State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II centre of Florence responds to nearly all the criteria defined by the Convention. ITALY 1) Criterion (i)- the urban complex of Florence is in itself a unique artistic realization, a chef-d'oeuvre Historic Centre of Florence absolute, the fruit of a continuous creation over more than six centuries. Leaving aside its museums Brief description (the Archaeological Museum, Uffizi Bargello, Pitti, Galleria dell' Academia, etc.), the greatest Built on the site of an Etruscan settlement, concentration of universally renowned works of art Florence, the symbol of the Renaissance, rose to in the world is found here - the Cathedral of Santa economic and cultural pre-eminence under the Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery and the Campanile Medici in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its 600 years of Giotto, Piazza de la Signoria dominated by the of extraordinary artistic activity can be seen above Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Uffizi, San all in the 13th-century cathedral (Santa Maria del Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce and the Fiore), the Church of Santa Croce, the Uffizi and Pazzi chapel, the Convent of San Marco which the Pitti Palace, the work of great masters such as houses paintings of Fra Angelico, Santo Spirito, Giotto, Brunelleschi, Botticelli and Michelangelo. San Miniato, etc. 2) Criterion (ii) - Since the Quattrocento, Florence 1. Introduction has exerted a predominate influence on the development of architecture and the monumental Year(s) of Inscription 1982 arts- first in Italy, and then throughout Europe: the Agency responsible for site management artistic principles of the Renaissance were defined there from the beginning of the 15th century by • Municipality of Florence Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio. It was in the Assessorato di Cultura Florentine milieu that two universal geniuses of the Direzione Ufficio Tematico e di Progetto arts -Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo - were “Cultura” formed and asserted. Via Ghibellina 30 50122 Florence 3) Criterion (iii) - the historic centre of Florence Tuscany, Italy attests in an exceptional manner, and by its unique E-mail: [email protected] coherence, to its power as a merchant-city of the Website: www.commune.fi.it Middle Ages and of the Renaissance. From its past, Florence has preserved entire streets, fortified palaces (Palazzo Spini, Palazzo del Podestà, 2. Statement of Significance Palazzo della Signoria), loggie (Loggia del Bigallo, Inscription Criteria C (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (vi) Loggia dei Lanzi, the Loggi degli Innocenti and del Mercato Nuovo), fountains, a marvellous bridge of the 14th century lined with shops, the Ponte Justification provided by the State Party Vecchio. Various trades, organized into prosperous 1) The city of Florence, with its complex urban arte have left several monuments such as the Or fabric and stratified pattern of archaeological San Michele. remains that are manifest today, provides a unique 4) Criterion (iv) - Florence, a first-rate economic and example of human activity. political power in Europe from the 14th to the 17th 2) The exceptionally rich heritage of the city, which century, was covered during that period with bears witness to immense artistic activity, stands prestigious buildings which translated the forth as a unique model, both from the historical munificence of the bankers and the princes: and the aesthetic points of view. Palazzo Rucellai, Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Gondi, Palazzo Riccardi-Medici, Palazzo Pandolfini, 3) This immense record of the past is a heritage of Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens- as well as the the greatest importance which goes beyond sacristy of San Lorenzo, the funerary chapel of the national frontiers and requires exceptional Medicis, and the Biblioteca Laurenziana, etc. measures of conservation. 5) Criterion (vi) - Florence is materially associated As provided in ICOMOS evaluation with events of a universal importance. It was in the milieu of the Neo-platonic Academia that the ICOMOS would underscore the fact that the historic concept of the Renaissance was forged. Florence is State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II the birthplace of modern humanism inspired by 3. Protection Landino, Marsilio Ficino, Pico de la Mirandola, etc. Legislative and Administrative Arrangements Committee Decision • There are various laws and administrative provisions that project the site: The Committee made no statement. - The City Master Plan dated 1998 subdivide the municipal territory into nine homogeneous zones and identify the historic centre area as a • Statement of Significance does not adequately homogeneous zone (A) of cultural and defines the outstanding universal value of the environmental interest. In the A-type site homogeneous zones, composed of the historical fabric of the building assets in the Boundaries and Buffer Zone Municipal territory, nine classifications of • Status of boundaries of the site: adequate buildings are also distinguished specifying the • No buffer zone has been defined. Further work degree of admissible intervention work on the needed individual buildings deriving from the • The site is situated in a more extensive area identification of different historical-architectural subject to protective and preservation which typologies and appurtenances. - The Building make use of the following instruments: Regulation approved on 1999 identifies the - The City Master Plan approved on 1998 “privileged” functions such residence and identifies the historic centre area as a related services; “forbidden” functions such as homogeneous zone (A) of cultural and for example industrial, and artisan concerns environmental interest and by means of a larger than 250 square meters, large-scale special regulatory system it provides for retail trade concerns (more than 2500 square admissible construction work, organized meters of selling area), barracks, prisons, etc.; according to the assignment of nine “building “tolerated” functions other than those classifications”, deriving from identification of mentioned different historical-architectural typologies and - The Structural Plan (regional law 1995) is a appurtenances planning tool which set an objective to adopt a - Building Regulation identifies, furthermore, the of growth social, economic and cultural growth “privileged” functions such as residence and that does not erode the patrimony of territorial related services and environmental resources, but instead - Technical Regulations for Implementation of consigns them intact to future generations. The the City Master Plan and the Building Structural Plan identifies the strategic Regulation identifies several historical- objectives that the city of Florence must architectural typologies corresponding with achieve in the next few years and not only different levels of admissible construction work provides for territorial planning but also for each individual building programming for large-scale services. - - The City Traffic Master Plan establishes in the Legislative Degree 2004, n.42. Cultural area approximately corresponding with the Heritage and Landscape Code establishes an town center, included within the “Viali” (ring instrument to defend and promote Italian roads) and the Oltrarno district, a Restricted heritage which provides for the involvement of Traffic Area, divided into five sectors marked by the local authorities and irrevocably defines the the letters A, B, C, D and E. The regulation in alienation limits for public property. The code force defines a series of limiting criteria for identifies two types of cultural assets: cultural access, circulation and stopping, in the spirit of assets in the strict sense, coinciding with things the provisions in the Rules of the Road and in of historical, artistic, archaeological interest observance of an environmental compatibility pursuant to law 1089 of 1939, and the cultural threshold to be used in the Historic Centre assets, in a broader sense, composed of the areas Italian landscape. This measure subjects real assets of historic and artistic interest to the Status of Authenticity/Integrity surveillance of the Monuments and Fine Arts World Heritage site values have been • Commission and is implemented in the maintained authorization of the restoration projects and in the supervision of works • The protection arrangements are considered highly effective State of Conservation of World Heritage Properties in Europe SECTION II 4. Management 6. Financial Resources Use of site/property Financial situation • Urban centre • State Budget; regional Funding; Municipal Administration Management /Administrative Body • Private sponsors; free donations; Bank funds; • The Historical Centre – World Heritage Funding of ecclesiastical authorities UNESCO office has set a goal to create a solid • Sufficient network of bonds and collaboration with the various institutions and the Municipal offices to 7. Staffing Levels coordinate the intervention work to manage the historic centre. For this purpose an inter- • Number of staff: 1.156 managerial group was created (with management representatives from the Rate of access to adequate professional staff Municipal Planning Department, the Municipal across the following disciplines: Police Department, the Mobility Department, • Very good: conservation, management, the Metropolitan Area and Decentralization promotion; interpretation; education; visitor Office, Economical Promotions, Strategic management Planning,