List of World Heritage Sites in Malta

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.[1] Malta ratified the convention on 14 November 1978, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.[2]

Sites in Malta were first inscribed on the list at the 4th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France in 1980. At that session, three sites were added: "Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum", "City of Valletta" and "Ġgantija Temples".[3] In 1992, the latter was renamed "Megalithic Temples of Malta", and was extended to include the temples of Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Ta' Ħaġrat, Skorba and Tarxien.[4]

World Heritage Sites

The table lists information about each World Heritage Site:

Name: as listed by the World Heritage Committee
Location: city and region of site
Area: size of property and buffer zone
UNESCO data: the site's reference number; the year the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List; the criteria it was listed under: criteria i through vi are cultural, while vii through x are natural; (the column sorts by year added to the list)
Description: brief description of the site
Name Image Location Area
ha (acre)		 UNESCO data Description
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum An underground necropolis. Paola,  Malta
35°52′16.824″N 14°30′26.604″E / 35.87134000°N 14.50739000°E / 35.87134000; 14.50739000 (Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum)		 0.13 (0.32) 130; 1980; iii A large subterranean structure dating back to the Saflieni phase. It was probably originally a temple, but it became a necropolis in prehistoric times.[5]
City of Valletta Skyline of a city with a church dome and bell tower. Valletta,  Malta
35°54′2.016″N 14°30′51.984″E / 35.90056000°N 14.51444000°E / 35.90056000; 14.51444000 (Valletta)		 56 (140) 131; 1980; i, vi A fortified city from the late Renaissance period, containing 320 monuments within a small area.[6]
Megalithic Temples of Malta Façade of a prehistoric temple made up of large megaliths. Xagħra, Qrendi, Mġarr and Tarxien,  Malta
36°2′56.668″N 14°16′10.092″E / 36.04907444°N 14.26947000°E / 36.04907444; 14.26947000 (Megalithic Temples of Malta)		 3.16 (7.8) 132; 1980;[lower-alpha 1] iv A series of prehistoric temples in various parts of the Maltese islands, which are among the oldest free-standing structures in the world.[7]

Tentative List

In addition to the sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site has previously been listed on the tentative list.[8]

As of 2016, Malta was recording seven such sites on its tentative list. These sites, along with the year they were first included in the tentative list are:[2]

Name Image Location Year Description
Coastal Cliffs Limestone cliffs overlooking the sea. various locations in Malta, Gozo, Comino, Cominotto and Filfla,  Malta
35°50′49.2″N 14°23′11.9″E / 35.847000°N 14.386639°E / 35.847000; 14.386639 (Coastal Cliffs)		 1998 Cliffed coastline in various parts of the Maltese Islands, containing a rich biodiversity of rare flora and fauna.[9]
Qawra/Dwejra Natural limestone arch. San Lawrenz, Gozo,  Malta
36°3′12.8″N 14°11′18.1″E / 36.053556°N 14.188361°E / 36.053556; 14.188361 (Qawra/Dwejra)		 1998 Bay containing various geological features, including the Azure Window, the Fungus Rock and the Inland Sea.[10]
Cittadella (Victoria – Gozo) Skyline of a small fortified city. Victoria, Gozo,  Malta
36°2′47″N 14°14′22″E / 36.04639°N 14.23944°E / 36.04639; 14.23944 (Cittadella (Victoria – Gozo))		 1998 Small fortified city dating back to the medieval and early modern periods.[11]
Knights' Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta View of a fortress. Birgu, Senglea, Floriana, Cospicua, Kalkara, Gżira and Sliema,  Malta
35°53′31″N 14°31′6″E / 35.89194°N 14.51833°E / 35.89194; 14.51833 (Knights' Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta)		 1998 System of bastioned fortifications built by the Order of St. John between the 16th and 18th centuries, with further alterations made by the British in the 19th and 20th centuries. Includes Fort St. Angelo, the fortifications of Birgu and Senglea, the Floriana Lines, the Santa Margherita Lines, the Cottonera Lines, Fort Ricasoli, Fort Manoel and Fort Tigné.[12]
Mdina (Città Vecchia) Aerial view of a fortified medieval city. Mdina,  Malta
35°53′9″N 14°24′11″E / 35.88583°N 14.40306°E / 35.88583; 14.40306 (Mdina (Città Vecchia))		 1998 Small fortified city with a mainly medieval character but also significant Baroque elements.[13]
Maltese Catacomb Complexes Inside a rock-hewn catacomb complex. various locations on the main island of Malta,  Malta
35°52′50.5″N 14°23′51.4″E / 35.880694°N 14.397611°E / 35.880694; 14.397611 (Maltese Catacomb Complexes)		 1998 Series of early Christian catacomb complexes.[14]
Victoria Lines Fortifications View of a valley with a fortified bridge cutting across it. Rabat, Mġarr, Mosta, Naxxar and Għargħur,  Malta
35°54′12.7″N 14°22′43.5″E / 35.903528°N 14.378750°E / 35.903528; 14.378750 (Victoria Lines Fortifications)		 1998 Line of fortifications built in the 19th century.[15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Extended in 1992

References

  1. ↑ "The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Malta". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015.
  3. ↑ "Report of the Rapporteur on the Fourth Session of the World Heritage Committee". UNESCO. 29 September 1980. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Report of the Rapporteur on the Sixteenth Session of the World Heritage Committee". UNESCO. 14 December 1992. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "City of Valletta". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Megalithic Temples of Malta". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Tentative Lists". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Coastal Cliffs". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "Qawra/Dwejra". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Cittadella (Victoria – Gozo)". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Knights' Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Mdina (Città Vecchia)". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016.
  14. ↑ "Coastal Cliffs". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015.
  15. ↑ "Victoria Lines Fortifications". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
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