A guide to all 981 UNESCO World Heritage sites

Worlds
Heritage
the
Worlds
Heritage
the
The Worlds Heritage
Published jointly by the United Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), 7 place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France, and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Westerhill Road, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow G64 2QT, United Kingdom
Text UNESCO 2013
Maps Collins Bartholomew Ltd 2013
Photographs as per credits on page 895-6
All rights reserved
First published 2009
Second edition 2012
Third edition 2014
ISBN (UNESCO) 978-92-3-104257-7
ISBN (HarperCollins) 978-0-00-754697-8
The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and are not
necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not
imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal
status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities or concerning the delimitation of
its frontiers or boundaries.
All mapping in this book is generated from Collins Bartholomew digital databases.
For more information on World Heritage, please contact:
UNESCO World Heritage Centre
7 place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP, France
Tel: (33) 01 45 68 15 71
Fax: (33) 01 45 68 55 70
e-mail: [email protected]
http://whc.unesco.org
Printed and bound in China
The bestselling guide to the most extraordinary places
Worlds
Heritage
the
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4
How to use this book
The page on which the information on a World Heritage
site can be found is accessed in a number of ways by
consulting the continent maps on which all the sites
are located, or by reference to either the alphabetical
or country index. All entries are presented in a similar
manner and are arranged chronologically by the year in
which they were rst inscribed on the World
Heritage List.
The diagram below indicates the individual
components of each entry and explains the colour
coding used to distinguish whether a site is classied as
natural, cultural or mixed.
Tasmanian Wilderness
Australia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance;
Natural phenomena or beauty; Major stages of
Earths history; Significant ecological and
biological processes; Significant natural habitat
for biodiversity
Covering an area of 13,800 km
2
, the
Tasmanian Wilderness contains some of the
last expanses of temperate rainforest and is
one of the three largest temperate
wilderness regions in the southern
hemisphere. It comprises a vast network of
reserved lands that extends over much of
southwestern Tasmania, including several
coastal islands. Glacial erosion and other
geomorphological processes have
contributed to spectacular landforms and
the area contains rocks from almost every
geological period. The flora and fauna is
correspondingly diverse, with living
evidence of its ancient Gondwanan heritage.
The isolation of the Tasmanian Wilderness
has contributed to the uniqueness of its flora
and fauna, which includes some of the
worlds longest-lived trees and largest
carnivorous marsupials. Remains found in
limestone caves attest to human occupation
of the area for at least 35,000 years through
periods of great climatic variation.
Tasmania was cut off from mainland
Australia by rising sea levels
approximately 8,000 years ago,
thereby isolatingTasmanian
Aborigines for some
500 generations.
World Heritage site since
tasmani an wi lderness 143
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1978 . 1979 . 1980 . 1981 . 1982
Tipasa
Algeria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
On the shores of the Mediterranean, Tipasa
was an ancient Punic trading post
conquered by Rome and turned into a
strategic base for the conquest of the
kingdoms of Mauritania. It comprises a
unique group of Phoenician, Roman,
palaeochristian and Byzantine ruins
alongside indigenous monuments such as
the Kbor er Roumia, the great royal
mausoleum of Mauritania. The oldest
Roman settlement is in the centre of the city
on a steep slope protected by cliffs. The
impressive ruins of the civic buildings are
set in the heart of a dense network of private
houses (many decorated with paintings and
mosaics), commercial warehouses, and
industrial establishments of the second and
third centuries. Of the numerous Christian
religious buildings, the immense fourth-
century seven-aisled basilica is particularly
striking.
The extraordinary
archaeological
complexes of Tipasa,
on the Mediterranean
coast 70 km west of
Algiers, are perhaps
the most signicant
to the study of the
contacts between
the indigenous
civilizations and
various waves of
colonization from the
sixth century BC to the
sixth century AD.
142 ti pasa | r o pltano
World Heritage site since
Ro Pltano Biosphere
Reserve
Honduras
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Situated in the Mosquita region of
northeast Honduras, the site comprises a
belt of approximately 15 km by 150 km
extending inland from the Caribbean coast
in a southwesterly direction. The reserve
protects virtually the entire watershed of the
100 km-long Pltano River, as well as major
portions of the Paulaya, Guampu and Sicre
rivers. These three waterways, together with
the Caribbean, form the boundaries of the
reserve, which is the largest surviving area of
virgin tropical rainforest in Honduras. Its
varied topography ranges from mountains
with spectacular rock formations (such as
Dama Peak) and waterfalls to placid coastal
lagoons. Thirty-nine species of mammal,
377 species of bird and 126 reptiles and
amphibians have been recorded.
The site of Ciudad
Blanca (White City)
within the protected
area constitutes one
of the most important
archaeological sites
of Mayan civilization.
The reserve also
contains the site
where Christopher
Columbus rst landed
in the Americas in
1492. There are some
200 sites of
archaeological
importance.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1978 . 1979 . 1980 . 1981 . 1982
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea Atlantic
Ocean
CENTRAL
AMERICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Liffey falls.
Timeline
on every page highlights
the year in which the sites
were rst inscribed.
Over 650
photographs
are included
in the book.
Extra information
about each site supplements
the details in the main text.
Site title
gives the ofcial
UNESCO World
Heritage title for
each entry.
Site location
indicates
the country
where the
site can be
found.
Locator map
shows the location
of the site in a wider
region.
Green band
represents
entries
classied
as natural
sites.
Main text
gives concise
descriptions and
information about
each site.
Red band
represents entries
classied as cultural sites.
Blue band
represents entries
classied as mixed sites.
Criteria summary
To be included on the
World Heritage List, sites
must be of outstanding
universal value and meet
at least one out of ten
selection criteria. Full
criteria explanation can
be found on pages 8701.
5
6
8
25
870
874
882
895
Contents
Foreword
World Heritage sites mapped by continent
World Heritage sites descriptions, locations and photographs
UNESCOs World Heritage Mission Statement, inscription
criteria and information about UNESCO Worldwide
Country index
Index
Acknowledgements
6
Foreword
by Irina Bokova
Director-General of UNESCO
The Worlds Heritage
provides us with
a unique map of
the world a map
where the traditional
boundaries between
States are blurred,
that highlights
the links binding
humanity, and which
reveals the intimate relationship between
culture and nature, between human genius
and natural beauty. The 1972 World Heritage
Convention is the foremost international treaty
for the protection of major natural and cultural
heritage around the world. For four decades,
the Convention has helped to safeguard
extraordinary places for the enlightenment and
enjoyment of future generations.
Today, 981 sites are inscribed on the World
Heritage List. Located in 160 countries, they
include 759 cultural, 193 natural, and 29 mixed
sites all of which have been recognized
for their outstanding universal value. Each
site is anchored in a unique cultural and
natural context, while being woven into the
wider history of humanity and the world,
as motifs in the tapestry of a common,
irreplaceable heritage.
Indias Taj Mahal, the Serengeti in Tanzania,
and Machu Picchu in Peru have iconic status.
Other World Heritage sites are less well-
known the Old Town of Lijiang, China, whose
architecture draws on several cultures over
many centuries; the volcanic island of Surtsey
in Iceland that was formed in the 1960s; the
outstanding ancient rock art of Tsodilo in
Botswana; and the 60 active glaciers of the
Olympic National Park in the United States
of America. The diversity of World Heritage
sites is simply astounding. All are there to be
discovered anew starting within these pages,
through these maps and striking photographs.
These pages tell also the story of the evolution
of the World Heritage Convention itself, with
the emergence of new categories of sites.
Cultural landscapes record the relationship
between nature and culture over time. The
Rice Terraces of the Philippines and the Tokaj
Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape
in Hungary bear witness to techniques of
cultivating land that preserve biodiversity
while supporting livelihoods. Other cultural
landscapes reveal powerful spiritual bonds
UNESCO
between people and their environment, such
as the monasteries and the sacred cedar trees
of Lebanons Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley)
and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz
el-Rab), and the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
in Madagascar. All such sites highlight the
creative interaction between communities and
the world in which they live.
Recent years have seen the rise of
transboundary sites (they number 29 today),
located in two or more countries, and jointly
nominated and managed. The Wadden
Sea in Germany and the Netherlands and
the Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves
/ La Amistad National Park in Costa Rica
and Panama illustrate this new spirit of
collaboration and cooperation.
The inscription of a site is the beginning of a
journey. UNESCO works to monitor, provide
technical assistance and share knowledge,
but ultimate responsibility for conservation
lies with States. World Heritage sites can be
tremendous vectors for dialogue, development
and knowledge. When accommodation,
transportation, guiding and business are
developed in a sustainable manner, heritage
tourism can be extremely benecial to the site
and the communities living in and around it
both socially and economically.
Todays young people are tomorrows
custodians. The World Heritage Centre has
launched innovative initiatives to make them
aware of the need to preserve heritage and
encourage them to take action. Through the
Patrimonito cartoons for children and the
World Heritage Volunteers programme, it
is important that young people are being
engaged with early.
Protecting heritage lies at the heart of
UNESCOs mandate. It is important for
fostering a dialogue among cultures, it is
a foundation for reconciliation amongst
peoples and it contributes to the sustainable
development of societies. In a world of change,
world heritage is a reminder of all that unites
humanity. I trust this updated edition of The
Worlds Heritage will provide readers with a
better understanding of our planets cultural
and bio-diversity, which UNESCO works every
day to safeguard for the benet of all.
7
801
806
839
851
858
863
250
766
602 430
244
671
789
447
587
731
162
163
337
177
175
851
258
253
410
266
858
416
198
242
202
697
639
485
562
482
211
397
806
682
863
649
662
563
535
233
217
328
209
220
200
193
568
658
647
758
535
505
256
644
366
621
839
182
528
492
401
757
257
257
659
273
570
470
620
707
239
801
290
273
254
665
246
248
270
675
692
272
507
312
327
709
251
66
580
488
818
523
636
33
441
572
508
241
8

234
Key to maps
Cultural site
Natural site
Mixed site
Page number reference
top/bottom of page
ICELAND
IRELAND
UNITED
KINGDOM
PORTUGAL
S P A I N
NETHER
Belarus
Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex
of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh p748;
Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Biaowie|a Forest p61;
Mir Castle Complex p635; Struve Geodetic
Arc p747.
Cyprus
Choirokoitia p554; Painted Churches in the
Troodos Region p210; Paphos p101.
Denmark
Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church p426;
Ilulissat Icefjord p708 (see map on p15); Kronborg
Castle p608; Roskilde Cathedral p452.
Estonia
Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn p509;
Struve Geodetic Arc p747.
Finland
Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmki
p599; Fortress of Suomenlinna p378; Old Rauma
p368; High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago p630;
Petjvesi Old Church p436; Struve Geodetic Arc
p747; Verla Groundwood and Board Mill p486.
Germany
Aachen Cathedral p33; Abbey and Altenmnster of
Lorsch p379; Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar
and Dessau p484; Bergpark Wilhelmshhe
p866; Berlin Modernism Housing Estates p784;
Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brhl
p193; Classical Weimar p549; Collegiate Church,
Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg p441;
Cologne Cathedral p474; Fagus Factory in Alfeld
p826; Frontiers of the Roman Empire: Upper
German-Raetian Limes p273; Garden Kingdom
of Dessau-Wrlitz p610; Hanseatic City of
Lbeck p281; Historic Centres of Stralsund and
Wismar p690; Luther Memorials in Eisleben
and Wittenberg p503; Margravial Opera
House Bayreuth p856; Maulbronn Monastery
Complex p407; Messel Pit Fossil Site p456;
Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of
Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management
System p387; Monastic Island of Reichenau
p640; Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin
p578; Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski p719;
Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof p753;
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin p346;
Pilgrimage Church of Wies p176; Prehistoric Pile
Dwellings around the Alps p839; Primeval Beech
Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech
Forests of Germany p772; Roman Monuments,
Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in
Trier p251; Speyer Cathedral p128; St Marys
Cathedral and St Michaels Church at Hildesheim
p225; The Wadden Sea p804; Town Hall and
Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen p727; Town
of Bamberg p406; Upper Middle Rhine Valley
p684; Vlklingen Ironworks p441; Wartburg
Castle p589; Wrzburg Residence with the Court
Gardens and Residence Square p132; Zollverein
Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen p667.
World Heritage Sites
Europe
continued on page 12
Madeira
(Portugal)
Canary Islands
(Spain)
The maps in this section are laid out by
geographical continent. Please see the maps
on page 872 for UNESCOs regional areas.
Azores
(Portugal)
Only countries States Parties to the World Heritage Convention are
labelled on these maps. United Nations countries boundaries shown
as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by more than
one State Party.
856
856
804 804
61
61
742
742
630
630
449
449
772
329
230
456
772
772
564
426
432
452
725
608
553
408
640
404
371
435
459
615
544
509
715
421
635
748
344
347
383
350
427 728
420
744
643
396
646
43
81
104
667
847
368
599
504
716
378
436
486
356
747
747
392
232
727
281
503
690
690
719
36
702
675
675
752
526
547
40
30
89
379
839
839
839
839
407
273
176
640
406
856
753
589
387
225
441
484
549
503
484
610
346
784
578
128
684
132
193
474
67
566
449
826
866
382
868
868
868
868
827
594
225
550
333
856
226
828 442
237
292
747
747
747
747
747
747
747
865
747
101 554
210
497
9
Scale 1 : 20 000 000
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
U K R A I N E
BELARUS
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
DENMARK
LANDS
POLAND
GERMANY
RUS. FED.
T U R K E Y
CYPRUS
see large-scale map on pages 1011
805
800
807
826
824
824
824
824
824
824
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
824
850
850
850
855
858
855
860
869
625
660
174
704
261
858
57
807
869
546
542
96
546
93
98
690
690
690
690
750
690
690
750
622
58
775
600
738
168
44
557
826
65
732
62
117
360
514
480
813
381
113
669
66
372
121
229
131
120
444
794
794
794
794
794
794
794
794
794
794
794
794
561
153
800
424
169
777
157
541
334
695
784
695
695
695
759
610
95
176
465
513
513
787
76
265
159
797
797
520
618
358
134
460
724
428
453
495
729
532
729
487
268
824
180
92
632
595
673
498
565
531
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
839
516
448
386
527
524
538
469
641
558
585
392
551
704
627
533
506
502
678
82
790
399
501
575
850
850
850
562
650
655 805
562
652
554
855
555
745
562
562
562
384
648
567
782 860
824
824
824
824
824
824
855
508
10
MONACO
F R A N C E
I T A L Y
SWITZERLAND
A US T R I A
BELGIUM
SLOVENIA
C R O A T
BOS
HER
MALTA
ANDORRA
CZECH REPUB
Corsica
(France)
Sardinia
(Italy)
Sicily
(Italy)
SAN
MARINO
LUXEMBOURG
HOLY
SEE
Only countries States Parties to the World Heritage Convention are
labelled on these maps. United Nations countries boundaries shown
as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by more than
one State Party.
107
456
772
179
168
362
771
389
336
240
341
262
574
342
315
342
282
353
342
603
388
324
588
681
664
493
664
443
637
565
479
551
734
86
619
84
414
274
418
795
779
293
732
717
717
76
250
717
417
686
583
717
645
776
504
313
178
60
404
597
408
581
404
592
404
404
49
412
404
69
234
69
165
747
332
77
309
11
Scale 1 : 10 000 000
Albania
Butrint p389; Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra
p732.
Andorra
Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley p732.
Austria
City of Graz Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg
p585; Fert / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape
p664; Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural
Landscape p531; Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg
p498; Historic Centre of Vienna p678; Palace and
Gardens of Schnbrunn p502; Prehistoric Pile Dwellings
around the Alps p839; Semmering Railway p551;
Wachau Cultural Landscape p641.
Belgium
Belfries of Belgium and France p575; Flemish
Bguinages p562; Historic Centre of Brugge p650;
La Grand-Place, Brussels p555; Major Mining Sites of
Wallonia p855; Major Town Houses of the Architect
Victor Horta (Brussels) p648; Neolithic Flint Mines
at Spiennes (Mons) p652; Notre-Dame Cathedral in
Tournai p655; Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-
Museum Complex p745; Stoclet House p805; The
Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and their Environs,
La Louvire and Le Roeulx (Hainault) p554.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mehmed Paa Sokolovi Bridge in Viegrad p779;
Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar p734.
Bulgaria
Ancient City of Nessebar p165; Boyana Church p60;
Madara Rider p69; Pirin National Park p179; Rila
Monastery p178; Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo
p69; Srebarna Nature Reserve p168; Thracian Tomb
of Kazanlak p49; Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari p234.
Croatia
Cathedral of St James in ibenik p627; Episcopal
Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic
Centre of Pore p516; Historic City of Trogir p533;
Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of
Diocletian p82; Old City of Dubrovnik p86; Plitvice
Lakes National Park p57; Stari Grad Plain p790.
Czech Republic
Gardens and Castle at Krom p565; Historic Centre
of esk Krumlov p386; Historic Centre of Prague
p384; Historic Centre of Tel p392; Holaovice
Historical Village Reservation p551; Holy Trinity
Column in Olomouc p637; Jewish Quarter and
St Procopius Basilica in Teb p704; Kutn Hora:
Historical Town Centre with the Church of St Barbara
and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec p469; Lednice-
Valtice Cultural Landscape p493; Litomyl Castle
p588; Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at
Zelen Hora p443;Tugendhat Villa in Brno p681.
continued on page 13
I A
NIA AND
ZEGOVINA
SERBIA
G R E E C E
ALBANIA
MONTENEGRO
LIC
SLOVAKIA
HUNGARY
R O M A N I A
REP. OF
MOLDOVA
THE FORMER
YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC
OF MACEDONIA
BULGARIA
World Heritage Sites
Europe
12
Iceland
Surtsey p789; ingvellir National Park p709.
Ireland
Br na Binne Archaeological Ensemble of
the Bend of the Boyne p401; Skellig Michael
Monastery p492.
Latvia
Historic Centre of Riga p544; Struve Geodetic
Arc p747.
Lithuania
Curonian Spit p615; Kernav\ Archaeological
Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernav\) p715; Struve
Geodetic Arc p747; Vilnius Historic Centre p421.
Netherlands
Defence Line of Amsterdam p488; Droogmakerij
de Beemster (Beemster Polder) p580; Historic Area
of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaao
p528 (see map p16); Ir. D.F. Woudagemaal
(D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station) p566; Mill
Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout p523; Rietveld
Schrderhuis (Rietveld Schrder House) p636;
Schokland and Surroundings p449; Seventeenth-
century canal ring area of Amsterdam inside the
Singelgracht p818; The Wadden Sea p804.
Norway
Bryggen p43; Rock Art of Alta p232; Rros
Mining Town and the Circumference p104;
Struve Geodetic Arc p747; Urnes Stave Church
p81; Vegayan the Vega Archipelago p716;
West Norwegian Fjords Geirangerfjord and
Nryfjord p742.
Poland
Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration
and Extermination Camp (1940-1945) p40; Castle
of the Teutonic Order in Malbork p547; Centennial
Hall in Wroclaw p752; Belovezhskaya Pushcha /
Biaowie|a Forest p61; Churches of Peace in
Jawor and Swidnica p675; Historic Centre
of Krakw p30; Historic Centre of Warsaw
p89; Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist
Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and
Pilgrimage Park p594; Medieval Town of Toru
p526; Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski p719;
Old City of Zamo p382; Wieliczka and
Bochnia Royal Salt Mines p36; Wooden Churches
of Southern Maopolska p702; Wooden Tserkvas
of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine
p868.
Portugal
Alto Douro Wine Region p662; Central Zone
of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the
Azores p162; Convent of Christ in Tomar p175;
Cultural Landscape of Sintra p447; Garrison
Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications
p851; Historic Centre of vora p258; Historic
Centre of Guimares p682; Historic Centre
of Oporto p482; Landscape of the Pico Island
Vineyard Culture p731; Laurisilva of Madeira
p602; Monastery of Alcobaa p337; Monastery of
Batalha p177; Monastery of the Hieronymites and
Tower of Belm in Lisbon p163; Prehistoric Rock-
Art Sites in the Ca Valley and Siega Verde p563;
University of Coimbra Alta and Sofia p863.
Russian Federation (see also p24)
Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius
Lavra in Sergiev Posad p420; Church of the
Ascension, Kolomenskoye p427; Cultural and
Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands
p392; Curonian Spit p615; Ensemble of the
Ferrapontov Monastery p643; Ensemble of
the Novodevichy Convent p728; Historic and
Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin p646;
Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related
Groups of Monuments p344; Historic Monuments
of Novgorod and Surroundings p383; Historical
Centre of the City of Yaroslavl p744; Kizhi Pogost
p356; Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow p350;
Struve Geodetic Arc p747; Virgin Komi Forests
p449; White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal
p396.
Spain
Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzn, Granada
p202; Aranjuez Cultural Landscape p658;
Archaeological Ensemble of Mrida p410;
Archaeological Ensemble of Trraco p621;
Archaeological Site of Atapuerca p647; Burgos
Cathedral p200; Catalan Romanesque Churches
of the Vall de Bo p644; Cathedral, Alczar
and Archivo de Indias in Seville p266; Cave of
Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern
Spain p220; Cultural Landscape of the Serra
de Tramuntana p839; Doana National Park
p430; Garajonay National Park p250; Heritage
of Mercury: Almadn p858; Historic Centre of
Cordoba p198; Historic City of Toledo p242;
Historic Walled Town of Cuenca p505; Ibiza,
Biodiversity and Culture p572; La Lonja de la
Seda de Valencia p485; Las Mdulas p535;
Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid
p193; Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of
the Asturias p217; Mudjar Architecture of Aragon
p256; Old City of Salamanca p328; Old Town of
vila with its Extra-Muros Churches p233; Old
Town of Cceres p253; Old Town of Segovia and
its Aqueduct p209; Palau de la Msica Catalana
and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona p528;
Palmeral of Elche p639; Poblet Monastery p366;
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Ca Valley and
Siega Verde p563; Pyrnes - Mont Perdu p508;
Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of beda
and Baeza p697; Rock Art of the Mediterranean
Basin on the Iberian Peninsula p562; Roman
Walls of Lugo p649; Route of Santiago de
Compostela p397; Royal Monastery of Santa
Mara de Guadalupe p416; San Cristbal de
La Laguna p587; San Milln Yuso and Suso
Monasteries p535; Santiago de Compostela (Old
Town) p211; Teide National Park p766; University
and Historic Precinct of Alcal de Henares p568;
Tower of Hercules p806; Vizcaya Bridge p758;
Works of Antoni Gaud p182.
Sweden
Agricultural Landscape of Southern land p640;
Birka and Hovgrden p404; Church Village
of Gammelstad, Lule p504; ); Decorated
Farmhouses of Hlsingland p847; Engelsberg
Ironworks p408; Hanseatic Town of Visby p459;
High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago p630;
Laponian Area p497; Mining Area of the Great
Copper Mountain in Falun p667; Naval Port
of Karlskrona p553; Rock Carvings in Tanum
p432; Royal Domain of Drottningholm p371;
Skogskyrkogrden p435; Struve Geodetic Arc
p747; Varberg Radio Station p725.
Turkey
Archaeological Site of Troy p550; City of
Safranbolu p442; Greme National Park and the
Rock Sites of Cappadocia p230; Great Mosque
and Hospital of Divrii p225; Hattusha: the
Hittite Capital p237; Hierapolis-Pamukkale
p329; Historic Areas of Istanbul p226; Nemrut
Da p292; Neolithic Site of atalhyk p856;
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex p828;
Xanthos-Letoon p333.
Ukraine
Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora
p865; Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related
Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra p347;
Lviv the Ensemble of the Historic Centre p564;
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the
Ancient Beech Forests of Germany p772; Residence
of Bukovinian and Dalmatia Metropolitans p827;
Struve Geodetic Arc p747; Wooden Tserkvas of
the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine
p868.
United Kingdom
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape p620; Blenheim
Palace p270; Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustines
Abbey and St Martins Church p327; Castles
and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
p257; City of Bath p290; Cornwall and West
Devon Mining Landscape p757; Derwent Valley
Mills p675; Dorset and East Devon Coast p671;
Durham Castle and Cathedral p246; Frontiers of
the Roman Empire: Antonine Wall and Hadrians
Wall p273; Giants Causeway and Causeway
Coast p244; Gough and Inaccessible Islands
p468 (see map on p18); Heart of Neolithic
Orkney p570; Henderson Island p321 (see map
p21); Historic Town of St George and Related
Fortifications, Bermuda p621 (see map on p15);
Ironbridge Gorge p239; Liverpool Maritime
Mercantile City p707; Maritime Greenwich
p507; New Lanark p659; Old and New Towns
of Edinburgh p470; Palace of Westminster and
Westminster Abbey including Saint Margarets
Church p272; Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal
p801; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew p692; Saltaire
p665; St Kilda p241; Stonehenge, Avebury
and Associated Sites p254; Studley Royal Park
including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey p248;
Tower of London p312.
Europe (continued from page 8)
13
France
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe
p168; Amiens Cathedral p117; Arles, Roman
and Romanesque Monuments p131; Belfries of
Belgium and France p575; Bordeaux, Port of the
Moon p775; Bourges Cathedral p381; Canal du
Midi p480; Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former
Abbey of Saint-Rmi and Palace of Tau, Reims
p372; Chartres Cathedral p65; Cistercian Abbey
of Fontenay p121; Episcopal City of Albi p813;
Fortifications of Vauban p794; From the Great
Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal
Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the production of
open-pan salt p153; Gulf of Porto: Calanche
of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve
p174; Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace,
Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge p444;
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne p514;
Historic Site of Lyons p561; Jurisdiction of Saint-
Emilion p600; Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef
Diversity and Associated Ecosystems p788 (see
map on page 21); Le Havre, the city rebuilt by
Auguste Perret p738; Mont-Saint-Michel and
its Bay p58; NordPas de Calais Mining Basin
p850; Palace and Park of Fontainebleau p113;
Palace and Park of Versailles p62; Paris, Banks
of the Seine p360; Pitons, cirques and remparts
of Reunion Island p812 (see map on page 18);
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrire and Place
dAlliance in Nancy p169; Pont du Gard (Roman
Aqueduct) p229; Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around
the Alps p839; Prehistoric Sites and Decorated
Caves of the Vzre Valley p44; Provins, Town
of Medieval Fairs p669; Pyrnes - Mont Perdu
p508; Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and
the Triumphal Arch of Orange p120; Routes
of Santiago de Compostela in France p557;
Strasbourg Grande le p334; The Causses
and the Cvennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral
Cultural Landscape p826; The Loire Valley
between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes p622;
Vzelay, Church and Hill p66.
Greece
Acropolis, Athens p282; Archaeological Site
of Aigai (modern name Vergina) p504;
Archaeological Site of Delphi p262; Archaeological
Site of Mystras p341; Archaeological Site of
Olympia p336; Archaeological Sites of Mycenae
and Tiryns p574; Delos p353; Historic Centre
(Chor) with the Monastery of Saint John, the
Theologian, and the Cave of the Apocalypse on
the Island of Ptmos p603; Medieval City of
Rhodes p324; Meteora p332; Monasteries of
Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios
p342; Mount Athos p309; Old Town of Corfu
p771; Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments
of Thessalonika p313; Pythagoreion and Heraion
of Samos p388; Sanctuary of Asklepios at
Epidaurus p315; Temple of Apollo Epicurius at
Bassae p240.
Holy See
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the
Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial
Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura p92; Vatican
City p180.
Hungary
Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube,
the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrssy Avenue
p274; Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak
Karst p456; Early Christian Necropolis of Pcs
(Sopianae) p619; Fert / Neusiedlersee Cultural
Landscape p664; Hortobgy National Park - the
Puszta p583; Millenary Benedictine Abbey of
Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment p479;
Old Village of Hollk< and its Surroundings p293;
Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape
p686.
Italy
Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica
of Aquileia p565; Archaeological Area of
Agrigento p542; Archaeological Areas of Pompei,
Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata p524;
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other
Franciscan Sites p632; Botanical Garden (Orto
Botanico), Padua p532; Castel del Monte p506;
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande,
Modena p520, Church and Dominican Convent of
Santa Maria delle Grazie with The Last Supper
by Leonardo da Vinci p95; Cilento and Vallo di
Diano National Park with the Archeological sites
of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula
p558; City of Verona p618; City of Vicenza
and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto p428;
Costiera Amalfitana p538; Crespi dAdda p465;
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna p487;
Eighteenth-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with
the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San
Leucio Complex p527; Etruscan Necropolises of
Cerveteri and Tarquinia p729; Ferrara, City of
the Renaissance, and its Po Delta p453; Genoa:
Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi
dei Rolli p759; Historic Centre of Florence p134;
Historic Centre of Naples p448; Historic Centre
of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that
City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San
Paolo Fuori le Mura p92; Historic Centre of
San Gimignano p358; Historic Centre of Siena
p460; Historic Centre of the City of Pienza
p495; Historic Centre of Urbino p567; Isole Eolie
(Aeolian Islands) p625; Late Baroque Towns of
the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) p690;
Longobards in Italy. Places of the power (568-
774 AD) p824; Mantua and Sabbioneta p797;
Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany p860;
Monte San Giorgio p704; Mount Etna p869;
Piazza del Duomo, Pisa p265; Portovenere,
Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and
Tinetto) p513; Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around
the Alps p839; Residences of the Royal House
of Savoy p541; Rhaetian Railway in the Albula
/ Bernina Landscapes p784; Rock Drawings in
Valcamonica p76; Sacri Monti of Piedmont and
Lombardy p695; Su Nuraxi di Barumini p546;
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica
p750; The Dolomites p807; The Sassi and the
park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera p399;
The Trulli of Alberobello p501; Val dOrcia p724;
Venice and its Lagoon p268; Villa Adriana (Tivoli)
p595; Villa dEste, Tivoli p673; Villa Romana del
Casale p546.
Luxembourg
City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and
Fortifications p424.
Malta
City of Valletta p93; Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
p98; Megalithic Temples of Malta p96.
Montenegro
Durmitor National Park p107; Natural and
Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor p84.
Republic of Moldova
Struve Geodetic Arc p747.
Romania
Churches of Moldavia p412; Dacian Fortresses of
the Orastie Mountains p597; Danube Delta p362;
Historic Centre of Sighioara p592; Monastery of
Horezu p408; Villages with Fortified Churches
in Transylvania p404; Wooden Churches of
Maramure p581.
San Marino
San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano
p782.
Serbia
Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius p776;
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo p717; Stari Ras
and Sopoani p76; Studenica Monastery p250.
Slovakia
Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve p645;
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst
p456; Historic Town of Bansk tiavnica and
the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity p414;
Levoa, Spisk Hrad and the Associated Cultural
Monuments p417; Primeval Beech Forests of the
Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of
Germany p772; Vlkolnec p418; Wooden Churches
of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain
Area p795.
Slovenia
Heritage of Mercury: Idrija p858; Prehistoric
Pile Dwellings around the Alps p839; kocjan
Caves p261.
Switzerland
Abbey of St Gall p176; Benedictine Convent of
St John at Mstair p159; La Chaux-de-Fonds /
Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning p800;
Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces p777; Monte San
Giorgio p704; Old City of Berne p157; Prehistoric
Pile Dwellings around the Alps p839; Rhaetian
Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes p784;
Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch p660; Swiss Tectonic
Arena Sardona p787;Three Castles, Defensive
Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of
Bellinzone p610.
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid
Region p77.
Europe (continued from page 11)
864
264
401
864
401
184
733
733
103
128
52
52
194
194
52
52
38
419
133
14
264
814
U S A
World Heritage Sites
North America and the Caribbean
Barbados
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison p829.
Belize
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System p483.
Canada
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks p194; Dinosaur
Provincial Park p48; Gros Morne National Park
p302; Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump p118;
Historic District of Old Qubec p206; Joggins
Fossil Cliffs p796; Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias /
Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek p52; Landscape of
Grand Pr p849; LAnse aux Meadows National
Historic Site p37; Miguasha National Park
p599; Nahanni National Park p38; Old Town
Lunenburg p463; Red Bay Basque Whaling Station
p865; Rideau Canal p773; SGang Gwaay p133;
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park p450;
Wood Buffalo National Park p170.
Costa Rica
Area de Conservacin Guanacaste p596; Cocos
Island National Park p516; Talamanca Range-La
Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National
Park p162.
Cuba
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park p672;
Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee
Plantations in the South-East of Cuba p649;
Desembarco del Granma National Park p583;
Historic Centre of Camagey p785; Old Havana
and its Fortification System p146; San Pedro de la
Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba p548; Trinidad
and the Valley de los Ingenios p323; Urban Historic
Centre of Cienfuegos p749; Viales Valley p593.
Dominica
Morne Trois Pitons National Park p515.
Dominican Republic
Colonial City of Santo Domingo p343.
El Salvador
Joya de Cern Archaeological Site p416.
Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala p73; Archaeological Park and
Ruins of Quirigua p130; Tikal National Park
p88.
Haiti
National History Park Citadel, Sans Souci,
Ramiers p139.
Honduras
Maya Site of Copn p90; Ro Pltano Biosphere
Reserve p142.
Mexico
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities
of Tequila p754; Ancient Maya City of Calakmul,
Campeche p687; Archaeological Monuments
Zone of Xochicalco p605; Archeological Zone of
Paquim, Casas Grandes p563; Camino Real
de Tierra Adentro p816; Central University City
Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autnoma
de Mxico (UNAM) p770; Earliest 16th-Century
Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl p432;
El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere
Reserve p864; El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City
p394; Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of
Quertaro p703; Historic Centre of Mexico City
and Xochimilco p284; Historic Centre of Morelia
p369; Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological
Site of Monte Albn p286; Historic Centre of
Puebla p284; Historic Centre of Zacatecas p419;
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche p577; Historic
Monuments Zone of Quertaro p496; Historic
Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan p548; Historic
Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines p318;
Hospicio Cabaas, Guadalajara p534; Islands
and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California p733;
Luis Barragn House and Studio p722; Monarch
Butterfly Biosphere Reserve p791; Pre-Hispanic City
and National Park of Palenque p299; Pre-Hispanic
City of Chichen-Itza p330; Pre-Hispanic City of
Teotihuacan p288; Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal
p489; Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the
Central Valley of Oaxaca p817; Protective town of
San Miguel and the Sanctuary of Jess Nazareno
de Atotonilco p781; Rock Paintings of the Sierra
de San Francisco p419; Sian Kaan p267; Whale
Sanctuary of El Vizcaino p401.
Nicaragua
Len Cathedral p829; Ruins of Len Viejo p619.
Panama
Archaeological Site of Panam Viejo and Historic
District of Panam p529; Coiba National Park
and its Special Zone of Marine Protection p745;
Darien National Park p130; Fortifications on the
Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo
p99; Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La
Amistad National Park p162.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park p596.
Saint Lucia
Pitons Management Area p711.
United States of America
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site p151;
Carlsbad Caverns National Park p446; Chaco
Culture p285; Everglades National Park p53;
Grand Canyon National Park p54; Great Smoky
Mountains National Park p164; Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park p264; Independence Hall p64; La
Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in
Puerto Rico p166; Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias /
Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek p52; Mammoth
Cave National Park p126;Mesa Verde National
Park p28; Monticello and the University of Virginia
in Charlottesville p304; Olympic National Park
p128; Papahnaumokukea p814; Redwood
National Park p103; Statue of Liberty p187; Taos
Pueblo p380; Waterton Glacier International
Peace Park p450; Yellowstone National Park p34;
Yosemite National Park p184.
Hawaii (USA)
162
162
745
130
483
791
267
596
142
583
672
515
711
53
733
733
733
54
446
126
164
450
34
599
796
302
194
194
170
48
708
99
529
369
605
284
288
770, 722
432
284
286
817
548
781
299
73
577
687
416
829
90
130
619
139
343
166
829
596
754
534
419
816
318
496
703
394
489
330
593
146
749
323
785
548
649
28
563
285
380
151
304
64
621
118
773
187
206
463
849
37
865
88
15
516
Scale 1 : 37 500 000
MEXICO
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
SAINT LUCIA
DOMINICA
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
HAITI
CUBA
PANAMA
EL SALVADOR
COSTA RICA
BELIZE
C A N A D A
GUATEMALA
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
Bermuda (UK)
Greenland
(Denmark)
Puerto Rico (USA)
UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA
JAMAICA
GRENADA
BARBADOS
ANTIGUA AND
BARBUDA
SAINT VINCENT AND
THE GRENADINES
TRINIDAD
AND
TOBAGO
Cocos Island
(COSTA RICA)
Only countries States Parties to the World Heritage
Convention are labelled on these maps. United Nations
countries boundaries shown as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by
more than one State Party.
830
844
111
590
628
628
188
235
606
606
296
636
656
681
681
579
579
171
214
624
668
756
426
431
658
620
607
696
762
647
472
736
705
407
159
159
223
108
844
326
434
158
617 634
289
367
556
348
674 280
588
208
238
800
576
32
210
537
374 150
809
458
473
473
841
687
184
398
528
644
172
356
16
26
454
Scale 1 : 37 000 000
GUYANA
B R A Z I L
ARGENTINA
COLOMBI A
BOLIVIA
ECUADOR
VENEZUELA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
PERU
URUGUAY
SURINAME
Galpagos Islands
(Ecuador)
Rapa Nui (Chile)
Curaao (Netherlands)
Only countries States Parties to the World Heritage
Convention are labelled on these maps. United Nations
countries boundaries shown as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by
more than one State Party.
17
World Heritage Sites
South America
Argentina
Cueva de las Manos, Ro Pinturas p607; Iguazu
National Park p188; Ischigualasto / Talampaya
Natural Parks p628; Jesuit Block and Estancias
of Crdoba p647; Jesuit Missions of the
Guaranis: San Ignacio Min, Santa Ana, Nuestra
Seora de Loreto and Santa Mara Mayor
(Argentina), Ruins of Sa Miguel das Misses
(Brazil) p159; Parque Nacional Los Glaciares
p111; Pennsula Valds p590; Quebrada de
Humahuaca p705.
Bolivia
City of Potos p289; Fuerte de Samaipata p556;
Historic City of Sucre p367; Jesuit Missions
of the Chiquitos p348; Noel Kempff Mercado
National Park p636; Tiwanaku: Spiritual and
Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture p634.
Brazil
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves p606;
Brasilia p280; Brazilian Atlantic Islands:
Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas
Reserves p668; Central Amazon Conservation
Complex p624; Cerrado Protected Areas:
Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National
Parks p681; Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest
Reserves p579; Historic Centre of Salvador de
Bahia p208; Historic Centre of So Lus p537;
Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina
p588; Historic Centre of the Town of Gois
p674; Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda
p150; Historic Town of Ouro Preto p108; Iguau
National Park p235; Jesuit Missions of the
Guaranis: San Ignacio Min, Santa Ana, Nuestra
Seora de Loreto and Santa Mara Mayor
(Argentina), Ruins of Sa Miguel das Misses
(Brazil) p159; Pantanal Conservation Area p656;
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the
Mountain and the Sea p844; Sanctuary of Bom
Jesus do Congonhas p223; So Francisco Square
in the Town of So Cristvo p809; Serra da
Capivara National Park p374.
Chile
Churches of Chilo p620; Historic Quarter
of the Seaport City of Valparaso p696;
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
p736; Rapa Nui National Park p454; Sewell
Mining Town p762.
Colombia
Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia p841;
Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox
p473; Los Katos National Park p426; Malpelo
Fauna and Flora Sanctuary p756; National
Archeological Park of Tierradentro p473; Port,
Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena
p184; San Agustn Archeological Park p458.
Ecuador
City of Quito p32; Galpagos Islands p26;
Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ros de
Cuenca p576; Sangay National Park p171.
Paraguay
Jesuit Missions of La Santsima Trinidad de
Paran and Jess de Tavarangue p407.
Peru
Chan Chan Archaeological Zone p238; Chavn
(Archaeological site) p210; City of Cuzco p158;
Historic Centre of Lima p326; Historic Sanctuary
of Machu Picchu p172; Historical Centre of the
City of Arequipa p617; Huascarn National Park
p214; Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas
de Jumana p434; Man National Park p296;
Ro Abiseo National Park p356; Sacred City of
Caral-Supe p800.
Suriname
Central Suriname Nature Reserve p658; Historic
Inner City of Paramaribo p687.
Uruguay
Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del
Sacramento p472.
Venezuela
Canaima National Park p431; Ciudad
Universitaria de Caracas p644; Coro and its
Port p398.
805
308
854
468
747 575
720
778
778
778
338
186
190
352
778
778
778
186
186
97
45
422
112
42 278
508
137
133
171
126
139
153
308
313
854
848
848
848
478
94
430
517
838
517
517
121
116
485
367
37
340
738
97
569
770
764 593
593
696
257
593
693
240
668
756
365
663
755
612
116
832
682
782
44
855
94
44
44
726
232
741
663
106
106
833
752
29
698
626
832
755
755 310
321 862
725
587
695
60
98
32
102
478
234
70
56
836
74
56
666
717
857
218
305
543
494
119
142
379
145
109
148
148
530
261
335
72
46
317
80
220
149
144
136
49
78
688
522
805
845
869
611
781
340
145
799
812
792
760
Scale 1 : 50 000 000
ANGOLA
SIERRA
LEONE
LIBERIA
GUINEA-BISSAU
COMOROS
C H A D
SAO TOME AND
PRINCIPE
BURKINA
FASO
SWAZILAND
CAPE VERDE
DEM. REP.
OF THE
CONGO
CAMEROON
EGYPT
A L GE R I A
TUNISIA
SOUTH
AFRICA
MOZAMBIQUE
MAURITANIA
SENEGAL
L I BY A
NI GER
NIGERIA
MOROCCO
NAMIBIA
GAMBIA
CENTRAL
AFRICAN REPUBLIC
ETHIOPIA
S U D A N
TANZANIA
ZIMBABWE
ZAMBI A
UGANDA
TOGO
MA L I
GUINEA
CTE
DIVOIRE
BENIN
BOTSWANA
GHANA
GABON
KENYA
MALAWI
MADAGASCAR
SEYCHELLES
MAURITIUS
Gough Island (UK)
LESOTHO
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
BURUNDI
RWANDA
CONGO
18
Reunion Island
(France)
Only countries States Parties to the World Heritage
Convention are labelled on these maps. United Nations
countries boundaries shown as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by
more than one State Party.
19
Ghana
Asante Traditional Buildings p94; Forts and
Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and
Western Regions p44.
Guinea
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve p126.
Kenya
Fort Jesus, Mombasa p832; Lake Turkana
National Parks p517; Lamu Old Town p682;
Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest
p508; Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift
Valley p838; Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
p782.
Lesotho
Maloti-Drakensberg Park p611.
Libya
Archaeological Site of Cyrene p136;
Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna p144;
Archaeological Site of Sabratha p149; Old Town
of Ghadams p261; Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart
Acacus p234.
Madagascar
Rainforests of the Atsinanana p778; The
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga p663; Tsingy de
Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve p352.
Malawi
Chongoni Rock-Art Area p756; Lake Malawi
National Park p190.
Mali
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) p340;
Old Towns of Djenn p310; Timbuktu p321;
Tomb of Askia p725.
Mauritania
Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt
and Oualata p478; Banc dArguin National
Park p340.
Mauritius
Aapravasi Ghat p760; Le Morne Cultural
Landscape p792.
Morocco
Archaeological Site of Volubilis p543; Historic
City of Meknes p494; Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
p305; Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)
p666; Medina of Fez p119; Medina of Marrakesh
p218; Medina of Ttouan (formerly known as
Titawin) p522; Portuguese City of Mazagan
(El Jadida) p717; Rabat, Modern Capital and
Historic City: a Shared Heritage p857.
Mozambique
Island of Mozambique p365.
Namibia
Namib Sand Sea p869; Twyfelfontein or
/Ui-//aes p770.
Niger
Ar and Tnr Natural Reserves p367; Historic
Centre of Agadez p862; W National Park of
Niger p485.
Nigeria
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove p741; Sukur
Cultural Landscape p587.
Senegal
Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula and Bedik
Cultural Landscapes p845; Djoudj National
Bird Sanctuary p121; Island of Gore p29;
Island of Saint-Louis p626; Niokolo-Koba
National Park p116; Saloum Delta p832;
Stone Circles of Senegambia p755.
Seychelles
Aldabra Atoll p133; Valle de Mai Nature
Reserve p171.
South Africa
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas p720;
Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa p593;
iSimangaliso Wetland Park p575; Maloti-
Drakensberg Park p611; Mapungubwe Cultural
Landscape p693; Richtersveld Cultural and
Botanical Landscape p764; Robben Island
p569; Vredefort Dome p747.
Sudan
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe p836;
Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan
Region p695.
Tanzania
Kilimanjaro National Park p278; Kondoa Rock-
Art Sites p755; Ngorongoro Conservation
Area p42; Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of
Songo Mnara p116; Selous Game Reserve p137;
Serengeti National Park p112; Stone Town of
Zanzibar p612.
Togo
Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba
p726.
Tunisia
Amphitheatre of El Jem p80; Dougga / Thugga
p530; Ichkeul National Park p97; Kairouan
p335; Medina of Sousse p317; Medina of Tunis
p72; Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis
p220; Site of Carthage p46.
Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park p422;
Rwenzori Mountains National Park p430;
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi p663.
Zambia
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls p338.
Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe National Monument p240;
Khami Ruins National Monument p257; Mana
Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari
Areas p186; Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls
p338; Matobo Hills p696.
World Heritage Sites
Africa
Algeria
Al Qala of Beni Hammad p109; Djmila
p148; Kasbah of Algiers p379; MZab Valley
p145; Tassili nAjjer p145; Timgad p148;
Tipasa p142.
Benin
Royal Palaces of Abomey p232.
Botswana
Tsodilo p668.
Burkina Faso
The Ruins of Loropni p805.
Cameroon
Dja Faunal Reserve p308; Sangha Trinational
p848.
Cape Verde
Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande
p799.
Central African Republic
Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park p313;
Sangha Trinational p848.
Chad
Lakes of Ounianga p854.
Congo
Sangha Trinational p848.
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Garamba National Park p94; Kahuzi-Biega
National Park p97; Okapi Wildlife Reserve
p478; Salonga National Park p186; Virunga
National Park p45.
Cte dIvoire
Como National Park p153; Historic Town
of Grand-Bassam p855; Mount Nimba Strict
Nature Reserve p126; Ta National Park p139.
Egypt
Abu Mena p49; Ancient Thebes with its
Necropolis p74; Historic Cairo p78; Memphis
and its Necropolis the Pyramid Fields from
Giza to Dahshur p70; Nubian Monuments from
Abu Simbel to Philae p56; Saint Catherine Area
p688; Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) p738.
Ethiopia
Aksum p98; Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region p60;
Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town p752;
Konso Cultural Landscape p833; Lower Valley
of the Awash p102; Lower Valley of the Omo
p106; Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela p32;
Simien National Park p37; Tiya p106.
Gabon
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of
Lop-Okanda p781.
Gambia
Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites p698;
Stone Circles of Senegambia p755.
842
429
609
368
830
393
260
699
429
311
122
718
763
808
786
808
808
143
125
306
127
20
858 858
A U S T R A L I A
PAPUA
NEW GUINEA
PALAU
Only countries State Parties to the World Heritage
Convention are labelled on these maps. United Nations
countries boundaries shown as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by
more than one State Party.
863
556
354
354
354
354
136
558
788
808
795
863
349
21
321
Scale 1 : 27 000 000
Scale 1 : 100 000 000
FIJI
FIJI
Australia
Australian Convict Sites p808; Australian Fossil
Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte) p429;
Fraser Island p393; Gondwana Rainforests
of Australia p260; Great Barrier Reef p122;
Greater Blue Mountains Area p609; Heard and
McDonald Islands p522 (not on map); Kakadu
National Park p127; Lord Howe Island Group
p136; Macquarie Island p506 (not on map);
Ningaloo Coast p830; Purnululu National Park
p699; Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton
Gardens p718; Shark Bay, Western Australia
p368; Sydney Opera House p763; Tasmanian
Wilderness p143; Ulueu-Kata Tjula National Park
p306; Wet Tropics of Queensland p311; Willandra
Lakes Region p125.
Fiji
Levuka Historical Port Town p863.
Kiribati
Phoenix Islands Protected Area p821.
Marshall Islands
Bikini Atoll, Nuclear Test Site p809.
New Zealand
New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands p556; Te
Wahipounamu South West New Zealand p354;
Tongariro National Park p349.
Palau
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon p858.
Papua New Guinea
Kuk Early Agricultural Site p786.
Solomon Islands
East Rennell p558.
Vanuatu
Chief Roi Matas Domain p795.
NEW ZEALAND
SOLOMON
ISLANDS
World Heritage Sites
Oceania
VANUATU
New Caledonia
(France)
Henderson Island (UK)
COOK
ISLANDS
TONGA
MARSHALL
ISLANDS
FEDERATED STATES
OF MICRONESIA
KIRIBATI
SAMOA
NIUE
SOLOMON
ISLANDS
PAPUA
NEW
GUINEA
803
847
850
861
803 868
316
823
712
785
364 364
216 196
85
512
271
215
224
333
601
557
867
867
867
867
786
693
320
138
314
363
151
140
398
245
152
614
723
271
237
308
252
847
847
847
847
576
276
204
183
375
798
746
849
820
68
803
322
303
760
864
760
760
710
760
118
860
102
576
730
694
160
156
403
413 765
247
342
161
154
249
512
688
50
576
222
228
425
510
215
697
767
630
792
691
810
762
88
746
38
714
835
778
850
846
573
835
835
835
835
835
683
405
629
670
817
703
110
109
532
124
298
481
435
655 500
437
698
767
815
607
750
348
707 729
842
803
868 803
861
814
835
22
834
837
212
740
739
676
713
114
853
694
105
221
739
793
680
843
739
197 39
205
191 192
569
100
761
761
236
837
834
Scale 1 : 12 000 000
BHUTAN
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
QATAR
KUWAIT
TAJIKISTAN
MYANMAR
KYRGYZSTAN
MALDIVES
Jerusalem
J ORDAN
SYRIAN
ARAB
REPUBLIC
AFGHANISTAN
AZERBAIJAN
BAHRAIN
BANGLADESH
C H I
I N D I A
ISLAMIC REP.
OF
IRAN
IRAQ
M O N G
NEPAL
ISRAEL
oPt*
*occupied
Palestinian
territory
LEBANON
SEE INSET
GEORGIA
ARMENIA
Socotra (Yemen)
R U S S I A N F E D E R A T I O N
K A Z A K H S T A N
SRI LANKA
OMAN
P A K I S T A N
TURKMENISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
YEMEN
SAUDI
ARABIA
Jammu and Kashmir: Dotted line represents approximately the
Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and
Pakistan. The nal status of Jammu and Kashmir has not been
agreed upon by the parties.

Only countries States Parties to the World Heritage Convention
are labelled on these maps. United Nations countries boundaries
shown as of August 2013.
Twenty-nine properties are nominated and managed by more
than one State Party.
802
841
843
845
852
852
859
861
862
712
712
374
370
604
638
631
412
741
706
601
700
768
845
440
768
811
768
382
751
380
796
395
780
400
841
664
415
748
476
843
376 373
503
859
790
790
852
359
464
816
861
837
388
390
789
679
411
579
586
582
402
402
466
402
402
584
774
737
788
484
653
643
648
300
429
540
802
654 810
616
759
616
298
552 277
559
433
616
518
831
715
626
468
521
536
462
457
799
862
822
642
486
764
477
409
726
867
415
560
438
462
604
719
672
616
852
436
616
294
277 616
722
840
481
598
297
357
23
490
716
819
Scale 1 : 38 000 000
World Heritage Sites
Asia, Middle East and
Arabian Peninsula
Afghanistan
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan
Valley p703; Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam p683.
Armenia
Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological
Site of Zvartnots p655; Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin
p500; Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley p630.
Azerbaijan
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape p767; Walled City of
Baku with the Shirvanshahs Palace and Maiden Tower p607.
Bahrain
Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy p849; Qalat
al-Bahrain Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun p746.
Bangladesh
Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat p228; Ruins of the Buddhist
Vihara at Paharpur p222; The Sundarbans p512.
Cambodia
Angkor p390; Temple of Preah Vihear p789.
China
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains p429;
Ancient City of Ping Yao p540; Ancient Villages in Southern
Anhui Xidi and Hongcun p653; Capital Cities and Tombs of
the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom p722; Chengjiang Fossil Site
p845; China Danxia p811; Classical Gardens of Suzhou p518;
Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces p861; Dazu
Rock Carvings p584; Fujian Tulou p788; Historic Centre of
Macao p737; Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa
p425; Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area p395;
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and
Shenyang p277; Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
p616; Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area p380;
Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, in the Centre of Heaven and
Earth p810; Kaiping Diaolou and Villages p774; Longmen
Grottoes p654; Lushan National Park p484; Mausoleum of the
First Qin Emperor p300; Mogao Caves p298; Mount Emei
Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area p481;
Mount Huangshan p357; Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan
Irrigation System p648; Mount Sanqingshan National Park
p796; Mount Taishan p297; Mount Wutai p802; Mount Wuyi
p598; Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde
p436; Old Town of Lijiang p510; Peking Man Site at
Zhoukoudian p298; Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries
Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains p751; Site of
Xanadu p852; South China Karst p768; Summer Palace and
Imperial Garden in Beijing p552; Temple and Cemetery of
Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu p433; Temple
of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing p559; The Great
Wall p294; Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
p700; West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou p831;
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area p382; Xinjiang
Tianshan p867; Yin Xu p759; Yungang Grottoes p672.
CAMBODIA
N A
I N D O N E S I A
JAPAN
M A L A Y S I A
O L I A
DEM. PEOPLES
REP. OF KOREA
REP. OF
KOREA
PHILIPPINES
THAILAND
VIETNAM
LAO PEOPLES
DEM. REP.
continued on page 24
24
Asia, Middle East and Arabian Peninsula (continued)
Georgia
Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery p435;
Historical Monuments of Mtskheta p437; Upper
Svaneti p481.
India
Agra Fort p161; Ajanta Caves p156; Buddhist
Monuments at Sanchi p342; Champaner-Pavagadh
Archaeological Park p730; Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) p723; Churches
and Convents of Goa p237; Elephanta Caves p271;
Ellora Caves p160; Fatehpur Sikri p247; Great Living
Chola Temples p276; Group of Monuments at Hampi
p252; Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram p204;
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal p308; Hill Forts
of Rajasthan p860; Humayuns Tomb, Delhi p403;
Jantar Mantar p814; Kaziranga National Park p224;
Keoladeo National Park p216; Khajuraho Group of
Monuments p249; Mahabodhi Temple Complex at
Bodh Gaya p688; Manas Wildlife Sanctuary p215;
Mountain Railways of India p576; Nanda Devi and
Valley of Flowers National Parks p333; Qutb Minar
and its Monuments, Delhi p413; Red Fort Complex
p765; Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka p694; Sun Temple,
Konrak p183; Sundarbans National Park p271; Taj
Mahal p154; Western Ghats p847.
Indonesia
Borobudur Temple Compounds p376; Cultural
Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a
Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy
p859; Komodo National Park p370; Lorentz National
Park p604; Prambanan Temple Compounds p373;
Sangiran Early Man Site p503; Tropical Rainforest
Heritage of Sumatra p712; Ujung Kulon National
Park p374.
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran p792; Bam and
its Cultural Landscape p710; Bisotun p762; Golestan
Palace p868; Gonbad-e Qbus p850; Masjed-e
Jm of Isfahan p846; Meidan Emam, Esfahan
p38; Pasargadae p714; Persepolis p68; Sheikh Safi
al-Din Khnegh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil
p810; Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System p803;
Soltaniyeh p746; Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex
p815; Takht-e Soleyman p691; Tchogha Zanbil p88;
The Persian Garden p835.
Iraq
Ashur (Qalat Sherqat) p697; Hatra p215; Samarra
Archaeological City p767.
Israel
Bah Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee
p793; Biblical Tels Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba
p739; Incense Route Desert Cities in the Negev p740;
Masada p676; Old City of Acre p680; Sites of Human
Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Mearot/Wadi
el-Mughara Caves p843; The White City of Tel-Aviv
The Modern Movement p694.
Japan
Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area p415;
Fujisan, Sacred Place and Source of Artistic Inspiration
p867; Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of
the Kingdom of Ryukyu p643; Himeji-jo p409;
Hiraizumi Temples, Gardens and Archaeological
Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land p840;
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) p477;
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and
Otsu Cities) p438; Historic Monuments of Ancient
Nara p560; Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and
Gokayama p462; Itsukushima Shinto Shrine p486;
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape
p764; Ogasawara Islands p841; Sacred Sites and
Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range p726;
Shirakami-Sanchi p415; Shiretoko p748; Shrines and
Temples of Nikko p604; Yakushima p400.
Jerusalem (Site proposed by Jordan)
Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls p114.
Jordan
Petra p212; Quseir Amra p221; Um er-Rasas (Kastrom
Mefaa) p713; Wadi Rum Protected Area p834.
Kazakhstan
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi p707;
Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of
Tamgaly p729; Saryarka Steppe and Lakes of
Northern Kazakhstan p786.
Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of
Complex of Koguryo Tombs p715; Historic
Monuments and Sites in Kaesng p862.
Korea, Republic of
Changdeokgung Palace Complex p521; Gochang,
Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites p626; Gyeongju
Historic Areas p642; Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong
Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana
Woodblocks p462; Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe
and Yangdong p822; Hwaseong Fortress p536; Jeju
Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes p780; Jongmyo Shrine
p468; Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty p799;
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple p457.
Kyrgyzstan
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain p803.
Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Laos)
Town of Luang Prabang p464; Vat Phou and
Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak
Cultural Landscape p679.
Lebanon
Anjar p205; Baalbek p191; Byblos p192; Ouadi
Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars
of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab) p569; Tyre p197.
Malaysia
Archaelogical Heritage of the Lenggong Valley p852;
Gunung Mulu National Park p638; Kinabalu Park
p631; Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the
Straits of Malacca p790.
Mongolia
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape p719; Petrogylphic
Complexes of the Mongolian Altai p842; Uvs Nuur
Basin p693.
Nepal
Chitwan National Park p196; Kathmandu Valley p50;
Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha p512;
Sagarmatha National Park p85.
Oman
Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman p760; Archaeological
sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn p322; Bahla Fort
p303; Land of Frankincense p614.
Pakistan
Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro p102; Buddhist
Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains
at Sahr-i-Bahlol p110; Fort and Shalamar Gardens in
Lahore p124; Historic Monuments at Makli, Thatta
p118; Rohtas Fort p532; Taxila p109.
Palestine (oPt) Member of UNESCO since 23 Nov 2011
Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the
Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem p853.
Philippines
Baroque Churches of the Philippines p402; Historic
Town of Vigan p582; Puerto-Princesa Subterranean
River National Park p601; Rice Terraces of the
Philippine Cordilleras p466; Tubbataha Reefs Natural
Park p412.
Qatar
Al Zubarah Archaeological Site p864.
Russian Federation (see also p12)
Central Sikhote-Alin p664; Citadel, Ancient City
and Fortress Buildings of Derbent p698; Golden
Mountains of Altai p557; Lake Baikal p476; Lena
Pillars Nature Park p843; Natural System of Wrangel
Island Reserve p716; Putorana Plateau p819; Uvs
Nuur Basin p693; Volcanoes of Kamchatka p490;
Western Caucasus p601.
Saudi Arabia
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madin Slih) p798; At
Turaif District in ad-Diriyah p820.
Sri Lanka
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa p140; Ancient City of
Sigiriya p151; Golden Temple of Dambulla p363;
Central Highlands of Sri Lanka p823; Old Town
of Galle and its Fortifications p320; Sacred City of
Anuradhapura p138; Sacred City of Kandy p314;
Sinharaja Forest Reserve p316.
Syrian Arab Republic (Syria)
Ancient City of Aleppo p236; Ancient City of Bosra
p105; Ancient City of Damascus p39; Ancient Villages
of Northern Syria p837; Crac des Chevaliers and
Qalat Salah El-Din p761; Site of Palmyra p100.
Tajikistan
Proto-urban Site of Sarazm p817; Tajik National Park
(Mountains of the Pamirs) p861.
Thailand
Ban Chiang Archaeological Site p388; Dong
Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex p741; Historic
City of Ayutthaya p359; Historic Town of Sukhothai
and Associated Historic Towns p375; Thungyai-Huai
Kha Khaeng Wildlife
Sanctuaries p364.
Turkmenistan
Kunya-Urgench p750; Parthian Fortresses of Nisa
p778; State Historical and Cultural Park Ancient
Merv p573.
United Arab Emirates
Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud
and Oases Areas) p835.
Uzbekistan
Historic Centre of Bukhara p405; Historic Centre of
Shakhrisyabz p629; Itchan Kala p348; Samarkand
Crossroad of Cultures p670.
Vietnam
Citadel of the Ho Dynasty p837; Complex of Hu
Monuments p411; Ha Long Bay p440; Hoi An Ancient
Town p586; Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel
of Thang Long - Hanoi, p816; My Son Sanctuary
p579; Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park p706.
Yemen
Historic Town of Zabid p398; Old City of Sanaa
p245; Old Walled City of Shibam p152; Socotra
Archipelago p785.
The World Heritage sites,
ordered by the year they were
first inscribed on the List.
Galpagos Islands
Ecuador
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant ecological
and biological processes; Signicant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Situated in the Pacic Ocean approximately
1,000 km from the South American
mainland, the Galpagos Archipelago of
nineteen major islands and their marine
reserve have been called a unique living
museum and showcase of evolution.
Located at the conuence of three ocean
currents, the Galpagos are a tossed salad
of marine species.
Volcanic processes formed the islands,
most of which are volcanic summits, some
rising over 3,000 m from the Pacic oor.
They vary greatly in altitude, area and
orientation and these differences, combined
with their physical separation, contributed
towards the species diversity and endemism
on particular islands. Ongoing seismic and
volcanic activity reects the processes that
formed the islands and it was these
processes, together with the islands
extreme isolation, that led to the
development of unusual animal life such
as the marine iguana, the giant tortoise and
the ightless cormorant that inspired
Charles Darwins theory of evolution
following his visit in 1835.
The western part of the archipelago
experiences intense volcanic and seismic
activity. The larger islands typically comprise
at least one gently sloping shield volcano,
culminating in collapsed craters or calderas.
Long stretches of shoreline are only slightly
eroded, but in many places faulting and
marine erosion have produced steep cliffs
and lava, coral or shell sand beaches.
There is coastal vegetation along beaches,
salt-water lagoons and low, broken, boulder-
strewn shores, and mangrove swamps
dominate protected coves and lagoons.
The arid zone that lies immediately inland
dominates the Galpagos landscape. The
humid zone emerges above the arid zone
through a transition belt in which elements
of the two are combined. It is very damp and
is maintained in the dry season by thick,
garua fogs. A fern-grass-sedge zone covers
the summit areas of the larger islands where
moisture is retained in temporary pools.
The endemic fauna includes invertebrate,
reptile, marine and bird species. There are a
few indigenous mammals. All the reptiles,
except for two marine turtles, are endemic.
Marine environments are highly varied
and are associated with water temperature
regimes reecting differences in nutrient
and light levels. These range from warm
temperate conditions brought on by
vigorous upwelling (Cromwell Current) and
a moderately cool, warm temperate-
subtropical inuence (Peru Flow).
An endemic
Galpagos giant
tortoise. Adults in the
wild can grow up to
1.2 m in length and
live for 150 years.
There are now only
eleven subspecies
remaining from the
original twelve.
A Sally Lightfoot
(Graspus Graspus)
crab which is endemic
to the Galpagos
Islands and lives on
the rocky shore,
feeding on algae and
dead sh, birds and
seals.
The Heritage site is
situated on the
Galpagos Submarine
Platform and consists
of about 120 islands in
total. The larger
islands in the group
are Isabela, Santa
Cruz, Fernandina,
Santiago and San
Cristobal.
26 galpagos i slands
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Mesa Verde National Park
USA
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Standing on the Mesa Verde plateau in
southwest Colorado at a height of more than
2,600 m is this concentration of ancestral
Pueblo Indian dwellings. Their originality
derives in part from the unique local
topography of mesas, or tablelands,
intersected by deep canyons, that dictated
their construction. The dwellings were also
designed to cope with the challenging local
climate: a semi-arid environment with
irregular rainfall and extremes of
temperature between day and night.
The dwellings were built by the Anasazi
Indians, ancestors of the Pueblos, between
the sixth and twelfth centuries, and the
earliest habitations are found largely on the
plateau. Later, villages grew in and around
the cave-studded sides of the cuestas where
erosion had left protective overhanging
cliffs. Some of these imposing stone-built
cliff dwellings comprise more than 100
rooms. In all, some 4,400 sites have been
recorded.
The Mesa Verde site has been
protected by the Federal Antiquities
Act since 1906.
The cliff-side villages had specic
functions: agricultural, handicraft
and religious.
The Anasazi developed irrigation
techniques to cultivate the cereal
crops that were central to their diet.
At their civilisations high point, they
produced high-quality ceramics,
weaving and wickerwork made
from yucca bre.
28 mesa verde nati onal park
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Island of Gore
Senegal
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal signicance
The island of Gore, which lies off the coast
of Senegal opposite Dakar, is a memorial to
the African diaspora. From the fteenth to
the nineteenth century, it was the largest
slave-trading centre on the African coast.
Ruled in succession by the Portuguese,
Dutch, English and French, its architecture
is characterized by the contrast between the
grim slave-quarters and the elegant houses
of the slave traders. An estimated 20 million
Africans passed through the island between
the mid-1500s and the mid-1800s. A small
slave-house contained 150200 slaves, who
would often have to endure months in
appalling conditions before being shipped
to the Americas. Today it continues to serve
as a reminder of human exploitation and as
a sanctuary for reconciliation.
Slave houses
contained cells, 2.6 m
square, in which
fteen to twenty men
would be chained to
the wall by their neck
and arms. Attached
to the chain was a
large iron ball which
the men would have
to carry when they
were allowed, once
a day, to relieve
themselves.
World Heritage site since
i sland of gore 29
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Historic Centre of Krakw
Poland
Criteria Signicance in human history
The historic centre of Krakw, the former
capital of Poland, is an outstanding example
of medieval architecture. The thirteenth
century merchants town has Europes
largest market square and numerous
historical houses, palaces and churches
with magnicent interiors. Remnants of
the fourteenth-century fortications, the
medieval site of Kazimierz with its ancient
synagogues, Jagellonian University and the
Gothic Wawel Cathedral all testify to the
towns fascinating history.
The layout of Krakw is based on four
core areas: Stare Miasto, or old town,
around the market square; the Wawel, site
of the imperial palace; the urban district of
Kazimierz; and the Stradom quarter.
Stare Miasto is characterized by a rigid
grid of perfectly orthogonal streets, a
layout ordered by Bolesaw the Chaste in
1257 when he decided to unify the various
peoples scattered around the hill of the
Wawel. All that remains now of the
medieval enclosure walls is the gate and
the wall that was built in 1499 near the main
city gate.
The old town is separated from the old
district of Kazimierz, which was an island
until 1880. Kazimierz formed the Jewish
quarter of Krakw until the Second
World War.
The citys university quarter is the oldest
in Poland and among the oldest in Europe.
Students at Jagellonian University have
included Copernicus and Karol Wojtya
(Pope John Paul II).
The limestone hill of the Wawel that lies
above Krakws historic centre is the site of
a complex housing some of the citys most
important buildings, including the Royal
Palace. Today the palace accommodates a
museum displaying tapestries, the Royal
Treasury, standards and antique furniture.
Wawel Cathedral, where the kings of Poland
were buried, also stands here.
At the entrance to the Wawel lies the start
of the ancient Royal Way of monuments
and remarkable historical buildings, leading
to the heart of the old city: the market
square (Rynek Gwny). Extending 200 m
along each side, this is one of the largest
medieval public squares in Europe. One
side is dominated by the Gothic church of
the Assumption of the Virgin Mary while
in the centre is the Sukiennice, the ancient
cloth market.
Wawel Cathedral
(the Basilica of
Saints Stanisaw
and Waclaw) was for
centuries the scene of
the main events of the
Polish royal families
coronations, weddings,
funerals and burials.
In the part of the
Wawel Castle
accessible on the river
Wisa there is a small
park at the base of the
hill with the cave of
the legendary Krak,
prince and head of a
Slav tribe.
In the Second
World War the
64,000-strong
Jewish community
of Kazimierz was
deported, eventually
to the nearby
concentration camps
at Auschwitz; only
6,000 returned at the
end of the war.
30 hi stori c centre of krakw
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Rock-Hewn Churches,
Lalibela
Ethiopia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The eleven medieval monolithic churches of
this thirteenth-century New Jerusalem are
situated in a mountainous region in the
heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village
with circular-shaped dwellings. The
churches are carved from solid rock and are
recessed below ground level. Lalibela is a
high place of Ethiopian Christianity, tended
by Coptic priests and still today a place of
pilgrimage and devotion.
The rock churches are
connected by maze-
like tunnels, with a
small river running
between them called
the Jordan. Churches
on one side of the
Jordan represent the
earthly Jerusalem;
those on the other
side represent the
heavenly Jerusalem.
32 lali bela churches | ci ty of qui to
World Heritage site since
City of Quito
Ecuador
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, was founded
in the sixteenth century on the ruins of
an Inca city and stands at an altitude of
2,850 m. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the
city has the best-preserved, least altered
historic centre in Latin America. The
monasteries of San Francisco and Santo
Domingo, and the Church and Jesuit
College of La Compaa, with their rich
interiors, are pure examples of the Baroque
school of Quito, which is a fusion of
Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and
indigenous art.
Quito is built on
uneven land traversed
by two deep ravines
(quebradas). One of the
ravines is arched over
partly to preserve the
alignment of the
streets, the drainage
of which escapes
through a cleft in the
ridge northward to
the plain of Tumbaco.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Santo Domingo
Monastery and
Church.
The Bete Giorgis
Church.
Aachen Cathedral
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
With its columns of Greek and Italian
marble, bronze doors, octagonal basilica and
cupola, the Palatine Chapel of Aachen was
from its inception regarded as an exceptional
architectural achievement. It was the largest
domed structure to be built north of the Alps
since antiquity. Construction began around
790800 under the Emperor Charlemagne,
who was buried there. Throughout the Middle
Ages it remained one of the prototypes of
religious architecture and German emperors
continued to be crowned there until 1531. Its
present form has evolved over the course of
more than a millennium. Two parts of the
original complex have survived: the
Coronation Hall, which is currently located in
the Town Hall, built in the fourteenth century,
and the Palatine Chapel, around which the
cathedral would later be built.
When he began work
on the Palatine Chapel,
Charlemagnes dream
was to create a new
Rome. Two hundred
years later, when he
was canonized,
pilgrims began
ocking to the town to
see his tomb and the
relics he had gathered.
The towns ties with
Charlemagne are
reected in numerous
architectural
memorials.
World Heritage site since
aachen cathedral 33
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Yellowstone National Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant ecological
and biological processes; Signicant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Yellowstone National Park covers 9,000 km
2
of a vast natural forest of the southern
Rocky Mountains in the North American
west. The park holds half of the worlds
known geothermal features, with over
10,000 examples, and is equally renowned
for its wildlife which includes grizzly bears,
wolves, bison and wapitis.
Established as Americas rst national park
in 1872, Yellowstone boasts an impressive
array of geothermal phenomena, with
geysers, lava formations, fumaroles, hot
springs and waterfalls, lakes and canyons.
There are more than 580 geysers the
worlds largest concentration, and two-
thirds of all those on the planet. The source
of these phenomena lies under the ground
in the areas geological origins: Yellowstone
is part of the most seismically active region
of the Rocky Mountains, a volcanic hot
spot.
Crustal uplifts 65 million years ago formed
the southern Rocky Mountains and volcanic
outows were common until around 40
million years ago. A more recent period of
volcanism began in the region about
2 million years ago, when thousands of
cubic kilometres of magma lled immense
chambers under the plateau and then
erupted to the surface. Three cycles of
eruption produced huge explosive
outbursts of ash. The latest cycle formed
a caldera 45 km wide and 75 km long when
the active magma chambers erupted and
collapsed. The crystallizing magma is the
source of heat for hydrothermal features
such as geysers, hot springs, mud pots and
fumaroles.
Most of the area was glaciated during the
Pleistocene (from 1.8 million to 10,000 years
ago, when the last ice age ended) and many
glacial features remain. The park lies at the
headwaters of three major rivers
Yellowstone, Madison and Snake.
Yellowstone Lake at 2,357 m is North
Americas largest lake at high elevation,
while Lower Yellowstone Falls is the highest
of more than forty named waterfalls in the
park.
Great elevational differences produce a
range of plant communities, from semi-arid
steppe to alpine tundra. The park has seven
species of coniferous tree, especially
lodgepole pine, and 1,100 species of
vascular plant, including an endemic grass.
Thermal areas have unique assemblages of
thermal algae and bacteria.
Yellowstone has six native species of
ungulate, including elk. There has been
intensive study and management of grizzly
bear for thirty years, and regulations also
protect native sh.
Castle Geyser is
located in the
Upper Geyser Basin in
Yellowstone National
Park. The geyser is
thought to be
approximately 5,000
years old, and will
erupt hot water for
20 minutes up to a
height of 27 m, once
every 12 hours.
The Yellowstone
Plateau, now a
forested area of
6,500 km
2
with
an average elevation
of 2,000 m, was
formed out of the
accumulation of
rhyolite magma. The
plateau is anked on
the north, east and
south by mountains
rising to 4,000 m.
Ninety-six per cent
of the Yellowstone
National Park lies
in Wyoming, three per
cent in Montana and
one per cent in Idaho.
Archaeological
investigations show
that human groups
visited the park area
for 10,000 years but
none made it a
permanent home.
34 yellowstone nati onal park
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Wieliczka and Bochnia
Royal Salt Mines
Poland
Criteria Signicance in human history
The Wieliczka Salt Mine, located in southern
Poland near the city of Krakw, has been
worked as a source of rock salt since the late
thirteenth century. Spread over nine levels,
it has 300 km of galleries, connecting more
than 2,000 excavation chambers.
Over the centuries, miners have established
a tradition of carving sculptures out of
the native rock salt. As a result, the mine
contains entire underground churches,
altars, bas-reliefs, and dozens of life-size
or larger statues. It also houses an
underground museum and has a number
of special-purpose chambers such as a
sanatorium for people suffering from
respiratory ailments. The subterranean lake,
open to tourists since the fteenth century,
completes this curious complex.
Bochnia Royal Salt Mines and the Wieliczka
Saltworks Castle used for the management
of the property were added as extensions to
the site in 2013.
The largest of the
underground chapels,
the Chapel of the
Blessed Kinga, is
located 101 m below
the surface; it is over
50 m long, 15 m wide
and 12 m high, with a
volume of 10,000 m
3
.
36 wi eli czka and bochni a royal salt mi nes
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Simien National Park
Ethiopia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Massive erosion over many years on the
Ethiopian plateau has created one of the
most spectacular landscapes in the world,
with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys
and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m.
The park is home to some extremely rare
animals such as the Gelada baboon, the
Simien fox and the Walia ibex, a goat found
nowhere else in the world.
With its abundance of
creviced basalt rock,
Simien serves as an
ideal water catchment
area, replenished by
two wet seasons and
the Mayshasha River.
Consequently the
park is rich in a wide
range of wildlife and
vegetation.
LAnse aux Meadows
National Historic Site
Canada
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Located at the tip of the Great Northern
Peninsula on the Island of Newfoundland,
LAnse aux Meadows is the oldest known
European settlement and the only
authenticated Viking site on the American
continent. Here, archaeologists have
unearthed evidence of European
exploration in North America dating back
around 1000 years, well before Columbus
or Cabot.
In 1960, Helge and Anne Stein Ingstad,
with the help of local fisherman George
Decker, uncovered the remnants of eight
wood-framed, peat-turf buildings similar to
those found in Greenland and Iceland.
A forge, four workshops, and numerous
artefacts have been found a cloak pin,
needle and spindle whorl indicate Norse
origin and the presence of women in camp,
while the metal slag found indicates the first
forging of iron in the New World. Wood
debris and nail fragments point to ship
repair as one of the main activities by
Vikings at LAnse aux Meadows, which is
likely the gateway to Vinland mentioned in
the sagas.
The area has been
home to many
different cultures. The
earliest signs of
human activity go
back roughly 5,000
years to the Dorset
and Groswater
paleoeskimo. It was
from here that
exploration around
the Gulf of St
Lawrence and into
Vinland by the Vikings
led to the rst
encounters between
Europeans and North
American Aboriginal
peoples.
si mi en nati onal park | lanse aux meadows 37
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Gelada baboon
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Human creative genius; Traditional
human settlement; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
The Royal Square (Meidan Emam) of
Esfahan is a monument of Persian socio-
cultural life during the Safawid period. Built
by Shah Abbas the Great at the beginning
of the seventeenth century, it is bordered
on each side by four monumental buildings
linked by a series of two-storey arcades: to
the north the Portico of Qeyssariyeh (1602
19), to the south the Royal Mosque (161230),
to the east the Mosque of Sheyx Loffollah
(160218), and to the west the pavilion of
Ali Qapu, a small fteenth-century Timurid
palace, enlarged and decorated by the shah
and his successors. All of these architectural
elements of the Meidan-e Shah, including
the arcades, are adorned with a profusion of
painted ceramic tiles.
Nahanni National Park
Canada
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Located in the southwest corner of the
Northwest Territories, along the course
of the South Nahanni and Flat rivers, the
park lies in a diverse mountainous area
comprising mountain ranges, rolling
hills, rugged plateaus, deep canyons and
spectacular waterfalls, as well as a globally
signicant limestone cave system. The
park has many unique geological features
including tufa mounds known as the
Rabbitkettle Hotsprings, which rise in a
succession of terraces to a height of 27 m.
There are also wind-eroded sandstone
landforms known as the Sand Blowouts, and
large areas that have remained unglaciated
for more than 100,000 years. The park is
home to animals of the boreal forest, such
as bald eagles, grizzly bears and caribou.
Parks Canada is
working with the
Dene and Metis
people to expand
Nahanni National
Park Reserve. The
expanded park
will protect more
wildlife habitat
and outstanding
geological features.
38 nahanni nati onal park | mei dan emam, esfahan
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
The Royal Square
was the heart of
the Safawid capital.
Its vast sandy
esplanade was used
for promenades,
assembling troops,
playing polo,
celebrations and
public executions. On
all sides, the arcades
house shops. Above
the portal of the large
bazaar of Qeyssariyeh
is a tribune that
accommodates
musicians giving
public concerts.
World Heritage site since
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
anci ent ci ty of damascus 39
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Ancient City of Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
Founded in the third millennium BC,
Damascus is considered to be the oldest city
and oldest capital of the world. It is the
cradle of historical civilizations, constituting
an ancient beacon of science and art over
time, and a reference for systems of
architecture and town planning over several
thousand years.
Damascus had many rulers, including King
David of Israel and Alexander the Great,
before it became part of the Arab world as
the capital of Umayyad caliph in 636.
In the Middle Ages it was the centre of a
ourishing craft industry, specializing in
swords and lace.
The city has some 125 monuments from
the different periods of its history, one of the
most spectacular being the eighth century
Great Mosque of the Umayyads, built on the
site of an Assyrian sanctuary.
Damascus preserves a
few traces of its long
history prior to the
Arabic conquest,
including some from
the Roman period.
Over the centuries
guilds of craftsmen and
merchants established
themselves around the
citys Great Mosque,
(pictured below) while
the important Christian
minority consolidated
itself in the northeast
quarters, around the
churches and sites
associated with the
conversion of St Paul.
Mediterranean Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and
Extermination Camp (19401945)
Poland
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal signicance
Auschwitz-Birkenau was the principal and
most notorious of the six concentration and
extermination camps established by Nazi
Germany to implement its Final Solution
policy which had as its aim the mass murder
of the Jewish people in Europe. It was built
in Poland under Nazi German occupation
initially as a concentration camp for
prisoners of war. Between the years 19424
it became the main mass extermination
camp where Jews were tortured and killed
for their so-called racial origins. In addition
to the mass murder of well over a million
Jewish men, women and children, and tens
of thousands of Polish victims, Auschwitz
also served as a camp for the racial murder
of thousands of Roma and Sinti and
prisoners of several European
nationalities.The Nazi policy of spoliation,
degradation and extermination of the Jews
was rooted in a racist and anti-Semitic
ideology propagated by the Third Reich.
Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest of the
concentration camp complexes created by
the Nazi German regime and was the one
which combined extermination with forced
labour. At the centre of a huge landscape of
human exploitation and suffering, the
remains of the two camps of Auschwitz I
and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, as well as its
Protective Zone were placed on the World
Heritage List as evidence of this inhumane,
cruel and methodical effort to deny human
dignity to groups considered inferior,
leading to their systematic murder. The
camps are a vivid testimony to the
murderous nature of the anti-Semitic and
racist Nazi policy that brought about the
annihilation of more than 1.2 million people
in the crematoria, 90 per cent of whom
were Jews.
The fortied walls, barbed wire, railway
sidings, platforms, barracks, gallows, gas
chambers and crematoria at Auschwitz-
Birkenau show clearly how the Holocaust, as
well as the Nazi German policy of mass
murder and forced labour took place. The
collections at the site preserve the evidence
of those who were premeditatedly
murdered, as well as presenting the
systematic mechanism by which this was
done. The personal items in the collections
are testimony to the lives of the victims
before they were brought to the
extermination camps, as well as to the
cynical use of their possessions and
remains. The site and its landscape has high
levels of authenticity and integrity since the
original evidence has been carefully
conserved without any unnecessary
restoration.
Auschwitz-Birkenau,
monument to the
deliberate genocide of
the Jews by the Nazi
regime (Germany
193345) and to the
deaths of countless
others, bears
irrefutable evidence to
one of the greatest
crimes ever
perpetrated against
humanity. It is also a
monument to the
strength of the human
spirit which in
appalling conditions of
adversity resisted the
efforts of the German
Nazi regime to
suppress freedom and
free thought and to
wipe out whole races.
The site is a key place
of memory for the
whole of humankind
for the holocaust,
racist policies and
barbarism; it is a place
of our collective
memory of this dark
chapter in the history
of humanity, of
transmission to
younger generations
and a sign of warning
of the many threats
and tragic
consequences of
extreme ideologies
and denial of human
dignity.
40 auschwi tz bi rkenau
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Ngorongoro Conservation
Area
Tanzania
Criteria Signicance in human history; Natural
phenomena or beauty; Major stages of Earths
history; Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
The huge and perfect crater of Ngorongoro
is one of the largest inactive, unbroken and
unooded calderas in the world. Its diverse
landforms and altitudes and its variable
climate have resulted in the development
of several distinct habitats: scrub heath and
the remains of dense montane forests on
its steep slopes, with grassy plains, lakes,
swamps and woodland on the crater oor.
Around 25,000 large animals live in the
crater, including the highest density of
mammalian predators in Africa.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area also
includes Empakaai Crater, lled by a
deep lake, and the active volcano of
Oldonyo Lenga. At nearby Olduvai Gorge,
excavations uncovered the existence of one
of our more distant ancestors, Homo habilis.
Laitoli Site, also in the area, is one of the
main localities of early hominid footprints,
dating back 3.6 million years. Leopard and
the endangered African elephant, mountain
reedbuck, amingo, wildebeest and buffalo
are among the species that live on the crater
rim.
Ngorongoro crater is, on average,
1619 km wide, its oor is 264 km
2

and its rim soars to 400610 m.
One of the Parks wildebeest with
amingos in the background.
42 ngorongoro conservati on area
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
Bryggen
Norway
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Bryggen is the old wharf of the city of
Bergen. With its traditional wooden
buildings and street patterns, Bryggen is a
relic of an ancient wooden urban structure
once common in Northern Europe and is a
reminder of the towns importance as part of
the trading empire of the powerful North
German and Baltic Hanseatic League from
the fourteenth to the mid-sixteenth century.
Over the centuries several devastating
res, the most recent in 1955, have ravaged
the traditional wooden houses. However,
rebuilding has traditionally followed old
patterns and methods, so leaving its main
structure preserved, and the town retains its
medieval appearance. Some sixty-two
buildings remain of this former townscape.
Today, Bergen is the only overseas trading
post of the Hanseatic League whose original
structures still remain within the city limits
and cityscape.
The Hanseatic League
took control of Bergen
in 1350 and the German
colonists who arrived
thereafter directly
inuenced the
appearance of Bryggen,
with buildings
constructed along the
narrow streets running
parallel to the dock.
The urban unit revolves
around a courtyard
(grd) common to
several three-level
wooden houses whose
gabled faades and
lateral walls and roofs
are covered with
shingles.
World Heritage site since
bryggen 43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
EUROPE
North Sea
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
Bryggen today.
Forts and Castles, Volta,
Greater Accra, Central and
Western Regions
Ghana
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The remains of fortified trading-posts,
established between 1482 and 1786, can still
be seen along the coast of Ghana between
Keta and Beyin. They were links in the trade
routes established by the Portuguese in
many areas of the world during their era of
great maritime exploration. Accra was first
settled at the end of the sixteenth century
when the Ga people migrated there. These
early inhabitants engaged in farming and
lagoon fishing, with sea fishing taken up
during the middle of the eighteenth century.
During the slave trade Accra took on greater
importance owing to the nearby forts, many
of which were owned and controlled by the
Dutch, a prominence that lasted until the
abolition of the slave trade in 1807.
The forts and castles
at Accra were of great
strategic value and
were occupied at
different times by
European traders and
adventurers from
Portugal, Spain,
Denmark, Sweden,
Holland, Germany
and Britain.
44 greater accra | vzre valley
World Heritage site since
Prehistoric Sites and
Decorated Caves of the
Vzre Valley
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Vzre Valley contains 147 prehistoric
sites dating from the Palaeolithic and
twenty-five decorated caves. It is particularly
interesting from an ethnological and
anthropological, as well as an aesthetic
point of view because of its cave paintings,
especially those of the Lascaux Cave, whose
discovery in 1940 was of great importance
for the history of prehistoric art. The
hunting scenes show some 100 animal
figures, which are remarkable for their
detail, rich colours and lifelike quality.
The depictions of
animals involved in
the hunt helped to
assure or reassure the
hunters of great
success. The Lascaux
Cave is closed to the
public, but a replica
has been created at
Montignac, 200 m
from the original cave,
where two of the
galleries have been
reproduced: the Great
Hall of the Bulls and
the Painted Gallery.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Lascaux Cave.
World Heritage site since
vi runga nati onal park 45
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Virunga National Park
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Virunga National Park lies at the border of
several biogeographic zones and comprises
an outstanding diversity of habitats. The
range of altitudes in the park, which covers
an area of 7,900 km
2
, adds to a habitat
variety ranging from swamps and savannas
to the Rwenzori snowelds at a height of
over 5,000 m; and from lava plains to the
afromontane forests on the slopes of
volcanoes. There are hot springs in the
Rwindi plains, and some of the Virunga
Massif volcanoes, such as Nyiragongo
(3,470 m), are still active.
At the time of inscription on the World
Heritage List, the rivers of Virunga had
probably the largest hippopotamus
concentration in Africa.
The savanna of the Rwindi area is home to
elephant, buffalo, antelope, warthog, lion
and various monkeys. The Semiliki Valley
and the Virunga mountains are the habitat
of gorilla, chimpanzee and okapi. The park
also includes important wetlands, which are
recognized under the Ramsar Convention
on Wetlands and are important transit and
wintering areas for some bird species.
The areas of lowest and
highest rainfall in the
Democratic Republic of
the Congo are in
Virunga National Park.
The park is home to
mountain gorillas, and
before the recent
war,there were some
20,000 hippopotamuses
living in its rivers. Its
wetlands are a wintering
ground for some bird
species from Siberia.
Mountain gorilla
Bonane holds her
newborn in Virunga
National Park.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Site of Carthage
Tunisia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
Carthage is one of the most famous historic
sites of the Roman Empire with a period of
domination that spanned several centuries,
making it one of the largest and longest-
lasting of the ancient empires.
At a time when the sea was the most
efcient means of travel and
communication, Carthages two rst-class
harbours gave it a distinct advantage over
other city states. The Carthaginians
developed superb shipbuilding and sailing
skills that were the basis of a centuries-long
naval and mercantile domination. They also
supported what was at its height a great
trading empire that spanned the
Mediterranean. The Carthaginians traded
in silver, lead, ivory and gold, beds and
bedding, simple pottery, jewellery,
glassware, African wild animals, fruit and
nuts. The huge wealth Carthage acquired
saw it become the home to a brilliant
civilization and one of the largest cities in
the pre-industrial world.
The city was founded in the ninth
century BC by Phoenician traders from
Tyre, in modern Lebanon, and by the sixth
century BC had conquered and controlled
much of the southern Mediterranean: the
North African coast from modern Morocco
to the borders of modern Egypt, Sardinia,
Malta, the Balearic Islands, and western
Sicily. This expansion inevitably brought
Carthage into conict with the other
dominant regional powers the empires
rst of Greece and then of Rome, and the
three battled for control over territories.
Competition over Sicily sparked the war
against Greece lasting for more than 200
years; this ended in victory for the
Carthaginians. The wars against Rome,
known as the Punic Wars, were divided into
three periods between 264 BC and 146 BC,
when the Romans nally triumphed. They
razed Carthage, imposing strict controls
over further settlement; in the process
much of the evidence and artefacts of the
ancient city was destroyed.
In the rst century AD the Roman Emperor
Augustus founded the city anew, as Colonia
Julia Carthago. This second, Roman
Carthage grew on the ruins of the rst and
prospered quickly, becoming second only to
Rome in splendour and wealth.
The citys ultimate decline was conrmed
in ad 439 with the occupation by the Vandals
and nally in ad 637 when it was captured by
Arabs and destroyed. Carthage never
regained its importance, largely because of
the concentration of power in nearby Tunis.
Both images show
sections of the
Antonine Baths at
Carthage, with the
top one showing
fragments of the
ruined caldarium
(the hottest room)
and the steam room.
The refounded rst
century city of Julia
Carthago illustrated
the splendour and
wealth of Rome, and
exerted considerable
inuence on the
development of
structural architecture
and of characteristic
Punic and Roman
town planning. It is
also an important
testimony to Punic
history and
constitutes an
interesting example
of the Punic city.
The Punic port is the
best place to visit, as
Carthage was a port
that was stronger on
the seas than the
Roman Empire for
many years.
46 si te of carthage
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Canada
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Dinosaur Provincial Park contains some of
the most important fossil discoveries ever
made from the Age of Reptiles in
particular, about thirty-nine species of
dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years.
The park stands at the heart of Albertas
badlands, a beautiful, barren and deeply
eroded area of sparse vegetation.
During the late Cretaceous period
75 million years ago, the landscape of the
area was very different, with lush forests and
rivers owing into a warm inland sea. Its low
swamps were home to a variety of animals,
including dinosaurs. The conditions were
also perfect for the preservation of their
bones as fossils.
The badlands now provide habitat for a
number of ecologically specialized plant
species. The mild winter microclimate
coupled with an abundant food supply,
supports native ungulates and over
165 species of bird have been recorded.
Erosion has left exposed Cretaceous
shales and sandstones and created
extensive badlands, the largest in
Canada.
Geological strata of the Dinosaur
Park Formation yielded many of the
dinosaur remains for which the park
is renowned. Between 1979 and
1991, a total of 23,347 fossil
specimens were collected, including
300 dinosaur skeletons.
48 di nosaur provi nci al park
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Black Sea
Abu Mena
Egypt
Criteria Significance in human history
The church, baptistry, basilicas, public
buildings, streets, monasteries, houses and
workshops in this early Christian holy city
were built over the tomb of the martyr
Menas of Alexandria, who died in AD 296.
The Thermal Basilica, built in the fifth
century to accommodate the increasing
number of Christian pilgrims, was used to
store the curative waters for the
surrounding heated baths and pools.
By ad 600, the oasis
at Abu Mena had
become a pilgrimage
destination, centred
on the great
basilica complex.
Archaeological
excavations have
revealed an entire
town with houses and
cemeteries, which
exhibit an important
fusion of East and
West religious
inuences.
The ancient public
baths of Abu Mena.
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Bulgaria
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Discovered in 1944, this Hellenistic tomb is
located in Bulgarias romantic Valley of
Roses. Part of a large necropolis with more
than 500 burial mounds, it lies near
Seuthopolis, the capital city of the Thracian
king Seutes III. The art and archaeological
discoveries of the site reflect a rich culture
that was at its peak in the fifth to third
centuries BC. The pattern of the particularly
fine Kazanlak Tomb murals shows that they
were not painted spontaneously: the
paintings are a carefully premeditated
artistic composition executed in accordance
with a precise project. The architecture and
the pattern of the composition were
prepared together as an integrated work of
art. It is clear that both were the work of one
person an artist-architect.
The murals of the
Kazanlak Tomb are
particularly important
because they are the
only entirely
preserved work of
Hellenistic art that has
been found in exactly
the state in which it
was originally
designed and
executed.
abu mena | thraci an tomb of kazanlak 49
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
Kathmandu Valley
Nepal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
The world-famous Kathmandu Valley has a
concentration of monuments unique and
unparalleled in the world. It is the principal
centre of settlement in the hill area of
Nepal and is a prime cultural focus of the
Himalaya. The Kathmandu Valley
monumental zones represent a highly
developed architectural expression of the
religious, political and cultural life of the
area.
The seven groups of monuments and
buildings include: the Durbar Square of
Hanuman Dhoka (or Hanuman Gate) in
Kathmandu, the Durbar Square of Patan
and the Durbar Square of Bhaktapur; the
Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and of
Bauddhanath; and the Hindu temples of
Pashupati and Changu Narayan.
Pashupati is Nepals most renowned
Hindu cremation site. Changu Narayan
Temple is an impressive double-roofed
temple which is said to be the most ancient
temple of the Hindu god Vishnu in the
Kathmandu Valley.
The city of Kathmandu is a melting pot for
the nations population and its unique
architectural heritage, palaces, temples and
courtyards have inspired many writers,
artists, and poets, both foreign and
Nepalese. It boasts a unique symbiosis of
Hinduism, Buddhism and Tantrism in its
culture, which is still as alive today as it was
hundreds of years ago. The religious
inuence can be openly seen in the city.
Most of the principal monuments are in
Durbar Square, the citys social, religious
and urban focal point, built between the
twelfth and the eighteenth centuries by the
ancient Malla kings of Nepal. Some of the
most interesting are the Taleju Temple, Kal
Bhairab, Nautalle Durbar, Coronation
Nasal Chowk, and the Gaddi Baithak, the
statue of King Pratap Malla, the Big Bell,
Big Drum and the Jaganath Temple.
Patan (or Lalitpur), just across the holy
Bagmati River about 14 km east of
Kathmandu city, is of great historic and
cultural interest, and the city of Bhaktapur
(or Bhadgaon) stands at an altitude of
1,401 m.
Pashupati Temple is one of the most
important Hindu temples as well as Nepals
most sacred Hindu shrine and one of the
subcontinents greatest sites for the god
Shiva in a sprawling collection of temples,
ashrams, images and inscriptions raised
over the centuries along the banks of the
sacred Bagmati River.
Kathmandu Valley
has seven
monumental zones
with three historical
palaces within their
urban settings (the
cities of Kathmandu,
Patan and Bhaktapur),
two Hindu centres
(Pashupati and
Changu Narayan) and
two Buddhist centres
(Swayambunath and
Boudhanath).
Kathmandu, the
Nepalese capital, is
the countrys political
and commercial hub
and is an exotic and
fascinating showcase
of culture, art and
tradition. The valley in
which the cities of
Kathmandu, Patan
and Bhaktapur stand
is roughly an oval
bowl encircled by
green, terraced hills
dotted with compact
clusters of red tiled-
roofed houses.
50 kathmandu valley
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
ASIA
Bay of
Bengal
Arabian
Sea
Durbar Square of
Patan.
52 wrangell-st eli as
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias /
Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-
Alsek
Canada and USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant ecological
and biological processes; Signicant natural
habitat for biodiversity
A unique area of mountain peaks, foothills,
glacial systems, lakes, streams, valleys and
coastal landscapes make up these
spectacular parks stretching from British
Columbia and Yukon Territory in Canada
across the border to Alaska in the United
States.
The Wrangell-St Elias region has the
largest array of glaciers and ice elds
outside the polar region. These glacial
features and the high mountains of the
Wrangell-St Elias, Chugach and Kluane
ranges have resulted in the region being
called the Mountain Kingdom of North
America.
The variety of climatic zones and elevations
have produced three major biomes or
ecological areas: coastal coniferous; northern
coniferous; and alpine tundra. The great
variety of birds and wildlife, including grizzly
bears, caribou and Dalls sheep, reects this
habitat diversity. There are freshwater sh
and all ve species of Alaskan Pacic salmon
spawn in park or preserve waters.
Geologically the
mountains are part of
the Pacic mountain
system and include
the 130 km-long
Bagley ice eld, the
second-highest peak
in the USA (Mount
St Elias) and the
largest piedmont
glacier on the North
American continent
(Malaspina Glacier).
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Braided river.
World Heritage site since
everglades nati onal park 53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Everglades National Park
USA
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Signicant ecological and biological processes;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
Everglades National Park, pictured below,
on the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula
has been called a river of grass owing
imperceptibly from the hinterland into the
sea. Its exceptional variety of water habitats
has made it a sanctuary for large numbers
of birds and reptiles, including threatened
species such as the manatee.
The park lies at the interface between
temperate and subtropical America,
between fresh and brackish water and
between shallow bays and deeper coastal
waters. Consequently it hosts a complex of
habitats supporting a high diversity of ora
and fauna including many endemic to this
area.
The Everglades protect 800 species of land
and water vertebrates, over 400 bird species
and sixty known species of reptile,
amphibian and insect. Over 275 species of
sh mostly inhabit the marine and estuarine
waters and there are great numbers of
economically valuable crustaceans.
The vegetation and
ora of south Florida
have long fascinated
scientists and
naturalists and were a
primary reason for the
establishment of the
park.
Hammocks or tree
islands are dominated
by tropical and
temperate hardwood
species. The most
important trees are
mangroves, taxa, slash
pine and cypress.
Prairies can be
dominated by sawgrass,
muhley grass, or
cordgrass in coastal
areas.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Grand Canyon National Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant ecological and
biological processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Grand Canyon, carved nearly 1,500 m
deep into the rock by the Colorado River, is
the most spectacular gorge in the world. Its
horizontal strata retrace the geological
history of the past two billion years as it cuts
across the Grand Canyon National Park. It
also contains prehistoric traces of human
adaptation to a particularly harsh
environment.
The Grand Canyon dominates the national
park, which was created in 1919 by an act of
Congress and was one of the rst national
parks in the United States. The steep,
twisting gorge, 1.5 km deep and 445.8 km
long, was formed during some 6 million
years of geological activity and erosion by
the Colorado River on the raised Earths
crust (2.5 km above sea level). The gorge,
which ranges from 200 m30 km wide,
divides the park into the North Rim and
South Rim: the buttes, spires, mesas and
temples in the canyon are in fact mountains,
looked down upon from the rims.
Erosion is ongoing and seasonal and
permanent rivers produce impressive
waterfalls and rapids of washed-down
boulders along the length of the canyon and
its tributaries. The horizontal geological
strata that erosion has exposed span some
2,000 million years of geological history,
providing evidence of the four major
geological eras: early and late Precambrian,
Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic.
The canyon is also a vast biological
museum in which there are ve different life
and vegetation zones. Over 1,000 plant
species have so far been identied including
several ofcially listed as threatened. The
park is also home to 76 mammal, 299 bird
and 41 reptile and amphibian species, and
some 16 sh species inhabit the Colorado
River and its tributaries.
Archaeological remains show the
adaptation of human societies to the areas
severe climate and landscape, with evidence
of settlement. The park contains more than
2,600 documented prehistoric ruins,
including evidence of Archaic cultures (the
earliest known inhabitants), Cohonina
Indians along the South Rim, and Anasazi
Indians on both the South Rim, North Rim,
and within the Inner Canyon. Hualapai and
Havasupai Indians moved into the canyons
at this time, remaining undisturbed until the
arrival of the Anglo-Americans in 1860.
Low sunlight helps to
reveal the canyons
horizontal strata.
The Grand Canyon
area was rst
protected in 1893 as a
forest reserve in which
mining, lumbering
and hunting
continued to be
allowed. It was
upgraded to a game
reserve in 1906, giving
protection to the
wildlife, and
redesignated a
National Monument
in 1908.
Altitudinal range
provides a variety of
climates and habitats,
ranging from desert
to mountain
conditions.
Fossil remains found
in the park include
early plants, marine
and terrestrial
specimens, early
reptiles and some
mammals.
54 grand canyon nati onal park
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
56 abu si mbel to phi lae
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Nubian Monuments from
Abu Simbel to Philae
Egypt
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
This part of southern Egypt, extending from
Aswan to the Sudanese border, is an area of
outstanding archaeological importance
containing magnicent ancient
monuments, including the temples of the
Pharaoh Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the
Sanctuary of Isis at Philae.
Built by Ramses at Abu Simbel in Nubia to
reafrm the Egyptian Empires ownership of
what was then its southern neighbour, the
Great Temple has four colossal statues of the
pharaoh carved into the rock and fastened to
the cliff wall. Nearby is the Little Temple,
dedicated to the Goddess Hathor in
memory of the pharaohs wife Queen
Nefertari.
In the 1960s the sites faced inundation by
the river Nile as a consequence of the
construction of the Aswan High Dam.
UNESCO launched a successful
international campaign to save the temples,
which led to their removal to higher ground.
In addition the site includes the
temples of Amada, Derr, Ouadi Es
Sebouah, Dakka, Maharraqah,
Talmis and Beit el Ouali and the
Kiosk of ak-Kartassi.
West colonnade of the Sanctuary of
Isis at Philae.
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
Interior of the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel.
World Heritage site since
pli tvi ce lakes nati onal park 57
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Croatia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant ecological
and biological processes
Plitvice Lakes National Park contains a
series of outstandingly beautiful lakes, caves
and waterfalls. There are approximately
twenty interlinked lakes between Mala
Kapela Mountain and Pljesevica Mountain.
The parks features were formed over
thousands of years by the waters owing
over the limestone and chalk and depositing
barriers of travertine rock, in the process
creating natural dams; these in turn created
the lakes, caves and waterfalls. These
geological processes continue today.
Varying altitudes and soils support a
variety of plants. The dense forests of the
park are rich in wildlife and are home to
brown bears, wolves and many rare bird
species. Archaeological remains show
evidence of human settlement by an Illyrian
tribe dating from 1000 BC.
To preserve the natural characteristics of
the lakes, the park was extended in 2000,
taking in more of the areas drainage system.
The lake system is
divided into the upper
and lower lakes. The
upper lakes lie in a
dolomite valley
surrounded by thick
forests and interlinked
by numerous
waterfalls. The lower
lakes, smaller and
shallower, lie on the
limestone bedrock and
are surrounded only by
sparse underbrush.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Mont-Saint-Michel
and its Bay
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most
important sites of medieval Christian
civilization. The Gothic-style Benedictine
abbey dedicated to the archangel Saint
Michel and the village that grew up in the
shadow of its great walls are together
known as the Wonder of the West. It is
unequalled, as much because of the
coexistence of the abbey and its fortied
village within the conned limits of a small
island, as for the originality of the placement
of the buildings which give Mont-Saint-
Michel its unforgettable silhouette. Built
between the eleventh and sixteenth
centuries, the abbey is a technical and
artistic tour de force, having adapted to the
problems posed by its unique position and
site: perched on a rocky islet in the midst of
vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides
between Normandy and Brittany. Mont-
Saint-Michel forms an architectural
complex of great originality, built by
successive restructurings and additions
throughout the Middle Ages.
In 966 Benedictine monks from
St Wandrille founded the monastery of
Saint-Michel-au-Pril-de-la-Mer on a
granite tidal island in the bay of Mont-Saint-
Michel. A sanctuary dedicated to Saint
Michel had already existed on this location
for a long time. The oldest part of the
present abbey, the small pre-Romanesque
church of Notre-Dame-sous-Terre,
undoubtedly dates back to the tenth
century. There are Romanesque inuences
in the nave of abbey church and in a group
of convent buildings, including the
chaplains residence and the covered gallery
of the monks, dating from the twelfth
century.
However it was the architectural advances
of the later medieval Gothic period that
allowed the islands restricted area to be
used to best advantage, in the high walls,
soaring masses and airy pinnacles which so
harmoniously crown the sharp silhouette of
the rock. The new group of Romanesque
convent buildings that were built from 1204,
merit the name Merveille (Marvel) for the
elegance of their conception. They comprise
the chaplains residence of the twelfth
century; the celebrated rooms known as
Salles des Htes and des Chevaliers, with rib
vaults that spring from the central
colonnades; and, on the uppermost oor
beside the refectory, the cloister, which is
open on one side to the sea.
This small rock
outcrop, 900 m in
circumference at its
base and 80 m at its
peak, stands about
2 km off the coast on
sandy ground that is
exposed at low tide.
Its exceptional
situation between land
and sea has
determined the
establishment and
development of Mont-
Saint-Michel, and the
practical and aesthetic
solutions to the
challenges of its
natural environment.
The abbey dominates
and is controlled by a
tiny village clinging to
the foot of the mount.
58 mont-sai nt-mi chel
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar
Region
Ethiopia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The fortress-city of Fasil Ghebbi is an
outstanding testimony of the modern
Ethiopian civilisation on the northern plateau
of Tana. In the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, this was the residence of the
Ethiopian emperor Fasilides and his
successors. Surrounded by a 900-m-long
wall, the city contains palaces, churches,
monasteries and unique public and private
buildings marked by Hindu and Arab
influences, subsequently transformed by the
Baroque style brought to Gondar by the
Jesuit missionaries. Beyond the confines of
the city is a fine bathing palace, a two-
storeyed battlemented structure situated
beside a rectangular pool of water which was
supplied by a canal from the nearby river. It
was reached by a stone bridge, part of which
could be raised for defence.
The main castle, which
stands today
in a grassy compound
surrounded by later
fortresses, was built
in the late 1630s
and early 1640s.
With its huge towers
and looming
battlemented walls, it
resembles a piece of
medieval Europe
transposed to
Ethiopia.
60 fasi l ghebbi | boyana church
World Heritage site since
Boyana Church
Bulgaria
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Located on the outskirts of Sofia, Boyana
Church consists of three buildings. The
eastern church was built in the tenth
century, then enlarged at the beginning of
the thirteenth century by Sebastocrator
Kaloyan, who ordered a second two-storey
building to be erected next to it. The
frescoes in this second church, painted in
1259, make it one of the most important
collections of medieval paintings. The
ensemble is completed by a third church,
built at the beginning of the nineteenth
century. This site is one of the most
complete and perfectly preserved
monuments of east European medieval art.
Boyanas frescoes are
an early example of
the icon-painting style
which strongly
inuenced the
Tirnovo artistic
school. The icon-style
murals that became
widespread in the
Serbian, Russian and
Mount Athos (Greece)
monasteries during
the fourteenth to
sixteenth centuries
are closely related to
this innovation.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian Ocean
EUROPE
Black Sea
Belovezhskaya Pushcha /
Biaowiez
.
a Forest
Belarus and Poland
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
The Biaowiez
.
a Primeval Forest dates back
to 8000 BC and is the only remaining
example of the original forests which once
covered much of Europe. Located on the
watershed of the Baltic and Black seas, this
immense forest range consisting of
evergreens and broadleaved trees is the
home of some remarkable animal life,
including rare mammals such as the wolf,
the lynx and the otter, as well as some
300 European Bison, a species which was
reintroduced into the park in 1929. The
birdlife includes corncrake, white-tailed
eagle, white stork, peregrine falcon and
eagle owl. Biaowiez
.
a National Park
comprises about one-tenth of the entire
forest. It is the oldest national park in Poland
and one of the oldest in Europe.
Almost 90 per cent of
the Biaowiez
.
a
National Park is
covered with old
growth virgin stands
of mixed broadleaved
and conifer forests.
Over 900 vascular
plant species have
been recorded,
including 26 tree and
138 shrub species.
Almost two-thirds are
indigenous.
World Heritage site since
bi aowi e|a forest 61
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Palace and Park of
Versailles
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Heritage associated with events of
universal signicance
The Palace of Versailles, built and
embellished by several generations of the
foremost French architects, sculptors,
decorators and landscape architects, was
one of the largest royal palaces in the world
and provided the model of the ideal royal
residence for over a century. The prestigious
ensemble of the palace, the Trianons and the
Park of Versailles is the result of a century
and a half of works commissioned by the
kings of France and entrusted to their
greatest artists. Versailles was the principal
residence of the French kings from Louis
XIV to Louis XVI (from 16821789) and
became both the source and symbol of
absolute royal power during the Ancien
Rgime.
Versailles was originally a small village
some 20 km southwest of Paris, set in a
wooded region chosen by Louis XIII as his
personal hunting preserve. The modest
brick and stone chteau that the king
ordered built here in 1623 was two
storeys tall and surrounded by a moat.
Enlargements followed but the strongest
imprint was left by Louis XIIIs son, Louis
XIV. Under the direction of Louis Le Vau, the
kings architect, a programme of expansion
and new building began in the 1660s. The
decoration of the palace interior was
supervised by the painter Charles Le Brun
who, with teams of painters, decorators and
craftsmen, created a remarkable complex of
frescoes, marbles, stuccoes, gilded bronzes,
fabrics, furniture and accessories in the
palace halls.
After 1678 Versailles was considerably
enlarged and radically modied by
Jules Hardouin Mansart. He successfully
introduced a sober and colossal
architecture, homogeneous and majestic,
that is inseparable even today from the
memory of the Sun King, Louis XIV. It was
during this phase of building that the palace
developed the appearance that is
recognizable now.
The gardens, which complete the palace,
developed along with the general
construction. They were designed by
Andr Le Ntre, who was responsible for the
creation of the typology of the French
garden, an open system of axial paths
extending as far as the eye can see,
punctuated geometrically by parterres of
owers and low hedges, little streams, large
ponds and fountains.
The Palace of
Versailles.
The Orangerie and
the Grand Trianon are
the work of Jules
Hardouin Mansart,
who was assisted by
Robert de Cotte in the
construction of the
Royal Chapel, a
masterpiece of French
Baroque.
The creations at
Versailles during the
eighteenth century
are among the most
perfect and most
celebrated
realizations of the
Louis XV and Louis
XVI styles: the Petit
Trianon by Jacques-
Ange Gabriel (1751),
the decoration of the
apartments of Louis
XV by Verbeck and
Rousseau, and the
apartments and the
Hameau of Marie-
Antoinette by Mique.
62 versai lles
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Independence Hall
USA
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal signicance
Independence Hall in Philadelphia may be
considered the birthplace of the United
States of America: it was here that the
Declaration of Independence was signed in
1776, the Articles of Confederation uniting
the thirteen colonies were ratied in 1781,
and the Constitution setting out the nations
basic laws was adopted in 1787, after George
Washington had presided over the debate,
which ran from May to September. The
universal principles of freedom and
democracy set forth in these documents are
of fundamental importance to American
history and have also had a profound impact
on law-makers around the world. The
building has undergone many restorations,
notably by Greek revival architect John
Haviland in 1830, and by a committee from
the National Park Service in 1950, returning
it to its 1776 appearance.
The building, nished in
1753, is a modest brick
structure with a steeple
that was intended to
hold a 943 kg bell. The
bell has however
cracked twice and
stands silently on the
ground in a special
shelter. A reproduction
now hangs in the
steeple.
64 i ndependence hall
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
chartres cathedral 65
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Chartres Cathedral
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Signicance in human history
Partly built, starting in 1145, and then
reconstructed over a 26-year period after the
re of 1194, Chartres Cathedral marks the
high point of French Gothic art. It is a place
of pilgrimage, attracting throngs from all
over the Christianized West. The cathedral,
with its vast nave in pure ogival style, its
porches adorned with ne sculptures from
the mid-twelfth century, and the magnicent
twelfth and thirteenth-century stained-glass
windows, all in remarkable condition,
combine to make it a masterpiece. Chartres
Cathedral has exerted a considerable
inuence on the development of Gothic art
both within and outside France. The
fundamental design of the building was
imitated at Cologne (Germany), Westminster
(United Kingdom) and Len (Spain).
Chartres Cathedral
has retained in near
totality its original
stained-glass windows.
The 55 lower windows
are made up of large
compartmentalized
glass medallions in
which are inscribed
scenes of narrative
cycles, while large
gures, intended to be
viewed from a distance,
ll the 91 upper
windows: in total there
are 1,359 subjects
ranged over
146 windows.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Vzelay, Church and Hill
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
The twelfth-century monastic church of the
Madeleine of Vzelay is a masterpiece of
Burgundian Romanesque art and
architecture. Believed to be the resting
place of the relics of St Mary Magdalene,
it has also been an important place of
pilgrimage since medieval times. The hill
of Vzelay was a site of devotion where
medieval Christian spirituality produced an
outowing of expression, from prayer and
the epic poem to the Crusades for which it
was an important backdrop.
Established in the ninth century as a
Benedictine abbey on the hill at Vzelay, the
church came to prominence in the mid-
eleventh century when the belief spread that
it held the relics of St Mary Magdalene, the
penitent. Consequently Vzelay became a
popular pilgrimage destination, all the more
frequented because of its situation on one
of the routes leading to the great
pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela
in northwest Spain. The afux of pilgrims
proted the town, which during the twelfth
century had 8,00010,000 inhabitants, a
considerable population for the period.
Vzelay became a centre of great
importance in the Christian west. On Easter
Sunday in 1146 it hosted the assembly called
to celebrate the departure of the Second
Crusade and St Bernard preached to King
Louis VII, Queen Eleanor and a host of
nobles, prelates and people gathered on the
hill. In 1190 the kings of France and
England, Philippe II and Richard I, the
Lionheart, united their armies at Vzelay and
left together for the Third Crusade. In 1217
Francis of Assisi chose the hill of Vzelay to
found the rst Franciscan establishment on
French soil; and Louis IX of France, King
Saint-Louis, who was especially devoted to
the Madeleine of Vzelay, visited on four
separate occasions.
With its sculpted capitals and portal, the
superb church remains the most striking
witness to this illustrious history. In
particular, it was the sculpted portal
between the nave and the narthex, its
enclosed porch, that brought universal
renown to Vzelay. The central tympanum
above the doorway bears the Mission of the
Apostles, an allegorical reference to the
importance of the Crusades. The breadth
and the complexity of the subject were
well-matched by the inventiveness and
passion of its sculptor who has produced
one of the major monuments of Western
Romanesque art.
Basilica of
St Magdalene.
The origins of Vzelay
are linked with the
memory of a knight
around whom a
legend had grown up.
Around AD 860 Girart
de Roussillon, the
hero of the epic poem
which bears his name,
founded a monastery
on the banks of the
Cure together with his
wife, Berthe. Ravaged
some years later by
the Normans, the
establishment, a
Benedictine abbey,
was rebuilt on the
summit of a
neighbouring hill, the
site of its present
location.
66 vzelay, church and hi ll
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
68 persepoli s
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Persepolis
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
The magnicent ruins of Persepolis lie at the
foot of Kuh-i-Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy),
about 650 km south of the present capital
city of Teheran. Founded by Darius I in
518 BC, Persepolis was the capital of the
Achaemenid Empire. It was built on an
immense half-articial, half-natural terrace,
where an impressive palace complex was
constructed, inspired by Mesopotamian
models. It seems that Darius planned this
impressive complex not only as the seat of
government but also, and primarily, as a
show place and a spectacular centre for the
receptions and festivals of the Achaemenid
kings and their empire. What remains today,
dominating the city, is the immense stone
terrace (530 m by 330 m), backed against the
mountains. The importance and quality of
the monumental ruins make it a unique
archaeological site.
According to Plutarch,
the Greeks carried
away the Persepolis
treasures on 20,000
mules and 5,000
camels.
Persepolis was the
example par excellence
of the dynastic city, the
symbol of the
Achaemenid dynasty,
which is why it was
burned by the Greeks
of Alexander the Great
in 330 BC.
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Madara Rider
Bulgaria
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Madara Rider is a majestic horseman
carved 23 m above ground level in an almost
vertical 100 m high cliff. The horseman is
thrusting a spear into a lion lying at his
horses feet, while a dog runs after the
horseman. Madara was the principal sacred
place of the First Bulgarian Empire before
Bulgarias conversion to Christianity in the
ninth century. The Madara Horseman was
carved at the very beginning of the eighth
century, about three decades after the
foundation of the Bulgarian State in AD 681.
The sculpture thus marks a triumph: the
Byzantine Empire had recognised the new
state. The relief is not an abstract artistic
scene but a powerful symbolic
representation of a specific historical and
cultural transition.
In creating these
remarkable gures,
rst the sculptor
outlined the images
with a 1.5 cm wide and
2 cm deep groove in
the rock. Then he
hewed out the
surrounding surface
so that the gures
project from it. Finally
he covered the gures
in red plaster to
outline them even
more clearly against
the rock.
Rock-Hewn Churches of
Ivanovo
Bulgaria
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
This remarkable complex of rock-hewn
churches, chapels, monasteries and cells lies
in the valley of the Roussenski Lom River,
near the village of Ivanovo. The first hermits
dug out small cells and churches here
during the twelfth century. Then, in the
thirteenth century, Bulgaria once again
embraced Orthodox Christianity. The first
Patriarch was the monk Gioacchino, who
shared with Tsar Ivan Ansen II the plan to
expand the Bulgarian church. Before taking
over the Patriarchal throne he had lived as a
hermit in one of the Ivanovo caves, and the
monk achieved such a high level of sanctity
that the Tsar commissioned him to
construct a larger monastery at the site,
which greatly enhanced the Tsars image
as a merciful monarch.
After 1396, the
monastery of Ivanovo
fell into ruins and was
abandoned. The solid
limestone out of
which it was carved
enabled it to resist the
weather, saving its
remarkable labyrinth
of cells, rooms,
churches and frescoes
to this day. The
fourteenth-century
murals testify to the
exceptional skill of the
artists belonging to
the Tarnovo School of
painting.
madara ri der | i vanovo 69
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
EUROPE
Black Sea
EUROPE
Black Sea
Memphis and its
Necropolis the Pyramid
Fields from Giza to Dahshur
Egypt
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with events
of universal signicance
The capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt in
the third millennium BC, Memphis was one
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The area of pyramid elds that served as the
its necropolis contains a number of
exceptional monuments that bear witness
to the status of Ancient Egypt as one of the
most brilliant civilizations of this planet.
The rst sovereign of the unied Egyptian
kingdom, Menes (or Narmer), was said to
have ordered the construction of a new
capital in the Nile Delta area around 3100 BC.
It was from Menes that the name of
Mennufer (City of Menes) came. The temple
of Ptah built there was the most important
sanctuary dedicated to this primary god of
Creative Force, and its ruins are all that
survive today of the grandeur of Memphis,
as it was known to the ancient Greeks.
Nearby Saqqara was the necropolis of the
city and the largest in the land, and it is the
site of the rst great stone pyramid. The
pyramid was built as a mausoleum for the
pharaoh Djoser, founder of the Third
Dynasty, who ruled from around 2668 BC.
Designed by his architect and vizier,
Imhotep, it is the oldest step pyramid in the
world. It stands in a funerary complex
enclosed by a 10-m-high wall.
To the south lies the necropolis of
Dahshur. The founder of the Fourth
Dynasty, Snefru, who reigned from around
2613 BC, built here. During his twenty-nine
year reign he transformed the structure of
Egyptian royal tombs: he chose the now
familiar pyramid shape with a square base.
He built both the Red Pyramid, named after
its reddish-coloured limestone, and the
Rhomboid (or Bent) Pyramid, with its
double-angled slope on each of the four
faces; this was apparently an intermediate
form. Another innovation of Snefru was the
construction of an annex within the
pyramid.
To the north, the great pyramids of Giza
were built by Snefrus son Khufu or Cheops,
and his successors Khafre (Chephren) and
Menkaure (Mycerinus). The Horizon of
Cheops was the name given to the
Pharaohs tomb, the oldest and largest. The
other two pyramids were known in antiquity
as Great is Chepren and Divine is
Mycerinus respectively. Each tomb forms
part of the classic funerary complex rst
built by Snefru.
The Great Sphinx of
Giza and the Pyramid
of Khafre (Chephren).
The necropolis of
Saqqara dates back to
the period of the
formation of the
pharaonic civilization.
At Giza the solar
barge, one of the
oldest boats preserved
today, was discovered
intact in the complex
around the pyramid of
Cheops.
The pyramid is a
symbol of the Sun, the
great god Ra, whose
cult became pre-
eminent from the
Fourth Dynasty; the
Pyramid Texts, found
in the funerary
chambers of the
tombs dating from
the end of the Old
Kingdom, speak of the
transformation of the
dead king into the
Sun.
70 memphi s
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
Medina of Tunis
Tunisia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
The Medina of Tunis has exerted an
outstanding inuence on the development
of architecture, sculpture and urban
planning. This group of buildings is rare, as
most historic Islamic centres have suffered
serious destruction and reconstruction over
the centuries, whereas Tunis still preserves
its homogeneity. The Medina of Tunis
extends over 2.7 km
2
and includes most of
the 700 historic monuments of the city,
including palaces, mosques, mausoleums
and fountains. It is divided between the
central core, which still bears traces from the
period of its foundation (the eighth century),
and two quarters dating back to the
thirteenth century. Today the medina is still
inhabited, but by only a small percentage of
the citys total population.
The medina is where the
main mosque of Tunis,
Zitouna, is located. Its
name means olive tree,
and comes from the
mosques founder who
taught the Koran under
an olive tree. It was rst
erected in the ninth
century by the Aghlabid
rulers, but its most
famous part, the
minaret is a nineteenth-
century addition.
72 medi na of tuni s
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
World Heritage site since
anti gua guatemala 73
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1978
.
1979
Antigua Guatemala
Guatemala
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
Antigua Guatemala is an outstanding
example of preserved colonial architecture.
Built 1,500 m above sea level in an
earthquake-prone region, Antigua, the capital
of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was
founded in the early sixteenth century as
Santiago de Guatemala. It was the seat of
Spanish colonial government for the
Kingdom of Guatemala, which included
much of present-day Central America. It was
also the cultural, economic, religious and
educational centre for the entire region
until the capital was moved to present-day
Guatemala City after the damaging
earthquakes of 1773. In the space of under
three centuries the city, which was built on
a grid pattern inspired by the Italian
Renaissance, acquired a number of superb
monuments, many of which are preserved
today as ruins.
