AIC's 44th Annual Meeting

The earthquake of 25 April 2015, known as the Gorkha earthquake, and the subsequent one of 12 May which struck Kathmandu Valley, caused a big humanitarian catastrophe and enormous damage to Nepal’s cultural heritage. Thousands of people died and were injured, even more were made homeless. Additionally, monuments and sites in the valley were affected and severely damaged. All seven monument zones that build up the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Property suffered from loss and destruction. The Stupas of Swayambhu and Boudanath partly collapsed. The three Durbar Squares of the royal cities Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur suffered massively with buildings totally destroyed or heavily damaged. The immediate response of the local authorities and communities and the implementation of first-aid measures took differently long and varied in effectiveness. These include the retrieving of valuable objects from the debris, i.e. gilded metal sculptures, wood carvings and stone relieves, and the covering of affected buildings, especially of those with damaged roofs. In retrospect, all measures that proved to be essential after the earthquake and facing the monsoon. In 2010 the Institute of Conservation of the University of Applied Arts Vienna (Austria) joined the conservation project at the impressive Royal Palace in Patan initiated by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT). This cooperation between senior conservators (staff) and students of the Institute, together with architects from the KVPT and local craftsmen, has over the years resulted in the conservation of numerous monuments and works of art made of stone, wood, metal and ivory. This paper will give a first survey of the damage caused by the earthquakes to the monuments at the Patan Durbar Square and in the context of the Royal Palace including an evaluation of treatments undertaken by the Institute in the past years. Fact finding missions in June and September 2015 initiated by the Austrian government showed the necessity to set specific priorities for conservation and restoration of earthquake damaged monuments of forthcoming working campaigns. Specific emphasis will be given to the emergency response and first-aid measures after the earthquake in Patan undertaken by the local community, the KVPT and related organisations, which can be considered effective, as the recovery of objects from the debris and their temporary storage. The conservation and restoration by the Institute of selected monuments and objects damaged by the earthquake will be illustrated. Tasks and challenges for the future will be defined and possible solutions discussed.