# List of World Heritage Sites in Mexico

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Mexico accepted the convention on 23 February 1984, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. Mexico has 35 sites on the list (the highest number of sites per country in the Americas) and a further 24 tentative sites.
Mexico's first six sites were inscribed on the list at the 11th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France in 1987. The most recent inscription was the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, listed in 2018. There are 27 cultural, six natural, and two sites listed both for their cultural and natural significance. The Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California site has been listed as endangered because of the imminent extinction of the vaquita, an endemic porpoise in the gulf.

## World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.
World Heritage Sites :
| Site | Location (state) | Year listed | UNESCO data | Description |
| Sian Ka'an | Quintana Roo | 1987 | 410; vii, x (natural) | The biosphere reserve covers around 120 km (75 mi) of the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, protecting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The area is rich in biodiversity, with habitats such as mangroves, tropical forests, marshes, and sea with a coral reef. It is home to the jaguar, cougar, Baird's tapir, and West Indian manatee. Geographical features include cenotes (sinkholes) and petenes, tree islands emerging from the swamps. |
| Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque | Chiapas | 1987 | 411; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | Palenque was a Maya city, founded around the 1st century CE during the late Preclassic period. It reached its peak and was a powerful regional capital between c. 500 and c. 700 CE, during the Classic period. It was abandoned around the 9th century and got covered by the jungle, which helped preserving the remains until systematic explorations started in the 18th century. Palenque is renowned for its fine arts and architecture, with elegant structures and sophisticated decorations. Sculpted reliefs inside temples and palaces illustrate the mythology and rituals of the Maya. The city had an important cultural influence on the wider region. |
| Historic Center of Mexico City and Xochimilco | Mexico City | 1987 | 412; ii, iii, iv, v (cultural) | Mexico City was built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, that was founded in the 14th century. There are remains of Aztec buildings, including the main temple, Templo Mayor. As the capital of New Spain until the 19th century, the city has numerous colonial buildings, including the Cathedral (pictured) and several churches, as well as streets in a grid plan and numerous plazas. The Palacio de Bellas Artes is a prominent example of the late 19th century architecture. Xochimilco, located in the suburbs, is the only remainder of traditional land use on the Lake Xochimilco. |
| Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacán | State of Mexico | 1987 | 414; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | Teotihuacan was the capital of the first classic civilization of Mesoamerica. The city reached its peak between the 1st and 7th century CE when it was home to at least 25,000 inhabitants, making it one of the largest pre-Columbian cities. Its cultural and political influence extended over a vast area, as far as to the Yucatán Peninsula and Guatemala. Monuments of the city include the Pyramid of the Sun (pictured), Pyramid of the Moon, Avenue of the Dead, several other pyramids, and remains of palaces. The city was destroyed and abandoned c. 650, but still remained in collective memory, being sacred to the Aztec. |
| Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological site of Monte Albán | Oaxaca | 1987 | 415; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | Monte Albán is the main archaeological site of the Oaxaca Valley which flourished from c. 500 BCE under the Olmecs, Zapotecs, and Mixtecs. The successive cultures created terraces, dams, pyramids (pictured), and artificial mounds. There is a ballgame court. After c. 850 CE, the site gradually became abandoned. The city of Oaxaca, located nearby and founded in 1529, is a good example of a 16-th century Spanish colonial town planning. It is built on a grid plan. |
| Historic Centre of Puebla | Puebla | 1987 | 416; ii, iv (cultural) | The city of Puebla was founded by the Spanish in 1531 on an important trade route connecting Mexico City and Veracruz, on the foot of the Popocatepetl volcano. The city has a Renaissance grid plan and has preserved numerous monumental Baroque buildings, including the cathedral (pictured), the Convent Church of San Francisco, the Biblioteca Palafoxiana, and the buildings of the university. The architectural style reflects the fusion of European and indigenous influences. Several historical houses are covered with ceramic tiles (azulejos). |
| Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines | Guanajuato | 1988 | 482; ii, iv (cultural) | The city of Guanajuato was founded by the Spanish in the early 16th century. In the 18th century, its mines became the world's leading producers of silver. There are numerous Baroque and Neoclassical buildings in the city, with La Valenciana (pictured) and La Compañía churches being among the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture in Central and South America. |
| Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza | Yucatán | 1988 | 483; i, ii, iii (cultural) | Chichen Itza was one of the largest and most important Maya city. It was founded in the 5th cenutry, rose to regional prominence in the 10th century and declined after 1440. There are numerous monuments from different periods in the city, some later ones show the influence of Toltec styles. Monuments include El Castillo (pictured), the Great ballcourt, a tzompantli (a skull wall), the Jaguar Temple, the House of Eagles, and several other temples. |
| Historic Centre of Morelia | Michoacán | 1991 | 585; ii, iv, vi (cultural) | Morelia, founded as Valladolid in the 16th century by the Spanish, is an outstanding example of the Spanish Renaissance urban planning with indigenous influences. The city has a grid plan and more than 200 historical buildings that mostly date to the 17th and 18th centuries, in the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles. In the early 19th century, the city was one of the centres of the Mexican War of Independence, with two priests from the city playing an important role: Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos. In 1828, the city was renamed as Morelia after the latter. |
| El Tajín, Pre-Hispanic City | Veracruz | 1992 | 631; i, ii, iv (cultural) | El Tajin was the centre of the Classic Veracruz culture, probably of the Huastec or Totonac and was at its height from the early 9th to the early 13th century, when it was abandoned and partially destroyed. The architecture of the city is unique in Mesoamerica. The characteristic features are buildings with richly decorated parts, one of the recurring motifs being xicalcoliuhqui (step fret, at the cross section of a marine shell). Interestingly, the city had a large number of ballcourts, 17. There are remains of several residential buildings, altars, temples, and public buildings. The Pyramid of the Niches is pictured. |
| Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco | Baja California Sur | 1993 | 714; i, iii (cultural) | One of the largest assemblies of rock paintings in the world was created by a culture that developed on the Baja California peninsula relatively isolated from continental influences between c. 100 BCE and c. 1300 CE. The culture disappeared rapidly after the European contact. Paintings depict human and animal figures and are painted in red, black, white, and yellow. Due to relative inaccessibility of the sites and the dry climate of the region, they have been well preserved. A museum replica is pictured. |
| Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino | Baja California Sur | 1993 | 554; x (natural) | The protected area comprises two coastal lagoons and their surroundings with mangroves, marshes, and desert habitats. The lagoons are the most important breeding grounds of the eastern subpopulation of the North Pacific grey whale (two whales pictured) and are home to other marine mammals, such as the bottlenose dolphin, harbor seal, and California sea lion. It is also home to four endangered sea turtle species and an important wintering area for migratory birds. |
| Historic Centre of Zacatecas | Zacatecas | 1993 | 676; ii, iv (cultural) | Zacatecas, founded in 1546, was one of the centres of silver mining in Mexico until the 20th century. It reached its peak of prosperity in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was also a centre for evangelization and cultural expansion. There are numerous religious complexes from the 17th and 18th centuries, including the cathedral (pictured) with a highly decorated Baroque facade. The religious iconography shows influences of indigenous traditions on Catholic ones. The historic centre has a well preserved layout. It demonstrates a colonial settlement well adapted to the mountain topography of the region. |
| Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl | Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala | 1994 | 702bis; ii, iv (cultural) | This site comprises 15 monasteries (one of which, the Tlaxcala Cathedral, was added in 2021) on the slopes of the Popocatepetl volcano. They were constructed by the Spanish in order to help with colonization and evangelization of northern Mexico. The monasteries, which are in an excellent state of preservation, contain elements of the Renaissance and Mudéjar architecture with indigenous influences and several of them have a military aspect. The monasteries also introduced novel concepts with the use of wide open spaces. The style was influential in the wider region. The Convent of San Mateo in Atlatlahucan is pictured. |
| Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro | Querétaro | 1996 | 792; ii, iv (cultural) | Querétaro was founded on the border between the southern part of Mexico, gradually settled by the Spanish, and the northern part of the country, inhabited by hostile nomadic groups such as the Chichimeca. A characteristic feature of the city is that it was designed in two parts, one with wide grid plan for the Spanish and the one with narrow winding streets for the indigenous communities. The city has several Baroque monuments from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Convent of San Agustin, with its poly-lobed arches and rich decorations, is pictured. |
| Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal | Yucatán | 1996 | 791; i, ii, iii (cultural) | The Maya city of Uxmal and nearby sites Kabah, Labna, and Sayil represent the high points of late Mayan art and architecture. Uxmal was founded in c. 700 CE and rose to an important regional centre with more than 20,000 inhabitants. It was abandoned after the 10th century. The city plan was influenced by the knowledge of astronomy, such as the cycles of Venus. The Pyramid of the Magician is pictured. |
| Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara | Jalisco | 1997 | 815; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | The Hospicio Cabañas was founded in the late 19th century by Bishop Cabañas as an institution of public welfare to provide care for disadvantaged groups, such as the orphans, the elderly, and the disabled. The Neoclassical complex was designed by the architect Manuel Tolsá as an assembly of uniform single-storey buildings witih numerous arcades and open spaces. The murals of José Clemente Orozco from the late 1930s in the chapel are one of the masterpieces of Mexican art. |
| Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan | Veracruz | 1998 | 862; ii, iv (cultural) | Tlacotalpan was founded by the Spanish in the mid-16th century as a river port near the Gulf of Mexico. It reached its peak in the 19th century. The historic centre, which has been well preserved, reflects a fusion of the Spanish and Caribbean influences, with brightly coloured and highly decorated houses. |
| Archaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes | Chihuahua | 1998 | 560rev; iii, iv (cultural) | Casas Grandes is an archaeological site of a culture that reached its peak in the 14th and 15th centuries and disappeared after the Spanish conquest. They played an important role in the connections between the Ancestral Puebloans in the north and the more advanced civilizations in the south. The remains include adobe and earthen buildings, some of which were several stories high, and ceremonial monuments. |
| Historic Fortified Town of Campeche | Campeche | 1999 | 895; ii, iv (cultural) | The town of Campeche was founded in the 16th century by the Spanish and served as an important centre for colonization and evangelization of the Yucatan Peninsula and nearby regions. It got its fortifications in the 17th and early 18th centuries to protect it from the pirate attacks. The town has a grid plan and numerous historic buildings in the Renaissance, Baroque, and eclectic styles. |
| Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco | Morelos | 1999 | 939; iii, iv (cultural) | The city of Xochicalco was founded in the second half of the 7th century and is an exceptionally well preserved example of a fortified regional centre from the period that was marked by the collapse of several important political entities, such as Teotihuacan, Monte Albán, Palenque, and Tikal. The architecture of the city reflects the fusion of different art styles of the region, as a result of intense cultural regrouping of the period. The city was sacked in the 9th century and consequently abandoned. The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is pictured. |
| Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche | Campeche | 2002 | 1061bis; i, ii, iii, iv, ix, x (mixed) | Calakmul was an important Maya city, settled in the middle of the first millennium BCE, reaching its peak in the Late Classic period (c. 600-900 CE) as the seat of the influential Kaan dynasty. During the classic Maya collapse in the 10th century, the city got almost completely abandoned and has been virtually uninhabited since. There are remains of numerous monumental buildings, including temples and pyramids, some decorated with stucco friezes and mural paintings. There are also remains of several smaller settlements in the area. Originally listed for its cultural significance under the name The Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche, the site was extended in 2014 to include it natural significance. The tropical rainforests are rich in biodiversity and home to numerous endemic and threatened species. Parts of the forests have been shaped by traditional management practices by the indigenous communities of the region. |
| Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro | Querétaro | 2003 | 1079; ii, iii (cultural) | This site comprises five Franciscan missions that were founded in the mid-18th century in Sierra Gorda. The aim of the missions was to continue evangelization of central and northern Mexico and of what is now the western United States. The monasteries have richly decorated facades which reflect the fusion of Catholic and indigenous influences. The Santiago de Jalpan mission in Jalpan de Serra is pictured. |
| Luis Barragán House and Studio | Mexico City | 2004 | 1136; i, ii (cultural) | The House and Studio of influential Mexican architect Luis Barragán was constructed in 1948. An example of modern architecture, the concrete three-storey building with a small private garden integrates elements of modern design with vernacular elements of Mexico. The use of water and fountains was inspired by traditions from Morocco. The work of Barragán was influential in the designs of gardens, plazas, and landscapes. |
| Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California† | Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit | 2005 | 1182ter; vii, ix, x (natural) | The property comprises islands, islets, coasts, and marine environments of the Gulf of California. Terrestrial habitats are rich with desert plants, such as cacti, and have numerous resident or migratory bird species. Nutrient-rich waters support a thriving marine ecosystem. There are around 900 species of fish with 90 endemic species. A third of world's marine cetacean species are present in the Gulf. Minor modifications of site boundaries took place in 2007 and 2011. Since 2019, the site has been listed as endangered because of the imminent extinction of the vaquita, an endemic porpoise. |
| Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila | Jalisco | 2006 | 1209; ii, iv, v, vi (cultural) | Blue agave has been cultivated in the region for at least two millennia to produce fermented drinks and fiber for cloth, for example by the Teuchitlán culture from c. 200 to c. 900 CE, and since the 16th century to produce tequila. Since the 17th century, production took place on the industrial scale. The cultural landscape comprises agave fields, urban settlements, and distilleries. There are also remains of ceremonial mounds and ballcourts from the Teuchitlán culture. |
| Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) | Mexico City | 2007 | 1250; i, ii, iv (cultural) | The UNAM campus was constructed between 1949 and 1952. The design of the buildings, urban plan, and landscape design follow the principles of modern architecture. A prominent feature are the artworks which often reference pre-Columbian traditions of Mexico. The Central Library building is pictured. |
| Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve | Michoacán, State of Mexico | 2008 | 1290; vii (natural) | Every year, millions of monarch butterflies migrate between Mexico and as far as eastern Canada, during which time four successive generations are born and die. This site comprises an estimated half of the areas where the monarchs spend the winter in close-packed clusters on oyamel trees. Massive gathering of butterflies is one of the most dramatic manifestations of insect migrations. |
| Protective town of San Miguel de Allende and the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco | Guanajuato | 2008 | 1274; ii, iv (cultural) | The town of San Miguel de Allende (pictured) was established in the 16th century to protect the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. It has numerous religious and civic buildings from the 18th century, in the so-called Mexican Baroque style. Some buildings show transition to the neoclassical style. Urban buildings are unusually large and rich for a medium-size town. The nearby Jesuite sanctury from the 18th century is another prominent example of Mexican Baroque. Both sites demonstrate the interactions of European and indigenous cultures. |
| Camino Real de Tierra Adentro | several sites | 2010 | 1351; ii, iv (cultural) | Camino Real, or the Royal Inland Route, was a trade route for silver extracted from the mines in Mexico and mercury imported from Europe. It was active from the mid-16th to the 19th centuries and stretched over 2,600 km (1,600 mi) from north of Mexico City to Santa Fe in today's New Mexico. This serial site comprises the Mexican part of the route, in the length of 1,400 km (870 mi), with an ensemble of 59 properties, such as mines, towns, former convents, bridges, and former haciendas. Five sites on the route are listed as independent World Heritage Sites. The city of Durango is pictured. |
| Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca | Oaxaca | 2010 | 1352; iii (cultural) | The two archaeological sites in the central Oaxaca Valley include pre-Columbian complexes, as well as caves and rock shelters that have been inhabited at least ten millennia ago. The finds in caves, such as the Guilá Naquitz Cave (entrance pictured), demonstrate the transition of hunter-gatherer societies to farmers, with some of the earliest evidence of squash and maize domestication. There is also rock art and remains of stone tools. |
| El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve | Sonora | 2013 | 1410; vii, viii, x (natural) | The reserve is located in the Sonoran Desert. The Pinacate Shield has numerous volcanic features, the most prominent being ten maar (steam blast) volcanic craters that are almost perfectly circular. There are lava flows, cinder cones, and lava tubes. The Gran Altar Desert has large dunes and granite massifs that result in a visually striking landscape. The seemingly inhospitable area with a mosaic of different environments is nevertheless rich in animal and plant species, with more than 500 species of plants. Animals include the endangered Sonoran pronghorn and the lesser long-nosed bat. |
| Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System | State of Mexico, Hidalgo | 2015 | 1463; i, ii, iv (cultural) | The hydraulic system was constructed by Franciscan friars between 1555 and 1572. It stretches over 48 km (30 mi) and comprises springs, canals, reservoirs, and aqueducts. The main aqueduct (pictured) reaches almost 40 m (130 ft) in height. The construction demonstrates the technology exchange between the European and indigenous cultures. While the design of the hydraulic system originates from the Roman and Arab-Andalusian traditions, local adobe formwork was used as an alternative to wooden scaffolding. |
| Revillagigedo Archipelago | Colima | 2016 | 1510; vii, ix, x (natural) | The archipelago, part of a submerged mountain range in the eastern Pacific Ocean, comprises four volcanic islands and their surrounding waters. Nutrient-rich waters support marine life with large populations of sharks, giant manta rays, whales, and marine turtles. The islands are also important for seabirds and are the wintering area for large groups of humpback whales. Each of the islands has a particular flora and fauna with several endemic species or subspecies, including four endemic species of birds. Socorro Island is pictured. |
| Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley: originary habitat of Mesoamerica | Puebla, Oaxaca | 2018 | 1534rev; iv, x (mixed) | Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley is exceptionally rich in biodiversity in an arid and semi-arid setting. It is one of the main areas for diversification of cacti. There are large assemblies of columnar cacti and numerous Agave, Yucca, and bromeliad species. It is also home for several endangered bird and amphibian species, and crucial for their conservation. Archaeological investigations have uncovered traces of human habitation for over 12,000 years, with water managements systems and plant domestication, as well as pottery and salt production. |

## Tentative list

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Mexico maintains 24 properties on its tentative list: