List of World Heritage Sites in the State of Palestine

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] Palestine accepted the convention on 8 December 2011, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2019, there are three World Heritage Sites in Palestine, all them cultural sites.[2]

Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Hebron
Battir
Location of World Heritage Sites in Palestine

Palestine's first site, Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem, was inscribed on the list at the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 2012.[3]

As of 2019, two of the three of Palestine's World Heritage Sites are on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.[4][5] The Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and Pilgrimage Route site was also on the Danger list from 2012 to 2019.[6]

The Old City of Jerusalem and its walls is also listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It was proposed as a site by Jordan. The site is not assigned to a state on the UNESCO listing.[7] In 2011 UNESCO stated "The Old City of Jerusalem is inscribed on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO continues to work to ensure respect for the outstanding universal value of the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem. This position is reflected on UNESCO’s official website (www.unesco.org). In line with relevant UN resolutions, East Jerusalem remains part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the status of Jerusalem must be resolved in permanent status negotiations."[8]

World Heritage Sites
Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation[9]
Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates
Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee[10]
Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A lack of value implies that no data has been published by UNESCO
Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List
Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable
   In danger
Site Image Location Criteria Area
ha (acre)
 Year Description
Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem PalBethlehem Governorate
31°42′16″N 35°12′27″E		 Cultural:PalBir
(iv)(vi)		 2.98 (7.4) 2012 [11][6]
Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town PalHebron Governorate
31°31′27″N 35°6′32″E		 Cultural:PalHeb
(ii)(iv)(vi)		 20.6 (51) 2017 [12]
Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir PalBethlehem Governorate
31°43′11″N 35°7′50″E		 Cultural:PalPal
(iv)(v)		 348.83 (862.0) 2014 [13]

World heritage sites located in East Jerusalem
Site Image Location Criteria Area
ha (acre)
 Year Description
Old City and Walls of Jerusalem Jerusalem Governorate
31°46′36″N 35°14′03″E		 Cultural:
(ii), (iii), (vi)		 1981 [14]

Tentative list

List of properties in the tentative list

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.[15] As of 2020, Palestine recorded 13 sites on its tentative list. The sites, along with the year they were included on the tentative list are:[16]

Site Image Location Criteria Year
Ancient Jericho: Tell es-Sultan Jericho Governorate Mixed:
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)		 2012
Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans Nablus Governorate Cultural:
(iii)(vi)		 2012
Qumran: Caves and Monastery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (2012) Cultural:
(iii)(iv)(vi)		 2000
El-Bariyah: wilderness with monasteries Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iii)		 2012
Wadi Natuf and Shuqba cave Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(iv)		 2013
Old Town of Nablus and its environs Nablus Governorate Cultural:
(ii)(iv)		 2012
Tell Umm Amer Gaza Strip Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(vi)		 2012
Throne Villages Ibwein, Arrabeh, Beit Wazan, Burqa, Deir Ghassaneh, Deir Istia, Dura, Jamma'in, Kur, Nelean, Ras Karkar, Sebastia and Sanur Cultural:
(iii)(iv)		 2013
Sebastia Nablus Governorate Cultural:
(ii)(v)		 2000
Anthedon Harbour Gaza Strip Cultural:
(ii)(iv)		 2012
Umm Al-Rihan forest Natural:
(x)		 2012
Wadi Gaza Coastal Wetlands Gaza Strip Natural:
(x)		 2012
Baptism Site “Eshria’a” (Al-Maghtas) Cultural:
(iii)(iv)(vi)		 2015

See also

References
  1. "The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  2. "Palestine". UNESCO. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  3. "UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Decision - 36 COM 8B.5". UNESCO. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  4. "Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir - Indicators". UNESCO. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  5. "Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town - Indicators". UNESCO. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  6. "The site of the Birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem (Palestine) removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger". UNESCO. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  7. "Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls", UNESCO World Heritage List website, accessed 13 November 2017.
  8. UNESCO press release, 15 July 2011, accessed 13 November 2017.
  9. "World Heritage List". UNESCO. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  10. "The Criteria for Selection". UNESCO. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  11. "Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem". UNESCO. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  12. "Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town". UNESCO. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  13. "Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir". UNESCO. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  14. "Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls". UNESCO. Retrieved 26 Nov 2012.
  15. "Tentative Lists". UNESCO. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  16. UNESCO Official page for Tentative list
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.