UNESCO Has Announced 19 New World Heritage Sites

Not that we need any more excuses to travel, but you’re gonna want to check out the latest places designated a UNESCO world heritage site.

They’re breathtaking.

Every year UNESCO meets to decide the next group of places that will be added to the organisation’s list of World Heritage sites. In order to qualify, a place or structure must have great historical, cultural, and/or natural significance.

Irish sites include the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher in Clare, the Copper Coast Global Geopark in Waterford and Newgrange in Co. Meath.

Check out this year’s additions below.

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Saudi Arabia’s new World Heritage Site, the Al-Ahsa Oasis, is the largest oasis in the world. Along with 2.5 million date palms, the site also contains historic fortresses, mosques, wells, and canals. Photo At-Tehamiyah Village © IPOGEA • • • #globalheritagefund #beyondmonuments #heritage #worldheritage #worldheritagesite #unesco #unescoworldheritage #unescoworldheritagesite #saudiarabia #alahsaoasis #oasis

A post shared by Global Heritage Fund (@globalheritagefund) on Jul 12, 2018 at 11:01am PDT

Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains, South Africa

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Sunset over the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains #sunset #southafrica #barberton #barbertonmakhonjwageotrail #makhonjwa #makhonjwamountains

A post shared by J. Ney (@jney1978) on Jul 5, 2018 at 10:18am PDT

Fanjingshan, China

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Here is Mount Fanjing. It is one of the ten famous summer mountains in China. At the same time, it is also one of the five great Buddhist mountains in China. The air quality here is very good. So there are many rare animals here. I wanna walk to the top of it ????????

A post shared by Rita (@ubiez_rita) on Mar 2, 2018 at 5:48pm PST

Ancient City of Qalhat, Oman

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The ancient city of Qalhat in Oman was one of the most important Islamic commercial hubs for Indian Ocean trade from the 11th to 16th centuries. The city is now largely an archaeological site but for one remaining structure, the mausoleum of Bibi Maryam (pictured). • Uncontrolled development and unmanaged tourism have presented challenges to the preservation of Qalhat, one of the most significant archaeological sites in the region. Excavations have confirmed the need for immediate preservation work and a conservation plan at the site. #WMF began the first phase of conservation work in 2013 and continues today.

A post shared by World Monuments Fund (@worldmonumentsfund) on Aug 4, 2017 at 9:53am PDT

Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke, Germany

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#UNESCO#Weltkulturerbe#Haithabu#Haddeby#Schleswig#WorldHeritage#Archaeological_border_complex#Hedeby#Danevirke

A post shared by Richard®???? (@schleifreund) on Jul 1, 2018 at 2:44am PDT

Chiribiquete National Park – “The Maloca of the Jaguar”, Columbia

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#chiribiquetenationalpark ???????????? #intothewild

A post shared by JHORMAN (@mrmoreno8) on Jan 17, 2017 at 11:14am PST

Caliphate City of Medina Azahara, Spain

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#cordoba #medinaazahara #medinaalzahara

A post shared by @ carabusek on Mar 29, 2018 at 5:55am PDT

Göbekli Tepe, Turkey

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#gobeklitepe #göbeklitepe #gobekli.tepe #göbekli.tepe

A post shared by Göbekli Tepe (@gobekli.tepe) on Jun 21, 2018 at 1:25am PDT

Chaîne des Puys – Limagne fault tectonic arena, France

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✨ SUNSET ???? Hier soir je suis allé contempler et photographier le coucher de soleil au Puy Pariou, une façon pour moi d’immortaliser une grande nouvelle : vous devez déjà sûrement le savoir, la Chaîne des Puys et la faille de la Limagne ont été inscrites au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO ce lundi 2 Juillet 2018 ! ✨ Je suis tellement fier d’être originaire d’une si belle région ! ???????????? . . ????Chaîne des Puys, Auvergne, France. ???? Matériel utilisé : lien dans ma bio ______________________________________________________ @instagramfr @instagram @djiglobal #sunset#pariou#chainedespuys#paysage#auvergne#cantal#puydedome#hauteloire#allier#nature#france#drone#beautifuldestinations#clermontferrand#unesco#thepipas2018#expodronefrancais

A post shared by Florian Bompan ???????? (@florian.bompan) on Jul 12, 2018 at 8:24am PDT

