Brú na Bóinne – Attributes of Outstanding Universal Value
Attributes convey the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage Property and enable an understanding of that value. These attributes should be the focus of protection and management actions.
Landscape
- An extensive funerary landscape of great ritual significance in a bend of the River Boyne with a concentration of social, economic and funerary monuments including 40+ passage graves
- Views into and out of the property
Archaeological features
- The time depth of Brú na Bóinne from the Neolithic to late medieval periods
- The finest expression of passage graves in prehistoric Europe
- Largest and most important expression of prehistoric megalithic plastic art in Europe
- The design of the passage graves in relation to the skies and astronomy
- The three great burial mounds of Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth and the sites surrounding them
- Knowth group with use spanning from the Neolithic to the late medieval periods, including passage graves, enclosures, occupation sites and field systems
- Newgrange group of prehistoric sites including passage graves, henge, cursus, and stone circle
- Dowth group of prehistoric and Iron Age, early Christian and late medieval sites including the great burial mound, megalithic tombs, many smaller burial mounds, henge, standing stone, and medieval church and tower house
- Other prehistoric, Iron Age, early Christian and medieval sites spread across the landscape
Intangible
- Part of an area rich in stories of Ireland’s ancient past
- Ambiance of the ritual centre
Please note that errors in the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value have been corrected for the list of attributes.