World Heritage Sites
The UNESCO World Heritage List includes more than a thousand properties of outstanding universal value. They are all part of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre is responsible for the World Heritage List. The first inscription was in 1978. Since then UNESCO has developed the criteria and added an average of 20-30 sites each year.
It includes 1,157 sites in 167 “States Parties” (countries). A site is categorised as cultural heritage (900 sites), natural (218) or a mix of the two (39 sites).
On this page you will get to learn more about the heritage sites and where they are. Moreover, Sandalsand’s large collection comes on display. The reader will get a four-way path into this collection. First, on a map. Second, in a table. Third, in a video.
Fourth and last, but not least, there are links to articles on Sandalsand which describe each visited site.
About
Thoughts
Regions
Map
Table
Videos
My sites
About the World Heritage Sites
Properties on the World Heritage List, must (a) be of outstanding universal value and (b) meet at least one of the ten selection criteria. There are six for cultural sites and four for natural sites.
Culture
(i) to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
(ii) to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
(iii) to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation which is living or which has disappeared;
(iv) to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;
(v) to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
(vi) to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
Nature
(vii) to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
(viii) to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
(ix) to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
(x) to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
Some thoughts
Some sites have been removed from the list. There have been controversies between the WHC and a country relating to the future development of the site (like a particular bridge in Germany). Other removals have been obvious because the criteria are no longer met (such as the extinction of a particular bird in Oman).
UNESCO’s sign is found on many World Heritage Sites. The one pictured here is from Bryggen, in Bergen, Norway.
With these cases in mind, one should note that the WHC operates a list of 55 properties in danger (2023). An inscription on the World Heritage List is generally regarded as an honorary tribute. It will also boost both commercial and preservation activities in or at the site.
Step one is to raise an awareness worldwide to the importance of preserving these sites for future generations. The next step is to do something about it, in other words to set up a conservation plan for the site. The final step is to live by it. These are very demanding tasks for all parties, and there are undoubtedly both economic and culture factors at play here.
Relative distribution of sites
When we look at the full site map, we immediately notice the prevalence of sites in Europe. Nonetheless, almost the entire world is covered. That is actually no little achievement for the world community.
The following illustrations follow the WHC categorisation of world regions and show the relative distribution of sites between them. All WHC sites are the basis of this statistics.
%
Arab States
%
Africa
%
Latin America and the Caribbean
%
Asia and the Pacific
%
Europe and North America
Sites on a map
Drag and zoom on the map below to find sites visited by Sandalsand in more detail. Click on a marker to reveal the name and open the article about it. You will find the same links further down this page. Find all WHC sites on another Sandalsand map.
Sites in a table
Here are the same sites in a table but with less information compared to the map markers above. Show more rows at a time, sort the table as you like, or search for a specific term. Click on a link to open that particular post.
Sites in 62 countries
It could be that “heritage tourism” is spreading along with the eco-tourism trend. Sandalsand has only in later years become conscious of it.
It was never my idea to become a collector of heritage sites, but I have nonetheless been to a large number. In recent years I have become more intent to visit a “world heritage” when I travel in a country or region. I suppose that may be one of the purposes of such an official list in the first place.
In any case, I am not satisfied that I visited the pleasant town of Weimar in Germany without exploring the examples of Bauhaus architecture. Likewise, I went to the town of Pécs in Hungary without a look at the Early Christian Necropolis. (To my possible excuse: Neither of them was on the List at the time of my visit.)
Sandalsand’s list is a representative summary of UNESCO’s. It covers the world and the majority are in Europe. Also, it features sites in both (all) categories: 175 cultural, 12 natural, and 5 combined sites.
Read about each site in separate articles. They include:
- The official and my personal descriptions of the site
- A link to the official UNESCO web page
- My photographs or video
- A link to the article(s) describing the context of my visit(s)
The articles offer short introductions to fabulous destinations around the world. Enjoy!
Here they are, all World Heritage Sites visited by Sandalsand. You will find the most recent publications first, although the actual visit may date to a visit prior to the place becoming a World Heritage. In any case, and in my view, they are all lovely destinations.
