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Dresden loses UNESCO world heritage status

Published: 25 Jun 09 17:02 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090625-20195.html

Dresden has lost its UNESCO world heritage site status for building a controversial bridge over the Elbe River.

The decision by the UN’s cultural arm on Thursday was widely expected, but it will still sting a city proud of its architectural reputation.

The 20-kilometre stretch of the Elbe Valley, which includes Dresden’s famed Baroque-style complex of palaces, churches and theatres in the city centre received the UNESCO world heritage status in 2004.

UNESCO put the site on its endangered list in 2006 after the city started to move forward with plans to build a new bridge near Dresden’s centre.

City officials say the bridge is needed to reduce traffic congestion in the city and that plans for the bridge have existed in one form or another for a hundred years. Dresden’s old city and new city are already connected by four bridges.

But UNESCO said the construction will irreparably cut off the Baroque centre with the Elbe’s flood plains.

“It is more than regrettable that all parties could not find a compromise,” said German Culture Minister Bernd Neumann in a statement.

“I’m certain Dresden and the Free State of Saxony will remain aware of their responsibility to the unique cultural landscape – even if this no long can claim the proud title of world heritage.”

DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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Your comments about this article:

#1
17:40 June 25, 2009 by ado1000
They are lucky to get away with just a de-listing. With this issue Germany has brought the World Heritage list into disrepute, so the repercussions could have been a lot worse.
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#2
19:00 June 25, 2009 by KBCraig
Congratulations to Dresden. It's time for more cities to ignore the U.N.
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#3
20:19 June 25, 2009 by Portnoy
They didn't ignore the U.N. They went there and begged not to lose the title, which they don't deserve for supporting this pointless project.
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#4
19:59 June 26, 2009 by HerrDinksbumps
I love Dresden, but they majorly fxxxed this one up. I am so glad UNESCO stuck to their guns. I know that Dresdners have major traffic problems, but this is a matter of greater principle as far as I'm concerned. They could have pushed more for a tunnel. They could have been more conciliatory and willing to work with UNESCO, and somehow found a workable compromise(the bridge pics I've seen are of a horrible looking modern thing with big garish arches...) I think the politicians and money-grubbers got involved, blurring things up too... Dresden was arrogant, and UNESCO made the right decision.

I live in Saxony, and everbody all over the former East loves and is totally(overly..) proud of Dresden... What the Dresden politicians didn't realize is that for the rest of the world Dresden is barely on the map. The conversation here now is "will it even matter??".. Well, I can well imagine that there are plenty of international travellers scanning a map for a stopover between Berlin and Prague, or Cologne and Prague, Munich, whatever.. So they flip through their guide-books, "Dresden... UNESCO world heritage...", "Ahh, OK, we'll go there..."

I don't care about the UN, but I do care about "culture"(it's why I - and millions of other people do as tourists.. - came to Europe..) I'm glad UNESCO exists, and they have to hold their line, and I'm glad they did here.
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#5
20:07 June 26, 2009 by MonksTown
They were warned it would happen and they just didn't care.

Reading comments today that say the referendum held in Dresden that resulted in the bridge being built was a tad dodgy.
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#6
20:12 June 26, 2009 by HerrDinksbumps
Yep, question as to whether the potential revoking of the title was mentioned during the referendum, etc.. Dresden defo shafted themselves in the whole thing...
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#7
20:16 June 26, 2009 by MonksTown
And the cost of the bridge is mucho increased compared to that given in the referendum.
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#8
13:42 June 27, 2009 by Oblomov
Local democracy more powerful than unelected bureaucrats shocker. The people of Dresden decided that they finally wanted to have the bridge that had been planned in Kaiser Wilhelm´s days already. That´s far more important than being on some irrelevant list that has contributed nothing to world culture itself. The only murky thing about the whole thing is the brazen attempt by the opponents of the bridge to use UNESCO to browbeat the Dresdners into submission.

Does anyone seriously belive that the ever expanding list is important for tourism? The Wattenmeer will surly see a huge increase of visitors from Osaka as a result...
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#9
14:27 June 27, 2009 by HerrDinksbumps
I beg to differ... I've been in many countries in Europe, scanned the LP looking for a stopover destination between major cities or whatever, seen "UNESCO", and generally speaking, it's a safe bet that it's worth the effort and that the title actually does mean something. Dresden is a fantastic city, one of my favorite in Europe.. But then so is Erfurt.. - and neither are high on the list of international travellers.. Easy to UNESCO as "just a bunch of beaurocrats", etc.., offhand, but realistically UNESCO does serve a purpose IMO. Culture is important, and should be protected against commericial interests - just like natural parks..

Dresden is a bit full of itself IMO.. They think people from all around the world will come because of the Frauenkirche, built a bunch of hotels based on one surge of summer visitors after it was reopened, and now all the hotels are empty.. Losing the title won't reverse that..

All that said, I will continue to visit Dresden 3-4 times a year like I always do..(except the X-mas market - went last year and it sucked...) For me personally the bridge doesn't mean much. BUT, there is a matter of principle involved with the bridge issue, and Dresden flouted that principle, so UNESCO did the right thing and revoked the title.
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