UK Government nominated Scotland’s The Forth Bridge(also called Forth Rail Bridge) for World Heritage site status. The bridge connects Edinburgh with Fife, leaving the Lothians at Dalmeny and arriving in Fife at North Queensferry, connecting the north-east and south-east of the country. It could join a select group of sites across the world, including the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall of China, if the bid is successful.
The UK currently has 28 World Heritage sites, five of which are in Scotland. Among the UK sites are: Stonehenge, The Tower of London, the Jurassic Coast, and the Antonine Wall. UK government Culture Secretary Maria Miller said securing the status would help the bridge attract tourists from all over the world.
“If the Forth Bridge bid is successful in achieving such prestigious international recognition, then Britain will have yet another iconic place by which to attract tourists to our shores,” she said.
At the peak of construction more than four and a half thousand workers laboured on the 124-year-old bridge. The first major British construction to be made of steel, it carries trains more than a mile and a half across the Forth. Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael said: “The Forth Bridge is an excellent example of the UK’s rich culture and heritage and proudly symbolises Scotland’s place in the world as pioneers of construction.”
Scotland’s culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “As one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks the bridge not only connects communities in a practical sense, but also connects those who admire its design with Scotland’s proud industrial and cultural heritage.”
Unesco is expected to make a final decision on the nomination next year.
