Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town

Brief synthesis Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town is one of the oldest living cities and spiritual centres in the world. Its numerous ancient, well preserved, monuments and buildings bear witness to a rich and prosperous past, through a series of successive and imbricated civilizations from very early antiquity until modern times. The World Heritage Property constitutes an important part of the continuous fabric of the present city which dates back to at least the Mamluk and Ottoman periods (13th – 20th century AD). The property is surrounded by a protective buffer zone comprised of the foothills around the Hebron/Al-Khalil valley and of archaeological remains that include Tell Rumeida. The old town expanded on three hills and into the valley around Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex, which is an outstanding and multi-layered example of architecture illustrating significant stages in human history and is one of the main elements that shaped the Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town. The monumental enclosure, or Temenos, surrounding the sacred Cave of Machpelah (al-Ghar al-Sharif) was constructed in the 1st century AD as an architectural complex marking the burial site traditionally believed to contain the tombs of Prophet Ibrahim (Patriarch Abraham) and the patriarchs and matriarchs of his lineage, which became a site venerated by the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Traditions, religious and spiritual beliefs have been the foundation of the town’s cultural character for many centuries. Thanks to its location along one of the main commercial routes in the region, the town became a meeting place for different faiths and cultures, with socio-economic and cultural exchange occurring throughout the centuries. The Outstanding Universal Value of Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town is demonstrated by its existence as an exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of exceptional urban and vernacular architectural elements which reflect characteristics inspired by the human values of Hebron/Al-Khalil’s people. The main attributes of Outstanding Universal Value can be observed within the limits of the old town, including the Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex, Suqs, Khans, Zawiyas, Maqams, Takiyya, and Hammams, the traditional quarters and the ahwash (plural of hosh), as well as the town’s historical setting, and its design. Criterion (ii): Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town represents an outstanding example of a community built around the interchange of human values. Since its creation, the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex has been a source of great inspiration to surrounding communities and to their social, religious, and spiritual values. The site has been in continuous religious use since the early Roman Period to this day. Herod, a Roman Client King of the region probably built a monumental enclosure “Temenos” around the sacred Cave of Machpelah (al-Ghar al-Sharif). The main roads of the town connect the different quarters in Hebron/Al-Khalil to Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex. The relation with the prophet Ibrahim and the presence of Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex has attracted pilgrims from around the world, making Hebron/Al-Khalil a meeting place for a great variety of faiths, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. This intermixing has led to a high degree of socio-economic and cultural exchange throughout the centuries reflected in the many public buildings of the property and beyond, including Suqs, Khans, Zawiyas, Maqams, Hammams, and the Takiyya. In the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods, Hebron/Al-Khalil became a significant centre of Sufism. Sufis, who came from different cultural backgrounds, found a promising environment in the vicinity of Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi, and subsequently Sufi zawaya (sing. zawiya) were built throughout the city’s quarters and become one of their distinguishing features. For more than a millennium, the Takiyya’s tradition (Hospice- free kitchen) of the Hebron/Al–Khalil influenced the whole region as evidenced in early historic accounts from the 9th century AD presented in the Takiyya of this day. Similar charitable institutions were later established in Jerusalem, Istanbul, Damascus, and Cairo. Criterion (iv): Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town is an outstanding example of an urban district which has remarkably preserved historical fabric. It has also preserved the morphology and residential typologies dating back to the Mamluk period, all of which contribute to the visual and structural integrity of the cityscape. The residential neighbourhoods of the old town were built in a hosh system. The hosh system is a congregation of separate room units or groups of rooms clustered around several small courtyards. They are found in different locations and levels, which have organically evolved into distinctive tree-shaped residential structures. The continuity of buildings on the outer edges of the town made it difficult to access the town and created an effective defence system of “rampart houses”. These included hidden nooks and circuitous alleyways that played a protective role against intrusions. This system can still be observed clearly within the old town in the road system and urban structures, which are perfectly preserved to this day. Criterion (vi): The Hebron/Al-Khalil’s Old Town is one of the holiest cities in the world for three monotheistic religions. For centuries, Hebron/Al-Khalil was a town in which prophets visited, lived, and were buried. Traditions and religious beliefs for the three monotheistic religions, have been its cultural foundation and the source