Urban Heritage and Historic Cities

Urban Heritage

• Urban Heritage encompasses all aspects of a city, town, or settlement that residents value and have been passed down over time, including the built environment, natural setting, and cultural practices.

What Makes Cities Unique

• The combination of built environment, natural setting, and cultural practices makes each city unique and diverse.

Historic Cities as Repositories of Collective Knowledge

• Historic cities are repositories of collective knowledge and identity, with their value residing not only in grand monuments but also in their urban fabric.

Components of Historic Places

• Historic places consist of various aspects:
  • Natural setting
  • Skyline
  • Streets
  • Ordinary houses
  • Unique building techniques (e.g., local stone or brick, specialized carpentry or ironwork)
  • Waterfronts
  • Gardens
  • Plazas and public spaces
  • Markets and vendors
  • Processions and celebrations
  • Traditional music, dance, and crafts

Importance of Urban Landscape Layers

• The interconnectedness of these diverse layers of the urban landscape makes historic places vibrant, livable, and people-centered.

Preserving Urban Heritage Amidst Development

• The dilemma arises when cities need to preserve their urban heritage while also accommodating development and growth.

The Hull Approach

• The Hull Approach emphasizes the holistic preservation of urban heritage through planning and policies.
• The Hull Approach promotes cities that are:
  • Resilient
  • Safe
  • Inclusive
  • Sustainable
  • People-centered
  • Livable

Implementing the Hull Approach

• Advocate for implementing the Hull Approach in your city.
• Join the UNESCO Hull Network to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2011 Hull Recommendation.