Rock Drawings in Valcamonica | Rock Drawings in Valcamonica | | Brescia | 1979 | 94; iii, vi (cultural) | Valcamonica is home to one of the largest collections of petroglyphs in the world. Over 140,000 carvings were created in the valley over a period of 8,000 years from the Epipalaeolithic to the Middle Ages. They depict scenes from agriculture, navigation, war, and magic. |
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura* | Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura* | | Metropolitan City of Rome Capital | 1980 | 91ter; i, ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) | The city of Rome was the centre of the Roman Empire, and later, of the Christian world. It is home to a large number of major monuments of antiquity, including the Colosseum (pictured), the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum, as well as buildings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Originally listed as the "Historic Centre of Rome", the site was expanded in 1990 and renamed to the current name. Another boundary modification took place in 2015. The site is shared with the Holy See. |
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci | Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci | | Metropolitan City of Milan | 1980 | 93; i, ii (cultural) | The complex of the Dominican Convent in Milan was constructed in the second half of the 15th century; it is partially attributed to Bramante. The northern wall of the reflectory of the convent features the mural of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, a masterpiece of High Renaissance art. |
Historic Centre of Florence | Historic Centre of Florence | | Metropolitan City of Florence | 1982 | 174ter; i, ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) | The city of Florence is the symbol of the Renaissance and was an important centre of Renaissance humanism. It has had a profound influence on the architecture and arts of Italy and Europe, being associated with artists such as Giotto, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, and Michelangelo. Monuments in the city include the Florence Cathedral, Basilica of Santa Croce, the Uffizi, and the Palazzo Pitti. Minor boundary modifications of the site took place in 2015 and 2021. Piazza della Signoria is pictured. |
| Venice and its Lagoon | | Metropolitan City of Venice | 1987 | 394; i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi (cultural) | The city of Venice was founded in the 5th century and developed into a major maritime power, the Republic of Venice, in the 10th century. It is built on over 100 islands in the lagoon and contains monuments such as the St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and numerous churches and bridges. Even after its decline in political power, Venice remained influential in the field of arts, with the innovations by painters Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, and Tiepolo. Venice is also associated with the 13th-century explorer Marco Polo. |
| Piazza del Duomo, Pisa | | Pisa | 1987 | 395bis; i, ii, iv, vi (cultural) | Piazza dei Miracoli is one of the finest medieval architectural complexes in the world and comprises four masterpieces from the 11th to 14th century: the cathedral, the baptistry, the cemetery, and the leaning tower. The Pisan Romanesque style developed here was influential in other Tuscan cities. The complex is also associated with Galileo Galilei, who conducted his experiments there. A minor boundary modification took place in 2007. |
Historic Centre of San Gimignano | Historic Centre of San Gimignano | | Siena | 1990 | 550; i, iii, iv (cultural) | The town of San Gimignano was an important stop for pilgrims on the Via Francigena in the Middle Ages. The city preserves its medieval character, with its most prominent feature being the high towers, built between the 11th and the 13th century by noble families and upper middle-class merchants. Fourteen of these towers have survived to the present day. Churches and palaces of the town are home to several masterpieces of artists from the 14th and 15th centuries. |
The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera | The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera | | Matera | 1993 | 670; iii, iv, v (cultural) | This site comprises two districts of Matera, with cave dwellings first occupied in the Paleolithic. People inhabited the natural caves in the karst plateau of Murge and later started carving and building more elaborate structures, including churches, monasteries, and hermitages. The Romanesque Matera Cathedral dates to the 13th century. |
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto | City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto | | Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Metropolitan City of Venice, Verona, Vicenza | 1994 | 712; i, ii (cultural) | In the 16th century, while under the Republic of Venice, several villas were built in the city of Vicenza and the surrounding Veneto region by the architect Andrea Palladio (1508–80). His designs had a profound influence on the architecture and inspired the Palladian style. Originally listed in 1994 as "Vicenza, City of Palladio", the site was expanded in 1996 to include several villas in the region. Villa Chiericati is pictured. |
