Europa Nostra, the leading European heritage civil society network, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute has included the Arakelots Monastery and Settlement in Armenia’s northern Tavush Province as one of the seven most endangered heritage sites in Europe for 2025.

A press release today announcing the seven sites illustrates the situation at Arakelots, describing it as a “gem of medieval heritage”, as follows.   

“Today, the Arakelots Monastery and Settlement faces significant threats. Encroaching vegetation, structural decay, and climate-related hazards, including excessive rainfall and mudslides, jeopardize its preservation. Additionally, the area’s location in a seismically active zone has left its monuments vulnerable, with visible earthquake damage to key structures. Human-made impacts, such as graffiti and the construction of two large picnic areas and a lack of formal conservation, further exacerbate the situation.

Despite its historical prominence, the site has been abandoned since the 17th century, remaining largely unexplored.