The World Heritage List, established under the “Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” adopted by UNESCO on November 16, 1972, during its 17th General Conference in Paris, aims to identify, protect, and preserve cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. Turkey ratified this convention with Law No. 2658 on April 14, 1982, and it was officially published in the Official Gazette No. 17959 on February 14, 1983.
World Heritage Sites include natural formations, monuments, and sites of international significance, deserving recognition and protection. The process starts with member states submitting nominations to UNESCO and involves evaluations by experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The World Heritage Committee then decides whether to grant World Heritage status based on these evaluations.
As of 2023, there are 1,199 cultural and natural properties listed worldwide on the UNESCO World Heritage List, comprising 933 cultural, 227 natural, and 39 mixed (cultural/natural) sites. This number continues to increase with the annual World Heritage Committee meetings. Detailed information can be found on the official website of the World Heritage Centre at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list.
In Turkey, under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, 21 properties have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List to date:
Cultural Sites:
- Historic Areas of Istanbul [1985]
- Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital (Sivas) [1985]
- Hattusha (Boğazköy) – Hittite Capital (Çorum) [1986]
- Mount Nemrut (Adıyaman – Kahta) [1987]
- Xanthos-Letoon (Antalya – Muğla) [1988]
- City of Safranbolu (Karabük) [1994]
- Archaeological Site of Troy (Çanakkale) [1998]
- Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex (Edirne) [2011]
- Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük (Konya) [2012]
- Bergama Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape Area (İzmir) [2014]
- Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire (Bursa) [2014]
- Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape [2015]
- Ephesus (İzmir) [2015]
- Ani Archaeological Site (Kars) [2016]
- Aphrodisias (Aydın) [2017]
- Göbekli Tepe (Şanlıurfa) [2018]
- Arslantepe Mound (Malatya) [2021]
- Gordion (Ankara) [2023]
- Middle Age Anatolian Wooden Hypostyle Mosques [2023]
Natural Sites:
- Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (Nevşehir) [1985]
- Pamukkale-Hierapolis (Denizli) [1988]
The last two sites are recognized for both their cultural and natural significance.
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Date of Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1985
List Serial Number: 356
Location: Marmara Region, Istanbul
Criteria for Listing: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Category: Cultural
Founded in the 7th century BC, the part of Istanbul surrounded by the Golden Horn to the north, the Bosphorus to the east, and the Sea of Marmara to the south is today known as the “Historic Peninsula.” The city, due to its strategic position connecting Europe and Asia, has always been of great importance to the civilizations that have ruled there throughout history. This unique geographical setting made Istanbul the capital of great empires such as the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. With this illustrious past, Istanbul brings together different religions, cultures, communities, and their architectural achievements in a singular landscape. In 1985, Istanbul was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as four distinct areas. These are: the Sultanahmet Urban Archaeological Site Area, which encompasses the Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, the Hagia Irene, the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque, and the Topkapı Palace; the Süleymaniye Conservation Area, which includes the Süleymaniye Mosque and its surroundings; the Zeyrek Conservation Area, encompassing the Zeyrek Mosque and its surroundings; and the Land Walls of Istanbul Conservation Area.
Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital (Sivas)
Date of Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1985
List Serial Number: 358
Location: Central Anatolia Region, Sivas
Criteria for Listing: (i), (iv)
Category: Cultural
The earliest settlements in and around Divriği date back to the Hittite period. The region, under the rule of the Mengücek dynasty, witnessed the construction of the mosque along with a hospital in 1228-1229, commissioned by Ahmet Shah and his wife Turan Melek. This masterpiece of Islamic architecture consists of a mosque with two domed mausoleums and an adjoining hospital. The structures are distinguished not only for their architectural features but also for showcasing rich examples of traditional Anatolian stone craftsmanship. These attributes have secured their place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.