The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.^[1] Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage.^[2] Spain ratified the convention on May 4, 1982, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.^[3]

Granada

Burgos

Córdoba

Escorial

Prado

Altamira

Oviedo

Ávila

Segovia

Santiago de Compostela

Cáceres

Seville

Salamanca

Poblet Monastery

Mérida

Guadalupe

Doñana Park

Cuenca

Llotja de la Seda

Siega Verde

Toledo

Serra de Tramuntana

Las Médulas

Barcelona

Monte Perdido

San Millán

Alcalá de Henares

Ibiza

Tarraco

Atapuerca

Vall de Boí

Palmeral of Elche

Lugo

Aranjuez

Úbeda

Baeza

Vizcaya Bridge

Tower of Hercules

Almadén

Antequera

Rock art

Medina Azahara

Talayotics

Location of World Heritage Sites within peninsular Spain and the Baleric Islands. Green dots indicate the Ancient Beech Forest sites, orange dots are the sites of Mudéjar architecture of Aragon. The Way of St James comprises 20 sites across northern Spain that are not shown on the map.

Garajonay National Park

San Cristóbal de La Laguna

Teide National Park

Risco Caído

Location of World Heritage Sites within the Canary Islands.

Sites in Spain were first inscribed on the list at the 8th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1984. At that session, five sites were added: the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Córdoba; The Alhambra and the Generalife, Granada; Burgos Cathedral; Monastery and Site of the Escorial, Madrid; and Park Güell, Palau Güell and Casa Milà, in Barcelona.^[4] Five sites were added in 1985, and another four in 1986. Apart from 1984, 1985, and 1986 (Spain's first three years as a member), 2000 saw the most new sites inscribed, with five that year. As of 2021^[update], Spain has 49 total sites inscribed on the list, the same number as France, which is the fourth largest number of sites per country, only behind Italy (58), China (56), and Germany (51).^[5] Of these 49 sites, 43 are cultural, 4 are natural, and 2 are mixed (meeting both cultural and natural criteria), as determined by the organization's selection criteria.^[3]

Three sites are located in the Balearic Islands and four are in the Canary Islands. Four sites are transnational. The Pirineos – Monte Perdido World Heritage Site is shared with France, while the Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde site is shared with Portugal. Almadén is inscribed alongside Idrija in Slovenia. The Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe are shared with 17 other European countries.^[3]

Additionally, Spain has established an agreement with UNESCO known as the Spanish Funds-in-Trust. The agreement was signed on April 18, 2002, between Francisco Villar, Spanish Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Kōichirō Matsuura. The fund provides €600,000 annually to a chosen program. Programs include helping other member states, particularly in Latin America, with projects such as nominations processes and assessing tentative sites.^[6] Spain served as the chair of the World Heritage Committee in 2008 and 2009, and in 2009 hosted the 33rd Session of the Committee in Seville, Andalusia.^[6]

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.^[7]

More information Name, Image ...