Much of Antiguas
architecture today
dates from the
seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries
and provides us with
a colonial jewel in the
Americas.
The Church of our
Lady of Mercy in
Antigua Guatemala.
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Ancient Thebes with its
Necropolis
Egypt
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
Thebes was the capital of Egypt at the
height of its greatest power and
magnicence, the Middle and New
Kingdoms that lasted over a thousand years
from around 21341070 BC. It contains the
nest relics of ancient Egyptian history, art
and religion. With the temples and palaces
at Karnak and Luxor and, across the river, the
necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and
the Valley of the Queens, Thebes is a striking
testimony to Egyptian civilization at its
height.
Hundreds of rulers gloried the city with
architecture, obelisks and sculpture. Thebes
of the Living, on the right bank of the Nile, is
identiable in the fabulous site of Luxor and
Karnak, and temples built here were
dedicated to the divine triad of Montu,
Amon and Mut. The celebration of death
took shape in the necropolis of Thebes of
the Dead on the Niles left bank.
From the Middle Kingdom to the rst
century AD the city was sacred to the god
Amon, the supreme Sun God, and temples
of incomparable splendour and size were
dedicated to him. The temple of Luxor, built
by Amenophis III and Ramses II, was
connected to the enormous sanctuary of
Karnak by a long processional avenue lined
by sphinxes leading to its entrance. The
monumental Karnak complex is composed
of three temples: one consecrated to Mut,
mother goddess of Egypt and wife of Amon;
one to the warrior god Montu; and one to
Amon.
On the opposite bank of the river Thebes
of the Dead grew for almost fteen
centuries. Great funerary temples were built
at the foot of the hills, entirely separate from
their corresponding tombs which were dug
into the mountains to keep them safe from
violation and tomb robbers. To the north
were erected the Temple of Deir el-Bahari,
built by Queen Hatshepsut, dedicated to
Amon-Re (one of the identities of Amon),
and the temple consecrated to Hathor, the
goddess of sweetness and joy who was
venerated in the form of a cow.
The colossi of Memnon, massive twin
statues of Amenhotep III facing eastwards
over the river Nile, and the magnicent
frescoes within the tombs are much
admired by visitors to the site.
The Great Hypostyle
Hall of Columns in
the Temple of Amun
at the Karnak Temple
Complex. There are
134 columns,
resembling papyrus
stalks, in 16 rows.
Each column is covered
in hieroglyphics or
battle scenes.
The tombs of the
pharaohs and of their
dignitaries, priests
and princesses are
hidden in the bowels
of the mountains of
Thebes of the Dead
and form the great
cemeteries of al-
Asasif, al-Khokha,
Qurnet Mura, Deir al-
Medina, the Valley of
the Kings and the
Valley of the Queens.
Among the
underground tombs
of the Valley of Kings,
the British explorers
Howard Carter and
Lord Carnarvon found
in 1922 a small tomb
that soon became the
most renowned in
Egypt, that of the
young pharaoh
Tutankhamun.
74 anci ent thebes
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
Rock Drawings in
Valcamonica
Italy
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Valcamonica, situated in the Lombardy
plain, has one of the worlds greatest
collections of prehistoric petroglyphs
more than 140,000 symbols and figures
carved in the rock over a period of 8,000
years, depicting themes connected with
agriculture, navigation, war and magic.
Several periods of carving can be identified:
Upper Palaeolithic (c. 8000 BC), with scenes
depicting hunting and early civilisation;
Neolithic (40003000 BC), in which the first
depictions of a religious nature appear; and
Eneolithic (30002000 BC), with highly
detailed hunting and rural scenes and
scenes depicting female initiation rituals.
After 1000 BC the isolation of the area ended
and battle scenes are carved into the rocks
as well as drawings showing huts, wagons,
harvests and weapons.
The rock engravings
of Valcamonica
constitute an
extraordinary
gurative
documentation of
prehistoric customs
and mentality. The
study of these
congurations in
stone has made a
considerable
contribution to the
elds of prehistory,
sociology and
ethnology.
76 valcamoni ca | stari ras and sopo cani
World Heritage site since
Stari Ras and Sopo cani
Serbia
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
On the outskirts of Stari Ras, the first capital
of Serbia, there is an impressive group of
medieval monuments consisting of
fortresses, churches and monasteries.
Situated on a hill at the border between the
small kingdom of Raska and the Byzantine
Empire, this city drew its strength from its
strategic location and its mixture of Eastern
and Western influences. Its many
monuments make up a single architectural
complex that testifies to the citys
architectural and cultural prime, which
lasted until the early fourteenth century. The
Church of St Peter, built in the ninth century
on the foundations of an Illyrian cemetery
and an early Christian basilica, is an example
of early Christian architecture, and was the
religious centre of Serbia for several
centuries.
The monastery of
Sopoani, was built in
1260 by King Uros I as
a family resting place.
Surmounted by a
cupola, it has
exceptional frescoes
which provide
invaluable historical
evidence about this
ancient royal lineage.
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1978
.
1979
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
World Heritage site since
ohri d regi on 77
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Natural and Cultural
Heritage of the Ohrid region
The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history;
Natural phenomena or beauty
Writing, education and Slavic culture all
spread out from Ohrid in the seventh to
nineteenth centuries. It is a cultural centre
of great importance for the history not only
of this part of the Balkan Peninsula, but for
world history and literature in general. The
city and its historic-cultural region are
located in a natural setting of exceptional
beauty, while its architecture represents the
best preserved and most complete
ensemble of ancient urban architecture of
the Slavic lands. It also has the oldest Slav
monastery, St Pantelejmon, and more than
800 Byzantine-style icons dating from the
eleventh to the fourteenth century. After
those of the Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow,
this is considered to be the most important
collection of icons in the world.
Ohrid is one of the
most ancient human
settlements in
Europe. More than
250 archaeological
sites with material
remains dating from
between the
Neolithic period and
the late Middle Ages
have been excavated.
St Pantelejmon
monastery, fully
restored in 2002.
EUROPE
ASIA
Black
Sea
Adriatic
Sea
Historic Cairo
Egypt
Criteria Human creative genius; Traditional
human settlement; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
Lying at the heart of modern, urban Cairo
lies one of the worlds oldest Islamic cities.
Cairo, which was founded in the tenth
century, was the new capital and centre of
the Islamic world, and its wealth of
architectural treasures mosques, madrasas,
palaces and caravanserais, hammams and
fountains reect its importance at that
time.
In the seventh century AD, after the death
of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of
Islam, Arab armies marched with speed to
conquer neighbouring lands. In 640 Caliph
Omar with his army reached the Nile and
founded his own capital of al-Fustat; this
was the rst capital in Egypt under Arab rule.
Over the following centuries of factional
battles for supremacy the capital was
moved, rst in 870 to al Qatai to the north
east, where the Great Mosque of Ibn-Tulun
was built. With its large courtyard
surrounded by porticoes and punctuated by
elegantly decorated arches, this mosque was
the only building of the period to survive
and remains one of the nest monuments
in historic Cairo.
In AD 969, during the Fatimid era, Cairo (al-
Qahira) was established as the capital. This
was the start of a great period of city
splendour. The present-day quarter of al-
Azhar has contemporary monuments,
including the three large gates and the
huge, square towers of the citys walls and
ve mosques. Among these, the Mosque of
al-Hakim, compact and severe, is the last
example of a military mosque. The Mosque
of al-Azhar was built between 970 and 972
under the Caliph Muizz to serve as a
sanctuary and as a meeting place; it also
housed a university which became the most
important centre for Islamic studies.
In the following centuries Egypt had
successive changes of dynasties and rulers,
including Saladin, the successful leader of
the Islamic forces in the Third Crusade of
11891192, who constructed the Citadel
which remained the heart of Egyptian
government until the nineteenth century.
Cairo thrived under the dynasty of the
Mamelukes, rulers from 12501517. In
addition to religious structures the sultans
of that time built splendid mausoleums in
the City of the Dead, the huge cemetery to
the east of the city proper, and one of a
number of cemeteries within this World
Heritage site.
In 1517, the Ottomans defeated the
Mamelukes and during their rule from the
sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries many
impressive buildings, such as the
magnicent mosque of Muhammad Ali,
were erected.
The Mosque and
Madrasa of Sultan
Hassan.
Few other cities in the
world are as rich in old
buildings: the historic
centre on the east
bank of the river Nile
includes 600 classied
monuments that date
from the seventh
century through
Cairos golden age in
the fourteenth
century, right up to
the twentieth century.
Collectively they
reect the strategic,
political, intellectual
and commercial
importance of the city.
The ancient capitals of
al-Fustat, al Qatai and
al-Qahira are included
in Historic Cairo.
78 hi stori c cai ro
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
80 el j em
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
Amphitheatre of El Jem
Tunisia
Criteria Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
The impressive ruins of the largest
colosseum in North Africa are found in the
small village of El Jem, known in classical
times as Thysdrus, located 60 km south of
Sousse. It is one of the most accomplished
examples of Roman amphitheatre
construction, approaching the status of the
Colosseum in Rome. Built during the rst
half of the third century, it may have
accommodated up to 60,000 spectators.
Elliptical in form, it is constructed from large
stone blocks and probably comprised four
oors. The theatre was never completed,
because of political rivalries and lack of
funds within the Empire. Later it served as a
stronghold: it was the last Berber bastion
against Arab invaders. Following the Roman
period, the amphitheatre was used at various
times as a citadel and was twice attacked by
cannon re.
The amphitheatre is
well preserved and little
altered, one of the last
surviving monuments of
this type from the
Roman world.
Underneath it run two
passageways, in which
animals, prisoners and
gladiators were kept
until the moment when
they were brought up
into the bright daylight
to perform what was in
most cases the last
show of their lives.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
World Heritage site since
urnes stave church 81
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1978
.
1979
Urnes Stave Church
Norway
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The wooden stave church of Urnes, built in
the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, is an
outstanding example of traditional
Scandinavian wooden architecture. It brings
together traces of Celtic art, Viking traditions
and Romanesque architectural design. The
stave churches constitute one of the most
elaborate types of wood construction in
northern Europe. They are constructed just
from wood even the roof is covered with
wooden shingles. At Urnes, the structure
uses wood for the columns, capitals and
semicircular arches to replicate the style of
stone Romanesque architecture. On the
outside, there are outstanding panels of
eleventh-century carved strapwork taken
from an earlier stave church built here. Inside
is an amazing series of twelfth-century
gurative capitals and a wealth of medieval
liturgical objects. The embellishments of the
seventeenth century and the restoration of
19061910 preserved its authenticity.
Christianity was
introduced into
Norway by St Olav in
the eleventh century.
The stave church at
Urnes stands in a
glacial valley on the
north bank of
Sognefjord, and is the
nest example of a
medieval stave church
from around thirty
that remain in
Norway.
EUROPE
North Sea
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
Historical Complex of Split
with the Palace of Diocletian
Croatia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
The ancient city of Split is renowned for
the massive palace built at the turn of the
fourth century AD by the Roman Emperor
Diocletian. Unique in scale and
completeness, it is integrated into an array
of important medieval buildings including
the cathedral, twelfth- and thirteenth-
century Gothic palaces, and other palaces in
Renaissance and Baroque style.
In the early Middle Ages the town was built
within the palace until commercial
prosperity inspired its growth and spread
outside in the thirteenth and the fourteenth
centuries. A new centre developed along the
western walls of the palace, which was
fortied in the fourteenth century. Later, in
the seventeenth century, a new defence
system with projecting bastions was
erected.
Much of the Roman and medieval town
exists today. On the eastern side of the
palace lies the Porta Argentea (Silver Gate)
with the church of St Dominic on the
opposite side. The Silver Gate gives access
to the Plain of King Tomislav and thence to
the peristil (peristyle), the central open-air
courtyard area of the palace.
In the eastern part of the peristyle is the
Mausoleum of Diocletian (todays Cathedral
of St Dominus dedicated to St Mary); its
original octagonal form is complete and a
dome, once covered by mosaics, forms the
roof. The monumental wooden gateposts
and the stone pulpit from the thirteenth
century represent the oldest monuments in
the cathedral.
A small temple opposite the mausoleum,
probably dedicated to Jupiter, became the
baptistry in the early Middle Ages. Only the
closed part of the temple (the cella), with its
richly decorated portal, has been preserved.
Diocletian Street runs north from the
peristyle to the Porta Aurea (Golden Gate);
Agubio Palace, with a Gothic portal and
inner yard is to the left. To the right, in
Papaliceva Street, is the Papalic Palace
(fteenth century), the most important
example of Gothic architecture in Split.
Kresimir Street leads from the peristyle to
the Porta Ferrea (Iron Gate) in the west;
Cindro Palace (seventeenth century), the
citys most beautiful Baroque palace, lies on
the right. Beyond the Iron Gate is the square
Narodni Trg (Piaca), centre of the medieval
commune and the liveliest square of
modern Split. Of the original Gothic houses
at the northern end of the square, only the
Town Hall which opened in 1443 survives.
A view of the historic
complex of Split with
St Dominus Bell
Tower in the
foreground.
Diocletians Palace is
internationally
important not only for
its level of
preservation but also
for the buildings of
succeeding historical
periods within and
around it that
together form the
fabric of old Split.
Diocletian spent his
later years after his
retiral in the palace
that he built between
AD 293 and 305 near
his Dalmatian
birthplace. The most
valuable example of
Roman architecture
on the eastern
Adriatic, its form and
the arrangement of
the buildings within,
represent a
transitional style of
imperial villa,
Hellenistic town and
Roman camp.
82 spli t
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
84 kotor
World Heritage site since
Natural and Culturo-
Historical Region of Kotor
Montenegro
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
The region of Kotor has played an
exceptionally important role in the diffusion
of Mediterranean culture in the Balkans
along the southern Adriatic coast. Its art,
goldsmithing and architecture schools have
had a long-lasting inuence on the region.
Founded by the Romans, Kotor developed in
the Middle Ages into an important
commercial and artistic centre and many
empires battled for control of the city. Its
most impressive building is St Tryphon
Cathedral, built in 1166, damaged during the
1667 earthquake and then restored. Most of
Kotors palaces and houses, many
Romanesque churches and all of
neighbouring Dobrotas palaces and Perasts
main buildings have suffered from
earthquakes. Kotor was evacuated by all its
inhabitants after the most recent, on 15 April
1979. An intensive restoration programme
has now been completed and the city is
ourishing again.
This natural harbour
on the Adriatic coast
in Montenegro was an
autonomous city of
the Byzantine Empire
until the late twelfth
century, when it
became a free city of
medieval Serbia. From
1420 it was under
Venetian control and
was then occupied by
the French from
18071914.
St Tryphon Cathedral
and part of the old
town of Kotor, viewed
from above.
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1978
.
1979
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
Sagarmatha National Park
Nepal
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
This is an exceptional area with dramatic
mountains, glaciers and deep valleys,
dominated by Mount Everest (Sagarmatha),
the highest peak in the world (8,848 m), and
is the homeland of the Sherpa, with their
unique culture. The park is fan-shaped and
enclosed on all sides by high, geologically
young mountain ranges. The deeply incised
valleys cut through sedimentary rocks and
underlying granites to drain southwards into
the Dudh Kosi and its tributaries, which form
part of the Ganges River system. Most of the
park (69 per cent) comprises barren land
above 5,000 m, 28 per cent is grazing land
and about 3 per cent is forested. The low
number of mammals is almost certainly the
result of human activities. Several rare
species, such as the snow leopard and the
lesser panda, are found in the park.
There are
approximately 2,500
Sherpa people living
within the park. They
belong to the
Nyingmapa sect of
Tibetan Buddhism,
which was founded by
the revered Guru
Rimpoche who was,
according to legend,
born of a lotus in the
middle of a lake. There
are several
monasteries in the
park, the most
important being
Tengpoche.
World Heritage site since
sagarmatha nati onal park 85
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
ASIA
Bay of
Bengal
Arabian
Sea
Namche Bazar village.
Old City of Dubrovnik
Croatia
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
The Pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik was an
important Mediterranean power from the
thirteenth century. The citys self-
condence, wealth and culture are reected
in its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and
Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and
fountains, many of which are survivors of a
massive earthquake in 1667. UNESCO is
currently coordinating a major restoration
programme to restore Dubrovniks
architecture, damaged in armed conict in
the 1990s after the break-up of the
communist state of Yugoslavia, of which it
had been part.
From the citys founding in the seventh
century, it was under the control of the
Byzantine Empire. Sovereignty passed to
Venice in 1205 after the crusaders sacked
Constantinople, until 1358 when Venice
ceded control and Dubrovnik became part
of the Hungarian-Croatian kingdom. It
operated effectively as a republican free
state, reaching its peak in the fteenth and
sixteenth centuries. But an economic crisis
in Mediterranean shipping and, particularly,
a catastrophic earthquake in April 1667
destroyed the well-being of the republic.
It proved a turning point for the previously
powerful city.
Dubrovnik is a remarkably well-preserved
example of a late-medieval walled city, with a
regular street layout. Among the
outstanding medieval, Renaissance and
Baroque monuments within the magnicent
fortications and the monumental gates to
the city are the eleventh century Town Hall
(now the Rectors Palace); the Franciscan
Monastery (completed in the fourteenth
century, but now largely Baroque in
appearance) with its imposing church; the
Dominican Monastery; the cathedral (rebuilt
after the earthquake); the customs house
(Sponza); and a number of other Baroque
churches, such as that of St Blaise, the patron
saint of the city.
The original World Heritage site consisted
solely of the defences and the intra-mural
city. It was later extended to include the Pile
medieval industrial suburb, a planned
development of the fteenth century, and
the Lovrijenac Fortress, set on a cliff, which
was probably begun as early as the eleventh
century but owes its present appearance to
building work in the fteenth and sixteenth
centuries. Also included were the Lazarets,
built in the early seventeenth century to
house potential plague-carriers from abroad;
the late fteenth-century Kase moles, built to
protect the port against southeasterly gales;
and the Revelin Fortress, dating from 1449,
which was built to command the town moat
on its northern side.
The distinctive
rooftops of Dubrovnik,
many of which were
reconstructed after the
1990s armed conflict.
Dubrovnik was
founded on an island
in the seventh century
by refugees from the
Latin city of
Epidaurum, who
named their
settlement Laus (from
the Latin lausa, rock).
Dubrovniks old name
of Ragusa (or Rausa),
originated from the
name Laus. Across the
river, at the foot of Sr0
Mountain, the Slavs
later developed their
own settlement
named Dubrovnik
(from the Croatian
word dubrava, oak
woods). The two
settlements were
united in the twelfth
century when the
channel separating
them was filled in.
86 old ci ty of dubrovni k
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Tchogha Zanbil
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The ruins of the holy city of the Kingdom of
Elam, surrounded by three huge concentric
walls, are found at Tchogha Zanbil. Founded
c. 1250 BC, the city remained unfinished after it
was invaded by Ashurbanipal, as shown by the
thousands of unused bricks left at the site.
The site contains the
best preserved and the
largest of all
the ziggurats of
Mesopotamia. Today
the ziggurat is over
25 m high, but with its
last two stages (since
destroyed) it would
originally have risen to
a height of 60 m.
88 tchogha zanbi l | ti kal nati onal park
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
Tikal National Park
Guatemala
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Tikal National Park protects some 221 km
2
of rainforest and possesses a great wealth of
animal life. In the heart of this jungle lies
one of the major sites of Mayan civilization,
inhabited from the sixth century BC to the
tenth century AD. The ceremonial centre
contains superb temples and palaces, and
public squares accessed by means of ramps.
Remains of dwellings are scattered
throughout the surrounding countryside.
At its height fromAD 700800, the city
supported a population of 90,000 Mayan
Indians. There are over 3,000 separate
buildings, including religious monuments
decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions,
and tombs. The ruined city reflects the
cultural evolution of Mayan society from
hunter-gathering to farming, with an
elaborate religious, artistic and scientific
culture.
The reserve contains
the largest area of
tropical rainforest in
Guatemala and
Central America, with
a wide range of
unspoilt natural
habitats. Tikal is a
well-known site for
viewing jungle
animals, especially the
howler monkey and
the spider monkey,
large numbers of
which often
congregate around
the Mayan site.
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
warsaw 89
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Historic Centre of Warsaw
Poland
Criteria Interchange of values; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The historic centre of the Polish capital
Warsaw was almost completely rebuilt after
fighting during the Second World War
destroyed 85 per cent of the Old Town. The
city is an outstanding example of a near-
total reconstruction of a span of history
covering the thirteenth to the twentieth
centuries.
Poland was occupied by German Nazi
troops in 1939 and its capital was the scene
of two large-scale insurrections: the 1943
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of the Jewish
population; and the general Warsaw
Uprising of August 1944. After the 1944
Uprising, occupying forces systematically
destroyed the city in reprisal. From these
total ruins, between 1945 and 1966, Warsaws
historic centre was reconstructed.
Almost every building in Warsaw Old Town
is of a unique architectural style, from
Gothic to Baroque. All have been restored:
among the more famous are the market
square, city walls and Barbican as well as the
Royal Castle and numerous churches.
The reconstruction
of the city was
meticulously planned
in a five-year
programme that
began after the war.
Among the references
utilized to reconstruct
the Old Town, it is
believed that paintings
of Warsaw streetscapes
by the Italian artist
Canaletto were used.
The precise
reconstruction of
the historic centre
showcases the
restoration techniques
of the later twentieth
century.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Kanonia Square is
next toWarsaws main
square. It is triangular
in shape and contains
Warsaws narrowest
house (the yellow
house in the corner).
This was an attempt
by the seventeenth/
eighteenth century
owners to pay less
property tax (which
depended on the width
of the propertys street-
facing wall and the
number of windows
that wall had).
Maya Site of Cpan
Honduras
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The ruins of Cpan are among the most
important sites of the indigenous American
Mayan civilization, with temples, plazas and
terraces that are among the most
characteristic of any complex of Mayan
architecture and building.
There is evidence that Cpan was
inhabited from 2000 BC onwards, but its full
flourishing, along with other Mayan cities,
came in the period AD 250900, with
important advances in mathematics,
astronomy and hieroglyphic writing, as well
as major cultural developments.
Cpans ruined citadel and imposing
public squares reveal the three main stages
of city development, during which the
temples, plazas, altar complexes and ball
courts that can be seen today, evolved. For
unknown reasons the site was abandoned
shortly after AD 900.
Discovered in 1570 by the Spanish
conquistador Diego Garca de Palacio, the
ruins of Cpan were not excavated until the
nineteenth century.
Mayan civilization
developed from
around 2000 BC and
at the height of its
power in Central
America (around AD
250900), Cpan was
the largest and most
influential city in the
southeastern area.
Cpan is under threat
from river erosion,
agricultural activity
and earthquakes,
while its natural
surroundings are
being threatened by
the infringement of
the neighbouring
town of Cpan Ruins.
A Mayan temple, left,
and a carved stone
pillar, right, in the
ruins of Cpan.
90 cpan
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
.
1980
CENTRAL
AMERICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City
Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
Holy See and Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The World Heritage site in the historic centre
of Rome comprises outstanding buildings
and monuments from ancient and medieval
Roman history. These include the forums, the
Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of
Hadrian, the Pantheon (pictured below),
Trajans Column and the Column of Marcus
Aurelius, and the religious and public
buildings of papal Rome.
The 1929 Lateran Treaty between Italy and
the Holy See that established Vatican City
State also confirmed that some properties
termed extraterritorial and situated on
Italian soil would remain the property of the
Holy See. Those extraterritorial properties
comprise a series of unique artistic
achievements: Santa Maria Maggiore,
St John Lateran and St Paul Outside the
Walls. All were architecturally and artistically
influential in the Christian world for
centuries. Also included are several
remarkable palaces: the Cancelleria, the
Palazzo Maffei, the Palazzo di San Callisto
and the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide.
Founded, according
to legend, by Romulus
and Remus in 753 BC,
Rome was rst the
centre of the Roman
Republic, then of the
Roman Empire, and
from the fourth
century the capital of
the Christian world.
In 1990 the World
Heritage site in Rome
was extended out to
the seventeenth-
century city walls built
by Pope Urban VIII.
92 rome
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
.
1980
EUROPE
Tyrrhenian Sea
Adriatic
Sea
The Pantheon is one of
the best preserved
ancient Roman
buildings. The original
Pantheon was built in
c. 27 BC by Agrippa but
was destroyed in AD 80
by re. The current
building dates from
c. AD 125 during
Emperor Hadrians
reign.
City of Valletta
Malta
Criteria Human creative genius; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Valletta is inextricably linked to the military,
charitable and religious Order of St John of
Jerusalem, the Knights Hospitaller. The
Knights were based in Malta from 1530 to
1798 and left a strong mark, bequeathing the
capital with a grid of broad, straight streets
lined with hundreds of well-planned
monuments. The result is that at a total size
of just 0.5 km
2
, Valletta is one of the most
concentrated historic areas in the world.
The citys design is late Renaissance with
a grid-based street layout, fortified and
bastioned walls modelled around its
peninsular site, and the planned building of
great monuments in well-chosen locations.
Churches and palaces, museums and
theatres, gardens and piazzas retain their
original features almost completely.
Remarkably, the city has undergone no
important modifications since 1798, when
the Knights left.
The three islands of
Malta were long
fought over for their
perceived strategic
importance in the
Mediterranean and
were held successively
by Phoenicians,
Greeks, Carthaginians,
Romans, Byzantines,
Arabs, and the Order
of the Knights of St
John, who ruled for
over two centuries.
Valletta, Malta.
World Heritage site since
valletta 93
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
EUROPE
AFRICA Mediterranean Sea
Asante Traditional
Buildings
Ghana
Criteria Traditional human settlement
To the northeast of Kumasi, these buildings
are the last material remains of the great
Asante civilization, which reached its high
point in the eighteenth century. Since the
dwellings are made of earth, wood and
straw, they are vulnerable to the onslaught
of time and weather. There exist today only a
few of the traditional homes and temples, of
which the majority are less than 100 years
old. These are constructed with a framework
of poles and wooden imposts linked by
bamboo slats which support the thatched
roof. The floor is of puddled clay. The main
faade is built of earth over a core of wood
and has a balustrade, imposts and
sometimes windows. The decoration
consists of geometric, floral, animal or
anthropomorphic motifs.
The majority of the
Asante villages were
destroyed during the
nineteenth century in
the wars undertaken
by these people
against British
domination between
1806 and 1901. The
royal mausoleum
(Barem) was burned
by Baden-Powell in
1895.
94 asante | garamba nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Garamba National Park
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The parks immense savannas, grasslands
and woodlands, interspersed with gallery
forests along the river banks and the
swampy depressions, are home to flagship
species such as the Northern white
rhinoceros and the Congo giraffe, which are
found nowhere else. High concentrations of
elephants are also found here.
Lying on the
watershed between
the river Nile and the
river Congo the park
is a vast undulating
plateau broken up by
inselbergs (generally
of granitic formation)
and sizeable
marshland
depressions.
Hippos in the
maternit pool in
Garamba National
Park.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
.
1980
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
santa mari a delle grazi e 95
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
.
1980
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values
The fifteenth-century Renaissance Church
and Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in
Milan, pictured below, is a striking
monument in itself, made all the more
remarkable by bearing on the fabric of a wall
one of the supreme art masterpieces: The
Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.
Da Vinci was commissioned in 1495 to paint
a mural on the north wall of the refectory and
finished work in 1497. The painting depicts
the moment in the Gospel of John 13:21
immediately after Jesus says, One of you will
betray me. In composition, perspective and
execution the painting broke with tradition
and heralded a new era in the history of art.
It was not technically a fresco in that
Leonardo worked on dry plaster, sealing the
wall and painting in tempera. Within years
the painting began to deteriorate and
repeated conservation has been carried out.
Within the building,
the genius of
Leonardo da Vinci is
seen especially in the
use of light and
strong perspective.
The three windows
and the landscape
beyond create a
luminosity that, set
against the backlight,
illuminates the
characters from the
side as well. The result
is a combination of
particularly classical
Florentine and
chiaroscuro
perspectives.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
96 malta
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Megalithic Temples of
Malta
Malta
Criteria Significance in human history
The seven megalithic temples that make up
this World Heritage site on Malta and Gozo
are outstanding examples of structures that
represent a major development in culture,
art and technology. All date from the third
millennium BC and each is the result of an
individual development, differing from the
others in plan, execution and construction
techniques.
The two temples of Ggantija on the island
of Gozo are notable for their gigantic
Bronze Age structures. On Malta, the
temples of Hagar Qim, Mnajdra and Tarxien
are unique architectural masterpieces, given
the limited resources available to their
builders. The TaHagrat and Skorba
complexes show how the tradition of
temple-building was handed down in Malta.
Each one is remarkable for diversity of form
and decoration.
Professor Lord Renfrew,
a leading prehistorian,
described the megalithic
temples of Malta and
Gozo as the oldest free-
standing monuments in
the world. They are also
remarkable for their
diversity of form and
decoration.
The elaborate rituals to
which the temples are
testimony are a
remarkable
manifestation of the
human spirit, especially
on a remote island at
such an early date.
EUROPE
AFRICA Mediterranean Sea
Section of the Temple of Hagar Qim.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
A vast area of primary tropical forest
dominated by two spectacular mountains,
Kahuzi (3,308 m) and Biega (2,790 m), the
park has a diverse and abundant fauna. It
consists of a smaller sector on the eastern
side, covering part of the Mitumba
Mountains, and a larger western sector in
the central Congo basin. The two zones are
connected by a narrow corridor. The western
zone is forested by equatorial rainforest,
with transition forest between 1,200 m and
1,500 m. In the eastern zone, six different
primary vegetation types have been
distinguished. The park was established to
protect 200300 eastern lowland (Grauers)
gorilla occurring mainly in the forests at
2,1002,400 m, but also in the lower
rainforest.
The parks mosaic of
biotypes makes it an
excellent gorilla
habitat, but it is also
home to other
primates including
eastern chimpanzee,
and numerous
Cercopithecinae and
Colobinae. Other
mammals include
elephant, forest hog
and many antelope
and duiker.
Ichkeul National Park
Tunisia
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Ichkeul lake and wetland are a major
stopover point for hundreds of thousands of
migrating birds, such as ducks, geese, storks
and pink flamingos, who come to feed and
nest there. Ichkeul is the last remaining lake
in a chain that once extended across North
Africa. Due to increased salinity in the lake
and marshes, conservation efforts in recent
years, including a high-quality scientific
monitoring programme, have resulted in
improved water quality, leading toward the
restoration of vegetation critical to the
functioning of the ecosystem, the gradual
return of wintering and breeding birds, and
the recovery of fish populations.
Ichkeul National Park
consists of an isolated
and wooded massif,
Djebel Ichkeul, and a
brackish permanent
lake, Lake Ichkeul, the
area of which varies
with the seasons.
Ichkeul is recognized
as being extremely
diverse largely due to
the wide variety of
habitats.
kahuzi-bi ega nati onal park | i chkeul nati onal park 97
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Malta
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Hypogeum is an enormous
subterranean structure excavated c. 2500 BC.
The megalithic walls are constructed of
cyclopean masonry large irregular blocks
of chalky coralline stone without mortar.
The workmanship is all the more impressive
when it is considered that the chambers
were meticulously carved using only flint
and stone tools. The principal rooms
distinguish themselves by their domed
vaulting and by the elaborate structure of
false bays inspired by the doorways and
windows of contemporary terrestrial
constructions. Curvilinear and spiral
paintings in red ochre are still visible in some
areas. The carved faade is magnificent and
the quality of its architecture is in a
remarkable state of preservation. Perhaps
originally a sanctuary, the Hypogeum
became a necropolis in prehistoric times.
Hal Saieni
Hypogeum is a
cultural property of
exceptional
prehistoric value. The
only known example
of a subterranean
structure of the
Bronze Age, it was
only discovered
accidentally in 1902 by
a stonemason laying
housing foundations.
98 hal safli eni hypogeum | aksum
World Heritage site since
Aksum
Ethiopia
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The ruins of the ancient city of Aksum are
found close to Ethiopias northern border.
They mark the location of the heart of
ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom of
Aksum was the most powerful state
between the Eastern Roman Empire and
Persia. The massive ruins, dating from
between the first and the thirteenth
centuries AD, include giant monolithic
stelae, royal tombs and the ruins of ancient
castles. Long after its political decline in the
tenth century, Ethiopian emperors
continued to be crowned in Aksum.
Transported to Rome
by the troops of
Mussolini in 1937, the
stela 2 was returned by
the Italian
Government in April
2005. Weighing 150
tons and 24 m high, it
is around 1,700 years
old and a symbol of
the Ethiopian peoples
identity.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
.
1979
.
1980
EUROPE
AFRICA Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
World Heritage site since
san lorenzo 99
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Fortifications on the
Caribbean Side of Panama:
Portobelo San Lorenzo
Panama
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The group of seventeenth- and eighteenth-
century fortifications of the Caribbean coast
of Panama are magnificent examples of
contemporary Spanish colonial military
architecture, located in a natural setting of
great beauty. The forts of Portobelo and San
Lorenzo formed part of the defence system
of the Spanish Crown to guard the access
to the Isthmus of Panama that was crucial
to Europes trade with its colonies.
Portobelos forts, castles, barracks and
batteries created a defensive line around its
bay and protected the harbour, while the
works at San Lorenzo guarded the mouth
of the Chagres River.
The forts are now in a poor state of
preservation. The Pan American Institute
of Geography and History is among the
international organizations acknowledging
the importance of the Portobelo and San
Lorenzo sites as an essential link in the
understanding of American history.
The forts came under
regular attack and
were rebuilt three
times: after their
capture by the
privateer Henry
Morgan in 1668 and
by British Admiral
Vernon in 1739, and
again in 1761.
However, trade routes
had changed and the
fort suffered no new
attacks.
Fort Geronimo,
Portobelo.
SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean
Sea
100 palmyra
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Site of Palmyra
Syrian Arab Republic
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
An oasis in the Syrian desert, northeast of
Damascus, Palmyra contains the
monumental ruins of a great city that was
one of the most important cultural centres
of the ancient world. From the first to the
second century, the art and architecture of
Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of
several civilizations, married Graeco-Roman
techniques with local traditions and Persian
influences. The city offers the consummate
example of an ancient urbanized complex,
for the most part protected, with its large
public monuments such as the Agora, the
Theatre and the temples. Alongside these,
the inhabited quarters are preserved, and
there are immense cemeteries outside the
fortified enceinte. Palmyra exerted a
decisive influence on the evolution of
neoclassical architecture and modern
urbanization.
The grand colonnade,
1,100 m in length,
which links the temple
of Bel with the so-
called Camp of
Diocletian, is the
monumental axis of
the city, with its open
central street anked
by covered lateral
passages.
Part of the ruined city
of Palmyra.
Mediterranean Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
World Heritage site since
paphos 101
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Paphos
Cyprus
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Paphos has been inhabited since the
Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult
of Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility
deities. According to legend, Aphrodites
birthplace was on this island, and her temple
was erected here by the Mycenaeans in the
twelfth century BC. The remains of villas,
palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs
mean that the site is of exceptional
architectural and historic value. The mosaics
of Nea Paphos are among the most
beautiful in the world. Excavations have also
unearthed the spectacular third- to fifth-
century mosaics of the Houses of Dionysus,
Orpheus and Aion, and the Villa of Theseus,
buried for sixteen centuries and yet
remarkably intact. The mosaic floors of
these noblemens villas are considered
among the finest in the Eastern
Mediterranean.
The Tombs of the
Kings, in Kato Paphos,
is a necropolis carved
out of solid rock with
some tombs decorated
with Doric pillars.
Spread over a vast area,
these impressive
underground tombs
date back to the fourth
century BC. High
ofcials rather than
kings were buried here.
Mosaic oor from the
Villa of Theseus,
depicting Theseus ght
with the minotaur in
the labyrinth. The villa
dates from the second
half of the second
century AD and
contained 100 rooms.
ASIA
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Archaeological Ruins at
Moenjodaro
Pakistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The ruins of the huge city of Moenjodaro
built entirely of unbaked brick in the third
millennium BC lie in the Indus valley. The
acropolis, set on high embankments, the
ramparts, and the lower town, which is laid
out according to strict rules, provide
evidence of an early system of town
planning.
Moenjodaro is the
most ancient and best-
preserved
urban ruin on the
Indian subcontinent. It
has exercised a
considerable inuence
on the subsequent
development of
urbanization on the
Indian peninsula.
102 moenj odaro | awash
World Heritage site since
Lower Valley of the Awash
Ethiopia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Awash valley contains one of the most
important groupings of palaeontological
sites on the African continent. The remains
found at the site, the oldest of which date
back at least four million years, provide
evidence of human evolution which has
modified our conception of the history of
humankind. The most spectacular discovery
came in 1974, when fifty-two fragments of a
skeleton enabled the famous Lucy to be
reconstructed.
In life, Lucy would
have stood about
1 m tall and weighed
2730 kg. By dating
the deposits in which
her fossilised remains
were found, she is
estimated to have
lived 3.18 million
years ago.
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Arabian Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Redwood National Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Redwood National Park comprises a region
of coastal mountains bordering the Pacific
Ocean north of San Francisco. It is covered
with a magnificent forest of coastal redwood
trees, the tallest and most impressive trees in
the world. The park was established
specifically to protect these trees, because it
is only here and in Oregon that they now
survive. Descendants of the giant evergreens
that grew during the age of the dinosaurs,
redwoods thrived in moist temperate regions
of the world. They take 400 years to mature
and some of the survivors are more than
2,000 years old. The parks marine and land
life are equally remarkable, in particular the
sea lions, the bald eagle and the endangered
California brown pelican.
Archaeological surveys,
test excavations,
research and
consultations
conducted over the
past twenty years have
resulted in the
recording of fty
prehistoric
archaeological sites,
nineteen historic sites
and at least twenty-one
places of signicance
to local Indian
communities. The
archaeological sites
span 4,500 years and
represent changing
settlement and
subsistence systems.
World Heritage site since
redwood nati onal park 103
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Redwood trees can grow to around 100 m in only a few hundred years.
104 rros
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Rros Mining Town and
the Circumference
Norway
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
The history of the town of Rros is linked to
the copper mines. Established in the
seventeenth century, they were exploited for
333 years until 1977. Completely rebuilt after
its destruction by Swedish troops in 1679,
Rros contains about 2,000 wooden one-
and two-storey houses and a smelting
house. Many of these buildings have
preserved their blackened wooden faades,
giving the town a medieval appearance. The
site was inscribed on the World Heritage
List in 1980 and extended in 2010.
The extension is a serial site and comprises
the Town and its industrial-rural cultural
landscapes; Femundshytta, a smelter with
its associated area; and the Winter Transport
Route. Surrounded by a buffer zone,
coincident with the area of privileges (the
Circumference) granted to the mining
enterprise by the Danish-Norwegian Crown
(1646), the property illustrates the
establishment and ourishing of a lasting
culture based on copper mining in a remote
region with a harsh climate.
Rros is in a
remarkably complete
state of preservation.
An engraving of the
town as seen from the
slag heaps in the
1860s is virtually the
same as a 1970s
photograph taken
from the same
viewpoint.
A modern day view
of Rros.
EUROPE
North Sea
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
bosra 105
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Ancient City of Bosra
Syrian Arab Republic
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
Bosra, once the capital of the Roman
province of Arabia, was an important
stopover on the ancient caravan route to
Mecca. A magnificent second-century
Roman theatre, early Christian ruins and
several mosques and madrasas are found
within its great walls. The Roman theatre,
pictured below, probably built under Trajan, is
enclosed by the walls and towers of a citadel
fortified between 481 and 1231. From outside
it could be an Arab fortress, with great square
towers built from enormous blocks of stone,
but right at its heart lies this ancient theatre,
with room for 15,000 spectators. The
cathedral of Bosra, completed in 513 by
Archbishop Julianus, has influenced Christian
and, to a lesser extent, Islamic architectural
forms. The Mosque of Omar, restored in
1950, is one of the rare buildings of the first
century of the Hegira preserved in Syria.
Bosra is associated
with important events
in the history of ideas
and beliefs: according
to tradition its bishop
took part in the
Council of Antioch,
while the Prophet
Muhammad came
there twice and, at the
time of his rst visit, is
said to have learned
the precepts of
Christianity from a
Nestorian monk
named Bahira.
The Roman theatre of
Bosra.
Mediterranean Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Tiya
Ethiopia
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Tiya is among the most important of
approximately 160 archaeological sites
discovered so far in the Soddo region, south
of Addis Ababa. The site contains thirty-six
monuments, including thirty-two carved
stelae covered with symbols, most of which
are difficult to decipher. They are the
remains of an ancient Ethiopian culture
whose age has not yet been precisely
determined.
Tiya contains several
representational
congurations
including low relief
carvings of sword
designs and one of a
human gure. The
stelae could also have
had a funerary
signicance, as there
are tombs scattered
around the carvings.
106 ti ya | omo
World Heritage site since
Lower Valley of the Omo
Ethiopia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
A prehistoric site near Lake Turkana, the
lower valley of the Omo is renowned the
world over. The discovery of Australopithecine
fossils there has been of fundamental
importance in the study of human
evolution. The area is unlike any other place
on Earth in that so many different types of
people have inhabited such a small area of
land over many millennia. It is believed that
it was the crossroads of a wide assortment
of cultures where early humans of many
different ethnicities passed as they migrated
to and from lands in every direction.
Evidence of the
oldest-known
humanoid
technological activity
has been found in this
region, as well as
stone objects
attesting to an
encampment of
prehistoric human
beings that is among
the oldest known
today.
Drinking mixture
being prepared for
coming of age Bull
Jumping ceremony.
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
World Heritage site since
durmi tor nati onal park 107
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Durmitor National Park
Montenegro
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
This breathtaking national park was formed
by glaciers and is traversed by rivers and
underground streams. Along the Tara River
canyon, which has the deepest gorges in
Europe (1,300 m), the dense pine forests are
interspersed with clear lakes. The park
comprises the Mount Durmitor plateau and
the valley formed by the canyon of the Tara
River, one of the last wild rivers in Europe.
There are numerous examples of weathering
processes, rock shapes and land features
characteristic of karstic, fluvial and glacial
erosion. Because of its location and range
in altitude, the park is influenced by both
Mediterranean and alpine microclimates,
resulting in an exceptional range of flora
and fauna. The park contains one of the last
virgin black pine forests in Europe. The Tara
and its tributaries, as well as the lakes,
contain a large number of salmon.
The park supports a
rich karstic ora with
many rare and
endemic plants. There
are thirty-seven
species endemic to
the area and six
specic to Durmitor.
Forest fauna includes
the brown bear, wolf,
wild boar, wild cat,
chamois, various
species of eagle,
capercaillie, black
grouse and rock
partridge.
Black Lake, below the
slopes of Mount
Durmitor, is the
largest and deepest
lake in the park.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
108 ouro
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
Historic Town of Ouro
Preto
Brazil
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Located 513 km north of Rio de Janeiro,
Ouro Preto (Black Gold), pictured below,
played a leading role in Brazils Golden Age
in the eighteenth century. It was created by
thousands of soldiers of fortune eager to
exploit local gold deposits; they were
followed by many artists who produced
works of outstanding quality, such as the
Church of So Francisco de Assis by
Antnio Francisco Lisboa (Aleijadinho),
a masterpiece of Brazilian architecture.
A Mining Baroque style developed which
successfully fused Brazilian influences with
European Baroque and Rococo. At its centre
is Tiradentes Square containing imposing
public and private buildings, such as the old
Parliament House (1784) and the Palace of
the Governors. In the closing years of the
eighteenth century it became a centre of
the movement for the emancipation of
Brazil from colonial rule known as
Inconfidncia Mineira.
Ouro Preto was
shaped by the
grouping together of
small settlements
(arriais) in a hilly
landscape, forming an
irregular urban layout
that follows the
contours of the
landscape. With the
exhaustion of the gold
mines in the
nineteenth century,
the citys inuence
declined but many
churches, bridges and
fountains remain as a
testimony to its past
prosperity.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Al Qala of Beni Hammad
Algeria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The ensemble of preserved ruins known as
the Al Qala of Beni Hammad is situated on
the southern flank of the Jebel Madid 1,000
m above sea level in a setting of striking
beauty. It bears exceptional witness to a
cultural tradition: it is one of the most
interesting and most precisely dated
monumental complexes of the Islamic
civilisation and provides an authentic
picture of a fortified Muslim city. The first
capital of the Hammadid emirs, it was
established in 1007 by Hammad, son of
Bologhine, the founder of Algiers. The city
was abandoned in 1090 when it was
menaced by a Hilalian invasion, and finally
destroyed in 1152 by the Almohads. It
enjoyed particular splendour during the
eleventh century.
The Al Qala
encompasses a large
number of
monumental remains,
including the Great
Mosque. This is one of
the largest in Algeria:
its minaret is 25 m
high and its prayer
room has thirteen
aisles with eight bays.
Taxila
Pakistan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
From the ancient Neolithic tumulus of
Saraikala to the ramparts of Sirkap second
century BC and the city of Sirsukh first
century AD, Taxila illustrates the different
stages in the development of a city on the
Indus that was alternately influenced by
Persia, Greece and Central Asia and which,
from the fifth century BC to the second
century AD, was an important Buddhist
centre of learning.
Situated strategically
on a branch of the Silk
Road that linked
China to the West,
Taxila ourished
economically and
culturally. Buddhist
monuments in the
valley became
destinations for
pilgrims from as far
aeld as Central Asia
and China.
Archaeologists
excavating a site in
Taxila.
beni hammad | taxi la 109
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Arabian Sea
110 takht-i-bahi and sahr-i-bahlol
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Arabian Sea
Buddhist Ruins at Takht-i-
Bahi and Neighbouring City
Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol
Pakistan
Criteria Significance in human history
The Buddhist monastic complex of Takht-i-
Bahi (Throne of Origins) was founded in the
early first century. Owing to its location on
the crest of a high hill, it escaped successive
invasions and is still exceptionally well
preserved. Nearby are the ruins of Sahr-i-
Bahlol, a small fortified city dating from the
same period. The complex consists of four
main groups: the Court of Stupas,
embellished with a series of tall niches
enshrining Buddhist statues; the early
monastic complex with residential cells
around an open court; the temple complex
with a main stupa in the middle of a
courtyard; and the tantric monastic complex
with an open courtyard in front of a series of
dark cells with low openings for mystical
meditation, in keeping with tantric practice.
The complex is the
most impressive and
complete Buddhist
monastery in
Pakistan. In 1871,
many sculptures were
found at Takht-i-Bahi.
Some depicted stories
from the life of the
Buddha while others,
more devotional in
nature, included the
Buddha and
Bodhisattava.
Hill-top ruins of
Takht-i-Bahi.
World Heritage site since
parque naci onal los glaci ares 111
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
.
1981
Parque Nacional Los
Glaciares
Argentina
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
The Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is an
area of exceptional natural beauty, with
rugged, towering mountains and numerous
glacial lakes.
This vast alpine area includes the
Patagonian ice eld: at over 14,000 km
2
it
is the largest ice mantle outside Antarctica
and occupies about half of the park. It has
a total of forty-seven glaciers while a further
200 smaller glaciers are independent of the
main ice eld.
Los Glaciares is the best place in South
America to see glaciers in action. Glacial
activity is concentrated around two
main lakes, Argentino and Viedma. Lake
Argentino, 160 km long, is particularly
spectacular, with three glaciers dumping
their massive blue icebergs into the lake
with thunderous splashes.
The most impressive wildlife in the park
are the birds: the waterfowl include swans,
ducks, geese and amingos, while overhead
glides the huge Andean condor.
In Los Glaciares, the
effects of retreating
and advancing glaciers
can be clearly seen.
The Perito Mereno
glacier, pictured below,
often advances so far
that its snout cuts off
the normal escape
stream of Lake Rico,
forming a natural
dam which inundates
vast areas. When the
glacier retreats in the
heat of summer a wall
of water roars down
the valley.
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
112 serengeti nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
.
1981
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
Serengeti National Park
Tanzania
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The vast plains of the Serengeti comprise
15,000 km
2
of savanna and open woodland.
They contain the largest herds of grazing
animals in the world and the carnivores that
prey on them, providing a wildlife spectacle
that is second to none.
The annual migration is dominated by
wildebeest, gazelles and zebras, each
harvesting the grass most suited to it.
The herds are followed by prides of lion
numbering up to 3,000 individuals, hyenas
and jackals.
The great herds are continuously moving
through the entire ecosystem but the sight
is most impressive in May and June, when
millions of animals travel en masse from the
central plains to the permanent water holes
on the western side of the park.
Serengeti is contiguous with
Ngorongoro Conservation Unit, an area of
5,280 km
2
that was declared a World
Heritage site in 1979.
Characteristic larger
mammals of the
Serengeti include
leopard, cheetah,
African elephant,
black rhino,
hippopotamus and
giraffe, pictured below.
Smaller mammals
include numerous
species of bat,
bushbaby, monkey
and baboon, aardvark,
hare, porcupine, fox,
mongoose, otter,
wildcat, bushpig and
rodent. Reptiles
include Nile crocodile,
Nile monitor lizard,
python, cobra and
puff adder. Over 500
bird species include
raptors, vultures and
over 20,000 water
birds.
Palace and Park of
Fontainebleau
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Standing at the heart of a vast forest in the
le-de-France, Fontainebleau was
transformed from a medieval royal hunting
lodge into a dazzling Italianate palace that
became one of the most important and
prestigious sites of the French court.
Surrounded by an immense and beautiful
park, Fontainebleau combines Renaissance
and French artistic influences. Its
architecture and decor were influential on
the artistic evolution not only of France but
of Europe as a whole.
Fontainebleau was first enlarged and
embellished by Franois I who
commissioned artists from Renaissance
Italy to begin work in 1528. The fashion of
painting, stucco work, sculpture and
statuary at Fontainebleau gave its name to
a style that became influential throughout
Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. Successive modifications
continued until in the nineteenth century
the palace complex reached its present
layout with five courtyards, arranged
irregularly and surrounded by wings of
buildings and gardens.
Royal domicile, house
of the centuries
Fontainebleau retains
the imprint of every
reign and style.
Henri IV, Louis XIII,
Louis XV and
Louis XVI carried on
the embellishment of
this beautiful palace,
which Napoleon I
preferred above all
others.
World Heritage site since
palace and park of fontai nebleau 113
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
.
1981
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Old City of Jerusalem and its
Walls
Jerusalem (Site proposed by
Jordan)
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
As a holy city for Judaism, Christianity and
Islam, Jerusalem has always been of
enormous symbolic importance. Among its
hundreds of historic monuments are key
sites for each religious community: the
Temple Mount (known as the Haram ash-
Sharif for the Muslims) and the Western
Wall for Jews; the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre and the Via Dolorosa for
Christians and for Muslims, the Dome of
the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Haram
ash-Sharif. Jerusalems symbolic importance
for three of the worlds religions has
prompted power struggles that have lasted
for centuries.
It is considered that the First Temple was
built on Mount Moriah, or Temple Mount,
by King Solomon and was completed in 957
BC. It was destroyed in 586 BC by
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. In 515 BC the
Second Temple was completed and during
the Roman rule, Herod the Great (734 BC)
enlarged it, the famous Western Wall being
part of the supporting structure for the
levelled platform on which the temple
stood. The Romans destroyed the Second
Temple in AD 70 and established a citadel in
the area, the Aelia Capitolina.
Jerusalems period of Christian rule, from
the fourth century, was one of its most
peaceful and prosperous epochs. Among
the Christian shrines was the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre, completed in 335, marking
the site of the crucifixion, tomb and
resurrection of Jesus and the most sacred
place in the Christian world.
The Arabs captured Jerusalem in 638 and
the new rulers commissioned the Dome of
the Rock. Intended as a shrine rather than a
mosque, it was completed around 691 and is
one of the most ancient Islamic buildings in
existence. Close by, the Al-Aqsa Mosque was
built between the late seventh and early
eighth centuries.
This era of peaceful coexistence ended in
969 when control of the city passed to the
Egyptian Arab Fatimids who systematically
destroyed all synagogues and churches.
Their prohibition on Christian pilgrimage
became a contributing cause of the
Crusades that culminated in the Christians
capture of Jerusalem in 1099. During the
Christian Kingdom, the Dome of the Rock
was converted to a Christian shrine
(Templum Domini), the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre was rebuilt, and hospices and
monasteries were founded.
The golden-domed
building is the Dome
of the Rock and is one
of the earliest
surviving Islamic
monuments.
The Tower of David,
the Citadel, Jerusalem.
114 old ci ty of j erusalem
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and
Ruins of Songo Mnara
Tanzania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The remains of two great East African ports
admired by early European explorers are
situated on two small islands near the coast.
From the thirteenth to the sixteenth
century, the merchants of Kilwa dealt in
gold, silver, pearls, perfumes, Arabian
crockery, Persian earthenware and Chinese
porcelain; much of the trade in the Indian
Ocean thus passed through their hands.
These sites are of
prime importance to
the understanding of
the Swahili culture
and the Islamization
of the east coast of
Africa. They include
the remarkable
Great Mosque,
constructed in the
twelfth century of
coral tiles imbedded
in a core of puddled
clay.
Ruins of Kilwas fort or
gezira (prison).
116 ki lwa ki si wani | ni okolo-koba
World Heritage site since
Niokolo-Koba National
Park
Senegal
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Niokolo-Koba National Park covers almost
10,000 km
2
of the Guinea savanna of
Senegal, with significant areas of bush land
and gallery forest along both banks of the
upper Gambia River. This varied landscape is
home to an incredible range of wildlife, with
over seventy species of mammal, 329 bird,
thirty-six reptile, twenty amphibian and vast
numbers of invertebrates. Derbys eland, an
endangered species, is the worlds largest
antelope. Other important species include
chimpanzee, leopard, dwarf crocodile and
hippopotamus. The park is the last refuge in
Senegal for giraffe and elephant, of which
there is a large population. Niokolo-Koba is
large enough to demonstrate the key
aspects of the functioning Guinea savanna
ecosystem, and to ensure the survival of its
many endangered species.
Niokolo-Koba
National Park covers
9,130 km
2
of the
Guinea savanna of
Senegal, with
signicant areas of
bush land and gallery
forest along both
banks of the upper
Gambia River. The
area is rich in wildlife,
including lions that
are reputed to be
Africas largest.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
ami ens cathedral 117
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
Amiens Cathedral
France
Criteria Human creative genius, Interchange of
values
Amiens Cathedral, in the heart of Picardy, is
one of the largest classic thirteenth-century
Gothic churches. It is notable for the
coherence of its plan, the beauty of its three-
tier interior elevation, and the particularly
fine display of sculptures on the principal
faade and in the south transept.
Building of Notre Dame dAmiens began
in 1220, two years after its Romanesque
predecessor was destroyed by fire. Its
builders used the technical knowledge and
experience of other church builders to
construct their cathedral quickly, resulting in
a uniform style that is very rare: the nave, the
largest part of the church, was completed in
1245.
The great height of the cathedral and its
design allow in an exceptional amount of
light. Despite its vast amount of stained
glass, the building survived the First World
War virtually unscathed.
The western faade, which is anked
by two square towers without spires,
has three portals decorated with the
elaborate statuary for which the
cathedral is famous (the central one
is pictured above).
From 12921375 the cathedral was
enhanced by a series of chapels built
between the buttresses of the side
aisles. This style of the seven
radiating chapels became a model
for other cathedrals.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo
Jump
Canada
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Among the many buffalo hunting
techniques of the Plains Peoples, the Buffalo
Jump was perhaps the most effective. When
a bison herd was in proper position, young
men well-instructed in animal behaviour,
the buffalo runners, enticed the animals
towards the kill. They did so by dressing in
the skins of calves and imitating the sound
of a calf separated from its mother. Behind
and upwind of the herd, fellow runners in
wolf or coyote pelts moved the herd onward
with their calls. Moving closer to the cliff
edge, the herd was funnelled into
converging lines of stone cairns where other
band members shouted and waved large
robes to frighten the buffalo into a headlong
stampede. Confronted with the plunge over
the cliff, the lead buffalo were forced over
the precipice by the pressure of the herd
racing behind.
In a typical hunt,
dozens of animals
were killed in the fall
from the cliff or by the
weapons of the
hunters waiting
below. For days after,
the spoils of the kill
were processed in the
butchering camp,
ensuring survival of
the hunting group for
another season.
118 buffalo j ump | thatta
World Heritage site since
Historic Monuments at
Makli, Thatta
Pakistan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The capital of three successive dynasties and
later ruled by the Mughal emperors of
Delhi, Thatta was constantly embellished
from the fourteenth to the eighteenth
century. Covering a distance of about 12 km,
the site preserves an imposing monumental
complex with the remains of the city itself in
the valley and those of the necropolis at the
edge of the Makli plateau. The remains of
the city and its necropolis provide a unique
view of civilization in Sind.
Within the broad
family of Islamic
monuments, those of
Thatta represent a
particular type,
notable for the fusion
of diverse inuences
into a local style. The
effect of the Grand
Mosque of Shah
Jahan with its complex
of blue and white
buildings capped by
ninety-three domes is
unique.
The tomb of Prince
Sultan Ibrahim bin
Norza Mohammad
Isa Tarkhan has stood
here since the eleventh
century.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Arabian Sea
Medina of Fez
Morocco
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
Fez is a jewel of Spanish-Arabic civilization,
an outstanding and well-preserved example
of an ancient city. The Medina of Fez is
densely packed with monuments madrasas
(schools), fondouks (shops), palaces,
residences, mosques and fountains.
Founded in the ninth century and home to
the oldest university in the world, Fez el Bali
(the name of the old city) has two distinct
centres on the right and left banks of the
river Fez, settled by Arab refugees from
Crdoba in Spain and from Kairouan (in
modern-day Tunisia). In the fourteenth
century a Jewish quarter, the Mellah, was
joined to the newly founded city. The urban
fabric and principal monuments in the
Medina date from this period.
Previously the capital of Morocco, Fez lost
that status to Rabat in 1912.
A medina typically
forms a distinct quarter
in many North African
cities. It is generally the
oldest part of a city,
with walls and
labyrinthine streets.
The Medina of Fez is
thought to be the
largest car-less urban
area in the world.
World Heritage site since
medi na of fez 119
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1978
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1979
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AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The minaret and city walls in Fez Medina.
Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the Triumphal
Arch of Orange
France
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
120 tri umphal arch of orange
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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Situated in the Rhone valley, the ancient
theatre of Orange, with its 103 m-long
faade, is one of the best preserved of all the
great Roman theatres. The theatre was
closed by imperial command in 391: by this
time Christianity had become the de facto
state religion and the Church opposed all
pagan spectacles. The theatre was
abandoned and later sacked and pillaged by
barbarians. It was only in the nineteenth
century that it slowly recovered its original
splendour, thanks to the restoration work
begun in 1825. The Triumphal Arch, pictured
below, located to the north of the town, is
one of the most beautiful and interesting
surviving examples of a provincial triumphal
arch from the reign of Augustus. It is
decorated with low reliefs commemorating
the establishment of the Pax Romana.
The most striking
feature of the theatre
is the stage wall
scenae frons. This
would originally have
been covered with
marble slabs and
decorated with bas-
reliefs, carved friezes,
statues in niches and
columns. Their
purpose was not
purely decorative
because the
projections and
cavities in the wall
would have helped to
eliminate the problem
of echoes.
The Triumphal Arch.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Cistercian Abbey of
Fontenay
France
Criteria Significance in human history
Fontenay Abbey is located in northern
Burgundy, 80 km north of Dijon in a small
marshy valley a few kilometres from
Montbard. It was founded by St Bernard in
1119 and built from 1130 onwards, making it
one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in
Europe. With its church, cloister, refectory,
sleeping quarters, bakery, and ironworks,
it is an excellent illustration of the ideal of
self-sufficiency practised by the earliest
communities of Cistercian monks.
The forge, dated to the end of the twelfth
century, recalls the part which the
Cistercians played in technological progress
during the Middle Ages: this is one of the
oldest industrial buildings in France.
Despite the transformations undergone in
the thirteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth
centuries, the Abbey of Fontenay, restored
after 1906, has the appearance today of a
generally authentic and well-preserved
whole.
The Fontenay gardens
were completely
redesigned in the
1970s by the garden
architect Peter
Holmes, who created
a magnicent
landscape of greenery
and plants to bring
out the abbey
buildings. The beauty
of the gardens adds
an extra charm to the
old Romanesque
stone buildings of
Fontenay.
ci sterci an abbey of fontenay | dj oudj bi rd sanctuary 121
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Djoudj National Bird
Sanctuary
Senegal
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Situated in the Senegal River delta, the
Djoudj Sanctuary is a wetland of 160 km
2
,
comprising a large lake surrounded by
streams, ponds and backwaters. It forms
a living but fragile sanctuary for some
1.5 million birds, such as the white pelican,
the purple heron, the African spoonbill, the
great egret and the cormorant.
The park is one of the
rst sources of fresh
water for more than
three million migrant
birds after crossing
2000 km of the
Sahara. The waters
also hold populations
of crocodile and
African manatee.
Great Egret.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Great Barrier Reef
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
The Great Barrier Reef is a site of
remarkable variety and beauty on the
northeast coast of Australia. It is the worlds
most extensive stretch of coral reefs. The
great diversity of its fauna reflects the
maturity of an ecosystem that has evolved
over millions of years on the northeast
continental shelf of Australia.
The site contains a huge range of species
including over 1,500 species of fish, about
360 species of hard coral and 5,000 species
of mollusc, plus a great diversity of sponges,
sea anemones, marine worms and
crustaceans. About 215 species of birds are
found in its islands and cays. Extending to
Papua New Guinea, the reef system
comprises some 2,900 individual reefs
covering more than 20,000 km
2
, including
760 fringing reefs. The reefs range in size
from under 0.01 km
2
to over 100 km
2
and
vary in shape to provide the most
spectacular marine scenery on Earth. There
are approximately 600 continental islands
including many with towering forests and
freshwater streams, and some 300 coral cays
and unvegetated sand cays. A rich variety of
landscapes and seascapes, including rugged
mountains with dense and diverse
vegetation, provide spectacular scenery.
The form and structure of the individual
reefs show great variety. There are two main
classes: platform or patch reefs, resulting
from radial growth; and wall reefs, resulting
from elongated growth, often in areas of
strong currents. There are also the many
fringing reefs where growth is established
on subtidal rock of the mainland coast or
continental islands.
The site includes major feeding grounds
for the endangered dugong and nesting
grounds of world significance for four
species of marine turtle including the
endangered loggerhead turtle. Given the
severe pressures on these species
elsewhere, the Great Barrier Reef may be a
last stronghold. It is also an important
breeding area for humpback and other
whale species.
A wide range of fleshy algae occurs, often
small and inconspicuous but highly
productive and heavily grazed by turtles,
fish, molluscs and sea urchins. In addition,
calcareous algae are an important
component of reef building processes.
Fifteen species of seagrass grow throughout
the area, forming over 3,000 km
2
of
seagrass meadows and providing an
important food source for grazing animals,
such as dugongs and turtles.
The Great Barrier
Reef viewed from
above.
The Great Barrier Reef
is important in the
historic and
contemporary culture
of the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
groups of the coastal
areas of northeast
Australia. The
contemporary use of
and association with
the Marine Park plays
an important role in
the maintenance of
their cultures and
there is a strong
spiritual connection
with the ocean and its
inhabitants. New
species continue to be
discovered
throughout the Great
Barrier Reef. A new
species of dolphin, the
Australian snub-nose
dolphin, was
discovered in 2005
within inshore areas,
but only in low
numbers. A recent
survey of the inter-
reef areas has found
at least four new
species of sh and
one of the sponges
that commonly occurs
is likely to be a new
genus.
A clown sh.
122 great barri er reef
World Heritage site since
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1978
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OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
124 fort and shalamar gardens
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
Fort and Shalamar Gardens
in Lahore
Pakistan
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore
are a unique artistic realization which, while
bearing exceptional testimony to the
Mughal civilization, have exercised a
considerable influence long after their
creation in the Punjab and throughout the
Indian subcontinent. The first historic
references to Lahore Fort, situated
northwest of the city, date from before the
eleventh century. Destroyed and rebuilt
several times by the Mughals from the
thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, it was
definitively rebuilt and reorganized starting
with the reign of Emperor Akbar (15421605).
Based on the twenty-one monuments
preserved within its boundaries, it
comprises the most beautiful repertory of
the forms of Mughal architecture, whose
evolution may be followed over more than
two centuries. The elegance of the splendid
gardens, built on three terraces with lodges,
waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, is
unequalled.
The complex of
fairytale-like buildings
surrounding the
Court of Shah Jahan,
and especially the
Shah Burj or Shish
Mahal, make it one of
the most beautiful
palaces in the world.
Built in 16312, it
sparkles with mosaics
of glass, gilt, semi-
precious stones and
marble screening.
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Arabian Sea
Shalamar Gardens.
World Heritage site since
wi llandra lakes regi on 125
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1978
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1979
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Willandra Lakes Region
Australia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition; Major
stages of Earths history
The Willandra Lakes Region is a remarkable
example of a site where the economic and
cultural life of Homo sapiens can be partly
reconstructed, showing a fascinating
interaction between Aboriginal people and
the changing natural environment. The
fossil remains of a series of lakes and sand
formations that date from the Pleistocene
(2.5 million to 5,000 years ago) can be found
in this region, together with archaeological
evidence of human occupation dating from
4560,000 years ago. It is a unique landmark
in the study of human evolution on the
Australian continent. Several well-preserved
fossils of giant marsupials and other
animals, some of which are now extinct,
have also been found here. The site includes
the entire lake and river system from Lake
Mulurulu, the latest to hold water, to the
Prungle Lakes, dry for more than 15,000
years.
When the Willandra
Billabong Creek
ceased to ow, the
lakes dried in series
from the Prungle
Lakes in the south to
Lake Mulurulu in the
north over several
thousand years. As
each lake evaporated,
it became an
independent system
undergoing a basic
transformation from
fresh water to saline
water to dry lake bed.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Lake Mungo Lunette. Erosion of this dune has
exposed extensive evidence of Aboriginal occupation
over the millennia.
Mammoth Cave National
Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Mammoth Cave National Park, located in
the state of Kentucky, has the worlds largest
network of natural limestone caves and
underground passageways, carved by
twenty-five million years of cave-forming
action by the Green River and its tributaries.
The park and its underground network of
more than 560 km of surveyed passageways
is the most extensive and diverse cave
ecosystem in the world, with over 200
species indigenous to the network of caves,
and forty-two species adapted to life in total
darkness. Surface features are also
important and Big Woods, a temperate
deciduous oak-hickory dominated forest, is
reputed to be one of the largest and best
remaining examples of the ancient forests
of eastern North America that once covered
most of Kentucky.
Almost every type of
cave formation is
known within the site
and the geological
processes involved in
cave formation are
continuing.
Mammoth boasts
superlative examples
of chambers, shafts,
stalagmites,
stalactites, as well as
gypsum owers and
needles.
126 mammoth cave nati onal park | mount ni mba
World Heritage site since
Mount Nimba Strict
Nature Reserve
Cte d'Ivoire and Guinea
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Located on the borders of Guinea, Liberia
and Cte dIvoire, Mount Nimba rises above
the surrounding savanna. Its slopes are
covered by dense forest at the foot of grassy
mountain pastures. They harbour an
especially rich flora and fauna, with endemic
species such as the viviparous toad, and
chimpanzees that use stones as tools.
The park includes
signicant portions of
Mount Nimba, a
geographically unique
area with more than
200 endemic species.
These species include
multiple types of
duikers, big cats and
civets.
The critically
endangered Mount
Nimba toad.
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1978
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1980
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NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Kakadu National Park
Australia
Criteria Human creative genius; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance;
Natural phenomena or beauty; Significant
ecological and biological processes; Significant
natural habitat for biodiversity
This spectacular living cultural landscape
has been cared for continuously by
Aboriginal people called Bininj/Mungguy -
for more than 50,000 years. Their deep
spiritual connection to the land dates back to
the creation time and Kakadu is inscribed on
the World Heritage List for both its cultural
and natural values.
Kakadus rock art, pictured right, and
archaeological sites record the way of life of
the region's inhabitants, from the hunter-
gatherers of prehistoric times to the
Aboriginal people still living there today.
Bininj/Mungguy believe that during the
creation time, ancestral beings known as the
first people, or Nayahunggi, journeyed across
the landscape. The ancestors created the
landforms, plants, animals and Aboriginal
people we see today, and they left language,
ceremonies, kinship, and rules to live by.
The park covers a huge 20,000 km
2
and
moving through the park, the landscape
changes dramatically, from the soaring
sandstone escarpment to floodplains,
monsoon forests, savanna woodlands and
tidal flats. These environments provide
habitat for a wide range of rare plant and
animal species, some of which are found
nowhere else in the world.
Kakadus landscapes undergo dramatic
seasonal changes. Wet season rains create a
vast shallow wetland sea for hundreds of
square kilometres, where ducks, geese and
wading birds abound. As the floodplains
start to dry, huge numbers of these
waterbirds congregate around the
permanent rivers and billabongs.
Because of its diversity, from marine and
coastal habitats (which are home to turtles
and dugongs) through to the stone country,
Kakadu offers a fantastic cultural and wildlife
experience.
One-third of
Australia's bird
species and almost
one-fth of its
mammal species are
found in Kakadu.
Millions of waterbirds
make seasonal use of
the oodplains.
Kakadus great
diversity of
invertebrates includes
55 species of termite,
at least 350 species of
ant and more than
160 species of
grasshopper.
World Heritage site since
kakadu nati onal park 127
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1978
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OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Olympic National Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Renowned for the diversity of its ecosystems,
Olympic National Park contains glacier-clad
peaks interspersed with alpine meadows
surrounded by an extensive forest, the best
example of temperate rainforest in the Pacific
Northwest. The park is divided into two
segments: a mountainous core and a
separate coastal strip. The mountains contain
about sixty active glaciers; the area is unique
because it is the lowest latitude in the world
at which glaciers begin, at an elevation lower
than 2,000 m. The coastal strip stretches
along 80 km of wilderness beach,
characterized by rocky headlands and a
wealth of intertidal life, and the arches, caves
and buttresses are evidence of the continuous
battering of the waves. The coniferous forest
of Olympic is of prime commercial interest
and practically all the original forest outside
the park has been harvested.
Olympic National
Park has an extensive
temperate rainforest
dominated by conifers.
The main danger to
the integrity of the
site is, oddly, one of
its attractions: the
mountain goats,
introduced in the
1920s. They have
increased erosion,
reduced and altered
plant cover, such that
more resistant or less
palatable species have
become dominant.
As a result three of the
endemic plants may
now be endangered.
128 olympi c nati onal park | speyer cathedral
World Heritage site since
Speyer Cathedral
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values
Speyer Cathedral exerted a considerable
influence on the development of
Romanesque architecture in the eleventh
and twelfth centuries, and also on the
evolution of the principles of building
restoration in Europe and in the world from
the eighteenth century to the present. A
basilica with four towers and two domes, it
was founded by Conrad II in 1030 and
remodelled at the end of the eleventh
century. It is one of the most important
Romanesque monuments from the time of
the Holy Roman Empire. The cathedral was
the burial place of the German emperors for
almost 300 years. A huge stone font, with a
capacity of 1,560 litres, stands on the square
in front of the main portal of the cathedral.
This font once symbolized the borderline
between the diocese and the city.
In 1689 the cathedral
was seriously
damaged by re, and
it was reconstructed
in the Romanesque
style. The Bavarian
King Ludwig I
commissioned the
painting of the
interior. A new
western block was
added in 18548, a
Romanesque
pastiche. Starting in
1957, nineteenth-
century paintings and
the layers of painted
plaster were removed
to restore its eleventh-
century form.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Darien National Park
Panama
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Forming a land-bridge between the Central
and South American continents, Darien
National Park contains an exceptional
variety of habitats sandy beaches, rocky
coasts, mangroves, swamps, and lowland
and upland tropical forests containing
remarkable wildlife. The area has been
under protection since 1972, with the
establishment of Alto Darin Protection
Forest, and was declared a national park in
1980. It extends along about 80 per cent of
the Colombian border and includes part of
the Pacific coast. Access is by river and heavy
truck. The area is both anthropologically and
historically rich, with two major indigenous
groups Choc and Kuna Indians and a
number of smaller groups still living by
traditional practices. Today, conservation of
Indian culture is included as a management
objective.
The parks remarkably
varied fauna is largely
unstudied and
includes bush dog,
giant anteater, jaguar,
ocelot, capybara and
howler monkey.
Harpy eagles are also
found in the park, as
are cayman and
American crocodile.
130 dari en nati onal park | rui ns of qui ri gua
World Heritage site since
Archaeological Park and
Ruins of Quirigua
Guatemala
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
Quiriguas monumental complexes are
remarkable for their elaborate system of
pyramids, terraces, and staircases. The ruins
contain some outstanding eighth-century
monuments and an impressive series of
carved stelae. These are the principal written
chronicles of this lost civilisation, as well as
the key to their highly advanced calendar
system. Like most Mayan monuments, they
were erected to commemorate the passage
of time, and significant historic events.
Inhabited since the second century AD, by
the reign of Cauac Sky (72384), Quirigua
had become the capital of an autonomous
and prosperous state. The extraction of jade
and obsidian in the upper valley of the Rio
Motagua, which was tightly controlled, gave
rise to a profitable goods trade with the
coastal ports of the Caribbean.
Quiriguas huge stone
monolithic sculptures
were artfully carved
without the benet of
metal tools; stone
chisels, driven by
other stones or
wooden mallets, were
the only tools
available. They include
the largest known
quarried stone in the
Maya world, which
stands 10.6 m tall and
weighs over 59 tons.
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1978
.
1979
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1980
.
1981
SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean
Sea
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
World Heritage site since
arles 131
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1978
.
1979
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1980
.
1981
Arles, Roman and
Romanesque Monuments
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Arles is an especially significant example of
the appropriation of a classical Roman city
by a medieval European civilization. It has
some impressive Roman monuments, of
which the earliest the arena, the theatre
and the cryptoporticus (subterranean
galleries) date back to the first century BC.
The Roman theatre could hold 10,000
people in thirty-three rows of seats, and the
arena 20,000 spectators. Gladiator fights
and animal hunts took place here until the
end of the fifth century. During the fourth
century Arles experienced a second golden
age, as attested by the Baths of Constantine
and the necropolis of Les Alyscamps. In the
eleventh and twelfth centuries, Arles once
again became one of the most attractive
cities in the Mediterranean. Within the city
walls, the church of St-Trophime, pictured
below, with its cloister, is one of Provences
major Romanesque monuments.
In Roman times Arles
was surrounded by
graveyards, including
one known as Les
Alyscamps. This
cemetery became
important when the
Christian martyr
St Genest and the rst
bishops of Arles were
buried there. In 1040
the site became the
St-Honorat priory, one
of the required stops
on the pilgrimage
route to Santiago de
Compostela in Spain.
Church of St-Trophime.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
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1980
.
1981
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
.
1981
Wrzburg Residence with
the Court Gardens and
Residence Square
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
This magnificent Baroque palace one of
the largest and most beautiful in Germany
and surrounded by wonderful gardens was
created under the patronage of the Prince-
Bishops of Schnborn and was home to one
of the most brilliant courts of Europe during
the eighteenth century. The main part of the
Residence was built between 1720 and 1744
and decorated internally between 1740 and
1770. The most renowned architects of the
time the Viennese Lukas von de
Hildebrandt and the Parisians Robert de
Cotte and Germain Boffrand drew up
plans that were supervised by the official
architect of the Prince Bishop, Balthasar
Neumann. Sculptors and stucco-workers
came from Italy, Flanders and Munich. The
Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
decorated the staircase and the walls of the
Imperial Hall with frescoes.
Tiepolo painted the
staircase vault with a
fresco that depicts
Apollo and the Four
Continents. In the
portion of the fresco
representing Europa,
he included portraits
of those responsible
for the design of the
Residence: Neumann
(portrayed as an
artillery colonel),
Tiepolo with his son
Giandomenico and
the Prince-Bishop
supported by Fame
and crowned by
Virtue.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
132 wrzburg resi dence
World Heritage site since
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
.
1981
SGang Gwaay
Canada
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
SGang Gwaay Llnagaay (Ninstints) is a
village site of the Haida people and part of
the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve
and Haida Heritage Site in the Queen
Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) of British
Columbia. The Haida people lived on
SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island) for
thousands of years, but the population was
decimated by disease by the 1880s. Most of
the village has been taken by nature and
returned to the forest. What is left is unique
in the world: remains of a nineteenth-
century Haida village where the remnants of
twenty-three houses and
thirty-two memorial or mortuary poles
depict a rich and flamboyant society. The
protected area epitomises the rugged
beauty and ecological character of the
Pacific coast, and commemorates the living
culture of the Haida people and their
relationship to the land and sea, offering a
tangible key to their oral traditions.
Gwaii Haanas is on
the spring migration
route of the grey
whales which spend
their summers in
feeding grounds in
the Bering Sea. Killer
whales (orcas),
humpback and minke
whales are also seen
in the waters
surrounding Gwaii
Haanas, along with
Pacic white-sided
dolphins, steller sea
lions and harbour
seals.
Aldabra Atoll
Seychelles
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The atoll is comprised of four large coral
islands which enclose a shallow lagoon; the
group of islands is itself surrounded by a
coral reef. Due to difficulties of access and
the atolls isolation, Aldabra has been
protected from human influence and thus
retains some 152,000 giant tortoises, the
worlds largest population of this reptile.
Aldabra is the least-
disturbed large island
in the Indian Ocean
and the only place in
the world where a
reptile is the
dominant herbivore.
The only endemic
mammal is a ying
fox.
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1978
.
1979
.
1980
.
1981
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
sgang gwaay | aldabra atoll 133
Giant Tortoise.
Historic Centre of Florence
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Significance
in human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Florence is the symbol and cradle of the
Renaissance and its beautiful historic centre
may best be described as a treasure chest of
works of art and architecture. Its 600 years
of extraordinary artistic activity can be seen
in a wealth of buildings and artefacts,
especially the cathedral Santa Maria del
Fiore (the Duomo), the church of Santa
Croce, the Uffizi Gallery and the Medicis
Pitti Palace, now a gallery with paintings by
great masters such as Giotto, Brunelleschi,
Botticelli and Michelangelo.
Founded in 59 BC as a Roman colony
known as Florentia, the free commune of
Florence gradually gained supremacy over
rival towns in Tuscany until, in the fifteenth
century, the city reached the apex of its
splendour. Defined by the fourteenth-
century walls, and built up thanks to the
enormous business and economic power
Florence achieved, the two succeeding
centuries were its golden age. Under the
powerful Medici family, its rulers in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Florence
exerted a major influence on the
development of architecture and the
monumental arts, first in Italy and then
throughout Europe.
The spiritual focus of the city is the
Cathedral Piazza of Santa Maria del Fiore;
Giottos campanile is on one side and the
Baptistry of St John in front, with the Gates
of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti.
To the north lies the Palazzo Medici-
Riccardi by Michelozzo and St Lawrences
Basilica by Brunelleschi, their sacristies
designed by Donatello and Michelangelo.
Further on are the Museum of St Marks,
with Fra Angelicos masterpieces, the
Galleria dellAccademia with Michelangelos
David (15014) and the Santissima
Annunziata Piazza with the Lodge of the
Holy Innocents by Brunelleschi.
On the south side of the cathedral is the
political and cultural centre of Florence,
with the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Galleria
degli Uffizi nearby. Close to these are the
Museo del Bargello and the Basilica of the
Holy Cross. Across the Ponte Vecchio, over
the river Arno, is the Oltrarno quarter, with
the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. Also in
the Oltrarno, is the Holy Ghost Basilica by
Filippo Brunelleschi and the Carmelite
Church, with its frescoes by Masolino,
Masaccio and Filippino Lippi. To the west of
the cathedral stand the imposing Strozzi
Palace and the Basilica of Santa Maria
Novella, its faade designed by Leon
Battista Alberti.
The Duomo
dominates the
Florence skyline.
The Medicis,
Florences great
patrons and
benefactors, ruled the
Grand Duchy of
Tuscany until the
family died out in 1737.
Florence became part
of the Kingdom of
Italy in 1859 and was
the countrys political
capital for a short
time, between 1865
and 1870.
The historic centre of
Florence may be
viewed from the
surrounding hills,
especially Piazzale
Michelangelo ( just
under the
Romanesque Basilica
of San Miniato), or
Fiesole; both offer
some of the most
spectacular views in
the Arno valley.
134 florence
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
.
1982
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Lord Howe Island Group
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
A remarkable example of isolated oceanic
islands, born of volcanic activity more than
2,000 m under the sea, the Lord Howe
Island Group boasts an exceptional diversity
of spectacular and scenic landscapes within
a small area. The sheer slopes of its volcanic
mountains and the dramatic rock formation
Balls Pyramid rise out of an underwater
world that is one of the most beautiful in
the world. The isolation of this special place
at the junction of tropical and temperate
latitudes has led to tremendous biodiversity.
This group of islands is one of the major
breeding sites for seabirds in the southwest
Pacic and is home to numerous endemic
species of ora and fauna.
The Lord Howe Island
Group supports
the southernmost
true coral reef in
the world, which
differs considerably
from more northerly
warm water reefs. It
is unique in being a
transition between the
algal and coral reef,
due to uctuations
of hot and cold water
around the island.
136 lord howe i sland group | cyrene
World Heritage site since
Archaeological Site of
Cyrene
Libya
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony
to cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
A colony of the Greeks of Thera, Cyrene was
one of the principal cities in the Hellenic
world. It was Romanized and remained a
great capital until the earthquake of AD 365.
The site contains the three monumental
complexes of the sanctuary of Apollo, the
Acropolis and the Agora, and preserves a
necropolis complex which is numbered
among the most extensive and varied of the
ancient world. A thousand years of history is
written into its ruins.
Once given by Mark
Anthony to Cleopatra,
Cyrene is not only
one of the cities of the
Mediterranean world
around which myths,
legends and stories
have been woven
over more than 1,000
years, but it is also
one of the most
impressive complexes
of ruins in the entire
world.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Temple of Zeus,
Cyrene.
World Heritage site since
selous game reserve 137
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
Selous Game Reserve
Tanzania
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Selous Game Reserve is a 50,000 km
2
ecosystem and one of the largest wildlife
reserves in the world. It is noted particularly
for the range of its wildlife large numbers
of elephant, black rhinoceros, cheetah,
giraffe, impala, hippopotamus and crocodile
live in this immense sanctuary and for its
remoteness, being relatively undisturbed by
humans.
The reserve, which includes Mikumi
National Park and Kilombero Game
Controlled Area, has a variety of vegetation
zones, ranging from dense thickets to open
wooded grasslands. The deciduous miombo
woodland is dominant, providing the
worlds best example of this vegetation type.
Soils are relatively poor and infertile and
winters bring drought, but despite these
facts, the reserve has a higher density and
species diversity than any other miombo
woodland area, thanks to its size, the
diversity of its habitats, the availability of
food and water, and the lack of human
settlement.
Some 400 species of
animal are known, and
in 1986 approximately
750,000 large animals
of 57 species were
recorded.
In 1994, in the reserve
and surrounding
buffer area, there were
52,000 of the
endangered African
elephant, 50 per cent
of the countrys total,
which is now growing
again after years of
decline due to ivory
poaching.
Impalas in the reserve.
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
Sacred City of
Anuradhapura
Sri Lanka
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
138 anuradhapura
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
Anuradhapura, a political and religious
capital that flourished for 1,300 years, is one
of the principal shrines of Buddhism.
Abandoned and hidden away in dense
jungle for many years, the splendid site, with
its palaces, monasteries and monuments, is
now accessible again.
Founded in the fourth century BC,
Anuradhapura quickly became both the
capital of Ceylon, as the country was then
called, and the sacred city of Buddhism on
the island. It has remarkable monuments,
particularly the huge dagabas (relic
chambers), set on circular foundations and
surrounded by a ring of monolithic
columns, much like Sinhalese stupas.
The city was attacked by waves of invaders
from southern India and was finally
abandoned in 993. It stands as a permanent
manifesto of the culture of Sri Lanka,
impervious to outside influences.
The religious
signicance of
Anuradhapura was
conrmed when a
cutting from the tree
of enlightenment,
under which the
Buddha meditated
and gained
enlightenment, was
brought to the city in
the third century BC.
The cutting ourished
and today, the bodhi
tree spreads out over
the centre of the site
from a sanctuary near
the Brazen Palace.
Jetavanaramaya
dagaba
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
National History Park
Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers
Haiti
Criteria Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
These Haitian monuments date from the
beginning of the nineteenth century, when
Haiti proclaimed its independence. The
Palace of Sans Souci, the buildings at
Ramiers and, especially, the Citadelle Henry
serve as universal symbols of liberty, as they
were the first to be built by black slaves who
had gained their freedom. The Citadelle,
constructed at an altitude of 970 m and
covering a surface area of about 10,000 m
2
,
is one of the best examples of the art of
military engineering of the early nineteenth
century. It was designed specifically to allow
an integrated use of artillery capabilities; an
elaborate system of cisterns supplied water;
and colossal defensive walls rendered this
citadel impregnable. It can shelter a
garrison of up to 5,000 men.
Situated within the
National History
Park created by
presidential decree in
1978, these buildings
enjoy splendid
natural setting of
mountainous peaks
covered with luxuriant
vegetation.
Ta National Park
Cte d'Ivoire
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The park is one of the last remaining
portions of the vast primary forest that once
stretched across present-day Ghana, Cte
dIvoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and is the
largest island of forest remaining in West
Africa. Its rich natural flora, and threatened
mammal species such as the pygmy
hippopotamus and eleven species of
monkeys, are of great scientific interest. The
park lies in southwest Cte dIvoire about
200 km south of Man and 100 km from the
coast, between the Cavally River (which
marks the western border with Liberia) and
the Sassandra River on the east. There is a
gradation from north to south, with the
southern third of the park being the
moistest and richest area, especially of
leguminous trees.
The park contains
some 1,300 species of
higher plants, of
which 54 per cent
occur only in the
Guinea zone.
Vegetation is
predominantly dense
evergreen forest of
a Guinean type
characterized by
tall trees (4060 m)
with massive trunks.
Plants thought to be
extinct, such as
Amorphophallus
staudtii, have been
discovered in the area.
ci tadel, sans souci | ta nati onal park 139
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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SOUTH AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Ancient City of
Polonnaruwa
Sri Lanka
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
Polonnaruwa was the second capital of
Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) after the destruction
of Anuradhapura in 993. This immense new
capital created by the megalomaniac
sovereign, Parakramabahu I, in the twelfth
century, is one of historys most astonishing
urban creations, both because of its unusual
dimensions and because of the very special
relationship of its buildings with their
natural setting. In addition to the
monumental ruins of Parakramabahus
fabulous garden city, Polonnaruwa contains
the Brahmanic monuments built in the
eleventh century by the Chola invaders from
southern India.
After the destruction of Anuradhapura by
Rajaraja, Polonnaruwa, a temporary royal
residence during the eighth century,
became the capital. The conquering Cholas
constructed monuments to their religion
(Brahmanism), and especially temples to
Shiva where fine bronze statues, today in the
Museum of Colombo, were found. The
reconquest of Ceylon by Vijayabahu I did
not put an end to the citys role as capital: it
became covered, after 1070, with Buddhist
sanctuaries, of which the Atadage, the
Temple of the Tooth Relic which held the
tooth of the Buddha, is the most renowned.
The apogee of Polonnaruwa occurred in
the twelfth century AD when two sovereigns
endowed it with monuments.
Parakramabahu I (11531186) created within
the boundary walls a garden city, where
palaces and sanctuaries prolonged the
enchantment of the countryside. This
required the construction of a series of
sophisticated irrigation systems; these
systems are still used today. In addition,
other notable monuments were built during
his reign: the Lankatilaka, an enormous brick
structure which has preserved a colossal
image of Buddha; the Gal Vihara, with its
gigantic rock sculptures which is among the
masterpieces of Sinhalese art; and the
Tivanka Pilimage, where wall paintings of
the thirteenth century illustrate the jataka
(narratives of the previous lives of Buddha).
The successor to Parakramabahu,
Nissamkamalla I, ruler until 1196, built
monuments that were less refined than
those of his predecessor but nonetheless
splendid: the Rankot Vihara, an enormous
stupa or relic chamber 175 m in diameter
and 55 m high, is one of the most
impressive; its plan and its dimensions are
reminiscent of the dagabas at
Anuradhapura.
After this golden age the city fell into a
long decline until government finally
moved to Kurunegala at the end of the
thirteenth century.
A carving of Buddha
in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa bears
witness to several
civilizations, notably
that of the conquering
Cholas, disciples of
Brahmanism, and of
the Sinhalese
sovereigns of the
twelfth and thirteenth
centuries.
The city is a Buddhist
shrine. The tooth of
Buddha, a remarkable
relic placed in the
Atadage, or Temple of
the Tooth Relic, by
King Vijayabahu I, was
considered the
talisman of the
Sinhalese monarchy.
Its removal by King
Bhuvanaikabahu II to
Kurunegala at the end
of the thirteenth
century only
conrmed the decline
of Polonnaruwa.
140 polonnaruwa
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
Tipasa
Algeria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
On the shores of the Mediterranean, Tipasa
was an ancient Punic trading post
conquered by Rome and turned into a
strategic base for the conquest of the
kingdoms of Mauritania. It comprises a
unique group of Phoenician, Roman,
palaeochristian and Byzantine ruins
alongside indigenous monuments such as
the Kbor er Roumia, the great royal
mausoleum of Mauritania. The oldest
Roman settlement is in the centre of the city
on a steep slope protected by cliffs. The
impressive ruins of the civic buildings are
set in the heart of a dense network of private
houses (many decorated with paintings and
mosaics), commercial warehouses, and
industrial establishments of the second and
third centuries. Of the numerous Christian
religious buildings, the immense fourth-
century seven-aisled basilica is particularly
striking.
The extraordinary
archaeological
complexes of Tipasa,
on the Mediterranean
coast 70 km west of
Algiers, are perhaps
the most signicant
to the study of the
contacts between
the indigenous
civilizations and
various waves of
colonization from the
sixth century BC to the
sixth century AD.
142 ti pasa | r o pltano
World Heritage site since
Ro Pltano Biosphere
Reserve
Honduras
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Situated in the Mosquita region of
northeast Honduras, the site comprises a
belt of approximately 15 km by 150 km
extending inland from the Caribbean coast
in a southwesterly direction. The reserve
protects virtually the entire watershed of the
100 km-long Pltano River, as well as major
portions of the Paulaya, Guampu and Sicre
rivers. These three waterways, together with
the Caribbean, form the boundaries of the
reserve, which is the largest surviving area of
virgin tropical rainforest in Honduras. Its
varied topography ranges from mountains
with spectacular rock formations (such as
Dama Peak) and waterfalls to placid coastal
lagoons. Thirty-nine species of mammal,
377 species of bird and 126 reptiles and
amphibians have been recorded.
The site of Ciudad
Blanca (White City)
within the protected
area constitutes one
of the most important
archaeological sites
of Mayan civilization.
The reserve also
contains the site
where Christopher
Columbus rst landed
in the Americas in
1492. There are some
200 sites of
archaeological
importance.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
CENTRAL
AMERICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Tasmanian Wilderness
Australia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance;
Natural phenomena or beauty; Major stages of
Earths history; Significant ecological and
biological processes; Significant natural habitat
for biodiversity
Covering an area of 13,800 km
2
, the
Tasmanian Wilderness contains some of the
last expanses of temperate rainforest and is
one of the three largest temperate
wilderness regions in the southern
hemisphere. It comprises a vast network of
reserved lands that extends over much of
southwestern Tasmania, including several
coastal islands. Glacial erosion and other
geomorphological processes have
contributed to spectacular landforms and
the area contains rocks from almost every
geological period. The flora and fauna is
correspondingly diverse, with living
evidence of its ancient Gondwanan heritage.
The isolation of the Tasmanian Wilderness
has contributed to the uniqueness of its flora
and fauna, which includes some of the
worlds longest-lived trees and largest
carnivorous marsupials. Remains found in
limestone caves attest to human occupation
of the area for at least 35,000 years through
periods of great climatic variation.
Tasmania was cut off from mainland
Australia by rising sea levels
approximately 8,000 years ago,
thereby isolating Tasmanian
Aborigines for some
500 generations.
World Heritage site since
tasmani an wi lderness 143
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Liffey falls.
144 lepti s magna
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
Archaeological Site of
Leptis Magna
Libya
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
Leptis Magna was one of the most
beautiful cities of the Roman Empire,
with its imposing public monuments,
harbour, marketplace, storehouses, shops
and residential districts. It was enlarged
and embellished by Septimius Severus,
who was born there and later became
emperor. It is still one of the best examples
of Severan urban planning. Thereafter,
Leptis fell prey to the same vicissitudes
of fortune as the majority of the coastal
cities of Africa. Pillaged from the fourth
century and reconquered by the Byzantines
who transformed it into a stronghold, it
denitively succumbed to the second wave
of Arab invasion, that of the Hilians in the
eleventh century. Buried under drifting
sands, the city has been disengaged,
piece by piece, over the course of a long
archaeological exploration.
The city, which was
constructed during the
reign of Augustus and
Tiberius but which was
entirely remodelled
along very ambitious
lines under the Severan
emperors, incorporates
major monumental
elements of that
period. The forum,
basilica and Severan
arch rank among the
foremost examples of
a new Roman art,
strongly inuenced by
African and Eastern
traditions.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Leptis Magna Theatre with the ruins of the market, the forum and the harbour in the background.
Tassili nAjjer
Algeria
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
Tassili, a mountainous region in the centre
of the Sahara, is a strange lunar landscape of
deep gorges, dry river beds and stone
forests. During the prehistoric period Tassili
had a very different climate, with abundant
game, regular rainfall and fertile land. In
1933 one of the most important groupings
of prehistoric cave art in the world was
discovered here. More than 15,000 drawings
and engravings record the climatic changes,
the animal migrations and the evolution of
human life on the edge of the Sahara from
6000 BC to the first centuries ad. This art
covers several periods, each of which
corresponds to a particular fauna, yet each
can equally be characterized by stylistic
differences, without reference to an
ecosystem.
At the end of the
Upper Pleistocene
period there were
huge lakes in this
region, fed by rivers
whose dry beds can
still be seen. The
plants and animals
found on the plateaus
bear witness to former
wetter periods. Relict
species surviving in
wet microclimates
include sh and
shrimp and, until the
1940s, the dwarf
Saharan crocodile,
many thousands of
kilometres from the
nearest population in
Egypt.
MZab Valley
Algeria
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
The five ksour (fortified cities) in the MZab
Valley preserve a traditional human habitat
of the tenth century. Simple, functional and
perfectly adapted to the environment, the
architecture of MZab was designed for
community living, while respecting the
structure of the family. The pattern of the
life in the MZab Valley included a seasonal
migration. Each summer the population
moved to palm groves, where the summer
cities were marked by a looser organization,
the highly defensive nature of the houses,
the presence of watchtowers, and a mosque
without a minaret, comparable with those in
the cemeteries. The settlement of the
MZab Valley has exerted considerable
influence on architects and city planners of
the twentieth century, from Le Corbusier to
Pouillon.
Each of the ve
MZab miniature
citadels is encircled by
walls and dominated
by a mosque, whose
minaret functioned as
a watchtower. The
mosque, with its
arsenal and grain
stores, was conceived
as a fortress, the last
bastion of resistance
in the event of a siege.
tassi li naj j er | mzab valley 145
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Old Havana and its
Fortication System
Cuba
Criteria Signicance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Havana was the last city the Spanish
conquistadors founded in Cuba and is
the nest surviving Spanish complex in
the Americas. The citys situation made it
a perfect gathering point for the annual
treasure eets bound for Spain from Mexico
and Peru and it became the front door
to the vast Spanish colonial empire. The
modern-day city is a large metropolis but
its old centre retains an interesting mix of
Baroque and neoclassical monuments, and
a homogeneous ensemble of private houses
with arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates
and internal courtyards.
Havana was established at its present
location in 1519 and by 1550 it had become
the most important city on the island, a
position it has held ever since. It became
one of the Caribbeans main centres for
shipbuilding and has been Cubas capital
since 1607.
Spain fortied the city in the 1760s when
Europes Seven Years War spilled over
into the Americas; those fortications can
still be seen today. Havana was allowed to
trade freely, growing in wealth through
the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
remaining physically untouched by the
wars of independence in Central and South
America in the rst half of the nineteenth
century. After political agitation throughout
the nineteenth century, Cuba nally gained
its independence from Spain in 1902.
Havana suffered little damage during
periods of unrest, including the Cuban
Revolution of the 1950s, and the old city
stands today much as it was 100 years ago
or more.
The Cuban government has been involved
in efforts to restore the character of a
colonial city to the historic centre. Many of
Old Havanas nest buildings have been
converted into museums, and there are
churches, palaces, castles, revolutionary
monuments and markets to visit. The
fortress of La Fuerza has been restored, as
have the palaces of the Segundo Cabo and
of Los Capitanes Generales. Restoration is
slowly extending to residential areas.
The pattern of early urban planning
still exists with the citys four large
squares: Plaza de La Cathedral, Plaza de
San Francisco, Plaza Vieja and Plaza de
Armas. There is also a notable complex of
seventeenthnineteenth-century buildings.
The Plaza de la Catedral, with the towers of
the Catedral de San Cristbal de La Habana
dominating the square, is one of the citys
most outstanding sights.
The Castillo de la
Real Fuerza is the
oldest extant colonial
fortress in the
Americas: its west
tower is crowned by a
bronze weathervane
dating back to 1632.
The Plaza de Armas
has been the seat of
authority and power
in Cuba for 400
years. The imposing
Palacio de los
Capitanes Generales
on the west side of
the square is one of
Cubas most majestic
buildings and is now
the City Museum.
Calle Obispo, which
runs off the Plaza de
Armas, was a haunt of
Ernest Hemingway.
146 old havana
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
NORTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Djmila
Algeria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Situated 900 m above sea level, Djmila, or
Cuicul, is one of the worlds most beautiful
Roman ruins. The classic formula of Roman
urban planning was adapted to the physical
constraints of the site: at both ends of the
cardo maximus, the backbone of the city, are
two gates. In the centre is the forum, an
enclosed square surrounded by buildings
essential to the functioning of civil life.
Aristocratic dwellings set with rich mosaics
multiplied during the course of the second
century in this central quarter. However, this
cramped defensive situation, hemmed in by
walls, hindered the development of the city.
In the mid-second century ad the city
therefore expanded to the south, where a
new quarter, rich in both public buildings
and private dwellings, was established.
Christianity was
implanted in the
southern quarter at an
early date. The
remains of a group of
episcopal buildings
have been located
there: two basilicas, a
baptistry, a chapel and
several houses, the
residence of the
bishop and the priest.
148 dj mi la | ti mgad
World Heritage site since
Timgad
Algeria
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Timgad, which lies on the northern slopes of
the Aurs mountains in a site of great
natural beauty, is a consummate example of
a Roman military colony created ex nihilo by
the Emperor Trajan in AD 100. With its
square enclosure measuring 355 m on each
side and its precise orthogonal design based
on the cardo and decumanus (the two
perpendicular routes running through the
city), it is an excellent example of Roman
town planning at its height. Large public
buildings in the south of the city include the
forum and its annexes (basilica and cur ia),
temples, a theatre with a seating capacity of
3,500, a market and baths. In the northeast
sector, there are other baths and a public
library.
Timgads
development was
meticulously planned.
The streets were
paved with large
rectangular slabs of
limestone, and
particular attention
was paid to the
disposition of public
conveniences. The
houses, including
many immense
private residences,
sparkled under a
dcor of sumptuous
mosaics.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
sabratha 149
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
Archaeological Site of
Sabratha
Libya
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
A Phoenician trading post that served as
an outlet for the products of the African
hinterland, Sabratha was part of the short-
lived Numidian kingdom of Massinissa
before being Romanized and rebuilt in
the second and third centuries AD. The
spectacular ruins highlight its wealth in
Roman times, which saw the construction
of grandiose monuments, of which the
most renowned is the theatre (pictured
below), probably built during the reign of
the Emperor Commodus (AD 161192), with
a capacity of 5,000 seats. The best conserved
part is the frons scena, at the back of the
stage, which has been reconstructed with
original fragments and is divided into three
levels with overlapping marble columns.
Near the theatre stands the amphitheatre,
and other monuments include the temples
of Liber Pater, Serapis, Hercules and Isis,
the Basilica of Justinian and the Capitolium.
The decline of Sabratha
began in the fourth
century: commerce
with Africa was less
active, it was wracked
by religious quarrels,
and much of the
city was destroyed
by earthquakes,
particularly that of
AD 365. The Vandals
invaded Sabratha in
455 and the city was
denitively abandoned
after the Arab invasions
of the seventh and
eleventh centuries.
Roman Theatre at
Sabratha.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
150 oli nda
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
Historic Centre of the
Town of Olinda
Brazil
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Founded in 1537 by the Portuguese, the
towns history is linked to the sugar cane
industry. Rebuilt after being looted by the
Dutch, its basic urban fabric dates from the
eighteenth century. The harmonious balance
between the buildings, gardens, twenty
Baroque churches, convents and numerous
small passos (chapels) all contribute to
Olindas particular charm. From the
sixteenth century, few of the churches and
convents built by religious missions survive.
Among the more important of the
eighteenth-century buildings are the
Episcopal Church, the Jesuit College and
Church (now the Church of Graa), the
Franciscan, Carmelite, Benedictine and
other monasteries, convents and churches.
The studied refinements of the dcor of
these Baroque architectural structures
contrasts with the charming simplicity of the
houses, which are painted in vivid colours or
faced with ceramic tiles.
Over recent decades,
Olinda a city much
appreciated by artists
has been the object
of numerous
preservation
measures.
Outstanding
buildings such as the
Church of Graa, with
the former Jesuit
College, the Convent
do Carmo (pictured
below), and the
Episcopal Palace have
all been restored.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Cahokia Mounds State
Historic Site
USA
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Cahokia Mounds, some 13 km northeast
of St Louis, Missouri, is the largest pre-
Columbian settlement north of Mexico.
It was occupied primarily during the
Mississippian period 8001400, when it
covered nearly 16 km
2
and included some
120 mounds (earthworks). It is a striking
example of a complex chiefdom society,
with many satellite mound centres and
numerous outlying hamlets and villages.
This agricultural society may have had a
population of 1020,000 at its peak between
1050 and 1150. Primary features at the site
include Monks Mound, the largest
prehistoric earthwork in the Americas,
covering over 50,000 m
2
and standing
30 m high.
Cahokia has
numerous large oval-
shaped pits arranged
in arcs of circles.
Archaeologists believe
that posts set in these
pits lined up with the
rising sun at certain
times of the year,
serving as a calendar,
called Woodhenge.
Ancient City of Sigiriya
Sri Lanka
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The ruins of the capital built by the
parricidal King Kassapa I (477495) lie on the
steep slopes and at the summit of a granite
peak standing some 370 m high, the Lions
Rock, which dominates the jungle from all
sides. A series of galleries and staircases
emerging from the mouth of a gigantic lion
constructed of bricks and plaster provide
access to the site.
The Sigiri grafti are
poems inscribed on
the rock, and are
among the most
ancient texts in the
Sinhalese language.
They show the
considerable
inuence exerted by
the city on the
literature and thought
of ancient Ceylon.
Sigiriya or Lions Rock.
cahoki a mounds | si gi ri ya 151
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
152 shi bam
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
Old Walled City of Shibam
Yemen
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
Surrounded by a fortified wall, the sixteenth-
century city of Shibam is one of the oldest
and best examples of urban planning based
on the principle of vertical construction,
giving the city the nickname of the
Manhattan of the desert. The city is built on
a hillock, which has allowed it to escape the
devastating floods of Wadi Hadramaut. Its
plan is almost rectangular; and it is enclosed
by earthen walls within which blocks of
dwellings, also built from earth, have been
laid out on a grid. The tallest house is
eight storeys and the average is five, and
the buildings for the most part date from
the sixteenth century. However, some older
houses and large buildings still remain from
the first centuries of Islam, such as the
Friday Mosque, built in 904, and the castle,
built in 1220.
In Shibam there are
some mosques, two
ancient sultans
palaces and more than
500 buildings all made
uniform by the
material of which they
are constructed:
unred clay blocks
which continue to be
made locally.
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Red
Sea
From the Great Saltworks
of Salins-les-Bains to the
Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-
Senans, the production of
open-pan salt
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains,
where brine has been extracted since the
Middle Ages features three buildings above
ground: salt stores, the Amont well building
and a former dwelling.
It is linked to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-
Senans, a factory designed with the same
sense of architectural quality as that of a
palace. It is a temple to labour, perfectly
illustrating the cultural changes that came
about with the birth of industrial society.
Located near Besanon, the Royal Saltworks
was designed by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux. Its
construction, begun in 1775 and completed
in 1779 during the reign of Louis XVI, was
the first major achievement of industrial
architecture, reflecting the ideal of progress
of the Enlightenment. This vast semicircular
complex was designed to permit a rational
and hierarchical organization of work and
was to have been followed by the building of
an ideal city, the city of Choux, a project that
was never realized.
The Royal Saltworks
exceptional
architecture included
a system of double
canals composed of
wooden cylinders
which drew saline
water from Salons,
21 km away. At Arc-et-
Senans the water was
evaporated in
immense vats heated
night and day by a
wood re.
Como National Park
Cte dIvoire
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
One of the largest protected areas in West
Africa, this park is characterized by its great
plant diversity. It is one of the few remaining
natural areas in the region that is large
enough to ensure the ecological integrity
of the species contained within the site.
The park comprises the land between the
Como and Volta rivers, with a mean
altitude of 250300 m and a series of ridges
rising to 600 m. The Como and its
tributaries form the principal drainage; the
river runs through the park for 230 km. Due
to the presence of the Como, the park
contains plants which are normally found
only much farther south, such as shrub
savannas and patches of thick rainforest.
The park provides
an outstanding
example of an area
of transitional
habitat from forest
to savanna. Its
remarkable variety of
habitats is home to a
high number of
mammal species,
including eleven
species of monkey.
great and royal saltworks | como nati onal park 153
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Taj Mahal
India
Criteria Human creative genius
The Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in
India and one of the universally admired
masterpieces of the worlds heritage. An
immense mausoleum of white marble, it
was built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by
order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan
in memory of his third and favourite wife.
The Taj Mahal partially owes its renown
to the moving circumstances of its
construction. To perpetuate the memory
of Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631, Shah
Jahan had this funerary mosque built.
The monument, begun in 1632, was
finished in 1648. Unverified legends
attribute its construction to an international
team of several thousands of masons,
marble workers, mosaicists and decorators
working under the orders of the architect of
the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahori using
building materials from all over India and
central Asia.
The Darwaza, or gateway, was completed
in 1648. It is a three-storey red sandstone
structure with a lofty central arch and two-
storeyed wings on either side. Its walls are
inscribed with verses from the Koran in
Arabic in black calligraphy. The small domed
pavilions on top are Hindu in style and
signify royalty. The gate was originally lined
with silver, now replaced with copper, and
decorated with 1,000 nails whose heads
were contemporary silver coins.
The Bageecha, or gardens, are planned
along classical Mughal char-bagh style. Two
cypress-tree-lined canals quarter the garden
into equal squares. The garden is laid out in
such a way as to maintain perfect symmetry.
The Taj Mahal stands in the north end of
the garden on two bases, one of sandstone
and above it a square platform in a
chequerboard design topped by a huge
white marble terrace. On the corners are
four minarets.
Two identical red sandstone buildings
stand on either side; the western one is the
masjid (mosque), which sanctifies the area
and provides a place of worship. The rauza,
the mausoleum itself, is square with
bevelled corners. Each corner has a small
dome while in the centre the main double
dome is topped by a brass finial. The main
chamber inside is octagonal with a high
domed ceiling. This chamber contains false
tombs of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan, both
inlaid with precious stones.
Situated on the right
bank of the Yamuna
River, the Taj Mahal
stands in a vast
Mughal garden of
some 0.17 km
2
bounded by four
minarets. The unique
Mughal style
combines elements
and styles of Persian,
Central Asian and
Islamic architecture.
Its octagonal structure
is capped by a bulbous
dome. The architectural
precision is balanced
by the delicate white
marble decoration of
oral arabesques,
decorative bands and
calligraphic
inscriptions.
154 taj mahal
World Heritage site since
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1978
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
156 aj anta caves
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1983
Ajanta Caves
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Ajanta Caves are cave monuments cut
out of hillside rock, first dating from the
second and first centuries BC. The paintings
and sculptures of Ajanta, considered to be
masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have
had a considerable artistic influence.
The caves, situated 100 km northeast of
Ellora, are cut into the volcanic lava of the
Deccan in the forest ravines of the Sahyadri
Hills and are set in beautiful wooded
surroundings. They contain carvings that
depict the life of Buddha, and their carvings
and sculptures are considered to mark the
beginning of classical Indian art.
The twenty-nine caves were first excavated
around 200 BC and work went on for several
hundred years until they were abandoned in
650 AD in favour of another site of cave
monuments, at Ellora.
Five of the Ajanta caves
were temples, and
twenty-four were
monasteries thought to
have been occupied by
200 monks and artisans.
The caves were forgotten
until their rediscovery by
a British tiger-hunting
party in 1819.
With its two groups of
monuments correspon-
ding to two important
periods in Indian history,
the caves bear exceptional
testimony to the
evolution of Indian art.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
old ci ty of berne 157
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
Old City of Berne
Switzerland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Founded in the twelfth century on a hill site
looped by the Aare River, Berne (pictured
below) developed over the centuries in line
with an exceptionally coherent planning
concept that continues to the present day.
The buildings in the Old City, dating from
a variety of periods, include fifteenth-
century arcades and sixteenth-century
picturesque fountains, as well as towers and
walls. The cathedral was constructed during
the seventeenth century, when many
patrician houses were built from sandy
limestone; towards the end of the
eighteenth century, almost 80 per cent of
the constructed zones were renewed.
Like many European capitals, Berne today
offers a contrast (particularly acute on the
Bubenbergplatz) of old monuments and
contemporary buildings; but it preserves in
localized areas, traditional old streets with
arcades, the majority of which are
pedestrianized.
One of Bernes most
recognizable symbols
is the Zytglogge, the
ornately decorated
thirteenth-century
clocktower with its
moving gilded gure
striking the hour.
Since 1848, large
public monuments
have been built which
emphasize Bernes
capital-city status: the
Bundeshaus, Museum
of Fine Arts,
Historical Museum,
University, Municipal
Theatre, etc.
EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
City of Cuzco
Peru
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
158 ci ty of cuzco
World Heritage site since
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1978
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Set in a fertile valley high in the Peruvian
Andes, Cuzco (pictured below) was the
historic capital of the Incas, the largest
civilization in the Americas before the arrival
of Europeans.
The city developed under its ruler
Pachacutec (143871) into a complex
urban centre with distinct religious and
administrative functions; its surrounding
area had separate zones for agricultural,
artisanal and industrial production. Its
sixteenth-century Spanish conquerors
preserved its structure while building over
its political and religious monuments.
Cuzco is today an amalgam of Inca capital
and colonial city. Of the first, it preserves
impressive vestiges, especially its plan: walls
of meticulously cut granite or andesite,
rectilinear streets within the walls, and the
ruins of the Sun Temple. Of the colonial city,
there remain the whitewashed squat
houses, the palace and churches with their
marvellous fusion of Spanish Baroque and
Inca influences.
Inca mythology
attributes the
foundation of the city
to the Inca Manco
Cpac: according to
tradition the golden
sceptre that the sun
had given him was
thrust into the fertile
soil of Cuzco to
designate the
emplacement of the
capital.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Min,
Santa Ana, Nuestra Seora de Loreto and Santa Mara
Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of
Sa Miguel das Misses
(Brazil)
Argentina and Brazil
Criteria Significance in human history
The remains of these five Jesuit missions,
built in the land of the Guaranis during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, are
illustrative of a significant period in the
history of Argentina and Brazil. The ruins of
Sa Miguel das Misses in Brazil and those
of San Ignacio Min, Santa Ana, Nuestra
Seora de Loreto and Santa Mara la Mayor
in Argentina lie in the heart of a tropical
forest. All these Guarani reducciones
(settlements) are laid out on the same
model: the church, the residence of the
Fathers, and the regularly spaced houses
of the Indians are arranged around a large
square. However, each of the reducciones
is characterized by a specific layout and a
different state of conservation.
The ruins of San
Ignacio Min, founded
in 1611, are the most
eminent example of a
reduccin preserved on
Argentinian territory.
They are accessible
and in a relatively
good state of
preservation,
incorporating
churches, a residence
of the Fathers, and
schools.
Benedictine Convent of
St John at Mstair
Switzerland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Convent of Mstair, which stands in a
valley in the Grisons, is a good example of
Christian monastic renovation during the
Carolingian period. In the convent church,
the removal of the Gothic ceiling (19089)
and of the whitewash (194751) brought to
light important vestiges of frescoes dating
from the Romanesque period (c. 115070)
and the Carolingian period (c. 800). This is
now recognised as the most important cycle
of painting from this period. These
figurative paintings (scenes from the Old
and New Testaments) are of a fine aesthetic
quality and are particularly important in
understanding the evolution of certain
Christian iconographic themes, such as the
Last Judgement. Other precious artworks
include stucco statues and reliefs from the
eleventh century.
The convent bears
exceptional testimony
to a Carolingian
civilization and art
which has
disappeared. It is one
of the most coherent
examples of
conventual
architecture and
painting of the
Carolingian period
and the early Middle
Ages.
j esui t mi ssi ons | st j ohn at mstai r 159
World Heritage site since
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
160 ellora caves
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1983
Ellora Caves
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The Ellora Caves not only bear witness to the
three great religions of ancient India
(Buddhism, Brahminism and Jainism), they
also illustrate the spirit of tolerance which
permitted these three religions to establish
their sanctuaries and their communities in a
single place. The thirty-four monasteries and
temples of Ellora, extending over more than
2 km, were dug side by side in the wall of a
high basalt cliff, not far from Aurangabad, in
Maharashtra. The caves, with their
uninterrupted sequence of remarkable
reliefs, sculptures and architecture dating
from AD 6001000, bring the civilization of
ancient India to life. The caves of the
Brahmin group are no doubt the best known
of Ellora with the Cavern of the Ten Avatars
and especially the Kailasha Temple, an
enormous complex most likely undertaken
during the reign of Krishna I.
Progressing from
south to north along
the cliff, one discovers
successively the twelve
caves of the Buddhist
group (between c. AD
600 and 800),
compris ing
monasteries and a
single large temple,
then the caves of the
Brahmin group
(c. 600900), and
nally the Jain group
(c. 8001000).
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Rock carved images of
Buddha in meditation
in cave number twelve.
World Heritage site since
agra fort 161
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1978
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Agra Fort
India
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands
the sixteenth-century Mughal monument
known as the Red Fort of Agra. With its walls
of red sandstone rising above a moat and
interrupted by graceful curves and lofty
bastions, the fortress encompasses within its
enclosure walls of 2.5 km the imperial city of
the Mogul rulers. It comprises many fairy-
tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and
the Khas Mahal; audience halls, such as the
Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful
mosques. Like the Delhi Fort, that of Agra
is one of the most obvious symbols of the
Mogul grandeur which asserted itself under
Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. Several of
the buildings are made from pure marble
with beautiful carvings; all of these
monuments mark the high point of an Indo-
Muslim art strongly marked by influences
from Persia.
The wall has two
gates, the Delhi Gate
and the Amar Singh
Gate. The original and
grandest entrance was
through the Delhi
Gate, which leads to
the inner portal called
the Hathi Pol or
Elephant Gate. The
entrance to the fort is
now only through the
Amar Singh Gate.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Talamanca Range-La
Amistad Reserves /
La Amistad National Park
Costa Rica and Panama
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Tropical rainforests have covered this area
since the last glaciations, about 25,000 years
ago. The park includes lowland tropical
rainforest and cloudforest, and four
communities not found elsewhere in
Central America: subalpine paramo forests,
pure oak stands, glacial lakes and high-
altitude bogs. Species diversity is perhaps
unequalled in any other reserve of
equivalent size in the world. Signs of tapir, a
species as yet unrecorded in Costa Rica, are
abundant on the Panama side of the border.
All Central American wild cats are found
including puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, tiger cat
and jaguar, as well as the Central American
squirrel monkey. A green and black high-
altitude viper, that has rarely been seen or
collected, is present. Four different Indian
tribes inhabit this property, which benefits
from close cooperation between Costa Rica
and Panama.
The Cordillera de
Talamanca is the
highest and wildest
non-volcanic
mountain range in
Central America. The
mountains contain
the largest tracts of
virgin forest in Costa
Rica.
162 talamanca/ la ami stad | angra do heroi smo
World Heritage site since
Central Zone of the Town of
Angra do Heroismo in the
Azores
Portugal
Criteria Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Angra do Heroismo played a highly
significant role in maritime exploration
from the fifteenth to the nineteenth
centuries. Situated on the island of Terceira
in the Azores archipelago, the site was
protected from the prevailing winds by a
series of hills and had two natural basins:
that of the Beacon and that of the
Anchorage (Angra) from which the village
took its name. The port was an obligatory
port of call for fleets from Africa and the
Indies, and is an eminent example of the
maritime framework that allowed
exchanges between the worlds great
civilizations. The 400-year-old San
Sebastio and San Joo Baptista
fortifications are unique examples of
military architecture. Damaged by an
earthquake in 1980, Angra is now being
restored.
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
EUROPE
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Angra has preserved
the better part of its
monumental heritage
and a homogenous
urban ensemble. Its
original vernacular
architecture is
perfectly adapted to
unique climatic
conditions.
Monastery of the
Hieronymites and Tower of
Belm in Lisbon
Portugal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Standing at the entrance to Lisbon harbour,
the Monastery of the Hieronymites,
construction of which began in 1502,
exemplifies Portuguese art at its best. The
very rich ornamentation carved on the
columns and walls animals, vegetables, and
twining ropes earns this monument its fame.
The nearby Tower of Belm, built around
1514 to commemorate Vasco da Gamas
expedition, is a reminder of the great
maritime discoveries that laid the foundations
of the modern world. The cross of the Knights
of Christ is repeated on the parapets of this
fortress, while the watchtowers that flank it
are capped with ribbed cupolas inspired by
Islamic architecture.
Created by the dynasty of Avis at its height,
the complex of Belm is one of the most
representative monuments to Portuguese
power during the time of the Great
Discoveries.
The interior of the church of Belm
incorporates three naves of equal
height. The ribs of the vaulting
spring from their piers, all of which
are covered with sculptures where
the luxurious Gothic ora is muted
with decorative elements of the
Renaissance.
World Heritage site since
hi eronymi tes and belm 163
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The two-storey cloisters of the Monastery of the
Hieronymites.
164 great smoky mountai ns nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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Great Smoky Mountains
National Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is
the most important natural area in the
eastern United States and is of world
importance as an example of temperate
deciduous hardwood forest. Stretching over
more than 2,000 km
2
, this exceptionally
beautiful park is home to more than 3,500
plant species, including almost as many
species of tree, 130, as in all of Europe.
Many endangered animal species are also
found there, including probably the greatest
variety of salamanders in the world. The
dominant topographic feature of the park is
the range of the Great Smoky Mountains
with sixteen peaks over 1,829 m. Since the
park is relatively untouched, it gives an idea
of temperate flora before the influence of
humankind.
The park contains
evidence of four pre-
Columbian Indian
cultures:
Mississippian,
Woodland, Archaic
and palaeo-Indian.
The early Woodland
culture period is of
special archaeological
importance because it
shows the rst
evidence of organized
horticulture in North
America, with
primitive agriculture
on river oodplains.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
The name Smoky comes from the natural fog that
often forms in the morning or after rainfall.
World Heritage site since
anci ent ci ty of nessebar 165
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Ancient City of Nessebar
Bulgaria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black
Sea, Nessebar has been occupied for over
3,000 years. Originally a Thracian
settlement, at the beginning of the sixth
century BC, it became a Greek colony. The
citys remains from the Hellenistic period
include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo,
an agora and a wall from the Thracian
fortifications. Until its capture by the Turks
in 1453, Nessebar was one of the most
important Byzantine towns on the west
coast of the Black Sea. From this period
come monuments of exceptional quality:
for example, the Stara Mitropolia, a large
basilica without transept rebuilt in the ninth
century, the Church of the Virgin and the
Nova Mitropolia, founded in the eleventh
century and continually embellished until
the eighteenth century. Nessebar was
enriched in the nineteenth century by
numerous houses in the Plovdiv style, with
stone foundations and broad wooden eaves.
Nessebar, one of the oldest towns in
Europe, still exudes the spirit of
numerous ages and peoples
Thracians, Hellenes, Romans, Slavs,
Byzantines and Bulgarians. Its
cobbled streets, well-kept medieval
churches, and timbered houses from
the nineteenth century illustrate its
chequered past. Nessebars churches
can be best described as a cross
between Slav and Greek Orthodox
architecture.
EUROPE
Black Sea
The ruins of an ancient bastion and walls in Nessebar.
La Fortaleza and San Juan
National Historic Site in
Puerto Rico
USA
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Founded in 1521, San Juan was the second
city established by the Spanish in the
Americas. It stands at a strategically
important point in the Caribbean, and
between the fifteenth and nineteenth
centuries a series of defensive structures
was built to protect the city and the Bay of
San Juan. The city defences represent a fine
display of European military architecture
adapted to harbour sites on the American
continent.
For the explorers and the colonists of the
New World who came from the east, Puerto
Rico was an obligatory stopping-place in the
Caribbean. From this evolved its primordial
strategic role at the beginning of the
Spanish colonization. The island was for
centuries a stake disputed by the Spanish,
French, English and Dutch. The
fortifications of the Bay of San Juan, the
magnificent port to which Puerto Rico owes
its name, bear witness to its long military
history.
La Fortaleza, completed in 1540, was the
first of the defensive fortifications to be built
to protect Spains interests against Carib
Indians, pirates and enemy warships. It is a
vast system with ramparts, fortlets and
fortresses, attesting formerly to its
effectiveness and today to its historic
significance. The main components of this
defensive system are La Fortaleza, El Morro
(see photograph on the right) and San
Cristbal.
La Fortaleza is an exemplary monument
of Hispano-American colonial architecture.
It served as an arsenal, prison, and residence
for the Governor-General of the island.
