Image: Rio de Janeiro has been inscribed by UNESCO

A number of international cultural attractions feature among 26 new additions to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage List.

It follows the World Heritage Committee's latest session held in St Petersburg, Russia, and has seen the addition of locations including Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth, Germany.

A UNESCO spokesperson said: "It is the only entirely preserved example of its type where an audience of 500 can experience Baroque court opera culture and acoustics authentically."

Other cultural sites inscribed by UNESCO include the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro and the Moroccan city of Rabat, as well as Belgium's Major Mining Sites of Wallonia.

According to minister for Walloon heritage Carlo Di Antonio, the inscription of the mining sites is "a real opportunity for the development of heritage and tourism" in the region.

The Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route in Bethlehem has been added to both the World Heritage List and List of World Heritage in Danger.

According to UNESCO, "the inscribed property is situated south of Jerusalem on the site identified by Christian tradition as the birthplace of Jesus since the 2nd century."

Click here for more information about the new sites added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.