Kathmandu Durbar Square

Patan Dubar Square

Changunarayan

Lumbini

Kathmandu Valley Off UNESCO Danger List

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to remove all seven historical, cultural and tourism sites of Kathmandu Valley from its list of World Heritage in Danger sites.

The seven monuments and buildings include:

These sites display the full range of historic architectural and artistic achievements, for which the Kathmandu Valley is world famous, were inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1979.

The ongoing 31st session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) was held in Christ Church New Zealand. The decision was made to remove Kathmandu Valley and Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin, from the List of World Heritage in Danger, Preservation, and the official website of UNESCO said.

Seven years ago, the 24th session of the WHC had urged the government of Nepal to comply with UN guidelines on conservation of the heritage sites by implementing its 55 point action plant to protect the sites and avoid further dilapidation.

The WHC, the apex executive body of conservation on World Heritage sites, after admiring Nepal’s efforts in protecting the ancient temples and monuments, said, - “It commended Nepal’s efforts to protect the outstanding universal value of the site in the face of urban development.”

In July 2003, the then session of WHC had enlisted all seven cultural heritage sites of Kathmandu Valley in its Danger List Citing – “Uncontrolled Urbanization design of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.

The UNESCO had also inscribed Sagarmatha National Park (1979), the Royal Chitwan National Park (1984) and Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha (1997) in its list of natural and cultural world heritage sites.