UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kenya

Table of Contents

1154 World Heritage Sites currently exist in the world and seven World Heritage Sites are located in Kenya. Of these, three are natural heritage sites and four are cultural heritage sites. One site is unfortunately on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger. These sites are valuable for all people in this world because they are the testimonies of former civilizations.

Lake Turkana National Parks

Since 1997, Lake Turkana and the three national parks (Sibiloi National Park, South Island National Park, Central Island National Park) that surround it have been part of the UNESCO Natural Heritage. The lake is the most saline of the Great Lakes in Africa and the second largest inland body of water in Kenya. The national parks are home to great biodiversity for plants and animals and important breeding grounds for mammals such as the hippo.

The lake is threatened by a dam project in the neighboring country of Ethiopia and has therefore been included on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger.

Mount Kenya National Park and Natural Forest

Also in 1997, the national park and natural forest Mount Kenya was included in the UNESCO Natural Heritage. At 5,199 meters, Mount Kenya is the second highest mountain in Africa and an ancient volcano that is extinct. The mountain is a sacred mountain for the communities living there (Kikuyu and Meru).

It is one of the most impressive landscapes in eastern Africa with its rugged glacier-covered peaks and forested middle slopes.

Lamu old town

In 2001, the old town of Lamu was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is the best preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. To this day, the old town houses structures and other elements of Swahili culture. The island used to be the most important trading center in East Africa. Thus, the city was culturally influenced not only by Africa, but also by India and Arabia. 

Unesco World Heritage In Lamu, Kenya

Sacred Kayas Forests of the Mijikenda

The Kayas forests, consisting of ten separate forest areas, have been a part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage since 2008. The Kayas are villages that the Mijikenda people once inhabited. Today, the villages are revered as sacred ancestral dwellings.

The forest areas are a remnant of a once vast jungle. This extended from the coast of the African country to the Indian Ocean until the 20th century.

Fort Jesus

Fort Jesus, built in the 16th century, was declared a UNSECO World Heritage Site in 2011. It is a fortress on the island of Mombasa, the largest port city of the African country. It was built by the Portuguese to protect the city. In the meantime, it belonged to the Ottoman Empire before being conquered by the British in 1895. Since 1963, Kenya's independence, it has been used as a national museum and is a major tourist attraction.

The lake system in the Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley lake system includes three interconnected lakes (Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake Elementaita) and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the same year as Fort Jesus. It is a part of the Great African Rift Valley. With a length of over 600 meters, the Rift Vally stretches from Syria to Mozambique. The region is home to 13 globally threatened bird species. It is the most important feeding ground for the lesser flamingo and an important nesting and breeding ground for great white pelicans.

Archaeological site Thimlich Ohinga

The latest UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kenya to date is the Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site, which was added to the list in 2018. It is the best preserved traditional settlement complex in the Lake Victoria region, which was built in the 15th century. The World Heritage Site includes four large dry-stone wall complexes, known as ohingni, with their respective extensions. They were the typical dwellings for the pastoralist peoples who lived there.

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