The World Heritage Convention was created in 1972. Italy signed and ratified the World Heritage Convention in 1978. By signing up to the World Heritage Convention, the Government of Italy promised to promote and preserve its UNESCO World Heritage Sites and pass them on to future generations. A UNESCO World Heritage Site must be of outstanding universal value to humanity. Italy is among the countries with the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, including several World Heritage Cities.
- Archaeological Area of Aquileia
- Archaeological Areas of Pompeii and Herculaneum
- Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico) of Padua
- Castel del Monte
- Cathedral,Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena
- City of Verona
- Crespi d'Adda
- Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
- Ferrara, City of the Renaissance
- Historic Centre of Florence
- Historic Centre of Rome
- Historic Centre of San Gimignano
- Historic Centre of Siena
- Historic Centre of Urbino
- Monte San Giorgio
- Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
- Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
- Rhaetian Railway, the Albula and Bernina Lines
- Rock Drawings in Valcamonica
- Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
- Sassi di Matera and Churches of Matera
- Trulli of Alberobello
- Vatican city
- Venice and its Lagoon
- Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto