From ancient amphitheatres and medieval castles to the pyramids of Giza, a new trend is seeing heritage sites becoming increasingly popular venues for electronic music festivals, but can these centuries-old monuments withstand the decibels, vibrations and throngs of ravers that come with it?
It is easy to understand the attraction: after all, music, architecture and art have inspired one another for millennia. Protecting the sites is, however, no easy task. Bringing thousands of ravers into such fragile settings can feel like letting toddlers loose in a china shop, or worse, as any damage there could represent a permanent loss for humanity.
The summer saw numerous festivals at historic locations, including Stone Techno Festival at Germany’s nineteenth-century Zollverein coal mine, the BSH Festival inside Croatia’s 2,000-year-old Pula Arena, and Aura festival at Sicily’s Segesta Archaeological Park, home to a 2,500-year-old Doric temple.
For Aura’s founder Fabrizio Costa and co-organiser Matthew Hoag, the attraction goes beyond the spectacular setting. They see the event as a way to introduce younger generations to history. This is supported by scientific research, which has highlighted how cultural festivals can help preserve traditions, strengthen community engagement and support local economies.
Strict precautions are, however, necessary. Sound and vibrations must be monitored, speakers positioned to direct bass away from monuments, and even lighting needs to be kept at “heritage-safe intensity levels”. Heavy equipment must also be kept away from vulnerable structures, while heritage impact assessments must be carried out before events are approved and after to assess the damage, if any.
In another study, Zachary M. Jones stresses the importance of involving heritage experts and local communities in planning to ensure that festivals do not become merely tourism-driven events.
Costa told Time Out that despite these constraints, “there is a magic in the air” even without the music.
“Imagine what it’s like when you add the music.”
Not everyone welcomes these initiatives. One attendee at Jordan’s house and techno Medaina Festival, held in Petra and Wadi Rum, described an event largely attended by Westerners that felt like “an Arab-themed Halloween parade”.
The debate intensified with October’s Starlight Festival, staged roughly a kilometre from the Pyramids of Giza, featuring DJs including Adriatique, Pete Tong, Charlotte de Witte and Enrico Sangiuliano. It followed a long tradition of concerts near the monuments, from the Grateful Dead and Frank Sinatra to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
In 2025, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights filed a lawsuit over concerts near the pyramids, warning that they “pose a serious risk to the structural integrity of the Pyramids and their surrounding heritage environment”. Egyptologist Monica Hanna also raised concerns over loud noises and lasers, which she said were “dangerous for such old stones”.
Research, however, suggests that the danger may lie less in the music than in the crowds. A study published in September 2026 by Adel Bali and colleagues found that while sound pressure had a negligible structural impact on Rome’s medieval Moletta Tower, vibrations caused by thousands of people jumping simultaneously could potentially damage it.
Ultimately, the question is perhaps less about whether ancient monuments should become places of celebration – some were built precisely for that purpose, after all – than about whether modern festivals can celebrate their history without putting their future at risk.
