Latest Updates
Stay informed about the latest features, news, and discussions on our platform.
WHS in the News
WHS in the News
-
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings
swissinfo.ch Swiss protect UNESCO pile dwellings from beavers Jan 20, 2026 -
Early Medieval Benedictine settlements
isnews.it UNESCO recognition for four Benedictine monasteries is expected in early 2028. Jan 19, 2026 -
Odesa
odessa-journal.com Ukraine and Italy Sign €32.5M Grant to Restore Odessa’s Cultural Heritage Jan 16, 2026 -
Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines
tvpworld.com Wieliczka Salt Mine drew a record 1.91 million visitors last year, Jan 16, 2026 -
Palestine
aljazeera.com Palestine submits an updated tentative list of 14 Jan 15, 2026 -
Les Gravures Rupestre d'Abourma
dawan.africa Djibouti Declares Abourma Rock Art Site a National Monument Jan 15, 2026 -
National History Park
haitiantimes.com Haiti’s Citadelle Laferrière rehabilitation work preserves a monument—and livelihoods Jan 12, 2026 -
Dirre Sheik Hussein
ebc.et Efforts Underway to Register the Dire Sheikh Hussein Mosque as a World Heritage Site Jan 11, 2026 -
Shey Phoksundo National Park
ekantipur.com Preparations have been intensified to include Upper Dolpa in the World Heritage List. Jan 7, 2026 -
Virunga National Park
bbc.com Rare mountain gorilla twins born in Virunga NP Jan 7, 2026 -
Socotra Archipelago
edition.cnn.com Foreign tourists stranded on Socotra Jan 6, 2026 -
Azykh and Taghlar caves
yenisabah.az Azerbaijan’s Azykh Cave moves closer to UNESCO World Heritage inclusion Jan 5, 2026 -
Antequera Dolmens Site
archaeologymag.com Menga dolmen's lasting sacred role Jan 1, 2026 -
Komodo National Park
travelandtourworld.com Indonesia Locks Down Komodo Islands After Deadly Boat Sinking in Rough Seas Dec 28, 2025 -
Çatalhöyük
turkiyetoday.com Catalhoyuk enters list of 2025’s most important archaeological discoveries Dec 25, 2025 -
Kilimanjaro National Park
abcnews.go.com Helicopter crashes on Mount Kilimanjaro, killing all 5 on board Dec 25, 2025 -
Cartagena
aspenpublicradio.org Cartagena's iconic horse carriages give way to electric buggies Dec 22, 2025 -
Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Areas
caymancompass.com Little Cayman could gain UNESCO World Heritage status by 2030 Dec 22, 2025 -
Minaret of Jam
8am.media Minaret of Jam on the Brink of Collapse Dec 19, 2025 -
Ujung Kulon National Park
news.mongabay.com Indonesia’s 1st Javan rhino translocation ends in death, in conservation setback Dec 18, 2025 -
Rome
pbs.org Colosseum subway station, with displays of unearthed artifacts, opens in Rome Dec 18, 2025 -
Norway
vikingtidsmuseet.no Seven Viking ship burial mounds are recommended for Norway’s tentative list. Dec 16, 2025 -
Old City of Mosul
theartnewspaper.com Mosul’s heritage has seen a year of revival—will it be enough to bring back religious diversity? Dec 14, 2025 -
Historic Jeddah
english.news.cn Saudi Arabia opens Red Sea Museum in restored Jeddah heritage site Dec 9, 2025 -
Ahwar of Southern Iraq
newarab.com Iraq preparing $14.5 million renovation of ancient city of Ur Dec 5, 2025 -
Shark Bay
abc.net.au Experts unsure why sea snake deaths are increasing at Shark Bay World Heritage site Dec 2, 2025 -
Bisotun
tehrantimes.com Groundbreaking research reveals two-thirds of Babylonian Bisotun inscription may be lost Dec 1, 2025 -
United States of America
doi.gov America-first pricing of WH listed National Parks commences Jan 1, 2026 Nov 25, 2025 -
Te Wahipounamu
rnz.co.nz Two climbers die in Aoraki Mt Cook fall Nov 25, 2025 -
Rideau Canal
ottawa.citynews.ca Rideau Canal National Historic Site is getting some upgrades. Nov 23, 2025
-
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings
swissinfo.ch Swiss protect UNESCO pile dwellings from beavers -
Early Medieval Benedictine settlements
isnews.it UNESCO recognition for four Benedictine monasteri… -
Odesa
odessa-journal.com Ukraine and Italy Sign €32.5M Grant to Restore Od…
New Connections
-
Gibbons
WHS where Gibbons can be seen in the wild. Gibbons …
Els Slots
-
Infested with leeches
WHS where a visitor runs a particularly high risk of …
Els Slots
-
