The SLATE landscape of Gwynedd has become the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The landscape has become the UK’s 32nd UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the fourth in Wales, having been granted the accolade on Wednesday at the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee.

The site includes includes Dyffryn Ogwen, Dinorwig, Dyffryn Nantlle, Cwmystradllyn and Cwm Pennant; Ffestiniog and Porthmadog, Abergynolwyn and Tywyn.

The successful bid was led by Gwynedd Council in a partnership between a number of organisations, including Snowdonia National Park, the National Trust, Bangor University, the Welsh Government, Cadw, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the National Museum.

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales joins the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd under the prestigious UNESCO list.

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said: “Today’s announcement recognises the significant contribution this part of North Wales has made to the cultural and industrial heritage not only of Wales, but of the wider world. Welsh slate can be found all over the world. 

“The quarrying and mining of slate has left a unique legacy in Gwynedd, which the communities are rightly proud of. This worldwide recognition today by UNESCO, will help preserve that legacy and history in those communities for generations to come and help them with future regeneration.

“I’d like to thank and congratulate everyone who has worked so hard on this bid – it’s been a real team effort and today’s announcement is a credit to all those involved.”

Slate has been quarried in the area for over 1,800 years and had been used to build parts of the Roman fort in Segontium in Caernarfon and Edward I’s castle in Conwy, however it wasn’t until the industrial revolution that demand surged as cities across the world expanded with slate from the mines at Gwynedd being widely used to roof workers’ homes, public buildings, places of worship and factories.

By the 1890s the Welsh slate industry employed approximately 17,000 workers and produced almost 500,000 tonnes of slate a year, around a third of all roofing slate used in the world in the late 19th century.

The industry had a huge impact on global architecture with Welsh slate used on a number of buildings, terraces and palaces across the globe including Westminster Hall in London’s Houses of Parliament, the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Australia and Copenhagen City Hall, Denmark. In 1830, half the buildings in New York had roofs made of Welsh slate.

Centuries of mining in the area transformed the landscape on a monumental scale with the inscription reflecting the important role this region played in ‘roofing the 19th century world’.

Dyfrig Siencyn, leader Gwynedd Council, said: “Gwynedd Council is extremely proud to be the lead body for the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales. The legacy of the quarries remains extremely evident around us from the striking landscape, the industrial buildings and steam railways to our villages and towns.

“Not only is the influence of the quarrying industry visible, but its heritage is still heard strongly in the language, traditions and rich histories of these areas.
“Our aim is to celebrate this heritage and landscape and recognise their historic and industrial importance to humankind – in order to create opportunities for the future”.

The City of Bath - originally inscribed on the Word Heritage List in 1987 - has also been awarded a dual designation as part of the Great Spas of Europe. 

UK Government Minister for Wales David TC Davies said: “Achieving UNESCO World Heritage Status is a magnificent accomplishment and a great tribute to those who worked in these slate mines.

"I’d like to commend everyone involved for their commitment to ensuring Wales’ slate mining heritage and the role this region has played for 1,000 years receive the global recognition they richly deserve.”

David Anderson, Director General,  Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales said: “National Museum Wales is very proud to have been a key partner in this bid and is delighted at the successful designation of the slate landscape of northwest Wales as a World Heritage site.

"Its success will ensure that the impact of the culture and industrial heritage of the area – including the story of the slate industry which we tell at the National Slate Museum in Llanberis - is recognised throughout the world.

"We have a rich and diverse heritage in Wales and this is a great opportunity to celebrate and showcase our cultural heritage on an international stage and will help preserve the legacy and history in communities for generations to come. Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard on this bid – today’s announcement is a credit to all those involved.”

Kate Pugh OBE, Non-Executive Director for Culture at the UK Commission for UNESCO, said: "This UNESCO inscription is a magnificent achievement comparable to the effort and perseverance of the people who lived in these awe-inspiring places and worked these slate mines. UNESCO World Heritage Site status calls for a galvanising vision, and everyone from Gwynedd Council, its partners and the people now living in those historic settlements should be commended for their solid commitment to getting the global recognition that their landscape well deserves."

Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Wales Slate Partnership Steering Group, said: “After Chairing the Wales Slate Partnership Steering Group for over five years, I am thrilled by this decision by the World Heritage Committee and welcome our inscription on behalf of all our partners, landowners, communities and businesses.

“Partners have worked tirelessly over more than a decade to reach this important milestone, and we will now need to strengthen our cooperation to ensure that we deliver for the people, communities and businesses of the slate areas. This inscription is a celebration of Gwynedd roofing the world, our unique language, culture and communities and how we exported people, technology and slate to the four corners of the world.

“I would like to pay my thanks to all involved in developing this inscription and offer my congratulations to the newest World Heritage Site in Wales."

Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd's Cabinet Member for the  Economy and Community, said: “The slate industry of this area was a hugely important part of the global economy in the past, and today the industry and those that gain inspiration from our landscape continue to make an important contribution to Gwynedd’s economy.

“By celebrating our history, we want to regenerate our communities and create exciting opportunities for the benefit of the communities and businesses of Gwynedd and Northwest Wales in the future.

“Today we celebrate what has happened in the past and start on a new journey to protect our outstanding slate landscape and ensure a lasting legacy for our economy and communities in the future."