The UNESCO World Heritage Committee
was set up to ensure that future generations will inherit the treasures of the past. The main aim is Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture (1999) to protect cultural and natural moments throughout the world.

After World War I, the idea to protect our natural and cultural heritage world-wide was born. But it took many years for an international agreement to be reached - The Convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972.

It’s with thanks to this organisation that so much of our history and natural world is still around for us to enjoy today.

Spain has a huge legacy worthy of protection, here is a list of Spain’s World Heritage Sites.


Cultural sites

1984 Historic Centre of Cordoba
1984 Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzin, Granada
1984 Burgos Cathedral
1984 Monastery and Site of the Escorial, Madrid
1984 Works of Antoni Gaudí
1984 Parque Güell, Palacio Güell and Casa Mila in Barcelona
1985 Altamira Cave
1985 Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct
1985 Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias
1985 Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)
1985 Old Town of Avila, with its Extra-Muros churches
1986 Mudejar Architecture of Aragon
1986 Historic City of Toledo
1986 Garajonay National Park
1986 Old Town of Caceres
1987 Cathedral, Alcazar and Archivo de Indias in Seville
1988 Old City of Salamanca
1991 Poblet Monastery
1993 Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida
1993 Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe
1993 Route of Santiago de Compostela
1994 Doñana National Park
1996 Historic Walled Town of Cuenca
1996 La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia
1997 Las Médulas
1997 The Palau de la Música Catalana and the Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona
1997 San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries
1997 Pyrénées - Mont Perdu
1998 University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares
1998 Rock-Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula
1999 Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture
1999 San Cristóbal de La Laguna
2000 Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco
2000 Palmeral of Elche
2000 Roman Walls of Lugo
2000 Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí
2000 Archaeological Site of Atapuerca
2001 Aranjuez Cultural Landscape
2003 Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza
2006 Vizcaya Bridge

Natural

1984 Doñana National Park
1986 Garajonay National Park

Mixed

Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (1997)


The UNESCO slogan is "Protecting natural and cultural properties of outstanding universal value against the threat of damage in a rapidly developing world"