List of World Heritage Sites in Western Asia

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has 71 World Heritage Sites in 16 countries of Western Asia. The countries are: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Qatar and Kuwait, which are also in the region, do not have any World Heritage Sites.

In this region, Iran is home to the most sites with 13 sites.

Legend

Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation

Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates

Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee

Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A value of zero implies that no data has been published by UNESCO

Year; during which the site was added to the World Heritage List

Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable

Sites

  † In danger

Site	Image	Location	Criteria	Area ha (acre)	Year	Description	Refs
Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman	—	Sharqiyah and Batinah Regions, Oman 22°59′56″N 57°32′10″E	Cultural: (v)	1,456 (3,600); buffer zone 16,404 (40,540)	2006	The property includes five aflaj irrigation systems. It is representative of some 3,000 such systems still in use in Oman. The origins of this system of irrigation may date back to AD 500. Archaeological evidence suggests that irrigation systems were in this very arid area as early as 2500 BC.
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih)		Al Madinah Province, Saudi Arabia 26°47′1″N 37°57′18″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)	1,621 (4,010); buffer zone 1,659 (4,100)	2008	Formerly known as Hegra it is the largest conserved site of the Nabataeans south of Petra in Jordan. It has well-preserved monumental tombs with decorated facades dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD.
Ancient City of Aleppo		Aleppo Governorate, Syria 36°14′0″N 37°10′0″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	350 (860)	1986	Aleppo was ruled successively by the Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans.
Ancient City of Bosra		Daraa Governorate, Syria 32°31′5″N 36°28′54″E	Cultural: (i)(iii)(vi)	—	1980	Bosra, once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, was an important stopover on the ancient caravan route to Mecca. A magnificent 2nd-century Roman theatre, early Christian ruins and several mosques are found in its great walls.
Ancient City of Damascus		Damascus Governorate, Syria 33°30′41″N 36°18′23″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)	86 (210)	1979	Founded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, it was the centre of a flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace.
Ancient Villages of Northern Syria		Syria 36°20′3″N 36°50′39″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(v)	12,290 (30,400)	2011	Some 40 villages grouped in eight parks in north-western Syria show rural life in late Antiquity and during the Byzantine period.
Anjar		Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon 33°43′33″N 35°55′47″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	—	1984	The city of Anjar was founded by Caliph Walid I at the beginning of the 8th century.
Archaeological Site of Troy		Çanakkale Province, Turkey 39°57′23″N 26°14′20″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(vi)	158 (390)	1998
Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn	—	Ad Dhahirah Region, Oman 23°16′11″N 56°44′42″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	—	1988	The protohistoric site of Bat is near a palm grove in the interior of the Sultanate of Oman. Together with the neighbouring sites, it forms the most complete collection of settlements and necropolises from the 3rd millennium B.C. in the world.
Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran		West Azerbaijan, Iran 38°58′44″N 45°28′24″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(vi)	129 (320); buffer zone 655 (1,620)	2008
Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat)	—	Salah ad Din Governorate, Iraq 35°27′32″N 43°15′35″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	70 (170); buffer zone 100 (250)	2003	The ancient city of Ashur is on the Tigris River in northern Mesopotamia. The city dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. From the 14th to the 9th centuries BC it was the first capital of the Assyrian Empire. The city was destroyed by the Babylonians, but brought back during the Parthian period in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.
