Zimbabwe’s World Heritage Sites

Did you know that Zimbabwe is home to no fewer than five UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Sites?

World Heritage Sites are broadly divided into three groups: those of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation; those of exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or a civilisation, and which “represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;” and a third category which are a mix of both.

The Victoria Falls National Monument and the Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore Safari World Heritage sites are inscribed as places of exceptional natural beauty and phenomena while the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, the Khami Ruins and Motobo Hills are all sites of great cultural significance.

All five sites are described in more detail elsewhere on this website, but, briefly, the sites have been included by UNESCO because of the following attributes:

• The Victoria Falls, (known as Mosi-oa-Tunya in Zambia), is an area of spectacular natural beauty which is justifiably known worldwide. “The Falls” are also of exceptional geological and geomorphological importance.
• The Mana Pools, Sapi and Chwore Safari Areas protect a dramatic natural landscape of great natural beauty and host a diverse population of wild animals of significant conservation importance. (The Sapi Safari Area is now a nature reserve)
• The Motobo Hills, which are part of the Motobo Hills National Park, have one of the highest concentrations of rock art in Southern Africa, dating back at least 13,000 years. The art bears accurate testimony to a cultural lifestyle of former foraging societies. It is also an area of natural beauty which hosts a good variety of wildlife.
• The Great Zimbabwe National Monument is the archaeological remains of the largest ancient stone structure ever built in sub-Saharan Africa. The settlement is marked by extensive stone walls, towers, chambers, and other intricate constructions which were built between the 12^th and 15^th centuries, at which time Great Zimbabwe was the centre of an important political and trading society.
• The Khami Ruins, near Bulawayo, was the capital of the Torwa dynasty which emerged after the decline of the state at Great Zimbabwe and played a significant role in the region for about two hundred years. Stone walls are also a feature of Khami architecture but were built using different techniques to those at Great Zimbabwe.

The establishment of World Heritage Sites encourages people to think beyond merely admiring wildlife and provides a deeper insight into the link between communities, culture, conservation and history.

There are a total of 1 199 World Heritage sites in 168 countries, of which 933 are cultural, 227 are natural, and 39 are a mix of both.