World Monuments Fund Includes Ancient Armenian Places on List of 100 Most Endangered Sites

World Monuments Watch, a global program launched in 1995, calls attention to imperiled cultural heritage sites around the world, and directs timely financial support to their preservation.

A panel of leading international experts selects the List of 100 Most Endangered Sites from nominations submitted to the World Monuments Fund every two years by governments, organizations active in the field of cultural preservation, and individuals.

The following two sites were included in the current List of 100 Most Endangered Sites issued by World Monuments Watch.

Tepebasi District (1914)
Gaziantep, Turkey

Fine examples of mid-19th century Armenian architecture may seem an incongruous feature of this once-wealthy trading center in southeastern Turkey, but are only one of many elements in a well-preserved example of cultural and religious integration in the late Ottoman Empire.

The missionary hospital and school, constructed at the request of Tepebasi's merchants, still stand alongside a collection of synagogues, mosques, and Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches in the historical district of Gaziantep.

At the center of the district is Sira Han, the largest and grandest of the city's hans, or travel lodges, featuring kitchens, animal stalls, and guest rooms that welcomed both wealthy merchants and refugees.

During World War I, Tepebasi was a destination for Armenian refugees, whose craftsmanship is still visible in intricate ironwork, carved stone arches and columns, basalt ornamentation, and colorfully tiled courtyard fountains.

Following the exodus of many cultural groups from Gaziantep during the World War I and Turkey's War of Independence, once-bustling Tepebasi fell into decline.

Today, however, increased population growth, the result of the nearby Ataturk and Birecik dam projects, threatens the future of the historical district, which is plagued by inadequate preservation planning and poor zoning enforcement.

Two busy highways border it, and commercial buildings under construction in the district threaten its historical setting. The guestrooms of Sira Han, whose second story was destroyed by fire in 1994, lie empty.

Tepebasi's advocates realize that successful preservation and revitalization of the historic district is contingent upon reintegrating its buildings into the community. In this vein, the restoration of Sira Han as a world-class museum to house ancient mosaics rescued during dam construction is proposed as a catalyst for urban revival.

This is the first year the site has appeared in the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites.

Ani Archaeological Site (1399)
Ocarli Köyü, Kars, Turkey

From its humble beginnings as an Armenian settlement in northeastern Anatolia, Ani developed into an important cultural and mercantile center on the Silk Road, maintaining its stature for a millennium before being conquered by the Mongols and subsequently abandoned in the 14th century.

Successive waves of Armenian, Muslim, Byzantine, and Bagratid administrations created Ani's remarkably rich architectural legacy, the remains of which still stand, albeit precariously, on this arid, earthquake-prone high plateau.

Among its most important structures are several proto-Gothic churches whose ribbed vaulting and column pier clusters predate their appearance in Europe by more than a century.

Minimal archaeological work at the site has also revealed an elaborate water pipeline system and evidence of a sophisticated postal service.

Seismic activity remains the greatest threat to Ani. However, centuries of harsh weather, wind and sand erosion, and recent looting activity continue to slowly weaken the remaining structures. The sight of recently collapsed 1,000-year old buildings is commonplace.

A 1996 grant from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation enabled an international multidisciplinary team to document current site conditions and prioritize actions necessary for its preservation.

Fueled by a desire to increase tourism, local authorities have undertaken restoration efforts on city walls and buildings, which threaten these ancient structures.

This site has appeared in the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002.