The modernist center of the Polish port city of Gdynia was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List on Sunday during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea. The decision, capping more than two decades of effort, was backed by all committee members from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
The inscription covers an 87.9-hectare area in Gdynia's Śródmieście district, recognized as a monument of outstanding universal value. Built almost entirely from scratch between 1926 and 1939, Gdynia is considered one of the best-preserved examples of a modernist port city in the world. The city is marking its centenary this year.
Poland's original application was returned for revisions in 2025 to refine the buffer zone and investment impact assessment mechanisms. The Busan session continues through July 29. Poland now holds 18 World Heritage sites, 16 cultural and two natural.