International Day for Monuments and Sites 18 Apr 2024

International Day for Monuments and Sites

Today is a monumental occasion: International Day for Monuments and Sites. Also called World Heritage Day, the event aims to highlight how important the task of conserving our cultural heritage is. A monument can be anything from an architectural work to a sculpture—something that has outstanding value from a historical, artistic, or scientific point of view. Some of the amazing heritage sites around the world include Machu Picchu in Peru and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The stone structure in today"s image is part of the medieval city walls of Ávila in Spain. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, these fortifications have a perimeter of 2,516 metres. When they were first built, they served to defend the city against attacks from outsiders; nowadays, visitors can walk around nearly half of the circumference of the walls, enjoying views of the city and the surrounding countryside.

© Scott Suriano/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A mountaintop cultural wonder
18 Apr 2025International Day for Monuments and Sites

More Desktop Wallpapers:

15 Mar 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, USA
May the 4th be with you
Beauty by the bay
6 Jan 2026Nuuk, Greenland
13 Jan 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii, USA
13 Jul 2025International Rock Day
25 Dec 2023Christmas Day
Doves of peace
An island park
2 Mar 2025Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW, Australia
21 Dec 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
13 Oct 2023Vieste, Apulia, Italy
What are these predators doing?
The worlds most exclusive beach?
17 Jan 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
14 Nov 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
8 May 2025World Donkey Day
Something to ‘bee’ thankful for
Taking a New Year nap
Close to the wind
19 Sep 2025Thousand Islands region, St Lawrence River, USA-Canada border
11 Aug 2025Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
18 Aug 2024The Isle of Wight Garlic Festival
29 Feb 2024Leap Day
17 Sep 2024Mid-Autumn Festival
2 Dec 2024Moose, Denali National Park, Alaska, United States
When life imitates art
6 May 2025An ultralight aircraft flying over the sands of Namibia
17 Jul 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
24 Nov 2023Green Friday