WHC Nomination Documentation File Name: 970.pdf UNESCO Region: EUROPE AND THE NORTH AMERICA __________________________________________________________________________________________________ SITE NAME: The Wachau Cultural Landscape DATE OF INS CRIPTION: 2nd December 2000 STATE PARTY: AUSTRIA CRITERIA: C (ii) (iv) DECISION OF THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE: Criterion (ii): The Wachau is an outstanding example of a riverine landscape bordered by mountains in which material evidence of its long historical evolution has survived to a remarkable degree. Criterion (iv):The architecture, the human settlements, and the agricultural use of the land in the Wachau vividly illustrate a basically medieval landscape that has evolved organically and harmoniously over time. Several members of the Committee expressed their appreciation for this nomination including the Delegate of Canada who underlined the importance of the coordinating commission for the management of the site. She also inquired whether the new boundaries of the site protected its viewscape; this question was answered positively by ICOMOS. BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS The Wachau is a stretch of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems of high visual landscape quality. It preserves intact and visible many traces, in terms of architecture, urban design, and agricultural use, principally for the cultivation of vines, of its continuous and organic evolution since prehistoric times. 1.b State, Province or Region: Towns of Krems and Melk, Lower Austria 1.d Exact location: 48° 13' N, 15° 17' E REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA THE WORLD HERITAGE Documentation for the nomination of WACHAU CULTURAL LANDSCAPE The present study is based on various contributions compiled by the Bundesdenkmalamt A-1010 Vienna, Hofburg, Säulenstiege Vienna 1999 2 WACHAU CULTURAL LANDSCAPE The Wachau region including the abbeys of Melk and Göttweig and the historic centre of Krems Contents Page I. Identification of the cultural/natural property ..................................... 4 II. Justification for inscription ................................................................... 6 a) Statement on the significance of the cultural/natural property ..... 6 b) Comparative analysis ....................................................................... 8 c) Authenticity/integrity....................................................................... 9 d) Criteria under which inscription is proposed .................................. 9 III. Description ........................................................................................... 11 a) Description of the natural/cultural property ................................. 11 b) History and development................................................................ 28 c) Form and date of most recent records of the natural/cultural property ........................................................................................... 32 d) Present state of conservation ......................................................... 32 e) Policies and programmes related to the presentation and promotion of the property............................................................... 33 IV. Management of the cultural/natural property.................................... 33 a) Ownership ....................................................................................... 33 b) Legal status..................................................................................... 33 c) Protective measures and means of implementing them ............... 35 d) Agency/agencies with management authority............................... 36 e) Level at which management is exercised ...................................... 37 f) Agreed plans related to cultural/natural property........................ 37 g) Sources and levels of finance.......................................................... 38 h) Sources of expertise and training in conservation and management techniques................................................................. 38 i) Visitor facilities and statistics........................................................ 38 j) Cultural/natural property management plan and statement of objectives ..................................................................................... 39 k) Staffing levels.................................................................................. 39 V. Factors affecting the cultural/natural property.................................. 39 a) Development pressures................................................................... 39 b) Environmental pressures ............................................................... 40 c) Natural disasters and preparedness.............................................. 40 d) Visitor/tourism pressures ............................................................... 41 e) Number of inhabitants within cultural/natural property, buffer zone....................................................................................... 41 VI. Monitoring ............................................................................................ 42 a) Key indicators for measuring state of conservation...................... 42 b) Administrative arrangements for monitoring cultural/natural property ........................................................................................... 42 VII. Documentation ..................................................................................... 42 a,b) Photographs and maps ................................................................. 42 c) Bibliography.................................................................................... 42 d) Addresses where inventory, records and archives are held.......... 48 3 I. Identification of the cultural/natural property Republic of Austria Federal province (land) of Lower Austria Wachau cultural landscape (the Wachau region including the abbeys of Melk and Göttweig and the historic centre of Krems) Exact location on map (plans 1–7): Basically, the area called “Wachau cultural landscape“ is delimited by the hill ridges along the Danube, with parts of the towns of Krems and Melk and the slightly remote Göttweig Abbey being included as isolated properties. The boundary is largely identical with the borders of communities/municipalities or cadastral communities. Area proposed for inscription (core zone) The northern boundary starts in the west at the village of St. Georgen (Emmersdorf community), goes on via the Tachberg and towards the east via the Felbereck and the Bürstlingberg to the border of the community of Maria Laach/Aggsbach Markt. From here the boundary runs north via Hubhof, Hinterberg, Grubkogel, Jauerling, Dürreck, Thurnleiten and Hasenhof to the village of Ötz, with the characteristic Trenningkegel being included. North of Ranna castle, the boundary takes a north-east turn and runs via Doppeln to the border of the community of Mühldorf/Spitz. Windeckberg, Mosinggraben, Kuhberg, Seiber and Paffenmais are the boundary points along the border of the community of Weissenkirchen, whereas Sandl, Jägerberg and Rotes Kreuz are those along the border of the community of Dürnstein. Then the boundary goes on via the Braunsdorferberg (Danube lookout tower) and the Goldberg ridge to Stein. In the town area of Krems, the core zone is delimited by the hill-bottom street lines of Alauntalstrasse and Stadtgraben down to the Krems river where from it continues to the railway line (easternmost point). Along the Wachau railway track it runs to the border of the cadastral community of Stein and on to the middle of the Danube river (border between the municipalities of Krems and Mautern). The southernmost boundary starts at the connecting line (obliquely crossing the Danube) from Luberegg castle to the western end of the Melk island and the Danube arm of Melk as far as the Brauhaus (brewery) where from it continues along the Westbahn railway line and covers the historic centre including the following streets: Hummelstrasse, Abt Karl-Strasse, Babenbergerstrasse, Zaglauergasse and Wienerstrasse plus the episcopal seminar building. Along the Salmannsgraben (excluding the expressway crossing) via the path to the Herrenmühle and through the Atzgraben, the boundary goes on via the hill ridges of Jonaskreuz, Eichholzhöhe, Berginger Kogel, Hochkogel, Klausberg, Weißes Kreuz, Polackenkopf and Langeggerberg to the pilgrimage place of Maria Langegg. Now the boundary continues along the border of the community Rossatz-Arndorf with the following hilltops and grabens: Kastlkreuz, Kreuzberg, Felberleiten, Seeleitengraben, Sieben Gräber, Gochelberg. From here it runs along the Hohe Wand, which drops steeply into the Danube and has the Archduke 4 Ferdinand lookout tower on its top, and includes the Mauternbach brook and the old town centre of Mautern. Over the Danube bridge near Mautern the boundary links up with its northern part midstream (border between the municipalities of Krems and Mautern). The Göttweig hill with its westward-oriented foothill (called Hals, i.e. neck) and the important Benedictine abbey on its top is an isolated part of the property. Its boundary coincides with the border of the cadastral community of Göttweig. The entire area that is proposed for inscription is surrounded by a buffer zone. Buffer zones At Melk In the west, the remaining surfaces of the cadastral community of St. Georgen down to the Weitenbach brook (=border of the landscape conservation area) and the remaining surfaces of the cadastral community of Melk north of the Westautobahn motorway