List of World Heritage Sites in Latvia

St. James's Cathedral, Riga
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World Heritage Sites in Latvia, blue dots mark the sites of the Struve Geodetic Arc

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.[1] Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage.[2]

Latvia accepted the convention on 10 January 1995, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.[3] It has three sites on the list, all of them listed for their cultural significance. The most recent site added to the list was the Old town of Kuldīga, in 2023. The Struve Geodetic Arc is a transnational site and is shared with nine other countries.[3] In addition, Latvia also maintains three properties on its tentative list.[3]

  1. ^ "The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Latvia". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2019.