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Gebaute Geschichte. Historische Authentizität im Stadtraum, Edited by Bernhardt (Christoph) Sabrow (Martin) and Saupe (Achim), Wallstein Verlag, 2017, p.206-228.
The concept of authenticity, as defined in international circles between the 1960s and the 1994 Nara Conference on Heritage, has been one of the main instruments used to define policies aiming at heritage protection during the last few decades. The concept also became more than an instrument: it shaped entire approaches to the question of the built heritage and to the process – social and political – aiming at its conservation and restoration. For this reason, it has been the object of intense discussions, with scholars and activists denouncing some of its founding ambiguities as being tied to static and sometimes culturalist conceptions of history, to colonial visions, and to policies of social segregation. The object of this chapter is to reflect on such debates around the case of the city of Aleppo, and particularly around the way its medieval and Ottoman built heritage was dealt with in the period of the Ottoman reforms of the second half of the 19th century, the period of French colonial occupation, and the various phases of independence up to its present- day tragic destruction.
2017 •
The concept of authenticity, as defined in international circles between the 1960s and the 1994 Nara Conference on Heritage, has been one of the main instruments used to define policies aiming at heritage protection during the last few decades. The concept also became more than an instrument: it shaped entire approaches to the question of the built heritage and to the process – social and political – aiming at its conservation and restoration. For this reason, it has been the object of intense discussions, with scholars and activists denouncing some of its founding ambiguities as being tied to static and sometimes culturalist conceptions of history, to colonial visions, and to policies of social segregation. The object of this chapter is to reflect on such debates around the case of the city of Aleppo, and particularly around the way its medieval and Ottoman built heritage was dealt with in the period of the Ottoman reforms of the second half of the 19th century, the period of Frenc...
ICOMOS University Forum
Post-war Reconstruction, Authenticity and Development of Cultural Heritage in Syria2019 •
I shed light on the development of the notion of cultural heritage in Syria from the mid-19th century until today and how it has been employed not only in the struggles against the Ottoman Empire and Western colonization but also in local propaganda legitimatizing specific aspirations to gain power. In this framework, I discuss how the term 'Authenticity' emerged in the field of urban and architectural studies since the 1960s. I try to link this notion to the current context of Syria after years of war damaging or destroying a part of the multilayered cultural heritage of this country. http://openarchive.icomos.org/1908/1/SOUFAN%20Anas_ICOMOS_Authenticity_SEPT-%20Sent%20to%20Maureen.pdf
International Journal of Cultural Property
Notes on Authenticity and Development of Cultural Heritage in Syria2020 •
According to the Syrian philosopher T. Tizini (1934–2019), the dilemma of authenticity heritage in the Arab world has lost its factual conceptualization. While its societal and ideological issues have been rightly discussed, its technical aspects have been handled only superficially. In this article, I review the deep interconnectivities between the societal and technical aspects of the term “authenticity” and the reconstruction of the damaged architectural heritage in Syria after years of a devastating war. I suggest that any postwar reconstruction raises a central contradiction: rebuilding an element from the past in the present. While the destroyed physical fabrics might be reconstituted, the setting that gave them value and meaning can never be reestablished. For that reason, preserving the “authenticity” in the wide significance of the term seems unrealistic in the context of reconstructed heritage. Nevertheless, what several Syrian scholars and politicians describe as “authenticity by creativity” might be a possible outcome. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/500302187975D4F182B714221B457FD1/S0940739120000132a.pdf/notes_on_authenticity_and_development_of_cultural_heritage_in_syria.pdf
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
Historic development of policies and regulations concerning residential heritage in the Old City of AleppoPurposeHousing interventions carried out in accordance with current regulations in the Old City of Aleppo, both before and after the Syrian war, are minor in comparison to those carried out without a license and illegally. This suggests current policies are inadequate and needs upgrading.Design/methodology/approachThis article critically reviews current Syrian policies and their implementation on residential heritage in the Old City of Aleppo with the aim to identify gaps and propose directions for modifications. Next to a review of the text of official policies and implementation documents, the archive of the Directorate of the Old City has been consulted and license applications, presented in the period 2018–2022, have been examined. Moreover, interviews with decision-makers from academics and practice were conducted.FindingsMajor limitations of these policies and relative application procedures have been identified: these involve: legal/administrative, economic and social aspects...
