Wales gets new UNESCO World Heritage Site

The slate landscape of Northwest Wales has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it the fourth World Heritage Site in the country.

The inscription of the site on the list is the result of over 15 years of work, led by Gwynedd Council, to record, safeguard and recognise the legacy of the slate landscape in Gwynedd.

The new World Heritage Site is a serial property in six parts, including quarry landscapes at Penrhyn, Dinorwig, the Nantlle Valley and Ffestiniog, as well as the National Slate Museum in Llanberis, Penrhyn Castle and the Ffestiniog and Talyllyn Railways, which were built to transport slate from the quarry to markets around the world.

First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, said: ‘Today’s announcement recognises the significant contribution this part of North Wales has made to the cultural and industrial heritage not only of Wales, but of the wider world.  Welsh slate can be found all over the world.

‘The quarrying and mining of slate has left a unique legacy in Gwynedd, which the communities are rightly proud of. This worldwide recognition today by UNESCO, will help preserve that legacy and history in those communities for generations to come and help them with future regeneration.’

Deputy minister for arts and sport, Dawn Bowden, said: ‘This is such fantastic news for the area and for Wales.  Working on – and submitting the bid has been a real team effort – and I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved.  This news has made all the hard work worthwhile!

‘Gaining World Heritage Site Status is an excellent celebration of the pride in our slate communities – and a driver for future regeneration.’

In related news, the World Heritage Committee decided to remove Liverpool from the Word Heritage List due to the irreversible loss of attributes conveying the value of the property through development.

Photo supplied by the Welsh government