AN eighteenth century church settlement in Northern Ireland has been given UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Gracehill Moravian Church in County Antrim is one of the nhe newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites after being added to the list at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee held earlier this week.
The site, located in the Georgian village of Gracehill, is Northern Ireland’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site, joining the likes of the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon National Park and Machu Picchu, which also feature in the prestigious list of iconic world sites.
The first site to receive the accreditation in the North was the Giant’s Causeway, which was added to the list in 1986.
Founded in 1759, Gracehill includes distinctive Moravian buildings, including a particular type of congregation building known as Gemeinhaus, a church, choir houses and a cemetery.
There is also an active congregation present at the site today, who continue Moravian traditions.
The site was nominated as part of a transnational effort led by the United States to achieve World Heritage Status for Moravian Church settlements founded in the 18th century, alongside other sites in Herrnhut, Germany and Bethlehem in the United States.
Gracehill is deemed “the best preserved example of a settlement representing the Moravian ideal in the UK and Ireland” and is the only example built on the island of Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has welcomed the listing.
“I am delighted that the cultural importance of Gracehill to the world has been recognised through the UNESCO designation,” he said.
“In recent years, my department has worked with the Gracehill community to maintain the village and develop their World Heritage bid.
“We have supported listed building repairs and provided advice and, since the US formally decided to proceed in 2021, we have contributed to the nomination costs.”
He added: “Gracehill is a special place with an active community and this recognition of a small village on the world stage is a great endorsement, helping to remind us all that Northern Ireland has a fascinating heritage that is well worth exploring.”
Dr David Johnston, Chair of Gracehill Trust, said their listing is “a huge good news story for Northern Ireland as a whole”.
He added that it is “something that everyone can share in and be proud of, with the potential to promote understanding and reconciliation and bring social, economic and cultural benefits right across the region now and for generations to come”.