Tehran, 13 March 2007, (CHN Foreign Desk) -- By constructing a fountain in vicinity of Bisotun historical site in Kermanshah province, the municipality of Bisotun has not only intruded the cultural landscape of this world heritage site but has also blemished the visual district of the nearby mausoleum.

 

Since its registration in list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites which took place last July,  it is the fourth time that  this unique historical site  has been somehow threatened  by administrative organizations.

 

According to Maliheh Mahdiabadi,  head of  Bisotun Research Center,  the  fountain has been constructed in   a park in front of  Bagher mausoleum.

 

 

On the other hand, in an interview with CHN, Asadullah Biranvand, director of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department of Kermanshah showed ignorance toward the case.

 

The historic site of Bisotun is located in Kermanshah province, western Iran, at the foothills of the Zagros Mountain. It was registered in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites on July 13^th, 2006 in a decision made by the World Heritage Committee in its 30^th session which was held in Lithuania.

 

In a  short time after its registration, Bisotun has been threatened several times due to development projects in the region including the activities of Kermanshah’s Polymer Petrochemical Company, construction of Harsin industrial city in the vicinity of this world heritage site, and activities of Kermansha’s Telecommunication Organization for laying cables in the vicinity of Bisotun which resulted in destruction of some historical monuments dating back to the Sassanid (224-651 AD) and Ilkhanid (1256-1336 AD) dynastic periods near Khosrow Bridge.

 

 

Prior to this UNESCO asked Iran to give detailed explanations about developing projects in the vicinity of Bisotun.  

 

 

S.Omid Arab

foreigndesk@chn.ir