State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II
- quant à l’architecture civile, on y rencontre 4 types de maisons originales : Le « A » est simple à 2 GREECE étages sans tour ; le « B » est muni d’un large balcon (le « heliakos ») ; les types « C » et « D » Mystras sont de riches maisons seigneuriales munies de tours de protection. Nous citons : le « petit palais », la maison de Franghopoulos et celle de Laskaris. Brief description Plusieurs éléments des maisons de Mystras ont été Mystras, the 'wonder of the Morea', was built as an conservés jusqu’à présent à l’architecture populaire amphitheatre around the fortress erected in 1249 grecque ! by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. La décoration sculpturale des monuments de Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by Mystra est conservée partiellement mais elle reste the Turks and the Venetians, the city was représentative de l’ecclesiatisme byzantin des XIIIe, abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking XIVe et XVe s. medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape. La ville de Mystra nous légua non seulement un ensemble architectural et pictural original, conservé 1. Introduction jusqu’à nos jours mais aussi une production littéraire très importante. Un grand nombre de gens Year(s) of Inscription 1989 cultivés ont vécu et enseigné dans la ville. Nous Agency responsible for site management citons entre autres Nicephoros Moschopoulos, métropolite de Crète et président de Lacédemonie • Mailing Address: Hellenic Ministry of Culture - th qui construisit la cathédrale, Pachomios, fondateur 5 Eprhorate of Byzantine and Postbyzantine du monastère de Vroutochion, Manuel Tzykandilis, Antiquities, Agisilaou 87, 23100 Sparta, Greece écrivain et peintre, J.Doktianos, Vissarion. La e-mail: [email protected] « personnalité » intellectuelle la plus brillante fut Website: www.culture.gr sans aucun doute le philosophe néoplatonicien Plethon (ou Ghemistos) qui est arrivé à Mystra vers 2. Statement of Significance 1400 et créa là une Ecole. Inscription Criteria C (ii), (iii), (iv) Mystra constitue actuellement l’ensemble le plus représentatif en Grèce d’une ville médiévale. Justification provided by the State Party L’originalité et la pureté de ses formes artistiques, le souvenir de son rayonnement d’autrefois et le fait Mystras fut une ville qui est née et a fleuri dans un de sa merveilleuse conservation font de Mystras un Empire en agonie. A la finesse et la qualité de l’art ensemble monumental qui mérite d’être placé entre de Mystras, se reflètent influence de l’art les premiers à la liste du patrimoine mondial. constantinopolitain et les liens politiques et intellectuels établis avec la capitale de l’Empire. Sa As provided in ICOMOS evaluation prospérité est due à des conditions historiques favorisant la création de « cours » mi- RECOMMENDATION: That inclusion of the indépendantes qui se sont vite évoluées en centres proposed cultural property be deferred until specific culturels et administratifs fleurissants. information is provided on boundaries, measures to protect the surrounding landscape and, especially, A Mystras on rencontre un art nouveau, original, tel on the conservation policy for the ruins of Mystras. que seul dans un grand centre artistique pouvait se [...] développer : ICOMOS can only express a favorable opinion in - à l’architecture ecclesiastique la caractéristique principle to the inclusion of Mystras on the World principale reste la combinaison idéale des éléments Heritage List. There is no lack of criteria justifying traditionnels et des nouvelles tendances dérivant nomination of this medieval city whose complex de Constantinople avec l’esprit inventif du créateur history is so clearly inscribed in the series of local. fortifications, castles and palaces, churches and - à la peinture sont représentés toutes les nouvelles convents, houses streets, and public squares. formes de la « Renaissance » des Paléologues However, given the states of the nomination file, the dont l’élément principal est le retour aux types recommendation of ICOMOS is that inclusion be antiquisants. deferred until detailed information is provided on State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II protection of the environment and on the restoration • The proposal of 5th Ephorate on the delimitation policy. of a zone where building construction is prohibited (zone A) and of a zone having Reconsideration on insistence of Bureau and specific building and land use restrictions (zone Secretariat: B) will be evaluated by the Central The Bureau of ICOMOS met on 8 November 1989 Archaeological Council. The Archaeological and, in accordance with the request of the Bureau Site includes the medieval residential complex of the World Heritage Committee and the wishes of Mystras and the historically and expressed by the Secretariat in its letter dated 16 archaeologically documented surrounding October, examined the documents relative to the landscape, including a large number of site of Mystras forwarded on 28 June, 29 June and monuments and traditional settlements. The 3 October 1989 by the Permanent Delegate of boundaries of the Archaeological Site of Greece at UNESCO. [...] Mystras were set by a designation act. All archaeological finds, rescued and yielded The Bureau of ICOMOS therefore unanimously during excavations, and all previous legal concluded that the inclusion of Mystras on the arrangements for the protection of the site have