The Appian Way’s UNESCO Heritage Recognition: Local Towns Disappointed by Exclusion

The Appian Way’s UNESCO Heritage Recognition: A Mixed Blessing for Local Towns

When Maria Innamorato, the deputy mayor of Cisterna di Latina, Italy, learned last month that the Via Appia — the famed Appian Way — had officially been added to UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage List, she felt a surge of excitement. This recognition was the culmination of months of dedicated work, during which local officials meticulously crafted a dossier to highlight the historical and cultural significance of their town.

However, the celebration was short-lived. On the same day, city officials received disheartening news: Cisterna, located near Rome and intersected by the modern version of this ancient thoroughfare, had been excluded from the sections recognized by UNESCO. Ms. Innamorato was left in disbelief, echoing the sentiments of other municipalities that also found themselves sidelined. “We still don’t really know why we were left off,” she lamented.

In total, three crucial segments of the Appian Way, revered by many as the world’s first highway, were overlooked by experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the body responsible for evaluating candidates for the heritage list. The hopes of local towns to attract new waves of tourists and the accompanying financial benefits evaporated in an instant.

Local officials from towns along the Appian Way expressed their frustrations, feeling abandoned by their national leaders. Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s culture minister, publicly acknowledged the situation, revealing that Italy did not contest the decision to exclude certain parts of the road. He, along with other officials, feared that any objections might delay the process, jeopardizing Italy’s position as the country with the most World Heritage sites.