State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

servir à des cultures différentes (Romaine, Chrétienne orientale, des Croisés, Musulmane) As provided in ICOMOS evaluation Medieval City of ICOMOS, recalling that in 1980 the modern capital of the order of St.John of Jerusalem, which was Brief description established in 1530 at La Valetta, was inscribed on the World Heritage List, is a fortiori favorable to the The Order of St John of Jerusalem occupied inclusion of the city of Rhodes, on the basis of Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and set about criteria II, IV and V. transforming the city into a stronghold. It subsequently came under Turkish and Italian rule. - Criterion II. The fortifications of Rhodes, a With the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great "Frankish" town long considered to be impregnable, Hospital and the Street of the Knights, the Upper exerted an influence throughout the eastern Town is one of the most beautiful urban ensembles Mediterranean basin at the end of the Middle Ages. of the Gothic period. In the Lower Town, Gothic - Criterion IV. This cultural property is an architecture coexists with mosques, public baths outstanding example of an architectural ensemble and other buildings dating from the Ottoman period. which illustrates the significant period of history in which a military/hospital order founded during the 1. Introduction Crusades survived in the eastern Mediterranean area in a context characterised by an obsessive Year(s) of Inscription 1988 fear of siege. Rhodes is one of the most beautiful Agency responsible for site management urban ensembles of the Gothic period. The fact that this medieval city is located on an island in the • Hellenic Ministry of Culture - Aegean Sea, that it was on the site of an ancient 4th Ephorate of Byzantine and Post Byzantine Greek city, and that it commands a port formerly Antiquities embellished by the Colossus erected by Chares of Ippoton, 85100 Rhodes , one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient e-mail: [email protected] world, only adds to its interest. Finally, it must be Website: www.culture.gr noted that the chain of history was not broken in 1523 but rather continued up to 1912 with the additions of valuable Islamic monuments, such as 2. Statement of Significance mosques, baths and houses. Inscription Criteria C (ii), (iv), (v) - Criterion V. With its Frankish and Ottoman buildings the old town of Rhodes is an important Justification provided by the State Party ensemble of traditional human settlement, (1987): La ville médiévale de Rhodes conforme aux characterized by successive and complex critères décrits sous nos. i-vi du verso, c'est a dire: phenomena of acculturation. Contact with the traditions of the changed the forms of (i) Développement d'une architecture médiévale Gothic architecture and building after 1523 unique à Rhodes, produite par l'adaptation des combined vernacular forms resulting from the formes architecturales françaises et espagnoles meeting of two worlds with decorative elements of aux conditions locales et le style indigène byzantin Ottoman origin. All the built-up elements dating (ii) Le tissu urbain ancien et les fortifications before 1912 have become vulnerable because of massives médiévales, reliques des périodes de the evolution in living conditions and they must be forte influence politique et culturelle de Rhodes ont protected as much as the great religious, civil and déterminé la forme de la ville fortifiée d'aujourd'hui military monuments, the churches, monasteries, mosques, baths, palaces, forts, gates and (iii) Voir ci-dessus ramparts. (iv) Les fortifications sont un témoin unique en pureté de la période transitionnelle d'adaptation aux Committee Decision exigences du canon Bureau (1988): The Bureau recommended (v - vi) Plusieurs exemples de l'architecture des inscription of this property, having been informed Croisés, et de l'adaptation des structures pour that all conservation work on the architectural heritage of Rhodes would be carried out under the State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II control of the Greek Ministry of Culture and in 3. Protection accordance with the Venice Charter and the Toledo International Charter for the conservation of historic Legislative and Administrative Arrangements towns and urban areas. • Apart from the institutional framework protecting the site, a town-urban planning Session (1988): It should be stated that the scheme is formally in force. The latter is influence of Rhodes fortifications mentioned under contradictory to the institutional framework, and criterion (ii) particularly applies to , the thus, it is, not implemented. This planning former . scheme ought to be replaced by a land use plan delimiting areas of purely residential use • Statement of Significance does not adequately and areas of tourist development in order to define the outstanding universal value of the protect the settlement against damage brought site. At the time of initial inscription the WH about by the exploitation of historical buildings Committee did not approve a Statement of • Significant changes: a) a new Archaeological Significance for the site, which defined the law was voted in 2002, and some of the outstanding universal value. previsions pertaining to historical settlements • Proposal for text has been made by State Party require the enactment of complementary • Additional change proposed by State Party to legislation. b) The programme contract between UNESCO’s official description of the site the Ministry of Culture-Archaeological Receipts Fund and the Municipality of Rhodes, in force Boundaries and Buffer Zone for about 20 years, has expired. The contract • Status of boundaries of the site: adequate involved the fields of restoration, enhancement • Buffer zone: protective legislation has been of spaces and research in the settlement. c) enacted at various stages since the beginning The Credit Management Fund for the Execution of the 20th century. It protects the listed of Archaeological Projects is operating in historical settlement, the fortifications and the Rhodos; its scope is the restoration and moat, the parks planted with trees and the presentation of ecclesiastical monuments within surrounding coastal zone. The area has been the settlement and of problematic fortification under development pressure in the last sections surrounding the settlement. d) The decades, which brought changes. Therefore, a medieval moat was proclaimed an revision of the delimitation of the buffer zone is archaeological site through a Ministry of Culture deemed necessary in order to take into account Decision 31095/942/7-12-2001 these changes. The buffer zone was defined • The protection arrangements are considered through a designation by the Italian sufficiently effective