El Morro, also built to protect San Juan Bay,
stands on a rocky peak of land on the
western extremity of the island. This
triangular fort developed into a masterpiece
of military engineering with stout walls,
carefully planned steps and ramps for
moving men and artillery. By the end of the
eighteenth century, more than 400 cannon
defended the fort, making it almost
impregnable. San Cristbal, with its
dependencies, is another accomplished
example of the military architecture of the
second half of the eighteenth century.
San Juan National Historic Site includes
forts, bastions, powder houses, walls and El
Cauelo Fort, also called San Juan de la Cruz
defensive fortifications that once
surrounded the old colonial portion of San
Juan, Puerto Rico. El Cauelo Fort is located
on the Isla de Cabras at the western end of
the entrance to San Juan Bay.
The walls of Fort San
Felipe del Moro (El
Morro) in San Juan.
By the nineteenth
century, the old city
had become a
charming residential
and commercial
district. The city itself,
with its institutional
buildings, museums,
houses, churches,
plazas and
commercial buildings,
is part of the San Juan
Historic Zone which is
administered by
municipal, state and
federal agencies.
The entire historic site
of San Juan with its
different monumental
components
maintains, at present,
a balance between
constructed and non-
constructed zones.
166 la fortaleza and san j uan
World Heritage site since
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NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Srebarna Nature Reserve
Bulgaria
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Srebarna Nature Reserve is a freshwater
lake adjacent to the Danube and extending
over 6 km
2
. The reserve was set up primarily
to protect the rich diversity of wildfowl,
which represent half of all Bulgarian bird
species. It is the breeding ground of almost
a hundred species of bird, many of which
are rare or endangered. Some eighty other
bird species migrate and seek refuge there
every winter. Sixty-seven plant species can
be found in Srebarna Nature Reserve,
including water lily and a number of rare
marsh plants. Reeds occupy two-thirds of
the reserve and form a thick barrier around
the lake. They form reed-mace islands which
birds use for nesting.
Until 1949, the lake
was connected to the
river Danube. Its
disconnection
prevented annual
flooding and the level
of the lake fell one
metre per year.
However, the lake was
reconnected with the
Danube by canal in
1978 to prevent water
levels from becoming
too low and to restore
the lakes fish
population.
168 srebarna | sai nt-savi n sur gartempe
World Heritage site since
Abbey Church of Saint-
Savin sur Gartempe
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Known as the Romanesque Sistine Chapel,
the Abbey Church of Saint-Savin contains
many beautiful eleventh- and twelfth-
century murals which are still in a
remarkable state of preservation. During
the reign of Charlemagne the bodies of two
martyrs, Savin and Cyprian, who had been
persecuted in the fifth century, were
discovered under miraculous circumstances
by Baidilius, Abbot of Marmoutier, who
ordered a church built to shelter the holy
remains. By coincidence, Charlemagne
decided to have a castle erected next to the
sanctuary. Because the abbey was sheltered
by the castle it escaped pillage from the
Viking raids and survives to this day. The
beautifully proportioned building dates to
the end of the eleventh century, but includes
some older parts, such as the crypts of the
saints.
Saint-Savin sur
Gartempe is the
second-oldest church
still standing in
France. It boasts the
largest Romanesque
frescoes in Europe.
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EUROPE
Black Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
stani slas, carri re, dalli ance 169
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1978
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1979
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Place Stanislas, Place de la
Carrire and Place
dAlliance in Nancy
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
These three squares in Nancy represent the
oldest and most typical example of a
modern capital where an enlightened
monarch proved to be sensitive to the needs
of the public. Built between 1752 and 1756 by
a brilliant team led by the architect Her, this
was a carefully conceived project that
succeeded in creating a capital that not only
enhanced the sovereigns prestige but was
also functional. The foundation stone of the
first building in the square was officially laid
in March 1752 and the royal square solemnly
inaugurated in November 1755. In addition
to some prestigious architecture conceived
to exalt a sovereign with triumphal arches,
statues, and fountains, the project provided
the public with three squares that gave
access to the town hall, the courts of law, and
the Palais des Fermes as well as to other
public buildings.
The project was carried out under
the patronage of Stanislas
Leszczynski, unhappy pretender to
the Polish throne and father-in-law
of Louis XV, King of France. Stanislas
received, as a recompense for his
abdication, the Dukedom of Lorraine
for life. He reigned (peacefully) from
Nancy from 1737 to 1766.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Fountain of Amphitrite in Place Stanislas.
170 wood buffalo nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1981
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1983
Wood Buffalo National Park
Canada
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Situated in a vast wilderness area, Wood
Buffalo was created specifically to protect
North American bison, one of the largest
free-roaming, self-regulating herds in
existence. The park is also the natural
nesting place of the whooping crane and
contains the worlds largest inland delta,
located at the mouth of the Peace and
Athabasca rivers. The park has four main
landscape features: a glacially eroded
plateau; glaciated plains; a major freshwater
delta; and alluvial river lowlands (including
a unique salt mudflat in dry weather).
Vegetation is typical of the boreal forest
zone with white spruce, black spruce, jack
pine and tamarack predominant. The upper
surface of the plateau is about 1,500 m above
the rest of the park and supports a spruce-
willow-birch upland tundra community.
Some areas of prairie occur. The park
contains the largest undisturbed grass and
sedge meadows in North America.
The forty-seven
mammal species in
the park include
North American Bison
(pictured below), black
bear, woodland
caribou, Arctic fox,
moose, grey wolf, lynx,
snowshoe hare,
muskrat, beaver and
mink, while 227 bird
species have been
recorded, including
great grey owl and
snowy owl, willow
ptarmigan, redpoll,
crossbill and boreal
chickadee.
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Sangay National Park
Ecuador
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
The site is situated in the Cordillera Oriental
region of the Andes in central Ecuador.
With its outstanding natural beauty and two
active volcanoes, Tungurahua (5,016 m) and
Sangay (5,230 m), the park illustrates the
entire spectrum of ecosystems, ranging
from tropical rainforests to glaciers, with
striking contrasts between the snowcapped
peaks and the forests of the plains. A third
volcano, El Altar (5,139 m), is considered
extinct. Major rivers drain eastwards into
the Amazon Basin and are characterized by
dramatic variations in level. Numerous
waterfalls occur, especially in the hanging
valleys of the glaciated zone and along the
eastern edge of the Cordillera. The areas
isolation has encouraged the survival of
indigenous species such as the mountain
tapir and the Andean condor.
The parks varied
vegetation zones offer
homes to many rare
and vulnerable fauna
species. At the highest
altitudes mountain
tapir, puma, guinea
pig and Andean fox
occur. Elsewhere
spectacled bear,
jaguar, ocelot, margay,
pudu and giant otter
are found.
Valle de Mai Nature
Reserve
Seychelles
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Valle de Mai is a valley in the heart of
Praslin National Park, an area which was
untouched until the 1930s and still retains
primeval palm forest in a near-natural state.
This palm forest includes the endemic
species coco de mer, the bearer of the
largest nut in the world. The other five
species of endemic palm are also found
here, the only place in the Seychelles where
they all occur together. Notable bird
species include the endemic black parrot,
which is totally dependent on the Valle de
Mai and the surrounding palm forest. In a
densely populated island, the survival of
the Valle de Mai in itself is a remarkable
achievement; too small to be self-
sustaining, its present status is due to some
replanting of coco de mer.
A rich body of legend
has developed around
the coco de mer, often
with religious
significance. In the
nineteenth century
the British General
Gordon produced
detailed proof that
the Valle de Mai was
the Garden of Eden
and that coco de mer
was the tree of
knowledge.
sangay nati onal park | valle de mai 171
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Historic Sanctuary of
Machu Picchu
Peru
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea
level in an extraordinarily beautiful setting
in the middle of a tropical mountain forest.
The city was probably the greatest urban
achievement of the Inca Empire at its
height: its giant walls, terraces and ramps
seem as if they have been cut naturally in
the continuous rock escarpments. The
natural setting, on the eastern slopes of
the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon
basin with its rich diversity of flora and
fauna.
Set on the vertiginous site of a granite
mountain sculpted by erosion and
dominating a meander in the Rio
Urubamba, Machu Picchu is a world-
renowned archaeological site. Its
construction, set out according to a very
rigorous plan, comprises one of the most
spectacular creations of the Incas, the
largest civilization in the Americas before
the arrival of Europeans. It appears to date
from the period of the two great Inca rulers,
Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (143871) and
Tupac Inca Yupanqui (147293). The function
of this city, which is over 100 km from the
Inca capital, Cuzco, is still unknown. Without
making a judgement as to their purpose,
several individual quarters may be noted in
the ruins: a farmers quarter near the
colossal terraces whose slopes were
cultivated and transformed into hanging
gardens; an industrial quarter; a royal
quarter and a religious quarter.
The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
covers 325 km
2
in some of the scenically
most attractive mountainous territory of the
Peruvian Andes. It was the last stronghold of
the Incas, is of superb architectural and
archaeological importance, and remains
one of the most important cultural sites in
Latin America. The sites stonework is a first-
class example of the use of a natural raw
material to create outstanding architecture
totally appropriate to the surroundings.
The surrounding valleys have been
cultivated continuously for well over 1,000
years, providing one of the worlds greatest
long-term examples of a productive
manland relationship. The people living
around Machu Picchu continue a way of life
closely resembling that of their Inca
ancestors, being based on potatoes, maize
and llamas. Machu Picchu also provides a
secure habitat for several endangered
species, notably the spectacled bear.
Machu Picchu bears,
with Cuzco and the
other archaeological
sites of the valley of
the Urubamba
(Ollantautaybo,
Runcuracay,
Sayacmarca,
Phuyupamarca,
Huiay Huayna,
Intipucu and others), a
unique testimony to
the Inca civilization.
Machu Picchu in
particular is an
outstanding example
of mans interaction
with his natural
environment.
172 machu pi cchu
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1983
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
174 gulf of porto
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1982
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1983
Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata,
Scandola Reserve
France
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant natural habitat
for biodiversity
This reserve, on the central western coast of
Corsica, includes a coastline of astonishing
beauty studded with offshore islets and sea
pillars rising out of translucent waters. On
the shore there are hidden coves and long
beaches of fine sand, sea grottoes and high
cliffs of blood-red porphyry. Seagulls,
cormorants and sea eagles can be found
there. The clear waters, with their islets and
inaccessible coves, host a rich marine life.
The reserve is divided into two sectors: the
Elpa Nera inlet (between Pointe Bianca and
Pointe Validori) and the Scandola peninsula.
The vegetation is an outstanding example of
typical Mediterranean maquis (shrubland).
This is replaced by arborescent plants at an
altitude of 200 m and oaks replace this in
certain areas. This area conserves traditional
agriculture and grazing activities, and
contains complete systems of
architecturally interesting fortifications.
Scandola Nature
Reserve contains a
rich sedentary and
migrant fauna
including the
peregrine falcon,
osprey and Eleonora
falcon, with Corys
shearwater and
Audouins gull
occurring in the
littoral zone. The
marine environment
contains considerable
numbers of spiny
lobster and a wide
range of littoral and
sublittoral
invertebrates and sh.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Convent of Christ in Tomar
Portugal
Criteria Human creative genius; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Convent of Christ, originally conceived
as a symbolic monument to the
Reconquista, the retaking of Portuguese
territory from Islamic rule, became the most
spectacular example of highly decorated
Manueline architecture. During the second
half of the twelfth century, the Knights
Templar came to Tomar to assist in the
Reconquista. Their original church, built at
the end of the twelfth century by the first
great Master of the Templars, Gualdim Pais,
was based on a polygonal ground plan of
sixteen bays with a central octagonal choir
and an ambulatory, typical of Templar
architecture. It was under Manuel I that the
choir was lavishly decorated and Diego de
Arruda created the enormous nave built
above the chapter room. The prodigious
exterior decoration combines with
stupefying ease Gothic and Moorish
influences.
When, in the fourteenth century, the Order of the
Knights Templar was abolished and replaced by the
Knights of the Order of Christ, Tomar lost none
of its importance. Successive embellishments
rendered it one of the most prestigious monuments
in Portugal.
World Heritage site since
convent of chri st i n tomar 175
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Abbey of St Gall
Switzerland
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The Abbey of St Gall is a perfect example
of a great Carolingian monastery and was,
from the eighth century to its secularization
in 1805, one of the most important in
Europe. Its library is one of the richest and
oldest in the world with more than 160,000
books and many precious manuscripts. It
has 400 volumes more than 1,000 years
old and the earliest-known architectural
plan drawn on parchment. An abbey has
existed on this site since 719 and successive
restructurings of its buildings attest to its
ongoing religious and cultural function.
From 175568, the conventual area was
rebuilt in Baroque style. The cathedral and
the library are the main features of this
remarkable architectural complex, reecting
twelve centuries of continuous activity.
In 747, the abbot
Othmar established
a community of
Benedictine monks
in the place made
famous by St Gall.
By the ninth century,
the Abbey of St Gall
was one of the most
renowned centres of
Western culture and
science.
176 abbey of st gall | church of wi es
World Heritage site since
Pilgrimage Church of Wies
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The sanctuary of Wies, a pilgrimage church
in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, is
a masterpiece of Rococo art. The hamlet of
Wies, near Steingaden in Bavaria, was the
setting of a miracle in 1738: a simple wooden
image of Christ, mounted on a column,
appeared to some of the faithful to be in
tears. A wooden chapel was initially built
to house the miraculous statue. However,
pilgrims from Germany and abroad became
so numerous that the Abbot of Steingaden
decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.
Accordingly, work began in 1745 under
the direction of the celebrated architect,
Dominikus Zimmermann. The choir was
consecrated in 1749 and the remainder of
the church nished by 1754.
The prodigious stucco
decoration is the
work of Dominikus
Zimmermann,
assisted by his brother
Johann Baptist. The
lively colours of the
paintings bring out
the sculpted detail,
while the frescoes
and stuccowork
interpenetrate to
produce a dcor
of unprecedented
richness. The ceilings,
painted as trompe-
lil, appear to open
on to an iridescent
sky, across which
angels y.
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1978
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EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
World Heritage site since
monastery of batalha 177
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1978
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Monastery of Batalha
Portugal
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values
The Monastery of the Dominicans of
Batalha was built to commemorate the
victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians
at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It was to
be the Portuguese monarchys main
building project for the next two centuries,
out of which a highly original, national
Gothic style evolved. The majority of the
complex dates from the reign of Joo I,
when the church (finished in 1416), the royal
cloister, the chapterhouse, and the funeral
chapel of the founder were constructed.
The last great period of Batalha coincided
with the reign of Manuel I, who built the
monumental vestibule and the principal
portal, and restored the royal cloister,
creating a masterpiece of Manueline art.
The arcades were embellished with finely
carved tracery displaying the emblems of
Manuel I, the Cross of the Order of Christ
and the armillary sphere.
The churchs interior
maintains a sober
Gothic majesty that
has remained
undisturbed by later
additions. The nave
and aisles are
separated by thick
pillars crowned by
capitals with plant
motifs. The chancel
windows, decorated
with beautiful
sixteenth-century
stained glass, project
a diffused light that
gives a feeling of
great spirituality.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
178 ri la monastery
World Heritage site since
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Rila Monastery
Bulgaria
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Rila Monastery was founded in the tenth
century by St John of Rila, a hermit whose
ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy
site. It was transformed into a monastic
complex that played an important role in the
spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria.
Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the
nineteenth century, the monastery was
rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. Only the
Hrelyu Tower, built in 1355 by Stefan Hrelyu,
a local prince, survives from an earlier
period. The remaining nineteenth-century
structures occupy a vast irregular square,
with two entrances, both decorated with
frescoes. In the centre is the Cathedral of
Our Lady of the Assumption, built in 1833.
The buildings that surround it contain four
chapels, a refectory and some 300 cells for
the monks, a library and rooms for the
guests of the monastery.
During the Ottoman
Turkish domination of
Bulgaria, the monastery
became a bulwark of
national identity. It was
a destination for
pilgrimages from all
over the Balkan region,
especially after 1469,
when the relics of
St John of Rila were
brought here. Its
reconstruction in the
nineteenth century
symbolized an
awakening of a Slavic
cultural identity.
EUROPE
Black Sea
Rila Monastery fresco.
Extending over an area of 274 km in
southwest Bulgaria, Pirin National Park has
a limestone landscape, with lakes, waterfalls,
caves and pine forests. The rugged
mountains, with some seventy glacial lakes
scattered throughout them, are home to
hundreds of endemic and rare species,
many of which are representative of the
Balkan Pleistocene flora. There are many
rivers and waterfalls. Generally, the
timberline has developed as a result of
human interference over a long period and
descends as low as 2,000 m, but in some
places reaches 2,2002,300 m. In the
subalpine zone there are thickets of dwarf
mountain pine and Juniperus sibirica. Above
2,4002,600 m is a layer of alpine meadows,
stony slopes, screes and rocks. There is a
wide variety of animal species including
many endemic species and glacial relicts
among the invertebrate fauna.
World Heritage site since
pi ri n nati onal park 179
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Pirin National Park
Bulgaria
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes
The presence of
limestone rocks, the
southerly position of
the range and close
proximity to the
Aegean, coupled with
its relative isolation,
have made Pirin
National Park an
important refuge for
many species. In 2010,
the site was extended
to include an area of
400 km in the Pirin
Mountains.
EUROPE
Black Sea
Vatican City
Holy See
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Vatican City, one of the most sacred
places in Christendom, attests to a great
history and a formidable spiritual venture.
A unique collection of artistic and
architectural masterpieces lies within the
boundaries of this small state. As the site
of the tomb of St Peter and a pilgrimage
centre, the Vatican is directly and materially
linked with the history of Christianity.
Furthermore, it is both an ideal and an
exemplary creation of the Renaissance and
of Baroque art. It exerted an underlying
influence on the development of art from
the sixteenth century.
The independent Vatican City State
defined by the 1929 Lateran Treaty between
the Holy See and Italy, has a territorial
sovereignty of less than 0.5 km
2
. However,
this tiny enclave within Rome has, in the
heritage of mankind, an importance which
is inversely proportional to its area. The
centre of Christianity since the time of
Constantine in the fourth century and the
seat of papal power, the Vatican is at once an
important archaeological site of the Roman
world, the pre-eminently holy city of
Catholics and one of the major cultural
reference points of both Christians and
non-Christians.
Its prestigious past explains the
development of an architectural and artistic
ensemble of exceptional value. The
churches and palaces rest on a substratum
impregnated with history. At its centre is the
Basilica of St Peter, with its double
colonnade and a circular piazza in front and
bordered by palaces and gardens. The
basilica was first built in 315 over the tomb
of St Peter the Apostle but its present-day
appearance dates from the sixteenth
century, when Pope Julius II inaugurated a
massive artistic project for the refoundation
of the entire basilica, along with the
decoration of the Stanze Vaticane (the papal
apartments) and the Sistine Chapel, and the
construction of his own tomb. The result is
the fruit of the combined genius of
Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini
and Maderna.
The Apostolic Palace or Vatican Palace is
the result of a long series of construction
campaigns in which successive popes, from
the Middle Ages onwards rivalled each
other in their munificence. It is the official
residence of the Pope and houses the
Vatican Museum, the Vatican Library
and various chapels including the
Sistine Chapel.
St Peters was
founded as a
longitudinal basilica
with ve aisles, with a
transept, apse, and
large atrium with
quadriporticus.
The basilica was
reconstructed in the
sixteenth century
under the guidance
of the most brilliant
architects of the
Renaissance. The
remains of
Constantines original
basilica still exist, with
fragments of the
circus of Caligula and
Nero, and an entire
rst century AD
Roman necropolis
where Christian
sepulchres are placed
side-by-side with
pagan tombs.
180 vati can ci ty
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Tyrrhenian Sea
Adriatic
Sea
182 antoni gaud
World Heritage site since
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Works of Antoni Gaud
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The works of the architect Antoni Gaud
(18521926) represent outstanding examples
of early twentieth century residential and
public architecture. In particular, seven of his
properties in and around Barcelona testify to
his exceptional creative contribution to the
development of architecture and building
technology in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries.
The seven buildings in the World Heritage
Site are Casa Vicens, Gauds work on the
Nativity faade and Crypt of La Sagrada
Familia, Casa Batll, Casa Mil, Park Gell,
Palacio Gell and the crypt in Colonia Gell.
These monuments represent an eclectic
and very personal style which was given free
reign in the design of gardens, sculpture and
all decorative arts, as well as architecture.
Gauds work exhibits an important
interchange of values closely
associated with the cultural and
artistic currents of his time, as
represented in El Modernisme
movement of Catalonia. It also
anticipated and inuenced many of
the forms and techniques that were
relevant to the development of
modern construction in the
twentieth century.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Construction began on La Sagrada Familia in
1882 and continues to this day. It is expected to be
complete by 2026.
World Heritage site since
sun temple, konrak 183
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Sun Temple, Konrak
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
On the shores of the Bay of Bengal, bathed
in the rays of the rising sun, the temple at
Konrak was one of the earliest centres of
sun worship in India. Built around 1250, the
entire temple was conceived as a
representation of the Sun God Suryas
chariot, with a set of spokes and elaborate
carvings. Its twenty-four wheels are
decorated with symbolic designs referring
to the cycle of the seasons and the months,
and it is led by a team of seven horses, six of
which still exist. The temple is carefully
oriented so as to permit the first rays of the
Sun to strike its principal entry. It is one of
the most famous Brahmin sanctuaries of
Asia.
Legend has it that
the temple was
constructed by
Samba, the son of
Lord Krishna. Samba
was aficted by
leprosy and after
twelve years of
penance he was cured
by Surya, the Sun
God, in whose honour
he built this temple.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
One of the twenty-four
ornately carved stone
wheels on the Sun
Temple at Konrak.
Yosemite National Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Yosemite National Park lies in the heart
of California in an area of outstanding
wilderness and great scenic beauty. With
its hanging valleys, many waterfalls, cirque
lakes, polished domes, moraines and
U-shaped valleys, it provides an excellent
overview of all kinds of granite relief
fashioned by glaciation.
At 6004,000 m, a great variety of flora
and fauna can also be found here. The
National Park, on the west slope of the
central Sierra Nevada Mountains,
represents practically all the different
environments found within the Sierra
Nevada, including sequoia groves, historic
resources, evidence of Indian habitation,
and domes, valleys, polished granites and
other geological features that illustrate the
formation of the mountain range.
Yosemites natural beauty was the impetus
for the implementation of the concept of
the national park. Its archaeological features
add to the areas cultural importance.
El Capitan is a 910 m
rock formation
predominantly carved
out during the Sherwin
Glaciation around
one million years ago.
The variety of ora in
the park is reected in
the existence of six
distinct vegetation
zones which are
governed by altitude.
There are 1,200
species of owering
plant along with
various other ferns,
bryophytes and
lichens.
184 yosemi te nati onal park | cartagena
World Heritage site since
Port, Fortresses and Group
of Monuments, Cartagena
Colombia
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Cartagena, together with La Habana and
San Juan de Puerto Rico, was one of the
three most important ports in the West
Indies. It is an outstanding example of the
military architecture of the sixteenth
eighteenth centuries, the most extensive
in the New World and one of the most
complete. The fortifications, finally
completed in the seventeenth century,
made Cartagena an impregnable
stronghold, which successfully resisted
attack until 1697. Within the shelter of the
formidable defences, the city continued to
grow. The plan, characteristic of colonial
foundations of the sixteenth century,
illustrates a rigorous zoning system, divided
into three quarters corresponding to the
major social categories: San Pedro, with the
cathedral and many Andalusian-style
palaces; San Diego, where merchants and
the middle class lived; and Gethsemani, the
popular quarter.
The quarter of San
Pedro, where the
nobles and the
notables resided, still
preserves monuments
of high quality such as
the cathedral, the
Church and Convent
of San Pedro Claver,
the Church of Santo
Domingo, and the
building that once
was the Monastery
of San Diego.
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NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Salonga National Park
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Salonga is the largest tropical forest
national park in the world. Situated at the
heart of the central basin of the Congo river,
the park is very isolated and accessible
mainly by water. Equatorial forest covers
most of the area, varying in composition
according to the geomorphology. There are
three types of landscape: low plateaus, river
terraces and high plateaus. The total area of
grassland is under 0.5 per cent of the park
area. The park is the habitat of many
endangered species, the most important of
which is the endemic dwarf chimpanzee, or
bonobo. Other species include colobus
monkeys, hippopotamus and leopard.
Rivers in the west of
the north sector are
large and meandering
with marshy banks. In
the higher east, valleys
are deeper with cliffs
up to 80 m high. The
south sector includes
the watershed
between the basin of
the Luilaka to the
north and east, Likoro
to the west, and
Lukenje to the south.
186 salonga nati onal park | mana pools
World Heritage site since
Mana Pools National Park,
Sapi and Chewore Safari
Areas
Zimbabwe
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
On the banks of the Zambezi, great cliffs
overhang the river and the floodplains. The
Mana Pools are former channels of the
Zambezi. With the Sapi and Chewore areas,
they total some 6,766 km
2
. The area contains
the last remaining natural stretch of the
Middle Zambezi and there is virtually no
permanent human habitation. The area is
home to a remarkable concentration of wild
animals, including elephants, buffalo,
leopards and cheetahs. An important
concentration of Nile crocodiles is also
found there. Much of the Chewore is heavily
dissected and the Mupata Gorge (some
30 km long) occurs along the northern
border of this area. Above the Mupata
Gorges the river is broad and sandy, flowing
through numerous channels, sandbanks
and islands.
Well-grassed miombo
woodland dominates
the mountainous
escarpment and
higher Chewore areas
with small but
signicant riparian
communities along
the numerous
streams. The valley
oor is dominated by
mopane woodlands or
dry, highly deciduous
thickets known as
Jesse.
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1984
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
statue of li berty 187
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1978
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1984
Statue of Liberty
USA
Criteria Human creative genius; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Statue of Liberty is a masterpiece of the
human creative spirit. Its construction in the
studios of Bartholdi in Paris represents one
of the greatest technical exploits of the
nineteenth century.
It welcomed immigrants at the entrance
to New York harbour, and so is directly
associated with an event of outstanding
historical significance: the populating of the
USA, the melting pot of disparate peoples in
the later nineteenth century. That the statue
was paid for by international subscription
and built in Europe by a French sculptor
only strengthens its symbolic significance.
Liberty was dedicated on 28 October 1886
and features a woman holding a book and a
torch. It stands on Liberty Island and was
designated a National Monument in 1924.
Ellis Island, the immigrants former landing
place, became part of the Statue of Liberty
National Monument in 1965.
This towering monument (46 m tall)
to liberty was a gift from France in
1886 to celebrate the centenary of
American independence ten years
late. Liberty Enlightening the World,
symbolizing the ideals of Washington
and Lincoln, was extensively restored
for its centenary and the annual
celebration of American independence
on 4 July 1986.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Iguazu National Park
Argentina
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
One of the worlds most spectacular
waterfalls, the Iguazu Falls, lies at the heart
of this vast, rich and diverse national park.
The waterfall is semicircular, some 80 m
high and 2,700 m in diameter and stands on
a basaltic line that spans the border between
Argentina and Brazil.
The site consists of the national park and
national reserves in Misiones Province,
northeastern Argentina. The Iguazu River
forms the northern boundary of both the
reserves and park, and also the southern
boundary of Iguau National Park World
Heritage site in Brazil.
The Iguazu Falls lie on the Argentina-
Brazil border and are made up of many
cascades that generate vast sprays of water
and produce one of the most magnificent
waterfalls in the world. The vegetation is
mostly subtropical wet forest rich in lianas
and epithytes, although the forests have less
species diversity when compared with
others in Brazil and parts of Paraguay.
Nonetheless, over 2,000 species of vascular
plant have been identified.
Vegetation around the falls is particularly
luxuriant due to the constant spray. The site
is particularly rich in bird life, with almost
half of Argentinas bird species found there.
The fauna are typical of the region and
include tapir, coatimundi, and tamandua.
Threatened mammals such as the jaguar,
ocelot and tiger-cat number among the
carnivores, and the giant anteater and
Brazilian otter are also found. Primates
include the black-capped capuchin and
black howler monkey. There are also small
populations of the endangered broad-nosed
cayman and the threatened Brazilian
merganser (sawbill duck).
Iguazu Falls.
The rst inhabitants
in the area were the
Caingangues Indians.
This tribe was
dislodged by the
Tupi-Guaranies who
coined the name
Iguazu (Big Water).
The rst European to
reach the Iguazu falls
was the Spanish
explorer Don Alvar
Nues Cabeza de
Vaca in 1541; some ten
years later Spanish
and Portuguese
colonization began.
There are at least two
sites of particular
archaeological
interest within the
national park.
188 i guazu nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
190 lake malawi nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1984
Lake Malawi National Park
Malawi
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Located at the southern end of the great
expanse of Lake Malawi, with its deep, clear
waters and mountain backdrop, the national
park is home to many hundreds of fish
species, nearly all endemic. Lake Malawi
itself is the third deepest in the world and
contains the largest number of fish species
of any lake in the world. The park is rich in
birdlife, including fish eagle, along the
shoreline. Mammals include hippo, baboon,
warthog and occasional elephant. The
islands, especially Mumbo and Boadzulu,
are important nesting areas for white-
throated cormorant which number several
thousand. Reptiles include crocodiles and
abundant monitor lizards. The areas
importance for the study of evolution is
comparable to that of the Galpagos
Islands.
Archaeological
evidence points to a
long period of human
occupation with sites
dating back to the
Iron Age in the fourth
century. The Cape
Maclear area was one
focal point in the ivory
and slave trade era.
More recently a
Livingstone Mission
was established there
and the area was a
stopover on the Cape
to London ying boat
service.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
baalbek 191
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1978
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1984
Baalbek
Lebanon
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Baalbek, with its colossal structures, is a
pre-eminent example of a sanctuary of the
imperial Roman period. This Phoenician
city, where a triad of deities was worshipped,
was known as Heliopolis during the
Hellenistic period. The arrival of the
Romans in Phoenicia in 64 BC heralded the
beginning of more than two centuries of
monumental construction in which the
Romanized triad of Heliopolis ( Jupiter,
Venus and Mercury) came to replace the
Phoenician triad (Baal-Shamash, Anta and
Alyn). The first building work, that of the
Temple of Jupiter, was begun during the
reign of Emperor Augustus in the late first
century BC and completed soon after AD 60
under Nero. The immense sanctuary of
Jupiter Heliopolitanus, which attracted
thousands of pilgrims, was lined by 104
massive granite columns imported from
Aswan and held a temple surrounded by
fifty additional columns.
Construction of the
Great Court at Baalbek
began during the reign
of Trajan (98117). It
contained various
religious buildings and
altars and was
surrounded by a
splendid colonnade of
128 rose granite
columns.
The Temple of Jupiter,
pictured below. Today,
only six columns remain
standing, the rest
having been destroyed
by earthquakes or taken
to other sites.
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
192 byblos
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1984
Byblos
Lebanon
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The ruins of many successive civilizations
are found at Byblos, one of the oldest
Phoenician cities. Inhabited since Neolithic
times, it developed into a highly structured
city, enclosed by a massive fortified wall.
This city, of which numerous traces still
exist, was burned around 2150 BC by the
invading Amorites: a thick layer of ash (in
some places 50 cm) seals off the original
levels. Approximately two centuries later,
the city was rebuilt with new temples.
A commercial city, Byblos was able to
accommodate successive dominations,
whether Assyrian, Babylonian, Achaemenid
or Greek. During the Roman period, its
commercial role declined, but the city
assumed an eminent religious function:
hordes of pilgrims crowded its temples,
which were constantly reconstructed and
embellished. Its decline began during the
Byzantine period and continued during the
Arab occupation after AD 636.
Towards the middle
of the Bronze Age, the
treasure of the nine
Royal Tombs of
Byblos attested to
the sophistication of
Phoenician culture:
an inscription in
Phoenician characters
is addressed to
eventual grave robbers,
and one may see in
this curse the proof
that writing, widely
disseminated, was no
longer the monopoly
of the scribes.
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
Castle of the Crusaders, Byblos.
Castles of Augustusburg
and Falkenlust at Brhl
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The castle of Augustusburg and the hunting
lodge of Falkenlust represent the first
masterpieces of the Rococo style in
Germany. For more than a century, they
served as models for most of the princely
courts and are outstanding examples of the
large princely residences of the eighteenth
century. The castle was the sumptuous
residence of the prince-archbishops of
Cologne and is a bold and successful
revamping of a previous lacklustre
construction. The beautiful decoration of
the new grand summer apartments, with its
delicate faence tiles, is particularly striking.
Falkenlust, a small rural folly, is a dazzling
creation which, with the castle, is set in an
idyllic garden landscape, with monumental
ramps, walkways and beautifully designed
flower beds on an impressive scale.
Augustusburg Castle
is home to a true piece
of creative genius,
the staircase of
Balthasar Neumann.
This rapturous
structure unites a
lively movement
of marble, stucco,
jasper columns and
caryatids, and
culminates in an
astonishing frescoed
ceiling.
Monastery and Site of the
Escurial, Madrid
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
This royal monastery dedicated to
St Lawrence is a unique artistic
achievement. There is nothing in the
project, in the form or in the design of this
monument, which is not exceptional. Built
on a remote and impressive site in Castile in
the sixteenth century, it is said to resemble
an inverted grid-iron, the instrument of the
martyrdom of St Lawrence. The handle is
represented by the Royal Palace, while four
angle towers, 55 m high, represent the feet.
Its outwardly austere architecture, a break
with previous styles, had a considerable
influence on Spanish architecture for more
than half a century. In the last years of
Philip IIs reign it became the centre of the
greatest political power of the time.
The spectaular retablo
in the church of San
Lorenzo is 30 m high
and unites coloured
marbles, paintings,
gilding and large
bronze statues.
augustusburg and falkenlust | escuri al 193
World Heritage site since
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1984
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Canadian Rocky Mountain
Parks
Canada
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Studded with mountain peaks, glaciers,
lakes, waterfalls, canyons and limestone
caves, the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks
form a spectacular mountain landscape.
The Burgess Shale fossil site, well known
for its fossil remains of soft-bodied marine
animals, is also found there.
The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks
comprise seven parks in total: the
contiguous national parks of Banff, Jasper,
Kootenay and Yoho, and the Mount
Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber
provincial parks.
The Canadian Rocky Mountains are
oriented in a southeastern to northwestern
direction along the continental divide which
separates the orientation of rivers that ow
to the east and to the west. It consists of
the Western Ranges, the Main Ranges, the
Front Ranges and the Foothills, all of which
are represented within the parks. Active
glaciers and ice elds still exist throughout
the region, particularly in the Main Ranges.
The most signicant is the Columbia
Ice Field, the largest in North Americas
subarctic interior.
The Rockies have been divided into
three life zones or ecoregions: montane,
subalpine and alpine. Montane vegetation
occurs in major valley bottoms and on the
foothills and lower sun-exposed mountain
slopes, especially in the Front Ranges.
Montane wetlands and meadows occupy
areas by major rivers. Forest is generally
found between 1,200 m and 1,800 m and
typical species include Douglas r, white
spruce, aspen and poplar. The subalpine
ecoregion occupies mountainsides between
1,800 m and 2,100 m, and valley bottoms of
high elevations and is the most extensive
ecoregion in the Rockies. The alpine
ecoregion occurs above the timberline and
is characterized by diminutive and hardy
vegetation such as low-growing willow and
dwarf birch, heath and sedge.
Fifty-six mammal species have been
recorded. Characteristic species of alpine
meadows include Rocky Mountain goat,
bighorn sheep, northern pika and hoary
marmot. Forest mammals include moose,
mule deer, white-tailed deer, caribou, elk
and red squirrel, while carnivores include
grey wolf, grizzly bear, black bear, wolverine,
lynx and cougar. Some 280 bird species have
been noted, including northern three-toed
woodpecker, white-tailed ptarmigan, grey
jay, mountain bluebird, Clarks nutcracker,
golden eagle, mountain chickadee and rock
pipit. Other recorded fauna includes toad,
frog, salamander and snake.
Athabasca Glacier.
Covering 325 km
2
, the
massive Columbia
Ice Field spans the
east-west continental
divide and straddles
the boundary between
Jasper and Banff
National Parks. The
Columbia Ice Fields
of Jasper National
Park are regarded as
the hydrographic apex
of North America and
are the headwaters
to three major river
systems: the North
Saskatchewan, the
Athabasca and the
Columbia.
Emerald Lake, Yoho
National Park.
194 canadi an rocky mountai n parks
World Heritage site since
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NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
196 chi twan nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1984
Chitwan National Park
Nepal
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant ecological and biological processes;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
At the foot of the Himalaya on the border
between Nepal and India, Chitwan is one of
the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of
the Terai region, which formerly extended
over the foothills of India and Nepal. The
park covers 932 km
2
of subtropical lowland.
It has a particularly rich ora and fauna.
One of the last populations (estimated at
400) of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros
lives in the park, which is also one of the
last refuges of the Bengal tiger. Prior to its
re-introduction to Royal Bardia National
Park in 1986, the park also contained the
last Nepalese population of the Indian
rhinoceros. Other endangered mammals
include leopard, wild dog and sloth bear.
Over 350 bird species are reported and some
99 sh species inhabit the rivers and oxbow
lakes. The threatened Indian python is also
found within the park.
Chitwan National
Park is situated in
a river valley basin
along the ood plains
of the Rapti, Reu and
Narayani rivers. The
Narayani, also called
the Gandaki, is the
third-largest river in
Nepal. It originates
in the high Himalaya
and drains into the
Bay of Bengal.
ASIA
Bay of
Bengal
Arabian
Sea
World Heritage site since
tyre 197
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1978
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1984
Tyre
Lebanon
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The great Phoenician city of Tyre ruled the
seas and founded prosperous colonies such
as Cadiz and Carthage. From the fifth
century BC, when Herodotus of
Halicarnassus visited it, Tyre was considered
one of the oldest metropolises in the world.
The city, which was constructed on an
impregnable island, succumbed in 332 BC to
the attack of Alexander of Macedonia, who
had blockaded the straits with a dyke before
his final assault. The original Greek city was
followed in 64 BC by a Roman city
constructed on this historically charged site.
Following the Crusades, the historic role of
the city declined. Almost totally destroyed
by the Mamelukes at the end of the
thirteenth century, it was only modestly
reconstructed in the eighteenth century.
In the present souk (market),
archaeological remains include the
Roman city and the medieval
constructions of the Crusades. The
imposing ruins of the palaestra, the
thermae, and the arena still exist, as
do the remains of the cathedral built
in 1127 by the Venetians, along with
some of the walls of the castle
constructed during the Crusades.
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
The remains of ancient columns at Al Mina excavation site.
Historic Centre of Crdoba
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Crdoba has one of the finest historical
heritages of any city in the world. It was the
capital of the extensive Moorish Caliphate
of Crdoba, and one of the largest cities in
the world by the tenth century, with
innumerable palaces, public buildings and
mosques that rivalled the splendours of
Constantinople, Damascus and Baghdad.
After the citys recapture by the Christian
Spanish, a series of new defensive structures
was built. Crdobas extent and plan, its
historical significance as a living expression
of the different cultures that existed there,
and its relationship with its river, the
Guadalquivir, is a historical ensemble of
extraordinary value.
Crdoba was a flourishing Carthaginian
township when the Romans captured it in
206 BC. Recognising its strategic and
commercial importance, they made it the
capital of Hispania Inferior, fortified it and
adorned it with fine buildings.
The city fell to successive invasions: first to
the Visigoths in AD 550, then to the Moors
from North Africa in 716. In 756 the Caliph of
Damascus set up court at Crdoba and laid
the foundations for an illustrious period of
the citys history. He began building the
Great Mosque on the site of a church that
was itself originally a Roman temple.
Crdoba became the centre of a caliphate
renowned for its artistic and intellectual
predominance, but the kingdom collapsed
after an eleventh-century civil war.
In 1236 Ferdinand III of Castile and Leon,
captured the city. The mosque became the
cathedral and new defensive structures were
raised as befitted the status of a frontier
town under constant threat from the Moors.
The Alczar de los Reyes Cristianos dates
from the early fourteenth century and was
built as a royal residence. The Torre de la
Calahorra formed part of a medieval
fortress. Churches include San Jacinto (now
the Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions);
the Chapel of San Bartolomeo, Moorish in
origin and now clearly Christian; and San
Francisco and San Nicols. There are
important buildings from the sixteenth
century: the Seminary of San Pelagio, Puerta
del Puente, Casa Solariega de los Pez de
Castillo and Casa del Marqus de la
Fuensanta del Valle, which illustrate the
religious, military and architectural styles.
From the eighteenth century come the civic
buildings the Triunfos de San Rafael and
Hospital del Cardenal Salazar.
Mezquita, mosque-
cathedral.
Crdobas historic
centre, clustering
round the mosque-
cathedral, the
Mezquita, preserves
much of its medieval
urban fabric with
narrow, winding
streets. The citys
Roman past can be
seen in the sixteen-
span bridge that
crosses the river
Guadalquivir, the ne
mosaics in the Alczar
and sections of the
Roman wall. The
gardens of the Alczar
are good examples of
Moorish Andalusian
garden design. The
remains of the
monumental CaliphaI
Baths are nearby. La
Judera, the old Jewish
quarter, best preserves
the medieval street
pattern.
198 crdoba
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Burgos Cathedral
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Begun in 1221 at the same time as the great
cathedrals of the le-de-France and
completed in 1567, Santa Mara de Burgos
is a striking summary of the evolution of
Gothic architecture. The plan of the
cathedral is based on a Latin cross of
pleasing proportions. Initial work on the
cathedral was completed in 1293. After a
hiatus of nearly 200 years, work was
resumed in the mid-fifteenth century and
continued for more than 100 years. These
were embellishments of a profuse splendour
including paintings, choir stalls, reredos,
tombs, cupolas (pictured far right), and
stained-glass windows which have ensured
the status of this magnificent building. The
two-storeyed cloister that was completed
towards 1280 still fits within the framework
of French High Gothic.
The three-storey
elevation, the vaulting,
and the tracery of
the windows are
closely related to
contemporary models
of the north of France.
The portals of the
transept (the Puerta del
Sarmental to the south
and the Puerta de la
Coronera to the north)
may also be compared
with the great sculpted
ensembles of the
French royal domain.
200 burgos cathedral
World Heritage site since
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1978
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Alhambra, Generalife and
Albayzn, Granada
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Unique artistic creations set on a hill above
Granada, the Alhambra palace and fortress
and the Generalife residence and gardens
bear exceptional testimony to Muslim Spain
and are exceptional examples of royal Arab
residences of the medieval period. Standing
on an adjacent hill is the residential district
of the Albayzn, a rich repository of Moorish
vernacular architecture into which
traditional Andalusian architecture blends
harmoniously. It survives as a remarkable
example of a Spanish-Moorish town.
During the early period of Moorish rule
in Spain, power initially rested with the
Caliphate of Crdoba until civil war ended
its dominance in 1031. From then on, the
Emirate of Granada grew steadily in
importance and prosperity but the town did
not become an important centre of Muslim
Spain until 1238, when Muhammad ibn al
Ahmar founded the present Alhambra.
The palace was completed in the
fourteenth century. Organized around two
rectangular courts, the Patio de los
Arrayanes and the Patio de los Leones, it has
many, highly-decorated rooms with marble
columns, stalactite cupolas, stucco work,
azulejos (ceramic tiles), precious wood, and
paintings on leather, all competing with the
delicacy of the natural decor: water, still and
flowing in immense basins, narrow canals
and fountains, including the spectacular
fountain of the Patio de los Leones (Court of
Lions).
The Alhambra (in Arabic the Red)
incorporates palaces, guard rooms, patios
and gardens as well as workshops, shops,
baths and mosque (independently of the
church of Santa Mara built in the sixteenth
century on the site of the royal mosque).
It is enclosed by a massive fortified wall
with towers.
At a short distance to the east of the
Alhambra, the enchantment is extended
to the gardens of the Generalife, rural
residence of the emirs who ruled this part
of Spain in the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries. Here the relationship between
the architectural and the natural has been
reversed: gardens and water predominate
over the pavilions, summerhouses and
living quarters. The massive boxwood trees,
rose, carnation and gillyflower bushes, and
shrubs ranging from willow to cypress,
comprise an absolute masterpiece of the
art of horticulture by restoring the Koranic
image of paradise to the believers.
A view across the
basin in the Patio de
los Arrayanes (Myrtle
Courtyard) looking
towards the Hall of
the Ambassadors,
Alhambra Palace.
Much of the Albayzns
signicance lies in its
medieval town plan,
with narrow streets
and small squares and
the relatively modest
Moorish and
Andalusian houses
that line them.
After the Reconquista,
the Christian
reconquest of Spain in
1492, the inux of a
substantial Christian
population into
Granada brought new
developments. Late
Gothic or early
Plateresque churches
and monasteries
harmonized with the
existing architecture.
However, the Albayzn
still bears witness to
its medieval Moorish
origins as its urban
fabric, architecture
and main
characteristics
adapted successfully
to new ways of living.
202 alhambra
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
204 mahabali puram
World Heritage site since
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1984
Group of Monuments at
Mahabalipuram
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
These exceptional sanctuaries on the
Coromandel coast, founded by the Pallava
kings, were carved out of rock in the seventh
and eighth centuries. The monuments may
be subdivided into five categories: ratha
temples in the form of processional
chariots, cut into the rocks which emerge
from the sand; mandapa, or rock
sanctuaries, modelled as rooms covered
with bas-reliefs; rock reliefs in the open air
that illustrate a popular episode in the
iconography of Siva; temples built from cut
stone, like the Temple of Rivage, with its
high-stepped pyramidal tower and
thousands of sculptures dedicated to the
glory of Siva; and monolithic rathas, of one
to three storeys, in a variety of architectural
forms. In addition the Shore Temple
represents the peak of Pallava architecture,
although it has been eroded by seawater
and air and the sculptures have become
indistinct.
The rock reliefs tell the
story of the Descent of
the Ganges. Begged
by King Baghirata,
Siva ordered the river
Ganges to descend to
Earth and to nourish
the world. The
sculptors used the
natural ssure in the
rock to suggest this
cosmic event to which
a swarming crowd of
gods, goddesses,
mythical beings, wild
animals and domestic
animals bear witness.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
anj ar 205
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1984
Anjar
Lebanon
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The ruins of Anjar reveal a very regular
layout, reminiscent of the palace-cities of
ancient times, and are a unique testimony
to city planning under the Umayyads.
It was discovered when archaeological
explorations began in 1949 in the Beqaa.
On a site that had long been occupied, the
city of Anjar was founded at the beginning
of the eighth century by Caliph Walid I
(705715). Re-used parts of earlier Greek,
Roman and early Christian buildings are
frequently found in the masonry of its walls.
It flourished for only 2030 years before the
Abbasids overran the city and it fell into
disuse. At its peak, it housed more than 600
shops, Roman-style baths, two palaces and
a mosque. It takes its name from the Arabic
term ayn al-jaar (water from the rock),
referring to the streams that flow from the
nearby mountains.
Public and private
buildings are laid out
according to a strict
plan: the principal
palace and mosque
in the southeast
quadrant; the
secondary palace and
baths in the northeast
and northwest
quadrants; and the
densely inhabited
southwest quadrant,
criss-crossed by a
network of streets.
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
Historic District of Old
Qubec
Canada
Criteria Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Qubec is one of the finest examples of a
fortified colonial city. It is the only North
American city to have preserved its
ramparts, together with the numerous
bastions, gates and defensive works that
surround the historic district.
The Upper City, built on a cliff and
defended by walls with bastions, has
remained the religious and administrative
centre, with its churches, convents and other
monuments like the Dauphine Redoubt, the
Citadel and Chteau Frontenac (which can
be seen at the top of the photo on the right).
Together with the Lower City and its
harbour and old quarters, it forms a
coherent urban ensemble which is by far the
most complete fortified colonial town in
North America.
Qubec illustrates one of the major stages
in the population and growth of the
Americas during the modern and
contemporary period. When Samuel de
Champlain founded Qubec, the capital of
New France in 1608, he chose the natural
site of a steep plateau overlooking the
St Laurent River. The old heart of the city
was established on this promontory,
Cap-aux-Diamants, which is protected by
Fort St Louis.
Qubec had an urban organization early
on and a zoning system which stemmed
from its various functions as a town, a
fortified city and a harbour for trade from
the North and Europe. Its cliff divided the
city into two districts: business and naval
district in the Lower City, and the
administrative and religious centre in the
Upper City.
The construction of a citadel at the far
southeast end of Cap-aux-Diamants by the
engineer Elias Durnford from 181931 and
the expansion of the system of fortifications
to cover the citys entire perimeter were in
keeping with the original spatial
organization of the city and gave Qubec its
current topographical features.
The oldest quarters are located in the
Lower City around the Place Royale which,
along with the Rue Notre Dame, is lined
with old seventeenth- and eighteenth-
century houses. In the Upper City the
seventeenth-century convents and seminary
still have some original elements. Of 700
old civil or religious buildings remaining,
2 per cent date to the seventeenth century,
9 per cent to the eighteenth and 43 per cent
to the first half of the nineteenth century.
The city took on its present aspect under
the influence of the Baillairgs, a dynasty
of architects who, for generations, imposed
an interpretation of neoclassical style.
Chteau Frontenac
grand hotel overlooks
Qubecs Lower City.
The city is an early
example of urban
heritage conservation
as a result of action in
the 1870s by the
Governor General
Lord Dufferin, who
took a stand against
the demolition of the
fortications which,
from a strategic
standpoint, had
become useless. He
simply had new gates
to the city cut into
them. From the
beginning of the
twentieth century,
long before its listing
as a historic
monument in 1957,
the fortied walls of
Qubec were
maintained by
Canadian
government funds.
206 old qubec
World Heritage site since
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NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
208 salvador de bahi a
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of Salvador
de Bahia
Brazil
Criteria Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Salvador de Bahia, with Ouro Preto, is the
colonial city par excellence in the Brazilian
northeast. An eminent example of
Renaissance town planning, the city has
many outstanding monuments and
Renaissance buildings. It was the first slave
market in the New World and became a
major point of convergence of European,
African and American Indian cultures from
the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.
Founded by the Portuguese, the city was
the first colonial capital of Brazil from 1549
until the administration was transferred to
Rio de Janeiro in 1763.
Commercial activity revolved around the
port while the upper city, in the area of Bahia
de Todos los Santos, was hilly and
picturesque, with residential and
administrative buildings. Its situation on a
ridge parallel to the Atlantic coast also made
it defensible against attack in the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries.
In addition to a
number of major
buildings of the
seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries,
the historic centre of
Salvador retains a
host of sixteenth-
century open spaces
and Baroque palaces.
There are streets
characteristic of the
colonial city, lined with
bright, multicoloured
houses, often
decorated with high-
quality stucco.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
segovi a 209
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1978
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Old Town of Segovia and
its Aqueduct
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Roman Aqueduct of Segovia (pictured
below), the symbol of the city, is a
magnificent, double-tiered construction.
Probably built around AD 50, it is the best
known of Spains remaining Roman
aqueducts owing to its monumentality, its
excellent state of conservation and its
location in one of the most beautiful historic
cities in the world.
The Roman hydraulic engineers brought
the waters of the Ro Fro in the Sierra de
Guadarrama 18 km to Segovia via a canal
with an average gradient of 1 per cent.
The biggest natural obstacle they
encountered was the valley of the Ro
Clamores at the end of the route. In order to
reach the city they built an enormous stone
aqueduct 813 m long, with four straight
segments and two superimposed arcades
borne by 128 pillars.
At the valleys lowest point, the aqueduct
stands 28.5 m above the ground.
Other important
monuments in the old
city include the
Alczar, the castle
begun around the
eleventh century, and
the stunning
sixteenth-century
Gothic cathedral, one
of the last in Europe
of the style.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Chavn (Archaeological site)
Peru
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The archaeological site of Chavn gave its
name to the culture that developed between
1500 and 300 BC in this high valley of the
Peruvian Andes. This former place of
worship is one of the earliest and best-
known pre-Columbian sites. Its appearance
is striking, with the complex of terraces and
squares, surrounded by structures of
dressed stone, and the mainly zoomorphic
ornamentation.
Chavns location in a
high valley of the
Peruvian Andes at an
altitude of 3,177 m
didnt stop its
architects and artists
producing some
remarkable structures.
These include
immense sculpted
megaliths, one of
which is more than
4 m in height.
210 chav n | troodos
World Heritage site since
Painted Churches in the
Troodos Region
Cyprus
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
In the Troodos Mountains, in the heart of
Cyprus, can be found one of the greatest
concentrations of churches and
monasteries of the Byzantine Empire, by
which the island was annexed during the
conquest of 965. The complex of ten
monuments included on the World
Heritage List, all richly decorated with
murals, provides an overview of Byzantine
and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus. They
range from small churches, whose rural
architectural style is in stark contrast to their
highly refined decoration, to monasteries
such as that of St John Lampadistis. Among
the most significant cycles is that of Panagia
Phorbiotissa of Nikitari, which was painted
in 11056, and that of Panagia tou Arakou in
Lagoudera, which was executed during the
last six months of 1192.
The Church of the
Transguration of the
Saviour (Ayia Sotira) in
Palaichori has a steep-
pitched wooden roof
with at hooked tiles.
This type of roong
over a Byzantine
church is not found
elsewhere, making
the wooden-roofed
churches of Cyprus
a unique group
example of religious
architecture.
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
A feline head, one of
the zoomorphic
carvings at Chavn.
World Heritage site since
santi ago de compostela 211
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Santiago de Compostela
(Old Town)
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The Old Town of Santiago de Compostela,
with Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque
buildings, is one of the worlds most
beautiful urban areas and one of the most
famous pilgrimage sites in the Christian
world. It became a symbol in the Spanish
Christians struggle against the Islamic
Moors after its destruction by the Muslims
at the end of the tenth century.
Santiago conserves a valuable historic
centre worthy of one of Christianitys
greatest holy cities. The oldest monuments
are grouped around the tomb of St James
and the cathedral, which is a masterpiece
of Romanesque art. Civil and religious
architectural elements from the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance are also
integrated into a high-quality urban fabric.
During the Romanesque and Baroque
periods Santiago exerted a decisive
influence on the development of
architecture and art across the northern
Iberian peninsula.
Santiago de
Compostela is
associated with
pilgrimage, one of the
major themes of the
medieval centuries.
From the shores of
the North Sea and the
Baltic, thousands
carrying the pilgrims
scallop shell and staff
walked to the Galician
sanctuary along the
paths of Santiago
(St James) to the tomb
of St James the Great.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The Cathedral at
Santiago de
Compostela.
Petra
Jordan
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Petra is one of the worlds most famous and
spectacular archaeological sites, where
ancient Eastern traditions blend with
Hellenistic architecture. Situated between
the Red Sea and the Dead Sea and half-
built, half-carved in the rock, Petra was an
important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt
and Syria-Phoenicia.
Petra was first established around the sixth
century BC by the Nabataean Arabs, a
Semitic people who laid the foundations of
a commercial empire that extended into
Syria. In AD 106 the Roman Emperor Trajan
annexed the Nabataean Kingdom as part of
the province of Arabia. The many
earthquakes that hit Petra triggered a slow
decline for the city, which was not halted by
its designation as an archepiscopal see.
Muslim Arabs conquered the city in 636 but
it remained distant from the pilgrim road to
Mecca. The Crusaders constructed a fort
there in the twelfth century and Petra
returned to its ancient splendour, but soon
they withdrew, leaving it to the local people
until the early nineteenth century, when it
was visited by the Swiss explorer
Burckhardt.
Petra lies south of modern Amman on the
edge of the mountainous desert of Wadi
Araba, surrounded by towering hills of
sandstone which gave the city some natural
protection against invaders. It was for
centuries the meeting point of the main
routes used by camel caravans transporting
spices between the Mediterranean and the
Near East, Africa and India.
The Khazneh el Faroun, or the Treasury of
the Pharaoh, is one of Petras most famous
sights: an imposing faade some 40 m tall,
carved into the mountain rock like a half-
finished sculpture. The Khazneh is the only
rock-cut building in Petra with no
Nabataean element and links exclusively
with the Alexandrian world and Hellenistic
artistic traditions. Behind the impressive
faade, a large square room has been carved
out of the rock of the cliff. Typically for the
tombs in Petra, its interior is as plain as its
exterior is intricate.
North from the Khazneh lies the massif of
Jebel Khubtha. Three large structures (Royal
Tombs) are carved into the rock face, which
is known as the Kings Wall: the Urn Tomb,
the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb
(Silk Tomb), named for the extraordinary
chromatic effect of the rock.
The main entrance to
Petra is through the
Siq, a gorge formed by
the Musa, which the
Nabataeans blocked
with a dam and
channelled to carry
drinking water to the
city. The Siq narrows
to little more than 5 m
in width, twisting and
turning through sheer
walls towering
hundreds of metres
on either side. The
Khazneh, or Treasury,
stands at the end of
the gorge.
Petra has notable
Roman relics,
including its rst
century AD theatre:
carved almost entirely
in the rock, it could
hold more than 8,000
spectators.
212 petra
World Heritage site since
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AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
214 huascarn nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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Huascarn National Park
Peru
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Huascarn National Park is located in the
Cordillera Blanca Range in the Peruvian
Andes. The park covers most of the
Cordillera Blanca, the highest tropical
mountain range in the world. It has twenty-
seven snow-capped peaks 6,000 m above
sea level, of which El Huascarn (6,768 m) is
the highest. The deep ravines watered by
numerous torrents, the glacial lakes and the
variety of the vegetation make it a site of
spectacular beauty. It is the home of such
species as the spectacled bear and the
Andean condor. Puma, mountain cat, white-
tailed deer and vicuna are other important
indigenous species, but all have been heavily
hunted in the past. The national park is
uninhabited, although there is some
grazing in the lowlands by native livestock
(llama and alpaca) under an agreement with
the local people.
The Cordillera region
has for centuries been
a site for the
settlement of ethnic
groups, as witnessed
by ruins at Gekosh
and Chuchumpunta
and elsewhere. These
represent the largest
collection of such
remains in the world.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
The peak of El
Huascarn.
Hatra
Iraq
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Hatra was a large fortified city under the
influence of the Parthian Empire and capital
of the first Arab Kingdom. It flourished as a
major staging-post on the famous oriental
Silk Road to become another of the great
Arab cities like Palmyra in Syria, Petra in
Jordan, and Baalbek in Lebanon. This
Eastern monarchy was a source of concern
for the Romans who sought unsuccessfully
to destroy it. Hatra withstood invasions by
the Romans in AD 116 and 198 thanks to its
high, thick walls reinforced by towers. The
remains of the city, especially the temples
where Hellenistic and Roman architecture
blend with Eastern decorative features,
attest to the greatness of an entire facet of
Assyro-Babylonian civilisation influenced by
Greeks, Parthians, Romans and Arabs.
Hatra is a circular city,
almost 2 km in
diameter, with four
fortied gates set in
immense double
walls. The external
wall is an earthen
bank; a wide ditch
separates this from a
stone wall. The perfect
condition of the
double wall in an
untouched
environment sets it
aside as an
outstanding example
of this type of
fortication.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
India
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
On a gentle slope in the foothills of the
Himalaya, where wooded hills give way to
alluvial grasslands and tropical forests, the
Manas sanctuary is home to a great variety
of wildlife. Named after the Goddess
Manasa, the site is noted for its spectacular
scenery, with a variety of habitat types that
support a diverse fauna, making it the
richest of all Indian wildlife areas. The park
represents the core of an extensive tiger
reserve that protects an important
migratory wildlife resource along the West
Bengal to Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan
borders. Its wetlands are of international
importance. It is also the single most
important site for the survival of pygmy hog,
hispid hare and golden langur.
Over 450 species of
bird have been
recorded, including
the threatened Bengal
orican, great pied
hornbill, wreathed
hornbill and other
hornbills. Uncommon
waterfowl species
include spot-billed
pelican, lesser
adjutant and greater
adjutant.
Reptiles include the
Assam roofed turtle, a
variety of snakes,
gharial and monitor
lizard.
hatra | manas wi ldli fe sanctuary 215
World Heritage site since
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Caspian Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean
Sea
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
216 keoladeo nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1983
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1984
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1985
Keoladeo National Park
India
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
This former duck-hunting reserve of the
Maharajas is one of the major wintering
areas for large numbers of aquatic birds
from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and
Siberia. Some 364 species of bird, including
the rare Siberian crane, have been recorded
in the park, giving it a unique assemblage of
species. The parks location in the Gangetic
Plain makes it an unrivalled breeding site for
herons, storks and cormorants and an
important wintering ground for large
numbers of migrant ducks. An estimated
sixty-five million fish fry are carried into the
parks water impoundments by river
flooding every year during the monsoon
season, providing the food base for large
numbers of wading and fish-eating birds.
There are also many birds of prey including
the osprey, peregrine and various species
of eagle.
The area consists of
a at patchwork of
marshes, articially
created in the 1850s
and maintained ever
since by a system of
canals, sluices and
dykes. Large
predators are absent,
leopard having been
deliberately
exterminated by 1964,
but many species of
small carnivores
inhabit the park along
with primates such as
rhesus macaque.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
ovi edo and the ki ngdom of the asturi as 217
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1978
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1984
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1985
Monuments of Oviedo and
the Kingdom of the Asturias
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
In the ninth century the flame of
Christianity was kept alive in the Iberian
peninsula in the tiny Kingdom of the
Asturias. Here an innovative pre-
Romanesque architectural style was created
that was to play a significant role in the
development of the religious architecture of
the peninsula. Its highest achievements can
be seen in the churches of Santa Mara del
Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, Santa Cristina
de Lena, the Cmara Santa and San Julin
de los Prados, in and around the ancient
capital city of Oviedo. These churches, which
are basilical in layout and entirely vaulted,
and which make use of columns instead of
piers, have very rich decors combining
influences from a variety of sources.
Associated with them is the remarkable
contemporary hydraulic engineering
structure known as La Foncalada.
Santa Mara del
Naranco is a former
royal residence built
on two levels.
Excavations in 19304
revealed the existence
of baths in one of the
lower rooms. This
rectangular palace
was converted into a
church between 905
and 1065.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Medina of Marrakesh
Morocco
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
Marrakesh, which gave its name to the
Moroccan Empire, is the textbook example
of a large Islamic capital in the Western
world. With its maze of narrow streets,
houses, souks (markets), traditional crafts
and trade activities, and its medina, this
ancient settlement is an outstanding
example of a vibrant historic city.
Founded in 10702 by the Almoravids,
Marrakesh became the true capital of these
conquering nomads and a political,
economic and cultural centre that was
influential throughout the western Muslim
world from North Africa to Andalusia. For
the next two centuries, Marrakesh played a
decisive role in the development of urban
planning.
In Marrakesh, as in other North African
cities, the medina is the oldest, walled part
of the city. The original layout of
Marrakeshs medina dates back to the
Almoravid period from which there still
remain various monumental vestiges. The
medina walls were built in 11267 and it is
believed the Almoravids planted the palm
groves that still grow there, now covering a
1.3 km
2
area east of the city.
The Berber Almohads took Marrakesh in
1147, destroying many of their predecessors
buildings. The city nevertheless remained
the capital and for two centuries under its
Almohad rulers, Marrakesh experienced
new and unprecedented prosperity.
The Almohads built the Koutoubia Mosque
on Almoravid foundations. Its incomparable
minaret (pictured on the right), a key
monument of Muslim architecture, is one of
the major features of the cityscape and the
symbol of the city. They built new quarters,
extended the city wall, fortified the Kasbah
(fortress) which was an extension of the city
to the south with its own ramparts and gates
(Bab Agnaou, Bab Robb), its mosque, palace,
market, hospital, parade ground and
gardens. These leaders strengthened their
control over their domains by planting crops
and by civil engineering achievements such
as the Tensift Bridge.
Although Marrakesh went into decline
after the Almohads lost power in 1269,
notable buildings, such as the Ben Salih
Mosque and minaret, were still built. The
rebirth of the capital under the Saadian
rulers from 15101669 brought a new
blossoming of the arts, and from the
seventeenth century onwards Marrakeshs
Alawite rulers also added to the town fabric,
building a new mosque, madrasas, palaces
and residences, all harmoniously integrated
into the old town.
The minaret of the
Koutoubia Mosque.
The legacy of
Marrakeshs Saadian
rulers can be seen in
the ruins of the El
Badi Palace and
especially in the
magnicient Saadian
tombs. Elaborately
decorated with
delicate carvings,
coloured tiles and
Arabic script, these
tombs of the citys
rulers and wealthy
were sealed by the
Alawites and
remained closed until
1917. Materials for
their building came
from great distances,
such as the ne
marble from Carrara
which the writer
Montaigne observed
being cut in Tuscany
for the king of
Morocco in Berberia.
218 medi na of marrakesh
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1984
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1985
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Cave of Altamira and
Paleolithic Cave Art of
Northern Spain
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Altamira, the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory,
is a unique artistic achievement and bears
exceptional testimony to the Magdalenian
cultures of southern Europe around 15,500
years ago. Discovered by chance in 1869, the
Cave of Altamira revealed the existence of
two very rich archaeological levels. It was
inhabited as early as the Aurignacian, the
date of the first figurative representations
depicted on its walls, around 18,500 years
ago. It was at the start of the Magdalenian
period that the largest room in the cavern
was decorated. Under its vault there are
superb paintings of bison, horses, deer and
boars using a palette of colours consisting of
only a small number of shades (ochre, reds
and blacks). In 2008, seventeen decorated
caves, representing the apogee of Paleolithic
cave art that developed across Europe, from
the Urals to the Iberian Peninusula, from
35,000 to 11,000 BC, were inscribed as an
extension to the Altamira Cave site. With
deep galleries, and isolated from external
climatic influences, these caves are
particularly well preserved.
The large animal
images (the doe is
2.2 m long) are
striking in their
naturalism, and their
specic features are
scrupulously
reproduced. They are
also outstanding in
the variety of fur and
mane textures, which
are extremely well
rendered, and the
variety of poses which
make masterly use of
the caves surface and
crevices that provide
surprising trompe-
lil effects.
220 cave of altami ra | kerkuane
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1984
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1985
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Punic Town of Kerkuane
and its Necropolis
Tunisia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
This Phoenician city was active for over 400
years and then abandoned during the First
Punic War c. 250 BC. It was not rebuilt by the
Romans and its remains constitute the only
example of a Phoenicio-Punic city to have
survived, offering a unique snapshot of
Phoenician city life in the third century BC.
Its port, ramparts, residential districts, shops,
workshops, streets, squares, temples and
necropolis remain as they were when the
city was abandoned. The city was carefully
laid out, with advanced use of hydraulics
and high standards of hygiene. Houses were
built to a standard plan: a single entrance
and a corridor gave access to an interior
courtyard with a well, a washbasin and a
bath; around the courtyard were the
reception rooms.
The necropolis of Arg
el Ghazouani, located
on a rocky hill less
than 1 km northwest
of the city, is the best
conserved portion of
the great Kerkuane
necropolis whose
tombs are scattered
throughout the
coastal hills at the
extreme end of Cap
Bon. In the protected
area there are
approximately 200
tombs, including 50
that have not been
excavated.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
World Heritage site since
qusei r amra 221
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1978
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1984
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1985
Quseir Amra
Jordan
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Built in the early eighth century, this
exceptionally well-preserved desert castle
was both a fortress with a garrison and a
residence of the Umayyad caliphs. The most
outstanding features of this small pleasure-
palace are the reception hall and the
hammam(steam bath), whose walls and
vaults are both richly decorated with
figurative murals that reflect the secular art
of the time. Quseir Amra was probably built
under Walid I (70515), although a more
recent theory suggests the reign of Walid II
(7434). Of great interest is the remarkable
architectural structure of the reception hall
and also the existence of a very extensive
bath complex, fed by an aqueduct, that
resembles Roman baths with its three
rooms: the changing-room (apodyterium), the
warm bath (tepidarium) and the hot bath
(caldarium), in addition to the service room.
The murals consist of
historical themes (royal
gures who were
defeated by the
Umayyad caliphs),
mythological
representations (the
muses of Poetry,
Philosophy and
History, with their
names in Greek), a
zodiac, hunting scenes
and hammamscenes as
well as some imaginary
themes (such as animal
musicians, and a
hunter being chased by
a lion).
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
222 vi hara at paharpur
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1985
Bay of
Bengal
ASIA
Ruins of the Buddhist
Vihara at Paharpur
Bangladesh
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Somapura Mahavira (Great Monastery) was
a renowned intellectual centre until the
twelfth century, epitomising the rise of
Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the
seventh century onwards. With its simple,
harmonious lines and its profusion of
carved decoration, this monastery-city
represents a unique artistic as well as
religious achievement. The monastery had
cells for 177 monks, ranged around its
central quadrangle. Its layout was perfectly
adapted to its function and it influenced
Buddhist architecture as far away as
Cambodia. The wide range of excavated
finds include terracotta plaques, images of
different gods and goddesses, pottery, coins,
inscriptions and ornamental bricks. The site
is the most important and largest known
monastery south of the Himalaya to have
been excavated.
Enclosed by thick
walls up to 5 m high,
this remarkable
monastery is
quadrangular, and has
a colossal temple with
a cross-shaped oor
plan in the centre of
the courtyard and
with an elaborate
gateway complex on
the north.
World Heritage site since
bom j esus do congonhas 223
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1978
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1980
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1985
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do
Congonhas
Brazil
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The wish of a Portuguese immigrant who
had been miraculously cured of a crippling
infirmity was the impetus for the
construction of one of Christian arts most
amazing groupings of monuments. Buried
in the still luxuriant Brazilian highlands, the
Sanctuary was completed in the 1770s after
little more than sixty years. The Church of
Bom Jesus is a simple construction in the
tradition of the area. However, after the
death of its founder, Feliciano Mendes, in
1765 it was given a sumptuous Rococo
interior. Externally, the flight of steps, begun
in 1770, was later decorated with twelve
soapstone statues of the Prophets by
Antnio Francisco Lisboa (Aleijadinho).
In seven small chapels in the grounds are
housed The Passos, seven Stations of the
Cross, sculpted in wood by Aleijadinho.
Christian art in Latin America reached its
unquestioned zenith with these
multicoloured groups.
In the eighteenth
century, the region of
Minas Gerais in Brazil
was in its heyday
there were more than
30,000 gold
prospectors in 1712.
Moreover, the
devotion of these
pioneers was
responsible for a
remarkable
blossoming of
religious art, full of
Baroque touches and
inuenced by Rococo
invention.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
224 kazi ranga nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1980
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1983
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1984
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1985
Kaziranga National Park
India
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
In the heart of Assam, this park is one of
the last areas in eastern India undisturbed
by human activity. It is inhabited by the
worlds largest populations of one-horned
rhinoceroses and Indian elephants
(pictured below) as well as many other
mammals, including tigers, panthers and
bears, and thousands of birds. The site is
in the flood plains on the southern bank
of the Brahmaputra River at the foot of the
Mikir Hills. The riverine habitat consists
primarily of tall, dense grasslands
interspersed with open forests, streams
and numerous small lakes (bheels). Over
three-quarters of the area is submerged
annually by the flood waters of the
Brahmaputra. The park contains about
fifteen species of Indias threatened
mammals. The numerous areas of water
are rich reservoirs of food (including fish)
and thousands of migratory birds,
representing over 100 species, visit the
park seasonally.
Other mammals
include the capped
langur, a small
population of hoolock
gibbon, Ganges
dolphin, otter, swamp
deer, hog deer and
Indian muntjac. Birds
of interest include grey
pelican, black-necked
stork, Pallass sh eagle,
Bengal orican, swamp
partridge, grey
peacock-pheasant,
great pied hornbill and
green imperial pigeon.
The reptilian fauna
include the water
monitor, Indian python,
common cobra and
king cobra.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Great Mosque and
Hospital of Divrigi
Turkey
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Divrigi mosque was founded in 1228-9
by Emir Ahmet Shah, along with a marestan
(hospital for the insane) endowed by his
wife. These two complementary
monuments were built simultaneously by
the same architect. Divrigi is an outstanding
example of Seluk mosques in Anatolia,
having neither a courtyard, colonnades, nor
an uncovered ablutions basin, but which
(due to the harshness of the climate)
organises all religious functions in an
enclosed area. The mosque has a single
prayer room and is crowned by two cupolas.
The highly sophisticated technique of vault
construction, and a creative, exuberant type
of decorative sculpture particularly on the
three doorways, in contrast to the
unadorned walls of the interior are the
unique features of this masterpiece of
Islamic architecture.
The Divrii ensemble
presents a gripping
contrast between the
low, blind walls of its
rectangular enclosure
and the three
immense gates which
afford access to the
hospital at the west
and to the mosque at
the north and west.
St Marys Cathedral and
St Michaels Church at
Hildesheim
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The ancient Benedictine abbey church of
St Michael, built between 1010 and 1022 by
Bernward, Bishop of Hildesheim, is one of
the key monuments of mediaeval art. It has
a symmetrical plan with two apses that was
characteristic of Ottonian Romanesque art
in Old Saxony. In the nave, square impost
pillars alternate in an original rhythm with
cubic-capital columns to create a distinctive
type of elevation. St Marys Cathedral,
rebuilt after the fire of 1046, still retains its
original crypt, and was modelled after St
Michaels. It has a similar nave arrangement,
but its proportions are more slender.
Notable treasures of the churches include
the corona of light of Bishop Hezilon and
the baptismal fonts of gold-plated bronze
of Bishop Conrad.
The Church of St
Michael and St Marys
Cathedral have an
exemplary selection
of interior decorative
elements which
beautifully express the
spirit of Romanesque
architecture. St
Michaels famous
bronze doors (c. 1015)
retrace the events
from the book of
Genesis and the life
of Christ, and the
Bernward bronze
column (c. 1020)
depicts scenes from
the New Testament.
di vri i | hi ldeshei m 225
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1985
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Caspian
Sea
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Turkey
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Istanbul was built at the crossroads of two
continents and was successively the capital
of three empires, the Eastern Roman
empire, the Byzantine Empire and the
Ottoman Empire. First as Byzantium, then
as Constantinople and currently as Istanbul,
the city has constantly been associated with
major events in political, religious and
artistic history in both Europe and Asia for
two millennia. Masterpieces of the citys
built heritage include the ancient
Hippodrome of Constantine, the sixth-
century Hagia Sophia and the sixteenth-
century Sleymaniye Mosque, all now under
threat from population pressure, industrial
pollution and uncontrolled urbanization.
The World Heritage site covers four zones,
illustrating the major phases of the citys
history using its most prestigious
monuments: the Archaeological Park, at the
tip of the peninsula on which the western
city stands; the Sleymaniye quarter; the
Zeyrek quarter; and the zone of the
ramparts.
The ancient city and the capital of the
Eastern Roman Empire are both
represented, by the Hippodrome of
Constantine (dating from 324) in the
Archaeological Park, by the aqueduct of
Valens (378) in the Sleymaniye quarter, and
by the ramparts (begun in 413), located in
the fourth zone.
The capital of the Byzantine Empire is
highlighted by several major monuments.
In the Archaeological Park are the churches
of St Sophia and St Irene, built in the reign
of Justinian (52765). In the Zeyrek quarter is
the ancient Pantocrator Monastery, founded
under John II Comnenus (111843); in the
zone of the ramparts there is the old church
of the Holy Saviour in Chora (now the Kariye
Camii) with its marvellous mosaics and
fourteenth- and fifteenth-century paintings.
Moreover, the current layout of the walls
results from modifications performed in the
seventh and twelfth centuries to include the
quarter and the Palace of the Blachernes.
The capital of the Ottoman Empire is
represented by its most important
monuments architecturally: Topkap Saray
and the Blue Mosque in the archaeological
zone; the Sehzade and Sleymaniye
mosques in the Sleymaniye quarter; and
the vernacular settlement vestiges of this
quarter, in 525 listed and protected wooden
houses.
The Blue Mosque,
Istanbul.
The monuments of
the city have greatly
inuenced the
development of
architecture,
monumental arts and
the organization of
space, in both Europe
and Asia for many
centuries. Thus, the
6,650 m terrestrial wall
of Byzantine Emperor
Theodosius II, created
in AD 447, was a
leading reference for
military architecture;
St Sophia became a
model for an entire
family of churches
and later mosques;
and the mosaics of
Constantinoples
palaces and churches
inuenced Eastern
and Western Christian
art.
226 i stanbul
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
228 mosque ci ty of bagerhat
World Heritage site since
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1978
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Bay of
Bengal
ASIA
Historic Mosque City of
Bagerhat
Bangladesh
Criteria Significance in human history
Formely known as Khalifatabad this historic
city is an outstanding example of an
architectural ensemble which illustrates a
significant stage in human history. Situated
in the suburbs of Bagerhat, at the meeting
point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra
rivers, this ancient city was founded by the
Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the
fifteenth century. The city had 360 mosques,
public buildings, mausoleums, bridges,
roads, water tanks and other public
buildings, all built from baked brick. Shait
Gumbad Mosque and Khan Jahans
Mausoleum are just two examples of these
historic buildings. The quality of the
infrastructures the supply and evacuation
of water, the cisterns and reservoirs, the
roads and bridges reveal a perfect mastery
of the techniques of planning and a will
towards spatial organisation.
This remarkable city
had no sooner been
created than it was
swallowed up by the
jungle, after its
founder died in 1459.
The density of Islamic
religious monuments
is explained by the
piety of Khan Jahan,
which is shown by the
engraved inscription
on his tomb. The lack
of fortications is
attributable to the
possibilities of retreat
into the impenetrable
swamps of the
Sundarbans.
World Heritage site since
pont du gard 229
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1978
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1985
Pont du Gard (Roman
Aqueduct)
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Pont du Gard was built shortly before the
Christian era to carry an aqueduct across the
Gardon River. The Roman architects and
hydraulic engineers who designed this
bridge, which stands almost 50 m high and is
on three levels the longest measuring 275 m
created a technical and artistic masterpiece.
The first level, which was used as a bridge in
the Middle Ages, consists of six semi-circular
arches, the second level eleven, and the third
level, at the top of which runs the water
channel, has thirty-five. On the two lower
levels large stone blocks, which can weigh up
to 6 tonnes, were used while the upper level
was constructed of small stone rubble. It is
one of the most significant monuments of
the early Imperial period, most likely built
upon the initiative of Agrippa about 20 BC.
In order to meet the
needs of the colony of
Nemausus (Nmes),
springs were tapped
near Uzs. To achieve
an average gradient
of 34 cm per 1,000 m,
the 50 km aqueduct
compensates for the
topography by
following a winding
path. Near Remoulins
it had to cross the deep
valley of the Gardon,
requiring the
construction of this
exceptional bridge.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Greme National Park and
the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
Turkey
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement;
Natural phenomena or beauty
In a spectacular landscape, entirely
sculptured by erosion, the Greme valley
and its surroundings contain rock-hewn
sanctuaries that provide unique evidence of
Byzantine art in the post-iconoclastic period
of the ninth century AD onwards. Dwellings,
troglodyte villages and underground towns
the remains of a traditional human habitat
dating back to the fourth century can also
be seen there.
In the ruin-like landscape of the
Cappadocia plateau where natural erosion
sculpted the rock into shapes eerily
reminiscent of towers, spires, domes and
pyramids, man has added to the
workmanship of the elements by digging
cells, churches and veritable subterranean
cities which together make up one of the
worlds largest cave-dwelling complexes.
The historical setting, the rock-hewn
churches and the unusual eroded landforms
combine to produce a mixed cultural and
natural landscape of unusual appearance.
Although the area has been extensively
used and modified by man for centuries, the
resulting landscape is one of harmony and
consideration of the intrinsic values of the
natural landforms. Architectural styles are
based on the local stone and the valley has
changed little over time.
Although interesting from a geological and
ethnological perspective, this phenomenal
site excels especially for the incomparable
beauty of the rupestral decor in the Christian
sanctuaries whose features make
Cappadocia one of the leading examples
of post-iconoclast-period Byzantine art.
The first signs of monastic activity in
Cappadocia are thought to date from the
fourth century when, on the instructions of
Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea
(Kayseri), small, hermit communities began
inhabiting the cells dug into the rock. Later,
to resist Arab forays they began banding
together into troglodyte villages or
subterranean towns such as Kaymakli or
Derinkuyu, which served as places of refuge.
Cappadocian monasticism was already
well established in the iconoclast period
(725842), as illustrated by the decoration in
many of the sanctuaries: a minimum of
symbols, most often sculpted or tempera-
painted crosses. But after 842 many
rupestral churches were dug in Cappadocia
and these were were richly decorated with
brightly coloured figurative painting.
Among them in the Greme valley were
Tokali Kilise and El Nazar Kilise in the tenth
century, Barbara Kilise and Sakli Kilise in the
eleventh century, and El Mali Kilise and
Karanlik Kilise, created in the late twelfth
and early thirteenth centuries.
The Greme Valley is
a spectacular example
of the effects of wind
and water erosion on
soft volcanic tuff.
Pillars, columns,
towers, obelisks and
needles reaching
heights of 40 m are
typical features of the
landscape. The nearby
Erciyas volcano is still
active, with occasional
minor eruptions.
Within these rock
formations people
have excavated a
network of caves
which served as
refuges, residences,
storage and places of
worship dating from
the fourth century. The
surrounding landscape
is agricultural with a
number of small,
scattered rural
villages.
230 greme and cappadoci a
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Royal Palaces of Abomey
Benin
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The West African Kingdom of Abomey (later
Dahomey), founded in 1625 by the Fon
people, developed into a powerful military
and commercial empire. Under the twelve
kings who succeeded one another from 1695
to 1900, the kingdom became one of the
most powerful on the west coast of Africa.
Until the late nineteenth century its primary
source of wealth was from selling prisoners
of war as slaves to European slave traders
for transport across the Atlantic to the New
World. Each of the twelve kings built a lavish
palace on the royal grounds in Abomey, the
capital city, all within the same cob-walled
area. Still used regularly for rituals and royal
ceremonies, the palace buildings both
represent the past and continue its
traditions.
The bas-relief
decorations provide a
unique history of this
society that had no
written records. They
glorify each king and
document the myths,
customs and rituals of
the Fon people whose
kingdom this was. The
walls show that the
military might of the
Abomey kingdom was
based, in part, on
companies of female
warriors who matched
their male
counterparts in
erceness and
courage.
232 abomey | alta
World Heritage site since
Rock Art of Alta
Norway
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The petroglyphs of the Alta fjord in the
province of Troms are among the leading
rock art sites in the world. Close to the Arctic
Circle, they are a valuable illustration of
human activity between 4200 and 500 BC in
the far North. The thousands of paintings
and engravings are located at forty-five sites
scattered over seven localities and show a
definite chronological sequence. The
position of the paintings and engravings
with respect to sea level at different
postglacial periods constitutes a relative
dating element, which is corroborated by
objective iconography data. According to
the principle of reverse stratigraphy, the
most ancient works are generally the
highest, the most recent being close to the
present sea level (the height difference is
roughly 26 m).
The drawings
represent northern
wildlife, including
reindeer, elk and bear,
geese, cormorants
and salmon. There are
depictions of hunting,
trapping and shing,
dancing and
ceremonial acts. The
climate warmed as
time passed and the
latest drawings show
agricultural activities.
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
North Sea
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
vi la 233
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Old Town of vila with its
Extra-Muros Churches
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
vila is an outstanding example of a fortified
city of the Middle Ages, the surrounding
walls of which are fully intact (pictured
below). The density of religious and secular
monuments, both inside (intra) and outside
(extra) the city walls (muros), makes it an urban
ensemble of exceptional value. Founded in
the eleventh century to protect the Spanish
territories from the Moors, this City of Saints
and Stones, the birthplace of St Teresa and
the burial place of the Grand Inquisitor
Torquemada, has kept its medieval austerity.
The walls, which date back to 1090 (but
mostly rebuilt during the twelfth century),
have an average thickness of 3 m and are
flanked by eighty-two semicircular towers,
with nine gates of different periods. The
cathedral, with its crenellated Romanesque
choir linked to the curtain wall, is part of the
system of fortifications.
The church of San
Pedro Extra-Muros
was begun in 1100.
In its beautiful open
atrium, royal
receptions took place,
and it was here that
the Catholic kings in
June 1475 and
Emperor Charles I in
May 1534 vowed to
respect the citys
charters.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
Bulgaria
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The discovery in 1982 of the Thracian tomb
of Sveshtari was one of the most spectacular
archaeological events of the twentieth
century. This third-century BC tomb reects
the fundamental structural principles of
Thracian cult buildings. The tomb has a
unique architectural dcor, with polychrome
half-human, half-plant caryatids and
painted murals. The ten female gures
carved in high relief on the walls of the
central chamber and the decoration of the
lunette in its vault are the only examples of
this type found so far in the Thracian lands.
The tomb consists of a corridor (dromos)
and three square chambers: antechamber,
lateral chamber, and main burial chamber
covered by a semi-cylindrical vault.
The tomb is an
exceptional testimony
to the culture of the
Getae, a Thracian
people living in the
north of Hemus,
who were in contact
with the Greek and
Hyperborean worlds,
according to ancient
geographers.
234 sveshtari | tadrart acacus
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Black Sea
Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart
Acacus
Libya
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
On the borders of Tassili NAjjer in Algeria,
also a World Heritage site, this rocky massif
has thousands of cave paintings reecting
marked changes in fauna and ora, and
the different ways of life of the populations
that succeeded one another in this region
of the Sahara. The oldest images (12,000
BC) are outline engravings of large savanna
mammals such as elephant and rhinoceros.
Paintings of magic religious scenes and
representations of a humid landscape
appear alongside engravings around
8000 BC. The domesticated horse features
about 1500 BC in a semi-arid climate, while
the rst centuries BC saw the intensication
of a desert environment. The dromedary
settled in the region at this time and
became the main subject of the last rock art
paintings.
As well as its
remarkable cave
paintings, Tadrart
Acacus boasts some
of the most
extraordinary
scenery in the world.
Its unique natural
wonders include
isolated towers
emerging from the
sand and eroded
into bizarre shapes,
petried arches, vast
dunes, and canyons
carved by ancient
rivers.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
World Heritage site since
i guau nati onal park 235
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Iguau National Park
Brazil
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The park shares with Iguaz National Park
in Argentina one of the worlds largest and
most impressive waterfalls. The Iguau Falls
span the border between Argentina and
Brazil. At 80 m high and 2,700 m wide, the
falls produce vast clouds of spray that
encourage the growth of lush vegetation of
which around 90 per cent is subtropical
rainforest.
The park is home to many rare and
endangered species of flora and fauna,
among them the giant otter and the
giant anteater.
Among the many other species recorded
are La Plata otter, ocelot, jaguar, puma,
margay, brocket deer, pampas deer,
American tapir, black howler monkey,
collared peccary, white-lipped peccary and
urutu viper.
Noteworthy birds include great dusky
swift, solitary tinamou, ornate hawk eagle,
red-breasted toucan, glaucous macaw,
vinaceous-breasted and red-spectacled
parrots, white-tailed trogon and harpy
eagle.
Vegetation is lush and
abundant. The lower
park has subtropical
rainforest with tree
ferns, lianas and
epiphytes. The upper
part is mainly humid
subtropical deciduous
forest and has stands
of the Brazilian pine
with two palms, the
Assai palm and wild
coconut palm, and the
imbuya. These stands
are limited to a small
section in the north-
east of the park.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Ancient City of Aleppo
Syrian Arab Republic
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The ancient city of Aleppo is one of the oldest
continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Located at the crossroads of trade routes
between the Mediterranean and the East,
it prospered from the third millennium BC.
Successive occupiers including
Byzantines, Romans, Greeks, Crusaders and
Arabs have left their mark in the
architecture and the city plan.
Aleppo is dominated by its huge medieval
castle, the Citadel (pictured below), which
stands on a partly artificial mound towering
50 m above the city. Although the structure
dates from around the twelfth century, the
hill on which it stands has been used for
defensive purposes from around the third
millennium BC.
The old city was surrounded by a defensive
wall of which parts still exist along with
seven of its fortified gates; Bab Qinnesrin
is the most impressive remaining.
The souks or bazaars
of Aleppos old town
are among the most
famous in the Middle
East. Enclosed by
stone vaulted roofs,
they twist for 7 km
along narrow streets.
The Great Mosque
was founded around
AD 715 but little from
that time remains: it
was largely rebuilt
around 1250 although
its highest minaret
dates from 1090.
236 anci ent ci ty of aleppo
World Heritage site since
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Mediterranean Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
The Citadel of Aleppo.
Churches and Convents of
Goa
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The churches and convents of Goa, the
former capital of the Portuguese Indies
particularly the Church of Bom Jesus, which
contains the tomb of St Francis-Xavier
illustrate the evangelization of Asia. These
monuments were influential in spreading
forms of Manueline, Mannerist and
Baroque art in all the countries of Asia
where missions were established.
The S Cathedral is a
ne example of
Renaissance
architecture, with a
Tuscan exterior,
Corinthian columns,
raised platform with
steps leading to the
entrance, and barrel-
vault.
Hattusha: the Hittite
Capital
Turkey
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Hattusha exerted a dominating influence
upon the civilizations in the thirteenth
century BC in Anatolia and northern Syria.
The palaces, temples, trading quarters and
necropolis of this political and religious
metropolis provide a comprehensive picture
of a capital city and bear unique testimony
to the vanished Hittite civilization. The citys
fortifications, along with the Lion Gate, the
Royal Gate and the Yazlkaya rupestral
ensemble with its sculptured friezes,
represent unique artistic achievements as
monuments. Inside the walls, the city is built
on two levels. To the northwest is the lower
town with its great temple, dedicated to the
god of storms and the goddess of the Sun,
Arinna. Thousands of cuneiform tablets
were found in this area. To the south is the
upper city with the royal residence of
Bykkale.
At its largest, the city
spread over a sloping,
uneven plateau,
covering 2.1 km from
north to south and
1.3 km from east to
west. In the thirteenth
century, the city was
surrounded by a
system of double
walls forming a
perimeter of roughly
8 km.
churches and convents of goa | hattusha 237
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
South
China
Sea
The church of Bom
Jesus.
Caspian
Sea
238 chan chan archaeologi cal zone
World Heritage site since
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Chan Chan Archaeological
Zone
Peru
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony
to cultural tradition
The planning of Chan Chan, largest city
of pre-Hispanic America and a unique
testimony to the disappeared Chim
kingdom, is a masterpiece of inhabited
space and hierarchical construction. Chan
Chan was the capital of the kingdom of
Chimor which reached its zenith in the
fifteenth century, shortly before its fall to the
Chims great rivals, the Incas.
The planning of this huge, 6 km
2
city
reflects a strict political and social strategy,
illustrated by its division into nine palaces
autonomous units delineated by high,
earthen walls. Each palace was grouped
around one or more squares and their
buildings include temples, dwellings,
storehouses, kitchens, orchards, gardens
and funeral platforms.
Nearby lie four industrial sectors where
the main activities appear to have been
woodworking, weaving and precious-metal
working. The remains of an irrigation
system suggest another area used for
farming.
An irrigation system
channeled water from
the Moche River to
Chan Chan. It is
difcult to imagine
the fertility of this
now-desert region
during the height of
the Chim civilization.
Hatred of the Incas
led the Chim to
welcome the Spanish
conquistadores. In
1535 the Spanish
founded a new capital
at Trujillo, 5 km from
Chan Chan which was
abandoned.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
i ronbri dge gorge 239
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Ironbridge Gorge
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Ironbridge, the site of the worlds first cast-
iron bridge, is known throughout the world
as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution.
In the blast furnace at nearby Coalbrookdale
were developed the coke-based iron-
production techniques that drove the
eighteenth-century steel revolution.
Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge exerted great
influence on the development of industrial
techniques and architecture, and the area
provides a fascinating summary of the
progress of the industrial age.
In the area there are five major areas of
interest: Coalbrookdale, with Abraham
Darbys coke-fired blast furnace; Ironbridge,
which takes its name from the bridge built
in 1779; Hay Brook valley with its open-air
museum featuring extraction galleries and
preserved blast furnaces; Jackfield, a former
mining town; and Coalport with a porcelain
museum in its former porcelain-production
factory.
Ironbridge Gorge is
a concentration of
mining areas,
foundries, factories and
warehouses, coexisting
with a network of
paths, roads, canals
and railways, as well
as substantial remains
of traditional
landscape and housing,
public buildings and
infrastructure of the
eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries.
These are well preserved
and together comprise
an excellent educational
environment.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Great Zimbabwe National
Monument
Zimbabwe
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The ruins of Great Zimbabwe the capital of
the Queen of Sheba, according to legend
are a unique testimony to the civilisation of
the Shona people of the eleventh to
fifteenth centuries. There are three main
areas of the site. The Hill Ruins are the
remains of a royal city, perched atop a large
granite spur. The Great Enclosure below the
hill dates from the fourteenth century and
holds a series of brick-built living quarters.
The Valley Ruins are a series of living
ensembles surrounded by drystone
masonry walls. Finds made in the inhabited
areas have revealed vital information about
the farming and pastoral activities of the
inhabitants at the time of Great Zimbabwes
heyday and about earthenware and
smithing craft activities.
The city of Great
Zimbabwe has
captured the
imagination of
travellers since the
Middle Ages, and
remains a powerful
symbol of national
identity today. It
covers an area of
nearly 0.8 km
2
and
was an important
trading centre with
both European and
Asian cultures. In the
fourteenth century, it
was the principal city
of a major state
extending over the
gold-rich plateaus,
with a population of
more than 10,000.
240 great zi mbabwe nati onal monument | temple of apollo epi curi us
World Heritage site since
Temple of Apollo Epicurius
at Bassae
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
This famous temple to the god of healing
and the sun was built towards the middle of
the fifth century BC in the lonely heights of
the Arcadian mountains. The temple, which
has the oldest Corinthian capital yet found,
combines the Archaic style and the serenity
of the Doric style with some daring
architectural features. The decoration is
notable, particularly on account of the
different materials used: the walls and the
bases of the columns are limestone, and the
Ionic capitals and the Corinthian capital are
in Doliana marble. The discovery of the Ionic
friezes twenty-two sculptured plates
ultimately divested the site of these
remarkable sculptures, which were
transferred to the British Museum along
with the Corinthian capital.
The temple was
dedicated by the
inhabitants of Phigalia
to Apollo Epicurius,
the god-healer who
came to their aid
when they were beset
by plague. Its
remoteness kept it
undiscovered until
1765 when a French
architect happened
upon it.
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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
World Heritage site since
st ki lda 241
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St Kilda
United Kingdom
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Natural
phenomena or beauty; Significant ecological and
biological processes; Significant natural habitat
for biodiversity
St Kilda is a remote volcanic archipelago
of exceptional natural beauty which
supports significant natural habitats. It is
unique in the very high bird densities that
occur in a relatively small area, conditioned
by the sites complex and different
ecological niches. Its cliffs are among the
highest in Europe and are home to large
colonies of endangered birds, especially
puffins and gannets. There is also a complex
ecological dynamic in the sites three marine
zones that is essential to the maintenance
of both marine and terrestrial biodiversity.
St Kilda bears the evidence of more than
2,000 years of human occupation in extreme
conditions. Human vestiges include built
structures and field systems, cleits (dry-stone
huts) and traditional Highland stone houses
(both pictured below) the vulnerable
remains of a subsistence economy based on
the products of birds, agriculture and sheep
farming and reflecting age-old traditions.
The archipelago
comprises the islands
of Hirta, Dun, Soay
and Boreray and lies
in the Atlantic 66 km
west of the island of
Benbecula.
The islanders of
St Kilda were
evacuated at their
own request by the
British government
in 1930 and the only
inhabitants now are
British government
Ministry of Defence
staff and a seasonal
nature warden.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
242 hi stori c ci ty of toledo
World Heritage site since
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Historic City of Toledo
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Toledo is the repository of more than
2,000 years of history with architectural and
artistic masterpieces that are the product of
several civilizations and their three religions
Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
A centre of power for centuries, the city
was successively a self-governing Roman
municipium, the capital of the Visigothic
Kingdom, a fortress of the Emirate of
Crdoba, an outpost of the Christian
kingdoms fighting the Moors and, in the
sixteenth century, the temporary seat of
supreme power under Holy Roman
Emperor and King of Spain Charles V, who
endowed it with the status of imperial and
crowned city. During the Renaissance the
city became one of the most important
artistic centres in Spain.
Ironically, the irreversible economic and
political decadence of Toledo after 1561,
when Phillip II of Spain chose Madrid as
his capital, miraculously spared this
museum-city.
Each set of inhabitants
left their mark on
Toledo: Rome, with
vestiges of the circus,
aqueduct and sewer;
the remains of Visigoth
walls; the Islamic
monuments of the
Emirate of Crdoba;
and remarkable
churches and
synagogues built after
the reconquest of 1085.
Furthermore, Toledo
possesses a broad range
of medieval structures
walls and fortied
buildings, bridges,
streets and houses.
The cathedral, pictured right, and the bridge, gates and Alczar of Toledo, pictured below.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
244 gi ants causeway and causeway coast
World Heritage site since
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Giants Causeway and
Causeway Coast
United Kingdom
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
The site lies on the north coast of the
County of Antrim, Northern Ireland, and
includes the Causeway Coast, a 6 km stretch
of extraordinary geological formations
representing volcanic activity during the
early Tertiary period some 5060 million
years ago. The most characteristic and
unique feature of the site is the Giants
Causeway, a sea-level promontory of around
40,000 polygonal columns of basalt in
perfect horizontal sections forming a
pavement. The dramatic sight has inspired
legends of giants striding over the sea to
Scotland. The Giants Causeway featured in
the eighteenth-century geological
controversies on the origins of basalts, and
geological studies of these formations over
the last 300 years have greatly contributed
to the development of the earth sciences.
Other features of the
Causeway Coast
include the Giants
Organ (about sixty
regular columns, 12 m
high), the Chimney
Tops (a number of
columns separated
from the cliffs by
erosion), and
Hamiltons Seat
(a viewpoint).
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World Heritage site since
old ci ty of sanaa 245
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Old City of Sanaa
Yemen
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Situated in a mountain valley at an altitude
of 2,200 m, Sanaa has been inhabited for
more than 2,500 years and has been the
capital of the Yemen since 1962. The Great
Mosque is said to have been constructed
while the Prophet Muhammad was still
living, and in the seventh and eighth
centuries the city became a major centre
for the propagation of Islam. This religious
and political heritage can be seen in the
103 mosques, 14 hammams (steam baths) and
over 6,000 houses, all built before the
eleventh century. Sanaas many-storeyed
tower-houses, built of rammed earth, add to
the beauty of the site. The successive
reconstructions of Sanaa under Ottoman
domination, beginning in the sixteenth
century, respected the proportions and
balance of the medieval city while changing
its appearance.
Given ofcial status in
the second century BC
when it was an
outpost of the
Yemenite kingdoms,
Sanaa (Arabic for
fortied place) was
associated with all the
major historical
events that took place
in Arabia Felix.
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246 durham castle and cathedral
World Heritage site since
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Durham Castle and
Cathedral
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Located on a rocky promontory overlooking
a bend in the river Wear, the monumental
array constituted by the cathedral and its
outbuildings to the south and by the castle
to the north makes up one of the best-
known cityscapes of medieval Europe.
Durham Cathedral was built in the late-
eleventh and early twelfth centuries to
house the relics of St Cuthbert, evangelizer
of Northumbria, and the Venerable Bede.
It attests to the importance of the early
Benedictine monastic community and is the
largest and finest example of Norman
architecture in England. The innovative
audacity of its vaulting foreshadowed
Gothic architecture. Behind the cathedral
stands the castle, an ancient Norman
fortress which regularly faced the onslaught
of Scottish troops. It later became the
residence of the prince-bishops of Durham
and in the nineteenth century was
incorporated into Durham University.
The present castle is
a veritable labyrinth
of halls and galleries
of different periods,
and in its north wing
it houses various
vestiges of the
Romanesque epoch,
including the castral
chapel, built in 1080.
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World Heritage site since
fatehpur si kri 247
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Fatehpur Sikri
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Built during the second half of the
sixteenth century by the Emperor Akbar,
Fatehpur Sikri the City of Victory was the
capital of the Mughal Empire for a mere
fourteen years. Constructed between 1571
and 1573, it was abandoned in 1585 when
Akbar went to fight against the Afghan
tribes and chose a new capital, Lahore.
Briefly, for three months in 1619, the city
resumed its role as the seat of the great
Mughal court when Jahangir sought
refuge there from the plague that
devastated Agra. The site was then finally
abandoned, until its archaeological
exploration in 1892. The complex of
monuments and temples in the city, all in
a uniform architectural style, includes one
of the largest mosques in India, the Jama
Masjid, able to accommodate some
10,000 of the faithful.
This capital without a
future was considerably
more than the fancy of
a sovereign during the
fourteen years of its
existence. Described by
the English traveller
Ralph Fitch in 1585 as
considerably larger
than London and more
populous, it comprised
a series of palaces, public
buildings and mosques,
as well as living areas
for the court, the army,
servants of the king and
an entire population.
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Walls of the fort at Fatehpur Sikri.
Studley Royal Park
including the Ruins of
Fountains Abbey
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Fountains site in Yorkshire owes its
originality to the fact that a strikingly
beautiful landscape was constituted around
the largest medieval ruins of the United
Kingdom. Fountains Abbey was founded in
1132 by thirteen Cistercian monks from York,
who were searching for an ideal of life in
closer keeping with St Benedicts teachings.
But by the time the monastic community
was abolished by Henry VIII in 1530 it had
become the richest abbey in the kingdom,
owing to massive donations. These four
centuries of prosperity are reflected in the
utter magnitude of the ruins of the buildings.
Essential to the ruins are the small Fountains
Hall Castle, the landscaping, the gardens,
the canal created by John Aislabie in the
eighteenth century, the plantations and
vistas of the nineteenth century, and Studley
Royal Church.
248 studley royal park and rui ns of fountai ns abbey
World Heritage site since
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The nave of the abbey church is
close to the pristine ideal of
Cistercian austerity. However, the
rich array of monastic buildings
grouped together to the south
testies to the deep-seated changes
occurring in a community which
rapidly grew away from the pristine
ideal owing to its land wealth and its
spiritual inuence.
Vaulted ceilings in the Cellarium at Fountains Abbey.
World Heritage site since
khaj uraho group of monuments 249
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Khajuraho Group of
Monuments
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The temples at Khajuraho were built during
the Chandela dynasty, which reached its
apogee between 950 and 1050. The Temple
of Kandariya is decorated with a profusion
of sculptures that are among the greatest
masterpieces of Indian art. Of the eighty-
five temples built, only about twenty remain;
they fall into three distinct groups and
belong to two different religions
Hinduism and Jainism. They strike a perfect
balance between architecture and sculpture.
Yasovarman (AD 954) built the temple of
Vishnu, now famous as Lakshmana temple;
this ornate example proclaims the prestige
of the Chandelas. The largest and grandest
temple is the Kandariya Mahadeva,
attributed to Ganda (101729). Greatly
influenced by the Tantric school of thought,
the Chandela kings promoted various
Tantric doctrines through royal monuments,
including temples. The sculptors of
Khajuraho depicted all aspects of life,
secular, spiritual and sexual.
The temples of
Khajuraho comprise an
elevated platform, on
which rises the richly
decorated building, the
jangha, covered with
sculpted panels. This is
crowned by a series of
bundled towers with
curvilinear contours,
the sikharas. Each of
these towers, which is
characteristic of the
temples in the Nagera
style, symbolizes the
cosmic mountain,
Mount Kailasha.
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Vishwanath Temple
at Khajuraho.
Garajonay National Park
Spain
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Garajonay National Park is situated in the
middle of the island of La Gomera in the
Canary Islands archipelago. It consists of an
eroded plateau and gently sloping central
terrain with steep escarpments running to
the park edges. Some 70 per cent of the park
is covered by one of the worlds largest
continuous areas of laurisilva (laurel) forest,
a habitat which has almost disappeared
from southern Europe and North Africa due
to long-term climatic changes. Over 450
floral species have been recorded, of which
eighty-one are endemic to the archipelago,
thirty-four are endemic to the island, and
eight are restricted to the national park.
A notable cultural heritage is the whistle
language, developed by the local people
to communicate over long distances.
Garajonay contains
almost half of the
remaining forest in
the Canary Islands,
including many
species considered to
be nationally
threatened. The parks
rich vegetation is
maintained by mist,
condensed water
vapour and the
islands numerous
streams and springs.
250 garaj onay nati onal park | studeni ca monastery
World Heritage site since
Studenica Monastery
Serbia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Studenica Monastery was established in
the late twelfth century by Stefan Nemanja,
founder of the medieval Serb state, shortly
after his abdication. It is the largest and
richest of Serbias Orthodox monasteries. Its
two principal monuments, the Church of
the Virgin and the Church of the King, both
built of white marble, enshrine priceless
collections of thirteenth- and fourteenth-
century Byzantine painting. The Church of
the King houses a cycle of the Life of the
Virgin Mary, which is among the leading
works of this period. The murals in the
Church of the Virgin are characterized
by a new concept of space and a new
expressiveness, and are an essential
milestone in the history not only of
Byzantine art, but also of Western art.
Studenica was a
central symbol for
medieval Serbia it
was the necropolis of
the ruling dynasty and
the founding-place of
the Serbian Orthodox
church under St Sava,
the youngest son of
Stefan Nemanja.
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tri er 251
World Heritage site since
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Roman Monuments,
Cathedral of St Peter and
Church of Our Lady in Trier
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Trier, which stands on the Moselle River, was
a Roman colony from the first century AD
and then became a great trading centre in
the next century. It was one of the capitals of
the Tetrarchy at the end of the third century,
when it was known as the second Rome.
The number and quality of the surviving
monuments are an outstanding testimony
to Roman civilization. The original centre of
the colonial town, for the most part built
during the reign of Claudius (4154), had
extended so much by the mid-second
century that a wall was built and a sandstone
and basalt bridge was constructed over the
Moselle. The reconstruction of the city was
then undertaken by Constantine the Great
after 306. The restored amphitheatre and
thermae, the Circus maximus, and what
remains of an immense imperial palace date
from this time.
Some of the major
monuments have had
long use: for example,
the Aula Palatina,
where Constantine
gave audiences,
became the palace of
the Frankish counts
and then the great hall
of the bishops palace,
while Constantines
two basilicas of 326,
almost completely
reconstructed between
the eleventh and
thirteenth centuries,
became the Cathedral
of St Peter and the
Church of Our Lady.
The Porta Nigra
viewed from the south
(town) side. This was
one of four Roman city
gates in Trier.
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252 group of monuments at hampi
World Heritage site since
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Group of Monuments at
Hampi
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The city of Hampi bears exceptional
testimony to the vanished civilization of the
Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, which
reached its peak under Krishna Deva Raya
(150930). Its fabulously rich princes built
Dravidian temples and palaces which won
the admiration of travellers between the
fourteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Conquered by the Deccan Muslim
confederacy in 1565, the city was pillaged
over a period of six months before being
abandoned. Hampi, enriched by the cotton
and the spice trade, was one of the most
beautiful cities of the medieval world.
The temples of Ramachandra (1513) and
Hazara Rama (1520), with their sophisticated
structures, may be counted among the most
extraordinary buildings in India. Besides the
temples, the impressive complex of civil,
princely and public buildings (elephant
stables, Queens Bath, Lotus Mahal, bazaars,
markets) are enclosed in the massive
fortifications.
In one of the interior
courtyards of the
temple of Vitthala can
be found a stone
monument of a chariot
pulled by two small
elephants, a favourite of
tourists today as it was
of travellers of the past.
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Ancient water pool and temple (background) at Krishna market, Hampi.
old town of cceres 253
World Heritage site since
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Old Town of Cceres
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Cceres is an outstanding example of
a feudal city that developed after the
conflicts between the Christians and Moors.
Its history is reflected in its architecture,
which is a blend of Roman, Islamic,
Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance
styles. Originally a Roman city, the Islamic
Almohads built remarkable fortifications
which completely changed the appearance
of the Roman walls. Of the thirty or so
towers from the Muslim period, the Torre
del Bujaco is the most famous. The street
pattern, with winding backstreets that open
on to tiny squares, also dates from this
period. After the Reconquista, the city
became the stage for power struggles
between rival clans and fortified houses
dotted the landscape. In the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries, noble pride was
demonstrated by adding richly decorated
coats of arms to the front of houses and by
building many defensive towers.
When Spanish
adventurers returned
from America in the
sixteenth century,
new palaces were
constructed: Palacio
Godoy, built by a
newly-rich
conquistador and
Palacio de los Toledo-
Moctezuma, built in
the second half of the
sixteenth century for
the grandson of
Moctezuma II, the
Aztec ruler when Cortes
reached Mexico.
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Stonehenge, Avebury and
Associated Sites
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
Stonehenge and Avebury are among the
most famous groups of megaliths in the
world. Together with their associated sites,
they represent a masterpiece of human
creative genius of the Neolithic age.
The megalithic sites of Stonehenge and
Avebury consist of circles of menhirs
arranged in a pattern of obvious
astronomical significance which is still
being explored. However, a number of
satellite sites make it possible to better
understand the more famous sites by
examining them in a broader context.
Stonehenge was built in several distinct
phases from 31001100 BC and its size,
height and perfection make it one of the
most impressive megalithic monuments in
the world. Its plan was based on a series of
concentric circles and the menhirs used are
huge: from the third phase of construction
onwards, large lintels were placed upon the
vertical blocks, thereby creating a type of
bonded entablature. The Avenue, an
earthwork cut into the chalk soil, runs
straight into the northeast corner of
Stonehenge.
Avebury lies about 30 km to the north of
Stonehenge, and although less well known,
it is nevertheless Europes largest circular
megalithic ensemble: its exterior circle
comprises some 100 menhirs. In all, 180
standing stones were put into place here
before the beginning of the third
millennium BC, as demonstrated by
abundant ceramic samples found on the site.
There are four avenues at Avebury of which
only the southern one, West Kennet Avenue,
is still lined with megaliths; the avenues lead
to the four cardinal points of the circle.
West Kennet Avenue leads to the site of
The Sanctuary at Overton Hill 2.5 km away.
The Sanctuary was a series of concentric
timber and stone circles; their purpose
remains unknown.
There are several other Neolithic satellite
sites around Avebury, including Silbury Hill,
the largest known man-made earthen
mound in Europe. As with The Sanctuary,
its purpose is not known. Windmill Hill, a
Neolithic causewayed enclosure, is 2 km
northwest of Avebury and West Kennet
chambered long barrow lies to the south.
Two different
materials were used
for the Stonehenge
constructions:
irregular sandstone
blocks, known as
sarsens, which were
quarried in a plain
near Salisbury; and
bluestones, quarried
about 200 km away in
Pembrokeshire in
Wales.
Although the ritual
function of Stonehenge
is not known in detail,
the cosmic references
of its structure appear
essential. An old
theory is that the site
was a sanctuary for
worship of the sun.
Although there is no
unanimous agreement
among prehistorians
on the subject,
Stonehenge
nevertheless attracts
a folkloric gathering
at dawn each
Midsummer Day.
254 stonehenge, avebury and associ ated si tes
World Heritage site since
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256 mudj ar archi tecture of aragon
World Heritage site since
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Mudjar Architecture of
Aragon
Spain
Criteria Significance in human history
Mudjar art represents the fusion of two
artistic traditions, Islamic and Christian, in
the region of Aragon, after the Reconquista
of the twelfth century. Present until the early
seventeenth century, it is characterized by
an extremely refined and inventive use of
brick and glazed tiles, especially in the
belfries, the most visible element of
Mudjar architecture. The towers of Teruel
together form a coherent ensemble which is
truly characteristic of Mudjar art after the
Reconquista. The architects of the Christian
churches copied the structure and
decoration of Almohad minarets, although
giving them new functions right from the
start. Another typical feature of Mudjar
architecture is found in the painted and
decorated wooden ceilings (e.g. Santa Mara
de Mediavilla) of Teruel. Mudjar
architecture is also found in monasteries,
castles, and residential buildings.
Mudjar art continued to predominate over
Gothic, except in some minor areas in the south
until, in the sixteenth seventeenth centuries the
Mudjars were forced to convert to Christianity,
becoming new Christians (Moriscos). This was
followed by a period of intolerance, resulting in
their expulsion in 160910, and the extinction of
Mudjar art.
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Tower in Mudjar
architectural style,
Teruel.
Khami Ruins National
Monument
Zimbabwe
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Khami, which developed after the capital of
Great Zimbabwe had been abandoned in
the mid-sixteenth century, is of great
archaeological interest. It is scattered over
more than 2 km, from Passage Ruin to
North Ruin. Although located in an area
where a human presence can be traced back
roughly 100,000 years, the city grew
between 1450 and 1650. As is the case in
Great Zimbabwe, several sectors can be
clearly differentiated in terms of use.
The chief s residence (mambo) is towards the
north, on the Hill Ruins site, which is a hill,
created largely of earth used to level the
terraces, contained by bearing walls. Some
highly significant imported goods have
been found here: sixteenth century
Rhineland stoneware, Ming porcelain pieces
which date back to the seventeenth century,
Portuguese imitations of Chinese porcelain
and seventeenth century Spanish silverware.
The people of Khami
lived in huts made
from cob (a mixture of
earth, sand and straw)
surrounded by granite
walls. The fences and
walls are similar to
later constructions at
Great Zimbabwe.
Worthy of note are the
many decorative
friezes, with chevron
and chequered
patterns, and the great
number of narrow
passageways and
galleries.
khami rui ns | gwynedd 257
World Heritage site since
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Castles and Town Walls of
King Edward in Gwynedd
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The castles of Beaumaris and Harlech,
largely the work of the greatest military
engineer of the time, James of St George,
and the fortified complexes of Caernarfon
and Conwy are located in the former
principality of Gwynedd, in north Wales.
These extremely well-preserved monuments
are examples of the colonization and
defence works carried out throughout the
reign of Edward I (12721307) and the
military architecture of the time.
From 1283, Edward I
undertook a castle-
building programme
of unprecedented
scale. In twenty years,
ten fortresses were
built, not to mention
those restored after
being wrested from
the enemy, creating a
strategic and symbolic
expression of English
power.
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Caernarfon castle and
battlements along the
river Seiont in north
Wales.
Historic Centre of vora
Portugal
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
vora is the finest example of a city of the
golden age of Portugal after the destruction of
Lisbon by the earthquake of 1755. A museum-
city whose roots go back to Roman times,
it reached its apogee in the fifteenth century
when it became the residence of the
Portuguese kings. Its unique quality stems
from the whitewashed houses decorated
with azulejos (ceramic tiles) and wrought-
iron balconies dating from the sixteenth to
the eighteenth century. The cityscape of
vora demonstrates the influence exerted
by Portuguese architecture in Brazil, in sites
such as Salvador de Bahia.
vora has been shaped by some twenty
centuries of history, going back to pre-
Roman Celtic times. The city fell under
Roman domination, when it was called
Liberalitas Julia; among other ruins, the
Temple of Diana still stands in the town.
During the Visigothic period, the Christian
city occupied the area surrounded by the
Roman wall, which was reworked. Under
Moorish domination, which ended in 1165,
further improvements were made to the
original defensive system as seen in a
fortified gate and the remains of the ancient
Kasbah. Moreover, place names are
indicative of the Maghreb population, which
remained after the Reconquest in the
La Mouraria quarter of the northeast.
There are a number of buildings from the
medieval period, the best known of which is
unquestionably the cathedral, begun in 1186
and essentially completed in the thirteenth
to fourteenth centuries. It was in the
fifteenth century, however, when the
Portuguese kings began living in the city on
an increasingly regular basis, that voras
golden age began. Convents and royal
palaces sprang up across the city. These
splendid monuments, which were either
entirely new buildings or else constructed
within already existing establishments, are
characterized by the Manueline style which
survived in the major creations of the
sixteenth century, such as the Palace of the
Counts of Basto, built on the site of the
Alcazar, and the Church of the Knights of
Calatrava.
The sixteenth century was a time of major
urban planning: the Agua da Prata aqueduct
was built in 1537 and many fountains remain
from that time. voras intellectual and
religious influence was also strong: the
Jesuits taught at the University of the Holy
Spirit from 1553 until their expulsion in 1759,
when the citys rapid decline began.
University of The
Holy Spirit in vora.
voras unique
character derives from
the coherence of the
minor architecture of
the sixteenth,
seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries.
This nds its
expression in the
myriad low,
whitewashed, tile-
roofed houses, and in
the terraces which line
the narrow medieval
streets of the old city
centre and other
areas. Wrought iron
and azulejo decoration,
splendid in the
convents and palaces
and charming in the
most humble
dwellings, strengthens
the fundamental unity
of a type of architecture
which is perfectly
adapted to the climate
and the site.
World Heritage site since
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
258 hi stori c centre of vora
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Gondwana Rainforests of
Australia
Australia
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
This site, comprising approximately forty
separate reserves, is situated predominantly
along the Great Escarpment on Australia's
east coast. The outstanding geological
features displayed around shield volcanic
craters and the 200 rare and threatened
rainforest species are of international
significance for science and conservation.
The evolution of new species is encouraged
by the natural separation and isolation of
rainforest stands. The site includes the most
extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in
the world, large areas of warm temperate
rainforest and almost all of the Antarctic
beech cool temperate rainforest. Although
rainforests cover only about 0.3 per cent of
Australia, they contain about half of all
Australian plant families and about a third of
Australia's mammal and bird species. Many
plants and animals found here are locally
restricted to a few sites or occur in widely
separated populations.
Few places on Earth contain so many
plants and animals whose ancestors
can be traced through the fossil
record to Gondwanan origins that
today remain relatively unchanged.
There is a concentration of primitive
plant families that shows a direct link
with the origin of owering plants
over 100 million years ago, as well as
some of the oldest of the world's
ferns and conifers.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Rainforest near Protestors Falls, Nightcap National Park,
New South Wales.
260 gondwana rai nforests
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1986
kocjan Caves
Slovenia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
This system of subterranean passages,
fashioned by the Reka river, constitutes
a dramatic example of large-scale karst
drainage. An underground system of
passages runs from the Rekas source
to Timavo on the Gulf of Trieste in Italy.
In places the surfaces of the galleries at
several levels have collapsed and give the
appearance of deep chasms. The river enters
the kocjan grotto through an underground
passage 350 m long, reappearing at the
bottom of a chasm 150 m deep and 300 m
long, before disappearing into a passage
2 km long. There are ve galleries and a
canal. A gallery of stalactites and stalagmites
leads to the surface. In total there are
twenty-ve cascades along the river.
The site, located
in the Kras region
(literally meaning
karst), is one of the
most famous in the
world for the study of
karstic phenomena.
The protected area
extends over 2 km
2

and includes four
deep and picturesque
chasms, Sokolak in
the south, Globocak in
the west, and Lisicina
and Sapen dol in the
north.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
kocj an caves | old town of ghadams 261
World Heritage site since
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Old Town of Ghadams
Libya
Criteria Traditional human settlement
The historic city of Ghadams, known as
the pearl of the desert, is today a small
oasis city situated next to a palm grove. It
is one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities and
an outstanding example of a traditional
settlement. Its domestic architecture
is characterized by a vertical division of
functions: the ground oor was used to
store supplies; then came another oor
for the family, overhanging covered alleys
that create what is almost an underground
network of passageways; and at the top
were open-air terraces reserved for the
women. Roughly circular in layout, the
city comprises a cluster of houses. The
reinforced outer walls of the houses on the
edge of the city form a fortied wall.
The unique layout
of this unusual city
cannot be perceived
as a whole. Ground
level passageways
form arcades rather
than actual streets,
and are principally the
reserve of the men.
At the upper level,
women socialize on
connected terraces.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Archaeological Site of Delphi
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Significance
in human history; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi,
standing in a magnificent natural setting
on Mount Parnassus, was the site of the
Delphic Oracle through which the god
Apollo spoke. Blending harmoniously with
the superb landscape and charged with
sacred meaning, Delphi in the sixth
century BC was both the religious centre and
symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world.
The modular elements of the Dephi site
terraces, temples and treasuries combine
to form a strong expression of its physical
and moral values. There are several
monuments; the following are among the
most important.
Temple of Apollo: Dated to the fourth
century BC, the temple was erected on the
remains of an earlier, sixth-century temple.
Inside was the seat of the Pythia, the
priestess who presided over the Oracle and
delivered the prophesies inspired by Apollo.
Delphi was the most important oracle in the
Greek world.
Altar of the Chians: The large altar of the
sanctuary, in front of the temple, erected in
the fifth century BC.
Treasury of the Athenians: A small building
in Doric order, built by the Athenians at the
end of the sixth century BC to house their
offerings to Apollo.
Stoa of the Athenians: Built in the Ionic
order, has seven fluted columns, each made
from a single stone. According to an
inscription, it was built by the Athenians
after 478 BC to house the trophies taken in
their naval victories over the Persians.
Theatre: Originally built in the fourth
century BC, its visible ruins actually date
from the Roman imperial period. The
theatre was used mostly for the
performances during the great festivals.
Stadium: Constructed in the fifth century
BC and remodelled in the second century AD
at the expense of Herodes Atticus. The Pan-
Hellenic Pythian Games, one of the
forerunners of the Olympic Games, took
place in this stadium.
Tholos: A circular building in Doric order,
built around 380 BC (pictured on the right).
Although its function is unknown it must
have been important, judging from the fine
workmanship.
Polygonal Wall: Built after the destruction
of the old temple of Apollo in 548 BC to
support the terrace on which the new
temple was to be erected. Many inscriptions,
mostly manumissions of slaves, are carved
into its stones.
Delphi Tholos.
The development of
the sanctuary and
oracle began in the
eighth century BC
when the cult of
Apollo was
established. The
sanctuary had strong
religious and political
inuence across
Greece.
The Pythian Games
were reorganized
and held here from
the sixth century BC.
At that time the
sanctuary was
enlarged and
enriched with ne
buildings, statues and
other offerings.
During the Roman
period Delphis
fortunes were mixed.
As Christianity spread
it lost its religious
signicance and was
nally closed down by
Emperor Theodosius I
in AD 395.
262 delphi
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
264 hawai i volcanoes nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park
USA
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Two of the most active volcanoes in the
world, Mauna Loa (4,170 m) and Kilauea
(1,250 m), tower over the Pacific Ocean at
this site where volcanic eruptions have
created a constantly changing landscape.
