World Heritage Sites
Definitely a must visit in Lanarkshire. Our world heritage sites stand alongside others such as the Great Wall of China, Pyramids in Egypt and the Acroplis in Athens.
World Heritage Sites - Highlights
World famous visitor attraction, this unique 18th century cotton mill village by the stunning Falls of Clyde, has been carefully restored as a living community and multi award winning visitor centre.
New Lanark
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall is a World Heritage Site and is one of the few remaining Romain frontiers.
New Lanark
World famous visitor attraction, this unique 18th century cotton mill village by the stunning Falls...
What is a World Heritage Site?
World Heritage Site status is the highest recognition in the world for heritage!
It can't get any higher, and we have not one, but two World Heritage Sites in Lanarkshire - New Lanark World Heritage Site and the Antonine Wall.
World Heritage Sites are places or buildings which are considered to have special importance for everyone in the world.
They represent the most significant, unique and best examples of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Their level of significance and individual characteristics are not repeated anywhere else in the world!
World Heritage Sites are important because they belong to all the people of the world irrespective of their location. Their protection is the concern and duty of the international community as a whole. Our World Heritage Sites demonstrate ‘Outstanding Universal Value.'
The universal responsibility to safeguard the world’s most valuable heritage assets is achieved through the application of the World Heritage Convention.
The decision to inscribe a place on the World Heritage List is taken by the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.
New Lanark World Heritage Site
The evaluation and assessment of the New Lanark nomination was carried out by ICOMOS (International Committee on Monuments and Sites). The Outstanding Universal Value of New Lanark was recognised by the World Heritage Committee on 14 December 2001.
Antonine Wall
Possibly one of the most recent World Heritage Sites, the Antonine Wall is recognised as a significant part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site alongside Hadrian’s Wall and the German Limes.
The Antonine Wall spans central Scotland from Bo’ness on the Forth to Old Kilpatrick on the Clyde and was built during the years following AD 142 on the orders of Emperor Antoninus Pius who reigned between AD 138 and 161. The Wall was held as the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire until about AD 158 before being abandoned by the Romans who then returned to Hadrian’s Wall further south.
Built as a turf rampart wall, with deep and wide ditches in front the wall was the main line of protection from potential invaders from the north. The Lanarkshire stretch of the Wall is considered the most rural and accessible, and the remains of Roman forts can be seen in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth at Bar Hill, Croy Hill, Westerwood, and Castlecarry.