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The Cultural Landscape of As-Salt, Jordan: Keys to World Heritage Nomination
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Abstract
As-Salt, a city in Jordan, has undergone heritage enhancement projects since the 1990s and is currently undergoing a heritage regeneration project in its downtown core, in preparation for potential World Heritage designation. Consequently, the State Party representing As-Salt submitted a report in 2015 to UNESCO for World Heritage Nomination. The report was entitled “Arab Eclecticism - Foundation and evolution of an Architectural School in the city of As-Salt (1860-1925)”. It focused mainly on the architectural image of the city. Unfortunately, the report was unsuccessful in proving the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of As-Salt, a value used by UNESCO to determine the cultural or natural significance of sites and monuments. Hence, As-Salt’s nomination status was deferred. While the ongoing project of “Oqbah bin Nafe” in As-Salt’s downtown addresses touristic amenities and increasing public open space, a piecemeal approach of specific physical interventions is not the solution. In order for a resubmission of the nomination, the State Party of As-Salt must go beyond architectural merit to identify what makes As-Salt unique in comparison with other Muslim cities of the Levant. This paper develops an understanding of the history of As-Salt’s development, and compares its physical characteristics with other Muslim cities at the local, and regional level, in order to establish the characteristics that make As-Salt significant, and may propel its nomination to World Heritage status and may identify additional aspects that may raise the level of Outstanding Universal Value.
Type
article
article
article
Date
2019-04-01