There Are Almost 1,200 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — These Are the 21 Most Iconic Ones You Should Visit

Looking for a roadmap to visit the world? Consider using UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites as your guide. The organization — officially called the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization — was founded in 1946 to promote lasting peace; its charter states that “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.” The World Heritage Site list was created as a way to conserve sites of outstanding universal value, and the first list, adopted in 1978, contained just 12 sites. It has since grown to include more than 1,200. Though by no means a complete list, these 21 sites are some of the world’s most iconic and cover a range of interests.