World Monuments Fund: Protecting the World's Treasures

World Monument Fund (WMF)

Since its creation in 1965, World Monuments Fund (WMF), a private non-profit organization, then known as the International Fund for Monuments, has devoted its resources to the preservation of cultural heritage across the globe. WMF's work begins with partnerships for funding, professional collaboration, and community engagement to preserve treasured places around the world in need of conservation. At nearly 600 sites in over 90 countries, WMF has assisted conservation projects and contributed to knowledge in the field through publications, symposia, training, public programs, and outreach efforts to make the public more aware of the responsibilities necessary for lasting stewardship of historic places. In 1996, WMF launched the World Monuments Watch to call greater attention to sites of great heritage value with urgent needs for conservation and improved stewardship. Since the program's inception, 688 sites in 132 countries and territories have been included and hundreds of sites around the world have received essential funding, improved protection, and technical assistance depending on the needs of each individual site.

WMF's projects have ranged from internationally iconic to those highly regarded by the local communities; they span the history of human civilization, from the earliest days of antiquity to mid-20th century monuments. From mud brick to concrete, WMF's work involves technical precision and passion for the places that give character and shape to the communities in which we live and the sites we hope to visit as adventurous travelers, religious pilgrims, students of history and architecture, or residents exploring our own home towns. Each project results in opportunities for local economic growth, education, and training. The case histories that follow illustrate the range and scope of WMF's programs.

Huaca de la Luna, Trujillo, Peru: Developing Regional Tourism and Creating Jobs

Beneath an enormous mountain of sand, the pyramids of Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol, built by the Moche culture between the first and eighth centuries AD, have stood relatively undisturbed since the early sixteenth century. The chance discovery of polychrome decoration on one of the pyramid's facades led archaeologists to begin an intensive excavation and conservation program in 1991, which is now nearly completed (Figure 1).

The project was planned from the outset to couple archaeology with conservation and sustainable local development. Plans were made for laboratory and training facilities, zoning was put in place to provide infrastructure and regulate development of contiguous areas, and visitor facilities were planned for the anticipated growth of tourism to this major archaeological find (Figure 2). Initial support for conservation was provided by the Peruvian brewery Backus. When WMF provided matching funds, it helped galvanize local private and public sector support. Since Huaca de la Luna was opened to the public in 1995, annual visitation has grown from around 22,000 in 1995 to hundreds of thousands today.

Additionally, over the course of the project, nearly 700 local residents were trained in archaeology, conservation, and tourist management. Construction of a major museum by the Peruvian government in 2010 to house finds from the site has brought further recognition. In 2005, the Huaca de la Luna project received the lv Reina Sofia Award for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage. Today, the excavation and conservation of several Moche sites along Peru's north coast, including Huaca Cao Viejo, Sipán, and Kuelap has resulted in a "Ruta Moche", opening a once-remote area to international tourism. The "Ruta Moche" is the model for other regional tourism programs planned by the Peruvian government.

Cartuja de Miraflores, Spain: Helping a Community Preserve its History

The Cartuja de Miraflores, near Burgos in Castilla-Leon, is the resting place of Juan II de Castilla, King of Castilla between 1406 and 1454, his wife Isabel, and their son Alfonso, who died in 1468 at the age of 14. Their magnificent tomb occupies a monastery still inhabited by monks of the Carthusian order, who maintain silence throughout the day, except for prayers at midnight in the royal chapel. Recognizing the need to restore the convent and the limitations of the Carthusian community to address this financial challenge, in 2004 WMF entered into a partnership with the Junta de Castilla y Leon to restore the chapel, its magnificent sculptural altarpiece, and the royal tombs (Figures 3 and 4).

During the course of the restoration, a special request was made to WMF by the monks of the Cartuja. A sculpture of St. James, originally located at the convent, has been in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (met), New York, usa, since 1969. WMF worked with the met to create a full size replica, made of resin, and created through the use of modern imaging technology. The replica was completed and presented to the Cartuja for exhibition. This element of the project provides a vehicle for discussing the artistic legacy of the Cartuja and explanations of how places evolve over time and what motivates the commission or removal of works of art as the needs of the liturgy and community change through the centuries.

Following the exhibition of the new sculpture at the Spanish Institute in New York, it was presented to the Cartuja de Miraflores, and now is the centerpiece of a new museum that has been created to interpret the recent restoration work. The wide publicity of the restoration and this unprecedented exchange have resulted in a substantial increase in visitors to the monastery.

Angkor Archaeological Site, Cambodia: Training a New Generation to Protect Their Heritage

When WMF began its work at Angkor in 1989, Cambodia was struggling to emerge from two decades of civil war, genocide, economic decline and diplomatic isolation. WMF was among the first international organizations to send an expert mission to Angkor. At the invitation of the Cambodian government, WMF chose the temple complex of Preah Khan as a pilot project for conducting conservation work and training Cambodian students and workers in preservation (Figure 5). Recent graduates from the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh and a few skilled workers trained by the French in the 1970s formed the core of the initial WMF team. WMF began work at Preah Khan in 1991. Since that time, it has continuously employed Cambodian workers and trained many individuals to become experts in the conservation of Angkor's monuments.

WMF has contributed significantly to research on the Angkor monuments and to the development of educational opportunities for Cambodians. In 1994, WMF played a key role in the arrangements to collect radar images from the space shuttle Endeavor showing the entire Angkor complex, and revealing many natural and man-made features not accessible from the ground. These radar images have become a fundamental resource for archaeologists exploring Angkor and the more remote jungle areas surrounding it. WMF also led the creation of an institution for educational exchange between Cambodian scholars and the Western world, the Center for Khmer Studies, which is now a separate independent research institution.

WMF expanded its work at Angkor to include the roof of the Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery at Angkor Wat, Ta Som, and Phnom Bakheng. A plan for the conservation and presentation of Phnom Bakheng, a visitor center at Preah Khan, and a publication on the conservation work at Preah Khan are features of WMF's program that emphasize conservation, management, and the training of Cambodians as stewards of the site. Today, WMF's Angkor team, now beginning its third decade of work, includes 100 Cambodian experts, skilled workers, and managers, working under the supervision of a small international team of advisors (Figure 6).

Final Thoughts

WMF believes that an investment in cultural heritage is an investment in the human framework that sustains the continuity of our cultural traditions, through local use and enjoyment and through the participation of individuals everywhere in the appreciation and preservation of our common legacy. The website [www.wmf.org] describes more than 300 of WMF's projects and provides information on all sites that have been placed on the World Monuments Watch. Additionally, the website provides visitors with access to more than 100 WMF publications, more than 1000 photographs, as well as videos, blog posts, and general information on the organization.