Fascinating places that should be UNESCO World Heritage Sites III
The Church of San Salvador in Valdediós is the next candidate to be declared as World Heritage Site in Spain. It is hidden in an unexpected place of the county of Villaviciosa, in Puelles. It keeps intact its spirituality and the monumental character. Alfonso III the Great, one of the most powerful king of Asturias, spent there his last years of life. This small collection of churches is just formed by the small San Salvador and the Church of Santa María de Valdediós. This monastic complex is only 40 km far from Oviedo. Moreover, it has become one of the most important places during the Middle Ages in Asturias. Considered the masterpiece of the last stage during the Pre-romanesque art, the Church of San Salvador was built in 893.
This candidate to World Heritage Site refers to the area around the protected designation of origin of Rioja wine. It is one of the best wines around the world because of its quality, but also because of its exceptional history and culture. The area has 603 km2 that extends both sides of the Ebro river, affecting both sub-areas with designation of origin: Rioja and Rioja Alavesa. This area of the county is the one that has developed without interruption since the beginning of the Middle Ages. It seems that this process could date back to Roman times.
The candidature includes not only the Cíes islands, but also the whole Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, including Cíes, Ons, Sálvora, Noro, Vionta, Cortegada and Malveiras. They are an authentic natural paradise and a place to spend a fantastic summer day. There you will enjoy the nature, the possibility of walk, hiking, the amazing views and beaches.
We should also mention the value of the historic and cultural heritage. It includes artesanal fisheries and historic and prehistoric sites associated to the sea. This natural and cultural heritage gave this area an outstanding universal value.
The city of Ferrol, in the Province of A Coruña, was born as a naval base due to its privilegiate geographical position. But what make of it a candidate to become a World Heritage Site is the neighbour of la Magdalena. Ordered to built in 1761 by Enlightenment’s king Charles III, it quickly became one of the most interesting urban proposal. It takes the form of a chocolate bar, making up a perfect square. It still holds some houses from the enlightened age designed to wealthy families. They are Classicist buildings with wrought iron balconies and glazed galleries. Later on, they will extend throughout Galicia to become a sign of identity of the community. In the first decades of the 20th century, modernist buildings were incorporated, they were authentic masterpieces.
The next candidate to become a World Heritage Site is a historic villa known since ancient times for its salt exploitation sites. It is Salinas de Añana-Gesaltza Añana, only 30 kilometres away from Vitoria. Furthermore, during summer months this experience has the additional attraction of contemplating the craftsmanship by salineros (salt workers).
The value of this unique landscape is its unusual architecture. It comprises a succession of stepped terraces built by man with stone, wood and clay. Also the thousands of salt crystallization pans responsible for the dazzling whiteness, or the hundreds of canals to distribute salt water throughout the valley using a distribution system with more than 1, 200 years of documented history.