Climate varies with altitude from tropical
humid to alpine desert and the park
contains a high diversity of plant
communities with striking life-form and
physiognomic differences. There are twenty-
three distinct vegetation types, grouped into
five major ecosystems: subalpine, montane
seasonal, montane rainforest, submontane
seasonal and coastal lowlands.
Except for a single species of Hawaiian
hoary bat, the park has no native mammals
and most endemic birds are rare or
endangered. Ranching and the introduction
of species such as the pig, goat and
mongoose have had serious biological
consequences, including destruction of
native ecosystems and widespread
extinction of endemic species.
The park extends from
the volcanic sea-cliff
headlands of the
southern coast to the
summit calderas of
Kilauea, the worlds
most active volcano,
and Mauna Loa. The
latter is a massive, at-
domed shield volcano
built by lava ow
layers and is
considered to be the
best example of its
type in the world,
extending from
5,581 m below sea
level to 4,170 m above.
Part of the volcanic
shelf collapsed into the
ocean ve days after
this photograph was
taken in November
2005.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
pi sa 265
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Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The world-famous monuments of the Piazza
del Duomo are masterpieces of medieval
architecture. The cathedral, its baptistry, its
campanile the Leaning Tower and its
walled cemetery, had a huge influence on
monumental art in medieval Italy.
The huge marble-and-stone cathedral has
been identified as the best example of Pisan
Romanesque style. Work began in 1064 and
was completed in the twelfth century. The
cathedral is in the shape of a Latin cross, with
five naves. Its Romanesque baptistry, with a
pulpit by the sculptor Nicola Pisano, was
completed in 1363. The cathedrals famous
leaning bell tower began subsiding soon
after construction began in 1173. War meant
it remained unfinished until almost 200
years later.
The monumental cemetery was virtually
destroyed by Allied bombing during the
Second World War but has since been
restored to its original state.
Pisa was an ancient port and one
of Italys four wealthy Maritime
Republics, powerful trading city-
states. Its enormous wealth meant
the city ourished until commercial
rivalry and war precipitated a decline
in the late thirteenth century.
In the cathedral hangs the bronze
lamp of Possenti da Pietrasanta; its
swinging was said to have inspired
Galileos discovery of the principle
of isochronism.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Cathedral and its campanile (the Leaning Tower).
266 sevi lle
World Heritage site since
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Cathedral, Alczar and
Archivo de Indias in Seville
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
These three buildings in the heart of Seville
together form a remarkable monumental
complex. The cathedral and Alczar date
from the Reconquista, the recapture from
the Moors of the Iberian peninsula, and
reflect elements of the civilizations of the
Berber Almohads and of Christian
Andalusia. Begun in the late sixteenth
century, the Casa Lonja was intended as a
Trades Hall but by the 1790s it had become
the Archivo General de Indias, housing
collections of documents of the Spanish
overseas empire.
The cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral
in the world (pictured below), houses the
tomb of Christopher Columbus. The Alczar
is a palatial fortress first built in 712 by the
conquering Arabs. After the Spanish retook
Seville in 1248 it became a Spanish royal
residence.
The cathedral reects
a chequered history in
its complex structure.
The capitals of several
columns in one area
date from the time of
the Visigoths; these
represent the last
vestiges of the
original cathedral
which Sevilles Arab
conquerors destroyed
in 712. The Great
Mosque they built in
the twelfth century
was itself built over,
although the
spectacular Giralda
minaret remains.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
View of the cathedral from the Giralda tower.
World Heritage site since
si an kaan 267
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Sian Kaan
Mexico
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
This biosphere reserve on the east coast of
the Yucatn peninsula contains tropical
forests, mangroves, marshes and a large
marine section intersected by a barrier reef.
The complex hydrological system provides
a habitat for a rich flora and a fauna
comprising more than 300 species of birds
and a large number of the regions
characteristic terrestrial vertebrates.
Sian Kaan lies on a partially emerged
coastal limestone plain which forms part
of the extensive barrier-reef system along
Central Americas east coast. The
hydrological cycle is complex and the water
table is permanently close to the surface
although shallow limestone soils mean that
there is little surface running water within
the reserve.
There are an estimated 1,200 plant species.
In the medium and low semi-deciduous
forest, abundance of palm is a characteristic
feature. Coastal dunes stretch along 64 km
of the coast.
The area has 103 types
of mammal including
jaguar, puma, ocelot,
margay and
jaguarondi; Central
American tapir and
red brocket; spider
monkey and howler
monkey; kinkajou,
collared anteater and
Caribbean manatee.
Some 339 bird and
42 amphibian and
reptile species have
been recorded as well
as over 52 types of
sh, which are
abundant.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Venice and its Lagoon
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Venice is a unique artistic achievement: built
on 118 small islands, the city seems to float
on the waters of the Venetian Lagoon.
Venice possesses an incomparable series
of architectural ensembles that collectively
illustrate the longevity of its splendour.
Standing in this inland sea on a tiny
archipelago at the very edge of the waves,
Venice is one of the most extraordinary
built-up areas of the Middle Ages. From
Torcello in the north to Chioggia in the
south, almost every small island had its own
settlement. In the centre of the 50,000-km
2
lagoon, Venice stood as one of the greatest
capitals in the medieval world.
In the fifth century AD, Venetian
populations fleeing hostile invaders first
found refuge on the sandy islands of
Torcello, Iesolo and Malamocco. What had
begun as temporary settlements gradually
became permanent and the one-time
refuge of land-dwelling peasants and
fishermen grew into one of the worlds
foremost maritime powers.
Venetian power grew steadily from the
twelfth to the fifteenth century. The
independent city-state was one of the four
Italian Maritime Republics and from its
strategically crucial position at the head of
the Adriatic Sea, Venice controlled the
length of the eastern Mediterranean to the
Ionian Sea. This control allowed Venice to
dominate trade between Europe and the
Byzantine Empire and the Near East,
including the Crusader States. In 1204, led
by its ruler, the Doge Enrico Dndolo,
Venice allied with the Crusaders to loot
Constantinople. Among the abundant spoils
brought back were the bronze horses that
still stand over the entrance to St Marks
Cathedral.
With the development of overseas empires
in the fifteenth century and the expansion of
the Turkish Ottoman Empire into
Byzantium, the balances of power on which
Venices wealth was built began to change,
and the citys long decline began. It finally
lost its independence to Napoleon in 1797,
after which many of its palaces and notable
buildings fell into disrepair.
The influence of Venice on the
development of architecture and
monumental arts has been considerable.
The fabulous wealth that its trading empire
brought is reflected in the scale and
grandeur of its beautiful buildings and
monuments. The city has been inspiration
to some of the worlds greatest artists,
including Canaletto, Giorgione, Titian,
Tintoretto and Veronese.
Part of the Grand
Canal and one of the
numerous side canals
that dissect the city.
The islands of the
Comune of Venice are
grouped around the
historic city at its
centre. Transport and
communication in
this necessarily car-
free area is by water.
Canals such as the
Giudecca Canal,
St Marks Canal and
the Grand Canal
and the network of rii,
or rivers, are the
arteries of the city.
In this unreal space
where there is no
notion of the concept
of terra rma,
masterpieces of one
of the most
extraordinary
architectural
museums on Earth
have been
accumulated for over
1,000 years.
268 veni ce
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
270 blenhei m palace
World Heritage site since
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Blenheim Palace
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Blenheim Palace and park illustrate the
beginnings of the English Romantic
movement, characterized by the eclecticism
of its inspiration, its return to national
sources and its love of nature. The influence
of Blenheim on the architecture and the
organization of space in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries was greatly felt both in
England and abroad.
Situated near Oxford, Blenheim Palace
stands in an 8.5-km
2
romantic park created
by the famous landscape gardener Lancelot
Capability Brown. It was presented by the
English nation to John Churchill, first Duke
of Marlborough, in recognition of his
victory in 1704 over French and Bavarian
troops at the Battle of Blenheim. Built by
John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor
between 1705 and 1722, it is a perfect
example of an eighteenth-century princely
dwelling.
Between 1764 and 1774
Capability Brown, one
of the most famous
English landscape
gardeners, turned the
classical park laid out
by Vanbrugh into a
wonderful articial
landscape by the
creation of two lakes.
In the later eighteenth
century, Gothic or
neo-Gothic style
buildings were added.
The British Prime
Minister Winston
Churchill was born in
the palace in 1874.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
The City of Caves, consists of seven caves
on an island in the Arabian Sea close to
Mumbai. With their decorated temples and
images from Hindu mythology, they bear a
unique testimony to a civilisation that has
disappeared and are one of the most
striking collections of rock art in India. There
are two groups of caves, dating from the
sixth eighth centuries AD. To the east, Stupa
Hill (named after the small brick Buddhist
monument at the top) contains two caves,
one of which is unfinished, and several
cisterns. To the west, the larger group
consists of five rock-cut Hindu shrines. The
main cave is universally famous for its huge
high reliefs to the glory of Shiva, who is
exalted in various forms and actions.
Sundarbans National Park
India
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Sundarbans covers 10,000 km
2
of land
and water in the Ganges delta, more than
half of it in India, the rest in Bangladesh . It
contains the worlds largest area of
mangrove forests. A number of rare or
endangered species live in the park,
including tigers, aquatic mammals, birds
and reptiles.
The Sundarban
waterways now carry
little freshwater as the
outow of the Ganges
has shifted
progressively
eastwards since the
seventeenth century.
This is due to
subsidence of the
Bengal Basin and a
gradual eastward
tilting of the overlying
crust. Waterways in
the tiger reserve are
maintained largely by
the diurnal tidal ow.
Elephanta Caves
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The island of
Elephanta owes its
name to the
enormous stone
elephant found there
by Portuguese
navigators. This
elephant was cut into
pieces, removed to
Mumbai and
somehow put
together again. It is
today the melancholy
guardian of Victoria
Gardens Zoo in
Mumbai.
sundarbans nati onal park | elephanta caves 271
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
South
China
Sea
Entrance to the
secondary cave on
Elephanta Island.
272 westmi nster
World Heritage site since
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Palace of Westminster and
Westminster Abbey including
Saint Margarets Church
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Signicance in human history
The Palace of Westminster is the home
of the Houses of Parliament and is an
outstanding and complete example of
neo-Gothic architecture. The site includes
the medieval church of Saint Margaret and
Westminster Abbey, where all Englands
sovereigns have been crowned since the
eleventh century, and is of great historic and
symbolic signicance.
The construction of a new Palace of
Westminster by Barry and Pugin began in
1835 after re destroyed its predecessor.
The seat of Parliament, which includes the
House of Lords to the south of a central
tower and the House of Commons to the
north, illustrates in colossal proportions the
grandeur of the constitutional monarchy
and the principle of the bicameral system.
The site includes Westminster Abbey,
a unique construction representing the
successive phases of English Gothic
architecture and, in the abbey grounds, the
charming Perpendicular Gothic church of
St Margaret. Rebuilt and remodelled since
the fteenth century, St Margarets is the
Anglican parish church of the House of
Commons.
The new Palace of
Westminster, with the
magnicent interiors
of the Royal Gallery,
House of Lords,
Central Lobby, House
of Commons, library,
and apartments is
a vivid symbol of
one of the oldest
parliamentary
institutions in the
world. Its faade,
situated along the
river Thames, is 266m
long; the Victoria
Tower which holds
three million archival
documents is to the
south, and the Clock
Tower (Big Ben) to the
north.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
World Heritage site since
fronti ers of the roman empi re 273
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Frontiers of the Roman
Empire
United Kingdom and
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Roman Limes or frontier represents the
border line of the Roman Empire at its
greatest extent in the second century AD.
The two sections in Germany cover a
length of 550 km from the northwest of the
country to the Danube in the southeast.
The 118 km-long Hadrians Wall in northern
England was built on the orders of the
Emperor Hadrian around AD 122 at what
were then the northernmost limits of the
Roman province of Britannia. It is a striking
example of the organization of a military
zone and illustrates the defensive
techniques and geopolitical strategies
of ancient Rome.
The 60-km-long Antonine Wall, across
central Scotland, was started by Emperor
Antoninus Pius in ad 142 as a defence
against the barbarians of the north and
represents the most northerly frontier of
the Roman Empire.
The remains of the limes today consist
of vestiges of built walls, ditches, forts,
fortresses, watchtowers and civilian
settlements. Certain elements of the line
have been excavated, some reconstructed
and a few destroyed.
The Roman Empire
stretched over
5,000 km from the
Atlantic coast of
Britain through
Europe to the Black
Sea, and from there to
the Red Sea and across
North Africa.
The physical remains
of the limes walls,
earthworks, forts,
watchtowers,
settlements, and the
hinterland dependent
on the frontier
illustrate the
complexities of
Roman culture and
its unifying
character.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Hadrians Wall, Northumberland, UK.
Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the
Buda Castle Quarter and
Andrssy Avenue
Hungary
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance
in human history
Budapest is one of the worlds outstanding
urban landscapes and illustrates in its
architecture the great periods in the history
of the Hungarian capital. It has the remains
of monuments from various periods, such
as the Roman Fort of Contra Aquincum and
the Gothic castle of Buda, which have had a
considerable inuence on the architecture.
Within the unied perspective of an
immense urban panorama, the Danube
is the dividing line between what were
originally two cities: Buda on the spur on
the right bank, and Pest in the plain on the
left bank. Human occupation can be traced
back to the Palaeolithic period, but the citys
historic importance dates from the Roman
period when it was part of Lower Pannonia,
a border province of the Empire in the
second century AD.
After the Hungarian invasion in the ninth
century, Pest became the rst medieval
urban centre, only to be devastated by
Mongol raids in 12412. A few years later
Bela IV built the castle of Buda on the right
bank and the inhabitants of Pest found
shelter within its fortied outer walls.
Buda Castle played an essential role in the
diffusion of Gothic art in the Magyar region
from the fourteenth century.
Budas history became closely identied
with that of the Hungarian monarchy and
the city followed its changing fortunes.
Two centuries of ascendancy from 1308 to
the 1490s and beyond were ended when
the Turks ransacked the city in 1526,
precipitating its nal fall in 1541. Recovery
did not really begin again until the
eighteenth century.
In the nineteenth century the citys role
as capital was enhanced by the foundation
of the Hungarian Academy (1830) and
especially by the construction of the
imposing neo-Gothic Parliament building
(18841904). The parliament (pictured on
the right) is an outstanding example of a
great ofcial building on a par with those
of London, Munich, Vienna and Athens. It
exemplies the eclectic architecture of the
nineteenth century while symbolizing the
political function of the second capital of the
Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Since 1849,
W. T. Clarks suspension bridge over the
Danube has symbolized the reunication
of Buda and Pest, which did not become
ofcial until 1873. With this union, Budapest
truly became the nations capital.
The Danube River at
dusk with W.T. Clarks
suspension bridge
(foreground) and the
Hungarian Houses of
Parliament on the far
riverbank.
With no attempts
made at organized
urban development
since the Middle Ages,
the Hungarian capital
caught up in one
great leap in respect
of public services,
transportation and
city planning. The
route of Andrssy
Avenue cut straight
through an
unregulated suburban
area, thereby radically
transforming its
urban structure. The
Siemens and Halske
companies built the
rst underground
railway on the
European continent
there between 1893
and 1896, which
in turn led to the
construction of more
city monuments.
274 budapest
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1987
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
276 chola temples
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1987
Great Living Chola Temples
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Great Chola Temples of southern India
are an exceptional testimony to the
architecture and ideology of the Chola
Empire and the Tamil civilization in
southern India. The site includes three great
eleventh- and twelfth-century temples: the
Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur (Tanjore),
the Brihadisvara Temple at
Gangaikondacholisvaram and the
Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. The
Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built
by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035.
Its 53m vimana sanctum tower has recessed
corners and a graceful upward curving
movement, contrasting with the straight
and severe tower at Thanjavur. The
Airavatesvara temple complex at
Darasuram, built by Rajaraja II, features a
24m vimana and a stone image of Shiva. The
temples testify to the brilliant achievements
of the Chola in architecture, sculpture,
painting and bronze casting.
The great temple of
Thanjavur was built in
a few years, from
100310, during the
reign of the great king
Rajaraja (9851014).
Richly endowed by the
sovereign, the
sanctuary had a
permanent staff of
several hundred
priests, 400 sacred
dancers and fty-
seven musicians,
according to
inscriptions and
chronicles.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
The Temple of Gangai-
kondacholisvaram.
World Heritage site since
i mperi al palaces 277
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1987
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in
Beijing and Shenyang
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Imperial Palaces illustrate the grandeur
of the imperial institution in China from the
Qing dynasty to the earlier Ming and Yuan
dynasties. Seat of supreme power for five
centuries (14161911), the Forbidden City in
Beijing, with its landscaped gardens and
many magnificent buildings containing
nearly 10,000 rooms, constitutes a priceless
testimony to Chinese civilization. Lying to
the north of Tiananmen Square, the
Forbidden City (pictured below), was the
Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing
dynasties. Now known as the Palace
Museum, it is the worlds largest palace
complex. The Imperial Palace of the Qing
Dynasty in Shenyang consists of 114
buildings constructed between 1625 and
1636. It contains an important library and
offers invaluable historical testimony to the
history of the Qing Dynasty and the cultural
traditions of the Manchu and other tribes in
the north of China.
The Forbidden City is
an extremely formal
place: it is almost
symmetrical and
hierarchically arranged
so that all the
important buildings
run down the centre,
north-south. In
keeping with
geomancy, the main
gate is in the south
and the northern side
is protected by the
articial Coal Hill.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Kilimanjaro National Park
Tanzania
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
At 5,895 m, the volcanic massif of Mount
Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa.
It stands in splendid isolation above the
surrounding plains, encircled by mountain
forest, its snowy peak looming over the
savanna. Numerous mammals, many of
them endangered, live in the park.
The national park and forest reserve
occupy the upper part of Kilimanjaro
adjacent to the Kenyan border. The national
park comprises all the mountain above the
timberline and six forest corridors
stretching down through the montane
forest belt. Kilimanjaro, one of the largest
volcanoes in the world, last showed signs
of major activity in the Pleistocene period
(between 1.8 million and 10,000 years ago).
It stands alone but is the largest of an east-
west belt of volcanoes stretching across
northern Tanzania. It has three main
volcanic peaks of varying ages, Shira,
Mawenzi and Kibo, and a number of smaller
parasitic cones.
Kilimanjaro has five main vegetation
zones: savanna bushland at 7001,000 m
(on the south slopes) 1,4001,600 m (on the
north slopes) and densely populated
submontane agroforest on southern and
southeastern slopes, the montane forest
belt, subalpine moorland and alpine bogs.
Above this is alpine desert.
The montane forest belt circles the
mountain between 1,300 m (about 1,600 m
on the drier north slopes) to 2,800 m.
Forests above 2,700 m are within the
national park. According to a 2001 study
there are 2,500 plant species on the
mountain, 1,600 of them on the southern
slopes and 900 within the forest belt. There
are 130 species of tree, with the greatest
diversity being found between 1,800 and
2,000 m.
The whole mountain including the
montane forest belt, part of which extends
into the national park, is very rich in animal
life: there are 140 mammals (eighty-seven
forest species), including seven primates,
twenty-five carnivores, twenty-five antelopes
and twenty-four species of bat. Above the
timberline at least seven of the larger
mammal species have been recorded,
although it is likely that many of these also
use the lower montane forest habitat.
Although 179 highland bird species have
been recorded on the mountain, species
recorded in the upper zones are few in
number. The white-necked raven is the most
conspicuous bird species at higher altitudes.
The area around the
mountain is quite
heavily populated,
principally by the
Chagga people, and
the northern and
western slopes of the
forest reserve
surrounding the
national park have
eighteen medium-to-
large forest villages.
Although it is illegal,
these people use the
forest for many
household and
medicinal products,
for fuelwood, small-
scale farming,
beekeeping, hunting,
charcoal production
and logging.
Some 12 per cent of
the forest is
plantation, some of
which almost reaches
down to the
moorland.
278 ki li manj aro nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1987
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
National cathedral
and museum.
280 brasi li a
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1987
Brasilia
Brazil
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Brasilia, a capital created ex nihilo in the
centre of the country in 1956, was a
landmark in the history of town planning.
Urban planner Lucio Costa and architect
Oscar Niemeyer intended that every
element from the layout of the residential
and administrative districts (often compared
to the shape of a bird in flight) to the
symmetry of the buildings themselves
should be in harmony with the citys overall
design. The curving north-south axis of the
city forms a wide transportation artery,
along which are situated the residential
zones, each with its own commercial and
leisure centres, green spaces, schools,
churches, etc. The perpendicular east-west
axis, known as the Monumental Axis, links
the administrative sections of the new city
and is where Niemeyers most renowned
edifices were built.
The pilot plan that
Costa drew up for
Brasilia consisted of a
cross formed by two
bars intersecting at
right angles. This
gure was then
adapted to the
topography of the
land and its
orientation improved
by curving the arms of
one of the crossbars.
Brasilia became the
ofcial capital of the
country in 1960.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
ci ty of lbeck 281
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Hanseatic City of Lbeck
Germany
Criteria Significance in human history
Lbeck the former capital and Queen City
of the Hanseatic League was founded in
the twelfth century and prospered until the
sixteeenth century as the major trading
centre for northern Europe. It has remained
a centre for maritime commerce to this day,
particularly with the Nordic countries.
Despite the damage it suffered during the
Second World War, the basic structure of the
old city, consisting mainly of fifteenth- and
sixteenth-century patrician residences,
public monuments, the famous Holstentor
brick gate (pictured below), churches and
salt storehouses, remains unaltered. The
plan of Lbeck, with its blade-like outline
determined by two parallel traffic routes,
dates to the beginnings of the site. To the
west lay the richest quarters with the trading
houses and the homes of the merchants
and to the east were small traders and
artisans.
Almost 20 per cent of
the city was destroyed
during the Second
World War, including
the cathedral, the
churches of St Peter
and St Mary, and
especially the
Grndungsviertel, the
hilltop quarter where
the gabled houses of
the rich merchants
clustered. Selective
reconstruction has
permitted the
replacement of the
most important
churches and
monuments.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Holstentor brick gate.
Acropolis, Athens
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Athenian Acropolis is the supreme
expression of the adaptation of architecture
to a natural site, a unique series of public
monuments built and conserved in one of
the densest spaces of the Mediterranean.
This grand composition of perfectly
balanced massive structures creates a
monumental landscape of unique beauty
consisting of a complete series of
masterpieces of the fifth century BC. The
monuments of the Acropolis have exerted
an exceptional influence, not only in
Graeco-Roman antiquity, a time in the
Mediterranean world when they were
considered exemplary models, but also in
contemporary times.
In the later fifth century BC, Athens
followed its victory against the Persians and
the establishment of democracy by taking a
leading position among the other city-states
of the ancient world. In the age that
followed, as philosophy and art flourished,
an exceptional group of artists put into
effect the ambitious plans of Athenian
statesman Pericles and, under the inspired
guidance of the sculptor Pheidias,
transformed the rocky hill of the Acropolis
into a unique monument of thought and
the arts.
The years from 447406 BC saw the
successive building of the Parthenon
(pictured on the right), the main temple
dedicated to Athena; the Propylaea, the
monumental entrance to the Acropolis built
on the site of one of the entrances to the
citadel of the ancient kings; the temple of
Athena Nike; and the Erechtheion the four
masterpieces of classical Greek art.
The sacred hill of Athens was protected
throughout the period of Roman
domination until the Herulian raid in AD 267.
Since then and despite long periods of
relative calm, the monuments and site have
been damaged many times.
The Byzantines converted the temples into
churches and removed their art treasures to
Constantinople. After the Byzantine Empire
fell in 1204, Athens was put into the hands of
Frankish lords who had little respect for its
ruins. When the Turks took the city in 1456, it
became a mosque and the Erechtheion was
the occasional harem of the Turkish
governor. In 1687 the siege of the Acropolis
by Venetian armies resulted in the explosion
of the Parthenon, used as the Turks powder
magazine. Finally in the nineteenth century,
the British ambassador Lord Elgin pillaged
the marble sections which since 1815 have
been in the British Museum.
The Acropolis of
Athens (pictured right)
and its monuments
are universal symbols
of the classical spirit
and civilization, and
form the greatest
architectural and
artistic complex of
Greek antiquity.
The Acropolis stands
on a rocky
promontory 156 m
above the Ilissos valley
and covers an area of
less than 30,000 m
2
.
From the third
millennium BC it was
a fortress protecting
places of worship and
royal palaces.
The Acropolis is now
a testing ground for
innovative open-air
conservation
techniques aimed at
safeguarding the
marble sections which
are being affected by
pollution.
282 acropoli s, athens
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Historic Centre of Mexico
City and Xochimilco
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Mexico City was built in the sixteenth
century by the Spanish on the ruins of
Tenochtitlan, the old Aztec capital. It has the
largest cathedral in the Americas and fine
nineteenth- and twentieth-century
buildings such as the Palacio de las Bellas
Artes. Templo Mayor was one of the main
Aztec temples in Tenochtitlan. Construction
started in 1390 and it may have been rebuilt
up to six times on top of the original until
destroyed by the Spanish in 1521.
Xochimilco lies 28 km south of Mexico City.
With its network of canals and artificial
islands, it testifies to the efforts of the Aztec
people to build a habitat in the midst of an
unfavourable environment. Its characteristic
urban and rural structures, built since the
sixteenth century and during the colonial
period, have been preserved in an
exceptional manner.
The value of these
two properties is
unequalled. The
historic centre of
Mexico City includes
the archaeological site
of Templo Mayor with
its remarkable array of
colonial monuments
and famous cathedral.
The lakeside area of
Xochimilco still
features some
chinampas, the oating
gardens that the
Spanish so admired.
284 mexi co ci ty and xochi mi lco | puebla
World Heritage site since
Historic Centre of Puebla
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Puebla, which was founded ex nihilo in 1531, is
situated about 100 km east of Mexico City,
at the foot of the Popocatepetl volcano. It
was the first city in central Mexico founded
by the Spanish conquerors that was not built
upon the ruins of a conquered Amerindian
settlement. On 5 May 1862, it was in Puebla
that General Zaragoza won the first
significant victory over the French
expeditionary corps. The city was
subsequently renamed Puebla de Zaragoza
in memory of this event of national
importance. It has preserved its great
religious structures such as the
sixteenthseventeenth-century cathedral
and fine buildings such as the old
archbishops palace, as well as a host of
houses with walls covered in tiles (azulejos).
The new aesthetic concepts resulting from
the fusion of European and American styles
were adopted locally and are peculiar to the
Baroque district of Puebla.
The Historic Centre of
Puebla comprises
major religious
buildings such as the
Cathedral of Santo
Domingo and the
Jesuit Church, as well
as superb palaces.
Nineteenth-century
transformations of
the urban landscape
have further endowed
Puebla with high-
quality public and
private architecture.
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf
of
Mexico
Gulf
of
Mexico
World Heritage site since
chaco culture 285
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Chaco Culture
USA
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
For over 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples
occupied a vast region of the southwestern
United States. Chaco Canyon is the area with
the highest concentration of archaeological
sites of the whole zone. Chaco society is
characterized by an elaborate ground
occupation system, which includes a
constellation of towns surrounded by
satellite villages and linked by a road
network. The Chaco people combined pre-
planned architectural designs, astronomical
alignments, geometry, landscaping and
engineering to create an ancient urban
centre of spectacular public architecture. It
became a major centre of ancestral Pueblo
culture between 850 and 1250, and was a
focus for ceremonials, trade and political
activity for the prehistoric Four Corners area.
In addition to the Chaco Culture National
Historical Park, the World Heritage property
includes the Aztec Ruins National
Monument and several smaller Chaco sites.
Between the twelfth
and thirteenth
centuries the Chaco
population died out
and the pueblos were
abandoned. After
1250, the people
migrated from the
area, moving south,
east and west. The
region remained
practically
uninhabited until the
seventeenth century,
when it was taken over
by Navajo Indians.
Pueblo village ruins,
including a kiva an
underground/partially
underground chamber
used by the men
especially for
ceremonies or councils.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of
Monte Albn
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Three distinct cultural properties stand in
the Oaxaca valley: the historic centre of the
city founded in 1529 by the Spanish; the pre-
Hispanic archaeological site of Monte
Albn; and the village of Cuilapan, where
the Dominicans built a vast monastery in
the mid-sixteenth century.
Monte Albn is an outstanding example
of a pre-Columbian ceremonial centre. It
stands in the middle zone of present-day
Mexico which was subjected to influences
from the north first from Teotihuacan and
later the Aztecs and from the Maya from
the south. With its pelota court, magnificent
temples, tombs and bas-reliefs with
hieroglyphic inscriptions, Monte Albn
bears unique testimony to the successive
civilizations occupying the region during
the pre-Classic and Classic periods that
stretched from around 1800 BC to AD 900.
For more than a millennium it exerted
considerable influence on the whole
cultural area.
Among some 200 pre-Hispanic
archaeological sites inventoried in the valley
of Oaxaca, the Monte Albn complex best
represents the singular evolution of a region
inhabited by a succession of peoples: the
Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs.
Monte Albn was literally carved out from
a solid mountain, in various stages spanning
1,500 years. Man-made terraces and
esplanades replaced the natural unevenness
of the site with a whole new sacred
topography of pyramids, and artificial knolls
and mounds. The ensemble began to
decline around 800 when the Mixtecs,
descending from the mountains, threatened
the Zapotecs living in the valley.
A short time before the arrival of the
Spanish conquistadores, the Aztecs took
control of the valley and founded the
stronghold of Huaxyacac. This place name
survived, when in 1521 the Spanish erected
the fort of Antequera de Oaxaca on the
same site.
Oaxaca is built on a grid pattern and is a
good example of Spanish colonial town
planning. Its monumental heritage is one of
the richest and most coherent in the area
that was known as New Spain. The solidity
and volume of the citys buildings show that
these architectural gems were adapted to
the earthquake-prone region in which they
were constructed.
The Cuilapan Convent, 10 km to the south,
was founded in 1555. Its roofless, open-air
church was never finished.
Pre-Hispanic
archaeological site of
Monte Albn.
The modern city of
Oaxaca has retained
its historic centre.
The major religious
monuments, the
superb patrician town
houses (including the
house of
conquistador Hernn
Corts) and whole
streets lined with
other dwellings
combine to create a
harmonious cityscape
and reconstitute the
image of a former
colonial city whose
monumental aspect
has been kept intact.
Near Oaxaca is the
birthplace of Benito
Jurez, the rst
indigenous president
of Mexico and a
national hero. On his
death in 1872, the city
formally took the
name of Oaxaca de
Jurez.
286 oaxaca and monte albn
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
288 teoti huacan
World Heritage site since
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Pre-Hispanic City of
Teotihuacan
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Located 48 km northeast of Mexico City, the
holy city of Teotihuacan (the place where
the gods were created) is one of the oldest
known archaeological sites in Mexico. Built
between the first and seventh centuries AD,
it is characterized by the vast size of its
sacred monuments, which were laid out on
geometric and symbolic principles. Lining
the immense Avenue of the Dead, this
unique group of monuments and places
of worship (Pyramids of the Sun, the Moon
and Quetzalcoatl, and Palaces of
Quetzalmariposa, Jaguars, Yayahuala and
others) constitutes an outstanding example
of a pre-Columbian ceremonial centre. As
one of the most powerful cultural centres
in Mesoamerica, Teotihuacan extended its
cultural and artistic influence throughout
the region and beyond.
The location of the
rst sanctuary, the
Pyramid of the Sun
(built on a cave
discovered in 1971),
was calculated on the
position of the sun at
its zenith, and
astronomical
calculations
determined the
organization of the
space: the Avenue of
the Dead was drawn
out perpendicularly to
the principal axis of
the solar temple.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
potos 289
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1987
City of Potos
Bolivia
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Potos owes its importance to the discovery,
between 1542 and 1545, of the New Worlds
biggest silver lodes in the Cerro de Potos,
the mountain south of the city and which
overlooks it. As a result it quickly became the
worlds largest industrial complex, with the
extraction of silver ore relying on a series of
hydraulic mills. The site consists of the
industrial monuments of the Cerro Rico,
where water is provided by an intricate
system of aqueducts and artificial lakes; the
colonial town with the Casa de la Moneda;
the Church of San Lorenzo; several patrician
houses; and the barrios mitayos, the areas
where the workers lived. Production
continued until the nineteenth century,
slowing down only after the countrys
independence in 1825.
The Imperial City
of Potos, which it
became following the
visit of Francisco de
Toledo in 1572, exerted
lasting inuence on
the development of
architecture and
monumental arts in
the central region of
the Andes by
spreading the forms
of a Baroque style
incorporating Indian
inuence.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
City of Bath
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa,
Bath has an exceptionally rich architectural
heritage which reflects the citys history
through several periods from its time as an
important Roman spa town.
The town grew around a temple the
Romans built between AD 60 and 70 on the
site of a geothermal spring. The mineral
spring was a shrine to the British goddess
Sulis, a local divinity whom the Romans
associated with Minerva, goddess of
wisdom and medicine. The Romans kept the
old reference in the name they gave the
town, Aquae Sulis (the waters of Sulis).
The spring yielded over 1,200,000 litres of
water daily at more than 46C, and between
the first and fourth centuries the Romans
built a hot bath (calidarium), warm bath
(tepidarium) and cold bath (frigidarium)
together with all the standard equipment of
tepidaria, frigidaria and hypocausts, the
underfloor central-heating systems that
maintained the water temperature.
The town retained its importance after the
departure of the Romans in the fifth
century. In 1090 Bath succeeded Wells as
the seat of the see of Somerset and
consequently the church that had been Bath
Abbey became a cathedral. To match Baths
new status, a new cathedral was begun and
new baths were also constructed. However,
the see returned to Wells and the cathedral
remained unfinished. In the sixteenth
century a rebuilt and remodelled church in
the Perpendicular Gothic style was finally
completed. The beautiful fan vaulting in the
nave was added as late as the nineteenth
century according, it is believed, to the
sixteenth century plans.
Medieval Bath grew wealthy on the wool
trade and the town became an important
centre of the wool industry. Although the
wool trade declined in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries, the city was by now
attracting wealthy visitors to take the waters.
In the eighteenth century Bath was
developed into an elegant and fashionable
spa town with neoclassical Palladian
buildings that blended harmoniously with
its Roman baths. The neoclassical style, scale
and grandeur of its public buildings (the
Rooms, the Pump Room, the Circus, and
especially, Royal Crescent) reflect the citys
confidence and ambitions during the reign
of George III.
A group of
exceptional gures
drove Baths
eighteenth-century
rebirth, turning it into
a city where
architecture and
landscape combined
harmoniously for the
delight of enlightened
cure-takers.
Architect John Wood
planned the citys
Palladian architecture,
including the famous
Circus; his son John
oversaw the building
and also planned the
Assembly Rooms and
Royal Crescent.
Quarry-owner Ralph
Allen organized the
supply of the honey-
coloured, dressed
stone Wood needed
for his buildings.
As the citys Master of
Ceremonies, dandy
and gambler Beau
Nash masterminded
Baths metamorphosis
into the most
fashionable resort in
England.
Pulteney Bridge which
crosses the river Avon
in Bath. Constructed
in the eighteenth
century it is one of the
few bridges in the
world with shops built
into it on both sides.
290 ci ty of bath
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
292 nemrut dag
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1987
Nemrut Dag
Turkey
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The rulers of Commagene, a kingdom
founded north of Syria and the Euphrates,
left behind several breathtakingly beautiful
funerary sanctuaries. Nemrut Dag, the most
impressive of all the tomb sites, is that of
Antiochos I of Commagene (6934 BC). Its
landscaping is one of the most colossal
undertakings of the Hellenistic epoch.
Dominating the summit of Nemrut Dag is a
conical tumulus of stone chips. This funerary
mound, whose interior layout remains
unknown, is surrounded by artificial terraces.
On the east terrace there is a row of five
colossal seated figures (7 m high)
representing deities, with a lion and an eagle
symmetrically positioned at either end. On
the north side, these stones are decorated
with relief sculptures representing the
Persian ancestors of Antiochos. On the
south side, his Macedonian ancestors
symmetrically face the others.
When the empire of Alexander the
Great was breaking up, one of the
kingdoms that formed was
Commagene, which, from 162 BC to
AD 72, existed as a semi-independent
state, its sovereigns defending their
autonomy rst against the Seleucids
and then against the Romans.
The monarchs of this dynasty bore
the Greek names of Antiochos or
Mithridates.
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Head of Antiochus, Nemrut Da.
World Heritage site since
hollk< 293
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1986
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1987
Old Village of Hollk< and
its Surroundings
Hungary
Criteria Traditional human settlement
Hollk< is an exceptional example of a
traditional Central European culture that
flourished before the agricultural revolution
of the twentieth century. This village, which
developed mainly during the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries, is a living example
of rural life, using traditional farming and
forestry techniques. Located about 100 km
northeast of Budapest, Hollk< is a small
community whose 126 houses and farm
buildings, strip-field farming, orchards,
vineyards, meadows and woods cover
1.4 km
2
. As was customary in the region, the
first generation of inhabitants settled on
either side of the main street. In this one-
street village, subsequent generations built
their houses at the back of the narrow family
plots, thus progressively enlarging the built-
up area. The barns were built apart from the
village, on the edges of the fields, according
to local Palocz custom.
A 1783 decree
prohibiting the use of
wood for building was
ignored, and
consequently the village
was periodically
devastated by re. The
last re was in 1909
but the houses were
rebuilt in the traditional
style: half-timbered
houses on a stone base
with roughcast white-
washed walls, enhanced
by high wooden pillared
galleries with balconies
on the street side
protected by
overhanging porch
roofs.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
The Great Wall
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Known to the Chinese as the Long Wall of
Ten Thousand Li, the formidable defensive
structures built to ward off invasion is more
commonly known as the Great Wall of
China. At the end of its nineteen-century-
long construction, the Great Wall was the
worlds largest military structure. Its historic
and strategic importance is matched only by
its architectural significance.
The building of defensive walls was a
common strategy against potential invasion
and several were built in China from the
eighth century BC onwards. From 220 BC Qin
Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified
China, undertook to restore and link the
separate sections of the Great Wall which
stretched from the region of the Ordos to
Manchuria. These were to form the first
cohesive defence system against invasions
from the north, and by the first century BC,
ongoing extensions meant the Wall
spanned approximately 6,000 km between
Dunhuang in the west and the Bohai Sea
in the east.
After the downfall of the Han dynasty in
AD 220, construction and maintenance
works on the Great Wall were halted: China
at that time enjoyed such great military
power that the need for a defence policy was
no longer felt.
It was the Ming emperors (13681644) who,
after a long period of conflict that ended
with the expulsion of the Mongols, revived
the principles of Qin Shi Huangs defence
policy and during these centuries 5,650 km
of wall were built.
To defend the northern frontier, the Wall
was divided into nine zhen, or military
districts, and fortresses were built at
strategically important points such as passes
or fords. Passageways running along the top
of the wall made it possible to move troops
rapidly and for imperial couriers to travel.
The Great Wall of the Ming is a
masterpiece, not only because of the
ambition of the undertaking but also the
perfection of its construction. The wall
constitutes, on the vast scale of a continent,
a perfect example of architecture integrated
into the landscape.
This complex,
diachronic cultural
property is a unique
example of a military
architectural
ensemble serving a
single strategic
purpose for 2,000
years. Its construction
history illustrates
advances in defence
techniques and
adaptation to
changing political
contexts.
The Walls testimony
to the civilizations of
ancient China is
illustrated as much by
the earlier, tamped-
earth sections in
Gansu Province as by
the famed masonry of
the Ming period.
The purpose of the
Great Wall was to
protect China from
military aggression
and cultural
ingression, and it
remains an essential
reference in Chinese
literature.
294 the great wall
World Heritage site since
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Man National Park
Peru
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The biological diversity found in the
15,000 km
2
Man National Park exceeds that
of any other place on Earth. The park is
located on the eastern slopes of the Andes
and on the Peruvian Amazon, and is situated
within the Amazon River basin. It has
successive tiers of vegetation rising from
1504,200 m. The most widespread
vegetation types are tropical lowland
rainforest, tropical montane rainforest and
puna vegetation (grasslands). Despite the
high diversity of plant species, the flora of
Man is still poorly known. In the last ten
years, 1,147 plant species have been identified
within quite a small area, and it is likely many
more species will be found. Some 850
species of birds have been identified and rare
species, such as the giant otter and the giant
armadillo, also find refuge there. Jaguars are
often sighted.
The park is inhabited
by at least four
different native groups:
the Machiguenga, the
Mascho-Piro, the
Yaminahua and the
Amahuaca. The forest
Indians are nomadic,
mostly subsistent on
some form of root-
crop agriculture on
alluvial soils along river
banks and lakes, on
hunting along water
courses and inside the
forest, on shing and
on the collection of
turtle eggs.
296 man nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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SOUTH
AMERICA
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Atlantic
Ocean
Man River, Man National Park.
World Heritage site since
mount tai shan 297
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1987
Mount Taishan
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance; Natural phenomena or
beauty
Mount Taishan is one of the birthplaces of
Chinese civilization, evidence of human
activity dating back 400,000 years to the
Palaeolithic Yiyuan Man. Cultural relics
include memorial objects, ancient
architectural complexes, stone sculptures
and archaeological sites of outstanding
importance. For over 3,000 years, Chinese
emperors of various dynasties have made
pilgrimages to Mount Taishan for sacrificial
and other ceremonial purposes. Rock
inscriptions, stone tablets and temples bear
testimony to such visits. Renowned scholars,
including Confucius whose home town,
Qufu, is only 70 km away, have composed
poetry and prose and left their calligraphy on
the mountain. Mount Taishan was also an
important centre of religious activity for
both Buddhism and Taoism. The way in
which this rich cultural heritage has been
integrated with the natural landscape of the
area is considered to be one of Chinas most
precious legacies.
The Spring and Autumn Period
(770476 BC) of the Zhou dynasty saw
the emergence of two rival states in
the area, Qi to the north and Lu to the
south. The State of Qi built a 500 km
wall as protection from possible
invasion by the State of Chu. The
ruins of this earliest of great walls
in Chinese history are still evident.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
A Temple on Mount Taishan.
Mogao Caves
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Situated at a strategic point along the Silk
Route, at the crossroads of trade as well as
religious, cultural and intellectual
influences, the 492 cells and cave
sanctuaries in Mogao are famous for their
statues and wall paintings, spanning 1,000
years of Buddhist art.
The group of caves at
Mogao were still
occupied by Buddhist
monks until 1930,
making this a ne
example of a
traditional monastic
settlement as well as
a unique artistic
achievement.
298 mogao caves | zhoukoudi an
World Heritage site since
Peking Man Site at
Zhoukoudian
China
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Scientific work at the site, which lies 42 km
southwest of Beijing, is still underway. So
far, it has led to the discovery of the remains
of Sinanthropus pekinensis, who lived in the
Middle Pleistocene, along with various
objects, and remains of Homo sapiens dating
as far back as 18,00011,000 BC.
The site is not only an exceptional reminder
of the prehistorical human societies of the
Asian continent, but also illustrates the
process of evolution.
The discovery of
hominid remains in
the sediment of a cave
in 1926 by the Chinese
archaeologist Pei Wen
Chung (Pei Wen
Zhong) excited
universal interest and
overthrew the then-
accepted chronology
of the beginnings of
human history.
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ASIA
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ASIA
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Part of the statue of
the head of Peking
Man outside the
entrance to the Peking
Man Museum in
Zhoukoudian.
Entrance to the
Mogao Caves.
World Heritage site since
palenque 299
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Pre-Hispanic City and
National Park of Palenque
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
A prime example of a Mayan sanctuary of
the classical period, Palenque was at its
height between AD 500 and 700, when its
influence extended throughout the basin
of the Usumacinta River. The elegance and
craftsmanship of the buildings, as well as
the lightness of the sculpted reliefs with
their Mayan mythological themes, attest to
the creative genius of this civilization. The
dominant element in the central cleared
area is the Palacio. Erected at different
periods on an immense artificial knoll
shaped like a truncated pyramid, the various
buildings include a four-storey watchtower
or astronomical observatory, unique in
Mayan architecture. Even larger is the
Temple of Inscriptions (pictured below), set
atop a stepped pyramid located below the
Palacio. Towards the end of the tenth
century, coastal peoples from the Gulf of
Mexico region invaded and caused its
downfall and abandonment.
The layout of the site
is incredible. Articial
terracing changed the
natural topography of
the site, which is
between the rugged
foothills of the Chiapas
and the lowlands, by
creating a whole
hierarchy of spaces
where platforms and
buildings are organized
in harmonious balance.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Temple of Inscriptions.
Mausoleum of the First
Qin Emperor
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is the
largest preserved in China and contains the
famous army of terracotta warriors. It is a
unique and stunning architectural
ensemble whose layout echoes the urban
plan of the capital, Xianyang. The site
constitutes one of the most fabulous
archaeological reserves in the world.
Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China,
arranged for his burial long before his
accession. As king of Qin in 247 BC he
selected a site at the foot of Mount Li.
However, after his accession as emperor
in 221 BC, work at his tomb took on
extraordinary dimensions.
About 700,000 workers from every
Chinese province worked unceasingly to
construct a subterranean city within a
gigantic mound. The resulting necropolis
complex was a scale model of the emperors
palace, the empire and the Earth. Its
treasures were safeguarded by
automatically triggered weapons designed
to kill tomb robbers and its principal
craftsmen were walled up alive within the
complex to prevent their betraying its
secrets.
Qin died in 210 BC and is buried,
surrounded by the famous terracotta
warriors, at the centre of a complex
designed to mirror the urban plan of the
capital. The life-size terracotta figures are all
different; with their horses, chariots and
weapons, they are masterpieces of realism
and of great historical interest. According
to current estimates, the statue army of
the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum must have
represented the exact number of the
imperial guards. The emperors tomb and
much of the site remain unexcavated.
The mausoleums superstructures have
disappeared and there remains only a
wooded knoll resembling a truncated
pyramid on a 350-m-square base. The
interior is built within a first square
enclosure, with doors in the middle of each
of four walls corresponding to the four
cardinal points. This in turn is surrounded
by a second rectangular enclosure running
north to south.
Because of their exceptional technical and
artistic qualities, the terracotta warriors and
horses and the funerary carts in bronze are
major works in the history of Chinese
sculpture. The army of statues also bears
unique testimony to military organization in
China from the fifth to the third century BC,
while the direct testimony of their weapons
lances, swords, axes, halberds, bows and
arrows is evident.
While sinking a well
in 1974, three local
farmers came upon a
pit containing lifesize
terracotta statues of
warriors. Excavations
were begun
immediately.
Three pits have so far
been excavated. Pit 1
contained an army of
almost 2,000
warriors, the infantry
and cavalry corps
standing in battle
formation with archers
protecting the anks.
Two other pits to the
north were found to
contain similar items
1,500 warriors, carts
and horses in Pit 2,
and sixty-eight ofcers
and dignitaries and a
cart with four horses in
Pit 3.
300 mausoleum of the fi rst qi n emperor
World Heritage site since
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302 gros morne nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1987
Gros Morne National Park
Canada
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
With spectacular scenery, outstanding
geology and diverse ecology, Gros Morne,
located on the western shore of the island of
Newfoundland, provided the evidence that
helped define the theory of plate tectonics.
These exceptional geological formations are
the remnants of an ancient continent and
ocean from hundreds of millions of years
ago and preserved within them is one of the
best and most accessible examples of
exposed ocean crust and mantle material.
A superb fossil assemblage illustrating the
evolution of life from early Cambrian period
through mid-Ordovician times is found in
sedimentary rocks in the park. At Green
Point the rocks and the fossils they contain
have been designated by the International
Union of Geologic Sciences as the world
stratotype representing the boundary
between Cambrian and Ordovician periods
in the geological timescale.
More recent glacial action has exposed the
parks bedrock for scientific study and
resulted in the remarkable scenery of fjords,
glacial valleys, and waterfalls from the alpine
plateau of the Long Range Mountains to the
Gulf of St. Lawrence coastal lowlands with
its estuaries, beaches, sheer cliffs and dunes.
These distinctly different landscapes provide
a range of habitats for a wide variety of flora
and fauna. The park contains more than
thirty separate vegetation communities, is
home to 60 per cent of the plants species
that grow on the island, and is a significant
breeding site for harlequin ducks, blackpoll
warblers, common terns and artic terns.
Typical species found
in Gros Morne are fox,
caribou, moose and
arctic hare. Whales
including minke, n
and pilot, and harbour
seals are some of the
more common
marine mammals
regularly sighted from
the park.
NORTH
AMERICA
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Atlantic
Ocean
Glaciated valley of
Western Brook Pond.
World Heritage site since
bahla fort 303
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Bahla Fort
Oman
Criteria Significance in human history
Bahla Fort is an outstanding example of the
military architecture of the Sultanate of
Oman. The oasis of Bahla owed its
prosperity to the Banu Nabhan who, from
the mid-twelfth century to the end of the
fifteenth century, imposed their rule on the
other tribes. Only the ruins of what was a
glorious past now remain. Built on a stone
base, the adobe walls and towers of the
immense fort probably include some
structural elements of the pre-Islamic
period, but the major part dates from the
time of the Banu Nabhan. At the foot of the
fort lies the Friday Mosque with its beautiful
sculpted mihrab (prayer niche) probably
dating back to the fourteenth century. These
monuments are inseparable from the small
town of Bahla and its souk, palm grove and
adobe ramparts surrounding the oasis.
The monuments of
Bahla were in a critical
state when it was
inscribed on the
World Heritage List.
They had never been
restored (thereby
conserving a high
degree of
authenticity), and
were not protected by
any conservation
measures. Major
restoration work at
the fort and Friday
Mosque is now
underway.
ASIA
Arabian
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The
Gulf
304 monti cello and uni versi ty of vi rgi ni a
World Heritage site since
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1985
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1986
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1987
Monticello and the
University of Virginia in
Charlottesville
USA
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Thomas Jefferson, better known for his
political career, designed Monticello
(17691809), his plantation home, and his
ideal academical village (181726), which is
still the heart of the University of Virginia.
The integration of the building into the
landscape, the originality of design, and
the refined proportions and decor make
Monticello (pictured below) an outstanding
example of a neoclassical villa rustica, based
on a Roman design, as elaborated by Andrea
Palladio (150880). The western faade is
dominated by an octagonal dome. The
University of Virginia is an unrivalled
example of an Enlightenment institution.
A half-scale copy of the Pantheon in Rome,
which houses the library, dominates the
academic village. The ten pavilions housing
the professors of the ten schools that made
up the university are connected by
colonnades that give a feeling of unity to
this space.
Thomas Jefferson,
author of the
American Declaration
of Independence and
third president of the
United States, was also
a talented architect.
Jeffersons use of an
architectural
vocabulary based upon
classical antiquity
symbolizes both the
aspirations of the new
American republic as
the inheritor of
European tradition
and the cultural
experimentation that
could be expected as
the country matured.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
ksar of ai t-ben-haddou 305
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Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
Morocco
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of a
southern Moroccan ksar, a group of earthen
buildings surrounded by high walls, that is a
traditional pre-Saharan village community.
Inside the defensive walls, which are
reinforced by angle towers, each with a
zigzag-shaped gate, houses crowd together.
Some are modest, others resemble small
urban castles with their high angle towers
whose upper portion includes decorative
motifs in clay brick. There are also public
buildings and community areas: collective
sheep pens and stables, lofts and silos, a
market place, a meeting room for the
assembly of family chiefs, a mosque and
madrasas. Ait-Ben-Haddou is an
extraordinary ensemble of buildings
offering a complete panorama of pre-
Saharan construction techniques using
rammed and moulded earth, clay and brick.
An astonishing loft-
fortress overlooks the
mountain against
which the ksar is
located. The lofts
(agadir or ighram) are
not uncommon in
Morocco, but their
defensive character is
not always as evident
with a fortication
system linking the loft
with the village,
conceived as the last
bastion of resistance
in the event of a siege.
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Ulur
-
u-Kata Tjut
-
a National
Park
Australia
Criteria Traditional human settlement;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance; Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
Ulueu-Kata Tjula National Park is included
on the World Heritage List for both its
natural and cultural values. Formerly called
Ayers Rock Mount Olga National Park, it is
located in Australias Red Centre. It lies in
the traditional lands of the Western Desert
Aboriginal people, locally known as AUangu.
AUangu are part of one of the oldest human
societies in the world.
The huge rock formations of Ulueu and
Kata Tjula and the surrounding country are
part of an important cultural landscape. For
AUangu these features are physical evidence
of the actions, artefacts and bodies of the
ancestral beings (tjukuritja) who travelled the
Earth in the creation time. These ancestors,
who combined the attributes of humans
and animals, journeyed across the landscape
creating not only its features, but also
Tjukurpa (the law) the code of behaviour
followed by AUangu today.
Ulueu and the rock domes of Kata Tjula
dominate the vast red plain, dwarfing the
desert oak and spinifex grass of central
Australia. Ulueu is composed of hard red
sandstone, exposed as a result of the
folding, faulting and erosion of the
surrounding rock. It is 9.4 km in
circumference and rises to a relatively flat
top that is more than 340 m above the
shallow, red sandy dunes around it. Rock art
in the caves around its base provides further
evidence of the enduring cultural traditions
of AUangu.
The thirty-six steep-sided rock domes of
Kata Tjula, lying about 32 kilometres to the
west of Ulueu, are made up of gently
dipping Mount Currie conglomerate. The
undulating domes are interspersed with
moisture-rich gullies and rocky valleys that
are home to rare plants and desert animals.
Like Ulueu, Kata Tjulas domes are the visible
tips of huge rock slabs that extend far
beneath the ground.
The park is home to twenty-one native
mammals including the rare hairy-footed
dunnart, the sandhill dunnart and the
mulgara. More than 170 bird species,
73 species of reptile and at least 7 species
of bat have been recorded in the park.
The Ulueu monolith.
The parks Aboriginal
owners, AUangu, have
cared for the
landscape for
thousands of years
using traditional
practices governed by
Tjukurpa (the law).
Aboriginal people
learned how to patch
burn the country from
Tjukurpa, and this
knowledge informs an
active burning
programme that is
now a major
ecological
management tool in
the park. Tjukurpa also
teaches about the
location and care of
rock holes and other
water sources.
306 ulueu-kata tj ula naTI Onal park
World Heritage site since
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OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Group of Monuments at
Pattadakal
India
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Pattadakal, in Karnataka, represents the high
point of an eclectic art which, in the seventh
and eighth centuries under the Chalukya
dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of
architectural forms from northern and
southern India. An impressive series of nine
Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary,
can be seen there. One masterpiece from the
group stands out the Temple of Virupaksha,
built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to
commemorate her husbands victory over the
kings from the South.
The evocative
sanctuary ruins in the
enclosure may be
reached through
monumental gates on
the west and east
sides. In the axis of the
courtyard, before the
temple, is a pavilion
housing a black stone
statue of Sivas sacred
bull.
308 pattadakal | dj a faunal reserve
World Heritage site since
Dja Faunal Reserve
Cameroon
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
This is one of the largest and best-protected
rainforests in Africa, with 90 per cent of its
area left undisturbed. Almost completely
surrounded by the Dja river, which forms a
natural boundary, the reserve is located in a
transition zone between the forests of
southern Nigeria, southwest Cameroon and
the Congo Basin. Except in the southeast,
the relief is fairly flat and consists of a
succession of round-topped hills. Cliffs in
the south are associated with a section of
the river broken up by rapids and waterfalls.
Although the area is poorly studied, it is
known to have a wide range of primate
species. Other mammals include elephant,
buffalo, leopard, warthog and pangolin.
Reptiles include python, lizard and two
species of crocodile, both of which are
threatened.
Vegetation in the
reserve mainly
comprises dense
evergreen Congo
rainforest, together
with swamp
vegetation and
secondary forest
around old villages
(which were
abandoned in 1946)
and recently
abandoned cocoa and
coffee plantations.
A population of
pygmies lives in
small sporadic
encampments in the
reserve, maintaining
an essentially
traditional lifestyle.
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Sangameshvara
Temple at Pattadakal.
World Heritage site since
mount athos 309
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Mount Athos
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance; Natural
phenomena or beauty
The transformation of a mountain into
a sacred place made Mount Athos a unique
artistic creation, combining the natural
beauty of its site with the expanded forms
of architectural creation. Moreover, the
monasteries of Mount Athos are a veritable
conservatory of masterpieces, including the
wall paintings, portable icons, gold objects,
embroideries and illuminated manuscripts
which each monastery carefully preserves.
Mount Athos is the spiritual centre of the
Orthodox world, and has exerted a lasting
influence both on it and on the
development of religious architecture and
monumental painting.
Mount Athos enjoyed an autonomous
statute since Byzantine times (from the
tenth century onwards). The Holy
Mountain, which is forbidden to women
and children, is also a recognized artistic
site. Its monasteries had an influence as far
afield as Russia, and its school of painting
influenced the history of Orthodox art.
Athos is a self-
governing monastic
republic within
Greece. It includes
twenty monasteries,
twelve sketes
(convents), and about
700 houses, cells or
hermitages. Over
1,000 monks live
there, either in
communities or alone,
as well as in the
desert of Karoulia
where cells cling to the
cliff face rising steeply
above the sea.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
310 old towns of dj enn
World Heritage site since
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Old Towns of Djenn
Mali
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Djenn-Djeno, along with Hambarketolo,
Tonomba and Kaniana, bears exceptional
witness to the pre-Islamic civilizations on
the inland delta of the Niger. Djenn is an
outstanding example of an architectural
group of buildings illustrating a significant
historic period. It has been defined both as
the most beautiful city of Africa and the
typical African city.
Inhabited since 250 BC, Djenn became a
market centre and was an important link in
the trans-Saharan gold trade. In the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries it was one of the
centres for the propagation of Islam. Its
traditional houses, of which nearly 2,000
have survived, are built on hillocks called
togure, as protection from the seasonal
Niger floods.
Djenn, which spreads over several
togure, is bisected by a wide avenue.
Its Market Place is dominated by
the Great Mosque (see picture
below). Traditional houses extend
out from both sides of this
thoroughfare over an ancient land
parcel of approximately 2km
2
. The
main feature of the domestic
architecture, inuenced by that of
Morocco, is its verticality.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
The Great Mosque of Djenn.
World Heritage site since
wet tropi cs of queensland 311
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Wet Tropics of Queensland
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
The Wet Tropics of Queensland provides an
unparalleled living record of the ecological
and evolutionary processes that shaped the
flora and fauna of Australia over the past 415
million years, first when it was part of the
Pangaean landmass, then as the ancient
continent Gondwana, and for the past 50
million years an island continent. During
this period of evolution the processes of
speciation, extinction and adaptation have
been determined by history, particularly
continental drift and cycles of climatic
change.
The site, which stretches along the
northeast coast of Australia for some
450 km, from just south of Cooktown to
just north of Townsville, is made up largely
of tropical rainforests. This area offers a
particularly extensive and varied array of
plants, marsupials and song birds, along
with many rare and endangered animals
and plant species.
The rainforests, which
make up about 80 per
cent of the site, have
more plant families
with primitive
characteristics than
any other area on
Earth.
The ancestry of
Australia's unique
marsupials and many
of its other animals
originated in
rainforest ecosystems.
The Wet Tropics of
Queensland still
contains many of their
closest surviving
members.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
312 tower of london
World Heritage site since
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Tower of London
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Tower of London is an imposing
fortress with many layers of history. Built on
the Thames by William the Conqueror to
protect his London base and to assert his
power over the newly conquered English,
it became one of the symbols of royalty in
England and is a major reference for the
history of medieval military architecture.
The Tower is a complex of fortifications,
courtyards and buildings extending over
73,000 m
2
. There are many towers in the
ensemble and the impressive White Tower,
begun around 1078 and completed around
nine years later, is the centrepiece. Although
a royal residence for centuries, the White
Tower was never intended as the main royal
palace but rather as a stronghold, a notion
reinforced by the formidable curtain walls,
moats and ditches successive kings built
around it.
The White Tower
stands more than
27 m high and its
walls are over 4.5 m
thick at their base.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
The Crown Jewels are
on display in the
Tower of London.
The Water Gate
entrance was
nicknamed Traitors
Gate because
prisoners were
brought through it to
the Tower. Queen
Anne Boleyn, Thomas
More, Queen
Catherine Howard and
Princess Elizabeth,
later Elizabeth I,
entered it as prisoners.
Manovo-Gounda St Floris
National Park
Central African Republic
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The importance of this park derives from its
wealth of flora and fauna. Its vast savannas
are home to a wide variety of species: black
rhinoceroses, elephants, cheetahs, leopards,
wild dogs, red-fronted gazelles and buffalo,
while various types of waterfowl are to be
found in the northern floodplains.
Some 320 species of
bird have been
identied in the park,
with at least twenty-
ve species of raptor
including bataleur
and African sh eagle.
There are large
seasonal populations
of pelican and
marabou stork, and
many waterbirds and
shorebirds.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean Indian
Ocean
Paleochristian and Byzantine
Monuments of Thessalonika
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
Founded in 315 BC, the provincial capital and
sea port of Thessalonika was one of the first
bases for the spread of Christianity. Among
its Christian monuments are fine churches,
some built on the Greek cross plan and
others on the three-nave basilica plan.
Constructed over a long period, from the
fourth to the fifteenth century, they
constitute a diachronic typological series,
which had considerable influence in the
Byzantine world. The mosaics of the
rotunda, St Demetrius and St David are
among the great masterpieces of early
Christian art.
Cosmopolitan and
prosperous,
Thessalonika grew in
commercial and
strategic importance
during the Roman
period and was one of
the rst bases for the
spread of Christianity.
St Paul visited twice,
in AD 50 and 56,
founding a church
there.
manovo-gounda | monuments of thessaloni ka 313
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Rodonta Temple
in Thessalonika.
314 sacred ci ty of kandy
World Heritage site since
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1978
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Sacred City of Kandy
Sri Lanka
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
This sacred Buddhist site, popularly known
as the city of Senkadagalapura, was the last
capital of the Sinhala kings, whose
patronage enabled the Dinahala culture to
flourish for more than 2,500 years. It is also
the site of the Temple of the Tooth Relic,
the sacred tooth of the Buddha, which is
a famous pilgrimage site. The Temple of the
Tooth, the palatial complex, and the sacred
city of Kandy are directly associated with the
history of the spread of Buddhism. Kandy,
founded in the fourteenth century, forms the
southern tip of Sri Lankas Cultural Triangle.
It became the capital of the kingdom in 1592
and remained one of the bastions of
Sinhalese independence until the arrival of
the British in 1815. It is still the religious
capital of Buddhism and a sacred city for
millions of believers.
Enshrined in the Dalada Maligawa
is the relic of the tooth of Buddha.
The ceremonial high point each
year is the splendid ritual on the
feast of Esala Perahera, in which
one of the inner caskets used for
covering the tooth relic is taken in
a grand procession through the
streets of the city.
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
A Buddhist temple in Kandy.
World Heritage site since
sanctuary of asklepi os at epi daurus 315
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Sanctuary of Asklepios at
Epidaurus
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
In a small valley in the Peloponnisos, the
shrine of Asklepios, the god of medicine,
developed in the sixth century BC out of a
much earlier cult of Apollo Maleatas. The
group of temples and the hospital facilities
comprising the Sanctuary of Epidaurus
bears exceptional testimony to the healing
cults of the Hellenic and Roman worlds.
The theatre, the temples of Artemis and
Asklepios, the Tholos, the Enkoimeterion
(where the sick awaited their cures) and the
Propylaea are exceptional examples of
Hellenic architecture of the fourth century BC.
In particular, the theatre, an architectural
masterpiece by Polycletes the Younger of
Argos, is famed for its setting and the
perfection of its proportions and acoustics.
Epidaurus continued to flourish during the
Hellenistic period. Despite pillaging by Sulla
in 87 BC and by Cilician pirates, the sanctuary
prospered during the Roman period.
The temples and the
hospital facilities
inuenced all the
sanctuaries in the
Hellenic and Roman
world. The emergence
of modern medicine
in a sanctuary
originally based on
the miraculous
healing of supposedly
incurable patients is
strikingly described in
the engraved
inscriptions on the
remarkable stelae
preserved in the
museum at Epidaurus.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Theatre at Epidaurus.
316 si nharaj a forest reserve
World Heritage site since
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Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sri Lanka
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Sinharaja is Sri Lankas last viable area of
primary tropical rainforest. This narrow strip
of undulating terrain consists of a series of
ridges and valleys. Two main types of forest
can be recognized: remnants of
Dipterocarpus forest occur in valleys and on
their lower slopes; secondary forest and
scrub occur where the original forest cover
has been removed by shifting cultivation
and in other places the forest has been
replaced by rubber and tea plantations.
Mesua-Doona forest is the climax vegetation
in most of the reserve. More than 60 per
cent of the trees are endemic and many of
them are considered rare. There is much
endemic wildlife, especially birds, and the
reserve is also home to over 50 per cent of
Sri Lankas endemic species of mammals
and butterflies, as well as many kinds of
insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.
The Sinharaja region
has long featured in
the legends and lore
of the people of
Sri Lanka. Its name,
literally meaning lion
(sinha) king (raja),
perhaps refers to the
original king-sized or
royal forest of the
Sinhalese, a people
of the legendary lion-
race of Sri Lanka, or
to the home of a
legendary lion of
Sri Lanka.
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
A spiders web in
morning sunlight in
Sinharaja Rainforest.
World Heritage site since
medi na of sousse 317
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Medina of Sousse
Tunisia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
Sousse was an important commercial and
military port during the Aghlabid period in
the ninth century and is an outstanding
example of a town dating from the first
centuries of Islam. Among the earliest
buildings is the ribat, a combined fort and
religious building, that helped defend
Sousse against Byzantine fleets. In 821 its
fortifications were completed with a square
bastion and tower which served both as
a watchtower and as a minaret. Under the
Aghlabids, Sousse rapidly flourished:
significant monuments constructed in this
golden century included the mosque of
Bu Ftata, the first kasbah, and the Great
Mosque. By 859, the town walls neared
completion, and the limits of the medina
were broadly drawn. The surrounding
fortifications made the military function of
the ribat less vital and it reverted fully to its
religious function.
The ribat of Sousse
housed a garrison of
the Defenders of the
Faith, the Mourabitin,
and the austere
architecture reects its
dual military/
religious function.
A rectangular
enclosure is anked
by towers and turrets,
with a single gate on
the south and an inner
courtyard rising over
two levels. It has a
mosque on the
southern side.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Historic Town of
Guanajuato and Adjacent
Mines
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Guanajuato is an outstanding example of an
architectural ensemble that incorporates
the industrial and economic aspects of
a mining operation. Founded by the Spanish
in the early sixteenth century, the town
became the worlds leading silver-extraction
centre in the eighteenth century. This past
can be seen in its subterranean streets and
the Boca del Inferno, a mineshaft that
plunges a breathtaking 600 m. The towns
beautiful Baroque and neoclassical
buildings, built with the prosperity from the
mines, have influenced buildings
throughout central Mexico. The churches of
La Compaa and La Valenciana are
considered to be among the most beautiful
examples of Baroque architecture in Central
and South America. Guanajuato was also
witness to events which changed the history
of the country.
Spanish conquistadores first settled in the
region in 1529, and in 1548 they discovered
rich outcrops of silver at Guanaxhuata.
To protect prospectors, miners and the
new settlers, four fortified structures were
erected at Marfil, Tepetapa, Santa Ana and
Cerro del Cuarto; these settlements formed
the nuclei of the later town of Guanajuato.
Sprawling through a winding valley at an
altitude of 2,084 m, Guanajuato differs from
the other colonial towns in New Spain in
that it was not laid out on the standard grid
plan. Instead, the scattered areas grew
together through the spontaneous
urbanization of suitable sites on the rough,
natural terrain.
Founded when the silver mines were
opened, Guanajuato had a symbiotic
relationship with them until the nineteenth
century. Its growth, the layout of its streets,
including the picturesque subterranean
streets through which its traffic runs, its
plazas, and the construction of hospitals,
churches, convents and palaces are all
inextricably linked with the industrial
history of the region which, with the decline
of the Potos mines in the eighteenth
century, became the worlds leading silver
extraction centre.
The city played a part in the Mexican War
of Independence of 181021: Miguel
Hidalgo, the rebel leader, began his uprising
in the state of Guanajuato of which the city
is capital.
Tunnels from the
silver mines under the
town of Guanajuato.
The splendour of
the Baroque buildings
of Guanajuato is
directly linked to the
wealth of the mines.
The churches of
La Compaa (174565)
and above all La
Valenciana (176588)
are masterpieces of
the Mexican
Churrigueresque
style. The church of
La Vanenciana and the
mansion of Casa Rul
y Valenciana were
nanced by the most
prosperous mines,
but even the smaller
mines also had
churches, palaces or
houses close by.
318 hi stori c town of guanaj uato and adj acent mi nes
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Old Town of Galle and its
Fortifications
Sri Lanka
Criteria Significance in human history
Founded in the sixteenth century by the
Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its
development in the eighteenth century,
before the arrival of the British. It is the best
example of a fortified city built by Europeans
in south and southeast Asia, showing the
interaction between European architectural
styles and south Asian traditions. This fortified
city, protected by a sea wall finished in 1729,
still exists, with few changes. It has an area of
0.52 km
2
inside the walls defended by
fourteen bastions. The city was laid out on
a regular grid pattern adapted to the
configuration of the terrain: north-south
peripheral streets are parallel to the
ramparts and not to the central traffic axes.
As befitted a fortified city, the
Commandants residence, the arsenal and
the powder house were prominent features
of the original layout.
The most salient feature of the
architecture at Galle is the use of
European models adapted to the
geological, climatic, historical, and
cultural conditions of Sri Lanka.
In the structure of the ramparts,
coral is frequently used along with
granite.
320 old town of galle and i ts forti fi cati ons
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
The Clock Tower at the Dutch Fort in Galle.
Timbuktu
Mali
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Home of the prestigious Koranic Sankore
University and other madrasas, Timbuktu
was an important centre for the
dissemination of Islam throughout Africa in
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Its
numerous schools were attended, it is said,
by some 25,000 students. Scholars,
engineers and architects from various
regions in Africa rubbed shoulders with wise
men and marabouts in this intellectual and
religious centre. Its three great mosques,
Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, recall
Timbuktus golden age. Although
continuously restored, these monuments
are today under threat from desertification.
Apart from the mosques, the World
Heritage site comprises sixteen cemeteries
and mausolea, essential elements in a
religious system as, according to popular
belief, they constitute a rampart that shields
the city from all misfortune.
Timbuktu is thought
to have been founded
in the fth century of
the Hegira by a group
of Imakcharen
Tuaregs who, having
wandered 250 km
south of their base,
established a
temporary camp
guarded by an old
woman, Buktu.
Gradually, Tim-Buktu
(the place of Buktu)
became a small
sedentary village at
the crossroads of
several trade routes.
ti mbuktu | henderson i sland 321
World Heritage site since
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1988
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Henderson Island
United Kingdom
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Henderson Island is a raised coral atoll
forming part of the Pitcairn Island group in
the South Pacific. It is one of the few atolls in
the world whose ecology has been
practically untouched by human presence.
Although it was colonized by Polynesians
between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries,
this period of settlement had little
ecological impact and the island has
remained uninhabited in modern times. Its
isolated location provides the ideal context
for studying the dynamics of insular
evolution and natural selection. The island is
arid with only one freshwater spring and has
a rugged topography beneath the dense
tangled vegetation. It is particularly notable
for the ten plant species and four land bird
species that are endemic to the island.
With no major
landmass within a
5,000 km radius,
Henderson Islands
remoteness and
inhospitable nature
have so far effectively
ensured its
conservation. As a
near pristine island
ecosystem, it is of
immense scientic
value.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
322 bat, al-khutm and al-ayn
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Arabian
Sea
The
Gulf
Archaeological sites of Bat,
Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn
Oman
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The zone encompassing the settlement and
necropolises of Bat is the most complete
and best-known site of the third
millennium BC, bearing unique witness to
the evolution of funeral practices during
the first Bronze Age in the Oman peninsula.
The settlement and necropolis zones of Bat
form a coherent and representative group
with two neighbouring contemporary
archaeological sites: the tower of Al-Khutm,
2 km west of Bat, and the group of beehive
tombs of Qubur Juhhal at Al-Ayn (pictured
on the right), 22 km east-southeast of Bat.
The twenty-one tombs from the third
millennium, aligned on a rocky crest that
stands out in the superb mountainous
landscape of Jebel Misht to the north, are in
a remarkable state of preservation.
In the settlement zone there are
five stone towers, one of which
has been entirely excavated. It
has been determined that it was
built between 2595 and 2465 BC.
From the tower can be
distinguished to the east a series
of rectangular houses with
central courts and, to the north,
a vast necropolis.
Six of twenty-one beehive tombs of Qubur Juhhal at Al-Ayn.
tri ni dad and the valley de los i ngeni os 323
World Heritage site since
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1988
Trinidad and the Valley de
los Ingenios
Cuba
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Founded by the Spanish in the early
sixteenth century in honour of the Holy
Trinity, Trinidad is an outstanding example
of a colonial city. Towards the end of the
eighteenth century, the sugar industry was
firmly established in the nearby Valle de Los
Ingenios and Trinidad prospered; by 1796
it was the third-largest city in Cuba. The
present city owes its charm to its eighteenth
and nineteenth century buildings, such as
the Palacio Brunet and the Palacio Cantero.
Valle de Los Ingenios is a living museum of
the sugar industry, featuring seventy-five
ruined sugar mills, summer mansions,
barracks, and other facilities related to the
field. The famous Manaca-Iznaga Tower,
built in 1816, is 45 m high, and the tolling of
its bells once marked the beginning and end
of working hours on the sugar plantations.
Trinidad was one of
the bridgeheads for
the conquest of the
American continent.
It was the departure
point for the
expeditions led by
Francisco Hernndez
de Crdova in 1517 and
by Cortez in 1518.
NORTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Santisma Trinidad
Church.
Medieval City of Rhodes
Greece
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Rhodes is an outstanding example of a
medieval defensive architectural ensemble.
The fortifications of Rhodes, long
considered impregnable, exerted an
influence throughout the eastern
Mediterranean basin in the later Middle
Ages. Within its walls, the old town of
Rhodes is an important example of
traditional human settlement characterized
by cultural assimilation.
From 1309 1523 Rhodes was in the
possession of the Order of St John of
Jerusalem, the Knights Hospitaller.
A military hospital order founded to care
for sick pilgrims in the Holy Land, the
Knights lost their last foothold in Palestine
in 1291 with the fall of Acre. In 1309 the
Order took Rhodes from the ailing
Byzantine Empire, rebuilding the town
and transforming it into a stronghold.
The medieval city is located in the Upper
Town (Collachium) within a wall 4 km long.
Built by the Knights, the town is one of the
most beautiful urban ensembles of the
Gothic period.
The Order was organized into seven
Tongues, each having its own seat. The inns
of the Tongues of Italy, France, Spain and
Provence lined both sides of the principal
east-west axis, the famous Street of the
Knights, one of the finest testimonies to
Gothic urbanism.
The Knights first hospice was replaced in
the late-fifteenth century by the Great
Hospital; today the building is used as the
archaeological museum. Northwest of the
Collachium are the Grand Masters Palace
and St Johns Church. At the eastern end of
the Street of the Knights, built against the
wall, is St Marys Church which the Knights
transformed into a cathedral.
The Lower Town is almost as dense with
monuments as the Collachium. In 1522, with
a population of 5,000, it was replete with
churches, some of Byzantine construction.
Rhodes withstood two invasions in the
fifteenth century, firstly by Egyptians and
then by Turks. It fell in 1523 to the Ottoman
Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent who
arrived with a 100,000-strong army,
besieging Rhodes for six months.
After 1523 many of the buildings were
converted into Islamic mosques but the
influence of the Ottoman occupation is
seen particularly in combined vernacular
architecture, with decorative elements of
Ottoman origin. In the Lower Town, Gothic
architecture coexists with mosques, public
baths and other buildings from the
Ottoman period.
The Knights built up
the fortications of
Rhodes over two
centuries. The
ramparts of the
medieval city, partially
erected on the
foundations of the
Byzantine enclosure,
were constantly
maintained and
remodelled between
the fourteenth and
sixteenth centuries.
Artillery ring posts
were the nal features
to be added. In the
section of the Amboise
Gate which was built
on the northwestern
angle in 1512, the
curtain wall was 12 m
thick with a 4 m high
parapet pierced with
gun holes.
324 medi eval ci ty of rhodes
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
326 hi stori c centre of li ma
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of Lima
Peru
Criteria Significance in human history
Although severely damaged by earthquakes,
this City of the Kings was, until the mid-
eighteenth century, the capital and most
important city of the Spanish dominions in
South America. The historic centre of Lima
bears witness to the architecture and urban
development of a Spanish colonial town of
great political, economic, and cultural
importance.
The historic monuments religious or
public buildings, such as the Torre Tagle
Palace which lie within the perimeter of
the World Heritage site date from the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and
are typical examples of Hispano-American
Baroque. The architecture of the other
buildings is often of the same period and
style with the result that, despite the addition
of certain nineteenth century constructions
such as Art Nouveau Casa Courret, the
towns historic nucleus recalls Lima at the
time of the Spanish Kingdom of Peru.
Lima was founded in
1535. The city played
a leading role in the
history of the New
World from 1542,
when the Holy Roman
Emperor Charles V
established the
Viceroyalty of Peru to
govern most of Spanish
South America.
However, the creation
of the viceroyalties of
New Granada and of
La Plata in the
eighteenth century
gradually ended
Limas power.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
San Francisco
Convent.
canterbury cathedral, st augusti nes abbey and st marti ns church 327
Canterbury Cathedral,
St Augustines Abbey and
St Martins Church
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Canterbury, in Kent, has been the seat of the
spiritual head of the Church of England for
nearly five centuries. Three distinct cultural
properties are on the World Heritage List:
the modest St Martins Church, the oldest
church in England; the ruins of
St Augustines Abbey, which fell into disuse
following the dissolution of the community
by Henry VIII in 1538; and the superb Christ
Church Cathedral, a breathtaking mixture
of Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic,
where Archbishop Thomas Becket was
murdered in 1170. The cathedrals beauty
is enhanced by a set of exceptional stained
glass windows which constitute the richest
collection in the United Kingdom. These
three monuments are milestones in the
religious history of the regions of Great
Britain before the Reformation.
St Martins Church, located outside
the walls of Roman Durovernum,
existed in 597 when the monk
Augustine was sent from Rome by
Gregory the Great to bring
Christianity to the Saxon kingdom
of Kent. It undoubtedly includes a
Roman structure from the fourth
century.
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Christ Church Cathedral (Canterbury Cathedral).
328 old ci ty of salamanca
World Heritage site since
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Old City of Salamanca
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
Salamanca is one of the key centres of
a dynasty of architects, decorators and
sculptors from Catalonia, the Churriguera.
The Churrigueresque style also exerted
considerable influence in the eighteenth
century in the countries of Latin America.
However, the city owes its most essential
features to its university. The remarkable
group of buildings in the Gothic,
Renaissance and Baroque styles which, from
the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries,
grew up around the institution that
proclaimed itself Mother of Virtues, of
Sciences and of the Arts. The University had
already established itself by 1250 as one of
the best in Europe. The oldest university
building in Salamanca, now the Rectorate,
is the former Hospital del Estudio, built in
1413. The main university buildings,
Las Escuelas Mayores, are grouped around
a central patio and were built between
1415 and 1433.
Beginning with the
Roman bridge that
spans the Ro Tormes
southwest of the city,
numerous witnesses
to the history of
Salamanca still stand:
the Old Cathedral
and San Marcos
(twelfth century); the
Salina and the
Monterrey palaces
(sixteenth century);
and the Plaza Mayor
(pictured below), the
most sumptuous of
the Baroque squares
in Spain (eighteenth
century).
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
hi erapoli s-pamukkale 329
World Heritage site since
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Hierapolis-Pamukkale
Turkey
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Natural
phenomena or beauty
Mineral-laden waters from hot springs at
Pamukkale (in Turkish, literally cotton
castle) have created an unreal landscape,
made up of mineral forests, petrified
waterfalls and a series of terraced pools.
At the end of the second century BC the
dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of
Pergamon, established the thermal spa of
Hierapolis here. The ruins of the baths,
temples and other Greek monuments can
be seen at the site. The Romans acquired full
control in 129 BC and it prospered as a
cosmopolitan city where Anatolians,
Graeco-Macedonians, Romans and Jews
intermingled. The hot springs also served
another purpose: the scouring and dyeing
of wool. According to Christian tradition,
Philip the Apostle converted it and was
crucified here by Domitian around the year 87.
Christian remains include the cathedral,
baptistery, churches and the martyrium of
St Philip.
The therapeutic
virtues of the waters
were exploited with
immense hot basins
and pools for
swimming.
Hydrotherapy was
accompanied by
religious practices,
which were developed
in relation to local cults.
The Temple of Apollo
was erected on a fault
from which noxious
vapours escaped.
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Travertine pools and
terraces.
Pre-Hispanic City of
Chichen-Itza
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
Chichen-Itza is the most important
archaeological vestige of the Maya-Toltec
civilization in Yucatn. Its monuments are
among the undisputed masterpieces of
Mesoamerican architecture because of the
beauty of their proportions, the refinement
of their construction and the splendour of
their sculpted decorations. These monuments
exerted an influence throughout the entire
Yucatn cultural zone from the tenth to the
fifteenth centuries.
Chichen-Itza is the northernmost of the
major archaeological sites in Yucatn.
Covering more than 3km
2
, it is also one
of the largest and richest in monuments.
Above all, it is one of the most significant
in historical terms because it illustrates two
major periods in pre-Hispanic civilizations
in the Mesoamerican zone.
The town was established during the
Classic period around the early or mid-
fifth century AD close to two natural cavities
(cenotes or chenes) which facilitated the
tapping of underground water. The town
that grew up around the sector known as
Chichen Viejo already boasted important
monuments: the Building of the Nuns,
Temple of the Panels and Temple of the
Stag, constructed between the sixth and
tenth centuries.
The second settlement of Chichen-Itza,
and the most important for historians,
corresponded to the migration of Toltec
warriors from the Mexican plateau towards
the south during the tenth century.
The Toltec invaders subjugated the local
population with a ferocity which even five
centuries later the chronicles of the sacred
books of the Mayans spoke of. The Toltecs
imposed the ritual of human sacrifice which
until then was rarely, if at all, practised in
the region.
Following the conquest of Yucatn a new
style blending the Mayan and Toltec
traditions developed, symbolizing the
acculturation. Chichen-Itza is a clear
illustration of this fusion.
This new architecture, known today as
Maya-Yucatec, took from the old local
structures the art of stereotomy used on
walls and vaults while incorporating certain
Toltec elements in the decorations.
After the thirteenth century no major
monuments seem to have been constructed
at Chichen-Itza and the city rapidly declined
in the fifteenth century. In 1556 Bishop
Diego de Landa visited the practically
abandoned ruins and recorded the legends
pertaining to the various monuments.
The ruins were not excavated until 1841.
Pyramid of Kukulcn,
El Castillo.
The buildings of
Chichen-Itza illustrate
the fusion of the
Mayan and Toltec
traditions. Specic
examples are the
Caracol, a circular
observatory, and the
Pyramid of Kukulcn,
El Castillo.
Surrounding El
Castillo are terraces
where the major
monumental
complexes were built:
on the northwest are
the Great Ball Court,
Skull Wall, Jaguar
Temple and the
House of Eagles; on
the northeast the
Temple of the
Warriors, Group of the
Thousand Columns,
market and ball
courts; and on the
southwest the Tomb
of the High Priest.
330 pre-hi spani c ci ty of chi chen-i tza
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
332 meteora
World Heritage site since
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Meteora
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement; Natural phenomena or beauty
Rising starkly above the Peneas valley in the
Thessalian plain, the Meteora, or rock
pinnacles, are enormous residual masses of
sandstone and conglomerate. Hermits and
ascetics probably began settling in this
extraordinary area in the eleventh century.
In the late-twelfth century a small church
called the Panaghia Doupiani or Skete was
built at the foot of one of these heavenly
columns, where monks had already taken
up residence. During the fearsome time of
political instability in fourteenth-century
Thessaly, monasteries were systematically
built on top of the inaccessible peaks and,
towards the end of the fifteenth century,
there were twenty-four of them. They
continued to flourish until the seventeenth
century. Today, only four monasteries the
Aghios Stephanos, the Aghia Trias, Varlaam
and the Meteoron still house religious
communities.
The sixteenth-century frescoes in
the monasteries built on the
Meteora mark a key stage in the
development of post-Byzantine
painting.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The holy monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsa.
Nanda Devi and Valley of
Flowers National Parks
India
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Nestled high in the west Himalaya, Indias
Valley of Flowers National Park is renowned
for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers
and outstanding natural beauty. This richly
diverse area is also home to rare and
endangered animals, including the Asiatic
black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and
blue sheep. The gentle landscape of the
Valley of Flowers National Park
complements the rugged mountain
wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park.
Together they encompass a unique
transition zone between the mountain
ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya,
praised by mountaineers and botanists for
over a century and in Hindu mythology for
much longer.
The area is a vast
glacial basin, divided
by a series of parallel,
north-south oriented
ridges which rise up to
the encircling
mountain rim. Nanda
Devi West, Indias
second-highest
mountain, lies on a
short ridge projecting
into the basin.
Xanthos-Letoon
Turkey
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
This site, which was the capital of Lycia,
illustrates the blending of Lycian traditions
and Hellenic influence, especially in its
funerary art. The epigraphic inscriptions are
crucial for our understanding of the history
of the Lycian people and their Indo-
European language.
The Lycians were one
of the Sea Peoples
who invaded the
Hittite Empire around
1200 BC. The Greek
historian Herodotus,
who lived in the fth
century BC, related
that they came from
Crete to take part in
the Trojan War.
nanda devi and valley of flowers | xanthos-letoon 333
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea Caspian
Sea
Pillar tombs at
Xanthos-Letoon, with
the Harpy Tomb on
the right.
334 strasbourg grande le
World Heritage site since
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Strasbourg Grande le
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The Grande le of Strasbourg is an
outstanding example of a European
medieval city and a unique ensemble of
domestic architecture in the Rhine valley
of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Surrounded by two arms of the river Ill,
the Grande le (Large Island) is the historic
centre of the Alsatian capital. Rising above
the high-pitched roofs with multi-storeyed
dormer windows, the cathedral and four
ancient churches stand out on the skyline.
Facing the south transept of the cathedral is
the Palais Rohan, built by the Rohan family
in 173242 as a residence for the cardinals,
princes and bishops of the family. The tight
network of streets contain public buildings
such as the Htel de Ville (1585, today the
Chamber of Commerce), inns, shops and
workshops, as well as elegant town
mansions.
The cathedral, with its
single spire, is the
principal element of
the World Heritage
site. Goethe
considered Notre-
Dame de Strasbourg
to be the Gothic
cathedral par
excellence and it had
great inuence on the
development of
Gothic sculpture and
architecture in
Germanic lands.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
kai rouan 335
World Heritage site since
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1988
Kairouan
Tunisia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Founded in 670, Kairouan ourished under
the Aghlabid dynasty in the ninth century
and bears exceptional witness to the
civilization of the rst centuries of Islam in
north Africa. Its rich architectural heritage
includes the Great Mosque, with its marble
and porphyry columns, the ninth century
Mosque of the Three Gates and the Basin of
the Aghlabids, lled by water brought by an
aqueduct. Kairouan is, moreover, one of the
holy cities of Islam. The medina is
surrounded by more than 3 km of walls with
three gates: its skyline is punctuated by the
minarets and the cupolas of its mosques
and zawiyas (monasteries), and it has
preserved its network of winding streets and
courtyard houses. Very few small windows
or arched doorways are cut in the exterior
walls, but inner walls have larger openings
that give on to central courtyards.
The rst Islamic place
of worship founded in
the Maghreb only
thirty-eight years after
the death of the
Prophet Muhammad,
is the Zawiya of Sidi
Sahab at Kairouan,
where the remains of
Abu Djama, one of
Muhammads
companions, are kept.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
336 olympi a
World Heritage site since
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Archaeological Site of
Olympia
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Olympia bears exceptional testimony to the
ancient civilizations of Peloponnisos. The
site has been inhabited since prehistoric
times. Religious centres of worship
succeeded one another during the Hellenic
period until, in the tenth century BC,
Olympia became a centre for the worship
of Zeus. Consecrated to Zeus, the Altis is a
major sanctuary that includes the ruins of
the two principal temples: the Temple of
Hera (sixth century BC) and the Temple of
Zeus (fifth century BC). The sanctuary
contained one of the highest concentrations
of masterpieces of the ancient
Mediterranean world, many of which have
been lost. In addition, the site includes the
remains of the sports stadia and other
structures erected for the Olympic Games,
which were held in Olympia every four years
beginning in 776 BC.
The signicance of
the Olympic Games
demonstrates the
lofty ideals of Hellenic
humanism: peaceful
competition between
free and equal men,
whose only ambition
is the symbolic reward
of an olive wreath.
Later, not only
athletes but also
orators, poets and
musicians came to
celebrate Zeus at the
Games.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Remains of dozens of
columns at Olympia.
World Heritage site since
alcobaa 337
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Monastery of Alcobaa
Portugal
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The monastery is an outstanding example
of a great Cistercian establishment with
the church of Santa Maria dAlcobaa, a
masterpiece of Gothic Cistercian art, and a
significant grouping of medieval monastic
buildings (cloister and lavabo, chapter room,
parlour, dormitory, the monks room and the
refectory). The monastery was given by King
Alfonso I to the Cistercians after 1152 on the
understanding that they would colonize and
work the surrounding lands. In the
thirteenth century, while the abbey church
and beautiful monastic buildings were
under construction, the abbeys intellectual
and political influence had already spread
throughout the western part of the Iberian
Peninsula. The ultimate symbol of its
privileged relationship with the Portuguese
monarchy is found in the tombs of Dom
Pedro and Doa Ins de Castro, dating from
1360, among the most beautiful of Gothic
funerary sculptures.
The tombs of Ins de Castro and
Dom Pedro (Peter I) are the tangible
sign of Peter Is rehabilitation of
Ins, assassinated at Coimbra on the
orders of his father, Alfonso IV. The
quality of the sculpture is surpassed
by the compelling symbolism of the
iconography which evokes human
destiny, death and the Christian
hope of eternal life.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Front entrance of the Monastery of Alcobaa.
Mosi-oa-Tunya /
Victoria Falls
Zambia and Zimbabwe
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
The Victoria Falls are among the most
spectacular waterfalls in the world. The
Zambezi River, which is more than 2 km
wide at this point, plunges noisily down
a series of basalt gorges and raises an
iridescent mist that can be seen more than
20 km away.
The falls and associated gorges are an
outstanding example of river capture and
the erosive forces of the water still continue
to sculpture the hard basalts. The complex
of conservation areas in Zimbabwe covers
over 18, 500km
2
excluding forest reserves.
The Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls National
Park abuts Dambwa Forest Reserve in
Zambia. The falls are the most significant
feature of the park, and when the Zambezi
is in full flood (usually February or March)
they form the largest curtain of falling water
in the world. During these months over 500
million litres of water per minute go over
the falls, which are 1,708 m wide, and drop
99 m at Rainbow Falls in Zambia. At low
water in November flow can be reduced to
around 10 million litres per minute, and the
river is divided into a series of braided
channels that descend in many separate
falls.
The predominant vegetation is mopane
forest, with small areas of teak and miombo
woodland and a narrow band of riverine
forest along the Zambezi. The riverine
rainforest within the waterfall splash zone
is of particular interest: a fragile ecosystem
of discontinuous forest on sandy alluvium,
dependent upon maintenance of abundant
water and high humidity resulting from the
spray plume. There are many tree species
within this forest and also some herbaceous
species.
Several herds of elephant live in Zambezi
National Park, occasionally crossing to the
islands and Zambian mainland during the
dry season when water levels are low. Small
herds of buffalo and wildebeest, as well as
zebra, warthog, giraffe, bushpig and
hippopotamus are frequently found above
the falls. Vervet monkey and chacma baboon
are common. Lion and leopard are
occasionally seen. Taita falcon breed in the
gorges, as do black stork, black eagle,
peregrine falcon and augur buzzard.
Victoria Falls forms a geographical barrier
between the distinct fish faunas of the upper
and middle Zambezi River. Thirty-nine
species of fish have been recorded from the
waters below the falls.
Below the falls the
Zambezi enters a
series of gorges which
represent locations
successively occupied
by the falls earlier in
their history. Since the
uplifting of the
Makgadikgadi Pan
area two million years
ago, the river has been
cutting through the
basalt, exploiting
ssures and forming
a series of retreating
gorges. Seven
previous waterfalls
occupied the seven
gorges below the
present falls, and
Devils Cataract in
Zimbabwe is the
starting point for a
new waterfall that will
eventually leave the
present lip high above
the river in the gorge
below.
338 vi ctori a falls
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of
the Dogons)
Mali
Criteria Traditional human settlement; Natural
phenomena or beauty
The Bandiagara site is an outstanding
landscape of cliffs and sandy plateaus and
one of the main centres for the Dogon
culture. The Dogon subsistence farmers did
not arrive until the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries, yet the region is rich in unique
architecture, from flat-roofed huts to
tapering granaries capped with thatch, cliff
cemeteries and communal meeting-places.
Several age-old social traditions live on in
the region, through masks, feasts, rituals,
and ceremonies involving ancestor worship.
The Dogon people also maintain a strong
relationship with the environment with their
use of curative and medicinal wild plants
and the sacred associations with pale fox,
jackal and crocodile. The geological,
archaeological and ethnological interest,
together with the landscape, make the
Bandiagara plateau one of West Africas
most impressive sites.
The plateau of
Bandiagara is covered
in a typically Sudanian
savanna vegetation,
and a wide range of
animal species is
found in the region.
The cliff and rock
habitats support a
diversity of species
including fox-kestrel,
Gabar goshawk,
yellow-billed shrike,
scarlet-chested
sunbird, abundant
cliff chats and rock
doves.
340 cli ff of bandi agara | banc dargui n nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Banc dArguin National
Park
Mauritania
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Banc dArguin is located on the Atlantic
desert-coast of Mauritania, and the park
provides a unique example of a transition
zone between the Sahara and the Atlantic.
It is a vast area of islands and coastline, with
dunes of windblown Saharan sand, shallow
coastal pools, mudflats and mangrove
swamps. The contrast between the harsh
desert environment and the biodiversity of
the marine zone has resulted in a land- and
seascape of outstanding natural
significance. Shallow water vegetation
comprises extensive seagrass beds and
various seaweeds, offering a favourable
habitat for fish. This in turn attracts huge
numbers of birds to Banc dArguin, which
hosts the largest concentration of wintering
waders in the world and an extremely
diversified community of nesting fish-
eating birds.
The local people, the
Imraguen or Amrig,
relate many of their
customs to the natural
environment. Even
their name literally
means the ones who
gather life. Fishing
techniques,
unchanged since first
recorded by fifteenth-
century Portuguese
explorers, include the
unique symbiotic
collaboration with
wild dolphins to catch
schools of grey
mullet.
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
mystras 341
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Archaeological Site of
Mystras
Greece
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Mystras was built around the fortress
erected in 1249 on a hill overlooking Sparta
by William of Villehardouin. For almost six
centuries, Mystras had a troubled existence
and was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the
breathtaking medieval ruins, standing in a
beautiful landscape. From 12621348,
Mystras was the seat of the Byzantine
military governor. The bishopric of Sparta
was transferred to the new city: the
Metropolis, dedicated to St Demetrios,
was built in 1264, and convents were built
and richly decorated. From 13481460
Mystras became the capital of the
Despotate of Morea. During this period,
the zenith of Mystras, the cosmopolitan city
was of great importance and its fall to the
Turks on 30 May 1460 was seen as being
almost equal in importance to the fall of
Constantinople in 1453.
The beauty of the
churches of Mystras,
which, during the
fourteenth-century
Paleologus
Renaissance, had
been covered with
dramatic frescoes, the
renown of its libraries
and the glory of its
writers (including
Georges Gemiste
Plethon and Jean
Bessarion who
brought neo-Platonic
humanism to Italy)
gave substance to the
legend of the Wonder
of Morea.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The medieval ruins of Mystras.
Buddhist Monuments at
Sanchi
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
On a hill overlooking a plain, about 40 km
from Bhopal, the site of Sanchi comprises a
group of Buddhist monuments, monolithic
pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries,
all in different states of conservation and
mainly dating back to the second and first
centuries BC. It is the oldest Buddhist
sanctuary in existence and was a major
centre of Buddhism in India until the
twelfth century AD. The principal
monument at Sanchi, known as Stupa 1
(pictured on the right), consists of a gigantic
mound of sandstone surrounded by
sumptuous porticoes with stone railings. Its
hemispherical dome measures 36 m in
diameter and is 16 m high. It is particularly
famous for the extraordinarily rich decorative
work on the four monumental gateways that
provide access.
When it was
discovered in 1818,
Sanchi had lain
abandoned for 600
years and was overrun
with vegetation.
Gradually the hill was
cleared, uncovering
the ruins of about fifty
monuments in one of
the most remarkable
archaeological
complexes in India.
342 sanchi | daphni , hosi os loukas and nea moni of chi os
World Heritage site since
Monasteries of Daphni,
Hosios Loukas and Nea
Moni of Chios
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance
in human history
Although geographically distant from each
other, these three monasteries belong to the
same typological series and share the same
aesthetic characteristics. The first is in Attica,
near Athens, the second in Phocida near
Delphi, and the third on an island in the
Aegean Sea, near Asia Minor. The churches
are built on a cross-in-square plan with a
large dome supported by squinches
defining an octagonal space. In the eleventh
and twelfth centuries they were decorated
with superb marble works as well as mosaics
on a gold background, all characteristic of
the second golden age of Byzantine art.
The Monastery of
Hosios Loukas has an
immense central
dome, 9 m in
diameter, and is one
of the most perfect
creations of Byzantine
architecture. The
church is filled with
iconographic
treasures of a
magnitude and
coherence rarely
equalled.
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World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
South
China
Sea
World Heritage site since
santo domi ngo 343
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Colonial City of Santo
Domingo
Dominican Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
After Christopher Columbuss arrival on
the island of Hispaniola in 1492, Santo
Domingo became the site of the first
cathedral, hospital, customs house and
university in the Americas. This Ciudad
Colonial (Colonial City), founded in 1498,
was laid out on a grid pattern that became
the model for almost all town planners in
the New World.
Among the Colonial Citys most
outstanding buildings is the cathedral,
constructed between 1514 and 1542. It is the
oldest in the Americas and one of the
architectural wonders of the original town.
The Ozama Fortress and Tower of Homage
were built in 1503: this stone group is said to
be the oldest formal military outpost still
standing in the Americas. The Tower of
Homage in the centre of the grounds is an
impressive architectural structure that is
medieval in style and design.
Bartholomew
Columbus, brother of
Christopher, founded
the city in 1496 on the
left bank of the
Ozama River. In 1502
a tropical storm
destroyed the city and
the colonys new
governor Nicols de
Ovando decided that
it should be
completely rebuilt on
the site it presently
occupies. Its town
plan became the
model for Spanish
towns in the New
World.
SOUTH AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Museum of the Royal Houses.
Historic Centre of Saint
Petersburg and Related
Groups of Monuments
Russian Federation
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Known as the Venice of the North, with its
numerous canals and hundreds of bridges,
the city of St Petersburg on Russias Baltic
coast is the result of a vast urban project
begun in 1703 under Peter the Great
(16721725).
St Petersburgs architectural heritage
reconciles the very different Baroque and
pure neoclassical styles, as can be seen in
the Admiralty, the Winter Palace, the Marble
Palace and the Hermitage.
The metamorphosis of an inhospitable
Baltic coastal area into a superb city where
palaces, churches, convents and two-storey
stone houses fit in to the urban designs of
the Frenchman Alexandre Leblond, was
completed in less than twenty years.
The building of Peter the Greats planned
capital began in the eighteenth century on
the backs of colossal forced labour of
Russian soldiers, Swedish and Ottoman
prisoners of war, and Finnish and Estonian
workers. A network of canals, streets and
quays was gradually built up until, by the
reign of Catherine the Great (172996) at the
end of the century, the urban landscape of
St Petersburg took on its monumental
splendour. An array of foreign architects
rivalled one another with audaciousness
and splendour in their designs of the
capitals huge palaces and convents and in
imperial and princely suburban residences
such as Petrodvorets, Lomonosov, Tsarskoie
Selo (Pushkin), Pavlovsk and Gatchina.
The impetus of the eighteenth century
continued into the nineteenth with
astonishing monumental works. In the
history of urbanism St Petersburg is probably
the only example of a vast project that
retained all its logic despite a rapid
succession of styles that were reputed to be
irreconcilable. Yet from the disparity of styles,
an impression of timeless grandeur emerges
in this distended historic centre where the
greatness of the monuments is on a scale
with a landscape free of any background,
open to the sea, perpetually swept by sea
breezes and criss-crossed by canals running
beneath, it is said, more than 400 bridges.
The ensembles designed in St Petersburg
and the surrounding area by several
international architects exerted great
influence in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries on the development of
architecture and monumental arts in Russia
and Finland. The site links outstanding
examples of Baroque imperial residences
with the architectural ensemble of St
Petersburg, the Baroque and neoclassical
capital par excellence.
Winter Palace in
St Petersburg.
Under its previous
name of Petrograd,
the city was the
starting place of the
October Revolution of
1917 that brought the
Bolsheviks to power
in Russia. It was
renamed Leningrad
as part of the USSR.
More than a million
of its citizens died of
starvation between
1941 and 1944 when
the city was besieged
for 872 days by the
Nazis during the
Second World War.
The city voted to
readopt the name of
St Petersburg
(Sankt Peterburg) in
1991 after the fall of
Communism.
344 sai nt petersburg
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
346 potsdam and berli n
World Heritage site since
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Palaces and Parks of
Potsdam and Berlin
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
With 5 km
2
of parks and 150 buildings
constructed between 1730 and 1916,
Potsdams complex of palaces and parks
forms an artistic whole, whose eclectic
nature reinforces its sense of uniqueness.
This series of architectural and landscaping
masterpieces was built progressively within
a single space, illustrating opposing and
reputedly irreconcilable styles, yet without
detracting from the harmony of a general
composition. The area extends into the
district of Berlin-Zehlendorf, with the
palaces and parks lining the banks of the
river Havel and Lake Glienicke.
The World Heritage site covers two other
ensembles that include parks, chateaux and
buildings, in the middle of which stands the
Marble Palace, the kings summer residence.
In summer 1945 the Chateau of Cecilienhof
at the northern end of the park was the site
of the Potsdam Conference that decided the
fate of postwar Germany.
King Frederick the
Great of Prussia
(17121786)
transformed Potsdam
from its previous
status of garrison
town into the
Prussian Versailles
which was to be his
main residence.
Sanssouci, a name
which reects the
kings desire for
intimacy and
simplicity, translates
the theme of a rustic
villa into the marble,
mirrors and gold of a
Rococo-style palace.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Chinese Tea House in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam.
World Heritage site since
ki ev 347
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Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic
Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk
Lavra
Ukraine
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Designed to rival Hagia Sophia in
Constantinople, Kievs Saint-Sophia
Cathedral symbolizes the new
Constantinople, capital of the Christian
principality of Kiev, which was created in the
eleventh century. Devastated by the
Mongols and the Tatars, Kiev-Pechersk
Lavra was almost entirely rebuilt from the
seventeenth century onwards. These were
times of great prosperity, when pilgrims
flocked to the site, and the grounds were
filled with numerous Baroque monuments.
The Clock Tower and the Refectory Church
are two of the main landmarks in a monastic
landscape totally transformed by the
construction or the renovation of numerous
churches. The spiritual and intellectual
influence of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
contributed to the spread of Orthodox
thought and the Orthodox faith in the
Russian world from the seventeenth to the
nineteenth centuries.
Today the major
elements of the very
old historic heritage
are Trinity Church,
whose twelfth-century
structure is hidden by
the extremely rich
Baroque decor, and
especially the
catacombs, which
include the Near Caves
and the Far Caves,
whose entrances are
respectively at All
Saints Church and at
the Church of the
Conception of St Anna.
EUROPE
Black Sea
Baltic Sea
St Sophia Cathedral.
Jesuit Missions of the
Chiquitos
Bolivia
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Sent by the Spanish Crown to assure the
conquest of the Indias del Cielo, the Jesuit
fathers arrived at the Viceroyalty of Peru in
1567 to bring Christianity to the indigenous
communities. Between 1696 and 1760, six
ensembles of reducciones (settlements of
Christianised Indians inspired by the ideal
cities of the sixteenth-century philosophers)
were founded by the Jesuits in a style that
married Catholic architecture with local
traditions. Unlike other Jesuit missions in
South America that were abandoned after
1767, the reducciones of the Chiquitos
survived the expulsion of the Company of
Jesus. The six that remain San Francisco
Javier, Concepcin, Santa Ana, San Miguel,
San Rafael and San Jos make up a living
heritage on the former territory of the
Chiquitos.
The reducciones
dened the urban
model: houses were
regularly spaced
along three sides of
a rectangular space,
with the fourth
reserved for the
church, workshops
and schools, and
sometimes for the
Casa de la
Misericordia
(almshouse), for
widows and
abandoned women.
348 chi qui tos | i tchan kala
World Heritage site since
Itchan Kala
Uzbekistan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
Itchan Kala is the inner town protected by
brick walls some 10 m high of the old Khiva
oasis, which was the last resting-place of
caravans before crossing the desert to Iran.
Although few very old monuments still
remain, it is a coherent and well-preserved
example of the Muslim architecture of
Central Asia. There are several outstanding
structures such as the Djuma Mosque, the
mausoleums and the madrasas, and the two
magnificent palaces built at the beginning of
the nineteenth century by Alla-Kulli-Khan.
Khiva oasis was the
nal halt for caravans
before crossing the
desert to Persia. The
outstanding qualities
of Itchan Kala derive
not so much from the
individual
monuments as from
the incomparable
urban composition
and harmony of the
city.
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
A view across the city
from the city walls.
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
tongari ro nati onal park 349
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Tongariro National Park
New Zealand
Criteria Heritage associated with beliefs;
Natural phenomena or beauty; Major stages of
Earths history
Tongariro National Park is situated on the
central North Island volcanic plateau. The
mountains at the heart of the park have
cultural and religious significance for the
Maori people and symbolize the spiritual
links between this community and its
environment. The park lies at the southern
end of a discontinuous 2,500 km chain of
volcanoes which extends northeast into
the Pacific and contains active and extinct
volcanoes. Glaciers are currently restricted
to Mount Ruapehu, although all are now
less than 1 km in length after several
decades of retreat. Habitats are diverse,
ranging from remnants of rainforest to
practically barren ice fields. The vertebrate
fauna is restricted mainly to birds, although
native mammals are represented by short-
tailed bat and long-tailed bat. More than
fifty-six bird species have been recorded in
the park, including the brown kiwi and
North Island fern bird.
Horonuku te Heuheu
Tukino, Paramount
Chief of the Ngati
Tuwharetoa Maori
Tribe, gifted the peaks
of Ruapehu,
Ngauruhoe and
Tongariro to the
Crown in 1887. Known
as the Sacred Gift, it
was an invitation to
Queen Victoria to
stand alongside him to
maintain trusteeship
over their esteemed
taonga (treasure).
OCEANIA
Pacic
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Emerald Lake in
Tongariro National
Park.
Kremlin and Red Square,
Moscow
Russian Federation
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The citadel of the Kremlin has been
inextricably linked to all the most important
historical and political events in Russia since
it was built between the fourteenth and
seventeenth centuries.
Ever since the establishment of the
Principality of Moscow in 1263 and the
transfer to Moscow of the seat of the
Metropolitan see in 1328, the Kremlin of
Moscow was the centre of both temporal
and spiritual power. Some of its original
buildings border Cathedral Square while
others, such as the Nativity of the Virgin
(1393), were incorporated into the Great
Palace when it was rebuilt.
The nucleus expanded northward with the
palace of the Patriarchs and the Church of
the Twelve Apostles, erected in the
seventeenth century, and especially with the
Arsenal of Peter the Great which fills the
northwest angle of the boundary wall. The
triangular palace of the Senate (today the
seat of the Council of Ministers) was built by
the architect Matvey Kazakov for Empress
Catherine II in the northeast sector between
the Arsenal and the monasteries of the
Miracle and of the Ascension, two splendid
structures that were razed in 1932. In the
southeast sector Kazakov built for the
empress another smaller palace, known as
the Nicholas palace, also destroyed in 1932.
The Kremlin has been a major influence in
Russian architecture as well as a model for
the kremlins, or citadels, in the centre of
other Russian cities, such as Pskov, Tula,
Kazan and Smolensk.
Red Square, lying beneath the east wall, is
closely associated with the Kremlin. At its
south end is the famous onion-domed
Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed (see photo
on the right), one of the most beautiful
monuments of Orthodox art. It was
originally one of a pair of churches, the
other being the Cathedral of Kazan, erected
in the vast open area bordering the Goum
in 1633 by Prince Pozarsky to commemorate
the victory over the Poles. It disappeared in
the early 1930s along with several convents
in the neighbouring area (Saviour-behind-
the-Images, St Nicholas and Epiphany).
St Basils Cathedral.
The Kremlin contains
within its walls a
unique series of
architectural and
artistic masterpieces.
These include
religious monuments
of exceptional beauty
such as the Church
of the Annunciation,
Cathedral of the
Dormition, Church of
the Archangel and the
bell tower of Ivan
Veliki; and palaces
such as the Great
Palace of the Kremlin,
the yellow-and-white
palace of the tsars
which contains the
Church of the Nativity
of the Virgin, and the
Teremnoi Palace.
350 kremli n and red square
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
352 tsi ngy de bemaraha
World Heritage site since
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Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict
Nature Reserve
Madagascar
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
This reserve lies 6080 km inland from the
west coast, north of the Manambolo river.
It contains spectacular karstic landscapes
and limestone uplands cut into impressive
tsingy peaks (sharp-edged and very tall
towers of limestone) and a forest of
limestone needles. The limestone karst is
delimited to the east by abrupt cliffs which
rise some 300400 m above the
Manambolo river, creating an impressive
canyon. The western slopes rise more
gently, and the whole western region of
the reserve forms a plateau with rounded
hillocks. To the north undulating hills
alternate with limestone extrusions,
whereas in the south extensive pinnacle
formations make access extremely
restricted. Vegetation is characteristic of
the calcareous karst regions of western
Madagascar, with dense, dry, deciduous
forest, and extensive savannas and some
mangrove swamps.
The fauna of the
region has not been
studied in any detail.
The Tsingy is the only
known location for
the chameleon and
the only protected
area where the
endemic nesomyine
rodent occurs. Other
notable threatened
species include the
goshawk and various
species of lemur.
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
delos 353
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Delos
Greece
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Delos bears unique witness to the
civilizations of the Aegean world from the
third millennium BC to the early Christian
era. According to Greek mythology, Apollo
was born on this tiny island in the Cyclades
and it became the major sanctuary
dedicated to him, attracting pilgrims from
all over Greece. It was a very important
cosmopolitan Mediterranean port. Today
the islands landscape consists solely of
exceptionally extensive and rich ruins
unearthed systematically since 1872. The
principal zones are the northeast coastal
plain (Sanctuary of Apollo, Agora of the
Compitaliasts, Agora of the Delians); the
Sacred Lake region (Agora of Theophrastos,
Agora of the Italians, the renowned Terrace
of the Lions); the Mount Kynthos area
(Terrace of the Sanctuaries of the Foreign
Gods, Heraion); and the theatre quarter,
whose poignant ruins have been overrun
by vegetation.
Delos era of maritime
trade ended in 69 BC
with the sacking of
the island by
Athenodoros, and it
was then abandoned
in the sixth century.
It was turned into a
quarry site and the
columns of its
temples were
consumed in lime
kilns and the walls of
its houses left in ruins.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Terrace of the Lions.
Te Wahipounamu South
West New Zealand
New Zealand
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological and
biological processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Te Wahipounamu, situated in southwest New
Zealand, comprises the least-disturbed tenth
of New Zealands landmass, with some
20,000 km
2
of temperate rainforest, 450 km
of alpine communities, and a distinctive
fauna. The park provides a habitat for rare and
endangered species such as the kea, the
worlds only alpine parrot, and the takahe, a
large, flightless bird. It also contains the best
modern representation of the ancient flora
and fauna of the original southern
supercontinent of Gondwanaland, including
Podocarpus species and genera of beech
which cover two thirds of the park and can be
over 800 years old, flightless kiwis, bush
moas and carnivorous Powelliphanta land
snails.
The overwhelming mountainous character
of the area results from tectonic movement
between the Pacific and Indo-Australian
plates over the last five million years. High
local relief is the result of deep glacial
excavation and glaciers are an important
feature of the area, especially in the vicinity of
Westland and Aoraki/Mount Cook national
parks. There have also been substantial post-
glacial changes, especially marked in south
Westland and the Southern Alps. Erosion is
rapid, especially west of the Main Divide.
Intense gullying, serrated ridges, and major
and minor rock falls are characteristic of this
zone. However, glacial landforms are almost
entirely intact in Fiordland.
The vegetation is notable for its diversity
and essentially pristine condition. A
floristically rich alpine vegetation of shrubs,
tussocks and herbs extends around the
summits of the mountains, from about
1,000 m to the permanent snowline. At
warmer lower altitudes, the rainforest is
dominated by dense stands of tall podocarps.
The wetter, milder west is characterized by
luxuriant rainforest and wetlands; the drier,
more continental east has more open forest,
shrublands and tussock grasslands. The most
extensive and least modified natural
freshwater wetlands in New Zealand are
found in this area. Sizeable open wetlands,
including high-fertility swamps and low-
fertility peat bogs, are a particular feature
of the south Westland coastal plain.
The best-known vegetation
chronosequences are those on glacial
landforms where the ages of outwash,
terrace and higher piedmont surfaces are
known. The most impressive landform
chronosequence is found in the flights of
marine terraces in southern Fiordland.
Aoraki (Mount Cook).
As the least-modied
region on mainland
New Zealand, this is
the core habitat for
many indigenous
animals and contains
the countrys largest
population of forest
birds. A few mountain
valleys in Fiordland
harbour the total wild
population (about 170
birds) of the takahe, a
large, ightless rail
believed extinct until
rediscovered in 1948.
Most of New
Zealands fur seals are
found along the
southwest coast.
Virtually wiped out by
sealing in the early
1800s, they currently
number about 50,000.
354 te wahi pounamu
World Heritage site since
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OCEANIA
Pacic
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Kizhi Pogost
Russian Federation
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
The pogost of Kizhi (the Kizhi enclosure) is
located on one of the many islands in Lake
Onega, in Karelia. Two eighteenth-century
wooden churches, and an octagonal clock
tower, also in wood and built in 1862, can be
seen there. These unusual constructions, in
which carpenters created a bold visionary
architecture, perpetuate an ancient model of
parish space and are in harmony with the
surrounding landscape.
Kizhi Pogost
represents the
adaptation of the
Orthodox Church
parish organization to
the challenges posed
by the immense
distances and far-
ung communities of
northern Russia.
Here, all the buildings
needed in the parishs
religious life were
grouped in one place.
356 ki zhi pogost | r o abi seo nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Ro Abiseo National Park
Peru
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Natural phenomena or beauty; Significant
ecological and biological processes; Significant
natural habitat for biodiversity
Ro Abiseo National Park is an outstanding
example of ongoing geological processes,
biological evolution and mans interaction
with the natural environment. The
topography is mountainous, often with very
steep slopes. The Ro Abiseo soils are
generally acidic and have never been
disturbed by agriculture or timber
extraction. The park was created in 1983 to
protect the fauna and flora of the
rainforests, which includes many rare and
important species. Jaguar, spectacled bear,
jaguarundi and giant armadillo all thrive
here, and the yellow-tailed woolly monkey,
previously thought extinct, is found only in
this area. Research undertaken since 1985
has already uncovered at altitudes of
between 2,500 and 4,000 m, thirty-six
previously unknown archaeological sites
which give a good picture of pre-Inca
society.
Ro Abiseo is
renowned for its
pristine primary cloud
forest and highland
grasslands (paramo).
Archaeological
evidence from the
park suggests that
humans settled in the
area from as early as
6000 BC.
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Church of the
Transguration.
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
mount huangshan 357
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Mount Huangshan
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Natural
phenomena or beauty; Significant natural habitat
for biodiversity
Huangshan, known as the loveliest
mountain of China, has been acclaimed
in art and literature for much of Chinese
history. Today it holds the same fascination
for those who come on a pilgrimage to the
mountain, which is renowned for its
magnificent scenery made up of many
granite peaks and strangely shaped rocks
emerging out of a sea of clouds. It presents
a beautiful spectacle, with ridges, gorges,
forests, lakes and waterfalls. Many of the
lakes having clear blue, turquoise or green
waters, while in autumn many of the leaves
turn a range of rich colours. The site
supports a high diversity of plant and animal
species, including some that are threatened.
A number of trees are celebrated on account
of their age, grotesque shape or
precipitously perched position, including
1,000-year-old specimens of Huangshan
pine, ginkgo and alpine juniper.
Huangshan is considered to be a
prime example of classic Chinese
scenery, as typied in Chinese
landscape paintings. On 17 June 747,
during the Tang dynasty, an imperial
order was issued to name it
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain).
Poets, scholars and artists were
among the many visitors, and by the
Yuan dynasty (12711368) sixty-four
temples had been constructed there.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Historic Centre of San
Gimignano
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
San Gimignano bears exceptional testimony
to the civilization of the Italian Middle Ages
in that it groups together within a small area
all the buildings typical of urban life: squares
and streets, houses and palaces, wells and
fountains. San Gimignano was a relay point
on the Via Francigena for pilgrims
journeying to and from Rome. The town was
controlled by two major rival families and
was the scene of incessant conflicts between
the two clans. As symbols of their wealth and
power, seventy-two tower houses were built,
some as high as 50 m, of which fourteen
have survived. Its walls and fortified houses
form an unforgettable skyline, in the heart of
the Etruscan landscape. The historic centre
of San Gimignano contains a series of
masterpieces of fourteenth- and fifteenth-
century Italian art in their original
architectural settings.
The frescoes by Memmo di
Filippuccio, which the township
commissioned in 1303 to decorate
the chambers of the podest in the
Palazzo del Popolo, are among the
most frequently reproduced
documents used to illustrates daily
life, down to its most domestic
details, of the early fourteenth
century.
358 san gi mi gnano
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
One of the surviving tower houses in San Gimignano.
World Heritage site since
hi stori c ci ty of ayutthaya 359
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Historic City of Ayutthaya
Thailand
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Ayutthaya bears excellent witness to the
period of development of a true national
Thai art. Founded around 1350, it was the
second Siamese capital after Sukhothai and
became one of the largest and wealthiest
cities in the East. It was destroyed in the
eighteenth century but its remains give an
idea of its past splendour.
Initially, Ayutthayan art was characterized
by a mixture of local traditions with strong
influences from Sukhothai. It was only from
the fifteenth century that a true national art
was born, the product of diverse cultural
influences. Traces of outside culture began
to appear through its trade links with the
West and once these new influences were
assimilated, Siamese art entered a period
of rich mannerism.
In 1765 the city fell into Burmese hands
and was destroyed.
The citys
characteristic
architectural feature
was the prang, a
reliquary tower.
The kings of Ayutthaya
richly endowed the
city with monasteries,
such as Wat Mahathat
in the fourteenth to
seventeenth centuries,
as well as the Royal
Palace, Wang Luang,
and gigantic Buddha
statues.
One of the few
undamaged buddhas
remaining at
Ayutthaya.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Paris, Banks of the Seine
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
The banks of the Seine are studded with
a succession of masterpieces. From the
Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, from the Place de
la Concorde to the Grand and Petit Palais,
the evolution of Paris and its history can be
seen from the river Seine. The Cathedral of
Notre Dame and the Sainte Chapelle are
architectural masterpieces while Baron
Haussmanns wide squares and boulevards
influenced late-nineteenth- and twentieth-
century town planning the world over.
Paris is a river town. Ever since the first
human settlements from prehistoric days
and the village of the Parisii tribes, the Seine
has played both a defensive and an
economic role. The present historic city,
which developed between the sixteenth,
and particularly, the seventeenth centuries
and the twentieth century, shows the
evolution of the relationship between the
river and the people: for defence, for
trading, for promenades, and so on.
The site and the river were gradually
brought under control in a series of
measures: the articulation of the two islets,
le de la Cit and le Saint-Louis, with the
bank; the creation of northsouth
thoroughfares; installations along the river
course; construction of quays; and the
channelling of the river. Similarly, although
the citys defensive walls have disappeared,
traces of their existence can be seen in the
difference in size and spacing of the
buildings: these are closer together in the
Marais and the le Saint-Louis, and more
open after the Louvre.
Beyond the Louvre are a number of major
classic constructions laid along three
perpendicular cross-river axes: Palais
Bourbon, Concorde and Madeleine; Les
Invalides and the Grand and Petit Palais;
and the Champ de Mars, cole Militaire
and Palais de Chaillot. The ensemble must
be regarded as a geographical and historic
entity. It constitutes a remarkable example
of urban riverside architecture, where the
strata of history are harmoniously
superimposed.
Haussmanns urban plan, which marks
the western part of the city, inspired the
construction of the great cities of the
New World, particularly in Latin America.
The Eiffel Tower and the Palais de Chaillot
are living testimony of the great universal
exhibitions which were of such great
importance in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries.
Masterpieces along
the Seine include
Notre Dame (pictured
right) and Sainte
Chapelle, Louvre,
Palais de llnstitut, Les
Invalides, Place de la
Concorde, cole
Militaire,
La Monnaie, Eiffel
Tower (pictured below)
and Palais
de Chaillot.
Some, such as Notre
Dame were denitive
references in the
spread of Gothic
construction, while
the Place de la
Concorde or the vista
at the Invalides
inuenced the
development of
European capitals.
The Marais and le
Saint-Louis have
coherent architectural
ensembles, with
signicant examples
of seventeenth and
eighteenth century
Parisian construction:
Htel Lauzun and
Htel Lambert,
Quai Malaquais and
Quai Voltaire.
