primeval beech forests
states: [albania] [austria] [belgium] [bosnia and herzegovina] [bulgaria] [croatia] [czechia] [france] [germany] [italy] [poland] [romania] [slovakia] [slovenia] [spain] [switzerland] [macedonia] [ukraine]
category: natural
year: 2007
region: Europe and North America
latitude/longitude: 49.0097222222, 22.3388888889
last visited: 2019
unesco id: 1133
world heritage site: 1133
The Primeval Beech Forests, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Europe, recognized across multiple expansions since 2007 with additions in 2017 and 2021, span 18 countries, preserving ancient beech woodlands untouched since the last Ice Age. These dense, old-growth forests harbor rare wildlife like lynx and showcase the beech tree’s post-glacial spread across diverse terrains. This transnational network reflects Europe’s ecological heritage, offering a living testament to natural resilience and biodiversity in pristine forest ecosystems.
