Martin's Hole with the Tschingelhörner as seen from the Glarus side

The heritage of humanity

Some things are so valuable that all of humanity has to watch over them.

In July 2008, the Tectonic Arena Sardona was designated by UNESCO as unique in the world and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This distinction constitutes a major acknowledgement, but also entails the obligation to protect the area and preserve it for future generations. The World Heritage communities involved, the three cantons of Grisons, St. Gallen and Glarus, and the Swiss Confederation have declared their willingness to take long-term care of the Tectonic Arena Sardona UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The World Heritage idea began with the rescue of the temples of Abu Simbel and led to the birth of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1972. © UNESCO

The UNESCO World Heritage logo illustrates the interrelationship between culture and nature. The square in the centre symbolises a man-made form, while the circle represents nature. Both shapes are closely intertwined. The emblem is round like the earth and a symbol of protection at the same time.