Italy's 60th Cultural Heritage
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently recognized "La Via Appia", an ancient Roman highway, as a world cultural heritage.
La Via Appia, the first ancient Roman highway, is a popular tourist attraction in Rome, Italy. The road is named after Appius Claudius Caecus, an ancient Roman who built a southern route in 312 BC. Known as the “Queen of Roads,” the historic route connected ancient Rome with the southeastern town of Brindisi. The landmark designation marks Italy’s 60th UNESCO site.
La Via Appia is the 60th Italian heritage site to be recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
This road was not only a symbol of the power and vision of the Roman Empire, but also played an important role in promoting trade and cultural exchange between Rome and the Mediterranean and Eastern regions.
Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said that UNESCO's designation of La Via Appia as a World Heritage Site captures the extraordinary universal value of this engineering feat, which has served as an important trade and cultural channel for centuries. This not only honors Italy's history and identity, but also brings economic benefits to the regions involved.
Current values and heritage conservation efforts
This recognition is the result of a large-scale collaborative effort, involving institutions at various levels, from the regional governments of Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Puglia to cities, municipalities, parks, universities and local communities. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vatican's Pontifical Commission for Archaeology also played a key role in the process.
La Via Appia is a prominent tourist attraction with its historical value and impressive landscape.
Today, La Via Appia is not only an important cultural heritage but also a prominent tourist attraction with great historical and scenic value. Large sections of La Via Appia are still well preserved and are still used in parts for traffic in the regions of Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Puglia.
UNESCO recognition will contribute to the protection and promotion of this route, as well as raising awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
