See Stunning Photos of the World’s Endangered Monuments
See Stunning Photos of the World’s Endangered Monuments
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Mauritius, Traditional
Architecture of
Mauritius: The island of Mauritius holds a unique yet fragile architectural heritage that is on the verge of disappearing.Julien Venner—Fondation
Marengo/World Monuments Fund
Chile, Chug-Chug
Geoglyphs: The thousand-year-old geoglyphs depend on the establishment of an archaeological park to protect, preserve, and interpret the site.Fundación Patrimonio Desierto de
Atacama/World Monuments FundJordan, Petra: Addressing the many long-term challenges facing Petra has been a slow but steady process, and the integration of community members into preservation planning represents a new opportunity for progress.Martha Joukowsky—World
Monuments FundIraq, Amedy: Planning is urgently needed to integrate new development proposals with community needs while respecting the historic urban fabric of the city.Amedy Culture Center Archive/
World Monuments FundIndia, Gon-Nila-Phuk
Cave Temples and Fort: The caves contain Buddhist wall paintings of exquisite artistic and spiritual significance, but they are endangered by the menacing disintegration of the surrounding rock.INTACH, Ladakh Chapter/World
Monuments FundAlbania, Spaç Prison: the notorious labor camp, is in an extremely advanced state of deterioration, and deserves to be transformed into a modern place of remembrance.Kreshnik Merxhani—World
Monuments FundGreece, Pavlopetri: The world’s oldest submerged city, is under serious threat from pollution and disturbances caused by large ships.Nicholas Flemming—World
Monuments FundMorocco, Figuig: The oasis of Figuig is on Morocco’s Tentative List for World Heritage and despite the pressures of modernization has maintained its traditional irrigation systems.Elena Ghibaudo—World
Monuments FundJapan, Early Twentieth
Century Architecture
in Tsukiji: The relocation of the Tsukiji fish market ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games warns of redevelopment pressures for some of the last remaining markers of Tsukiji’s historic twentieth century architecture.Mitsuo Inagaki—World Monuments
FundLebanon, Dalieh of
Raouche: Used as a public space for more than 7,000 years, the Dalieh of Raouche may become the latest victim of a development frenzy that has destroyed or privatized many of Beirut’s open spaces.Jala Makhzoumi—World
Monuments FundSouth Korea,
Simwonjeong: Rising land values and a lack of legal protection are threatening Simwonjeong Pavilion, a marker of Korean national heritage, which could be irreversibly changed or even lost.The National Trust of Korea/World
Monuments FundBelgium, Brussels
Palace of Justice : The Brussels Palace of Justice is a victim of its enormous size that long caused it to be seen as a folly and needs a guarantee of its future and a ground-up rehabilitation.Leon Lock—World Monuments
FundMauritius, Traditional
Architecture of
Mauritius: The island of Mauritius holds a unique yet fragile architectural heritage that is on the verge of disappearing.Julien Venner—Fondation
Marengo/World Monuments FundMexico, Antiguo
Colegio de San
Ildefonso: A former Jesuit college that became the cradle of the Mexican muralist movement, is laden with outdated systems that hinder its function as a world-class exhibition space.Arturo Ulises Mata Sifri—World
Monuments FundCuba, National Art
Schools: After surviving decades of neglect, the National Art Schools are gaining recognition as modernist monuments, but an integrated approach to the management of the site remains a necessity.Jorge Laserna/World Monuments
FundSouth Africa, Bo-Kaap: The historic character and built heritage of Bo-Kaap are under threat due to economic forces and social change.Sadiq Toffa—World Monuments FundCambodia, National
Sports Complex of
Cambodia: A modernist symbol of Cambodian rebirth, the National Sports Complex is used daily by Phnom Penh residents for recreation and social gatherings, and yet there are mounting fears of encroachment and loss of the space as a community asset.William Greaves—World
Monuments FundMexico, Chapultepec
Park: is an oasis that offers opportunities for leisure activities for residents and tourists alike, but planning and vision are needed for the Park to continue to be enjoyed by the public.Michael Calderwood—World
Monuments FundSudan, Sabu-Jaddi
Rock Art Sites: The rock art sites of Sabu and Jaddi are not fully documented or protected, and they are threatened by erosion and acts of vandalism.Ahmed Ali Osman—World Monuments FundEgypt, Abusir el-Malek: Looting archaeological sites like Abusir el-Malek erases irreplaceable information about human history and cultural milestonesMonica Hanna—World Monuments
FundChile, General
Cemetery of Santiago: The burial place of presidents and hundreds of other luminaries, has borne the brunt of many earthquakes and is now neglected by the city.Tomás Domínguez Balmaceda—
World Monuments FundCuba, Colonial
Churches of Santiago
de Cuba: The churches and their plazas have suffered from the impact of natural disasters and are currently endangered by a lack of resources that can be dedicated to conservation.Carlos Domenech—World
Monuments FundEcuador, Church
and Convent of San
Francisco: The church is facing the pressure of balancing large numbers of worshippers and visitors with the needs of maintenance and upkeep.Omar Arregui— UNESCO/World
Monuments FundSpain, Convents of
Seville: The dwindling monastic vocation poses a serious challenge to the future of Seville’s remaining cloistered convents.F. Javier Rodríguez Barberán—
World Monuments FundUnited Kingdom,
Wentworth
Woodhouse: The largest house in the United Kingdom, is one of the most important historic buildings at risk in the country today.Marcus Binney—World Monuments
