Del Pozo highlights the «correct» decision to reformulate the project to the Italian role as a «ceremonial city»
The Historical Heritage Council of Spain, approved last Friday, erected in 2026, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) candidacy for the declaration of World Heritage of the archaeological site in Santiponce (Seville) and the ruins of the Roman city; it will be addressed in 2027 by the heritage committee of the international organization.
This was agreed at the 97th Meeting of the World Heritage Council, held in Gijón (Asturias) under the chairmanship of the Director General of Cultural Heritage and Plastic Arts of the Ministry of Culture, Ingeles Albert; and with the participation of representatives from all autonomous communities, including the Secretary General of Historical and Documentary Heritage of Andalusia, Mar Sánchez Estrella; The director general of historical heritage, Mónica Ortiz and experts in World Heritage from the Ministry of Culture in Andalusia.
The Heritage Council has approved the presentation of the Italica Candidacy to UNESCO in February 2026, so that it is approached as a proposal from Spain in the World Heritage Committee of 2027, after the candidacy began on June 1, 2017 by the Civisur Citizen Association under the title ‘Italica, an Adriatic City’, to show how the enclave reflects the architecture and urbanism promoted during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117-138), whose family originates from that city.
Furthermore, Hadrian granted the city colony status and promoted the urban expansion that constitutes the current visible archaeological site.
Although the Historical Heritage Council already agreed in 2018 to include Italica in its indicative list of monuments that could be erected for UNESCO, due to its role in urban planning during the Hadrianic period; it was also registered in the proposal on the indicative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre; However, the project had to be reconsidered due to the necessary external technical report in its national process.
This external report acknowledges that the initial candidacy project around Hadrianic architecture was «very well argued in terms of protection and conservation» and that the authenticity or integrity of the site is «very well argued and justified», because «it is a fortunate and protected site, prior to the constructive aggression of the 20th century»; Which «allowed for good preservation of values in general, inevitably assuming destruction related to the proximity to the current urban enclave in Santipon».
However, the report, issued years after the initial agreement in 2018, did not recommend the presentation of the candidacy to UNESCO «due to the global strategy and the archaeological approach of the justification, contrary to the basic principles of this science in which context is essential beyond a few chronological years»; Because «many Roman sites have declared World Heritage, also considering this period (that of Hadrian) in their candidates, although not the only one».
«An archaeological site today should be justified in the interpretation of materiality up to the present day,» warned this report, explaining that «a site of this caliber is likely justified at the time it was submitted to the indicative list (in 2018), but draws from the history of declarations (world heritage) and the large number of archaeological sites».
In early 2024, Civisur had already transferred the draft candidacy to the Andalusian Regional Government as the owner of the site and responsible for its management, to which the Ministry of Culture announced that a team of experts in World Heritage would write a new form of candidacy, adapting it to the current requirements of UNESCO.
From that moment on, according to the Ministry of Culture, they «worked on the viability of the project and its reformulation» around the Italian role as a city designed for grand ceremonies and phases, imperial cults, and holidays.
The new World Heritage candidacy, under the coordination of ministry technicians, was written by a group of specialists, including the professor from the University of Seville, Fernando Lozano, and international expert Ciprian Marín. In addition, the professors from the Pablo de Olavide University, Juan Manuel Cortés and Elena Muñiz, as well as some members of the Advisory Council who have worked since the beginning of Civisur’s initial proposal.
Continue working
Now, in accordance with the new agreement of the National Council of Historical Heritage, the technical team editor, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, must complete the file from a formal point of view to comply with UNESCO’s operational guidelines. Subsequently, the report will be presented at the World Heritage Centre, located in Paris, France, for evaluation in February 2026 by the advisory bodies and to be approached in the 2027 annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee.
The Minister of Culture, Patricia del Pozo, stated that «the decision of the Spanish Historical Heritage Council is a decisive support for the Italian candidacy, confirming that its reformulation as a ‘ceremonial italic’ is successful and is heading in the right direction to achieve UNESCO, making it proposed for the World Heritage List».
