The Great Book of World Heritage Sites

The founding convention of the World Heritage list, approved in Paris by UNESCO three years earlier, came into force on December 17, 1975. Since then, 180 countries have signed the Convention, which now protects over 700 natural and cultural properties located in 135 countries. This priceless inventory of the wonders of the world encompasses places that have marked the evolution of life on Earth and areas where humanity began to develop, unspoiled natural parks, the legacy of marvelous civilizations that have long disappeared, lavish royal residences, masterpieces of art and architecture, sites sacred to the world's great religions, and the groundbreaking works of the industrial age. We have chosen 110 properties on all continents and from all eras, and have brought them together in a a single volume illustrating the most extraordinary treasures of our planet. This book offers an overview of natural and cultural resources around the world, and it takes a look at the enormous challenge undertaken by UNESCO to protect and preserve them.