FundUnited Kingdom, Moseley Road Baths: An Edwardian time capsule, the baths are still in use and serving a diverse urban community, is now at risk of closure due to cutbacks in government spendingVivienne Harrison—World
Monuments FundSpain, Averly Foundry: Widely as one of Spain’s most significant industrial complexes, is slated for demolition.Acción Pública para la Defensa
del Patrimonio Aragonés
(APUDEPA)/World Monuments
FundPeru, La Ermita de
Barranco: A crumbling church in a lively district of Lima with the potential for revitalization, La Ermita de Barranco is a reminder of the neighborhood’s origin as a humble fishing village.Municipalidad Distrital de
Barranco—World Monuments FundItaly, Arch of Janus: The only surviving quadrifrons arch in Rome, is the last monument of the Forum Boarium that remains unrestored.Enrico Fontolan—World
Monuments FundPortugal, Água da
Prata Aqueduct: Laborious effort is needed to preserve the Água da Prata Aqueduct while allowing it to keep functioning for the irrigation of parks and gardens.Juancy Ju—World Monuments FundSierra Leone, Bunce
Island: Bunce Island, a site that testifies to a dark chapter in world history, is being slowly eroded by exposure to the elements and overwhelmed by the social and economic problems facing Sierra Leone.Tommy E. Kain—World
Monuments FundPeru, Rumiqolqa: The overexploitation of the quarry of Rumiqolqa threatens the pre-Inca and Inca archaeological remains found at the site.Teresa Montoya Robles—World
Monuments FundLebanon, Heneine
Palace: is a landmark of Beirut that deserves to be preserved and put into public use so that it can be enjoyed by all, but instead it is at risk of being torn down and lost forever.Charbel Moarbes—World
Monuments FundNepal, Cultural
Heritage Sites of Nepal: In the aftermath of a major natural disaster, the reconstruction of the Cultural Heritage Sites of Nepal will help local communities overcome the devastation that they faced.René Fan—World Monuments FundPhilippines, Boix
House: The house has captured the imagination of a volunteer group that is turning the site into a beacon for learning about history, architecture and the neighborhood.Jhon Gorme—World Monuments
FundPanama, Fortifications
of Portobelo: The Fortifications of Portobelo need better management to reverse the effects of prolonged lack of maintenance and to mitigate the challenges of urban encroachment and an adverse environment.Instituto Nacional de Cultura/
World Monuments FundUnited States, San
Esteban del Rey
Mission: A comprehensive restoration program for the San Esteban del Rey Mission requires investment and remains long overdue.Roberto Miranda, Crocker Ltd—World Monuments FundUnited States, Mission
San Xavier del Bac: Because of sustained collaboration among its stakeholders, San Xavier del Bac is close to reversing the effects of past repairs, so that it may be preserved for visitors and the local O’odham nation.Michael F. McNulty—World Monuments FundPortugal, Church of
São Cristóvão: A rare survivor of the 1755 earthquake in Lisbon, the church is now in need of conservation to restore its splendor.WMF Portugal—World Monuments
FundRomania, Bucharest: The urban environment of Bucharest is threatened by abandonment and demolition of historic buildings, uncontrolled development, and inappropriate rehabilitation.Arch. Ioana Maria Rusu—World
Monuments FundRomania, Roșia
Montană Mining
Landscape: The threat of complete destruction of the Roșia Montană Mining Landscape has been averted, but challenges remain to promote sustainable development and create opportunities for the appreciation of its rich heritage.Radu Sălcudean—World
Monuments FundCuba, El Vedado: The historic character of the city is being lost due to lack of investment in properties in the district, weak protective regulations, and the trend of inappropriate alterations.Eduardo Luis Rodríguez—World
Monuments FundRussia, Shukhov Tower: Ongoing vigilance is necessary to secure the future of the Shukhov Tower, an icon of the advent of modern technology and an engineering masterpiece of the early twentieth century.Alexander Muxin—World
Monuments FundItaly, World War II
Concentration Camps: The neglect and destruction of the remaining concentration camps built in Italy during WWII is largely due to the denial of this almost-forgotten chapter of Italy’s recent past.Roberto Davide/World
Monuments FundRussia, Vyborg
Historic Center: Russia’s Vyborg Historic Center needs better planning for conservation and stronger enforcement of heritage protection laws.Maija Kairamo—World Monuments
FundTaiwan, Kucapungane: The migration of the Kucapungane Rukai and the erosion of their traditional craft skills and beliefs is causing all evidence of their heritage to be slowly lost.Qi-Ya Zhu—World Monuments
FundTanzania, Kua Ruins: The remains of a medieval Swahili town, the Kua Ruins are at risk from the effects of a harsh climate and destruction at the hands of explorers digging for fabled Swahili treasures.Piere Blanchard—World
Monuments FundSamoa, Former Apia
Courthouse: The Former Apia Courthouse is intimately tied to Samoa’s modern history and is one of the last colonial buildings in the South Pacific, but a new use must be found for this landmark to be preserved.Archifact Architecture & Conservation Ltd; Adam Wild—World Monuments FundZimbabwe, Great
Zimbabwe: An architectural masterpiece and one of Africa’s most iconic sites, Great Zimbabwe is at risk from the uncontrolled growth of vegetation and other management challenges that threaten its preservation.Mundopa. N. E—World Monuments
FundBrazil, Ladeira da
Misericórdia: A historic street connecting the upper and lower sections of the World heritage city of Salvador de Bahia that is the site of a visionary project by Lina Bo Bardi, has now been abandoned for over two decades.Nelson Kon, Institute Lina Bo and
P.M. Bardi—World Monuments
Fund
