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Jodrell Bank Observatory has been made a Unesco World Heritage site.

The site, famous for its iconic telescope named after Sir Bernard Lovell, began scientific research in 1945 when the physicist used radio waves - rather than visible light - to understand the universe.

It joins other iconic sites, such as the ancient Iraqi city of Babylon, on the prestigious list. </s> Jodrell Bank Observatory in England has been named as the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Famous as the home of the Lovell Telescope—the world’s third-largest steerable radio scope—the station was established in 1945 by astronomer and namesake Bernard Lovell.

In the seven decades since, the University of Manchester-owned observatory has played an important role in the research of meteors, quasars, pulsars, masers, and gravitational lenses.

It was also heavily involved with the tracking of space probes at the start of the Space Age.

The Lovell Telescope became operational in mid-1957—just in time for the launch of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 1 artificial satellite. And good thing, too, as it was the only instrument able to track Sputnik’s booster rocket by radar.

“Jodrell Bank is more than just a relic from the post-war flourishing of research technology,” according to UK ambassador to UNESCO Matthew Lodge. “It is also a beacon and center of excellence for world-leading research and education, reminding us that there is far more to the Universe than meets the eye.

“[Its] rich scientific heritage bears testimony to the UK’s leading role in science research worldwide,” he said in a statement.

There are three other active telescopes on site, including the Mark II, completed in 1964. Jodrell Bank Observatory is also the base of the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) facility.

Today, the grounds serve as global headquarters of the Square Kilometer Array, a radio telescope project that aims to build the world’s largest telescope—comprised of a network of instruments in South Africa and Australia.

“I am delighted that Jodrell Bank has become the UK’s 32nd UNESCO World Heritage Site,” the country’s Heritage Minister Rebecca Pow said in a statement. “The research completed here has transformed our understanding of the Universe and it is right that this is recognized.”

The 74-year-old station joins the likes of Iceland’s Vatnajökull National Park, the mounded tombs of ancient Japan, India’s fortified city of Jaipur, and the Mesopotamian city of Babylon as newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Jodrell Bank Observatory—judged important to the collective interests of humanity—is now legally protected by international treaties.

“This is fitting recognition of the history of science and discovery at Jodrell Bank, and the world that continues today,” Nancy Rothwell, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester, added.

“Indeed, the site is fantastic for the University because of its heritage, its teaching, and its research,” she continued. “And also because it is a place where many members of the public come to learn and be inspired about science.”

The World Heritage Committee has been meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, to decide which sites deserve special status and protection. The 43rd session continues until July 10.

The 20th century architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright—a total of eight buildings—is the United States’ only addition (so far) this year. </s> The ancient city of Babylon, first referenced in a clay tablet from the 23rd century B.C., was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Friday, after a vote that followed decades of lobbying by Iraq, Reuters reported on Saturday.

The vote at a meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, World Heritage Committee held in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, made the ancient Mesopotamian city on the Euphrates River the sixth world heritage site within the borders of a country known as a cradle of civilisation.

Iraqi President Barham Salih said the city, now an archaeological ruin, was returned to its "rightful place" in history after years of neglect by previous leaders.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also welcomed the news. "Mesopotamia is truly the pillar of humanity's memory and the cradle of civilization in recorded history," he said.

The Iraq government said it would allocate funds to maintain and boost conservation efforts.

Babylon, about 85 kilometres south of Baghdad, was once the centre of a sprawling empire, renowned for its towers and mudbrick temples. Its hanging gardens were one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, commissioned by King Nebuchadnezzar II.

Visitors can stroll through the remnants of the brick and clay structures, which stretch across 10 square kilometres, and see the famed Lion of Babylon statue, as well as large portions of the original Ishtar Gate.

Excavations of what was once the largest city in the world, began in the early 19th century by European archaeologists, who removed many artefacts. In the 1970s, under President Saddam Hussein's restoration project, the southern palace's walls and arches were shoddily rebuilt on top of the existing ruins, causing widespread damage.

This was exacerbated during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, when US and Polish troops stationed nearby built their military base on top of the Babylonian ruins. Many inscriptions written by soldiers can still be seen on the ancient bricks.

The site is in dire need of conservation. Unlike three other World Heritage sites in Iraq, UNESCO did not designate Babylon as one in "in danger" after objections from the Iraqi delegation.

Iraq is replete with thousands of archaeological sites, many of which were heavily damaged or pillaged by Daesh during its barbaric three-year-rule that ended in 2017.

The other five World Heritage Sites are the southern marshlands, Hatra, Samarra, Ashur and the citadel in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region. </s> The Jodrell Bank Observatory, part of the University of Manchester and home of the massive Lovell Telescope and numerous others, has received UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the BBC reported on Sunday.



