What is World Heritage?

In 1972 UNESCO, the United Nations’ organisation for education, science, culture and communication ratified a convention for the preservation of world culture and natural heritage.

Odd Sletten

The Convention established a system for making a record,
or list of places in the world, which, because of their universal value, should be considered as world heritage sites for future generations, and the whole of humanity.

In accordance with the Convention an international committee dealing with world heritage was formed. The committee held its first meeting in Paris in 1977.At the committee’s second meeting the first 12 sites were approved and put on the list, among them were: the Galapagos Islands,
The historical centre of Krakov, and Yellowstone Park.

The committee held its last meeting in Durban in July 2005 where, among others: Struve meridian, Geiranger Fjord and Naroyfjorden were included on the list. After this meeting the number of sites totalled 812, of which 7 are in, or partly in Norway.

The Brygge in Bergen (the old quayside area) (1979)
Urnes Stavkirke (1979)
The mining town of Røros (1980)
Hellerristningene at Alta (rock carvings) 1985
Vegaoyen (2004)
Geirangerfjorden and Naeroyfjorden (2005)
Struves triangle (2005)

Read more:
Unesco World Heritage
Unesco Nordic World Heritage Foundation