CULTURE > UKRAINE
A pearl of world heritage is back on the map The ancient Greek city of Chersonese, which overlooks modern www.enpi-info.eu Sevastopol in Crimea, is back on the world’s heritage maps. For two thousand years the colony founded by Dorian Greeks was the major political, economic and cultural centre of the northern Black Sea region. It survived across the centuries, from the days of Greek colonization, through the Roman and Byzantine Empires. But the real threat came with modern times: looting, modern construction, illegal agricultural activities… In June, UNESCO finally included the site of Tauric Chersonese on the World Heritage List, the inventory of around 1,000 sites selected because of their outstanding universal value – an occasion to boost heritage tourism, but also to strengthen the commitment of Ukrainian authorities towards heritage management and preservation. The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre journalist has this report. Text by Zhanna Bezpiatchuk Pictures by AFP © EU Neighbourhood INFO CENTRE
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CRIMEA - People used to come here for different reasons: some to take pictures, others N The site of Tauric in Crimea, an to spend weekends on the coast. There were those who used to anchor their yachts Chersonese ancient colony founded just nearby and those, the ‘black archeologists’, who came in illegal search of new ex- by Dorian Greeks in the 5th century BC. hibits for their private collections, and often got what they were looking for. There were others, often the inhabitants of Sevastopol’s spreading suburbs, who came to dig up soil for their gardens, or to pick up building materials. All this was a real threat to a site that deserved to be protected to the highest standards. But now the time has come for change. We are talking about the site of Tauric Chersonese in Crimea, an ancient colony founded by Dorian Greeks in the 5th century BC, which spreads over 12,000 hectares hard by Sevas- EU Neighbourhood Info Centre topol, home of the Russian Black Sea fleet and Ukrainian fleet. For two Feature no. 106 thousand years, the city was the major political, economic and cultural centre of the northern Black Sea region. It flourished through the ages of Greek colonization, followed by the Roman and Byzantine Empires. But the real threat came with modern times. Hopefully, the inclusion
This is a series of features on projects funded by the EU Regional Programme, prepared by journalists and photographers on the ground or the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre. © 2013 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Feature no. 106
“There must now be a major commitments towards preservation, and, not least, a commitment towards transparency and accountability in heritage management and conservation”
N The ancient City of Tauric Chersonese today encompasses six sites with urban remains and agricultural land, divided into several hundred chora, rectangular plots with vineyards.
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in June of Tauric Chersonese on UNESCO’s World Heritage List should help preserve and protect its authenticity and integrity. And on Friday, 20 September, the Ukrainian authorities will celebrate this prestigious recognition with a big ceremony at the site.
One of the most important archaeological places on earth The Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese today encompasses six sites with urban remains and agricultural land, divided into several hundred chora, rectangular plots with vineyards. The site features several public buildings and residential neighbourhoods, as well as early Christian monuments, alongside remains from Stone and Bronze Age settlements, Roman and medieval tower fortifications and water supply systems. In the 3rd century AD, the site was known as the most productive wine centre of the Black Sea and remained a hub of exchange between the Greek, Roman and Byzantine Empires and populations north of the Black Sea. It is an outstanding example of democratic land organization, linked to an ancient polis, reflecting the city’s social organization. This extraordinary site was added to Ukraine’s tentative heritage list in 1989. It took over two decades of work to reach the long-awaited inclusion on the UNESCO List of 981 worldwide sites considered as having an outstanding universal value. It required also concerted international efforts: the Ukrainian authorities were assisted by European and American expertise and funding. “The archaeological findings in Tauric Chersonese give a very good picture of the lifestyle of the former inhabitants of the city,” says Prof. Dr. Bernd von Droste, senior expert in cultural heritage, taking part in the EU supported project ‘Identification study for the promotion of cultural heritage in Crimea, Ukraine’. The conservation of cultural heritage and tourism development go hand in hand. So the second EU funded project was called ‘Crimean Tourism Support and Diversification Project’. It was thanks to the European guidance that it was possible to finalize the dossier and the management plan required for the successful submission of the application to UNESCO. “Tauric Chersonese is one of the most important archaeological places in the world. I wanted to come here long ago but it was the time of the Cold War. I did research, and it turned out that Chersonese has probably the best-preserved Chora in the world. Now the Ukrainian government has to spend more on conservation,” says Prof. Joseph Carter from the Institute of Classical Archaeology of the University of Texas, USA. This institution got funding from the Packard Humanities Institute, and they have started implementing conservation projects since the 1990s, , for example, restoring a unique painted stone stele of the 4th century BC, or computerizing the protected area. But more still has to be done.
