Court prohibits solar systems in Goslar's UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Court prohibits solar systems in Goslar's UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Goslar, Deutschland - The old town of Goslar, a true showpiece among the UNESCO World Heritage heirs, has recently been the focus of a legal dispute over the use of renewable energies. The Braunschweig administrative court has decided that no photovoltaic systems may be built on listed buildings of this city. This judgment of June 25, 2025 is no coincidence, because the lawsuit of two homeowners who wanted to install solar systems on their historical buildings was rejected. The decision has extensive consequences for monument protection and energy policy in Lower Saxony.

The plaintiffs wanted a permit for installing a PV system on their listed objects. According to LTO, such a permit must be granted, since the use of renewable energies has priority. Nevertheless, there are special exceptions for "atypical situations", as they are here. The administrative court underlined that the current building is part of the World Heritage Site and thus enjoys special need for protection.

monument protection is going on

The court saw the installation of the solar system a difficult intervention in the appearance of historical development. According to the Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Monuments, the dark color of the solar system would strongly stand out from the roof and consider the overall appearance of the old town considerably. This assessment was regarded as a relevant point in the judgment, since approval would not only be considered as an individual case, but also would have a precedent due to future permits. The historical roof landscape of the old town could thus be changed sustainably, which the judges particularly considered in their argument, such as Lower Saxony. However,

A legal way out is open to the homeowners concerned: the appeal of the appeal at the Lower Saxony Higher Administrative Court is available. This judgment has the potential to spark far -reaching discussions about the reconciliation of monument protection and the challenges of the energy transition, especially with regard to the changed requirements for the use of renewable energies in historical cities.

A look at the history of the world heritage

The old town of Goslar and the Erz mine Rammelsberg have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The World Heritage Convention, which was launched in 1972, obliges the contracting states to preserve their historical sites and to protect against inadmissible interventions. In Lower Saxony, monument protection is a particularly sensitive topic, not only because of the large number of protected sites, but also due to the steadily growing demand for renewable energy.

The Lower Saxony Cultural Authority emphasizes that there are clear criteria for the list of the world heritage, including Uniqueness, authenticity and integrity. Therefore, the protection of these valuable sites is kept high in times of the energy transition, which is not least underlining the present judgment.

whether and how this argument about monument protection and solar energy will develop remains to be seen. However, the discussion has opened, and the balance between climate protection and historical preservation is a sensitive topic that should employ both political decision -makers and the residents in Goslar in the coming months.