2020 Watch Sites
Active Project
Koutammakou, Land of the Batammariba
Benin and Togo
Conservation of traditional dwellings will help the Batammariba people remain in their historic homeland and preserve their way of life.
Ontario Place
Toronto, Canada
A modern mega-structure, currently closed and at risk of redevelopment, can continue to foster exchange across population groups as a recreational center.
Active Project
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)—Orongo
Easter Island, Chile
Easter Island, a special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, is most famous for the hundreds moai statues scattered throughout its coastline.
Alexan Palace
Asyut, Egypt
Local initiative can transform a grand historic residence, now shuttered, into a museum for citizens and visitors to Asyut.
Notre-Dame of Paris
Paris, France
The near-loss of a beloved cathedral and global icon reminds us of the depth of human connection to heritage places and the personal trauma that their destruction can bring.
Bennerley Viaduct
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, England
Local stewards of a rare survivor of the Industrial Age seek to revive it as a community asset for recreation and access to the natural environment.
Completed Project
Tusheti National Park
Georgia
The Tush community seeks to ensure that regional development in eastern Georgia will promote sustainable tourism and will not disrupt their livelihoods.
Gingerbread Neighborhood
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
International collaboration focused on the recovery of the Gingerbread Neighborhood of Port-au-Prince after the devastating earthquake of January 2010.
Active Project
Historic Water Systems of the Deccan Plateau
Karnataka and Maharashtra, India
Revitalization of traditional water management systems and the recovery of local knowledge can help address the water crisis for contemporary communities.
Completed Project
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium
Ahmedabad, India
An architectural icon in need of repair can continue to provide opportunities for recreation and access to public space for the residents of Ahmedabad.
Completed Project
Mam Rashan Shrine
Mount Sinjar, Iraq
Reconstruction of a shrine destroyed in a genocidal campaign can establish greater recognition for a minority community that has been denied equality.
Completed Project
Inari-yu Bathhouse
Kita, Tokyo, Japan
The community behind one of Tokyo's fast-disappearing neighborhood bathhouses seeks to preserve this central element of a traditional way of life while diversifying its use.
Active Project
Iwamatsu District
Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, Japan
Preservation and designation of a historic coastal town built on the legacy of sake brewing can reverse the trend of depopulation.
Completed Project
Canal Nacional
Mexico City, Mexico
Community stewards of Mexico's oldest man-made waterway demand a seat at the table as government plans for a new park push forward.
Active Project
Traditional Burmese Teak Farmhouses
Myanmar
Desire for different living standards is causing the wholesale disappearance of a vernacular architectural typology, calling for study and documentation.
Active Project
Choijin Lama Temple
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Facing deterioration, one of the only temples to survive the country's suppression of religion can benefit from expert preservation assistance.
Completed Project
Chivas and Chaityas of the Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Urban growth takes a toll on a vast number of votive shrines throughout the Kathmandu Valley, prompting community members to take action through documentation.
Completed Project
Anarkali Bazaar
Lahore, Pakistan
A community-led process surrounding development and modernization can improve the quality of life for this urban neighborhood and legendary market in Lahore.
Sacred Valley of the Incas
Cusco Region, Peru
A community demands inclusive and equitable solutions as construction of a new airport threatens a rich cultural landscape near Macchu Picchu.
Kindler Chapel, Pabianice Evangelical Cemetery
Pabianice, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland
Reopening of the chapel as a cultural facility will give a community access to engaging opportunities.
Courtyard Houses of Axerquía
Córdoba, Spain
New solutions will mitigate the effects of depopulation, gentrification, and the boom of the modern tourism industry on this historic urban housing typology
Active Project
Bears Ears National Monument
Utah, United States
A government plan puts sacred lands and sites of the United States’ indigenous people at risk.
Active Project
Central Aguirre Historic District
Aguirre, Puerto Rico, United States
A training program in wood construction will pave the way for disaster recovery while opening new employment opportunities.
Completed Project
San Antonio Woolworth Building
San Antonio, Texas, United States
A Texas building that contributed to the African-American Civil Rights Movement is threatened by the extension of Alamo visitor resources.
Active Project
Traditional Houses in the Old Jewish Mahallah of Bukhara
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Documentation and assistance will highlight the history of Jewish presence in Central Asia following the migration of the community.
Bringing awareness to cultural heritage at risk
The 2020 World Monuments Watch is a selection of 25 at-risk cultural heritage sites that combine great historical significance with contemporary social impact. They are facing daunting threats such as encroaching urbanization, political turmoil, natural disaster, and violent conflicts, or they present compelling conservation opportunities. The World Monuments Watch will work with their communities to find solutions.
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