Name	Image	Location	Community	UNESCO data	Period	Description
Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain		Santillana del Mar	Cantabria, Asturias, Basque Country	310; 1985, 2008 (extended); i, iii	Upper Paleolithic	The Cave of Altamira contains examples of cave painting from the Upper Paleolithic period, ranging from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. The original listing contained seventeen decorated caves. The caves are well-preserved because of their deep isolation from the external climate.[8]
Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct		Segovia	Castile and León	311; 1985; i, iii, iv	1st to 16th centuries	The Roman aqueduct was constructed in the 1st century, the medieval Alcázar palace in the 11th century, and the cathedral in the 16th.[9]
Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias		Oviedo	Asturias	312; 1985, 1998 (extended); i, ii, iv	9th century	The Kingdom of Asturias remained the only Christian region of Spain in the 9th century. It developed its own style of Pre-Romanesque art and architecture that is displayed in various churches and other monuments. The original entry titled "Churches of the Kingdom of the Asturias" and was extended to include other monuments such as La Foncalada.[10]
Historic Centre of Córdoba		Córdoba	Andalusia	313; 1984, 1994 (extended); i, ii, iii, iv	7th to 13th centuries	The original listing was the Great Mosque of Córdoba, a 7th-century Catholic Church converted to a mosque in the 8th century; restored to a Roman Catholic cathedral in the 13th century by Ferdinand III. During the high period of the Moorish rule of the region, Córdoba had over 300 mosques and architecture that compared to that of Constantinople, Damascus, and Baghdad.[11]
Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín		Granada	Andalusia	314; 1984, 1994 (extended); i, iii, iv	14th century	The three sites are remnants of the Moorish influence in southern Spain. The fortress Alhambra and the palace Generalife were built by the rulers of the Emirate of Granada. The Albayzín district contains examples of the Moorish vernacular architecture and was added to the listing in 1994.[12]
Burgos Cathedral		Burgos	Castile and León	316; 1984; ii, iv, vi	13th to 16th centuries	The Gothic-style cathedral was constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries. It is the burial place of Spanish national hero, El Cid.[13]
Monastery and Site of the Escorial		San Lorenzo de El Escorial	Madrid	318; 1984; i, ii, vi	16th century	El Escorial is one of several Spanish royal sites due to its history as a residence of the royal family. The palace was designed by King Philip II and architect Juan Bautista de Toledo to serve as a monument to Spain's central role in the Christian world.[14]
Works of Antoni Gaudí		Barcelona	Catalonia	320; 1984, 2005 (extended); i, ii, iv	19th and 20th centuries	The architecture of Antoni Gaudí is part of the Modernist style, but his designs are described as highly unique. The original listing featured Park Güell, Palau Güell, and Casa Milà; the 2005 extension added Casa Vicens, the crypt and nativity façade of Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, and the crypt at Colònia Güell.[15]
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)		Santiago de Compostela	Galicia	347; 1985; i, ii, vi	10th and 11th centuries	The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the reputed burial-place of the apostle James, and is the terminus of the Way of St. James, a pilgrimage across northern Spain. The town was destroyed by Muslims in the 10th century and rebuilt during the following century.[16]
Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches		Ávila	Castile and León	348; 1985, 2007 (modified); iii, iv	11th century	The defensive wall surrounding the original town was constructed in the 11th century. It features 82 semicircular towers and 9 gates, and is one of the most complete examples of town walls in Spain.[17]
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon		Provinces of Teruel and Zaragoza	Aragon	378; 1986, 2001 (extended); iv	12th to 17th centuries	The original listing contained four churches in Teruel in the Mudéjar style, a blending of traditional Islamic and contemporary European styles. In 2001, the listing was expanded to include an additional six monuments.[18]
Historic City of Toledo		Toledo	Castile-La Mancha	379; 1986; i, ii, iii, iv	8th to 16th centuries	Toledo was founded by the Romans, served as the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom, was important in Muslim Spain and during the Reconquista, and briefly served as the capital of Spain. The city combines Christian, Muslim, and Jewish influences.[19]
Garajonay National Park		La Gomera	Canary Islands	380; 1986; vii, ix	N/A	The park is 70% covered by laurisilva or laurel forest, vegetation from the Paleogene period that disappeared from mainland Europe due to climate change, but had covered much of the southern continent.[20]
Old City of Salamanca		Salamanca	Castile and León	381; 1988; i, ii, iv	13th to 16th centuries	Salamanca is important as a university city, as the University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, is the oldest in Spain and among the oldest in Europe. The city was first conquered by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century, and later ruled by the Romans and Moors. The city centre represents Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.[21][22]
Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville		Seville	Andalusia	383; 1987; i, ii, iii, iv	13th to 16th centuries	The Alcázar was built during the Almohad dynasty that ruled southern Spain until the Reconquista. The cathedral dates to the 15th century and holds the tombs of Ferdinand III and Christopher Columbus. The Archivo (Archive) houses documents relating to the colonization of the Americas.[23]
Old Town of Cáceres		Cáceres	Extremadura	384; 1986; iii, iv	3rd to 15th centuries	The old town combines Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic, and Italian Renaissance architectural influences, including more than 30 Islamic towers.[24][25]
Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture		Ibiza	Balearic Islands	417; 1999; ii, iii, iv, ix, x	N/A	The coast of Ibiza is home to posidonia oceanica, a seagrass only found in the Mediterranean that supports a diverse coastal and marine ecosystem. The island also contains numerous Phoenician ruins, and the fortified and walled older portions of the city date to the 16th century.[26]
Poblet Monastery		Vimbodí	Catalonia	518; 1991; i, iv	12th and 13th centuries	The monastery was founded by the Cistercians in 1151 and is one of the largest in Spain. It a burial site and is associated with the Crown of Aragon.[27][28]
Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza		Province of Jaén	Andalusia	522; 2003; ii, iv	16th century	Renovations of the two towns in the 16th century were done under the emerging Renaissance style and are among the first examples of the style in Spain.[29]
Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida		Mérida	Extremadura	664; 1993; iii, iv	1st to 5th centuries	Mérida was founded in 25 BC by the Romans as Emerita Augusta and was the capital of the Lusitania province. Remains from the Roman era include a bridge, aqueduct, amphitheatre, theatre, circus, and forum.[30]
Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe		Guadalupe	Extremadura	665; 1993; iv, vi	13th to 16th centuries	The monastery is home of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a shrine to Mary found in the 13th century after being buried from Muslim invaders in 714. The Virgin of Guadalupe and the monastery served as important symbols during the Reconquista, culminating in 1492, the same year as Columbus' discovery of America. The Guadalupe Virgin became an important symbol during the evangelization of America.[31][32]
Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain		—	Aragon, Castile and León, Galicia, Navarre, and La Rioja	669; 1993; ii, iv, vi	N/A	The Route, or the Way of St. James, Commonly known as Camino de Santiago, is a pilgrimage from the French-Spanish border to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the apostle James is believed to be buried.[33]
Doñana National Park		Provinces of Huelva and Seville	Andalusia	685; 1994, 2005 (extended); vii, ix, x	N/A	The park consists of the delta region where the Guadalquivir River reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It is home to a diverse variety of biotopes, such as lagoons, marshlands, dunes, and maquis. The park is one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean region and holds more than 500,000 water fowl during the winter period.[34]
Pirineos – Monte Perdido*		Province of Huesca	Aragon (shared with France)	773; 1997, 1999 (extended); iii, iv, v, vii, viii	N/A	The site contains the Pyrenees mountain chain along the French-Spanish border. The Spanish portion contains two of the largest canyons in Europe, while the French side contains three large cirque walls.[35]
Historic Walled Town of Cuenca		Cuenca	Castile-La Mancha	781; 1996; ii, v	12th to 18th centuries	The Moors built the fortified city in the early 8th century, and it was captured by the Christians in the 12th century. The cathedral is the first Gothic example in Spain. The town is also famous for its casas colgadas, houses that hang over the edge of a cliff.[36][37]
La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia		Valencia	Valencian Community	782; 1996; i, iv	15th and 16th centuries	La Lonja (or Llotja in Valencian language) de la Seda means Silk Exchange in English, and the group of Gothic buildings demonstrate the wealth of Valencia as an important Mediterranean and European mercantile city in the period.[38][39]
Las Médulas		Ponferrada	Castile and León	803; 1997; i, ii, iii, iv	1st to 3rd centuries	The Romans established a gold mine and worked the site for two centuries. They used an early form of hydraulic mining and cut aqueducts in the rock cliffs to provide water for the operations. The Romans left in the early 3rd century, leaving sheer cliff faces and mining infrastructure that is intact today.[40][41]
Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona		Barcelona	Catalonia	804; 1997; i, ii, iv	20th century	Both buildings were constructed in the early 20th century and designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner in the modernist Art Nouveau movement that was very popular in Barcelona in that period. The two buildings are Montaner's most famous works.[42]
San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries		San Millán de la Cogolla	La Rioja	805; 1997; ii, iv, vi	6th to 16th centuries	The original Suso monastery was founded in the mid-6th century, and is the location where the Glosas Emilianenses were written. The codixes are considered the first written examples of the Spanish and Basque languages, and the monastery is considered the birthplace of written and spoken Spanish. The newer Yuso monastery was built in the 16th century.[43]
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde*		—	Castile and León (shared with Portugal)	866; 1998, 2010 (extended); i, iii	Paleolithic	The original 1998 listing contained examples of Upper Paleolithic rock art in the Côa Valley of Portugal. In 2010 it was extended to include 645 engravings in the archaeological zone of Siega Verde in Spain. The two sites represent the most well-preserved collection of open-air Paleolithic art in the Iberian peninsula.[44]
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula		—	Andalusia, Aragon, Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia, Murcia, and Valencia	874; 1998; iii	Prehistoric	The site includes over 750 examples of rock art from the late prehistoric period, which feature images ranging from geometric shapes to scenes of men hunting animals.[45][46]
Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco		Tarragona	Catalonia	875; 2000; ii, iii	1st to 4th centuries	The prominent Roman city of Tárraco at the site of modern-day Tarragona served as the capital of the provinces of Hispania Citerior and later Hispania Tarraconensis. The amphitheatre was constructed in the 2nd century. Most remains are only fragments or preserved under more modern buildings.[47][48]
