Appendix Four

The Six Criteria for the assessment of Outstanding Universal Value for Cultural World Heritage Sites

 

(i)                  to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

 

(ii)                to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;

 

(iii)              to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

 

(iv)              to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

 

(v)                to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

 

(vi)              to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);

 

 

 

source: https://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/