Europa Nostra – the European voice of civil society committed to safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage, and the European Investment Bank Institute published today a list of the 12 most threatened heritage sites, which are shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2021. The list includes Visoki Decani Monastery, both due to security threats and non-compliance with UNESCO laws and standards by local authorities and the Kosovo government.
The selection was made on the basis of the outstanding heritage significance and cultural value of each of the sites as well as on the basis of the serious danger that they are facing. The panel took into consideration the level of engagement of local communities and the commitment of public and private stakeholders, as well as sustainable socio-economic development potential of these localities, the press release said.
In addition to Visoki Decani monastery, the list includes Achensee Steam Cog Railway, in Tyrol, Austria, the Modern Theatre in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Cemetery Complex of Mirogoj in Zagreb, Croatia, the Church of Saint-Denis in Hauts-de-France, France, the Narikala Fortress in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Green Space System in Cologne, Germany, the Five Southern Aegean Islands in Greece, the Giusti Garden and the Ca’ Zenobio Palace in Venice, Italy, the Central Post Office in Skopje, North Macedonia, and the San Juan de Socueva Chapel and Hermitage in Cantabria, Spain.
The Abbot of Visoki Decani monastery, Sava Janjic tweeted that he is deeply honored that Decani monastery has been selected, expressing hope that this will “highlight the need of protection of Serbian Orthodox Church sites in Kosovo,” – four of which are UNESCO sites.
The 12 endangered heritage sites were shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered Programme by an international Advisory Panel, comprising experts in history, archaeology, architecture, conservation, project analysis and finance.
The final list of the 7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe for 2021 will be unveiled in March.
Decani is one of the best-preserved medieval monuments with frescoes in the Serb-Byzantine style
“With the creatively combined element of Eastern and Western artistic expressions, its encyclopaedic ensemble of frescoes in Serb-Byzantine style and Romanesque-Gothic architecture and sculptural decoration, the Decani Monastery is the most distinguished heritage ensembles of its time,” the statement reads, noting that this Serbian Orthodox Christian Monastery, built in the 14th century, is also one of the best-preserved medieval monuments in Europe
On the other hand, the monastic complex is described as “enveloped by a beautiful forest which forms part of the surrounding cultural landscape which is inseparable from its priceless cultural heritage.”
Continuously inhabited for almost seven centuries, the Decani Monastery is a functioning monastery with daily liturgical services and an active monastic community composed of 25 monks – the statement underlined.
“The Decani Monastery was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a single site in 2004. In 2006, this status was extended to three other Serbian Orthodox Christian monasteries and churches in Kosovo, namely Gracanica, the Patriarchate of Pec and the Church of the Virgin of Ljevis in Prizren. Since 2006, all four sites have been inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger.”
The monastery, however, faces security threats, which is why it has been under 24/7 protection by the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping troops since June 1999.
“In spite of this, the monastery was a target of four attacks by mortar grenades by local extremists during the period from 1999 to 2007 as well as an attempted terrorist attack by ISIS in 2016, causing an easily reparable damage.”
In addition to security threats, the monastery is also threatened by the fact that the laws that protect religious and other objects of great cultural and historical value are not obeyed, the statement reads, citing the plan to have a major international highway pass next to the monastery gates as “especially dangerous.”
“The local municipal spatial plan is not in compliance with the strict protection rules for a UNESCO World Heritage Site or the related national laws and regulations. There is a constant risk of unsuitable urban facilities being constructed in the vicinity of the monastery as well as the danger of expropriation of the land belonging to the Decani Monastery. Especially dangerous is the plan to have a major international highway pass next to the monastery gates.”
The Advisory Panel: The monastery and its monastic community are hostages of the unresolved status of Kosovo
The Advisory Panel noted that Decani is the only monument in Europe under robust military protection for a continuous period of 20 years, although it constitutes a monument of ultimate historical and cultural importance for Europe and the world.
The panel suggested that the solution for this problem should be sought in Belgrade-Pristina negotiations on the normalization of relations.
“It is regrettable that today, the Decani Monastery with its heritage, both cultural and natural, and its monastic community, have become hostage of the unresolved status of Kosovo*. It is therefore urgent and imperative to ensure the full respect of the rule of law and to give stronger attention to the due protection of this World Heritage Site within the on-going talks on the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Prishtina/Priština” – the statement reads.
The Advisory Panel of the 7 Most Endangered programme also underlined that adequate protection and interpretation of the multicultural and multi-religious heritage of Kosovo – as a prerequisite for lasting peace and prosperity in the wider region – must be ensured.
Europa Nostra nomination for the 7 Most Endangered Programme
In addition to appearing on the list of the 12 most threatened heritage sites in Europe, the Decani Monastery was also nominated to the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2021 by the Future for Religious Heritage, the European network for historic places of worship, which is a member of the European Heritage Alliance.
“At a time of a distressing global crisis, we stand in full solidarity with local communities all across Europe who are the tireless stewards of our most vulnerable heritage assets. We stand in solidarity and we also stand in action. You can count on Europa Nostra, and our wide network of members and partners, to raise our voices in defence of these 12 heritage sites at risk of being lost forever. From iconic natural landscapes, to sites of religious significance and modernist architectural gems, these remarkable sites embody our shared history and are an untapped source of development and wellbeing for the regions and countries involved and for Europe as a whole. At a time when it is most needed, let us work together to preserve our cultural heritage and place it where it belongs: at the heart of Europe’s post-pandemic recovery,” the Executive President of Europa Nostra, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger stated.
The Dean of the European Investment Bank Institute, Francisco de Paula Coelho, said that this shortlist is an important reminder that our cultural heritage is fragile.
“With this shortlist, our joint aim is to support and amplify the efforts of local communities who, throughout Europe, are convinced of the immense and multifaceted value of our cultural heritage. In order to fully capitalise on our shared cultural heritage as a driver of sustainable development, we must ensure its physical safeguarding as the first and most urgent step,” he said.
The 7 Most Endangered programme is run by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment Bank Institute. It also has the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. Launched in 2013, this programme forms part of a civil society campaign to save Europe’s endangered heritage. It raises awareness, prepares independent assessments and proposes recommendations for action. While not providing direct funding, the listing of an endangered site often serves as a catalyst and incentive for mobilisation of the necessary public or private support, including funding.
For the 2021 edition, for the first time since the launch of the programme, the selected 7 Most Endangered heritage sites will be eligible for an EIB Heritage Grant of up to €10,000 per site. The EIB Heritage Grant can be allocated to the eligible selected 7 Most Endangered sites to assist in implementing an agreed activity that will contribute to saving the threatened site.
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