UNESCO sites in the UK

Maritime Greenwich

The UK National Commission for UNESCO has produced map that, for the first time, includes all 58 UK UNESCO sites. The map by cartographer Tom Woolley, is available online and takes in the 29 World Heritage Sites, 13 Creative Cities, nine Global Geoparks and seven Biosphere Reserves. Together, these cover 13% of the UK’s landmass. Most of the sites are free to enter and conveniently accessible by public transport. https://drive.google.com/file/d/142dYHZjLlqpeecdUcz172gGbO7PnI5d/view

Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site 

A highlight of the UNESCO offering is the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, which comprises the historic town centre, Royal Park and related institutional buildings. It was inscribed by the World Heritage Convention in 1997 for its ‘unique architecture, designed landscape and association with the British monarchy over the centuries’ Points of interest, all open to visitors, include Royal Museums Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College (also home to University of Greenwich) and the Painted Hall, Greenwich Market, Greenwich Park and St Alfege Church. www.greenwichworldheritage.org

Other examples are :

North West Highlands Global Geopark 

Located in the far north of the Scottish Highlands, the Global Geopark is home to the oldest rocks in the United Kingdom. Their Lewisian gneiss is over 3 billion years old! The eastern boundary of the Global Geopark extends beyond the settlement of Durness and Loch Eriboll to follow the Moine Thrust Zone, an internationally significant geological structure that helped 19th century geologists determine how the world's great mountain ranges were formed. https://www.nwhgeopark.com/ 

Biosffer Dyfi Biosphere Reserve 

The area around the river Dyfi

 is a special place for its people, its culture and the local environment. It hosts some of the finest and most inspiring landscapes and wildlife areas in Europe, as well as a passionate community that care strongly about their magnificent surroundings. https://www.dyfibiosphere.wales/

UNESCO World Heritage Sites 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific, or other form of significance. The sites are judged to contain cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/ 

Creative Cities 

UNESCO Creative Cities have placed imagination and creative talent at the heart of its strategy for local economic and social development. These cities are joined in their desire to put creativity at the heart of their future. https://unesco.org.uk/creative-cities/ 

Global Geoparks 

UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development. https://www.unesco.org/en/iggp/geoparks/about 

Biosphere Reserves 

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems. Each site promotes the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/about 

The UK National Commission for UNESCO 

The UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC) is a constitutional part of the UK’s membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). https://unesco.org.uk/Dyfi 

 www.unesco.org 

 Liam Smyth at liam.smyth@unesco.org.uk 

 www.visitgreenwich.org.uk 

 Su Whiting at Su@visitgreenwich.org.uk