360 pari s, banks of the sei ne
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
362 danube delta
World Heritage site since
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Danube Delta
Romania
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The waters of the Danube, which flow into
the Black Sea, form the second-largest of
Europes deltas. The reserve is vast in
European terms with numerous freshwater
lakes interconnected by narrow channels
featuring huge expanses of aquatic
vegetation. Although the Volga has a bigger
delta area, with the greatest stretch of
reedbeds in the world, the Danube Delta is
the largest continuous marshland in
Europe. The delta has been classified into
twelve habitat types: aquatic, lakes covered
with flooded reedbeds; plaur, flooded islets;
flooded reeds and willows; riverine forest of
willows and poplars; cane fields; sandy and
muddy beaches; wet meadows; dry meadows;
human settlements; sandy and rocky areas;
steep banks; and forests on high ground.
Over 300 bird species have been recorded,
of which over 176 breed, the most important
being cormorant, pygmy cormorant, white
pelican and Dalmatian pelican.
The Danube delta is
a remarkable alluvial
feature constituting
critical habitat for
migratory birds and
other animals. It is
the major remaining
wetland on the yway
between central and
Eastern Europe and
the Mediterranean,
Middle East
and Africa.
EUROPE
Black Sea
World Heritage site since
golden temple of dambulla 363
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Golden Temple of
Dambulla
Sri Lanka
Criteria Human creative genius; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
A sacred pilgrimage site for twenty-two
centuries, this cave monastery, with its five
sanctuaries, is the largest and best-preserved
cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The site
was originally occupied by a Buddhist
monastic establishment; remains of eighty
rock-shelter residences established at that
time have been identified. Most probably
in the first century BC, the uppermost
group of shelters on Dambullas south
face was transformed into shrines.
These transformations continued between
the fifth and thirteenth centuries: cave-
temples were extended into the sheltering
rock, and brick walls constructed to screen
the caves. By the end of the twelfth century,
with the introduction of sculpture on the
upper terrace, the caves assumed their
present general form and layout. The
Buddhist mural paintings covering an area
of 2,100 m
2
are of particular importance,
as are the 157 statues.
One of the sites
distinguishing
characteristics is the
regular renewal of
decorated surfaces
over time. Conservation
measures devoted to
stripping back layers
of later painting on
wall surfaces or
sculpture to reveal
earlier images would
be ignoring the worth
of the ongoing
tradition which has
regularly ensured
complete repainting
of surfaces.
ASIA
Indian Ocean
Arabian
Sea
The site comprises two contiguous wildlife
sanctuaries: Thung Yai and Huai Kha
Khaeng, which cover more than 6,000 km
2
along Thailands western international
border with Myanmar (Burma). The
sanctuaries contain examples of almost all
the forest types of continental southeast
Asia and are among the few areas in Asia
large enough to support viable populations
of large herbivores (300 elephants) and
predators (e.g. tigers). They are home to a
very diverse array of animals, including
77 per cent of the large mammals, 50 per
cent of the large birds and 33 per cent of the
land vertebrates to be found in this region.
The reason for such exceptional diversity is
partly due to its status as one of only two
evergreen forest refuges during the driest
periods of the Pleistocene glaciations.
364 thungyai-huai kha khaeng
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Thailand
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
At least thirty-four
internationally
threatened species
are found within the
confines of the two
sanctuaries. It is
also home to
twenty-two species
of woodpecker,
more than any
other park in the
world.
World Heritage site since
i sland of mozambi que 365
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Island of Mozambique
Mozambique
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The island of Mozambique bears important
witness to the establishment and
development of the Portuguese maritime
routes between western Europe and the
Indian subcontinent and thence all of Asia.
The towns and the fortifications on the
island, and on the smaller island of
St Laurent, are an outstanding example of
an architecture in which local traditions,
Portuguese influences, and to a somewhat
lesser extent Indian and Arab influences, are
all interwoven, producing a unified whole.
The incredible architectural unity of the
island derives from the uninterrupted use of
the same building techniques with the same
materials and the same decorative principles.
The islands patrimony also includes its
oldest extant fortress St Sebastian, built
between 1558 and 1620 other defensive
buildings and numerous religious buildings,
including many from the sixteenth century.
Portuguese
connections with
Mozambique began
in 1497 when Manuel I
of Portugal asked
Vasco da Gama to
establish a trade route
to India. The explorer
left in July 1497 and in
March 1498 reached
Mozambique where
he was welcomed by
the sultan who thought
the Portuguese were
Muslims. During his
second voyage he
occupied the territories
of Mozambique and
returned to Lisbon in
1503 laden with gold.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
Main square of the town of Mozambique.
366 poblet monastery
World Heritage site since
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Poblet Monastery
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Santa Mara of Poblet has served as one of
the most majestic and austere Cistercian
abbeys, as a massive military complex and
as a royal residence and pantheon. North
of the church is the great cloister with its
fountain, chapter room, monks dormitory,
closed cloister, calefactory, refectory and
kitchens. The former lay brothers buildings
are on the west and the infirmary to the
north. The monastery also has a gatehouse,
guest house, abbots and priors lodgings
and work buildings. As a fortress, its walls
are an excellent example of fourteenth-
century military architecture. Poblet is
directly associated with the history of the
royal houses of Barcelona, Aragon and
Castile. Shortly after 1349 Peter IV had
a sumptuous dynastic burial place built in
the abbey church and part of the monastery
was used as a royal residence.
Lying midway between
Tarragona and Lrida,
at the foot of the
Sierra de Montsant,
the Cistercian
monastery founded in
1150 by the monks of
Fontfroide was
transformed into a
stronghold in the
fourteenth century
by Peter IV the
Ceremonious, King
of Aragon, during the
War of Castile.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Historic City of Sucre
Bolivia
Criteria Significance in human history
Founded in the early sixteenth century,
Sucre is an exceptional example of the
blending of local architectural traditions
with styles imported from Europe. There
are many well-preserved sixteenth-century
religious buildings, such as San Lzaro,
San Francisco and Santo Domingo. The
impressive Metropolitan Cathedral was
begun in 1559 but not completely finished
until 250 years later. In August 1825, the
republic of Bolivia declared its
independence and the citys name was
changed in honour of Mariscal Antnio Jos
de Sucre, who fought against Spanish rule.
The House of Freedom is one of Bolivias
most important historical monuments, and
many key events that led to independence
took place here. It was originally built in 1621
as part of the Convent of the Jesuits.
Sucre was founded as
the city of La Plata in
1538. The rst capital
of Bolivia, its early
wealth came from
mining activities, but
it soon also became a
major cultural centre,
being home to the
Universidad de San
Francisco, the Royal
Academia Carolina
and the seat of the
Characas Audiencia,
a forerunner of the
present Supreme
Court.
Ar and Tnr Natural
Reserves
Niger
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
This is the second-largest protected area in
Africa, covering some 77,000 km
2
, though
the area considered a protected sanctuary
constitutes only one-sixth of the total area.
It includes the volcanic rock mass of the Ar,
a small Sahelian pocket, isolated as regards
its climate and flora and fauna, and situated
in the Saharan desert of Tnr. The reserves
boast an outstanding variety of landscapes,
plant species and wild animals.
The reserves harbour
signicant
populations of the
wild relatives of
several important
crop species: olive,
millet and sorghum.
Both Sudanese and
Mediterranean ora
are found above
1,000 m in the
sheltered wetter
localities in the
massifs.
hi stori c ci ty of sucre | a r and tnr 367
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Red
Sea
SOUTH
AMERICA
Shark Bay, Western Australia
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
At the most westerly point of the Australian
continent, Shark Bay, with its islands and
remarkable coastal scenery, is an area of
major zoological importance, primarily due
to its island habitats being isolated from the
disturbances that have occurred elsewhere.
The region has three exceptional natural
features: its vast seagrass beds, which are
the largest and richest in the world; its
population of around 10,000 dugongs or
'sea cows'; and its stromatolites, colonies of
algae which form hard, dome-shaped
deposits and are among the oldest forms of
life on Earth. The stromatolites and
microbial mats of Hamelin Pool in Shark
Bay assist greatly in the understanding of
the evolution of the Earth's biosphere. Shark
Bay is also home to five species of
endangered mammals and has a rich
birdlife, with over 230 species, or 35 per cent
of Australia's bird species, having been
recorded.
The site is renowned
for its marine fauna.
In addition to its
dugong population,
humpback whales use
the bay as a migratory
staging post.
Bottlenose dolphin
and green turtle also
occur in the bay, and
endangered
loggerhead turtle nest
on the beaches. Large
numbers of sharks
and rays can also be
observed.
368 shark bay, western australi a | old rauma
World Heritage site since
Old Rauma
Finland
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Situated on the Gulf of Bothnia, Rauma is
one of the oldest harbours in Finland. Built
around a Franciscan monastery, where the
mid-fifteenth-century Holy Cross Church
still stands, it is an outstanding example of
an old Nordic city constructed in wood.
Although ravaged by fire in the late
seventeenth century, it has preserved its
ancient vernacular architectural heritage.
Old Rauma is the
largest and one of the
most beautiful
historical wooden
towns in the Nordic
countries. The
majority of the
buildings in the old
city have been
sensitively restored
as part of a
comprehensive
development plan.
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OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
Norwegian
Sea
Scandinavia
Barents
Sea
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of moreli a 369
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Historic Centre of Morelia
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Built in the sixteenth century, Morelia is an
outstanding example of urban planning,
combining the ideas of the Spanish
Renaissance with the Mesoamerican
experience. In 1537 a Franciscan monastery
was established near the Indian village of
Guayangareo. In 1541, it became the new
provincial capital, renamed Valladolid.
Although fifty noble families settled here,
as did many Europeans over the next few
centuries, the population remained
predominantly of Indian origin. Valladolid
became a bishops see in 1580. At the same
time the College of St Nicholas Obispo
(founded in 1540 at Patzcuaro), the oldest
institution of higher learning in Mexico,
transferred here. Well-adapted to its hilly site,
streets still follow the original grid layout.
More than 200 historic buildings, including
twenty public buildings and twenty-one
churches, all in the regions characteristic
pink stone, reflect the towns architectural
history.
As an intellectual
centre Valladolid was
among the principal
towns in Mexicos ght
for independence in
the early nineteenth
century. Two of the
leading gures in the
struggle were both
priests: Miguel Hidalgo
and Jos Maria
Morelos. In honour of
the latter, a native of
Valladolid, the towns
name was changed to
Morelia in 1828.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Small courtyard plaza with fountain in the historic centre of Morelia.
Gulf of
Mexico
370 komodo nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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Komodo National Park
Indonesia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
These volcanic islands in southern
Indonesia, of which Komodo is the largest,
are best known for the Komodo monitor,
the worlds largest living lizard, whose
appearance and aggressive behaviour have
led to them being called Komodo dragons
(see photo below). They exist nowhere else
in the world and are of great interest to
scientists studying the theory of evolution.
Mammals include primates such as crab-
eating macaque. Introduced species, such as
wild boar, as well as feral domestic animals,
form important prey species for the
Komodo monitor. The seas around the
islands are reported to be among the most
productive in the world due to upwelling
and a high degree of oxygenation resulting
from strong tidal currents. The rugged
hillsides of dry savanna and pockets of
thorny green vegetation contrast starkly
with the brilliant white sandy beaches and
the blue waters surging over coral.
It is thought that the
islands have long
been settled due to
their strategic
importance and the
existence of sheltered
anchorages and
supplies of fresh water
on Komodo and
Rinca. The evidence
of early settlement is
further supported by
the recent discovery
of Neolithic graves,
artefacts and megaliths
on Komodo Island.
Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
World Heritage site since
royal domai n of drottni ngholm 371
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Royal Domain of
Drottningholm
Sweden
Criteria Significance in human history
With its castle, its perfectly preserved
theatre, its Chinese pavilion and gardens,
the ensemble at Drottningholm is the finest
example of an eighteenth-century north
European royal residence inspired by the
Palace of Versailles. The royal domain of
Drottningholm (meaning Queens Island)
is located on Lake Mlaren, outside
Stockholm, and the islands name
acknowledges the closely interwoven
history of the castle with the different
queens of Sweden. The castle was begun in
the seventeenth century but work on it
continued throughout the eighteenth
century. In 1922, when it once again became
a royal residence, it was restored and a large
part of the furnishings and decorations of
the eighteenth century were returned.
The Chinese pavilion, built in 1769 to replace
a wooden pavilion from 1753, is considered
one of the most important examples of this
type of structure conserved in Europe.
In the early twentieth
century the theatre,
built in 1766, was
restored to its original
appearance and
refurbished with the
original ttings, even
the stage sets. It is
a unique example of
a European theatre of
the eighteenth century
that has conserved its
original state. The
sophisticated theatrical
machinery is still fully
intact, permitting
quick changes of
scene with the
curtain up.
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Drottningholm Castle.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame,
Former Abbey of Saint-Rmi
and Palace of Tau, Reims
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The outstanding handling of new
architectural techniques in the thirteenth
century and the harmonious marriage of
sculptural decoration with architecture,
made Notre-Dame in Reims a masterpiece
of Gothic art. The perfection of the
architecture and the sculptural ensemble
of the cathedral were such that numerous
edifices were influenced by it, particularly in
regions of Germany. The former abbey still
has its beautiful ninth century nave in which
lie the remains of Archbishop Saint Rmi
(440533) who baptized Clovis, the unifier
and first King of the Franks. The former
archepiscopal palace known as the Tau
Palace, which played an important role in
religious ceremonies, was almost entirely
rebuilt in the seventeenth century.
The cathedral, the archepiscopal palace
and the old Abbey of Saint-Rmi are directly
linked to the history of the French
monarchy, as the place of coronation of the
kings of France.
The thirteenth century
builders of Reims,
perhaps conscious of
erecting the cathedral
for the coronation of
the kings of France,
enhanced its structural
elements with greater
lightness and made
more openings in the
walls to allow a
maximum of light to
lter through the
stained glass and
illuminate the sacred
space within.
372 rei ms
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
prambanan temple compounds 373
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Prambanan Temple
Compounds
Indonesia
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Prambanan is a magnificent Hindu temple
complex in Java, built in the ninth century
and designed as three concentric squares.
In all there are 224 temples in the entire
complex. The inner square contains sixteen
temples, the most significant being the
imposing 47-m-high Siva temple flanked to
the north by the Brahma temple and to the
south by the Vishnu temple. Each temple is
decorated with reliefs illustrating the
Ramayana. There are also three smaller
temples for the animals who serve them
(Bull for Siva, Eagle for Brahma and Swan
for Vishnu). The compound was deserted
soon after it was completed, possibly owing
to the eruption of nearby volcano, Mount
Merapi. The neighbouring Buddhist
complex at Sewu comprises a central temple
surrounded by a multitude of minor
temples and, surprisingly, shares many
design attributes with Prambanan.
Dedicated to the three
great Hindu divinities,
Siva, Brahma and
Vishnu, Prambanan
Temple or
Lorojonggrang
(Slender Maiden)
Temple, as it is known
locally, is an
outstanding example
of Siva art in Indonesia.
Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
Prambanan Temple.
Serra da Capivara National
Park
Brazil
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Many of the numerous rock shelters in the
Serra da Capivara National Park are
decorated with cave paintings, some more
than 25,000 years old. They are an
outstanding testimony to one of the oldest
human communities of South America. The
paintings iconography reveals major
aspects of the religious beliefs and practices
of the areas ancient inhabitants. In total,
over 300 archaeological sites have been
found within the park. Certain geological
formations and palaeofauna that included
giant sloths, horses, camelids and early
llamas indicate that the Ice Age
environment was quite different from the
existing semi-arid conditions. Fragments of
broken wall found in the Pedra Furada
shelter appear to be the oldest traces of rock
art in South America; they have been dated
to 26,00022,000 BC.
The park area has rich
archaeological
elements but is
especially remarkable
because of the rock
art paintings that
decorate its caves and
shelters.
374 serra da capi vara | uj ung kulon
World Heritage site since
Ujung Kulon National Park
Indonesia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
This national park, located in the extreme
southwest tip of Java on the Sunda shelf,
includes the Ujung Kulon peninsula and
several offshore islands and encompasses
the nature reserve of Krakatoa. In addition to
its natural beauty and geological interest
particularly for the study of inland volcanoes
it contains the largest remaining area of
lowland rainforests in the Java plain. Several
species of endangered plants and animals
can be found there, the Javan rhinoceros
being the most under threat.
As a result of human
and natural impact,
the primary lowland
rainforest (pictured
below) that is the
areas natural
vegetation now covers
only 50 per cent of the
park. The single most
notable event in this
regard was the
Krakatoa volcanic
eruption of 1883.
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
AFRICA
sukhothai and associ ated hi stori c towns 375
World Heritage site since
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Historic Town of Sukhothai
and Associated Historic
Towns
Thailand
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony
to cultural tradition
Sukhothai was the capital of the first
Kingdom of Siam in the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries. The great civilization
of Sukhothai absorbed numerous influences
and ancient local traditions to create what is
known as the Sukhothai style. The historic
town of Sukhothai has a number of fine
monuments illustrating the beginnings of
Thai architecture, including the monastery
(wat) Mahathat, with its royal temple and its
cemetery; Sra Si Wat, with its two stupas,
their graceful lines reflected in the water of
the towns biggest reservoir; and an
impressive prang (reliquary tower) from
a somewhat later period. In addition it still
has a large part of its fortifications. The
associated towns of Si Satchanm, famous
for its ceramics, and Kamohena Pet (wall of
diamonds), significant for its strategic
importance, are also included in the
designation of the site.
Ramkhamhaeng
(c. 12801318) was one
of the most important
Thai sovereigns, as he
brought Sukhothai
extensive territory
through his military
victories. He invented
the Siamese alphabet
(Khmer script), imposed
strict observance of the
Buddhist religion and
instituted a military
and social organization
copied from his
vanquished neighbours,
the Khmers.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Sukhothai Buddha
statue in Sukhothai.
Borobudur Temple
Compounds
Indonesia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
Borobudur is one of the greatest Buddhist
monuments in the world. Founded by a king
of the Saliendra dynasty, it was built to
honour the glory of both the Buddha and
its founder.
This harmonious temple complex was built
on several levels around a hill which forms
a natural centre. The first level above the
base comprises five square terraces,
graduated in size and forming the base
of a pyramid. Above this level are three
concentric circular platforms crowned by
the main stupa (relic mound) to which
stairways provide access. The base and
balustrades enclosing the square terraces
are decorated in reliefs sculpted in the
stone. They illustrate the different phases of
the souls progression towards redemption
and episodes from the life of Buddha.
The circular terraces are decorated with
seventy-two openwork stupas, each
containing a statue of Buddha.
Stylistically the art of Borobudur is a
tributary of Indian influences (Gupta and
post-Gupta styles). The walls of Borobudur
are sculptured in bas-reliefs, extending over
a total length of 6 km. It has been hailed as
the largest and most complete ensemble of
Buddhist reliefs in the world, unsurpassed
in artistic merit, each scene an individual
masterpiece.
This colossal temple was built between
AD 750 and 842, more than 300 years before
Cambodias Angkor Wat and 400 years
before work had begun on the great
European cathedrals. Little is known about
its early history except that a huge army of
workers toiled in the tropical heat to shift
and carve the 60,000 m
3
of stone. At the
beginning of the eleventh century AD,
because of the political situation in Central
Java, divine monuments in that area,
including the Borobudur Temple, became
completely neglected and given over to
decay. The sanctuary was exposed to
volcanic eruption and other ravages of
nature. The temple was not rediscovered
until the nineteenth century. A first
restoration campaign, supervised by
Theodor van Erp, was undertaken shortly
after the turn of the century. A second,
more recent one (197382) was funded
by UNESCO.
One of the statues of
Buddha and openwork
stupas on the circular
terraces.
The name Borobudur
is believed to have
been derived from the
Sanskrit words vihara
Buddha uhr, meaning
the Buddhist
monastery on the hill.
Borobudur temple is
located in Muntilan,
Magelang, about
42 km from
Yogyakarta city.
It lay forgotten for
centuries under a
blanket of volcanic
ash and vegetation.
Its rediscovery in 1814
was due in large part
to Thomas Stamford
Rafes, the British
Lieutenant-Governor
of Java. The temple
was fully unearthed
in 1835.
376 borobudur temple compounds
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
378 fortress of suomenli nna
World Heritage site since
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Fortress of Suomenlinna
Finland
Criteria Significance in human history
Located on islands off Helsinki, Suomenlinna
is one of the largest maritime fortresses in
the world. Built in the second half of the
eighteenth century by Sweden, when
Finland was part of the Swedish realm, the
purpose was to link and fortify several
islands so that entry into the citys harbour
could be controlled. The work began in 1748
under the supervision of the Swedish
Admiral Augustin Ehrensvrd, who adapted
Vaubans theories to the very special
geographical features of Helsinki. By the
time of his death in 1772, Ehrensvrd had
produced the chain of forts, collectively
called Sveaborg (Swedish Fortress), that
were to protect the approaches to Helsinki.
Following Finlands independence (1918),
the name was changed to Suomenlinna
(Fortress of Finland), and 6 km of walls and
190 buildings have been preserved.
Sveaborg was built to
help Sweden counter
the ambitions of
Russia, whose principal
military and naval
base in the Gulf of
Finland was Kronstadt,
commissioned by
Peter the Great to
protect the city of
St Petersburg.
However, the fortress
was occupied by the
Russians after the war
of 18089 (despite its
reputation as being
invulnerable).
EUROPE
Norwegian
Sea
Scandinavia
Barents
Sea
Abbey and Altenmnster of
Lorsch
Germany
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The religious complex of the ruined Lorsch
Abbey with its 1,200-year-old Torhalle
(gatehouse) and associated artworks
comprises a rare architectural document of
the Carolingian era with impressively
preserved sculptures and paintings of that
period. It gives architectural evidence of the
awakening of the West to the spirit of the
early and high Middle Ages under the first
king and emperor, Charlemagne, and is a
reminder of the past grandeur of an abbey
founded around 7604. The monasterys
zenith was probably in 876 when, on the
death of Louis II the German, it became the
burial place for the Carolingian kings of
Germany. The monastery flourished
throughout the tenth century, but in 1090
was ravaged by fire.
During the Thirty
Years War, in 16201
the Spanish armies
pillaged the monastic
buildings, which had
been in a state of
abandon since the
Reformation. Only the
Torhalle, part of the
Romanesque church,
insignicant vestiges
of the medieval
monastery, and
classical buildings
dating from the
period when the
Electors of Mainz
administered Lorsch,
still survive today.
Kasbah of Algiers
Algeria
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
The Kasbah of Algiers is a unique kind of
medina, or Islamic city. It preserves very
interesting traditional houses in which the
ancestral Arab lifestyle and Muslim customs
have blended with other architectural
traditions. The Kasbah also contains the
remains of the citadel, old mosques and
Ottoman-style palaces. This tightly
integrated urban structure is associated
with a deep-rooted sense of community.
It stands in one of the finest coastal sites on
the Mediterranean, overlooking the islands
where a Phoenician trading-post was
established in the fourth century BC. This
unique natural site has helped define the
citys characteristic winding streets and
ancient alleys, while the wealth that its
position helped create is reflected in the
extreme richness of the interior decoration
of the houses.
The rst schemes for
safeguarding the
Algiers Kasbah were
approved in the early
1970s. A sensitive
redevelopment plan is
currently under way,
introducing modern
comfort without
upsetting the
traditional urbanism
and architecture and
restoring the Kasbahs
original functions:
residential,
commercial and
cultural quarters.
lorsch | kasbah of algi ers 379
World Heritage site since
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World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Taos Pueblo
USA
Criteria Signicance in human history
Taos is a remarkable example of a
traditional, pre-Hispanic architectural
ensemble that is unique to this region and
shows the traditional method of adobe
construction. The pueblo consists of two
clusters of houses built from sun-dried mud
brick. Rooms are stepped back so the roofs
of lower units form terraces for those above.
Access to upper units is by ladders through
holes in the roof. The living quarters are
on the top and outside, while the rooms
deep within were used for grain storage.
The roofs are made from cedar logs, their
ends protruding through the walls; on the
logs are mats of branches on which are laid
grasses covered with a thick layer of mud
and a nishing coat of adobe plaster. It is
a massive system of construction and well
suited to the rigours of the climate.
Situated in the valley
of a tributary of the
Rio Grande, this adobe
pueblo represents the
culture of the Pueblo
Indians of Arizona and
New Mexico.
Taos comprises a
group of dwellings and
ceremonial centres: six
kivas, rooms used for
religious ceremonies,
have been conserved.
The pueblo has largely
become a seasonal
habitat reserved for
ceremonial functions
and tourist attractions.
380 taos pueblo | j i uzhai gou valley
World Heritage site since
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic
and Historic Interest Area
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
Stretching over 720 km
2
in the northern
part of Sichuan Province, the jagged
Jiuzhaigou valley reaches a height of more
than 4,800 m, and comprises a series
of diverse forest ecosystems. Its superb
landscapes are particularly interesting for
their series of narrow conic karst landforms
and spectacular waterfalls. Some 140 bird
species also inhabit the valley, as well as a
number of endangered plant and animal
species, including the giant panda and the
Sichuan takin.
The best-known
features in the area
are its lakes. Many of
these, lying at the base
of glacially formed
valleys, are classic
ribbon lakes which
have been dammed
naturally, for example
behind rock falls from
avalanches.
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ASIA
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Bourges Cathedral
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Cathedral of St Etienne of Bourges,
built between the late twelfth and late
thirteenth centuries, is one of the great
masterpieces of Gothic art and attests to the
power of Christianity in medieval France.
The tympanum, sculptures and stained-glass
windows are particularly striking. The
cathedral was built to a simple but
harmonious plan: it is basilical in form, with
chapels surrounding the nave. The
perspective of the side walls and the unity of
the interior space are outstanding features
of the building. The cathedral is still
surrounded by the half-timbered houses of
the medieval town and is essentially as it was
when it was completed, both in form and
materials, although many elements have
been replaced over the centuries, as is the
case with all Gothic cathedrals.
The tympanum of the
central portal of the
west faade bears a
grandiose sculptural
representation of the
Last Judgement, in
which Hell swarms
with demons and
creatures in the
torments of despair.
The sculptures on the
north and south
doors and the Last
Judgement are
notable examples of
the art of the period.
World Heritage site since
bourges cathedral 381
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Atlantic
Ocean
Mediterranean
Sea
EUROPE
Stained glass window in the choir of the cathedral.
Wulingyuan Scenic and
Historic Interest Area
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
A spectacular area stretching over more
than 260 km
2
in Chinas Hunan Province,
the site is dominated by more than 3,000
narrow sandstone pillars and peaks, many
over 200 m high. Between the peaks lie
ravines and gorges with streams, pools and
waterfalls. The site also contains a number
of karst features, notably some forty caves,
many of them with spectacular calcite
deposits. There are two spectacular natural
bridges: Xianrenqiao (Bridge of the
Immortals) and Tianqiashengkong (Bridge
Across the Sky), which at 357 m above the
valley floor may be the highest natural
bridge in the world. In addition to the
striking beauty of the landscape, the region
is also notable for being home to a number
of endangered plant and animal species.
This beautiful area is
a vital refuge for a
number of animal
species that are
globally threatened
with extinction. These
include the Chinese
giant salamander,
Asiatic wild dog,
Asiatic black bear,
clouded leopard,
leopard and Chinese
water deer.
382 wuli ngyuan | zamo s c
World Heritage site since
Old City of Zamo s c
Poland
Criteria Significance in human history
Zamo s c was the personal creation of the
Hetman (head of the army) Jan Zamysky, on
his own lands. Located on the trade route
linking western and northern Europe with
the Black Sea, the town was conceived from
the beginning as an economic centre based
on trade. Modelled on Italian theories of the
ideal city and built by the Paduan architect
Bernando Morando, Zamo s c is a perfect
example of a late-sixteenth-century
Renaissance town. To populate the city,
Zamysky brought in merchants of various
nationalities and displayed great religious
tolerance to encourage people to settle
there: they included Ruthenes (Slavs of the
Orthodox Church), Turks, Armenians and
Jews, among others. Moreover, he endowed
the town with its own academy (1595),
modelled on Italian cities.
Zamo s c escaped the
destruction suffered
by many other Polish
towns during the
Second World War,
and retains its original
layout and
fortications. It has
a large number of
buildings that blend
Italian and central
European
architectural
traditions, and is an
outstanding example
of Polish architecture
and urbanism of the
sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries.
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Sandstone pillars
and peaks in
Wulingyuan Scenic
and Historic Interest
Area.
World Heritage site since
novgorod 383
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Historic Monuments of
Novgorod and
Surroundings
Russian Federation
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Situated on the ancient trade route between
Central Asia and northern Europe,
Novgorod was Russias first capital in the
ninth century. As an outstanding cultural
and spiritual centre, birthplace of the
national style of stone architecture and one
of the oldest national schools of painting,
the town of Novgorod influenced the
development of Russian art as a whole
throughout the Middle Ages. The broad
range of monuments conserved in
Novgorod makes it a veritable conservatory
of Russian architecture of the Middle Ages
and later periods. Foremost amongst these
are the Kremlin with its fifteenth-century
fortifications, the church of St Sophia from
the mid-eleventh century, the Church of the
Transfiguration, decorated with frescoes at
the end of the fourteenth century by
Theophanes the Greek, and other
monuments from the twelfth to nineteenth
centuries.
The most ancient Russian Old
Church Slavonic manuscripts
(eleventh century) were written
at Novgorod, including an
autonomous historiography (as
early as the twelfth century) and,
in particular, the rst complete
translation into Slavonic of the
Old and New Testaments
(late fteenth century).
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The church of St John the Baptist, Novgorod.
EUROPE
Historic Centre of Prague
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Prague is an urban architectural ensemble
of outstanding quality, in terms of both its
individual monuments and its townscape,
and one that is deservedly world famous.
The historic centre admirably illustrates the
process of continuous urban growth from
the Middle Ages to the present day. Its
important role in the political, economic,
social and cultural evolution of central
Europe from the fourteenth century
onwards and the richness of its architectural
and artistic traditions made it a major model
for urban development for much of central
and eastern Europe.
The historic city of Prague comprises three
separate cities: the Old Town (Stare Mesto),
the Lesser Town (Mal Strana) and the New
Town (Nove Mesto). Prague quickly became
the capital of the Bohemian state after its
founding on the banks of the Vltava in the
ninth century. The twelfth century brought
considerable expansion with the building
of a monastery at Strahov and a new stone
bridge across the river, which led to the
growth of the Stare Mesto.
Growth continued in the mid-fourteenth
century when the Nove Mesto was founded.
Under Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor
(131678), the city enjoyed a golden age as
the imperial capital and became a major
centre of culture, attracting artists and
architects from across Europe and notably
Italy.
A disastrous fire in 1541 destroyed much of
the settlement on the left bank of the Vltava,
and in the rebuilding Renaissance styles
predominated. Decline came at the end of
the Thirty Years War in 1648 and it was not
until the end of the century that the city
recovered, a period that saw the vigorous
development of High Baroque. Urban
development from 1880 onwards resulted
in the demolition of many old buildings,
notably in the Jewish Quarter on the right
bank. However, the city benefited from the
construction of a large number of
outstanding buildings in contemporary
style.
Prague is rich in monuments from all
periods. Of particular importance are
Prague Castle, the Cathedral of St Vitus,
Hradcany Square, the Gothic Charles
Bridge (pictured on the right), the
Romanesque Rotunda of the Holy Rood, the
Gothic arcaded houses round the Old Town
Square, the High Gothic Minorite Church of
St James in the Stare Mesto, and the late-
nineteenth-century buildings and town plan
of the Nove Mesto.
The Charles Bridge
and bridge tower on
the Stare Msto side
of the river.
Construction started
in 1357 and nished in
the early fteenth
century. Until 1841 it
was the only bridge
over the river Vltava.
There are thirty
seventeenth-century
baroque-style statues
lining the parapets of
the bridge.
The role of Prague in
the medieval
development of
Christianity in central
Europe was
outstanding, as was its
formative inuence in
the evolution of
towns. The citys
political status
attracted from all over
Europe architects and
artists who
contributed to its
wealth of treasures.
Since the reign of
Charles IV, Prague
has also been the
intellectual and
cultural centre of the
region, a status
enhanced by the
founding of Charles
University in the
fteenth century, and
the city is closely
associated with such
names as Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart and
Franz Kafka.
384 prague
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Baltic
Sea
Black Sea
386 esk krumlov
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of esk
Krumlov
Czech Republic
Criteria Significance in human history
Situated on the banks of the Vltava River,
the town of esk Krumlov was built
around a thirteenth-century castle with
Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements.
It is an outstanding example of a small
central European medieval town whose
architectural heritage has remained intact
thanks to its peaceful evolution over more
than five centuries. The wealth and
importance of the town is reflected in the
high quality of many of the burgher houses,
as the presence of the seat of government
led to esk Krumlov becoming an
important craft and trade centre. There was
also considerable ecclesiastical
development, illustrated by the major
fifteenth-century church of St Vitus and
monasteries of various preaching and
itinerant orders. There are two main historic
areas: the Latrn area below the castle and
the town proper on the opposite bank of the
Vltava.
Other important
historic buildings in
the town are the
Renaissance Jesuit
College and Baroque
seminary, the Town
Hall (created by
combining several
burgher houses and
embellishing them
with a Renaissance
faade), the remains of
the fortications, and
the Renaissance
armoury in Latrn.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Black Sea
World Heritage site since
rammelsberg and goslar 387
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Mines of Rammelsberg and
Historic Town of Goslar and
Upper Harz Water
Management System
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Situated near the Rammelsberg mines,
Goslar held an important place in the
Hanseatic League because of the rich
Rammelsberg metallic ore deposits. It was
the site of mining and metal production
(silver, copper, lead, zinc and gold) from as
early as the third century BC. From the tenth
to the twelfth century it was one of the seats
of the Holy Roman Empire of the German
Nation. The town of Goslar grew up around
the imperial residence. The revenues from
mining, metal production, and trade
financed the creation of the late medieval
townscape of fortifications, churches, public
buildings, and richly decorated mine-
owners residences which distinguish the
present-day town. Mining and metallurgical
operations continued at Rammelsberg until
the last mine closed in 1988.
The Upper Harz
mining water
management system,
which lies south of the
mines, has been
developed over a
period of some 800
years to assist in the
process of extracting
ore for the production
of non-ferrous metals.
Constructed in the
Middle Ages by
Cistercian monks, and
then developed on a
vast scale from the end
of the sixteenth
century until the
nineteenth century, it
is made up of an
extremely complex but
perfectly coherent
system of articial
ponds, small channels,
tunnels and
underground drains.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Goslar Market Square and Town Hall.
Ban Chiang Archaeological
Site
Thailand
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Ban Chiang was the centre of a remarkable
phenomenon of human cultural, social, and
technological evolution in the fifth
millennium BC, which occurred
independently in this area of southeast Asia
and spread widely over the whole region. It
is without question the most important
prehistoric settlement so far discovered in
southeast Asia. It presents the earliest
evidence for true farming in the region and
for the manufacture and use of metals: its
long cultural sequence, size and economic
status has no parallel in any other
contemporary site in the region. Although
occupation ended at Ban Chiang in the
third century AD, it was the principal
settlement in this area of the Khorat plateau
and has given its name to a distinctive
archaeological culture.
In addition to farming
and metal production,
skills were developed
in house construction
and pottery
manufacture. The
equipment of burials
and the presence of
grave goods indicate
both social complexity
and prosperity.
388 ban chi ang | pythagorei on and herai on of samos
World Heritage site since
Pythagoreion and Heraion
of Samos
Greece
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Many civilizations have inhabited the small
Aegean island of Samos since the third
millennium BC. The remains of
Pythagoreion, an ancient fortified port, can
still be seen, as well as the Heraion or
Temple of Hera. The fortifications round the
ancient town date back to the classical
period, with Hellenistic additions.
Excavations have revealed much of the
street plan of the city, together with its
aqueduct, sewage system, public buildings,
sanctuaries and temples, agora, public baths,
stadium and town houses. One of the most
famous features is the Eupalineio, a tunnel
running for 1,040 m through the
mountainside to bring water to the city. The
complex around the Heraion includes altars,
smaller temples and statue bases, along
with the remains of a fifth-century Christian
basilica.
The Temple of Hera at
Samos is fundamental
to an understanding
of classical
architecture. The
stylistic and structural
innovations in each of
its successive phases
strongly inuenced
the design of temples
and public buildings
throughout the Greek
world.
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Black Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Artefacts on display
at the Ban Chiang
National Museum.
World Heritage site since
butri nt 389
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Butrint
Albania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint
has been the site of a Greek colony, a
Roman city and an early Christian bishopric.
It became an important trading city and
reached its height in the fourth century BC.
The fortifications date from the sixth
century BC and the hill on which the
acropolis stands is encircled by a wall built
from huge stone blocks. The amphitheatre,
from the third century BC, has stone banks of
seating, of which twenty-three rows have
been preserved, while the theatre is situated
at the foot of the acropolis, close by two
temples, one of which is dedicated to
Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine.
Under Roman rule the city fell slowly into
decay. Following a period of prosperity
under Byzantine administration, it was
abandoned in the late Middle Ages after
marshes formed in the area.
Excavations started at
the beginning of the
twentieth century. The
mud and vegetation
that covered Butrint
had protected it and
the entire city was
revealed almost intact.
Many objects have
been excavated
plates, vases, ceramic
candlesticks as well
as sculptures,
including the
remarkable Goddess
of Butrint that
embodies the Greek
ideal of physical
beauty.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
Angkor
Cambodia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Angkor is one of the most important
archaeological sites in southeast Asia.
Stretching over some 400 km
2
, Angkor
Archaeological Park contains the
magnificent remains of the different capitals
of the Khmer Empire, from the ninth to the
fifteenth century. It includes the famous
Temple of Angkor Wat (see photo on the
right) and the Bayon Temple with its
countless sculptural decorations at Angkor
Thom. In total, there are over a hundred
temples throughout the site.
In the early ninth century, Jayavarman II
united the two states that covered the
territory of modern Cambodia, laying the
foundations of the Khmer Empire that was
to be the major power in southeast Asia for
five centuries. Jayavarmans son
Yashovarman established Yashodapura
(later called Angkor), permanent capital of
the Khmer Empire until the fifteenth
century.
The first city had the fundamental
elements of a Khmer capital: a defensive
bank and ditch; a brick- or stone-built state
temple at the centre; and a wooden palace.
A large reservoir was another essential
feature of a Khmer capital and this, now
known as the Eastern Baray, was added a
decade later with a third temple built in its
centre.
In the 960s, Rajendravarman built a second
capital at Angkor; the state temple was
situated at Pre Rup. He also built the
Eastern Mebon temple on an artificial island
in the Eastern Baray, and the exquisite
temple of Banteay Srei. Rajendravarmans
son Jayavarman V abandoned Pre Rup in
favour of a new location with its state
temple at Ta Kev, which was consecrated
around 1000. Shortly afterwards he was
overthrown by Suryavarman I, who was
responsible for erecting the formidable
fortifications around his Royal Palace and
state temple, the Phimeanakas, and also for
the construction of the great Western Baray.
In 1050 his successor created a new and
more impressive state temple, the Baphuon.
The accession of Suryavarman II in 1113
brought the next great phase of building.
He was responsible for the greatest Khmer
monument, Angkor Wat, set within an
extensive enclosure and dedicated to
Vishnu.
A period of internal instabilitly after
Suryavarmans death was ended in the 1180s
by Jayavarman VII who celebrated his
military success by creating yet another
capital at Angkor Thom and launching an
unprecedented building campaign. His
state temple was the towering Bayon,
dedicated to Buddha.
Angkor Wat Temple.
Khmer art, as
developed at Angkor,
had a profound
inuence over much
of southeast Asia and
played a fundamental
role in its distinctive
evolution. Khmer
architecture evolved
largely from that of
the Indian
subcontinent, from
which it soon became
clearly distinct as it
developed its own
special characteristics;
some of these evolved
independently while
others were acquired
from neighbouring
cultural traditions.
The result was a new
artistic horizon in
oriental art and
architecture.
390 angkor
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
South
China
Sea
Indian Ocean
Historic Centre of Telc
Czech Republic
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The houses in Telc, which stands on a
hilltop, were originally built of wood. After a
fire in the late fourteenth century, the town
was rebuilt in stone, surrounded by walls
and further strengthened by a network of
artificial ponds. The resulting town is an
outstanding example of Renaissance town
planning and architecture. Baroque
elements were introduced by the Jesuits,
who built a college (165165) and the Church
of the Name of Jesus (16667). At the same
time Baroque gables were added to the
faades of some of the houses in the
triangular marketplace; Rococo and
classical elements also followed in later
remodelling. The result is a public place
of great beauty as well as great cultural
importance, with a dazzling display of
architecture.
The later Middle Ages
in central Europe saw
the plantation of
planned settlement
and expansion into
areas of virgin forest.
Telc is an architectural
and artistic ensemble
of outstanding quality
and the best-
preserved surviving
example of such
settlements.
392 telc | solovetsky i slands
World Heritage site since
Cultural and Historic
Ensemble of the Solovetsky
Islands
Russian Federation
Criteria Significance in human history
The Solovetsky archipelago comprises six
islands in the western part of the White Sea,
covering 300 km
2
. They have been inhabited
since the fifth century BC and important
traces of a human presence from as far back
as the fifth millennium BC can be found
there. The archipelago has been the site of
fervent monastic activity since the fifteenth
century, and there are several churches
dating from the sixteenth to the nineteenth
century.
There are several
detached monasteries
at Solovetsky: four on
Solovetsky Island; the
early-seventeenth-
century Trinity
monastery on Anzer
Island; a sixteenth-
century complex on
Big Zayatsky Island;
and St Sergius
Monastery, founded
in the sixteenth
century on Big
Muksalma Island.
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Baltic
Sea
Black Sea
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Solovetsky
Monastery.
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
fraser i sland 393
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Fraser Island
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Major stages of Earths history
Stretching over 120 km along the eastern
coast of Queensland, Fraser Island is the
largest sand island in the world. It is a place
of exceptional beauty, with long white
beaches flanked by strikingly coloured sand
cliffs, tall rainforests and numerous
freshwater lakes. The massive sand deposits
provide a continuous record of climatic and
sea level changes over the past 700,000
years. The highest dunes on the island reach
up to 260 m above sea level. A surprising
variety of vegetation types grow on the
island, ranging from coastal heath to
subtropical rainforests, with trees up to 50 m
high. Birds are the most abundant form of
animal life with over 230 species being
recorded. It is a particularly important site
for migratory wading birds. Few mammal
species are present on the island. The most
common are bats, particularly flying foxes.
The earliest date for
the occupation of
Fraser Island is
currently 1,5002,000
years ago. The
Badtjala and Kabi Kabi
groups of Aboriginal
people have cultural
and other traditional
afliations with the
area. European
contact was sporadic
and limited to
explorers, escaped
convicts and
shipwreck survivors.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
View from Indian
Head, Fraser Island.
394 el taj i n
World Heritage site since
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El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City
Mexico
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
El Tajin, occupied from 8001200, became
the most important centre in northeast
Mesoamerica after the fall of the
Teotihuacan Empire. It has survived as an
outstanding example of the grandeur and
importance of the pre-Hispanic cultures of
Mexico. Its cultural influence extended all
along the Gulf of Mexico and penetrated
into the Maya region and the high plateaus
of central Mexico. Its architecture, which is
unique in Mesoamerica, is characterized by
elaborate columns of carved reliefs and key-
pattern friezes. The Pyramid of the Niches
rises in six steps to a temple at the top, with
each storey having rows of square niches.
It is a masterpiece of ancient Mesoamerican
architecture, which reveals the astronomical
and symbolic significance of the building.
The site was abandoned when the region
came under the rule of the powerful
Mexico-Tenochtitlan kingdom.
The artistic,
architectural, and
historical importance
of El Tajin combines
to make this a highly
signicant site. It has
been extensively
excavated in recent
years and as a result
it is probably better
understood than many
of the more famous
pre-Hispanic sites in
Mexico.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
World Heritage site since
huanglong 395
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Huanglong Scenic and
Historic Interest Area
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
Situated in the northwest of Sichaun
Province, the Huanglong valley boasts
extensive areas of precipitous mountain
scenery, snow-covered for much of the year.
Xuebaoding, or Snow Mountain Peak, is
permanently snow-covered and bears the
easternmost glacier in China. Huanglong
lies close to the intersection of four floral
regions: Eastern Asia, Himalaya, and the
subtropical and tropical zones of the
Northern Hemisphere. In addition to its
mountain landscape, diverse forest
ecosystems can be found, as well as
spectacular limestone formations, waterfalls
and hot springs. The area also has a large
number of endangered mammals including
giant panda, golden snub-nosed monkey,
brown bear, Asiatic black bear, leopard,
Pallas cat, Asiatic wild dog, Szechwan takin,
mainland serow, common goral, argali and
three species of deer.
The area has many
spectacular steep-
sided gorges and
forested waterways.
Calcite deposition has
resulted in areas of
travertine pools; algae
and bacteria often
proliferate, colouring
the pools in deep
shades from orange
and yellow to green
and blue.
396 vladi mi r and suzdal
World Heritage site since
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White Monuments of
Vladimir and Suzdal
Russian Federation
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
The towns of Vladimir and Suzdal hold an
important place in Russias architectural
history. Vladimir, founded in 1108, contains
an important group of religious and secular
monuments. The single-domed Cathedral of
the Assumption (1158) contains frescoes by
the master painters Andrei Rublev and Daniil
Chernii (1408) to replace those destroyed by
the Mongols in 1238. The Golden Gate (1164)
formed part of the twelfth-century defences.
It is a cubic tower with a church dedicated to
the Deposition of the Holy Robe on top. The
exterior of the Cathedral of St Demetrius
(11947) is noteworthy for over 1,000 stone
carvings on the general theme of King
David. Suzdal is dominated by the Cathedral
of the Nativity, built in the thirteenth century
and reconstructed in the sixteenth century,
with its five-domed top and thirteenth-
century Golden Doors.
The other buildings
included within the
site are the Princely
Castle in Bogolyubovo,
the Church of the
Intercession in
Vladimir, the
Monastery of Our
Saviour and St
Euthymius in Suzdal
and the Church of Sts
Boris and Gleb, near
Suzdal, the rst church
in Russia to be built
from white limestone.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
EUROPE
Church of the
Intercession in
Vladimir.
World Heritage site since
route of santi ago de compostela 397
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Route of Santiago de
Compostela
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
This route from the border between France
and Spain was and still is taken by
pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela in
Galicia. Some 1,800 buildings along the
route, both religious and secular, are of
great historic interest.
Pilgrimages were an essential part of
western European spiritual and cultural life
in the Middle Ages and the routes they took
were equipped with facilities for the spiritual
and physical well-being of pilgrims. The
Route of St James of Compostela has
preserved the most complete material
record in its ecclesiastical and secular
buildings, settlements and civil-engineering
structures.
The route played a fundamental role in
encouraging cultural exchanges between
the Iberian peninsula and the rest of Europe
during the Middle Ages. It remains a
testimony to the power of the Christian faith
among people of all social classes and from
all over Europe.
Two access routes into
Spain from France
enter at Roncesvalles
(Valcarlos Pass) and
Canfranc (Somport
Pass) and merge west
of Pamplona. The
route passes through
ve autonomous
communities and 166
towns and villages,
and includes over
1,800 historic
buildings. In many
cases the modern
road runs parallel to
the ancient route.
Thousands of pilgrims
follow it on foot or
bicycle every year.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Historic Town of Zabid
Yemen
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Zabids domestic and military architecture
and its urban plan make it an outstanding
archaeological and historical site. Besides
being the capital of Yemen from the
thirteenth to the fifteenth century, the city
played an important role in the Arab and
Muslim world for many centuries because
of its Islamic university.
Zabid has a
remarkable network
of streets and alleys,
some as little as 2 m
wide, which spreads
over the town.
Occasionally this
labyrinth opens out
into small squares, but
the only large open
space is that in front
of the citadel.
398 zabi d | coro
World Heritage site since
Coro and its Port
Venezuela
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
With its earthen constructions unique to the
Caribbean, Coro is the only surviving
example of a rich fusion of local traditions
with Spanish Mudjar and Dutch
architectural techniques. One of the first
colonial towns founded in 1527, it has some
602 historic buildings.
Unlike other towns on
this coast, even Coros
public buildings are of
earthen construction,
not stone. It has
conserved its original
layout and early urban
landscape, presenting
a remarkable record
of the earliest years of
Spanish colonization.
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AFRICA
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Red
Sea
SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
The Great Mosque of
Zabid (also known as
the Al-Ashair
Mosque).
La Casa de las
Ventanas de Hierro
(The House of the
Iron Windows) which
dates from 1765. Its
Baroque doorway is
8m tall.
World Heritage site since
the sassi of matera 399
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The Sassi of Matera and their park are the
most outstanding, intact example of a rock-
cut settlement in the Mediterranean region,
perfectly adapted to its terrain and
ecosystem.
Materas development was due to its
geological setting. A belt of soft tufa is
located between 350 m and 400 m above the
valley bed, and this also contains two natural
depressions; it was here that the settlement
grew up. The clay plateau above was
reserved for agriculture and grazing
livestock.
The Matera region has been inhabited
since the Palaeolithic period, while later
settlements illustrate a number of
significant stages in human history. The
harsh landscape fostered an independence
of spirit which was resistant to successive
waves of invaders after the Byzantine
period. The area was also very attractive
to monastic and utopian communities.
The earliest house
form was a simple
cave in the tufa with
a closing wall formed
from the excavated
blocks. This developed
into a vaulted room
built out into the open
space, making it
available for
adaptation and
extension. Groups of
dwellings around a
common courtyard
evolved into a vicinato
(neighbourhood), with
shared facilities such
as a cistern.
The Sassi and the Park of
the Rupestrian Churches
of Matera
Italy
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Yakushima
Japan
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Located in the interior of Yaku Island, at the
northern end of the Ryukyu archipelago,
Yakushima exhibits a rich flora, with some
1,900 species and subspecies. Of these,
ninety-four are endemic, mostly concentrated
in the central high mountains. Yakushima is
almost 2,000 m high and is the highest
mountain in southern Japan. Several other
peaks are over 1,800 m with mountain ridges
over 1,000 m surrounding these central high
peaks. Of great significance to the area is the
presence of indigenous Japanese cedar,
known colloquially as sugi, which can reach
more than 1,000 years of age: specimens
younger than 1,000 years are known as
Kosugi; older specimens, which may reach
3,000 years, are known as Yakusugi.
Traditionally, the Island Mountains have been
considered to have a spiritual value and the
Yakusugi were revered as sacred trees.
The fauna of the island
is diverse, with sixteen
mammal species. Four
mammal subspecies are
endemic to the island
and a further four are
endemic to both Yaku
Island and the
neighbouring island of
Tanegashima. Among
the 150 bird species
present, four, including
Ryukyu robin and
Japanese wood pigeon,
have been designated as
Natural Monuments.
400 yakushi ma
World Heritage site since
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Br na Binne
Archaeological Ensemble
of the Bend of the Boyne
Ireland
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
The three main prehistoric sites of the Br
na Binne Complex Newgrange, Knowth
and Dowth are situated on the north
bank of the river Boyne 50 km north of
Dublin. These three great burial mounds are
surrounded by about forty satellite passage-
graves, creating a great prehistoric funerary
landscape. The passage tomb complex in
particular represents a spectacular survival
of the embodiment of a set of ideas and
beliefs of outstanding historical signicance
unequalled in its European counterparts.
The sites ritual signicance attracted later
monuments, both in protohistory and in the
Christian period. Its importance has been
further enhanced by the fact that the river
Boyne communicates both with the Celtic
Sea and the heartland of Ireland, giving
it considerable economic and political
signicance.
Nowhere else in
the world is found
the continuity of
settlement and
activity associated
with a megalithic
cemetery such as
that which exists
at Br na Binne.
The passage tomb
complex represents
a spectacular survival
of the embodiment
of a set of ideas and
beliefs.
Whale Sanctuary of
El Vizcaino
Mexico
Criteria Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Located in the central part of the peninsula
of Baja California, the sanctuary contains
some exceedingly interesting ecosystems.
The coastal lagoons of Ojo de Liebre and
San Ignacio are an exceptional reproduction
and wintering site for grey whales as well
as other mammals such as harbour seal,
California sea lion, northern elephant seal
and blue whale. The lagoons have a series
of shallow, sandy bays and saltwater inlets
as well as extensive mangroves, with dune
communities, bushes and halophytic
vegetation surrounding them. These rich
ecosystems are important refuges for
wintering wildfowl, and birds such as osprey
and peregrine falcon also live within the
site. The coastal zone is a vital habitat for
approximately twenty threatened animal
species, including four species of the
endangered marine turtle.
As well as an
abundance of wildlife,
there are a number
of prehistoric sites of
importance on the
peninsula. There are
also petroglyphs, wall
paintings and ancient
ruined structures,
together with
evidence of the early
colonisation from
Europe.
br na bi nne | el vi zcai no 401
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Gulf of
Mexico
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Baroque Churches of the
Philippines
Philippines
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The churches are outstanding examples of
the Philippine interpretation of the Baroque
style and had an important inuence on
later church architecture in the region. They
represent the fusion of European church
design and construction with local materials
and decorative motifs to form a new church-
building tradition. The four churches, the
rst of which was built by the Spanish in
the late sixteenth century, are located in
Manila (San Agustn in Intramuros),
Santa Maria (Nuestra Seora de la
Asuncion), Paoay (San Agustn) and Miag-ao
(Santo Tomas de Villanueva). The
sumptuous faade of the Church of Santo
Tomas de Villanueva epitomizes the Filipino
transguration of western decorative
elements, with the gure of St Christopher
on the pediment dressed in native clothes,
carrying the Christ Child on his back, and
holding on to a coconut palm for support.
Unlike other town
churches in the
Philippines, which
conform to the
Spanish tradition of
siting them on the
central plaza, the
Church of Nuestra
Seora de la Asuncion
in Santa Maria with its
convento are on a hill
surrounded by a
defensive wall.
402 baroque churches of the phi li ppi nes
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
South
China
Sea
San Agustn in
Intramuros Church,
Manila.
World Heritage site since
humayuns tomb, delhi 403
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Humayuns Tomb, Delhi
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
This tomb is of particular cultural
significance as it is the earliest surviving
example of the Mughal scheme of the
garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent.
The tomb of Humayun, second Mughal
Emperor of India, was built by his widow in
156970, fourteen years after his death, at a
cost of 1.5 million rupees. It was later used
for the burial of various members of the
ruling family and contains some 150 graves.
It has aptly been described as the necropolis
of the Mughal dynasty. The tomb itself is in
the centre of a large garden, laid out in char
baah (four-fold) style, with pools joined by
channels. It inspired several major
architectural innovations, culminating in
the construction of the Taj Mahal a century
later.
Humayun had
travelled widely in the
Islamic world, notably
in Persia and central
Asia, and brought
back ideas that were
applied by the
architect of his tomb.
The tomb and its
surrounding
structures are
substantially in their
original state, and
interventions in
recent times have
been minimal and of
high quality.
ASIA
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China
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Birka and Hovgrden
Sweden
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Birka-Hovgrden is one of the most
complete and undisturbed examples of a
Viking trading settlement of the
eighthtenth centuries AD. It is also
important as the site of the first Christian
congregation in Sweden, founded in 831 by
St Ansgar. The proto-town of Birka occupies
much of the western part of the island of
Bjrk. The surface evidence is confined
mostly to the ramparts of the hill fort, the
long ramparts of the town wall, traces of
harbours and stone jetties along the shore,
and some 3,000 burial mounds and stone
settings surrounding the main settlement.
Its location on a small island has preserved
the entire site from modern development
and exploitation. Hovgrden is situated on
the neighbouring island of Adels.
There are no standing
remains of the
settlement at Birka
itself, but its location
is vividly indicated by
the so-called Black
Earth, composed of
layers of human
occupation and the
remains of wooden
structures.
404 bi rka and hovgrden | transylvani a
World Heritage site since
Villages with Fortified
Churches in Transylvania
Romania
Criteria Significance in human history
These Transylvanian villages with their
fortified churches provide a vivid picture of
the cultural landscape of southern
Transylvania. The seven villages inscribed on
the World Heritage List, founded by the
Transylvanian Saxons, are characterized by a
specific land-use system, settlement pattern
and organization of the family farmstead
that have been preserved since the late
Middle Ages. They are dominated by their
fortified churches, which illustrate building
styles from the thirteenth to the sixteenth
century.
Lacking the resources
of the European
nobility and rich
merchants, who were
able to fortify entire
towns, the
Transylvanian Saxons
chose to create
fortresses round their
churches, enclosing
storehouses within
the enceintes to
enable them to
withstand long sieges.
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The Fortied Church
in Viscri,
Transylvania.
World Heritage site since
bukhara 405
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Historic Centre of Bukhara
Uzbekistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Bukhara, which is situated on the Silk Route,
is more than 2,000 years old. It is the most
complete example of a medieval city in
Central Asia, with an urban fabric that has
remained largely intact. Monuments of
particular interest include the famous tomb
of Ismail Samani, a masterpiece of tenth-
century Muslim architecture, the decorated
brick minaret of Poi-Kalyan from the
eleventh century, the Magoki Mosque and
the Chasma Ayub Shrine, along with a large
number of seventeenth-century madrasas.
The historic part of the city, which is in effect
an open-air museum, combines the citys
long history in a single ensemble. It should
be stressed, however, that the real
importance of Bukhara lies not in its
individual buildings but rather in its overall
level of urban planning and architecture.
Before the Arab
conquest, Bukhara
was one of the largest
cities of central Asia.
It became a major
cultural centre of the
Caliphate of Baghdad
in 709, and in 892 the
capital of the
independent Samanid
Kingdom. A time of
great economic growth
came to an end with
the sack of the city in
1220 by the Mongol
horde of Genghis
Khan.
ASIA
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Sea
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406 bamberg
World Heritage site since
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Town of Bamberg
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Bamberg is an outstanding and
representative example of an early medieval
town in central Europe, both in its plan and
in its many surviving ecclesiastical and
secular buildings. The town was laid out
according to medieval planning rules as
a cross, with the churches of St Michael,
St Stephen, St Gangolf, and St Jacob at the
four cardinal points. During its period of
greatest prosperity, from the twelfth century
onwards, the architecture of Bamberg
strongly influenced urban construction in
central Europe. This prosperity continued
into the later Middle Ages, being helped by
the fact that it was the starting point for
shipping on the river Main, as well as a
renowned cultural centre. In the late
eighteenth century it was the centre of the
Enlightenment in southern Germany, with
eminent philosophers and writers such as
Hegel and Hoffmann living there.
The World Heritage
site covers the three
centres of settlement
that coalesced when
the town was
founded. These are
the Bergstadt, with
the cathedral and its
precincts; the
Inselstadt, dened by
the two-arms of the
Regnitz River; and the
Theuerstadt, a late
medieval area of
market gardens with
scattered houses and
large open spaces.
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Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) in Bamberg.
Jesuit Missions of La
Santsima Trinidad de Paran
and Jess de Tavarangue
Paraguay
Criteria Significance in human history
The Spanish Crown granted the frontier
zone of Paraguay to the Jesuits in 1609, and
they created thirty reducciones (settlements)
in the Rio de la Plata basin, each with its own
mission. One of the Jesuits objectives
became the protection of the Indians
against the abuses of the colonial encomienda
system of tribute or labour, which reduced
them to a condition of virtual slavery; at the
same time they would be brought into the
Christian Church and educated into a
sedentary form of life. La Santsima Trinidad
was the most ambitious of these missions
and the capital of the Guayr area. Designed
by noted Jesuit architect Juan Bautista
Primoli, it was constructed in stone in 1706
and has a fine dome and elaborate
decoration.
La Santsima Trinidad,
the best preserved of
the three churches, is
of great symbolic
importance, because
its decoration reflects
the spirit of its
conception, with its
fusion of Christian
and native artistic
elements.
Maulbronn Monastery
Complex
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Founded in 1147, the Cistercian Maulbronn
Monastery is considered the most complete
and best-preserved medieval monastic
complex north of the Alps. The basic
medieval layout and structure of the central
complex is virtually complete. Only the
monks refectory and the lay brethrens
dormitories have undergone
transformations since the Reformation, in
order to adapt them for use as a Protestant
seminary. Surrounded by fortified walls, the
main buildings were constructed between
the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. The
monasterys church, mainly in Transitional
Gothic style, had a major influence in the
spread of Gothic architecture over much of
northern and central Europe. Its original
wooden beams were replaced by Gothic
vaulting in 1424, incorporating Romanesque
traditions into the Cistercian requirements
of austerity and renunciation.
The Cistercian Order
was notable for its
innovations in
hydraulic engineering
and at Maulbronn
there exists an
elaborate system of
reservoirs, irrigation
canals and drains to
provide water for the
community, for fish
farming and for
irrigating its farmland.
j esui t mi ssi ons | maulbronn monastery 407
World Heritage site since
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Engelsberg Ironworks
Sweden
Criteria Significance in human history
Engelsberg is an outstanding example of an
influential European industrial complex of
the seventeenthnineteenth centuries, with
important technological remains and the
associated administrative and residential
buildings intact. It is the best preserved and
most complete example of the type of iron-
working estate that made Sweden the
economic leader in this field for two
centuries. Local peasants had been mining
ore and smelting since the thirteenth
century, but it was not until the introduction
of the waterwheel to power the furnace and
hammer bellows in the later Middle Ages
that the iron industry began to significantly
develop. The first bar-iron forge was
operating at Engelsberg in the closing years
of the sixteenth century, and by the mid-
seventeenth century the scale of operations
there was substantial.
Self-contained estates
like Engelsberg
comprised not only
technical installations
but also administrative
and residential
buildings for
management and
workers, including
those who worked on
the associated farm.
This sites notable
buildings include the
master gardeners
house, the brewery,
stables, a coach-house,
smiths cottages and a
monumental
slagstone barn.
408 engelsberg i ronworks | monastery of horezu
World Heritage site since
Monastery of Horezu
Romania
Criteria Interchange of values
Founded in 1690 by the Cantacuzene Prince
Constantine Brancovan, the monastery of
Horezu in Wallachia is a masterpiece of the
Brancovan style. It is laid out according to
the precepts of the Athonite Order around
the catholicon, which is enclosed by a wall
and surrounded by a series of skites
(daughter houses of the main monastery).
The overall layout is symmetrical on an east-
west axis, the skites forming a cruciform
plan. The monastery is famous for its
architectural purity and balance, the
richness of its sculptural detail, the
treatment of its religious compositions, its
votive portraits and its painted decorative
works. The school of mural and icon
painting established at the monastery in the
eighteenth century was famous throughout
the Balkan region.
The church of Bolnica,
which is a subgroup of
the main monastery,
was founded by
Princess Maria, wife
of Constantin
Brancovan. It has an
unusual mural, on the
subject of the life of
the good monk.
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Himeji-jo
Japan
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Himeji-jo is the finest surviving example of
early seventeenth-century Japanese castle
architecture, comprising eighty-three
buildings with highly developed systems of
defence and ingenious protection devices
dating from the beginning of the Shogun
period. It is a masterpiece of construction
in wood. The centre of the complex is the
Tenshu-gun, consisting of a main keep and
three subsidiary keeps, with connecting
structures. This is surrounded by a system
of watchtowers, gates and plastered earthen
walls. Set on a low hill, it is visible from every
part of the city. The main keep (Dai-Tenshu)
has six interior storeys and a basement. The
striking appearance of this great wooden
structure with its white plastered walls is the
source of the name by which it is often
known, the Castle of the White Heron
(Shirasagi-jo).
Many castles were built in Japan in the early years
of the Shogun period. Most of these have
subsequently been demolished and others were
destroyed during the Second World War. Of the
handful that survives, Himeji-jo is the most
complete and unaltered, largely thanks to the efforts
of army ofcers after the Meiji restoration.
World Heritage site since
hi mej i-j o 409
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410 mri da
World Heritage site since
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Archaeological Ensemble
of Mrida
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The colony of Augusta Emerita, which
became present-day Mrida in
Estremadura, was founded in 25 BC at the
end of the Spanish Campaign and was the
capital of Lusitania. It is an excellent
example of a provincial Roman capital
during the empire and in the years
afterwards. The main monuments in the
World Heritage site are the Guadiana
bridge (two sections of arches linked by
a large pier); the amphitheatre, for 15,000
spectators; the classic Vitruvian theatre, set
into a low hill and inaugurated under
M. Agrippa; the Temple of Diana, probably
from the early years of the first century AD;
the alleged Arch of Trajan, which may have
been an entrance gate to the original town
or, more likely, to the enceinte of the Temple
of Diana; and the Circus, one of the largest
in the Roman world.
The aqueducts and
other elements of
Roman water
management are
especially well
preserved and complete.
Apart from the
aqueducts, the site
includes three dams
and various stretches
of underground water
channels. The Proserpina
and Cornalvo dams,
both still functioning,
are the most remarkable
surviving examples of
Roman water
management systems.
EUROPE
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The Vitruvian Theatre in Mrida.
World Heritage site since
complex of hu 411
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Complex of Hu
Monuments
Vietnam
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Established as the capital of unified Viet
Nam in 1802, Hu was not only the political
but also the cultural and religious centre
under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. The
integrity of the town layout and building
design make it an exceptional specimen of
late feudal urban planning. Four citadels or
defended enclosures made up the city: Kinh
Thanh (Capital City), for official
administrative buildings; Hoang Thanh
(Imperial City), for royal palaces and shrines;
Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Purple City), for
the royal residences; and Dai Noi (Inner
City), defended by brick walls and a moat.
A fifth fortress, Tran Hai Thanh, was
constructed a little later to protect the
capital against assault from the sea. The
Perfume River, the main axis, divides the
capital in two.
The new capital was
planned in accordance
with ancient oriental
philosophy and
Vietnamese tradition.
The relationship
between the ve
cardinal points (centre,
west, east, north, south),
ve natural elements
(earth, metal, wood,
water, re), and ve
basic colours (yellow,
white, blue, black, red)
underlies the
conception of the city,
and is reected in the
names of some
important features.
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Wall and gate of Tu Duc Tomb, Hu.
Churches of Moldavia
Romania
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
With their painted exterior walls, decorated
with fifteenth- and sixteenth-century
frescoes that are considered masterpieces of
Byzantine art, seven churches around
Suceava in northern Moldavia are unique in
Europe. Far from being merely wall
decorations, the paintings represent
complete cycles of religious murals on all
faades. Their outstanding composition,
elegant outline and harmonious colours
blend perfectly with the surrounding
landscape. At the Church of St George of
the former Voronet Monastery, founded by
Stephen the Great, the naos and sanctuary
were painted between 1488 and 1496 and the
narthex in 1552. The walls and the vault of
the exonarthex are covered by the 365
scenes of the Calendar of Saints. The
exterior murals depict traditional scenes and
the famous Last Judgement is on the
western wall.
A Christian tradition
of decorating the
exteriors of churches
was adopted and
extended in Moldavia.
It had its own specific
iconography,
dominated by certain
themes the Church
hierarchy, the Last
Judgement and the
Tree of Jesse. The
Church of the
Sucevia Monastery is
situated within the
fortified enclosure of
the Monastery and is
the only one to show a
representation of the
ladder of St John
Climacus.
412 moldavi a | tubbataha reefs
World Heritage site since
Tubbataha Reefs Natural
Park
Philippines
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
comprises two atolls, North and South Reef,
separated by an 8 km channel, and the Jessie
Beazley Reef an emergent coral cay. The
North Reef is a large oblong-shaped
platform 2 km wide and completely
enclosing a sandy lagoon some 24 m deep.
The most prominent feature is the North
Islet which serves as
a nesting site for birds and marine turtles.
Steep and often perpendicular walls
extending to a depth of 100 m characterize
the seaward face of the reef. The South Reef
is a small triangular-shaped reef 12 km
wide. Like the North Reef, it consists of a
shallow platform enclosing a sandy lagoon.
South Islet is also used as a nesting site by
birds and marine turtles.
Tubbataha has a
diverse coral
assemblage, with
species representing
forty-six genera.
Forty-six bird species
have been recorded
and 379 species of fish.
Sightings of sharks
and rays are common.
There are no
permanent
inhabitants on the
reefs, other than
during the fishing
season, when
fishermen establish
temporary shelters.
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Celebes Sea
World Heritage site since
qutb mi nar, delhi 413
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Qutb Minar and its
Monuments, Delhi
India
Criteria Significance in human history
This important collection of Islamic
buildings is dominated by the red sandstone
tower of Qutb Minar, begun around 1202.
In its present form it consists of five storeys,
with each storey separated by balconies.
The first three storeys are each decorated
differently, the lowest being of alternating
angular and rounded flutings, the second
with rounded flutings alone, and the third
with angular flutings alone. It is 72.5 m high,
tapering from 14.32 m in diameter at its base
to 2.75 m at its peak. The surrounding area
contains funerary buildings, notably the
magnificent Alai-Darwaza Gate, the
masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art built in
1311, and two mosques, including the
Quwwatul-Islam (Might of Islam), the
oldest in northern India, built of materials
reused from some twenty Brahman
temples. This mosque consists of a
courtyard, cloisters, and a prayer hall.
The Iron Pillar in the
mosque compound is
7.02 m tall, 0.93 m of
which is below
ground. It bears a
Sanskrit inscription
from the fourth
century AD. It is built
up of many hundreds
of small wrought-iron
blooms welded
together and
is the largest known
composite iron object
from so early a period.
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Ancient carved stone
cloisters in Qutb
Minar.
414 bansk ti avni ca
World Heritage site since
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Historic Town of Bansk
tiavnica and the Technical
Monuments in its Vicinity
Slovakia
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The old medieval mining centre of Bansk
tiavnica blends into the surrounding
landscape, which contains unique and
historic evidence of mining and
metallurgical activities. The fifteenth
century was a time of immense prosperity:
defences were built round the town, the
parish church was rebuilt and fortified, and
many new houses were built, some of which
were, in the sixteenth century, converted
into Renaissance palaces. Technological
progress continued, and in 1627 Bansk
tiavnica saw the first use of gunpowder in
mining, an important breakthrough, and
much work on the application of water
power in deep mining and on ancillary
processes was carried out, particularly in the
eighteenth century. During this period,
Bansk tiavnica became the most
important centre for precious-metal mining
in the Habsburg Empire, and many leading
engineers and metallurgists from all over
Europe were working in the town.
Bansk tiavnica is
the oldest mining
town in Slovakia; its
town seal of 1275 is the
earliest known
bearing a mining
emblem. It lies on the
steep slopes of the
Glanzenberg and
Paradajz mountains.
Its ore deposits have
been exploited since
the late Bronze Age,
and a document of
1156 referred to it as
the land of miners.
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Nov Zmok (The
New Castle),
which was built in
156471 is located
on a hill
overlooking the
town. It was
originally a watch
tower, but is now
used as a museum.
Buddhist Monuments in
the Horyu-ji Area
Japan
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
There are around forty-eight Buddhist
monuments in the Horyu-ji Area, in Nara
Prefecture. Several date from the late
seventh or early eighth century, making
them some of the oldest surviving wooden
buildings in the world. These masterpieces
of wooden architecture are important not
only for the history of art, since they
illustrate the adaptation of Chinese
Buddhist architecture and layout to
Japanese culture, but also for the history of
religion, since their construction coincided
with the introduction of Buddhism to Japan
from China by way of the Korean peninsula.
These temples,
monasteries and
associated buildings
are the earliest
Buddhist monuments
in Japan, dating from
shortly after the
religions introduction
to the country in the
mid-sixth century AD
and they had a
profound influence on
Japanese religious
architecture.
Shirakami-Sanchi
Japan
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes
Situated in the mountains of northern
Honshu, the area includes the last
remaining virgin stand of Siebolds beech
forest, which once covered the hills and
mountain slopes of northern Japan. The
protected area covers about one-third of the
Shirakami Mountains which rise to just over
1,200 m and comprise a maze of steep-
sided hills and deep valleys. The area is a
refuge for many typical Honshu flora and
fauna. The eighty-seven bird species include
golden eagle, which has a limited breeding
record and is endangered in Japan. Three
nesting pairs of black woodpecker, also
endangered, are found in the core zone.
Hodgsons hawk eagle, has also been
recorded in the site as well as Japanese
serow. Japanese black bear is common.
The area is a
wilderness with no
access trails or man-
made facilities and its
beech forest is
virtually undisturbed.
Wildlife is fully
protected, apart from
bears: the regions
bear hunters, known
as Matagi, use special
hunting techniques
and faith ceremonies.
horyu-j i area | shi rakami-sanchi 415
World Heritage site since
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Ocean
ASIA
A tsukubai (water
basin) in one of the
Buddhist Temples in
the Horyu-ji Area.
Royal Monastery of Santa
Mara de Guadalupe
Spain
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The monastery is an outstanding repository
of four centuries of Spanish religious
architecture. It symbolizes two significant
events in world history that occurred in 1492:
the reconquest of the Iberian peninsula by
the Catholic Kings, and Christopher
Columbus arrival in the Americas. The
monastery was, and still remains, a centre of
pilgrimage as well as a cultural centre of the
highest order. Its hospitals and its medical
school were renowned, as was its
scriptorium and its library, containing a rich
collection of documents. Many famous
artists were attracted to Guadalupe,
including Juan de Sevilla, Francisco de
Zurbarn, Vicente Carducho and Luca
Giordano. The harmony between the
buildings and the works of art that it
contains confers outstanding value upon
the ensemble.
The monastery
overlooks a valley
surrounded by high
mountains and
enhanced by
abundant vegetation.
Its famous statue of
the Virgin became a
powerful symbol of
the Christianization
of much of the New
World.
416 santa mar a de guadalupe | j oya de cern
World Heritage site since
Joya de Cern
Archaeological Site
El Salvador
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Joya de Cern was a pre-Hispanic farming
community that was buried under an
eruption of the Laguna Caldera volcano
c. AD 600. Because of the exceptional
condition of the remains, they provide an
insight into the daily lives of the Central
American populations who worked the land
at that time. Twelve structures have been
excavated, including living quarters,
storehouses, workshops, kitchens and a
communal sauna. Cern is thought to have
been home to about 200 people, although
no human remains have been found. The
buildings are grouped into compounds that
include structures for sleeping, storage,
cooking and handicrafts. The specialised
structures include a sweat house, a large
communal building, and two which may
have been used by specialists such as a
shaman or a healer.
A warning earthquake
apparently gave
residents time to flee
but the subsequent
volcanic eruption was
so sudden that
everyday artefacts,
from garden tools and
bean-filled pots to
sleeping mats and
religious items, were
found still in place
around the buildings.
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
World Heritage site since
levoa, spi ssk hrad 417
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Levoa, Spissk Hrad and
the Associated Cultural
Monuments
Slovakia
Criteria Significance in human history
The historic town of Levoa was founded in
the 13th and 14th centuries. Most of the site
has been preserved and it includes the
fourteenth century church of St James with
its ten altars of the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries and a remarkable collection of
polychrome works in the Late Gothic style.
Spissk Hrad (castle) and its three related
sites contain one of the largest number of
thirteenth-and fourteenth-century military,
political and religious buildings in Eastern
Europe. The castle stands on a dramatic hill
rising out of the plain of western Slovakia.
The town of Spissk Podhradie was
founded at the base of the castle mound. Its
first church, destroyed in a Tatar raid, was
rebuilt in 125873. The street pattern was laid
out formally in the fourteenth century and
extended in the fifteenth century. Following
a fire, most of the houses were rebuilt in
Renaissance style. Spissk Kapitula, a unique
fortified ecclesiastical complex of buildings,
is based around the Cathedral of St Martin,
which was started in 1285. Zehra is one of the
earliest Slovak settlements in the region.
The castle, one of the largest in
Eastern Europe, is renowned for
its Romanesque and Gothic
architecture. It consists of the upper
keep and its courtyard; two inner
baileys with internal fortied access
gates; the outer bailey, with the main
entrance gate and remains of the
garrisons quarters; and a large
barbican area, now mostly ruined.
EUROPE
North Sea
Black Sea
418 vlkol nec
World Heritage site since
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Vlkolnec
Slovakia
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Vlkolnec, situated in central Slovakia, is
a remarkably intact settlement of forty-five
vernacular buildings, providing a living
example of a traditional central European
village. It has preserved its ancient
appearance with remarkable fidelity.
Although most buildings date from the
nineteenth century, Vlkolnec has retained
its medieval layout. The characteristic
houses of Vlkolnec are situated on the
street frontages of narrow holdings, with
stables, smaller outbuildings, and barns
ranged behind them. The houses are of a
traditional timber construction with log
walls on stone footings, the walls being
coated with clay and whitewashed or
painted blue. The parcels of land that
surround Vlkolnec retain the elongated
strip-shape characteristic of medieval land
allotment over most of feudal Europe.
Outside these lie areas of common land and
forest.
The rst recorded
settlement at
Vlkolnec was in the
fourteenth century.
A decree of 1630
suggests that its name
derives from the
important charge laid
upon the villagers to
maintain the wolf-pits
in good order.
EUROPE
North Sea
Black Sea
A typical Vlkolnec
building.
Historic Centre of
Zacatecas
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Founded in 1546 after the discovery of a rich
silver lode, Zacatecas reached the height of
its prosperity in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries. Built on the steep
slopes of a narrow valley, the town has
breathtaking views and many important
buildings. The cathedral, built between 1730
and 1760, dominates the centre of the town.
It is a highly decorated Baroque structure
with exceptional faades and other features
that reflect the absorption of indigenous
ideas and techniques into Roman Catholic
iconography. The Jesuit church of Santo
Domingo has a quiet beauty which
contrasts with the Baroque flamboyance of
the college alongside it. Its massive dome
and towers provide a counterpoint to the
nearby cathedral. It now houses a new Fine
Art Museum.
Zacatecas became the
economic centre for
the region, with a
system of forts
(presidios), villages and
agricultural estates
(haciendas) for defence
and supply. It was also
the base for
colonization and the
spread of Christianity
further to the north;
first the Convent of
San Francisco and
later the College of
Guadalupe were
responsible for
establishing over
seventy missions, as
far north as Texas and
California.
Rock Paintings of the Sierra
de San Francisco
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
From c. 100 BC to AD 1300, the Sierra de San
Francisco in the El Vizcaino reserve in Baja
California was home to a people who have
since disappeared but who left one of the
most outstanding collections of rock
paintings in the world. The paintings are
remarkably well-preserved because of the
dry climate and the inaccessibility of the
site. Showing human figures and many
animal species, and illustrating the
relationship between humans and their
environment, they reveal a highly
sophisticated culture. Their composition
and size, as well as the precision of the
outlines and the variety of colours, but
especially the number of sites, make this an
impressive testimony to a unique artistic
tradition.
The prehistoric rock
art of the region was
first reported by the
Jesuit Father
Francisco Javier
Clavijero in a
publication in Rome
in 1789 and some 400
sites have so far been
registered.
zacatecas | si erra de san franci sco 419
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
420 tri ni ty sergi us lavra i n sergi ev posad
World Heritage site since
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Architectural Ensemble of
the Trinity Sergius Lavra in
Sergiev Posad
Russian Federation
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Trinity Sergius Lavra is an outstanding
and remarkably complete example of a
working Orthodox monastery (lavra) of the
fourteenth-eighteenth centuries and has
exerted a profound influence on architecture
in Russia. It was founded in the 1330s by
St Sergius and fortified in 154060. Among
its most important buildings are the Trinity
Cathedral, completed in 1425, containing the
renowned icon of The Trinity by Rublev; The
Church of the Holy Spirit (Dukhovskaya), a
four-pillared church with three apses and a
single dome built from white limestone; the
Cathedral of the Assumption (see photo on
the right), a towering structure echoing the
Cathedral of the Assumption in the Moscow
Kremlin; and the Belfry, which is the tallest
building in the complex, begun in 1740 at the
instigation of Catherine the Great. The
monks cells, two-storey stone buildings,
were built up against the fortress walls in the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
With Peter the Greats consolidation
of power, a number of new buildings
in the Baroque style were added to
the monastery, including the
refectory chamber with the Church
of St Sergius; a stone palace for the
Tsar (Chertogi); the Church over the
Gates and the Chapel over the Well.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Cathedral of the Assumption.
EUROPE
vi lni us hi stori c centre 421
World Heritage site since
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Vilnius Historic Centre
Lithuania
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Lithuanian capital Vilnius has had a
profound influence on the cultural and
architectural development of much of
Eastern Europe. Despite invasions and
partial destruction, it has preserved an
impressive complex of Gothic, Renaissance,
Baroque and classical buildings, as well as
its medieval layout, and is an exceptional
example of an Eastern European town that
evolved organically over several centuries.
The conversion of Lithuania to Christianity
in 1387 opened Vilnius to the Western world.
The town grew against the background of
a series of major fires from the fifteenth to
the eighteenth centuries. The notable
churches that exist today date from the
seventeenth century, but it was the
successive reconstructions that gave the
town many of its buildings of special
character, including the cathedral, town hall
and palaces. Many of the surviving earlier
buildings were rebuilt or refurbished in the
Baroque style.
The historic centre
comprises the areas
of the three castles
(Upper, Lower and
Curved) and the area
that was encircled
by the medieval wall.
The plan is basically
circular, radiating out
from the original
castle site. The street
pattern is typically
medieval, with small
streets dividing it
into irregular blocks,
but with large
squares inserted in
later periods.
EUROPE
Baltic
Sea North
Sea
Scandinavia
Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park
Uganda
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Bwindi Park covers 320 km
2
and is known
for its exceptional diversity of flora and fauna.
Its forest gets the name impenetrable from
the dense cover of herbs, vines and shrubs
inhabiting its valley floor. The forest is the
most diverse in East Africa for tree species
(more than 163) and ferns (more than 104).
Sixteen species have only a very restricted
distribution in southwest Uganda, and one
species, Lovoa swynnertonii, is globally
threatened.
Located in the Kigezi Highlands of
southwest Uganda at the junction of the
plain and mountain forests, Bwindi is
characterized by steep hills and narrow
valleys. The steepness of the slopes means
that the soils are very susceptible to erosion
in areas where trees are cleared. The park
constitutes an important water catchment
area, serving the surrounding densely
populated agricultural land. Three major
tributaries of the Ishasha River drain into
Lake Edward to the north; and the Ndego,
Kanyamwabo and Shongi rivers flow
southwards towards Lake Mutanda.
Bwindi has one of the richest fauna
communities in East Africa, including over
214 species of forest bird, 7 species of
diurnal primate, 120 species of mammals
and 202 species of butterfly. Highly
significant is the presence of almost half of
the worlds population of mountain gorillas
and many other endangered species.
The park is also an important locality for
the conservation of Afromontane fauna, in
particular those endemic to the mountains
of the western rift valley. Overall, Bwindi
contains nine globally threatened species:
mountain gorilla, common chimpanzee,
lHoests monkey Cercopithecus lhoesti,
endangered species of African elephant,
African green broadbill, Grauers rush
warbler, Chaplins flycatcher, African giant
swallowtail and cream-banded swallowtail.
Buffalo were poached to extinction in the
late 1960s, as were leopard more recently.
Although the wider
Kigezi region may
have been occupied
from as early as
37,000 years ago,
no archaeological
sites are known inside
the park. The earliest
evidence of forest
clearance dates back
4,800 years, most
likely due to the
presence of the Batwa
hunter-gatherer
people manipulating
vegetation with re.
This is the earliest
evidence for
cultivation anywhere
in tropical Africa.
Approximately 10,000
families, all Bantu,
cultivate the land
immediately
surrounding the park.
Commercial logging
has never taken place
in Bwindi due to the
rugged terrain.
422 bwi ndi i mpenetrable nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
424 old quarters and forti fi cati ons, luxembourg
World Heritage site since
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City of Luxembourg: its Old
Quarters and Fortifications
Luxembourg
Criteria Significance in human history
Luxembourg was one of Europes greatest
fortified sites from the sixteenth century
until 1867. Its position made it a strategic
and military prize and it was repeatedly
reinforced by successive powers as it passed
from one to another: the Holy Roman
Emperors, the House of Burgundy, the
Habsburgs, the French and Spanish kings,
and the Prussians. Until their partial
demolition, the fortifications were a fine
example of military architecture spanning
several centuries.
The old quarter extends westwards from
the Bock promontory with its honeycomb
of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century
casemates. The March-aux-Poissons was
the first open space in the town and the
Church of Saint Michel, located there,
originates from the tenth century. Notre
Dame Cathedral is an outstanding example
of Netherlands late-Gothic architecture,
and the sixteenth-century Grand Ducal
Palace stands at the heart of the old town.
Luxembourgs
defences were such
that it earned the
nickname of the
Gibraltar of the
North. However, the
European powers
agreed to the Grand
Duchys perpetual
neutrality in the 1867
Treaty of London; this
led to the demolition
of the walls and
fortications and the
transformation of its
1.8km
2
fortress into
an open city.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
The Stiechen Bridge.
World Heritage site since
potala palace, lhasa 425
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Historic Ensemble of the
Potala Palace, Lhasa
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The Potala Palace, winter palace of the Dalai
Lama since the seventh century, symbolizes
Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the
traditional administration of Tibet. Also
founded in the seventh century, the Jokhang
Temple Monastery is an exceptional
Buddhist religious complex. Norbulingka,
the Dalai Lamas former summer palace, is
a masterpiece of Tibetan art from the
eighteenth century. The architectural beauty
and originality of these sites, and their rich
ornamentation and harmonious integration
in a striking landscape, add to their historic
and religious interest.
The Potala Palace complex, comprising the
White and Red Palaces with their ancillary
buildings, stands on Red Mountain in the
Lhasa Valley at an altitude of 3,700 m. The
White Palace holds the throne of the Dalai
Lama and his personal apartments, while
the Red Palace contains chapels and the
stupa tombs of previous Dalai Lamas.
The Temple Monastery,
in the centre of the
old town of Lhasa,
comprises an entrance
porch, a courtyard and
a Buddhist hall,
surrounded by
accommodation for
monks, and
storehouses.
Norbulingka (treasure
garden) is located on
the bank of the Lhasa
River about 2 km from
the Potala Palace. The
site consists of a large
garden with palaces,
halls and pavilions.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
The Potala Palace.
Los Katos National Park
Colombia
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Extending over 720 km
2
in northwestern
Colombia, the park comprises two main
regions: the mountains of the Serrana del
Darin in the west, and in the east the
floodplain of the Atrato River, the fastest-
flowing river in the world. Lowland swamp
forests cover approximately half of the park,
while the remainder is lowland through to
montane tropical rainforest. The wetlands of
the Atrato floodplain are of special interest,
and cativo is one of the typical species of
tree: it can reach 50 m. An exceptional
biological diversity is found in the park,
which is home to many threatened animal
species and endemic plants. More than
450 species of bird have been recorded,
along with some 550 species of vertebrate,
excluding fish.
The region was
previously inhabited
by the Kuna, an
indigenous group
forced to migrate to
Panama because of
inter-tribal ghting
with the Kato-
Embera group, from
which the park took
its name.
426 los kat os nati onal park | j elli ng mounds, runi c stones and church
World Heritage site since
Jelling Mounds, Runic
Stones and Church
Denmark
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Jelling complex, and especially the
pagan burial mounds and the two runic
stones, are outstanding examples of pagan
Nordic culture. Jelling was a royal manor in
the tenth century, during the reign of King
Gorm and Queen Thyre. After the death of
Thyre, her husband raised a stone in her
memory and laid out a joint funerary
monument consisting of two large mounds.
On his death he was buried in the chamber
of the north mound, which may already
have contained Thyres remains. After
bringing Denmark and Norway together
and introducing Christianity into Denmark,
their son Harald Bluetooth set up a stone
between the two mounds proclaiming his
achievements and built an impressive
wooden church, in which the remains of his
father were re-interred.
The present church
was preceded by at
least three churches
built from wood, all of
which were destroyed
by re. Mural
paintings dating from
around 1100 (and thus
the earliest in
Denmark) came to
light on the walls of
the chancel in 18745.
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
EUROPE
Baltic
Sea
North
Sea
World Heritage site since
church of the ascensi on, kolomenskoye 427
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Church of the Ascension,
Kolomenskoye
Russian Federation
Criteria Interchange of values
The Church of the Ascension was built in
1532 on the imperial estate of Kolomenskoye,
near Moscow, to celebrate the birth of the
prince who was to become Tsar Ivan IV
the Terrible. As the first example of a
traditional wooden tent-roofed church in
stone and brick, it represents an imaginative
and innovative advance in Russian Orthodox
church design. Its ground plan is an equal-
armed cross and it is unusual in that it has
no apse. The interior of the church is small,
as the walls are 34 m thick, but it is open to
the top of the roof, 41 m above. The corners
are decorated with pilasters which repeat,
with some variations, the decoration of the
exterior. With an overall height of 62 m and
its very thick walls, the structure retains the
elegance of its striking silhouette.
The so-called Italian (Alevisovsky) small brick,
introduced by Italian architects at the end of the
fteenth century, was used for building the church.
Carved details are in white limestone from
Myachkovo, a suburb of Moscow.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
428 vi cenza and the veneto
World Heritage site since
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City of Vicenza and the
Palladian Villas of the Veneto
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values
Founded in the second century BC in
northern Italy, Vicenza prospered under
Venetian rule from the early fifteenth to the
end of the eighteenth centuries. But it was
the advent of Andrea Palladio (150880) that
gave Vicenza its enduring form. Palladio
was profoundly influenced by his study of
the surviving monuments of classical Rome.
For Vicenza, he created both public (Basilica,
Loggia del Capitaniato, Teatro Olimpico)
and private buildings. A total of twenty-six
individual buildings or parts of buildings
known to have been designed or
reconstructed by Palladio make up the
World Heritage site twenty-three in the
city itself and three villas in its immediate
environs. Palladios buildings had a decisive
influence on the development of
architecture and inspired a distinct
architectural style known as Palladian, which
spread to other European countries, as well
as North America.
The ancient town plan
is still recognizable in
the modern town,
Corso Palladio being
the decumanus maximus
and Contra Porti the
cardo maximus. Among
the surviving public
buildings erected from
the time of Augustus
are the remains of the
theatre, now
incorporated into a
more recent structure,
and sections of the
aqueduct to the north
of the city.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
The Villa Rotunda.
Ancient Building Complex
in the Wudang Mountains
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The palaces and temples which form the
nucleus of this group of secular and
religious buildings exemplify the
architectural and artistic achievements of
Chinas Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
Situated in the scenic valleys and on the
slopes of the Wudang mountains in Hubei
Province, the site, which was built as an
organized complex during the Ming
dynasty fourteenthseventeenth centuries,
contains Taoist buildings from as early as the
seventh century. It represents the highest
standards of Chinese art and architecture
over a period of nearly 1,000 years.
Ming Emperor Zhu
Di had, in the twelve
years after his
enthronement,
20,000 men working
on construction in the
Wudang Mountains.
In that time they
added nine palaces,
nine temples, seventy-
two cliff temples,
thirty-six monasteries,
and over one hundred
stone bridges to the
complex.
Australian Fossil Mammal
Sites (Riversleigh /
Naracoorte)
Australia
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Significant ecological and biological processes
These two sites are representative of the
development of Australias mammal fauna
during the Cenozoic era (65 million years
ago to the present).
The faunal assemblages of Riversleighs
fossil fields have profoundly altered
understanding about Australias Middle
Cenozoic vertebrate diversity. They span a
record of mammalian evolution over twenty
million years, providing the first records for
many distinctive groups of living mammals,
as well as many other unique and now
extinct Australian mammals such as
marsupial lions.
Naracoorte also opens a window into a
significant period of the Earths history on a
continent dominated by marsupials. Its
assemblage also spans the probable time of
arrival of humans in Australia and thus is of
additional value in helping to unravel the
complex relationships between humans and
their environment.
The Pleistocene fossil
vertebrate deposits of
Victoria Fossil Cave at
Naracoorte are
considered to be, in
terms of both volume
and diversity,
Australias largest and
best preserved and
one of the richest
deposits in the world.
Tens of thousands of
specimens
representing ninety-
nine vertebrate
species have been
recovered, ranging in
size from very small
frogs to buffalo-sized
marsupials.
anci ent bui ldi ngs, wudang mountai ns | australi an fossi l mammal si tes 429
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Temple on Tianzhu
Feng (Pillar of
Heaven), Wudang
Mountains.
Doana National Park
Spain
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
In the context of a crowded and long-
inhabited continent, Doana National Park
in Andalusia is one of the few national parks
in Europe that can match the international
significance met by parks in other parts of
the world. The park is notable for the great
diversity of its biotopes, especially lagoons,
marshlands, fixed and mobile dunes, scrub
woodland and maquis. It is home to five
threatened bird species. It is one of the
largest heronries in the Mediterranean
region and is the wintering site for more
than 500,000 water fowl each year. In
general the state of conservation of the park
is satisfactory, but it does face numerous
threats including agricultural development,
tourism, poaching and over-grazing.
430 doana nati onal park | rwenzori mountai ns nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Rwenzori Mountains
National Park
Uganda
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Covering nearly 1,000 km
2
in western
Uganda, the park comprises the main part of
the Rwenzori mountain chain, which includes
Africas third highest peak, Mount
Margherita (5,109 m). The regions glaciers,
waterfalls and lakes make it one of Africas
most beautiful alpine areas. The park has
many natural habitats of endangered species
and a rich and unusual ora comprising,
among other species, the giant heather.
There are several major vegetation zones
in the park: broken montane forest below
2,400 m; bamboo forest up to 3,000 m;
a tree-heath zone of giant heathers up to
3,800 m; and Afro-alpine moorland up to
4,400 m. The park contains eighty-nine
species of bird, four species of diurnal
primate and fifteen species of butterfly. No
people live within the park, although
cultivation is evident in many places up to its
border.
The highest reaches
of the Rwenzori
Mountains are
covered by snowelds
and glaciers which
provide a permanent
source of water for the
surrounding areas.
In the east, the park
is contiguous with
Virunga National Park
in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
Doana National Park
has been a testing
ground for
conservation in Spain
and has become very
well known
throughout Europe as
a result of the
controversies faced
and the innovative
management
approaches that have
been taken. As the
main threats have
been averted thus far
and as restoration
activities are under
way, the future for the
park looks
encouraging.
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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
canai ma nati onal park 431
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SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Canaima National Park
Venezuela
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
Canaima National Park extends over
30,000 km
2
in southeastern Venezuela
along the border between Guyana and
Brazil. Roughly 65 per cent of the park is
covered by table mountain (tepui) formations,
resulting in a unique landscape of great
geological interest. The sheer cliffs and
waterfalls, including the worlds highest
waterfall (Angel Falls, 980 m), make this a
spectacular place. A main road from Ciudad
Bolvar runs along the eastern border of the
park, bisecting its southeast corner and
providing easy access for tourists. There are
no other metalled roads within the park, the
western section being accessible only by air.
The fauna is diverse: 118 mammal species,
550 birds, 72 reptiles and 55 amphibians have
been recorded. Canaima was established as
a national park in 1962 and its size was
doubled to the present area in 1975.
The forests and savanna of Canaima have been
occupied for 10,000 years by various groups of
Amerindians of the Carib family, collectively
known as the Pemon. Two archaeological sites,
containing various hand-fashioned stone tools
estimated to be 9,000 years old, have been found
in the park.
Angel Falls.
Earliest 16th-Century
Monasteries on the Slopes
of Popocatepetl
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
These fourteen monasteries stand on the
slopes of Popocatepetl, an active volcano, to
the southeast of Mexico City. They are all
built to a similar plan, with an atrium,
church, and monastic buildings set around
a small courtyard or patio. They are in an
excellent state of conservation and are good
examples of the architectural style adopted
by the first missionaries Franciscans,
Dominicans and Augustinians who
converted the indigenous populations to
Christianity in the early sixteenth century.
Between 1525 and 1570 more than
100 monasteries were built in this region. By
the end of the century over 300 had been
established. In the late sixteenth century,
many of the monasteries were taken over by
the regular clergy and converted into parish
churches.
These early
monasteries represent
an example of a new
architectural concept
in which open spaces
are of renewed
importance. They
served as an
important
architectural model
for a large number
of smaller
establishments known
as missions rather
than monasteries.
These were
established as far
away as the United
States.
432 monasteri es on popocatepetl | rock carvi ngs i n tanum
World Heritage site since
Rock Carvings in Tanum
Sweden
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The outstanding artistic qualities and vivid
scenic compositions of Tanums rock art
make it a unique expression of Bronze Age
existence. The elaborate motifs illustrate
everyday life, warfare, cult, and religion.
Some of the panels were obviously planned
in advance. Northern Bohusln is a land of
granite bedrock, parts of which were
scraped clean as the ice cap slowly moved
northwards, leaving gently curved rock faces
exposed. These were the canvases selected
by the Bronze Age artists, sited just above
the shoreline of the period that began in
1500 BC, i.e. 2529 m above todays sea level.
There are at least 1,500 known rock-carving
sites in northern Bohusln, each with a
number of images, but new examples are
regularly coming to light as research
continues.
The carvings vary
from 1 mm deep to as
much as 30 or 40 mm.
It is suggested that
the more deeply
engraved gures were
of greater symbolic
signicance and
therefore required to
be visible to larger
gatherings of people.
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Gulf of
Mexico
World Heritage site since
temple, cemetery and fami ly mansi on of confuci us i n qufu 433
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Temple and Cemetery of
Confucius and the Kong
Family Mansion in Qufu
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The temple, cemetery and family mansion of
Confucius, the great philosopher, politician
and educator of the sixthfifth centuries BC,
are located at Qufu in Shandong Province.
Two years after his death, Confuciuss house
in Qufu was consecrated as a temple, within
which were preserved his clothing, musical
instruments, carriage and books. The temple
was rebuilt in AD 153, and repaired and
renovated several times in subsequent
centuries. Today it comprises more than
100 buildings. The cemetery contains
Confuciuss tomb and the remains of more
than 100,000 of his descendants. The small
house of the Kong family developed into
a gigantic aristocratic residence, of which
152 buildings with 480 rooms remain.
The Qufu complex of monuments has
retained its outstanding artistic and historic
character due to the devotion of successive
Chinese emperors over more than
2,000 years.
Over 1,000 stelae
recording imperial
donations and
sacrices from the
Han dynasty onwards
are preserved within
the temple, along with
outstanding examples
of calligraphy and
other forms of
documentation, all
priceless examples of
Chinese art. There are
many ne carved
stones, among the
most important being
the Han stone reliefs
(206 BCAD 220).
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Lines and Geoglyphs of
Nasca and Pampas de
Jumana
Peru
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The geoglyphs of Nasca and the pampas of
Jumana, which were scratched on the ground
between 500 BC and AD 500, are among
archaeologys greatest enigmas because of
their quantity, nature, size and continuity.
The geoglyphs depict living creatures,
stylized plants and imaginary beings, as well
as geometric figures several kilometres
long. Their concentration and juxtaposition
and cultural continuity demonstrate that
this was an important and long-lasting
activity. They are believed to have had ritual
astronomical functions.
The Nasca geoglyphs are located in the
arid Peruvian coastal plain 400 km south of
Lima, and cover 450 km
2
, both in the desert
and in the Andean foothills. These are covered
with ferruginous sand, and gravel which has
acquired a dark patina from weathering.
Removal of the gravel reveals the underlying
lighter coloured stratum, which contrasts
strongly with the darker gravels.
The geoglyphs fall
generally into two
categories. The rst group
is representational,
depicting animals, birds,
insects, plants, fantastic
gures and even
everyday objects.
The second group
comprises the lines,
generally straight and
criss-crossing in all
directions. Some stretch
several kilometres and
depict geometrical
shapes. Others are
so-called tracks which
appear to have been laid
out to accommodate
large numbers of people.
434 li nes and geoglyphs of nasca and pampas de j umana
World Heritage site since
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Skogskyrkogrden
Sweden
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
In 1912 an international architectural
competition was held to create a new
cemetery on the site of former gravel pits
overgrown with pine trees. It was won by
two young architects, Asplund and
Lewerentz, whose design blended
vegetation and architectural elements to
create a landscape that is finely adapted to
its function. Their sources were not high
architecture or landscape design but
ancient and medieval Nordic burial
archetypes. Nonetheless, skilful use was
made of elements from Mediterranean
antiquity, such as the Via Sepulchra at
Pompeii. The intervention of footpaths,
meandering freely through the woodland,
is minimal. Graves are laid out without
excessive alignment or regimentation
among the natural forest. This dignified
design has had a profound influence in
many countries around the world.
The cemetery design
stands out for its
intense romantic
naturalism, turning
the untouched Nordic
forest into the
dominant experience.
The evocation of raw
Nordic wilderness
constituted a radical
departure in
landscape
architecture as well as
cemetery layout in the
early twentieth
century.
Bagrati Cathedral and
Gelati Monastery
Georgia
Criteria Significance in human history
The construction of Bagrati Cathedral,
named after Bagrat III, the first king of
united Georgia, started at the end of the
tenth century and was completed in the
early years of the eleventh century. Although
partly destroyed by the Turks in 1691, its
ruins still lie in the centre of Kutaisi. Richly
ornamented capitals and fragments of piers
and vaulting are scattered throughout the
interior. The Gelati Monastery, whose main
buildings were erected between the twelfth
and seventeenth centuries, is a well-
preserved complex, with wonderful mosaics
and wall paintings. The main church has an
interior surmounted by a large dome which
beautifully combines space and solemnity,
with light streaming in from many windows.
The cathedral and monastery epitomise the
flowering of medieval architecture in
Georgia.
Gelati was not simply
a monastery it was
also a centre of
science and
education, and the
Academy established
there in the reign of
David IV (10731125)
was one of the most
important centres of
culture in ancient
Georgia.
skogskyrkogrden | bagrati cathedral and gelati monastery 435
World Heritage site since
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Black Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
EUROPE
Mountain Resort and its
Outlying Temples, Chengde
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Mountain Resort, the Qing dynastys
summer palace, in Hebei Province, was built
between 1703 and 1792. It is a vast complex
of palaces and administrative and
ceremonial buildings. Temples of various
architectural styles and imperial gardens
blend harmoniously into a landscape of
lakes, pastureland and forests. In addition
to its aesthetic interest, the Mountain Resort
is a rare historic vestige of the final
development of feudal society in China.
Each year the
Emperor would bring
his ministers, royal
troops, family and
concubines, to hunt
at Mulan. To
accommodate this
entourage of several
thousand people,
twenty-one temporary
palaces were built,
among them the
Mountain Resort and
its Outlying Temples.
World Heritage site since
Petjvesi Old Church
Finland
Criteria Significance in human history
The Petjvesi Evangelical Lutheran Old
Church is a building of considerable global
importance as an example of northern
timber church architecture and of the skills
of the peasant population. European
architectural trends have influenced the
external form and the ground plan of the
church, but they have been applied
masterfully to traditional log construction.
The church combines the layout of a
Renaissance central church conception and
older forms derived from Gothic groined
ceilings. The church suffered a period of
neglect between 1879 and the 1920s, which
was actually a blessing in disguise. When
restoration began the historical importance
of the building had been recognised and
only traditional techniques and materials
were used. As a result the level of
authenticity is exceptionally high.
This unique log
church was built
between 1763 and 1765
on a peninsula where
Lakes Jamsa and
Petjvesi meet. The
location was
specically chosen so
that the congregation
would be able to reach
it by boat or over the
ice in the winter.
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
Norwegian
Sea
Scandinavia
436 mountai n resort and temples, chengde | petj vesi old church
Barents
Sea
Xumifosou Zhi
Miao (Temple of
Happiness and
Longevity.
hi stori cal monuments of mtskheta 437
World Heritage site since
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Historical Monuments of
Mtskheta
Georgia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The historic churches of Mtskheta, former
capital of Georgia, are outstanding
examples of medieval religious architecture
in the Caucasus. They show the high level of
art and culture in the vanished Kingdom of
Georgia, which played an outstanding role
in the medieval history of its region.
Mtskhetas fortunes had risen and fallen
long before 1801, when Georgia became
part of Russia. The towns strategic
advantages brought settlement as early as
the third millennium BC. The kingdom of
Kartli-Iberia evolved from the collapse of
Alexanders Greek Empire, and Mtskheta
was its capital until the sixth century AD.
The Armaztsikhe (citadel and royal
residence) was at the heart of the city and
fortified quarters allocated to specialized
trades clustered around it, making up Great
Mtskheta. Today its ruins stand with the
remains of earlier monuments, including
a temple and tomb on Bagineti Mountain.
Many of Mtskhetas
early Christian
monuments survive to
the present day. They
include the eleventh-
century Svetitskhoveli
Cathedral; the Mtskhetis
Jvari (Church of the
Holy Rood), the most
sacred place in Georgia;
and Samtavro (the Place
of the Ruler), also built
in the eleventh century,
which contains the
graves of Mirian, the
rst Georgian Christian
king, and his wife.
Black Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Svetitskhoveli
Cathedral
EUROPE
Historic Monuments of
Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji
and Otsu Cities)
Japan
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
Built in AD 794 on the model of the capitals
of ancient China, Kyoto was the imperial
capital of Japan from its foundation until the
mid-nineteenth century. As the centre of
Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years,
Kyoto illustrates the development of
Japanese wooden architecture, particularly
religious architecture, and the art of
Japanese gardens, which has influenced
landscape gardening the world over.
Both Chinese culture and Buddhism were
having a profound influence on Japan when
the capital moved to Kyoto, then named
Heian-kyo, in AD 794. Aristocratic society
clustered around the imperial court for the
four centuries of the Heian period
(7941192). By the end of this period,
however, the military samurai class was
growing in power, and civil war started in
1185. It led to the establishment of a samurai
military regime at Kamakum, although the
imperial court remained at Kyoto. The
Sekisui-in at Kozan-ji is the best example
of the residential architecture of this period,
which ended in 1332 with the establishment
of the Muromachi Shogunate. This period
saw the building of large temples of the
Rinzai Zen sect, such as Temyu-ji, and the
creation of Zen gardens, of which that at
Saiho-ji is a representative example.
The Muromachi Shogunate reached its
height at the end of the fourteenth century;
this was reflected in buildings such as the
villa of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, which
later became the Buddhist temple Rokuon-ji.
Garden design was refined into pure art, as
demonstrated by the garden of the abbots
residence at Ryoan-ji.
Much of Kyoto was destroyed in the Onin
War (146777), but it was rebuilt by a new
urban merchant class who replaced the
aristocrats who had fled during the war.
The centre of power moved to Edo (present-
day Tokyo), and in Kyoto the strong castle of
Ngo-jo was built at the heart of the city.
The political stability of the late sixteenth
century saw a new spirit of confidence
among both merchants and the military,
reflected in the opulence and boldness of
the architecture; the Sanpo-in residential
complex and garden at Daigo-jo are
examples of this. The following century
saw Heian temples and shrines, such as
Kiyomimdera, being restored in traditional
style. During this period the supremacy of
Kyoto as a centre of pilgrimage became
established.
Kinkaku-ji, the
Golden Pavilion,
Kyoto.
Properties on the
World Heritage site
that date from the
foundation of
Heian-kyo in the late-
eighth century are
Karmwakeikauchi-
jinja (Shinto shrine),
Amomioya-jinja
(Shinto shrine),
Kyo-o-gokoku-ji To-ji
(Buddhist temple),
Kiyornim-dera
(Buddhist temple),
and Enryaku-ji
(Buddhist temple); the
two large Buddhist
temples of Daigo-ji
and Ninna-ji are
representative of the
early Heian period.
The Japanese
governments
introduction of the
rst ordinance for
the protection of
antiquities in 1871,
and the Ancient
Shrines and Temples
Preservation Law of
1897, marked the
beginning of the
important protection
and conservation
programmes of
modern Japan.
438 hi stori c monuments of anci ent kyoto
World Heritage site since
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
440 ha long bay
World Heritage site since
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Ha Long Bay
Vietnam
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin includes
some 1,600 islands and islets that form a
spectacular seascape of limestone pillars.
Because of their precipitous nature, most
of the islands are uninhabited. The sites
outstanding scenic beauty is complemented
by its great biological interest.
Ha Long Bay is known as a drowned karst
landscape due to the exceptional grouping
of its limestone karst features which have
been subject to repeated regression and
transgression of the sea over time. The
limestones of Ha Long Bay have been
eroded into a mature landscape of fengcong
(clusters of conical peaks) and fenglin
(isolated towers) karst features, modified by
sea invasion at a later stage.
The area provides a unique and extensive
reservoir of data for the future
understanding of geoclimatic history and
the nature of karst processes in a complex
environment.
The smaller islands
are fenglin towers
50100 m high. Many
have sheer faces on all
or most sides and
continue to evolve
through rock falls and
large slab failures.
A distinctive feature
of Ha Long Bay is the
abundance of lakes
and limestone caves
within the larger
limestone islands.
Pacic
Ocean ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Collegiate Church, Castle,
and Old Town of
Quedlinburg
Germany
Criteria Significance in human history
Quedlinburg, in the Land of Sachsen-
Anhalt, was a capital of the East Franconian
German Empire at the time of the
Saxonian-Ottonian ruling dynasty. The
importance of Quedlinburg rests on three
main elements: the preservation of the
medieval street pattern; the wealth of urban
vernacular buildings, especially timber-
framed houses of the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries; and the important
Romanesque collegiate church of
St Servatius. The area comprises the historic
town enclosed within the city walls,
consisting of the old (tenth century) and
new (twelfth century) towns, the Westendorf
district with the collegiate church and the
buildings of the imperial foundation,
St Wiperts Church, and the Mnzenberg,
the hill on which a Benedictine monastery
was founded in 946.
The original urban
layout is remarkably
well preserved. The
towns nucleus is the
castle hill, with its
administrative and
religious buildings,
around which
settlements of
craftsmen and traders
quickly grew to service
the requirements of
the rulers and their
households.
Vlklingen Ironworks
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The ironworks, which cover some 6,000 m
2
,
dominate the city of Vlklingen. They are
the only intact example, in the whole of
western Europe and North America, of an
integrated ironworks that was built and
equipped in the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries and has remained intact.
Vlklingen was the first ironworks in the
world to use blast-furnace gas on a large
scale to drive enormous blowers providing
blast to the furnaces. By the end of the
nineteenth century Vlklingen was one of
Europes most productive works and
Germanys largest producer of steel beams.
From the end of the Second World War until
pig-iron production ceased in 1986, only
minor modernisation and maintenance
took place, giving the site the appearance of
an ironworks of the 1930s.
The complex contains
installations covering
every stage in the pig-
iron-production
process, from raw-
materials handling
and processing
equipment for coal
and iron ore through
to blast-furnace iron
production.
Historically the plant
was a model for many
other similar
installations
throughout the world.
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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collegi ate church, castle, and old town of quedli nburg | vlkli ngen i ronworks 441
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
442 ci ty of safranbolu
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1994
City of Safranbolu
Turkey
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Safranbolu is a typical Ottoman city that
has survived to the present day. From the
thirteenth century to the early twentieth
century, Safranbolu was an important
caravan station on the main east-west trade
route. The Old Mosque, Old Bath and
Sleyman Pasha Medrese were built in 1322.
During its apogee in the seventeenth
century, Safranbolus architecture
influenced urban development throughout
much of the Ottoman Empire. Many
buildings survive from this period, including
the Cinci Inn with its sixty guest rooms
(16408), Kprl Mosque (1661) and Let
Pasha Mosque (1796), as well as many stores,
stables and baths. Following the advent of
the railway in the early twentieth century,
the town underwent a period of economic
deprivation until the building of the
Karabk steelworks, which provided a great
deal of employment in the region.
Safranbolu consists of
four distinct districts:
the market place area
of the inner city,
known as ukur
(The Hole); the area
of Kranky; Balar
(The Vineyards); and
an area of more
recent settlement
outside the historic
area. The original
Turkish settlement
was located
immediately south
of the citadel and
developed to the
southeast.
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
pi lgri mage church of st j ohn of nepomuk at zelen hora 443
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1994
Pilgrimage Church of
St John of Nepomuk at
Zelen Hora
Czech Republic
Criteria Significance in human history
This pilgrimage church stands at Zelen
Hora in Moravia. Constructed on a star-
shaped plan, it is the most unusual work by
the great architect Jan Blazej Santini, whose
highly original Baroque and Neo-Gothic
style displays great imagination and
inventiveness. Work on the pilgrimage
church began in 1719, three years before the
formal canonization of John of Nepomuk.
The construction of the main structure was
completed by 1721.
The number five is dominant in the layout
and proportions demonstrated by the five-
pointed star shape for the church and the
ten-pointed star for the surrounding
cloisters that contain five chapels and
five entrances.
The main impression given by the interior
is its loftiness. The central space opens into
five niches; of these, four are partitioned
horizontally and the fifth, on the east, is filled
by the main altar.
The church retains many of its
original furnishings, which include
the main altar, designed by Santini
and representing the celebration of
St John of Nepomuk in heaven; and
the four side altars, also designed
by Santini and depicting the four
Evangelists.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Historic Centre of Avignon:
Papal Palace, Episcopal
Ensemble and Avignon
Bridge
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
Avignon was the seat of the papacy in the
fourteenth century and an exceptional
group of monuments testify to the citys
importance. The austere Gothic palace-
fortress of the Palais des Papes dominates
the historic centre that includes the Petit
Palais, the Romanesque Cathedral of Notre-
Dame-des-Doms and the remains of the
twelfth-century Avignon Bridge.
In 1309 the Frenchman Bertrand de Got,
who was declared Supreme Pontiff as
Clement V, refused to go to Rome, choosing
instead to install himself temporarily in the
Dominican Convent at Avignon. The seat of
the papacy did not return to Rome until 1417.
Clements successor, John XXII (1316-34),
moved to the former bishops palace, which
was converted into a papal palace. Benedict
XII (133442) gradually demolished this
building and replaced it with what is now
known as the Old Palace, covering the
northern part of the present site. It was
Benedicts successor, Clement VI (134252),
who was to complete the ensemble.
Clement entrusted the interior decoration
to the famous Italian painter Matteo
Giovannetti. He also supervised the work
of French and Italian painters within
the palace.
In 1793 the French Revolutionary
Convention decided to demolish this
Bastille du Midi, but the massive building
defied their efforts. Ownership passed to
the town in 1810 and it was put at the
disposal of the Minister of War who used
it as a barracks until 1906, when it was
returned to the town.
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-des-Doms
lies to the north of the Palais des Papes. The
present building replaced the earlier group
of episcopal buildings in the twelfth century.
The Petit Palais on the western side of
the Place du Palais was built as a cardinals
residence. It was acquired by John XXII in
1336 to compensate the bishop for the
demolition of his palace to allow the
construction of the papal palace. The Petit
Palais was continuously expanded in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
Saint Bnzet Bridge, the Pont dAvignon,
is one of the most important medieval
bridges in Europe. Originally built in the
twelfth century, it spanned 900 m across the
Rhne but suffered several collapses in the
following centuries. It was not rebuilt after a
flood in 1668 swept much of it away, and
only four of its original twenty-two arches
remain.
The Palais des Papes
comprises two parts:
to the north the Palais
Vieux (Old Palace) of
Benedict XII and to
the south the Palais
Neuf (New Palace) of
Clement VI. The main
courtyard is situated
between the two
palace buildings.
The palace also houses
the pontiffs private
rooms, including
robing rooms,
bedrooms and studies.
The day room of
Clement IV, the
Chambre du Cerf,
gives access to the
Great Chapel of the
Palais Neuf; its heavy
vault is braced by a
massive ying buttress
that spans the
neighbouring street.
444 hi stori c centre of avi gnon
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
446 carlsbad caverns nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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Carlsbad Caverns National
Park
USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
This karst landscape in New Mexico
comprises eighty-one recognized caves that
are outstanding not only for their size but
also for the profusion, diversity and beauty
of their mineral formations.
The park covers a segment of the Capitan
Reef. An extensive cave system has
developed within the reef as a result of
sulphuric acid dissolution. Of the known
caves, Carlsbad Cavern is the largest, and
Lechuguilla Cave is the most extensive and
decorated in the world.
The Capitan Reef complex dates back to
the Permian period, some 225280 million
years ago. The exposed sections of this reef
lying within the park are among the best
preserved in the world accessible for
scientific study.
The caves are noted for their migratory bat
species. Various species of fungi and
bacteria growing inside are of particular
scientific and medical interest.
Carlsbad differs from
the other existing World
Heritage caves in its
huge chambers, far
larger than others,
and for its decorative
minerals. Since its initial
exploration in 1985,
Lechuguilla Cave has
been strictly managed,
allowing only closely
monitored visits by
researchers. This cave
is noteworthy as an
underground laboratory
where geological
processes can be
studied in a virtually
undisturbed
environment.
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Dolls Theatre, Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
World Heritage site since
cultural landscape of si ntra 447
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Cultural Landscape of
Sintra
Portugal
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
In the nineteenth century Sintra became the
first centre of European Romantic
architecture. Ferdinand II turned a ruined
monastery into a castle, where this new
sensitivity was displayed in the use of
Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance
elements, and in the creation of a park
blending local and exotic species of trees.
Other fine dwellings, built along the same
lines in the surrounding mountains, created
a unique combination of parks and gardens,
which influenced the development of
landscape architecture throughout Europe.
The Serra de Sintra, Ptolemys Mountain
of the Moon, encloses various significant
parks and gardens. Although almost all the
built heritage was destroyed in the 1755
earthquake, there are some outstanding
court and military buildings, religious
architecture and archaeological sites. These
include the Royal Palace and the Palace of
Ribafrias, Pena Palace, Quinta de Regaleira,
the Town Hall and Trinity Convent.
The structures of
Sintra and the Serra
harmonize indigenous
ora with a rened and
cultivated landscape
created by man as a
result of literary and
artistic inuences.
The Royal Palace is
the dominant
architectural feature of
Sintra. One of its most
important features is
the facing with tiles
(azulejos), the nest
example of this
Mudejar technique on
the Iberian Peninsula.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Pena Palace,
Sintra.
448 hi stori c centre of naples
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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Historic Centre of Naples
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Naples is one of the most ancient cities in
Europe, whose contemporary urban fabric
preserves the elements of its long and
eventful history. Its street pattern, its wealth
of historic buildings from many periods, and
its setting on the Bay of Naples give it an
unparalleled value and one that has had a
profound influence in Europe and beyond.
Much of the significance of Naples is due
to its urban fabric, which represents twenty-
five centuries of growth. The street layout in
the earliest parts of the city owes much to
its classical origins.
Naples has retained the imprint of the
successive cultures that emerged in Europe
and the Mediterranean basin. This makes it
a unique site, with a wealth of outstanding
churches, such as Santa Chiara and San
Lorenzo Maggiore, and monuments such
as the Castel Nuovo.
Above ground, little
survives of the Greek
town founded in
470 BC, but important
archaeological
discoveries have been
made since the Second
World War. Three
sections of the original
Greek town walls are
visible in the
northwest. The
surviving Roman
remains, notably the
large theatre,
cemeteries and
catacombs, are more
substantial.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Castel Nuovo.
Schokland and
Surroundings
Netherlands
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
Schokland was a peninsula that by the
fifteenth century had become an island.
Occupied and then abandoned as the sea
encroached, it had to be evacuated in 1859.
But following the draining of the Zuider
Zee, it has, since the 1940s, formed part of
the land reclaimed from the sea. Schokland
has vestiges of human habitation going
back to prehistoric times. It symbolizes the
heroic, age-old struggle of the people of the
Netherlands against the encroachment of
the sea.
Schokland and its
surroundings are
outstanding examples
of the prehistoric and
historic occupation of
a typical wetland,
especially in relation
to the reclamation
and occupation of
peat areas.
Virgin Komi Forests
Russian Federation
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
The Virgin Komi Forests cover 32,800 km
2
of tundra and mountain landscape, and
constitute one of the most extensive areas
of virgin boreal forest remaining in Europe.
The forest is dominated by lowlands in the
west that rise to form the glaciated northern
Ural mountains in the east. The vegetation
of the lowlands comprises marshes and
flood plain islands. Boreal forest extends
from the marshes to the foothills of the
Urals and is superseded by subalpine scrub
woodlands, meadows, tundra and bedrock.
This vast area of conifers, aspens, birches,
peat bogs, rivers and natural lakes has been
monitored and studied for over fifty years. It
provides valuable evidence of the natural
processes affecting biodiversity in the taiga.
The forests form a
haven for many
threatened mammal
species including
wolf, otter, beaver,
sable, wolverine and
lynx. Flying squirrels,
brown bears, elks and
pine martens are also
present.
schokland | vi rgi n komi forests 449
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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EUROPE
North
Sea
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
EUROPE
Waterton Glacier
International Peace Park
Canada and USA
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
In 1932 Waterton Lakes National Park in
Alberta, Canada, was joined with Glacier
National Park in Montana, United States, to
form the worlds first International Peace
Park. Situated on the border between the
two countries and offering outstanding
scenery, the combined park is exceptionally
rich in plant and mammal species, and in
prairie, forest, alpine and glacial features.
Both parks feature long, narrow, glacial
lakes and colourful, ancient rocks. The Peace
Park celebrates the peace and goodwill
existing along the world's longest
undefended border, as well as a spirit of
cooperation which is reflected in wildlife
and vegetation management, search and
rescue programmes, and joint interpretive
programmes, brochures and exhibits.
The Waterton-Glacier stratigraphic record
spans more than 1,600 million years of
sedimentary and tectonic evolution. Local
topography is dominated by the 2,500 m
peaks of the Rocky Mountains, and the park
is roughly split lengthwise by the
Continental Divide. The dominant
landforms are typical of mountain
glaciation. The mountains were largely
shaped by glacial erosion, whereas the
rolling grasslands are a result of glacial
deposition. The Peace Parks natural
processes: fire, wind, flooding and glaciation
continue to shape the landscape.
The region's climate also contributes to the
richness of life found in the park. The area is
influenced by two opposing systems, the
Arctic Continental and the Pacific Maritime.
The headwaters of three major continental
watersheds are also protected within the
boundaries of the Peace Park.
Five ecoregions are found within the
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park:
alpine, subalpine, montane, foothills
parkland, and grasslands. The alpine
ecoregion is found above 2,100 m on the
west slope and 1,800 m on the east. While it
is not well vegetated, it has striking summer
displays of wildflowers. Coniferous forest is
typical of the cooler subalpine ecoregion,
characterized by such species as lodgepole
and ponderosa pine, subalpine fir and
Englemann spruce. This snow forest is the
largest ecoregion in the Peace Park. The
montane ecoregion occurs at low to mid
elevations. It is a mix of dry grasslands and
mixed poplar and coniferous forests.
