Heritage federation Europa Nostra has short-listed a dozen endangered sites of interest across the continent in hopes of piquing interest in saving them. The list will be whittled down to the group’s 7 Most Endangered list.
The candidates range in age from pre-historic cave art in Spain to 20th-century cableways in Georgia, and include a variety of castles, monasteries and hermitages as well. There’s a historic ice factory in England, and a Belgian coalwashing plant that’s still in use, but threatened with demolition.
All of the nominations came from cultural and preservation groups in their own country. Denis de Kergorlay, executive president of Europa Nostra, said: “This shortlist is, first and foremost, a call to action. We urge public and private stakeholders at local, national and European levels to join forces to rescue the heritage gems which tell our shared story and which must be saved for future generations.”
Always worthwhile to save significant sites of historical value. Being able to visit said sites beats the alternative of looking at a photo after demolition. As a potential tourist attraction, some of these restored sites can eventually pay for themselves.