List of World Heritage Sites in Iran facts for kids
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Iran accepted the convention on 26 February 1975, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2017, twenty-three sites in Iran are included.
The first three sites in Iran, Meidan Emam, Isfahan, Persepolis and Tchogha Zanbil, were inscribed on the list at the 3rd Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France in 1979. They remained the Islamic Republic's only listed properties until 2003, when Takht-e Soleyman was added to the list. The latest addition was The Sassanid Archaeological Landscape, inscribed in 2018.
In addition to its inscribed sites, Iran also lists fifty-five properties on its tentative list.
World Heritage Sites
The table is sortable by column by clicking on the 
at the top of the appropriate column; alphanumerically for the Site, Area, and Year columns; by state party for the Location column; and by criteria type for the Criteria column. Transborder sites sort at the bottom.
- Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation
- Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates
- Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee
- Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A lack of value implies that no data has been published by UNESCO
- Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List
- Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable
| Site | Image | Location | Criteria | Area | Year | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran |
 |
West Azerbaijan Province38°58′44″N 45°28′24″E / 38.97889°N 45.47333°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(vi) |
129 (320) | 2008 | |
| Bam and its Cultural Landscape |  |
Kerman Province29°07′00″N 58°22′00″E / 29.11667°N 58.36667°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(iv)(v) |
— | 2004 | |
| Bisotun |  |
Kermanshah Province34°23′18″N 47°26′12″E / 34.38833°N 47.43667°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii) |
187 (460) | 2006 | |
| Cultural Landscape of Maymand |  |
Kerman Province30°10′05″N 55°22′32″E / 30.16806°N 55.37556°E | Cultural:
(v) |
4,954 (12,240) | 2015 | |
| Gonbad-e Qābus |  |
Golestan Province37°15′29″N 55°10′08″E / 37.25806°N 55.16889°E | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) |
1 (2.5) | 2012 | |
| Golestan Palace |  |
Tehran35°40′47″N 51°25′13″E / 35.67972°N 51.42028°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(iv) |
5.3 (13) | 2013 | |
| Lut Desert | .jpg) |
Kerman and Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces
30°12′58″N 58°50′20″E / 30.21611°N 58.83889°E |
Natural:
(vii)(viii) |
2,278,012 (5,629,090) | 2016 | |
| The Ensemble of Historical Sassanian Cities in Fars Province (Bishabpur, Firouzabad, Sarvestan) |  |
Fars Province
29°46′39″N 51°34′14″E / 29.77750°N 51.57056°E |
Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(v) |
639.3 (1,580) | 2018 | |
| Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan |  |
Isfahan, Isfahan Province
32°40′11″N 51°41′07″E / 32.66972°N 51.68528°E |
Cultural:
(ii) |
2.0756 (5.129) | 2012 | |
| Naqsh-e Jahan Square |  |
Isfahan, Isfahan Province
32°39′27″N 51°40′40″E / 32.65750°N 51.67778°E |
Cultural:
(i)(v)(vi) |
— | 1979 | |
| Pasargadae | .jpg) |
Fars Province30°11′38″N 53°10′02″E / 30.19389°N 53.16722°E | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) |
160 (400) | 2004 | |
| Persepolis |  |
Fars Province29°56′04″N 52°53′25″E / 29.93444°N 52.89028°E | Cultural:
(i)(iii)(vi) |
12.5 (31) | 1979 | |
| Shahr-e Sukhteh |  |
Sistan and Baluchestan Province30°35′38″N 61°19′40″E / 30.59389°N 61.32778°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(iv) |
275 (680) | 2014 | |
| Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil |  |
Ardabil Province38°14′55″N 48°17′29″E / 38.24861°N 48.29139°E | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iv) |
2 (4.9) | 2010 | |
| Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System | .jpg) |
