Kathmandu World Heritage Site ranks last in survey

The results of a first-ever survey of the world’s UNESCO world heritage sites has ranked the Kathmandu valley – which boasts three sites – in last place among the 94 most important of some 800 sites worldwide.

Undertaken by National Geographic Traveler magazine, the survey called on travel experts from around the world to assess the sites according to development, upkeep and sustainability. The Heritage Sites are part of a list begun by the United Nations in 1973 to help identify and preserve world sites of importance.

Says Jonathan Tourtellot, geotourism editor of the magazine and the driving force behind the survey; “The highest scorers have one thing in common: a local community committed to preserving its priceless landmark.”

Topping the list was Norway’s West Fjords, followed by France’s Vézelay, church, hill, and town, the Alhambra in Granada Spain; New Zealand’s Te Wahipounamu and Fjordland area, and Mexico’s Guanajuato historic town and ruins.

Overwhelming comments from panelists suggested that sites benefitting from local community input to preserve the environment of the sites, scored highests. Those nearer the bottom of the list suffered from pollution and a general lack of will from locals to preserve national treasures.

One of the world’s greatest antiquity collections regrettably came in last – the three sites of Durbar Square, Bhaktapur and the monastery in the Kathmandu valley. Despite being popularly visited for decades, the sites were said to suffer from pollution and unchecked development, with general neglect blighting these ancient landmarks that sit in the centre of the city or among densely populated towns and villages.

Other sites making up the bottom of the list were also found in Asia, including Tibet’s fabled Potala Palace with came in fifth last, and Vietnam’s Halong Bay. Panama’s Portobela San-Lorenzo was second last followed, surprisingly by the Galapagos islands. Venice was another shocker, coming in fourth last.�

Full list available at:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/features/whsrated0611/whsrated.html