Vienna remains at risk: City government fails again with the world heritage!
Vienna remains at risk: City government fails again with the world heritage!
The historical center of Vienna remains on the red list of endangered world heritage. On May 28, 2025, it became clear again that the city government could not keep its commitments. Markus Figl from the Vienna People's Party sharply criticized the SPÖ-led city government and doubted its credibility. Despite years of promise to free Vienna from the Red List, no progress is visible, and the necessary measures have not been implemented. Without substantial redimation of the Heumarkt project, a deletion from this list is excluded, as the UNESCO clarified.
According to the reporting of ots.at rejected. There is also ambiguity from a possible ban on high -rise in the inner city; A statement by the city government is still pending. The Vienna People's Party urgently demands that UNESCO meet and create more transparency.
The Heumarkt project and its challenges
The plans for the redesign of the Heumarkt area, including with the Hotel Intercontinental and the ice skating club, go back to 2012. Originally, these plans provided for the construction of a luxury living tower of 74 meters, but the criticism of the situation in the World Heritage core zone led to multiple height reductions. According to reports from Kurier.at , the area dedicated to a height of 66 meters, while the recent project "HeiMarkt" a maximum of 56.5 and 47.85 meters. A proposal of 2024, which included a further reduction to heights of 44 and 48 meters, was also rejected by the world operators because it did not meet the requirements.
Vienna has been on the list of endangered world sites since 2017 because of the Heumarkt project, and the concerns about urban development developments are not new. This problem also has an impact on other world sites in the city, such as Schönbrunn Castle, which has been on the UNESCO list since 1996 and has already experienced interventions from Paris.
The importance of Vienna's historical center
The importance of Vienna as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is undeniable. The city, which was originally founded as a Roman Legion camp (Vindobona), developed into an important trading center over the centuries. In the 17th century after the victorious fight against the Ottomans, Vienna was expanded into a magnificent baroque metropolis. This historical development encloses many concise buildings such as the Gothic St. St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Hofburg.
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