Via Appia officially nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status

Italy has officially nominated the Via Appia – Regina Viarum for UNESCO World Heritage status. The ancient Roman road, spanning 900 kilometers from Rome to Brindisi, was built between the late 4th and 3rd centuries BC under the censor Appius Claudius Caecus. It served as a crucial military, commercial, and cultural artery, connecting Rome to the port of Brundisium and facilitating trade with Magna Graecia, Greece, and the East. The road promoted the spread of Greek theater, art, literature, and philosophy throughout the Roman Empire. Later restored and expanded by emperors including Augustus, Vespasian, Trajan, and Hadrian, it was used by Crusaders in the Middle Ages. In the 20th century, rampant construction led to the establishment of the Parco Regionale dell'Appia Antica in 1988. The candidacy is promoted by Italy's Ministry of Culture, involving four regions (Lazio, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia), 12 provinces and metropolitan cities, 73 municipalities, the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, 15 parks, and 25 Italian and foreign universities. If accepted, it would become Italy's 59th UNESCO site. Undersecretary for Culture Giancarlo Mazzi stated that the cultural aspect is key to the UNESCO bid, noting the Ministry has invested €19 million in restoration and conservation. The next step is a January 20 evaluation by the Italian National UNESCO Commission's board, after which the scientific dossier and management plan will be sent to Paris.