Seville in danger of losing World Heritage status?


For some time, controversy has been raging in Seville over a 178-metre tower which is being built for Cajasol bank. The architect is Argentinian Cesar Pelli, so it's known locally as the Torre Pelli. At one point, UNESCO said that Seville might risk losing its World Heritage Status because the tower will not blend harmoniously into the rest of the city. Many local people are appalled, and there is a strong popular movement against the building, including one group called "Plataforma Cuidadana Contra la Torre Cajasol ¡Tumbala!" (Citizens' Platform Against the Torre Cajasol. Knock it Down!"
Now it's been announced that in a few weeks' time, representatives from ICOMOS (the International Council of Monuments and Sites, a French organisation) and UNESCO's World Heritage Centre will visit the city to "determine if the skyscraper has a visual impact on the historic centre of Seville."

It would be hard for it not to have an impact, when it's nearly twice as high as the Giralda, our most important landmark.

The new mayor, Juan Ignacio Zoido, recently said that "We don't need that skyscraper" and "I'm not going to risk losing our World Heritage Status."
The report which these two inspectors produce will be examined at the World Heritage Committee's next session, in the summer of 2012.
In the meantime, the work continues and 10 storeys have already gone up. If it is stopped and pulled down, Cajasol would have to be paid compensation of around 200 million euros. Ouch.
Blog published on 13 October 2011