| Historic Centre of Siena | | Siena | 1995 | 717; i, ii, iv (cultural) | The city of Siena has preserved its medieval Gothic character from the 12th to 15th century. The city is built around the Piazza del Campo. Several important Renaissance painters worked and were born in Siena, including Duccio, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini. The Siena Cathedral is pictured. |
Historic Centre of Naples | Historic Centre of Naples | | Metropolitan City of Naples | 1995 | 726bis; ii, iv (cultural) | Naples, founded in 470 BCE by Greek colonists, was one of the most important cities of Magna Grecia, of the Roman Republic, and the capital of the Kingdom of Naples under several royal houses. It was highly influential on European arts and architecture. Some of the important monuments include the Church of Santa Chiara from the 14th century, the Castel Nuovo from the 13th century (pictured), and the Royal Palace from the 17th century. A minor boundary modification took place in 2011. |
| Crespi d'Adda | | Bergamo | 1995 | 730; iv, v (cultural) | Crespi d'Adda is a well preserved company town built in the 19th and 20th centuries for the workforce of a textile manufacturer Cristoforo Crespi. The town includes both residential buildings and common public services such as a clinic, a school, theatre, and sports centre. Some of the buildings are still in use. |
Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta | Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta | | Ferrara | 1995 | 733bis; ii, iii, iv, v, vi (cultural) | Ferrara, the seat of the House of Este, was an intellectual and artistic centre during the Italian Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries. It attracted artists to decorate several mansions and palaces (Este Castle pictured), while the architectural school influenced the styles in Italy and Europe. Originally listed as "Ferrara, city of the Renaissance", the site was expanded in 1999 to include the cultural landscape of the Po Delta. |
| Castel del Monte | | Barletta-Andria-Trani | 1996 | 398rev; i, ii, iii (cultural) | The octagonal castle was built by Emperor Frederick II in the 13th century. It blends northern European Cistercian Gothic, Muslim architecture, and elements from Classical antiquity in a perfectly symmetrical design. |
The Trulli of Alberobello | The Trulli of Alberobello | | Bari | 1996 | 787; iii, iv, v (cultural) | The trulli are traditional limestone huts, typical of the Apulia region. They were constructed from at least the mid-14th century in a prehistoric drywall technique, usually featuring conical, domed or pyramidal roofs of corbelled stone slabs. The World Heritage Site lists the trulli in the town of Alberobello, with over 1500 preserved structures. |
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna | Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna | | Ravenna | 1996 | 788; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | This site comprises eight monuments in the city of Ravenna, which was the seat of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. The churches and mausolea are decorated with mosaics of outstanding artistic quality that mix motifs from Western and Byzantine arts. The Basilica of San Vitale is pictured. |
Historic Centre of the City of Pienza | Historic Centre of the City of Pienza | | Siena | 1996 | 789; i, ii, iv (cultural) | In 1459, Pope Pius II decided to transform his hometown of Pienza according to Renaissance Humanist ideas of urban design. The project was supervised by the architect Bernardo Rossellino who built new squares, churches, and palaces. Pienza was later a model for urban development in other Italian and European cities. |
18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex | 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex | | Caserta and Benevento | 1997 | 549rev; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | This large scale palace complex was commissioned by the Bourbon King of Naples Charles III in the mid-18th century. It was designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli and inspired by palaces in Versailles and Madrid. Following the ideas of the Enlightenment, the complex is well integrated into the landscape. The site includes an aqueduct and the industrial complex of San Leucio where silk was produced. |
Residences of the Royal House of Savoy | Residences of the Royal House of Savoy | | Metropolitan City of Turin, Cuneo | 1997 | 823bis; i, ii, iv, v (cultural) | This site comprises 22 palaces and villas constructed to demonstrate the power of the ruling monarchy following the move of the capital of the House of Savoy to Turin by Emmanuel Philibert in 1562. The buildings, mostly in Baroque style, are representative of 17th and 18th century European monumental architecture. A minor boundary modification took place in 2010. The Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi is pictured. |
Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua | Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua | | Padua | 1997 | 824; ii, iii (cultural) | Padua's botanical garden was founded in 1545 as the world's first university botanical garden. It has been a centre of scientific research for centuries, as well as a template for other gardens. It was renovated in the 18th century but still retains its original layout. |
Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) | Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) | | La Spezia | 1997 | 826bis; ii, iv, v (cultural) | The cultural landscape along the Ligurian coast has been shaped by humans over the past millennium. There are several scenic small towns built among the steep rugged terrain, and the land has been converted to terraces. There are also three islands off the coast with remains of early monastic buildings. A minor boundary modification took place in 2021. A church in Porto Venere is pictured. |
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena | Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena | | Modena | 1997 | 827; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | The 12th-century complex, comprising the cathedral, the tower, and the square, is an excellent example of early Romanesque art, with strong influence on the development of the style. The cathedral was designed by the architect Lanfranco and decorated by the sculptor Wiligelmo. |
Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata | Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata | | Metropolitan City of Naples | 1997 | 829; iii, iv, v (cultural) | This site comprises three sites that were buried under volcanic ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. The towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum are two Roman towns that have been preserved completely and provide insight into the life in the 1st century CE while the two villas at Torre Annunziata have well preserved wall paintings. The sites have been progressively excavated since the mid-18th century. |
Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) | Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) | | Salerno | 1997 | 830; ii, iv, v (cultural) | The Mediterranean cultural landscape of the Amalfi Coast was shaped prominently during the time of the medieval Duchy of Amalfi (from the 9th to 11th century) in a mixture of Western and Byzantine influences. The coast includes towns, such as Amalfi and Ravello, as well as vineyards, orchards, and pastures, at the point where the mountains are touching the sea. |
Archaeological Area of Agrigento | Archaeological Area of Agrigento | | Agrigento | 1997 | 831; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | Agrigento, a Greek colony founded in the 6th century BCE, developed into one of the major cities of Magna Graecia and of the Mediterranean. Several Doric temples have been preserved, and they represent one of the most notable sites of Greek art and culture. |
| Villa Romana del Casale | | Enna | 1997 | 832; i, ii, iii (cultural) | The villa in Piazza Armerina is one of the most luxurious Roman villas built in the early 4th century, and is a representative example of the economy and social structure of its period. It is richly decorated with mosaics of exceptional quality, it represents the finest in situ collection of Roman mosaics in the world. |
| Su Nuraxi di Barumini | | South Sardinia | 1997 | 833; i, iii, iv (cultural) | Su Nuraxi is the finest and the most complete example of nuraghe, a defensive megalithic structure of the Bronze Age Nuragic civilization of the 2nd millennium BCE. Unique to Sardinia, nuraghi are circular defensive towers in the form of truncated cones with internal chambers. The one at Su Nuraxi was originally over 18.5 m (61 ft) high. The site was abandoned in the 6th century BCE and most nuraghi went out of use after Roman colonization in the 2nd century BCE. |
Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia | Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia | | Udine | 1998 | 825ter; iii, iv, vi (cultural) | Aquileia was one of the wealthiest cities of the early Roman Empire. In 452, it was sacked by the Huns under Attila; most of the ancient city now remains preserved and unexcavated. The Patriarchal Basilica, with its mosaic floors, dates to the 4th century. It was rebuilt between the 11th and 14th centuries. It played a major role in the spreading of Christianity to a large part of Central Europe in the early Middle Ages. Minor boundary modifications took place in 2017 and 2018. |
Historic Centre of Urbino | Historic Centre of Urbino | | Pesaro and Urbino | 1998 | 828; ii, iv (cultural) | In the 15th century, Urbino flourished under the leadership of Federico da Montefeltro, a humanist who attracted some of the most prominent scientists and artists to the city. The city's Renaissance architecture has been largely preserved as Urbino entered cultural and economic stagnation from the 16th century onward. |
