This document discusses the symbolic values and roles of historic walls. It begins by outlining the aims of examining how walls can better communicate cultural heritage and foster civic engagement and sustainable development. It then explores the historical functions of walls as defense, boundaries, and containers. The document analyzes the social divides walls can represent and provides examples of wall typologies and possible interventions. It discusses challenges in conserving walled cities and their heritage values, and provides recommendations for people-centered and sustainable approaches.

1. Communicating
Heritage: New Symbolic
Values for Historic Walls
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Yonca Erkan

2. Aims of the Panel
• How can historic walls serve to better
interpret and communicate cultural
heritage, in order for the latter to foster
civic education and sustainable
development?
• Can the historic walls of a city or town be
transformed from a symbol of closure and
exclusion into an opportunity for
openness and inclusion?

3. Naked Without a Wall (Alberti) – the function
• Defence
• Boundary
• Container

4. Modes of Interaction
Border Exchange Confrontation Container

5. Phenomenology of Walls - divides
• Urban / Rural
• Citizens / Peasants
• Inside / Outside
• Builder / Enemy
• Rich / Poor
• Inclusion / Exclusion
Via Veneto and Villa Borghese, Rome, Italy
1973-74, Christo and Jeanne Claude

6. Divides
Outside / Inside Enemy / Home Rural/ Urban
Dead / Living Them / Us Them / Us

7. Scale of Walls
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Regional
National
Towns
Ghettoes
Syber
Minds of
People

8. Typology of Walled Towns
• Living Walled Towns
• Archaological Walled Towns
• Demolished Walled Towns
• Walls that are longed
• Reconstructed Walled Towns
• Ghettoes as Walled Areas
• New Walls

9. Possible Interventions on Walls
• Preserve in a State of Ruin
• Subject to Restoration and Reuse
• Subject to Refill
• Subject to Demolishment
• Subject to Reconstruction
Bansky, 2005

10. Walls as World Heritage
• Extensive number of properties
• Outstanding Universal Value
• Value of symbolism
• HUL approach for walled cities
• Sustainability of walled cities
Oliver Creighton, World Arcaheology (2007)

11. Symbolic Values
• In majority of the cases the
criteria used for defining the
symbolism is presented in
creation (i) creative genius of
humankind. There are few that
are under the criteria (vi) such as
• the Old City of Jerusalem and its
walls (1981, WH in Danger List
since 1982) and
• The Great Wall of China (1987)
WHC

12. Present Day Challenges
• Identification of values/historic
uses
• Interpretation of the Walled
Cities (scale, stratification,
density)
• Conservation, Reuse
• Tourism management
• Traffic, sanitation, degradation
• Liminal spaces at the edge
• Development pressures
• Sustainability and reuse
Also presents opportunities
• Reconsider urban agriculture – eco solutions
• Learn from traditional management systems
• Learn from culture of living together
• Value and interpret historic layers
• Rejuvenate urban/rural/ natural linkages
• Use walls as DEFENDER of VALUES

13. Recommendations - Global Report on Culture
for Sustainable Urban Development (2016)
People Centered Cities Quality of Urban
Environments
Integrated Policy Making
Safeguarding the
identities within cities
Mixed used cities
(integrationg natural and
cultural resources)
Rural-urban linkages
Social inclusion Liveable built and natural
environment
Inclusive economic and
social development
Creativity and innovation
Digital technologies
Quality of public spaces Participatory processes
for local communities
Dialogue and peace
building initiatives
Urban resilience Innovative and
sustainable financial
models

14. HERITAGE IN MOTION AWARDS
The heritage in Motion Awards recognizes innovative multimedia
projects which promote, explore or safeguard Europe’s cultural
heritage and open up exciting new routes for advances into
heritage collections
www.heritageinmotion.eu

15. Viking and Medieval Dublin Online –
(https://heritageinmotion.eu/himentry/viking-and-medieval-dublin-online )
Viking and Medieval Dublin Online has
been developed for the education and
cultural tourism sectors. It comprises
animated video sequences of important
medieval features of historic Dublin
(Christchurch Cathedral, St. Patrick's
Cathedral, Dublin Castle, the City Walls, a
Medieval Streetscape, Wood Quay, the
Poddle River, Saint Audoen's Church and
Saint Mary's Abbey), quizzes that delve
into important aspects of Viking and
Medieval history and the life of everyday
citizens of Dublin, the "Dubh Linn Daily"
newspaper reporting on historical
characters and events, and an animated
timeline showing the development of
Dublin from 800AD-1500AD.

16. The Utrecht Archives: A virtual carriage ride
through 18th century Utrecht –
(https://heritageinmotion.eu/himentry/the-utrecht-archives-a-virtual-carriage-ride-through-18th-century-utrecht )
The Utrecht Archives developed an
interactive carriage ride for visitors of
the exhibition Big wigs, low culture.
This exhibition is part of the city event
Treaty of Utrecht, 300 years. The aim of
the virtual carriage ride is to let visitors
feel and think they are taking a ride in a
coach through the historical city of
Utrecht, to really let them experience
the city in the 18th century. The
combination of physical movement,
moving pictures, décor, atmosphere
and a beautiful story based on
historical sources, make a unique
experience of past times.

