Short description
In Galle, the research examined the strategies related to the policies and management of sustainable development of the heritage site and the question of development without damaging the Outstanding Universal Value. By focusing on the official UNESCO documents and complementing this result with an illustrative case, different dimensions of the cultural significance of the historic centre have been revealed and assessed.
Population
99,478 (2011)
Land area
16,2 km²
Key challenges
Problems mentioned in the research: the difficulty for stakeholders concerned with policies and management within the fort to remove existing unauthorized building activity; inadequate sewage and solid waste management; noise pollution and fumes caused by increasing traffic and inadequate vehicle management within the fort; overhead wires, cables, TV antennae and water tanks marring the roof-scapes of the fort; closing-in of verandas for domestic security reasons, altering the street-scapes; “unauthorized change of use” of houses (UNESCO, 2003).
According to State of Conservation reports: Illegal constructions; potential threat of a marine transport infrastructure on the integrity of the WHS; Need for development and management plan
Timeline
2011
Heritage Protection
National and Local regulation
- The Antiquities Ordinance, No. 9 of 1940 (Cap. 188)
- Department of Archaeology of the Government of Sri Lanka; Declaration of Protected Ancient Monuments
- The National Trust for Cultural and Natural Heritage– Sri Lanka; a national not-for-profit association, instituted to protect and raise public awareness of the tangible and intangible heritage of the island, which is not protected by any institution of the Government.
Main Partners
Eindhoven University of Technology
Main activities
[1988] Old town of Galle and its fortifications have been inscribed in the World Heritage List
[1997] The first report on the state of conservation was presented in the 21st session the WH committee concerning the factors; legal framework, management activities, öanagement systems/management plan
[2012] “Assessing the cultural significance of world heritage cities : the historic centre of Galle as case study” was published in Measuring Heritage Conservation Performance, as a part of the research program “Outstanding Universal Value, World Heritage cities and Sustainability: Surveying the relationship between the Outstanding Universal Value assessment practices and the sustainable development of World Heritage Cities”
[2013] World Heritage Committee requested the state party to conduct a heritage impact assessment study for the Galle Port Development Project
Main resources
Old Town of Galle and Its Fortifications WHS
Community
Bernard Colenbrander
GO-HUL 