According to the BBC, the decision was made during a UN World Heritage Committee meeting in Azerbaijan and gives the site protected status under international treaties. The observatory will thus join other sites that have received UNESCO recognition, including the Iraqi city of Babylon, the Yellowstone National Park, the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal, and Macchu Picchu.

The Jodrell Bank Observatory was founded in 1945 by renowned physicist and radio astronomer Bernard Lovell. The telescope bearing his name, which is 250 feet (76.2 meters) in diameter and according to the Guardian weighs 3,200 tonnes, was built in 1957 and once held the record for the world’s largest steerable radio telescope. (It now holds third place.) Jodrell Bank was involved in tracking U.S. and Soviet spacecraft during the Cold War—Lovell was the only radio telescope capable of tracking Sputnik 1's carrier rocket—and is one of the most important research sites in the history of radio astronomy, which uses radio waves rather than visible light to gather data about the cosmos and has been massively consequential for science. Visitors to Jodrell Bank can see telescopes and other instruments dating to every era of radio astronomy after 1945.

Per the BBC, Jodrell Bank “was on standby as the UK’s early warning system against any potential nuclear attack during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis,” tracked the Luna 9 spacecraft as it made the first soft landing on the lunar surface in 1966, and has been featured in “the BBC’s Stargazing Live series, Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Doctor Who.” It also is home to the headquarters of the Square Kilometre Array, an effort to build a massive radio telescope by linking thousands of sites across Africa and Australia.



Jodrell Bank has been awaiting World Heritage Site status since 2010, when an application was first filed to put it on the UK’s nomination shortlist, according to the BBC. One of the criteria it fulfilled was qualifying as “a masterpiece of human creative genius.”

UK heritage minister Rebecca Pow told the Guardian that the listing will “make sure that this remarkable site will continue to inspire young scientists and astronomers all over the world,” adding that “The research completed here has transformed our understanding of the universe and it is right that this is recognized.”

“This is wonderful news and a great day in the history of Jodrell Bank,” Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre director Teresa Anderson told the Guardian. “It honours the pioneering work of Sir Bernard Lovell and the early scientists here, together with the world-leading research that continues to this day. Receiving this recognition will help us tell their story and the story of the communities connected to the site both across the UK and worldwide.” </s> BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq on Friday celebrated the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's decision to name the historic city of Babylon a World Heritage Site in a vote held in Azerbaijan's capital, years after Baghdad began campaigning for the site to be added to the list.

The city on the Euphrates River is about 85 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad and once was a main tourist attraction before Iraq suffered one war after another in the past four decades.

The 4,300-year-old Babylon -- now mainly an archaeological ruin and two important museums -- is where dynasties have risen and fallen since the earliest days of settled human civilization.

King Hammurabi wrote his famous code of laws in Babylon, while Nebuchadnezzar sent his vast army from the city to Jerusalem to put down an uprising and bring the Jews back as slaves.

Some say Alexander the Great, who led his army out of Macedonia to conquer most of the known world, died here in 332 B.C.

Dozens of Iraqis waving their national flag gathered at the Ishtar Gate at the site celebrating their city's new international status.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi described the vote as "another victory for the Iraq of civilizations that was and will always be a lighthouse to the world."

President Barham Saleh tweeted that after Babylon, more ancient sites will be added to the list through which "Iraq will restore that status that it deserves."

Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and Minister of Culture Abdul-Amir al-Hamadani congratulated the Iraqi people on the announcement.

The vote came years after the Islamic State group damaged another Iraq World Heritage site in the country's north, the ancient city of Hatra. The extremists also destroyed other sites in Iraq, including Nimrud where giant winged bulls that once stood sentry at the nearly 3,000-year-old palace were hacked to pieces.

Along with Babylon and Hatra, Iraq has three other sites of World Heritage, the archaeological city of Samarra in central Iraq, Ashur in the north and the citadel of the northern city of Erbil.

UNESCO said in its statement that Babylon's "remains, outer and inner-city walls, gates, palaces and temples, are a unique testimony to one of the most influential empires of the ancient world."

"The city's association with one of the seven wonders of the ancient world_the Hanging Gardens_has also inspired artistic, popular and religious culture on a global scale," UNESCO said.

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut. </s> The observatory in Cheshire joins The Great Barrier Reef and The Grand Canyon on the prestigious list.

Opened in 1945, the observatory is home to the Lovell Telescope, which was used to track Russian aircraft during the Space Race.

The centre, owned by the University of Manchester, had a pioneering role in the development of radio astrology.

It was first used for astrophysics, when its first director Sir Bernard Lovell used equipment left over from World War 11 to investigate cosmic rays.