World Heritage List could not be recommended in been taken into account for the delimitation of view of the project approved by the Central the boundaries of the site Archaeological Council at its meeting on 4 April 1989. (November 15, 1989) Status of Authenticity/Integrity • World Heritage site values have been Committee Decision maintained Bureau (1989): The Bureau recommended that the • There are no major changes foreseen, which examination of this nomination be deferred until the may have a negative impact on the authenticity necessary information on the conservation policy or the integrity of the Archaeological Site of applied to the ruins of Mystras and, in particular, on Mystras the restoration projects of the Byzantine Palace, is received. In the event this information is received 3. Protection by the fall, ICOMOS was requested to review it and present its findings for consideration by the Bureau Legislative and Administrative Arrangements in December. The Bureau could then formulate a • The Archaeological Site of Mystras, as all recommendation to the Committee. movable and immovable monuments, archaeological sites and the cultural heritage of Session (1989): Aware of the incontestable Greece in general, from ancient to outstanding universal value of Mystras, and taking contemporary ones, are protected by the Law into account the strong assurance received from 3028/2002 «On the Protection of Antiquities the Greek authorities that they will not take any and Cultural Heritage in general». Furthermore, action which might compromise the integrity and th the 5 Ephorate has proceeded with the authenticity of the site, the Committee decided to designation and delimitation of the boundaries inscribe Mystras on the World Heritage List. of the Archaeological Site of Mystras (Ministry of Culture Decision 24700/744/9.5.2001) in • Statement of significance does not adequately order to achieve a more effective protection of define the outstanding universal value of the the site site. At the time of initial inscription the WH • The designated Archaeological Site has been Committee did not approve a Statement of extended (Ministry of Culture Decision Significance for the site, which defined the 24700/744/9.5.2001 Government Gazette outstanding universal value. 626/τ. Β΄/25.5.2001). The Archaeological Site • Proposal for text has been made by State Party includes the medieval residential complex of • Additional change proposed by State Party Mystras and the historically and A) UNESCO’s official description archaeologically documented surrounding B) Change the name of the site landscape, including an important number of monuments and traditional settlements Boundaries and Buffer Zone • The protection arrangements are considered • Status of boundaries of the site: adequate sufficiently effective • Buffer zone: adequate
State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II
Actions taken/proposed: for the management of the monuments and • The 5th Ephorate has submitted a proposal to sites which is then implemented by the the Central Archaeological Council, for the competent Ephorates. In the case of Mystras delimitation of a zone where building the 5th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities is construction is prohibited (zone A) and of a responsible for the management and protection zone having specific building and land use of the monuments restrictions (zone B)
6. Financial Resources 4. Management Financial situation Use of site/property • State budget (Ministry of Culture) • Visitor attraction; religious use; inside the • European Union: 2nd and 3rd Community castle-city of Mystras, there is the Monastery of Support Framework Our Lady Pantanassa, which is an active • Sufficient convent
Management /Administrative Body 7. Staffing Levels • Steering group: the Committee for the • Number of staff: 50 Restoration of the Monuments of Mystras was • Need for an increase in the number of the set up in September 1984 and has been guarding staff because the property occupies a operational ever since. It comes under the large land area and includes numerous Credit Management Fund for the Execution of monuments; hiring of conservators of works of Archaeological Projects. The Committee has art, who will be exclusively working in the hired specialized staff, with the objective to monuments of Mystras; hiring of have funds drawn in for the site; the funds, archaeologists, museum experts, and architects under the management of the Committee, will for the specific site be allocated to the execution of works in the site of Mystras. The Committee has the Rate of access to adequate professional staff jurisdiction to carry out restoration works in the across the following disciplines: monuments of Mystras, and to enhance the • Very good: interpretation Archaeological Site • Good: conservation, management, promotion • Site manager whose responsibilities have been education, visitor management added to an existing job • Levels of public authority who are primarily involved with the management of the site: 8. Sources of Expertise and Training in national Conservation and Management • The current management system is sufficiently Techniques effective • Two laboratories for the conservation of works of art are located in the property, for portable 5. Management Plan icons, wall paintings, marble and stone members, ceramics, objects made of paper, • The management and protection of monuments metal, glass etc. Occasionally, workshops and and