administration, which was later ratified by the Actions proposed: Greek State • Revision of the boundaries and the buffer zone, - Ministerial Decisions of 1959, (Government regarding specific protection and management Gazette 24/B/22-1-1960), 2001 (Government issues for the site Gazette 1093/B/21-8-2001)

Status of Authenticity/Integrity 4. Management • World Heritage site values have been maintained Use of site/property • The ongoing and scheduled restorations of • Urban centre; some of the sites are paid visitor monuments, along with the completion of the attractions sewerage network will contribute to the protection of the monument complex against Management /Administrative Body damage. Given that the biggest pressure • Management by the State Party, under exercised on the site has been its use for tourist protective legislation exploitation, there is a need for an improvement • A coordinator needed in the management and adequate funding for • Levels of public authority who are primarily infrastructure and restoration projects are involved with the management of the site: ensured national; local • The current management system is not sufficiently effective • The management of the site and its co- ordination in particular, are mainly the State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

responsibility of the 4th EBA and the Archaeological Receipts Fund. The 4th EBA is • The staff resources to protect, maintain and in charge of conservation works, with the promote the site are not adequate: there are occasional assistance of other bodies. shortages in human resources in various Regarding the improvement in the management: mandatory specialities. specific problems are identified and ideas are exhanged. However, there is a need for a holistic approach. 8. Sources of Expertise and Training in Conservation and Management 5. Management Plan Techniques • Apprenticeship under the supervision of • The management and protection of monuments specialized personnel in situ, mainly in the and archaeological sites in Greece is not based fields of restoration techniques and support on a concrete management plan. Greece has a work, excavation and conservation system of protection, which is administered centrally by the Ministry of Culture through its • Training needs: it is imperative to further train regional services. The Ministry of Culture is the the personnel in new technologies, and in competent body supervising the sites and particular in the use of a personal computer overseeing all works carried out. As far as the safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage is 9. Visitor Management concerned, there are cases where other competent bodies besides the Ministry of • No visitor statistics Culture are involved. The Ministry of Culture • Visitor facilities: In the medieval city, it is the sets out the guidelines and the general policy Municipality and private individuals that ensure for the management of the monuments and the existence of facilities for the service of sites which is then implemented by the visitors. A particular problem is the lack of competent Ephorates. In the case of the parking spaces. When it comes to individual Medieval City of Rhodes the 4th Ephorate of monuments that are open to the public, facilities Byzantine Antiquities is responsible for the are inadequate. Due to the historical management and protection of the monuments significance of buildings, it is difficult to incorporate facilities for visitors, in particular those with mobility problems. For the time being, 6. Financial Resources in some of them there are lavatory facilities, a Financial situation cafeteria and a point of sale, chemical WC. • State budget (Ministry of Culture, There is also a store selling Archaeological Archaeological Receipts Fund); Municipality of Receipts Fund items Rhodes; private individuals aiming at the • Visitor paths are described in the guides conservation of their real estate; profits available at bookstores generated by many businesses in the Medieval • Visitor needs: with regard to museums alone: City of Rhodes. access improvement, amelioration of safety • 2nd and 3rd Community Support Framework of measures, air-conditioning/dehumidifiers, the EU facilities for the people with disabilities, • Insufficient organizing an information centre for the visitors, creation of a website for the site. With respect to visitor access in the settlement in general, 7. Staffing Levels greater effort is needed to implement regulations pertaining to the operation of • Number of staff: 24 commercial businesses and to the parking and