Douglas fir, white spruce and western larch
are distinctive trees of this ecoregion. The
foothills parkland ecoregion serves as a
transition between prairie grasslands and
the coniferous forest zone, and is mix of
aspens and grasslands. Commonly known
as bunchgrass prairie, a typical grass in this
ecoregion is rough fescue.
Waterton Lake in
Canada.
The diverse habitats
support a rich variety
of mammals, birds,
reptiles, amphibians,
sh and invertebrates.
These include an
intact suite of
predators including
grey wolves, grizzly
bears, cougars, lynx,
fox, coyotes, shers
and wolverines.
Both parks strive to
protect their shared
ecosystem through
cooperative
management, not
only between
themselves, but also
with other
neighbours.
450 waterton glaci er i nternati onal peace park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Roskilde Cathedral
Denmark
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Built in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries,
this was Scandinavias first Gothic cathedral
to be constructed of brick and it encouraged
the spread of this style throughout northern
Europe. It has been the mausoleum of the
Danish royal family since the fifteenth
century. The original structure was
Romanesque; however, when only the
eastern half had been built, the plan was
changed, the remainder to be under Gothic
influence. The transept was located further
back and the towers planned for the choir
were moved to the west end. Work was
virtually complete by around 1275, apart from
the north tower, which was finished at the
end of the fourteenth century. Porches and
side chapels were added up to the end of the
nineteenth century. The building thus
provides a clear overview of the development
of European religious architecture.
Many of the medieval
furnishings of the
cathedral disappeared
at the Reformation,
and more were sold at
a notorious auction in
1806. The outstanding
piece of what remains
is the reredos, a
masterpiece of Dutch
religious art dating
from around 1560.
It is a triptych, probably
from Antwerp, and
bears scenes from the
life of Christ.
452 roski lde cathedral
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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EUROPE
Baltic
Sea
North
Sea
World Heritage site since
ferrara 453
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1978
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1979
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1995
Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage associated
with events of universal significance
Ferrara is an outstanding example of a
planned Renaissance city which has retained
its urban fabric virtually intact. Among the
great Italian cities, it is the only one to have
an original plan that is not derived from a
Roman layout. It did not develop from a
central area but rather on a linear axis, along
the banks of the Po River, with longitudinal
streets and many cross streets, around
which the medieval city was organized.
Throughout the sixteenth century the city
was planned with the aim of making it a
future capital. Its evolution came to an end
after the seventeenth century under papal
administration, and the city did not undergo
any extensions for almost three centuries.
The developments in town planning
expressed in Ferrara had a profound
influence on urban design throughout the
following centuries.
In the fteenth and
sixteenth centuries the
city became an
intellectual and artistic
centre that attracted the
greatest minds of the
Italian Renaissance.
Here, Piero della
Francesca, Jacopo
Bellini and Andrea
Mantegna decorated
the palaces of the
House of Este, and the
humanist concept of the
ideal city came to life in
the neighbourhoods
built by Biagio Rossetti
in accordance with the
new principles of
perspective.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Castello Estense.
Rapa Nui National Park
Chile
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
Rapa Nui, the indigenous name of Easter
Island, bears witness to a unique cultural
phenomenon. A society that settled there
around AD 300 established a powerful and
original tradition of monumental sculpture
and architecture free from outside
influence. From the tenth to the sixteenth
centuries this society built shrines and
erected enormous stone figures known as
moai, creating an unrivalled cultural
landscape that continues to fascinate people
throughout the world.
The island was settled around AD 300 by
Polynesians, probably from the Marquesas,
who brought with them a wholly Stone Age
society. The high cultural level of this society
is best known by its moai and ceremonial
shrines (ahu); it is also noteworthy for a form
of pictographic writing (rongo rongo), so far
undeciphered. All the cultural elements in
Rapa Nui before the arrival of Europeans in
the eighteenth century indicate that there
were no other incoming groups.
Between the tenth and sixteenth centuries
the island community expanded steadily,
and settlements were set up along the
coastline. However, an economic and social
crisis in the sixteenth century, attributable to
over-population and environmental
deterioration, resulted in constant warfare
between two separate groups. The warrior
class that evolved gave rise to the Birdman
cult which superseded the statue-building
religion and toppled most of the moai and
ahu.
On Easter Sunday 1722 Jacob Roggeveen
of the Dutch East India Company chanced
upon the island and gave it its European
name. It was annexed to Chile in 1888.
Rapa Nuis most famous archaeological
features are the moai, believed to represent
sacred ancestors who watch over the
villages and ceremonial areas. They range
from 2 m to 20 m in height and are for the
most part carved from the scoria or
solidified lava, and lowered down the slopes
into previously dug holes.
The ahu vary considerably in size and form.
There are certain constant features: notably
a raised rectangular platform of large
worked stones filled with rubble; a ramp
often paved with rounded beach pebbles;
and a levelled area in front
of the platform. Some have moai on them,
and there are tombs in a number of the
ahu in which skeletal remains have been
discovered. The ahu are generally located
on the coast and orientated parallel to it.
Ahu Tongariki, the
largest ahu on Rapa
Nui.
Several moai are still in
an uncompleted
condition in the
quarries, providing
valuable information
about their
manufacture. Some
have large cylindrical
pieces of red stone
known as pukao as
headdresses: these
are believed to denote
special ritual status.
There is a clear
stylistic evolution in
the form and size of
the moai, from the
earlier small, round-
headed and round-
eyed gures to the
best-known large,
elongated gures with
carefully carved
ngers, nostrils, long
ears and other
features.
454 rapa nui nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Caves of Aggtelek Karst
and Slovak Karst
Hungary and Slovakia
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The variety of formations and the fact that
they are concentrated in a restricted area
means that the 712 caves currently identified
make up a typical temperate-zone karstic
system. Because they display an extremely
rare combination of tropical and glacial
climatic effects, they make it possible to
study geological history over tens of
millions of years.
These caves are
remarkable for having
the worlds highest
stalagmite and an ice-
lled abyss, which
considering the
territorys height
above sea level, is a
unique phenomenon
for central Europe.
456 caves of aggtelek karst and slovak karst | messel pi t fossi l si te
World Heritage site since
Messel Pit Fossil Site
Germany
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
One of the worlds four most significant
fossil sites, Messel Pit gives the most
complete view of the living environment
of the Eocene, between 57 million and
36 million years ago. During this period of
geological time, North America, Europe and
Asia were in continuous land contact and
the partial explanation of current
distribution patterns is provided by the
Eocene fossil record. Messel provides
particularly rich information about the early
stages of the evolution of mammals and
includes exceptionally well-preserved
mammal fossils, ranging from fully
articulated skeletons to the contents of
stomachs of animals of this period.
Mammals were not the only component of
the fauna large quantities of birds, reptiles,
fish, insects and plant remains all contribute
to an extraordinary fossil assemblage.
The Eocene epoch
was a remarkable
period in the
evolution of life on
Earth, when mammals
became rmly
established in all the
principal land
ecosystems. They also
reinvaded the seas,
e.g. whales, and took
to the air, e.g. bats.
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EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Demnovsk Cave
of Freedom, Slovak
Karst Caves.
World Heritage site since
seokguram grotto and bulguksa temple 457
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Seokguram Grotto and
Bulguksa Temple
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Established in the eighth century on the
slopes of Mount Toham, the Seokguram
Grotto consists of an antechamber, a
corridor and a main rotunda. It is built from
granite and features thirty-nine Buddhist
engravings on the main wall and the
principal sculpture of the Buddha in the
centre. This monumental statue is posed in
the bhumisparsha mudra position, the gesture
with which the historical Buddha
summoned the Earth as witness to his
realization of Enlightenment. With the
surrounding portrayals of gods,
Bodhisattvas and disciples, all realistically
and delicately sculpted in high and low
relief, it is considered a masterpiece of
Buddhist art in the Far East. The Temple of
Bulguksa, built in 774, and the Seokguram
Grotto form a religious architectural
complex of exceptional significance.
The main Sakyamuni
Buddha gure is
3.45 m high, and set
on a lotus ower-
shaped pedestal.
The hair is tightly
curled and there is a
distinct usnisa, the
protuberance on the
top of the head
symbolizing Supreme
Wisdom. Beneath the
broad forehead the
eyebrows are shaped
like crescent moons
and the half-closed
eyes gaze towards the
Sea of Japan (East Sea).
Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
Multi-coloured lanterns decorate the Dabotap
Pagoda, which is located in the Bulguksa
Temple. The lanterns are to celebrate Buddhas
birthday.
458 san agust n archeologi cal park
World Heritage site since
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San Agustn Archeological
Park
Colombia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The wealth of megalithic statuary from the
archaeological site in San Agustn
Archeological Park bears vivid witness to the
artistic creativity of the pre-Hispanic culture
that flowered in the hostile tropical
environment of the northern Andes from
the first to the eighth centuries. During this
period there was considerable social
consolidation. The concentration of power
in the hands of the chiefs made possible the
production of gigantic works: hundreds of
elaborate stone statues were carved, some
in complex relief and large in size.
Altogether some 300 enormous sculptures
of gods, warriors and mythical beasts were
created, in styles ranging from abstract to
realist, and they make up the largest group
of religious monuments in South America.
The huge monumental platforms, terraces
and mounds, and the temple-like
architecture reflect a complex system of
religious and magical beliefs.
The principal
archaeological
monuments are Las
Mesitas, containing
articial mounds,
terraces, funerary
structures and stone
statues; the Fuente de
Lavapatas, a religious
monument carved in
the stone bed of a
stream; and the
Bosque de Las
Estatuas, where there
are examples of stone
statues from the
whole region.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
hanseati c town of vi sby 459
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Hanseatic Town of Visby
Sweden
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
A former Viking site on the island of
Gotland, Visby was the main centre of the
Hanseatic League in the Baltic from the
twelfth to the fourteenth centuries. During
this period, German merchants settled in
the town, followed by Russian and Danish
traders. Guild houses and churches were
built, and the earlier small wooden buildings
were replaced by large stone houses, built in
parallel rows eastwards from the harbour.
As a result, Visby changed from a simple
Gotland village into an impressive
international town, enclosed by a strong
defensive wall, and increasingly divorced
from its rural hinterland. Its thirteenth-
century ramparts and more than 200
buildings (warehouses and wealthy
merchants dwellings) from the same period
make it the best-preserved fortified
commercial city in northern Europe.
The best-preserved
medieval warehouse
is the Old Pharmacy
on Strandgatan, with
vaulted rooms on the
ground and top oors,
a latrine cellar, a
medieval well, and
original surrounds on
doors and windows.
Other notable
buildings are von
Lingens House on
St Hansgatan and
a number of houses
in the narrow streets
running down to the
harbour.
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Historic Centre of Siena
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
Siena is the embodiment of a medieval city.
Its character and quality are preserved to a
remarkable degree, and its influence on art,
architecture and town planning in the
Middle Ages, both in Italy and elsewhere in
Europe, was immense. The whole city of
Siena, built around the Piazza del Campo,
was devised as a work of art that blends into
the surrounding landscape.
The historic centre is delimited by a 7-km
fortification of ramparts dating from the
fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries, the
route of which follows the contours of the
three hills on which the city stands. The
walls, which have been enlarged on several
occasions, also include part of the 25-km
network of galleries (bottini), which evacuate
the spring waters distributed by the public
fountains. The main fountains, mostly from
the thirteenth century, are veritable
buildings in their own right and constructed
like Gothic porticoes.
The historic centre developed along the
Y-shaped segments defined by the three
main arteries that meet at the Croce del
Travaglio, adjoining the Piazza del Campo,
and onto which the network of minor roads
are grafted. Houses and palaces follow one
another in rows along the main streets,
creating a characteristic urban space with
certain notable elements.
The Piazza del Campo, at the junction of
three hills, is one of the most remarkable
urban open spaces in Italy. Its formation
coincides with the growth of the medieval
city and the assertion of communal power.
Financial and commercial activities were
concentrated halfway along the Via
Francigena, the entire lengths of the
present-day Via dei Banchi Sopra and Via
dei Banchi Sotto, and the market place
proper was located in the Piazza del Campo,
at that time divided in two sectors.
At the end of the twelfth century, the
communal government decided to unite
the two sectors to create a unique
semicircular open space, and promulgated
a series of ordinances that regulated not
only commercial activities, but also the
services and dimensions of the houses, in
order to make the faades around the piazza
uniform. Under the Medici who ruled Siena
from the mid-sixteenth century, the piazza
became the ideal setting for spectacular
festivals and was opened up to the Palio,
the famous horse race between teams from
the different quarters of the city.
The Palazzo Pubblico,
the focal point of the
Piazza del Campo,
was in all probability
the model for the
Gothic palaces of the
great noble or
mercantile families
(Palazzo Tomei,
Palazzo Buonsignore);
these are characterized
by an increase in
breadth, the use of
brick, large windows
and the so-called
Guelph crenellation.
The highest point of
the town is crowned
by the Cathedral of
Santa Maria. The
lower part of its faade
is the work of
Giovanni Pisano. The
cathedrals remarkable
pavement and pulpit,
which was carved by
Nicol Pisano, are
extremely well-
preserved.
460 hi stori c centre of si ena
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Historic Villages of
Shirakawa-go and
Gokayama
Japan
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Located in a mountainous region that was
cut off from the rest of the world for a long
period of time, these villages with their
Gassho-style houses subsisted on the
cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing
of silkworms. The large houses with their
steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only
examples of their kind in Japan. Despite
economic upheavals, the villages of
Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are
outstanding examples of a traditional way
of life perfectly adapted to the environment
and peoples social and economic
circumstances.
The need for large,
enclosed spaces to
store mulberry leaves
and for silkworm beds
was important in the
development of the
areas characteristic
gassho-style houses.
Their steeply pitched
roofs are also ideally
designed to withstand
the areas heavy
snowfalls.
462 shi rakawa-go and gokayama | haei nsa temple j anggyeong panj eon
World Heritage site since
Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories
for the Tripitaka Koreana
Woodblocks
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Temple of Haeinsa, on Mount Kaya, is
home to the Tripitaka Koreana, the most
complete collection of Buddhist texts,
engraved on 80,000 woodblocks between
1237 and 1248. The buildings of Janggyeong
Panjeon date from the fifteenth century and
were constructed to house the woodblocks
which are also revered as exceptional works
of art. As the oldest depository of the
Tripitaka, they reveal an astonishing mastery
of the invention and implementation of the
conservation techniques used to preserve
these woodblocks.
The Haeinsa Tripitaka
woodblocks were
carved in an appeal to
the authority of the
Buddha in the
defence of Korea
against Mongol
invasions. They are
recognized by
Buddhist scholars
around the world for
their outstanding
accuracy and superior
quality.
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
Yellow
Sea
World Heritage site since
old town lunenburg 463
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Old Town Lunenburg
Canada
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Lunenburg is the best surviving example
of a planned British colonial settlement in
North America. The Lunenburg plan (1753)
incorporated all the principles of the model
town: geometrically regular streets and
blocks; the allocation of public spaces; an
allowance for fortifications; and a
distinction between urban and non-urban
areas. Of these, all but the fortifications
survive in present-day Lunenburg. The plan
consisted of six divisions of eight blocks
each, each block being in turn subdivided
into fourteen lots. Each settler was given
a town lot and a larger garden lot outside
the town limits. The setting and layout of the
town have changed minimally since 1753.
Wood remains the principal construction
material and traditional techniques have
been maintained when restoration has been
carried out on earlier buildings.
The pattern of
construction of the
residential buildings
is repeated in the
commercial and
waterfront buildings,
where wood
predominates. The
same applies to the
churches: the second
oldest Protestant
church building in
Canada, St Johns
Anglican Church,
begun in 1754, is
considered by experts
to be an example of
Carpenter Gothic at
its nest.
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
464 town of luang prabang
World Heritage site since
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Town of Luang Prabang
Lao Peoples Democratic
Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Luang Prabang is an outstanding example
of the fusion of traditional Lao architecture
and urban structures with European
colonial building in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. Its unique and
remarkably well-preserved townscape
illustrates a key stage in the blending of
these two distinct cultural traditions. The
political and religious centre of the town
is situated on a peninsula formed by the
Mekong River and its tributaries, and
contains royal and noble residences,
religious foundations and commercial
buildings. The majority are built from wood
(parts of the temples are in stone). The
colonial element is characterized by one- or
two-storey terraced houses built from brick.
The monasteries generally consist of the
religious buildings (shrine, chapel, library,
stupa, stone post), and monastic buildings
(communal buildings, cells, refectory).
The traditional Lao
wooden houses are
divided into two basic
spaces: the private
rooms and the public
terraces. They are
usually raised on
wooden piles, giving
a space beneath for
working and for
shelter, for both men
and animals. Walling
may be of planks or
plaited bamboo on
a wooden frame.
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
ASIA
Wat Xieng Thong
Temple in Luang
Prabang.
World Heritage site since
crespi dadda 465
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Crespi dAdda
Italy
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Crespi dAdda is an outstanding example
of a late nineteenth-century company town
that survives remarkably intact, and part of
which is still in industrial use. In 1878
Cristoforo Benigno Crespi, an enlightened
textile manufacturer, built three-storey
multi-family houses for his workers around
his mill. When his son, Silvio Benigno
Crespi, took over the management in 1889,
he completed and modified the project.
He turned away from the large multiple-
occupancy blocks in favour of the single-
family house with its own garden, which he
saw as conducive to harmony, and a defence
against industrial strife. In addition to small
houses, a hydroelectric power station to
supply the workers with free electricity; a
clinic; public lavatories and wash houses; a
consumer cooperative; a school and small
theatre; a sports centre; houses for the local
priest and doctor; and other common
services were built.
The entire complex
is laid out in a
geometrically regular
form and divided into
two parts by the main
road from Capriate.
The factory, a single,
compact block with
medieval
ornamentation, is on
one side of the main
road. The houses,
constructed within a
rectangular grid of
roads in three lines,
are on the opposite
side.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Rice Terraces of the
Philippine Cordilleras
Philippines
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
The rice terraces of the Philippine
Cordilleras are living cultural landscapes
devoted to the production of one of the
worlds most important staple crops, rice.
They preserve traditional techniques and
forms, dating back many centuries, and still
viable today. At the same time, they illustrate
a remarkable degree of harmony between
mankind and a natural environment of
great aesthetic appeal, as well as
demonstrating sustainable farming systems
in mountainous terrain based on careful use
of natural resources.
The rice terraces are the only monuments
in the Philippines that show no evidence of
having been influenced by colonial cultures.
Owing to the difficult terrain, the Cordillera
tribes are among the few peoples of the
Philippines who have successfully resisted
foreign domination and preserved their
authentic tribal culture. The history of the
terraces is intertwined with that of its
people, their culture and traditional
practices.
The Philippines culture, alone among
southeast Asian cultures, is wholly wood-
based and the terraces are the only form of
stone construction from the pre-colonial
period. Terracing began in the Cordilleras
some 2,000 years ago, although scholars
disagree about its original purpose.
However, it is evidence of a high level of
knowledge of structural and hydraulic
engineering among the terrace builders.
The knowledge and practices involved in
maintaining the terraces are transferred
orally from generation to generation,
without written records but supported
by rituals.
Construction of the terraces demands
great care and precision. An underground
conduit is placed within the fill for drainage
purposes. The groups of terraces blanket the
mountainsides, following their contours.
Above them, rising to the mountain tops, is
a ring of private woods (muyong), intensively
managed in conformity with traditional
practices, which recognizes a total
ecosystem and assures an adequate water
supply to keep the terraces flooded. Water
is equitably shared and no single terrace
obstructs the flow on its way down to the
next terrace. There is a complex system of
communally maintained dams, sluices,
channels and bamboo pipes, which drain
into a stream at the bottom of the valley.
Villages are associated with groups of
terraces, and consist of groups of single-
family tribal dwellings which architecturally
reproduce the peoples spatial interpretation
of their mountain environment.
Terraced rice elds
are not uncommon
in Asia, and the main
differences between
the Philippines
terraces and those
elsewhere are their
higher altitudes
(between 700 m and
1,500 m above sea
level) and the steeper
slopes. The high-
altitude cultivation is
based on the use of a
special strain of rice
which germinates
under freezing
conditions and grows
chest-high, with non-
shattering panicles, to
facilitate harvesting
on slopes that are too
steep to permit the
use of animals or
machinery of any
kind.
466 ri ce terraces of the phi li ppi ne cordi lleras
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Jongmyo Shrine
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Significance in human history
Jongmyo is the oldest and most authentic
of the Confucian royal shrines to have been
preserved. Dedicated to the forefathers of
the Choson dynasty 13921910, the shrine
has existed in its present form since the
sixteenth century and houses tablets bearing
the teachings of members of the former
royal family. Ritual ceremonies linking
music, song and dance still take place there,
perpetuating a tradition that goes back to
the fourteenth century. Jongmyo is situated
in valleys and surrounded by low hills, with
artificial additions created to reinforce the
balance of natural elements on the site as
laid out in traditional geomancy. The
complex is composed of three sets of
buildings, each centred around an important
shrine or other religious building.
Taejo, founder of the
kingdom, transferred
the seat of
government to
Hanyang (present-day
Seoul) in 1394 and
ordered the building
of Jongmyo. The spirit
tablets of four
generations of Taejos
ancestors were later
moved there;
additional buildings
were added later.
468 j ongmyo shri ne | gough and i naccessi ble i slands
World Heritage site since
Gough and Inaccessible
Islands
United Kingdom
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The spectacular cliffs of Gough Island,
towering above the remote South Atlantic,
make it a strong contender for the title
most important seabird colony in the
world. At least fifty-four bird species occur
here, including 48 per cent of the worlds
population of the northern rockhopper
penguin. Gough is also a major breeding
site of the great shearwater with up to three
million pairs breeding on the island. The
endangered wandering albatross Diomedea
dabbenena is virtually restricted to Gough,
with up to 2,000 breeding pairs. The last
survivors of the southern giant petrel also
breed on Gough, with only 100150 pairs
remaining. Inaccessible Island is almost as
rich in wildlife, with two bird, eight plant and
at least ten invertebrate species endemic to
the island.
Gough Islands
undisturbed nature
makes it invaluable for
biological research,
which, with weather
monitoring, is the
only activity permitted
on the island.
Inaccessible Island is
also largely pristine
and is one of the few
temperate oceanic
islands without
introduced mammals.
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Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
AFRICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Yellow
Sea
World Heritage site since
hi stori cal town centre of kutn hora 469
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Kutn Hora: Historical
Town Centre with the
Church of St Barbara and
the Cathedral of Our Lady
at Sedlec
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Kutn Hora, as a result of its silver mines,
was one of the most important political and
economic centres of Bohemia. Its medieval
centre and churches influenced the
architecture of central Europe. In the
fourteenth century it became a royal city
endowed with monuments that symbolized
its prosperity: the Church of St Barbara, the
Church of St James, the Stone House and
the Gothic fountain. The interior of
St Barbaras, a jewel of the late Gothic
period, is decorated with medieval frescoes
depicting the secular life of the medieval
mining town of Kutn Hora. The Cistercian
Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec was
restored in line with the Baroque taste of the
early eighteenth century. These
masterpieces today form part of a well-
preserved medieval urban fabric, with some
particularly fine private dwellings. The town, built above the steep
descent of the Vrchlice Creek, some
60 km east of Prague, prospered
from the exploitation of the silver
mines, which reached its peak in the
fourteenth and fteenth centuries,
when the city became one of the
richest in Europe.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
The Church of St Barbara.
Old and New Towns of
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Scottish capital since 1437, Edinburgh
has two distinct areas: the Old Town,
dominated by the medieval fortress of
Edinburgh Castle; and the neoclassical
New Town, whose development from the
eighteenth century onwards had a far-
reaching influence on European urban
planning. The two areas are a remarkable
blend of the urban phenomena of organic
medieval growth and eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century town planning.
The successive planned extensions of the
New Town and the high quality of the
architecture set standards for Scotland
and beyond.
Edinburgh Castle was built in the twelfth
century on top of a crag-and-tail formation
known as Castle Rock, and the main
medieval High Street stood on the ridge of
the tail that ran downhill from the Castle to
the city walls. Other streets, called closes or
wynds, led off at right angles on either side.
Regular wars with England meant that
Edinburgh was well fortified and that
building was concentrated largely inside the
walls. The pressure on space and the steep
fall-off in land on either side of the hill led to
the development of multi-storey dwellings
from the late medieval period onwards, with
some streets effectively being built
underground.
By the eighteenth century the town had
become so crowded that the city authorities
deemed it necessary to expand on the land
to the north. A competition to design the
new area was won in 1766 by a 26-year-old
local architect, James Craig. His design for
a formally organized grid of streets,
considered to reflect the rational ideas of
the Scottish Enlightenment in its order and
in its neoclassical styling, was so successful
that it was subsequently greatly extended.
Part of the extension was Charlotte Square,
designed by Robert Adam.
The linking of the Old and New Towns by
road and bridge, and the construction of
neoclassical buildings in both such as
Adams design for the Old College of
Edinburgh University harmonized the two
contrasting historic areas, giving the city its
unique character.
Edinburgh Castle in
the Old Town (right)
and the eastern end of
the New Town
(below).
The Chapel of
St Margaret was
the only part of
Edinburgh Castle to
survive destruction
throughout centuries
of wars and sieges.
James VI of Scotland
and I of England, son
of Mary, Queen of
Scots, was born in the
Castle in 1556.
The Palace of
Holyroodhouse, the
scene of many events
in Scottish history,
was originally the
guesthouse of
Holyrood Abbey. It
was transformed into
a royal residence by
King James IV
(14731513) and is the
ofcial residence of
the monarch in
Scotland.
470 old and new towns of edi nburgh
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
472 coloni a del sacramento
World Heritage site since
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Historic Quarter of the City
of Colonia del Sacramento
Uruguay
Criteria Significance in human history
Founded by the Portuguese in 1680, Colonia
del Sacramento was built on the extreme
west side of a peninsula by the Ro de la
Plata. It illustrates the successful fusion of
Portuguese, Spanish and Uruguayan styles.
In 17045, during the War of the Spanish
Succession, the town was razed to the
ground by the Spanish. The Portuguese
began reconstruction immediately and
Sacramento became the powerhouse of
material, commercial and cultural
development in the colony. Its success had
a decisive influence on the development
of Buenos Aires and its region. The siege
of 1777 saw Sacramento incorporated into
the Spanish Empire. There are excellent
examples of seventeenth to nineteenth-
century buildings, ranging from elegant
town houses to artisans dwellings, and the
town has preserved its wide main streets,
large squares, cobbled lanes and intimate
open spaces.
Colonia del
Sacramento bears
remarkable testimony
in its layout and its
buildings to the
nature and objectives
of European colonial
settlement,
particularly during the
seminal period at the
end of the
seventeenth century.
It also exercised an
unquestioned
inuence on
architectural
development on
either side of the Ro
de la Plata.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Historic Centre of Santa
Cruz de Mompox
Colombia
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Founded in 1540 on the banks of the river
Magdalena, Mompox played a key role in
the Spanish colonisation of northern South
America. The town was defined by the river,
and initially grew only along the banks. Walls
were built to protect it during periods of
high water and, instead of a central square
or plaza, it had three plazas in line, each with
its own church, and corresponding with a
former Indian settlement. The churches also
served as forts in the early years of the city.
The historic centre has preserved the
harmony and unity of the urban landscape.
Most of the buildings are still used for their
original purposes, providing an exceptional
picture of what a Spanish colonial city was
like.
Mompox grew along
the banks of the river
and was of great
logistic and
commercial
importance: trafc
between the port of
Cartagena and the
interior travelled
along the rivers, while
overland routes also
converged upon the
town.
National Archeological
Park of Tierradentro
Colombia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The hypogea (underground tombs) of
Tierradentro are a unique testimony to the
everyday life, ritual and burial customs of a
stable but now vanished northern Andean
pre-Hispanic society. In particular, their
carved anthropomorphic representations
and polychrome paintings are unique in
America. Dating from the sixth to the tenth
centuries, these huge burial chambers are
up to 12 m wide. There is a symbolic
symmetry between the houses of the living
above ground and the underground hypogea
for the dead, created by a number of elegant
elements. This conveys a pleasant aesthetic
sensation and evokes a powerful image of
the importance of a new stage into which
the deceased has entered and the continuity
between life and death, between the living
and the ancestors.
Tierradentro is also
remarkable for its
stone statues. They are
carved from stone of
volcanic origin and
represent standing
human gures, with
their upper limbs
placed on their chests.
Masculine gures
have banded head-
dresses, loincloths
and various
adornments whereas
female gures wear
turbans, sleeveless
blouses and skirts.
santa cruz de mompox | archeologi cal park of ti erradentro 473
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Cologne Cathedral
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
Cologne Cathedral, constructed over six
centuries, is a masterpiece of Gothic
architecture. Over the years, successive
generations of builders were inspired by the
same faith and a spirit of absolute fidelity to
the original plans. The cathedral is powerful
testimony to the strength and persistence
of Christian belief in medieval and modern
Europe.
The site of the cathedral is thought to have
been first used for Christian worship as early
as the fourth century AD. Following the Edict
of Milan in 313, when the Emperors
Constantine and Licinius proclaimed
religious freedom in the Roman Empire,
a Christian meeting house near the city
walls was enlarged into a church. Alongside
it were an atrium, a baptistry and a dwelling
house, possibly for the bishop. This modest
ensemble was greatly extended and
enlarged in the following centuries. The
result was an immense building, known by
the thirteenth century as the mother and
master of all churches in Germany.
Despite its generous dimensions, this
cathedral was found to be too small to
accommodate the throngs of pilgrims who
began to visit Cologne from 1164, when the
Archbishop of Cologne brought back from
Milan the relics of the Three Kings, the Magi
who visited Jesus shortly after his birth.
The ambition of the Archbishop Engelbert
of Cologne to make his cathedral into one
of the most important in the Holy Roman
Empire, and a fitting monument to house
the sacred relics, led him to urge for the
construction of an entirely new building.
However, the archbishop was murdered
in 1225 and work did not begin until 1248.
By 1560, much of the nave and the four
side aisles had been completed, along with
the main structure of the lofty south tower
of the west end. Despite numerous efforts,
the cathedral remained in an uncompleted
state for several centuries. Work was delayed
when the French seized Cologne in 1794,
and only restarted in 1815 after the city
passed to Prussia. The neoclassical architect
Karl Friedrich Schinkel visited the cathedral
in 1816 and sent his talented pupil Ernst
Friedrich Zwirner there as cathedral
architect. Work did not begin, however, until
1840. Building was finally completed in
1880, 632 years and 2 months after it first
began in 1248.
The cathedral is a
High Gothic ve-
aisled basilica with a
projecting transept
and two-tower faade.
The construction is
totally unied. The
western section
changes in style but
this is not perceptible
in the overall building.
Nineteenth-century
work followed
medieval forms and
techniques faithfully.
The original liturgical
appointments of the
choir include the high
altar on a slab of black
marble, carved-oak
choir stalls (130811),
painted choir screens
(133240), fourteen
statues on the pillars in
the choir (127090)
and the stained-glass
windows, the largest
extant cycle of
fourteenth-century
windows in Europe.
474 cologne cathedral
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
476 lake bai kal
World Heritage site since
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Lake Baikal
Russian Federation
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological and
biological processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
More than twenty-five million years old and
1,700 m deep, 31,500 km
2
Lake Baikal in
southeast Siberia is the oldest and deepest
lake in the world. It contains 20 per cent of
the worlds total unfrozen freshwater reserves.
Known as the Galpagos of Russia, its age
and isolation have produced some of the
worlds richest and most unusual endemic
freshwater floras and faunas, which are of
exceptional value to evolutionary science,
the most notable of which is the Baikal seal,
a uniquely freshwater species.
The lake is also surrounded by a system of
protected areas that have high scenic and
other natural values.
The formation of the
basins geological
structures took place
during the Palaeozoic,
Mesozoic and
Cenozoic eras (from
540 million years ago
to the present).
Various tectonic
forces are still
ongoing, as evidenced
in recent thermal
vents in the depths
of the lake.
The landscape
surrounding the lake
basin is exceptionally
picturesque, with
mountains, forests,
tundra, lakes, islands
and steppes.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
hi roshi ma peace memori al ( genbaku dome) 477
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Hiroshima Peace Memorial
(Genbaku Dome)
Japan
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial is a stark
symbol of the most destructive force ever
created by humankind; it also expresses the
hope for world peace and the ultimate
elimination of nuclear weapons. The
Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion
Hall was the only structure left standing,
albeit in skeletal form, in the area where the
first atomic bomb exploded on the morning
of 6 August 1945. It was preserved in that
state when reconstruction of the city began,
and became known as the Genbaku (Atomic
Bomb) Dome. In 1966 Hiroshima City
Council adopted a resolution that the dome
should be preserved in perpetuity. The Peace
Memorial Park, in which the dome is the
principal landmark, was laid out between
1950 and 1964. Since 1952 the park has been
the scene of the annual Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Ceremony, held on 6 August.
The Hiroshima
Prefectural Industrial
Promotion Hall was
a three-storey brick
building with a ve-
storey central core
topped by an elliptical
dome. Located only
150 m from the
hypocentre of the
explosion, it was
almost completely
shattered and gutted.
However, because the
force of the blast came
from directly above,
the foundations of the
core of the building
under the dome
remained standing.
Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Ancient Ksour of Ouadane,
Chinguetti, Tichitt and
Oualata
Mauritania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
Founded in the eleventh and twelfth
centuries to serve the caravans crossing the
Sahara, these trading and religious centres
became focal points of Islamic culture. Sited
on the outskirts of a fertile valley or oasis,
their original function was to provide
religious instruction, and so they developed
around mosques, accompanied by houses
for teachers and students. Warehouses were
built by traders to safeguard their goods,
who needed accommodation for
themselves, while inns were provided for
those passing through on business. From
these elements grew the characteristic form
of settlement known as the ksar (plural
ksour), with stone architecture and an urban
form suited to extreme climatic conditions.
Typically, houses with patios crowd along
narrow streets around a mosque with a
square minaret.
These four ancient
cities are the only
surviving places in
Mauritania to have
been inhabited since
the Middle Ages.
They illustrate a
traditional way of life
centred on the
nomadic culture of
the people of the
western Sahara.
478 anci ent ksour of ouadane, chi nguetti , ti chi tt and oualata | okapi wi ldli fe reserve
World Heritage site since
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about
one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the northeast
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Congo River basin, of which the reserve
and forest are a part, is one of the largest
drainage systems in Africa. The reserve
contains threatened species of primates and
birds and about 5,000 of the estimated
30,000 okapi surviving in the wild. It also
has some dramatic scenery, including
waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The
reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic
pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.
The Pygmy groups
that today inhabit the
Ituri forest excel in the
use and identication
of wild plants. Pygmies
have a semi-nomadic
hunter-gatherer
lifestyle and when not
hunting with traditional
nets or archery, gather
insects, fungi, fruits,
seeds, plants and honey.
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Okapi in the Ituri
forest.
abbey of pannonhalma and i ts natural envi ronment 479
World Heritage site since
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Millenary Benedictine
Abbey of Pannonhalma and
its Natural Environment
Hungary
Criteria Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Benedictine monks came in 996 to this
sacred mountain in the former Roman
province of Pannonia. They established the
monastery as the eastern bridgehead of
medieval European culture, a role it retained
for 1,000 years, with only brief interruptions.
The present church, of 1224, is the third on
the site; it contains fragments of its
predecessors. In 1472 the king took over the
monastery and undertook extensive
renovations. The present cloister and other
buildings with a religious function were
built, and the monastery was fortified.
However, monastic life became difficult; the
monastery was badly damaged by fire and
largely abandoned in 1575, to be occupied
by the Turks in 1594. The Benedictine
community returned in 1638, and the
Baroque elements of the monastery, such
as the refectory, were added. Today the
buildings still house a school and the
monastic community.
The landscape
around the monastic
site contains a natural
oak forest, and a
botanical garden,
composed of forest
trees and plants, and
hedgerow and park
species, both native
and exotic.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
480 canal du mi di
World Heritage site since
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Canal du Midi
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
This 360-km network of navigable
waterways linking the Mediterranean and
the Atlantic through 328 structures locks,
aqueducts, bridges, tunnels, etc. is one of
the most remarkable feats of civil
engineering of modern times. Built between
1667 and 1694, it paved the way for the
Industrial Revolution. It was designed by
Pierre-Paul Riquet, who was conscious that
he was creating a symbol of the power
of seventeenth-century France, as well as
a functional communication waterway.
He made sure, therefore, that the quality of
the architecture on the Canal was worthy
of this role. The bridges, locks and
associated structures were designed with
monumental dignity and simplicity. He was
also conscious of the impact of his work on
the landscape, and took great pains to
ensure that it harmonized with the
landscape through which it passed.
One of the canals
most noteworthy
features is the Saint-
Ferrol dam on the
Laudot River in the
Montagne-Noire
region. This is the
largest project on the
entire canal and the
greatest work of civil
engineering of its time.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Canal du Midi,
Toulouse.
Mount Emei Scenic Area,
including Leshan Giant
Buddha Scenic Area
China
Criteria Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The first Buddhist temple in China was built
here in Sichuan Province in the first century AD
in very beautiful surroundings atop Mount
Emei. The addition of other temples turned the
site into one of Buddhisms main holy places.
Over the centuries, the cultural treasures grew
in number. The most remarkable was the Giant
Buddha of Leshan (pictured right), carved out of
a hillside in the eighth century and looking
down on the confluence of three rivers. At 71 m
high, it is the largest Buddha in the world.
As one of the four
holy lands of Chinese
Buddhism, this site is
of great historical
importance. Its also a
vital sanctuary for a
many internationally
threatened animal
species, including
lesser (red) panda,
Asiatic black bear, and
Asiatic golden cat.
Mount Emei is also
notable for its very
diverse vegetation,
ranging from
subtropical to sub-
alpine pine forests.
Some of the trees are
more than 1,000 years
old.
Upper Svaneti
Georgia
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Preserved by its long isolation, the Upper
Svaneti region of the Caucasus has a
characteristic landscape of small villages
dominated by their church towers, set in
a natural environment of gorges, alpine
valleys and with a backdrop of snow-
covered mountains. The unique tower-
houses of the area served as dwellings,
storehouses and defence posts against
the invaders who plagued the region.
The village of Chazhashi still has more
than 200 of these very unusual buildings.
The excellent natural conditions and the
unity of architecture and landscape give
this region an original quality of its own.
The wealth of monumental and minor art
(metal work, manuscript illustrations,
textiles and embroidery, wood-carving,
icon painting, vernacular architecture) is of
great importance in the study of Georgia
and the Caucasus.
The abundance of
towers is the most
notable feature of
these settlements,
especially in the
frontier villages.
Usually between three
and ve storeys high
with walls that
decrease in thickness
as they rise, the towers
have a slender,
tapering prole.
mount emei sceni c area | upper svaneti 481
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Black Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
EUROPE
482 hi stori c centre of oporto
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of Oporto
Portugal
Criteria Significance in human history
The beautiful city of Oporto, built along the
hillsides overlooking the mouth of the
Douro River, is an exceptional urban
landscape with a 2,000-year history.
The historic centre is of high aesthetic
value, with evidence of urban development
from the Roman, medieval and Almadas
periods. The rich and varied civil
architecture of the historic centre expresses
the cultural values of succeeding periods
Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance,
Baroque, neoclassical and modern.
The Romans named the town Portus, or
port, and its continuous growth, linked to
the sea, can be seen in the many and varied
monuments, from the cathedral with its
Romanesque choir, to the neoclassical Stock
Exchange and the typically Portuguese
Manueline-style Church of Santa Clara.
Oporto supported the
expeditions of Henry
the Navigator, the
explorer prince born
in the town in the
fteenth century.
In the eighteenth
century English
entrepreneurs invested
in the vineyards of the
Douro valley to supply
port to the huge
English market. Oporto
beneted greatly as the
shipping port for these
wines, as the towns
wealth of Baroque
buildings demonstrates.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
beli ze barri er reef reserve system 483
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Belize Barrier Reef Reserve
System
Belize
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding
natural system consisting of the largest
barrier reef in the northern hemisphere,
offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays,
mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and
estuaries. The systems seven sites illustrate
the evolutionary history of reef
development and are a significant habitat
for threatened species, including marine
turtles, manatees and the American marine
crocodile.
The approximately 450 sand and mangrove
cays confined within the barrier and atolls
range in size from small, ephemeral sand
spits to larger, permanent islands capable
of sustaining human settlements.
A total of 178 terrestrial plants and 247 species
of marine flora has been described from the
area. There are over 500 species of fish,
65 scleritian corals, 45 hydroids and 350
molluscs in the area, plus a great diversity of
sponges, marine worms and crustaceans.
The Belize submarine
shelf and its barrier
reef represent the
worlds second-largest
reef system and the
largest reef complex
in the Atlantic-
Caribbean area.
Outside the barrier
are three large atolls:
Turneffe Islands,
Lighthouse Reef and
Glovers Reef.
Between the mainland
and the barrier reef is
an extensive offshore
lagoon which increases
in width and depth
from north to south.
Pacic
Ocean
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
Bauhaus and its Sites in
Weimar and Dessau
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Between 1919 and 1933 the Bauhaus School,
based first in Weimar and then in Dessau,
revolutionized architectural and aesthetic
concepts and practices. The buildings
constructed and decorated by the schools
professors Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer,
Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and Wassily Kandinsky
launched the Modern Movement, which
shaped much of the architecture of the
twentieth century. The Weimar Bauhaus was
obliged to close in 1925 for political reasons.
Gropius found support for his cultural and
political stance in Dessau, along with the
opportunity to create a number of large-
scale new buildings. These were situated on
the outskirts of the town, and comprise the
Bauhaus itself and the Masters Houses
(Meisterhuser), which served as the
residences of the Bauhaus directors and
some of its distinguished teachers.
The Haus am Horn in
Weimar was built to
a design by Georg
Muche in 1923 as a
model building and
exhibit, the rst
practical statement
of the New Building
Style. Annexes
(a gatehouse, more
rooms, a verandah,
and a terrace) were
added in 1925;
however, the original
appearance is
unchanged. It is the
only original Bauhaus
building remaining
in Weimar.
484 bauhaus and i ts si tes i n wei mar and dessau | lushan nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Lushan National Park
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Mount Lushan, in Jiangxi, is one of the
spiritual centres of Chinese civilization.
Buddhist and Taoist temples, along with
landmarks of Confucianism, where the most
eminent masters taught, blend effortlessly
into a strikingly beautiful landscape. It is an
area that has inspired philosophy and art,
and into which high-quality cultural
properties have been selectively and
sensitively integrated up to recent times.
The mountains of
Lushan have been the
inspiration for some
of the nest Chinese
classical poetry.
Some 200 historic
buildings are
scattered over Lushan
National Park. The
most celebrated is the
East Grove Temple
complex at the foot of
Xianglu Peak. Begun
in AD386, this
ensemble was added
to progressively over
the centuries.
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
La Lonja de la Seda de
Valencia
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance
in human history
La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia is an
exceptional example of a secular building
in late-Gothic style, which dramatically
illustrates the power and wealth of one of
the great Mediterranean mercantile cities.
Built between 1482 and 1533, this group of
buildings was originally used for trading in
silk hence its name, the Silk Exchange and
it has always been a centre for commerce.
The land occupied by the Lonja is rectangular
in plan. About half of the total area is
covered by the main Sala de Contratacin;
the Tower (including the Chapel), the
Consulado, and the large garden complete
the ensemble. At the present time, it is still
a major trading exchange, now dealing
primarily in agricultural products.
The Sala de
Contratacin is
a magnicent hall.
The lofty interior is
divided into three
main aisles by ve
rows of slender spiral
pillars from which
spring the elegant
vaulting of the roof.
It is lit by soaring
Gothic windows, the
external frames of
which, like the doors,
are exuberantly
ornamented, notably
by a series of
grotesque gargoyles.
W National Park of Niger
Niger
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The W National Park, named after the local
configuration of the Niger River, is located
in a transition zone between savanna and
forest landscapes. W hosts important
ecosystems that represent the interaction
between natural resources and humans
since Neolithic times. This interaction has
produced characteristic landscapes and
plant formations, and a rich biodiversity.
The park is known for its large mammals,
including aardvarks, baboons, buffalo,
caracal, cheetahs, elephants, hippopotamuses,
leopards, lions, serval and warthogs. The
wetland area of the park is of international
importance for the conservation of birds.
A total of 454 plant species has been
recorded, including two orchid species
found only in Niger. More than seventy
mammal and 350 bird species are found in
the area.
Many of the parks
bird species need
large areas for their
seasonal migrations.
The fact that the park
is contiguous to other
protected areas in
Burkina and Niger
makes this area
increasingly important
to the survival of
these species.
la lonj a de la seda de valenci a | w nati onal park of ni ger 485
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Red
Sea
Verla Groundwood and
Board Mill
Finland
Criteria Significance in human history
The Verla Groundwood and Board Mill and
its associated residential area is an
outstanding, remarkably well-preserved
example of the small-scale rural industrial
settlements associated with pulp, paper and
board production that flourished in
northern Europe and North America in the
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The Industrial Revolution that reached the
Kymi river valley in the first half of the 1870s
was one of the most dramatic phenomena
in the economic history of Finland. Over
a very short time dozens of steam sawmills,
groundwood mills and board mills were
established. The Kymi valley benefited in
particular from the construction of timber-
floating facilities, a dedicated railway, and
the introduction of cooperative floating,
enabling logs from the virgin forests of
central Finland to be brought to the
processing facilities.
Output at Verla
gradually diminished
throughout the
twentieth century,
until it was closed
down on 18 July 1964,
when the last of the
old workers retired.
The owners decided
to preserve the entire
complex intact as an
industrial heritage
museum, just as it
had been when the
last worker left.
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
Japan
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The island of Itsukushima, in the Seto inland
sea, has been a holy place of Shintoism since
the earliest times. The first shrine buildings
here were probably erected in the sixth
century. The present shrine dates from the
twelfth century. The design of the buildings
plays on the contrasts in colour and form
between mountains and sea, and illustrates
the Japanese concept of scenic beauty,
which combines nature and human
creativity. The architectural style of the
north-facing Honsha buildings and the
west-facing buildings of the Sessha
Marodo-jinja, connected by the kairo (roofed
corridor), was influenced by the aristocratic
dwelling-house style of the Heian period.
The frontal view of the buildings, with the
mountain as a backdrop, is emphasized, and
the entire area resembles a succession of
folding screens.
Like many other Shinto
shrines that included
Buddhist buildings,
Itsukushima-jinja lost
many of them after
the rejection of
Buddhism with the
Meiji Restoration of
1868. The few that
survive in the
surrounding hills
are considered to be
as indispensable to
the history of
ltsukushima-jinja as
its Shinto monuments.
486 i tsukushi ma shi nto shri ne | verla groundwood and board mi ll
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1981
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1984
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
EUROPE
Norwegian
Sea
Scandinavia
Early Christian Monuments
of Ravenna
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Ravenna was the seat of the Roman Empire
in the fifth century and then of Byzantine
Italy until the eighth century. It has a unique
collection of early Christian mosaics and
monuments. All eight buildings the
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Neonian
Baptistery, the Basilica of SantApollinare
Nuovo, the Arian Baptistery, the
Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Mausoleum of
Theodoric, the Church of San Vitale and the
Basilica of SantApollinare in Classe were
constructed in the fifth and sixth centuries.
They show great artistic skill, including
a wonderful blend of Graeco-Roman
tradition, Christian iconography and
oriental and Western styles.
Several of the
buildings are unique:
for example, the
Neonian Baptistery
is the nest and most
complete example of
an early-Christian
baptistery; while the
Mausoleum of
Theodoric is the only
surviving tomb of
a barbarian king of
this period.
early chri sti an monuments of ravenna 487
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
The mausoleum of
Galla Placidia.
Defence Line of
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Extending 135 km around the city of
Amsterdam, this defence line built between
1883 and 1920 is a unique fortification using
water. Since the sixteenth century, the
people of the Netherlands have used their
expert knowledge of hydraulic engineering
for defence purposes. Earlier defensive lines
were strengthened and co-ordinated into
the Stelling, a system based on the intricate
polder system of the western part of the
Netherlands. The centre of the country was
protected by a network of forty-five armed
forts, acting in concert with temporary
flooding from polders and an intricate
system of canals and locks. The sites of the
forts are directly linked with the existing
infrastructure of roads, waterways, dykes
and settlements and the main defence line
runs mainly along pre-existing dykes.
From time
immemorial, dykes,
sluices and canals
have been built in the
Netherlands to drain
the land. The Stelling
van Amsterdam is of
outstanding universal
value because it
elevated and integrated
this activity into an
extensive defence
system which survives
intact to this day.
488 defence li ne of amsterdam
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
pre-hi spani c town of uxmal 489
World Heritage site since
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Pre-Hispanic Town of
Uxmal
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The ruins of the ceremonial structures at
Uxmal represent the pinnacle of late-Mayan
art and architecture in their design, layout
and ornamentation. And the complex of
Uxmal and its three related towns of Kabh,
Labn and Sayil admirably demonstrate the
social and economic structure of late-
Mayan society. Uxmal, in Yucatn, was
founded c. AD 700 and had some 25,000
inhabitants. The layout of the buildings,
which date from between 700 and 1000,
reveals a detailed knowledge of astronomy.
The Pirmide del Adivino, as the Spaniards
called it or Pyramid of the Soothsayer
dominates the ceremonial centre, which has
well-designed buildings decorated with a
profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures
depicting Chaac, the god of rain.
By virtue of its size, the
Pirmide del Adivino
dominates the
ensemble. It is made up
of ve superimposed
elements, two of them
reached by monumental
stairways on either side
of the structure. It is
from the Late Classic
period and brings
together several artistic
traditions, including
that of the Toltec of
Central Mexico.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Volcanoes of Kamchatka
Russian Federation
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
This is one of the most outstanding volcanic
regions in the world, with a high density of
active volcanoes, a variety of types and a
wide range of related features. The six
designated sites group together the
majority of volcanic features of the
Kamchatka peninsula. The interplay of
active volcanoes and glaciers forms a
dynamic landscape of great beauty, and
the sites contain great species diversity,
including the worlds largest-known variety
of salmonid fish, and exceptional
concentrations of sea otter, brown bear
and Stellers sea eagle.
The property represents the most pristine
parts of the Kamchatka Peninsula and a
remarkable collection of volcanic areas,
characteristic of the Pacific Volcanic Ring.
This is the surface expression of the
subduction of the Pacific Ocean Continental
Plate under the Eurasia Plate at a rate of 10 cm
annually. There are more than 300 volcanoes
in Kamchatka, twenty-nine of which are
currently active, including caldera, strata-
volcano, somma-volcano and mixed types.
The largest in the site is Kronotskaya Sopka.
In addition, there is a multitude of thermal
and mineral springs, geysers and other
phenomena of active volcanism.
Surrounded by sea, the peninsula enjoys a
moist and relatively mild climate, which has
lead to a lush vegetation cover. The vegetation
includes mountain valley taiga forest of
birch, larch and spruce; extensive stone-
birch forest; riparian forest on alluvial soil
of poplars, aspen, alder and willow; peat
wetland and extensive coastal wetlands up
to 50 km wide; and subalpine shrub and
mountain tundra. The region also contains
an especially diverse range of Palaearctic
flora (including a number of nationally
threatened species and at least sixteen
endemic species).
The faunal complement is relatively low
in diversity, with the Kamchatka Peninsula
exhibiting some of the biogeographic
qualities of an island. Nevertheless, some
species are abundant, including bears, snow
ram, northern deer, sable and wolverine, and
there is a high level of endemism.
Noteworthy birds include Stellers sea
eagle (the area has 50 per cent of world
population), white-tailed eagle, gyrfalcon
and peregrine falcon. There are numerous
seabird colonies and a concentration of
Aleutian tern nests.
Almost all rivers serve as spawning
grounds for salmon, a key food-chain
species for predatory birds and mammals.
All eleven species of salmonid fish coexist in
several of Kamchatkas rivers.
An active crater on
Mutnovsky Volcano,
which is a complex of
four superimposed
stratovolcanoes.
The site, in the
Russian Far East,
comprises six distinct
locations. One site is
inland: Bystrinsky
Nature Park, in the
central mountainous
spine of the
Kamchatka Peninsula.
The others, in coastal
locations facing east
towards the Bering
Sea, are Koronotsky
Nature Park;
Nalychevo Nature
Park; and the
contiguous Southern
Kamchatka Nature
Park and Southern
Kamchatka State
Nature Reserve.
Kluchevskoy Nature
Park was added in
2001 as the sixth
component of the site.
490 volcanoes of kamchatka
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
492 skelli g mi chael monastery
World Heritage site since
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Skellig Michael Monastery
Ireland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
This monastic complex, perched since about
the seventh century on the steep sides of the
rocky island of Skellig Michael, some
12 km off the coast of southwest Ireland,
illustrates the extremes of early Christian
monasticism. Since the great remoteness
of Skellig Michael has, until recently,
discouraged visitors, the site is exceptionally
well preserved. The principal monastic
remains are situated on a sloping shelf
on the ridge running north-south on
the northeastern side of the island; the
hermitage is on the steeper South Peak.
The main monastic enclosure comprises
a church, oratories, cells, a souterrain,
and many crosses and cross-slabs. It was
occupied continuously until the later
twelfth century, when a general climatic
deterioration led to increased storms in
the seas around the island and forced the
community to move to the mainland.
There is a tradition
that the monastery
was founded by
St Fionan in the
seventh century.
It was dedicated to
St Michael somewhere
between 950 and
1050 and this date
ts in well with the
architectural style
of the oldest part of
the existing church,
known as St Michaels
Church.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
ledni ce-valti ce cultural landscape 493
World Heritage site since
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Lednice-Valtice Cultural
Landscape
Czech Republic
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
Between the seventeenth and twentieth
centuries, the ruling dukes of Liechtenstein
transformed their domains in southern
Moravia into a striking landscape that
married Baroque architecture with
countryside fashioned according to English
romantic principles of landscape
architecture. The realization of this
grandiose design began in the seventeenth
century with the creation of avenues
connecting Valtice with other parts of the
estate, and continued throughout the
eighteenth century, imposing order on
nature. The early years of the nineteenth
century saw the application of the English
concept of the designed park. The Chateau
of Valtice has medieval foundations, but it
underwent successive reconstructions in
Renaissance, Mannerist and, most
significantly, Baroque style. By contrast,
the Lednice Chateau (see photo below) is
not widely visible, having begun as a
Renaissance villa of around 1570, and then
progressively changed and reconstructed
to take account of Baroque, Classical and
Neo-Gothic fashions.
An important element
in the appearance of
the area is the very
wide range of native
and exotic tree species
and the planting
strategy adopted.
The greatest variety
is to be found in the
parklands which
cluster around the
two main residences
and along the banks
of the shponds
between Lednice
and Valtice.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Some of the fondouks (inns) that
cluster around the gates were
devoted to specic crafts or trades:
for example, the Fondouk Hanna
dealt solely in henna, while the
Jewish craftsmen worked at the
Fondouk Lihoudi. Certain quarters
were reserved for specic trades
and activities.
494 hi stori c ci ty of meknes
World Heritage site since
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Historic City of Meknes
Morocco
Criteria Significance in human history
The Historic City of Meknes provides an
exceptionally well-preserved example of the
urban fabric and monumental buildings of
a seventeenth-century Maghreb capital city.
Meknes was founded in the eleventh century
by the Almoravids as a military settlement.
Later, the founder of the Alawite dynasty,
Moulay Ismail (16721727), made Meknes his
capital city and carried out many
reconstructions and additions, such as
mosques, mausolea and gardens. But his
main contribution was the creation of a new
imperial city, built in the Hispano-Moorish
style. It is impressive in both extent and
construction, enclosed by high walls pierced
by monumental gates, where the
harmonious blending of the Islamic and
European styles of the seventeenth-century
Maghreb are still evident today. Within the
walls are: the palace, with its enormous
stables; a military academy; vast granaries;
and water storage cisterns.
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
A traditional Moroccan palace in Meknes.
hi stori c centre of the ci ty of pi enza 495
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of the City
of Pienza
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
It was in this Tuscan town that Renaissance
town-planning concepts were first put into
practice after Pope Pius II decided, in 1459,
to transform the look of his birthplace.
He chose the architect Bernardo Rossellino,
who applied the principles of his mentor,
Leon Battista Alberti. This new vision of
urban space was realized in the superb
square known as Piazza Pio II and the
buildings around it: the Piccolomini Palace,
the Borgia Palace and the cathedral, with its
pure Renaissance exterior and an interior in
the late-Gothic style of south German
churches. Pius IIs project also required the
building of large houses for the cardinals
in his retinue, and work on these began in
1463. Two structures with a social function,
the hospital and the inn in front of the
church of St Francis, were built on his orders.
The leading humanist
Enea Silvio
Piccolomini, elected
Pope in 1458, was born
in Corsignano,
situated on a hill
southeast of Siena.
When he returned
there after becoming
Pope, he was struck by
the extreme misery of
its inhabitants, which
inspired him to endow
his birthplace with new
buildings and a new
name, and to make it
his summer court.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
496 hi stori c monuments zone of quertaro
World Heritage site since
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Historic Monuments Zone
of Quertaro
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The old colonial town of Quertaro is
unusual in having retained the geometric
street plan of the Spanish conquerors side
by side with the twisting alleys of the
Indian quarters. The Otomi, the Tarasco,
the Chichimeca and the Spanish lived
together peacefully in the town, which
is notable for the many ornate civil and
religious Baroque monuments from its
golden age in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. Its first chapel
(La Cruz) was built on a small hillock at the
eastern end of the valley. The Plaza de
Armas, the seat of government, was arcaded
on two sides, and surrounded by
government buildings and residences of
leading citizens. Many monastic orders
established themselves and left behind
outstanding Baroque buildings. The many
non-religious buildings, again mostly
Baroque, are enhanced by the pink stone
of Quertaro.
Quertaro was the
site of historic events:
the peace treaty with
the United States was
concluded here in
1848, and in 1867
Emperor Maximilian
was imprisoned and
later executed after
the defeat of his army.
The National
Constitution was
signed on 5 February
1917 by all the
revolutionary groups
after two months of
debate in the Teatro
de la Repblica.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
laponi an area 497
World Heritage site since
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Laponian Area
Sweden
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Natural
phenomena or beauty; Major stages of Earths
history; Significant ecological and biological
processes
This area, which lies close to the Arctic Circle
in northern Sweden, has been occupied
continuously by the Saami people since
prehistoric times. It is the largest area in
the world with an ancestral way of life based
on the seasonal movement of livestock
(transhumance), the Saami spending the
summer in the mountains and the winters
in the coniferous forests to the east. There
are no permanent settlements occupied
throughout the year anywhere in this area.
There are two landscape types:
an eastern taiga area and a western
mountainous landscape, with steep valleys
and powerful rivers. Birch, low heath and
alpine meadows are found below boulder
fields, permanent snowfields and glaciers.
The nomadic life based on herding of tame
reindeer did not develop until the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Researchers, working
on large mammal
predators and the
white-tailed eagle,
indicated that all
populations seem to
be healthy, with the
exception of the
wolverine. Also, there
are more than 150 bird
species and 100 bears,
including wanderers,
in the area.
A goahti traditional
Saami shelter.
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Historic Centre of the City
of Salzburg
Austria
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Salzburg is of outstanding value as an
important example of a European
ecclesiastical city-state. The city preserves
to a remarkable degree its dramatic
townscape, its historically significant urban
fabric, and a large number of outstanding
ecclesiastical and secular buildings
developed from the Middle Ages through
to the nineteenth century, when it was a
city-state ruled by prince-archbishops.
Its flamboyant Gothic art attracted many
craftsmen and artists before the city became
even better known through the work of the
Italian architects Vincenzo Scamozzi and
Santini Solari, to whom the historic centre
owes much of its Baroque appearance.
This meeting point of northern and
southern Europe perhaps sparked the
genius of Salzburgs most famous son,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose name
has been associated with the city ever since.
Salzburg is rich in buildings from the
Gothic period onwards, which combine to
create a townscape of great individuality
and beauty. The cathedral (St Rupert and
St Virgil) is the pre-eminent ecclesiastical
building and the spiritual city centre.
The present structure dates from 1628 and
is the work of Santini Solari, the court
master builder. It replaced the former
cathedral, designed by Palladios pupil
Vincenzo Scamozzi, which burnt down in
1598. Solaris cathedral preserves many of
Scamozzis features. Mozart was christened
in the cathedral in 1756 at one day old.
The Benedictine Abbey of St Peter,
founded in the closing years of the seventh
century, contains in its church the only High
Romanesque structures in Salzburg, mostly
dating from the early twelfth century. The
main body of the church has undergone
many modifications since then.
The Nonnberg Benedictine Nunnery is the
oldest convent north of the Alps, founded
around the same time as the Abbey of
St Peter. The present massive complex,
on the eastern peak of the Mnchberg, is
a striking feature of the townscape, with its
dominating church roof and Baroque dome.
The Hohensalzburg Fortress, on the steep
rock fan overlooking the city, has been
continually rebuilt and enlarged since its
first foundation as a Roman fort through
to the late seventeenth century, when it
reached its present extent.
The Archbishops Residence, begun in the
early twelfth century, lies in the heart of the
old town. The present layout dates to the
major rebuilding carried out in the early
seventeenth century.
498 hi stori c centre of the ci ty of salzburg
World Heritage site since
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There is a clear separation,
visible on the ground and
on the map, between the
lands of the prince-
archbishops and
those of the burghers the
former is characterized by
monumental buildings and
open spaces, and the latter
by small plots fronting on
narrow streets, with the
only open spaces provided
by the three historic
markets.
The city skyline is
characterized by its
profusion of spires and
domes, and is
dominated by the
fortress of
Hohensalzburg.
Salzburg cathedral.
499
500 monasteri es of haghpat and sanahi n
World Heritage site since
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Monasteries of Haghpat
and Sanahin
Armenia
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
These two Byzantine monasteries represent
the highest flowering of Armenian religious
architecture, which blends elements of
Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture with
vernacular architecture of the Caucasian
region. The two monastic complexes were
important centres of learning. Sanahin was
renowned for its school of illuminators and
calligraphers. It consists of a large group of
buildings on the plateau above the Debet
gorge, laid out on two rectangular axes, with
their faades facing west. The main church,
built in the tenth century, is the Cathedral
of the Redeemer. Construction of the main
church of the large fortified monastic
complex of Haghpat, dedicated to the Holy
Cross, began in 9667 and was completed in
991. The building is complete, apart from
some eleventh- and twelfth-century
restorations. The monastery also has a gavit,
through which access is gained to the
church, chapter house and library.
Armenia became
independent at the
end of the ninth
century and Armenian
art was revived when
the kingdom was
consolidated. The two
monasteries of
Haghpat and Sanahin
date from this period,
during the prosperity of
the Kiurikian dynasty
and the Zakarian
Princes. They were
important centres of
learning, housing
some 500 monks.
Bell tower of Haghpat
Monastery.
Caspian
Sea
Black
Sea
ASIA
EUROPE
the trulli of alberobello 501
World Heritage site since
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The Trulli of Alberobello
Italy
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
Alberobello, the city of drystone dwellings
known as trulli, is an exceptional example of
vernacular architecture. Trulli, mostly dating
from before the end of the eighteenth
century, were constructed using roughly
worked limestone boulders and were built
directly on the underlying natural rock.
The walls that form the rectangular rooms
are pierced by small windows. Fireplaces,
ovens and alcoves are recessed into the
thickness of the walls. The stone roofs, which
are circular or oval, are not painted and
develop a patina of mosses and lichens; they
sometimes bear mythological or religious
symbols in white ash. By contrast, the walls
of the trulli must be whitewashed at regular
intervals. The Monti quarter contains
1,030 trulli. Its streets run downhill and
converge at the base of the hill. The Aja
Piccola quarter, with 590 trulli, is less
homogeneous than Monti.
Tradition has it that drystone
walling was imposed upon villagers
so their houses could be quickly
dismantled, either to dispossess
recalcitrant householders or to
avoid house tax (with the houses
being quickly reconstructed once
the tax collector departed).
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
502 palace and gardens of schnbrunn
World Heritage site since
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Palace and Gardens of
Schnbrunn
Austria
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
Schnbrunn is a remarkable example of
a Baroque royal palace that vividly illustrates
the tastes, interests and aspirations of
successive Habsburg monarchs. Apart from
some minor nineteenth-century additions,
the palace and its gardens were built in the
eighteenth century. Schnbrunn was designed
by the architects Johann Bernhard Fischer
von Erlach and Nicolaus Pacassi and is full
of outstanding examples of decorative art.
The vast Baroque gardens and their
buildings testify to the imperial dimensions
and functions of the palace; the courtyard
provides access to the Palace Chapel and
the Palace Theatre. The orangery on the east
side of the main palace building was used
by the Empress Maria Theresa to cultivate
exotic plants, and the Schnbrunn zoo,
founded in 1752 by her husband, is the oldest
in the world.
The impressive Great
Gallery is elaborately
decorated with stucco
ornamentation and
ceiling frescoes
symbolizing the
Habsburg Empire,
while the Ceremonial
Hall is notable for its
series of monumental
paintings depicting
events in the long
reign of the Empress
Maria Theresa.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
Luther Memorials in
Eisleben and Wittenberg
Germany
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
These places in Saxony-Anhalt are all
associated with the lives of Martin Luther
and his fellow-reformer Melanchthon.
They include Melanchthons house in
Wittenberg, the houses in Eisleben where
Luther was born in 1483 and died in 1546,
his room in Wittenberg, the local church
and the castle church where, on 31 October
1517, Luther posted his famous 95 Theses,
thereby launching the Reformation and a
new era in the religious and political history
of the Western world. Because of its
symbolic importance, the famous bronze
door on the north side of the church, where
the Latin text of the 95 Theses is displayed,
is only used on special occasions. The church
houses the tombs of Luther and Melanchthon.
In 1525 Luther broke
with his monastic
vows and married the
former nun, Katharina
von Bora. His
household in
Wittenberg became
the centre for
reformists from all
over Europe, and the
family room that he
created on the rst
oor was the setting
for his table talks,
which were later
published.
World Heritage site since
Sangiran Early Man Site
Indonesia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Sangiran is a key site for the understanding
of human evolution. Excavations from 1936
to 1941 led to the discovery of the first hominid
fossil at this site. Later, fifty early human
fossils (Pithecanthropus erectus/Homo erectus)
were found half of all the worlds known
hominid fossils together with numerous
animal and floral fossils such as rhinoceros,
elephant ivory, buffalo horn, deer horn and
many others. Palaeolithic stone tools found
at Ngebung include flakes, choppers and
cleavers in chalcedony and jasper and, more
recently, bone tools. The site has also produced
Neolithic axes. This evidence indicates that
hominids have inhabited the area for at least
1.5 million years. Nowadays, the region is
entirely devoted to peasant agriculture.
Ever since von
Koenigswald found
ake tools in the
Ngebung village in
1934, the site has
made an immense
contribution to the
study of evolution
over the past million
years by illustrating
the evolution of Homo
erectus. Homo erectus is
important to the study
of the early history of
mankind before the
emergence of the
modern Homo sapiens.
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luther memori als i n ei sleben and wi ttenberg | sangi ran early man si te 503
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
Display of fossil
elephant ivory at
Sangiran.
Archaeological Site of Aigai
(modern name Vergina)
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The city of Aigai, the ancient first capital of
the Kingdom of Macedonia, was discovered
in the nineteenth century near Vergina,
in northern Greece. The most important
building so far discovered is the monumental
palace, located on a plateau directly below
the acropolis. Sumptuously decorated, its
large gallery commanded a view of the
whole Macedonian plain. The site also has
a necropolis which extends for over 3 km
and contains over 300 grave-mounds, some
as early as the eleventh century BC. One of
the royal tombs in the Great Tumulus
contained a solid gold casket with remains
identified as those of Philip II. He conquered
all the Greek cities, paving the way for his
son Alexander and the expansion of the
Hellenistic world.
As capital and site of
the royal court, Aigai
was the most important
urban centre in the
region from 800 to
400 BC. Philip II was
assassinated in the
theatre here in 336 BC
and Alexander the
Great proclaimed king.
504 archaeologi cal si te of ai gai | church vi llage of gammelstad, lule
World Heritage site since
Church Village of
Gammelstad, Lule
Sweden
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Gammelstad, (Old Town) at the head of the
Gulf of Bothnia, is the best-preserved
example of a church village, a unique kind
of village formerly found throughout
northern Scandinavia. The 424 wooden
houses, huddled round the early fifteenth-
century stone church, were used only on
Sundays and at religious festivals to house
worshippers from the surrounding
countryside who could not return home
the same day because of the distance and
difficult travelling conditions. The doors,
which face the street, are very varied in
design, as are the window shutters. Most of
the doors bear a pyramid device, a motif
from pagan antiquity reinterpreted as a
Christian symbol depicting an altar with
a sacrificial fire. Gammelstads church is the
largest of its type in northern Scandinavia.
Lule Gammelstad
illustrates the
adaptation of
conventional urban
design to the special
geographical and
climatic conditions
of a hostile natural
environment. The
settlement has been
shaped by peoples
religious and social
needs rather than
economic and
geographical forces.
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EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
hi stori c walled town of cuenca 505
World Heritage site since
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Historic Walled Town of
Cuenca
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
Built by the Moors in a defensive position
at the heart of the Caliphate of Cordoba,
Cuenca is an unusually well-preserved
medieval fortified town. Conquered by the
Castilians in the twelfth century, it became
a royal town and bishopric. In the upper
town some remains of the Moorish fortress
still survive among the large aristocratic
houses, monasteries, and churches from
the medieval, Renaissance and Baroque
periods. The twelfth-century cathedral, built
on the site of the former Great Mosque,
was the first Gothic cathedral in Spain.
Most of its churches and monastic buildings
were founded early in the towns history and
underwent many additions over the
following centuries. The importance of the
upper town lies, however, not so much in its
individual buildings, as in the townscape
that they create, on the fortified site
dominating the river valleys.
The private houses
near the Episcopal
Palace were built in
the later medieval
period on the
spectacular steep
bluffs overlooking the
bend of the Hucar
River. These famous
casas colgadas
(hanging houses) were
rebuilt in the sixteenth
century in their present
narrow, high form,
with two or three
rooms on each of three
or more oors.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
506 castel del monte | macquari e i sland
Castel del Monte
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
When the Emperor Frederick II built this
castle near Bari in the thirteenth century,
he imbued it with symbolic significance,
as reflected in its location and the
mathematical and astronomical precision
of its design. A unique masterpiece of
medieval military architecture, Castel del
Monte is a successful blend of elements
from classical antiquity, the Islamic Orient
and north European Cistercian Gothic. It is
sited on a rocky peak that dominates the
surrounding countryside and consists of
a regular octagon surrounding a courtyard,
with a tower, also octagonal, at each angle.
The castle is of special interest because of
the absence of features that are common
to the overwhelming majority of military
monuments of this period such as outer
bailey, moat, stables, kitchen, storerooms
and chapel.
The site offers a
ttingly impressive
monument to its
originator, Frederick II.
A polyglot,
mathematician,
astronomer and
scientist, he also
founded the
University of Naples
and brought social
and economic
stability to his people.
Macquarie Island
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Macquarie Island is an oceanic island in the
Southern Ocean, lying 1,500 km southeast
of Tasmania and approximately halfway
between Australia and the Antarctic
continent. The island, approximately 34-km
long and 5.5-km wide, is the exposed crest of
the undersea Macquarie Ridge, raised to its
present position where the Indo-Australian
tectonic plate meets the Pacific plate. It is a
site of major geoconservation significance,
being the only island in the world composed
entirely of oceanic crust and rocks from the
Earth's mantle 6 km below the ocean floor
that are being actively exposed above sea-
level. These unique exposures include
excellent examples of pillow basalts and
other extrusive rocks. Macquarie Islands
beauty lies in its remote and windswept
landscape of steep escarpments, lakes,
dramatic changes in vegetation, and the
vast congregations of wildlife around its
dark, dramatic shores.
The breeding
population of royal
penguins is estimated
at over 850,000 pairs
one of the greatest
concentrations of sea
birds in the world. The
penguins share the
island with elephant
seals and four species
of albatross. The
surrounding Nature
Reserve and
Macquarie Island
Marine Park contain
one of the world's
largest marine highly-
protected zones,
covering more than
160,000 km
2
.
World Heritage site since
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World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
mari ti me greenwi ch 507
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Maritime Greenwich
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich, an
outlying district of London, and the park in
which they are set, symbolize English artistic
and scientific endeavour in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries. The focus of the
ensemble is the Queens House, the work of
Inigo Jones, and the first true Renaissance
building in Britain, and a striking departure
from the architectural forms that preceded
it. It was inspired by Italian style, and it was
in its turn the direct inspiration for classical
houses all over Britain. The Queens House
and its associated buildings have housed
the National Maritime Museum since 1937.
The complex that was until recently the
Royal Naval College was designed by
Christopher Wren and is the most
outstanding group of Baroque buildings in
Britain. Greenwich Royal Park contains the
Old Royal Observatory, the work of Wren
and the scientist Robert Hooke.
The Old Royal
Observatory is
situated on the brow
of Greenwich Hill
and dominates the
landscape. It houses
an octagonal room
which was used by the
Royal Society for
meetings and dinners,
and this is surmounted
by the famous time-
ball, which indicates
Greenwich Mean Time
daily at 13.00.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Mount Kenya National Park/
Natural Forest
Kenya
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
At 5,199 m, Mount Kenya is the second-
highest peak in Africa. It is an ancient extinct
volcano, and during its period of activity,
around three million years ago, it is thought
to have risen to 6,500 m. There are twelve
remnant glaciers on the mountain, all
receding rapidly, and four secondary peaks
that sit at the head of the U-shaped glacial
valleys. With its rugged glacier-clad summits
and forested middle slopes, Mount Kenya is
one of the most impressive landscapes in
East Africa. The evolution of its afro-alpine
flora also provide an outstanding example
of ecological processes. Mount Kenya is
regarded as a holy mountain by all the
communities (Kikuyu and Meru) living
adjacent to it. They believe that their
traditional God (Ngai) and his wife (Mumbi)
live on the peak of the mountain and use it
for their traditional rituals.
In the lower forest and
bamboo zone,
mammals include
giant forest hog,
white-tailed
mongoose, elephant,
black rhinoceros, and
leopard (which have
also been seen in the
alpine zone). There
have also been
reported sightings
of the golden cat.
508 mount kenya nati onal park | pyrnes, mont perdu
World Heritage site since
Pyrnes Mont Perdu
France and Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement; Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
This outstanding mountain landscape,
which spans the contemporary national
borders of France and Spain, is centred
around the peak of Mount Perdu, a
calcareous massif that rises to 3,352 m. The
site, with a total area of 306 km
2
, includes
two of Europes largest and deepest canyons
on the Spanish side and three major cirque
walls on the more abrupt northern slopes
within France, classic presentations of these
geological landforms. The site is also a
pastoral landscape reflecting an agricultural
way of life that was once widespread in the
upland regions of Europe but now survives
only in this part of the Pyrenees. Thus it
provides exceptional insights into past
European society through its landscape of
villages, farms, fields, upland pastures and
mountain roads.
The location of the
Pyrenees between two
seas, their geological
structure and climatic
asymmetries result in
a rich mosaic of
vegetation types. The
site supports many
valuable wildlife
species including
the marmot and the
Spanish ibex, of which
there are only three
female individuals.
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Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of talli nn 509
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Historic Centre (Old Town)
of Tallinn
Estonia
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Tallinn is an exceptionally well-preserved
example of a northern European medieval
trading city. The origins of Tallinn date back
to the thirteenth century, when a castle was
built there by the crusading knights of the
Teutonic Order. It developed into a major
centre of the Hanseatic League, and its
wealth is demonstrated by the opulence
of the public buildings and the domestic
architecture of the merchants houses.
The lower town preserves to a remarkable
extent the medieval urban fabric of narrow
winding streets and fine public and burgher
buildings. There are several medieval
churches within the city walls. The restored
Church of St Nicholas (Niguliste) and the
Church of St Olaf (Oleviste) are both in
typical basilical form, with lofty vaulting
and a precise geometry of form, in what is
recognized as the distinctive Tallinn School.
The most prominent
feature of the town
is the Toompea
limestone hill. The
western part is
occupied by the castle,
of which the tower
known as Long
Hermann, two
bastions and the
imposing walls
survive on the
western, northern and
eastern sides.
EUROPE
Baltic
Sea
Gulf of
Bothnia
The tower of St Olaf s
church overlooks the
Old Town.
Old Town of Lijiang
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
The Old Town of Lijiang has retained a
historic townscape of high quality and
authenticity. Its architecture is noteworthy
for the blending of elements from several
cultures over many centuries. Lijiang, which
is perfectly adapted to its uneven
topography, also possesses an ancient
water-supply system of great complexity
and ingenuity that still functions effectively
today.
The old town is built on a mountain slope
running from northwest to southeast, facing
a deep river. The northern part was a
commercial district and the main streets
there radiate from the broad thoroughfare
known as Sifangjie, traditionally the
commercial and trading centre of northwest
Yunnan Province. On the west side of the
Sifangjie is the imposing three-storeyed
Kegongfang (Imperial Examination
Archway), flanked by the Western and
Central rivers.
A sluice on the Western River uses the
different levels of the two waterways to
wash the streets, which are paved with slabs
of a fine-grained red breccia. In this unique
form of municipal sanitation, water flows on
to the Shuangshi Bridge where it branches
into three tributaries which subdivide into a
network of channels and culverts to supply
every house in the town. Many springs and
wells in the town supplement the supply.
Such a complex system of watercourses
requires a large number of bridges and the
city has 354 altogether, of several types. It is
from these that Lijiang derives its name, the
City of Bridges.
The feature that most represents the
culture of the Naxi people who settled in the
area is the wealth of domestic dwellings in
the city. The basic timber-framed structure
developed into a unique architectural style
with the absorption of elements of Han and
Zang architecture. Most houses are two-
storeyed. The chuandoushi wooden frames
are walled with adobe on the ground floor
and planks on the upper floors; the walls
have stone foundation courses. Exteriors are
plastered and lime-washed, and there are
often brick panels at the corners. Roofs are
tiled and the houses have verandas.
Decoration of the houses is important,
with arches over gateways, screen walls,
external corridors, doors and windows,
courtyards and roof beams. Wooden
elements are elaborately carved with
domestic and cultural imagery pottery,
musical instruments, flowers, birds, etc.
and gate arches take several elegant forms.
The Lijiang Junmin
prefecture was
established in 1382.
Of the original
286 m-long complex
that was built to house
the administration,
only the Yizi Pavilion,
the Guagbi Tower and
a stone archway
remain.
The group known as
the Yuquan
architectural
structures in the
Heilongtan Park ( Jade
Spring Park) dates
from the Ming and
Qing dynasties that
ruled from the
fourteenth century
onwards. Most
notable is the Wufeng
Tower (1601), moved
from the Fugue
Temple of which it
formed part; it is now
one of the major
historical sites in
Yunnan Province.
510 old town of li j i ang
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Lumbini, the Birthplace of
the Lord Buddha
Nepal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was
born in 623 BC in the famous gardens of
Lumbini, which soon became a place of
pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims was the
Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one
of his commemorative pillars there. The site
is now being developed as a Buddhist
pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological
remains associated with the birth of the
Lord Buddha form a central feature.
Lumbini is situated at
the foothills of the
Himalaya in modern
Nepal. In the
Buddhas time,
Lumbini was a
beautiful garden full
of green and shady sal
trees, and the site still
retains its legendary
charm and serenity.
512 lumbi ni | the sundarbans
World Heritage site since
The Sundarbans
Bangladesh
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of
the largest such forests in the world at
1,400 km
2
, lies on the delta of the Ganges,
Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay
of Bengal. It is adjacent to the border of
Indias Sundarbans World Heritage site
inscribed in 1987. The site is intersected by a
complex network of tidal waterways,
mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant
mangrove forests, and presents an excellent
example of ongoing ecological processes.
The area is known for its wide range of
fauna, including 260 bird species, the
Bengal tiger and other threatened species
such as the estuarine crocodile and the
Indian python.
The Sundarbans is
a uniquely dynamic
landscape, shaped
in turn by monsoon
rains, ooding, delta
formation, and tidal
inuence. The area
also supports one
of the largest
populations of Royal
Bengal Tiger with 350
individuals.
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ASIA
Bay of
Bengal
Arabian
Sea
Bay of
Bengal
ASIA
World Heritage site since
portovenere, ci nque terre and i slands 513
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Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands
(Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
The eastern Ligurian coast between Cinque
Terre and Portovenere is a site of
outstanding scenic and cultural value.
The area covers some 15 km of jagged,
steep coastline, which the work of man over
the centuries has transformed into an
intensively terraced landscape, so as to be
able to wrest from nature a few hectares
of land suitable for agriculture, such as
growing vines and olive trees. Most of these
cultivation terraces were built in the twelfth
century. The human communities have
adapted themselves to this inhospitable
terrain by building compact settlements
directly on the rock, with winding streets.
The use of natural stone for footing gives
these settlements their characteristic
appearance. They are generally grouped
round religious buildings or medieval
castles.
The ve villages of
Cinque Terre date back
to the later Middle
Ages. Starting from
the north, the rst is
the fortied centre of
Monterosso al Mare;
then come Vernazza,
Corniglia, Manarola
and Riomaggiore
(pictured below). Off
the coast at
Portovenere are the
three islands
of Palmaria, Tino and
Tinetto, noteworthy
for the many remains
of early monastic
establishments that
they contain.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
514 hi stori c forti fi ed ci ty of carcassonne
World Heritage site since
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Historic Fortified City of
Carcassonne
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
The historic city of Carcassonne is an
outstanding example of a medieval fortified
town, with its massive defences encircling
the castle and its fine Gothic cathedral. A
fortified settlement has existed on the hill
where Carcassonne now stands since pre-
Roman times. During the turbulent years of
the late third and early fourth centuries, the
town was protected by the construction of
a defensive wall some 1,200 m long. The
twelfth-century counts castle was built over
the western part of the Roman wall, and by
the end of the thirteenth century the town
had assumed its definitive appearance as a
medieval fortress. Carcassonne is also of
special importance because of the lengthy
restoration campaign undertaken during
the second half of the nineteenth century by
Viollet-le-Duc, one of the founders of the
modern science of conservation.
The exterior of the
cathedral, like that of
most southern French
Gothic churches, has
no ying buttresses,
stability being assured
by means of the
interior vaulting.
It contains some
important sculpture,
notably the thirteenth-
century tomb
of Bishop Radulph.
The stained glass in
the windows of the
apse and the transept
is of exceptionally
high quality.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
morne troi s pi tons nati onal park 515
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Morne Trois Pitons National
Park
Dominica
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Luxuriant tropical forest blends with scenic
volcanic features of great scientific interest
in this national park, centred on the 1,342 m-
high volcano known as Morne Trois Pitons.
The landscape is characterized by volcanic
piles with precipitous slopes and deeply
incised valleys. The so-called Valley of
Desolation (Grand Soufriere) contains
fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots, sulphur
vents and the Boiling Lake, which is the
worlds second largest of its kind. The valley
is a large amphitheatre surrounded by
mountains and consisting of at least three
separate craters, where steam vents, small
ponds and hot springs bubble up through
the ground. Boiling Lake is surrounded by
cliffs and is almost always covered by clouds
of steam. The Morne Trois Pitons National
Park covers nearly 70 km
2
and has the
richest biodiversity of the Lesser Antilles.
Other outstanding
features in the area
include the Emerald
Pool, fed by the
Middleham Falls
Stinking Hole, a lava
tube in the middle of
the forest; and the
Boeri and Freshwater
lakes. Freshwater Lake
is the largest of
Dominicas four
freshwater lakes.
Boeri Lake is located
in the crater of an
extinct volcano.
Middleham Falls
which feeds the
Emerald Pool.
Cocos Island National Park
Costa Rica
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Cocos Island National Park, located 550 km
off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, is the only
island in the tropical eastern Pacific with a
tropical rainforest. Its position as the first
point of contact with the northern equatorial
counter-current, and the myriad interactions
between the island and the surrounding
marine ecosystem, make the area an ideal
laboratory for the study of biological
processes. The underwater world of the
National Park has become famous due to the
attraction it holds for divers, who rate it as
one of the best places in the world to view
large pelagic species such as sharks, rays,
tuna and dolphins. Like other oceanic islands,
Isla del Coco presents an impoverished flora
compared to that of the continent, but has a
high number of endemic species (at least
seventy species of vascular plant). The
vegetation is exuberant and owes its lushness
to the heavy rainfalls and rugged relief, which
favours condensation.
The island has been
known to mariners
and cartographers
since the rst half
of the sixteenth
century. However, its
position was vaguely
indicated and
therefore could only
be located by
experienced sailors.
Fishermen, pirates,
commercial sailors
and scientic
expeditions arrived at
the island searching
for fresh water and
shelter.
516 cocos i sland nati onal park| epi scopal complex of porec
World Heritage site since
Episcopal Complex of the
Euphrasian Basilica in the
Historic Centre of Porec
Croatia
Criteria Interchange of values; testimony to
cultural tradition; significance in human history
The group of religious monuments in Porec,
where Christianity was established as early
as the fourth century, constitutes the most
complete surviving complex of its type. The
basilica, atrium, baptistery and episcopal
palace are outstanding examples of
religious architecture, while the basilica
itself combines classical and Byzantine
elements. Erected by Bishop Euphrasia, all
these buildings were richly ornamented
with mosaics, alabaster, marble, mother-of-
pearl and stucco, in the lavish tradition of
the Byzantine Golden Age during the reign
of Justinian. Later additions to the complex
were the Kanonika (Canons House) of 1257,
the sixteenth-century bell tower, and some
minor buildings such as the sacristy
(fifteenth century) and two chapels
(seventeenth and nineteenth centuries
respectively).
The Episcopal
Complex is an integral
part of the historic
centre of Porec, which
has preserved to a
considerable extent its
Roman street pattern,
dating from the time
when the town was
part of the province
of Histria.
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Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
World Heritage site since
lake turkana nati onal parks 517
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Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Lake Turkana National Parks
Kenya
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The area around Lake Turkana is mostly
semi-desert, with open plains flanked by
volcanic formations including Mount
Sibiloi, the site of the remains of a petrified
forest possibly seven million years old. The
most saline of Africas large lakes, Turkana is
an outstanding laboratory for the study of
plant and animal communities. The three
National Parks are major breeding grounds
for the Nile crocodile, hippopotamus and a
variety of venomous snakes. Mammals
include Burchells and Grevys zebras,
Grants gazelle, Beisa oryx, hartebeest, topi,
lesser kudu, lion and cheetah. More than
350 species of aquatic and terrestrial bird
have been recorded in Lake Turkana, and it
serves as a stopover for migrant birds such
as warblers, wagtails and little stints.
Extensive
palaeontological nds
in the parks have
contributed more to
the understanding of
palaeo-environments
than any other site on
the continent. These
include evidence of
the existence of a
relatively intelligent
hominid two million
years ago. Human
fossils include the
remains of
Australopithecus
robustus, Homo habilis,
Homo erectus and
Homo sapiens.
Classical Gardens of Suzhou
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Significance
in human history; Traditional human settlement
Classical Chinese garden design, which
seeks to recreate natural landscapes in
miniature, is nowhere better illustrated than
in the nine gardens in the historic city of
Suzhou. They are generally acknowledged
to be masterpieces of the genre. Dating
from the eleventh to the nineteenth
centuries, the gardens reflect in their
meticulous design the profound
metaphysical importance of natural beauty
in Chinese culture.
The Canglang Pavilion was built in the
early eleventh century. It is reached across
a zigzag stone bridge from which the
mountains, covered with old trees and
bamboo, suddenly become visible.
The Lion Forest Garden was created in 1342
as the Budhi Orthodox Monastery but was
detached from the temple in the
seventeenth century. It features a series of
man-made mountains and an artificial
waterfall on steep cliffs.
The sixteenth-century Garden of
Cultivation is typical, both in layout and in
the design of its buildings, of the classical
Ming dynasty garden. A pond takes up a
quarter of its area.
The Couples Garden Retreat dates from
the eighteenth century. The East Garden is
dominated by a mountain rising from a pool
flanked by buildings. The more subdued
West Garden has limestone hills pierced by
interlinking caves.
In the Retreat and Reflection Garden, the
central feature is the pool, surrounded by
elegant buildings and the double-tiered
Celestial Bridge.
The Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty
dates from the sixteenth century. It is
intensively detailed, with peaks rising to 7 m,
dells, paths, caves, stone houses, ravines,
precipices and cliff.
The Humble Administrators Garden has
been the site of the residence of Suzhou
notables since the second century AD and
is one of Chinas most famous gardens.
Its central section is a re-creation of the
scenery of the Lower Yangtze.
The Lingering Garden dates from the
sixteenth century. It features mountain and
lake scenery encircled by buildings and
visited by means of a narrow, winding path
which gives unexpected views of great
beauty.
The Garden of the Master of the Nets is
entered from the south through a gateway
flanked by enormous carved blocks of stone,
designating the owners court rank. The
layout of buildings and gardens is extremely
subtle, so that a small area gives the
impression of great size and variety.
Chinese gardens
have certain elements
in common governing
their positioning,
layout, scenery,
planting, contents and
philosophy. The end
result is one in which
art, nature, and ideas
are integrated perfectly
to create ensembles of
great beauty and
harmony.
Located on the lower
Yangtze River, Suzhou
is spanned by
numerous waterways
and its streets retain
their traditional
beauty. Marco Polo
called the city Venice
of the Orient when
he visited in the
thirteenth century.
The citys many
gardens were created
by retired bureaucrats
and politicians of the
Ming and Qing
Dynasties.
518 classi cal gardens of suzhou
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
520 cathedral complex, modena
World Heritage site since
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Cathedral, Torre Civica and
Piazza Grande, Modena
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The magnificent twelfth-century cathedral
at Modena, the work of two great artists
Lanfranco and Wiligelmo, is a supreme
example of early Romanesque art. With its
piazza and soaring bell tower, the Modena
complex exemplifies an architectural
complex where religious and civic values are
combined. The cathedral was also a large
sculpture workshop, brilliantly illustrated by
Wiligelmo, particularly in the faade, which
is a veritable corpus of the sculptors work.
The Maestri Campionesi architects and
sculptors commissioned to maintain the
building from the second half of the twelfth
century onwards made various alterations
and improvements to the building. Only
minor changes have been made to the
Piazza Grande: its quadrangular shape has
been preserved and it has been lined on its
northern side by the flank of the cathedral.
The Torre Civica, whose tall silhouette
is a landmark to travellers
approaching the town, is closely linked
to the cathedral by two arches. This
monumental tower, built from the
same materials as the cathedral,
consists of six oors emphasized by
small blind arcades lit by simple
openings, and then by two- and three-
light windows on the upper oors.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
World Heritage site since
changdeokgung palace 521
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Changdeokgung Palace
Complex
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
In the early fifteenth century, the Emperor
Taejong ordered the construction of a new
palace, which he named Changdeokgung
(Palace of Illustrious Virtue). A Bureau of
Palace Construction was set up to create the
complex in accordance with traditional
design principles. These included the palace
in front, the market behind, three gates and
three courts (administrative court, royal
residence court and official audience court).
The compound was divided into two parts:
the main palace buildings and the Piwon
(royal secret garden). The result is an
exceptional example of Far Eastern palace
architecture and design, in which the
buildings are integrated into and
harmonized with the natural setting.
Changdeokgung Palace had a great
influence on the development of Korean
architecture, and garden and landscape
planning for many centuries.
The garden was landscaped with
a series of terraces planted with
lawns, owering trees, owers, a
lotus pool, and pavilions set against
a wooded background. There are
over 26,000 specimens of 100
indigenous trees in the garden,
along with 23,000 planted
specimens of 15 imported species.
Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
Medina of Ttouan
(formerly known as Titawin)
Morocco
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Ttouan was of particular importance in the
Islamic period, from the eighth century
onwards, since it served as the main point
of contact between Morocco and Andalusia.
After the Reconquest, the town was rebuilt
by Andalusian refugees who had been
expelled by the Spanish. This is well
illustrated by its art and architecture, which
reveal clear Andalusian influence. Although
one of the smallest of the Moroccan
medinas, Ttouan is unquestionably the
most complete and it has been largely
untouched by subsequent outside
influences.
Ttouan is mentioned
by a number of Arab
writers of the
tenthtwelfth
centuries. However it
wasnt until the
fortications were
rebuilt in the mid-
eighteenth century
that the medina
assumed its current
distinctive gure-of-
eight conguration.
522 medi na of ttouan | heard and mcdonald i slands
World Heritage site since
Heard and McDonald
Islands
Australia
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Heard and McDonald Islands are located in
the Southern Ocean, approximately
1,700 km from the Antarctic continent and
over 4,100 km southwest of Perth. As the
only volcanically active subantarctic islands
they 'open a window into the Earth', thus
providing the opportunity to observe
ongoing geomorphic processes. Permanent
snow and ice cover about 70 per cent of
Heard Island, and its relatively fast-flowing
glaciers respond quickly to changes in
climate. The distinctive conservation value
of Heard and McDonald Islands one of the
world's rare pristine island ecosystems lies
in the absence of introduced plants and
animals, making them especially valuable
for scientific reference purposes.
Lying in a remote and
stormy part of the
globe, Heard and
McDonald Islands
were unknown to
humanity until the
nineteenth century.
Driving westerly
winds create unique
weather patterns
including spectacular
cloud formations and
rapid changes in
precipitation.
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AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Main Square, Ttouan.
World Heritage site since
mi ll network at ki nderdi j k-elshout 523
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Mill Network at Kinderdijk-
Elshout
Netherlands
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The Kinderdijk-Elshout mill network bears
powerful testimony to the outstanding
contribution made by the people of the
Netherlands to the technology of handling
water. The site illustrates all the typical
features associated with this technology
dykes, reservoirs, pumping stations,
administrative buildings and a series of
beautifully preserved windmills. At one time,
there were more than 150 such mills in the
Alblasserwaard and Vijfheerenlanden area;
this had dropped to seventy-eight in the
1870s, but today the total is only twenty-
eight. The World Heritage Site contains
nineteen of these mills, mostly dating from
the mid-eighteenth century. Although they
went out of use in the late 1940s, all nineteen
are still maintained in operating condition,
functioning as fall-back mills in case of
failure of the modern equipment.
Most of the mills are
so-called bonnet mills,
in which only the top
section revolves with
the wind. Built from
brick or wood, they
have large sails that
come within 30 cm of
the ground, hence their
name, ground sailers.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum
and Torre Annunziata
Italy
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
The remains of the towns of Pompei and
Herculaneum, buried by the eruption of
Vesuvius on 24 August AD 79, provide a
complete and vivid picture of society and
daily life at a specific moment in the past
that is without parallel anywhere in
the world.
When Vesuvius erupted it engulfed the two
flourishing Roman towns and many wealthy
villas in the area. Since the mid eighteenth
century these have been progressively
excavated and made accessible to the
public. The vast expanse of the commercial
town of Pompei contrasts with the smaller
but better-preserved remains of the holiday
resort of Herculaneum, while the superb
wall paintings of the Villa Oplontis at Torre
Annunziata give a vivid impression of the
opulent lifestyle enjoyed by the wealthier
citizens of the Early Roman Empire.
The main forum of Pompei is flanked by
the foundations of several imposing public
buildings including the Capitolium
(temple), Basilica (courthouse) and public
baths. Pompei is renowned for its domestic
buildings, ranged along well-paved streets.
The earliest type is the atrium house of
which the House of the Surgeon, entirely
inward looking with a courtyard at its centre,
is a good example. The exceptional Villa dei
Misteri (House of the Mysteries) takes its
name from the wall paintings in the
triclinium(dining room) that depict the
initiation rites (mysteries) of the cult
of Dionysus.
A special characteristic of Pompei is its
wealth of graffiti. An election was imminent
at the time of the eruption and many
slogans were scrawled on walls along with
other graffiti of a more personal, often
scurrilous, nature.
Much less of Herculaneum, built on a
promontory overlooking the Bay of Naples,
has been uncovered, partly because of the
depth to which it was buried. However, the
nature of its covering is such that the
buildings are better preserved than those
of Pompei.
There are several impressive public
buildings, and the houses are also
remarkable for their extent and decoration.
Those fronting on the sea, such as the
House of the Deer, have large courtyards
and rich decoration. The town is noteworthy
for the completeness of its shops, still
containing fittings such as enormous wine
jars. Of great importance in both towns are
the artistic styles represented by sculptures,
mosaics and, above all, wall paintings.
Part of Pompei.
Pompei was founded
by the southern Italian
Osci (Opicians) in the
sixth century BC, while
Herculaneum was
said to have been
founded by Hercules.
They fell to the
Romans in 89 BC.
Both towns came to
an abrupt and
catastrophic end on
24 August AD 79.
The area had recently
been shaken by an
earthquake and
reconstruction work
was still in progress
when Vesuvius
erupted with
tremendous violence.
Pompei was buried
under a thick layer of
volcanic ash and stone
and Herculaneum
disappeared under a
pyroclastic ow of
volcanic mud.
524 pompei , herculaneum and torre annunzi ata
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
526 medi eval town of toru n
World Heritage site since
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Medieval Town of Toru n
Poland
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
Toru n is a small historic trading city that
preserves to a remarkable extent its original
street pattern and outstanding early
buildings. The town owes its origins to the
Teutonic Order, which built a castle there
in the mid-thirteenth century as a base for
the conquest and colonization of Prussia.
It soon developed a commercial role as part
of the Hanseatic League. In the Old and
New Towns, the many imposing public and
private buildings from the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries, among them the house
of Copernicus, are striking evidence of
Toru ns importance. The Old Town, which
forms the western part of the complex, is
laid out around its central Market Place. The
New Town developed from 1264, to the
north of the castle and the east of the Old
Town, into a centre for crafts and industry.
The Old Town was
fortied progressively
between 1250 and
1300 with a double
wall strengthened by
bastions. These
fortications were
reconstructed in
142049 and partly
dismantled in the
nineteenth century,
but most of the
southern sector, with
gates and towers
facing the river,
survives intact.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Torun Town Hall.
World Heritage site since
caserta and san leuci o 527
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Eighteenth-Century Royal
Palace at Caserta with the
Park, the Aqueduct of
Vanvitelli, and the San
Leucio Complex
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The monumental complex at Caserta, while
cast in the same mould as other eighteenth-
century royal palaces, is exceptional for the
broad sweep of its design. The King of
Naples decided in 1750 to build a new royal
palace to rival the Palace of Versailles. He
employed Luigi Vanvitelli, then engaged in
the restoration of St Peters in Rome. The
Royal Palace is rectangular in plan, with four
large interior courtyards and contains 1,200
rooms and thirty-four staircases. The main
axis of the park is punctuated by a series of
Baroque fountains and stretches of water.
This magnificent perspective terminates in
the Great Fountain, where water cascades
down from a height of 150 m. The works at
San Leucio, designed to produce silk, are
also of outstanding interest because of the
idealistic principles underlying its original
conception and management.
In 1778 the king decided to begin
the production of silk at San Leucio,
and the industrial complex included
a school, accommodation for
teachers, silkworm rooms, and
facilities for spinning and dyeing
the silk. His regulations of 1789 laid
down piecework rates of pay,
abolished dowries and prescribed
similar clothing for all the workers.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
A waterfall, which is a copy of one at Versailles, in the grounds of the Palace
of Caserta.
The people of the Netherlands established a
trading settlement at a ne natural harbour
on the Caribbean island of Curaao in
1634. The town developed continuously
over the following centuries. The modern
town consists of several distinct historic
districts whose architecture reects not only
European urban-planning concepts but also
styles from the Netherlands and from the
Spanish and Portuguese colonial towns with
which Willemstad engaged in trade.
These two monuments are among the nest
contributions to Barcelonas architecture
by the Catalan art nouveau architect Lluis
Domnech i Montaner. The Palau de la
Msica Catalana is an exuberant steel-
framed structure, full of light and space
and decorated by many of the leading
designers of the day. Construction began in
1905 and was completed three years later.
The Hospital de Sant Pau is equally bold
in its design and decoration, while at the
same time perfectly adapted to the needs
of the sick. Work began in 1901 and was not
nally completed until 1930. The hospital
is of immense architectural importance
because it is the largest hospital complex in
Modernist style.
528 barcelona | wi llemstad
World Heritage site since
Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour,
Curaao
Netherlands
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Willemstad stands out
for the diversity of its
four historic districts,
separated by a natural
harbour. Each has its
own unique urban
morphology, while
sharing a distinctive
tropicalized Dutch
architecture.
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Palau de la Msica Catalana
and Hospital de Sant Pau,
Barcelona
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Signicance in human history
The Hospital de Sant
Pau is an outstanding
vindication of its
creators maxim
that beauty has
therapeutic value.
For Domnech i
Montaner it was
essential to give
sick people a feeling
of well-being and
beauty, which would
contribute to an early
convalescence.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
World Heritage site since
panam vi ej o 529
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1978
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Archaeological Site of
Panam Viejo and Historic
District of Panam
Panama
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The archaeological site of Panam Viejo is
the site of the oldest European town on the
American mainland, founded in 1519 by the
conquistador Pedraras Dvila. It soon
became a commercial and administrative
centre, as well as an important port and the
seat of a Royal Tribunal. Only the climate,
being considered unhealthy, prevented the
development of the town to the size and
importance of Guatemala or Bogot. The
old town was destroyed by fire in 1672, and a
new town (the Historic District of Panam),
8 km to the southwest, replaced it a year
later, and the site was abandoned and never
rebuilt; it is now a public park where the
impressive ruins of the cathedral, churches,
water installations, town hall and private
houses are preserved.
The Historic District of Panam
has preserved its original street
plan, its architecture and an
unusual mixture of Spanish,
French and early American styles.
The Saln Bolvar was the venue
for the unsuccessful attempt made
by Simn Bolvar, El Libertador,
in 1826 to establish a Pan-American
congress.
SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean
Sea
Cathedral at Panam Viejo.
530 dougga / thugga
World Heritage site since
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Dougga / Thugga
Tunisia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Before the Roman annexation of Numidia
in 46 BC, the town of Thugga, built on an
elevated site overlooking a fertile plain, was
the capital of an important Libyco-Punic
state. It flourished under Roman and
Byzantine rule, but declined in the Islamic
period. Its impressive ruins include temples
and sanctuaries, a forum, public baths, a
theatre, an amphitheatre, a circus, a market,
fountains, private houses, shops and
mausoleums. The small rectangular forum,
which is surrounded by a marble colonnade,
is crossed by part of the later Byzantine
fortifications. On one side of it is the
capitolium, dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and
Minerva, and one of the finest buildings of
its type in North Africa. One of the most
significant monuments in Thugga is the
Libyco-Punic mausoleum in the southern
part of the town. This is the only major
monument of Punic architecture still
surviving in Tunisia.
The important collection of over
2,000 Libyan, Punic, Greek and
Roman inscriptions from Thugga
has made a decisive contribution
to the deciphering of the Libyan
language; also to knowledge of the
social and municipal life of the
Numidians, and Roman colonial
policy and municipal organization
in its provinces.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Entrance to the theatre.
World Heritage site since
hallstatt-dachstei n/ salzkammergut 531
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Hallstatt-Dachstein /
Salzkammergut Cultural
Landscape
Austria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Human activity in the magnificent natural
landscape of the Salzkammergut began in
prehistoric times, with the salt deposits being
exploited as early as the second
millennium BC. This resource formed the
basis of the areas prosperity up to the
middle of the twentieth century, a prosperity
that is reflected in the fine architecture of
the town of Hallstatt. The name of the
medieval town, first recorded in a deed of
1305, is derived from the West German hal
(salt) and the Old High German stat
(settlement). The site also includes the
Dachstein Mountains, rising to some
3,000 m, which form the highest of the karst
massifs in the northern limestone Alps. They
are notable for the large number of caves
they contain, the longest being the
Hirlatzhhle (96 km).
The typical Hallstatt
house is tall and
narrow, making
maximum use of the
restricted space and
the steep topography.
The lower storeys are
constructed in stone,
with barrel vaulting
supporting timber-
framed upper storeys,
as is customary in
Alpine regions. Only
a few preserve the
original at
saddleback roofs
covered with wooden
planks or shingles.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
Botanical Garden (Orto
Botanico), Padua
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Botanical Garden of Padua is the
original of all botanical gardens throughout
the world. It was created in 1545 and still
preserves its original layout: a circular
central plot, symbolizing the world,
surrounded by a ring of water, representing
the ocean. Various additions have been
made in the intervening centuries a
pumping installation to supply ten
fountains in the seventeenth century, four
monumental entrances in 1704, and new
masonry greenhouses in the late eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries. An
arboretum, an English garden with winding
paths, and a small hillock (belvedere) were
also added around this time. The garden has
traditionally collected and grown
particularly rare plants, which have then
been introduced into the rest of Europe.
Currently there are over 6,000 species
grown here.
The Botanical Garden
also houses two
important collections.
The library contains
more than 50,000
volumes and
manuscripts of
immense historical
and bibliographic
importance. The
herbarium is the
second most
extensive in Italy.
532 botani cal garden, padua | rohtas fort
World Heritage site since
Rohtas Fort
Pakistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Following his defeat of the Mughal emperor
Humayun in 1541, Sher Shah Suri built a
strong fortified complex at Rohtas, a
strategic site in the north of what is now
Pakistan. It was never taken by force and has
survived intact to the present day. The main
fortifications consist of the massive walls,
which extend for more than 4 km; they are
lined with bastions and pierced by
monumental gateways. Rohtas Fort, also
called Qila Rohtas, is an exceptional
example of early Muslim military
architecture in Central and South Asia.
Rohtas is a complex
of defensive works
surrounding a small
hill alongside the
Kahan River. Its stone
walls vary according
to the terrain, with
heights ranging from
10.05 m to 18.28 m
and a thickness of up
to 12.5 m.
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Arabian Sea
Section of the
fortications of Rohtas
Fort.
World Heritage site since
hi stori c ci ty of trogi r 533
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Historic City of Trogir
Croatia
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Trogir is a remarkable example of urban
continuity. The street plan of this island
settlement dates back to the Hellenistic
period and it was embellished by successive
rulers with many fine public and domestic
buildings and fortifications. Its beautiful
Romanesque churches are complemented
by the outstanding Renaissance and
Baroque buildings from the period of
Venetian rule after 1420. The ancient town of
Tragurion (island of goats) was founded as a
trading settlement by Greek colonists in the
third century BC. The town flourished in the
Roman period. Between the thirteenth and
fifteenth centuries much new building took
place, including the cathedral and the
Camerlengo fortress and the reconstruction
of the fortifications. Throughout the town,
and in particular round the ramparts, are the
palaces of leading families. Many of these
rise directly from the foundations of late
Classical or Romanesque buildings.
The plan of
contemporary Trogir
reects the Hellenistic
layout in the location,
dimensions and
shapes of its
residential blocks.
The two ancient main
streets, the cardo and
the decumanus, are still
in use, and paving
from the forum has
been located by
excavation at their
intersection.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
534 hospi ci o cabaas, guadalaj ara
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Hospicio Cabaas,
Guadalajara
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Hospicio Cabaas was built at the
beginning of the nineteenth century by the
Bishop of Guadalajara, Juan Ruiz de
Cabaas, to provide care and shelter for the
disadvantaged orphans, old people, the
handicapped and chronic invalids. This
remarkable complex, which incorporates
several unusual features designed
specifically to meet the needs of its
occupants, was created by Manuel Tols. The
entire complex is laid out on a rectangular
plan: all the buildings, which are single
storey, except the chapel and the kitchen,
are ranged round twenty-three courtyards.
The great majority of these are arcaded on at
least two sides. In the 1930s, the chapel was
decorated with a superb series of murals,
now considered some of the masterpieces
of Mexican art. They are the work of Jos
Clemente Orozco, one of the greatest
Mexican muralists of the period.
The growth of the Mexican muralist
movement was a demonstration of
national cohesion and identity. In the
1930s, Orozco was commissioned by
the government to paint the murals
in the chapel of the Hospicio
Cabaas. They represented the multi-
ethnic character of Mexican society
and the allegory of the Man of Fire,
which are among his nest works.
Las Mdulas
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Las Mdulas gold-mining area is an
outstanding example of innovative Roman
technology, based on hydraulic power, in
which all the elements of the ancient
landscape, both industrial and domestic,
have survived. The Archaeological Zone of
Las Mdulas (ZAM) comprises the mines
themselves and also large areas where the
tailings resulting from the process were
deposited. Within the area there are dams
used to collect the vast amounts of water
needed for the mining process and the
intricate canals by means of which the water
was conveyed to the mines. Human
settlement is represented by villages, of
both the indigenous inhabitants and the
imperial administrative and support
personnel (including army units).
Unlike the situation in
other imperial gold-
mining areas such as
Wales, the workers at
Las Mdulas were free
men, not slaves. Their
settlements stand
alongside, yet are
clearly distinguishable
from those which
housed the imperial
ofcials and their
staff.
San Milln Yuso and Suso
Monasteries
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The monastic community founded by
St Milln in the mid-sixth century became a
place of pilgrimage. A fine Romanesque
church built in honour of the holy man still
stands at the site of Suso. The monastery
consists of a series of hermits caves, a
church, and an entrance porch or narthex.
The caves, originally used by the monks, are
cut into the southern slope of the mountain.
It was here that the first literature was
produced in Castilian, and from which one
of the most widely spoken languages in the
world today is derived. In the early sixteenth
century the community was housed in the
fine new monastery of Yuso, below the older
complex; it is still a thriving community
today.
The Codex
Aemilianensis 60 was
written in the Suso
scriptorium in the
ninth and tenth
centuries by a monk
who added Castilian
and Basque marginal
notes, with a prayer in
Castilian: this is the
rst known example
of written Spanish.
las mdulas | san mi lln yuso and suso monasteri es 535
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
536 hwaseong fortress
World Heritage site since
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Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
Hwaseong Fortress
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Hwaseong Fortress had a great influence on
the development of Korean architecture and
is a landmark in the history of military
architecture. When the Choson emperor
Chongjo moved his fathers tomb to Suwon
at the end of the eighteenth century, he
surrounded it with strong defensive works,
laid out according to the precepts of an
influential military architect of the period,
who brought together the latest
developments from both East and West.
Building was completed between 1794 and
1796. The massive walls, extending for nearly
6 km, still survive. They follow the
topography of the land. There were
originally forty-eight defensive features
along the length of the walls four gates,
floodgates, observation towers, command
posts, multiple-arrow launcher towers,
firearms bastions, angle towers, secret gates,
beacon towers, bastions and bunkers and
most of these survive intact.
Parts of the Fortress
were destroyed or
damaged during the
Japanese occupation
and the Korean War,
but the availability of
the original Archives
on the Construction
of Hwaseong Fortress
has made it possible
for the Fortress to be
restored to its original
form. Work began in
1964, and has
continued since that
time.
Yellow
Sea
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of so lu s 537
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Historic Centre of So Lus
Brazil
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
The late seventeenth-century core of this
historic town, founded by the French in 1612,
and occupied by the Dutch before coming
under Portuguese rule, has preserved the
original rectangular street plan in its
entirety. Due to a period of economic
stagnation in the early twentieth century,
an exceptional number of fine historic
buildings have survived, making this an
outstanding example of an Iberian colonial
town. Private houses were built round
courtyards, and the most outstanding
examples have tiled roofs; faades adorned
with Portuguese azulejos (painted ceramic
tiles) or painted, ornamented cornices; tall,
narrow window bays with decorated
surrounds; and balconies with forged or
cast-iron railings. The floors are of dressed
stone. Features relating to the tropical
climate include raised piers and shuttered
verandas on the inside. There are some
4,000 buildings within the Historic Centre.
In addition to the
private houses that
make up the greater
proportion of the
towns stock of
historic buildings,
there are a number of
public buildings from
the nineteenth and
early twentieth
centuries, which are
largely neoclassical
in style.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Costiera Amalfitana
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast) is an
outstanding example of a Mediterranean
landscape and an area of great physical
beauty and natural diversity. It has been
intensively settled by communities since the
early Middle Ages and has a number of
towns, such as Amalfi and Ravello, with
significant architectural and artistic works.
Rural areas show the versatility of the
inhabitants in adapting their use of the land
to the diverse terrain, which ranges from
terraced vineyards and orchards on lower
slopes to wide upland pastures.
The site covers 112 km
2
in the Province of
Salerno. Its exceptional cultural and natural
scenic values are a result of its dramatic
topography and historical evolution. The
areas natural boundary is the southern
slope of the peninsula formed by the Lattari
hills. It consists of four main stretches of
coast (Amalfi, Atrani, Reginna Maior,
Reginna Minor), some minor ones
(Positano, Praiano, Certaria, Hercle), with
mountain villages and hamlets behind and
above them.
The towns and villages of Costiera
Amalfitana are characterized by their
architectural monuments, such as the Torre
Saracena at Cetara; the Romanesque
Cathedral of Amalfi and its Cloister of
Paradise, with their strong oriental
influences; the Church of San Salvatore de
Bireto at Atrani; and Ravello with its fine
cathedral and the superb Villa Rufolo.
There is an immense diversity of
landscapes, ranging from coastal
settlements through intensively cultivated
lower slopes and large areas of open
pastoral land to dramatic high mountains.
In addition, there are micro-landscapes of
great scientific interest resulting from
topographical and climatic variations, and
striking natural formations in the limestone
karst at both sea level and above.
Inland, the steep slopes rising from the
coast are covered with terraces banked with
drystone walling and used for the
cultivation of citrus and other fruits, olives,
vines and vegetables. Further inland, the
hillsides are given over to dairy farming,
which has ancient roots in the area, based
on sheep, goats, cattle and buffalo. In some
parts of the Costiera the natural landscape
survives intact, with little, if any, human
intervention. It supports the traditional
Mediterranean flora of myrtle, lentisk,
broom and euphorbia. Elsewhere there are
stands of trees such as holm oak, alder,
beech and chestnut. Other zones shelter
pantropical ferns, butterwort, dwarf palms
and endemic carnivorous species.
The layout of the
settlements on the
Costiera Amaltana
shows an eastern
inuence, with closely-
spaced houses
climbing steep hillsides
and connected by a
maze of alleys and
stairs. A distinctive
Arab-Sicilian
architecture originated
and developed in
Amal.
Intensively settled in
the sixth century,
Amal quickly became
a maritime trading
power, enjoying a
near-monopoly in the
Tyrrhenian Sea. Wood,
iron, weapons, wine
and fruit were traded
in eastern markets for
spices, perfumes,
pearls, jewels, textiles
and carpets to sell in
the West. However,
Amal was eclipsed
by the power of Pisa
in the twelfth century.
538 costi era amalfi tana
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
540 anci ent ci ty of pi ng yao
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Ancient City of Ping Yao
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Ancient City of Ping Yao is an
outstanding example of a Han Chinese city
of the Ming and Qing dynasties
(fourteenthtwentieth centuries) that has
retained all its features to an exceptional
degree. It offers a remarkably complete
picture of cultural, social, economic and
religious development during one of the
most seminal periods of Chinese history. In
1370, during the reign of the Ming Emperor
Hong Wu, the city was fortified with a
massive new defensive wall and the internal
layout was greatly altered, reflecting the
strict rules of Han planning. The circuit of
walls measures 6 km in length, the precise
dimension for a city of this grade according
to Han prescriptions. There are six fortified
gates and seventy-two massive bastions
along its length.
Prosperity derived
from trade and
banking meant that,
in addition to public
buildings and
temples, shops and
monuments, Ping Yao
was endowed with
high-quality, well-built
private houses; these
have largely survived.
World Heritage site since
resi dences of the royal house of savoy 541
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1978
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1979
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1980
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Residences of the Royal
House of Savoy
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
When Emmanuel-Philibert, Duke of Savoy,
moved his capital to the small fortified
medieval town of Turin in 1562, he began a
vast series of building projects, continued
in Baroque style by his successors, to
demonstrate the power of the ruling house.
This outstanding complex of buildings was
designed and embellished by the leading
architects and artists of the time. It radiates
into the surrounding countryside from the
Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) in the centre of
Turin to include many country residences
and hunting lodges. The brick Palazzo
Reale, late seventeenth century in its present
form, was built around a courtyard, with
porticoes opening behind onto landscaped
gardens. It formed the focus of a Command
Centre, linked to many buildings, including
the Palazzo Chiablese on the Piazza Reale,
and buildings on the Piazza Castello (former
State Secretariats and the Palazzo
Madama).
Guarino Guarini gave
his personal touch to
Turins Baroque
architecture with the
Palazzo Carignano
(167985), one of the
most attractive and
impressive
seventeenth century-
Italian palaces. He
placed an oval rotunda
in the middle of the
main faade, giving it
an undulating
appearance.
The recently restored
ballroom of the Royal
Palace (Palazzo Reale).
542 archaeologi cal area of agri gento
World Heritage site since
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Archaeological Area of
Agrigento
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Agrigento was one of the greatest cities of
the ancient Mediterranean world and it has
been exceptionally well preserved. Its great
row of Doric temples is one of the most
outstanding monuments of Greek art.
Founded as a Greek colony in the sixth
century BC, it reached its height during the
rule of the tyrant Thero (488473). The most
substantial remains are from this time. The
Temple of Olympian Zeus, of which only the
foundations and main altar survive, was one
of the largest of all Greek temples. The so-
called Temple of Concord is the most
impressive surviving Doric temple in the
Greek world after the Parthenon in Athens.
In addition, there are large excavated areas
of the residential Hellenistic and Roman
Agrigento, and extensive ancient cemeteries
with tombs and monuments from the pagan
and Christian periods.
The Valley of the
Temples covers most
of the built-up part of
the ancient city and its
public monuments. It
is closed by the ridge
running parallel to the
sea that was assigned,
in antiquity, the role of
a sacred area.
The area between the
acropolis and the
temples was laid out
in the early fth
century BC.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Temple of Hera ( Juno)
in Agrigento.
World Heritage site since
archaeologi cal si te of volubi li s 543
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1979
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Archaeological Site of
Volubilis
Morocco
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Mauritanian capital, founded in the
third century BC, became an important
outpost of the Roman Empire after AD 40
and is an exceptionally well-preserved
example of a colonial town on the fringes of
the Roman Empire. During the Roman
period, a town wall, with eight monumental
gates, and a new monumental centre
including a capitol, basilica and baths, were
constructed. The triumphal arch of
Caracalla, which spans the decumanus
maximus, marks the boundary between the
Punic-Hellenistic town and the extension in
the Roman period to the northeast. At the
beginning of the reign of Diocletian, in 285,
the Romans abruptly abandoned the region,
for reasons that remain obscure, and
Volubilis entered its dark age. Volubilis was
later briefly to become the capital of Idris I,
founder of the Idrisid dynasty, who is buried
at nearby Moulay Idris.
The buildings of
Volubilis are for the
most part constructed
using the grey-blue
limestone quarried
nearby on the
Zerhoun massif. They
are notable for the
large number of
mosaic oors still in
situ. Although they do
not attain the artistic
level of other North
African mosaics, they
are lively and varied in
form and subject
matter.
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The triumphal arch of
Caracalla.
Historic Centre of Riga
Latvia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values
The Historic Centre of Riga, while retaining
its medieval and later urban fabric relatively
intact, is of outstanding value by virtue of
the quality and the quantity of its Jugendstil,
or German Art Nouveau architecture,
unparalleled anywhere in the world, and its
nineteenth-century architecture in wood. It
has exerted a considerable influence within
the Baltic cultural area on subsequent
developments in architecture.
Riga was a major centre of the powerful
Hanseatic League of north European and
Baltic traders, deriving its prosperity in the
thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries from
the trade with central and eastern Europe.
The urban fabric of its medieval centre
reflects this prosperity, though most of the
earliest buildings were destroyed by fire or
war. Riga became an important economic
centre in the nineteenth century, when the
suburbs surrounding the medieval town
were laid out, first with imposing wooden
buildings in neoclassical style and then in
Jugendstil. These three districts comprise
the historic centre of the city.
Few medieval houses are still intact; of
these one of the most interesting is the
House of the Three Brothers, an impeccably
restored group from the fifteenth century.
The late-seventeenth-century Reutems
House and Dammnstems House are more
monumental buildings, notable for their
interior decorations and fittings and for
their impressive faades.
The boulevards are lined with many
important public buildings from the
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries;
they include the National Theatre and the
Museum of Latvian Art. The creation of the
boulevards coincided with the reign of
eclecticism in Europe, and this movement
is abundantly represented. Eclecticism
allowed architects to produce many flights
of fancy, well-illustrated by the House of the
Cat on Meistaru Street. The suburbs that
developed so rapidly at this time are notable
for both their wooden buildings in the
classical Russian style and the extraordinary
quality of the new buildings.
However, it was Jugendstil, which reached
Riga via Finland at the end of the nineteenth
century, that provided the suburban area
with its most noteworthy feature. There are
countless examples, perhaps the most
outstanding of which are the works of
Mikhail Eisenstein in Alberta Street and
Elizabeth Street. National Romanticism
evolved into Jugendstil in Latvia, again on
the Finnish model. There are some striking
examples of this movement in Alberta Street
and Brivibas Street.
Riga was independent
from 1221 and in 1282
it formed an alliance
with Lbeck and Visby
to become a member
of the Hanseatic
League. By the
fteenth century Riga
was a typical
Hanseatic town, with
winding streets and
densely-packed
houses, a large central
market and strong
fortications.
In the sixteenth
century the city
became embroiled in
struggles between
Russia, Poland and
Sweden. Finally in
1710, it fell to the
Russian army,
remaining part of
the Tsarist Russian
Empire until the
creation of the rst
Republic of Latvia
in 1918.
544 hi stori c centre of ri ga
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Baltic
Sea
North
Sea
Scandinavia
House of the
Blackheads, Riga.
Villa Romana del Casale
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition
Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina is the
supreme example of a luxury Roman villa.
The area that has been excavated, which is
only part of the full establishment and
covers about 4,000 m
2
, may be divided into
four zones or groups of rooms, all of them
decorated with floor mosaics of superlative
quality. The first is the monumental
entrance, which opens into a courtyard, onto
which faces the elaborate baths complex.
Next comes the impressive main peristyle
with its monumental fountain in the centre.
To the south is the third group, around the
elliptical peristyle. The fourth group lies to
the east of the main peristyle, linked by the
long Corridor of the Great Hunting Scene.
