The analysis and evaluation of the state of the historic urban landscape are elaborated as a result of the recommended on the 34th Session of the World Heritage Committee monitoring and research of the urban fabric.
The following positive aspects of the present state could be pointed out:
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The general configuration of the urban landscape has not undergone considerable transformation. Positive fact is the strengthening of the sea-shores, as it prevented large-scale landslides of the shore with unforeseen consequences for the property.
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The Ancient City of Nessebar has not lost its characteristics of a multilayered town – even more, during the archaeological excavations in 1983 were discovered new sites enriching the historic stratification;
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In the town fabric there are no strong and irreversible conflicts, caused by super-scale, multi-storey or definitely inadequate from architectural point buildings.
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The continuity in the character of traditional street directions and public spaces is almost completely preserved; some measures have been taken to improve the accessibility of the environment.
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The relations of the town with the natural environment have been improved with the construction of panoramic coastal alley; the traditional green areas and vegetation have been preserved;
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The characteristic of the main urban silhouettes is more or less preserved, without dramatic deformations in scale or line of development;
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Some traditional urban functions have been preserved; there are no principally inadequate actions that are in irreversible contradiction with the functional characteristics of the property. The Municipality carries out initiatives for encouraging of local crafts, feasts and traditions.
Along with that are observed the following negative processes disturbing the urban landscape that threaten the outstanding universal value of the property:
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The coast protection equipments along with the positive effect have caused urbanisation of the sea-shores (superstructures, invasion in the sea with equipments, massive car park along the north coast, etc.), that takes away the landscape authenticity of the shore and disturbs the traditional links of the town with the sea.
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As a result of the above-mentioned inharmonious changes in the sites of vernacular architecture are observed serious destructions of the urban fabric by raising the density and number of storeys, appearance of new inappropriate construction, disturbance in the environment around key heritage sites.
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The extra number of storeys of the building sites disturbs some urban silhouettes, compromises the compositional role of the churches of St. John Aleitourgitos and The Assumption and at some points creates visual barriers from inside the town to the sea;
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During the tourist season the public spaces are disturbed, due to the glutting with retail sites, advertisements, umbrellas, etc., which hide the architecture of the Ancient City. The functional structuring of the town and development of tourism do not consider the intangible heritage. The concentration of service and transport functions in the reception zone crates discomfort in front of the main approach to the property – the Gate.
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The peripheral western areas of the buffer zone on the mainland are already entirely built-up in contradiction with the requirements for a buffer zone of the property, according to the Guidelines.
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There are newly-built sites in the property that, though legal, do not correspond to the outstanding universal value of the property.
- Fig. 167. Transformation of the coastal area of the peninsula
- Fig. 168. Transformation of the coastal area of the peninsula
- Fig. 169. Over scale building impairing the northern silhouette
- Fig. 170. Impaired balance between the historical layers – the basilica of Holy Virgin Eleousa
- Fig. 171. Condition of the isthmus, 1960-s. Postcard 1960-1970
- Fig. 172. Expansion of the isthmus impairing the western silhouette
- Fig. 173. New accent impairing the city silhouette – a sculpture located at the entrance of the city
- Fig. 174. Over scaled building impairing the northern silhouette
- Fig. 175. Over scaled building impairing the southern silhouette
- Fig. 176. Over scaled building impairing the characteristics of the buffer zone on the mainland
- Fig. 177. New hotel in the buffer zone on the mainland – vulgarization of the cultural heritage
- Fig. 178. New hotel in the buffer zone on the mainland. Within the hotel an authentic windmill is built
- Fig. 179. The necropolis Messemvria-Messambria-Nessebar discovered in the buffer zone on the mainland but is abandoned without conservation
- Fig. 180. Border police area with considerable archaeological potential but inaccessible and unexplored
- Fig. 181. Preserved urban fabric structure – a street along the north coast
- Fig. 182. An example for utilisation of courtyard spaces in the urban fabric
- Fig. 183. Impaired urban fabric with non harmonic building
- Fig. 184. Impaired urban fabric with non harmonic building
- Fig. 185. Impaired scale of the urban fabric
- Fig. 186. Impaired scale of the urban fabric
- Fig. 187. Impaired scale and character of the buildings
- Fig. 188. New buildings with unadequate architecture
- Fig. 189. New buildings with imitative architecture
- Fig. 190. Alien accent in the urban silhouette – the clock tower in the centre of the peninsula
- Fig. 191. Maintained green areas along the southern coast
- Fig. 192. Maintained green areas along the southern coast
- Fig. 193. Reclaimed new territories along the northern coast serving for coastal protection
- Fig. 194. The new panoramic promenade creates new opportunities for coastal communication and perception of the property
- Fig. 195. The coast protection equipment is technologically feasible but unsatisfactory in terms of architecture and design
- Fig. 196. The coast protection equipment is technologically feasible but unsatisfactory in terms of architecture and design
- Fig. 197. Pedestrian ramp with important role for the accessibility of the environment but with unsuccessful architecture and design in conflict with the natural landscape
- Fig. 198. Unsatisfactory design of railings and supporting walls along the southern coast
- Fig. 199. The density of the building along the northern coast creates a visual barrier to the sea
- Fig. 200. Impairment of the traditional coastal landscape because of entire urbanisation of the slope and building over the coast protection equipment
- Fig. 201. Impairment of the traditional coastal landscape because of entire urbanisation of the slope and building over the coast protection equipment
- Fig. 202. Impairment of the traditional coastal landscape with non harmonic constructions
- Fig. 203. Impairment of the traditional coastal landscape through unauthorised penetration in the sea with illegal constructions
- Fig. 204. Impairment of the traditional southern coastal landscape because of powerful urbanisation of the slope
- Fig. 205. Impairment of the traditional southern coastal landscape because of powerful urbanisation of the slope
- Fig. 206. Preserved public urban space around the church Christ Pantokrator
- Fig. 207. Preserved public urban space around the community centre “Yana Laskova”
- Fig. 208. Impaired public space around the church St. John the Baptist and the early Byzantine thermae
- Fig. 209. Impaired public space around the Old Metropolitan church St. Sophia
- Fig. 210. Impaired street space with concentration with street trade structures
- Фиг. 211. Нарушено публично пространство от заведения за обществено хранене
- Fig. 212, 213. The contrast between unused courtyards (above) and public spaces with concentration of trade structures and advertisements (below)