At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah		Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia 24°44′3″N 46°34′21″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)	29 (72)	2008	Diriyah was the first capital of the Saudi Dynasty, in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, north-west of Riyadh. It has the remains of many palaces and an urban ensemble built on the edge of the ad-Dir’iyah oasis.
Baalbek		Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon 34°0′25″N 36°12′18″E	Cultural: (i)(iv)	—	1984	Baalbek, where a triad of deities was worshipped, was known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period. It kept its religious function during Roman times. Te sanctuary of the Heliopolitan Jupiter attracted thousands of pilgrims.
Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery		Imereti, Georgia 42°15′44″N 42°42′59″E	Cultural: (iv)	7.87 (19.4)	1994	The site has been listed as endangered since 2010. A major reconstruction project that will lead to irreversible interventions and undermine the authenticity and integrity of the site.
Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee		Haifa and North District, Israel 32°49′46″N 34°58′18″E	Cultural: (iii)(vi)	63 (160); buffer zone 255 (630)	2008
Bahla Fort		Ad Dakhiliyah Region, Oman 22°57′51″N 57°18′4″E	Cultural: (iv)	—	1987	The oasis of Bahla owes its richness to the Banu Nebhan, the dominant tribe in the area from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. The ruins of the large fort, with its walls and towers of unbaked brick and its stone foundations, is a remarkable example of this type of fortification.
Bam and its Cultural Landscape		Kerman, Iran 29°07′00.68″N 58°22′06.51″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)(v)	—	2004	The site has been listed as endangered since 2004 following the damage due to the 2003 Bam earthquake.
Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba		Israel 32°35′50″N 35°10′56″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)	96 (240); buffer zone 604 (1,490)	2005
Bisotun		Kermanshah, Iran 34°23′18″N 47°26′12″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)	187 (460); buffer zone 361 (890)	2006
Byblos		Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon 34°7′9″N 35°38′51″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(vi)	—	1984	The ruins of many civilizations are found at Byblos, one of the oldest Phoenician cities. People have live here since Neolithic times. It has been closely linked to the legends and history of the Mediterranean region for thousands of years.
Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots		Armavir Province, Armenia 40°9′33.5″N 44°17′42.5″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)	74 (180)	2000
Choirokoitia		Larnaca District, Cyprus 34°47′54″N 33°20′36″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)	—	1998
City of Safranbolu		city and district of Safranbolu, Karabük Province, Turkey 41°15′36″N 32°41′23″E	Cultural: (ii)(iv)(v)	193 (480)	1994
Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din		Homs and Latakia Governorates, Syria 34°46′54″N 36°15′47″E	Cultural: (ii)(iv)	9 (22)	2006	These two castles represent the most significant examples show the changes of fortified architecture in the Near East during the time of the Crusades (11th - 13th centuries).
Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas)		United Arab Emirates 24°4′4″N 55°48′23″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(v)	4,945 (12,220); buffer zone 7,605 (18,790)	2011
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape		Garadagh and Absheron districts, Azerbaijan 40°7′30″N 49°22′30″E	Cultural: (iii)	537 (1,330); buffer zone 3,096 (7,650)	2007
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği		city and district of Divriği, Sivas Province, Turkey 39°22′25″N 38°7′25″E	Cultural: (i)(iv)	2,016 (4,980)	1985
Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia		Nevşehir Province in Central Anatolia Region, Turkey 38°40′0″N 34°51′0″E	Mixed: (i)(iii)(v)(vii)	9,576 (23,660)	1985
Hatra		Ninawa Governorate, Iraq 35°35′17″N 42°43′6″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)	324 (800)	1985	A large fortified city under the influence of the Parthian Empire and capital of the first Arab Kingdom, Hatra withstood invasions by the Romans in A.D. 116 and 198 thanks to its high, thick walls reinforced by towers.
Hattusha: the Hittite Capital		Sungurlu, Çorum Province, Turkey 40°0′50″N 34°37′14″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)	268 (660)	1986