The mosaics are the
glory of the Villa del
Casale. Among the
more famous are
those depicting the
capture of wild
animals in Africa, and
a group of
sportswomen dressed
in costumes
remarkably similar to
modern bikinis.
546 vi lla romana del casale | su nuraxi di barumi ni
World Heritage site since
Su Nuraxi di Barumini
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
During the late second millennium BC in
the Bronze Age, a special type of defensive
structure known as nuraghi, for which no
parallel exists anywhere else in the world,
developed on the island of Sardinia. The
complex consists of circular defensive
towers in the form of truncated cones built
of dressed stone, with corbel-vaulted
internal chambers. The complex at
Barumini, which was extended and
reinforced in the first half of the first
millennium under Carthaginian pressure,
is the finest and most complete example
of this remarkable form of prehistoric
architecture.
Some time in the seventh century BC, Su
Nuraxi was sacked by the Carthaginians and
the defensive works were neglected.
However, it continued as a settlement, the
houses being rebuilt in a different style.
With the Roman conquest of the island in
the second century BC most of the nuraghi
went out of use. However, excavations have
shown that there were people living at Su
Nuraxi until the third century BC.
The central defensive
structures are thought
to have been built by
families or clans. As
Sardinian society
evolved there was a
tendency for more
isolated towers to
attract additional
structures, and
villages of small,
circular-plan houses
developed around
some strongpoints.
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
World Heritage site since
castle at malbork 547
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Castle of the Teutonic
Order in Malbork
Poland
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The immense brick castle at Malbork, started
by the Teutonic Order after 1270, greatly
influenced Gothic buildings in a wide region
of northeast Europe. The importance of
Malbork increased greatly after 1309, when
the seat of the Grand Master of the Order
was moved here from Venice. The original
Fore Castle was adapted as his residence and
administrative headquarters, the impressive
Palace of the Grand Masters being built in
its southwest comer. The Great Refectory
was built to the north of the palace; the
north side of the Middle Castle was closed
by a wing, housing the hospital and the
residence of the commander, and the chapel
in the High Castle was enlarged. The whole
complex is surrounded by an intricate
system of defensive works, including
massive walls and bastions, wet and dry
moats and ditches, earthen ramparts
and ponds.
The castle fell into decay at the end
of the eighteenth century, but was
meticulously restored in the
nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries. Many of the conservation
techniques now accepted as
standard evolved here. Following
severe damage in the Second World
War it was once again restored,
using the detailed documentation
prepared by earlier conservators.
San Pedro de la Roca
Castle, Santiago de Cuba
Cuba
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The Castle of San Pedro de la Roca and its
associated defensive works are the largest
and most comprehensive example of the
principles of Renaissance military
engineering, adapted to the requirements
of European colonial powers, in the
Caribbean. Commercial and political
rivalries in the Caribbean region in the
seventeenth century resulted in the
construction of this massive series of
fortifications on a rocky promontory, to
protect the important port
of Santiago. This intricate complex of forts,
magazines, bastions and batteries
underwent little change from the late
nineteenth century, when it went out of use,
until the 1960s, when restoration work
began. It is one of three fortresses designed
by the famous father and son military
architects, Bautista and Juan Bautista
Antonelli.
The castle stands on
a promontory with
steep cliffs rising over
20 m. The terrain is
such that its various
elements could be
built in a series of
terraces above one
another and linked by
a series of stairways.
548 san pedro de la roca castle | hi stori c monuments of tlacotalpan
World Heritage site since
Historic Monuments Zone
of Tlacotalpan
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Tlacotalpan, a Spanish colonial river port on
the Gulf coast of Mexico, was founded in the
mid-sixteenth century. It has preserved its
original urban fabric to a remarkable
degree, with wide streets, colonnaded
houses in a profusion of styles and colours,
and many mature trees in the public open
spaces and private gardens. Although it was
established in the sixteenth century, it was
not until 1821 that Tlacotalpan experienced
any economic expansion. It became the port
for the products of Oaxaca and Puebla
destined for Veracruz and beyond to New
Orleans, Havana and Bordeaux. By 1855 its
fleet had grown to eighteen steamers and
one large sailing ship, used to transport
timber, tobacco, cotton, grain, sugar, brandy,
leather, salt meat, crocodiles, heron feathers,
furniture and soap.
The architecture and
chequerboard town
plan of Tlacotalpan
represent a unique
fusion of Spanish and
Caribbean traditions
of exceptional
importance and
quality.
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World Heritage site since
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NORTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
World Heritage site since
classi cal wei mar 549
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Classical Weimar
Germany
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
In the late-eighteenth and early nineteenth
centuries the small Thuringian town of
Weimar witnessed a remarkable cultural
flowering. Enlightened ducal patronage
attracted many of the leading German
writers and artists to the town, including
Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Wolfgang
Goethe, Friedrich Schiller and Franz Liszt,
making it the cultural centre of the Europe
of the day. This development is reflected in
the high quality of many of the buildings
and parks in the surrounding area. The
World Heritage site comprises twelve
separate buildings or ensembles, including
Goethes House, Schillers House, Belvedere
Palace (see picture below), and the
Dowagers Palace, which was the centre of
intellectual life at the height of classical
Weimar. The site also includes the Princes
Tomb and the Historic Cemetery,
constructed in 1823, where Schiller and
Goethe are both buried.
Goethes House,
a Baroque town
house built in 17079,
underwent a number
of alterations during
his occupancy.
The original interior
furnishings are
preserved in a number
of rooms. Schillers
House is a simple late-
Baroque house built
in 1777, incorporating
part of a sixteenth
century outbuilding
(the Mint). Most of the
rooms are furnished
as they were during
the lifetime of the poet.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
550 archaeologi cal si te of troy
World Heritage site since
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Archaeological Site of Troy
Turkey
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
Troy, with its 4,000 years of history, is one of
the most famous archaeological sites in the
world. The first excavations at the site were
undertaken by Heinrich Schliemann, who
carried out seven major campaigns between
1868 and 1890. The extensive remains
uncovered by Schliemann are the most
significant demonstration of the first
contact between the civilizations of Anatolia
and the Mediterranean world. Moreover,
the siege of Troy by Spartan and Achaean
warriors from Greece in the thirteenth or
twelfth century BC, immortalized by Homer
in The Iliad, has inspired great creative artists
throughout the world ever since. Troy II
and Troy VI in particular are characteristic
examples of the ancient city, with a majestic
fortified citadel enclosing palaces and
administrative buildings, surrounded by
an extensive lower town, also fortified.
The Greek and Roman
cities at Troy are
represented above all
by the sanctuary
complex. Roman urban
organization is
reected by two major
public buildings on
the edge of the agora.
Pictured below, the
odeion (concert hall) has
the traditional
horseshoe-shaped
plan and tiers of seats
made from limestone
blocks. The nearby
bouleuterion (council
house) is smaller but
similar in plan.
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Caspian
Sea
semmeri ng rai lway | holaovi ce hi stori cal vi llage 551
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1998
Semmering Railway
Austria
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Semmering Railway, built over 41 km of
high mountains between 1848 and 1854, is
one of the greatest feats of civil engineering
from this pioneering phase of railway
building. The high standard of the tunnels,
viaducts and other works has ensured the
continuous use of the line up to the present
day. It runs through a spectacular mountain
landscape. There are many fine buildings
designed for leisure activities along the way,
built when the area was opened up due to
the advent of the railway.
The Semmering pass
itself is well known
for the summer
architecture of the
villas and hotels that
were built for
Viennese society
between Gloggnitz
and the small market
town of Schottwien in
picturesque locations.
It became one of the
rst articially laid out
Alpine resorts in the
decades following
the opening of the
railway line.
Holaovice Historical
Village Reservation
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Situated in the heart of South Bohemia,
Holaovice is an exceptionally complete
and well-preserved example of a traditional
central European village. It has a large
number of outstanding eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century vernacular buildings
in a style known as South Bohemian Folk
Baroque, and preserves a ground plan
dating from the Middle Ages. The village
consists at the present time of 120 buildings
arranged round an elongated village square,
with a small chapel and cross on it, and
some more recent buildings on the outskirts.
The historical reservation consists of the
original village as surveyed in 1827, which
includes twenty-three protected farmsteads
along with their attached farm buildings
and gardens. The farmsteads are all built
with their gable-ends facing the square.
In addition to the
farmsteads, there are
several farm labourers
cottages that are
much smaller and
simpler in design.
The village smithy and
the smiths house are
located in the middle
of the village square.
The other architectural
feature in the village
square is the small
Chapel of St John
of Nepomuk.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Kalte Rinne viaduct.
552 summer palace and i mperi al garden i n bei j i ng
World Heritage site since World Heritage site since
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Summer Palace and
Imperial Garden in Beijing
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The Imperial Garden and Summer Palace in
Beijing first built in 1750, largely destroyed
in the Second Opium War of 1860, and
restored in 1886 is a masterpiece of
Chinese garden design. The natural
landscape of hills and open water is
combined with artificial features such as
pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges
to form a harmonious ensemble of
outstanding aesthetic value. The site covers
an area of almost 3km
2
, three-quarters of
which is covered by water. The main
framework is supplied by the Hill of
Longevity and Kunming Lake,
complemented by man-made features. It is
designed on a grandiose scale,
commensurate with its role as an imperial
garden. It is divided into three areas, each
with its particular function: political and
administrative activities, residence, and
recreation and sightseeing. It became a
public park in 1924.
The political area is
reached by means
of the monumental
East Palace Gate.
The central feature
is the Hall of
Benevolence and
Longevity, an imposing
structure with its own
courtyard garden.
This area connects
directly with the
residential area,
which is made up of
three complexes of
buildings.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
The Seventeen-Arch
Bridge.
World Heritage site since
naval port of karlskrona 553
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Naval Port of Karlskrona
Sweden
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Karlskrona is an outstanding example of
a late-seventeenth-century European
planned naval city. It was founded in 1680
when Sweden was a major power whose
territory included modern Finland, Estonia,
Latvia, and parts of north Germany. The plan
of Karlskrona integrates strategic
imperatives with the classical ideal. The
Baroque layout with wide main streets
radiating out from a central square lined
with majestic public buildings is clearly
discernible in the present-day town.
The centre of the town is Stortorget
(Great Square), at the highest point of the
island of Tross where the two main
churches of the town, both dating from the
first half of the eighteenth century, Rdhuset
(the City Hall) from the same period, and
later public buildings such as the Concert
Hall, the City Library, and the Post Office,
are located.
The naval harbour is to the south
of the town, from which it was
originally separated by an
impressive enclosure wall, only
small sections of which survive.
To the south of the Parade Ground
is Gamle Varvet (the Old Shipyard).
This is made up of a number of ne
buildings dating mainly from the
late-eighteenth century.
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
554 the four li fts on the canal du centre | choi rokoi ti a
The Four Lifts on the Canal
du Centre and their
Environs, La Louvire and
Le Roeulx (Hainault)
Belgium
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The four hydraulic boat-lifts on this short
stretch of the Canal du Centre represent the
apogee of the application of engineering
technology to the construction of canals.
Of the eight hydraulic boat-lifts built around
the end of the nineteenth century, the only
ones in the world which still exist in their
original working condition are these four.
Together with the canal itself and its
associated structures, they constitute a
remarkably well-preserved and complete
example of a late nineteenth-century
industrial landscape. Lift No. 1 at Houdeng-
Ggnies was completed in 1888. The others
were built thirteen years later and
incorporate a number of modifications to
the basic design, though the operating
principle remains the same.
These ingenious lifts
consist essentially
of two mobile
compartments, each
supported by a single
hydraulic press. When
one compartment is
at the level of the
upper bay, the other
is at the lower level.
As the rst descends,
the other rises.
Choirokoitia
Cyprus
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia,
occupied from the seventh to the fourth
millennia BC, is one of the most important
prehistoric sites in the eastern
Mediterranean. The earliest occupation,
consisting of circular houses built from
mud-brick and stone with flat roofs, was on
the eastern side of the hill. It was protected
by natural slopes on three sides and a
massive wall barring access from the west.
A second defensive wall was erected to
protect a later extension of the village.
The finds from excavations at the site have
thrown much light on the evolution of
human society in this key region, and since
only part of the site has been excavated, it
forms an exceptional archaeological reserve
for future study.
Among the sites most
noteworthy nds are
the anthropomorphic
gurines in stone (and
one in clay), which
point to the existence
at this early period of
elaborate spiritual
beliefs.
World Heritage site since
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1979
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World Heritage site since
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
ASIA
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
la grand-place, brussels 555
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La Grand-Place, Brussels
Belgium
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
La Grand-Place in Brussels is a remarkably
homogeneous body of public and private
buildings, dating mainly from the late-
seventeenth century. The architecture
provides a vivid illustration of the level of
social and cultural life of the period in this
important political and commercial centre.
The earliest written reference to the
Nedermarckt (Lower Market), as it was
originally known, dates from 1174; the
present name came into use in the last
quarter of the eighteenth century.
The rectangular outline of todays Grand-
Place has developed over the centuries as
a result of successive enlargements and
other modifications, and did not take on its
definitive form until after 1695, when it was
restored to its original layout and
appearance following bombardment by the
French. It has, however, always had seven
streets running into it.
The Htel de Ville
(City Hall), which
covers most of the
south side of the
Grand-Place, consists
of a group of buildings
around a rectangular
internal courtyard. The
part facing on to the
square is from the
fteenth century,
consisting of two
L-shaped buildings.
The entire faade is
decorated with statues
dating from the
nineteenth century.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
New Zealand Sub-Antarctic
Islands
New Zealand
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands
consist of five island groups the Snares,
Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland
Islands and Campbell Island located
southeast of New Zealand. With the
exception of the Bounty Islands, the
remaining islands together with
neighbouring Macquarie Island constitute
a Centre of Plant Diversity and have the
richest flora of all the sub-antarctic islands.
They are particularly notable for the large
number and diversity of pelagic seabirds
and penguins that nest there. There are
126 bird species in total, including
forty seabirds, of which five breed nowhere
else in the world. The islands support major
populations of ten of the worlds twenty-
four species of albatross. It is a critical
breeding site for the southern right whale
and 95 per cent of the worlds population of
New Zealand sea lion breed here.
The islands lie on the
shallow continental
shelf and three of the
groups are eroded
remnants of Pliocene
volcanoes. Rivers are
short with precipitous
streams. Quaternary
glaciers have left
shallow cirques,
moraines and fjords
on some islands. Cool
equable temperatures,
strong westerly winds,
a few hours of
sunshine and high
humidity prevail.
556 new zealand sub-antarcti c i slands | fuerte de samai pata
World Heritage site since
Fuerte de Samaipata
Bolivia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The archaeological site of Samaipata
consists of two parts: the hill with its many
rock carvings, believed to have been the
ceremonial centre of the old town in the
fourteenthsixteenth centuries, and the area
to the south of the hill, which formed the
administrative and residential district. The
hill is divided naturally into a higher part,
known as El Mirador, and a lower, where the
carvings are located. The huge sculptured
rock, dominating the town below, is a
unique testimony to pre-Hispanic traditions
and has no parallel anywhere in the
Americas. The site is known to have been
occupied by people belonging to the
Mojocoyas culture as early as AD 300 and
it was at this time that work began on the
shaping of the rock.
The site was occupied
in the fourteenth
century by the Incas,
who made it a
provincial capital.
This is conrmed by
the features that have
been discovered by
excavation a large
central plaza with
monumental public
buildings around it
and terracing of the
neighbouring hillsides
for agriculture which
are characteristic of
this type of Inca
settlement.
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OCEANIA
Pacic
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Golden Mountains of Altai
Russian Federation
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Altai mountains in southern Siberia form
the major mountain range in the western
Siberia biogeographic region and provide
the source of its greatest rivers the Ob and
the Irtysh. Three separate areas are inscribed:
Altaisky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around
Lake Teletskoye; Katunsky Zapovednik and
a buffer zone around Mount Belukha; and
the Ukok Quiet Zone on the Ukok plateau.
The total area covers 16,115 km
2
. The region
represents the most complete sequence of
altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia,
from steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest,
subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation.
The site is also an important habitat for
endangered animal species such as the
snow leopard.
The areas few human
inhabitants have
co-existed with nature
for millennia and have
a strong afnity with
the natural
environment. Indeed,
the regions important
biodiversity is
probably due to
millennia of grazing as
well as natural factors.
Routes of Santiago de
Compostela in France
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Santiago de Compostela was the supreme
goal for countless thousands of pious
pilgrims who converged there from all over
Europe throughout the Middle Ages.
To reach Spain pilgrims had to pass through
France, and the group of important historical
monuments included in this site marks out
the four routes by which they did so.
A number of bridges
on the routes are
known as pilgrims
bridges, and that over
the Borade at Saint-
Chly-dAubrac even
has the gure of a
pilgrim carved on it.
Of special importance
is the Pont du Diable
over the Hrault at
Aniane, one of the
oldest medieval
bridges in France.
golden mountai ns of altai | routes of santi ago de compostela i n france 557
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Arctic Ocean
The fourteenth century
fortied pilgrims
bridge at Cahors.
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park
with the Archeological sites
of Paestum and Velia, and
the Certosa di Padula
Italy
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Cilento is an outstanding cultural
landscape. The dramatic groups of sanctuaries
and settlements along its three east-west
mountain ridges vividly represent the areas
historical evolution: it was a major route not
only for trade, but also for cultural and political
interaction during the prehistoric and medieval
periods. The Cilento was also the boundary
between the Greek colonies of Magna
Graecia and the indigenous Etruscan and
Lucanian peoples. The remains of two major
cities from classical times, Paestum and Velia,
are found there. Of the monastic properties,
the most impressive is the Certosa di San
Lorenzo at Padula in the Vallo di Diano.
Construction began in 1306, but in its present
form it is essentially Baroque, built in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
At Paestum, the Greek
city of Poseidonia,
a number of
exceptional public
buildings have been
revealed, the most
outstanding of which
are the three great
temples of Hera,
Ceres and Poseidon.
Less survives of Velia
Elea, although its
notable Porta Rosa is
the oldest and most
complete example
of a Greek arched
town gate.
World Heritage site since
East Rennell
Solomon Islands
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes
East Rennell makes up the southern third of
Rennell Island, the southernmost island in
the Solomon Island group in the western
Pacific. Rennell, 86 km long by 15 km wide, is
the largest raised coral atoll in the world.
The site includes approximately 370 km
2
and
a marine area extending 5.6 km to sea. A major
feature of the island is Lake Tegano, which
was the former lagoon on the atoll. The lake,
the largest in the insular Pacific (155 km
2)
, is
brackish and contains many rugged
limestone islands and endemic species.
Rennell is mostly covered with dense forest,
with a canopy averaging 20 m in height.
Combined with the strong climatic effects
of frequent cyclones, the site is a true
natural laboratory for scientific study. The
site is under customary land ownership and
management.
Rennell was formed
by the uplift of corals
which formed on an
undersea ridge and
then were subject to
faulting. The landform
is a typical jagged and
eroded limestone
karst rising to 200 m.
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
OCEANIA
Coral
Sea
Melanesia
Solomon
Sea
558 ci lento and vallo di di ano nati onal park | east rennell
World Heritage site since
temple of heaven, bei j i ng 559
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Temple of Heaven: an
Imperial Sacrificial Altar in
Beijing
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The Temple of Heaven is a masterpiece of
architecture and landscape design which
symbolizes the relationship between Earth
and Heaven that stands at the heart of
Chinese cosmogony, and also the special
role played by the emperors within that
relationship. The Altar of Heaven and Earth
was completed in 1420. The central building
was a large rectangular sacrificial hall, where
sacrifices were offered to Heaven and Earth,
with the Fasting Palace to the southwest.
In the ninth year of the reign of Emperor
Jiajing (1530) the decision was taken to offer
separate sacrifices to Heaven and to Earth,
and so the Circular Mound Altar was built to
the south of the main hall, for sacrifices to
Heaven. The Altar of Heaven and Earth was
renamed the Temple of Heaven.
The area occupied by
the Temple of Heaven is
almost square, the two
southern corners being
right-angled and those
on the north rounded.
This symbolizes the
ancient Chinese belief
that Heaven is round
and the Earth square.
The main Temple of
Heaven, the Circular
Mound, repeats the
symbolism of the walls,
as the central round
feature (Heaven) is
inside a square
enclosure (Earth).
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
560 hi stori c monuments of anci ent nara
World Heritage site since
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Historic Monuments of
Ancient Nara
Japan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Nara was the capital of Japan from 71084.
A great city, based on Chinese examples,
was laid out, with palaces, Buddhist temples,
Shinto shrines and public buildings, all
central to the development of Japanese
architecture. The palace, occupying 1.2 km
2
,
comprised the official buildings, notably the
Daigokuden (imperial audience hall) and
Chd-in (state halls), and the imperial
residence (Dairi). The main Buddhist
temples were the Tdai-ji, with its
monumental wooden Kond (Great Buddha
Hall), the Kfuku-ji, the Gang-ji (the first
Buddhist temple in Japan) and the
Tshdai-ji, which still retains two buildings
from the Nara period, the Kond and the
Kd (originally a state assembly hall from
the imperial palace). After 784, Nara was
abandoned and the palace became paddy
fields (now being excavated and
reconstructed), while most of the temples
and shrines survived intact.
The buildings of the
Kasuga-Taisha Shinto
shrine have been
restored and
reconstructed on many
occasions following
decay and destruction.
The natural
environment is an
integral element of
Shinto shrines.
At Kasuga-Taisha
this is provided by
Kasugayama, which
has been preserved as
a sacred forest, where
there has been no
human intervention
beyond the provision of
footpaths for pilgrims.
Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
East China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
Tdai-ji Temple.
World Heritage site since
hi stori c si te of lyons 561
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Historic Site of Lyons
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Lyons bears exceptional testimony to the
continuity of urban settlement over more
than two millennia on a site of great
commercial and strategic significance,
at the confluence of the rivers Rhne and
Sane. The city was founded by the Romans
in the first century BC. Notable ruins,
including a large theatre of the early first
century AD, capable of seating some 10,000
spectators, remain on the Fourvire hill. By
the mid-fifteenth century it was one of the
mostly heavily populated cities in Europe:
overpopulation and the risk of epidemics
led to a planned expansion starting in the
mid-sixteenth century. The resulting urban
fabric, visible today, contains areas of
medieval streets and of eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century town planning
alongside one another. The city has a very
rich stock of private houses from the
thirteenth century onwards and many fine
public buildings.
Lyons was founded
by the Romans as
the capital of the
Three Gauls. The
amphitheatre on
Croix-Rousse hill was
built around 19 BC to
accompany the altar
dedicated to Rome
and Augustus; it was
here that the Council
of the Three Gauls
met each August.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Bellecour Square with
a statue of Louis XIV
in the foreground and
Fourvire Hill in the
background.
Rock Art of the
Mediterranean Basin on
the Iberian Peninsula
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
There are more than 700 sites of late
prehistoric rock art on the Mediterranean
seaboard of the Iberian Peninsula, making
this the largest such collection in Europe.
Scenes of domestic daily life show groups
of people sitting and talking, people walking
together, seated hunters, and the
butchering of animals among other
activities. The representations of the human
figure provide information on clothing and
personal ornament, such as different
hairstyles, bracelets, arm-rings and
necklaces, and mark the beginnings of
social inequality. Funerary rites are shown
in the form of recumbent corpses and ritual
scenes. Scenes illustrate the mythologies
of these prehistoric societies: sorcerers in
strange costumes are common, as are
figures combining human characteristics
with those of fauna (deer, bulls, birds).
The eastern Spanish
rock art presents the
rst narrations in
European prehistory
and provides an
exceptional picture of
human life in a seminal
period of cultural
evolution. Hunting
activities are most
frequently represented
and include hunting
by groups and details
of animal traps.
The earliest depictions
of combats and
executions appear
in the form of archers
shooting at their
victims.
562 rock art, i beri an peni nsula | flemi sh bgui nages
World Heritage site since
Flemish Bguinages
Belgium
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Bguines were women who dedicated
their lives to God without retiring from the
world. In the thirteenth century they
founded the bguinages, enclosed
communities designed to meet their
spiritual and material needs. The Flemish
bguinages are architectural ensembles
composed of houses, churches, ancillary
buildings and green spaces, with a layout
of either urban or rural origin and built in
styles specific to the Flemish cultural region.
They are a fascinating reminder of the
tradition of the Bguines that developed in
northwestern Europe in the Middle Ages.
The Bguines were
free to come and go
in society and to
withdraw from the
community at will.
Largely urban-based,
they took houses near
the hospitals and
leper hospitals and
devoted themselves
to prayer, labour and
caring for the sick.
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Little Bguinage of
Gent.
Archaeological Zone of
Paquim, Casas Grandes
Mexico
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Paquim, Casas Grandes, which reached
its apogee in the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries, played a key role in trade and
cultural contacts between the Pueblo culture
of the southwestern United States and
northern Mexico and the more advanced
civilizations of Mesoamerica. The extensive
remains, only part of which have been
excavated, are clear evidence of the vitality
of a culture which was perfectly adapted to
its physical and economic environment.
The predominant building material is
unfired clay (adobe). The presence of features
such as platform mounds, ball courts, a
sophisticated water-distribution system, and
specialized storage buildings for exotic
products such as macaws and turkeys, shell
and copper artefacts, indicates influence from
Mesoamerica.
The archaeological
site is located at the
foot of the Sierra
Madre Occidental
range near the
headwaters of the
Casas Grandes River.
It is estimated to
contain the remains
of some 2,000 rooms
in clusters of living
rooms, workshops,
stores and patios.
An estimated 10,000
people lived here at
the height of its
prosperity in the
fourteenthfteenth
centuries.
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites
in the Ca Valley and Siega
Verde
Portugal and Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition
This exceptional concentration of rock
carvings, mostly from the Upper Palaeolithic
(22,00010,000 BC), is the most outstanding
example of early human artistic activity in
this form anywhere in the world. In the Ca
Valley, Portugal, the carvings occur in three
clusters. Furthest south is the small group of
granite rock-shelter sites at Faia. Some 8 km
further downstream is the cluster on either
side of the river at Quinta da Barca and
Penascosa, where the rock is schist. Finally,
there is a cluster starting at Ribeira de Piscos
and continuing down the Ca to its
confluence with the Douro. Not all the Ca
material is Upper Palaeolithic, however:
certain panels are of later date, from the
Neolithic to the early modern period, while
many have been drawn over or reused
(palimpsests). Siega Verde, Spain, hosts 645
rock engravings on an imprpessive cliff.
Most are of animals, although some
schematic and geometric figures have been
identified.
The species
represented include
aurochs, horses, red
deer, ibex and sh, but
there are no domestic
animals such as sheep
or chickens, which
were absent from the
Iberian Peninsula at
that time. One unique
convention is the use
of single bodies with
two or three heads, in
an attempt to convey
a sense of movement.
archaeologi cal zone of paqui m, casas grandes | ca valley and si ega verde 563
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
564 hi stori c centre of lvi v
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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L'viv the Ensemble of the
Historic Centre
Ukraine
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
The city of Lviv, founded in the late-Middle
Ages, was a flourishing administrative,
religious and commercial centre for several
centuries. In its urban fabric and its
architecture, it is an outstanding example
of the fusion of the architectural and artistic
traditions of Eastern Europe with those of
Italy and Germany. The medieval urban
topography has been preserved virtually
intact; in particular, there is evidence of the
different ethnic communities who lived
there Ukrainian, Armenian, Jewish, German,
Polish, Italian, Hungarian along with many
fine Baroque and later buildings. The heart
of the city is the High Castle and the
surrounding area, which developed in the
later Middle Ages.
Only the castle mound and five churches
still survive. The Seredmistia (Middle Town)
preserves intact its original layout, an
exceptional example of town planning in
Eastern Europe at that time.
Among the notable
features of the city is
the Rynok Square with
a tower at its centre,
and around it ne
houses in Renaissance,
Baroque, and Empire
style, many of them
retaining their
original medieval
layout. There are
fountains with gures
from classical
mythology at each
corner of the square,
dating from 1793.
EUROPE
Black Sea
Baltic Sea
Caspian
Sea
Archaeological Area and
the Patriarchal Basilica of
Aquileia
Italy
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Aquileia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, one of the
largest and wealthiest cities of the Early
Roman Empire, was destroyed by Attila in
the mid-fifth century. Most of it still lies
unexcavated beneath the fields, and as such
it constitutes the greatest archaeological
reserve of its kind. Excavations have
revealed part of the forum and its Roman
basilica, the Republican macellum, one of the
sets of baths, and two luxurious residential
complexes. Outside the late city walls, a
cemetery with some impressive funerary
monuments, the amphitheatre and the
circus have been revealed. The most striking
remains of the Roman city are those of the
port installations, a row of warehouses and
quays stretching along the bank of the river.
The dominant feature
of Aquileia is the
basilica. The original
basilica was virtually
destroyed by the Huns
in AD 452. However,
a striking feature dates
from that time: its huge
fourth-century mosaic,
rediscovered 100 years
ago. Its subjects include
a sea scene with
twelve shermen,
representing the
Apostles.
Gardens and Castle at
Kromer
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Kromer stands on the site of an earlier
ford across the river Morava, at the foot of
the Chriby mountain range which dominates
the central part of Moravia. The Gardens
and Castle at Kromer are an exceptionally
complete and well-preserved example of
a princely residence and its associated
landscape of the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries. The ensemble, and in particular
the pleasure garden, played a significant
role in the development of Baroque garden
and palace design in central Europe.
The pleasure garden, in the southwestern
part of the historic centre of Kromer , is a
formal garden in the Italian style, entered
by an arcaded gallery which contains many
statues and busts. Cast iron for the gardens
elegant bridges came from the
archiepiscopal foundry.
The castle is linked to
the garden through
spacious ground-oor
rooms with grottoes
opening out. Within
the garden are several
important architectural
features, including
a semi-circular
colonnade in classical
style built in 1846 to
house sculptures
from Pompei.
archaeologi cal area of aqui lei a | gardens and castle at kromer 565
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Ir. D.F. Woudagemaal
(D.F. Wouda Steam
Pumping Station)
Netherlands
Criteria - Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
For centuries, windmills were used to
discharge excess water in the Netherlands.
The first steam pump was built in 1825 and
the construction of steam-driven pumping
stations reached its peak between 1870 and
1885; very few new ones were built after
1900. There were about 700 in operation
between 1900 and 1910. Extreme flooding
in 1894 led to a decision to reclaim the
Lauwerszee and drain the southwestern
part of Friesland province. The Wouda
Pumping Station at Lemmer, opened in
1920, was the key to this operation. It is the
largest steam-pumping station ever built
and is still in operation. It represents the
high point of the contribution made by
Netherlands engineers and architects in
protecting their people and land against
the natural forces of water.
The Dutch landscape
has been created by
battling against water
and much of the
country would be
ooded if it had not
been protected over
the centuries by daily
control and
management of the
sea and rivers
(waterstaat).
566 i r. d. f. woudagemaal ( d. f. wouda steam pumpi ng stati on)
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1995
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1996
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1998
EUROPE
North
Sea
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of urbi no 567
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1998
Historic Centre of Urbino
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
During its short cultural pre-eminence in
the fifteenth century, the hill-town of Urbino
attracted some of the most outstanding
humanist scholars and artists of the
Renaissance, who created an exceptional
urban setting whose influence spread far
into Europe. In the mid-fifteenth century
Federico II da Montefeltro, who ruled the
city and duchy of Urbino, undertook a
radical rebuilding campaign in the city.
The walls were rebuilt according to the
designs of Leonardo da Vinci. The new Ducal
Palace, by Luciano Laurana and Francesco di
Giorgio Martini, was inserted into the urban
fabric with the minimum of disturbance,
incorporating existing medieval structures.
Along with the adjacent cathedral, the palace
became the model for new buildings in the
Renaissance style. Owing to Urbinos
economic and cultural stagnation from the
sixteenth century onwards, it has preserved
much of its Renaissance appearance.
The great artist
Raphael was born in
Urbino, in a small
fourteenth-century
building with a
charming interior
courtyard. What was
probably the artists
rst important work,
a Madonna and Child,
is in the rst-oor
room where he was
born in 1483.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
568 uni versi ty and hi stori c preci nct of alcal de henares
World Heritage site since
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University and Historic
Precinct of Alcal de Henares
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Founded by Cardinal Jimnez de Cisneros
in the early sixteenth century, Alcal de
Henares was the worlds first planned
university city. Cisneros took over a partly
abandoned medieval town and converted it
into a city whose function was solely that of
a university. This included the creation of
houses to lodge professors and students.
The little Chapel of St Justus was rebuilt as
a church and given the title Magistral.
More centres of learning were added
progressively: there were eventually to be
twenty-five Colegios Menores, while eight
large monasteries were also colleges of the
university. Its primary objective was to
provide administrators for the Church and
for the Spanish Empire, training over 12,000
students in the sixteenth century. From the
mid-seventeenth century, the number of
students declined, and in 1836 the university
was transferred to Madrid.
The Complutense
Polyglot Bible (15147)
illustrates the type of
work that began in
Alcal: a masterpiece
of typography, it
established the bases
of modern linguistic
analysis as well as the
accepted structure for
dictionaries. This work
was supported by that
of Antonio de Nebrija,
author of the rst
European grammar of
a Romance language,
published in 1492.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy
Valley) and the Forest of the
Cedars of God (Horsh Arz
el-Rab)
Lebanon
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Qadisha valley is one of the most
important early Christian monastic
settlements in the world. Its monasteries, many
of which are of a great age, stand in dramatic
positions in a rugged landscape. Nearby are
the remains of the great forest of cedars of
Lebanon, highly prized in antiquity for the
construction of great religious buildings.
The deep Qadisha
Valley is located at
the foot of Mount
al-Makmal. Its slopes
form natural ramparts
and their steep cliffs
contain rock-cut
chapels and
hermitages, often
surrounded by
terraces made by the
hermits for growing
grain, grapes and
olives.
Robben Island
South Africa
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Robben Island, 7km off the coast from Cape
Town, was used at various times between
the seventeenth and twentieth centuries as
a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable
groups and a military base.
Its buildings, particularly those of the late
twentieth century such as the maximum
security prison for political prisoners,
witnessed the triumph of democracy and
freedom over oppression and racism.
The most celebrated
of Robben Islands
prisoners was Nelson
Mandela, who was
incarcerated there for
some twenty years.
The last political
prisoners left the
island in 1991 and the
prison closed down
nally in 1996; since
that time it has been
developed as a
museum.
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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ouadi qadi sha and the forest of the cedars of god | robben i sland 569
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Forest of cedars,
Bsharre.
Prison buildings,
Robben Island.
Heart of Neolithic Orkney
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Neolithic monuments of Orkney bear
unique or exceptional testimony to an
important indigenous cultural tradition
which flourished for between 500 and
1,000 years but disappeared by about
2000 BC. They are an outstanding example
of a type of architectural ensemble and
archaeological landscape which illustrates
a significant stage of human history, during
which the first large ceremonial
monuments were built. They are testimony
to the cultural achievements of the
Neolithic peoples of northern Europe
during the period 30002000 BC.
The monuments consist of Maes Howe,
a large chambered tomb; the Stones of
Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, two
ceremonial stone circles; and Skara Brae,
a settlement. There are also a number of
unexcavated burial, ceremonial and
settlement sites. The group constitutes
a major prehistoric cultural landscape
which gives a graphic depiction of life in
this remote archipelago in the far north
of Scotland some 5,000 years ago.
Maes Howe is a Neolithic masterpiece,
an exceptionally early architectural
accomplishment. With its almost classical
strength and simplicity it is a unique
survivor from 5,000 years ago. It is an
expression of genius within a group of
people whose other tombs were
claustrophobic chambers in smaller
mounds.
Passage graves such as Maes Howe were
large structures, made from stones erected
to form a passage leading from the outer
edge of the mound to the chamber
containing the remains of the dead. The
general orientation of these structures
demonstrates their builders knowledge
in respect to seasonal movements.
Stenness is a unique and early expression
of the ritual customs of the people who
buried their dead in tombs like Maes Howe
and lived in settlements like Skara Brae.
The Ring of Brodgar is the finest known
truly circular late-Neolithic or early Bronze
Age stone ring.
Skara Brae has particularly rich surviving
remains. It displays remarkable preservation
of stone-built furniture and a fine range of
ritual and domestic artefacts, which
together demonstrate with exceptional
completeness the domestic, ritual and burial
practices of a now-vanished culture.
When it was built
5,000 years ago, the
settlement of Skara
Brae was further from
the sea than it is now.
The settlement was
abandoned some
600 years after its
construction and
most of the houses
were emptied of their
contents.
In the mid-nineteenth
century the remains
of Skara Brae were
revealed when the
overlying sand dune
was swept away by
a violent storm. Some
clearance work took
place in 1913, and in
1924 a protective
breakwater was built.
570 neoli thi c orkney
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Part of the Ring of
Brodgar in Orkney at
sunset.
572 i bi za
World Heritage site since
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Ibiza, Biodiversity and
Culture
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Ibiza provides an excellent example of the
interaction between marine and coastal
ecosystems. The dense prairies of oceanic
Posidonia (seagrass), an important endemic
species found only in the Mediterranean
basin, contain and support a diversity of
marine life. The island also preserves
considerable evidence of its long history. The
archaeological sites at Sa Caleta settlement
and Puig des Molins necropolis testify to the
important role played by the island in the
Mediterranean economy, particularly during
the Phoenician-Carthaginian period. In 1235,
Ibiza town was dominated by Christians,
who built the Catalan castle, visible from the
inside of the present building, the medieval
fortifications, and the Gothic cathedral. The
fortified Upper Town, Alta Vila, is an
outstanding example of Renaissance military
architecture; it had a profound influence on
the development of fortifications in the
Spanish settlements of the New World.
The Phoenician-Punic
cemetery of Puig des
Molins is situated in
the southwest of the
Upper Town. At the
beginning of the sixth
century BC, the ashes
of the dead were
placed in a natural
grotto after cremation.
Later, shafts and
funerary chambers
were dug, and
sarcophagi were
lowered through
shafts into family
sepulchres.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The cathedral and Old
Town of Ibiza .
World Heritage site since
state hi stori cal and cultural park anci ent merv 573
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ASIA
Caspian
Sea
State Historical and Cultural
Park Ancient Merv
Turkmenistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The cities of the vast Merv oasis exerted
considerable influence over the cultures of
Central Asia and Iran for four millennia. The
oasis formed part of the Great Seljuk Empire,
which had its capital here. This was one of
the principal cities of its time, and its famous
libraries attracted scholars from all over the
Islamic world. It also had a pronounced
influence in the development of architecture,
architectural decoration, science and culture.
Merv is the oldest and best-preserved of the
oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central
Asia. A number of monuments are still
visible, particularly from the last two
millennia. These include the central Beni
Makhan mosque and its cistern, the
Buddhist stupa and monastery, and the
Oval Building in the northwest quarter.
The fteenth century
walls and moat of the
city and citadel are of
exceptional interest in
that they represent
the remarkable
continuous record of
the evolution of
military architecture
from the fth
century bc to the
fteenthsixteenth
centuries ad.
Great Kyz Kala, Merv.
574 archaeologi cal si tes of mycenae and ti ryns
World Heritage site since World Heritage site since
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1979
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Archaeological Sites of
Mycenae and Tiryns
Greece
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The archaeological sites of Mycenae and
Tiryns are the imposing ruins of the two
greatest cities of the Mycenaean civilization,
which dominated the eastern
Mediterranean world from the fifteenth to
the twelfth centuries BC and played a vital
role in the development of classical Greek
culture. These two cities are indissolubly
linked to the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the
Odyssey, which have influenced European
art and literature for more than three
millennia. The Palace at Mycenae was
constructed on the summit of the hill and
surrounded by massive cyclopean walls in
three stages (c. 1350, 1250 and 1225 BC
respectively). A series of tholos (beehive-
shaped tombs) were also built on the slopes
of the hill: the Tomb of Aegisthos (c. 1500 BC),
the Lion Tholos Tomb (c. 1350 BC), the Tomb
of Clytemnestra (c. 1220 BC).
As at Mycenae, the
earliest human
occupation known
at Tiryns is from the
Neolithic period.
The oldest architectural
remains, on the Upper
Citadel, are from the
early Bronze Age
(c. 3000 BC). A new
fortied palace
complex was
constructed in the
fourteenth century BC,
the defences were
extended in the early
thirteenth century BC,
and the Lower Citadel
was also fortied.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Lion Gate at Mycenae.
World Heritage site since
belfri es of belgi um and france | i si mangali so wetland park 575
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Belfries of Belgium and
France
Belgium and France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
Belfries are outstanding representatives
of civic and public architecture in Europe.
Twenty-three belfries in the north of France
and the belfry of Gembloux in Belgium
were inscribed on the World Heritage list
as a group, an extension to the thirty-two
Belgian belfries inscribed in 1999 as Belfries
of Flanders and Wallonia. Built between the
eleventh and seventeenth centuries,
invariably in an urban setting, the belfries
are potent symbols of the transition from
feudalism to mercantile urban society.
While Italian, German and English towns
mainly chose to build town halls, in part of
northwestern Europe greater emphasis was
placed on building belfries. Compared with
the keep symbol of the seigneurs and the
bell-tower symbol of the Church, the belfry
symbolizes the power of the aldermen.
Over the centuries, they came to represent
the influence and wealth of the towns.
Most of the belfries
cover the periods of the
fourteenthfteenth
and sixteenth
seventeenth centuries,
thereby illustrating the
transition in style from
Norman Gothic to later
Gothic, which then
mingles with
Renaissance and
Baroque forms. In the
fourteenth and
fteenth centuries, the
belfries abandoned the
model of the keep in
favour of ner, taller
towers, such as those
of Dendermonde,
Lier and Aalst.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
South Africa
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The ongoing fluvial, marine and aeolian
processes in the site have produced a variety
of landforms, including coral reefs, long
sandy beaches, coastal dunes, lake systems,
swamps, and extensive reed and papyrus
wetlands. The interplay of the parks
environmental heterogeneity with major
floods and coastal storms, and a transitional
geographic location between subtropical
and tropical Africa, has resulted in
exceptional species diversity and ongoing
speciation. The mosaic of landforms and
habitat types creates superlative scenic
vistas. The site contains critical habitat for
a range of species from Africas marine,
wetland and savanna environments.
iSimangaliso Wetland
Park (previously
known as Greater St
Lucia Wetland Park) is
the largest and most
diverse estuarine
system in Africa. It is
the only area with
coral reefs and has
a high number of
threatened species,
including rhino, hippo
and leopard.
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
576 mountai n rai lways of i ndi a | santa ana de los r os de cuenca
Mountain Railways of India
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
This site includes three railways, all still fully
operational. The Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway, opened in 1881, was the first
example of a hill passenger railway, its
design applying bold and ingenious
engineering solutions to the problem of
establishing an effective rail link across
mountainous terrain. The construction of
the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 46-km-long
metre-gauge single-track railway in Tamil
Nadu State was first proposed in 1854, but
due to the difficulty of the mountainous
location the work only started in 1891 and
was completed in 1908. This railway, scaling
an elevation of 326 m to 2,203 m,
represented the latest technology of the
time. The Kalka Shimla Railway, a 96-km-
long, single track working rail link was built
in the mid-19th century to provide a service
to the highland town of Shimla.
The three Mountain
Railways of India are
outstanding examples
of the interchange of
values on
developments in
technology. The
Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway helped the
area become one of
the main tea-growing
areas in India and is
still the most
outstanding example
of a hill passenger
railway.
Historic Centre of Santa
Ana de los Ros de Cuenca
Ecuador
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Santa Ana de los Ros de Cuenca is set in a
valley surrounded by the Andean mountains
in the south of Ecuador. This inland colonial
town (entroterra), now the countrys third city,
was founded in 1557 on the rigorous
planning guidelines issued thirty years
earlier by the Spanish king Charles V.
Cuenca still observes the formal orthogonal
town plan that it has respected for 400 years.
One of the regions agricultural and
administrative centres, it has been a melting
pot for local and immigrant populations.
Cuencas architecture, much of which dates
from the eighteenth century, was modernized
in the economic prosperity of the nineteenth
century as the city became a major exporter
of quinine, straw hats and other products.
Despite the growth
that came with its
prosperity, the Andean
mountain chains have
allowed Cuenca to
maintain close
contact with its
natural environment.
The Urban
Development Plan
of 1982 also helped
safeguard the image
of the town.
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
World Heritage site since
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
The Himalayan Bird
or Toy Train on the
Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway
at Dali Monastery.
World Heritage site since
hi stori c forti fi ed town of campeche 577
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1991
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1992
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1995
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1996
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1998
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1999
Historic Fortified Town of
Campeche
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Campeche is a typical example of a harbour
town from the Spanish colonial period in
the New World. The historic centre has kept
its outer walls and system of fortifications,
designed to defend this Caribbean port
against attacks from the sea. A chequerboard
plan was chosen for the town, with a Plaza
Mayor facing the sea and surrounded by
government and religious edifices. The area
of historic monuments is spread over 1.8 km
2
,
including 0.5 km
2
surrounded by walls,
with the town stretching out on each side,
following the configuration of the coast.
The protected group of buildings consists
of two subgroups: one with a high density
of buildings of great heritage value, and
another, which is not so dense or valuable
but which forms a transitional and
protective zone.
Among almost 1,000
buildings of historic
value are the Cathedral
of the Immaculate
Conception, several
churches, the Toro
theatre and the
municipal archives.
The system of
fortications includes
the redoubts of San
Jos and San Miguel,
and the batteries of
San Lucas, San Matis
and San Lus.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexcio
A colourful street in
Campeche.
578 museumsi nsel ( museum i sland) , berli n
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
.
1999
Museumsinsel (Museum
Island), Berlin
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
The museum as a social phenomenon owes
its origins to the Age of Enlightenment in
the eighteenth century. The five museums,
built between 1824 and 1930 on the
Museumsinsel, a small island in the river
Spree, are the realization of a visionary
project and show the evolution of
approaches to museum design. The project
began when the Altes Museum was built to
the designs of Karl Friedrich Schinkel in
18248. A plan to develop the part of the
island behind this museum was drawn up by
the court architect, Friedrich August Stler
in 1841, followed by the building of the
Neues Museum (18437). In 1866 the
Nationalgalerie was built and in 18971904
the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum (now the
Bodemuseum). Stlers plan was completed
in 190930 with the construction of Alfred
Messels Pergamonmuseum.
The three-winged
Pergamonmuseum
was built to exhibit
the greatly expanded
collections of
antiquities resulting
from German
excavations at
Pergamon and other
Greek sites in Asia
Minor as well as those
from Mesopotamia
formerly housed in
the Vorderasiatisches
Museum. It rises
directly from the river
Spree, like the
Bodemuseum, with
which it is
harmonized in scale
and proportions.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Bodemuseum
My Son Sanctuary
Vietnam
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Between the fourth and thirteenth centuries
a unique culture which owed its spiritual
origins to Indian Hinduism developed on
the coast of contemporary Vietnam. This is
graphically illustrated by the remains of a
series of impressive tower-temples located
in a dramatic site that was the religious and
political capital of the Champa Kingdom for
most of its existence.
The ruins of My Son
vividly illustrate the
importance of the
Champa Kingdom
to the political and
cultural history of
Southeast Asia.
A unique expression
of cultural interchange,
it marks the
introduction of the
Hindu architecture of
the Indian subcontinent
into the area.
Discovery Coast Atlantic
Forest Reserves
Brazil
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves,
in the states of Bahia and Esprito Santo,
consist of eight separate protected areas
containing 1,120 km
2
of Atlantic forest and
associated shrub (restingas). The rainforests
of Brazils Atlantic coast are the worlds
richest in terms of biodiversity. The site
contains a distinct range of species with
a high level of endemism and reveals a
pattern of evolution that is not only of great
scientific interest but is also of importance
for conservation.
The rainforests of
southern Bahia and
northern Espirito
Santo have the worlds
highest density of tree
species and perhaps
the largest number of
trees of Pau Brasil
(brazil wood) left on
Earth.
my son sanctuary | di scovery coast atlanti c forest reserves 579
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
Pacic
Ocean ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
My Son sanctuary at
Tra Kieu.
Droogmakerij de Beemster
(Beemster Polder)
Netherlands
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Signicance in human history
The Netherlands owes its existence to
reclaimed land like the Beemster Polder.
If no dykes had been constructed and if
there were no drainage of excess water,
65 per cent of the modern country would
be under water. The seventeenth-century
Beemster Polder is the oldest area of
reclaimed land in the country and one of
the most remarkable. It has preserved intact
its well-ordered landscape of elds, roads,
canals, dykes and settlements, laid out in
accordance with classical planning principles.
Draining large areas like Beemster was made
possible by the dramatic improvement
in pumping technology using windmills
driving waterwheels. Pumps were later
converted to steam power, then diesel in
the twentieth century. Now drainage is
carried out by a fully automated electric
pumping station.
The innovative
landscape of the
Beemster Polder had
a profound impact on
reclamation projects
in Europe and beyond.
Its creation advanced
the interrelationship
between humankind
and water at a crucial
period of social and
economic expansion.
580 droogmakeri j de beemster ( beemster polder)
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
EUROPE
North
Sea
World Heritage site since
wooden churches of maramure% 581
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1998
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1999
Wooden Churches of
Maramure%
Romania
Criteria Significance in human history
The churches of the Maramure% region are
outstanding examples of vernacular
religious wooden architecture resulting
from the interchange of Orthodox religious
traditions with Gothic influence. The eight
churches of Maramure% are based on
traditional timber architecture and stand on
bases of stone blocks and pebble fillings.
These narrow, high, timber constructions,
characterized by their tall, slim clock towers
at the western end of the building, show a
high level of artistic maturity and craft skills.
They are: the Church of the Presentation of
the Virgin to the Temple (Brsana); the
Church of Saint Nicholas (Bude%ti); the
Church of the Pious Paraskeva (Dese%ti); the
Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God
(Ieud-Deal); the Church of the Holy
Archangels (Plopi%); the Church of the Holy
Paraskeva (Poienile Izei); the Church of the
Holy Archangels (Rogoz); and the Church of
the Holy Archangels ('urde%ti).
The Church of the Holy Paraskeva in
Poienile Izei is one of the oldest of
the wooden churches of Maramure%
(1604), and reveals two phases in the
development of such buildings. The
rst can be seen in the lower part of
the walls, with a sanctuary based on a
square plan. In the eighteenth
century the walls were raised and the
interior was decorated with paintings.
EUROPE
Black Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
Typical wooden church of the Maramure% region.
582 hi stori c town of vi gan
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1999
Historic Town of Vigan
Philippines
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Established in the sixteenth century, Vigan
is the best-preserved example of a planned
Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture
reflects the coming together of cultural
elements from elsewhere in the Philippines,
from China and from Europe, resulting in
a culture and townscape that have no parallel
anywhere in east and southeast Asia.
The Mestizo River was central to the
development of the town in the
sixteenthnineteenth centuries: large sea-
going vessels could berth in the delta and
small craft communicated with the interior.
It is no longer navigable owing to silting,
and so the town is no longer on an island. As
the major commercial centre for the region,
Vigan traded directly with China. It also
supplied goods for shipment to Mexico, and
thence onwards to Europe. This trade
resulted in constant exchanges of peoples
and cultures between the Ilocanos, Filipinos,
Chinese, Spanish, and (in the twentieth
century) North Americans.
Vigans layout conforms
closely to the
traditional Spanish
chequerboard plan.
What makes it unique
amongst colonial
towns, however, is the
blending of the Latin
tradition with strong
Chinese, Ilocano and
Filipino inuences.
The town is located in
the delta of the Abra
River, off the coastal
plain of the China Sea,
close to the north-east
tip of the island of
Luzon. The present-
day municipality is
divided into nine
urban districts and
thirty rural villages.
Almost half the total
area is still in use for
agriculture. The
Historic Core Zone is
dened on two sides
by the Govantes and
Mestizo rivers.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
South
China
Sea
St Pauls
Metropolitan
Cathedral, Vigan.
Desembarco del Granma
National Park
Cuba
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
The park is situated in and around Cabo Cruz
and includes the worlds largest and best-
preserved systems of marine terraces (both
above and below sea level) on calcareous rock,
as well as some of the most pristine and
impressive coastal cliffs bordering the western
Atlantic. It contains examples of most
ecosystems present in the region, including
the coral reef of Cabo Cruz, seagrass beds
and mangroves and old submarine terraces
up to 30 m deep. The area is one of the most
important centres of plant diversity and
endemism in Cuba. It has a remarkable
archaeological value as it was the original
settlement of groups that belonged to the
Taina Culture, to which the local population
has strong genetic and spiritual links. Many
events related to the Cuban Revolution also
took place in the area of Cabo Cruz.
A total of 512 species
of plants exist in the
site, of which around
60 per cent are
endemic. There are
also 13 species of
mammal, 110 of birds,
44 of reptiles and 7 of
amphibians. Several
species are of
conservation concern
including the
Caribbean manatee
and blue-headed
quail-dove.
Hortobgy National Park
the Puszta
Hungary
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The cultural landscape of the Hortobgy
Puszta consists of a vast area of plains and
wetlands in eastern Hungary. Traditional
forms of land use, such as the grazing of
domestic animals, have been present in this
pastoral society for more than two
millennia. The oldest surviving structures on
the plains are the thirteenth-century stone
bridges (including Nine Arch Bridge at
Hortobgy, the longest stone bridge in
Hungary), and the csrdas which were
provincial inns built in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries to provide food and
lodging for travellers. The typical csrda
consists of two buildings facing one
another, both single-storeyed and thatched
or, occasionally, roofed with shingles or tiles.
These contained a tavern, guest rooms and
provision for horses and carriages.
The Hortobgy
National Park, the rst
national park in
Hungary, preserves
intact and visible the
evidence of its
traditional use over
more than 2,000 years,
representing the
harmonious interaction
between human
beings and nature.
desembarco del granma nati onal park | hortobgy nati onal park the puszta 583
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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NORTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
584 dazu rock carvi ngs
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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Dazu Rock Carvings
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The Dazu carvings represent the pinnacle
of Chinese rock art for their high aesthetic
quality and their diversity of style and subject
matter. Carvings in the steep hillsides of Dazu
County date back toAD 650, in the early years
of the Tang dynasty, but the main period began
in the late ninth century continuing for over
400 years. There are seventy-five protected
sites containing some 50,000 statues. Tantric
Buddhism from India and the Chinese Taoist
and Confucian beliefs came together here
to create a highly original and influential
manifestation of spiritual harmony. They are
remarkable for their subject matter, both
secular and religious, and the light that they
shed on everyday life in China during this
period.
In one area, at Beishan,
there are 264 niches
with statues, one
intaglio painting, and
eight inscribed pillars.
In all there are over
10,000 carvings, more
than half of which
represent Tantric
Buddhism.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
ci ty of graz 585
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
City of Graz Historic Centre
and Schloss Eggenberg
Austria
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The historic centre of the city of Graz reflects
artistic and architectural movements
originating from the Germanic region, the
Balkans, and the Mediterranean, for which it
served as a crossroads for centuries. Among
the hundreds of buildings of great historic
and architectural interest are the
Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II,
started in 1614, whose faade reflects the
transition from the Renaissance to the
Baroque style, and the Seminary (former
Jesuit College), started in 1572, which
illustrates the severe Renaissance
architecture adopted by the order when it
was first established in the German province.
Schloss Eggenberg, about 3 km west, was
built shortly after 1625. It is exceptionally well
preserved bearing witness, through its
architecture and external decoration, to the
influence of the late Italian Renaissance and
the Baroque period.
Frederick III built the
present cathedral in
late-Gothic style
(143864) alongside a
Romanesque church
dedicated to
St Aegidius. Following
the transfer of the
bishopric from Seckau
to Graz, the church of
St Aegidius, used for
200 years as a centre
for the Counter-
Reformation, became
the cathedral of the
new diocese in 1786.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
586 hoi an anci ent town
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1998
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1999
Hoi An Ancient Town
Vietnam
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally
well-preserved example of a southeast Asian
trading port dating from the fifteenth to the
nineteenth centuries. Its buildings and
street plan reflect the influences, both
indigenous and foreign, that combined to
produce this unique site. Most of the
buildings are in the traditional architectural
style of the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries. They are aligned along narrow
lanes and include many religious buildings,
such as pagodas, temples, meeting houses,
etc. The rise of other ports on the coast of
Vietnam, in particular Da Nang, and the
silting of Hoi Ans harbour, led to its final
eclipse. As a result of this economic
stagnation, it has preserved its early
appearance in a remarkably intact state, the
only town in the country to have done so.
The pagodas are almost
all from the nineteenth
century, although
inscriptions show them
to have been founded
in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries.
They conform to a
square layout and
decoration is largely
conned to the
elaborate roofs. In the
case of the larger
examples, they
constituted nuclei of
associated buildings
with religious and
secular functions.
Pacic
Ocean ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
The harbour of Hoi An.
Sukur Cultural Landscape
Nigeria
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Sukur Cultural Landscape, with the
Palace of the Hidi Chief on a hill dominating
the villages below, is a remarkably intact
expression of a society and its spiritual and
material culture. Situated on a plateau in
northeastern Nigeria, the area has been
occupied for centuries. There are a number
of shrines and altars, particularly in and
around the Hidi Palace. Complex social
relationships can also be observed in the
disposition of the cemeteries located in the
surrounding hills, while the remains of
many disused iron-smelting furnaces
illustrate an elaborate economic pattern of
production and distribution. Of considerable
social and economic importance are the
subterranean wells, surmounted by conical
stone structures and surrounded by an
enclosure wall.
The landscape of the
Sukur plateau is
characterized by
extensive terracing, of
a type known elsewhere
in Nigeria. While
primarily intended to
provide level areas for
agriculture, the terraces
are also invested with
a spiritual signicance,
as shown by the
sacred trees,
entrances and ritual
sites within them.
San Cristbal de La Laguna
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
San Cristbal de La Laguna, in the Canary
Islands, has two nuclei: the original,
unplanned Upper Town; and the Lower Town,
the first ideal unfortified city-territory.
In 1502, a regular town plan based on
Leonardo da Vincis model for Imola was
drawn up by the Captain General for the
area. Wide major streets linked the public
open spaces and formed the grid on which
smaller streets were superimposed. The
resulting Lower Town expanded rapidly,
attracting the islands ruling classes, and
monastic communities began building.
A piped water supply was installed at the
expense of the Town Council in 1521, and the
first public buildings were constructed.
A number of fine churches and public and
private buildings dating from the sixteenth
to the eighteenth centuries still exist.
San Cristbal de La
Laguna was founded
in 1497 and was the
rst non-fortied
Spanish colonial
town; as such, its
layout was the model
for many colonial
towns in the Americas.
sukur cultural landscape | san cri stbal de la laguna 587
World Heritage site since
. . . . . . . . . . .
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Litomyl Castle
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
Litomyl Castle is an outstanding and
immaculately preserved example of the
arcade castle, a type of building first
developed in Italy and modified in the
Czech lands to create an evolved form of
special architectural quality. It illustrates
in an exceptional way the aristocratic
residences of central Europe in the
Renaissance and their subsequent
development under the influence of new
artistic movements. Its design and decoration
are particularly fine, including the later High
Baroque features added in the eighteenth
century. It preserves intact the range of
ancillary buildings associated with an
aristocratic residence of this type, of which
the most interesting is the Brewery.
Originally constructed as a counterpart to
the castle, it stylishly blends elements of
High Baroque and neoclassicism.
One of the castles
most striking interior
features is its late-
eighteenth-century
neoclassical theatre.
Constructed entirely
of wood, it seats 150
in nine loggias and a
lower oor. Its original
painted decoration,
stage decorations and
stage machinery have
survived intact.
588 li tomyl castle | hi stori c centre of the town of di amanti na
World Heritage site since
Historic Centre of the Town
of Diamantina
Brazil
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Diamantina, a colonial village set like a jewel
in a necklace of inhospitable rocky mountains,
recalls the exploits of diamond prospectors
in the eighteenth century and testifies to the
triumph of human cultural and artistic
endeavour over the environment. Inspired
by the model of a Portuguese medieval
town, the colonisers transposed some of the
architectural features of their home country
to their adopted land while still respecting
the continuity of the first settlement.
The architecture is of Baroque inspiration,
like most other mining villages in Brazil.
Its streets are paved in a uniquely picturesque
style and the casario, a regular alignment of
eighteenth- and nineteenth-century semi-
detached houses, has brightly coloured
faades on a white ground, displaying some
affiliations with the Portuguese Mannerist
architecture.
The town has several
architectural
curiosities, including
the Old Market Hall
constructed in 1835
and recently restored;
the Passadio,
a covered footbridge
in blue and white
wood; and the chafariz
of the Rua Direita,
near the cathedral, a
sculpted fountain
which guarantees that
whoever drinks from
it will return to
Diamantina.
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
wartburg castle 589
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Wartburg Castle
Germany
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Wartburg Castle is an outstanding
monument of the feudal period in central
Europe. It is rich in cultural associations,
most notably its role as the place of exile
of Martin Luther, who composed his
German translation of the New Testament
here. In the midst of the forest, the castle
occupies a rocky spur that looks down over
the city of Eisenach. The castle is reached
from the northern end of the spur, by a
tower with a drawbridge, followed by
a number of outbuildings which form an
outer courtyard. Next follows the lower
courtyard, the main features of which are
the keep and the palace, onto which the
Knights Baths back. The South Tower marks
the farther end of the spur. The centre of the
lower courtyard is occupied by a cistern.
The outworks are now partially buried or
in ruins.
After the Napoleonic
wars, a national
sentiment emerged
which revelled in the
image of ancient
Germany as
symbolized by
Wartburg Castle.
On the initiative of
the Grand Duke of
Saxony, the site was
completely renovated:
the palace was rebuilt
from its ruins, the
curtain wall restored
and the remainder of
the buildings
reconstructed.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Pennsula Valds
Argentina
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Pennsula Valds, in the Argentinean
province of Chubut, is a 4,000 km
2
promontory, protruding 100 km eastwards
into the South Atlantic. The 400-km
shoreline includes a series of gulfs, rocky
cliffs, shallow bays and lagoons with extensive
mudflats, sandy and pebble beaches, coastal
sand dunes and small islands. The Ameghino
Isthmus, which links the peninsula to the
rest of South America, has an average width
of only 11 km; with the Golfo San Jos to the
north and the Golfo Nuevo to the south, the
area has an island quality.
It is a site of global significance for the
conservation of marine mammals and the
shores and waters around the peninsula are
an important habitat for them. An important
breeding population of southern right
whales uses the protected waters for mating
and calving and every year over 1,500 whales
visit the peninsula. The stable population of
orcas in this area have developed a unique
hunting strategy to adapt to local coastal
conditions. The southern elephant seal has
its most northerly colony here. It reaches
peak numbers of over 1,000 individuals and
this is the only colony in the world reported
to be on the increase. The southern sea lion
also breeds here in large numbers.
In addition, thirty-three other species of
marine mammals are found in the area.
Terrestrial mammals are abundant, with
thirty-three species being reported. Large
herds of guanaco can be seen throughout
the peninsula. Other species include the
Patagonian mara, also known as the
Patagonian hare, and the red fox, both of
which are endangered in other parts of the
country.
Pennsula Valds has a high diversity of
birds. There are 181 species present, of which
sixty-six are migratory, including the
Antarctic pigeon which is considered
vulnerable. The peninsulas intertidal
mudflats and coastal lagoons are important
staging sites for migratory shorebirds.
Most numerous is the Magellanic penguin
with almost 40,000 active nests distributed
among five different colonies.
The local population
of orcas at Pennsula
Valds has used the
beaches of Valds
to develop a unique
and spectacular form
of shallow-water
hunting. The orcas
swim quickly towards
the shore, chasing sea
lions or young
elephant seals into the
surf where they then
grab the prey in their
jaws. The orcas often
beach themselves in
the process. Adult
orcas have been seen
teaching their young
how to hunt in this
way, sometimes
repeatedly pulling
their prey off the
beach for youngsters
to catch.
590 pen nsula valds
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
The tail (uke) of a
submerging right
whale just off the coast
of Pennsula Valds.
592 hi stori c centre of si ghi oara
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of
Sighis oara
Romania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
Founded in the thirteenth century by
German craftsmen and merchants,
Sighis oara is a fine example of a small,
fortified medieval town which played an
important strategic and commercial role
on the fringes of central Europe. Its historic
centre is composed of the fortified citadel
on a steeply sloping plateau and the lower
town with its woody slopes below. Apart
from nineteenth-century settlements, it has
kept its original medieval urban character
and its network of narrow streets. Many of
the houses still have a barrel-vaulted
basement, workshops on the ground floor,
and the living rooms on the upper floors.
The citadel plateau is enclosed by a wall, and
nine of the original fourteen towers still
stand. The imposing Clock Tower dominates
the three squares of the historic centre and
protects the stairway connecting the upper
town and the lower town.
Notable among the
monuments in the
historic centre of
Sighis oara is the
Church of St Nicholas,
typical of the Gothic
architecture of
Transylvania. Perched
on the hill, it can be
reached by a staircase
of 175 steps. The
decorative sculpture
on the faade reects
Central European
inuences.
EUROPE
Black Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
Fossil Hominid Sites of
South Africa
South Africa
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
The Taung Skull Fossil Site, part of the
extension to the site inscribed in 1999, is
the place where, in 1924, the celebrated
Taung Skull a specimen of the species
Australopithecus africanus was found.
Makapan Valley, also in the site, features
in its many archaeological caves traces of
human occupation and evolution dating
back some 3.3 million years. The area
contains essential elements that dene the
origin and evolution of humanity. Fossils
found there have enabled the identication
of several specimens of early hominids,
more particularly of Paranthropus, dating
back between 4.5 million and 2.5 million years,
as well as evidence of the domestication of
re 1.8 million to 1 million years ago.
The Sterkfontein area
contains a large and
scientically signicant
group of sites that
throw light on the
earliest ancestors
of humanity. They
constitute a vast
reserve of scientic
data linked to the
history of the most
ancient periods of
humanity.
Viales Valley
Cuba
Criteria Signicance in human history
The Viales Valley is encircled by mountains
and its landscape is interspersed with dramatic
rocky outcrops. Traditional techniques
are still in use for agricultural production,
particularly of tobacco. The quality of
this cultural landscape is enhanced by
the vernacular architecture of its farms
and villages, where a rich multi-ethnic
society survives, illustrating the cultural
development of the islands of the
Caribbean, and of Cuba.
Viales Valley supplies
tobacco for the
manufacture of the
countrys famous
cigars. Traditional
production methods,
including animal
traction, are still
used after recent
experiments showed
that mechanical
methods lower the
quality of the tobacco.
fossi l homi ni d si tes of south afri ca | vi ales valley 593
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
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594 kalwari a zebrzydowska
World Heritage site since
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Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the
Mannerist Architectural and
Park Landscape Complex
and Pilgrimage Park
Poland
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is a breathtaking
cultural landscape of great spiritual
significance. The Counter-Reformation in
the late-sixteenth century led to a flowering
in the creation of calvaries in Europe.
Mikolaj Zebrzydowski, the Voivod of
Cracow, had already completed a private
hermitage on this site when he was
persuaded by Bernardine (Cistercian)
monks to enlarge his original design.
Building work on the new calvary started in
1600, eventually covering an extensive
landscape complex with many chapels,
linked in form and theme to those in
Jerusalem. It was conceived as being for the
use not only of the local inhabitants but also
of believers from elsewhere in Poland and
neighbouring countries. Remarkably, its
layout has remained virtually unchanged
since its conception and it remains to this
day a sacred place of pilgrimage.
The layout of Kalwaria
Zebrzydowska was
based on the landscape
of Jerusalem at the
time of Christ. This
used a system of
measurement that
allowed the urban
features of Jerusalem
to be reproduced
symbolically on the
natural landscape.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
The Monastery of
Kalwaria
Zebrzydowska.
World Heritage site since
vi lla adri ana, ti voli 595
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Villa Adriana (Tivoli)
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The Villa Adriana at Tivoli, near Rome, is a
masterpiece that uniquely brings together
the highest expressions of the material
cultures of the ancient Mediterranean
world. Its complex of classical buildings was
created in the second century AD by the
Roman emperor Hadrian. It was a symbol
of a power that was gradually becoming
absolute and which distanced itself from
the capital. After Hadrians death in 138,
his successors preferred Rome as their
permanent residence, but the villa
continued to be enlarged and further
embellished. Study of the villas monuments
played a crucial role in the rediscovery of
the elements of classical architecture by
the architects of the Renaissance and the
Baroque period. It also profoundly
influenced many nineteenth- and twentieth-
century architects and designers.
The Golden Square
is one of the most
impressive buildings
in the complex: the
vast peristyle is
surrounded by a two-
aisled portico with
alternate columns in
cipollino marble and
Egyptian granite.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
The Maritime
Theatre at Villa
Adriana.
596 bri mstone hi ll fortress | area de conservaci n guanacaste
World Heritage site since
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Brimstone Hill Fortress
National Park
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is an
outstandingly well-preserved example of
seventeenth- and eighteenth-century
military architecture in a Caribbean context.
Designed by the British and built by African
slave labour, the fortress is testimony to
European colonial expansion, the African
slave trade and the emergence of new
societies in the Caribbean. The heart of the
fortress is Fort George, the massive
masonry structure on one of the twin peaks
that dominate the complex and still in an
excellent state of repair. It is the earliest
surviving British example of the type of
fortification known as the polygonal
system, and one of the finest examples
known anywhere in the world. The fortress
was abandoned as a result of British defence
cuts in 1853. The wooden buildings were
auctioned and dismantled and masonry
buildings were plundered for their cut stone.
SOUTH AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
On entering the
fortress, the rst
structure is the Barrier
Redoubt. Next comes
the North-West Work,
which incorporates
the stout Magazine
Bastion with its
associated water
catchments and
cistern. This is linked
to the South-East
Work, the main
feature of which is
the Orillon Bastion.
A prominent feature
here is the bombproof
Ordnance Storehouse.
Area de Conservacin
Guanacaste
Costa Rica
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Guanacaste is located in northwestern
Costa Rica. It stretches 105 km from the
Pacific, across the Pacific coastal lowlands,
over three high volcanoes and down into
the Atlantic coastal lowlands. It includes the
Guanacaste Cordillera and surrounding
flatlands and coastal areas. It contains
important natural habitats for the
conservation of biological diversity,
including the best dry-forest habitats from
Central America to northern Mexico and key
habitats for endangered or rare plant and
animal species. The marine area includes
various near-shore islands and islets (mostly
uninhabited), open ocean marine zones,
beaches, rocky coasts, and approximately
20 km of sea turtle nesting beaches and
a high diversity of wetland ecosystems
(thirty-seven wetlands). The wetland forests
are considered to be among the most
pristine in Central America and worldwide.
Guanacastes beaches
are of global
importance for the
protection of Olive
ridley sea turtles and
leatherback sea turtles,
both endangered.
The Naranjo and
Nancite beaches
alone host over
250,000 turtles during
the breeding and
mating season.
Pacic
Ocean SOUTH
AMERICA
Caribbean Sea
World Heritage site since
daci an fortresses of the orasti e mountai ns 597
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Dacian Fortresses of the
Orastie Mountains
Romania
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Built in the first centuries BC and AD under
Dacian rule, these fortresses show an unusual
fusion of military and religious architectural
techniques and concepts from the classical
world and the late-European Iron Age.
The Dacians inhabited the central and
western part of the region between the
Carpathians and the Danube. It was a typical
Iron Age culture, practising agriculture,
stock-raising, fishing and metal-working,
as well as trade with the Graeco-Roman
world. These six defensive works, which
formed the nucleus of the Dacian Kingdom,
were conquered by the Romans at the
beginning of the second century AD. Their
extensive and well-preserved remains stand
in spectacular natural surroundings and
give a dramatic picture of a vigorous and
innovative civilization.
The circular sanctuary at Sarmizegetusa Regia.
EUROPE
Black Sea
The system developed
by the Dacians to
defend their capital,
Sarmizegetusa Regia,
was composed of
three distinct fortied
elements: sites on
dominant physical
features, fortresses,
and linear defences.
598 mount wuyi
World Heritage site since
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Mount Wuyi
China
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance; Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Mount Wuyi is the most outstanding area for
biodiversity conservation in southeast China.
It contains what is probably the largest and
best preserved areas of humid subtropical
forest in the world, and is a refuge for a large
number of ancient, relict species, many of
them endemic to China. The riverine landscape
of the Nine Bend River (lower gorge) is also
of exceptional scenic quality in its
juxtaposition of smooth rock cliffs with clear,
deep water. Its serene beauty is complemented
by numerous temples and monasteries,
many now in ruins. These provided the
setting for the development and spread of
neo-Confucianism, a doctrine that played
a dominant role in the countries of eastern
and southeastern Asia for many centuries
and influenced philosophy and government
over much of the world.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Mount Wuyi has
received international
recognition for its
high diversity and
large numbers of rare
and unusual fauna.
Endangered species
include Chinese tiger,
clouded leopard, black
muntjac and Chinese
giant salamander.
sammallahdenmki | mi guasha nati onal park 599
World Heritage site since
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Miguasha National Park
Canada
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The palaeontological site of Miguasha Park,
in southeastern Quebec on the southern
coast of the Gasp peninsula, is considered to
be the worlds most outstanding illustration
of the Devonian Period known as the Age of
Fishes. Dating from 380 million years ago,
the Upper Devonian Escuminac Formation
represented here contains five of the six fossil
fish groups associated with this period. Its
paramount importance is due to it having
the greatest number and best-preserved fossil
specimens of the lobe-finned fishes that gave
rise to the first four-legged, air-breathing
terrestrial vertebrates the tetrapods.
The site is
characterized not
only by the number
of its fossil specimens
but also by their
exceptional condition,
which allows further
study: for example,
of soft body parts
represented in gill
imprints, digestive
traces and
cartilaginous
elements of skeleton.
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Bronze Age Burial Site of
Sammallahdenmki
Finland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Sammallahdenmki cemetery includes
thirty-three burial cairns and is the largest
and best cairn site in all Finland. It provides
a unique insight into the funerary practices
and social and religious structures of northern
Europe more than three millennia ago.
Of the cairns, twenty-eight can be securely
dated to the early Bronze Age. They lie along
the crest and upper slopes of a 700-m-long
ridge, and are disposed in several distinct
clusters. The structures were built using
granite boulders quarried from the cliff face
or collected from the site itself. They can be
classified into several different groups
according to their shapes and sizes: small
low round cairns, large mound-like cairns,
and round walled cairns. They enclose cists
made from stone slabs.
The site is associated
with sun worship
rituals, a cult that
spread from
Scandinavia over the
entire region. At the
time the hill of
Sammallahdenmki
was completely bare
of trees and was
probably chosen for
its unimpeded view
of the sea and its
openness to the sun
in all directions.
EUROPE
Norwegian
Sea
Scandinavia
600 j uri sdi cti on of sai nt-emi li on
World Heritage site since
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Jurisdiction of Saint-
Emilion
France
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion is an
outstanding example of a historic vineyard
landscape that has survived intact and
remains active to the present day. Viticulture
was introduced to this fertile region by the
Roman emperor Augustus. He created
the province of Aquitania in 27 BC and
established the first vineyards by grafting
new varieties of grape on the Vitis biturica
that grew naturally in the region. This
industry intensified in the Middle Ages
when the Saint-Emilion area benefited
from its location on the pilgrimage route
to Santiago de Compostela. Many churches,
monasteries and hospices were built there
from the eleventh century onwards. It was
granted the special status of a jurisdiction
during the period of English rule in the
twelfth century.
In the eighteenth
century the quality of
the wines from the
region was recognized
as exceptional. Saint-
Emilion has also been
noteworthy for its
innovations, such as
the establishment of
the rst wine syndicate
in 1884 and the rst
cooperative cellars in
the Gironde in 1932.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Puerto-Princesa
Subterranean River
National Park
Philippines
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
This park features a spectacular limestone
karst landscape with an underground river.
One of the rivers distinguishing features is
that it emerges directly into the sea, and its
lower portion is subject to tidal influences.
The area also represents a significant
habitat for biodiversity conservation.
The site contains a full mountain-to-sea
ecosystem and has some of the most
important forests in Asia.
The spectacular karst
landscape has both
surface karst features
and an extensive
8.2-km-long
underground river
system one of the
most unique of its
type in the world, with
chambers up to 120 m
wide and 60 m high.
western caucasus | puerto-pri ncesa subterranean ri ver 601
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Western Caucasus
Russian Federation
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Western Caucasus, extending over
2,750 km
2
of the extreme western end of
the Caucasus mountains and located 50 km
northeast of the Black Sea, is one of the few
large mountain areas of Europe that has
not experienced significant human impact.
Its subalpine and alpine pastures have
only been grazed by wild animals, and its
extensive tracts of undisturbed mountain
forests, extending from the lowlands to the
subalpine zone, are unique in Europe.
The site has a great diversity of ecosystems,
with important endemic plants and wildlife,
and is the place of origin and reintroduction
of the mountain subspecies of the
European bison.
The lack of human
disturbance in this
area has allowed
ecological processes
to continue naturally
over the millennia.
This offers exceptional
opportunities for
studying both
competitive
interactions between
grazing animals and
predator/prey
interactions.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
EUROPE
602 lauri si lva of madei ra
World Heritage site since
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Laurisilva of Madeira
Portugal
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Laurisilva of Madeira is an outstanding
relict of a virtually extinct flora of great
interest. Fossil evidence shows that
laurisilva flora once covered much of
southern Europe in the Tertiary era,
1540 million years ago, but this vegetation
is now confined to the Azores, Madeira and
the Canary Islands. The laurisilva on
Madeira is the largest area surviving, with
approximately 150 km
2
within the 270 km
2
Madeira Nature Reserve, and is in very good
condition, with around 90 per cent believed
to be primary forest. The laurisilva of
Madeira is notable for its biological diversity
with at least sixty-six vascular plant species
endemic to the island and many endemic
animal species such as the Madeiran long-
toed pigeon.
The laurel forests
ancient trees in the
valley bottoms,
waterfalls and cliffs
provide spectacular
scenery and have
great ecological value.
By collecting and
retaining moisture
they help protect the
micro-climate and
maintain water
supplies.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
hi stori c si tes on the i sland of ptmos 603
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Historic Centre (Chor) with the Monastery of Saint John
the Theologian and the
Cave of the Apocalypse on
the Island of Ptmos
Greece
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Monastery of Hagios Ioannis Theologos
(Saint John the Theologian) and the Cave of
the Apocalypse was founded in the late-
tenth century on the island of Ptmos, the
northernmost island of the Dodecanese
group. Together with the associated
medieval settlement of Chor, the
monastery constitutes an exceptional
example of a traditional Greek Orthodox
pilgrimage centre of outstanding
architectural interest. The town of Chor is
one of the few settlements in Greece that
have evolved uninterruptedly since the
twelfth century. There are few other places
in the world where religious ceremonies
that date back to the early Christian times
are still being practised unchanged.
The small island of
Ptmos in the
Dodecanese is
reputed to be where
St John the Theologian
wrote both his Gospel
and the Apocalypse,
two of Christianitys
most sacred works.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Monastery of
Saint John the
Theologian.
604 lorentz nati onal park | shri nes and temples of ni kko
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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1980
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Lorentz National Park
Indonesia
Criteria Major stages of Earths history;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Lorentz National Park, 25,000 km
2
,is the
largest protected area in southeast Asia.
It is the only protected area in the world to
incorporate a continuous, intact transect
from snowcap to tropical marine
environment, including extensive lowland
wetlands. Located at the meeting-point of
two colliding continental plates, the area has
a complex geology with ongoing mountain
formation as well as major sculpting by
glaciation. The area also contains fossil sites
which provide evidence of the evolution of
life on New Guinea, a high level of
endemism and the highest level of
biodiversity in the region.
The park has two very
distinct zones: the
swampy lowlands and
the high mountain
area of the central
cordillera. This zone
is one of only three
equatorial regions
of sufciently high
altitude to retain
permanent ice.
Shrines and Temples of
Nikko
Japan
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The shrines and temples of Nikko, together
with their natural surroundings, have for
centuries been a sacred site known for its
architectural and decorative masterpieces.
They are closely associated with the history
of the Tokugawa Shoguns.
The shrines and
temples and their
environment are
associated with the
Shinto perception of
the relationship of
man with nature, in
which mountains and
forests have a sacred
meaning. This religious
practice is still very
much alive today.
Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
East
China
Sea
The Tashogu Temple
at Nikko.
World Heritage site since
archaeologi cal monuments zone of xochi calco 605
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Archaeological Monuments
Zone of Xochicalco
Mexico
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Xochicalco is an exceptionally well-
preserved and complete example of a
fortified political, religious and commercial
centre from the Epiclassic period of
Mesoamerica. Its architecture and art
represent the fusion of cultural elements
from different parts of Mesoamerica, from
the troubled period of 650900 that
followed the break-up of the great
Mesoamerican states such as Teotihuacan,
Monte Albn, Palenque and Tikal.
The intensive cultural regrouping that
followed the breakdown of these earlier
political structures fuelled the citys growth.
The city was built on a series of natural hills.
The highest of these was the core of the
settlement, with many public buildings, but
evidence of occupation has been found on
six of the lower hills surrounding it.
The scale of the citys
engineering work is
substantial. Terracing
and massive retaining
walls have created
a series of open
spaces dened by
platforms and
pyramidal structures.
They are linked by
a complex system of
staircases, terraces
and ramps to create
a main north-south
communication axis
through the city.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
606 atlanti c forest south-east reserves
Atlantic Forest South-East
Reserves
Brazil
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The twenty-five reserves that make up this
site contain some of the best and most
extensive examples of the remaining
Atlantic forests in Brazil and display the
biological wealth and evolutionary history
of the one of the worlds richest and most
endangered habitats. From mountains
covered by dense forests down to wetlands,
and to coastal islands with isolated
mountains and dunes, the area comprises
a rich natural environment of great scenic
beauty. Partially isolated since the Ice Age,
the Atlantic forests have evolved into a
complex ecosystem with exceptionally high
endemism (70 per cent of the tree species,
85 per cent of the primates and 39 per cent
of the mammals). More than 450 tree
species per hectare can be found in some
areas, indicating that the diversity of woody
plants in the region is larger than in the
Amazon rainforest.
The reserves contain
a highly diverse fauna
with several species
of conservation
concern. There are
some 120 species of
mammals, including
jaguar (pictured below),
ocelot, bush dog, La
Plata otter,
twenty species of bat
and various species of
endangered primate,
notably muriqui and
brown howler
monkey. The newly
discovered black-
faced lion tamarin is
endemic to the area.
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
cueva de las manos, r o pi nturas | walled ci ty of baku 607
World Heritage site since
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Walled City of Baku with
the Shirvanshahs Palace
and Maiden Tower
Azerbaijan
Criteria Significance in human history
Built on a site inhabited since the Palaeolithic
period, the Walled City of Baku reveals
evidence of Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic,
Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian
presence in cultural continuity. The Inner
City (Icheri Sheher) has preserved much of
its twelfth-century defensive walls. The
twelfth-century Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy)
is built over earlier structures dating from
the seventh to sixth centuries BC, and the
fifteenth-century Shirvanshahs Palace is
one of the pearls of Azerbaijans architecture.
The Maiden Tower is
a unique monument
of Azerbaijan
architecture rising
to eight storeys.
This astonishing
cylindrical structure
was built in two
periods, with the
bottom three storeys
built as early as the
seventh or sixth
centuries BC as an
astronomical
observatory or
re temple.
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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1982
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1984
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Caspian
Sea
Black
Sea
ASIA
Maiden Tower.
Cueva de las Manos, Ro
Pinturas
Argentina
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Cueva de las Manos, Ro Pinturas,
contains an exceptional assemblage of cave
art, executed between 13,000 and 9,500 years
ago. It takes its name Cave of the Hands
from the stencilled outlines of human hands
in the cave, but there are also many depictions
of animals, such as guanacos, which are still
common in the region, as well as hunting
scenes. The people who were responsible for
the paintings may have been the ancestors
of the historic hunter-gatherer communities
of Patagonia found by European settlers in
the nineteenth century.
The hunting scenes
in the caves depict
animals and human
gures interacting
in a dynamic and
naturalistic manner.
Different hunting
strategies are
depicted, with animals
being surrounded,
ambushed or attacked
by hunters using bolas,
weighted throwing
weapons.
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
608 kronborg castle
World Heritage site since
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Kronborg Castle
Denmark
Criteria Significance in human history
Located on a strategically important site
commanding the Sund the stretch of water
between Denmark and Sweden the royal
castle of Kronborg at Helsingr is of
immense symbolic value to the Danish
people. Work began on the construction of
this outstanding Renaissance castle in 1574.
In 1629 Kronborg was devastated by fire, only
the walls being left standing. Christian IV
immediately commissioned the restoration
of the castle, largely returning it to its
original appearance. Under Frederik III and
Christian V large fortifications were built, the
outer defensive works were considerably
enlarged under Frederik IV, and the castle
itself underwent substantial restoration and
alteration. In 1785 it passed to the military
and has remained intact to the present day.
It is world-renowned as Elsinore, the setting
of Shakespeares Hamlet.
In its original form the
Banqueting Hall had
a magnicently carved
and gilded ceiling and
its walls were hung
with tapestries. Only
fourteen of the
tapestries, prepared
for the north wall and
depicting Danish
kings, have survived;
of these, seven are on
display at Kronborg,
the remainder being
in the National
Museum in
Copenhagen.
EUROPE
Baltic
Sea
North
Sea
World Heritage site since
greater blue mountai ns area 609
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Greater Blue Mountains
Area
Australia
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Greater Blue Mountains consists of a
mostly forested landscape on a sandstone
plateau that commences about 60 kms west
of central Sydney. The property is made up
of eight protected areas: the Blue
Mountains, Wollemi, Yengo, Nattai,
Kanangra-Boyd, Gardens of Stone and
Thirlmere Lakes National Parks, and the
Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve.
The plateau has enabled the survival of a
rich diversity of plant and animal life by
providing a refuge from climatic changes
during recent geological history. It is
particularly noted for its wide
representation of eucalypt communities,
ranging from wet and dry sclerophyll forests
to mallee heathlands, and for the diversity of
species of eucalypts. There are 101 species of
eucalypt (over fourteen per cent of the
global total) in the Greater Blue Mountains,
twelve of which are believed to occur only in
the Sydney sandstone region.
The Greater Blue
Mountains also
contains ancient, relict
species of global
signicance. The most
famous of these is the
recently discovered
Wollemi pine, a 'living
fossil' dating back to
the age of the
dinosaurs. Thought to
have been extinct for
millions of years, the
few surviving trees of
this ancient species
are known only from
three small
populations located in
remote gorges within
the Area.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Wollondilly Lookout, Nattai National Park.
Garden Kingdom of
Dessau-Wrlitz
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wrlitz is
an outstanding example of the application
of the philosophical principles of the Age
of the Enlightenment to the design of a
landscape that integrates art, education and
economy in a harmonious whole. The first
essays in grand landscape design began in
1683 with the plan for Oranienbaum, which
unified town, palace, and park. The resulting
complete Baroque ensemble, with obvious
Dutch connections deriving from its
designer, Cornelis Ryckwaert, has survived
to this day. Further developments on these
lines took place around 1700 with the
reclamation of marshy areas along the river
Elbe and the creation of planned villages
and farmsteads. The final major stage of
design was the work done by Prince Leopold
III Friedrich Franz over the entire
principality.
Prince Leopold III
Friedrich Franz
(17401817) developed
existing landscape
designs into
something far more
remarkable. By the
time he died, virtually
the entire principality
had become a unied
garden whose
characteristic features
have been preserved.
610 garden ki ngdom of dessau-wrli tz | castles, wall and ramparts of belli nzone
World Heritage site since
Three Castles, Defensive
Wall and Ramparts of the
Market-Town of Bellinzone
Switzerland
Criteria Significance in human history
The Bellinzone site consists of a group of
fortifications grouped around the castle of
Castelgrande, which stands on a rocky peak
looking out over the entire Ticino valley.
Running from the castle, a series of fortified
walls protect the ancient town and block the
passage through the valley. A second castle,
Montebello, forms an integral part of the
fortifications; a third but separate castle,
Sasso Corbaro, was built on an isolated
rocky promontory southeast of the other
fortifications.
The Bellinzone
ensemble is the sole
remaining example in
the entire Alpine
region of medieval
military architecture.
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
The towers of the
castle of
Castelgrande.
World Heritage site since
maloti - drakensberg park 611
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Maloti-Drakensberg Park
Lesotho and South Africa
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
Drakensberg Park, or uKhahlamba Park,
is the largest protected area on The Great
Escarpment of the southern African
subcontinent. It comprises a northern and a
signicantly larger southern section. There
is considerable variation in topography,
including vast basalt and sandstone
cliffs, deep valleys, intervening spurs and
extensive plateau areas. Among a total
of 2,153 species of plant, there are a large
number of internationally and nationally
threatened species. The fauna includes
48 mammal, 296 bird, 48 reptile,
26 amphibian and 8 sh species. This
spectacular natural site also contains many
caves and rock-shelters with the largest and
most concentrated group of paintings in
Africa south of the Sahara, made by the San
people over a period of 4,000 years.
In 2013 Lesothos Sehlabathebe National
Park was inscribed as an extension to the
existing site. The 6,550 hectare addition
consists of a spectacularly beautiful
watershed area that hosts ora and fauna
of scientic importance.
The vegetation in the
park is inuenced by
topography and the
effects of climate,
soil, geology, slope,
drainage and re. It
is altitudinally zoned,
forming three belts
coinciding with the
main topographical
features: the river
valley system, the
spurs and the summit
plateau.
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
The Giants Castle
Game Reserve in the
central region of the
Drakensberg Park.
Stone Town of Zanzibar
Tanzania
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The Stone Town of Zanzibar is a fine
example of the Swahili coastal trading
towns of east Africa. It retains its urban
fabric and townscape virtually intact and
contains many fine buildings that reflect its
culture, which has brought together and
homogenized disparate elements of the
cultures of Africa, Arabia, India and Europe
over more than a millennium.
For many centuries there was intense
trading activity between Asia and Africa,
and this is illustrated admirably by the
architecture and urban structure of the
Stone Town. Zanzibar also has great
symbolic importance in the history of
slavery because it was one of the main
slave-trading ports in east Africa and a
key location in the Arab slave trade.
Zanzibar was one of a loose confederation
of small coastal city states known as the
Zenj bar (Black Empire) which operated in
the eighthtenth centuries; the name
derives from the Perso-Arabic word
meaning the coast of the blacks. Arab
settlers were present in Zanzibar by the
tenth century.
The Portuguese established a presence
in the region at the end of the fifteenth
century, using it as a base for exploration,
but they were expelled by Omani Arabs in
the seventeenth century. The Arabs formed
Zanzibars ruling elite until the twentieth
century.
The Omanis traded in spices, ivory and
slaves, and the city became the largest slave-
trade port in east Africa: in the nineteenth
century, an estimated 50,000 slaves a year
were passing through Zanzibar. As a
consequence the citys rulers and merchants
grew very rich and embellished the Stone
Town, the oldest part of the city, with palaces
and fine mansions. Its characteristic Swahili
architecture was overwhelmed by the
Omanis style of massively built multi-storey
blocks in mortared coral and with flat roofs.
The Minaret Mosque dates from this period.
Another architectural component came
from India with the addition of wide
verandas.
Modern urban development began during
the reign of Sultan Barghash (187088). His
most notable contribution to the Stone
Town architecture was the House of
Wonders, but his greatest legacy was the
provision of piped water to the town. The
final phase of architectural development
came in 1890 when Zanzibar became a
British protectorate. The British imported
colonial architecture while also introducing
features derived from the Islamic
architecture of Istanbul and Morocco.
The restored old
dispensary, now the
Stone Town Cultural
Centre.
The historical
evolution of the Stone
Town is illustrated by
its street pattern, one
of narrow, winding
streets resulting from
the unplanned
building of houses
and shops. There are
few public open
spaces as many of the
houses have their own
enclosed spaces. The
principal construction
material is coralline-
rag stone set in a
thick, lime mortar and
then plastered and
lime-washed.
The vernacular
architecture of the
Stone Town is
preponderantly of
two-storey buildings
with long, narrow
rooms around an
open courtyard,
reached through a
narrow corridor.
612 stone town of zanzi bar
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
614 land of franki ncense
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Arabian
Sea
The
Gulf
Land of Frankincense
Oman
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
This group of archaeological sites in Oman
represents the production and distribution
of frankincense, one of the most important
luxury items of trade in antiquity, from the
Mediterranean and Red Sea regions to
Mesopotamia, India and China. They
constitute outstanding testimony to the
civilization that flourished in southern
Arabia from the Neolithic to the late Islamic
periods. The Oasis of Shishr and the
entrepts of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed are
excellent examples of medieval fortified
settlements in the Persian Gulf region and
were important sites on the frankincense
trade routes. The sources of ancient
frankincense can be identified with the
three areas in the Dhofar region in which
the frankincense tree is still to be found, and
are represented by the Frankincense Park of
Wadi Dawkah.
The port of
Sumhuram/Khor Rori
was founded at the
end of the rst
century to control the
trade in Dhofar
incense. Indian
seamen who had
brought cotton cloth,
corn and oil in
exchange for incense
overwintered there,
waiting for the
favourable monsoon
winds to take them
home.
Monumental gate,
Khor Rori.
World Heritage site since
curoni an spi t 615
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1978
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Curonian Spit
Lithuania and Russian
Federation
Criteria Traditional human settlement
Human habitation of this elongated sand
dune peninsula, 98 km long and 0.44 km
wide, dates back to prehistoric times.
Throughout this period it has been
threatened by the natural forces of wind and
waves. Its survival to the present day has
been made possible only as a result of
ceaseless human efforts to combat the
erosion of the Spit, dramatically illustrated
by continuing stabilization and reforestation
projects. The most significant element of the
Spits cultural heritage is represented by the
old fishing settlements. The earliest of these
were buried in sand when the woodland
cover was removed. Those that have survived
are all along the coast of the lagoon. At the
end of the nineteenth century more
elaborate buildings lighthouses, churches,
schools and villas began to be erected
alongside the simpler vernacular houses.
The surviving
buildings of cultural
signicance are the
houses of shermen
built during the
nineteenth century.
In their original form
they were built from
wood and thatched
with reeds. A
homestead consisted
of two or three
buildings: a dwelling
house, a cattle shed,
and a smokehouse for
curing sh.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Sand dunes on the
Curonian Spit.
EUROPE
616 mi ng and qi ng i mperi al tombs
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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1984
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1999
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2000
Imperial Tombs of the
Ming and Qing Dynasties
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing
Dynasties are seven groups of tombs in five
provinces of eastern China. The tombs,
designed in keeping with the Chinese
principles of geomancy, provide
outstanding evidence of Chinese beliefs
and traditions from the fourteenth century
onwards. The sites are characterized by the
attempt to achieve harmony between the
natural environment and the buildings.
A plain or broad valley was chosen, with the
perspective of a mountain range to the
north, against which the tombs would be
built, with a lower elevation to the south.
The site had to be framed on the east and
west by chains of hills, and feature at least
one waterway. A main access road several
kilometres in length, known as the Way of
the Spirits, led to the site.
The western Qing
tomb contains
fourteen imperial
tombs and two
building complexes:
the Yongfu Tibetan
Buddhist temple and
the temporary palace
where the imperial
family resided when
it came to honour its
ancestors. The site of
eastern Qing tombs
contains fteen
mausolea in which 161
bodies were buried
emperors, empresses,
concubines and
princesses.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Western Qing tomb.
World Heritage site since
hi stori cal centre of the ci ty of arequi pa 617
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1978
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1979
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1980
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Historical Centre of the
City of Arequipa
Peru
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Historical Centre of Arequipa, built in
a form of soft volcanic rock called sillar,
represents a masterly integration of
European and native building styles. This
combination of influences is illustrated by
the citys robust walls, archways and vaults,
courtyards and open spaces, and the
intricate Baroque decoration of its faades.
The World Heritage site consists of forty-
nine original blocks of the Spanish layout
and twenty-four blocks from the colonial
period and the nineteenth century. The core
of the historic town is the Plaza de Armas
(Plaza Mayor) with its mid-nineteenth-
century cathedral, the most important
neoclassical religious building in the
country. At one corner of the Plaza are the
church and cloisters of La Compaia, the
most representative ensemble of the
Baroque mestizo period at the end of the
eighteenth century.
The merit of Arequipa architecture
is also evident in the profusion of
its casonas, characteristic well-
proportioned vernacular houses.
The Historical Centre contains
some 500 casonas, of which over 250
are listed for protection. The heavy
structures have been enhanced
with ornamental designs in large
thick rounded frames or deep
protrusions and sculptures on at
surfaces.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Faade of Iglesias de los Jesuitas, Arequipa.
618 ci ty of verona
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
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1984
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City of Verona
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The historic city of Verona was founded in
the first century BC. It prospered under the
rule of the Scaliger family in the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries and as part of the
Republic of Venice from the fifteenth to
eighteenth centuries. Verona has preserved
a remarkable number of monuments from
antiquity, and from the medieval and
Renaissance periods. The core of the city
consists of the Roman town in the loop of
the Adige River, where the remains include
city gates, the theatre and the Amphitheatre
Arena, the second-largest after the
Colosseum in Rome. The heart of Verona is
the ensemble consisting of the Piazza delle
Erbe and the Piazza dei Signori with their
historic buildings, including the Palazzo del
Comune, Palazzo del Governo, Loggia del
Consiglio, Arche Scaligere and Domus Nova.
The cathedral
(Duomo) was rst built
in the sixth century
but rebuilt in the
twelfth century after
an earthquake. The
faade, completed in
the fourteenth
century, is in Verona
marble and has bas-
reliefs representing
sacred and profane
episodes of different
types. There is a ne
twelfth-century
cloister with arcades
on double colonnades.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
The Duomo and
Adige River, Verona.
Ruins of Len Viejo
Nicaragua
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Len Viejo is one of the oldest Spanish
colonial settlements in the Americas. The
town was founded in 1524 by Francisco
Hernndez de Crdoba, who was sent from
Panam to conquer the Pacic zone
northwards to Tezoatega (now the village of
El Viejo). It developed, like many colonial
towns in Latin America, round a central
plaza, on the extreme northeast shore of
what was to be called the Lake of Len.
The town reached its peak of development
around 1545, although it was still relatively
small, with its Spanish population not
exceeding some two hundred. The town
was laid out on a grid pattern and
excavations have uncovered remains of the
Cathedral, the Convent of La Merced and
the Royal Foundry.
The murder of Bishop Antonio de
Valdivieso in 1550 seemed to mark a turning
point in its fortunes: it was widely believed
to have put a curse on the town, which
suffered from both natural and economic
disasters in the years that followed.
An eruption of the
nearby volcano,
Momotombo, in 1578,
combined with raging
ination drove the
richer inhabitants
away. By 1603 there
were only ten houses
remaining. The nal
blow came on 11
January 1610, when a
severe earthquake
destroyed what was
still standing, and the
decision was taken to
move the city to a site
near the village of
Subtiava.
Early Christian Necropolis
of Pcs (Sopianae)
Hungary
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
In the fourth century, a remarkable series of
decorated tombs were constructed in the
cemetery of the Roman provincial town of
Sopianae, modern Pcs. The World Heritage
site consists of sixteen funerary monuments
which are important both structurally and
architecturally, since they were built as
underground burial chambers with
memorial chapels above the ground. The
tombs are important also in artistic terms,
since they are richly decorated with
Christian-themed murals of outstanding
quality. One of the most remarkable is
Burial chamber I (Peter-Paul) which is cut
into the slope of the Mecsek hills.
Discovered in 1782, this late fourth-century
chamber consists of an above-ground
chapel, the subterranean burial chamber
proper with fine religious wall paintings, and
a small vestibule leading to the burial
chamber.
The burial chambers
illustrate the unique
early Christian
sepulchral art and
architecture of the
northern and western
Roman provinces.
One of the most
exceptional chambers
has a niche carved
above the
sarcophagus with a
painting of a wine
pitcher and glass,
symbolising the thirst
of the soul journeying
to the netherworld.
len vi ej o | necropoli s of pcs 619
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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1981
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SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean
Sea
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
Churches of Chilo
Chile
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Churches of Chilo are outstanding
examples of the successful fusion of
European and indigenous cultural traditions
to produce a unique form of wooden
architecture. The mestizo culture, resulting
from Jesuit missionary activities in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, has
survived intact in the Chilo archipelago,
and achieves its highest expression in these
wooden churches. By the end of the
nineteenth century over 100 churches had
been built; between fifty and sixty survive to
the present day, and fourteen of these
constitute the World Heritage site: Achao
(Quinchao); Quinchao; Castro; Riln
(Castro); Nercn (Castro); Aldachildo
(Puqueldn); Ichuac (Puqueldn); Detif
(Puqueldn); Vilipulli (Chonchi); Chonchi;
Tenan (Quemchi); Colo (Quemchi); San
Juan (Dalcahue); and Dalcahue. The
traditional Chilo churches are located near
the shore, facing an esplanade.
The most typical
feature of these
buildings is the tower
faade, on the side
facing the esplanade,
made up of an
entrance portico, the
gable wall or
pediment, and the
tower itself. Most are
of two or three
storeys, with
hexagonal or
octagonal drums to
reduce wind
resistance.
620 churches of chi lo | blaenavon i ndustri al landscape
World Heritage site since
Blaenavon Industrial
Landscape
United Kingdom
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The area around Blaenavon is evidence of
the pre-eminence of south Wales as the
worlds major producer of iron and coal in
the nineteenth century. All the necessary
elements can still be seen coal and ore
mines, quarries, a primitive railway system,
furnaces, workers homes, and the social
infrastructure of the community. During the
1840s and 1850s, as population numbers
increased with the influx of migrant
workers, the scattered housing of the
workers and the associated school, church
and chapels were complemented by the
evolution of a town with a variety of urban
functions. There were three principal
clusters of buildings in the area, one around
the ironworks, one along the east-west axis,
now King Street, and the other around
St Peters Church.
Big Pit, the last
substantial working
colliery at Blaenavon,
closed in 1980. Big Pit
is now a museum of
coal mining of
international
signicance, and one
of only two mining
museums in the
United Kingdom
where visitors can be
taken underground.
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Historic Town of St George
and Related Fortifications,
Bermuda
United Kingdom
Criteria Significance in human history
The historic town of St George is an
outstanding example of a fortified colonial
town dating from the early seventeenth
century. It is the oldest English town in the
New World. St George was a garrison town
from its earliest days, and military
installations developed on its eastern side.
The first of many barracks were built on
Barrack Hill in 1780, followed by other
buildings such as hospitals and a chapel.
These were constructed in standard British
military style but using local materials. The
towns fortifications graphically illustrate the
development of English military
engineering from the seventeenth to the
twentieth centuries, being adapted to take
account of the development of artillery over
this period. The fortifications continued to
serve until the coastal defence came to an
end in 1956.
The architecture of
Bermuda has changed
little since the end of
the seventeenth
century. The simple,
well-proportioned
houses, of one or two
storeys, have roofs of
stone slabs painted
white. Some of the
houses, such as Bridge
House, the Hunter
Building, or Whitehall,
are impressive
mansions, dating
from the nineteenth
century and
embellished with
imposing balconies
and verandas.
Archaeological Ensemble
of Trraco
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Trraco, modern-day Tarragona, was a major
administrative and mercantile city in Roman
Spain and the centre of the Imperial cult for
all the Iberian provinces. It was endowed
with many fine buildings, and parts of these
have been revealed in a series of exceptional
excavations. Although most of the remains
are fragmentary, many preserved beneath
more recent buildings, they present a vivid
picture of the grandeur of this Roman
provincial capital.
The Roman town was
sited on a hill with the
seat of the provincial
government at its
crest and on two
terraces created
below. The town is
rich in important
buried remains,
including some
buildings that are
completely preserved.
hi stori c town of st george, bermuda | archaeologi cal remai ns of trraco 621
World Heritage site since
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NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The Roman Circus.
The Loire Valley between Sully-
sur-Loire and Chalonnes
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history
The Loire Valley is an outstanding cultural
landscape of great beauty, containing
historic towns and villages, the great
architectural monuments of the chateaux
and cultivated lands formed by two
millennia of interaction between their
population and the physical environment,
primarily the river Loire itself. It is
noteworthy for the quality of its
architectural heritage, in its historic towns
such as Blois, Chinon, Orlans, Saumur and
Tours, but in particular in its world-famous
castles, such as the Chteau de Chambord
(see photo on the right).
For most of its length within the World
Heritage site, the Loire is confined by dykes.
Its banks are punctuated at intervals of only
a few kilometres by a series of villages, small
towns and cities. Land use is varied, from
urban density through intense horticulture
to vineyards (some reliant on flooding) and
hunting forest.
Roman impact on the landscape was
massive, and it still strongly influences
settlement location, urban form and road
communications. The Loire was one of the
most important arteries for
communications and trade in Gaul. In the
late Roman period around 372, St Martin,
Bishop of Tours, founded an abbey at
Marmoutier and this served as the model
for other monastic settlements in the Loire
Valley in the centuries that followed.
The sanctuary at Tours was an early
pilgrimage centre and the areas many
monasteries served as focal points for
settlement in the Middle Ages, as did local
fortified settlements.
The Loire Valley was a frontier zone during
the Hundred Years War (13371453) and the
scene of many confrontations between the
French and English. Castles were rebuilt
and extended to become massive fortresses,
the forerunners of the chateaux of today.
The ever-present danger to Paris from the
English resulted in the royal court spending
long periods at Tours. With the end of the
war the valley proved an ideal place for
humanism and the Renaissance to take root
in France: this involved the dismantling of
fortresses and their reconstruction as
palaces for pleasure and recreation.
The seventeentheighteenth centuries saw
the development of a secular commercial
economy based on industry and trade. The
romantic representation of the valley in the
nineteenth century by writers and painters
led to the Loire becoming a magnet for
tourists, first from France, then Europe and
the rest of the world.
Chteau de
Chambord.
The Loire basin
occupies a huge area
in central and western
France stretching
from the southern
part of the Massif
Central to an Atlantic
coast estuary. Along
the Loire, between
Orlans and Angers,
the valley is
characterized by low
cliffs of tufa and
limestone. The valley
has a long history of
periodic catastrophic
ooding, carefully
recorded as stone-cut
water levels at
numerous places
along its route, and
even today its
inhabitants live under
perennial threat of
severe inundation.
Much contemporary
river management is
orientated to
minimizing that risk.
622 loi re valley between sully-sur-loi re and chalonnes
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
624 central amazon conservati on complex
World Heritage site since
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Central Amazon
Conservation Complex
Brazil
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Central Amazon Conservation Complex
makes up the largest protected area in the
Amazon Basin (over 60,000 km
2
) and is one
of the planets richest regions in terms of
biodiversity. The site is made up of Ja
National Park, Demonstration area of
Mamairau Sustainable Development
Reserve, Aman Sustainable Development
Reserve and the Anavilhanas Ecological
Station. It includes an important sample of
annually flooded (vrzea) ecosystems, igap
forests, lakes and channels, which take the
form of a constantly evolving aquatic
mosaic that is home to the largest array of
electric fish in the world. Numerous species
of conservation concern live within the park,
including jaguar, giant otter, Amazonian
manatee, South American river turtle and
black cayman. The Complex contains
approximately 60 per cent of the species of
fish reported to exist within the Negro River
watershed, and 60 per cent of the birds
recorded from the central Amazon.
The site contains the
nine-tier waterfall of
the Carabinani River
and also includes a
signicant proportion
of the black-water
drainage system, the
headwaters of which
are located primarily
in the Guiana Shield.
Its dark colour results
from organic acids
released into the
water through the
decomposition of
organic matter and
the lack of terrestrial
sediments.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
The Amazon Basin
from space.
World Heritage site since
i sole eoli e ( aeoli an i slands) 625
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands)
Italy
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) are located
off the northern coast of Sicily and provide
an outstanding record of volcanic island-
building and volcanic phenomena. The
group consists of seven islands (Lipari,
Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi
and Panarea) and five small islets (Basiluzzo,
Dattilo, Lisca Nera, Bottaro and Lisca
Bianca) in the vicinity of Panarea. Studied
since at least the eighteenth century, the
islands have provided the science of
vulcanology with examples of two types
of eruption (Vulcanian and Strombolian).
A total of 900 plant species have been
recorded in the Aeolian Islands, including
four endemic species. About forty bird
species have been recorded, including ten
under the Sicilian Red List of threatened
bird species. The islands are also important
for migrant bird species, and are an
Important Bird Area for congregatory
species identified by Birdlife International.
Panarea is the
smallest of the
islands. It has a
remarkable variety
of differing
environments in
comparison with
the other islands,
especially in terms
of ora, and is a
fascinating site for
naturalists. Stromboli
is the only island in
the archipelago that
has permanent
volcanic activity.
Stromboli.
Island of Saint-Louis
Senegal
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Founded as a French colonial settlement in
the seventeenth century, Saint-Louis was
urbanized in the mid-nineteenth century. It
was the capital of Senegal from 1872 to 1957
and played an important cultural and
economic role in the whole of West Africa.
The island consists of a North quarter and
a South quarter, with the Place Faidherbe
in the centre. It is situated in a magnificent
lagoon formed by the two arms of the
Senegal River. The regular town plan, the
system of quays, and the characteristic
colonial architecture give Saint-Louis its
distinctive appearance. The main historic
buildings include the ancient fort, now the
Governors Palace, which marks the centre
of the island. Situated next to it is the
cathedral, completed in 1828.
In 1957, Saint-Louis
ceased being capital
of Senegal. This
meant the departure
of the French garrison
and their families and
the closure of ofces
and shops, with a
drastic reduction in
the French
population. At present
the city has revived its
economy, based on
shing, agriculture
and tourism.
626 sai nt-loui s | gochang, hwasun and ganghwa dolmen si tes
World Heritage site since
Gochang, Hwasun and
Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa sites
contain the highest density and greatest
variety of dolmens in the Republic of Korea,
and indeed of any country. Dolmens are
found in western China and the coastal
areas of the Yellow Sea basin. They arrived in
the Korean Peninsula with the Bronze Age
and usually consist of two or more
undressed stone slabs supporting a huge
capstone. They were simple burial
chambers, erected over the bodies or bones
of Neolithic and Bronze Age worthies. The
cemeteries at Gochang, Hwasun and
Ganghwa contain many hundreds of
excellent examples, preserving important
evidence of how the stones were quarried,
transported and raised and of how dolmen
types changed during the second and first
millennia BC in northeast Asia.
The dolmens would
originally have been
covered by earth
mounds (barrows), but
these gradually
disappeared as a
result of weathering
and animal action.
They may also have
been platforms on
which corpses were
exposed to permit
excarnation to take
place, leaving bones
for burial in collective
or family tombs.
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
Yellow
Sea
Ganghwa dolmen.
World Heritage site since
cathedral of st j ames i n i beni k 627
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The Cathedral of St James
in ibenik
Croatia
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The Cathedral of St James in ibenik (built
14311535) bears witness to the considerable
exchanges in the eld of monumental arts
between northern Italy, Dalmatia and
Tuscany in the fteenth and sixteenth
centuries. The three architects who
succeeded one another in the construction
of the Cathedral Francesco di Giacomo,
Georgius Mathei Dalmaticus and Niccol di
Giovanni Fiorentino developed a structure
built entirely from stone, using unique
construction methods for the vaulting and
the dome of the cathedral. There is a close
correspondence between the interior and
exterior forms of the building. The
decorative elements of the cathedral, such
as a remarkable frieze containing seventy-
one sculptured faces of men, women, and
children, also illustrate the successful fusion
of Gothic and Renaissance art.
The roong of the
aisles, as well as that
of the apses and the
dome, is made from
stone tiles. These
roong tiles are laid
side by side with their
horizontal edges
overlapping, and the
joints are made by the
perfect t. On the
dome the tiles are
held in place by stone
wedges tted with
great precision.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
628 i schi gualasto / talampaya natural parks
World Heritage site since
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Ischigualasto / Talampaya
Natural Parks
Argentina
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Talampaya National Park and the
contiguous Ischigualasto Provincial Park
straddle the border between the provinces
of San Juan and La Rioja in northwestern
Argentina. The site constitutes almost the
entire sedimentary basin known as the
Ischigualasto-Villa Union Triassic basin.
It was formed by layers of continental
sediments deposited by rivers, lakes and
swamps over the entire Triassic period
(245208 million years ago). The sediments
contain fossils of a wide range of plants and
animals including the ancestors of
mammals and dinosaurs. They constitute
the worlds most complete continental fossil
record known from the Triassic, revealing
the evolution of vertebrates as well as the
environments they lived in during this
period. Some fifty-six genera of fossil
vertebrates have been recorded from the
area, including fish, amphibians, and a great
variety of reptiles.
Six geologic
formations make up
the Triassic basin, the
earliest of which are
the Talampaya and
Tarjados formations,
red sandstone that
forms the impressive
cliffs of the Talampaya
National Park. The
remaining formations
are composed of lake
beds, swamps, river
channels and ood
plain deposits. These
formations contain
the abundant
vertebrate and ora
fossils.
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of shakhri syabz 629
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ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Historic Centre of
Shakhrisyabz
Uzbekistan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The historic centre of Shakhrisyabz contains
a collection of exceptional monuments and
ancient quarters which bear witness to the
citys secular development, and particularly
to the period of its apogee during the
Timurid rule of the fifteenthsixteenth
centuries. The site consists of a number of
monuments, including the grandiose Ak-
Sarai Palace, begun in 1380; the Dorus
Saodat complex, housing the royal
mausoleum and religious areas; and the
eighteenth-century Chor-su bazaar and
baths. The dimensions of the magnificent
Ak-Sarai Palace , known as the White
Palace, can be deduced from the size of the
gate-towers, traces of which still survive:
two towers each 50 m in height, and an arch
with a span of 22 m.
The Dorus Saodat
complex was designed
as a place of burial for
the ruling family and
contained, in addition
to the tombs
themselves, a prayer
hall, a mosque, and
accommodation for the
religious community
and pilgrims. The main
faade was faced with
white marble. The tomb
of Timur, also of white
marble, is a masterpiece
of the architecture of
this period.
The two gate towers of Ak-Sarai Palace.
Monastery of Geghard and
the Upper Azat Valley
Armenia
Criteria Interchange of values
The monastery of Geghard contains a
number of churches and tombs, most of
them cut into the rock, which illustrate the
very peak of Armenian medieval
architecture. The complex of medieval
buildings is set into a landscape of great
natural beauty, surrounded by towering
cliffs at the entrance to the Azat Valley.
The monastery,
founded in the fourth
century and later
rebuilt, was famous
for its relics, most
notably the spear that
wounded Jesus on the
Cross, and for relics of
the Apostles Andrew
and John.
630 hi gh coast / kvarken archi pelago | monastery of geghard and upper azat valley
World Heritage site since
High Coast /
Kvarken Archipelago
Finland and Sweden
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The High Coast, Sweden, and the Kvarken
Archipelago, Finland, are situated in the Gulf
of Bothnia, a northern extension of the
Baltic Sea. The 5,600 islands of the Kvarken
Archipelago feature unusual ridged
washboard moraines, De Greer moraines,
formed by the melting of the continental ice
sheet, 10,000 to 24,000 years ago. The
Archipelago is continuously rising from the
sea in a process of rapid glacio-isostatic
uplift, whereby the land, previously pressed
down under the weight of a glacier, lifts at
rates that are among the highest in the
world. As a consequence islands appear and
unite, peninsulas expand, and lakes evolve
from bays and develop into marshes and
peat fens. The High Coast has also been
largely shaped by the combined processes
of glaciation, glacial retreat and the
emergence of new land from the sea. Since
the last retreat of the ice from the High
Coast 9,600 years ago, the uplift has been
in the order of 285 m which is the highest
known rebound. The site affords
outstanding opportunities for the
understanding of the important processes
that formed the glaciated and land uplift
areas of the Earths surface.
Displacement of
settlements by land
uplift has created a
relict cultural
landscape: Stone Age
remains from 5000 BC
are 150 m above sea
level, while those of
the Bronze and Iron
Ages are at 30 m and
15 m respectively.
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EUROPE
Norwegian
Sea
North
Sea
Scandinavia
Caspian
Sea
Black
Sea
ASIA
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
ki nabalu park 631
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1979
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Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
ASIA
Kinabalu Park
Malaysia
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Kinabalu Park is dominated by Mount
Kinabalu (4,095 m), the highest mountain
between the Himalaya and New Guinea.
It has a wide range of habitats, from rich
tropical lowland and hill rainforest to
tropical mountain forest, sub-alpine forest
and scrub on the higher elevations. It has
been designated as a Centre of Plant
Diversity for Southeast Asia and is
exceptionally rich in species, with examples
of flora from the Himalaya, China, Australia
and Malaysia. Wildlife is also diverse with
ninety species of lowland mammal and
twenty-two others found in the montane
zone. Four species of primate occur and 326
bird species have been recorded. Half of all
Borneos bird, mammal and amphibian
species and two-thirds of its reptiles are
represented in the park, including many rare
and endangered species.
The park has between
5,0006,000 vascular
plant species, 1,000 of
which are orchids.
Rafesia, a rare
parasitic plant, is also
found. The mountain
ora has diverse
living fossils such as
the celery pine and
the trig-oak, the
evolutionary link
between oaks and
beeches.
Summit of Mount
Kinabalu.
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other
Franciscan Sites
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage associated
with events of universal significance
The medieval hill town of Assisi is the
birthplace of Saint Francis. It is a unique
example of continuity of a city-sanctuary
from its Umbrian-Roman and medieval
origins to the present, represented in the
cultural landscape, the religious ensembles
and traditional land use. The towns
medieval art masterpieces have made it a
fundamental reference point for Italian and
European art and architecture. It is also
closely associated with the work of the
Franciscan Order whose message has
contributed significantly to developments in
spirituality, art and architecture in the world.
Assisi stands on the hill of Asio at the foot
of Mount Subasio. The most important
event in its history was the life and work of
Francis of Assisi (11821226), who initiated
the Franciscan Order. His companion Clare,
also later canonized, founded the sister
order to the Franciscans, the Order of
St Clare. After the canonization of Francis in
1228 it was decided to build a monumental
church in his honour. This construction was
followed by the Basilica of Santa Chiara to
honour St Clare.
The Basilica of San Francesco is an
outstanding example of an architectural
ensemble that has significantly influenced
the development of art and architecture.
Its construction began in 1228. The lower
basilica is entered through an exquisite
Gothic portal, its interior completely
covered with frescoes. The upper basilica,
entered through a loggia, has a magnificent
east front in white limestone, with a large
rose window in the centre. The interior walls
are decorated with a series of paintings by
Giotto and Cimabue relating to the faith
and life of the saint.
The Cathedral of San Rufino probably
dates from the eighth century; it was rebuilt
around 1036 as a cathedral. The west front
is a masterpiece of Umbrian Romanesque
architecture, connected with the cathedral
and the church of San Pietro of Spoleto.
The construction of the Basilica of Santa
Chiara started in 1257. The structure is
characterized by three flying buttresses and
the interior is painted with a cycle of
frescoes by several artists, illustrating the
legend of St Clare.
Originally built outside the city walls, the
Benedictine abbey of San Pietro is recorded
from 1029; in the mid-twelfth century it
adopted the Cluniac reform and it passed
later to the Cistercians.
Basilica of San
Francesco.
The Eremo delle
Carceri on Mount
Subasio were
originally a series of
caves where Francis
and his companions
came to pray. A small
convent was later built
on the site.
San Damiano is a
monastic complex,
essential for the
understanding of the
religious awakening
of Francis; it was also
Clares convent and
the place of her death.
Santa Maria degli
Angeli is a sixteenth-
century Renaissance
church, built to
protect the original
chapel of Porziuncola,
from where Francis
sent his order to their
mission and the place
where he died.
632 assi si and franci scan si tes
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
634 ti wanaku
World Heritage site since
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Tiwanaku: Spiritual and
Political Centre of the
Tiwanaku Culture
Bolivia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The ruins of Tiwanaku bear striking witness
to the power of the empire that played a
unique role in the development of the
Andean pre-Hispanic civilization. The
buildings are exceptional examples of the
ceremonial and public architecture and art
of one of the most important manifestations
of the civilizations of the region. Tiwanaku
began as a small settlement around 1200 BC.
It was self-sufficient, with a non-irrigated
form of farming based on frost-resistant
crops, essential at this high altitude,
producing tubers such as potatoes, oca and
cereals, notably quinoa. In more sheltered
locations near Lake Titicaca, maize and
peaches were also cultivated. The
inhabitants lived in rectangular adobe
houses that were linked by paved streets.
Following the introduction of copper
metallurgy and improved irrigation,
Tiwanakus influence grew, reaching its
apogee between 500 and 900 when it
dominated a large area of the southern
Andes and beyond.
The most imposing monument at
Tiwanaku is the temple of Akapana.
Originally a pyramid with seven
superimposed platforms, its
retaining walls rose to a height of
over 18 m and were clad in
distinctive blue stone.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
mi r castle 635
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Mir Castle Complex
Belarus
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Mir Castle complex vividly symbolizes
the history of Belarus and, as such, it is one
of the major national symbols of the
country. It lies in a fertile region in the
geographical centre of Europe, at the
crossroads of the most important trade
routes, and was, at the same time, at the
epicentre of crucial European and global
military conflicts between neighbouring
powers with different religious and cultural
traditions. The construction of this castle, in
the Gothic style, began at the end of the
fifteenth century. It was subsequently
extended and reconstructed, first in the
Renaissance and then in the Baroque style.
After being abandoned for nearly a century
and suffering severe damage during the
Napoleonic period, the castle was restored
at the end of the nineteenth century, with
the addition of a number of other elements
and the landscaping of the surrounding
area as a park. Its present form is graphic
testimony to its often turbulent history.
The Mir Castle
complex is situated on
the bank of a small
lake at the conuence
of the Miryanka River
and a small tributary.
Its impressive fortied
walls feature four
exterior corner towers
rising to ve storeys
and a six-storey
external gate tower.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Rietveld Schrderhuis
(Rietveld Schrder House)
Netherlands
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values
The Rietveld Schrder House in Utrecht was
commissioned by Ms Truus Schrder-
Schrder, designed by the architect Gerrit
Thomas Rietveld, and built in 1924. This
small family house, with its interior, the
flexible spatial arrangement, and the visual
and formal qualities, was a manifesto of the
ideals of the De Stijl group of artists and
architects in the Netherlands in the 1920s,
and has since been considered one of the
icons of the Modern Movement in
architecture.
