New UNESCO World Heritage sites announced

For anybody aiming to visit all of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, you now face a greater challenge—the list just got longer.

In total, 13 new sites were added last week during the World Heritage Committee’s 33rd session—two are natural sites and 11 are cultural sites. On top of that, three extensions to previous World Heritage sites were added. Special kudos to the three countries that have their first World Heritage site: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, and Kyrgyzstan.

The latest additions:

Natural sites:
The Wadden Sea (Germany/The Netherlands)
The Dolomites (Italy)

Cultural sites:
Stoclet House (Belgium)
The Ruins of Loropéni (Burkina Faso)
Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande (Cape Verde)
Mount Wutai (China)
Shushtar, Historical Hydraulic System (Iran)
Sulamain-Too Sacred Mountain (Kyrgyzstan)
The Sacred City of Caral-Supe (Peru)
The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (Republic of Korea)
The Tower of Hercules (Spain)
La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle watchmaking town-planning (Switzerland)
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal (United Kingdom)

Extensions to previous World Heritage sites:
The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains (France)
Levo?a (Slovakia)
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (Philippines)

On a sad note, one site—Dresden Elbe Valley—was withdrawn from World Heritage status because a four-lane bridge is being constructed in the middle of the prized landscape. It’s only the second time in the World Heritage List’s history that a site has been removed. It’s a shame, isn’t it?

The Danger List was also updated. Fortunately, a location taken off the list is the Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden Tower (Azerbaijan). Unfortunately, several locations were added: Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize), Los Katios National Park (Colombia), and The Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (Georgia). But because of their new distinction on the Danger List, they’re in a better position to receive the international support for preservation that they need.