The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by countries which are signatories to 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. Burkina Faso ratified the convention on 2 April 1987.
Burkina Faso has four sites on the list and a further eight sites on the tentative list. The first property listed in Burkina Faso was the Ruins of Loropéni, in 2009. The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, which is shared with Benin and Niger, is a natural site. The other three sites were listed for their cultural significance. Burkina Faso has served on the World Heritage Committee once.
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.
+ Site Image Location (region) Year listed Description Ruins of Loropéni Sud-Ouest 2009 1225rev; iii (cultural) The complex of ruins in Loropéni is the best preserved example of medieval fortified settlements in West Africa. These settlements date at least to the 11th century and flourished between the 14th and 17th centuries due to gold mining and Trans-Saharan trade during the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires. The site was finally abandoned in the 19th century and has been only partially excavated.W-Arly-Pendjari Complex Est 2017 749ter; ix, x (natural) This site comprises Niger's W National Park, Burkina Faso's Arli National Park, and Benin's Pendjari National Park. The W National Park was listed independent from the other sites in 1997, but Arli and Pendjari national parks were added in 2017. The area covers large expanses of Sudano-Sahelian savanna with grasslands, wood savanna, shrublands, riparian forests, and gallery forests. The landscape has been shaped by human activity for tens of thousands of years, with fires being crucial for maintaining diverse vegetation. The parks are home to healthy populations of large mammals, including the African elephant, lion, cheetah, African wild dog, and topi antelope.Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso Nord, Centre-Nord 2019 1602; iii, iv, vi (cultural) Iron metallurgy in Africa dates to prehistoric times. This site comprises five properties. The oldest of them is in Douroula, from the 8th century BCE, when the technology was already widely present in the region. The other four sites are from the second millennium CE. They are large complexes with elevated ore smelting furnaces, slag assemblies, and traces of mining. Local blacksmiths do not practice ore smelting anymore, but are important in preserving ancient rituals and practices, as well as playing a major role in supplying tools to the communities.Royal Court of Tiébélé Centre-Sud 2024 1713; iii (cultural) The complex was founded in the 16th century by the Kassena people and comprises residential buildings that are distinct for different social groups, sacred sites such as the royal cemetery, sacred stones on which dignitaries sit, and the tomb of the founder of the royal family. The buildings are in adobe and are constructed by men, while the decoration of the walls with traditional motifs is done exclusively by women.
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. Burkina Faso maintains eight properties on its tentative list.
+ Site Image Location (region) Year listed UNESCO criteria Description Bourzanga necropolises Centre-Nord 1996 iii, iv (cultural) This nomination comprises two necropolises at Bourzanga. One is a Dogon burial ground containing burial jars where the body was positioned vertically or horizontally. The other necropolis, located nearby, is characterized by numerous stelae. They are made of granite and two of laterite, of irregular shapes, up to tall, and do not have any inscriptions or figures on them. Rock engravings of the Burkinabè Sahel: Pobé-Mengao, Arbinda and Markoye Sahel 2012 ii, iii (cultural) This nomination comprises sites with rock art. Motifs include plants, animals, human figures, and geometric patterns. Those in Pobé-Mengao were created before the 12th century, those in Aribinda around the 14th century, while those in Markoye were dated between the 7th and 13th centuries. Artistic style is similar to that of southern Sahara, indicating a cultural exchange.Rock art in Burkina Faso Guiriko, Liptako, Soum, Tannounyan 2026 ii, iii (cultural) The nomination comprises five clusters with rock art. Some of them were dated to be created before the 12th century CE. Petroglyphs depict animals, plants, and geometric patterns. Remains of housing and burial grounds have been found near one of the sites.Classified forest of Mare aux Hippopotames Guiriko 2026 ix, x (natural) The reserve is centred around a freshwater lake which is also protected as a Ramsar wetland. Other habitat types include wooded savanna and gallery forests. The reserve is an important habitat for water and savanna birds, and is visited by infrequent species in Burkina Faso, such as the lesser jacana and Narina trogon. There is a community of hippopotamuses living in the reserve.La Maison du Peuple Kadiogo 2026 iv (cultural) The building, designed by the French architect René Faublée, was completed in 1965. It combines the concepts of modern architecture with local vernacular traditions. It is owned by the African Democratic Rally political party.Sudanese style mosques in Burkina Faso Bankuy, Guiriko, Nando, Nazinon 2026 ii, iv (cultural) This nomination comprises ten mosques in the Sudano-Sahelian style. They are made of wood and adobe and are maintained by local communities.Sya, Historic Center of Bobo-Dioulasso Guiriko 2026 iii, vi (cultural) The economic capital of the country, Bobo-Dioulasso, developed around traditional villages that have been inhabited for centuries. Typical buildings are made of cob with roof terraces and supported by wooden beams and poles. People of different ethnicities and religions reside in Sya, with Muslims (the Grand Mosque from 1892 pictured), Christians, and adherents of traditional religions living together peacefully.The Architectural Village of Koumi Guiriko 2026 ii, iii, iv (cultural) Koumi is a traditional village of the Bobo people. Houses are made of wood and adobe and are one or two-storied. The community preserves their local traditions despite the rapid urbanization.
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