Commenting on its new status Teresa Anderson, director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre said: “This is wonderful news and a great day in the history of Jodrell Bank. It honours the pioneering work of Sir Bernard Lovell and the early scientists here, together with the world leading research that continues to this day.

“Receiving this recognition will help us tell their story and the story of the communities connected to the site both across the UK and worldwide.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester said: “I’m absolutely delighted to hear that the Jodrell Bank Observatory site has been assigned World Heritage status by UNESCO. This is fitting recognition of the history of science and discovery at Jodrell Bank, and the work that continues today.

“Indeed, the site is fantastic for the University because of its heritage, its teaching and its research, and also because it is a place where many members of the public come to learn and be inspired about science.”

Heritage Minister Rebecca Pow said: “I am delighted that Jodrell Bank has become the UK’s 32nd UNESCO World Heritage Site. The research completed here has transformed our understanding of the Universe and it is right that this is recognised.

“Today’s announcement will make sure that this remarkable site will continue to inspire young scientists and astronomers all over the world.” </s> The ancient city of Babylon, first referenced in a clay tablet from the 23rd century B.C., was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site on Friday, after a vote that followed decades of lobbying by Iraq.

The vote, at a UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, made the ancient Mesopotamian city on the Euphrates River the sixth world heritage site within the borders of the country, known as a cradle of civilization.

Iraqi President Barham Salih said the city, now an archaeological ruin, was returned to its “rightful place” in history after years of neglect by previous leaders.

“Mesopotamia is truly the pillar of humanity’s memory and the cradle of civilization in recorded history,” he said.

The government said it would allocate funds to maintain and boost conservation efforts.

Babylon, about 85 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad, was once the center of a sprawling empire, renowned for its towers and mudbrick temples. Its hanging gardens, commissioned by King Nebuchadnezzar II, were one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.

Visitors can stroll through the remnants of the brick and clay structures which stretch across 10 square kilometers, and see the famed Lion of Babylon statue, as well as large portions of the original Ishtar Gate.

As the sun began to set on the crumbling ruins, activists and residents flocked to the replica Ishtar gate at the site’s entrance to celebrate what they called a historic moment.

“This is very important, because Babylon will now be a protected site,” said Marina al-Khafaji, a local who was hopeful the designation would boost tourism and the local economy.

It would allow for further exploration and research, said Makki Mohammad Farhoud, 53, a tour guide at the site for more than 25 years, noting that only 18 percent of it had been excavated.

“Babylon is the blood that runs through my veins, I love it more than I love my children,” he said.

Excavations of what was once the largest city in the world, began in the early 19th century by European archaeologists, who removed many artifacts.

In the 1970s, under President Saddam Hussein’s restoration project, the southern palace’s walls and arches were shoddily rebuilt on top of the existing ruins, causing widespread damage.

This was exacerbated during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, when U.S. and Polish troops stationed nearby built their military base on top of the Babylonian ruins.

Many inscriptions written by soldiers can still be seen on the ancient bricks.

The site is in dire need of conservation, Farhoud said. Unlike three other World Heritage sites in Iraq, UNESCO did not designate Babylon as one “in danger” after objections from the Iraqi delegation.

Iraq is replete with thousands of archaeological sites, many of which were heavily damaged or pillaged by the Islamic State during its barbaric three-year-rule that ended in 2017.

The other five World Heritage Sites are the southern marshlands, Hatra, Samarra, Ashur and the citadel in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region. </s> Iraq’s ancient city of Babylon has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Situated 85 km south of Baghdad, the property includes the ruins of the city which, between 626 and 539 BCE, was the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

It includes villages and agricultural areas surrounding the ancient city. Its remains, outer and inner-city walls, gates, palaces and temples, are a unique testimony to one of the most influential empires of the ancient world.

Seat of successive empires, under rulers such as Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon represents the expression of the creativity of the Neo-Babylonian Empire at its height.

The city’s association with one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—the Hanging Gardens—has also inspired artistic, popular and religious culture on a global scale. </s> Babylon has been designated a Unesco world heritage site following decades of lobbying by Iraq.

The legendary city, first referenced on a clay tablet more than 4,000 years ago, received the award following a vote at a Unesco world heritage committee meeting in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.

It made the ancient Mesopotamian city on the Euphrates River the sixth world heritage site within the borders of a country known as a cradle of civilization.

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Iraq's president Barham Salih said the city, now an archaeological ruin, was returned to its "rightful place" in history after years of neglect by previous leaders.

Prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also welcomed the news.

