Vienna joins Aleppo and Damascus on Unesco 'in danger' list
The historic centre has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2001
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.With its largely pedestrianised centre, cobbled streets and Habsburg architecture, Vienna is usually high on the list for city breaks packing a historical punch.
But Unesco has added the Austrian capital to its “World Heritage in Danger” list, citing new building works that will impact on the city skyline.
At the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee – which began on 2 July and finishes on Wednesday – Unesco ruled that new developments will “impact adversely the outstanding universal value of the [Historic Centre of Vienna].”
The committee singled out the project that is expanding the Vienna Ice-Skating Club, renovating the Vienna Konzerthaus and rebuilding an InterContinental hotel complete with events space near the iconic Ringstrasse. Construction is due to begin in 2019.
The project has already had to rethink its plans, reducing the planned height of the main tower by three storeys, making the building “more elegant” than originally projected, and demolishing the existing InterContinental hotel and rebuilding it to a smaller scale.
But Unesco stated that it “regrets” that the project “fails to comply fully with previous Committee decisions, notably concerning the height of new constructions, which will impact adversely the outstanding universal value of the site.”
The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to be both a warning and an encouragement to take corrective action. Unesco states that: “Typical threats that lead to danger listing include armed conflict, natural disaster, unplanned urban developments, poaching and pollution.”
Vienna’s city centre, or Innere Stadt, traces its history back to Roman and Celtic times. Parts of its medieval fortifications are still visible, though it’s the Baroque architecture from its time as the centre of the Austro-Hungarian empire that the city is best known for today.
Looped by the famous Ringstrasse boulevard, the historic centre was inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage List in 2001. It now joins 54 other sites on the endangered list, including Afghanistan's Minaret of Jam and Aleppo and Damascus.
A spokesperson for the Vienna Tourist Board told The Independent: “While we regret that Vienna has been added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, we do not expect repercussions in regards to tourism. Vienna remains one of the most beautiful and attractive tourist destinations worldwide, not least due to the fact that the city has always placed significant emphasis on the value of its historical heritage while simultaneously transforming into a modern metropolis. Nothing will change in this respect in the future.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments