It was only this April that France’s Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames. The renowned landmark located in Paris burnt for approximately 15 hours until it’s iconic roof and spire collapsed. The entire world mourned the devastation caused to the 850-year old building that has been quite famous in popular culture. Although firefighters managed to save the main structure of the monument, it served as a reminder that many monuments in the world are at risk. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the World Monuments Fund (WMF) has included it into its list of endangered monuments.
Monuments At Risk
Our history defines us but with increasing ecological, political and social issues many of the world’s monuments are at risk of obliteration. The WMF recently released a list of 25 famous landmarks that are at risk of going under. Machu Picchu in Peru and the Notre Dame Cathedral of France are the latest entrants in the list. Due to the construction of a new airport in Cusco, Peru, the preservation of Machu Picchu is in grave danger. Built by the Incas in the 15th century, Machu Picchu is one of the most unique structures in the world. It was made as an estate for the Inca emperor and got the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1893. It is also one of the seven wonders of the world along with the Taj Mahal.
On the other hand, the Notre Dame Cathedral was built over a period of 100 years and was erected in 1260. It sees a footfall of roughly 12 million people every single year. Since the fire in April 2019, the cathedral is in critical condition while restoration work is in progress.
Also Read: Have You Seen The Gorgeous Red River In Cusco, Peru?
We’re excited to announce the 25 sites of the 2020 #WorldMonumentsWatch! From icons to little-known places, they all need our help.
Explore them all at https://t.co/gPAKGooIJG. pic.twitter.com/s8zpFNy74w
— World Monuments Fund (@WorldMonuments) October 29, 2019
It breaks our heart to see vestiges of our past going under as they fail to survive the advent to the future. Closer back home, the Aarey Forest served as a burial site for Mumbai’s green cover as approximately 1500 trees were cut down to make way for the Metro car shed. In Agra, the Taj Mahal is facing the consequences of pollution as it’s pearlescent marble is turning into a garish yellow due to pollutants. It faces a dirty Yamuna river that has lost all its splendour and has been reduced to being decorated with garbage and human defecation.
This is a wakeup call for the world to come up and take notice at the repercussions of climate change and human mistakes.