St_Kilda

St_Kilda

Immovable Culture Heritage

St Kilda, a remote volcanic archipelago, lies approximately 100 miles off the west coast of Scotland. It is made up of islands such as Soay, Boreray, Hirta, Dun, and Levenish. The archipelago boasts breathtaking sceneries and Europe's highest sea cliffs. These cliffs serve as vital nesting grounds for numerous seabirds, including puffins and gannets, endowing St Kilda with significant avian biodiversity. With over 2,000 years of human habitation in harsh conditions, the islands retain remnants like architectural structures, field systems, cleits (stone storage rooms), and traditional Highland stone houses. In 1930, the last inhabitants left. Recognizing its unique natural and cultural values, UNESCO listed St Kilda as a World Heritage Site in 1986, and added its marine environment and cultural landscape in 2004 and 2005. To preserve it digitally, initiatives like the Scottish Ten Project have employed 3D laser scanning. This creates digital models of structures and archaeological features, allowing virtual tours. Such efforts, in line with UN SDG 11, boost sustainable tourism and education while safeguarding the world's cultural and natural heritage.

is51102025

2000 BCE

zl203@st-andrews.ac.uk

English

Site

1313

25/03/2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Kilda,_Scotland, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/387, https://www.engineshed.scot/about-us/the-scottish-ten/sites/st-kilda-scotland

cm x cm x cm

Wikipedia, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Historic Environment Scotland

current,57.815,-8.588;

United Kingdom

St_Kilda

https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/st-kilda

TEXT

twitter, @N_T_S;

Archaeological

St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK

3267

public

National Trust for Scotland

1

zl203@st-andrews.ac.uk