7+ Criteria for selecting world heritage sites

7+ Criteria for selecting world heritage sites

World Heritage site is a designation for place on earth that are outstanding universal value to humanity; such places have been inscribed on a World Heritage site list to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. And so, today we will know 7+ Exclusive Criteria To Select World Heritage Sites.

★. It is administrated by UNESCO (United nation educational, scientific and cultural organisation).

★. Heritage is our bequest from the past, what we live today and what we pass to the future generations our culture and natural Heritage are legally protected by international  treaties. they are chosen important to the collective  interest of humanity.

There are three types of Heritage site

1. Cultural heritage site - Most of these sites are now attractions for international travelers and are fully integrated into the tourism industry. There are many definitions of cultural tourism, however they share the following elements: experiencing first-hand a built heritage or a living culture. 

2. Natural Heritage site - Natural heritage refers to natural features, geological and physiographical formations and delineated areas that constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants and natural sites of value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.

3. Mixed 

★. As of 14th August 2020, there are 1121 Heritage site all over the world in 167 countries. In which 869 our cultural heritage site ,213 our natural Heritage site and 39 and mixed.

★. Italy and China have largest number of world heritage property i.e. 55. India have 39 Heritage sites.

★.The designation of World Heritage site to a place attract international attention towards it. World tourism industry ready to invest for the development of infrastructure which promote tourism.

★.it attracts foreign tourists towards it. foreign tourism play a vital role in the economic growth of a country.

List Of Indian Heritage Sites

• Cultural Heritage Sites

1. Agra fort(1983)

2. Ajanta caves(1983)

3. Ellora caves(1983)

4. Taj Mahal(1983)

5. Group of monument of Mahabalipuram(1984)

6. Sun Tenple , Konark(1984)

7. Churches and convents of Goa(1986)

8. Fatehpur sikari (1986)

9. Group of monument of Hampi (1986)

10. Khajuraho group of monuments (1986)

11. Elephanta caves (1987)

12. Great living chola temples (1987,2004)

13. Group of monuments at Pattadakal(1987)

14. Buddhist monument at sanchi(1989)

15. Humayun tomb, Delhi (1983)

16. Qutub minar and its monument, Delhi (1993)

17. Mountain railways of India (1999, 2005, 2008)

18. Mahabodhi temple complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)

19. Rock centres at Bhimnetka(2003)

20. Champaner- pavagadh archaeological park(2004)

21. Chhatrapati shivaji terminus (formaly victoria terminus)(2004)

22. Red fort complex (2007)

23. The jantar mantar ,jaipur(2010)

24. Hill forts of Rajasthan (2013)

25. Rani-ki-Vav (the queen's Stepwell) at patam, Gujarat .(2014)

26. Archaeological site of Nalanda mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar(2016)

27.The architectural work of Le corbusier an outstanding contribution to the modern movement*(2016)

28. Historic city of Ahmedabad (2017)

29. Victorian Gothic and art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai.(2018)

30. Jaipur city, Rajasthan.

• Natural sites

31. Kaziranga National park (1985)

32. Keoladeo National park (1985)

33. Manas wildlife sanctuary

34. Sundarban National park (1987)

35. Nanda devi and valley flowers National park (1988,2005)

36. Western ghats (2012)

37. Great Himalayan National park and conservation (2014)

• Mixed

38. Khangchenzona National park (2016)

The criteria for selection of World Heritage Sites

1. First criteria for selecting world heritage sites is  "represent a masterpiece of human creative genius and cultural significance."

2. second Points that come with criteria for selecting world heritage sites "exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or, within a cultural area of the world,  on development in architecture or technology, monuments, town planning or landscape design."

3. Third point on criteria for selecting world heritage sites is "to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared."

4. "is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlements land use or sea use. which is representative of a culture, or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the part of a reversible change."

5. "is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance." It's fifth criteria for selecting world heritage sites.

6. "contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance."

7. "is an outstanding example representing major stages of Earth's history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological process in the development of  landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features." An interesting criteria for selecting world heritage sites

8. "is an outstanding example representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and Marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals."

9. "contains the most important and significant natural habitats for insitu conservation of biological diversity, including those containing species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science and conservation."

NOTE:-until the end of 2004, World Heritage sites were selected on the basis of six cultural and four natural criteria. with the adoption of revised operational guidelines for the implementation of world heritage convention, only one set of 10 criteria exist. And we are telling you those such criteria for selecting world heritage sites.

Conclusion

So now all are clear with these 7+ Criteria for selecting world heritage sites A with natural habitat and tourism we saw significance of landforms too and living traditional which are used as a criteria for these heritage.

*All above information are taken from the official website of world heritage sites.