Khuzestan Province32°01′07″N 48°50′09″E / 32.01861°N 48.83583°E | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(v) |
240 (590) | 2009 | |
| Soltaniyeh |  |
Zanjan Province36°26′07″N 48°47′48″E / 36.43528°N 48.79667°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(iv) |
790 (2,000) | 2005 | |
| Susa |  |
Khuzestan Province32°11′22″N 48°15′22″E / 32.18944°N 48.25611°E | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) |
350 (860) | 2015 | |
| Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex |  |
East Azerbaijan Province38°04′53″N 46°17′35″E / 38.08139°N 46.29306°E | Cultural:
(ii)(iii)(iv) |
29 (72) | 2010 | |
| Takht-e Soleyman |  |
West Azerbaijan Province36°36′14″N 47°14′06″E / 36.60389°N 47.23500°E | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi) |
10 (25) | 2003 | |
| Tchogha Zanbil | .jpg) |
Khuzestan Province32°05′00″N 48°32′00″E / 32.08333°N 48.53333°E | Cultural:
(iii)(iv) |
— | 1979 | |
| The Persian Garden |  |
Many Provinces (Fars, Kerman, Razavi Khorasan, Yazd, Mazandaran, and Isfahan Provinces) | Cultural:
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi) |
716 (1,770) | 2011 | |
| The Persian Qanat |  |
Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan, Yazd, Kerman, Markazi and Isfahan Provinces
34°17′24″N 58°39′16″E / 34.29000°N 58.65444°E |
Cultural:
(iii)(iv) |
— | 2016 | |
| Historic City of Yazd |  |
Yazd, Yazd Province
31°53′50″N 54°22′4″E / 31.89722°N 54.36778°E |
Cultural:
(iii)(v) |
195.67 (483.5) | 2017 |
Tentative list
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. As of February 2018, Iran lists fifty-six properties on its tentative list:
| Name | Image | Location | Category
Criteria Reference |
Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alisadr Cave |  |
Hamadan Province | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix) 5220 |
09/08/2007 |
| Arasbaran Protected Area |  |
Azerbaijan Province | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) 5217 |
09/08/2007 |
| Asbads (windmill) of Iran | Khurasan-e Razavi, Sistan and Balochestan | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iv)(v) 6192 |
02/02/2017 | |
| Bastam and Kharghan |  |
Cultural
(ii)(iii)(iv) 5198 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Bazaar of Qaisariye in Laar | Laar, Fars Province | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(vi) 5196 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Cultural Landscape of Alamout |  |
Village of Alamout,
Qazvin |
Mixed
(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii) 5206 |
09/08/2007 |
| Damavand |  |
Tehran Province | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) 5278 |
05/02/2008 |
| Firuzabad Ensemble |  |
Firuzabad, Fars | Cultural
893 |
22/05/1997 |
| Ghaznavi- Seljukian Axis in Khorasan |  |
Khorasan Province | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) 5211 |
09/08/2007 |
| Hamoun Lake | Sistan and Baluchistan Province | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) 5276 |
05/02/2008 | |
| Harra Protected Area |  |
Hormozgan Province | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) 5277 |
05/02/2008 |
| Hegmataneh | Hamadan Province | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) 5272 |
05/02/2008 | |
| Historic ensemble of Qasr-e Shirin | Qasr-e Shrin, Kermanshah Province | Cultural
889 |
22/05/1997 | |
| Historic Monument of Kangavar |  |
Kangavar, Kermanshah Province | Cultural
(iii) 5189 |
09/08/2007 |
| Historical Ensemble of Qasr-e Shirin | Qasr-e Shirin, Kermanshah Province | Cultural
(ii)(iv) 5188 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Hyrcanian Forest (Caspian Forest) |  |
Hyrcanian forest covered some parts of Three provinces of Iran including: Golestan Province: The entirety of the southern and southwestern areas as well as parts of the eastern regions of the Gorgan plain is covered with Hyrcanian forest, totaling an area | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) 5214 |
09/08/2007 |
| Imam Reza Holy Complex |  |
Mashhad, Khurasan-e Razavi Province | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi) 6194 |
