Periodic Report - Second Cycle Section II-Upper Svaneti 1. World Heritage Property Data 1.8 - Other designations / Conventions under which the property is protected (if applicable) 1.1 - Name of World Heritage Property Upper Svaneti 2. Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 1.2 - World Heritage Property Details 2.1 - Statement of Outstanding Universal Value / Statement of Significance State(s) Party(ies) Comment Georgia Brief Synthesis Preserved by its long geographical isolation, Type of Property the mountain landscape of Upper Svaneti region of the cultural Caucasus is an exceptional example of mountain scenery with Identification Number medieval villages and tower houses. The property occupies 709 the upper reaches of the lnguri river basin between the Caucasus and Svaneti ranges. It consists of several small Year of inscription on the World Heritage List villages forming a community that are dominated by the 1996 towers and situated on the mountain slopes, with a natural environment of gorges and alpine valleys and a backdrop of 1.3 - Geographic Information Table snow-covered mountains. The most notable feature of the Name Coordinates Property Buffer Total Inscription settlements is the abundance of towers. The village of (latitude/longitude) (ha) zone (ha) year Chazhashi in Ushguli community, situated at the confluence of (ha) lnguri and Black rivers, has preserved more than 200 Upper 42.916 / 43.011 1.06 19.16 20.22 1996 medieval tower houses, churches and castles. The land use Svaneti and settlement structure reveal the continued dwelling and Total (ha) 1.06 19.16 20.22 building traditions of local Svan people living in harmony with the surrounding natural environment. Svaneti tower house 1.4 - Map(s) origins go back to prehistory. Its features reflect the traditional economic mode and social organization of Svan communities. Title Date Link to source These towers usually have from three to five floors and the Upper Svaneti World Heritage Site 15/07/2010 thickness of the walls decreases, giving the towers a slender, tapering profile. The houses themselves are usually two- storeyed; the ground floor is a single hall with an open hearth 1.5 - Governmental Institution Responsible for the and accommodation for both people and domestic animals, Property the latter being separated by a wooden partition, which is Nicholas Vacheishvili often lavishly decorated. A corridor annex helped the thermal National Agency for Cultural heritage preservation of insulation of the building. The upper floor was used by the Georgia human occupants in the summer, and also served as a store Director General for fodder and tools. A door at this level provided access to the Comment tower, which was also connected with the corridor that protected the entrance. The houses were used both as National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia dwellings and as defense posts against the invaders who Nikoloz Antidze Director General 5, Tabukashvili Street 0105 plagued the region. The property is also notable for the Tbilisi Georgia Telephone (+995 32) 932411 Email: monumental and minor arts. The mural paintings are the [email protected] outstanding examples of Renaissance painting in Georgia. 1.6 - Property Manager / Coordinator, Local Institution / 2.2 - The criteria (2005 revised version) under which the Agency property was inscribed Rusudan Mirzikashvili (iv)(v) National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia Head of UNESCO and International Relations Unit 2.3 - Attributes expressing the Outstanding Universal Value per criterion Criterion (IV): The region of Upper Svanety is an outstanding 1.7 - Web Address of the Property (if existing) example of an exceptional mountain landscape composed of 1. View photos from OUR PLACE the World highly preserved villages with unique defensive tower houses Heritage collection and complexes, examples of ecclesiastical architecture and 2. Svaneti, (Parliament of Georgia) arts of medieval origin. Criterion (v): The region of Upper Comment Svaneti is an outstanding landscape that has preserved to a Added to http://heritagesites.ge/?lang=geo&page=328 remarkable degree its original medieval appearance notable for its fragile traditional human settlements and land-use patterns. Integrity The elements conveying the Outstanding Universal Value of Upper Svaneti are included within the boundaries of the nominated area and the buffer zone. The exceptional medieval landscape, with its traditional settlement patterns, architecture and land use forms, ensures the representation of the property''s significance and has retained its original appearance and substance to a great extent. The architectural elements of the property have maintained the Page 1 Monday, October 13, 2014 (8:58:00 PM CEST) Periodic