The World Monuments Fund (WMF) and American Express Company announced on July 27 that seven endangered historic sites will receive funding through the new American Express Partners in Preservation program. “American Express has been an enthusiastic supporter of the World Monuments Fund for more than 10 years,” explains WMF President Bonnie Burnham. “These generous grants from American Express are critical to helping to protect and conserve sites that are testaments to human achievement for future generations to enjoy.”

The sites, which will receive a total of $700,000, are:

Church of La Merced, Buenos Aires
Part of one of the oldest monasteries in the city, the Church of La Merced in the historic center of Buenos Aires dates from 1779. A neo-Renaissance façade by Juan Antonio Buschiazzo was added to the building in 1894. Thousands of tourists each year visit the church, which was named a National Historical Monument in 1942. The preservation plan includes urgent repairs and structural stabilization, the replacement of electrical systems that have become dangerous, and the development of a conservation master plan for the church, outlining priorities and methodologies for intervention.

Quinta da Boa Vista (National Museum), Rio de Janeiro
Home to the Brazilian imperial family for much of the 19th century until the monarchy was overthrown in 1889, the original Quinta da Boa Vista was constructed in 1803 by a local aristocrat, Elias Antônio Lopes, and subsequently expanded. The palace now houses the collections of the National Museum, including the most important scientific collection in Brazil. Interior conditions are deteriorating as a result of neglect and natural decay, including insect infestation in the flooring and cracks in the ceiling. A conservation plan for Empress Leopoldina’s quarters under development includes priority conservation measures, among them the restoration of the decorative painted and gilded ceilings and doorframes.

Diocletian’s Palace, Split, Croatia
WMF has been involved in two major projects at Diocletian’s Palace: conservation of the Temple of Jupiter, now completed, and the conservation of the Peristyle, currently underway. The palace served as a retreat and retirement home for the Late Roman emperor Diocletian, and its design incorporates elements of Roman military and villa architecture. Surrounded by fortifications and crisscrossed by perpendicular streets, it stands as an extremely rare example of a Roman palace preserved in a recognizable form within a continuously occupied historic city center in Europe. Documentation, structural analysis, and other studies have been completed as well as a pilot conservation project. A maintenance plan for the site will be created and conservation of the rest of the peristyle will now begin.

San Juan Bautista, Cuauhtinchan, Puebla, Mexico
Built in the 16th century to support the religious conversion of the indigenous population, the Franciscan convent of Cuauhtinchan comprises an atrium, church, convent, pilgrims’ portal, garden, and cemetery. Since 1992, the complex has served as both a functioning church and a museum, but the complex is inadequately maintained and faces myriad conservation problems, including the effects of a freeze-thaw cycle that have caused the main altar, the oldest preserved in Mexico, to shrink and crack, and more generally from dirt and biological growth and natural deterioration due to aging. The immediate action planned for the site includes a study that will allow the project team to address problems associated with fluctuations of humidity and temperature in the sanctuary of the church and the restoration of the 16th-century main altar, including its painted decoration.

Ostankino Estate Museum, Moscow
Commissioned by Count Nicholas Petrovitch Cheremetiev at the end of the 18th century, the palace at Ostankino is an exceptional Neoclassical residence, ranking among the most important surviving estates in Russia. The one-story building with its Egyptian and Italian halls, formal apartments, and richly ornamented galleries, was renowned for the concerts and lavish parties. Past work at the gallery has focused on preventing water infiltration and stabilizing the structure, but the restoration of the interior has not yet been addressed. Towards this end, WMF Europe recently brought together painting and wallpaper specialists to develop a plan for the conservation of the gallery, including the restoration of the painted ceiling, wallpaper, and painted wood.

Segovia Aqueduct, Segovia, Spain
Constructed in the second half of the first century AD, the Segovia aqueduct is one of the best preserved Roman aqueducts in the world—it was still being used to provide water to the city in the early 20th century—and it remains the city’s most prominent symbol. While the aqueduct remained standing for almost 2,000 years, the threats posed by modern civilization, particularly automobile traffic and pollution, threaten its survival into the next century. The ashlar masonry used to build it is particularly vulnerable to these threats: as blocks are exposed to weathering and pollution, their flat sides and tight joints erode and become rounded, destabilizing them. The preservation project for the aqueduct includes the development of a conservation and management plan for the site that addresses not only urgent physical needs of the monument, but also its context within a modern urban environment in Europe.

Old Dutch Hospital, Historic Galle, Sri Lanka
Seized by the Portuguese from the Sinhala kings in 1587, the historic city of Galle was the most important port in Sri Lanka for centuries. After the Portuguese, Galle was occupied by the Dutch in the 17th century, who erected a fort there in 1663, and by the British in the 18th century. The Dutch fort now contains private houses, temples, churches, and civic buildings, whose architecture combines European and Southeast Asian styles. Galle suffered substantial loss of life and property damage in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. While parts of the historic center of Galle were protected by the bastions of the Dutch fort, an enormous number of historic private homes and public buildings were damaged. One such building that has emerged as a priority is the Old Dutch Hospital in Galle. Though it most recently served as the District’s Secretary’s office, the proposal would restore the structure and adapt it for reuse as a center for Sri Lankan art and culture.

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