Stonehenge is in danger of losing its World Heritage status.

Stonehenge is a Neolithic and Bronze Age megalithic monument near Amesbury, England. Comprising earthworks surrounding a ring of stones, it is one of the world's most famous prehistoric sites. Archaeologists believe the stone pillars were erected between approximately 2500 and 2000 BC, although the surrounding earthworks were built earlier, around 3100 BC.

The European Union's Heritage Agency has warned it will remove Britain's Stonehenge from the World Heritage list if the British authorities proceed with a £1.7 billion tunnel project near the famous landmark.

Speaking to the press on July 23, the agency announced it would be stricter in reviewing 31 other British landmarks, including Westminster Palace, Kew Gardens, and the Tower of London, after Liverpool was stripped of its Heritage status.

This decision comes as a number of famous British heritage sites are being affected by excessive construction.

Chris Blandford, Chairman of the UK World Heritage Organization, stated that the UK government pays too little attention to the integrity of its heritage sites compared to other "national jewels" such as the Taj Mahal or the Giza pyramids. He added that UK heritage sites are not being adequately invested in and fully utilized as required by the Organization.

UNESCO representatives also criticized the British government for failing to fulfill its responsibility to protect Liverpool's historical value by focusing solely on urbanization.

UNESCO argues that the UK needs to establish a cultural heritage site management agency instead of leaving it to local authorities to manage. Local agencies, with their uneven funding, struggle to preserve historical sites in the face of financial pressures and urbanization.

According to a 2019 report by the UK World Heritage Organization, the organization received only about £5 million per year from 2013-2018. The UK's annual spending on 31 World Heritage sites is around £19 million, a figure hardly comparable to the £70 million the government invests in 15 national parks.

Bo Di