Experts from Europa Nostra are pictured during their recent visit to the medieval fortress town of Monemvasia.

A lack of transparency, inadequate studies, and the excessive scale of proposed interventions were highlighted by a team of leading experts from the European cultural heritage organization Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute regarding the planned construction of a cable car in the medieval fortress town of Monemvasia in southern Greece.

The team visited the historic site from July 11 to 13 to assess the risks the project may pose to the environmental and cultural integrity of the area, and to engage in dialogue with the local community and relevant stakeholders.

The visit was coordinated by Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET), which nominated Monemvasia Castle for inclusion on the 2025 list of the 7 Most Endangered Monuments and Heritage Sites in Europe. The nomination was in response to serious concerns raised by both the local community and the international heritage community.

The expert delegation included Professor Paolo Vitti, architect, historian, and board member of Europa Nostra; Pablo Longoria, executive director of the World Monuments Fund, Spain; Constantin Christofidis, adviser to the EIB Institute; David Castrillo, architect and conservator; and Dimitris Leventis, architect, member of the advisory committee of the 7 Most Endangered program and vice president of the Architectural Heritage Council (SAK) of ELLET. The team was accompanied by Lydia Carras, president of ELLET and Europa Nostra’s representative in Greece.

During their visit, the experts examined the proposed aerial route of the cable car, including the planned locations for the stations and pylons. They also toured the Lower Town and the archaeological site of the Upper Town. Meetings were held with local residents, stakeholders, and cultural organizations to collect information and well-founded opinions on the project’s potential impact.

‘A cable car with 15-person cabins is built to transport thousands of visitors, and similar systems have already had negative effects in comparable locations’

However, representatives from the Ministry of Culture and the municipal authorities did not participate. Despite repeated invitations, the mayor of Monemvasia declined to meet with the delegation.

The Ministry of Culture is promoting the project as a way to improve accessibility to archaeological sites for people with disabilities. However, experts point out that the final technical plans have not yet been shared with relevant stakeholders or with Europa Nostra. Initially presented as a lift, the project has since evolved into a cable car system, but this change was made without clear communication or public consultation. No alternative solutions have been disclosed, and there is no documentation explaining why the cable car was chosen over other options, such as a lift like that currently installed at the Athens Acropolis.

Crucial technical and financial studies, including a cost-benefit analysis, are missing, raising questions about maintenance costs and funding. There is also no study of the site’s carrying capacity. The environmental impact assessment remains incomplete, which led the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, to suspend the project. Although the number of pylons was reduced, experts warn that the project will still cause irreversible aesthetic and architectural damage to the rock and surrounding monuments.

The proposed cable car’s capacity far exceeds the actual needs of visitors with disabilities, casting doubt on who the true intended users are and the real purpose of the project. The extensive and irreversible interventions – such as rock excavation for the departure station, foundation and pylon construction, and the addition of a new building within the Upper Town archaeological site – also threaten Monemvasia’s future eligibility for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List, a goal set out in the Regional Spatial Plan of the Peloponnese.

Experts have raised further concerns. The project appears to violate the European Landscape Convention (Florence, 2000), which Greece has signed. Access to the Byzantine monument of the Holy Church of Hagia Sophia remains difficult due to steep slopes, which pose challenges for people with disabilities. No traffic study has been conducted, and there are no adequate parking facilities at the lower cable car station.

Residents of Monemvasia have pointed out that more pressing issues remain unaddressed, including improvements to water supply, sewage systems, parking, waste management, and maintenance of the existing slippery path to the Upper Town, as well as ensuring safe road access to the castle gate.

“My visit confirmed my belief that the Ministry of Culture’s commendable goal of ensuring universal accessibility can be achieved with gentle, non-invasive solutions that respect the site’s exceptional archaeological and cultural value – something the current plan does not guarantee,” said Christofidis.

“A cable car with 15-person cabins is built to transport thousands of visitors, and similar systems have already had negative effects in comparable locations. I have no doubt that the community, the historic site, and its cultural landscape would suffer as a result. The people of Monemvasia deserve to know the true impact of this project,” said Longoria.

Vitti stressed the lack of sufficient research as a major concern: “Without the necessary data, I firmly believe the project should be delayed until a full archaeological investigation is completed and a proper impact assessment is conducted to evaluate its effect on the region’s heritage.”