There are 6 World Heritage Sites in Scotland, these include St Kilda, Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns, New Lanark, the Antonine Wall, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney and most recently the Forth Bridge.
As Nature Scot puts it, a World Heritage site is recognised as such for being “an area with natural and/or cultural heritage of outstanding universal value” and Scotland has no shortage of sites that represent tremendous cultural and historical significance which is why it has earned other UNESCO nominations previously.
After we asked you, our Scotsman readers, ‘What Scottish sites do you think deserve UNESCO status?’ you offered a wealth of responses that we’ve compiled into the following.
Here are 9 Scottish locations that could be UNESCO World Heritage Sites according to Scotsman readers.
After we asked you, our Scotsman readers, ‘What Scottish sites do you think deserve UNESCO status?’ you offered a wealth of responses that we’ve compiled into the following.
. Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan is an area of historical and architectural significance. The banks of Loch Shiel were the location where Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his royal standard and launched the 1745 Jacobite Rising. The Glenfinnan Viaduct, an iconic concrete span comprising 21 arches, overlooks the monument and Loch Shiel. The structure is a fine example of Victorian ingenuity and architecture. The two sites combined with their beautiful setting make them worthy of consideration by UNESCO. Photo: tamara_kulikova via Canva Pro
. The Isle of Iona
Situated off the southwest coast of the Isle of Mull, Iona is an island paradise with its white sand beaches and turquoise waters. The Isle has been home to a community since 563 when Saint Columba is rumoured to have founded the island’s monastery and is regarded by many as the symbolic centre of Scottish Christianity. Its gorgeous abbey is regarded as the best preserved Middle Age ecclesiastical building in the west of Scotland and contains unique features including one of the best preserved 9th Century crosses in Great Britain. Photo: Graeme Pow via Flickr
9. Cairngorms National Park
The Cairngorms are Great Britain’s largest national park and are a unique patchwork of habitats, protecting some of the UK’s most endangered species, including the wildcat. The mountain range is also the most southerly site in Europe visited by the Arctic Snow Bunting. As well as being a haven for wildlife, the national park is home to a large portion of the native Caledonian Forest, an ancient expanse of Caledonian pine trees. This importance to native flora and fauna would make the Cairngorms National Park warrants World Heritage status. Photo: Richard Paksi from Getty Images