In recognition of its internationally significant heritage, science and cultural impact, Jodrell Bank Observatory has today been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status and will now be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Jodrell Bank is joining a prestigious group of sites across the globe that have been recognised by UNESCO's international community as sites of Outstanding Universal Value.
The World Heritage Site inscription acknowledges Jodrell Bank's tremendous scientific endeavours and its role in achieving a transformational understanding of the Universe. It places it on an equal footing with the likes of Stonehenge and the Taj Mahal and represents an enormous accolade not only for Jodrell Bank, but also for the region, and the UK as a whole.
Jodrell Bank fulfils the following judgement criteria for World Heritage Site status:
A masterpiece of human creative genius related to its scientific and technical achievements Represents an important interchange of human values over a span of time and on a global scale An outstanding example of a technological ensemble which illustrates a significant stage in human history Directly and tangibly associated with events and ideas of outstanding universal significance.
Jodrell Bank is the 32nd site in the UK to receive this award and joins just over 1,100 sites internationally.
World Heritage Site status is an enormous accolade for both the region and the UK as a whole, enhancing global recognition for Jodrell Bank, and offering a wealth of new benefits and opportunities.
World Heritage Site designation enshrines the unique heritage of Jodrell Bank for the future, and ensures that the physical heritage of the site will be managed, protected and conserved according to the standards required, addressing risks and safeguarding its care and maintenance for future generations.
The status also provides a context through which to further engage people with Jodrell Bank’s transformational and pioneering history, allowing us to tell the inspirational human stories behind the site’s incredible science.
The development of our First Light project has been concurrent with the World Heritage Site process and will be fundamental to extending understanding of and engagement with the heritage of Jodrell Bank. The project will provide the means through which to reveal, interpret and explain our story, so that a wider range of people can understand and appreciate the unique turning point that occurred here at Jodrell Bank with the emergence of radio astronomy.