1st Edition

Building a World Heritage City Sanaa, Yemen

By Michele Lamprakos Copyright 2015
    286 Pages
    by Routledge

    286 Pages
    by Routledge

    The conservation of old Sanaa is a major cultural heritage initiative that began in the 1980's under the auspices of UNESCO; it continues today, led by local agencies and actors. In contrast to other parts of the world where conservation was introduced at a later date to remediate the effects of modernization, in Yemen the two processes have been more or less concurrent. This has resulted in a paradox: unlike many other countries in the Middle East that abandoned traditional construction practices long ago, in Yemen these practices have not died out. Builders and craftsmen still work in 'traditional' construction, and see themselves as caretakers of the old city. At the same time, social forms that shaped the built fabric persist in both the old city and the new districts. Yemenis, in effect, are not separated from their heritage by an historical divide. What does it mean to conserve in a place where the 'historic past' is, in some sense, still alive? How must international agencies and consultants readjust theory and practice as they interact with living representatives of this historic past? And what are the implications of the case of Sanaa for conservation in general? Building a World Heritage City addresses these questions and also fosters greater cultural understanding of a little known, but geopolitically important, part of the world that is often portrayed exclusively in terms of unrest and political turmoil.

    Contents: Prologue; The old city of Sanaa: an overview; The campaign to save old Sanaa; The old city as jewel, as stigma; Old and new professionals; The evolution of local practice; Lessons from Sanaa; Appendix: major projects implemented under the UNESCO campaign to save old Sanaa, 1984-1994; Bibliography; Index.

    Biography

    Authored by Lamprakos, Michele

    "Lamprakos delves into struggles in Sanaa to come to terms with the various notions of “past” and “heritage” that typify the views of the city’s traditional master builders (ustas), a new class of Yemeni construction tradesmen and conservation professionals, and visiting international experts."

    Montira Horyangura Unakul, UNESCO Bangkok