Commencement of Conservation Work at I'timad-ud-daulah
The mausoleum I'timad-ud-daulah, located in the Mughal Gardens in Agra, a WMF 50th Anniversary Priority Site, was constructed between 1622 and 1628. The coming six months will see the execution of conservation work on the mausoleum drawn up as part of a partnership project between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and WMF. Conservation of the riverfront cells at the lower level of I'timad-ud-daulah commenced on the morning of May 16, 2015, with Dr. Bhuvan Vikrama, Superintending Archaeologist, Agra Circle, ASI, following the ancient Indian ritual of breaking a coconut on the occasion to invoke blessings and good luck and to ensure that the work concludes satisfactorily. The work was started with the opening of the basement cells (see picture) in order to remove all accumulated flood deposits. These cells had been closed with brick masonry and plastered several times in the past. Read more >
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Inauguration of the Aqsunqur Mosque Conservation Project
On May 2, 2015, a celebration was held to commemorate the completion of the conservation of Aqsunqur mosque. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh El Damaty, Cairo Governor Galal Saeed, and numerous other government and community leaders presided at this event, which culminated with the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the completion of the project, and the opening of an exhibition presenting the various projects carried out by Aga Khan Trust for Culture and WMF in Cairo's Darb el-Ahmar district. The completion of the Aqsunqur mosque conservation project marks a partnership that spanned 15 years in Cairo, during which major Islamic monuments were restored and returned to active use for the benefit of the local community and international visitors. As Egypt and the surrounding region struggle with political and social unrest, as well as fear of armed conflict, the celebration of the completion of the "Blue Mosque" project serves as a reminder of Cairo's extraordinary cultural heritage and the importance of safeguarding these cherished sites. Read more >
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Conservation of Christ Church Cathedral Close to Completion
The last permanent slave market in East Africa was in Zanzibar (Tanzania) and was closed in 1873. In 1879, British missionaries built Christ Church Cathedral at the site, and today it is the most significant marker of what occurred there. Zanzibar's tropical climate took its toll on the building and by the time World Monuments Fund Britain (WMFB) became involved, the cathedral was in danger of collapse. In 2013, the Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar and the Zanzibar Government asked World Monuments Fund to help protect this site of conscience. WMFB was awarded a grant from the European Union to repair the cathedral and create a heritage center commemorating the abolition of slavery. Preservation work at Christ Church Cathedral is now close to completion. Read more about WMFB's efforts in Zanzibar and the exhibition created by WMFB about the project that will tour around the United Kingdom this year.
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Wat Chaiwatthanaram Condition Assessment Completed
Emphasizing a dynamic partnership philosophy, Thai Fine Arts Department (FAD) and WMF collaborated to complete a condition assessment at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, part of the ancient city of Ayutthaya. The team--consisting of architects, conservators, and engineers--spent more than two weeks mapping conditions, recording materials, and understanding the configuration of one of the temple's four-story conical masonry towers known as a meru, an architectural metaphor for a sacred mountain, the center of all the physical, metaphysical, and mystical universes in Buddhism cosmology. The process allowed the surveyors to gain an in-depth understanding of deterioration patterns. Following the assessment, observations and preliminary treatment recommendations were presented to FAD Director General Bovornvate Rungrujee and his project committee toward defining a conservation action plan for two of the eight Wat Chaiwatthanaram merus, and their connected gallery of Buddha statuary, where site work will start later this year. The assessment ended with a site visit on May 20, 2015, by the Chargé d'affaires ad interim at U.S. Mission Thailand W. Patrick Murphy, Ayutthaya Governor Apichat Todilokvech, and Deputy Director General of the FAD Sahabhum Bhumtitterat, to witness these important efforts to preserve Wat Chaiwatthanaram.
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World Monuments Fund in the News
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| The New York Times | Architectural Record | The Art Newspaper | |
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