Hierapolis-Pamukkale		Denizli Province, Turkey 37°55′26″N 29°7′24″E	Mixed: (iii)(iv)(vii)	1,077 (2,660)	1988
Historical Monuments of Mtskheta		Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia 41°51′N 44°43′E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	—	1994	The site has been endangered since 2009.
Historic Areas of Istanbul		Istanbul city and Istanbul Province, Turkey 41°0′30″N 28°58′48″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)	678 (1,680)	1985
Historic Town of Zabid		Al Hudaydah Governorate, Yemen 14°11′53″N 43°19′48″E	Cultural: (iii)	—	1993	Zabid was the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century. The city played an important role in the Arab and Muslim world for many centuries because of its Islamic university. It has been listed as endangered since 2000.
Incense Route – Desert Cities in the Negev		Negev, Israel 30°32′28″N 35°9′39″E	Cultural: (iii)(v)	—	2005
Land of Frankincense	—	Dhofar Governorate, Oman 18°15′12″N 53°38′51″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	850 (2,100); buffer zone 1,243 (3,070)	2000	The frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah and the remains of the caravan oasis and the ports of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed show the trade in frankincense that was strong in this region for many centuries.
Masada		South District, Israel 31°18′49″N 35°21′10″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(vi)	276 (680); buffer zone 28,965 (71,570)	2001
Meidan Emam, Esfahan		Isfahan, Iran 32°39′27″N 51°40′40″E	Cultural: (i)(v)(vi)	—	1979
Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin		Haghpat and Sanahin, Lori Province, Armenia 41°5′42″N 44°42′37″E	Cultural: (ii)(iv)	2.65 (6.5); buffer zone 24 (59)	1996
Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley		near Goght, Kotayk Province, Armenia 40°9′32″N 44°47′48″E	Cultural: (ii)	2.70 (6.7)	2000
Nemrut Dağ		Adiyaman Province, Turkey 38°2′12″N 38°45′49″E	Cultural: (i)(iii)(iv)	11 (27)	1987
Old City of Acre		Western Galilee, Israel 32°55′42″N 35°5′2″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(v)	63 (160)	2001
Old City of Sana'a		Sana'a Governorate, Yemen 15°21′20″N 44°12′29″E	Cultural: (iv)(v)(vi)	—	1986	Sana’a has been lived in for more than 2,500 years. In the 7th and 8th centuries the city became a major centre for spreading Islam. This religious and political heritage can be seen in the 103 mosques, 14 hammams and over 6,000 houses, all built before the 11th century.
Old Walled City of Shibam		Hadhramaut Governorate, Yemen 15°55′37″N 48°37′36″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(v)	—	1982	The 16th-century city of Shibam is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on vertical construction.
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)		North Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon 34°14′36″N 36°2′56″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	—	1998	The Qadisha valley is one of the most important early Christian monastic settlements in the world. Nearby are the remains of the great forest of cedars of Lebanon, highly prized in antiquity for the construction of great religious buildings.
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region		Troodos Mountains, Limassol and Nicosia Districts, Cyprus 34°55′13″N 33°5′45″E	Cultural: (iii)(vi)	—	1985
Paphos		Paphos District, Cyprus 34°45′30″N 32°24′20″E	Cultural: (iii)(vi)	—	1980
Pasargadae		Pars, Iran 30°11′38″N 53°10′2″E	Cultural: (1)(ii)(iii)(iv)	160 (400); buffer zone 7,127 (17,610)	2004
Persepolis		Fars, Iran 29°56′4″N 52°52′25″E	Cultural: (i)(iii)(vi)	13 (32)	1979
Petra		Ma'an Governorate, Jordan 30°19′50″N 35°26′36″E	Cultural: (i)(iii)(iv)	—	1985	Lived in since prehistoric times, this Nabataean caravan-city, between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains covered with passages and gorges.
Qal’at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun		Northern Governorate, Bahrain 26°13′59″N 50°31′20″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)	32 (79); buffer zone 1,238 (3,060)	2005	The site was the capital of the Dilmun, one of the most important ancient civilizations of the region.
Quseir Amra		Zarqa Governorate, Jordan 31°48′7″N 36°35′9″E	Cultural: (i)(iii)(iv)	—	1985	Built in the early 8th century, this very well kept desert castle was both a fortress with a garrison and a residence of the Umayyad caliphs.
