Municipality of Corfu Author: Municipality of Corfu

Walled Cities & Open Societies: Managing Historic Walls in Urban World Heritage P roperties Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 Municipality of Corfu Author: Municipality of Corfu Corfu (Greece) i Info sheet

1.C i t y B a c k g r o u n d I n f o r m a t i o n Due to its geographical position, the island of Corfu became a powerful fortress and transit port during the ancient years, adapting itself every time to the predominant conditions. This adaptation constitutes a continuous dialogue between East and West, presenting at the same time a diachronic cultural value for the history of architecture and town-planning. The adaptation of Western architectural styles in Corfu bears the stamp of an aspiration to simplification and a sense of measured proportion: the stamp of what is at first sight clumsiness which, in the case of the West, is in fact an expression of a smooth transition to vernacular architecture, while in Greece it marks a step upwards to the architecture of the west. Corfu s historical center with its two Venetian period built fortresses and its historical ports, is not only an important well preserved historic monument but also a place of unique natural beauty. The acknowledgement of this came with its nomination as an UNESCO s World Heritage Site in 2006. Corfu city, on its present location, is uninterruptedly inhabited for at least 1400 years and in nowadays the historical center houses in its over aged buildings, a minimum number of 10.000 inhabitants which during the summer period may increase to 15.000. More info: http://www.corfu.gr/web/guest/culture http://www.corfu.gr/web/guest/urban Municipality of Corfu Author: Municipality of Corfu Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 2)

2.B a s i c d e s c r i p t i o n a n d b r i e f h i s t o r y o f t h e w a l l s The three forts of the town, the several bastions and defense walls, designed by renowned Venetian engineers, were used for four centuries to defend the maritime trading interests of the Republic of Venice against the Ottoman Empire. In the course of time, the forts were repaired and partly rebuilt several times, more recently under British rule in the 19th century. The mainly neoclassical housing stock of the Old Town is partly from the Venetian period, partly of later construction, notably the 19th century. As a fortified Mediterranean port, Corfu s urban and port ensemble is notable for its high level of integrity and authenticity. 1836 Thomas Mc Niven. Corfu fortifications, Avrami hill. Western fortifications, bastions and walls, under Filippo Verneda. Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 3)

Alessandro Ganassa (Mss. P.D. c 842/4 Correr museum), Pianta della città e fortezze di Corfù e suoi sotterranei. 3.C u r r e n t f u n c t i o n s a n d m a n a g e m e n t / g o v e r n a n c e f r a m e w o r k The definition of the Management Plan in the year 2005, which anticipated the historic center s nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, set for the first time the main issues to meet to develop a sustainable management for the protection and the preservation of the outstanding universal value. Municipality of Corfu, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Infrastructures are the three main partners responsible for its application. Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 4)

Corfu s economic life, based on tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and social life, with its main axis on culture, traditionally consist the ingredients of the island s society and image and both are important factors of the system Corfu. A dynamic revitalization of these elements through a different system in relation with the society and the economy, could be the aim of a series of investments with the prospect to conclude the incomplete and the inert factors of the system. This completion is a unique opportunity to energize a smart mechanism of economic growth, social cohesion and development flexibility. During the last ten years, the two main partners, Municipality of Corfu and Ministry of Culture have implemented a series of restoration works and urban planning acts, in order to meet with the goals of the management plan. At the same time, it was constituted a comity to coordinate the actions of the partners responsible for the implementation of the plan. The works implemented involve two main axes: Restoration works of the two fortresses and the fortification system, implemented by the Ministry of Culture. Urban planning works at the historic center of Corfu and the buffer zone, implemented by the Municipality of Corfu. Furthermore and in detail: Public space management (Corfu Municipality). Urban regulation for the historic center of Corfu (Corfu Municipality and Ministry of Culture). Public buildings restoration (Corfu Municipality). Fortification system restoration (Ministry of Culture). Although most of the implemented works and planning acts are useful and have contributed for the protection of the monument, they did not help sufficiently towards the application of a sustainable development model. On one hand the restoration works at the fortification system safeguarded important parts of the remaining monuments; on the other hand, these works remained static and were not incorporated in such a way as to contribute at the economic and social regeneration of the city. Respectively, the urban planning works at the historic center were not welcomed by a part of the city s stakeholders even if, in some cases, they contributed at the improvement of the city s image, of the inhabitant s and the rest stakeholder s life quality, and of the business turnover, especially by those whose businesses happened to be across the axis of the implemented works. Most problems are due to: Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 5)

