The list of the 7 Most Endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2023 has been announced by Europa Nostra, the European Voice of Civil Society Committed to Cultural and Natural Heritage, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute. 

The 7 Most Endangered sites for 2023 are Kortrijk Railway Station in Belgium, Partisan Memorial Cemetery Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tchakvinji Fortress Zugdidi in Georgia, Sisters’ House Ensemble (former Moravian settlement Kleinwelka) in Germany, Memento Park Budapest in Hungary, Cultural Landscape of Sveti Stefan Paštrovići in Montenegro and Watermills of Bistrica Petrovac na Mlavi in Serbia. 

The Executive Vice-President of Europa Nostra, Guy Clausse, stated “By putting these heritage sites on the 2023 list of 7 Most Endangered, we wish to convey a message of hope, solidarity and support to the local communities and activists who are resolutely determined to save them. Together with our partners we will provide technical expertise, identify possible sources of funding and mobilise our wide network to support their cause and their efforts, which have now become also our cause and our shared responsibility. Let us use Europe’s cultural heritage as a vector for peace, social cohesion and sustainable development.”

Bruno Rossignol, the Head of Programme for Climate and Heritage at the European Investment Bank Institute, added: “Cultural heritage is a key resource for shaping our European identity, without which economic growth is meaningless. This cohesive power is recognised by the EIB which takes heritage preservation into account when reviewing new investment projects or when lending for urban renewal projects, often with a heritage component. On the 10th anniversary of the programme, the sites selected today will once more testify to the cohesive power of cultural heritage and link with the Bank’s mission and activities.”

The Board of Europa Nostra selected the finalists from among the 11 monuments and heritage sites from eight countries previously shortlisted by the Advisory Panel of the 7 Most Endangered programme. The nominations were put forward by member organisations, associate organisations or individual members of Europa Nostra, as well as by members of the European Heritage Alliance. 

The selection was made on the basis of the outstanding heritage significance and cultural value of each of the sites, as well as 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 crucial added values. Another selection criterion was the potential of these sites to act as a catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development as well as a tool for promoting peace and dialogue within their localities and wider regions. 

Architectuul is glad to announce that also with our support for the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar won the attention of ten jury. In light of the promotion of the recent inclusion of the Partisan memorial cemetery in Mostar on the list of the seven most endangered monuments in Europe, Europa Nostra program 7ME 2023, on Sunday 23rd April 2023 starting at 19:00 at OKC ABrašević Mostar will be an opening of the exhibition “Architecture. Sculpture. Memory. Art of the Monuments of Yugoslavia 1945 – 1991.”

The organizer of the promotion of the Exhibition in Mostar is Urban house IDEAA, DESSA Gallery and Architectuul. The exhibition will begin with a conversation with the curators of the exhibition Maja Ivanič (DESSA Gallery) and dr. Boštjan Bugarič (Architectuul). 

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Europa Nostra is the European voice of civil society committed to safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage. It is a pan-European federation of heritage NGOs, founded in 1963 and supported by a wide network of public bodies, private companies and individuals, covering over 40 countries. It is recognised as the largest and the most representative heritage network in Europe, maintaining close relations with the European Union, the Council of Europe, UNESCO and other international bodies. Europa Nostra actively contributes to the definition and implementation of European strategies and policies related to heritage, through a participatory dialogue with European Institutions and the coordination of the European Heritage Alliance. Europa Nostra is among the official partners of the New European Bauhaus initiative developed by the European Commission, and is the Regional Co-Chair of the Climate Heritage Network for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.