* UNESCO World Heritage (78153en)

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Old City of Berne

Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps

Fountains, arcades and historic charm Official UNESCO World Heritage property since 1983, the Old City of Berne rises majestically above a loop in the River Aare. It bears witness to the ambitious scale of urban development in medieval Europe and delights visitors with its pleasant, relaxed charm. The cafés located in vaulted cellars are the perfect place to take a break and the covered medieval arcades, stretching for kilometers, are simply a shopper’s paradise.

© B e r n To u r i s m u s

UNESCO World Heritage properties in Switzerland

www.bern.com

©

S t if

tun

ü g Pr nM o Kloster St. Johann i

Cultural Heritage since 1983

sta

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www.muestair.ch

Outstanding archaeological sites

©S CG

U N E S C O P a l a f it t

The serial of “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps” comprises a selection of 111 sites in six countries (D, F, I, SLO, A, CH), 56 of which are situated in Switzerland. Thanks to their location partly or fully submerged in water, their remains are extremely well preserved: finds made from stone, pottery and especially organic materials give fascinating insight into life between 5,000 and 500 BC.

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www.palafittes.org

Cultural Heritage since 2011

Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair

Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes

The nuns open their doors

A triumph of railway engineering

Founded as a monastery by Charlemagne in the 8 th century and later converted into a convent, this complex exhibits many architectural styles as well as artistic treasures from more than 12 centuries, delighting not only archaeologists and art historians. To this day, the convent is home to a community of nuns who live according to the Benedictine ideal of prayer and work.

The rail line across Albula and Bernina is a master stroke of structural engineering and route planning. Tight turns, sophisticated structures, amazing tunnels: landscape and railway in the UNESCO World Heritage RhB seamlessly blend into the environment. For some it is a voyage of discovery of the culture of trains, others enjoy seeing the trailblazing structures from up close and those eager to learn visit the railway museum.

Cultural Heritage since 1983

©R hB/

L a n d w a s s e r v ia d u

kt

www.rhb.ch/unesco

Cultural Heritage since 2008

Three Castles of Bellinzona

S w i ss Al ps J un gfr au -Al et s ch

A mighty bastion

A glorious world of glaciers

Bellinzona’s impressive castles are among the best surviving examples of medieval military fortification. The three fortresses, linked by walls, occupy a defensive position that has been strategically important since the Roman era. Rebuilt several times over the centuries, Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro have recently been restored to their full glory.

The “Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch“ World Heritage property protects one of the world’s most spectacular mountain landscapes, home to towering massifs, unspoilt valleys and the largest glaciated area in the Alps. The area covers a wide range of habitats, from Mediterranean-style steppe to bare rocky mountaintop, and also reveals a long and fascinating human history.

www.bellinzonese-altoticino.ch

Cultural Heritage since 2000

www.jungfraualetsch.ch

La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning

©G me . Benoî t à l a G u il l a u

www.watch-cities.ch

How mighty mountains arise

Cultural Heritage since 2009

TA S

Architecture that values light, an urban structure that facilitates transport: La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle are the result of innovative town planning in the service of a booming industry. The buildings tell the story of how watchmaking evolved from a craft into an industry – and show how this activity was integrated into the development of the urban landscape.

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www.unesco-sardona.ch

A witness to ancient history

Spirituality and beauty in harmony

Vines have been planted here as early as the 11 th century on narrow terraces supported by stonewalls. Since then, generations of winegrowers have cultivated this exceptional mosaic with great care. The cultural landscape consisting of fourteen villages is a remarkable reflection of how the area was able to thrive thanks to a well-balanced interaction between the local people and the environment.

St Gall’s magnificent emblem is its sublime cathedral, which together with the Abbey District forms a historic ensemble that is unmatched worldwide. The famous Abbey Library sports the most beautiful secular Rococo interior in Switzerland. Dubbed the “Pharmacy of the Soul“, it is home to 170,000 precious books as well as 2,000 priceless medieval manuscripts. ©S t.G

Cultural Heritage since 2007

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ri s o de n s e e To u

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The unique experiences build on the core values of the various UNESCO natural and cultural Heritage properties. WHES works with the Swiss Commission for UNESCO on promoting values and knowledge.

Cultural Heritage since 1983

Our precious Heritage What nature has created over thousands or millions of years, and what humanity has built up over the centuries, should be safeguarded. The protection and preservation of these treasures should be in the care of all of us: this was, and remains, the central, revolutionary idea of World Heritage. The rescue of the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt was the first step towards the Convention concerning the Protection of the World cultural and natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. More than 1,000 properties are currently listed as World Heritage, including eleven in Switzerland. Every one of us is called upon to take care of our precious heritage and hand it over safely to future generations. www.worldheritage.ch

Mountains that rise like pyramids, a lake that stretches its deep blue arms and picturesque villages: the stunning beauty of Monte San Giorgio’s countryside is reason enough to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage property. Its uniqueness, however, stems from its hidden treasure – fossils dating back 240 million years. Back then Monte San Giorgio’s rocks formed a marine lagoon in a sub tropical region. Today, the fossil museum in Meride offers exciting insights into this mysterious world. Natural Heritage since 2003/2010 (extension)

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www.st.gallen-bodensee.ch

A sea of memories

www.mendrisiottoturismo.ch

Natural Heritage since 2008

Convent of St Gall

Monte San Giorgio

© J a c q ue s P e rl e r

IG

The collision of Africa and Europe resulted over millions of years in the formation of the Alps. Gargantuan forces propelled rock layers over one another, folding and splitting them. At the Tectonic Arena Sardona, you can see the result of these processes clearly. The region became a UNESCO World Heritage property in 2008, and offers dramatic insights into how mountains are formed.

Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces

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www.lavaux-unesco.ch

Picture: Ruedi Homberger (Arosa)

Contact Us World Heritage Experience Switzerland Spitalgasse 4 CH-3011 Bern T +41 31 544 31 15 info@whes.ch www.whes.ch

WHES works in partnership with tourist organisations to promote and coordinate high-quality, unique experiences. This helps to ensure sustainable development of the universal values and create added (tourist) value for the sites.

Natural Heritage since 2001/2007 (extension)

S w i ss Te ct on i c A ren a Sardon a

Two towns that tick alike

C o l om b o / d i a p o

“World Heritage Experience Switzerland” (WHES) is the umbrella organisation for the tourist network of UNESCO World Heritage properties in Switzerland.

© Jun g f r au B a h n e n

© T i c i n o Tu r i s m o

©R égis

The network of UNESCO World Heritage properties in Switzerland.

www.whes.ch


Old City of Berne

Design and layout: www.neidhart-grafik.ch — Picture: www.niklausbuergin.com

La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle

Prehistoric Pile Dwellings

Convent of St Gall

Prehistoric Pile Dwellings

Basel Neuchâtel Biel/Bienne Lausanne Olten

Bern

Schaffhausen

Genève

Montreux

Luzern

Interlaken

Sion St. Gallen

Brig

Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona

Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces

Zürich

Chur

Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch

Rhaetian Railway, Albula / Bernina

Bellinzona

Lugano

St. Moritz

www.whes.ch

Monte San Giorgio

Three Castles of Bellinzona

Convent of St John at Müstair


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