PRESS RELEASE
The Castle of Monemvasia (Greece) is included in the 7 most Endangered cultural heritage sites in Europe for 2025
The Hague/Brussels/Luxembourg, 18 March 2025
The list of the 7 most endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2025 was released today by Europa Nostra, the leading civil society network for European cultural heritage, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute. Since its launch in 2013, the 7 Under Threat Programme has evolved into a key civil society initiative dedicated to saving Europe’s heritage at risk, acting as a catalyst for mobilising expertise, halting inappropriate development and/or securing the necessary public and private support, including funding. Each registered site is eligible for a cash award from the EIB’s heritage fund of€ 10,000 to help implement an approved activity that will contribute to the protection of the site.
The 7 most endangered sites and heritage sites in Europe for 2025 are:
o Castle of Monemvasia, GREECE
o Monastery and Settlement of Arakelots, ARMENIA
o Nyborg Castle, DENMARK
o Great Synagogue in Orla, POLAND
o Modernist Generalštab complex in Belgrade, SERBIA
o Valhalla Swimming Pool, Gothenburg, SWEDEN
o Queen Victoria Tower Gardens, London, UK
The announcement was made at an online event, co-organised by Guy Clausse, Vice-President of Europa Nostra, and Shiva Dustdar, Head and Director of the EIB Institute, and attended by Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Justice, Youth, Culture and Sport. The online event attracted participants from all over Europe and beyond, including individuals who nominated the sites as well as representatives of the selected sites.
This year’s list includes: (a) three cultural and natural heritage sites – Nyborg Castle, Monemvasia Castle and Queen Victoria Tower Gardens in London – threatened by the construction of new intrusive buildings and inappropriate development projects, b) two modernist buildings – the Generalštab complex in Belgrade and the Valhalla swimming pool in Gothenburg – under imminent threat of demolition, and c) two religious heritage sites – the Arakelots Monastery and Settlement, and the Great Synagogue in Orla – threatened by neglect or lack of funding, respectively.
The 7 monuments and sites were selected on the basis of their significance for European heritage and cultural value, as well as the serious risk they pose. The level of activation local communities and/or the involvement of public and private actors in the conservation of these sites was considered to be of critical added value. Another selection criterion was the potential of each of sites to act as a driver of sustainable socio-economic development.
The final list of 7 was selected by the Europa Nostra Board of Directors from the 14 and heritage sites previously selected monuments ofthe 7 in Danger by the Advisory Committee Programme. The proposals for the sites included in the 7 Sites in Danger programme were submitted or supported by Europa Nostra members, as as wellby members of the European Heritage Alliance Teams of experts representing Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute, together the organisations, the individuals who nominated the 7 selected monuments and sites and other partners, will now collect information and meet with key stakeholders to assess the sites and issue a technical report with proposals for action. Messages from key representatives of Europa Nostra, the EIB Institute and the European Commission Europa Nostra Vice-President Guy Clausse said: “Together with our partners, European and national, we will provide civil society benefits and technical expertise, identify potential sources of funding and mobilise our wide network to support local efforts to save the 7 most endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe this year. Our heritage and culture play a key role in building more sustainable, inclusive and democratic communities across our continent and beyond.” Shiva Dustdar, Head and Director of the European Investment Bank Institute, said: “Europe’s cultural heritage is a cornerstone of its common identity, economic vitality and historical heritage. The list of sites under threat underlines not only their importance but also the urgent need for action to ensure their survival. In supporting Europa Nostra, the EIB Institute is proud to empower local communities that recognise the critical role of heritage conservation in addressing wider societal challenges. Protecting these places is an investment in the cultural, social and economic fabric of Europe, ensuring that their value will last for generations to come.” European Commissioner for Intergenerational Justice, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, said: “Culture enriches our lives and it is our collective responsibility to take good care of it. Cultural heritage is the foundation for building an inclusive, happy and sustainable future for the EU. It is a testimony to our diversity, our identity, creates millions of jobs and is a source of inspiration for the cultural and creative sector. Showcasing Europe’s most endangered sites and monuments helps us to identify where we need to step up our efforts to protect our cultural heritage for future generations to enjoy.“
Monemvasia Castle, Greece
Monemvasia Castle is built on a massive limestone cliff with steep slopes, jutting out from the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese, in Greece. The rock is connected to the by an isthmus and a bridge. This unique configuration forms a double harbour that supported the prosperity of Monemvasia from the medieval to the modern period.