Shape Created with Sketch. The biggest wonder about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? They weren’t in Babylon Show all 6 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. The biggest wonder about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? They weren’t in Babylon 1/6 19-Babylon-North-Wind-Pictu.jpg The gardens were probably situated in Nineveh, a city located in what is now in the north of modern-day Iraq North Wind Picture Archives / Alamy 2/6 19-Sennacherib-king-of-Assy.jpg The Assyrian ruler Sennacherib, pictured in the chariot, in a bas-relief from his grandson’s palace, which depicts the gardens Stephanie Dalley 3/6 19-Babylon1.jpg An artist’s impression of what the Hanging Gardens at Nineveh would have looked like c700BC Terry Ball / Stephanie Dalley 4/6 19-Babylon2.jpg Drawing of a bas-relief from the palace of Sennacherib’s grandson in Nineveh, showing what is now believed to have been the Hanging Gardens Stephanie Dalley 5/6 19-Babylon3.jpg A mid-19th century drawing of part of a now long-lost fragment of a bas-relief from Sennacherib’s palace in Nineveh showing trees growing on top of a roofed colonnade, exactly as described in later descriptions of the Hanging Gardens 6/6 19-Hanging_Gardens_of_Babyl.jpg Traditional early modern and later perception of what the Hanging Gardens of Babylon looked like. This 16th-century hand-coloured engraving of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was drawn by the Dutch artist Maarten van Heemskerck – interestingly with the Tower of Babel in the background 1/6 19-Babylon-North-Wind-Pictu.jpg The gardens were probably situated in Nineveh, a city located in what is now in the north of modern-day Iraq North Wind Picture Archives / Alamy 2/6 19-Sennacherib-king-of-Assy.jpg The Assyrian ruler Sennacherib, pictured in the chariot, in a bas-relief from his grandson’s palace, which depicts the gardens Stephanie Dalley 3/6 19-Babylon1.jpg An artist’s impression of what the Hanging Gardens at Nineveh would have looked like c700BC Terry Ball / Stephanie Dalley 4/6 19-Babylon2.jpg Drawing of a bas-relief from the palace of Sennacherib’s grandson in Nineveh, showing what is now believed to have been the Hanging Gardens Stephanie Dalley 5/6 19-Babylon3.jpg A mid-19th century drawing of part of a now long-lost fragment of a bas-relief from Sennacherib’s palace in Nineveh showing trees growing on top of a roofed colonnade, exactly as described in later descriptions of the Hanging Gardens 6/6 19-Hanging_Gardens_of_Babyl.jpg Traditional early modern and later perception of what the Hanging Gardens of Babylon looked like. This 16th-century hand-coloured engraving of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was drawn by the Dutch artist Maarten van Heemskerck – interestingly with the Tower of Babel in the background

"Mesopotamia is truly the pillar of humanity's memory and the cradle of civilization in recorded history," he said.

The government said it would allocate funds to maintain and boost conservation efforts.

Babylon, about 55 miles south of Baghdad, was once the centre of a sprawling empire, renowned for its towers and mudbrick temples. Its hanging gardens were one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, commissioned by King Nebuchadnezzar II.

Visitors can stroll through the remnants of the brick and clay structures which stretch across 10 sq km, and see the famed Lion of Babylon statue, as well as large portions of the original Ishtar Gate.

As the sun began to set on the crumbling ruins, activists and residents flocked to the replica Ishtar gate at the site's entrance to celebrate what they called a historic moment.

"This is very important, because Babylon will now be a protected site," said Marina al-Khafaji, a local who was hopeful the designation would boost tourism and the local economy.

It would allow for further exploration and research, said Makki Mohammad Farhoud, 53, a tour guide at the site for more than 25 years, noting that only 18 per cent of it had been excavated.

"Babylon is the blood that runs through my veins, I love it more than I love my children," he said.

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Excavations of what was once the largest city in the world began in the early 19th century by European archaeologists, who removed many artefacts.

In the 1970s, under president Saddam Hussein's restoration project, the southern palace's walls and arches were shoddily rebuilt on top of the existing ruins, causing widespread damage.

This was exacerbated during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, when US and Polish troops stationed nearby built their military base on top of the Babylonian ruins.

Many inscriptions written by soldiers can still be seen on the ancient bricks.

The site is in dire need of conservation, Mr Farhoud said. Unlike three other world heritage sites in Iraq, Unesco did not designate Babylon as one in "in danger" after objections from the Iraqi delegation.

Iraq is replete with thousands of archaeological sites, many of which were heavily damaged or pillaged by Isis during its barbaric three-year-rule, which ended in 2017.

The other five world heritage sites are the southern marshlands, Hatra, Samarra, Ashur and the citadel in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region.

Additional reporting by Reuters
The Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, United Kingdom, the ancient ruins of Babylon in Babil Governorate, Iraq, among other sites are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.