2007-06-06 17:17:52 -

BERLIN (AP) - Germany's highest court ruled Wednesday that a disputed bridge can be built across the Elbe River near the city of Dresden, despite UNESCO's warning that it would be grounds for removing the region from its World Heritage List.

The Karlsruhe-based Constitutional Court ruled in favor of a local citizens' referendum to build

a road bridge across the Elbe to ease traffic in the eastern German city of Dresden, often referred to as the Florence of the Elbe for the baroque architecture that gives it a distinctive skyline.

The judges, in their ruling, said the citizens' decision was an expression of democracy and should have priority over the development of a cultural landscape.

The World Heritage Committee of the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has said a bridge over the Elbe River «would have such a serious impact on the integrity of property's landscape that it may no longer deserve» to be included on the list.

UNESCO's office in Germany could not immediately be reached for comment.

If the organization decides to scrap the Dresden Elbe Valley from its list, it would be the first site ever to be removed from the World Heritage List, which identifies over 800 places around the world with «outstanding universal value.»

The city council of Dresden, which relies heavily on tourism to generate income, took the case to court to prevent construction of the bridge, because it did not want to lose the UNESCO title.

It was not immediately clear when construction of the bridge would begin.