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Bekijk Volledige Versie : Iranian blot on ‘half the world’ draws ire from UNESCO



mark61
03-07-04, 15:40
24 June 2004

ISFAHAN, Iran - “Isfahan is half the world”, or so the Persian proverb boasts.

But the image of the central Iranian oasis, home to some of the world’s greatest architectural splendours, could come in for a major blow amid a dispute with the UN cultural body UNESCO.

The problem centres on Isfahan’s vast Imam square, an open space surrounded by 17th century mosques decorated with intricate blue and turquoise ceramic tiles and lavish calligraphy, an ancient bazaar and a royal palace.

Near to the famed square, however, the local municipality decided to tear down an ancient caravanserai and put up a colossal, multi-storey concrete office block and shopping mall.

UNESCO says Iran now risks having the ancient Persian capital being taken off its prestigious World Heritage List, and instead being branded as “World Heritage in Danger” due to “uncontrolled urbanisation”.

Aside from dealing a blow to Iran’s image, it could also add to an already long list of reasons - most of them related to regional tensions - that discourage foreign tourists from venturing into the Islamic republic.

“A caravanserai has been demolished, and instead a building that is very foreign to historic texture of the city has been erected,” said Junko Taniguchi, programme specialist for UNESCO in Teheran.

“We fear that the municipality’s action in authorising the erection of such a building could have a knock-on effect, prompting others to ask for permission to do so in other parts of Isfahan’s historic texture,” she added.

Urbanisation

The building, designed to give the municipality more office space and under construction for the past eight years, stands 52 metres (170 feet) high - providing staff with a commanding view of the city’s skyline of glorious domes, minarets, wide tree-lined boulevards, lush gardens and distant mountains.

But buildings near the square are not supposed to exceed 24 meters (80 feet) in height, and to critics the building is little more than an unwelcome blot on what is otherwise a glorious cityscape.

Wie zegt er dat Iran niet modern is? Tis net Nederland.