Venice escaped in extremis Thursday its inclusion on the list of World Heritage in Danger, proposed by Unesco shortly before the announcement of the Italian government of the ban on large cruise ships from entering the heart of the lagoon.
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Fuzhou, China, took note of this ban which will come into force on August 1st.
It gives the Italian authorities until December 1, 2022 to report again on the efforts made to preserve the exceptional ecosystem and historical heritage of the Serenissima.
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The Italian Minister of Culture and Heritage, Dario Franceschini, welcomed the committee's decision.
But "
the world's attention to Venice must remain strong,
" he warned in a statement, calling for "
sustainable development of this unique property
".
The Unesco committee justified its decision, endorsed despite reservations from Norway, after having received "
last minute information
" indicating a decree taken by the Council of Ministers in Rome on July 13, under which the transit of the
"sea mastodons"
in the historic center.
From August 1 will be banned from entering the San Marco basin, the San Marco canal and the Giudecca canal vessels over 25,000 gross tonnage, over 180 meters in length, 35 meters of air draft or whose emissions contain more than 0.1% sulfur.
They will have to moor in the industrial port of Marghera, where improvements will be made, while smaller cruise ships (around 200 passengers) can continue to dock in the heart of the city.
The Grand Canal seen from the Rialto Bridge in Venice Luca Campigotto