Frequently Asked Questions

Since its launch in 2013, the 7 Most Endangered Programme has become a key civil society initiative dedicated to saving Europe’s heritage at risk. It acts as a catalyst for mobilising expertise, halting unsuitable or unsustainable development, bringing key stakeholders together in dialogue and fostering necessary public and private support.

The 7 Most Endangered Programme is run by Europa Nostra – the leading European heritage civil society network – with the support of the European Investment Bank Institute. It is also supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, through the network project Europa Nostra Heritage Agora.

Since 2013, 77 threatened monuments and heritage sites from 35 countries across Europe have been selected. The first list was published in 2013, the second list in 2014, the third list in 2016, the fourth list in 2018, the fifth list in 2020, the sixth list in 2021, the seventh list in 2022, the eighth list in 2023, the ninth list in 2024, the tenth list in 2025 and the eleventh list in 2026.

In addition, in 2016, the Venice Lagoon in Italy was declared as THE most endangered heritage site in Europe; and in 2022, the Board of Europa Nostra declared the rich and diverse heritage in Ukraine as THE most endangered heritage in the whole of Europe.

If a nominated site is selected, Europa Nostra will work with the nominator and relevant local stakeholders to develop a tailored approach to the site’s needs. This involves the formation of an European international expert team, information gathering and consultations with key stakeholders, followed, where appropriate, by a site mission. The findings and recommendations are then consolidated into a report, which can provide a basis for further action. Depending on the circumstances and needs of the site, subsequent support may focus on expert advice, advocacy and visibility, capacity building, fundraising or investment-readiness, and connecting the site with relevant partners and sources of support.
Selection therefore marks the beginning of a process of cooperation rather than the end of the nomination process.

Experts coming from diverse heritage and finance backgrounds who volunteer to support the 7 Most Endangered Programme, together with the organisations and individuals that nominated the 7 selected sites, will form dedicated European experts’ teams for each site. These teams will gather information, meet with key stakeholders and carry out an on-site mission to assess conditions on the ground. The findings will inform a report with recommendations for action. The findings and recommendations are published in Reports available on the 7 Most Endangered website.

The funding arrangements of the Programme have changed over time.

Between 2021 and 2026, each selected site was eligible for an EIB Heritage Grant of up to €10,000, intended to support an agreed activity contributing to the site’s preservation, such as studies, planning or other assistance measures.

From the 2027 edition onwards, the Programme will no longer provide an automatic grant to selected sites. Instead, its support will focus on tailored expertise, advocacy, visibility, capacity building and helping sites develop viable pathways towards their long-term safeguarding, including by identifying potential funding and investment opportunities where appropriate.

Being selected for the Programme should therefore not be understood as a guarantee of financial support.

For the selected sites, there are reports and in some cases follow up ‘fiches’, in which progress is outlined. This refers to progress on plans/activities which are being implemented based on the recommendations of the reports.
The current categories are:
Good: there is good progress on implementing a plan on the site.
Partly completed: conservation has started.
Partly slow: there is slow progress on the implementation of the recommendations.
Slow: steps have been taken but there is slow progress.
Poor: difficulties remain.
Unavailable: there currently is no detailed information available.
Unstable: there is political instability.
No mission: a mission on site was not carried out due to security/political reasons.

Last updated: 2023

The Call for Nominations for the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2027 is open from 10 September to 23 October 2026. The Call for Nominations is usually published annually.

Nominations are welcome from:

• Public and private organisations active in the heritage field, registered in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe or Kosovo*; or
• Individual members of such organisations, who are permanent residents in a Council of Europe member country or Kosovo*.

* All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this document shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

• Historic buildings and their ensembles (including surrounding townscapes/landscapes)
• Civil buildings of community value
• Historic public spaces (e.g. city or village centres, squares)
• Places of worship
• Archaeological sites (including their surrounding landscapes)
• Industrial buildings and areas
• Places of remembrance (« Lieux de mémoire »)
• Cultural landscapes
• Natural landscapes (including parks and gardens)

While intangible heritage is not among the eligible types of heritage, we encourage nominators to highlight and build on the intangible heritage associated with the nominated site, including its traditions, customs, memories, skills and practices. We are also keen to learn about the site’s current social use, the communities connected to it, and the role it continues to play in people’s lives. Dedicated questions on these aspects can be found in the online nomination form.

