Top 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom
If you are travelling to the United Kingdom, make sure to visit these wonderful locations that would inspire awe—here are the top five UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom.
Stonehenge, Avebury, and Associated Sites
Found in Wiltshire, England, the Stonehenge is one of the most popular World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom, if not the world. Up until today, nobody knows the exact date when the stones were arranged into a monument, nor the exact purpose of the structure.
According to UNESCO, the Stonehenge is "one of the most impressive prehistoric megalithic monuments in the world". It is undeniably one of the most iconic British sites; however, access is controlled and during normal operating hours, no one is permitted to stand right in the middle of the stone formations.
The Pontcysllte Aqueduct and Canal
The Pontcysllte Aqueduct and Canal in Northeast Wales was built in the early 1800s by William Jessop and Thomas Telford. Today, the aqueduct, which rises up to 127 feet, with over ten miles of Canal and the Chirk Aqueduct, is one of the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom.
Visitors can explore the site through a boat ride or a two-mile walk between the Pontcysllte and the Chirk Aqueducts.
Durham Castle and Cathedral
Once voted by the British people as the building that they love best, Durham Cathedral was built between the 11th and 12th centuries as the repository of the relics of the evangliser St. Cuthbert and the renowned historian St. Bede. The shrine and tomb of these saints are popular tourist attractions open to visitors all year.
The Cathedral Tower offers spectacular vistas of the city of Durham, if you can scale the 325 steps to bring you to the tower. With centuries of history and a Norman castle behind the cathedral, it is easy to understand why it is so beloved by the British people.
The City of Bath
Located in the southwestern part of England, the City of Bath was once a Roman town that was popular for its hot springs. Two thousand years later, the City of Bath is one of the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, with its Roman ruins, modern spa resorts, and charming 18th century architecture.
Visitors can visit the ancient Roman baths to learn how the citizens of the very distant past enjoyed the local hot springs, and indulge in the Thermae Bath Spa for modern comforts and amenities in this renowned spa destination.
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Scotland is a remnant of the once-formidable Roman Empire. The Frontiers of the Roman Empire site includes the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall, which once demarcated the northern border of the Roman Empire.
The ruins of this wall stretches up to 73 miles in Vindolada. Archaeologists have also unearthed a village and a fort near the wall, which provided scholars an exciting glimpse in the life of Roman soldiers from two thousand years ago.