Chersonesos of Taurica has been added to UNESCO's List of World Heritage Sites in Danger
The ancient city of Chersonesos of Taurica and its surrounding area have been added to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
The decision was made by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, according to Ukrinform, citing the organization’s press service.
The site “The Ancient City of Chersonesos of Taurica and its Chora,” located in Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by Russia, has been added to the list due to serious threats to the site’s attributes that convey its outstanding universal value and which served as the basis for its inclusion on the World Heritage List.
Satellite analysis by UNESCO and UNITAR/UNOSAT has revealed significant damage within the site’s territory due to new construction and large-scale archaeological excavations. This situation, further complicated by Ukraine’s inability to access the property and fulfill its obligations regarding its protection, conservation, and management, exposes the property to long-term threats.
The Organization notes that the cultural property comprises the remains of a city founded by the Dorian Greeks in the 5th century BCE on the northern coast of the Black Sea, along with the surrounding agricultural area. It is an exceptional testament to the interaction between Greek, Roman, and Byzantine communities, as well as to the activities of a trading center that, for nearly two millennia, connected various trade routes across the Black Sea.
As Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna noted on Facebook, the decision was adopted during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan.
“This is an extremely important international decision that officially confirms the threats to the site posed by the temporary Russian occupation of Crimea, illegal excavations, construction, the destruction of the archaeological context, and the removal of cultural property,” the statement reads.
According to Berezhnaya, the Committee called for a halt to actions that could cause further damage to heritage sites in the temporarily occupied Crimea and for intensified efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property.
The Committee also called for the protection of other Ukrainian heritage sites in the temporarily occupied Crimea: the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchysarai, the cave cities of Crimean Gothia, the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, and the Sudak Fortress. During the discussion, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland openly supported Ukraine.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee adopted a corresponding resolution.
UNESCO recognized that three of Ukraine’s World Heritage sites are under threat.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized UNESCO for refusing to acknowledge the Russian shelling of the Lavra.
Earlier, two Russian drones deliberately attacked the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal, according to Zelenskyy
As a result of the massive Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of June 15, the National Palace of Arts “Ukraine” sustained damage.
