An exciting new map has been recently launched, featuring all 58 UK UNESCO sites, making it the first of its kind. This visually captivating map was created by the talented artist, Tom Woolley, an alumnus of the University of Bradford. The primary objective of this map is to inspire people to explore and discover the various extraordinary sites and destinations scattered across the UK.
Embark on thrilling summer adventures as you explore incredible places like Saltaire World Heritage Site and Bradford UNESCO City of Film, in addition to 57 other unique UNESCO sites and crown dependencies. The map can be easily downloaded for free from the UK National Commission for UNESCO’s website.
The UK’s UNESCO sites are a treasure trove of world-class natural and cultural heritage, encompassing vast mountain ranges, breathtaking coastlines, vibrant cities, and picturesque rural landscapes. Thanks to the efforts of creative cartographer Tom Woolley, this map brings together all the Biosphere Reserves, Creative Cities, Global Geoparks, and World Heritage Sites located in the British Isles, eagerly awaiting your discovery.
Visitors to these UNESCO sites can indulge in awe-inspiring landscapes, delve into literary and film heritage, conquer mountains, unravel legends and folklore, and learn about the rich local heritage.
The newly released map, now available online, showcases 29 World Heritage Sites, 13 Creative Cities, nine Global Geoparks, and seven Biosphere Reserves, covering an impressive 13% of the UK’s landmass. Many of these sites are accessible free of charge and conveniently reachable via public transport, presenting a fantastic opportunity for the public to experience and appreciate these remarkable UNESCO sites in the UK. So why not make this summer special by planning a visit to one of the world’s most exceptional places?
Saltaire promises an array of exciting events in the upcoming months, including the Saltaire Festival from 9th to 17th September, featuring fantastic arts and culture. Additionally, visitors can admire David Hockney’s longest work, “A Year in Normandy,” on display at Salts Mill. There’s also a series of Bandstand Concerts in Roberts Park, Saltaire Makers Fair, Wurlitzer performances, the Yorkshire Belly Dancing Festival, and the much-loved Saltaire Living Advent Calendar, marking the start of the Christmas season. Furthermore, Salts Mill will see exciting developments in 2024, welcoming The Peace Museum, the only UK museum dedicated to the history and stories of peace, peacemakers, and peace movements.
For film enthusiasts, Bradford UNESCO City of Film has an exciting year ahead. The fabulous Bradford Family Film Festival will showcase family-friendly films live on the Big Screen in City Park every Wednesday throughout August, as well as in various locations across the Bradford district. Fans can catch up on television shows and films that have featured scenes from the Bradford district, including “Malpractice” (ITV), “Better” (BBC), “Bank of Dave” (Netflix), “The Crown” (Netflix), and “Emmerdale” (ITV). Upcoming shows include Netflix’s “Bodies” and the Amazon Prime feature film, “Upgraded.” For a deeper dive into the district’s film heritage and to discover the various films and TV shows filmed in the Bradford district, visit www.bradfordfilmheritage.com.
To celebrate Bradford City Hall’s 150th anniversary, an Open Weekend will be held on 9th and 10th September, offering visitors the chance to explore the location where scenes from Peaky Blinders, Emmerdale, The Duke, Official Secrets, Victoria, and many others were filmed.
James Bridge, Chief Executive and Secretary-General of the UK National Commission for UNESCO said: “This new UNESCO in the UK map will inspire people for places to visit. It shows at a glance the breadth of amazing natural, cultural and built heritage designated by UNESCO as internationally significant in the UK. This great map highlights places to explore, on your doorstep and further afield, both the famous and those to discover for the first time.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support this project which, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will help to inspire more people to visit the fantastic UNESCO sites across the UK. Heritage has a huge role to play in bringing people together and any way that we can enable and inspire this to happen is hugely positive.”
The map was produced by the UK National Commission for UNESCO as part of its Local to Global project, made possible with the GREAT Campaign and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. Local to Global aims to develop a resilient network for UNESCO Designated Sites in the UK.
The map can be downloaded from: https://unesco.org.uk/our-sites
