TIRANA, Jan. 30 – The UNESCO World Heritage site of Gjirokastra and the post-Byzantine churches of Voskopoja and Vithkuq in southern and south-eastern Albania have been shortlisted as 12 European heritage sites for the 2018 seven most endangered programme for their outstanding heritage and cultural value as well as the imminent danger that they are facing.
The two Albanian heritage landmarks were shortlisted by Europa Nostra, a leading European heritage organization and the European Investment Bank Institute, part of the European Union’s nonprofit long-term lending institution, on a shortlist that also involves historic sites in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. However, it will be only seven selected sites, due to be unveiled on March 15, that will receive support by Europa Nostra and the EIB Institute by mobilizing public and private partners at all levels to find a viable future for these heritage gems.
“This shortlist is, first and foremost, a call to action. We urge public and private stakeholders at local, national and European levels to join forces to rescue the heritage gems which tell our shared story and which must be saved for future generations,” said Denis de Kergorlay, the executive president of Netherlands-based Europa Nostra.
Francisco de Paula Coelho, the dean of the European Investment Bank Institute, said saving the 12 sites will not only benefit the cultural heritage monuments, but also generate socio-economic benefits at the local, regional and national levels.
“Well prepared and well implemented investment in cultural heritage pays off in terms of social, economic and cultural development, and it is important to spread this message during the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018” , he said as quoted in a statement by Europa Nostra.
This year’s shortlist corresponds to the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, celebrating diverse cultural heritage across the European Union under the slogan “Our heritage: where the past meets the future.”
Historic centre of Gjirokastra
“The city of Gjirokastra is situated in the Drino valley, the richest archaeological area in Albania, dating back to the middle Bronze Age. The Historic Centre of Gjirokastra has been inscribed on the World Heritage List since 2005. It includes several types of constructions, such as social and public buildings, places of worship and residences, all harmoniously composed in an outstanding historical urban landscape. The core of the Centre is the old bazaar with shops found in parallel lines, representing an urban character typical of the 17th and 18th-centuries. Out of 615 monuments located in the Historic Centre, more than half are subjected to illegal or out of context constructions, while 169 are in critical condition or at risk of collapse. Moreover, a controversial Bypass Road project has recently been approved by the national and local authorities. This development will seriously damage the structural and visual integrity of the Centre, which is the essence of its outstanding value. The Gjirokastra Foundation made the nomination for the 7 Most Endangered programme 2018. (Description made on Europa Nostra list)
Post-Byzantine churches in Voskopoja and Vithkuq
A number of Post-Byzantine churches in Voskopoja and Vithkuq, situated in southeastern Albania, are the most representative monuments of 17th-18th century ecclesiastical art in the Balkans and are masterpieces of the post-Byzantine style. War, plundering and natural disasters have seriously damaged this group of 12 churches. The surrounding Christian population has greatly declined and a subsequent lack of clergy has resulted in the majority of the churches remaining unused for most of the year. The main threat now is the total negligence by those administratively responsible for the churches at the national level, namely the Institute of Cultural Monuments. The listed Church of Saint George in Voskopoja, which won a Europa Nostra Award in 2011 for its outstanding conservation, faces the threat of theft and highlights the urgency with which these remarkable churches need to be protected. The nomination for the 7 Most Endangered programme 2018 was submitted by “The Past for the Future” Foundation. (Description made on Europa Nostra list)
