Photo by Richard Hurd
Taliesin becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Taliesin Preservation is pleased to announce the inscription of Taliesin to the UNESCO World Heritage list. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) recognizes landmarks or sites for having cultural, historical, or scientific relevance throughout the world.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, an organization based in Chicago, IL has been spearheading this serial nomination of eight major works by Frank Lloyd Wright. The other buildings inscribed together with Taliesin are: Unity Temple (Oak Park, IL), Frederick C. Robie House (Chicago, IL), Hollyhock House (Los Angeles, CA), Fallingwater (Mill Run, PA), Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House (Madison, WI), Taliesin West (Scottsdale, AZ), and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, NY). These properties are recognized as prominently shaping architecture in the 20th-Century, spanning 50 years of Frank Lloyd Wright’s career.
The nomination, which was originally reviewed by the World Heritage Committee in 2016 and announcement of the inscription was made on July 7, 2019, during the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan. The nomination has been in development for more than a decade with the voluntary participation and cooperation of all of the property owners and site stewards.
The effects of the nomination at Taliesin is primarily an honorary distinction, though it is expected to grow tourism, media coverage, and popularity. This inscription provides protections of the Taliesin property in addition to the National Historic Landmark (1976) protections. Taliesin is the only UNESCO World Heritage site open to the public in the state of Wisconsin.
“We’re elated that Taliesin has been inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List. This will be a huge driving force for Taliesin, Spring Green, the Driftless Area, and the greater Midwest with increased visitation and visibility to a global audience. The lasting impact of this inscription will drive economic development to our region, to the State of Wisconsin, and beyond.” – Carrie Rodamaker, Executive Director
At Taliesin Preservation we are dedicated to preserving the culture of Taliesin in addition to the built and natural environments that make up the 800-acre estate. Taliesin continues to be a laboratory for individuals to come together for thought exchange, multi-disciplinary learning-by-doing, and leading the next generation to address the human needs of our time. Taliesin Preservation embodies a spirit of innovation and thought-provoking solutions and creating an oasis for guests to experience what it truly means to be human.
