site.btaCrete’s Minoan Palaces Join UNESCO World Heritage List as Mediterranean Islands Celebrate Rich Cultural and Natural Legacy

The 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Paris under the presidency of Bulgaria from 6 to 16 of July, 2025, inscribed 26 new sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Minoan Palatial Centres in Crete, Greece, according to UNESCO’S website. 

Greece and Cyprus are two countries with rich history of cultural and natural heritage, with biodiversity and architectural achievements. With their inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List and Tentative Lists, both continue to embrace the cultural and natural heritage. 

According to the official UNESCO website, Greece has many places with rich heritage, with the island of Crete being one of them. Crete is located in the Mediterranean Sea in southern Greece. The most recent addition to UNESCO’s World Heritage List is the six major Minoan Palatial Centres, in Crete that were inscribed in 2025, after the end of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris France, on July 17. 

The Minoan Palatial Centres are dating from 1900 BCE to 1100 BCE. The archaeological sites represent the Minoan civilization. The palaces, such as Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros, feature the architecture, urban structure and vibrant frescoes. They also indicate the early writing systems, maritime networks, and cultural exchanges among people, all of which reveal the complexity of Minoan society and its enduring cultural influence. 

Τhe head of the Public Diplomacy Office of Greece in Sofia, Theodora Petrou, told BTA that the UNESCO recognition of the site reveals “the ecumenical value of the Minoan civilization.” She emphasized the advanced architecture of that era, the infrastructure systems, such as the sewage and water supply networks, the organization of society, the artistic expression highlighting how “the Minoan civilization has left its mark and influenced the development of Europe.” 

One of Crete’s more famous natural treasures, which was added in the UNESCO Tentative List in 2014, is the Samaria Gorge, located in Lefka Ori (White Mountains). It’s a 13 kilometre long gorge, from Xyloskalo to the southern village of Agia Roumeli. It was declared a National Park in 1962; Samaria is a vital habitat for rare and endemic species. Its spectacular landscape and biodiversity make it one of the most celebrated natural landmarks in Greece, managed by both national and EU-supported authorities since 2008. 

The small rocky island of Spinalonga, just off the coast of Elounda in Crete, was also added on the UNESCO Tentative List in 2014. The small island was first fortified by the Venetians in the 1500s. Then it was used as a refugee camp during the Cretan War and was under Venetian control until 1715, after which the Ottomans conquered it. After that it became the home of a Muslim community. In 1904 it was turned into a leper colony, which closed in 1957. It was declared as an archaeological site in 1976. 

In Cyprus there are three cultural sites included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, with the city of Papho, the painted churches in the Troodos region and Choirokοitia being among them. Some of the natural heritage sites on the Tentative List that need to be mentioned are the Church of Panagia Aggeloktisti, Hala Sultan Tekke and the Larnaca Salt Lake Complex. 

The city of Paphos in Cyprus is located on the west side of the island, and it has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. In the old part of the city there is the temple of Aphrodite. There are also many archaeological remains, like theatres, palaces, villas, fortresses, and tombs that show the history and importance of the place. Some of the finest and beautiful mosaics in the world can be found in Nea Paphos, according to UNESCO. 

The painted churches of the Troodos area is a complex of 10 monuments, decorated with murals, from the Byzantine period. The island is filled with small churches with simple style which is the opposite to the detailed decoration. The construction was determined by the geographical place, history and climate where they were located.   

As listed by UNESCO in 1998, Choirokitia, one of the most famous heritage sites, is located in Larnaca city some six kilometres from the southern coast. This is also a Neolithic site that is very important in the Mediterranean. Just like the Megalithic Temples of Malta, which is among the oldest stone buildings in the world. In Gozo there is the Ggantija temples, known for their large size and the Hagar Qim, Mnajdra, and Tarxien, for their ancient build. They are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1980. 

Malta is a really small island in the Mediterranean Sea with rich history and many things to provide to anyone visiting from natural beauty to historical monuments. The Qawra/Dwejra, a natural coastal area in western Gozo, Malta, well known for their geological formation, is also on the UNESCO Tentative List since 1998.  The rich wildlife, the spectacular seascapes, sea caves, cliffs, arches, the well-known Fungus rock and rare plants and animals, are some of the things that make it unique. 

Finally, those islands of the Mediterranean Sea, such as Crete, Cyprus, and Malta, are like open-air museums of cultural and natural heritage. They provide centuries of history and natural beauty, from ancient civilizations and religious art to unique ecosystems and geological wonders. Their inclusion in UNESCO's World Heritage List and Tentative Lists emphasizes both their universal significance and our shared obligation to preserve and honour these priceless locations for coming generations.