The iconic Opera House of Sydney has been awarded world heritage status by Unesco, placing it alongside other great landmarks of the world.
The Great Wall of China, the Statue of Liberty and the Taj Mahal are part of the list of great cultural landmarks of the world to which the opera house will be added.
It's not as if it was a site lacking for visitors – it is one of Australia's favourite tourist destinations, with around 4.5 million visitors and over 2,500 performances every year.
But under Unesco's world heritage status the Sydney Opera House will now be considered as belonging to all of mankind and qualify for special protection and conservation due to its outstanding contribution to humanity.
'When international visitors think of Australia, they think of Sydney and particularly the Sydney Opera House. For many, a visit to the Opera House while they are in Sidney is not only a 'must do' but also an honour,' said Matt Brown, minister of tourism for New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital.
The Opera House will be a relatively young addition to the world heritage sites, having been completed in 1973.
Its ground breaking design was the work of Danish architect Jorn Utzon, who unexpectedly won the competition to build it in 1957.
Sydney's Opera House will also not be the first New South Wales landmark to be considered a world heritage site, the state already has three others: Lord Howe Island, Willandra Lakes and the Greater Blue Mountains.
This will be the first man-made site in the region to be so honoured.
If you're looking to make a tour of world heritage sites this summer, make sure to be properly covered.
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