Bath - World Heritage Site
City of Bath - a World Heritage Site since 1987
In 1987 Bath was chosen to be a World Heritage Site. The city is
internationally important for its Roman and Georgian heritage and
archaeology, its culture as a spa that stretches back over two
thousand years, the innovative architecture and town planning,
and the harmony between the city and the landscape. People all
around the world recognise how special Bath is.
World Heritage Sites are places of significance to all the
people of the world. They tell the story of where we have come
from and how the world around us has evolved. They are important
places to be conserved for future generations
to appreciate.
There are currently (2009) 878 sites world
wide. 679 are cultural sites, 174 natural sites and 25 mixed
sites, where the natural and cultural significance is shared. The
full list is shown on the UNESCO web site.
What is World Heritage?
World Heritage is about understanding and recognising the
importance of our city. It is about pride of place, and making sure
that while we enjoy what we have today, we can also hand it on
to future generations.
World Heritage is a tool for us to manage the city better and to
explore the wider world that we live in. It is a very exciting
opportunity for the district.
To find out how you can get involved in World Heritage, read the
Your World Heritage - getting involved page.
How to find out more
Follow the links on the left to learn more about Bath as a World
Heritage Site and how we look after the city. You can also learn
about other World Heritage Sites and about World Heritage in
general. Links to other websites will give you information about
other organisations involved in World Heritage.
For a quick introduction, look at the World
Heritage Quick Guide.
The Council employs a World Heritage Manager who
coordinates all work connected to World Heritage, including the
World Heritage Site Management Plan. Contact details can
be found at the bottom of this page.
South West Tourism
Bath has teamed up with the three other World Heritage sites in
SW England to undertake a joint tourism project. Working
with South West Tourism, the four sites (Bath, The Jurassic
Coast, Stonehenge & Avebury and Cornwall & West Devon
Mining Landscape) are developing a series of promotional and
advertising intitiatives. More details are available on the
South West
Tourism website.
