Viñales Valley
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| Viñales Valley* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| State Party |  Cuba |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv |
| Reference | 840 |
| Region† | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1999 (23rd Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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Viñales Valley (Spanish: Valle de Viñales) is a karstic depression in Cuba. The valley has an area of 132 km² and is located in the Sierra de los Organos, just north of Viñales in the Pinar del Río Province.
Tobacco and other crops are cultivated on the bottom of the valley, mostly by traditional agriculture techniques. Many caves dot the surrounding hillfaces (Cueva del Indio, Cueva de José Miguel).
The conspicuous cliffs rising like islands from the bottom of the valley are called mogotes.
Viñales is a major tourist destination offering mainly hiking and rock climbing. The local climbing scene has started to take off in the last few years with many new routes being discovered resulting in an increase in local tourism.[1]
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[edit] Conservation
Many endemic plants and animals are specific to this valley. Flora contains such species as Bombax emarginatum, Mountain palm (Gaussia princeps), Ekmanhianthes actinophilla, Microcycas calocoma (cycad), while fauna is represented by Bee Hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae, zunzún), Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus), Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor), Cuban Solitaire (Myadestes elisabeth) and Tiaras canura.[2]
[edit] UNESCO Heritage site
In 1999, the Viñales Valley was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape, both for its natural beauty and for the Vernacular architecture and traditions.
[edit] Photo gallery
 Viñales Valley |
 Fog over Viñales Valley |
 Viñales Valley |
 Viñales Valley |
[edit] References
- ^ High Sports. Article on Cuban Climbing. Retrieved on 2008-04-07. (English)
- ^ Radio Habana. Parque Nacional Viñales. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. (Spanish)
[edit] External links
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