Tehran Times 24 July, 2004
Italy has become the country with most sites on the United Nations' coveted World Heritage List after Etruscan Tombs dating back to the 9th century B.C. and a swathe of rural Tuscan landscape were added on lat week.
UNESCO gave its seal of approval to the famous Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia, north of Rome, and the rolling hills and picturesque villages of Tuscany's Val d'Orcia, bringing the number of Italian sites to 39.
"With this latest prestigious recognition, Italy has consolidated its global leadership on the World Heritage list," Italian Culture Undersecretary Nicola Bono told reporters.
Italy and Spain were previously tied with 37 sites each on UNESCO'S list, which now includes 788 cultural and natural properties.
The Etruscan Necropolises include thousands of ancient tombs at two city-like cemeteries north of Rome, many with wall paintings and elaborate carved "tumuli" or burial mounds and others shaped like residential huts.
The Val d'Orcia agricultural landscape near Siena was redesigned during the 14th and 15th centuries as a model of good governance and features sweeping valleys covered in vineyards and conical hills with fortified settlements on top.
Italy's most famous UNESCO sites include the historic centers of Rome and Florence as well as the lagoon city of Venice and the Roman ruins at Pompeii.
Local UNESCO officials have said it could be increasingly difficult for Italy to win recognition for new sites as the U.N. body was focusing on countries that had previously been left aside. |