the symmetric space along the courtyard axis of Hai Tian Tang Gou Mansion

sunbeams shining through the ornate Gelati Monastery in Georgia

Sambor Prei Kuk temple ruins in Kompong Thom Province, Cambodia

Roman monument Tetrapylon in Aphrodisias, Turkey

a view of houses and church at the settlement of Igaliku

Casentinesi Naturale Reserves - Component Sasso Fratino

France's Bas Rhin Strasbourg Neustadt district

Old Roma Impero Cinema in Asmara, Eritrea

lake environment with temperate Alerce forest in Los Alerces National Park

a man walking through a deserted market in Hebron

Hoh Xil of northwest China's Qinghai Province

Miare Festival at the Sacred Island of Okinoshima

the staircase of the main building of the Bauhaus University in Weimar

people dancing around fire in the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape

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TaputapuāteaOn the lush volcanic island of Ra’iatea in the center of the Polynesian Triangle, forested valley, lagoon, and coral reef make up the property of Taputapuātea. In addition to its stunning natural features, the marae complex—a political, ceremonial and funerary center—is evidence of traditional Polynesian worship. Travel tip: Air Tahiti offers 40-minute flights to Ra’iatea from Papeete and Moorea, and daily 15-minute flights from Huahin...

Photograph by STEPHEN ALVAREZ, Nat Geo Image Collection

Here Are UNESCO's Newest World Heritage Sites

Discover which cultural and natural wonders made the prestigious list this year.

ByNational Geographic Staff

July 10, 2017

2 min read

Each year the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization convenes to determine which sites will be granted World Heritage status in recognition of their outstanding value to humanity. Sites are carefully selected based on six cultural and four natural criteria, ranging from masterpieces of human creative genius to landscapes of exceptional natural beauty.

The 2017 selections span time, geography, and culture—a treasure trove of new destinations to add to your travel wish-list. Discover the ancient ruins, cave paintings, religious ceremonies, and wildlife oases that reveal some of the most compelling chapters of human history.

Maletsunyane Falls in the Semonkong Maseru District, Lesotho

a souk, or market, in the Islamic district of Cairo, Egypt

the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue near Ulan Bator, Mongolia

the Sans-Souci Palace in the town of Milot, Haiti

a women being tossed in a blanket in Barrow Alaska

horses grazing on a meadow at the foot of Tien-Shan Mountains

a brandy distillery in Tiraspol, Moldova

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LesothoPlenty of travelers visit South Africa for its wine or beaches. But fewer travelers venture inland to the landlocked country of Lesotho–surrounded on all sides by South Africa. It’s a pity, as Lesotho, with its high altitude and some three hundred days of sun a year, is one of Africa’s finest destinations for adventure travelers. Head to the Tsehlanyane National Park–thick with che-che (old wood)–or go skiing at Oxbow, one of Africa’s few ski resorts.

Photograph by David South, Alamy STock Photo