World Heritage Identification Number: 640
World Heritage since: 1992
Category: Natural Heritage
WHE Type: Protected Areas & National Parks
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇳 China
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Exploring the Stunning Landscape of Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area
The Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, located in the Wulingyuan District of Hunan Province, China, is a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site that has captivated visitors since its inscription in 1992. This expansive region, covering over 26,000 hectares, showcases a unique and awe-inspiring landscape characterized by towering quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks, deep ravines, and cascading waterfalls.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
A spectacular area stretching over more than 26,000 ha in China's Hunan Province, the site is dominated by more than 3,000 narrow sandstone pillars and peaks, many over 200 m high. Between the peaks lie ravines and gorges with streams, pools and waterfalls, some 40 caves, and two large natural bridges. In addition to the striking beauty of the landscape, the region is also noted for the fact that it is home to a number of endangered plant and animal species.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (vii): The huge number of sandstone columns and peaks—more than 3,000—are spectacular. These, coupled with other land forms (natural bridges, ravines, waterfalls, streams, pools and caves) and dense broadleaf forest, present an aesthetically beautiful landscape enhanced by the mists and clouds which frequently shroud the site. There are more than 40 caves and two huge natural stone bridges, one of which rises 357 m above the valley floor. At time of evaluation it was also noted that with additional information there could also be justification for inscribing this property under criterion (x), as the site provides important habitat for a number of threatened plant and animal species such as dhole, Asiatic black bear and Chinese water deer.
Encyclopedia Record: Wulingyuan
Wulingyuan is a scenic and historical site in the Wulingyuan District of South Central China's Hunan Province. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. It is noted for more than 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks across most of the site, many over 200 metres (660 ft) in height, along with many ravines and gorges with picturesque streams, pools, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. It features 40 caves, many with large calcite deposits and a natural bridge named Tianqiashengkong, which is one of the highest natural bridges in the world. The site also provides habitat for many vulnerable species, including the dhole, Asiatic black bear, and Chinese water deer.Additional Site Details
Area: 26,400 hectares
Number of Components: 1
Coordinates: 29.33333 , 110.5
IUCN World Heritage Outlook
The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area reports the following assessment:
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment
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© chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
