TOURINFO-YEREVAN– July 26, 2024: The Vishaps “Dragon Stones” and the Cultural Landscape of Tirinkatar in Armenia’s Aragatsotn region have been approved for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. This decision was made during the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which is currently being held from July 20-30 in New Delhi, India.
The application, submitted by Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports (ESCS), marks the fifth Armenian site to be added to the tentative list. Harutyun Vanyan, Head of the Department for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Armenian MoESCS, is participating in the congress as the coordinator for this initiative.
Armenia’s UNESCO Heritage Journey
The Vishaps “Dragon Stones” and the Tirinkatar landscape join four other Armenian sites that were registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 1995:
- The archaeological site of the city of Dvin
- The basilica and archaeological site of Yererouk
- The monastery of Noravank and the upper Amaghou Valley
- The monasteries of Tatev and Tatevi Anapat, and the adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley
Armenia’s rich cultural heritage is already represented in the UNESCO World Heritage List by several renowned sites:
- The Monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat
- Echmiadzin Cathedral and the churches of Echmiadzin
- The historical monument of Zvartnots
- Geghard Monastery and the upper Azat Valley
The Significance of Tentative List Inclusion
Inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List is a critical preliminary step for any site aspiring to achieve full World Heritage status. This listing signals a site’s recognized potential and outstanding universal value, setting the stage for further evaluations and eventual inscription as a World Heritage Site.
The Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports continues its dedicated efforts to protect and promote the nation’s cultural heritage, with plans for additional applications in the future.
For more information about Armenia’s heritage sites on the UNESCO list, please visit the official UNESCO website here. https://whc.unesco.org/en/stateparties/am
TOURINFO-JUANITA MOURADIAN
