Villa Jovis

Discover Villa Jovis in Capri, Italy: The Emperor Tiberius' palace of debauchery.

Sacrario Militare del Monte Grappa

Discover Sacrario Militare del Monte Grappa in Crespano del Grappa, Italy: This military mausoleum captures the solemn grandeur that most memorials only aspire to.

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Discover Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Italy: One of Catholicism's four major basilicas has a series of papal portraits that are said to predict the end of the world.

Biblioteca Malatestiana

Discover Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena, Italy: A gorgeous medieval library where the books are kept in chains.

Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio

Discover Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio in Bologna, Italy: In the world's oldest university is a stunning 17th century anatomical theater carved from spruce.

Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater

Discover Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater in Padua, Italy: The world's oldest surviving anatomical theater, where "the dead are pleased to help the living.".

San Giorgio in Alga

Discover San Giorgio in Alga in Venice, Italy: This abandoned island off the Venetian coast has been a radical monastery, a political prison, and a secret Nazi base.

The Bronze Ear of Casa Sola-Busca

Discover The Bronze Ear of Casa Sola-Busca in Milan, Italy: Before there were doorbells this bronze ear was installed for visitors to announce their arrival.

Cinecittà

Discover Cinecittà in Rome, Italy: The studio built by fascists in the hopes of "reviving the film industry" with the occasional propaganda film opportunity thrown in.

The Brothels of Pompeii

Discover The Brothels of Pompeii in Pompeii, Italy: Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.

The Ghost City of Monterano

Discover The Ghost City of Monterano in Canale Monterano, Italy: The remains of a town so thoroughly destroyed by French forces that the citizens simply left.

Road of 52 Tunnels

Discover Road of 52 Tunnels in Italy: This Italian foot path winds through the mountains via 52 individual tunnels.

Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra

Discover Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra in Volterra, Italy: This real life asylum of horrors is now an abandoned ruin that hides the unbreakable code to one patient's insanity.

Monte Testaccio

Discover Monte Testaccio in Rome, Italy: This hill made entirely of ancient Roman jars was simply a garbage dump to the people of the time.

Mamertine Prison

Discover Mamertine Prison in Rome, Italy: This ancient Roman prison is decorated with an upside-down cross not as blasphemy but as saintly tribute.

Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio

Discover Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio in Rome, Italy: More sculpture than building, this architecturally significant temple was built on the spot of Saint Peter's crucifixion.

Vasari Corridor

Discover Vasari Corridor in Florence, Italy: This private skyway is filled with art and was expanded explicitly so that Hitler could appreciate a river.

Flooded Crypt of San Francesco

Discover Flooded Crypt of San Francesco in Ravenna, Italy: Filled with goldfish swimming in a shallow pool of sea water, this ancient crypt is more wishing well than burial site.

L’importuno di Michelangelo

Discover L’importuno di Michelangelo in Florence, Italy: The famous sculptor left his mark on this Italian wall in an internationally protected example of street art.

Campo de Fiori

Discover Campo de Fiori in Rome, Italy: This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.
260
ii
To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design.
474
iii
To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.
499
iv
To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.
633
ix
To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals.
135
v
To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.
167
vi
To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria).
252
vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
148
viii
To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.
96
x
To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
166