Bhutan does not currently have any World Heritage Sites. However, it does have eight places that it has submitted on the Tentative List. A place must be on the Tentative List before it can be nominated as a World Heritage Site. To learn more about the Tentative List process click here. A World Heritage Site is a place recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance. To be considered a World Heritage Site, a place must be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one of the following ten criteria.
Below are details for some of the places that Bhutan has submitted to the Tentative List. You can click on the name of each place for more details.
- Ancient Ruin of Drukgyel Dzong
- The ancient ruin of Drukgyel Dzong is considered one the most beautiful and famous archaeological sites in Bhutan. It is situated on a ridge in the upper Paro Valley. Constructed in 1649, Drukgyel Dzong had served as an important base for defense in the region until 1951 when it was destroyed by fire. Even after the destruction, the ruins of the Dzong continued to be protected as an important monument linking people of Bhutan with the great events that contributed to maintaining the sovereignty of the country.
- The ancient ruin of Drukgyel Dzong is considered one the most beautiful and famous archaeological sites in Bhutan. It is situated on a ridge in the upper Paro Valley. Constructed in 1649, Drukgyel Dzong had served as an important base for defense in the region until 1951 when it was destroyed by fire. Even after the destruction, the ruins of the Dzong continued to be protected as an important monument linking people of Bhutan with the great events that contributed to maintaining the sovereignty of the country.
- Dzongs: the centre of temporal and religious authorities (Punakha Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, Paro Dzong, Trongsa Dzong and Dagana Dzong)
- Sacred Sites associated with Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and his descendants
- Tamzhing Monastery
- Royal Manas National Park (RMNP)
- Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP)
- Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the North Eastern part of Bhutan. It forms an Eastern Himalayan Eco-region with a wide range of ecosystems ranging from warm cool broadleaved forest to Alpine meadows. The Sanctuary is the catchments of the mighty Drangme Chu, one of the biggest rivers of Bhutan and the Kholong Chu, which forms the important habitat for the vulnerable Black-necked Crane in Bumdeling valley and also contributes to Kholong Chu hydro project.
- Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the North Eastern part of Bhutan. It forms an Eastern Himalayan Eco-region with a wide range of ecosystems ranging from warm cool broadleaved forest to Alpine meadows. The Sanctuary is the catchments of the mighty Drangme Chu, one of the biggest rivers of Bhutan and the Kholong Chu, which forms the important habitat for the vulnerable Black-necked Crane in Bumdeling valley and also contributes to Kholong Chu hydro project.
- Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS)
- Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the easternmost part of the country in Trashigang Dzongkhag. It represents the diversity of eastern Himalayan terrestrial eco-system-alpine meadows, temperate forest and warm broadleaf forest. The Sanctuary is situated in the remotest part of the country where only limited developmental programmes have been implemented so far. Highlanders living in the park area are semi-nomadic and use large areas as grazing land for their cattle.
- Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the easternmost part of the country in Trashigang Dzongkhag. It represents the diversity of eastern Himalayan terrestrial eco-system-alpine meadows, temperate forest and warm broadleaf forest. The Sanctuary is situated in the remotest part of the country where only limited developmental programmes have been implemented so far. Highlanders living in the park area are semi-nomadic and use large areas as grazing land for their cattle.