Location of World Heritage Sites within the Canary Islands.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.[1] Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage.[2]Spain ratified the convention on May 4, 1982, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.[3]
Sites in Spain were first inscribed on the list at the 8th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1984. At that session, five sites were added: the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Córdoba; The Alhambra and the Generalife, Granada; Burgos Cathedral; Monastery and Site of the Escorial, Madrid; and Park Güell, Palau Güell and Casa Milà, in Barcelona.[4] Five sites were added in 1985, and another four in 1986. Apart from 1984, 1985, and 1986 (Spain's first three years as a member), 2000 saw the most new sites inscribed, with five that year. As of 2021[update], Spain has 49 total sites inscribed on the list, the same number as France, which is the fourth largest number of sites per country, only behind Italy (58), China (56), and Germany (51).[5] Of these 49 sites, 43 are cultural, 4 are natural, and 2 are mixed (meeting both cultural and natural criteria), as determined by the organization's selection criteria.[3]
Additionally, Spain has established an agreement with UNESCO known as the Spanish Funds-in-Trust. The agreement was signed on April 18, 2002, between Francisco Villar, Spanish Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Kōichirō Matsuura. The fund provides €600,000 annually to a chosen program. Programs include helping other member states, particularly in Latin America, with projects such as nominations processes and assessing tentative sites.[6] Spain served as the chair of the World Heritage Committee in 2008 and 2009, and in 2009 hosted the 33rd Session of the Committee in Seville, Andalusia.[6]
World Heritage Sites
UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.[7]
* Transnational site
Sites by autonomous community
Exclusive sites refer to sites locating in a single community. Shared sites refer to sites with entries in multiple communities, including Pirineos – Monte Perdido, which Aragon shares with France, Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde, which Castile and León shares with Portugal and Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests which Navarre, Castile and León, Community of Madrid and Castile-La Mancha shares with other countries of Europe.
Tentative list
Loarre Castle
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list.[73] As of 2024, Spain recorded 32 sites on its tentative list. At 2024, the sites, along with the year they were included on the tentative list are:[74][3]
^"The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
^"Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^ a b c d"Spain – Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Report of the Rapporteur". UNESCO. November 2, 1984. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"UNESCO WHS list". UNESCO. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
^ a b"Spanish Funds-in-Trust". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"UNESCO World Heritage Centre – The Criteria for Selection". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
^"Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Old Town Segovia and its Aqueduct". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Historic Centre of Cordoba". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Alhambra, Generalife, and Albayzin". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Burgos Cathedral". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Monastery and Site of the Escorial". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Works of Antoni Gaudi". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Old Town of Avila with its Extra-Muros Churches". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Mudejar Architecture of Aragaon". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Historic City of Toledo". UNESCO. September 15, 2010.
^"Garajonay National Park". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Old City of Salamanca". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Importancia Historica" (in Spanish). Salamanca Patrimonio. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Cathedral, Alcazar, and Archivo de Indias in Sevilla". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Old Town of Cáceres". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Introducción" (in Spanish). Ayuntamiento de Cáceres. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Poblet Monastery". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"World Heritage List, No. 518 Rev" (PDF). UNESCO. January 3, 1989. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Ubeda and Baeza". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida". UNESCO. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe". UNESCO. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"Guadalupe" (PDF). UNESCO. September 25, 1992. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"Route of Santiago de Compostela". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Doñana National Park". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Pyrenees – Mont Perdu". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Historic Walled Town of Cuenca". UNESCO. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^Cook, William (October 2, 2009). "A stroll through La Mancha". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia". UNESCO. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"La lonja de Valencia. Limpieza y conversación de fachadas" (in Spanish). Colegio Territorial de Arquitectos de Valencia. 2005. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"Las Médulas". UNESCO. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"The archaeology of a mining landscape". Fundación Las Médulas. 2003. Archived from the original on August 23, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
^"Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Arte Rupestre del Arco Mediterráneo Peninsular". Instituto de Turismo de España. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Patrimoni Històric" (in Catalan). Ajuntament de Tarragona. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Alcalá de Henares". Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad de España. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"San Cristóbal de La Laguna". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Historia" (in Spanish). Ayuntamiento de La Laguna. Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Palmeral of Elche". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Roman Walls of Lugo". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"El conjunt romànic de la Vall de Boí" (in Catalan). Patronat de la Vall de Boí. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Archaeological Site of Atapuerca". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Sima de los Huesos: The Pit of Bones". American Museum of National History. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Aranjuez Cultural Landscape". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Aranjuez (Spain)" (PDF). UNESCO. June 30, 2000. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Vizcaya Bridge". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"History of the Bridge". Puente Vizcaya World Heritage. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Teide National Park". UNESCO. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
^"Tower of Hercules". UNESCO. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana". UNESCO. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
^"Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija". UNESCO. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
^"Antequera Dolmens Site". UNESCO. Retrieved September 2, 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^"Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe". UNESCO. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
^"Caliphate City of Medina Azahara". UNESCO.
^"Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
^"Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
^"Prehistoric Sites of Talayotic Menorca". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
^"Tentative Lists". UNESCO. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
^"Tentative Lists, Spain". UNESCO. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
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External links
(in Spanish) Comisión Nacional Española de Cooperación con la UNESCO