Unesco has recognized the Aeolian Islands as a world heritage site, not only for their natural beauty characterized by unique flora and fauna but especially for their morphology, shaped over the millennia by the volcanoes and their activity. - Virgilio, Eneide, Libro I

The Naturalist site of the Aeolian Islands was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 in Cairns, Australia, during the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee.

The Criteria

The justification for the inscription of the Aeolian Islands in the UNESCO list is based on criterion VIII because their morphology represents a historical model in the evolution of the studies of world volcanology. They are an extraordinary example of the volcanic phenomenon still in progress.