Heroes
This stunning 'Star Wars' world is actually on Earth. And now, it's protected by the U.N.
The U.K.'s Lake District is a new UNESCO World Heritage site.
07.11.17
In 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," audiences watched as the Millennium Falcon blazed through the stunning, pale blue skies of planet Takodana.
<h2>What if I told you that the vast majority of what you saw on-screen in that scene <em>wasn't</em> computer generated?</h2><p>Takodana is actually a very real, very gorgeous, place — and it's a whole lot closer than a galaxy far, far away.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjEzOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzkzNDUzOH0.sDJyt8G_V2wHEHMltz-AB2IgFpxt0sYY2r36jGjp-Vs/img.jpg?width=980" id="85671" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c360557cd00c3fb506a8757a68f63ed8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Nick Bodle, courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><h2>Here on Earth, we call it the <a href="http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Lake District</a>.</h2><p>It's a lush, mountainous national park in northwest England spanning over 900 square miles. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjE0MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU4ODQwNDQ2MH0.YI6f-qrSXSBKuNxmEhSa6NDCGzJPSqiWe47hPBQV5n8/img.jpg?width=980" id="9c75e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c4bd966eb41b8c00ba0d2a048ec2122e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Andrew Locking, courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><h2>It's under new international protection too. It was recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.</h2><p>When a region or landmark is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) for providing some form of global significance to humanity, that means it is <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/about/" target="_blank">legally protected under international treaty</a>. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjE0MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMTQ2MTEyM30.SDM4EtFQXU8fec51z4ED-6d2ozvP63KXRkhqx9e78aE/img.jpg?width=980" id="860b6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ce1a4437fad83b1e4c18df4bd1dd69d2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Andrew Locking, courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><p>The U.N. designation protects in a number of ways — like providing emergency assistance to communities in the wake of a natural disaster or providing technical support so countries can safeguard their own sites from the natural elements (<em>and</em> humans) effectively. </p><p>The district was already a national park, but the UNESCO designation means more will be done to preserve and improve the area. </p><h2>The World Heritage site designation will boost international tourism and the local economy in the region.</h2><p>That's according to John Glen, the minister for arts, heritage, and tourism. "The Lake District is one of the U.K.'s most stunning and ancient landscapes," Glen said, <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/travel/the-lake-district-is-named-a-unesco-world-heritage-site/ar-BBE7Nxf" target="_blank">noting the region's vibrant farming communities</a> and archeological attractions.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjE0Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMDYzODE5NX0.JNCezHGS8mfHDT09WWks-Uw1FBz0Z2IHf55fJSr0tEU/img.jpg?width=980" id="7bda4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3776d602cf07f4bca49b036d173a59c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Val Corbett, courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><h2>The UNESCO designation will also help increase conservation efforts in the area.</h2><p>In claiming the area a World Heritage Site, the UNESCO committee suggested the impact of tourism in the region be more closely monitored, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lake-district-cumbria-awarded-unesco-world-heritage-status-a7832586.html" target="_blank">The Independent</a> reported. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ3NTU0NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDE3NTcwMn0.5jMj-miT2AnBSeslmCLPDMTm4cqgM_H8hcA-7D2tqVo/img.jpg?width=980" id="be919" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ec42f1722ddc682137395489f79554bb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images.</small></p><p>The organization also requested improvements be made in keeping the area pristine and stopping human activity from encroaching on the natural habitat. UNESCO, for example, is <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/archive/2017/whc17-41com-8B-en.pdf" target="_blank">encouraging the district</a> to strengthen its "risk preparedness strategies" to keep the land protected in case of natural disaster (the Lake District is <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/news/storm-desmond-one-year-on-from-the-lake-district-floods" target="_blank">prone to flooding</a>) and advised the district to work with farming communities to develop more Earth-friendly methods when it comes to agriculture.</p><h2>As long as Hollywood keeps the region as it finds it, the Lake District will likely remain a favorite filming location for directors for years to come.</h2><p>And you can totally understand why. </p><p>I mean, <em>just look at it.</em></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjE0My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTU5MDMwMH0.FcxMp4lWivk9fEcw5L2oxxqpEXfRX6V9ws3CNTZmZNg/img.jpg?width=980" id="60939" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d42eaf2c8c6a9ae56cc31a6718104a1f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Val Corbett, courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ3NTU0My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzA2MzEyOX0.xKvetILrbcKgma_nHIEOwqSVxp3ZgeIFM0zdNpK3Ed8/img.jpg?width=980" id="ba995" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a7329fbf1cc043ee034c25b50aba4198" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.</small></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjE0NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDgxNjY1OX0.MrKW1Hrl8KlTifP9qfhvQHBzN3I37k63caDUGR_z72g/img.jpg?width=980" id="d64e4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9fc9ec65b35d6265206e00dab252a03c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by John Hodgon/Lake District National Park, photo courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjE0NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzgzNTc3Mn0.XKkrzs-YyCehY3aTFw5bn4h8EbQA2ZMhbFdP9rRVpFI/img.jpg?width=980" id="c9018" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0857c3f1e25adebc37d1445243e18583" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Andrew Locking, courtesy of UNESCO.</small></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ3NTU0Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjExNTAxN30.HSUjDnmCxRnvOyzrLQCoOQewy32hbdPYI2cTGeN-xRQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="706a4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="08b9ec10437d7bb950e98f9ba4a88d5a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images.</small></p><h2>"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" isn't the only film that's taken advantage of the region's blissful scenery. </h2><p>Other <a href="https://www.pure-leisure.co.uk/10-movies-didnt-know-filmed-lake-district/" target="_blank">blockbusters</a> have utilized the untouched views of the Lake region too, like 2012's "Snow White and the Huntsman," 2004's "If Only," and even <a href="https://www.borrowdale-gates.com/the-lake-district-star-of-the-screen/" target="_blank">one of the "Harry Potter" films</a> (although the cast and crew didn't film on the location there, they used a shot of the district as a scenic backdrop). </p><p>None, it appears, has done so <em>quite</em> as impressively as "Star Wars" though.</p><p><strong>Check out the video below — a <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/star-wars-filmed-lake-district-10597811" target="_blank">team effort</a> by filmmaker Chris Chapman and photographer Colin Bell — which highlights how "Star Wars" transformed the British landscapes into a scene from another world:</strong></p><div><div data-card="html" data-reactroot=""><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4bc9c4d37488f574e1a9050631346c69"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wGieq00_yfE?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></div></div>
Keep Reading
Show less