6 Coolest New World Heritage Sites You Need To Visit

Civilization is older than we thought. And since 1978, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has sought to protect places with undeniable value to humanity. Any place added to the coveted World Heritage Sites list earns bragging rights, prestige and money for its conservation.

Between 2020 and 2021, UNESCO added a total of 34 new World Heritage Sites from around the world. But because time is limited and because being important doesn’t always mean being worthy of a visit, we’ve chosen the best of them

These are the coolest new World Heritage Sites.

# As-Salt

This Jordanian city was once one of the Ottoman Empire’s most important places of trade. Because of this, its architecture and culture reflect a blend of Eastern and Western influences rarely seen anywhere else.

The city’s position dwindled after the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, but you can still see its blend of traditional architecture with Art Nouveau and neocolonial styles typical of European colonies of the era.

It is also one of the best examples in the Middle East of Christians and Muslims cohabitating peacefully.

# Ivindo National Park

Established in 2002, Ivindo National Park consists of about 300,000 hectares of protected land. Within it, you’ll find lush rainforests, waterfalls and rivers that shelter species like the western lowland gorilla, leopards and the forest elephant.

The national park is one of Gabon’s natural jewels and one of the best places in the country to encounter the natural wonders of the region.

# Church of Atlantida

The second-youngest place on this list, the Church of Christ the Worker and Our Lady of Lourdes in Atlantida, Uruguay, is unlike any church you’ve ever seen. Decidedly modernist in style, its side walls undulate like waves in the sea and its front facade displays interlocking blocks of red brick.

One of the churches’ most famous features is its bell tower, which rises to the heavens in a vertigo-inducing spiral.

# Hima Cultural Area

The Hima Cultural Area is important for a number of reasons. First of all, it has a large collection of rock art dating back to 7000 B.C. These depictions are remarkably well-preserved.

The site is also an ancient caravan route and one of the oldest toll stations in the region. As such, it carries the history of places where trade was constant an exchange of ideas, languages and customs that inevitably enriched it.

# Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple

There are countless temples in India, but some stand out in terms of beauty and importance. The Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple, known locally as the Ramappa Temple, is a large temple dedicated to Shiva.

The temple is nicknamed the "thousand pillar temple" because of its particular architecture. Its "floating" bricks are another of its noteworthy features, as their lightweight nature made it possible to construct more intricate roofs.

With detailed decorations and statues carved with mastered perfection, this temple will blow your mind.

# Chinchorro Mummies

Many people make the mistake of thinking that Egypt’s mummies are the oldest in the world. The Chinchorro mummies of northern Chile predate those of ancient Egypt by about 2000 years. To put that into perspective, 2000 years ago, lions still existed in Europe, the wheelbarrow had just been invented, and Greek astronomer Ptolemy had not yet been born.

Some naturally mummified corpses in the area are actually 4000 years older than Egyptian mummies. Perhaps because of this natural occurrence, the preservation of the deceased was an incredibly important part of Chinchorro culture. One that you can still see today when you visit the region.

Seeing the oldest mummies in the history of humanity is simply too cool to pass up.