Spain’s Talayotic Menorca has become the 50th Spanish site added to the List of World Heritage by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
Through a recent announcement, the Spanish government highlighted that such an achievement positions Spain among the countries with the most assets on the UNESCO World Heritage list, showing the diversity, richness, and quality of its internationally recognised heritage.
The government also revealed that during this meeting of the Committee, ancient Jericho, also known as Tell es-Sultan and presented by Palestine, was declared a World Heritage Site. In addition, the natural area of the Odzala-Kokoua forest massif in the Congo also received this prestigious recognition.
The candidacy, promoted by the Consell Insular de Menorca, has been an example of collaboration between administrations: the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the autonomous government of the Balearic Islands and the Consell de Menorca itself.
According to the authority, Menorca boasts one of the world’s highest densities of prehistoric archaeological sites within inhabited territories. In addition, ‘Talayotic Menorca, known as Odyssey of the Cyclopean Island’, serves as a comprehensive representation of the architectural heritage of this unique island culture. It also brings together nine key components that show the evolution of this culture under the influence of relative isolation.
As the government explains, from the middle of the Bronze Age to the period of the Roman occupation, a series of monuments and prehistoric sites have been carefully selected. These include settlements, funerary spaces, sanctuaries and sacred places in excellent condition.
Moreover, ‘Talayotic Menorca’ offers a remarkable insight into a prehistoric culture deeply connected to the heavenly realm.
The government further noted that what makes this collection truly extraordinary is the harmonious coexistence that these various cyclopean constructions on the island have maintained with its inhabitants throughout history. These monuments integrate perfectly into a Mediterranean landscape that has remained relatively unchanged, retaining features reminiscent of the distant past.
Last year, the Council of Ministers in Spain allocated around €35 million from the Ministry of Industry Trade budget to finance interventions to preserve and sustainably rehabilitate immovable properties of cultural importance in various cities throughout the country.
Commenting on this decision, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Reyes Maroto added that Spain is home to 17,199 cultural assets of significant interest distributed throughout its territory.
