International Day for Monuments and Sites Apr. 18, 2024

International Day for Monuments and Sites

Today is a monumental occasion: International Day for Monuments and Sites. Also called World Heritage Day, the event aims to highlight how important the task of conserving our cultural heritage is. A monument can be anything from an architectural work to a sculpture—something that has outstanding value from a historical, artistic or scientific point of view. Some of the amazing heritage sites around the world include Machu Picchu in Peru and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The stone structure in today"s image is part of the medieval city walls of Ávila in Spain. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, these fortifications have a perimeter of over 2,438 metres. When they were first built, they served to defend the city against attacks from outsiders; nowadays, visitors can walk around nearly half of the circumference of the walls, enjoying views of the city and the surrounding countryside.

© Alberto Loyo/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A mountaintop cultural wonder
Apr. 18, 2025International Day for Monuments and Sites
Apr. 18, 2026World Heritage Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr. 12, 2025International Day of Human Space Flight
Unbe-leaf-able
Giddy family fun
Feb. 9, 2024Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
A 50-year balancing act
The origin of Canadas national parks
Among the cedar and spruce
Feb. 3, 2024Carnival of Venice
Jun 18, 2026Aerial view of the ruins of Sacsayhuamán, Cusco, Peru
Jun 5, 2026World Environment Day
Stripes in sight
May 19, 2026Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Aug. 7, 2025Monoliths of the Mingan Archipelago, Quebec
Mar. 1, 2025Aurora borealis over Maligne Lake in Alberta
Little Island, Big Sea
Chasing summer in the art world
A beautiful labyrinth
Mar. 9, 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Jan. 13, 2026Hen Galan
A starry night!
Jul 21, 2026Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua, Guatemala
Feb. 11, 2026Death Valley National Park, California, United States
The lungs of Earth
Sep. 20, 2024Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, USA
May 21, 2026International Tea Day
Mesmerising glass pyramids
Dec. 29, 2025St. Gregory Church in Ani Ruins, Kars, Türkiye
Feb. 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
The rivers run through us
Sep. 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore, California, United States