The historic center of Shakhrisabz in Uzbekistan is in danger – UNESCO

Almaty. July 14. Silkroadnews – UNESCO Committee added the historic center of Shakhrisabz (Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan) to the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, Uzbek Telegraph Agency (UzTAG) reports.

“The Committee expressed concern over the destruction of buildings in the centre of the World Heritage site’s Medieval neighbourhoods and the construction of modern facilities including hotels and other buildings which have affected irreversible changes to the appearance of historic Shakhrisyabz,” says the publication on UNESCO site.
It is noted, the Committee has requested that UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) send a joint mission to assess the extent of damage and propose appropriate corrective measures.

The Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz, located on the Silk Road in southern Uzbekistan, is over 2,000 years old and was the cultural and political center of the Kesh region in the 14th and 15th century. The Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz bears witness to the city’s secular development and to centuries of its history, particularly to the period of its apogee, under the rule of Amir Temur and the Temurids, from the 15th-16th century.
In 2000 the Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz was included into the List of the World Heritage Sites.

The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to inform the international community of conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which properties were inscribed on the World Heritage List and rally the support of the international community for their protection.