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Travel & Experiences

Offbeat Traveler: UNESCO World Heritage sites

Fountain Valley resident Gene Minick captured this photo of Holy Trinity Monastery during a trip to Greece in May. It is one of several monasteries still in use.

Year inscribed: 1988

Location: Greece

The six monasteries of Meteora are perched on rock pinnacles (in Greek, “Meteora” means “suspended in the air”), some built as high as 1,800 feet. The monasteries date as far back as the 14th century, when monastic living was embraced by the surrounding region. Though six remain, 24 were originally built. More photos...  (Milos Bicanski / Getty Images)

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On Nov. 16, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) celebrates the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, an international treaty that set out to preserve important cultural and natural sites. The convention laid the foundation for the UNESCO World Heritage List, defining the criteria for which sites should be included.

The first World Heritage List, which included the Galapagos Islands, Yellowstone National Park and Quito, Ecuador, debuted in 1978. Since then, almost 1,000 sites have been inscribed, at a rate of about two dozen each year. Here’s a look at a few World Heritage sites we’ve mentioned on this blog.

Year inscribed: 1988 Location: Turkey Pamukkale, popular since ancient times, consists of 17 hot water springs created by volcanic activity. The name itself means "Cotton Castle," which describes the fluffy-looking mineral deposits. More photos...

Year inscribed: 1988

Location: Turkey

Pamukkale, popular since ancient times, consists of 17 hot water springs created by volcanic activity. The name itself means “Cotton Castle,” which describes the fluffy-looking mineral deposits. More photos...  (Mustafa Ozer / AFP / Getty Images)

Year inscribed: 2007 Location: South Korea Jeju Island lies about 50 miles south of the Korean peninsula. The island comprises three noteworthy sites: Geomunoreum lava tubes, Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone and Mount Halla (pictured). UNESCO considers Geomunoreum the finest lava tube system in the world due to its multicolored and elaborate rock formations. The Seongsan Ilchulbong lava cone rises starkly from the ocean, making for an impressive sight. Mount Halla features waterfalls, rock formations and a lake-filled crater at its peak.

Year inscribed: 2007

Location: South Korea

Jeju Island lies about 50 miles south of the Korean peninsula. The island comprises three noteworthy sites: Geomunoreum lava tubes, Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone and Mount Halla (pictured). UNESCO considers Geomunoreum the finest lava tube system in the world due to its multicolored and elaborate rock formations. The Seongsan Ilchulbong lava cone rises starkly from the ocean, making for an impressive sight. Mount Halla features waterfalls, rock formations and a lake-filled crater at its peak.  (Jeju Provincial Government / EPA)

Year inscribed: 1986 Location: Northern Ireland The Giant's Causeway, at the foot of basalt cliffs in Northern Ireland, is made up of 40,000 black basalt columns jutting out of the ocean. Volcanic activity 50 million to 60 million years ago created these step-like columns on the edge of the Antrim plateau. The tops of the causeway columns form "stepping stones" that lead from the foot of the cliff and disappear under the sea. Legend has it that the mythical hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to aid in the fight against Benandonner, his Scottish counterpart.

Year inscribed: 1986

Location: Northern Ireland

The Giant’s Causeway, at the foot of basalt cliffs in Northern Ireland, is made up of 40,000 black basalt columns jutting out of the ocean. Volcanic activity 50 million to 60 million years ago created these step-like columns on the edge of the Antrim plateau.

The tops of the causeway columns form “stepping stones” that lead from the foot of the cliff and disappear under the sea. Legend has it that the mythical hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to aid in the fight against Benandonner, his Scottish counterpart.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Year inscribed: 1994 Location: Venezuela Canaima National Park's chief draw is Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall, which plunges 3,212 feet from the top of Auyan-Tepui (Devil's Mountain) to the Churun River in eastern Venezuela. The waterfall is named after James Angel, an American aviator who flew over the falls in 1933. More photos...

Year inscribed: 1994

Location: Venezuela

Canaima National Park’s chief draw is Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, which plunges 3,212 feet from the top of Auyan-Tepui (Devil’s Mountain) to the Churun River in eastern Venezuela. The waterfall is named after James Angel, an American aviator who flew over the falls in 1933. More photos...  (Thomas Coex / AFP / Getty Images)

Year inscribed: 1991 Location: Indonesia Komodo National Park is the only place in the world where you'll find Komodo dragons, the world's largest extant lizard species. They're about as close as you'll get to living dinosaurs. More photos...

Year inscribed: 1991

Location: Indonesia

Komodo National Park is the only place in the world where you’ll find Komodo dragons, the world’s largest extant lizard species. They’re about as close as you’ll get to living dinosaurs. More photos...  (Romeo Gacad / AFP / Getty Images)

Year inscribed: 2007 Location: France Up until a few years ago, quirky Mont St. Michel, a tidal island (tides vary as much as 50 feet) located off the coast of Normandy, France, was in danger of losing its maritime identity. In the 19th century a causeway connecting the island to the mainland was built, preventing the sea from washing away silt that collected around the island. A dam that rose in 1969 had a similar effect. Land slowly crept up on the island. Now Mont St. Michel, which receives almost 2 1/2 million visitors a year, is undergoing a face-lift aimed at turning back the accumulated sands of time. In 2009, a new dam was completed. This one pushes sediment back into the sea. In April, the parking lot that rested on the causeway was closed and a new lot on the mainland opened. Construction on a bridge connecting the island to the mainland is underway. After it's completed in 2014, the existing causeway will be demolished, allowing water to flow around the island. More photos...

Year inscribed: 2007

Location: France

Up until a few years ago, quirky Mont St. Michel, a tidal island (tides vary as much as 50 feet) located off the coast of Normandy, France, was in danger of losing its maritime identity. In the 19th century a causeway connecting the island to the mainland was built, preventing the sea from washing away silt that collected around the island. A dam that rose in 1969 had a similar effect. Land slowly crept up on the island. Now Mont St. Michel, which receives almost 2 1/2 million visitors a year, is undergoing a face-lift aimed at turning back the accumulated sands of time.

In 2009, a new dam was completed. This one pushes sediment back into the sea. In April, the parking lot that rested on the causeway was closed and a new lot on the mainland opened. Construction on a bridge connecting the island to the mainland is underway. After it’s completed in 2014, the existing causeway will be demolished, allowing water to flow around the island. More photos...  (Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP/Getty Images)

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