More and more places are entering the official UNESCO heritage list. Each and every one of them represents an incalculable testimony of history and human wealth, so it is interesting to get closer to them and enjoy everything they have to tell us.
Spain is the fourth country in the world, along with France, that has the most World Heritage properties. Specifically, no less than fifty elements have been considered by UNESCO to date as places of cultural, natural or intangible assets of humanity.
Today we bring you a list with some of the most important monuments in Spain included in the UNESCO list. Don’t hesitate to reserve a few days and go see them. You won’t regret it.
1. The Alhambra, the Generalife and the Albaicín (Granada)
The Alhambra complex, in Granada, is undoubtedly one of the greatest tourist attractions in Spain. Declared Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1984, it was the first Spanish monument to receive this honor.
Built during the Middle Ages, during Muslim domination, the Alhambra and the Generalife constitute a beautiful example of an Andalusian palace complex. On the other hand, the Albaicín neighborhood, in the heart of the old city, represents the perfect fusion of the Andalusian medieval past with later Christian constructions. Without a doubt, Granada is always worth it.
2. The Camino de Santiago
Under this name, several very interesting elements that mark a milestone in the history of the peninsula were included in the UNESCO heritage list in 1993 as a mixed asset (cultural and natural).
And the various pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela hold true gems, such as the impressive cathedral of Burgos (declared a separate cultural asset), the cathedral of León, the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada or the spectacular monastery of San Juan de the Peña, which emerges mysteriously from the rocks.
3. Historic center and mosque of Córdoba
The same year that the Granada complex was designated as Cultural Heritage (1984), UNESCO declared the other great Andalusian monument, the mosque-cathedral of Córdoba, as such. Ten years later he added the entire old city to the name.
The mosque-cathedral of Córdoba has a singular beauty, granted by its tangle of columns and arches, which barely manages to interrupt the addition, after the Christian conquest (and, especially, during the 16th century), of the cathedral. It is about one of the most important monuments of Andalusian art on the peninsula, essential to see along with the Alhambra complex. The old town of Córdoba, on the other hand, constituted, in the Middle Ages, one of the most important urban centers, as it rivaled Baghdad itself.
4. Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona)
UNESCO paid special attention to the important modernist heritage of the city of Barcelona. Among many other monuments, the Palau de la Música Catalana (on the cover) was declared a World Heritage Site, along with the Hospital de Sant Pau, in 1997. Both buildings are the work of the Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1850-1923), and represent the culmination of Art Nouveau in Spain along with the works of Antoni Gaudí.
The fantasy and originality that the Palau de la Música Catalana exudes are famous throughout the world. Its stage, decorated with mosaic and free-standing bust figures representing the muses, is especially well-known. as well as its spectacular inverted stained glass dome. Without a doubt, a must to visit in Barcelona.
5. Archaeological site of Mérida
The Roman Emerita Augusta was one of the most important cities of the Iberian Peninsula in ancient times, along with Tarraco. Its spectacular Roman heritage was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.
The impressive archaeological complex, wonderfully preserved, includes the bridge over the Guadiana, the amphitheater, the impeccable water supply system, the circus and, of course, its famous theater, where every summer a theater series is performed on site. Without counting, of course, the jewels hidden in the Archaeological Museum. Mérida is, without a doubt, a perfect testimony of what a Roman city in Hispania was like.
6. Romanesque churches of the Vall de Boí (Lleida)
Declared a Mixed Property in 2000 (due to its mix of cultural and natural heritage), the Bohí Valley, in the province of Lleida (Catalonia), is dotted with Romanesque vestiges of incalculable value. Both the architecture of the different churches scattered throughout the valley, as well as the paintings that were kept on their walls, are a rich testimony of the Pyrenean Romanesque art of the 12th and 13th centuries.
Especially famous are the churches of Sant Climent and Santa María de Taüll, located in the same town. Its famous frescoes, a true exponent of Romanesque painting, are found, along with the paintings from the rest of the valley, in the Museu d’Art Nacional de Catalunya (MNAC), in Barcelona. Currently, on the walls of the churches of Bohí there are copies made in detail.
7. Prehistoric caves of Altamira (Cantabria)
The famous prehistoric site of Altamira is one of the seventeen that, in 1985, UNESCO considered a World Heritage Site. It is one of the most notable prehistoric sites not only in Spain, but also in Europe. Due to the diversity of its deposits, this property is officially called Altamira Cave and Paleolithic rock art of northern Spain.
The Altamira caves and their “sisters” on the Cantabrian coast are an example of the wonderful rock art that human communities throughout Europe developed between the years 35,000 and 11,000 BC. The quality of the Altamira paintings and their high degree of conservation make them undoubtedly unique.
The prehistoric heritage of Spain is rich and varied, and a good example of this are the spectacular dolmens located on the outskirts of Antequera, Málaga. The city has a unique heritage that ranges from Prehistory to modernity, passing through magnificent examples of Roman, Andalusian, Renaissance and Baroque heritage.
The Antequera dolmens entered the UNESCO heritage list in 2016. The site includes the Romeral tholos and the Menga and Viera dolmens, and represents the most impressive megalithic complex on the peninsula. It is a funerary-type architecture characteristic of Europe in the Neolithic and Bronze Age that is well worth visiting.
9. Talayotic city (Menorca)
It is one of the most recent properties inscribed in the UNESCO heritage, having entered the list in 2023. It is an unparalleled testimony of settlements and burials of the prehistoric population that populated the island.
The apparent simplicity of the sets contrasts with an evident astronomical synchronization, which suggests a much more complex planning and society. The complex covers a long period of time, as we find evidence from the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC) to the last Iron Age (2nd century BC).
10. Old city of Salamanca
The city of Salamanca is one of the most notable urban-artistic complexes in Spain. Especially important in the 16th century, its impressive university (founded in 1218 and, therefore, one of the oldest in Europe) as well as its Plaza Mayor deserve special attention.
The old city, included in the UNESCO heritage list in 1988, is a trip to the past, as it brings together testimonies of the city’s medieval, Renaissance and Baroque past. Particularly noteworthy are, in addition to the already mentioned university and Plaza Mayor, the Casa de las Conchas, the Convent of San Esteban and its two cathedrals, the Old (in Romanesque style) and the New (begun in the 16th century and finished in the 18th century). ).
