EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Protection of Historical World Heritage

Protection of Historical World Heritage - Santiago, Spain

Introduction

How to preserve residential usage with the improvement of the population's housing conditions and the environmental regeneration of free spaces that have survived in a marginal state - the case of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Description

The pilgrimage city Santiago de Compostela is the destination of millions of travellers who, apart from enjoying its heritage, become immersed in a historical city with all its attributes. The inhabitants that continue to use the city in a natural way after 12 centuries of existence and the natural setting in which it has arisen.

Santiago de Compostela stands out from other historical cities of similar significance because it is at the same time a residential urban area. The rehabilitation initiatives were mainly aimed at stabilising the resident population. The Local Administration established the priorities in its General Municipal Organisation Plan. The priorities were developed in a Special Protection and Rehabilitation Plan.

Approach

The Rehabilitation Programme has the objective of rehabilitating 2,400 houses over a 12 year-period. Around 650 projects were carried out between 1995 and 2001, with an average investment of 20,000 Euro per house, an average subsidy of 35% and free professional assistance and advice.

In 1997 the Special Plan of Historical City Protection and Rehabilitation started:

Residential usage of the historical city.
Strategies: comprehensive rehabilitation programme (1,270 buildings, 2,400 houses), improvement of installations and green spaces.

The historical city: large-scale pedestrian infrastructure, a meeting place, links between different parts of the city.
Strategies: Elimination of vehicular traffic with strict access regulation. Building new pedestrian routes. Compactness and continuity of urban growth.

Creation of green corridors in the historical city.
Strategies: Parks in the West linking the university campuses, in contact with rural landscape. Parks in the East linking traditional neighbourhoods near the Way of St. James. Reclaiming of riverbeds and tributaries.

Results

Compostela's experience has been nourished by the long European experience and intense Spanish experience of the eighties. The project created a synthesis between the disciplinary use of town planning and understanding of the indispensable involvement of the population directly linked to a certain expectation of improvement in its living conditions.

An approach of 50% of the comprehensive rehabilitation objective with 60% of the remaining time period.
Housing improvement is affordable for the residents (20,000 Euros per project). Abandonment has been stopped by means of an economic and efficient alternative that respects heritage.
A field of specialisation and employment has arisen for small businesses, professionals and technicians.
Socially and physically degraded spaces have been reintegrated into the city without losing their social and environmental component.
The historical city has been reunited with its natural surroundings.
Restored to pedestrian use, the historical centre fully reflects its meeting-place and architectural quality.
The environmental quality and quality of life have improved substantially, with a meticulous urban transformation.
Compostela has turned its urban restoration project into an international platform based on the value of cultural heritage and the environment at the service of citizens and social cohesion.

Resources used

Budget 1997: 9 million euros

Most of the financing of the housing rehabilitation came from the residents and workers of the city.

Contact info

Encarna Otero Cepeda
Phone: +34 981542328
eoteroc@aytocompostela.es

Project start date

01/01/1997

Links

City of Santiago de Compostela

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment

Keywords

Cultural heritage