Tuesday, 9/19/2023
The Couros
area, where UMinho's Couros campus is located, was classified as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site today, September 19, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the 45th
Session of the World Heritage Committee.
Although
the Historic Center of Guimarães has been on UNESCO's list since 2001, this
vote focused on a new candidacy that significantly expands the area and the grounds
that determine the World Heritage Site in Guimarães.
The 19.4
hectares previously classified as a World Heritage Site have been extended to
an area of 38.4 hectares, encompassing what is known as the "Zona de
Couros" (Leather Zone), which refers to the tannery area along the Rio de
Couros. The surrounding area, which protects the classified area, has also been
extended to 129.3 hectares (the previous area covered 99.2 hectares).
