Washington/Quebec City  - The works of a 17th-century military engineer that helped defend France's western, northern and eastern borders were recognized Monday as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sebastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707) served under King Louis XIV to design towns, citadels and walls. The series of 13 sites included in the UNESCO nod represent the "finest examples" of his work, the panel said.

The locations include towns built from scratch, citadels in the middle of plains, bastions of city walls, mountain and sea forts, a mountain battery and two mountain communication structures.

Vauban also contributed to the history of fortification in Europe and as far away as the American continent, Russia and East Asia, the panel said.

His work bears "witness to the peak of classic fortifications, typical of western military architecture," the panel said. (dpa)