42 New UNESCO sites: a breakdown of the 2023 additions

The UNESCO World Heritage List grew by 42 new sites at once. This happened in September 2023 at the extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh.

Making sense of such an addition is not easy. Dozens of names from different countries easily get lost in the news. Below we have gathered the main sites from the 2023 list by region. For each one, we note the country and what makes it interesting for a traveler.

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What changed in 2023

💡 In short:

• 42 new sites: 33 cultural and 9 natural (as of 09/2023, UNESCO press release).
• The list grew to 1,199 sites in 168 countries (as of 2023, session report).
• The Kasubi Tombs in Uganda were removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
• List composition and site categories: 09/2026, verified on the official UNESCO website.

The session took place in Riyadh from September 10 to 25, 2023. The Committee reviewed the state of conservation of 263 already listed sites and approved the extension of five more (as of 2023, session outcomes).

Africa was the main theme. Five new sites brought the total number of African sites to 100 (as of 2023, according to the Committee).

Two Ukrainian sites, Saint Sophia Cathedral with the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv and the ensemble of the historic center of Lviv, were added to the List of World Heritage in Danger due to shelling. The historic center of Odesa stands nearby on the danger list.

The UNESCO list is updated at every Committee session.

© Fred Romero from Paris, France · CC BYPhoto: Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

New sites in Africa

The African nominations strengthened the continent's presence on the list. Here you will find both natural areas and memorial sites.

• Memorial sites of the Genocide (Rwanda): Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero, the first sites in Rwanda on the list.

• Nyungwe National Park (Rwanda): a protected mountain tropical forest.

• Bale Mountains National Park (Ethiopia): a high-altitude natural massif.

• Gedeo Cultural Landscape (Ethiopia): the territory of the Gedeo people with sacred forests and monuments of an ancient religion.

• Djerba (Tunisia): traditional settlements of the island and the network of roads connecting them.

• Odzala-Kokoua Forest Massif (Congo): an example of natural forest regeneration from savanna.

New sites in Asia

Asia in this addition is represented by ancient cities, temples, and large natural areas. Many of them can be included in a regional itinerary.

• Turanian Deserts of the Temperate Zone (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan): a transboundary natural site with desert ecosystems.

• Uruq Bani Ma'arid (Saudi Arabia): a sand reserve with a unique landscape.

• Tugay forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve (Tajikistan): floodplain forests in a river valley.

• The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments (Thailand): ruins of a city from the Dvaravati period.

• Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia (Turkey): mosques with wooden columns.

• Gordion (Turkey): a multi-layered ancient settlement and the remains of the capital of Phrygia.

• Cultural Landscape of Khinalig and the "Köç Yolu" Transhumance Route (Azerbaijan): the landscape of the village of Khinalig and the livestock migration route.

• Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (India): three of the most representative temple complexes in the Hoysala style.

• The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta (Indonesia): historic buildings aligned on a north-south axis through the city center.

• Ancient Jericho, Tell es-Sultan (Palestine): a mound with excavations of an ancient settlement and the Ain es-Sultan spring.

• Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan): transboundary sections of the trade route.

• Koh Ker (Cambodia): the sacred urban ensemble of ancient Lingapura with temples and sanctuaries.

• Deer Stone Monuments of the Bronze Age (Mongolia): complexes of stone stelae with carvings.

• Gaya Tumuli (Republic of Korea): burial mound cemeteries of the Gaya Confederacy.

• Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain (China): ancient tea forests in Pu'er.

• Santiniketan (India): an arts school town with educational buildings, sculptures, and murals.

• The Persian Caravanserai (Iran): roadside inns along travel routes.

New sites in Europe

Some of the European sites are located in historic city centers. Others relate to nature and archaeology.

• Funeral and memorial sites of the First World War (Belgium, France): memorial sites of the Western Front.

• Eisinga Planetarium (Netherlands): a historic planetarium in the town of Franeker.

• Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines (Italy): karst caves and underground landforms.

• Zagori Cultural Landscape (Greece): stone villages in the northwest of the country.

• Modernist Kaunas (Lithuania): architecture of optimism from the interwar period.

• Žatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops (Czechia): a town and hop-growing landscape.

• Prehistoric Sites of Talayotic Menorca (Spain): megalithic structures of the island.

• Maison Carrée of Nîmes (France): an early example of a Roman temple.

• Viking-Age Ring Fortresses (Denmark): circular earthen ramparts of fortresses with four gates.

• Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt (Germany): the Old Synagogue, the Mikveh, and the Stone House.

• Old town of Kuldīga (Latvia): wooden houses and cobbled streets of the old town.

If you are planning a trip through European cities, it is convenient to book tickets in advance: museum tickets in Europe on Tiqets.

New sites in the Americas

In the Americas, ancient monuments and memorial sites received the status. Some of the sites are located within national parks.

• Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks (USA): embankments and mounds of an ancient culture.

• Jodensavanne Archaeological Site (Suriname): ruins of the earliest synagogue of architectural significance in the Americas, a cemetery, wharves, and a military post.

• Anticosti (Canada): an island with the most complete paleontological record of the first mass extinction of animal life.

• ESMA Museum and Site of Memory (Argentina): a former clandestine detention and torture center.

• National Archaeological Park Tak'alik Ab'aj (Guatemala): an archaeological site of an ancient settlement.

• Tr'ondëk-Klondike (Canada): the homeland of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in people.

• Volcanoes and Forests of Mount Pelée (France, Martinique): a volcanic massif and mountain peaks of northern Martinique.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many sites are currently on the World Heritage List?

After the 2023 session in Riyadh, the list had 1,199 sites from 168 countries (according to UNESCO, 09/2023). The Committee adds new sites at every session, so the composition of the list is constantly changing. Check the UNESCO website for the most up-to-date number.

How does a cultural site differ from a natural one?

Cultural sites are monuments, ensembles, and landscapes created by humans. Natural sites are geological and biological formations and habitats of rare species.

How did the 2023 decisions affect Ukraine's sites?

Saint Sophia Cathedral with the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra has been on the list since 1990, the historic center of Lviv since 1998. In 2023, both sites were added to the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Can you visit the new UNESCO sites?

Many of them are open to tourists: museums, archaeological parks, and historic centers operate on their regular schedules. Before traveling, check the opening hours on the official website of the site.

How does a site get on the UNESCO list?

A country that has ratified the convention prepares a dossier and submits a nomination to the Committee. Expert organizations evaluate the site against criteria of value and conservation. The Committee votes at a session. Currently, 196 countries have ratified the convention (as of 2025, UNESCO).

In short: what to book

The new sites are spread across four continents, and you cannot cover them in a single trip. Choose one region and plan your itinerary in advance.

• If Europe is closer to you: book tickets to museums and ancient cities in advance.

• If you want ready-made tours of cities and natural parks: check out tours on GetYourGuide.