N Prof. Dr. Bernd von Droste, senior expert in cultural heritage.
“This outstanding result will contribute to the change of the whole mindset towards cultural heritage: a catalyst for tolerance, good citizenship and social integration”
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N The site spreads over 12,000 hectares.
“Strict conservation concerns urban development and construction in the buffer zones, or the restrictions on the height of buildings…”
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New status - new responsibility There is a wide range of challenges and threats to the site’s integrity and well-being: lasting shore erosion, landslides, illegal agricultural activities, modern constructions , lack of security and qualified guards to manage visitor access. For instance, points out Prof. Von Droste, a modern bell tower has just recently been erected there to complement the complex of the Orthodox church of St. Volodymyr’s, which dates back to the 19th century. The new status of Tauric Chersonese means that the Ukrainian authorities – at both central and regional levels – become directly responsible for dealing with all these threats and solving major problems. If things do not work out properly, this ancient city could be withdrawn from the World Heritage list, as could also happen to Saint Sofia and the Petchersk Lavra of Kyiv, both sites that are threatened by construction in surrounding areas. “The fact that Chersonese has been included in the World Heritage list,” says Jose Roman Leon Lora, head of section for Economic Cooperation, Social and Regional Development of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, “means not only that Chersonese now appears on the world map of Cultural Heritage and tourism related to it, but it is also a key factor in improving the overall governance of cultural heritage in Ukraine and in Crimea.” For Leon Lora, the inscription on the prestigious list now entails clear obligations for the public authorities of Ukraine and the region. “There must now be a major commitments towards preservation, and, not least, a commitment towards transparency and accountability in heritage management and conservation. This nomination, actively supported by the EU,” concludes Leon Lora, “is now an honour and a challenge for the Ukrainian authorities.” “Today UNESCO recommends to increase funding for the conservation of the protected area. The World Heritage status,” says Larysa Sedikova, the deputy director of the Tauric Chersonese Preserve, “ means there must be strict conservation. This concerns urban development and construction in the buffer zones, or the re-
N The site was known as the most productive wine centre of the Black Sea.
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strictions on the height of buildings.” Two years ago, she concludes, “we eliminated all shops from the territory of the Preserve”. But funding remains a big problem. The protected area is subordinated directly to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. The funding received from the public budget in 2013 covered only the salaries of the staff and the communal tariffs. Mrs Sedikova hopes that the World Heritage status will help to substantially increase the budget for development, through international fund-raising and through some changes in government policy on heritage funding. She estimates that the inflow of foreign tourists could also increase by 30%.
Next on the list? The Palace of Crimean Khans… “The inclusion of Tauric Chersonese in this very special list,” says Jose Roman Leon Lora, “is an outstanding result that will contribute to the change of the whole mind-set towards cultural heritage: a catalyst for tolerance, good citizenship and social integration, all elements to be addressed already at school where children should learn to respect their cultural heritage.” If changes in the general mind-set can be combined with progress in public policy on heritage, the Greek colony on the Ukrainian Black Sea coast will never turn into a ghost city. It will be alive due to well-preserved memory and tourist pilgrimage from across the world. The next on the list of prospective World Heritage nominations in Crimea is the Bakhchisray Palace of the Crimean Khans. The success of Chersonese could be just the beginning of the story.
N Two ancient Chersoneses coins, today preserved at the Museum : to notice the strong resemblance with the symbol of nowadays EURO.
Diversification and support of Crimean tourism http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/ukraine/projects/list_of_projects/270712_en.htm The objective of the project is to promote the growth of the tourism industry in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, and to create a more balanced and attractive tourism product. Duration 02/2012 to 02/2015 Budget € 3,363,500.00 To find out more: EU Delegation to Ukraine http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/ukraine/index_en.htm EU Neighbourhood Info center Thematic portal: CULTURE & MEDIA http://www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast.php?subject=9
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