Prague's historic center ranks among world's most Instagrammable UNESCO sites

Prague was recently ranked as the most beautiful city in the world and one of the world's most Instagrammable autumn cities. Now it's been named among the most photographed UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

While the Czech capital didn’t make the top five in a ranking of World Heritage sites posted to Instagram, (Rome grabbed top honors), it placed in the top ten among the 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites most frequently tagged on the social media platform.

Large cities dominate the newly released list compiled by UK-based firm Design Bundles, although a number of natural wonders like the Grand Canyon and Canada’s Rocky Mountain Parks made the cut.

The Eternal City was followed by Rio, Venice, Kyiv, and Florence. Prague was a respectable sixth, just ahead of Budapest.

Worldwide, there are 1,154 World Heritage Sites, including 897 cultural, 218 natural, and 39 mixed properties across 167 countries. Design Bundles looked at just the 145 most popular sites, but they didn’t specify what criteria for popularity was used.

Italy has the most listed UNESCO sites, at 58. China comes in second place, with 56, but has no cities or natural spots on the top 30 ranking, likely because Instagram is blocked in China, in favor of a similar local photo-sharing platform called Oasis.

Germany, though, has 51 sites (and allows Instagram) but none made it to the list. Most of the sites in Germany are individual buildings, and not large city centers. France and Spain, tied with 49 sites, both made the list.

The Czech Republic has 16 sites, including three that stretch into neighboring countries. The historic center of Prague has been a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

"Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, the Old Town, the Lesser Town, and the New Town speak of the great architectural and cultural influence enjoyed by this city since the Middle Ages," writes the UNESCO site of the Czech capital's historic integrity.

It goes on to describe the city's "many magnificent monuments, such as Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, and numerous churches and palaces, built mostly in the 14th century under the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV," as a supreme manifestation of medieval urbanism, preserved in "configuration, pattern, and spatial composition."

Source: Design Bundles