New Inscribed Properties
Cultural properties
Archaeological Site of Mystras
Greece
Criteria: (ii)(iii)(iv)
Mystras, the 'wonder of the Morea', was built as an amphitheatre around the fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape.
Archaeological Site of Olympia
Greece
Criteria: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
The site of Olympia, in a valley in the Peloponnesus, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In the 10th century B.C., Olympia became a centre for the worship of Zeus. The Altis – the sanctuary to the gods – has one of the highest concentrations of masterpieces from the ancient Greek world. In addition to temples, there are the remains of all the sports structures erected for the Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia every four years beginning in 776 B.C.
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
India
Criteria: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
On a hill overlooking the plain and about 40 km from Bhopal, the site of Sanchi comprises a group of Buddhist monuments (monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries) all in different states of conservation most of which date back to the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and was a major Buddhist centre in India until the 12th century A.D.
Monastery of Alcobaça
Portugal
Criteria: (i)(iv)
The Monastery of Santa Maria d'Alcobaça, north of Lisbon, was founded in the 12th century by King Alfonso I. Its size, the purity of its architectural style, the beauty of the materials and the care with which it was built make this a masterpiece of Cistercian Gothic art.
New Inscribed Properties
Natural properties
Banc d'Arguin National Park
Mauritania
Criteria: (ix)(x)
Fringing the Atlantic coast, the park comprises sand-dunes, coastal swamps, small islands and shallow coastal waters. The contrast between the harsh desert environment and the biodiversity of the marine zone has resulted in a land- and seascape of outstanding natural significance. A wide variety of migrating birds spend the winter there. Several species of sea turtle and dolphin, used by the fishermen to attract shoals of fish, can also be found.
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls
Zambia, Zimbabwe
Criteria: (vii)(viii)
These are among the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. The Zambezi River, which is more than 2 km wide at this point, plunges noisily down a series of basalt gorges and raises an iridescent mist that can be seen more than 20 km away.
New Inscribed Properties
Mixed property
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Mali
Criteria: (v)(vii)
The Bandiagara site is an outstanding landscape of cliffs and sandy plateaux with some beautiful architecture (houses, granaries, altars, sanctuaries and Togu Na, or communal meeting-places). Several age-old social traditions live on in the region (masks, feasts, rituals, and ceremonies involving ancestor worship). The geological, archaeological and ethnological interest, together with the landscape, make the Bandiagara plateau one of West Africa's most impressive sites.
- Danube Limes added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List closing this year’s inscriptions 30-Jul-2021
- World Heritage Committee inscribes four cultural and one natural site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List 28-Jul-2021
- Cultural sites in Africa, Arab Region, Asia, Europe, and Latin America inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List 27-Jul-2021
- Four natural and three cultural sites added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List 26-Jul-2021
- Cultural sites in China, India, Iran and Spain inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List 25-Jul-2021
World Heritage List statistics