A strong nomination goes beyond demonstrating that a site is important or in poor condition. It should clearly explain why the site is significant at a European level, what threatens its future, and why action is both urgent and realistically possible. Applicants are encouraged to provide concrete and up-to-date information about the site’s condition, ownership and management, the stakeholders involved, and the challenges preventing its sustainable future. It is particularly important to demonstrate the involvement or willingness to engage relevant owners, custodians, public authorities, local experts and communities. A strong nomination should also explain how the 7 Most Endangered Programme could add value and help unlock a viable future for the site, for example through expert advice, advocacy, visibility, capacity building or by helping mobilise further support.

Yes, privately-owned sites can be nominated for the 7 Most Endangered Programme. In the nomination form, there is a dedicated space to add the details of the nominator and to indicate whether the owner has endorsed your nomination or not. In case of selection of the site to our programme, the relationship with the site owner(s) will become increasingly important for our expert team to undertake the site assessment and any subsequent actions.

The support and constructive involvement of the owner or custodian is strongly encouraged and is an important criterion in the selection process. Meaningful engagement with those responsible for the site is essential if the Programme is to contribute to a viable and sustainable future. However, a nomination does not necessarily require the prior endorsement of the owner or custodian. Where such support is not available, applicants should clearly explain the situation, the reasons for the lack of support and how they intend to address this challenge.

Letters of support demonstrate that the nominated site is recognised as important by relevant organisations and stakeholders and that there is a degree of commitment to its future.

Each nomination must include an endorsement from at least one Europa Nostra Member or Associate Organisation. This endorsement should reflect the organisation’s genuine assessment and support of the proposed nomination.

Additional letters of support from the owner or custodian, public authorities, heritage organisations, experts, community organisations or other relevant stakeholders are strongly encouraged. They should ideally explain the organisation’s relationship with the site, its interest in the nomination and, where relevant, its willingness to contribute to the site’s future.

Letters should be in English and should be specific to the nominated site rather than generic expressions of support.

Yes, a nomination that was not selected for a previous edition of the 7 Most Endangered Programme can be resubmitted. The nomination would need to be updated, including the latest information and developments, in order to be resubmitted.

An international Advisory Panel – comprising specialists in history, archaeology, architecture, conservation, urban planning, management and finance – assesses the nominations and recommends a preselection of sites to the Board of Europa Nostra, who selects the final list of 7 Most Endangered sites.

Main criteria
– European significance of the nominated site
– Imminent threat or significant level of danger
– The likelihood of a viable and sustainable future for the site

Additional criteria
– Nominator’s active involvement
– Positive attitude of the owner
– Support by the local experts and/or community
– The potential to act as a catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development of the area where it is located is important

The 7 Most Endangered Programme is one of the main ways in which Europa Nostra identifies and supports heritage at risk. During the annual Call for Nominations, we encourage organisations and individuals concerned about endangered heritage to submit a nomination through the Programme’s established process. This allows cases to be assessed systematically against the Programme’s selection criteria and, where appropriate, to benefit from the expertise, advocacy and visibility that the Programme can provide.

Outside the Call for Nominations period, the Europa Nostra Secretariat has limited capacity to assess and respond to individual requests concerning heritage at risk. We therefore encourage those concerned about a site to first contact relevant local or national heritage organisations, Europa Nostra Members or Associate Organisations, Country Representations or Heritage City Hubs, which may be better placed to provide advice or support.

Europa Nostra may, where appropriate and depending on its capacity, engage in advocacy or awareness-raising concerning particularly urgent or significant heritage cases outside the 7 Most Endangered Programme. However, contacting the Europa Nostra Secretariat outside the nomination period does not guarantee an assessment, intervention or immediate response.

If you are concerned about a heritage site at risk, we recommend first contacting relevant local or national heritage organisations, public authorities and heritage professionals, as they are often best placed to respond to urgent local situations.

You may also wish to contact a Europa Nostra Member or Associate Organisation, Country Representation or Heritage City Hub for advice, particularly if the case could potentially be considered for the 7 Most Endangered Programme.

Europa Nostra receives many requests concerning endangered heritage across Europe and has limited capacity to respond to individual urgent cases outside its established programmes and activities. As a result, contacting Europa Nostra directly does not necessarily lead to immediate action or intervention.

Europa Nostra already supports heritage at risk through its 7 Most Endangered Programme, advocacy, awareness-raising, networking and cooperation with its member organisations and partners. Where appropriate, we encourage those concerned about a site to explore these existing channels of support before approaching the Europa Nostra Secretariat with an individual urgent case.