The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, recognized by UNESCO as world heritage site, is located in the Boka Kotorska Bay, on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. The registered property includes 14,600 ha with a landscape composed by two interrelated bays surrounded by mountains, and it is linked to the rest of the Boka Kotorska Bay through a narrow channel, forming the principal visual central axis of the area.
The Outstanding Universal Value of Kotor, embodied in the quality of the architecture of its fortified cities and settlements and their harmonious integration with landscape, is currently under pressure by urban, real estate, infrastructural and touristic development occurring in the area.
For that reason, during the 38th and the 40th World Heritage Committee it was requested for the State of Montenegro to undertake and finalize a number of initiatives to review and harmonize all planning instruments, in order to balance the current development of the area with the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and its attributes.
In this context, the Government of Montenegro, the Ministry of Culture, the National Commission for UNESCO, the University of Podgorica, implemented a Heritage Impact Assessment procedure. During the preparation, researchers from CSS-Ebla were involved as consultants for the drafting and review of the documents.