There were already 58 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy, and now they’ve added the 59°. Completely natural, it is the result of thousands of years of water erosion.
The new site includes the Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines, in Emilia- Romagna. The site is an unusually well-preserved and extensive epigenic gypsum karst terrain. It includes a very high density of caves: over 900 caves in a relatively small area, with over 100 km of caves in total. It is the first and the best studied evaporitic karst in the world, with academic work beginning in the 16th century. It also includes some of the deepest gypsum caves in existence, reaching 265 meters below the surface.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the latest update
The fifty-ninth Italian UNESCO site was added on the occasion of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee concluded on the 25th September in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This year, the Committee has added 42 new sites and has approved the extension of 5 sites already on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, bringing the total number of protected sites to 1199 in 168 countries around the world. Present in Riyadh were representatives of the 195 member states of the World Heritage Convention and almost 300 civil society organisations. They worked together to find ways of dealing with the major global challenges that the heritage has to face: climate change, urban development and demographic pressure, armed conflict and mass tourism. Furthermore, UNESCO presented innovative studies and solutions for management and conservation, as well as for raising public awareness, such as the interactive tool ‘Dive into Heritage’, which from 2025 will enable the public at large to explore World Heritage sites online.
Italy, the country with the most UNESCO sites in the world.
Italy is confirmed as the ‘Belpaese’ par excellence with a staggering 59 UNESCO World Heritage: an inestimable wealth of tangible and intangible assets. This is not just about works created by human craft. Many of UNESCO’s protected sites are mountains, woods and valleys: environments that have contributed to the solidity of Italian culture with their grandeur and importance. Every year, millions of people come to Italy to admire the beauty of these sites. What makes them even more attractive is the fact that these places are accessible and easy to reach. Trenitalia, lead partner in the passenger focus group of the FS group, offers the possibility of discovering Italy on board of Frecciarossa, Intercity and regional trains, including integrated solutions that further enhance the traveller’s experience. The collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and Trenitalia, with the aim of enhancing Italian artistic-cultural attractions, has led to the inauguration of Frecciarossa Roma – Pompei, a direct line operating in summer that allows many tourists, native and foreign, to reach one of the most famous World Heritage sites in the world every Sunday, leaving from the capital.
Unique emotions with True Italian Experience
Many cultural assets speak for themselves and have no need of an introduction. There are places, however, that can only be fully appreciated with a guide to lead visitors through them. This is why True Italian Experience was created, a travel hub with a wide range of destinations and experiences that allow visitors to completely immerse themselves in the culture of the place. From archaeological sites from Pompei and Agrigento to Matera, from the soft hills of the Langhe to the magnificence of the Colosseum in Rome and the Verona Arena, these experiences will leave you with unique and indelible memories.
