UNESCO World Heritage sites are sites with a cultural, historical, scientific, geographical, or other form of significance. They contain “cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity”.
So says the official definition. Every year the UNESCO World Heritage Committee nominates new places and the list has grown to 1121 sites spread over 167 countries (as of 2021). We always have a look at the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites before traveling to a country. Some of them are quite well-known tourist highlights and easily accessible. Accordingly, most tourists would visit them anyway. But quite often we have never heard of them before, and reading up on their history, we understand a little bit more about the places we are going to visit. Often the journey to reach these far-flung places is quite adventurous, too.
Thus, over the years, we have visited more than 300 Unesco World Heritage sites and are still on track.
This is a list of all the UNESCO World Heritage sites we have visited. However, as you will see, only some of them are linked to travel blog posts (yet?).
Armenia
- Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots
- Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin
- Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley
Austria
- Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg
- Wachau Cultural Landscape
- Fertö/ Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape
- Historic Centre of Vienna
- City of Graz
Azerbaijan
Belgium
- Major Town Houses of Victor Horta
- Flemish Béguinages
- La Grand-Place, Brussels
- Belfries of Belgium and France
- Historic Centre of Brugge
- Stoclet House, Brussels
- Major Mining Sites of Wallonia
Benin
- The Penjari National Park
- The palaces of Abomey
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
- Angkor
Chile
- Rapa Nui National Park
- Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
China
- Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang
- Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Xian
- Mogao Caves
- Great Wall
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou
- Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing
- Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing
- Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
- Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang
- Yungang Grottoes
- Historic Centre of Macao
- South China Karst
- Mount Wutai
- Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an Tianshan Corridor
Colombia
- Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena
- National Archeological Park of Tierradentro
- San Agustín Archaeological Park
- Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia
Costa Rica
- La Armistad National Park
Czech Republic
- Historic Centre of Prague
Denmark
- Kronborg Castle in Helsingor
- Roskilde Cathedral
- Stevns Klint
- The par force hunting landscape in North Zealand
- Viking age ring fortresses
Ecuador
- City of Quito
- Sangay National Park
- Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca
Egypt
- Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
- Historic Cairo
- Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
- Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
- Saint Catherine Area
- Abu Mena
- Wadi Al-Hitan or Whale Valley
El Salvador
- Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site
Eritrea
- Asmara: A modern African city
Ethiopia
- Simien National Park
- Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela
- Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region
- Aksum
- Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town
- Konso Cultural Landscape
France
- Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
- Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay
- Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge
- Paris, Banks of the Seine
- Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)
- Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the “Triumphal Arch” of Orange
- Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt
- Taputapuātea on French Polynesia
- The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy
- Vézelay, Church and Hill
Georgia
- Gelati Monastery
- Historical Monuments of Mtskheta
Germany
- Aachen Cathedral
- Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau
- Berlin Modernism Housing Estates
- Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey
- Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl
- Cologne Cathedral
- Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar
- Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg
- Margravial Opera House Bayreuth
- Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin
- Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski
- Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
- Pilgrimage Church of Wies
- Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus
- Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen
- Town of Bamberg
- Upper Middle Rhine Valley
- Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square
- Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen
- Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
- Wadden Sea
- Water Management System of Augsburg
- The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier in Stuttgart
Greece
- Acropolis, Athens
- Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina)
- Archaeological Site of Delphi
- Archaeological Site of Olympia
- Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
- Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios
- Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika
- Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus
- Meteora
Guatemala
- Antigua Guatemala
- Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua
- Tikal National Park
Hungary
- Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue
- Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae)
- Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment
Iceland
India
- Ajanta Caves
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
- Churches and Convents of Goa
- Elephanta Caves
- Ellora Caves
- Group of Monuments at Hampi
- Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
- Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
Indonesia
- Borobudur Temple Compounds
- Cultural Landscape of Bali Province
- Prambanan Temple Compounds
Iran
- Golestan Palace
- Historic City of Yazd
- Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan
- Meidan Emam if Isfahan
- Persepolis
- The Persian Garden
- The Persian Qanat
Italy
- Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata
- City of Verona
- Costiera Amalfitana
- Historic Centre of Florence
- Historic Centre of Naples
- Historic Centre of Rome
- Mantua and Sabbioneta
- Venice and its Lagoon
- The Dolomites
- The Porticoes of Bologna
- Pisa: The Piazza del Duomo
- Historic Centre of San Gimignano
- Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany
- Val d’Orcia
- Historic Centre of Pienza
- Historic Centre of Siena
- Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
- Church and convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milano
