7 oldest UNESCO World Heritage sites

april 30, 2025

Images: Shutterstock

Here is a list of the oldest UNESCO World Heritage sites, predating even the Pyramids of Giza.

Built: 2670-2650 BC
Also known as the step pyramid, it is Egypt’s oldest monument, predating the Pyramids of Giza by at least a century. 

7. Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt

Built: 3180-2500 BC
It’s a Neolithic settlement discovered in 1850, when a storm damaged Skara Brae and revealed ten houses underneath.

6. Skara Brae, Scotland

Built: 3200 BC
It is an ancient temple built by a Neolithic farming community as a place of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance, where dignitaries were laid to rest.

5. Newgrange, Ireland

Built: 3600-2500 BC
Tarxien Temples, a complex of four megalithic temples, were reused for cremation during the Bronze Age between 2400 and 1500 BC.

4. Tarxien Temples, Malta

Built: 3600 BC
It's a temple complex consisting of two structures. Animal bones were discovered at the site, suggesting communal rituals and feasting.

3. Ġgantija, Malta

Built: 3800 BC
It is believed to have been inhabited for 900 years. Archaeological digs uncovered the remains of a pair of oblong buildings, connected by a short passageway.

2. Knap of Howar, Scotland

Built: 9600-8200 BC
It is a pre-pottery Neolithic Age settlement, consisting of round-oval and rectangular megalithic structures erected by hunter-gatherers, most likely used for funeral rituals.

1. Göbekli Tepe, Turkey

7 oldest world maps charting the globe

Thanks for reading!

See next

Read now