17. Athens 1842 - Tap the Time Machine and
Explore the City’s Past
(https://heritageinmotion.eu/himentry/athens1842-tap-the-time-machine-and-explore-the-city-s-past )
An interactive permanent exhibit at
the Athens City Museum. An
immersive 3D experience that
combines educational information
with stunning visuals to showcase the
European influences on architecture
and culture, which contributed in
shaping the modern Greek cultural
heritage. Visitors enjoy the unique
way history is unveiled in front of
their eyes and are actively involved in
navigating their own experience.

18. EU PRIZE FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE/ EUROPA NOSTRA AWARDS
www.europanostra.org

19. Pontemanco - A proposed Teaching Method for
Reading the Landscapes, Padova, Italy (2009)
The project aims to encourage the early
childhood education for the heritage
protection. The underlying idea is we
cannot protect and love what we do not
know.
“The jury has awarded a highly elaborate
educational project in terms of its ambitions
and tools, aimed at conveying a better
understanding to secondary school children
about the architectural environment which
surrounds them and the history that carved
the landscapes in which they live.
Furthermore, this approach has the
potential to give rise to similar initiatives
across Europe.” – 2009 Awards Magazine

20. Fortifications of Pamplona, Spain (2012)
The fortifications were built between the 16th and 18th
centuries. They are the significant example for the
transition from Medieval Era to Renaissance. They are
important for their military engineering and technical
innovation. After the restoration, the fortification
walls which were the symbol of barrier making
became the symbol of unity for the citizens.
"The Jury was impressed by the restoration of the
fortifications of Pamplona, one of Europe’s best
conserved bastioned enclosures and citadels. Since
2006 the municipal government promoted an
important plan of action for recovering the entire
fortification enclosure, opening it to the public and
improving the surrounding area as a recreational site
where cultural and natural heritage come together.
The restored fortifications are no longer only a
defensive wall, but have been transformed into a
meeting place and a symbol of unity for the citizens
and for the town itself.” 2012 Awards Magazine

21. Teaching Manual: The Fortifications of Vauban,
Besançon, France (2012)
The fortifications were built by Sébastien Le
Prestre de Vauban for 30 years until 1711. The
walls were surrounded the city and symbolize
the military engineering skills of Vauban.
"This award is given in recognition of the quality
of the contents of the teaching manual,
combining qualitative scientific documentation
with an attractive pedagogical programme to
raise awareness among the general public
about the official recognition of the
Fortifications of Vauban, resulting from their
registration on the UNESCO World Heritage
Sites list. This award is also intended to
encourage similar projects in other European
cities with this type of fortifications and a
consequent sharing of the results.”- 2012
Awards Magazine

22. Historical Route of the Lines of Torres Vedras,
Lisbon, Portugal (2014)
The Lines of Torres Vedras were built for
defensing Lisbon in the Peninsular War. They
were constructed by Sir Richard Fletcher to stop
Massena’s 1810 offensive.
“The Jury took several factors into consideration
in this project: first, the importance of
preserving this military feature for the role it
played in Portuguese and European history;
second, the highly successful inter-communal
benefits for the various authorities involved
along the route; and third, the prospect that the
new walking trail will encourage a new group of
people to discover the region. Also appreciated
was the choice of modern architecture for the
planned visitor center, linking past with
present.”- 2014 Awards

23. European Heritage Volunteers
European Heritage Volunteers has been active in heritage-related volunteering for more
than twenty years. Its objective is to establish links between the fields of heritage and
volunteering by continuously working to foster a deeper understanding of heritage and
volunteering among those active in either field, and by linking the two fields through
practical hands-on projects and educational activities
www.heritagevolunteers.eu

24. Fortress of Suomenlinna, Finland (2015)
The practical work includes
various tasks as digging,
winkling and mowing, seed
collecting and sowing. A special
focus lies on the elimination of
harmful vegetation and –
especially on the ramparts – the
prevention of the expansion of
harmful species threatening the
vegetation more culturally
related to Suomenlinna's
history. The task is completed
by small scale erosion repairs.

25. Is a platform for Social Media Volunteers. Heritage Times is a website where stories related
to European cultural heritage are regularly posted and shared by a team of volunteers on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by young representatives who are trained by European
Heritage Volunteers group.
www.heritagetimes.eu

26. We question how to
• combine a conceptual debate on
the symbolic and social values of
historic walls (in past, present
and future forms) with the
• sharing of experiences and ideas
on the role of historic walls in
communicating cities and
interpreting cultural heritage.

27. Walled City as defender of values

28. Thank you
yonca.erkan@khas.edu.tr