Briefly stated, to be part of the world’s cultural heritage, a site must at least:

1. Be a masterpiece of human creative genius, and/or
2. Mark an important transition in the development of technology, architecture, town-planning or landscape design, and/or
3. Bear a unique or exceptional testimony to a culture which is living or has disappeared, and / or
4. Be an example of a building or a landscape which illustrates one or more significant stages in human history, and/or
5. Be an example of a traditional settlement or of traditional land-use or sea-use, especially when irreversible changes have occurred, and/or
6. Be associated with events, traditions or beliefs, etc., which are of universal significance and preferably in conjunction with other criteria.

In addition to these six criteria World Heritage sites must have sufficient a. Authenticity; (originality) and b. Integrity (be undisturbed or intact).

Natural heritage must at least:

7. Comprise very special phenomena or be of exceptional natural beauty, and/or
8. Contain examples of stages of earth's history – including the record of life – and of results of geological and/or geomorphic processes, and/or
9. Display typical examples of ongoing ecological and biological processes on land and/or in the sea, and/or
10. Contain natural environmental factors for conserving biological diversity and for preserving threatened flora and fauna in-situ.

In addition to these four criteria World Heritage sites must have sufficient Integrity (be undisturbed or intact).