Claim of Egalitarianism
WHS where a claim of egalitarian values was made in …
Jurre
Forum
- Technical Backlog W… 1 hour, 27 minutes ago
- Spain 3 hours, 31 minutes ago
- 2027 WHC 11 hours, 10 minutes ago
- China 1 day, 5 hours ago
Comments
Recent comments
-
Astraftis 17 hours, 45 minutes
-
Reza 1 day
-
Astraftis 1 week, 1 day
-
Astraftis 1 week, 1 day
-
Solivagant 1 week, 4 days
-
nan 1 week, 5 days
-
Ian Cade 1 week, 5 days
-
Jay T 1 week, 6 days
-
Els Slots 2 weeks
-
Solivagant 2 weeks, 2 days
-
Astraftis 2 weeks, 3 days
-
Jay T 2 weeks, 3 days
-
Jay T 2 weeks, 3 days
-
Astraftis 2 weeks, 3 days
-
Astraftis 2 weeks, 3 days
-
CugelVance 2 weeks, 4 days
-
Frédéric M 2 weeks, 4 days
-
nan 2 weeks, 4 days
-
CugelVance 2 weeks, 4 days
-
CugelVance 2 weeks, 4 days
-
nan 2 weeks, 4 days
-
nan 2 weeks, 4 days
-
nan 2 weeks, 4 days
-
nan 2 weeks, 4 days
-
CugelVance 2 weeks, 5 days
-
Kyle Magnuson 2 weeks, 5 days
-
Philipp Peterer 2 weeks, 5 days
-
Kyle Magnuson 2 weeks, 5 days
-
nan 3 weeks, 5 days
-
Els Slots 3 weeks, 5 days
-
CugelVance 3 weeks, 5 days
-
CugelVance 3 weeks, 5 days
-
CugelVance 3 weeks, 5 days
-
Kyle Magnuson 3 weeks, 5 days
-
Kyle Magnuson 3 weeks, 5 days
-
CugelVance 3 weeks, 6 days
-
CugelVance 3 weeks, 6 days
-
Evgenii 4 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 4 weeks, 1 day
-
Joel on the Road 4 weeks, 1 day
-
nan 4 weeks, 2 days
-
CugelVance 4 weeks, 2 days
-
Els Slots 1 month
-
Zoë Sheng 1 month
-
Frederik Dawson 1 month
-
nan 1 month
-
Wojciech Fedoruk 1 month
-
Astraftis 1 month, 1 week
-
Els Slots 1 month, 1 week
-
Philipp Peterer 1 month, 1 week
-
Jay T 1 month, 1 week
-
Kyle Magnuson 1 month, 2 weeks
-
Els Slots 1 month, 2 weeks
-
Philipp Peterer 1 month, 2 weeks
-
Astraftis 1 month, 2 weeks
-
Els Slots 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Jay T 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Philipp Peterer 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Albert Farkas 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Els Slots 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 1 month, 3 weeks
-
Els Slots 1 month, 4 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 1 month, 4 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months
-
Dwight Zehuan Xiao 2 months
-
Jay T 2 months, 1 week
-
Kyle Magnuson 2 months, 1 week
-
Jay T 2 months, 1 week
-
Jay T 2 months, 1 week
-
Els Slots 2 months, 2 weeks
-
nan 2 months, 2 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 2 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero 2 months, 2 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Joel on the Road 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Jay T 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Jay T 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Jay T 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Jay T 2 months, 2 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 2 weeks
-
Els Slots 2 months, 3 weeks
-
Frédéric M 2 months, 3 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 2 months, 3 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 2 months, 3 weeks
-
nan 2 months, 3 weeks
-
Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero 2 months, 3 weeks
-
Jay T 2 months, 3 weeks
-
Roman Bruehwiler 2 months, 4 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 4 weeks
-
Kyle Magnuson 2 months, 4 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 4 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 4 weeks
-
CugelVance 2 months, 4 weeks
-
CugelVance 3 months
-
Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero 3 months
-
CugelVance 3 months
- The Worst WHS Astraftis 17 hours, 45 minutes ago
- WHS #1001: FRIM Reza 1 day ago
- Updated Tentative L… Astraftis 1 week, 1 day ago
- Updated Tentative L… Astraftis 1 week, 1 day ago
New reviews
All reviews
Historic Saltworks Complex in… (On tentative list)
Trickle-Down Effect
Glacier parks (Inscribed)
Glacier Parks
Teotihuacan (Inscribed)
Teotihuacan Revisited -- One of the Grandest Prehispanic Cities
Bamiyan Valley (Inscribed)
Bamiyan Valley
Featured
Explore our featured items, spotlighting significant reviews and discussions.
Updated Tentative Lists H2 2025
In what I hope will become a half-yearly tradition, I am presenting to you the highlights of the new crop of Tentative Sites that have been submitted in the second half of 2025. The first 6 months were covered here.
Keeping the Tentative Lists on this website up-to-date is important to me: there is no other independent place on the web that does so. Even on the UNESCO website, the topic is covered quite poorly, with no tracing of the lifecycle of the sites, no photos and no maps or validation of geodata (all of which we aim to provide).
The Numbers
2025 has ended with 1807 Tentative Sites (TWHS). In the second half of 2025, 49 were added. 12 of those were replacements of earlier ones. Only 1 TWHS was fully removed and became a Former TWHS (European Paper Mills, Italy).
As with the first half of 2025, the number of new sites listed is significantly above average.
It is hard to keep a perfect track of the numbers, since the UNESCO Bureau often adds sites retrospectively. Last week, even a 2024 listing appeared (the French Beech Forests, probably it had been on hold until their Serbian and Montenegrin counterparts were ready to publish).
In total, 2025 saw 130 new entries and the net result was 51 (as known at the time of writing, January 16, 2026). The trend over the 10 previous years was that an average of 66 new TWHS were added yearly, with a net result of 30; 66 were added, 14 removed, and 22 were inscribed and thus disappeared from the Tentative List as well.
Full make-overs
The following countries did a major update of their Tentative Lists:
- Malawi: a refreshed list of 7, including 4 that had been there before.
- Kazakhstan: 6 new ones, including a reformulation of previously separate petroglyph nominations into larger serial properties.
- Yemen: a new List of 31, already covered in this separate blog post (submitted in June, it was published by UNESCO retrospectively in July)
India did not do a true makeover, but added another 7 to get to 69 TWHS in total. It now ranks second in the list of Countries with the most TWHS, after Turkiye with 79.
Brazil did a clean-up, removing 5 double ones that were still lingering on the T List while already inscribed, such as Anavilhanas Ecological Station and Atol das Rocas.
Notable …
Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tas… (Inscribed)
Shulgan-Tash Cave
Xiongnu Nobility Cemetery Com… (Nominated)
Tombs at the end of the world
Workers' Assembly Halls (Nominated)
Victorian Trades Hall
Shark Bay (Inscribed)
Variety of life
The Worst WHS
One of the neat statistics we gather via community members on this website is the visitor rating of a WHS. After you have visited a site, you can give it a rating of 1 to 5 stars. The rating represents a mix of “WHS worthiness” and your experience on the day. If you have not rated anything so far, log in to your profile and go to Rate WHS to contribute.
While these ratings help to find the best WHS, they of course also provide insight into the worst!
The Worst 10
At the time of writing, we have 49 WHS with a weighted average score below 2 stars. You can find them at the WHS Index page, and sort by Score.
The worst-rated 10 are:
- Tugay forests (0.38)
- Kazan Federal University Observatories (1.01)
- Valongo Wharf (1.17)
- Al-Faw (1.29)
- Battir (1.38)
- Srebarna Nature Reserve (1.38)
- Kuk (1.46)
- Melka Kunture and Balchit (1.47)
- Chongoni Rock Art (1.49)
- The Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (1.52)
When this selection is adjusted to WHS that got 5 votes or more, to exclude individual voices counting too strongly, the top-10 is:
- Kazan Federal University Observatories (1.01)
- Valongo Wharf (1.17)
- Battir (1.38)
- Srebarna Nature Reserve (1.38)
- Melka Kunture and Balchit (1.47)
- Chongoni Rock Art (1.49)
- The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa (1.59)
- FRIM Selangor (1.65)
- Jodensavanne (1.65)
- Santiniketan (1.65)
The list of 49 includes 39 cultural WHS, 9 natural WHS, and 1 mixed WHS. The average year of inscription is 2012. Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands and South Africa are all countries represented with more than 1 site (all have 2, except for South Africa, which has 3).
Common Denominators
"Invisible" Heritage
The biggest cluster comprises the sites where there is little or nothing “to see”: WHS that are visually underwhelming. It seems that we expect monumentality and our brain simply cannot match the story (which you really have to bring with you by studying beforehand or hiring a guide) with scarce or no remains.
The Early Hominid Sites in general are a poor category in that respect, and it is represented with 4 WHS among the worst 49. Valongo Warf and the Lower German Limes are also notorious cases, as are Beemster Polder, Kuk and the Vredefort Dome.
Sites that are poorly understood
“To see the Tugay forests, one often has to navigate permits, border zones, and extreme heat (Tigrovaya Balka is …