The shortlist of 12 endangered cultural heritage sites in Europe includes two Ukrainian ones

The 12 most threatened heritage sites in Europe shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered programme 2022 have just been announced by Europa Nostra – the European Voice of Civil Society Committed to Cultural and Natural Heritage – and the European Investment Bank Institute. This list includes 2 Ukrainian sites.


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 today. The level of engagement of local communities and the commitment of public and private stakeholders to saving these sites were considered as crucial added values. Another selection criterion was the potential of these sites to act as a catalyst for sustainable development and as a tool for promoting peace and dialogue within their localities and wider regions.


The 12 endangered heritage sites were shortlisted by an international Advisory Panel, comprising experts in history, archaeology, architecture, conservation, project analysis and finance. Nominations for the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2022 were submitted by member organisations, associate organisations or individual members of Europa Nostra from all over Europe as well as by members of the European Heritage Alliance.


The shortlist includes the following 12 monuments and cultural heritage sites of Europe that are in danger, including 2 of them in Ukraine:

  • Sculptural compositions of Buchach Town Hall, UKRAINE
  • Sanguszko Palace, UKRAINE
  • Zogu Bridge, ALBANIA
  • Récollets Convent, Nivelles, BELGIUM
  • Doel Village and Cultural Landscape, BELGIUM
  • Garden City La Butte Rouge, near Paris, FRANCE
  • Historic Centre of Stolberg, GERMANY
  • Neptune Baths, Băile Herculane, ROMANIA
  • Orléans-Borbón Palace, near Cádiz, SPAIN
  • Synagogue of Híjar/Church of St. Anthony, Híjar, SPAIN
  • Industrial Area of Lövholmen, Stockholm, SWEDEN
  • Crèvecoeur Fortress, Den Bosch, NETHERLANDS


Sculptural compositions of Buchach Town Hall


Buchach Town Hall, built in 1750 in a town in western Ukraine, is a monument of the late Baroque period. The town hall was designed by the German architect Bernard Meretin and decorated by a sculptor, a representative of the late Baroque and Rococo, Johann Georg Pinzel, who lived and worked in Eastern Galicia (now Ukraine).


The town hall is decorated with exquisite stone sculptural compositions, the themes of which are taken from ancient mythology and biblical stories. The pediment of the building has a magnificent stone carving – a heraldic composition with the coat of arms of the town hall founder Mykola Vasyl Potocki. Despite the fact that the sculptures are an example of originality and exceptional craftsmanship, they are in poor condition.


Some sculptures were lost forever, others were damaged in the fire of 1865 and as a result of intentional damage during the First World War. Those sculptures that have survived to this day are being destroyed by weather conditions and due to inappropriate previous restoration work. To date, none of the fourteen compositions of the town hall has survived completely - there are only fragments of nine statues. The advisory group stated: “It is recommended to carry out restoration work on the sculptures in parallel with the current restoration of Buchach Town Hall.”


Sanguszko Palace


Sanguszko Palace was built in the second half of the 18th century for a noble Polish-Lithuanian family near the town of Iziaslaw in the Khmelnytsky region. The majestic building was designed by Polish architect Jakub Fontana.


The palace was converted by the Russian Imperial Army into a barracks for military troops in the late 19th century, and was later used by the Red Army since the 1920s. In 1944, as a result of artillery shelling by the Red Army and subsequent fire, the building was severely damaged.


In 1963, the Sanguszko Palace was placed under state protection, but despite its recognized status, the degradation of the building continued unabated, mainly due to lack of funds and repairs. What is left of the rest of the palace's structures is now under serious threat due to weather conditions, vandalism and overgrowing of the surrounding park. In 2021, ownership of the palace passed to the local community. Much work and expert assistance is needed to determine a detailed plan for the conservation and interpretation of the site and its sustainable future use.


The Executive President of Europa Nostra, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger, stated: “These shortlisted endangered sites are a reminder that our shared heritage is fragile. By publishing this shortlist, Europa Nostra expresses its solidarity and support to the local communities and civil society organisations across Europe that are committed to saving these sites. They can count on us and our network of members and partners to raise our voices and act in defence of these 12 heritage sites at risk. These sites tell our shared history and can act as catalysts for sustainable development, social cohesion and intercultural dialogue.”


The final list of 7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe for 2022 will be unveiled in the spring of 2022.


The 7 Most Endangered programme identifies endangered monuments and sites in Europe and mobilises public and private partners on a local, national and European level to find a viable future for those sites. The 7 Most Endangered programme was launched in January 2013 by Europa Nostra with the European Investment Bank Institute as founding partner and the Council of Europe Development Bank as associated partner. The 7 Most Endangered is supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, as part of Europa Nostra’s networking project ‘Sharing Heritage – Sharing Values’.In addition, the Program provides a grant of € 10,000 for each listed facility to facilitate concerted action to rescue an endangered site. In most cases, the list of such facilities is a catalyst and incentive to mobilize the necessary public or private support, including funding.

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