World Heritage #1427 – Mount Etna
There have been eruptions from the Sicilian volcano at Mount Etna for 500,000 years, and there was one on my visit as well. The UNESCO World...
World Heritage #0131 – City of Valletta
Come to the City of Valletta and discover the world of knights, full armour, and also an impressive fortress and pretty architecture. The UNESCO...
World Heritage #0550 – San Gimignano
San Gimignano is one of several Renaissance towns in northern Italy with medieval remains. Its towers are unique. The UNESCO World Heritage List...
World Heritage #1245 – San Marino
A few centuries ago Italy was full of city-states. San Marino is the only one remaining and it is a World Heritage Site. The UNESCO World Heritage...
World Heritage #0320 – Works of Antoni Gaudí
All cultural heritage sites are the result of living persons, but few have lent their names to the very heritage site. Antoni Gaudí, the famous...
World Heritage #1240 – Stari Grad Plain
The Stari Grad Plain is plain in the sense of being remarkably anonymous. Still it has a long history of being cultivated. The UNESCO World Heritage...
World Heritage #0095 – Old City of Dubrovnik
The Old City of Dubrovnik is a perfect Medieval fortress with fascinating buildings inside. It draws thousands of visitors every year. The UNESCO...
World Heritage #0946 – Mostar
The bridge in the Muslim part of Mostar became a World Heritage after its destruction in the civil war. It is now a major attraction. The...
World Heritage #1349 – Amsterdam
Amsterdam has a very unique urban layout, due to its location in the lowlands. But there is a lot more to Amsterdam too. The UNESCO World...
World Heritage #0430 – Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Here is another Roman legacy, the Frontiers of the Roman Empire. They used to build walls to safeguard their empire. None of them helped at the end...
World Heritage #0428 – City of Bath
The Romans were in Bath too, bathing. Like they did elsewhere in Europe. Few other cities have received their names though because of their thermal...
World Heritage #0373 – Stonehenge
The huge rocks placed on top of each other at Stonehenge seem to be an everlasting testimony to what lengths humans are willing to go in expressing...
World Heritage #0087 – Ancient Thebes
Have you ever wished to visit the tomb of Tutankhamun? You can do that here at the ancient Thebes with its Necropolis, outside Luxor. The UNESCO...
World Heritage #0086 – The Pyramids
Every person on earth have heard of, and seen a picture of the Pyramids and the Sphinx. They have been around for thousands of years. The...
World Heritage #0089 – Historic Cairo
Cairo is truly historic. The capital of Egypt has for millennia been at the centre of world history, and there is much to discover here. The UNESCO...
World Heritage #0601 – Reims
There are many Gothic churches in Europe on the Heritage List. The one in Reims in northern France is a special one. The UNESCO World Heritage List...
World Heritage #0059 – Bryggen
Bryggen is in the middle of Norway's second largest city, Bergen. The wooden buildings and alleys will take you back a few hundred years. The UNESCO...
World Heritage #1270 – Camagüey
Located right in the middle of Cuba the town of Camagüey was central in the Spanish development of the island. And they left their traces. The...
World Heritage #0460 – Trinidad
The world heritage site of Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios, is about Cuba's foundation: Sugar, slavery and Spanish power. The sugar cane...
World Heritage #1202 – Cienfuegos
A role model in Latin American city planning, this Cuban town of Cienfuegos offers a number of beautiful buildings and palaces. The UNESCO...
World Heritage #0840 – Viñales Valley
The Viñales Valley could have been a natural site on the List as well, but it is here because of its importance to Cuba's agricultural industry. The...
World Heritage #0204 – Old Havana
The decaying buildings of Old Havana adds much to the fascination of it. On the other hand it cannot develop too far in that direction. The...
World Heritage #1066 – Rhine Valley
In the upper Middle Rhine valley there are vineyards. There are also castles on the banks and hills surrounding this mighty river. There has been...
World Heritage #0267 – Old City of Berne
Visit the living bears and step back in time for a walk through the Old City of Berne, the Swiss capital. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes...
It is not down in any map; true places never are. (Herman Melville)