Documentation for Preservation: Methodology and a GIS Database of Three World Heritage Cities in Uzbekistan

A collaborative effort spanning from 2008 to 2015 has successfully established a methodology and GIS database for documenting the historic buildings and dwellings within three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uzbekistan: Bukhara, Itchan Kala, and Samarkand. This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Uzbekistan and UNESCO, addresses critical gaps in heritage documentation and systematic monitoring, which have been threatening these sites. The research consolidates a robust framework for understanding the outstanding heritage values of these cities, enabling the development of effective preservation and management strategies. By integrating traditional historic houses—often lacking legal protection—into digital databases, this work preserves not only physical structures but also the cultural history, urban fabric, and traditions spanning centuries.

Vileikis, O., Escalante Carrillo, E., Allayarov, S., & Feyzulayev, A. (2017). DOCUMENTATION FOR PRESERVATION: METHODOLOGY AND A GIS DATABASE OF THREE WORLD HERITAGE CITIES IN UZBEKISTAN. ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, IV-2/W2, 311–318. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-iv-2-w2-311-2017