Port Royal Added to UNESCO World Heritage List
Port Royal has officially been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The announcement was made during the World Heritage Committee meeting currently taking place in Paris, France.
The site, listed as The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal, includes both terrestrial and submerged elements of the historic town.
Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, welcomed the decision in a video statement, saying Jamaica was “proud that our nomination of this unique terrestrial and submerged site has been accepted.”
She added that the inscription supports national efforts to preserve the heritage “for all humanity.”
The Minister thanked those who supported the nomination, including the World Heritage Centre, the International Council of Monuments and Sites, and the governments of Mexico, Canada, the Netherlands, and Japan.
She also acknowledged the people of Port Royal, noting that their livelihoods are closely linked to the preservation, promotion, and sustainable development of the site.
Port Royal was inscribed under UNESCO criteria 4 and 6. Criterion 4 recognises the site as “an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history.”
Criterion 6 highlights its direct association with events, traditions, or works of universal significance.
In its evaluation, the committee noted that the integrity of the property stems from its well-preserved terrestrial and underwater features.
These include the entire 17th-century town, its urban plan, and six surrounding fortifications, all of which existed at the time of the 1692 earthquake. The underwater sections are said to be exceptionally well preserved beneath layers of sediment.
Port Royal now joins the Blue and John Crow Mountains as Jamaica’s second site on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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