The castle of Monemvasia is among the 14 monuments and cultural heritage sites under threat in Europe for 2025, with the threat identified in the cable car plan promoted by the Ministry of Culture and the municipal authority.
At least this is emphasized by Europa Nostra, the European civil society network for cultural heritage, and the European Investment Bank Institute (EIB) announced the 14 monuments and cultural heritage sites in Europe that qualified for this year’s edition of the “7 Most Endangered” program.
Specifically:
“The main threat to Monemvasia today lies in a cable car project promoted by the Ministry of Culture and the municipal authority. According to the HELLENIC SOCIETY for Environment and Culture, which proposed the Castle of Monemvasia for inclusion in the 7 Most Endangered Monuments for 2025 program (7 Most Endangered 2025), the cable car project obviously poses a threat of undermining the environmental and cultural value of the entire area, degrading the visitor experience, and disrupting the unity of the landscape. The available “Environmental Impact Study” lacks clarity and detail regarding the project’s impacts on fauna and flora, noise pollution, and traffic congestion.
Overall, the project seems to be inspired more by speculative interests than by accessibility issues, despite being part of a program that concerns the accessibility of the site by people with disabilities.
The threat posed by the cable car project has raised serious concerns and has attracted public statements and press releases from a number of bodies, such as ICOMOS, the Association of Greek Archaeologists, and Monumenta. Numerous bodies and individuals have undertaken or are planning to undertake a series of actions to enable the local community of Monemvasia, the municipality, the Greek state, and the international public to recognize the threat posed by the cable car project to both the environment and the cultural heritage of the Castle of Monemvasia.
The Hellenic Society for Culture and Sports proposes to replace the cable car project with a passenger lift project. An industrial lift was built in Monemvasia a decade ago to facilitate the restoration works of the Upper Town. A passenger-friendly version of the elevator would promote the desired improvement in the accessibility of the Upper Town.
This project should be combined with studies and consultation with the local population, with greater support for the Monemvasia Castle Management Plan, with a record of priorities and controversies, with the establishment of detailed studies in advance on the environmental and cultural impacts, and with the promotion of a broader dialogue on the accessibility of sites of cultural and environmental importance with policymakers in Greece”.
These are the 14 monuments and cultural heritage sites under threat in Europe for 2025:
o Monemvasia Castle, GREECE
o Arakelots Monastery and Settlement, ARMENIA
o Mixnitz-B?rensch?tzklamm Railway Station, AUSTRIA
o Ath Iron Castle, BELGIUM
o Nyborg Castle, DENMARK
o Blower Hall, Esch-sur-Alzette, LUXEMBOURG
o Railway bridges and embankment Baardwijkse Overlaat, NETHERLANDS
o National Theatre, Oslo, NORWAY
o Great Synagogue in Orla, POLAND
o Paulistas Church and Monastery in Lisbon, PORTUGAL
o Modernist General?tab Complex in Belgrade, SERBIA
o Church of San Estevo de Pousada, SPAIN
o Valhalla Swimming Pool, Gothenburg, SWEDEN
o Victoria Tower Gardens, London, UNITED KINGDOM
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