Gdynia, and more specifically its modernist city centre, is to be inscribed on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. The decision was taken on 27 July in Busan, South Korea, where the assembled experts confirmed that Gdynia’s architecture and overall urban layout are of exceptional value on a global scale. Inclusion in the world’s most recognisable collection of sites preserving history for future generations confirms that Gdynia’s city centre is one of the most valuable examples of 20th-century modernist heritage.
Following years of preparation and efforts by the city to secure inclusion on the list, a positive decision has been reached. In the early hours of Monday morning (26/27 July), the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially recognised Gdynia’s modernist city centre as a site of Outstanding Universal Value – a key condition for inscription. An international panel of experts, which met in Busan, analysed the updated application and confirmed that Gdynia is distinguished by features not found in other cities with similar architecture. The city had been seeking this inscription since 2007. The “Modernist Centre of Gdynia” (the full name of the inscription) has been recognised as one of the world’s best-preserved examples of a 20th-century modernist port city.
This is a day that will go down in Gdynia’s history. It is a great source of pride and, at the same time, a commitment to continue caring for this unique place for future generations. It is also confirmation that the vision which, over a hundred years ago, marked the beginning of modern Gdynia’s history, has retained its power and universal significance. This post is, above all, a tribute to courageous people: town planners, architects, engineers and builders who believed that a modern port and city could be created from a small village. This success also belongs to the successive generations of Gdynia’s residents, who have cared for their city for decades and continue to do so,’ says Aleksandra Kosiorek, Mayor of Gdynia.
A long road to UNESCO status
Since 2007, the urban layout of Śródmieście has been listed in the register of historic monuments, and since 2015 it has held the status of a Historic Monument. It was then that the ambition to be included on the UNESCO list became a realistic goal.
office building
The application was supported by detailed nomination documentation, a Management Plan, a multi-stage evaluation by ICOMOS, and diplomatic efforts to build trust in the candidacy. Cooperation with the government, ministries, the National Heritage Institute, the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Poland to UNESCO and the authorities of the Pomeranian Voivodeship was also crucial.
The Legacy of Modernism
Experts recognised that the Modernist Centre of Gdynia is one of the most outstanding examples of early modernism in urban planning. The city centre was developed between 1926 and 1939 as a modern centre for a port city and a symbol of the ambitions of a resurgent Poland. It combined modernist architecture with a functional urban layout and was closely linked to the port and the Baltic Sea. Most importantly, it has retained its spatial layout and architecture to this day.
The basis for the inscription is Criterion IV, reserved for properties representing a significant stage in human history. Comparisons with the Bauhaus, the housing estates of Berlin, the architecture of Kaunas in Lithuania, Ljubljana, Tel Aviv, Brasília, Chandigarh and Asmara have confirmed that Gdynia represents a distinct model of a modern port city. This is the first Polish entry on the UNESCO List comprising a modernist urban complex.
What will the inclusion on the UNESCO List change?
Inclusion on the World Heritage List opens up new opportunities for the city. A boost to tourism is expected – the UNESCO brand attracts visitors, strengthens the local economy and raises the city’s profile. The inscription may also make it easier to secure funding for architectural conservation and support further conservation work.
However, this does not mean a radical change for the residents of Śródmieście. The area has been under special protection for years, and building owners are familiar with the rules for working with conservation officers. There is a municipal grant scheme for conservation work, supporting the renovation of façades, roofs and architectural details of the most valuable buildings. The stable protection of historic monuments was one of the arguments that convinced the experts. However, the arrangements for new developments will change – in each case, an assessment of their impact on the protected area will be required. Existing planning documents set out numerous rules, but inclusion on the UNESCO list elevates the status of these provisions and reinforces the responsibility for the future development of Śródmieście.
About the UNESCO World Heritage List
The UNESCO World Heritage List was established on the basis of the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It includes sites recognised as being of outstanding universal value – representative of the culture and natural heritage of various regions of the world.
The list currently comprises over 1,200 sites from across the globe, including 17 sites in Poland. States Parties to the World Heritage Convention – Poland ratified it in 1976 – may submit only one nomination per year. Decisions on new inscriptions are taken during sessions of the World Heritage Committee.
This year, the fate of the nominations will be decided by an international panel of representatives from 21 member states: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, India, Jamaica, Japan, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Rwanda, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam, Italy and Zambia.
source: Gdynia City Council
See also: Gdynia | History | Landmark | Modernism | Recommended | whiteMAD on Instagram