archaeological sites in Greece is not based one-day seminars for the information and on a concrete management plan. Greece has a training of the staff. The scientific staff has the system of protection, which is administered possibility to attend congresses and workshops centrally by the Ministry of Culture through its in Greece or abroad, in order to be informed regional services, i.e. the Ephorates of and keep up with research developments and Prehistoric & Classical and Byzantine the latest studies relevant to their expertise Antiquities. The Ministry of Culture is the • Training seminars and information workshops competent body supervising the sites and organised at regular intervals would provide overseeing all works carried out. As far as the great assistance to the Ephorate safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage is • Training available for stakeholders concerned, there are cases where other
competent bodies besides the Ministry of Culture are involved. The Ministry of Culture sets out the guidelines and the general policy State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II
9. Visitor Management 12. Factors affecting the Property (State of Conservation) • Visitor statistics: 165.900 (ticket counting), 2003 (2003, NOT 2004) Reactive monitoring reports • Visitor facilities: museum where the finds • N/A discovered at the Archaeological Site are on display. Two ticket offices, which also operate Conservation interventions as points of sale. Drinking water facilities. • Conservation work on the wall paintings Explanatory signs. WC decorating the churches of Mystras; restoration • Visitor needs: one point of sale with works at the Palaces, the Laskaris Residence independent opening hours from the ticket and the Palataki; conservation and water-tight offices. Two lavatory facilities work in monuments of the site; Building construction control within the delimited boundaries 10. Scientific Studies • Present state of conservation: adequate • Archaeological surveys; studies on the architecture, the paintings and the sculptures Threats and Risks to site decorating the monuments of the • Development; natural disaster(s); visitor/tourism Archaeological Site of Mystras pressure; agricultural/forestry regimes • Research excavations in the site, studies on • Specific issues: problems arise concerning the monuments, research works pertaining to the state of conservation of the paintings in architecture of the monuments, the street plan particular, due to the weather conditions. of the area, etc. Inhabitants of the area exercise pressure for an • These studies contributed to: the execution of increased agricultural and mainly residential restoration works in monuments of the site; the exploitation. Pressure for further tourist redisplay of the exhibition of the museum; the exploitation in the wider area, via the mounting of exhibitions; the marking/ establishment of hotels and other facilities for signposting of the site with explanatory signs tourists • Emergency measures taken: proposal for the delimitation of a zone where building 11. Education, Information and Awareness construction is prohibited and of a zone having Building specific building and land use restrictions
• Not enough number of signs referring to World Heritage site 13. Monitoring • World Heritage Convention Emblem is not used on publications • No formal monitoring programme • Need for awareness raising: through an • Measures planned: adoption of a systematic information campaign communicated to the programme for the monitoring of the state of the public on a local but also on an international Archaeological Site of Mystras in the immediate level. Organisation of events promoting the future inscription of the site on the World Heritage List in local and national level 14. Conclusions and Recommended • Are held Information-educational events, Actions musical and theatrical performances, exhibitions and educational programmes. All • Main benefits of WH status: conservation; events stress the particular nature of the management monument, as it derives from its inscription on • With the extension of the boundaries of the the World Heritage List Archaeological Site, there was achieved a more • Two educational programmes are running at effective protection of the castle-city of Mystras, the Archaeological Site of Mystras; the including its surrounding natural environment programme “Exploring Mystras” and the and the monuments in it. Restoration work is in programme “Mystras at the time of the progress. Adequate facilities were built for the Palaeologoi” visitors; through the numerous events held, the • Web site available (web page at the Ministry of site enjoys a more integrated promotion Culture’s official website) communicated to the broader public
State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II
• Strength/Weaknesses of management: for an optimal preservation and management the following are required: ensure adequate human resources; develop the existing facilities; carry our conservation works on the entirety of the paintings and sculptures decorating the monuments; enhance the awareness of the public in issues related to protection, presentation and preservation and on the particular significance of the site as World Heritage
Future actions: • Hiring of seasonal staff of various specialties. Development of new facilities in order to better serve the visitors. Organization of cultural events and exhibitions. Enhancement of the educational actions