State of Conservation
Historic Cairo
(Egypt)
Factors affecting the property in 2001*
- Human resources
- Management activities
- Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Earthquake in 1992 (issue resolved)
- Inappropriate reconstruction works (issue resolved)
- Coordination among institutions
- Authenticity and adaptive re-use in conservation policy
- Training and institutional building
Corrective Measures for the property
1. An International Seminar on the conservation of Historic Cairo, with multi-disciplinary planning workshops focused on specific projects, to be organized in early 2002. Periodic reviewing seminars of the current projects will also be held.
2. The establishment within the premises of a restored monument, of a permanent Information Centre on Historic Cairo World Heritage site and current conservation efforts
3. The preparation of a Conservation Manual, with technical specifications and detailed descriptions of the types of work most commonly required for the conservation and maintenance of historic building within the city of Cairo.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2001
Requests approved: 10
(from 1979-1999)
Total amount approved : 398,900 USD
1999 |
Rehabilitation Programme for Islamic Cairo
(Approved)
Reapproval: 05 May, 2003 (n°1638 - 19,000 USD)
|
80,000 USD |
1998 | Rehabilitation Programme for Islamic Cairo (Approved) | 120,000 USD |
1998 | Preparation of the co-operation Programme for Historic ... (Approved) | 19,000 USD |
1998 | Exhibition on Historic Cairo in 1998 (Approved) | 5,000 USD |
1998 | Meeting in Paris on Islamic Cairo (Approved) | 14,900 USD |
1997 | Restoration of Al-Sinnari House, Historic Cairo (Approved) | 20,000 USD |
1995 | Second phase of the restoration of al-Sinnari House, ... (Approved) | 30,000 USD |
1992 | Restoration of monuments and sites of Old City of Cairo ... (Approved) | 50,000 USD |
1981 | 12-month expert services for the restoration of the ... (Approved) | 30,000 USD |
1979 | Draw up a project for the restauration and development ... (Approved) | 30,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2001**
October 1998: expert mission sent by the World Heritage Centre; July 2000: ICOMOS expert mission; August 2001: ICOMOS expert mission; September 2001: World Heritage Centre mission
2001 | Report on Monitoring Mission to Islamic Cairo (6-18 August 2001), ICOMOS |
2001 | WHC Mission Report Islamic Cairo World Heritage Site, 10 – 16 February 2001 |
1993 | WHC Mission Report, Historic Cairo |
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2001
Previous deliberations:
Twenty-third session of the Committee (paragraph number X.35)
Twenty-fourth session of the Bureau (paragraph number IV.59)
Main issues: Lack of coordination; major restoration programmes
New information:
The restoration of Al Sennari House has been completed successfully with funding through the Convention. The Egyptian authorities are presently discussing on the best function for this House, which would be compatible with its character and conservation requirements. Among other options, the possibility of using the House as an Information Centre on the Islamic Cairo was raised.
Two reports have been submitted since the Committee Meeting in Cairns from the Policy Advisor and Technical Coordinator contracted by the WHC over the past year to follow the development of activities for the rehabilitation of Islamic Cairo.
The report submitted by the Policy Advisor highlighted the great number of restoration/conservation projects currently being carried out in Islamic Cairo (19 large projects, for a total estimated amount of over 41 Million US dollars). The WHC does not have enough information to assist the Egyptian authorities in implementing and monitoring such a major programme, whose impact on the state of conservation of the historic city is bound to be considerable. A foreseen technical mission by an ICOMOS expert, requested by the twenty-fourth session of the Bureau of June 2000 to evaluate the state of conservation of Islamic monuments in Cairo, has not yet been dispatched.
Both reports shed light on the great complexity of this World Heritage site (the largest historic city on the List), reflected by the very large number of actors involved and the considerable number of on-going initiatives, ranging from restoration campaigns to major urban infrastructure projects. According to the report submitted by the Technical Coordinator, with a view to set a framework for a coherent implementation strategy, the General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP, Ministry of Housing) is working on a comprehensive project for the rehabilitation of historic Cairo, while the newly established Center of Studies and Development for Historic Cairo (CSDHC, Ministry of Culture) is engaged in the preparation of a rehabilitation plan for its monuments.
As agreed between the General Secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the Deputy Director of the WHC, (on mission to Cairo accompanied by a consultant on February 2001), a Seminar could be organized as soon as the two above-mentioned studies are finalized involving all the concerned parties, as well as national and international experts, to review the projects and proposals, with particular regard to the priority area of Al-Muaiz Street, and agree on specific guidelines for the implementation of an integrated rehabilitation plan. A number of actions were also discussed and agreed upon, that could be implemented immediately to improve the presentation of the site and raise the awareness of its inhabitants of the need to protect it.
Action Required
The Bureau recommends that, as soon as the two studies, to be prepared by GOPP and CSDHC, are available, the Egyptian authorities organize, in close coordination with the WHC, a Seminar to review all existing proposals and establish clear and concrete guidelines for a rehabilitation plan of the Al Muaiz Street area. The Bureau recommends as well that the foreseen mission by an ICOMOS expert be dispatched as soon as possible to monitor the implementation of the conservation works going on within the historic city.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2001
As recommended by the Bureau at its June session in Paris, an ICOMOS expert carried out a mission to Cairo from 6 to 18 August 2001, to evaluate the current restoration projects. Further to this mission, the Director and Chief a.i. of the Arab States Unit of the World Heritage Centre visited Cairo in September 2001.