of enduring values carried from one generation to the next. Furthermore, the prophet Ibrahim/Abraham’s spirit of generosity and hospitality has been and continues to be deeply ingrained into the traditions of Hebron/Al-Khalil. A key attribute of these traditions is the prophet Ibrahim/Abraham’s Takiyya (Hospice), established before the 9th century AD, which has continued until today to offer meals to the poor and visitors. In the Mamluk period, 13th century AD, Hebron/Al-Khalil became a significant centre of Sufism. Sufis found a promising environment in the vicinity of Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi and, subsequently, sufi zawaya (sing. zawiya) were built throughout the city and have become one of its distinguishing features. Integrity After the Roman and Byzantine periods, the original city moved from Tell Rumeida to the valley adjacent to Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex, and became the focal point of the town and strongly influenced its development. The boundaries of the property correspond to the boundaries of the continuous fabric of Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town, during the Mamluk period. Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town has remarkably preserved its Mamluk historical urban fabric as well as the morphology and residential typologies of Hara and ahwash (plural of hosh). These create an intricate network of alleys, which is influenced by the location of Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of Patriarchs that connects the various neighbourhoods in the old town and contributes to the visual and structural integrity of the cityscape. Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs monumental complex has been a source of great inspiration to the three monotheistic religions and to the surrounding communities and their social, religious, and spiritual values. It has been in continuous religious use since early Roman period to this day. The importance of this sacred place is evident in the town’s structure. Whilst Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town has never been protected by town walls, its limits are well marked by the topography and the “rampart houses” built on the town’s external perimeter, some of which have survived to this day. The property is very vulnerable due to the ongoing activities carried out by Israel, the Occupying power, inside the Old City of Al-Khalil/Hebron, including construction of settlements, archaeological excavations, mobility and access restrictions, which may affect the integrity of the site and contradict obligations under international law. However, efforts are made by the State of Palestine to mitigate any adverse effects of development and/or neglect to the integrity of the property. Authenticity The morphological configuration of the old town and the spatial organization of the urban fabric, dating back to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods have remained mostly unchanged, and the main distinctive attributes have been retained. The authenticity of the urban structure and of the buildings, quarters and hoshs have also remained intact. The property has retained its use and function which are attested in a number of public buildings, such as Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs complex, zawiya’s and hammams dating back to the Mamluk period. Function is strongly demonstrated through the continued maintenance, conservation and veneration of the property’s attributes that are observed within its limits, most notably, the monumental site of Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of Patriarchs. The spirit of generosity and hospitality of the prophet Ibrahim/Abraham has been and continues to be deeply instilled into the traditions of Hebron/Al-Khalil through its Takiyya (Hospice) which continues to offer meals to the city’s poor and visitors. Conservation efforts made in the old town since the mid-1990s have, to a great extent, preserved the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value, and contributed to continuity of uses. These efforts led to a return of the inhabitants and an effective urban regeneration of the old town. The use of traditional materials and techniques in these restoration operations has contributed to the protection of the authenticity of the old town and in the reactivation of craftsman trades. Protection and management requirements Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town possesses a high level of legal protection, both at the national and local levels. At the national level, it is protected by the law on Tangible Cultural Heritage (No. 11, 2018) for the protection, conservation and management of tangible cultural heritage in Palestine, as well as by the Jordanian law (No. 79, 1966) on building and zoning of towns, villages, and buildings. At the local level, protection of the property is based on the municipal physical master plan for the city of Hebron and the “Hebron's Old City: Preservation and Revitalization Master Plan 2015-2040”, a strategy to manage and conserve the old town’s urban planning, infrastructure, education, tourism, public health, economy, social development, and other important sectors. As per the law on Tangible Cultural Heritage (No. 11, 2018), the property is managed by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in close cooperation with the Ministry of Awqaf, Hebron Municipality, Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, and the local community. The local community involvement is made through workshops, seminars, in order to enhance the current management and state of conservation of the property, the above mentioned partners are closely cooperating in preparing the Management and Conservation Plan, in order to establish an effective management system and maintain the Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity, and integrity of the property.