World Heritage Site
"A natural or man-made site, area, or structure recognized as being of outstanding international importance and therefore as deserving special protection. Sites are nominated to and designated by the World Heritage Convention (an organization of UNESCO)"
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In 1986 the Stonehenge monument and the surrounding
landscape, including Avebury, became a World Heritage Site. As one of the most
famous prehistoric monuments from the Neolithic and Bronze Age period
(3000-1600 BC) thousands of visitors are welcomed every year. Although
Stonehenge itself is to some extent the most famous aspect of the site, perhaps
largely due to the fact that it is aligned on the solstice sunrise and sunset,
the surrounding landscape contains many other monuments of considerable significance
also. These include: Avenue the Cursus, Woodhenge and Durrington Walls along
with a significant numbers of burial mounds (over 350), the Avebury Site
and Silbury Hill.
World heritage sites are 'cultural and natural sites of outstanding universal value' these sites are protected as a result. Managing a site such as this however provides numerous challenges, the site itself covers 2600 hectares of Wiltshire, this huge area of land is owned and managed by various organisations, including English Heritage, the National Trust, the Ministry of Defence, the RSPB, Wiltshire Council, and of course farmers and those that live in the area. The site itself and the landscape combined are of great importance, and not only for there well known historic significance.
World heritage sites are 'cultural and natural sites of outstanding universal value' these sites are protected as a result. Managing a site such as this however provides numerous challenges, the site itself covers 2600 hectares of Wiltshire, this huge area of land is owned and managed by various organisations, including English Heritage, the National Trust, the Ministry of Defence, the RSPB, Wiltshire Council, and of course farmers and those that live in the area. The site itself and the landscape combined are of great importance, and not only for there well known historic significance.