington, D.C., and St. Petersburg, Russia, has received a planning grant from the Getty Grant Program to begin the detailed investigation necessary to conserve and restore the House of Faberge in St. Petersburg. This is the first architectural conservation grant that the Getty has awarded for a project in Russia. The conservation of the House of Faberge, the workshops of Carl Faberge, master designer, jeweler and craftsman to European Royalty, is the central goal of the Faberge Arts Foundation. The house, a four-story, double-winged building is an example of turn-of-the-century Russian Art Nouveau architecture which combines Gothic ornamentation with expressive German-inspired Art Nouveau detailing. The building is located at 24 Bolshaya Morskaya in St. Petersburg's historic center, close to the State Hermitage Museum. The House of Faberge is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The complete renovation of the House, which the Foundation hopes to finish by 1998, will begin with research into the building's history, a retrieval of original drawings and archival documents and a detailed structural survey of its present condition. The present occupant, the St. Petersburg Telephone Company, has announced its willingness to move from its present headquarters to new facilities as soon as they can be negotiated. The municipal authorities have agreed to assist in this effort. The building is on the official list of Russian treasures (Monuments of History and Culture, compiled by the Russian Government). For more information on the Faberge Arts Foundation, contact: Ms. Joyce Lasky Reed, FAF, 4511 Dorset Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, tel: 301-986-1576, fax: 301-986-5521. ** AROUND THE WORLD Egypt's tourism revenues have shrunk by at least $60 million each month, according to the Egyptian government, as a result of militant Muslim attacks on foreign visitors. Militant Muslims killed one tourist and wounded five last year, curtailing that country's main source of foreign currency as much as $700 million this year. In the fiscal year ending June 30, Egypt may fall 25% short of its forecast of $4 billion. Archaeologists and remote sensing experts from China, Japan, France, the United Kingdom and the United States met at Unesco in Paris, France, February 11-12, to discuss the latest advances in space archaeology. Participants decided to cooperate on using remote sensing to find promising excavation sites in three important regions of the Silk Roads, in the vast Taklamakan Desert in northwest China. Satellite technology has the ability not only to study photographs covering a 50 kilometer site, but also to look several meters beneath the sand. The teams will concentrate on analyzing radar, optical and infrared satellite photos of the sites of Palmyra, in Syria Merv, in Turkmenistan, and several sites in the Taklamakan Desert. ** PUBLICATIONS _Cultural Landscape Bibliography: An Annotated Bibliography on Resources in the National Park System_, provides a thorough overview of the research which has been conducted during the past fifty years regarding cultural landscapes in the national park system. Kate Ahern, a participant in the US/ICOMOS International Summer Intern Program from the United Kingdom, participated in compiling this bibliography. It illustrates the change in perceptions regarding cultural landscapes, along with broad range and diversity of these resources in the system. It is the intention of the Service to update and reprint this bibliography on a periodic basis to include future research efforts and past reports not identified at the time this document was prepared. Copies can be obtained by contacting the National Park Service, Park Historic Architecture Division, Suite 360, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127. ** CALENDAR September 8-12,1993. The International Conference on the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage will take place in Nizhny Tagyl and Ekaterinburg, Ural, Russia. The conference aims are to acquaint Russian scientists and representatives with the most recent achievements in the conservation of industrial heritage and to promote the unique industrial historical monuments in the Urals which have previously been inaccessible to western scientists. For information contact: Dr. Eugene V. Logunov, Executive Director, Institute of History and Archaeology, Russian Academy of Sciences (Ural Branch), 56, R. Luxembourg Street, Ekaterinburg 620219 Russia, tel: 34-32-221-402 or 3432-224-230, fax: 34-32-224-106 or 34-32-224-230. September 20-23, 1993. The 1993 World Congress on Adventure Travel and Eco-Tourism will be held in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. The congress will address tourism issues related to cultures, environment and economics on a global basis. Three hundred programs, which were outlined in the 1992 Earth Sumrnit, presented a variety of problems facing the world in environment, cultures and economics. The World Congress will convene in Brazil to discuss how tourism can contribute to solutions of these problems as well as to global sustainability. For registration information, contact: The Adventure Travel Society, 6551 S. Revere Parkway, Suite 160, Englewood, Colorado 80111, tel: 303649-9016, fax: 303-649-9017. December 6-8, 1993. Restoratlon 93 will make its North American debut at Boston's Hynes Convention Center. The international conservation and preservation trade event will feature a two-part conference program with a cross-disciplinary approach to the current issues and concerns of trade professionals and consumers of products and services in the preservation and conservation area. For information contact: Restoration 93, RAI/EGI Exhibitions, Inc., Ten Tower Office Park, Woburn, Maine 01801-9915. ** TO OUR MEMBERS ICOMOS Sri Lanka has reported that peace has been restored by their new president, His Excellency D.B. Wijetunga, who had formerly served as Prime Minister. He is scheduled to address the ICOMOS 10th General Assembly in July in Sri Lanka. US/ICOMOS Members attending this meeting, or who are seeking financial support, are asked to contact US/ICOMOS as soon as possible at 202-842-1866.