The Aleppo Project, Lemkin Reunion 5
Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Aleppo, Syria Reviewed: a critical exploration of current endeavors and practices2023 •
Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, is known to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban spaces in the world. Aleppo has suffered great damage during the conflict exceeding individual landmarks to include complete neighborhoods. The city also witnessed critical outflows of population until the complete deportation of the eastern areas’ population in late 2016. Cultural heritage has the potential for supporting either the recovery process or further divisions in the war-torn society. This paper explores the role of cultural heritage in the current post-conflict reconstruction planning and implementation in Aleppo. This paper emphasizes that reconstruction should be established on the basis of a shared vision, involving the different stakeholders – including but not limited to the evicted population – in its planning and application for such a process to be sustainable. The paper proposes that this is not the case in today’s Aleppo and concludes that since reconstruction is a complex, multifaceted, long-term process, there could be room for a more multidisciplinary inclusive plan based on social justice in the future.
This paper examines several aspects of the attempt at rehabilitating Aleppo and the data available about the city prior to the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. It discusses documentation, rehabilitation and conservation practices in Aleppo, focusing on the operations between 1994 and 2011 that were coordinated by several institutions managed primarily by the Directorate of the Old City of Aleppo (DOCA) and the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). The analysis considers not only the old city, which is inscribed on the World Heritage List, but also other historic and culturally significant areas in Aleppo. This research primarily uses notes from other scholarly resources, statements by various relevant experts, and the reports and documents produced by the DOCA, the GTZ, and UNESCO to argue that some of the practices during that period were in part responsible for overlooking important aspects and places of the city’s built heritage. The paper then explains the rami...
2018 •
Damage to Syria’s cultural heritage sites has been widely reported but, until now, the extent of the damage to the World Heritage site of the Ancient City of Aleppo has never been documented in a comprehensive manner. Using satellite imagery to assess the state of the World Heritage property as of December 2016 in the wake of years of armed conflict, this report provides the first thorough accounting of the impact of the conflict on Aleppo’s cultural heritage. The conflict in the city damaged most of its cultural heritage landmarks and urban infrastructure, including the Citadel, the Great Mosque, and countless other historical buildings with cultural, religious, economic and social significance. Through a partnership between UNESCO and UNITAR-UNOSAT, the assessment combines the expertise of imagery analysts, historians, archaeologists and architects to show with great accuracy and detail the extent of damage throughout the entire World Heritage property. Restoring cultural heritage is part of the process of healing communities in the wake of a crisis. This report provides an essential foundation to address the complex and numerous challenges facing Aleppo in organizing its reconstruction and recovery – one important step forward in the rehabilitation of the city and its vibrant cultural heritage. The link to the full publication: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265826
This article examines the application of conditions of authenticity within the context of built heritage management in areas of political conflict, where heritage management can be seen as a political act rather than a means of protection. It focuses on values attributed to built heritage that can be targeted or reinvented by the dominant power in areas of conflict with minorities being powerless to intervene. The argument is built around the Agios Synesios Church in North Cyprus, which continued to be used by the Greek Cypriot minority following the island division in 1974. Although their way of life has been compromised, they have embraced forced change through using the church to maintain their ritual and religious practices; by doing so, they negotiate their values towards their heritage. In this case, the study shows that the conditions of authenticity are difficult to meet, given the means through which heritage management can be manipulated. Accordingly, the article aims to c...
E. Morezzi - Perspectives on Architectural Preservation. Essays 2010-2020
Post-conflict conservation or reconstruction: Analysis, criteria, values of the recent Syrian cultural heritage2020 •
Years of conflict in Syria has affected the cultural heritage severely and threatened social and symbolic values. This paper illustrates firstly the real condition of the city of Aleppo, through presenting some cases of high cultural value buildings damaged by the conflict, even some were totally collapsed, which represent an important bond of Aleppo citizens similar to the idea of "Istanza Psicologica" theorized by Roberto Pane. Secondly, the research aims to analyze the criteria of "second-day" intervention (conservation, restoration, enhancement and eventual reconstruction) on this damaged heritage, by investigating the cultural significant values of these buildings damaged or completely destroyed. Finally, the paper concludes with a few suggestions about the optimum intervention of different case studies represents the values mentioned before. To sum up, the research aims to involve the international debate about conservation and restoration with a critical situation of cultural heritage in crisis.
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International Conference on Universal Design in the Built Environment
ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF ALEPPO: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE2013 •
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Khan al-Wazir and Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa’s Endowed Buildings in Aleppo: History, Architecture, and State of Conservation2023 •
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Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
Heritage, Conflict and Reconstruction: From Reconstructing Monuments to Reconstructing Societies, the Case of Syria2020 •
Journal of Architectural Conservation
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E. Morezzi - Perspectives on Architectural Preservation. Essays 2010-2020
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