The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in 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 heritage consists of natural features (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. Argentina accepted the UNESCO World Heritage Convention on 23 August 1978, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.
There are 12 World Heritage Sites in Argentina, and a further eight on the tentative list. The first site listed was the Los Glaciares National Park, at the 5th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Sydney, Australia, in October 1981. The most recent site listed was the ESMA Museum, in 2023. Five sites in Argentina are listed for their natural and six for cultural properties. Three sites are shared with other countries: the Jesuit missions are shared with Brazil, the sites of the Inca road system are shared with five countries, and the works of Le Corbusier with six countries.
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 (province) Year listed DescriptionLos Glaciares National Park Santa Cruz 1981 145; vii, viii (natural) The landforms of the national park demonstrate how continuous advancing and retreating of glaciation in the Quaternary is shaping the landscape. The largest ice cap in South America contains numerous large glaciers that feed into glacial lakes. The best known glacier is the Perito Moreno (pictured) that calves icebergs into the Argentino Lake.Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil) Misiones 1984 275bis; iv (cultural) In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Jesuits constructed several missions to the Guaraní people. The remains of five missions are listed as this World Heritage Site. The mission in Brazil was listed alone in 1983 and the four in Argentina were added in 1984. The missions have different layouts and are in different states of conservation. They typically include the remains of churches and convents, plantations, and foundations of indigenous dwellings. San Ignacio Miní is pictured.Iguazú National Park Misiones 1984 303; vii, x (natural) The national park is centered around the imposing Iguazu Falls (pictured), spanning over and with a vertical drop of . They were created by the Iguazu River falling over basalt cascades that mark the border between Argentina and Brazil. The surrounding area comprises the Paranese subtropical rainforest, a part of the Atlantic Forest. The forest is rich in biodiversity, with over 2,000 species of vascular plants and large animals such as tapir, giant anteater, howler monkey, ocelot, jaguar, and caiman. On the Brazilian side, the Iguaçu National Park was listed as a separate World Heritage Site in 1986.Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas Santa Cruz 1999 936; iii (cultural) The Cueva de las Manos, literally "the cave of hands", in Río Pinturas contains an exceptional assemblage of prehistoric cave art created by hunter-gatherer communities. In addition to the numerous stencils of human hands, there are depictions of people, plants, hunting scenes, and animals, in particular guanacos that are still present in the region. The oldest art in the cave dates to the 8th millennium BCE, while the youngest traces of inhabitants at the site were dated to around 700 CE.Península Valdés Chubut 1999 937; x (natural) The peninsula, stretching off Patagonia into the Atlantic Ocean, is characterized by rocky cliffs, lagoons, shallow bays, dunes, mudflats, small islands, and wetlands, some of which are protected by the Ramsar Convention. The area is important for conservation of marine mammals. It is a breeding ground for the southern right whale and the conservation efforts have helped the recovery of this once widely hunted species. There are also colonies of southern elephant seals and South American sea lions (pictured).Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks San Juan, La Rioja 2000 966; viii (natural) The two parks contain six geological formations that cover the entire Triassic period (245 to 208 million years ago). The fossil record documents the complete sequence of animal and plant life over about 50 million years. The findings include the early dinosaurs such as the Eoraptor, reptiles, amphibians, ancestors of mammals, and fish. At least 100 plant species have been identified as well. This offers a unique insight into the life of the Triassic.Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba Córdoba 2000 995; ii, iv (cultural) For about 150 years in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Jesuits ran a series of settlements with a focus on missionary and educational work. The Jesuit Block in the city of Córdoba, the former capital of the Jesuit province, contains the church, the residential buildings, and the buildings of the National University of Córdoba. The five estancias (ranches) in the region each contained a church, residential buildings, work areas, waterworks, farmhouses, and land for cattle. They illustrate the fusion of European Baroque and Mannerist styles with the cultures of indigenous people and African slave labourers. Alta Gracia is pictured.Quebrada de Humahuaca Jujuy2003 1116; ii, iv, v (cultural) Quebrada de Humahuaca is a gorge created by the Rio Grande river. It starts on the cold desert plateau in the High Andes and ends about to the south, in the plains. Over the past 10 millennia, the valley has been used as a trade route by different peoples, as the most important connection between the mountains and the plains. Material remains have demonstrated the use of the valley by hunter-gatherer communities and early farmers, pre-Incan towns and villages, the Inca Empire (15th to 16th centuries), and Spanish and republican settlements.Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System several sites 2014 1459; ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) Qhapaq Ñan is an extensive pre-Incan and Incan road system, spanning over across the Andes. The roads connect high mountain peaks with rainforests, coasts, valleys, and deserts. The road system formed the lifeline of the Inca Empire, allowing transport and exchange of goods, as well as movement of messengers, travelers, and even armies. The site comprises 273 components featuring structures such as roads, bridges, ditches, and supporting infrastructure. The site is shared with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement Buenos Aires 2016 1321rev; i, ii, vi (cultural) This transnational site (shared with Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, India, and Japan) encompasses 17 works of Franco-Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier was an important representative of the Modernist movement, which introduced new architectural techniques to meet the needs of the changing society. The Curutchet House (pictured) is listed in Argentina.Los Alerces National Park Chubut 2017 1526; vii, x (natural) The national park protects largely undisturbed sections of continuous Patagonian Forest. This is one of the five temperate forest types in the world and is influenced by the Valdivian temperate forests. The park got its name after the Alerce tree, a conifer endemic to South America, that can achieve great age. The park is also known for its natural beauty, in particular around the Lake Menéndez.ESMA Museum and Site of Memory – Former Clandestine Center of Detention, Torture and ExterminationCity of Buenos Aires 2023 1681; vi (cultural) During the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983, the building of the Navy School of Mechanics (ESMA) served as a clandestine centre of detention, torture, and extermination. More than 5000 men and women were imprisoned, tortured, and killed by the Navy. Pregnant women were kept alive until they gave birth and the babies were stolen. In 2015, the building reopened as a museum. The quest to find the stolen babies contributed to the development of genetic testing to identify grandparents.
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. Argentina has eight properties on its tentative list.