Founded in 1191, recognized as world heritage site in 1983. Photo by Michael Schneeberger, © 2009 Bear Park Bern

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland was easily elected to the committee that designates world heritage sites for Unesco 26 October in Paris. There are 890 world heritage sites globally and 10 of them are in Switzerland.

Switzerland promises to use its expertise and experience to promote a global strategy for a World Heritage List that is “balanced, representative and credible”, the Federal Office of Cultural Affairs says. Switzerland contributes to the maintenance of world heritage sites as part of  its development cooperation policy, for instance in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, in Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and in Bulgaria’s Pirin National Park.

Switzerland joined Unesco in 1948 and ratified the World Heritage Convention in 1975. Three years later it was elected to the committee for the first time.

World Heritage Sites in Switzerland:

1983    Old City of Berne
1983    Benedictine Convent of St. John in Müstair
1983    Convent of St. Gall
2000   Three Castles, Defensive Walls and Ramparts of the Medieval Town of Bellinzone
2001    Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (extended in 2007)
2003   Monte San Giorgio
2007   Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces
2008   Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes
2008   Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona
2009   La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Town Planning for Clock-making

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.