As churches close in Europe, debate intensifies over their future

The European Heritage Awards have spotlighted two contrasting models for saving sacred buildings, as Europe confronts a wider question over the future of its increasingly empty churches.

As Europe prepares to honor this yearʼs European Heritage Awards/Europa Nostra Awards, widely regarded as the continentʼs highest heritage distinction, the winning projects raise a broader question: What should become of sacred buildings as church attendance declines and religious communities diminish?

The annual awards, co-funded by the European Unionʼs Creative Europe program, recognize outstanding conservation projects, often bringing international visibility, tourism, and funding to heritage sites.

Among the 30 laureates selected from 18 countries this year, two projects have emerged as symbols of Europeʼs rich Christian heritage and the growing challenges surrounding its future: the restoration of the 18th-century dome of the Church of Escuelas Pías in Valencia, Spain, and the adaptive reuse of the Benedictine Monastery of San Benedetto Po in northern Italy.

A symbol restored

In Valencia, the domeʼs restoration sought to preserve the Church of Escuelas Pías as an active sacred space while introducing carefully managed cultural activities to support long-term sustainability.

The landmark structure, one of the largest masonry domes in Spain, underwent a meticulous restoration combining traditional craftsmanship with modern conservation techniques. Thousands of tiles were individually examined and replaced, while the dome itself was stabilized and renewed.

Professor Jacek Purchla, chair of the Europa Nostra Awards Jury, told EWTN News the project stood out for both technical quality and symbolic value. “The dome is a defining element of Valenciaʼs skyline and belongs to the European tradition of monumental domed architecture that emerged in the Renaissance,” he said. “It holds strong symbolic value for the city.”

The restoration also emphasized community engagement. Seminars, guided visits, and exhibitions attracted more than 46,000 visitors while the church stayed open for worship.

The projectʼs architect, Luis Cortés-Meseguer, told EWTN News that the aim was never to transform the church into a purely commercial or secular space.

“The challenge was to preserve its liturgical and symbolic identity while opening it to compatible cultural uses that could guarantee its long-term conservation,” he said.

In a paper shared with EWTN News ahead of publication, Cortés-Meseguer describes the approach not simply as “reuse” but as the “re-employment” of sacred space, a model intended to revitalize historic churches while preserving their original identity.

From decline to renewal

In contrast, the Benedictine Monastery of San Benedetto Po in Italy illustrates how adaptive reuse, which gives historic buildings new civic, cultural, or commercial functions, can also play a central role in preserving religious heritage.

Founded in 1007 and once one of medieval Europeʼs most important monastic centers, the vast complex had fallen into serious decline by the early 2000s. Following a major earthquake in 2012, nearly 20,000 square meters (about 5 acres) became unusable.

After being listed among Europa Nostraʼs “7 Most Endangered” heritage sites in 2013, a long restoration effort gradually transformed the monastery into a vibrant civic and cultural center. Today, the complex houses a museum, library, music academy, and exhibition spaces.

“Our international jury selected the monastery as a clear example of adaptive reuse that respects historical integrity,” Purchla said, describing it as a “transferable reference model for endangered heritage sites across Europe.” The restoration, he added, demonstrates how “heritage conservation can coexist with new cultural and social uses.”

More than architecture

Across Europe, declining church attendance, shrinking religious communities, and rising maintenance costs are leaving many religious buildings underused or at risk of abandonment.

Yet not all forms of reuse are equally welcomed. In the Belgian city of Ghent, the redevelopment of the 19th-century Sint-Anna church into a supermarket, restaurant, and wine bar has reignited debate over the transformation of sacred spaces. The Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize secured a 99-year lease and began renovation work in early 2025, with reopening planned for autumn 2027.

Supporters argue the project offers a viable future for a building that might otherwise face vacancy and deterioration. Critics question whether commercial uses risk eroding the cultural and spiritual significance of former places of worship.

At stake, heritage experts say, is more than architecture.

“Across Europe, churches and religious heritage sites are not only historical monuments or architectural structures, but places that carry a soul, a memory, and a vital social function for communities,” said a spokesperson for the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE).

In 2018, the Pontifical Council for Culture published Guidelines for Decommissioning and Cultural Reuse of Churches, the Holy Seeʼs standing reference document on the question.

Seeking common ground

As debates over reuse intensify, organizations including Future for Religious Heritage and COMECE are increasingly working to develop shared approaches to how churches can be preserved, adapted, and sustained while respecting their historical and spiritual identity.

“There is no single approach to adapting or adding new uses to religious buildings,” Jordi Mallarach, executive officer at Future for Religious Heritage, told EWTN News. Successful projects, he said, ultimately seek to preserve the “spirit of the place,” maintaining the symbolism and historical identity of sacred spaces even as new uses are introduced.

Through initiatives including the New European Bauhaus Lab, COMECE says it is bringing together churches, heritage organizations, public authorities, and local communities to reflect on sustainable solutions for Europeʼs religious heritage.

Questions surrounding the future of Europeʼs sacred spaces are expected to feature prominently during the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2026, where this yearʼs winners will be honored from May 26–30 in Nicosia, Cyprus.

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