San Miguel: Heritage City

By Fernanda Noriega

There are some requirements for a site to be classified as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Not just any place can receive this designation.

In this edition of San Miguel in Numbers you will see an actual accounting of the places registered as World Heritage Sites, and of course San Miguel de Allende is a member of this elite group.

To date, a total of 1,007 properties from around the world have been registered on the World Heritage Site List:

779 cultural assets

197 natural assets

31 mixed goods

Within the heading of «Cultural Assets,» 260 cities or historic centers are highlighted as being considered of exceptional value.

Mexico is one of the 162 countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention. It is ranked fourth in the number of cities registered on the list of World Heritage Sites. Mexico has 11 cities that have received this designation in 10 different declarations by UNESCO. It is exceeded only by Italy as number one, followed by Spain, and France.