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula | Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula | | Salerno | 1998 | 842; iii, iv (cultural) | The cultural landscape was shaped by different societies through centuries, including Etruscans, Lucanians, Greek colonists, and later Romans. The site includes the remains of Paestum and Velia, two major towns from classical times. The Carthusian monastery Certosa di Padula dates to 1306, although most of the present buildings are from the 17th and 18th centuries in the Baroque style. |
| Villa Adriana, Tivoli | | Metropolitan City of Rome Capital | 1999 | 907; i, ii, iii (cultural) | Villa Adriana or "Hadrian's Villa" in Tivoli, outside Rome, was built in the 2nd century CE as a retreat for the Emperor Hadrian. It combines architectural elements from Greece, Egypt, and Rome. The complex includes residential and recreational buildings, gardens, and pools. Its rediscovery in the mid-15th century influenced the architects of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. |
| City of Verona | | Verona | 2000 | 797rev; ii, iv (cultural) | Verona, founded as a Roman town in the 1st century BCE, has developed uninterruptedly for over 2,000 years and preserves urban structures and monuments from different periods. They include the Roman amphiteatre and Roman gate, the Gothic Scaliger Tombs (pictured), as well as several historic squares and palaces. |
Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) | Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) | | Messina | 2000 | 908; viii (natural) | This archipelago off the coast of Sicily has been extensively studied by geologists at least since the 18th century. The islands contain several classical features of volcanic landforms, which were important in the development of volcanology as a scientific discipline. Two types of volcanic eruptions bear names after the islands of the archipelago, Strombolian and Vulcanian. |
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites | Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites | | Perugia | 2000 | 990; i, ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) | Assisi was the birthplace of Saint Francis, founder of the Franciscan order. The Basilica was built in the 13th century. It features paintings by Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini, and Giotto, and has been a reference point for Italian and Western art. |
| Villa d'Este, Tivoli | | Metropolitan City of Rome Capital | 2001 | 1025; i, ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) | The 16th century-gardens of Vila d'Este are one of the first and best examples of Italian Renaissance gardens. The gardens have a geometric layout in line with Renaissance aesthetics and are decorated with pools and fountains, designed by Pirro Ligorio. They had a large influence on European garden design. |
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) | Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) | | Catania, Ragusa, Syracuse | 2002 | 1024; i, ii, iv, v (cultural) | In 1693, a powerful earthquake hit Sicily, destroying several towns and cities. In the aftermath, the towns of Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa, and Scicli were rebuilt in line with the Baroque urban planning trends. They represent the pinnacle of late Baroque art in Europe. |
Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy | Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy | | several sites | 2003 | 1068rev; ii, iv (cultural) | The phenomena of Sacri Monti (Sacred Mountains) began at the end of the 15th century with an aim of creating alternative pilgrimage and prayer sites due to inaccessibility of the Holy Land. The site comprises nine such complexes in Piedmont and Lombardy built in the late 16th and 17th centuries. They are rich in arts and are well integrated into the landscape. The Sacred Mount Calvary of Domodossola is pictured. |
| Val d'Orcia | | Siena | 2004 | 1026rev; iv, vi (cultural) | The cultural landscape of Val d'Orcia in the hinterland of Siena was carefully redesigned during the 14th and 15th century in line with the Renaissance aesthetical ideals. The landscape consists of small villages, towns, fields, pastures, meadows, and small farms. It has featured prominently on the paintings of the Sienese School. |
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia | Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia | | Viterbo, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital | 2004 | 1158; i, iii, iv (cultural) | Cerveteri and Tarquinia are two Etruscan cemeteries from the 9th to the 1st century BCE. Several tombs that were designed as replicas of Etruscan houses are decorated with outstanding wall paintings depicting scenes of daily life (the Tomb of the Leopards pictured). |
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica | Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica | | Syracuse | 2005 | 1200; ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) | Syracuse was founded in the 8th century BCE by the Corinthians and became one of the most important cities of Magna Graecia. An important monument from this period is the Doric Temple of Apollo. The Necropolis of Pantalica (pictured) contains more than 5,000 tombs, most dating from the 13th to the 7th centuries BCE, and remains of Byzantine era structures. |