Report - Section II-Upper Svaneti World Heritage Centre Periodic Report - Second Cycle Section II-Upper Svaneti medieval material and most of the have retained original use and function as well as the relationship with the surrounding environment. Authenticity All elements credibly express the Outstanding Universal Value of the property as they retain their authentic medieval form and distribution of traditional settlement and land use patterns, landscape setting, design of architectural typology and preserve to a high degree original material as well as function of dwelling and ecclesiastical structures. The interaction between man and nature in the landscape is completely authentic and of high importance. The geographical location and setting of this exceptional medieval landscape highly contribute to preservation of the forms of local intangible heritage, like: traditions, customs, beliefs, rituals of everyday life, language and folklore of Svan living community. The harsh environmental conditions, lack of access during long winter periods and inappropriate repair techniques applied to maintain the traditional structures often challenge the authenticity of material and the state of conservation of the components of the property. 2.4 - If needed, please provide details of why the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value should be revised 2.5 - Comments, conclusions and / or recommendations related to Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 3. Factors Affecting the Property 3.14. Other factor(s) 3.14.1 - Other factor(s) Page 2 Monday, October 13, 2014 (8:58:00 PM CEST) Periodic Report - Section II-Upper Svaneti World Heritage Centre Periodic Report - Second Cycle Section II-Upper Svaneti 3.15. Factors Summary Table 3.15.1 - Factors summary table Name Impact Origin 3.1 Buildings and Development 3.1.5 Interpretative and visitation facilities 3.3 Services Infrastructures 3.3.4 Localised utilities 3.4 Pollution 3.4.2 Ground water pollution 3.4.5 Solid waste 3.5 Biological resource use/modification 3.5.3 Land conversion 3.5.4 Livestock farming / grazing of domesticated animals 3.7 Local conditions affecting physical fabric 3.7.3 Temperature 3.8 Social/cultural uses of heritage 3.8.2 Society's valuing of heritage 3.8.6 Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation 3.9 Other human activities 3.9.1 Illegal activities 3.11 Sudden ecological or geological events 3.11.2 Earthquake 3.13 Management and institutional factors 3.13.1 Low impact research / monitoring activities Legend Current Potential Negative Positive Inside Outside 3.16. Assessment of current negative factors 3.16.1 - Assessment of current negative factors Spatial scale Temporal scale Impact Management Trend response 3.3 Services Infrastructures 3.3.4 Localised utilities restricted intermittent or sporadic minor low capacity static 3.4 Pollution 3.4.2 Ground water pollution restricted intermittent or sporadic minor low capacity static 3.4.5 Solid waste restricted intermittent or sporadic minor low capacity static 3.7 Local conditions affecting physical fabric 3.7.3 Temperature widespread on-going minor low capacity static 3.8 Social/cultural uses of heritage 3.8.2 Society's valuing of heritage widespread intermittent or sporadic minor low capacity static 3.8.6 Impacts of tourism / visitor / widespread on-going minor low capacity static recreation 3.9 Other human activities 3.9.1 Illegal activities localised intermittent or sporadic significant low capacity increasing Page 3 Monday, October 13, 2014 (8:58:00 PM CEST) Periodic Report - Section II-Upper Svaneti World Heritage Centre Periodic Report - Second Cycle Section II-Upper Svaneti The new “Law of Georgia on Cultural Heritage Protection” was 3.17. Comments, conclusions and / or adopted in 2007. Two types of protection zones were defined by this legal instrument: recommendations related to factors affecting the - Individual protected areas are composed of a zone of property physical protection and a zone of visual protection (1000 m for the World Heritage properties). This area is applied 3.17.1 - Comments automatically with the attribution of the status of monument and could be extended by Ministerial Decree. The zone of physical protection is defined around the monuments (no less 4. Protection, Management and Monitoring of the then 50 m) in order to protect against any threats. All Property construction is forbidden which is not beneficial for the monument’s protection or its 4.1. Boundaries and Buffer Zones landscape. - General protected areas comprise a protection zone for immovable monuments, a construction regulation zone, an 4.1.1 - Buffer zone status historic landscape protection zone and an archaeological There is a buffer zone protection zone. The historic landscape protection