Saving What’s Precious

The World Monuments Fund is an organization ....................................... works to preserve important historical and architectural sites ....................................... the world. Every two years, the WMF releases a list of sites ....................................... particular danger of becoming ruins, and in 2014, it chose 67 sites in 41 countries. As this is a problem I feel strongly about, I decided to find ....................................... more about some of these places ....................................... my blog.

My first discovery was the Fort of Graca, in Elvas, Portugal. Built in the 18th century, this superb military building played an important role in several wars. However, the building’s strategic importance declined over the years and signs of decay are now appearing. Today, the WMF supports the continued maintenance of the fort, and plans to reuse it as a tourism center.

My research then led me to the Sankore Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, West Africa. Built in the 14th century, the mosque was integral to the city’s importance as a spiritual and intellectual center in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, the mosque is vulnerable to fighting and rapid urbanization in the region. The WMF hopes to draw attention to this, and to protect this precious monument.

My online journey then took me to the Christ Church Cathedral in Zanzibar, Tanzania, East Africa. Completed in 1879, the Cathedral’s exquisite design makes its history difficult to take in: it lies on the site of what was, until 1873, a major slave market. The Cathedral is now both a place of worship and a memorial to the slaves who suffered there. Recently, large cracks appeared in the Cathedral’s walls. However, with the help of the WMF, they are now repaired.

A very special site on my list was the Damiya Dolmen Field in Jordan, home to 300 stone tombs which date back to 3600 BC. The Damiya Field is in danger of collapse due to mining in the area. However, thanks to pressure from the WMF, the Jordanian government is taking steps to protect it.

Lastly, I found out about the 19th century Alhambra Palace in Santiago, Chile. It replicates parts of the 13th century Alhambra palace in Spain, and, until a major earthquake hit the country in 2010, existed as a cultural institution supporting artists. The effects of the earthquake, together with old age and weather, made the building unsafe and it is currently closed. The WMF hopes that its involvement with the palace can help it to open to the public once again.