Historic Gardens and Patrimonialization by UNESCO: The Botanical Garden of Coimbra, Portugal

Contemporary marks include expansion of cities, extinction of nature, mobility and past as an important value. These marks enlighten historic gardens as cultural heritage and tourism product. The World Heritage List inscription ensures safeguards, but also places heritage as tourist differential. This article presents Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra, World Heritage Site since 2013, with the aim of describing heritage historical reasons for its inscription on World Heritage List, presents visitor’s profile and their knowledge about the Botanical inscription on the UNESCO list. The results show the success of the decision of UNESCO, but as this occurred associated with the University there is low visibility to Botanical Gardens patrimonialization inside and outside the University. Current management has in its planning to expand visibility of the Botanical Garden using communication and tourism tools.44