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February 23, 2012

Mexico's Colonial Bridge of Tequixtepec

The archive of the small village of San Miguel Tequixtepec is one of the best-preserved local archives in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. With 46 files from the sixteenth century, it is a small treasure for historians interested in the dramatic changes that indigenous villages went through shortly after the Spanish conquest.

February 16, 2012

Young Heritage Promoters in Andahuaylillas, Peru: Past Achievements and Future Challenge

In 2009 major conservation work was initiated on the sixteenth-century Church of San Pedro Apóstol in Andahuaylillas, a town in the Peruvian Andes. The local parish and World Monuments Fund, partners in the endeavor to preserve this historic monument, understood early on that a meaningful involvement of the community was necessary to lend depth and sustainability to their efforts. In this sense they launched a three-year pilot program with the objective of encouraging local youth to actively participate in the study, protection, and advancement of their cultural heritage.

February 16, 2012

Reflecting on a Devastating New Zealand Earthquake and its Impact

The South Island’s Canterbury region by that time had already experienced more than 4,400 aftershocks as a result of a larger earthquake in September 2010, centered under the small settlement of Darfield near Christchurch. Aftershocks had become a stressful and persistent reminder of what the community had gone through when that first, early morning 7.1 magnitude quake had thrown Cantabrians from their beds, caused widespread damage, and the loss of a number of significant historic places.

February 15, 2012

Best of Angkor Tour, January ’12

Last month we kicked off 2012 with a tour of the spectacular architectural remains at Angkor Archaeological Park during WMF’s classic “Best of Angkor” Tour. Nine enthusiastic travellers toured highlights of Angkor’s magnificent temples over five days in a special order determined by my trip co-leader, the star Khmer guide Khin Po-Thai (a.k.a. “Thai”), who made sure we saw everything with a minimum of other tourists present—that is no small feat these days!

January 25, 2012

Why Being on the WMF Watch Matters

As defender of a specific landscape I find myself being criticised as a “nimby” (“not in my back yard”) preservationist. To be honest, I cannot easily escape the charge, but I find it irrelevant in practice. The issue is never what anyone personally would prefer but what should be done.

January 23, 2012

First Relocation: El Ancla by Willi Gutmann

Ruta de la Amistad, a series of outdoor sculptures created by famous artists for the 1968 Olympics, form a 17-kilometer route through Mexico City. Over the years several of 22 sculptures have been obscured or threatened by urban growth.

January 20, 2012

A Diary of Work at Ani: Part VII

Seventh Day. We tested the scanner last night to see if there are any glitches or malfunctions, but luckily we got it working without any problems. So we went to the site very early in the morning in order to complete the scans before the weather got hot.

January 19, 2012

Phase I Work Completed at Ani Archaeological Site

World Monuments Fund and the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage and Museums, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, are partnering to document, stabilize, and conserve two of the most significant and visible structures at Ani Archaeological Site, Ani Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Savior (Surp P’rikitch). The Church of the Holy Savior project is supported through a grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Ambassodor’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

January 19, 2012

A Diary of Work at Ani: Part VI

Sixth Day. We planned to make a sample close-range scan for possible use in the future. So we picked up our colleague from the airport who will be doing this job.

January 17, 2012

A Diary of Work at Ani: Part V

Fifth Day. We planned the laser scans in different phases in order to use the sunlight as much as possible. So we started from the inside of the church, which faces east. Due to the fallen building remains, we had to setup several different locations in order not to miss any details inside.

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