University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares		Alcalá de Henares	Madrid	876; 1998; ii, iv, vi	16th century	Cardinal Cisneros founded the University of Alcalá in 1499 and is the first example of the planned university city, serving as a model to other European universities and Spanish missionaries in America. The city is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, known for his contributions to the Spanish language and Western literature.[49][50]
San Cristóbal de La Laguna		San Cristóbal de La Laguna	Canary Islands	929; 1999; ii, iv	16th to 18th centuries	The city has an original and unplanned Upper Town, and "city-territory" Lower Town. It was Spain's first non-fortified colonial town and served as a model for development in America. Many religious-function buildings and other public and private buildings date to the 16th century.[51][52]
Palmeral of Elche		Elche	Valencian Community	930; 2000; ii, v	N/A	The grove of date palm trees was formally laid out with irrigation systems under the Moors in the 10th century. The palmeral is a rare example of Arab agricultural practices in Europe.[53]
Roman Walls of Lugo		Lugo	Galicia	987; 2000; iv	3rd century	The walls built to protect the Roman town of Lucus in the 3rd century remain entirely intact and are the best remaining example in Western Europe.[54]
Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí		Vall de Boí	Catalonia	988; 2000; ii, iv	11th to 14th centuries	The small valley at the edge of the Pyrenees contains churches in Romanesque style decorated with Romanesque murals, statues, and altars. The churches are unique for their tall, square bell towers.[55][56]
Archaeological Site of Atapuerca		Atapuerca	Castile and León	989; 2000; iii, v	Prehistoric	The caves in the Atapuerca Mountains contain fossil remains of the earliest human beings discovered in Europe dating from nearly one million years ago. The Sima de los Huesos or "Pit of Bones" contains the world's largest collection of hominid fossils.[57][58]
Aranjuez Cultural Landscape		Aranjuez	Madrid	1044; 2001; ii, iv	15th to 19th centuries	The landscape around the Royal Palace of Aranjuez was developed by the Spanish royal family over a course of three centuries and contains innovative horticultural and design ideas. The area was the exclusive property of the royal family until the 19th century when the modern civilian city developed.[59][60]
Vizcaya Bridge		Portugalete	Basque Country	1217; 2006; i, ii	19th century	The bridge was designed by Alberto Palacio to cross the Nervion without disrupting maritime traffic to the Port of Bilbao. It was built in 1893 and is the world's first transporter bridge.[61][62]
Teide National Park		Tenerife	Canary Islands	1258; 2007; vii, viii	N/A	The park contains Mount Teide, a volcano and the highest elevation in Spain.[63]
Tower of Hercules		A Coruña	Galicia	1312; 2009; iii	1st century	The Romans built this 55 metres (180 ft) lighthouse on a 57 metres (187 ft) rock to mark the entrance to the A Coruña harbor. It is the only fully preserved and functioning Roman lighthouse.[64]
Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana		Majorca	Balearic Islands	1371; 2011; ii, iv, v	N/A	The cultural landscape of Serra de Tramuntana on the north western coast of Majorca has been transformed by a millennia of agriculture involving water management devices such as agricultural terraces, interconnected water works -including water mills - and dry stone constructions and farms. This landscape revolves around farming units of feudal origins.[65]
Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija*		Almadén	Castile-La Mancha (shared with Slovenia)	1313; 2012; ii, iv	16 and 17th century	Almaden is an ancient (from Roman times to present day) mercury mining town with buildings relating to its mining history, including Retamar Castle, religious buildings, mining university and traditional dwellings.[66]
Antequera Dolmens Site		Antequera	Andalusia	1501; 2016; i, iii, iv	Neolithic and Chalcolithic	Located at the heart of Andalusia in southern Spain, the site comprises three megalithic monuments: the Menga and Viera dolmens and the Tholos of El Romeral, and two natural monuments: La Peña de los Enamorados and El Torcal mountainous formations, which are landmarks within the property. Built during the Neolithic and Bronze Age out of large stone blocks, these monuments form chambers with lintelled roofs or false cupolas. These three tombs, buried beneath their original earth tumuli, are one of the most remarkable architectural works of European prehistory and one of the most important examples of European Megalithism.[67]
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe*			Castile and León, Navarre, Castile-La Mancha, and Community of Madrid (shared with 11 other countries in Europe)	1133; 2017; ix	N/A	Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians are used to study the spread of the beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) in the Northern Hemisphere across a variety of environments and the environment in the forest. The addition of the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany in 2011 included five forests totaling 4,391 hectares (10,850 acres) that are added to the 29,278 hectares (72,350 acres) of Slovakian and Ukrainian beech forests inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2007. The site was further expanded in 2017 to include forests in 9 additional European countries.[68]
Caliphate City of Medina Azahara		Córdoba	Andalusia	1560; 2018; iii, iv	N/A	The Caliphate city of Medina Azahara is an archaeological site of a city built in the mid-10th century CE by the Umayyad dynasty as the seat of the Caliphate of Cordoba. After prospering for several years, it was laid to waste during the civil war that put an end to the Caliphate in 1009–10.[69]
Risco Caído and the sacred mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape		Gran Canaria island	Canary Islands	1578; 2019 iii, v		[70]
Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences		Madrid	Madrid	1500; 2020 ii, iv, vi		[71]
Prehistoric Sites of Talayotic Menorca		Menorca island	Balearic Islands	1528; 2023 iii, iv	Iron Age	[72]

