World Heritage Identification Number: 1090
World Heritage since: 2003
Category: Natural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: Yes
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: Italy, Switzerland
Continent: NA
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
Map
Exploring the Fossil-Rich Marvel: Monte San Giorgio
Nestled amidst the picturesque landscape of the Lugano Prealps, straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy, lies the enigmatic Monte San Giorgio – a UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers more than just breathtaking vistas. This pyramid-shaped mountain, overlooking the tranquil waters of Lake Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino, has earned its place among the world's most significant geological sites due to its exceptional fossil record dating back approximately 245–230 million years.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The pyramid-shaped, wooded mountain of Monte San Giorgio beside Lake Lugano is regarded as the best fossil record of marine life from the Triassic Period (245–230 million years ago). The sequence records life in a tropical lagoon environment, sheltered and partially separated from the open sea by an offshore reef. Diverse marine life flourished within this lagoon, including reptiles, fish, bivalves, ammonites, echinoderms and crustaceans. Because the lagoon was near land, the remains also include land-based fossils of reptiles, insects and plants, resulting in an extremely rich source of fossils.
Encyclopedia Record: Monte San Giorgio
Monte San Giorgio is a Swiss mountain and UNESCO World Heritage Site near the border between Switzerland and Italy. It is part of the Lugano Prealps, overlooking Lake Lugano in the Swiss Canton of Ticino.Additional Site Details
Area: 1,089.34 hectares
Coordinates: 45.8888888889 , 8.9138888889
Image
© Roland Zumbühl, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)