- Le Strade Nuove and the Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa
- Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
Japan
- Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area
- Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration
- Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu
- Castle Himeji-jo
- Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
- Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama
- Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
- Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan
- Shrines and Temples of Nikko
- Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining
- The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier
- Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites
- Shirakami-Sanchi Forest area
- Shiretoko peninsular on Hokkaido
- Yakushima island
- Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima, Northern part of Okinawa Island and Iriomote Island
- Jomon Prehistoric sites in Northern Japan
Jordan
- Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan
- Petra
- Quseir Amra
- Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa’a)
- Wadi Rum Protected Area
Kazakhstan
- Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
- Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly
- Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor
- Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
- Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor
- Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain
Laos
- Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang – Plain of Jars
- Town of Luang Prabang
- Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape
Lebanon
Libya
- Archaeological Site of Cyrene
- Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna
- Archaeological Site of Sabratha
Lithuania
- Curonian Spit
- Kernavė Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernavė)
- Vilnius Historic Centre
- Architecture of the town of Kaunas
Luxembourg
Malaysia
- Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca
Mali
- Old Towns of Djenné
- Timbuktu
- Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Malta
- City of Valletta
- Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
- Megalithic Temples of Malta
Mexico
- El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City
- Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco
- Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan
- Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
- Historic Centre of Puebla
- Historic Centre of Zacatecas
- Historic Fortified Town of Campeche
- Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
- Luis Barragán House and Studio in Mexico City
- Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque
- Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza
- Sian Ka’an Nature reserve
- Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal
- Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche
Morocco
- Archaeological Site of Volubilis
- Historic City of Meknes
- Medina of Fez
- Medina of Marrakesh
- Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin)
- Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage
Netherlands
Panama
- Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá
- Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park
Poland
- Auschwitz Birkenau
- Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork
- Centennial Hall in Wrocław
- Historic Centre of Kraków
- Medieval Town of Toruń
- Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski
- Old City of Zamość
- Białowieża Forest
Portugal
- Cultural Landscape of Sintra
- Historic Centre of Évora
- Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon
Romania
Russia
- Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments
- Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow
- Lake Baikal
San Marino
Senegal
- Island of Gorée
- Island of Saint-Louis
- Saloum Delta
- Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
- Niokolo-Koba National Park
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
- Baekje Historic Areas
- Changdeokgung Palace Complex in Seoul
- Gyeongju Historic Areas
- Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks
- Jongmyo Shrine
- Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple
- Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes
Spain
- Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana
- Historic City of Toledo
- Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid
- Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona
- Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape
- San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife)
- Works of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona
- Teide National Park (Tenerife)
- Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Science
- Antequera Dolmens Site
- Alhambra, Generalife und Albayzin, Granada
- Caliphate City of Medinat Azahara
- Cathedral, Alcazar and Archivo de Indias in Seville
- Historic Center of Cordoba
- Prähistoric sites of Talayotic Menorca
Sri Lanka
- Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
- Ancient City of Sigiriya
- Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
- Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple
- Sacred City of Anuradhapura
- Sacred City of Kandy
Sudan
Switzerland
- Abbey of St Gall
- Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces
- Old City of Berne
- Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
- The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier
- The Castles of Bellinzona
Syria
- Ancient City of Aleppo
- Ancient City of Bosra
- Several Ancient Villages of Northern Syria
- Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din
- Site of Palmyra
- Ancient City of Damascus
Tajikistan
- Proto-urban Site of Sarazm
- Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor
Thailand
- Historic City of Ayutthaya
- Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns
Tunisia
- Amphitheatre of El Jem
- Archeological site of Carthage
- Roman site of Dougga
- City and Mosque of Kairouan
- Medina of Sousse
- Medina of Tunis
- Djerba
Turkey
- Archaeological Site of Ani
- Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape
- Hattusha: the Hittite Capital
- Historic Areas of Istanbul
- Nemrut Dağ
- Xanthos-Letoon
- Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
Turkmenistan
United Kingdom
- Blaenavon Industrial Landscape
- Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
- Maritime Greenwich
- Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
- Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church
- The English Lake District
- Tower of London
- Gorham`s Cave Complex, Gibraltar
Uzbekistan
- Historic Centre of Bukhara
- Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz
- Itchan Kala
- Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures
- Western Tien-Shan
- Zarafshan – Karakum corridor of the Silk Road
Vatican
- Vatican City
- Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
Vietnam
- Complex of Hué Monuments
- Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi
- Hoi An Ancient Town
- My Son Sanctuary
- Ha Long Bay