World Heritage Identification Number: 932
World Heritage since: 1999
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Cultural Landscapes
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇫🇷 France
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion: A Unique Wine-Growing Landscape and Historical Site
The Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion, located in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, is a remarkable blend of history, culture, and viticulture that earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998. This jurisdiction, which covers an area of approximately 5,500 hectares, is dedicated solely to vine cultivation, making it a unique entity within the global wine industry.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans, and intensified in the Middle Ages. The Saint-Emilion area benefited from its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and many churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the 11th century onwards. It was granted the special status of a 'jurisdiction' during the period of English rule in the 12th century. It is an exceptional landscape devoted entirely to wine-growing, with many fine historic monuments in its towns and villages.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): The Jurisdiction of Saint Emilion is an outstanding example of an historic vineyard landscape that has survived intact and in activity to the present day.
Criterion (iv): The historic Jurisdiction of Saint Emilion illustrates in an exceptional way the intensive cultivation of grapes for wine production in a precisely defined area.
Encyclopedia Record: Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in Southwestern France.Additional Site Details
Area: 7,847 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 44.89472222 , -0.1552777778
Image
© Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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A Study on the Vineyard Landscape Conservation in France
The designation of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 has significantly advanced vineyard landscape conservation in France. This recognition, combined with the rise of wine tourism, has prompted the integration of cultural property protection measures, urban planning, and the controlled designation of origin (AOC) system to safeguard heritage landscapes. The study highlights how the National AOC Institute (INAO) and local wine syndicates collaborate with architects from the Bureau des Architectes des Bâtiments de France (ABF) to ensure effective heritage management. This multidisciplinary approach underscores the importance of combining regulatory frameworks, architectural expertise, and local governance in preserving culturally significant landscapes.
TORIUMI, M., SAITO, H., & HIRAGA, A. (2013). A STUDY ON THE VINEYARD LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION IN FRANCE. Journal of Architecture and Planning (Transactions of AIJ), 78(685), 643–652. https://doi.org/10.3130/aija.78.643
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