Insufficient management of the participation procedures for citizens and stakeholders. Problematic cooperation for the works by related partners (Corfu Municipality and Ministry of Culture) which led to delays on the planning and works implementation timetables, causing distress at the stakeholders (mostly at the inhabitants and the businessmen). Problematic approach methodology on behalf of the Corfu Municipality and Ministry of Culture on major stakeholder s every day problems, while, some of the implemented works caused practical difficulties for the inhabitants and the businessmen (e.g. problematic vehicles approach, parking problems, infrastructure problems etc.). 4.R o l e o f t h e w a l l s w i t h t h e r e g a r d t o t h e O U V o f t h e W H p r o p e r t y a n d i t s m a n a g e men t s y s t e m The Corfiot fortification system, walls, fortresses, bastions etc., as a sleeping built giant that cross and bounder the old town, is unquestionably a first line advantage for the outstanding universal value but, considering the today reality and factual conditions, it turns out to be rather a weak link. It tends to become isolated in a weak and picturesque dimension, static and detached. This disadvantage for the Corfiot urban cultural landscape is mainly due to the enormous economic needs for interventions, face to a weak public finance and absence of private investments, up today, as well as to policy and planning errors committed in the past. These errors are mainly originated on a false development model which overlooked sustainability and management challenges. On the other hand, If this giant wakes up, the system s black holes could turn into a steady prospect, overrunning the inert waste of the cultural values, and aiming towards a sustainable development for the city s future. 5.M a i n c h a l l e n g e s a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s c o n c e r n i n g w a l l s m a n a g e m e n t Corfu is a UNESCO World Heritage city, including the entire historical center and the urban system of the venetian fortifications, namely walls, bastions, fortresses. This is a heavy legacy and the work to be done by our Municipality is enormous and complex. We are starting the elaboration of a large urban operation in the framework of the Regional Operation Program of ERDF 2014-2020, following urban cultural landscapes, as mainstream option, for social economic and physical regeneration and moving through development poles, along the urban system of venetian fortifications, as territorial reference. Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 6)

This operation is also based - on the envelope, we elaborated on 2015 for the European Capital of Culture - on the establishment of a pool of experts, to promote our participation to transnational networks for dialogue and synergy in the field of managing urban cultural landscapes. We are looking forward to transcend the limitative consideration of Cultural Heritage as a static background framework for mass tourism economy that is exclusively fueled by picturesque values. We believe that Cultural Heritage is much more for our urban societies and can turn into the engine for a new sustainable economy contributing to the exit from the actual crises and opening for Corfu new roads for an intensive and significant development of the city economy. Vasilis Metallinos Author: Vasilis Metallinos Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 7)

6.M a i n p a s t, o n - g o i n g o r p l a n n e d a c t i v i t i e s f o r e n h a n c i n g t h e w a l l s Land is not an endless resource and it is precious to our existence, to our health, society and economy. We have been used to exploit land in Corfu, occupying and transforming it to the needs of our cities without respect and thriftiness, often with week planning acts and shortsighted perspective. This is not sustainable anymore. We should apply more sophisticated policies targetιng to achieve a more rational use of the existing urban fabrics, highlighting particularly attention to the heritage and drastically reduce urban extensions and restrain occupation of further land. Several parts of Corfu walled city (important number of areas, buildings and sometimes entire neighborhoods or complexes developed aside or within defense walls and other fortifications) are not used rationally: - they are underdeveloped, often abandoned, - host inappropriate contradictory functions, - or have been dismissed and remain empty. This is an enormous potential, to reinvest in renewals that regenerate such existing urban cultural heritage areas into better spaces to live in and work. On the other hand, the economic crises in Greece drastically reduced new building activities and a renovated effort is needed for, to create: - business - and jobs. A policy for urban regeneration of large scale cultural heritage fortification systems enable existing capital investments and sleeping building stocks: - to be profitable again, becoming as well a link between old and new town - to become active and attractive, as a pivot central element of the city. Regenerating cultural heritage cities is not of course an inedited option and a large know-how already exists, several cities are already applying planning tools that exclude any extension, targeting only developments for regeneration of the consolidated urban fabric and namely targeting as challenging major option the outstanding cultural values in it. For decades, an important building stock, including highlighted cultural heritage of Corfu, is abandoned, staying as a sad witness of ancient glories. Someone seems to be satisfied living within sad witnesses. We are not. Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 8)

We are determined to turn such weaknesses into opportunities. A winning urban regeneration policy is possible only if we look outside, before acting inside. We need to: - share experiences with other walled cities, - learn by our successes and failures, - compare challenges - and unify efforts in a collaborative complicity. It could be limitative talking only about culture s undeniable value and miss its social dynamic significance and economic development power for the crises period we are crossing in Greece, especially towns and city centres. Respect to our culture heritage is a sign of civilization, sense of belonging and belief to a better future. - Culture brings us closer to our routes and to solutions for today problems, - strengthen our societies, enabling solidarity and complicity, - and makes us more open to courageous alliances and fruitful synergies. Culture contains a double significance, local and universal, on the same time. Is the key for a dialogue between our cities that can go further and build powerful perspectives on reciprocal understanding, targeting alliances and mutuality. View of Corfu, 1817. Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 9)

i This document has been drafted by the Municipality of Corfu. Authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this paper and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization Siena, Italy. 26-27 January 2017 (page 10)