02/02/2017 |
| Industrial Heritage of textile in the central Plateau of Iran | Isfahan, Yazd and Kerman Provinces | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) 6196 |
02/02/2017 | |
| Jame' (Congregational) Mosque of Isfahan |  |
Isfahan Province | Cultural
888 |
22/05/1997 |
| Jiroft | Kerman Province | Cultural
(ii)(iii)(v)(vi) 5210 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Kaboud Mosque |  |
Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) 5202 |
09/08/2007 |
| Kerman Historical-Cultural Structure | Kerman Province | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi) 5271 |
05/02/2008 | |
| Khabr National Park and Ruchun Wildlife Refuge | Kerman Province | Natural
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) 5219 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Khorramabad Valley | Khorramabad, Luristan Province | Cultural
(i)(iii)(iv)(v) 5209 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Kuh-e Khuaja | Zabol, Sistan and Baluchistan Province | Cultural
(ii)(iii)(iv) 5184 |
09/08/2007 | |
| Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab |  |
Marvdasht, Fars Province | Cultural
598 |
22/05/1997 |
| Natural-Historical Complex / Cave of Karaftoo | Kurdistan Province | Mixed | 02/02/2017 | |
| Persepolis and other relevant buildings |  |
Fars Province | Cultural | 09/08/2007 |
| Persian Caravanserai |  |
Khurasan-e Razavi, Isfahan and Yazd Provinces | Cultural | 02/02/2017 |
| Qeshm Island |  |
Hormozgan province | Natural | 09/08/2007 |
| Sabalan | .jpg) |
Ardabil Province | Natural | 09/08/2007 |
| Salt Domes of Iran | Fars Province, Bushehr, Hormozgan, Qom and Zanjan | Natural | 02/02/2017 | |
| Shush | .jpg) |
100 km south of Ahvaz, Khuzestan province | Cultural | 22/05/1997 |
| Silk Route (Also as Silk Road) | Khorasan Province | Cultural
(i) |
05/02/2008 | |
| Tape Sialk |  |
Isfahan Province | Cultural | 22/05/1997 |
| Taq-e Bostan |  |
Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province | Cultural | 09/08/2007 |
| The Collection of Historical Bridges |  |
Lorestan Province | Cultural | 05/02/2008 |
| The Complex of Izadkhast |  |
Fars Province | Cultural | 09/08/2007 |
| The Cultural Landscape of Uramanat | Uramanat Village, Kurdistan Province | Cultural | 09/08/2007 | |
| The Cultural-Natural Landscape of Ramsar | City of Ramsar, Province of Mazandaran | Mixed | 09/08/2007 | |
| The Great Wall of Gorgan | Golestan Province | Cultural | 02/02/2017 | |
| The Historical City of Masouleh |  |
City of Masouleh, Gilan Province | Cultural | 09/08/2007 |
| The Historical City of Maybod |  |
Maybod, Yazd Province | Cultural | 09/08/2007 |
| The Historical Port of Siraf |  |
Province of Bushehr | Cultural
(v) |
09/08/2007 |
| The Historical Texture of Damghan |  |
Semnan Province | Cultural
(ii)(iii)(iv)(v) |
09/08/2007 |
| The Historical Village of Abyaneh |  |
Village of Abyaneh, Isfahan Province | Cultural
(ii)(iii)(iv) |
09/08/2007 |
| The Historical–Cultural Axis of Fin, Sialk, Kashan |  |
Isfahan Province, Kashan | Cultural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi) |
09/08/2007 |
| The Natural-Historical Landscape of Izeh | Khuzestan Province | Natural
(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi) |
05/02/2008 | |
| The Persian House in Central plateau of Iran | Isfahan and Yazd Provinces | Cultural
(ii)(iv)(v)(vi) |
02/02/2017 | |
| The Zandiyeh Ensemble of Fars Province |  |
Shiraz, Fars Province | Cultural
(vi) 5270 |
05/02/2008 |
| Touran Biosphere Reserve |  |
Semnan Province | Natural
(x) 5275 |
05/02/2008 |
| Tous Cultural Landscape |  |
Tous, Khorasan Province | Cultural
(iii)(iv)(vi) 5203 |
09/08/2007 |
| Trans-Iranian Railway |  |
Mazandaran, Tehran and Khuzestan Provinces | Cultural
(ii)(vi) 6195 |
02/02/2017 |
| University of Tehran |  |
Tehran Province | Cultural
(ii)(vi) 6201 |
02/02/2017 |
| Zozan | Province of Khorasan | Cultural
(ii)(iii)(iv) 5208 |
09/08/2007 |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Patrimonio de la Humanidad en Irán para niños
