Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain

Main issues: Impact of barrage on section of the route.

New information:  The Secretariat has been informed about a project to construct an enlargement of a barrage in the regions of Navarra and Aragon (‘el embalse de Yesa’). This enlargement would have as a consequence the inundation of some archaeological sites, a village, religious monuments and a stretch of five kilometres of the Route of Santiago between the villages of Artieda and Ruesta. The project foresees the relocation of the most important monuments and the reconstitution of the Route along the side of the lake. In June 2000, the Spanish authorities submitted extensive documentation on the possible impact of the barrage on the cultural heritage.

In March 2001, the Secretariat received a preliminary report from the Spanish ICOMOS Committee that had reviewed the documentation and undertaken a review in-situ. In the report, ICOMOS Spain expresses serious concern about the impact of the barrage on the Route of Santiago and the historical and social fabric of the villages and the area.

The Secretariat transmitted all documentation to ICOMOS for review and advice.

The Bureau may wish to examine the advice of ICOMOS at the time of its session and take the appropriate decision thereupon.

The twenty-fifth session of the Bureau requested ICOMOS to continue its dialogue with the Spanish authorities to assess the impact of the dam, its enlargement and to discuss proposed mitigation measures. The Bureau requested ICOMOS and the Spanish authorities to report on the results of these consultations.