Every two years, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) unveils a list of historic sites facing major challenges. This "Watch List" is part of an advocacy initiative to safeguard culturally significant locations endangered by threats such as climate change, tourism, conflict, and natural disasters. The 2025 list features 25 sites in 29 countries, including two in the United States.
RECOMMENDED: The most famous monuments and buildings in the USA
Maine’s iconic lighthouses, which have guided mariners along the state’s rugged coastline for centuries, have been included this year. These structures are increasingly imperiled by climate change, with the Gulf of Maine warming three times faster than the global average. Rising sea levels and intensified storm surges pose a grave risk to lighthouses purposefully built on low-lying peninsulas and islands. The inclusion of these treasured landmarks highlights the broader challenges facing coastal heritage worldwide.
Another U.S. entry is North Carolina’s Great Trading Path, also called the Occaneechi Path. This historic trail was once a vital route for trade, cultural exchange, and connection among Indigenous communities in the Southeastern United States. Today, the path remains a cornerstone of cultural identity for their descendants. However, limited recognition of its historical importance and insufficient inclusion of Indigenous voices in preservation efforts leave the site vulnerable. WMF’s focus on the path underscores the need to preserve historic trails to strengthen ties between communities and their ancestral lands.
Since its founding nearly 30 years ago, WMF has allocated over $120 million to protect roughly 350 Watch List sites. The organization leverages the list to help communities secure an additional $300 million in external funding. For the 2025 Watch, WMF received more than 200 nominations.
Explore the full list of 2025 Watch sites here.