Danuta Klosek-Kozlowska Faculty of Architecture, University of Technology

Warsaw on the UNESCO World Heritage List

In 1980 The World Heritage Committee decided to put on the List the reconstruction of after its destruction during World War the II-nd. There is only one site totally reconstructed included to the List. This decision, very important for the whole Polish society, honoured the unprecedented determination and effort of the community of Warsaw, which through the act of reconstruction strove to restore its historical and cultural identity.

This spectacular inclusion on the World Heritage List was particularly important for Polish conservators and Polish conservation specialists-craftsmans. We have waited a quarter of a century before the international doctrine and theoretical views of conservation caught up with practice in this field; before the reconstruction, widely and spontaneously demanded by the society at that time, was recognised as an act icluded to the philisophy of conservation; before the participation of the local community and its consent to particular preservation actions in the town became an indisenpsable element in the process of conservation as a very waste meaning of this therm. A long time had passed before the common attitude to authenticity evolved, and the europocentric cult for authentic structure, originating from the christian culture and 19th century theory of monument preservation, weakened.

Many of you may have had a chance to visit the rebuilt Old Town in Warsaw. It is a very special place, full of life, and yet retaining a warm and intimate atmosphere. For many inhabitants of Warsaw this area has a magic quality, a symbolic value and it evokes deep emotions, being tragically entwined in the history of so many warsaw families. It is a space fully accepted by all Varsavians, but also treated with special sentiment. Because still, many of my colleagues express the opinion that reconstruction of Warsaw it is only a life-size model, not a real, authentic urban structure. This view seems unfair and inadequate to me, therefore I would like to use this occasion to demonstrate: firstly - how much of the authentic pre-war structure of Warsaw has been preserved; and icorporated to rebuilded one; secondly - how modern way of thinking about hitoric urban space and urban conservation it was.

About the documentation basis. 1) the reconstruction of Old Warsaw was based on excellent pre-war measurement documentation – the professional architectural and urban measurements in plans and sections taken and documented before the World War II which served as the basis for all projects of reconstruction of The Old Town and New Town in Warsaw after the war. (documentation basis also for the reconstruction of medieval urban-pattern which was discovered from the ruins) A very specific source in the reconstruction, apart from old photographs and drawings, were eighteen- century townscapes by (Canaletto). They were particularly useful in the reconstruction of the Old Town panorama viewed from the River. 2) Because of reuse of old fundaments - most of the cellars are authentic, as well as many parts of walls and details on the ground floors and even on higher floors. Some stone window frames and portals - in a whole or partly. These are Gothic, Renaissance or elements, corresponding to the style of the original pre-war buildings. Among other authentic elements that have survived and insert in reconstracted buildings we can mention some authentic decoration: Gothic motifs in medieval house walls decoration, fragments of reneisance sgraffito on the fa çades and wall paintings inside burger houses. But also: mediaeval defense walls and quite substantial parts of turrets, in which a special kind of mortar marks - the division line between the authentic parts and the reconstructed fragments. It was also probably one of the first case to prove, that the professional documentation is a very important part of conservation process which may serve as the basis for regaining lost treasures.

About the “urban conservation” philosophy. The rebuilding of the Old Town in Warsaw was one of those experiments in urban conservation which stimulated the development of its doctrinal and theoretical foundations and led to the revaluation of many of its previously sacred rules. We might even risk a claim that it was the first enterprise that had implemented the principles of integrated conservation, understood as interdisciplinary actions involving not only the technical and socio-economic aspects of the contemporary needs and expectations, but first of all a social pressure – a voice of of inhabitants, which through the act of reconstruction strove to restore its historical and cultural identity – the philosophy of conservation which we are developing nowadays.