A Review of History and Architecture of Roofing Slates: Impact on the Unesco World Heritage List

Roofing slates, particularly those from European quarries like Wales, France, Germany, and Spain, play a significant role in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A study reveals that 86 out of the 1248 UNESCO sites (as of December 2025) feature slate roofs, accounting for 7% of the total. The research also highlights the cultural and architectural importance of slate, tracing its use from Roman times through modern architecture. Additionally, a deep learning model employing convolutional neural networks was developed to identify slate roofs with over 85% accuracy. The study advocates for the preservation of natural slate in heritage conservation, warning against the use of artificial imitations.

Cárdenes, V., Campa-Bousoño, C., & Pando, L. (2026). A Review of History and Architecture of Roofing Slates: Impact on the Unesco World Heritage List. Geoheritage, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-026-01266-x