Pimachiowin Aki, Canada

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???? BREAKING! The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Manama since 24 June under the chair of Shaikha Haya Bint Rashed al-Khalifa of Bahrain, inscribed Pimachiowin Aki, Manitoba/Ontario, Canada, on the World Heritage List. Congratulations! ???? #Canada ???????? #Manitoba #Ontario #HappyCanadaDay #WorldHeritage #PimachiowinAki @unesco

A post shared by Gratas (@fundacaogratas) on Jul 1, 2018 at 9:53am PDT

Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region, Japan

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もうすぐ世界遺産???? #頭ケ島天主堂 #頭ケ島 #上五島 #hiddenchristiansitesinthenagasakiregion #kashiragashimachurch #kamigoto

A post shared by @ agnes__725 on May 13, 2018 at 8:04am PDT

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Valle de Tehuacán, Puebla. México. Foto: © Antonio Nava #colorphoto #landscape #landscapephotography #film #leica #leicacamera #nature #moon #roads #tehuacanvalley

A post shared by Antonio Nava (@navafotos) on Jul 21, 2017 at 9:37am PDT

Central Sikhote-Alin, Russia

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A post shared by ????????????????????ℋ???????? (@markushayakusha_24) on Mar 8, 2018 at 5:19pm PST

Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region, Iran

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???? #مژده ????#مژده . خبری خوش برای تمام ایرانیان، بویژه استان فارسی ها و علاقه مندان #صنعت_گردشگری ???????????? . ثبت جهانی بیست و سومین اثر تاریخی ایران ???? منظر باستانی ساسانیان در فهرست میراث جهانی یونسکو ثبت شد. ???? در چهل و دومین اجلاس #میراث_جهانی که در #بحرین برگزار شد،#منظر_باستانی_ساسانی در استان فارس به عنوان بیست و سومین اثر #ایران #ثبت_جهانی شد. این آثار شامل (شهر تاریخی #بیشاپور ، تنگه تاریخی طبیعی چوگان و غار #مجسمه_شاپور_اول ساسانی) و مجموعه تاریخی #قلعه_دختر ، #آتشکده (#کاخ_اردشیر_بابکان) و #شهرگور در شهرستان #فیروزآباد و #کاخ_ساسانی در شهرستان #سروستان استان فارس است. ???????????????? . . BREAKING! #congratulations #SassanidArchaeologicalLandscape of #fars Region, in #Iran has just been inscribed as @UNESCO#WorldHeritage Site. . . The site also known as the Ensemble of Historical Sassanian Cities comprises Bishapour, Firouzabad and Sarvestan in Fars Province. According to the dossier, the ensemble embodies the political, historical, cultural and artistic developments of the Sassanid era (224-651). It includes the ruins of the city of Goor, Ardeshir’s Palace, Qal’e-ye-Dokhtar fortress and bas-reliefs. ???????????????? . #tagyourfriends #دوستاتو_تگ_کن . . [email protected]

A post shared by Persian.Gryphon (@persian.discovery) on Jul 1, 2018 at 5:00am PDT

Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site, Kenya

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An entrance to an enclosure at the Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site in Kenya. The remote dry-stone walled settlement near the Kenyan town of Migori is one of three new sites awarded world heritage status by UNESCO at the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee in Bahrain. UNESCO said the settlement, probably built in the 16th century, seems to have “served as a fort for communities and livestock, but also defined social entities and relationships linked to lineage” and was the “largest and best preserved of these traditional enclosures”. “It is an exceptional example of the tradition of massive dry-stone walled enclosures, typical of the first pastoral communities in the Lake Victoria Basin, which persisted until the mid-20th century,” it added. Photo credit: Ephraim Mwangi/Unesco/EPA #Kenya #Africa #ThimlichOhinga #UNESCO #Worldheritage #Heritage #News #TheGuardianNg

A post shared by The Guardian (@guardiannigeria) on Jun 30, 2018 at 2:48am PDT

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, India

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The famed art district of south Mumbai’ comprising Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles has been named as the latest entrant to the coveted World Heritage sites list #India #IncredibleIndia #UNESCO #WorldHeritageSiteList #Mumbai #Bombay #VictorianGothicArtDecoEnsemble #ArtDeco

A post shared by Expedition2india (@expedition2india) on Jun 30, 2018 at 9:25pm PDT