Hurricane-ravaged parts of the Caribbean, earthquake-damaged Amatrice, an ancient souk in Syria and Blackpool’s historic piers are just a few of the 25 heritage sites named on the 2018 World Monuments Watch. Released every two years by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), an independent organisation devoted to saving treasured sites, the list pinpoints places threatened by "human conflict, natural disaster, climate change, and urbanisation" or that "present unique conservation opportunities".

Unprecedented damage to infrastructure, buildings and communities by multiple hurricanes and earthquakes in the autumn of 2017 have seen the disaster sites of the Caribbean, the Gulf and Mexico included on the 2018 watch list. Sites such as Saratoga Building in Colonia Portales in Mexico City (pictured) were reduced to rubble after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake toppled buildings. While Hurricane Harvey and Maria ravaged parts of the USA and the Caribbean.

A treasured symbol of the nation’s democracy, Government House has been the official residence of its Governor General since 1800. It has been damaged over the years due to severe weather (heat, drought, hurricanes) and earthquakes as well as neglect. According to WMF: “Despite significant signs of decay and a variety of physical issues… the Government House building is structurally sound, attesting to the original quality of craftsmanship.” A local initiative to repair it is being developed.

Sydney’s brutalist harbour-side building has been added to the WMF's 2018 watch list in recognition of its heritage significance. The New South Wales government has rejected calls to list the building, which has been used for social housing for over 30 years, in a plan to sell the site. The fund is urging the government to “respect the recommendation of its heritage experts and allow its citizens to maintain an important social legacy”.

Built between 1888 and 1915, this 55-mile railway branch connects the city of Talca with the port of Constitución and includes the Gustav Eiffel-designed Banco de Arena Bridge. As the last narrow gauge railway and only rural passenger railway left in the country, it was declared a national landmark in 2007. Sadly, sections of the rails and several stations were damaged in January 2017 by devastating forest fires, the country’s worst ever.

Located in the sprawling 19th-century residence of Prince Kung, a member of the Qing imperial family, the theatre was used to entertain important guests. Subsequently used as a university campus in the 1930s and for housing various government agencies and officials in later years, the palace is now a heritage site. The theatre was renovated in the 1980s and is still used for performances but the WMF has identified it needs a “a scientific restoration program to recover its original appearance".

One of only two synagogues remaining in a city where once there were 12, 19th-century Eliyahu Hanavi sustained severe damage after a portion of its roof collapsed. The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities committed to allocate funds for emergency repairs and restoration in 2017. According to the WMH, it “stands as an emblem of the community’s legacy” for Egyptian Jews living around the world and is an important symbol of “Egypt’s historical plurality” for residents and authorities.

Abandoned and in various states of ruin due to neglect, earthquakes, looting and changing religious administrative structures, the complex of Takiyyat Ibrahim al-Gulshani in central Cairo needs restoration and “a new vision for its future use”, says the WMF. The Sufi religious foundation was the first to be established after the Ottoman conquest in 1517 and the first to be named a takiyyat, a residential religious complex, in its foundation deed. It was built between 1519-1524.

The kitchen garden of Versailles is facing numerous challenges including damaged and outdated drainage systems, greenhouses and amenities for visitors. With more than 450 varieties of fruit trees, 40% are in a bad condition and need to be replaced. By including it on the list, the WMF hopes to "help mobilise local and international stakeholders to embrace and become part of a new vision for the site”.

The demolition of Delhi’s Hall of Nations in April 2017, just days before a hearing might have granted it legal protection, has prompted the WMF to call for the protection of modern architectural expression in Delhi. “Unlike monuments of the distant past, Delhi’s Post-Independence architecture lacks official recognition and, thus, legal protection from demolition,” it states. A 2013 survey has proposed landmark designation for a group of 62 buildings in Delhi, all constructed after 1947.

The 12th-century al-Hadba’ minaret was destroyed by Islamic State militants in June 2017, just before the city was liberated by Iraqi forces. An important landmark of the old city of Mosul, its reconstruction is on the agenda but the WMF highlights important principles that need to be adhered to. These include: “establishing a shared vision among all stakeholders, integrating the rebuilding of the mosque and the minaret into the process of social recovery for a traumatised community".

Redevelopment plans that threaten to destroy most of the surviving structures of this traditional Palestinian village, which dates back to the 13th century, have seen Lifta added to the at-risk list. Now a ruin, Lifta is the only settlement that remains after the eviction of its residents in the late-1940s. The WMF calls for the “rejection of the redevelopment plan and for the protection of Lifta as a rare place of heritage, recreation, and memory for the benefit of all citizens of Jerusalem".

Struck by an earthquake in 2016, 299 died, around 400 people sustained injuries and serious structural damage occured in this hilltop town. More than a year later, and after subsequent tremors, the historic area remains uninhabited and inaccessible despite repair efforts. “Local communities have continuously called for more concrete steps towards recovery, which could last for years. For this reason, the 2018 World Monuments Watch is an expression of sustained international interest in the future of Amatrice,” states the report.