Close

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list.^[73] As of 2016, Spain recorded 32 sites on its tentative list. At 2018, the sites, along with the year they were included on the tentative list are:^[74][3]

1. Romanesque Cultural Enclave in the North of Castile and León and the South of Cantabria (Palencia Province and Cantabria) (1998)
2. Bulwarked Frontier Fortifications (Aragon, Castile and León, Catalonia, Extremadura and Navarre) (1998)
3. The Silver Route (Castile and León and Extremadura) (1998)
4. Mediterranean Wind Mills (Region of Murcia) (1998)
5. Greek Archaeological ensemble in Empúries, l'Escala, Girona Province (2002)
6. The Ribeira Sacra (Lugo and Ourense provinces) (1996)
7. The Mediterranean Facet of the Pyrenees (Girona Province-France) (2004)
8. Talayotic culture of Minorca (Minorca island) (2013) (admitted into the World Heritage List in 2023)
9. Mesta Livestock trails (includes Cañadas Reales) (Castile and León) (2007)
10. Roman Ways. Itineraries of the Roman Empire (Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia and Valencian Community) (shared with other countries) (2007)
11. Ancares – Somiedo (Galicia, Castile and León and Asturias) (2007)
12. Loarre Castle (Aragon) (2007)
13. Ferrol of the Illustration Historical Heritage (Galicia) (2007)
14. Mining Historical Heritage (2007)
15. Plasencia - Monfragüe - Trujillo: Mediterranean Landscape (Extremadura) (2009)
16. Jaén Cathedral (extension of the Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza) (2012)
17. Salty Valley of Añana (Basque Country) (2012)
18. La Rioja and Rioja Alavesa Vine and Wine Cultural Landscape (La Rioja and Basque Country) (2013)
19. Priorat - Montsant - Siurana. Agricultural Landscape of the Mediterranean Mountain (Catalonia) (2014)
20. Site of the Retiro and the Prado in Madrid (2015) (admitted into the World Heritage List in 2021)
21. The Portal of the Ripoll Monastery (Catalonia) (2015)
22. Hill of the Seu Vella of Lleida (2016)
23. Monastery of Santa María de La Rábida and the Columbus Memorial Places in Huelva (2016)
24. Church of San Salvador de Valdediós (Asturias) (2017)
25. The Olive Grove Landscapes of Andalusia (2017)
26. The Wine in Iberia (Region of Murcia, Andalusia and Valencian Community) (2018)
27. Cíes Islands – Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park (2018)
28. The Hadrianic city of Italica (2019)
29. Group of Mozarabic buildings on the Iberian Peninsula (2019)
30. The Episcopal See of Egara and its pictorial decoration (5th-8th centuries) (2019)
31. Les témoignages matériels de la construction de l’État des Pyrénées : la Co-principauté d’Andorre (Spain) (2021)
32. Sigüenza and Atienza Sweet and Salty Landscape (2022)

• List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in Spain