the PDF version! - Danube Limes

Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Ripa Pannonica in Hungary (RPH) Nomination statement
The law stipulates that the owner, lot manager or user of the protected cultural heritage property must
tolerate the work ordered or permitted by the official agency. If the interests of heritage cannot be enforced
by other means the lot may be expropriated by the state.
Involvement of the local stakeholders
The maps of the demarcated sites were sent to the local governments having jurisdiction, and we began
negotiations in person. We sought out the mayor’s offices in the smaller towns, and the district head
architects in Budapest. The mayors provided favorable responses in every case, and agreed to make the sites
available through agreements with the affected property owners and the residents of the town. Following
this, every single property owner received a personal letter and invitation to the negotiations. In addition
to them, all of the affected public utilities and professional authorities also received invitations in each
case. Of the latter, the forestry and environmental conservation authorities should be noted in particular.
The number of invitations sent was between 11 and 312, depending on how many owners were concerned.
At the negotiations, there was a presentation introducing the Roman Limes, the areas of it that had already
been inscribed in the World Heritage and the goals of the project, as well as the sites concerning the given
community. After this, we answered questions and asked for the opinions of those present. In three cases
(Dunaföldvár, Kisoroszi, Tahitótfalu) the opinion of the owners was categorically negative. In two other
cases (Dunakeszi and Szentendre) the owners formulated conditions which could be negotiated in the
future. With the exception of these cases, the project received full support everywhere. An official record
was prepared of the negotiations, which can be found in the archives of the National Office of Cultural
Heritage amongst the other documentation for the project.
In Budapest on account of the unmanageably large number of property owners of the built-in areas a
different procedure was employed. We introduced the plans to the district head architects, and then
requested the position of the local government council in an official letter. In case of support of the
project, owners were informed through the aid of local media (the press, TV and a website). Of the six
districts of Budapest, only one rejected the nonination.
5.b Protective Designation
On the basis of the Cultural Heritage Law LXIV of 2001, the entire site is under general archaeological
protection by virtue of law. However, in connection with every site whose entire nominated property
does not have protection as an “archaeological site of national significance” or as an “archaeological site
of regional significance” it is necessary to take measures to provide the site with at least the status of
“archaeological site of regional significance” in the interest of its effective preservation.
In addition to this, the National Regional Development Plan adopted by law has classified every town where
nominated sites can be found as “districts to be administered with a high priority for the considerations of
cultural heritage” on the basis of their inclusion on the World Heritage tentative list.
The Protected Status of the Individual Sites:
The National Office of Cultural Heritage identification number is the registration number for their
protected status.
72