World Heritage Identification Number: 773
World Heritage since: 1997
Category: Mixed Cultural Heritage and Natural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: Yes
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: France, Spain
Continent: NA
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Exploring the Pyrénées - Mont Perdu: A Transboundary World Heritage Site
The Pyrénées - Mont Perdu, inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1997, is a testament to the breathtaking beauty and rich geological history of the Pyrenees mountain range. Spanning across the contemporary national borders of France and Spain, this outstanding mountain landscape offers a unique blend of natural wonders and cultural heritage.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This outstanding mountain landscape, which spans the contemporary national borders of France and Spain, is centred around the peak of Mount Perdu, a calcareous massif that rises to 3,352 m. The site, with a total area of 30,639 ha, includes two of Europe's largest and deepest canyons on the Spanish side and three major cirque walls on the more abrupt northern slopes with France, classic presentations of these geological landforms. The site is also a pastoral landscape reflecting an agricultural way of life that was once widespread in the upland regions of Europe but now survives only in this part of the Pyrénées. Thus it provides exceptional insights into past European society through its landscape of villages, farms, fields, upland pastures and mountain roads.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
The Committee inscribed the site under natural criteria (vii) and (viii). The calcareous massif of the Mount Perdu displays classic geological land forms, including deep canyons and spectacular cirque walls. It is also an outstanding scenic landscape with meadows, lakes, caves and forests on mountain slopes. In addition, the area is of high interest to science and conservation. Concerning cultural values, the Committee inscribed the property on the basis of criteria (iii), (iv) and (v): The Pyrénées-Mont Perdu area between France and Spain is an outstanding cultural landscape which combines scenic beauty with a socio-economic structure that has its roots in the past and illustrates a mountain way of life that has become rare in Europe.
Encyclopedia Record: Pyrénées – Mont Perdu World Heritage Site
The Pyrénées – Mont Perdu World Heritage Site is a World Heritage Site straddling the border between Spain and France in the Pyrenees mountain chain. The summit of Monte Perdido is on the Spanish side of the border. The site was designated in 1997 and extended north in 1999 to include the Commune of Gèdre in France.Additional Site Details
Area: 30,639 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
(vii) — Contains superlative natural phenomena or beauty
(viii) — Outstanding example representing major earth stages
Coordinates: 42.68542 , -5e-04
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© Patrick Rouzet, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)