Name: Italy: Hundreds of heritage sites at risk amid funding shortages
Uploaded: 2025-11-09T13:22:01.269Z
Duration: 1 min 48 s
Description: Heritage preservation groups in Italy are raising the alarm — nearly 450 historic sites are reportedly at risk due to age and insufficient maintenance funding. Just days ago, a 13th-century tower collapsed in central Rome, killing one person and seriously injuring three others.

Heritage preservation groups in Italy are raising the alarm — nearly 450 historic sites are reportedly at risk due to age and insufficient maintenance funding. Just days ago, a 13th-century tower collapsed in central Rome, killing one person and seriously injuring three others.

Rome

Italy is experiencing a rise in incidents involving damage to historic monuments, including falling debris and partial collapses, resulting in injuries and even fatalities. Over 430 monuments across the country have been identified as endangered, with concerns heightened by recent accidents and the abandonment of significant heritage sites.

Despite having the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, Italy has reduced public spending on culture and heritage in recent years. UNESCO has called on the Italian government to increase investment and establish a comprehensive strategy to safeguard its cultural assets and tourism sector.

Italy: Hundreds of heritage sites at risk amid funding shortages

These images have become commonplace in Italy, with an increase in the number of incidents involving falling debris from church and monument facades, including a piece of marble falling from the porch of a church in the heart of Rome and a pediment crumbling onto tourists in Palermo, causing minor injuries and giving the impression each time that a disaster has narrowly been averted. The partial collapse of this medieval tower last Monday near the Forum in Rome killed one of the workers involved in its renovation. That raised concern among the tens of thousands of tourists who visit the Forum each day. The concern is shared by this architect. He walks just a short distance away from the damaged tower to point to a villa built in the 16th century. Look, the windows are open, completely open. This villa has been abandoned for 50 years. Inside are the important Zuccheri frescoes. Of course it's dangerous. The architect and his association have identified more than 430 monuments in danger across Italy, including this section of the Aurelian Wall built in the third century, which has been completely abandoned. While Italy has the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, recent governments including Georgia Maloney's have continually reduced maintenance funding. Italy currently spends less public money as a percentage of GDP on culture and heritage than other European countries. UNESCO this summer called on Italy to invest heavily and develop a clear strategy to better protect its heritage and cultural tourism.

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