Spain's World Heritage Sites

To the average tourist, Spain means beaches and sun. But anyone who has some knowledge of European and World History knows that Spain is one of the world's major cultural and heritage centers.

The country has almost the most entries on the World Heritage List, next only to Italy.

Till date, 31 sites in Spain have been included in the World Heritage List.

Spain's World Heritage Sites include:

The Alhambra, Generalife, and Albayzin; Granada

The Alhambra, and its extension, the Generalife, are the most important pieces of architectural heritage from the Nasrides (the last of the Spanish Muslim dynasties).

Mosque of Cordoba

The great Cordoba Mosque, irreplaceable proof of the civilisation of the Caliphate of Cordoba (929-1031), harbours one of the most beautiful architectural designs ever carried out, with the 19 aisles of its hall containing a forest of columns, the curious overlapping arches and the beautiful ribbed cupola.

Burgos Cathedral

Begun in 1221, this Gothic cathedral was not completed until 1567. The bones of 'El Cid' were placed here in 1919.

Monastery and Site of the Escorial; Madrid

The Monastery of El Escorial, which was the model of what came to be called the 'Herrera style' of great influence inside and outside Spain, is a palace and at the same time a convent, a church and a pantheon.

Parque Guell, Palacio Guell and Casa Mila; Barcelona

These works by Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926) may be seen as truly universal in view of the diverse cultural sources that inspired them. They represent an eclectic as well as a very personal style which was given free reign not only in the field of architecture but also in gardens, sculpture and all forms of decorative art.

Altamira Cave

The cave, limestone erosions in a plateau, consists of a series of rooms and passages shaped like an 's' with an approximate length of 270 m. It habitation dates from the Aurignacian period, but it was used more intensely in the Solutrean and Magdalenian periods, proof of which it the abundant stone material collected as well as the carbon-14 method used to date the organic remains found inside.

Old Town of Segovia, including its aqueduct

The city has military origins since it occupied a strategic position which was defended by the Iberians in charge of controlling the access to the Duero Valley. The aqueduct, a thousands-of-years old Roman construction, was built to channel water from the River Frio to Segovia, about 18 km way.

Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)

This famous pilgrimage site in north-west Spain became a symbol in the Spanish Christians' struggle against Islam. Destroyed by the Muslims at the end of the 10th century, it was completely rebuilt in the following century. A beautiful city in its own right, Santiago de Compostela was assured of its status as a tourist magnet many centuries ago. The Apostle Saint James - the first of the twelve apostles to suffer martyrdom - is said to have been buried here, and since the 10th century AD the city has been a focus for the pilgrimage along the Way of the Apostle Saint James.

Other Spanish World Heritage sites include:

Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias, Old Town of Avila, including its Extra Muros churches, Mudejar Architecture of Aragon (formerly Teruel), Historic City of Toledo, Garajonay National Park, Old Town of Caceres, Old City of Salamanca, Poblet Monastery, Archaeological Ensemble of Merida, Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe, Donana National Park, Historic Walled Town of Cuenca, 'La Lonja de la Seda' of Valencia, San Millan Yuso and Suso Monasteries, University and Historic Precinct of Alcala de Henares, Rock- Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula, Ibiza's Biodiversity and Culture, San Cristobal de La Laguna, The archaeological ensemble of Tarraco, The Palmeral of Elche, Roman Walls of Lugo, Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boi, Archaeological Site of Atapuerca, Aranjuez Cultural Landscape and Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Ubeda and Baeza.

Back 17.04.2006.