Rate of access to adequate professional staff traffic control of vehicles throughout the year across the following disciplines: • Good: interpretation 10. Scientific Studies • Average: conservation • Bad: management, education • Archaeological surveys, restoration studies, • Very bad: promotion, visitor management landscaping studies, studies for the property status, land uses, social stratification of the • Adequate: restoration, excavation work, inhabitants plotting-photographing State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

• Numerous studies on individual historical Djami etc., construction of drainage and buildings elaborated by public bodies, as well subterranean facilities/landscaping and as studies elaborated by private individuals for enhancement of the medieval moat, clearing the restoration of privately owned real estate. works to remove earth-fill, repair work and The topographic survey and photogrammetric enhancements, watertight works, repair works, drawing of the entire medieval fortification, as enhancement and presentation of the defence well as the topographic survey of the entire line, installation of subterranean water supply urban tissue of the medieval city, have always and sewerage network in 50% of the medieval constituted important background material for city, landscaping of open spaces, many interventions conservation/enhancement of the medieval • The studies on the property status and social fountains in the medieval city, enhancement of stratification of the inhabitants were used in the archaeological site of the ancient order to choose the monuments eligible for fortifications, etc. Many projects in progress; restoration, decide on the landscaping of public many excavations spaces and draft a land use plan • Present state of conservation: patchy Threats and Risks to site 11. Education, Information and Awareness • Natural disaster(s); number of inhabitants; visitor/tourism pressure; deficient Building implementation of the protective legislation; • An adequate number of signs referring to World lack of coordination in management issues at Heritage site the local level • World Heritage Convention Emblem is used on • Specific issues: decreasing number of publications permanent inhabitants; amongst natural • Adequate awareness of World Heritage among: disasters, the seismicity of the broader area is a local authorities permanent and existing menace for the • Need for awareness raising: further publicity, historical buildings of the medieval city. Except educational programmes for students, for the problems/risks, it is imperative not only administrative measures to continue the funding of restoration/ • The inscription has played a role in promoting enhancement projects in the medieval city, but the property mainly by the Municipality of also to ensure a continuous flow of funds Rhodes, which held the presidency of the World throughout the year, in order for a more Cultural Heritage cities and organized an effective absorption of funds and a smoother International Congress in 2003. When there is operation of works in the buildings/worksites. staff available, the educational programmes Besides, the projects that have started since that are put in place are thematic 1988 have produced valuable know-how, which • Web site available (web pages at the Ministry of must not be lost through personnel cutbacks Culture’s official website) • Emergency measures taken: a land use map, proposals for the incorporation of projects in the 4th C.S.F. of EU 12. Factors affecting the Property (State of Conservation) 13. Monitoring Reactive monitoring reports • Formal monitoring programme • World Heritage Bureau sessions: 19th (1995) • Guarding personnel visits all sites/properties • World Heritage Committee sessions: 18th where building works are in progress, on a daily (1994) basis and monitors the situation in the historic

centre of the city of Rhodes. This is done under Conservation interventions the supervision of an experienced archaeologist • Many restoration projects i.g. of the Street of and architect who intervene whenever it is the Knights, the Hospitaller Hospice of St. required in order to ensure the integrity of the Catherine, the “Admiralty’, the Caretto Bastion monument complex. Apart from that, an archive and the ramparts of St. John’s Gate, of with photographs is kept showing the medieval wall sections, three medieval mills, of interventions undertaken in all buildings in the the medieval monasteries of St. Bernardine and medieval city. A permit by the 4th EBA, the St. John, 20 traditional residences and two competent body for the residential area, is medieval buildings, the Yeni Hammam Baths, required for minor interventions, whereas for the Ottoman Court House, the Suleymaniye State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II

major interventions it is necessary to have a permit granted by the Central Archaeological Council, which has its seat in Athens. There are no reports made with key indicators etc because the experience of the permanent personnel and the continuous monitoring of worksites constitute the best guarantee for the protection of the property

14. Conclusions and Recommended Actions • Main benefits of WH status: conservation; management; International acclaim has a positive impact on public opinion, and respectively affects the way the broader public sees the monument • Restoration works were completed in a number of historical buildings, and potential factors of degradation of the quality of the inhabitants’ life were eradicated. There has been some progress in the improvement of infrastructure • Strength/Weaknesses of management: there are pending issues regarding the urban plan and land uses, need to fully implement the protective legal framework, lack of appropriate coordination in management issues, need to maintain a stable flow of funds, centralized bureaucratic procedures

Future actions: • The protective legal framework will be improved, contradictions regarding the urban plan and land uses will be lifted