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Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila is a World Heritage Site in the Valles region, in Jalisco State, Mexico. The core zone of the site covers 35,019 hectares, with a buffer zone of a further 51,261 hectares. This is a site where the blue agave is extensively cultivated.
Blue agave plantations are located at the foot of the Tequila Volcano, in the deep valley of the Rio Grande. This is where blue agave has been grown for at least two thousand years. Tequila spirit has been made here since the 16th century. The tradition and culture of making tequila spirit has engrained into the national identity of Mexico, making the ancient industrial facilities of Tequila of outstanding universal value.
Blue agave growing in Tequila, Jalisco State, Mexico
Author: Jay8085 (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
The wild agave plants are believed to have first been planted 3,500 years ago. In the course of history, various uses were discovered for the plants and its various parts. This includes the making of fabric, rope, paper, even its flowering stem was employed as construction material, its fleshy leaves as roof tiles, its sap as medicinal balm, and when fermented, is turned into an alcoholic beverage. The agave pineapples were also used for cooking, something which archaeologist discovered to date back to around 400 BC.
The making of tequila spirit was documented by Spanish priest Francisco Ximenez in 1615. Even as the Spanish conquered the area, there was no stopping the cultivation of the blue agave. The Spanish even introduced the tequila spirit into Europe, which was experiencing a shortage of spirits. This has created a new market for the spirit and kept the growing of the blue agave alive.
Tequila barrels at Dona Engracia hacienda in Jalisco state, Mexico
Author: Stan Shebs (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee in Vilnius, Lithuania, 9 - 16 July, 2006.
World Heritage Site Inscription Details
Location: N20 51 47 W103 46 43 in Valles region, in the state of Jalisco, in Mexico.Inscription Year: 2006
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, IV, V, VI
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