Results of the experts’ meeting regarding the Future of the Western City Wall and its surrounding

The group of experts meeting in Aleppo on Monday the 16th of March 2009, in presence of Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki Director-General of ICCROM, Architect Xavier Casanova Director of REHABIMED, as well as other international and national experts has recognized the importance and quality of the technical studies undertaken by the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, the Directorate of the Old City in cooperation with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation GTZ.

The group has reviewed the elaborated historical, urban and structural studies. A visit to the site has shown the complexity of the present situation of the urban area situated in the buffer zone of the world heritage site of Aleppo. 

The experts have discussed the values of the various historical walls from antiquity up to the French period and the problems related in particular by the segment of the French Wall in terms of safety and structure. They noted the detailed structural studies which indicated the Bab Antakia Zone and the French Wall as priority intervention area, and recommend that immediate actions to consolidate and dismantle the French wall be taken, stressing at the same time the importance of applying the international principles for the conservation and restoration of cultural properties. 

The recommendations emphasize about the implementation of the traffic concept for the area of the Western City Wall, which has already been approved by the City Council, taking in consideration that the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Bab Antakia Area should be seen in a larger approach.

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