In Syria, world heritage weakened by earthquakes

In the areas hit by the two earthquakes last Monday, all attention is focused on helping the victims and identifying the missing. But an initial assessment of the destruction of heritage is beginning to be established. Syria, which has six properties listed as world heritage, concentrates most of the concerns of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, especially since many sites, such as the old town of Aleppo (also listed ), have already suffered greatly from the war.

“In Aleppo, the great wall of the northern enclosure of the citadel collapsed. This is also the case for part of the Ottoman mill and certain structures of the old souk, explains Youmna Tabet, in charge of Arab countries for the World Heritage Center. There are also cracks in the minaret and the domes of the mosques are partially collapsed. » The deputy director of Syrian antiquities, Houmama Saad Dgam, confirms its destruction « There is also damage in the old madrassa », he adds.

The Crach des Chevaliers, a masterpiece of military architecture and stronghold of the Crusades dating from the 12th century, was also affected. The damage would be limited, with cracks and fallen stones, but over a large area. The same situation is to be deplored for a medieval citadel Tartus, where residential buildings in the lower part of the city have collapsed.

A still very provisional assessment

The other cause for concern concerns the state of the ancient villages, classified as World Heritage, located in the north-west of Syria, about forty sites, abandoned from the 7th century, which bear witness to rural and Late Antiquity and Byzantine villagers. The churches of these villages could in particular have been badly damaged, but this zone located between the part controlled by the Syrian power and the rebel zones is not accessible to experts, including Syrians.

“In Syria, we must be particularly attentive to castles and citadels, often located on promontories, because the high areas are the first to be weakened by earthquakes, explains Youmna Tabet. For the time being, the damage may appear limited, but beware of this first impression. Some cracks can lead to major collapses. The sites of Homs and Palmyra, listed as World Heritage, would not have suffered from degradation.

The World Heritage Center is in the process of organizing itself to be able to carry out initial on-site expertise, from its office in Beirut (Lebanon), as soon as the relief to the victims is over. He intends to act in the name of humanitarian aid which is not prohibited by the embargo on the Syrian regime. “Heritage must escape politics,” pleads Houmama Saad Dgam, who hopes in particular for help from France, which has historically been very invested in safeguarding heritage in Syria. A dilemma for the French authorities, who rightly sanctioned by their withdrawal the atrocities committed by Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

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