“Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” _ World Heritage Center – UNESCO

World Heritage Sites are natural or built landmarks, from all over the world, which have been deemed valuable to humanity by the UNESCO. The UNESCO selects these sites based on a list of 10 selection criteria. If the building satisfies just one of them then it can be included in the World Heritage List. The 10 selection criteria are divided into cultural and natural criteria. The cultural criteria, for example, include points like: “to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;” and “to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.” On the other hand, the natural criteria include points like: “to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.”

(Read more via arch2o.com)