Samarra Archaeological City		Salah ad Din Governorate, Iraq 34°20′28″N 43°49′25″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)	15,058 (37,210); buffer zone 31,414 (77,630)	2007	Samarra Archaeological City is the site of a powerful Islamic capital city that ruled over the provinces of the Abbasid Empire extending from Tunisia to Central Asia for a century. The 9th-century Great Mosque and its spiral minaret are among the many remarkable architectural monuments of the site, 80% of which remain to be excavated. The site has been listed as endangered since it was added.
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex		Edirne, East Thrace, Turkey 41°40′40″N 26°33′34″E	Cultural: (i)(iv)	2.50 (6.2); buffer zone 38 (94)	2011
Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil		Ardabil, Ardabil Province, Iran 38°14′55″N 48°17′29″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iv)	2.14 (5.3); buffer zone 13 (32)	2010
Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System		Khuzestan, Iran 32°1′7″N 48°50′9″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(v)	240 (590); buffer zone 1,572 (3,880)	2009
Site of Palmyra		Homs Governorate, Syria 34°33′15″N 38°16′0″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iv)	0.36 (0.89)	1980	An oasis in the Syrian desert, north-east of Damascus, Palmyra has the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world.
Socotra Archipelago		Hadhramaut Governorate, Yemen 12°30′N 53°50′E	Natural: (x)	410,460 (1,014,300); buffer zone 1,740,958 (4,302,000)	2008	Socotra Archipelago, in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden, is 250 km long. It has four islands and two rocky islets. The site is of universal importance because of its biodiversity with rich and distinct flora and fauna.
Soltaniyeh	—	Zanjan, Iran 36°26′7″N 48°47′48″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)	790 (2,000); buffer zone 350 (860)	2005
Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex		Tabriz, Iran 38°4′53″N 46°17′35″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)	29 (72); buffer zone 75 (190)	2010
Takht-e Soleyman		West Azerbaijan, Iran 36°36′14″N 47°14′6″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)	10 (25); buffer zone 7,438 (18,380)	2003
Tchogha Zanbil		Khuzestan, Iran 32°5′0″N 48°32′0″E	Cultural: (iii)(iv)	—	1979
The Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls		Jerusalem, Israel 31°47′0″N 35°13′0″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(vi)	—	1981	As a holy city for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Jerusalem has always been of great symbolic importance. It is recognized by all three religions as the site of Abraham's sacrifice. The site has been listed as endangered since 1982.
The Persian Garden		Pars, Iran 30°10′0″N 53°10′0″E	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)	716 (1,770); buffer zone 9,740 (24,100)	2011
Tyre		South Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon 33°16′19″N 35°11′40″E	Cultural: (iii)(vi)	154 (380)	1984	Tyre ruled the seas and founded rich colonies such as Cadiz and Carthage. There are important archaeological remains, mainly from Roman times.
Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a)		Madaba Governorate, Jordan 31°30′6″N 35°55′14″E	Cultural: (i)(iv)(vi)	24 (59); buffer zone 90 (220)	2005	Most of this archaeological site, which started as a Roman military camp and grew to become a town from the 5th century, has not been excavated. It has remains from the Roman, Byzantine and Early Muslim periods (end of 3rd to 9th centuries AD) and a fortified Roman military camp.
Upper Svaneti		Chajashi, Mestia District, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Georgia 42°54′59″N 43°0′41″E	Cultural: (iv)(v)	1.06 (2.6); buffer zone 19 (47)	1996
Wadi Rum Protected Area		Aqaba Governorate, Jordan 29°38′N 35°26′E	Mixed: (iii)(v)(vii)	74,180 (183,300); buffer zone 59,177 (146,230)	2011	The 74,000-hectare property is in southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. It has a varied desert landscape, as well as 25,000 rock carvings with 20,000 inscriptions.
Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower		Absheron Peninsula, Azerbaijan 40°22′0″N 49°50′0″E	Cultural: (iv)	22 (54)	2000
White City of Tel-Aviv -- the Modern Movement		Tel Aviv, Israel 32°4′0″N 34°47′0″E	Cultural: (ii)(iv)	140 (350); buffer zone 197 (490)	2003
Xanthos-Letoon		, Muğla and Antalya Provinces, Turkey 36°20′6″N 29°19′13″E	Cultural: (ii)(iii)	126 (310); buffer zone 63 (160)	1988

Notes