Built by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange in the sixties to host local sports events, the landmark building was used for 50 years until a roof leak saw the facility close in 2014. The WMF is calling for the building's preservation and for a new vision for its future use in the light of the construction of a new sports venue in Takamatsu. “The future of Tange’s mid-century landmark currently hangs in the balance," it says.

The history of Essaouira’s crumbling Jewish quarter “as a haven for religious plurality is being lost and forgotten”, according to the WMF, due to “little regard to the history of the area and the architecture”. A hybrid of Moorish and Art Deco architecture, some of Mellah’s historic structures have been abandoned or demolished, while others have been converted into boutique shops and hotels in what's been a “piecemeal rehabilitation and redevelopment” of the area.

Set on a plateau in the Mandara Mountains, that lie between Nigeria and Cameroon, the centuries-old Sukur homeland was raided by Boko Haram militants in 2014. They set houses and crops on fire, stole livestock and other goods, and damaged chief’s home and other features on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. “Now, as the threat posed by from Boko Haram has subsided, an assessment of the full impacts of the raid on the cultural landscape is required," states the WMF.

Huge growth in Pakistan’s populous capital is threatening the preservation of its “historic fabric”, according to the WMF, with an alarming number of historic buildings being demolished, abandoned or neglected. “The 2018 World Monuments Watch calls attention to a slowly unfolding crisis and urges stakeholders, including property owners and development agencies, to seek new solutions for the revitalisation of Karachi’s built heritage”, it states.

This largely unexplored site, just a few hours south of Lima, is being threatened by “intensive looting, disinvestment, and illegal encroachment on the land”, according to the WMF. The earliest remains discovered so far date back as far a AD 550 and it was declared a Monumental Archaeological Zone by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture in 2006. By including it on the watch list, the WMF hopes to help raise awareness of the “conservation needs and opportunities for sustainable tourism development".

Despite the careful preservation of the “exceptional medieval architecture” in this part of León, home to several anchoritic and monastic settlements, social evolution in the community is putting it at risk, warns the WMF. “A changing economic system that departs from traditional agricultural farming practices triggered outmigration of younger residents, putting a strain on the remaining residents who are tasked with the care and maintenance of their cultural heritage."

Once a thriving marketplace and important meeting place for social and cultural exchange, sadly Aleppo's ancient souk was destroyed by fire during fighting between Syrian government forces and insurgents. Although the conflict is still ongoing, the report states the Syrian people will soon face "a historic challenge to rebuild their nation, their communities, and their livelihoods" and identifies the rehabilitation of the historic souk as a key and significant step.

A major and ambitious construction project looks set to irreversibly transform Bangkok’s Chao Phraya riverfront and displace many long-standing riverfront communities. No concessions have been made to the designs, which include a controversial elevated promenade, despite public and business opposition and the WMF is calling for “a radical rethink”. “Before it permanently transforms the ‘River of Kings’, this project needs to be halted and rethought," it states.

Rising sea levels are threatening Blackpool’s historic piers, with the North Pier alone in need of £12 million of repairs. Built in the 19th-century using innovative engineering techniques, the three piers are a huge attraction of the world’s first working-class seaside resort. But as they're privately owned, they are ineligible for public funding for rehabilitation. WMF plans to work with the local council and the owners to “explore new models" for their rehabilitation.

The 2018 World Monuments Watch is urging for investment in the redevelopment of the Buffalo Central Terminal to give a new lease of life to the architectural landmark. The Art-Deco-style station opened in 1929, when Buffalo was one of the largest and most economically vibrant cities in north America, but closed in 1979. Now owned by volunteer-led Central Terminal Restoration Cooperation, the group wants to redevelop the complex for the benefit of the neighbourhood but needs significant funds.

As a consequence of the country’s raging civil war, many historic buildings in this ancient citadel have suffered considerable damage including the Ta’izz National Museum, which was shelled in 2016, destroying its collection of manuscripts. A 16th-century mosque was also decimated. Ta'izz's addition to the World Monuments Watch is “an expression of concern for the protection of the historic built fabric of Tai’izz, and for the welfare of its citizens”.

With over 3,500 rock art sites across caves, cliffs, and boulders, the Matobo Hills in southern Zimbabwe has the largest concentration of rock art in the country and on the African continent. While some areas are well cared for, others are threatened by “deforestation, grazing, graffiti, and damaging fires caused by human activities”. With increasing tourism in the area, the WMF is hoping to "engage local custodians in the protection and preservation of the site and its rock art".

While many of Alabama's churches, meeting spaces and private houses have been recognised as important landmarks of the civil rights movement, others have not. “Now, site owners, stewards, advocates, and other stakeholders are coming together to discuss and collectively address the challenges facing the protection and preservation of those places,” states the WMF. By including these sites on the list, it is “placing a spotlight on those local efforts to encourage further stakeholder engagement”. Get more travel news & inspiration by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.