The list of the 7 Most Endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2022 has just been jointly announced by Europa Nostra – the European Voice of Civil Society Committed to Cultural and Natural Heritage – and the European Investment Bank Institute. Among them, there is also one from Romania.
The 7 Most Endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2022 are:
Zogu Bridge, ALBANIA
Récollets Convent, Nivelles, BELGIUM
Garden City La Butte Rouge, near Paris, FRANCE
Historic Centre of Stolberg, GERMANY
Neptune Baths, Băile Herculane, ROMANIA
Orléans-Borbón Palace, near Cádiz, SPAIN
Crèvecoeur Fortress, Den Bosch, THE NETHERLANDS
During the online event, the Executive President of Europa Nostra, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger, stated: “The list of the 7 Most Endangered 2022 covers a variety of heritage sites – from an exemplary 20th-century garden city to the historic centre of a medieval town, severely damaged by floods, and to an abandoned yet iconic building that is part of one of the oldest spa resorts on our continent. These sites are threatened by neglect, planned demolition, unsuitable development, the devastating impact of natural disasters or lack of funding. By publishing this list, we wish to send a strong message of solidarity and support to the local communities and heritage activists who are mobilised to save these endangered sites. Europe’s cultural heritage must be preserved not only as a testimony of our shared past, memory and identity, but also as a catalyst for sustainable development, social cohesion and much-needed peaceful co-existence.”
Speaking at the online event, Henry von Blumenthal, Deputy Dean of the European Investment Bank Institute, added: “Cultural heritage is about far more than ‘stones and bones’ from the past. It is a key resource for European identity, attractiveness and economic growth. Its positive and cohesive power connects Europe’s citizens and communities. For all these reasons, the EIB Institute is once again proud to be supporting the 7 Most Endangered Programme with Europa Nostra, Europe’s leading cultural heritage organisation”.
On this occasion, the Secretary General of Europa Nostra, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, drew special attention to the statement Europa Nostra stands in solidarity with Ukraine, issued on 25 February, and to the crowdfunding campaign to support the defenders of Ukraine’s endangered heritage jointly launched by Europa Nostra and Global Heritage Fund on 18 March. “As stated by our Board at its meeting held on 10 March, the rich and diverse heritage in Ukraine is THE most endangered heritage in the whole of Europe. We therefore need to provide support to our heritage colleagues in Ukraine. Every organisation or individual from Europe and beyond, who is dedicated to culture, heritage and history, can contribute to our crowdfunding initiative. Let’s stand together in solidarity with heritage defenders in Ukraine!” said Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović. All donations will provide emergency support to these brave guardians of our shared history and humanity. All contributions, however big or small, are welcome and important, and can easily be made via the Europa Nostra website (in Euros) or via the Global Heritage Fund website (in USD, GBP or crypto).
The 7 Most Endangered sites for 2022 were selected by the Board of Europa Nostra from the 12 sites shortlisted by a panel of international experts. The selection was made on the basis of the outstanding heritage significance and cultural value of each of the sites as well as on the basis of the serious danger that they are facing. 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.
Teams of experts representing Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute, together with the organisations that nominated the sites and other partners, will assess each case by collecting information and by meeting with key stakeholders. These multidisciplinary teams will provide expert advice, identify possible sources of funding and help mobilise wide support to save these heritage landmarks. At the end of the assessment process, they will formulate and communicate a set of recommendations for future action.
The 7 Most Endangered Programme is run by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment Bank Institute. It also has the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
Neptune Baths in Baile Herculane, one of the oldest spa resorts in Europe
The Neptune Baths building forms part of the thermal town of Băile Herculane, one of the oldest spa resorts in Europe. The first documented records of Băile Herculane date back to 153 AD. Since then, the site has been under Roman, Hungarian, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian reign.
The current structure of the Neptune Baths was constructed between 1883 and 1886, according to the plans of the architect Alpár Ignat, as part of the Casino Ensemble, which was designed by the Austrian architect Wilhelm von Doderer. Situated on a narrow plot, the Neptune Baths have a total surface area of almost 4000 sqm, housing 63 individual bathing or massage rooms and four communal pools.
Designed in an eclectic style, the Neptune Baths building has a large facade treated in exposed brick, partially finished with plaster and enriched with ornaments. At the time of the building’s construction, it was the most modern spa in Europe. Its medical treatment centre boasted renowned doctors as well as visits from eminent personalities of the time who came to enjoy the cultural and leisure activities on offer. Among the most notable guests were members of the royal Habsburg family, including the Empress Elisabeth of Austria – known as Sissi – and the Emperor Franz Josef.
After the fall of communism in Romania in 1989, the historic resort of Băile Herculane, including the outstanding Neptune Baths, was abandoned and fell into decay with the damage accelerating from 2004 onwards. Despite being declared as a Class A monument in 1980, the Neptune Baths have suffered continuous further degradation, due to water infiltrations and poor interventions. Due to a lack of funding and legal issues, two structural walls and a roof collapsed in 2019. A series of temporary interventions were then executed under the coordination of a team of volunteers with the support of civil society. However, the building continues to degrade at a fast pace. In December 2021, one structural wall from the upper floor collapsed due to water infiltrations, which emphasises the bad state of repair of the building.
The nomination of the Neptune Baths to the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2022 was made by the Locus Association, a Romanian NGO based in Timişoara. The Locus Association was created in 2017 by volunteer architecture professionals and young graduates with the ambitious aim of saving the historic thermal spa complex under the platform called “HerculaneProject”.