Egypt’s Abu Mena Monastery no longer ‘in danger’

UNESCO has removed Egypt’s Abu Mena monastery from its List of World Heritage in Danger, Egyptian Streets reports. The early Christian pilgrimage site, located near Alexandria, had been listed since 2001 due to damage from rising groundwater caused by nearby agriculture.

Abu Mena was originally inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1979 for its significance as a monastic center built around the tomb of Saint Menas. The complex includes remains of churches, homes, and workshops.

Efforts to save the site began in earnest in 2021 with the installation of a solar-powered drainage system to lower water levels. A conservation plan launched in 2024, backed by UNESCO’s World Heritage Fund, introduced long-term preservation strategies and encouraged local community involvement.

UNESCO also delisted two other African sites—Madagascar’s Rainforests of the Atsinanana and Libya’s Old Town of Ghadamès—after successful restoration efforts. The removals mark rare conservation wins amid growing threats to cultural heritage worldwide.