Myanmar’s ancient capital of Bagan has finally got the UNESCO World Heritage designation it has craved for more than two decades.
It was first nominated in 1995.
Bagan features more than 3,500 stupas and temples dating back to the 11th century and a listing will be a boost to Myanmar’s tourist industry.
It was approved at an UNESCO meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan at the weekend.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites noted a new heritage law in Myanmar and has made strides to restrict tourism development in and around the city.
It has made progress to turn around ‘inappropriate conservation interventions,’ the body said.
Many structures also suffered damage after a 2016 earthquake.
"Bagan is living heritage, having endured all forms of challenges for more than a thousand years," Myanmar diplomat Kyaw Zeya said at the Baku meeting.
"Today, we are celebrating the joyous moment of the successful inscription of Bagan in the World Heritage List. We will continue our efforts on conservation and management of Bagan so that this treasured heritage will remain for another thousand years."
The body also gave world Heritage status to India’s Pink City of Jaipur, Liangzhu City in China, and the Plain of Jars in Laos.