A major campaign is being implemented in Cairo, with a total of 150 interventions foreseen within a period of eight years and 48 monuments currently under restoration. The campaign is managed by the Ministry of Culture, and support provided by the Historic Cairo Studies and Development Centre, employing about 250 staff comprising six working groups. Projects are developed by external consultants and executed by contractors, invited to restricted bids.
While emphasizing the great efforts and commendable commitment shown by the Egyptian authorities towards the rehabilitation of Historic Cairo, the ICOMOS report highlighted some issues of particular concern:
· Coordination must be strengthened among the various institutions involved in the rehabilitation of the site, to ensure that conservation efforts integrate concerns for social and economic aspects, and are carried out within an integrated strategy. At present, 32 different laws govern the administration of Historic Cairo, shared among six Authorities, while the city does not have a comprehensive Master Plan with clear land-use regulations. 40% of the land within the site is composed of vacant lots.
· Strictly related to the above issue is the question of the adaptive re-use of the restored monuments. At present, several monuments are being restored, but no clear indications are provided as to the future function and management of the building. A strategy based on priorities and actual needs should be established.
· Another issue of concern is the varying quality of the projects and work being executed, ranging from exemplary interventions (e.g. Al Ghuri Mosque) to mediocre standards (e.g. the Sagarthmish Mosque). This aspect is strictly related to the question of authenticity, and to the tendency towards ‘complete restoration’ (surfaces are generally restored to what may have been their state at a specific time, paying less attention to retention of signs of age and patina that has resulted from wear and tear). This may well have been the result of excessive rush in the execution of so many challenging projects, but sometimes reflects a lack of coherence between historical analysis of a monument and the adopted restoration options.
· Public awareness of the objectives of the restoration campaign and current projects must be promoted. The opening of a debate on the interventions, and confrontation of the different opinions, may contribute to ensure that all projects conform with the standards stipulated in international conventions.
· Specific training on conservation must be provided for the professional staff of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, mostly composed of archaeologists and engineers, taking into account the unprecedented scale and number of restoration projects.
In order to address the above remarks, the WHC and the Egyptian authorities agreed to start implementing together a series of specific actions, to be partially funded through the Egyptian Funds in-Trust at UNESCO. These actions include:
1. An International Seminar on the conservation of Historic Cairo, with multi-disciplinary planning workshops focused on specific projects, to be organized in early 2002. Periodic reviewing seminars of the current projects will also be held.
2. The establishment within the premises of a restored monument, of a permanent Information Centre on Historic Cairo World Heritage site and current conservation efforts
3. The preparation of a Conservation Manual, with technical specifications and detailed descriptions of the types of work most commonly required for the conservation and maintenance of historic building within the city of Cairo.
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2001
-
Adopted
-
Draft Decision
25 BUR V.198-202
Islamic Cairo (Egypt)
V.198 The Secretariat informed the Bureau of the content of the reports received since the last session of the Committee (Cairns, 2000) from the two consultants contracted by the Centre over the past year to co-ordinate and advise on the activities for the rehabilitation of Islamic Cairo.
V.199 On the issue of urban rehabilitation, the Bureau noted the intention of the Egyptian authorities to organize, in collaboration with the Centre, a seminar in Cairo to review and discuss current projects, strategies and on-going studies, particularly concerning the central area of the Al Muaiz Street. Among these studies are a comprehensive Project for the Rehabilitation of Islamic Cairo, undertaken by the General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP)– Ministry of Housing, and a rehabilitation plan for the monuments of the city, being developed by the newly established Centre of Studies and Development for Historic Cairo (CSDHC) – Ministry of Culture.
V.200 The World Heritage Centre’s consultants reported that a large number of restoration projects are being implemented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The Bureau noted the concern of ICOMOS with respect to the need to ensure that recognized standards of conservation are fully respected, given the special importance of many of these monuments.
V.201 The Bureau recommended that, as soon as the two studies to be prepared by GOPP and CSDHC are available, the Egyptian authorities organize, in close co-ordination with the Centre, a seminar to review all existing proposals and establish clear and concrete guidelines for a rehabilitation plan of the Al Muaiz Street area.
V.202 The Bureau also recommended that the mission foreseen by an ICOMOS expert be dispatched as soon as possible, to monitor the implementation of the conservation works occurring within the historic city.
The Bureau may wish to adopt the following decision:
“The Bureau commends the State Party for its great efforts towards the rehabilitation of Historic Cairo, and particularly for supporting the three above-mentioned actions in collaboration with the WHC. The Bureau also encourages the State Party:
· to resolve possible coordination conflicts within Historic Cairo and to elaborate a comprehensive institutional framework which would ensure a better management of the site;
· to ensure that appropriate and compatible functions and future management mechanisms are determined, before starting any restoration works on a monument;
· to pay special attention, when restoring a monument, in recording its features and ensuring the respect of its authenticity, including the traces of history on its layout and surfaces.;
· to invest adequate resources towards the capacity-building in the area of architectural conservation for the staff of the Supreme Council of Antiquities;
· to consider the possibility of slowing down the pace of the current restoration campaign, until such times as this capacity is in place;
· to periodically monitor the restoration works, in close consultation with the WHC.”
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.