According to the Unesco World Heritage list, Italy is the most valuable country in the world. There are 1007 World Natural and Cultural Heritage sites in 161 countries. With its 50 sites, Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage sites. Tuscany has 7 World Heritage sites.
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Committee, was founded in 1945. World Heritage names and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity to preserve them for future generations. Only heritage registered on the official list of the UNESCO may carry the title of Unesco World Heritage.
The 7 Unesco World Heritage sites in Tuscany are :
1. Florence
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| Palazzo Pitti in Florence |
Florence is located in the hart of Tuscany. The historic centre was the cradle of the Renaissance. It was the first Tuscan city to be included in the Unesco World Heritage list in 1982. Florence had its cultural wealth mainly to the banker family De' Medici, which had a great interest for painting, sculpture, architecture and literature. Examples of this cultural heritage are the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, the Santa Croce Church, the Uffizi Museum and Palazzo Pitti. In the 15th century the city reached its peak with famous artists such as Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Della Robbia, Michelangelo Buonarotti and Leonardo da Vinci.
2. The Square of Miracles in Pisa
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| Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa |
Piazza dei Miracoli or the Square of Miracles is a cultural World Heritage site and includes its four masterpieces: the cathedral, the baptistery, the sacred burial ground and the clock tower, better known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
3. San Gimignano
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| San Gimignano |
San Gimignano is known for its fourteen towers that dominate the silhouette of the city. The city was an important trading centre for the pilgrims on their way to Rome along the Via Francigena. San Gimignano was added to the list of Unesco World Heritage site just a few years ago because of its unique and well-preserved medieval structure.
4. Siena
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| Piazza del Campo in Siena |
The historic centre of Siena is an exemplary Gothic town. The city is built around the shell-shaped square of Piazza del Campo. The attached townhouses and palazzi form rows along the main streets which creates a characteristic, urban space with eye-catching elements.
5. Pienza
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| Pienza |
The picturesque hilltop town of Pienza was recognized an Unesco World Heritage site because of its beautiful buildings by the famous Florentine architect and sculpturer Bernardo Rossellino. Pienza was built upon request of Pope Pio II and is a superb example of a Renaissance town.
6. Val d'Orcia valley
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| Val d'Orcia |
The Val d'Orcia valley offers exceptional, unspoiled nature and lots of lovely towns. Its territory consists mainly of hilly landscape with soft shapes, cypress trees and small towns with medieval fortresses, Renaissance towers and churches. In July 2004 this area was internationally recognized as a Unesco World Natural Heritage site.
7. The villas and gardens of the De' Medici family
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| The Boboli Gardens in Florence |
In 2013, twelve villas and two gardens of the banker family De' Medici were added to the list of World Heritage of Tuscany. The De' Medici family was the most respected and richest family of Florence. The villas were built between the 15th and 17th century. They were very innovative and formed a new kind of noble residence. The beautiful gardens of Boboli and the Mediceo gardens were included in the Unesco World Heritage list. These villas and gardens can be found in and around Florence.
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