Why was Venice and its lagoon named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987?

In 1987, Venice and its lagoon were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of the city's status as part of the artistic and architectural patrimony of all humanity.1

This designation highlights the city's unique environmental, architectural, and historical significance. Built across an archipelago in the Laguna Veneta, Venice represents a remarkable feat of engineering, resting on a foundation of millions of wooden piles driven into the lagoon's soft mud and clay.12

The site is celebrated for its unmatched wealth of monuments and fine buildings, which date back to the city's period of commercial dominance as a maritime republic. Furthermore, the designation underscores the importance of sensitive conservation efforts, as the city faces ongoing environmental challenges—including subsidence and rising water levels—that threaten its continued existence in its present form.13