Ano Poli, which is developed on a flat plateau at the top of the cliff, was fortified and inhabited until 1690. Nowadays the fortifications and only a few monuments are well preserved, including a 12th century church, a gate complex, two private houses and several cisterns. There are also ruins of houses and a network of historic paths. The Lower Town was developed on a strip of land at the footthe cliff and is also protected by fortification. Thanks to its Byzantine to modern monuments, Monemvasia attracts visitors from all over the world, and the uniqueness of the place has been an inspiration for many artists.
Since the 1960s, the historic settlement of the Castle, as well as the isthmus and the bridge, have been protected by various provisions aimed at preserving the historic structures, preserving the original style of the settlement and respecting the architectural rules of the Castle of Monemvasia.
During the 1970s Monemvasia began to become a tourist destination and while until then personal interest and individual care ensured the protection of the settlement, the significant increase tourist interest and the expansion of investment and business interest has reached the point of putting the authentic character of the historical ensemble in absolute danger. Most of the few shops in the Lower Town are being converted into catering and leisure centres, while numerous houses are being converted into accommodation.
The main threat to Monemvasia today is a cable car project promoted by the Ministry of Culture and the municipal authority. According to the Hellenic Society for Environment and Culture, which has proposed the Monemvasia Castle for inclusion in the programme of the 7 most endangered monuments for 2025 (7 Most Endangered 2025), the cable car obviously poses a threat of devaluing the environmental and cultural value of the overall site, degrading the visitor experience, and disrupting the unity of the landscape. The available ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ lacks clarity and detail regarding the project’s impact on fauna and flora, noise pollution and traffic congestion. Overall, the project seems to be inspired more by speculative interests than by accessibility issues, even though it is part of a programme concerning the accessibility of the site for people with disabilities.
The threat posed by the cable car project has raised serious concerns and has attracted public statements and press releases from a number of bodies, including ICOMOS, the Association of Greek Archaeologists and Monumenta. Numerous organisations and individuals have taken or plan to take a number of actions to enable the local community of Monemvasia, the municipality, the Greek state and the international public to recognise the threat posed by the cable car project to both the environment and the cultural heritage of Monemvasia Castle.
The HELLENIC Society for Culture and Sports proposes to replace the cable car project with a passenger lift project. An industrial lift was built in Monemvasia a decade ago to facilitate the restoration works in the Upper Town. A passenger-friendly version of the lift would promote the desired improvement in the accessibility of the Upper Town. This project should be combined with studies and consultation with the local population, with support from the Monemvasia Castle Management Plan, with the recording of priorities and controversies, with the compilation of detailed studies in advance on the environmental and cultural impacts, and with the promotion of a broader dialogue on the accessibility of sites of cultural and environmental importance with policy makers in Greece.
The Advisory Committee of the 7 Most Endangered Programme decided to include Monemvasia Castle in the 7 Most Endangered 2025 Programme “not only because it recognises the clear problem and urgency of the immediate actions to be taken, but also because it takes this opportunity to explore and highlight new, more appropriate and sustainable proposals with wider international impact”.
You can find more information here
PRESS CONTACT MORE INFORMATION
Europa Nostra Joana Pinheiro Communications Advisor
E. jp@europanostra.org, M. +31 6 34 36 59 85 Antigoni Michael
7 Most Endangered Programme Managers
E. am@europanostra.org; T. +32 2 894 74 99
European Investment Bank Institute
Sabine Parisse Media Officer
E. parisse@eib.org; M: +352621459159
HELLENIC Society for Environment and Culture
Katerina Stebili
Tel: 210 3225245, ext. 2
Esepi@ellinikietairia.gr
Press release in various languages Video
Photos and banners
www.7mostendangered.eu www.europanostra.org
https://institute.eib.org
www.ellet.gr
ώρο του του πολιτισμού και του
οπτικοακουστικού τομέα.