The design and
building of the house
took place
simultaneously. The
owner and architect
commissioned a full
photographic
documentation of the
architecture to ensure
that the new approach
of the De Stijl group
was presented to
reect their intended
ideas.
636 ri etveld schrderhui s | noel kempff mercado nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Noel Kempff Mercado
National Park
Bolivia
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The National Park is one of the largest
(15,230 km
2
) and most intact parks in the
Amazon Basin. With an altitudinal range
from 200 m to nearly 1,000 m, it is the site of
a rich mosaic of habitat types from Cerrado
savanna and forest to upland evergreen
Amazonian forest. Located on the border
with Brazil, the site includes a large section
of the Huanchaca Plateau and surrounding
lowlands. Several rivers have their sources
on the plateau and form spectacular
waterfalls. The park boasts an evolutionary
history dating back over a billion years to the
Precambrian period. An estimated 4,000
species of flora, as well as over 600 bird
species and viable populations of many
globally endangered or threatened
vertebrate species, live in the park.
The park has ve
distinct ecosystems
and its outstanding
habitat diversity
favours the existence
of a wide range of
wildlife. More than
130 species of animals
live in the park
including many of the
rare mammals of
Bolivia such as river
otters and jaguars.
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
World Heritage site since
holy tri ni ty column i n olomouc 637
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Holy Trinity Column in
Olomouc
Czech Republic
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Olomouc Holy Trinity Column is one
of the most exceptional examples of the
apogee of central European Baroque artistic
expression. In the reconstruction (16481650)
following the Thirty Years War the city of
Olomouc took on a new appearance. Many
impressive public and private buildings were
constructed in a local variant of the
prevailing style, which became known as
Olomouc Baroque. The most characteristic
expression of this style was a group of
monuments (columns and fountains), of
which the Holy Trinity Column is the
crowning glory. Erected in the early years
of the eighteenth century and rising to a
height of 35 m, it is decorated with many fine
religious sculptures, including the work of
the distinguished Moravian artist Ondrej
Zahner.
The Column forms
a triumphal stone
statement of the creeds
of both Christianity
and of citizenship.
Faith and religious
tradition are
harmoniously combined
with the idea of the
city its traditions,
protection and civil
administration.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
638 gunung mulu nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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Gunung Mulu National Park
Malaysia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological and
biological processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Gunung Mulu National Park on the island
of Borneo protects an exceptional range of
natural phenomena. The 529 km
2
park
contains 17 vegetation zones, exhibiting
some 3,500 species of vascular plants,
80 species of mammal and 270 species of
bird (including 24 Borneon endemics). The
park is considered to be one of the richest
sites in the world for palms with 109 species
of 20 genera identified. The park is
dominated by Gunung Mulu, a 2,377-m-high
sandstone pinnacle. Another outstanding
karst feature is the pinnacles, 50-m-high
sharp blades of rock that project through
the rainforest canopy. The site also has a
high concentration of large cave passages
which provide a major wildlife spectacle of
cave swiftlets and bats. Three million
wrinkled-lipped freetail bats inhabit one
cave alone.
The park is important
for its karst features.
There are at least 295
km of explored caves,
estimated to be at
least 23 million years
old. Sarawak
Chamber, which is
600 m by 415 m and
80 m high, is the
largest known cave
chamber in the world.
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
ASIA
Kings Chamber in
Wind Cave in Gunung
Mulu National Park.
World Heritage site since
palmeral of elche 639
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Palmeral of Elche
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
The Palmeral (a landscape of date palm
groves) of Elche was laid out towards the
end of the tenth century AD, when the
Muslim city of Elche was also erected. Much
of the Iberian peninsula was Arab at this time
and the Palmeral represents a unique
transference of Arab agricultural practices to
the European continent. Cultivation of date
palms in Elche is known at least since Iberian
times, dating from around the fifth
century BC, but the Arabs introduced more
systematic practices, including an elaborate
irrigation system which is still functioning.
Arab geographers and European travellers
throughout history have testified to this
exceptional example of progressive
landscaping.
Palms form an
essential component of
the culture of Elche,
manifesting their
inuence on society in
many ways, including
the processions on
Palm Sunday, the
Night of the Kings
and on the towns coat
of arms.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Agricultural Landscape of
Southern land
Sweden
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The interaction between man and the
natural environment in the south of land,
an island in the Baltic sea, is of unique
universal value. Human beings have lived
here for some five thousand years and
adapted their way of life to the physical
constraints of the island. As a consequence,
the landscape is unique, with abundant
evidence of continuous human settlement
from prehistoric times to the present day.
Land use has not changed significantly
since then, with arable farming and animal
husbandry still remaining the principal
economic activity. The southern part of the
island is dominated by Stora Alvaret, one of
the largest limestone pavements in Europe.
Its medieval pattern of villages and field
systems is still clearly visible, a very rare
occurrence in northern Europe.
The prosperity of the
island, due in no small
measure to its
situation on the main
trading route through
the Kalmar Sound, is
reected in the
imposing stone
churches built in the
twelfth century, such
as those at Hulterstad
and Resm. They were
fortied as defence
against attacks from
marauders.
640 agri cultural landscape of southern land | rei chenau
World Heritage site since
Monastic Island of
Reichenau
Germany
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The island of Reichenau on Lake Constance
preserves the traces of the Benedictine
monastery, founded in 724, which exercised
remarkable spiritual, intellectual and artistic
influence. The churches of St Mary and
St Marcus, St Peter and St Paul, and
St George, mainly built between the ninth
and eleventh centuries, provide a panorama
of early medieval monastic architecture in
central Europe. Their wall paintings bear
witness to impressive artistic activity.
The Monastery of
Reichenau was a
highly signicant
artistic centre in
tenth- and eleventh-
century Europe, as
illustrated by its
monumental wall
paintings and
illuminations, and it
became a famous
centre for teaching
and creativity in
literature, science, and
the arts.
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EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Church of St George
in Reichenau.
World Heritage site since
wachau cultural landscape 641
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Wachau Cultural Landscape
Austria
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Wachau, a stretch of the Danube valley
between Melk and Krems, is an outstanding
example of a riverine landscape bordered by
mountains in which material evidence of its
long historical evolution has survived to a
remarkable degree. The architecture, the
human settlements, and the agricultural use
of the land in the Wachau vividly illustrate a
basically medieval landscape which has
evolved organically and harmoniously over
time. Clearance of the natural forest cover
by man began in the Neolithic period,
although radical changes in the landscape
did not take place until around 800, when
the Bavarian and Salzburg monasteries
began to cultivate the slopes of the Wachau,
creating the present-day landscape pattern
of vine terraces.
Several impressive
castles dominate the
towns and the
Danube valley, and
there are many
architecturally and
artistically signicant
ecclesiastical
buildings spread
throughout both
townscape and
landscape.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
Vineyards near
Spitz in Wachau.
642 gyeongj u hi stori c areas
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Gyeongju Historic Areas
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Gyeongju Historic Areas contain a
remarkable concentration of outstanding
examples of Korean Buddhist art, in the
form of sculptures, reliefs, pagodas, and the
remains of temples and palaces from the
flowering, in particular between the seventh
and tenth centuries, of this unique form of
artistic expression. There are three major
areas (belts) at Gyeongju. Mount Namsan
Belt has a large number of prehistoric and
historic remains. Wolsong Belt is home to
the ruined palace site of Wolsong, the
Kyerim woodland (which legend identifies
as the birthplace of the founder of the
Kyongju Kim clan), and the Chomsongdae
Observatory. Tumuli Park Belt consists of
three groups of royal tombs. Excavations
here have produced rich grave-goods of
gold, glass and fine ceramics.
The Korean peninsula
was ruled for almost
1,000 years by the
Shilla dynasty, and the
sites and monuments
in and around their
capital, Kyongju, bear
outstanding
testimony to their
cultural
achievements.
Yellow
Sea
Buddha relief
carved in rock on
Mount Namsan.
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom
of Ryukyu
Japan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
For several centuries the Ryukyu Islands
served as a centre of economic and cultural
interchange between southeast Asia, China,
Korea and Japan, and this is vividly
demonstrated by the surviving monuments.
In the tenthtwelfth centuries, Ryukyuan
farming communities began to enclose
their villages with simple stone walls for
protection. From the twelfth century
onwards powerful groups known
as aji began to emerge. They enlarged the
defences of their settlements, converting
them into fortresses and adopting the term
gusuku to describe these formidable castles.
The ruins of the castles, on imposing
elevated sites, are evidence for the social
structure over much of that period, while
the sacred sites provide testimony to the
survival of an ancient form of religion.
The Stone Gate of the
Sonohyan Shrine was
erected in 1519 by Sh
Shin. It was the
guardian shrine of the
Ryukyu Kingdom,
where prayers were
offered for peace and
security at annual
ritual ceremonies, and
represents the unique
style of Ryukyu stone
architecture.
Ensemble of the
Ferrapontov Monastery
Russian Federation
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Ferrapontov Monastery, in the Vologda
region of northern Russia, is an
exceptionally well-preserved and complete
example of a Russian Orthodox monastic
complex of the fifteenthseventeenth
centuries, a period of great significance in
the development of the unified Russian
state and its culture. There are six major
elements in the complex. The Cathedral of
the Nativity of the Virgin (1490) is the
earliest and the nucleus; its interior is
graced by the magnificent wall paintings of
Dionisy, the greatest Russian artist of the
end of the fifteenth century. This was
followed by the Church of the Annunciation,
the Treasury Chamber and ancillary
buildings. In the seventeenth century the
Gate Church, the Church of St Martinian
and the bell tower were added.
In the nineteenth
century a diminished
area of the complex
was enclosed by a
brick wall. It reopened
as a convent for nuns
in 1904, but this was
closed in 1924. It
currently serves as the
museum of the
frescoes of Dionisy,
opened in the rst half
of the twentieth
century, but greatly
enlarged and
improved since 1975.
gusuku si tes of ryukyu | ferrapontov monastery 643
World Heritage site since
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Japan
Pacic
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ASIA
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
EUROPE
Ciudad Universitaria de
Caracas
Venezuela
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The City University of Caracas is an
outstanding example, and one of the best
in the world, of the modern urban,
architectural and artistic concepts of the
early twentieth century. Built to the design
of the architect Carlos Ral Villanueva
between 1940 and 1960, the university
campus integrates the large number of
buildings and functions into a clearly
articulated ensemble which is at the same
time protected from light and heat. It
includes masterpieces of modern
architecture and visual arts, such as the Aula
Magna with the Clouds of Alexander
Calder, the Olympic Stadium, and the
Covered Plaza. Villanuevas project is
characterized by the application of modern
technology, the audacity of the forms, and
the use of bare concrete structures,
conceived as sculptures.
The architecture of
the university involves
the use of spatial
elements that have
been extracted from
Venezuelan colonial
architecture, such as
bright colours, latticed
windows for
ventilation and
internal gardens of
copious tropical
vegetation.
644 ci udad uni versi tari a de caracas | romanesque churches of the vall de bo
World Heritage site since
Catalan Romanesque
Churches of the Vall de Bo
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The narrow Vall de Bo is screened by the
high peaks of the Beciberri/Punta Alta
massif, in the high Pyrenees. Its picturesque
small villages are set amid woodland and
meadows. Each village in the valley contains
a Romanesque church, and is surrounded by
a pattern of enclosed fields. There are
extensive seasonally-used grazing lands on
the higher slopes. The churches of the Vall
de Bo are an especially pure and consistent
example of Romanesque art in a virtually
untouched rural setting. In the Middle Ages
there was an influx of culture and money
from outside the area. Most of the churches
in the valley were built then, at the
instigation of a single family, at the same
time as historical Catalonia was being
created.
The Arab invasion of
the Iberian Peninsula
never penetrated the
valleys of the high
Pyrenees, but they
were exposed to
outside cultural
inuences, particularly
in the eleventh
century from
Lombardy, a noted
centre of
Romanesque
architecture.
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AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
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Caribbean Sea
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
bardej ov town conservati on reserve 645
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Bardejov Town
Conservation Reserve
Slovakia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The fortified town of Bardejov provides
exceptionally well-preserved evidence of the
economic and social structure of trading
towns in medieval central Europe. The plan,
buildings and fortifications of the town
illustrate the typical urban complex that
developed in central Europe in the Middle
Ages at major points along the great trade
routes of the period. Bardejov is situated on
a floodplain terrace of the Topla River, in
northeastern Slovakia in the hills of the
Beskyd Mountains. From the first quarter of
the eighteenth century, Slovaks and Hassidic
Jews came into Bardejov in large numbers,
and among other remarkable features is the
towns small Jewish quarter. Centred around
the Great Synagogue, a fine building
constructed in 17251747, the complex also
contains ritual baths, a kosher
slaughterhouse and a meeting building, now
a school.
The town centre is dominated by
the rectangular main square, closed
on three sides by forty-six burgher
houses with typical narrow
frontages. On the fourth side is the
parish church of St Egidius (pictured
above), together with the town
school.
EUROPE
North Sea
Black Sea
Historic and Architectural
Complex of the Kazan
Kremlin
Russian Federation
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Built on an ancient site, the Kazan Kremlin
consists of an outstanding group of historic
buildings dating from the sixteenth to
nineteenth centuries. It is exceptional
testimony of the Kazan Khanate and is the
only surviving Tatar fortress with traces of
the original town-planning conception. It is,
furthermore, an excellent example of a
synthesis of Tatar and Russian influences in
architecture, integrating different cultures
(Bulgar, Golden Horde, Tatar, Italian and
Russian), as well as showing the impact of
Islam and Christianity. It was conquered by
Ivan the Terrible in 1552 and became the
Christian See of the Volga Land, and is still
an important place of pilgrimage.
The oldest building
within the Kazan
Kremlin complex is
the sixteenth-century
Annunciation
Cathedral,
constructed of local
light sandstone.
The tower of the
Kazan Kremlin.
646 kazan kremli n
World Heritage site since
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Archaeological Site of
Atapuerca
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The caves of the Sierra de Atapuerca provide
unique testimony of the origin and
evolution both of the existing human
civilisation and of other cultures that have
disappeared. The rich fossil record ranges
from the earliest human beings in Europe,
living nearly one million years ago, right up
to remains of modern man. They represent
an exceptional reserve of data, the scientific
study of which provides priceless
information about the appearance and the
way of life of these remote human
ancestors. The Galera del Silex site contains
more than fifty painted and engraved panels
with geometrical motifs, hunting scenes,
and anthropomorphic and zoomorphic
figures. Excavation has revealed human
remains (largely young adults and children)
and ceramic fragments, identified as being
related to sacrificial activities.
The evolutionary line
or lines from the
African ancestors of
modern man are
documented in the
Sierra de Atapuerca.
The earliest human
fossil remains in
Europe, dating from
around 800,000 years
ago, were found in the
Gran Dolina site here.
Jesuit Block and Estancias
of Crdoba
Argentina
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Jesuit Block in Crdoba, heart of the
former Jesuit Province of Paraguay, contains
the core buildings of the Jesuit system: the
university, the church and residence of the
Society of Jesus, and the college. Along with
the five estancias, or farming estates, they are
exceptional examples of the fusion of
European and indigenous cultures during
a seminal period in South America. The
university is arranged round a central open
space (originally a botanical garden), and
constructed in stone and brick, with
spacious colonnades around the courtyard.
The Society of Jesus Church is a massive
domed structure with two squat towers at
the west end. The interior is richly
decorated, the retablo of the main altar and
the pulpit being outstanding examples of
Baroque.
Crdoba itself,
established by
Jernimo Luis de
Cabrera in 1573, was
laid out on the
standard Spanish
colonial
chequerboard pattern.
In common with other
religious orders, the
Jesuits were allocated
one of the seventy
blocks of the original
city.
archaeologi cal si te of atapuerca | j esui t block and estanci as of crdoba 647
World Heritage site since
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AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Mount Qingcheng and the
Dujiangyan Irrigation
System
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Construction of the Dujiangyan irrigation
system began in the third century BC. This
system still controls the waters of the
Minjiang River and distributes it to the
fertile farmland of the Chengdu plains.
Mount Qingcheng was the birthplace of
Taoism, which is celebrated in a series of
ancient temples.
In AD 142 the
philosopher Zhang
Daoling founded the
doctrine of Taoism on
Mount Qingcheng.
During the Jin dynasty
(265420) several
Taoist temples were
built on the mountain
and the teachings of
Taoism were
disseminated widely
from here throughout
China.
648 mount qi ngcheng and the duj i angyan i rri gati on system | the town houses of vi ctor horta
World Heritage site since
Major Town Houses of the
Architect Victor Horta
(Brussels)
Belgium
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The four major town houses Htel Tassel,
Htel Solvay, Htel van Eetvelde, and
Maison and Atelier Horta located in
Brussels and designed by the architect
Victor Horta, one of the earliest initiators
of Art Nouveau, are some of the most
remarkable pioneering works of
architecture of the end of the nineteenth
century. The stylistic revolution represented
by these works is characterised by their open
plan, the diffusion of light, and the brilliant
joining of the curved lines of decoration
with the structure of the building.
The Horta buildings
brilliantly illustrate the
transition from the
nineteenth to the
twentieth centuries
in art, thought and
society. Of the four
houses, the Htel
Solvay is the best
preserved, with its
interior intact and its
utilities in functional
order.
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
The Dujiangyan
irrigation system
crossing the
Minjiang River.
Htel van Eetvelde.
Roman Walls of Lugo
Spain
Criteria Significance in human history
The walls of Lugo were built in the later part
of the third century to defend the Roman
town of Lucus. The entire circuit survives
intact and is the finest example of late
Roman fortifications in western Europe.
Despite the strength of its fortifications,
Lugo was unable to resist the Suevi when
they swept into the Iberian peninsula in the
early fifth century and destroyed the town
by fire. They were to be dislodged in turn by
the Visigoths, who captured the town in 457
and settled it once again. The irresistible
Moorish invasion of Spain saw Lugo
overwhelmed and sacked in 714, but it was
recaptured for Christendom by Alfonso I of
Asturias in 755 and restored by Bishop
Odarius. The town was to be ravaged once
again in 968 by the Normans, on their way to
the Mediterranean, and it was not restored
until the following century.
Of the original
interval towers, forty-
six have survived
intact, and there are
a further thirty-nine
that are wholly or
partly dismantled.
There are ten gates:
ve ancient and ve
recent. One of the
best preserved is the
Mi Gate, which still
has its original vaulted
arch set between
two towers, in
characteristic Roman
form.
Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations
in the South-East of Cuba
Cuba
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The production of coffee in eastern Cuba
during the nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries resulted in the creation of a
unique cultural landscape, illustrating a
significant stage in the development of this
form of agriculture. The site consists of the
remains of 171 coffee plantations on the
rugged slopes of the Sierra Maestra. The
traditional plantation consists of a number
of basic elements: at its centre is the
residence of the owner, surrounded by
much more modest accommodation for the
slaves, both domestic and agricultural. The
main industrial element was the terraced
drying floor (secadero), on which the coffee
beans were steeped in water in preparation
for processing. The secaderos are
recognizable as large sunken areas
surrounded by low walls and linked with
cisterns or water channels.
In the late nineteenth
century, coffee
production began in
other parts of Latin
America, such as
Brazil, Colombia and
Costa Rica. New
techniques were
introduced, based on
developed
agricultural systems.
The early plantations
in eastern Cuba found
themselves unable to
compete in the
growing world
markets and they
gradually closed
down.
roman walls of lugo | fi rst coffee plantati ons of south-east cuba 649
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Historic Centre of Brugge
Belgium
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Brugge (Bruges) is an outstanding example
of a medieval settlement that has
maintained its historic fabric as it evolved
over the centuries, and where original
Gothic constructions form part of the towns
identity. As one of Europes commercial and
cultural capitals, Brugge developed cultural
links to different parts of the world. It is
closely associated with the school of
Flemish Primitive painting.
Archaeological excavations show evidence
of human presence in the area of Brugge
from the Iron Age and the Gallo-Roman
period. It was the military and
administrative centre of the region and
commercial links with Scandinavia started
at that time. The name of Brugge is first
mentioned in the ninth century and is
documented in Carolingian coins bearing
the name Bruggia. At this time it was part of
a defence system against the Normans, and
the first fortification existed in 851 at the site
of the present-day Bourg. The settlement
developed gradually and it became a
harbour and commercial centre with
European connections.
The Brugge fair was established in 1200
and contacts with Britain were the first to
develop, particularly in the wool trade. The
citys growing prosperity was reflected in
the construction of public buildings such
as the imposing belfry in the Grand Place,
and Brugge was quickly established as an
economic capital of Europe. Under Philippe
le Bon (141967), the Duke of Burgundy, who
set up his court in Brugge, the city became a
centre of court life, of Flemish art, of
miniature painting, and printing. Owing to
the presence of Italians it soon became
a centre of humanism and the Renaissance.
From the late fifteenth century Brugge
gradually entered a period of stagnation.
The Flemish regions were integrated into
the Habsburg Empire, and the discovery of
America displaced economic interests from
the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. However,
from 1600 to 1800, as a result of the
construction of canal systems, Brugge re-
established its maritime connection, albeit
at a modest level. From 1815 to 1830 Brugge
was part of the United Kingdom of the
Netherlands and since 1830 has been part of
Belgium. During the nineteenth century a
colony of English aristocrats influenced the
cultural life of the city and contributed to a
renewed interest in the artistic heritage of
Brugge and the restoration of historic
buildings.
Brugge Belfry.
The most important
of Brugges squares
are the Burg and the
Grand Place. For
1,000 years the Burg
square has
symbolized the
alliance of religious
and civic authorities.
The Grand Place is the
site of the halls, the
belfry and the
Waterhalle,
symbolizing
municipal autonomy.
From the Middle Ages
the architecture of
Brugge has been
characterized by brick
Gothic, particularly
the style of
construction known
as trave brugeoise.
Maintained until the
seventeenth century,
this type of
construction was also
the main inspiration
for nineteenth-
century restorations.
650 hi stori c centre of brugge
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
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652 neoli thi c fli nt mi nes at spi ennes
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
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Bay of
Biscay
Neolithic Flint Mines at
Spiennes (Mons)
Belgium
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Neolithic flint mines at Spiennes,
covering more than 1 km
2
, are the largest
and earliest concentration of ancient mines
in Europe. They are also remarkable for the
diversity of technological solutions used for
extraction and for the fact that they are
directly linked to a settlement of the same
period. Currently the site appears on the
surface as a large area of meadows and
fields strewn with millions of scraps of
worked flint. Underground the site is an
immense network of galleries linked to the
surface by vertical shafts dug by Neolithic
man. Many of the mines have never been
excavated and those which are open to the
public are in their original condition, with
the exception of some modern shoring
and props.
Underground int
mining began around
the mid-fth
millennium bc and
carried on for
centuries. The
remains of the mines
show the gradual
development of
technology by
prehistoric man to
extract a material
essential for the
production of tools
and implements.
World Heritage site since
xi di and hongcun, southern anhui 653
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Ancient Villages in Southern
Anhui Xidi and Hongcun
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
The traditional non-urban settlements of
China, which have to a very large extent
disappeared during the twentieth century,
are exceptionally well preserved in the
villages of Xidi and Hongcun. The two
villages are graphic illustrations of a type of
human settlement created during a feudal
period and based on a prosperous trading
economy. In their buildings and their street
patterns, they reflect the socio-economic
structure of a long-lived settled period of
Chinese history. The streets are all paved
with granite and the buildings, which are
widely spaced, are timber-framed with brick
walls and elegantly carved decoration.
Hongcun (pictured
below) retains many of
its ne buildings and
its exceptional water
system. The open
watercourse runs
through the village
and forms two ponds,
one in the centre
(Moon Pond) and the
other to the south of
the village (South
Lake).
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
654 longmen grottoes
World Heritage site since
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1979
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Longmen Grottoes
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition
The grottoes and niches of Longmen
contain the largest and most impressive
collection of Chinese art of the late
Northern Wei and Tang dynasties. These
works, entirely devoted to the Buddhist
religion, represent the high point of Chinese
stone carving. This perfection of a long-
established art form was to play a highly
significant role in the cultural evolution
of this region of Asia. Work began on the
Longmen Grottoes in 493, when Emperor
Xiaowen of the Northern Wei dynasty
moved his capital to Luoyang, and was to
continue for the next four centuries. The
group of giant statues in Fengxiansi Cave
is most fully representative of this phase of
Chinese art at Longmen; they are generally
acknowledged to be artistic masterpieces of
truly global significance.
In total 2,345 niches or
grottoes have been
recorded on the two
sides of the river at
Longmen. They house
more than 100,000
Buddhist statues,
about 2,500 stelae and
inscriptions, and over
60 Buddhist pagodas.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Boddhisatvas in the
main grotto.
Notre-Dame Cathedral in
Tournai
Belgium
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Tournai
was built in the first half of the twelfth
century. The cathedral lies at the heart of the
old town, not far from the left bank of the
river Escaut. In architectural terms, it is the
product of three design periods that can still
easily be distinguished: the Romanesque
nave is of extraordinary dimensions with a
wealth of sculpture on its capitals; the choir,
rebuilt in the thirteenth century, is in the
pure Gothic style; these are linked by a
transept in a transitional style featuring an
impressive group of five bell towers. The
cathedrals front is decorated with
sculptures dating from different periods
(fourteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries) depicting Old Testament scenes,
episodes from the citys history, and saints.
The cathedral bears
witness to an
exchange of
architectural
inuence between
the le de France,
the Rhineland and
Normandy in the
short period at the
start of the twelfth
century that preceded
the owering of
Gothic architecture.
notre-dame cathedral i n tournai | echmi atsi n and zvartnots 655
World Heritage site since
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Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the
Archaeological Site of
Zvartnots
Armenia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The cathedral and churches of Echmiatsin
and the archaeological remains at Zvartnots
graphically illustrate the evolution and
development of the Armenian central-
domed cross-hall type of church, which
exerted a profound influence on
architectural and artistic development in
the region.
The Cathedral of Holy
Echmiatsin, built in
3013, is Armenias most
ancient Christian place
of worship. Together
with the other religious
buildings and
archaeological remains
in Echmiatsin and
Zvartnots, it bears
witness to the founding
of Christianity in the
country.
Ruins of the temple at
Zvartnots.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Caspian
Sea
Black
Sea
ASIA
EUROPE
Pantanal Conservation Area
Brazil
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The Pantanal Conservation Complex
consists of a cluster of four protected areas
located in western central Brazil at the
southwest corner of the state of Mato
Grosso. The site represents 1.3 per cent of
Brazils Pantanal region, one of the worlds
largest freshwater wetland ecosystems. The
headwaters of the regions two major river
systems, the Cuiab and the Paraguay
Rivers, are located here, and the abundance
and diversity of its vegetation and animal
life are spectacular.
The Pantanal is an immense alluvial plain.
Its landscape encompasses a variety of
ecological subregions, including river
corridors, gallery forests, perennial wetlands
and lakes, seasonally inundated grasslands
and terrestrial forests.
Surrounded by mountain ridges and
plains, the region presents a flat landscape
with a small inclination which follows a
north-south, east-west direction. The main
source of water for the Pantanal is the
Cuiab River. The water spreads out and
covers broad expanses, seeking a natural
outlet, which lies hundreds of kilometres
downstream at the confluence of the river
and the Atlantic Ocean. Hydrological
studies indicate the presence of a network
of underground streams and a degree of
subsurface water movement.
The vegetation is located in an area of
transition between the dry savanna (cerrado)
of central Brazil and the semi-deciduous
forest of the south and southeast. The wide
range of interacting habitat types produces
a remarkable plant diversity.
The fauna of the Pantanal is extremely
varied and includes 80 species of mammal,
650 bird, 50 reptile and 400 fish types. Dense
populations of species of conservation
concern live in the region; these include
jaguar, marsh deer, giant anteater and giant
otter.
The Pantanal is a sanctuary for birds with
many species occurring in large numbers.
It is one of the most important breeding
grounds for typical wetland birds such as
Jabiru stork, as well as several other species
of heron, ibis and duck, which are found in
enormous flocks.
The Pantanal
Conservation
Complex consists
of a cluster of four
protected areas:
Pantanal
Matogrossense
National Park,
Doroch Private
Reserve, Acurizal
Private Reserve and
Penha Private
Reserve, with a total
area of 1,878 km
2
.
The area is home to
twenty-six recorded
parrot species
including the hyacinth
macaw (pictured
right), the worlds
largest parrot. A large
proportion of the
remnant wild
population of this
species, now
endangered, inhabit
the region. Habitat
destruction and
capture for the pet
trade are two factors
that, in combination,
have
led to the risk of
extinction.
656 pantanal conservati on area
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Central Suriname Nature
Reserve
Suriname
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Central Suriname Nature Reserve
comprises 16,000 km
2
of primary tropical
forest of west-central Suriname. It protects
the upper watershed of the Coppename
River and the headwaters of the Lucie, Oost,
Zuid, Saramacca and Gran rivers and covers
a range of topography and ecosystems of
notable conservation value due to its
pristine state. Its montane and lowland
forests contain a high diversity of plant life
with more than 5,000 vascular plant species
collected to date. The Reserves animals are
typical of the region and include the jaguar,
giant armadillo, giant river otter, tapir,
sloths, eight species of primates and
400 bird species such as harpy eagle,
Guianan cock-of-the-rock, and scarlet
macaw.
Large parts of the
Guiana Shield and
Amazon regions are
being rapidly
transformed by
logging, hunting,
mining and
settlement, but the
reserve remains
inaccessible, largely
unaffected and
unthreatened by
human activity.
658 central suri name nature reserve | aranj uez cultural landscape
World Heritage site since
Aranjuez Cultural
Landscape
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Aranjuez cultural landscape is an entity
of complex relationships: between nature
and human activity, between sinuous
watercourses and geometric landscape
design, between the rural and the urban,
between forest landscape and the delicately
modulated architecture of its palatial
buildings. Three hundred years of royal
attention to the development and care of
this landscape have seen it express an
evolution of concepts from humanism and
political centralization, to characteristics
such as those found in its eighteenth-
century French-style Baroque garden, to the
urban lifestyle which developed alongside
the sciences of plant acclimatization and
stock-breeding during the Age of
Enlightenment.
The site incorporates
a planned town, large
gardens, vegetable
gardens and orchards,
lagoons, rivers and
waterworks, woods
and moors. The whole
area appears as a
green oasis in an
otherwise dry, brown
and fairly barren
sierra-type landscape.
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World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
White-faced saki,
one of the eight
primate species
found in the Reserve.
World Heritage site since
new lanark 659
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1978
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1979
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1980
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New Lanark
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
New Lanark is a small eighteenth-century
village set in a sublime Scottish landscape
where the philanthropist and idealist
Robert Owen moulded a model industrial
community in the early nineteenth century.
The first cotton mill at New Lanark went
into production in 1786 and Owen began
to remodel the village around 1809.
The imposing mill buildings, the spacious
and well-designed workers housing, and
the dignified educational institute and
school all testify to Owens humanism.
The theme throughout is one of good
proportion, good masonry, and simplicity
of detail. The success of New Lanark
inspired other benevolent industrialists to
follow Owens example and had a profound
influence on social developments
throughout the nineteenth century and
beyond in matters such as progressive
education, factory reform, humane working
practices, international cooperation, and the
concept of the garden city.
Robert Owens
idealistic vision of
a society without
crime, poverty, and
misery had a wide
appeal in the years
following the
Napoleonic Wars.
He left New Lanark
in 1828, after which
new buildings were
constructed, and
others demolished
or destroyed by re,
but the appearance
of the village today
remains very close
to that of its heyday.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
Switzerland
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes
The Jungfrau-Aletsch region is the most
glaciated part of the Alps, containing
Europes largest glacier and a range of
classic glacial features. It provides an
outstanding geological record of the uplift
and compression that formed the High Alps.
The diversity of flora and wildlife is
represented in a range of Alpine and sub-
Alpine habitats and plant colonization in the
wake of retreating glaciers and provides an
outstanding example of plant succession.
The geology of the site derives from the
Helvetic nappe (a large body of rock that
was thrust over younger rock in Europe
during the Miocene epoch). The folding and
over-thrusting of rock layers during the
formation of the Alps have produced very
complex rock formations that have since
been exposed by glacial activity. The
physiography of the area is characterized
by steep north-facing slopes and relatively
gentle southern ones.
The areas scenic and aesthetic appeal is
one of the most dramatic in the Alps. The
impressive northern wall of the site with the
panorama of the Eiger, Mnch and Jungfrau
mountains provides a classic view of the
north face of the High Alps - a view that has
played an important role in European art
and literature. Nine peaks in the region are
higher than 4,000 m. Classic examples of
glacial phenomena in the area include U-
shaped valleys, valley glaciers, cirques, horn
peaks and moraines. The Aletsch Glacier is
the largest and longest glacier in western
Eurasia in terms of area (128 km
2
),
length (23 km) and depth (900 m).
Vegetation and fauna vary by slope, aspect
and elevation. There is a marked difference
in vegetation between the northern and
southern slopes. On the north side, forests
at lower elevations consist of broadleaved
species such as beech, ash, alder, elm and
birch. The south side is too dry for beech,
which is replaced by Scots pine. On the
northern side, the subalpine zone is
dominated by Norway spruce with
mountain ash, silver birch and stone pine
and, on the southern side, by more
continental species such as European larch.
Above the timberline are extensive areas of
rhododendron scrub, alpine grassland and
tundra vegetation and, on the dry southern
slopes, steppe grassland.
The Aletsch Glacier.
Fauna in the region
is typical of the Alps,
with a wide variety
of species including
ibex, lynx, red deer,
roe deer, chamois
and marmot as well
as several reptiles
and amphibians.
A representative
range of alpine birds
also occurs in the
area, including golden
eagle, kestrel, chough,
ptarmigan, black
grouse, snow nch,
wallcreeper,
lammergeier, pygmy
owl and various
woodpecker species.
660 swi ss alps j ungfrau-aletsch
World Heritage site since
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1979
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EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
662 alto douro wi ne regi on
World Heritage site since
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Alto Douro Wine Region
Portugal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
The Alto Douro Region has been producing
wine for some 2,000 years. Since the
eighteenth century, its main product, port
wine, has been world-famous. This long
tradition of viticulture has produced a
cultural landscape of outstanding beauty
that reflects its technological, social and
economic evolution. The landscape in the
Demarcated Region of the Douro is formed
by steep hills and boxed-in valleys that
flatten out into plateaux above 400 m.
The most dominant feature of the landscape
is the terraced vineyards that blanket the
countryside. Throughout the centuries,
row upon row of terraces have been built
according to different techniques. The
earliest were narrow, irregular terraces
buttressed by walls of stone that were
regularly taken down and rebuilt. The long
lines of continuous, regularly-shaped
terraces date mainly from the end of the
nineteenth century.
The more recent terracing
techniques, the patamares, have
greatly altered the appearance
of the landscape. Large plots of
slightly sloping earth-banked
land were laid out to facilitate
mechanization of the vineyard.
Trials of other systems are
continuing with a view to nding
alternatives to the patamares and
to minimize the impact of the new
methods on the landscape.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Vineyard by the river Douro.
tombs of buganda ki ngs at kasubi | the royal hi ll of ambohi manga 663
World Heritage site since
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1979
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1980
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Tombs of Buganda Kings
at Kasubi
Uganda
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi
constitute a site embracing almost 0.3 km
2
of hillside within Kampala district. Most of
the site is agricultural, farmed by traditional
methods. At its core on the hilltop is the
former palace of the Kabakas of Buganda,
built in 1882 and converted into the royal
burial ground in 1884. Four royal tombs now
lie within the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the
main building, which is circular and
surmounted by a dome. It is a major example
of an architectural achievement in organic
materials, principally wood, thatch, reed,
wattle and daub. The sites main significance
lies, however, in its intangible values of
belief, spirituality, continuity and identity.
The spatial
organization of the
Tombs represents the
best extant example
of a Baganda palace/
architectural ensemble.
It reects technical
achievements
developed over many
centuries and is the
most active religious
place in the kingdom.
The Royal Hill of
Ambohimanga
Madagascar
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga is the most
significant symbol of the cultural identity of
the people of Madagascar. Its traditional
design, materials and layout are representative
of the social and political structure of
Malagasy society from at least the sixteenth
century. The site consists of a royal city and
burial site and an ensemble of sacred places
(wood, spring, lake, public meeting place).
Fortifications protected the royal city in an
arrangement of banks, ditches, and fourteen
stone gateways. The site is associated with
strong feelings of national identity, and
has maintained its spiritual and sacred
character both in ritual practice and in the
popular imagination for the past 500 years.
It remains a place of worship for pilgrims
from Madagascar and elsewhere.
In 1897 the remains
of royalty were
transferred to
Antananarivo by the
French authorities in
a failed attempt to
erase the holiness of
the site and the
nationalistic
legitimacy attached
to it. The tombs were
demolished and
military buildings
erected for the
garrison on the site.
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
The Muzibu Azaala
Mpanga.
664 central si khote-ali n | fert/ neusi edlersee cultural landscape
Central Sikhote-Alin
Russian Federation
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Sikhote-Alin mountain range contains
one the richest and most unusual temperate
forests in the world. The unique
combination of its severe climatic
characteristics, physical isolation, and
traditional resource use by the indigenous
peoples has meant that 8090 per cent of
the regions vegetation still remains as
dense temperate forest and taiga. Alpine
tundra, coastal shrublands, meadows and
bogs account for the rest of the area. In this
mixed zone between taiga and subtropics,
southern species such as the tiger and
Himalayan bear cohabit with northern
species such as the brown bear and lynx.
The site stretches from the peaks of
Sikhote-Alin to the Sea of Japan and is
important for the survival of many
endangered species such as the Amur tiger.
The Sikhote-Alin
protected areas are
considered to contain
the greatest plant and
animal diversity on
the northwestern
Pacic coastline.
Many of the plants,
such as ginseng and
Siberian ginseng, are
of medicinal value
and are important to
the indigenous people.
Fert/Neusiedlersee
Cultural Landscape
Austria and Hungary
Criteria Traditional human settlement
The Fert/Neusiedler Lake and its
surroundings are an outstanding example
of a traditional human settlement and land
use representative of a culture. The lake lies
between the Alps, 70 km distant, and the
lowlands in the territory of two states,
Austria and Hungary. It has been the
meeting place of different cultures for
eight millennia, and this is graphically
demonstrated by its varied landscape.
The present character of the landscape is
the result of ancient land-use forms based
on stockraising and viticulture to an extent
not found in other European lake areas.
The remarkable rural architecture of the
villages surrounding the lake is typified by
the historic centre of the medieval free town
of Rust, which perfectly symbolises a united
society of townspeople and farmers.
Several eighteenth-
and nineteenth-
century palaces add to
the areas considerable
cultural interest.
These include the
Fertd Esterhzy
Palace, the most
important eighteenth-
century palace of
Hungary, built on the
model of Versailles.
Between 1769 and
1790 Josef Haydns
compositions were
rst heard here.
World Heritage site since World Heritage site since
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1979
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
World Heritage site since
saltai re 665
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Saltaire
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Saltaire in west Yorkshire is a well-preserved
industrial village of the second half of the
nineteenth century. Its textile mills, public
buildings and workers housing are built in
a harmonious style of high architectural
quality, giving a vivid impression of
Victorian philanthropic paternalism. Saltaire
represents an important stage in the
development of modern town planning and
had a major influence on the garden city
movement. When Titus Salt, a wealthy
businessman, became mayor of Bradford in
1848, he committed himself to reducing the
towns pollution problems. Work on the mill
began in 1851 and it was opened in 1853.
Salts new village eventually had over 800
dwellings in wide streets, with a large dining
hall and kitchens, baths and wash houses,
almshouse for retired workers, hospital and
dispensary, educational institute and
church, and ample recreational land and
allotments.
The houses, built
between 1854 and 1868,
are ne examples of
nineteenth-century
hierarchical workers
homes. Each was
equipped with its own
water and gas supply
and an outside
lavatory. They vary in
size from two-up
two-down terraces to
much larger
managers houses
with gardens.
Saltaire Mill and the
river Aire.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
666 medi na of essaoui ra
World Heritage site since
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1979
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Medina of Essaouira
(formerly Mogador)
Morocco
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Essaouira is an outstanding and well-
preserved example of a late-eighteenth-
century European fortified seaport town
translated to a North African context.
Since its foundation, it has been a major
international trading seaport, linking
Morocco and its Saharan hinterland
with Europe and the rest of the world.
As Morocco increasingly opened up to
the rest of the world in the later seventeenth
century, the old town needed to expand and
a new plan was laid out by a French
architect. The town has retained its
European appearance to a substantial
extent, and is a leading example of building
inspired by European architecture a town
unique by virtue of its design.
In the medina of
Essaouira a symbiosis
was achieved between
building techniques
from Morocco and
elsewhere that gave
birth to some unique
architectural
masterpieces: the
Sqalas (fortications)
of the port and of the
medina, the Bab
Marrakesh bastion, the
water gate, mosques,
synagogues and
churches.
The Sqala du Port,
Essaouira.
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Zollverein Coal Mine
Industrial Complex in Essen
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Zollverein industrial complex in Land
Nordrhein-Westfalen consists of the
complete infrastructure of a historical coal-
mining site, with some twentieth-century
buildings of outstanding architectural
merit. It constitutes remarkable material
evidence of the evolution and decline of an
essential industry over the past 150 years.
Mining began in the mid-nineteenth
century at a depth of some 120 m and
finished at 1,200 m. By the end of mining
the underground roadways extended over
120 km; they were accessed by twelve shafts,
opened up progressively between 1847 and
1932. The methods of mining evolved as
technology developed from hand picks to
mechanized coal cutting. Elements of the
original pits, the central coking plant,
railway lines, associated buildings and
housing all survive today.
Zollverein is an
exceptional industrial
monument: its
buildings are
outstanding examples
of the application of
Modern Movement
design concepts to
wholly industrial
architecture. Of
particular note are
the imposing
administrative
building (1906), the
directors villa (1898),
and the mine ofcials
residence (1878).
great copper mountai n i n falun | zollverei n coal mi ne i ndustri al complex i n essen 667
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Mining Area of the Great
Copper Mountain in Falun
Sweden
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
The Great Copper Mountain (Stora
Kopparberget) is the oldest and most
important mine working in Sweden and one
of the worlds most remarkable industrial
monuments. Mining here began as early as
the ninth century and came to an end in the
closing years of the twentieth century. By the
seventeenth century, Falun was producing
70 per cent of the worlds copper and was
the mainstay of Swedens economy,
enabling it to become one of the leading
European powers. The seventeenth-century
planned town, with its many fine historic
buildings, together with the industrial and
domestic remains of a number of
settlements spread over a wide area of the
Dalarna region, provide a vivid picture of
what was for centuries one of the worlds
most important mining areas.
The Great Copper
Mountain was a
corporate operation
in which free miners
owned shares in
proportion to their
interests in copper
smelters. It is often
referred to as the
oldest company in the
world.
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Brazilian Atlantic Islands:
Fernando de Noronha and
Atol das Rocas Reserves
Brazil
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Peaks of the Southern Atlantic submarine
ridge form the Fernando de Noronha
Archipelago and Rocas Atoll off the coast of
Brazil. They represent a large proportion of
the island surface of the South Atlantic and
their rich waters are extremely important for
the breeding and feeding of tuna, shark,
turtle and marine mammals. The islands are
home to the largest concentration of
tropical seabirds in the western Atlantic.
Baia de Golfinhos has an exceptional
population of resident dolphin and at low
tide the Rocas Atoll provides a spectacular
seascape of lagoons and tidal pools teeming
with fish.
There are less than ten
oceanic islands in the
South Atlantic, and
the Fernando de
Noronha Archipelago
and Rocas Atoll
represent more than
50 per cent of such
islands surface area.
Consequently, they
are important for the
biodiversity of the
South Atlantic basin.
668 fernando de noronha and atol das rocas reserves | tsodi lo
World Heritage site since
Tsodilo
Botswana
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony
to cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
With one of the highest concentrations of
rock art in the world, Tsodilo has been called
the Louvre of the Desert. For many
thousands of years these rocky outcrops in
the hostile landscape of the Kalahari Desert
have been visited and settled by humans,
who have left rich traces of their presence in
the form of outstanding rock art. Over 4,500
paintings are preserved in an area of only
10 km
2
. The archaeological record of the
area gives a chronological account of
human activities and environmental
changes over at least 100,000 years.
The outcrops had
immense symbolic
and religious
significance for the
human communities
who survived here,
being respected as a
place of worship
frequented by
ancestral spirits. Some
of the art is thought to
be more than 2,000
years old. Geometric
art is regarded as
about 1,000 years old
while the pictures
with cattle date from
the animals
introduction to
Tsodilo after the sixth
century AD.
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
World Heritage site since
provi ns 669
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Provins, Town of Medieval
Fairs
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
At the beginning of the second millennium AD,
Provins was one of several towns in the
territory of the Counts of Champagne that
became the venues for great annual trading
fairs linking northern Europe with the
Mediterranean world. The entire town
developed in relation to the fairs, either
directly serving the fair functions or being
indirectly related as an outcome. Of the four
towns where medieval fairs were held in the
reign of the Counts of Champagne, Provins
is the only one to retain its original medieval
fabric. There are two large buildings: the
so-called Tour de Csar or the Big Tower,
a stone structure, dating initially from the
twelfth-century, and consisting of three
large spaces one above the other, covered
with a seventeenth-century conical roof;
and the Romanesque-Gothic church of
Saint-Quiriace.
A characteristic of all
the ancient buildings
in Provins, whether
for mixed or for
commercial use, is their
system of vaulted
cellars, dating from the
twelfth to the
fourteenth centuries.
These are either entirely
underground (Upper
Town) or partly built-up
above ground (Lower
Town), and all open out
to the street by means
of a large door to which
access is gained by a
wide stone staircase.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
670 samarkand
World Heritage site since
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1978
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1979
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Samarkand Crossroad of
Cultures
Uzbekistan
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Signicance in human history
Located on the crossroads of the great
trade routes that traversed central Asia,
the historic town of Samarkand illustrates
in its art, architecture and urban structure
the most important stages of central
Asian cultural and political history from
the thirteenth century to the present day.
Founded in the seventh century BC as
ancient Afrasiab, the city emerged as a
major centre through the efforts of Timur
the Lame (Tamerlane, c. 13361405). It was
rebuilt on its present site, southwest of
Afrasiab, and became the capital of Timurs
powerful state and the repository of the
material riches from conquered territories
that extended from central Asia to Persia,
Afghanistan, and India. The major monuments
include the Registan Mosque and madrasas
(see photo below), Bibi-Khanum Mosque,
the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the
Gur-Emir ensemble, as well as Ulugh-Begs
Observatory.
In 1868 the Russians
conquered Samarkand,
making it a provincial
capital (1887) and thus
reviving its economy.
They constructed
schools, churches,
and hospitals, and
the western part
of Samarkand was
redeveloped according
to current town
planning ideas. This
period, however, also
led to the destruction
of the city walls and
gates, as well as
several monuments.
Registan Mosque.
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
World Heritage site since
dorset and east devon coast 671
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Dorset and East Devon
Coast
United Kingdom
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Located on the south coast of England, the
property comprises eight sections along
155 km of coast. The property has a
combination of geological, palaeontological
and geomorphological features. These
include a variety of fossils, a beach renowned
for its pebbles, and textbook examples of
common coastal features such as sea stacks
and sea caves. The area has been studied for
more than 300 years and has contributed to
the development of earth sciences in the
United Kingdom. The site includes a near-
continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and
Cretaceous rock exposures, representing
much of the Mesozoic era (25166 million
years ago) or approximately 185 million years
of the Earths history. A large number of
vertebrate, invertebrate and plant fossils
have been discovered. Among the finds are
fossil dinosaur footprints, flying reptiles and
marine reptiles.
Well-preserved remains of a late-
Jurassic fossil forest are exposed on
the Isle of Portland and the Purbeck
coast. Chesil Beach, stretching from
West Bay to Portland, is famous
for the volume, type and grading
of its pebbles. The Fleet Lagoon is
one of the most important saline
lagoons in Europe.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Man o War Beach in Dorset.
672 alej andro de humboldt nati onal park | yungang grottoes
World Heritage site since
Yungang Grottoes
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Yungang Grottoes, in Datong city,
Shanxi Province, with their 252 caves and
51,000 statues, represent the outstanding
achievement of Buddhist cave art in China
in the fifth and sixth centuries. The grottoes
of the early period (ad 4605) are composed
of five main caves, dug under the direction
of the monk Tan Yao and named after him.
They have a U-shaped plan and arched roof
and each cave has a door and a window.
The central images occupy the major part
of the caves, while on the outer walls 1,000
Buddhist statues are carved. The Yungang
Grottoes also include four groups of twin
caves and one group of triple caves; the site
extends as much as 1 km east-west.
By ad 525 the initial
project, sponsored by
the court, was mostly
completed, but low-
ranking ofcials and
monks continued to
dig more caves and
carve statues. During
the Liao dynasty,
wooden shelters were
built in front of the
caves, turning the
grottoes into temple
buildings, such as the
Ten Famous Temples.
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Alejandro de Humboldt
National Park
Cuba
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Complex geology and varied topography
have given rise to a diversity of ecosystems
and species unmatched in the insular
Caribbean and created one of the most
biologically diverse tropical island sites on
Earth. Many of the underlying rocks are toxic
to plants so species have had to adapt to
survive in these hostile conditions. This unique
process of evolution has resulted in the
development of many new species and the
park is one of the most important sites in
the Western Hemisphere for the conservation
of endemic flora. Endemism of vertebrates
and invertebrates is also very high.
The park, in
southeastern Cuba,
includes a complex
system of mountains,
tablelands, coastal
plains, bays and coral
reefs. It is the least
explored natural area
on the island and has
locations where the
plant life has not yet
been assessed.
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
World Heritage site since
vi lla deste, ti voli 673
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Villa dEste, Tivoli
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Significance
in human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The gardens of the Villa dEste had a
profound influence on the development of
garden design throughout Europe. They are
among the earliest and finest of the giardini
delle meraviglie and symbolize the flowering
of Renaissance culture. The ensemble,
composed of the palace and gardens, forms
an irregular quadrilateral and covers an area
of about 45,000 m
2
. The plan of the villa is
irregular because the architect was obliged
to make use of certain parts of the previous
monastic building. On the garden side the
architecture of the palace is very simple:
a long main body of three storeys, marked
by bands, rows of windows, side pavilions
and an elegant loggia. The lower level is
decorated with the Fountain of Leda.
The main rooms of the villa are arranged
in rows on two floors and open on to the
magnificent garden.
One of the villas many
outstanding features
is the Alley of the
Hundred Fountains,
the waters from which
cross the entire garden.
There is also the
innovative and striking
design of the jets of
the large cascade
which were activated
whenever unsuspecting
people walked under
the arcades. The garden
also features its own
articial mountain,
with three alcoves
holding statues, and
a water organ.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
The Neptune Fountain (foreground) and the Organ Fountain (background).
674 hi stori c centre of the town of goi s
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of the Town
of Gois
Brazil
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
In its layout and architecture the historic
town of Gois is an outstanding example
of a European town admirably adapted to
the climatic, geographical and cultural
constraints of central South America. It
represents the evolution of a form of urban
structure and architecture characteristic of
the colonial settlement of South America,
making full use of local materials and
techniques and conserving its exceptional
setting. The urban layout is an example of
the organic development of a mining town,
adapted to the conditions of the site.
Although modest, both public and private
architecture form a harmonious whole,
thanks to the coherent use of local materials
and vernacular techniques.
In 1748, Gois gold
wealth meant it
was chosen as the
headquarters of a
new subdistrict, and
its rst governor
transformed the
modest village into
a small capital. Its
townscape has not
been subject to any
major changes in
modern times,
making Gois a
remarkably well-
preserved example of
a mining town of the
eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries,
including its natural
environment, which
has remained intact.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Churches of Peace in Jawor
and Swidnica
Poland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica,
the largest timber-framed religious buildings
in Europe, were built in former Silesia in the
mid-seventeenth century, at a time of
religious strife following the Peace of
Westphalia. They are monuments not just
to the skill of their designers, but also to the
religious tolerance shown by the Catholic
Habsburg Emperor towards Protestant
communities in Silesia after the Thirty Years
War. In most of the province Protestants
were persecuted but, through the agency of
the Lutheran king of Sweden, the Emperor
allowed the erection of three Lutheran
churches, of which two survive. As a result
of conditions imposed by the Emperor, the
builders had to employ pioneering
constructional techniques of a scale and
complexity unknown in wooden architecture.
The churches in Jawor
and Swidnica differ in
the character of their
floor plans. Both have
three aisles, and both
terminate in a
polygonal east end,
but whereas in Jawor
the eastern end is still
a true chancel, in
Swidnica it functions
as a sacristy.
Derwent Valley Mills
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Derwent Valley in central England
contains a series of eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century cotton mills and an
industrial landscape of high historical and
technological interest. The modern factory
system was effectively born here, when new
types of building were erected to house the
latest technology for spinning cotton
developed by Richard Arkwright. This was
large-scale industrial production in a hitherto
rural landscape, and the need to provide
housing and other facilities for workers and
managers resulted in the creation of the
first industrial towns. The workers housing
associated with this and the other mills
remains intact and illustrates the socio-
economic development of the area.
The complete heritage site is a continuous
strip, 24 km long, from Matlock Bath to the
centre of Derby.
Richard Arkwright
developed the village
of Cromford to attract
the families of the
mainly child workforce
that he needed.
Weavers lived in his
houses, the parents
weaving calico on
their topmost oors
and children working
in the spinning mills.
churches of peace i n j awor and swi dni ca | derwent valley mi lls 675
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Masada
Israel
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Masada is a rugged natural fortress of
majestic beauty set in the Judaean Desert
overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of
the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent
destruction and the last stand of Jewish
patriots against the Roman army at the end
of the First Jewish-Roman War in AD 73.
The camps, fortifications and attack ramp
that encircle the monument constitute the
most complete Roman siege works
surviving to the present day.
The towering hill of Masada overlooks
a natural landscape of savage beauty. To the
west lie the hills and terraces of the Judaean
Desert; to the east is a wildly broken terrain,
running down to the brilliant colours of the
Dead Sea. A giant scarp stretches south to
the horizon and Masada forms part of this.
Masada was built as a palace complex in
the classic style of the early Roman Empire
by King Herod the Great of Judaea, who
ruled from 374 BC. The Northern Palace, in
its present form, dates from the main phase
of building in the late first century BC. It was
built on three slightly modified natural rock
terraces. The upper level was mainly
residential while imposing colonnaded
reception halls were situated on the two
lower levels. The lower reception level is the
best preserved of the three.
The nucleus of the Western Palace
comprised a courtyard surrounded by
bedrooms and reception rooms; two
extensive service wings were added in the
main phase of building. Its size, layout and
opulent decoration mosaic floors and
walls of white plaster painted to imitate
marble panels suggest that this was the
ceremonial palace, while the Northern
Palace was the private palace for the king
and his family.
The massive defensive wall, built in the
final phase, was 1,290 m long with twenty-
seven towers and about seventy rooms on
its inner side. Three gates pierce the wall:
the Western Gate, the Southern Gate, and
the Snake Path Gate (the eastern gate).
A fourth gate - the Water Gate - provided
access to the Northern Section; this
however was not integrated into the
casement wall. Water was delivered, during
the winter floods in the wadis to the west,
through a network of dams and channels to
the cisterns dug into the rock of Masada.
Most of the buildings on the hilltop were
occupied by around 1,000 people who lived
there in the Zealot period of the first
century AD.
Aerial view of
Masada, with one of
the Roman camps in
the foreground.
There is a network of
eight Roman military
camps around
Masada. Most striking
are the hundreds of
contubernia (messing
units), consisting of
walls of stones
11.5 m high on which
the soldiers erected
their leather tents.
The great ramp used
for the nal assault
on Masada was built
from soil and stones
braced by an armature
of timber beams.
The remains of a fth-
century Byzantine
church also stands on
the summit. The oor
was originally covered
with mosaic but much
of this was removed
to the Louvre in the
nineteenth century.
676 masada
World Heritage site since
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Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
678 hi stori c centre of vi enna
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of Vienna
Austria
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Vienna developed from early Celtic and
Roman settlements into a Medieval and
Baroque city, the capital of the Austro-
Hungarian Empire. The historic centre of
Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles,
including Baroque castles and gardens,
as well as the late-nineteenth-century
Ringstrasse lined with grand buildings,
monuments and parks. The property
consists of the medieval core (based on the
Roman settlement), the principal Baroque
ensembles with their axes, and the
Grnderzeit constructions from the
beginning of the modern period. The inner
city contains a number of medieval historic
buildings, including the Schottenkloster,
the oldest monastery in Austria, and the
churches of Maria am Gestade (one of the
main Gothic structures), Michaelerkirche,
Minoritenkirche and Minoritenkloster,
from the thirteenth century. St Stephens
Cathedral dates from the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries.
Several historic
buildings are now
associated with the
important Viennese
residence of
personalities such as
Mozart, Beethoven,
Schubert and others,
when the city played
an essential role as
a leading European
musical centre, from
the great age of
Viennese classicism
through to the early
part of the twentieth
century.
The Rathaus (City Hall)
of Vienna.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Mediterranean
Sea
vat phou and the champasak cultural landscape 679
World Heritage site since
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Vat Phou and Associated
Ancient Settlements within
the Champasak Cultural
Landscape
Lao Peoples Dem. Republic
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Temple Complex of Vat Phou bears
exceptional testimony to the cultures of
southeast Asia, and in particular to the
Khmer Empire, which dominated the region
in the tenthfourteenth centuries. It is an
outstanding example of the integration of
symbolic landscape of great spiritual
significance to its natural surroundings.
The origins of the site lie before AD 600,
at least at the city of Shrestrapura, where
archaeological research has produced
evidence of pre-Angkorian times (until
c. AD 900). The development of the site as
a whole, however, was intimately bound up
with the origin, development and zenith of
the Khmer Empire between the seventh and
twelfth centuries. Two planned cities on the
banks of the Mekong River are also part of
the site, as well as Phou Kao mountain.
Vat Phou was shaped
to express the Hindu
vision of the
relationship between
nature and humanity,
using an axis from
mountain top to river
bank to lay out a
geometric pattern of
temples, shrines and
waterworks extending
over some 10 km.
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
ASIA
680 old ci ty of acre
World Heritage site since
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Old City of Acre
Israel
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
Acre is an exceptional port-historic town
that preserves the substantial remains of the
medieval Crusader buildings beneath the
existing Ottoman fortified town which dates
from the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. The remains of the Crusader
town, dating from 11041291, lie almost
intact, both above and below todays street
level, providing an exceptional picture of the
layout and structures of the capital of the
medieval Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem.
During the two centuries of Crusader rule,
Acre symbolized, better than any other city,
the interchange between eastern and
western cultures. New neighbourhoods
such as Monmizar to the north were built
and Acre was given a new double city wall.
What remains today is a remarkable mixture
of cultural elements from every period of
Acres eventful history between the eleventh
and twentieth centuries.
Destroyed in the
sixteenth century,
Acre was a deserted
ghost town until
reconstruction began
in the mid-eighteenth
century, under Daher
El Amar and later El
Jazar, who rebuilt the
port and fortications.
Enjoying renewed
economic expansion
in the nineteenth
century, wealthy
merchants settled
there, building grand
mansions in the eastern
neoclassical style.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
World Heritage site since
Cerrado Protected Areas:
Chapada dos Veadeiros and
Emas National Parks
Brazil
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The two sites included in the designated
area contain flora and fauna and key
habitats that characterize the Cerrado
one of the worlds oldest and most diverse
tropical ecosystems. For millennia, these
sites have served as refuge for several
species during periods of climate change
and will be vital for maintaining the
biodiversity of the Cerrado region during
future climate fluctuations.
Comprising the
Chapada dos
Veadeiros and the
Emas National Parks
the area is home to
many threatened and
endemic species,
while mammals
include giant anteater,
giant armadillo,
maned wolf, jaguar
and pampas deer.
Wild giant anteater.
Tugendhat Villa in Brno
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Tugendhat Villa in Brno is a masterpiece
of the Modern Movement in architecture in
Europe in the 1920s. Its particular value lies
in the way the German architect Mies van
der Rohe (18861969) applied the radical
new concepts of the movement to the
design of residential buildings and made
extensive use of modern industrial
capabilities. The architect designed original
furniture specifically for this house, such as
the steel and leather Tugendhat chair.
The back wall of the living area is made
from beautiful onyx, brought from the
Atlas Mountains and processed on site.
The mechanical equipment designed and
built for the house was also exceptional,
including electrically operated large steel-
frame windows, central heating and an
air-conditioning system with a regulated
fine-spray humidifying chamber.
The house lost most of
its original furniture
and suffered some
damage after it was
taken over by the
German State in 1939.
The Tugendhat Villa
Fund was established
in 1993 and a scientific
restoration of the
building took place.
chapada dos veadei ros and emas nati onal parks | tugendhat vi lla i n brno 681
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
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AMERICA
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682 hi stori c centre of gui mares | lamu old town
World Heritage site since
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Historic Centre of
Guimares
Portugal
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The historic town of Guimares is associated
with the emergence of Portuguese national
identity in the twelfth century. It is an
exceptionally well-preserved town illustrating
the evolution of particular building types
from the medieval settlement to the
present-day city. The historic centre is
formed by a large number of stone
constructions (9501498). The period from
Renaissance to neoclassicism is characterized
by noble houses and the development of
civic facilities, city squares, etc. The residential
buildings make use of two construction
techniques, a half-timbered one (taipa de
rodzio) dating from before the sixteenth
century, and another from the nineteenth
century (taipa de fasquio) that uses timber
alone. Despite some changes during the
modern period, the town has maintained
its medieval urban layout.
Guimares is of
particular signicance
by virtue of the fact
that the specialized
building techniques
developed there in
the Middle Ages
were transmitted to
Portuguese colonies
in Africa and the
New World, becoming
their characteristic
feature.
Lamu Old Town
Kenya
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Lamu Old Town is the oldest and best-
preserved Swahili settlement in east Africa,
retaining its traditional functions. Built in
coral stone and mangrove timber, the town
is characterized by the simplicity of
structural forms enriched by such features
as inner courtyards, verandas, and
elaborately carved wooden doors. Lamu has
hosted major Muslim religious festivals
since the nineteenth century, and has
become a significant centre for the study of
Islamic and Swahili cultures.
The architecture and
urban structure of
Lamu graphically
demonstrate the
cultural influences
that have come
together there over
several centuries from
Europe, Arabia and
India, utilizing
traditional Swahili
techniques to produce
a distinct culture.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
World Heritage site since
mi naret and archaeologi cal remai ns of j am 683
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Minaret and Archaeological
Remains of Jam
Afghanistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Minaret of Jam is a graceful, soaring
structure, dating back to the twelfth century,
believed to have been built to commemorate
a major victory of the sultans of the Ghurid
dynasty. Rising to 65 m from a 9-m-diameter
octagonal base, its four tapering cylindrical
shafts are constructed of fired brick bonded
with lime mortar. The exterior of the minaret
is completely covered with geometric
decoration in relief laid over the plain
structural bricks. The first cylinder is the
most decorated: it is divided into eight
vertical segments, matching those of the
base. Each vertical zone has a narrow band
of inscriptions running in an unbroken line
around each panel. It is an outstanding
example of Islamic architecture and
ornamentation in this region and played
a significant role in their further dissemination.
The remains of castles and towers
of the Ghurid settlement are to be
found on the opposite bank of the
Hari River, north of the minaret
and high on the cliff. There are also
the remains of fortications visible
to the east of the minaret,
suggesting that the minaret was
surrounded not by a settlement
but by a military camp.
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
The 65-km-stretch of the Middle Rhine
Valley, with its castles, historic towns, and
vineyards, graphically illustrates the long
history of human involvement with a dramatic
and varied natural landscape. It is intimately
associated with history and legend, and for
centuries has exercised a powerful influence
on writers, artists and composers.
The river breaks through the Rhenish Slate
Mountains, connecting the broad floodplain
of the Oberrheingraben with the lowland
basin of the Lower Rhine. At the 5-km-long
Bingen Gate the Rhine enters the upper
canyon stretch of the river; here, the
vineyards of the Rdesheimer Berg are
among the best in the Rheingau. In the
15-km-long Bacharach valley, the small town
of Lorch is lined with terraced vineyards,
while Bacharach contains many timber-
framed houses and retains its medieval
appearance. Kaub and its environs contain
a number of monuments, including the
town wall, the Pfalzgrafenstein castle and
terraced vineyards created in the Middle
Ages. Oberwesel has preserved some fine
early houses, two Gothic churches, the
medieval Schnburg castle, and the town wall.
The valley landscape begins to change at
Oberwesel with the transition from soft
clay-slates to hard sandstone. The result is
a series of narrows, the most famous of
which is the Lorelei. This stretch of river was
once hazardous for shipping and is reputed
to be the place where the fabulous treasure
of the Niebelungs lies hidden. On the right
bank of the river is St Goarshausen, with its
castle of Neu-Katzenelnbogen. The design
of the fortress of Burg Reichenberg
suggests that it may have been inspired by
Crusader fortresses in Syria and Palestine.
Bad Salzig on the left bank marks the
beginning of the section of horseshoe-
shaped bends known as the Boppard Loops.
Boppard originated as a Roman way-
station and fort. Beyond is Osterspai which
has merged into one town with Niederspay.
Together they contain more timber-framed
houses than anywhere else on the Middle
Rhine. On the left bank, Rhens is where the
German Emperors were enthroned after
their election and coronation.
The fortress of Marksburg, the only
surviving medieval fortification on the
Middle Rhine, towers above Braubach. The
castle of Stolzenfels was restored in 1835 by
the Prussians, while at Koblenz is the New
Castle, the first and most important
classicist building in the Rhineland.
The Rhine Valley at
Oberwesel.
As one of the most
important transport
routes in Europe, the
Middle Rhine Valley
has facilitated the
exchange of culture
between the
Mediterranean region
and the north for two
millennia. It is an
outstanding organic
cultural landscape
and an excellent
example of an
evolving traditional
way of life and means
of communication in
a narrow river valley.
The terracing of its
steep slopes in
particular has shaped
the landscape.
However, this form
of land use is under
threat from todays
socio-economic
pressures.
684 upper mi ddle rhi ne valley
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
686 tokaj wi ne regi on hi stori c cultural landscape
World Heritage site since
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1979
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Tokaj Wine Region Historic
Cultural Landscape
Hungary
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The cultural landscape of Tokaj graphically
demonstrates the long tradition of wine
production in this region of low hills and
river valleys. The intricate pattern of
vineyards, farms, villages, and small towns,
with their historic networks of deep wine
cellars, illustrates every facet of the
production of the famous Tokaj wines.
The name Tokaj is derived from an
Armenian word for grape that came into
the Hungarian language as early as the
tenth century, thus giving a date for the
creation of the settlement. It was during
the Ottoman period that the Tokaji Aszu,
for which the region became world famous,
was first produced. Legend has it that fears
of Turkish raiders delayed the harvest until
the grapes had shrivelled and botrytis
infection had set in, thereby creating the
noble rot (pourriture noble) for which the
wine is renowned.
The most characteristic
structures in Tokaj are
the wine cellars. There
are two basic types:
the vaulted and the
excavated. Of special
interest are the multi-
level labyrinthine cellars
with unsystematic oor
plans. The most famous
is the cellar network
in the Ungvari district
of Satoraljaujhely,
the result of
interconnecting no
fewer than twenty-
seven cellars at
different levels.
The town of Tokaj.
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
anci ent maya ci ty of calakmul, campeche | hi stori c i nner ci ty of paramari bo 687
World Heritage site since
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Ancient Maya City of
Calakmul, Campeche
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The archaeological site is set deep in the
tropical forest of the Tierras Bajas of
southern Mexico, within the Calakmul
Biosphere Reserve, which was created in
1989 and is the largest in Mexico. Calakmul
has a very well-preserved series of
monuments representative of Maya
architectural, artistic and urban
development. These imposing structures
and the intervening large public spaces
create a vivid picture of life in an ancient
Maya capital. The site is one of the most
ancient in the region: buildings in the sites
central zone indicate continuous
occupation over some twelve centuries, and
analysis of the complex iconography of a
frieze shows that this antedates similar
structures from Uaxactn and El Mirador,
which were hitherto believed to be the
oldest in the area.
Calakmul is especially
noteworthy for the
large number (120 to
date) of stelae that
have been found on
the site. These are vital
in establishing the
history of the ancient
city and in throwing
light on the ancient
Maya culture. The
decorative sculpture
and reliefs on the
stelae are artistically of
a high order. Two
exceptional massive
circular carved stones
are particularly
renowned for their
quality and rarity in
the Mayan context.
Historic Inner City of
Paramaribo
Suriname
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
Paramaribo is a former Dutch colonial town
from the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries located on the northern coast of
tropical South America. The original and
highly characteristic street plan of the
historic centre remains intact. Its buildings
illustrate the gradual fusion of Dutch
architectural influence with traditional local
techniques and materials. The layout of the
Inner City consists of a main axis stretching
northwest behind Fort Zeelandia (the group
of public buildings here is the central
ensemble in the town plan), with streets
crossing at right angles. To the north of Fort
Zeelandia is the large public park known as
the Garden of Palms. The wide streets and
the public open spaces are tree-lined, giving
a serene and spacious townscape.
The larger public
buildings, such as Fort
Zeelandia, the
Presidential Palace,
the Ministry of
Finance, the Reformed
Church, and the
Roman Catholic
cathedral, were built
from stone and brick
in traditional Dutch
style. Increasingly
however, over time,
they incorporated
native elements. Thus,
the ground oor of
the Presidential Palace
is of stone but its
upper storeys are of
wood.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Gulf of
Mexico
World Heritage site since
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St Catherine Area
Egypt
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine
stands at the foot of Mount Horeb, of the
Old Testament, where Moses received the
Tablets of the Law. The entire area is sacred
to three world religions: Christianity, Islam,
and Judaism. Ascetic monasticism in remote
areas prevailed in the early Christian church
and resulted in the establishment of
monastic communities in such places.
St Catherines Monastery is one of the
earliest of these, and the oldest to have
survived intact, having been used for its
initial function without interruption since
the sixth century. Its walls and buildings are
very significant in the study of Byzantine
architecture and the monastery houses
outstanding collections of early Christian
manuscripts and icons.
The Christian
communities of
St Catherines
Monastery have
always maintained
close relations with
Islam. In 623 a
document signed by
the Prophet himself
exempted the monks
of St Catherines from
military service and
tax and called upon
Muslims to give them
every help. As a
reciprocal gesture the
monastic community
permitted the
conversion of a chapel,
within the walled
enceinte, to a mosque.
Mahabodhi Temple
Complex at Bodh Gaya
India
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Significance
in human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is one of
the four holy sites related to the life of the
Lord Buddha (566486 BC) as the place
where, in 531 BC, he attained the supreme
and perfect insight while seated under the
Bodhi Tree. It provides exceptional records
for the events associated with his life and for
subsequent worship, particularly since
Emperor Asoka made a pilgrimage to this
spot around 260 BC and built the first temple
at the site of the Bodhi Tree. The present
temple dates from the fifth or sixth
centuries and is one of the earliest Buddhist
temples built entirely in brick still standing
in India.
The most important
of the sacred places is
the giant Bodhi Tree
(cus religiosa). This
tree is to the west of
the main temple and
is supposed to be a
direct descendant of
the original Bodhi
Tree under which the
Buddha spent his First
Week and where he
had his enlightenment.
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
688 st catheri ne area | mahabodhi temple complex at bodh gaya
Historic Centres of
Stralsund and Wismar
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The medieval towns of Stralsund and
Wismar, on the Baltic coast of northern
Germany, were major trading centres of the
Hanseatic League in the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries. In the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries they became Swedish
administrative and defensive centres for the
German territories.
Stralsund led the way in developing a
particular form of construction, an
independent architectural language
identified as Sundische Gothik. The
fourteenth-century town hall is the most
eloquent expression of this style. Building
activities continued throughout the
Renaissance and several civic constructions
reflect the architectural forms of the
Renaissance, Baroque and neoclassical
periods while respecting the original
medieval rhythm. The sumptuous Wismar
Frstenhof is a good example of these
remarkable buildings.
Wismar was originally
surrounded by moats,
but these were lled
on the landward side.
The medieval port on
the north side has
been largely preserved.
Stralsund was built on
an island slightly oval
in shape. The overall
form and silhouette
of the town have been
particularly well
preserved as a result.
690 hi stori c centres of stralsund and wi smar | late baroque towns of the val di noto
World Heritage site since
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Late Baroque Towns of
the Val di Noto
(South-Eastern Sicily)
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The eight towns in southeastern Sicily
Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania,
Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa
and Scicli were all rebuilt after 1693 on or
beside towns existing at the time of the
earthquake in that year. They represent
a considerable collective undertaking,
successfully carried out at a high level of
architectural and artistic achievement.
This group of Sicilian
towns represents the
culmination and nal
owering of Baroque
art in Europe and
depicts distinctive
innovations in town
planning and urban
building. The
exceptional quality
and homogeneity of
the art and architecture
in the Val di Noto
towns is a direct result
of rebuilding after the
1693 earthquake.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Baroque church in
Modica.
World Heritage site since
takht-e soleyman 691
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1980
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Takht-e Soleyman
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The archaeological site of Takht-e
Soleyman, in northwestern Iran, is situated
in a valley set in a volcanic mountain region.
The site includes the principal Zoroastrian
sanctuary partly rebuilt in the Ilkhanid
Mongol period (thirteenth century) as well
as a temple of the Sassanian period (sixth
and seventh centuries) dedicated to Anahita.
The composition and the architectural
elements created there by the Sassanians
have exerted a strong influence not only in
the development of religious architecture
in the Islamic period, but also in other
cultures. The ensemble represents an
outstanding example of a Zoroastrian
sanctuary integrated with Sassanian
palatial architecture, and is a unique
testimony to the Zoroastrian fire and water
cult that lasted for more than two-and-a-
half millennia.
Takht-e Soleyman
is an outstanding
ensemble of royal
architecture. The
archaeological
heritage of the site is
further enriched by
the Sassanian town,
which is still to be
excavated.
Azar Goshnab Fire
Temple at Takht-e
Soleyman.
692 royal botani c gardens, kew
World Heritage site since
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Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Since their creation in 1759, the Royal
Botanic Gardens of Kew have made a
significant contribution to the study of plant
diversity, and this is reflected in the richness
of the collections housed there. The first
botanic garden at Kew was originally for
medicinal plants. Later, internationally
renowned architects such as William
Chambers and Capability Brown not
only created many new edifices, but also
remodelled the earlier Baroque gardens to
make a pastoral landscape in the English
style, establishing a fashion that then spread
throughout Europe. The landscape garden
designed by William Nesfield and the iron
and glass structure, the Palm House, at its
centre is one of the outstanding features
of Kew. As the number of visitors increased,
the scientific collections were enriched and
glasshouses and spaces were altered to
house living plant collections.
Kews exceptional living collections
exemplify the European tradition
of collecting and cultivating exotic
plants for aesthetic, scientic and
economic purposes. This tradition
has also led to recording and
monitoring of the very rich local
biodiversity for over 120 years,
including an outstanding range
of birds, insects, lichens and fungi;
some of the latter have proved to
be new to science.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
The Palm House.
mapungubwe cultural landscape | uvs nuur basi n 693
World Heritage site since
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Uvs Nuur Basin
Mongolia and Russian
Federation
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Uvs Nuur Basin covers 10, 689 km
2
and
is the northernmost of the enclosed basins
of central Asia. It takes its name from Uvs
Nuur, a large, shallow and very saline lake,
important for migrating birds, waterfowl
and seabirds. The site is made up of twelve
protected areas representing the major
biomes of eastern Eurasia. The steppe
ecosystem supports a rich diversity of birds
and the desert is home to a number of rare
gerbil, jerboas and the marbled polecat.
The mountains are an important refuge for
the globally endangered snow leopard,
mountain sheep (argali) and the Asiatic ibex.
Uvs is the sea of
western Mongolia;
it is frequented by
a range of seabirds,
even though the
nearest ocean is
3,000 km away.
The Uvs Nuur basin
has an extraordinary
temperature range;
the lowest winter
temperature in
western Mongolia
(-58 C) has been
recorded here but
summer temperatures
can rise to 40 C.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Uvs Nuur from space.
Mapungubwe Cultural
Landscape
South Africa
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Mapungubwe is set hard against the
northern border of South Africa, joining
Zimbabwe and Botswana. It is an open,
expansive savanna landscape at the
confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe
rivers. Mapungubwe developed into the
largest kingdom in the sub-continent
before it was abandoned in the fourteenth
century. What survives are the almost
untouched remains of the palace sites and
also the entire settlement area dependent
upon them, as well as two earlier capital
sites. The whole presents an unrivalled
picture of the development of social and
political structures over some 400 years.
At its height,
Mapungubwe was the
largest and wealthiest
kingdom in southern
Africa through its
trade of rich natural
resources with Arabia,
India and China. Its
dominance and
prosperity were ended
by drastic climatic
cooling in the
fourteenth century.
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
The White City of Tel-Aviv
The Modern Movement
Israel
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 and developed
as a metropolitan city under the British
Mandate in Palestine. The White City was
constructed from the early 1930s until the
1950s, based on the urban plan by Sir Patrick
Geddes, reflecting modern organic
planning principles. The buildings were
designed by architects who were trained in
Europe where they practised their
profession before immigrating. They
created an outstanding architectural
ensemble of the Modern Movement in
a new cultural context.
Tel Aviv was conceived
as a garden city, and
its buildings reflect
influences from the
Bauhaus, Le Corbusier
and Erich Mendelsohn
adapted for local
conditions. The large
glazed surfaces of
European buildings,
for example, are
reduced to relatively
small, strip window
openings, more
suitable for the hot
climate.
694 whi te ci ty of tel-avi v | rock shelters of bhi mbetka
World Heritage site since
Rock Shelters of
Bhimbetka
India
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka are in the
foothills of the Vindhyan Mountains on the
southern edge of the central Indian plateau.
Within massive sandstone outcrops, above
comparatively dense forest, are five clusters
of natural rock shelters, displaying paintings
that appear to date from the Mesolithic
Period right through to the historical period.
The cultural traditions of the inhabitants of
the twenty-one villages adjacent to the site
bear a strong resemblance to those
represented in the rock paintings.
Bhimbetka reflects
a long interaction
between the people
and the landscape.
It is closely associated
with a hunter-
gatherer economy,
as demonstrated both
in the rock art and in
the relics of this
tradition in the local
Adivasi villages nearby.
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Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Hotel Cinema is a
renovated cinema built
in the international
style.
South
China
Sea
Sacri Monti of Piedmont
and Lombardy
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The nine Sacri Monti (Sacred Mountains)
of northern Italy are groups of chapels
and other architectural features created
mostly in the late sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries and dedicated to different aspects
of the Christian faith. In addition to their
symbolic spiritual value, they are skilfully
integrated into the surrounding natural
landscape of hills, forests and lakes. They
also house much important artistic material
in the form of wall paintings and statuary.
The earliest Sacro Monte is the New
Jerusalem of Varallo. Work began in the last
decade of the fteenth century to construct
a series of chapels on a rocky pass overlooking
the small town of Varallo. The chapels
contain statues and frescoes illustrating
various sites of biblical signicance.
The phenomenon
of Sacri Monti was
conceived with the
intention of creating,
in Europe, places of
prayer and devotion
intended as alternatives
to the Holy Places in
Jerusalem and the
Holy Land, to which
access for pilgrims
was difcult.
Gebel Barkal and the Sites
of the Napatan Region
Sudan
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
Gebel Barkal and the other sites bear
exceptional testimony to the Napatan,
Merotic and Kushite civilizations that existed
along the Nile between 900 BC and AD 600.
The Amun temple at Gebel Barkal is a main
centre of what was once an almost universal
religion and, together with the other sites,
represents the revival of Egyptian religious
values. Tombs, with and without pyramids,
temples, living complexes and palaces, are
spread throughout the 60 km site. Many
of the temples are beautifully decorated
and have carved hieroglyphic inscriptions.
The largest temples are still considered by
the local people as sacred places. There are
thirty explored tombs, accessible by stairs,
but Gebel Barkal still has vast archaeological
areas that have neither been excavated
nor studied.
Many differences
exist between
these pyramids and
their more famous
Egyptian models.
Unlike the larger
Egyptian pyramids,
which were built to
enclose and hide
the burial chamber,
the Napatan ones
are commemorative
monuments to the
deceased, buried in a
hypogeum underneath.
In front of the pyramid
a small temple was
built for offerings.
sacri monti of pi edmont and lombardy | gebel barkal and the napatan regi on 695
World Heritage site since
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1982
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Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Historic Quarter of the
Seaport City of Valparaso
Chile
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The colonial city of Valparaso, the second
largest in Chile, presents an excellent
example of late-nineteenth-century urban
and architectural development in Latin
America. The geography of Valparaso
consists of a bay, a narrow coastal plain and
a series of hills. In this natural amphitheatre-
like setting, the city is characterized by
a vernacular urban fabric adapted to the
hillsides that are dotted with a great variety
of church spires. The architecture of
La Matrz Church (1842), Valparasos
founding church, although rebuilt four
times after destruction by pirates and
earthquakes, is typical of the transition
between colonial and republican styles. It is
surrounded by late-nineteenth-century
buildings, typical of the seaport architecture.
To ease movement
up and down its steep
hillsides, Valparaso
used to have as many
as thirty elevators.
The oldest of these,
the Concepcin
Elevator, was
inaugurated in 1883.
Generally, they have
two wooden or metal
cars, moving
simultaneously in
opposite directions.
They are mounted on
a platform to which the
wheels are attached.
696 hi stori c quarter of the ci ty of valpara so | matobo hi lls
World Heritage site since
Matobo Hills
Zimbabwe
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Matobo Hills have one of the highest
concentrations of rock art in southern
Africa. The rich evidence from archaeology
and from the rock paintings at Matobo
provide a detailed picture of foraging
societies in the Stone Age and the
agricultural societies that replaced them.
The area exhibits a profusion of distinctive
rock landforms rising above the granite
shield that covers much of Zimbabwe.
These boulders, cliff faces and natural caves
feature an outstanding collection of rock
paintings. The earlier paintings, dating back
at least 13,000 years, are naturalistic
interpretations of people, animals and trees.
They are associated with hunting and
gathering and are mostly executed using
a red ochre pigment. The later paintings,
associated with farming communities,
used white pigment from kaolin or quartz.
Much of the art is
impressionistic in that
the figures have
distorted bodily
proportions to convey
a sense of movement,
or a large size to
convey importance.
In many sites there are
layers of paintings
superimposed one on
top of the other.
Images in the later
paintings also appear
to display a complex
cosmology linked to
religious beliefs.
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Ashur (Qalat Sherqat)
Iraq
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The ancient city of Ashur is located on the
Tigris River in northern Mesopotamia in
a specific geo-ecological zone, at the
borderline between rain-fed and irrigation
agriculture. The city dates back to the third
millennium BC. From the fourteenth to the
ninth centuries BC it was the first capital of
the Assyrian Empire, a city-state and trading
platform of international importance. It also
served as the religious capital of the Assyrians,
associated with the god Ashur. The city was
destroyed by the Babylonians, but revived
during the Parthian period in the first and
second centuries AD.
The excavated remains
of Ashur provide an
outstanding record of
the evolution of
building practice from
the Sumerian and
Akkadian period
through to the
Assyrian empire.
Artistic objects from
the city are on display
in the major
museums of the
world.
Renaissance Monumental
Ensembles of beda and
Baeza
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The central areas of beda and Baeza
constitute outstanding early examples of
Renaissance civic architecture and urban
planning in Spain in the early sixteenth
century. The two small towns, some 10 km
apart, are located between the regions of
Castile and Andalusia. Being on the frontier
of the two regions, they have assumed
a character of contrasts, which is reflected
in the urban fabric that is of Arabic and
Andalusian origin along with more northern
influences. Both towns prospered for a time
in the sixteenth century and have survived
until the present day. The urban functions
of the towns are distributed so that Baezas
public, ecclesiastic and educational
buildings complement bedas aristocratic
and palace buildings to form a Renaissance
urban scheme of high architectural quality.
In its general
character Baeza
resembles beda,
with its spontaneously
grown urban layout
and the winding
narrow streets. The
most representative
buildings of Baeza are
situated in an axis
starting from the
Plaza de Santa Mara
and running through
the steep Cuesta de
San Felipe down to
the Cauelo Gate.
ashur | beda and baeza 697
World Heritage site since
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1982
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Caspian Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean
Sea
Citadel, Ancient City and
Fortress Buildings of
Derbent
Russian Federation
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
The ancient city of Derbent has been crucial
for the control of the north-south passage
on the western side of the Caspian Sea
since the rst millennium BC. The defences
built by the Sassanians in the fth century
AD were in continuous use by the Persian,
Arabic, Mongol and Timurid governments
for some fteen centuries. The Defence
Walls extend some 3.6 km from the Caspian
Sea up to the citadel on the mountain.
There are two parallel walls (north and
south) 300400 m from each other. The
city was built between these walls. The wall
then continues over the mountains 40 km
to the west, as well as extending 500 m into
the sea, to protect the harbour. The site was
strategically important until the nineteenth
century.
The citys location
forms a natural pass
the Caspian Gates
between the Caucasian
foothills and the
sea, so for centuries
it was in a position
to control trafc
between Europe and
the Middle East.
698 anci ent ci ty of derbent | kunta ki nteh i sland
World Heritage site since
Kunta Kinteh Island and
Related Sites
The Gambia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
Kunta Kinteh Island and the related sites
on the Gambia River provide exceptional
testimony to the different facets of the
African-European encounter, from the
fteenth to the twentieth centuries. The
river formed the rst trade route into the
interior of Africa and became an early
corridor for the slave trade. The property
consists of seven separate sites, all of
which were directly associated with the
slave trade: the whole of Kunta Kinteh
Island, the remains of a Portuguese chapel
and a colonial warehouse in the village of
Albreda, the Maurel Frres Building in the
village of Juffureh, the remains of the small
Portuguese settlement of San Domingo, as
well as Fort Bullen and the Six-Gun Battery.
The original
structures on
Kunta Kinteh Island
comprise the fort,
the slave house, the
governors kitchen,
the blacksmiths shop
and a store, all now
in ruins. The fort is
situated in the middle
of this low island
and is vulnerable to
ooding by the tidal
waters.
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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
EUROPE
World Heritage site since
purnululu nati onal park 699
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Purnululu National Park
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
The 2,397 km
2
Purnululu National Park is
located in the Kimberley region in the far
north of the state of Western Australia.
It is particularly notable for the Bungle
Bungle Range, one of the most extensive
and impressive occurrences of sandstone
tower karst in the world. Devonian-age
quartz sandstone has been eroded over
a period of twenty million years into a series
of beehive-shaped towers or cones amid
sheer-sided gorges 100200 m deep.
The towers surfaces are distinctly marked
by regular horizontal bands of dark-grey
cyanobacterial crust single-celled
photosynthetic organisms. These
outstanding examples of cone karst owe
their existence and uniqueness to several
interacting geological, biological, erosional
and climatic phenomena.
The park comprises
four major
ecosystems: the
Bungle Bungle
Mountain Range, a
deeply dissected
plateau that
dominates the centre
of the park; wide sand
plains surrounding
the Bungle Bungles;
the Ord River valley to
the east and south of
the park; and
limestone ridges and
ranges to the west and
north of the park.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Sandstone tower karst in the Bungle Bungle Range.
Three Parallel Rivers of
Yunnan Protected Areas
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Significant ecological
and biological processes; Significant natural
habitat for biodiversity
The Protected Areas within the boundaries
of the Three Parallel Rivers National Park
comprise a 17,000-km
2
site that features
sections of the upper reaches of three of the
great rivers of Asia: the Yangtze ( Jinsha), the
Mekong and the Salween. The rivers run
roughly parallel, north to south for over
300 km, through steep gorges which, in
places, are 3,000 m deep and bordered by
glaciated peaks more than 6,000 m high.
The site is an epicentre of Chinese
biodiversity. It is also one of the richest
temperate regions of the world in terms
of biodiversity.
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected
Areas is situated in the mountainous
northwest of Yunnan Province in south-
central China. The site consists of fifteen
protected areas in eight geographical
clusters and extends 310 km from north to
south and 180 km from east to west.
The World Heritage site lies over four
parallel mountain ranges that reach in
excess of 4,000 m above sea level. The
ranges are part of the Hengduan Mountains
which have been corrugated and uplifted by
the pressures of crustal folding.
The land area encompassed by Three
Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
is one of the worlds least-disturbed
temperate ecological areas, an epicentre of
Chinese endemic species and a natural gene
pool of great richness. It supports the
richest diversity of higher plants of China,
owing to its altitudinal range and its
position in a climatic corridor between
north and south. It includes the equivalents
of seven climatic zones: southern, central
and northern subtropical zones, with dry hot
valleys; warm, cool and cold temperate
zones; and cold zones.
Owing to its function as a refuge during
the last Ice Age and its location near the
boundaries of three major biogeographic
realms (east Asia, southeast Asia and the
Tibetan plateau), the park has twenty-two
vegetation subtypes and 6,000 plant
species. The fauna is a complex mosaic of
Palaearctic, oriental and endemic species
adapted to almost all the inland climates
from southern subtropical to frigid. The area
is believed to support over 25 per cent of
Chinas animal species, many being relict
and endangered.
Snow-capped
Baimang Snow
Mountain between the
Yangtze and Mekong
rivers.
The site is dominated
by a composite
orogenic belt that
shows the signs of
powerful crustal
movements. Notable
is the compression of
the Eurasian plate
edge by the
underlying Indian
plate. The resulting
squeeze created vast
thrust nappes, violent
shearing and uplift
into high mountains,
through which pre-
existing rivers
continue to cut,
resulting in the areas
characteristic extreme
vertical relief.
Alpine landscapes and
their evolution are
represented in the
eastern mountains,
where plateaus and
valleys are covered
with meadows,
waterfalls, streams
and hundreds of lakes
left by glacial erosion.
700 three parallel ri vers of yunnan protected areas
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
702 wooden churches of southern maopolska
World Heritage site since
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Wooden Churches of
Southern Maopolska
Poland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
The wooden churches of southern
Maopolska represent outstanding
examples of medieval church-building
traditions in Roman Catholic culture.
Built using the horizontal log technique,
common in eastern and northern Europe
since the Middle Ages, these churches
offered an alternative to the stone structures
erected in urban centres. Churches have
been of particular signicance in the
development of Polish wooden architecture,
and an essential element of settlement
structures, both as landmarks and as
ideological symbols. They were an outward
sign of the cultural identity of communities,
reecting the artistic and social aspirations
of their patrons and creators. The six sites
in southern Maopolska represent different
aspects of these developments.
The Church of
Archangel Michael
of Szalowa, built in
17361756, differs from
the others because
of its architectural
form, although the
same construction
techniques were used.
The church has a nave
and two aisles, and is
built in basilica form.
The extremely rich
polychrome decoration
and ttings date from
the eighteenth century.
The Church of St Philip
and St James the
Apostles (Sekowa).
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Franciscan Missions in the
Sierra Gorda of Quertaro
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The five Franciscan missions of Sierra Gorda
were built during the last phase of the
conversion to Christianity of the interior of
Mexico in the mid-eighteenth century and
became an important reference for the
continuation of the evangelisation of
California, Arizona and Texas. Each mission
had to erect the church, find the natives,
subdue them, and then group them in huts
around the church. The missionaries had to
learn the native language, supply the
population with food, teach them how to
behave, and only then evangelise them.
The richly decorated church faades are
of special interest as they represent an
example of the joint creative efforts of the
missionaries and the native Indios. The rural
settlements that grew around the missions
have retained their vernacular character.
The architecture of
the missions follows
a similar pattern and
generally includes an
atrium, sacramental
doorway, open chapel,
processional chapels
and a cloister. All five
missions share similar
elements in relation
to their environment,
the town and the
religious buildings.
franci scan mi ssi ons i n the si erra gorda of quertaro | bami yan valley 703
World Heritage site since
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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the
Bamiyan Valley
Afghanistan
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Testimony to cultural tradition; Significance
in human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The cultural landscape and archaeological
remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the
artistic and religious developments which,
from the first to the thirteenth centuries,
characterized ancient Bakhtria, integrating
various cultural influences into the Gandhara
school of Buddhist art. The area contains
numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles
and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices
from the Islamic period. The site is also
testimony to the tragic destruction by the
Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues
in March 2001.
The Bamiyan Valley is
a high pass (2,500 m)
that formed one of
the branches of the
Silk Road. Its beautiful
landscape is associated
with legendary figures
which contributed to
its development as a
major religious and
cultural centre.
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
One of the Buddha
statues destroyed
in 2001.
Monte San Giorgio
Italy and Switzerland
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The pyramid-shaped, wooded mountain
1,096 m above sea level, to the south of Lake
Lugano, is regarded as the best fossil record
of marine life from the Triassic Period,
245230 million years ago. The sequence
records life in a tropical lagoon
environment, sheltered and partially
separated from the open sea by an offshore
reef. Diverse marine life flourished within
this lagoon, including reptiles, fish, bivalves,
ammonites, echinoderms and crustaceans.
The site was extended in 2010 to the Italian
side of the border with its exceptionally
important Triassic marine fossil record.
Fossils from the
mountain have been
known to science for
over 150 years. The
vertebrate material
includes particularly
spectacular
specimens, with
articulated skeletons
up to 6 m in length.
The sites record of
marine life during a
critical period in
vertebrate evolution
on Earth provides a
global reference point
for comparative
studies of evolution.
704 monte san gi orgi o | j ewi sh quarter and st procopi us basi li ca i n treb c
World Heritage site since
Jewish Quarter and
St Procopius Basilica
in Tr ebc
Czech Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The ensemble of the Jewish Quarter, the old
Jewish cemetery and the Basilica of
St Procopius in Tr ebc, are reminders of
the co-existence of Jewish and Christian
cultures from the Middle Ages to the
twentieth century. The Jewish Quarter bears
outstanding testimony to the different
aspects of the life of this community.
The area has preserved all essential social
functions, including synagogues and
schools, as well as a leather factory.
St Procopius Basilica is situated in a good
position on the hill with a view over the
whole of Tr ebc. Built in the thirteenth
century as a monastic church, it is a mixture
of Romanesque and early Gothic styles and
presents a remarkable example of the
influence of western European architectural
heritage in this region.
The Jewish Quarter
rises up the hillside
from the river to
which its two main
streets are linked by
small mediaeval
alleys; some of these
run through the
houses. All the Jewish
residents were
deported during the
Second World War.
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Monte San Giorgio
on Lake Lugano.
EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
quebrada de humahuaca 705
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Quebrada de Humahuaca
Argentina
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
Quebrada de Humahuaca follows the line
of a major cultural route, the Camino Inca,
along the spectacular valley of the Rio
Grande, from its source in the cold High
Andean desert plateau to its confluence with
the Rio Leone some 150 km to the south.
The valley shows substantial evidence of its
use as a major trade route over the past
10,000 years. Scattered along the valley are
extensive remains of successive settlements
whose inhabitants created and used these
linear routes. It features visible traces of
prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities,
of the Inca Empire (fifteenthsixteenth
centuries) and of the fight for independence
in the sixteenth and twentieth centuries.
Of particular note are
the extensive remains
of stone-walled
agricultural terraced
elds at Coctaca,
thought to have
originated around
1,500 years ago and still
in use today. The eld
system makes a
dramatic impact on
the landscape that is
unrivalled in South
America.
Seven Colours
Mountain in Quebrada
de Humahuaca.
Pacic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA Atlantic
Ocean
Phong Nha-Ke Bang
National Park
Vietnam
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang
National Park has evolved since the
Palaeozoic era, some 400 million years ago,
and is the oldest major karst area in Asia.
Subject to massive tectonic changes, the
parks karst landscape is extremely complex
with many geomorphic features of
considerable significance. The vast area,
extending to the border with the Lao
Peoples Democratic Republic, contains
spectacular formations including 65 km of
caves and underground rivers. The Phong
Nha Cave is the most famous in the system,
with a currently surveyed length of 44.5 km.
Its entrance is part of an underground
river and tour boats can penetrate inside to
a distance of 1,500 m. Other extensive caves
include the Vom cave and the Hang Khe
Rhy cave.
Some 92 per cent of the park is
covered by tropical forest. A total of
568 vertebrate species have been
recorded in the site, comprising
113 mammals, 81 reptiles and
amphibians, 302 birds and 72 fish.
The site is particularly rich in
primates, with ten species and
subspecies forming 45 per cent of
the total number of species in
Vietnam.
706 phong nha-ke bang nati onal park
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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Pacic
Ocean ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Stalactites and pillar formations in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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Mausoleum of Khoja
Ahmed Yasawi
Kazakhstan
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi,
a distinguished Sufi master of the twelfth
century, is situated in the city of Turkestan
(Yasi) in southern Kazakhstan. The
mausoleum is in the area of the former
citadel, in the northeastern part of the
ancient town, now an open archaeological
site. To the south is a nature protection area;
on the other sides the modern city of
Turkestan surrounds the site.
The mausoleum was built at the time of
Timur (Tamerlane), from 1389 to 1405. In this
partly unfinished building, Persian master
builders experimented with architectural and
structural solutions later used in the
construction of Samarkand, the capital of the
Timurid Empire. Today it is one of the largest
and best-preserved constructions of the
Timurid period.
The Mausoleums Main
Hall is covered with a
conic-spherical dome
which is the largest in
central Asia (18.2 m in
diameter). The building
also features a mosque,
which is the only room
where fragments of the
original wall paintings
are preserved.
Liverpool Maritime
Mercantile City
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Six areas in the historic centre and docklands
of the maritime mercantile city of Liverpool
bear witness to the development of one of
the worlds major trading centres in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Liverpool played an important role in the
growth of the British Empire and became
the major port for the mass movement of
people, e.g. slaves, and emigrants from
northern Europe to America. Liverpool was
a pioneer in the development of modern
dock technology, transport systems and
port management. It features a great
number of significant commercial, civic and
public buildings.
The site stretches
along the waterfront
from Albert Dock to
Pier Head and Stanley
Dock and takes in the
historic, commercial
and cultural districts
of the city centre.
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1986
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mausoleum of khoj a ahmed yasawi | li verpool mari ti me mercanti le ci ty 707
Caspian
Sea
Black Sea
ASIA
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
708 i luli ssat i cefj ord
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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Ilulissat Icefjord
Greenland (Denmark)
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Located on the west coast of Greenland,
250 km north of the Arctic Circle, Ilulissat
Icefjord (402 km
2
) is the sea mouth of
Sermeq Kujalleq, one of the few glaciers
through which the Greenland icecap
reaches the sea. Sermeq Kujalleq is one of
the fastest moving (19 m per day) and most
active glaciers in the world. It annually
calves over 35 km
3
of ice, i.e. 10 per cent of
the production of all Greenland calf ice and
more than any other glacier outside
Antarctica. Studied for over 250 years, it has
helped to develop our understanding of
climate change and icecap glaciology. The
combination of a huge ice-sheet and the
dramatic sounds of a fast-moving glacial
ice-stream calving into a fjord covered by
icebergs makes for a dramatic and awe-
inspiring natural phenomenon.
Norsemen inhabited
southwest Greenland
between AD 985 and
1450. During the
sixteentheighteenth
centuries explorers,
followed by whalers,
inhabited the area. The
World Heritage area
includes the archaeo-
logically valuable sites
of Sermermuit,
abandoned in 1850, and
Qajaa on the south side
of the fjord, abandoned
earlier. The early settlers
summered in tents but
used stone and turf
hovels in winter.
EUROPE
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Ilulissat Icefjord as
seen from space.
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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ingvellir National Park
Iceland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
ingvellir (Thingvellir) is the National Park
where the Althing an open-air assembly,
which represented the whole of Iceland
was established in 930 and continued to
meet until 1798. Over two weeks a year, the
assembly set laws seen as a covenant
between free men and settled disputes.
The Althing has deep historical and
symbolic associations for the people of
Iceland. The property includes the ingvellir
National Park and the remains of the
Althing itself: fragments of around fifty
booths built from turf and stone. Remains
from the tenth century are thought to be
buried underground. The site also includes
remains of agricultural use from the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The
park shows evidence of the way the
landscape was husbanded over 1,000 years.
The Althing and its
hinterland, ingvellir
National Park,
represent a unique
reflection of medieval
Norse/Germanic
culture which
persisted from its
foundation in AD 980
until the eighteenth
century.
EUROPE
Greenland
Atlantic
Ocean
Scandinavia
i ngvelli r nati onal park 709
ingvellir Church
710 cultural landscape of bam
World Heritage site since
Bam and its Cultural
Landscape
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Bam is situated in a desert environment on
the southern edge of the Iranian high
plateau. The origins of Bam can be traced
back to the Achaemenid period, sixth to
fourth centuries BC. Its heyday was from the
seventh to eleventh centuries, being at the
crossroads of important trade routes and
known for the production of silk and cotton
garments. The existence of life in the oasis
was based on the underground irrigation
canals, the qants, of which Bam has
preserved some of the earliest evidence in
Iran. Arg-e Bam is the most representative
example of a fortified medieval town built
in vernacular technique using mud layers
(Chineh).
Bam is an
outstanding
expression of the
interaction of man
and nature in a desert
environment. The
civilisation depended
on a strict social
system with precise
tasks and
responsibilities, which
have been maintained
in use until the
present.
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
The Citadel, Bam,
before the earthquake
in 2003.
World Heritage site since
pi tons management area 711
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Pitons Management Area
Saint Lucia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history
Dominating the mountainous landscape
of St Lucia are the Pitons, two steep-sided
volcanic spires rising side by side from the
sea. Gros Piton (770 m) is 3 km in diameter
at its base, and Petit Piton (743 m) is 1 km in
diameter and linked to the former by the
Piton Mitan ridge. The Pitons are part of a
volcanic complex, known to geologists as
the Soufrire Volcanic Centre, which is the
remnant of one, or more, huge collapsed
stratovolcano. The Marine Management
Area is a coastal strip 11 km long and about
1 km wide. The coral reefs, which cover
almost 60 per cent of the marine area, are
healthy and diverse. The area is a multiple-
use management system where agriculture,
artisan fishing, human settlement (1,500
residents) and tourism (four large hotel
developments) were present at the time of
inscription.
At least 148 plant
species have been
recorded on Gros
Piton and 97 on Petit
Piton. Among these
are several endemic or
rare plants, including
eight rare species of
tree. Some bird
species, including ve
endemics, are known
from Gros Piton,
along with indigenous
rodents, opossum,
bats, reptiles and
amphibians.
SOUTH AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
712 tropi cal rai nforest of sumatra
World Heritage site since
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Tropical Rainforest
Heritage of Sumatra
Indonesia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The 25,000 km
2
Tropical Rainforest Heritage
of Sumatra comprises three widely-
separated national parks along the Bukit
Barisan mountain range: Gunung Leuser
National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park
and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.
The site holds the greatest potential for
long-term conservation of the distinctive
biodiversity of Sumatra, including many
endangered species. The protected area is
home to an estimated 10,000 plant species,
including 17 endemic genera; more than
200 mammal species; and some 580 bird
species, of which 465 are resident and 21 are
endemic. Of the mammal species, twenty-
two are Asian, not found elsewhere in the
archipelago, and fifteen are confined to the
Indonesian region, including the endemic
Sumatran orang-utan. The site also provides
biogeographic evidence of the evolution of
the island.
Kerinci Seblat
National Park
contains the
magnicent, active
volcano Gunung
Kerinci at 3,805 m,
the highest peak in
Sumatra and the
highest volcano in
Indonesia. Nearby
Gunung Tujuh has
an outstandingly
beautiful crater lake
at 1,996 m.
Pacic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
ASIA
OCEANIA
A Sumatran
orang-utan.
World Heritage site since
um er-rasas 713
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AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
Um er-Rasas
(Kastrom Mefa'a)
Jordan
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance
in human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
Most of this archaeological site, which
started as a Roman military camp and grew
to become a town from the fifth century
onwards, has not been excavated. It contains
remains from the Roman, Byzantine and
Early Muslim periods, the end of the third to
ninth centuries AD, and a fortified Roman
military camp. The site also has sixteen
churches, some with well-preserved mosaic
floors. Particularly noteworthy is the mosaic
floor of the Church of St Stephen. Two
square towers are probably the only remains
of the practice, well known in this part of the
world, of the stylites (ascetic monks who
spent time in isolation atop a column or
tower). Um er-Rasas is surrounded by, and
dotted with, remains of ancient agricultural
cultivation in an arid area.
The mosaic floor of
the church of
St Stephen shows an
incredible
representation of
towns in Palestine,
Jordan and Egypt,
including their
identification. Its
artistic and technical
qualities justify
describing Um er-
Rasas as a
masterpiece of
human creative
genius.
Southern area of
Um er-Rasas.
714 pasargadae
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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Pasargadae
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Pasargadae was the first dynastic capital of
the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus
the Great in Pars, homeland of the Persians,
in the sixth century BC. Its palaces, gardens
and the mausoleum of Cyrus are
outstanding examples of the first phase
of royal Achaemenid art and architecture.
Particularly noteworthy remains in the
1.6 km
2
site include: the Mausoleum of
Cyrus the Great (pictured below); Tall-e Takht,
a fortified terrace; and a royal ensemble of
gatehouse, audience hall and residential
palace, originally located within a garden
ensemble (the so-called Four Gardens).
Pasargadae was the capital of the first great
multicultural empire in western Asia.
Spanning the eastern Mediterranean and
Egypt to the Indus River, it is considered
to be the first empire that respected the
cultural diversity of its different peoples.
The Mausoleum of
Cyrus the Great was
built from white
limestone around
540530 BC. In the
medieval period, the
monument was
thought to be the
tomb of Solomons
mother, and a
mosque, which was in
use until the
fourteenth century,
was built around it.
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Complex of Koguryo Tombs
Korea, Democratic Peoples
Republic of
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The property includes several group and
individual tombs totalling about thirty
from the later period of the Koguryo
Kingdom. This was one of the strongest
kingdoms in northeast China and the
northern half of the Korean peninsula
between the third century BC and seventh
century AD. The tombs, many with beautiful
wall paintings, are almost the only remains
of this culture. Only about ninety out of
more than 10,000 Koguryo tombs
discovered in China and Korea, so far, have
wall paintings. Almost half of these tombs
are located on this site and they are thought
to have been made for the burial of kings,
members of the royal family and the
aristocracy. These paintings offer a unique
testimony to daily life of this period.
The special burial
customs of the
Koguryo culture had
an important
influence on other
cultures in the region,
including those in
Japan.
Kernav\ Archaeological Site
(Cultural Reserve of Kernav\)
Lithuania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The Kernav\ Archaeological site, about 35 km
northwest of Vilnius in eastern Lithuania,
represents an exceptional testimony to some
ten millennia of human settlements in this
region. Situated in the valley of the river
Neris, the site is a complex ensemble of
archaeological properties, encompassing the
town of Kernav\, forts, some unfortified
settlements, burial sites and other
archaeological, historical and cultural
monuments from the late Palaeolithic
Period to the Middle Ages. The site of 2 km
2
has preserved the traces of ancient land-use,
as well as remains of five impressive hill
forts, part of an exceptionally large defence
system. Kernav\ was an important feudal
town in the Middle Ages. The town was
destroyed by the Teutonic Order in the late
fourteenth century, however the site
remained in use until modern times.
The burial ground
of the complex was
situated outside the
town in the
Kriveikikis hill fort.
Funeral customs, as
well as the discovered
cerecloths, reflect not
only the traditions of
the last pagan state in
Europe, but also attest
to the influence of
neighbouring
Christian countries.
koguryo tombs | kernav\ archaeologi cal si te 715
World Heritage site since
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Sea of
Japan
Yellow
Sea
ASIA
EUROPE
Baltic
Sea North
Sea
Scandinavia
Hill forts in Kernav\.
Vegayan the Vega
Archipelago
Norway
Criteria Traditional human settlement
A cluster of dozens of islands centred on
Vega, just south of the Arctic Circle, forms
a cultural landscape of 1,037 km
2
, of which
only 69 km
2
is land. The islands bear
testimony to a distinctive frugal way of life
based on fishing and the harvesting of the
down of eider ducks, in an inhospitable
environment. There are fishing villages,
quays, warehouses, eider houses built for
eider ducks to nest in, farming landscapes,
lighthouses and beacons. There is evidence
of human settlement from the Stone Age
onwards. By the ninth century, the islands
had become an important centre for the
supply of down, which appears to have
accounted for around a third of the
islanders income. The Vega Archipelago
reflects the way fishermen/farmers have,
over the past 1,500 years, maintained a
sustainable living and also the contribution
of women to eiderdown harvesting.
The fishing and
hunting of marine
animals has taken
place in this area since
the ice retreated
around 10,000 years
ago. The type of
fishing varied
throughout the year.
Although today there
are fewer active
fishermen than 100
years ago, this unique
culture is still
preserved by some.
716 vegayan | wrangel i sland reserve
World Heritage site since
Natural System of Wrangel
Island Reserve
Russian Federation
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Located well above the Arctic Circle, the site
includes the mountainous 7,608 km
2
Wrangel Island, 11 km
2
Herald Island and
surrounding waters. Wrangel was not
glaciated during the Quaternary Ice Age,
resulting in exceptionally high levels of
biodiversity for this region. The island boasts
the worlds largest population of Pacific
walrus and the highest density of ancestral
polar bear dens. It is a major feeding ground
for the grey whale migrating from Mexico
and the northernmost nesting ground for
100 migratory bird species, many
endangered. Currently, 417 species and
subspecies of vascular plants have been
identified on the island, double that of any
other Arctic tundra territory of comparable
size and more than any other Arctic island.
Some species are derivative of widespread
continental forms, others are the result of
recent hybridization, and twenty-three are
endemic.
There is evidence of
a Neolithic camp of
Palaeo-Eskimo
hunters from around
3,400 years ago in
Krassin Bay on the
south coast. Their prey
included woolly
mammoth and pygmy
woolly mammoth,
which lived on the
island until 3,700
years ago.
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EUROPE
North Sea
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Portuguese City of
Mazagan (El Jadida)
Morocco
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Portuguese city of Mazagan one of
the early settlements of the Portuguese
explorers in west Africa on the route to India
is an outstanding example of the
interchange of influences between
European and Moroccan cultures. Now part
of the city of El Jadida, 90 km southwest of
Casablanca, Mazagan was built as a fortified
colony in the early sixteenth century. It was
taken over by the Moroccans in 1769. The
fortification, with its bastions and ramparts,
is an early example of Renaissance military
design. The surviving Portuguese buildings
include the cistern and the Church of the
Assumption. The nineteenth-century
mosque, in front of the Church of the
Assumption, delimits the urban square, the
Praa Terreiro, which opens towards the
entrance of the city. The minaret is an
adaptation of the old Torre de Rebate,
originally part of the cistern.
At the present time
the fortication has
four bastions: the
Angel Bastion in the
east, St Sebastian in
the north, St Antoine
in the west, and the
Holy Ghost Bastion in
the south. The fth,
the Governors
Bastion at the main
entrance, is in ruins,
having been
destroyed by the
Portuguese in 1769.
The fort originally had
three gates.
Medieval Monuments in
Kosovo
Serbia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The religious edifices of the site reflect the
high points of the Byzantine-Romanesque
ecclesiastical culture, with its distinct style
of wall painting, which developed in the
Balkans between the thirteenth and
seventeenth centuries. The Decani
Monastery was built in the mid-fourteenth
century for the Serbian king Stefan
Decanski and is also his mausoleum. The
Patriarchate of Pe c Monastery is a group of
four domed churches featuring a series of
wall paintings. The thirteenth-century
frescoes of the Church of Holy Apostles are
painted in a unique, monumental style.
Early fourteenth-century frescoes in the
Church of the Holy Virgin of Ljevisa
represent the appearance of the new so-
called Palaiologian Renaissance style,
combining the influences of the eastern
Orthodox Byzantine and the western
Romanesque traditions. The style played
a decisive role in subsequent Balkan art.
The main church of
the Decani Monastery
has an exceptionally
rich treasury with
about sixty
exceptional icons
from the fourteenth
to seventeenth
centuries and many
other precious
objects.
mazagan | medi eval monuments i n kosovo 717
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
718 royal exhi bi ti on bui ldi ng and carlton gardens
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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Royal Exhibition Building
and Carlton Gardens
Australia
Criteria Interchange of values
The Royal Exhibition Building, in its original
setting of the Carlton Gardens, is the only
substantially intact example in the world
of a Great Hall from a major international
exhibition. The building and gardens were
designed for the great exhibitions of 1880
and 1888 in Melbourne. The building is
constructed of brick and timber, steel and
slate. It combines elements from the
Byzantine, Romanesque, Lombardic and
Italian Renaissance styles. The property is
typical of the international exhibition
movement, which aimed to showcase
technological innovation, and boasts many
of the important features that made the
expositions so dramatic, including a dome,
a great hall, giant entry portals and
complementary gardens and viewing areas.
Unlike the structures at many international
exhibitions, the building was conceived as a
permanent construction that would have a
future role in the cultural activities of the
growing city of Melbourne.
The aesthetic
signicance of the
Carlton Gardens lies
in its representation
of the nineteenth-
century Gardenesque
style. This includes
parterre garden beds,
signicant avenues
including the
southern carriage
drive and Grande
Alle, the path system,
clusters of trees, two
small lakes and three
fountains.
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Orkhon Valley Cultural
Landscape
Mongolia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The 1,220-km
2
Orkhon Valley Cultural
Landscape encompasses an extensive area
of pastureland on both banks of the Orkhon
River and includes numerous
archaeological remains dating back to the
sixth century. The site also includes
Kharkhorum, the thirteenth- and
fourteenth-century capital of Chingis
(Genghis) Khans vast Empire. Collectively
the remains in the site reflect the symbiotic
links between nomadic, pastoral societies
and their administrative and religious
centres, and the importance of the Orkhon
valley in the history of central Asia. The
grassland is still grazed by Mongolian
nomadic pastoralists.
In Mongolia, nomadic
pastoralism is revered
and glorified as the
heart of Mongolian
culture, and in the
Orkhon Valley
Cultural Landscape
the links between
such nomadic
pastoralism and its
associated
settlements can be
seen clearly.
Muskauer Park /
Park Muzakowski
Germany and Poland
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance
in human history
A landscaped park of 5.6 km
2
astride the
Neisse River and the border between Poland
and Germany, Muskauer Park was created
by Prince Hermann von Pckler-Muskau
from 1815 to 1844. Blending seamlessly with
the surrounding farmed landscape, the park
pioneered new approaches to landscape
design and influenced the development of
landscape architecture in Europe and
America. Designed as a painting with
plants, it did not seek to evoke classical
landscapes, paradise, or some lost
perfection, instead using local plants to
enhance the inherent qualities of the
existing landscape. This integrated
landscape extends into the town of Muskau
with green passages that formed urban
parks framing areas for development. The
town thus became a design component in a
utopian landscape. The site also features a
reconstructed castle, bridges and an
arboretum.
The site is the centre
of a landscape park
which extended
around Muskau and
into the countryside.
After the Second
World War the Neisse
became the
international border,
leaving 3.5 km
2
of the
park within Poland
and 2.1 km
2
in
Germany.
orkhon valley cultural landscape | muskauer park / park muzakowski 719
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1986
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1987
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Cape Floral Region
Protected Areas
South Africa
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Eight protected areas covering 5,530 km
2
make up the Cape Floral Region, one of the
richest areas for plants in the world. It
represents less than 0.5 per cent of the area
of Africa but is home to nearly 20 per cent
of the continents flora. The site displays
outstanding ecological and biological
processes associated with the fynbos (fine
bush) vegetation which is unique to the
Cape Floral Region. The outstanding
diversity, density and endemism of the flora
are among the highest anywhere in the
world. Unique plant-reproductive strategies,
adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal
by insects and patterns of endemism and
adaptive radiation found in the flora, are
of outstanding value to science.
The region is located in the southwest
corner of South Africa in Cape Province.
Elevations range from 2,077 m in the Groot
Winterhoek to sea level in the De Hoop
Nature Reserve. A great part of the area is
characterized by rugged mountain passes,
rivers, rapids, cascades and pools.
The area has been designated as one of
the World Centres of Plant Diversity. It has
44 per cent of the subcontinental flora of
20,367 species, including endemic and
subendemic families and threatened
species. The Cape Peninsula contains almost
half of these species, with 25 per cent of the
flora of the whole region. The richness is
due to the wide variety of macrohabitats and
microhabitat mosaics resulting from the
range of elevations, soils and climatic
conditions, including the co-existence of
winter-rainfall species with summer-rainfall
species from further east.
Eight centres of endemism have been
distinguished in the Cape Floral Region.
The distinctive flora of the area, comprising
80 per cent of its richness, is the fynbos, fine-
leaved vegetation adapted to both the
Mediterranean type of climate and to
periodic fires, and defined by the location
or dominant species. Plant variety is based
on soil types that range from predominantly
coarse, sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soils, to
alkaline marine sands and slightly richer
alluvials. There are pockets of evergreen
forest in fire-protected gorges and on
deeper soils; in the east are valley thickets
and succulent thickets, which are less fire-
dependent, and in the drier north, low
succulent Karoo shrubland.
Fynbos, Afrikaans for
ne bush is the
natural, primarily
evergreen, shrubland
vegetation of the Cape
Floral region.
Characteristics of the
Cape Floral Region
that are of global
scientic interest are
the responses of its
plants to re; seed
dispersal by ants and
termites; the high
level (83 per cent) of
plant pollination by
insects (mainly beetles
and ies); and its links
to the ancient
continent of
Gondwanaland,
which allowed
reconstruction of the
oras ancient
connections.
Some of the species
actually require re
for germination.
Pollination and
nutrient-cycling by
termites are notable
and the region also
has a very high
number of plants that
are pollinated by birds
and mammals.
720 cape floral regi on
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
722 lui s barragn house and studi o | ci ti es and tombs of anci ent koguryo
Capital Cities and Tombs of the
Ancient Koguryo Kingdom
China
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
The site includes archaeological remains
of three cities Wunu Mountain City,
Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City
and forty tombs. Fourteen tombs are
imperial and twenty-six are of nobles. All
belong to the Koguryo culture, named after
the dynasty that ruled over parts of northern
China and the northern half of the Korean
Peninsula from 277 BC to AD 668. Wunu
Mountain City is only partly excavated.
Guonei City, within the modern city of Jian,
played the role of a supporting capital after
the main Koguryo capital moved to
Pyongyang (in present day Democratic
Peoples Republic of Korea). Wandu
Mountain City, one of the capitals of the
Koguryo Kingdom, contains many vestiges
including a large palace and thirty-seven
tombs. Some of the tombs show great
ingenuity in their elaborate ceilings,
which were designed to roof wide spaces
without columns and carry the heavy load of
a stone or earth tumulus mound placed
above them.
The site represents
exceptional testimony
to the vanished
Koguryo civilization.
The capital cities are
early examples of
mountain cities and
were later imitated
by neighbouring
cultures. Conversely,
the Koguryo cities and
tombs also show
evidence of strong
impact from other
cultures.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Luis Barragn House and
Studio
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values
Built in 1948, the House and Studio of
architect Luis Barragn in the suburbs of
Mexico City represents an outstanding
example of the architects creative work in
the post-Second World War period. The
concrete building, totalling 1,161 m
2
,
consists of a ground floor and two upper
storeys, as well as a small private garden.
Barragns work integrated modern and
traditional artistic and vernacular currents
and elements into a new synthesis, which
has been greatly influential, especially in the
contemporary design of gardens, plazas and
landscapes.
Luis Barragn began
work on the house for
a client but in 1948
decided to take the
house for himself. The
plans were gradually
developed over the
construction period
and the house
remained his studio
and residence until his
death.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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2004
Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus (formerly Victoria
Terminus)
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly
known as Victoria Terminus Station, in
Mumbai (Bombay), is an outstanding
example of Victorian Gothic Revival
architecture in India. British architects
worked closely with Indian craftsmen on the
building to include local architectural
traditions. The resulting structure, with its
remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed
arches and eccentric ground plan is close to
traditional Indian palace architecture,
making it an outstanding example of the
meeting of two cultures. The unique new
style of the building soon came to symbolize
Bombay as the Gothic City and major
international mercantile port of India.
The main structure is
built from a judicious
blend of Indian
sandstone and
limestone, while high-
quality Italian marble
was used for the key
decorative elements.
The main interiors are
lavishly decorated: the
ground oor of the
North Wing, known as
the Star Chamber,
which is still the
booking ofce, is
embellished with
Italian marble and
polished Indian blue
stone.
World Heritage site since
chhatrapati shi vaj i termi nus 723
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
724 val dorci a
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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Val dOrcia
Italy
Criteria Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Val dOrcia is an exceptional reflection
of the way the landscape was rewritten in
Renaissance times to reflect the ideals of
good governance and to create an
aesthetically pleasing picture. The landscape
is 25 km from Sienas centre and was, in
effect, colonized by the citys merchants in
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. They
aimed to create an area of efficient
agricultural units that was also pleasing to
the eye. The landscape that resulted was one
of careful and conscious planning and
design and led to the beginning of the
concept of landscape as a man-made
creation. The landscapes distinctive
aesthetics of fortified settlements on conical
hills rising out of flat chalk plains have
inspired many important artists.
The World Heritage
site is signicant in
that the large
farmhouses assume
a dominant position
in the landscape and
are enriched by
prominent
architectural elements
such as loggias,
belvederes, porches
and avenues of trees
bordering the
approach roads.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Tomb of Askia
Mali
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The dramatic 17-m pyramidal structure of
the Tomb of Askia was built by Askia
Mohamed, the Emperor of Songhai, in 1495
in his capital Gao. It bears testimony to the
power and riches of the empire that
flourished in the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries through its control of the trans-
Saharan trade, notably in salt and gold.
It is also a fine example of the monumental
mud-building traditions of the Sahel.
The tombs builder,
Askia Mohamed, was
founder of the Askia
dynasty. It is said that
on passing through
Egypt on his way to
Mecca, Askia
Mohamed was
impressed by the
pyramids and decided
to construct a
pyramidal tomb for
himself.
varberg radi o stati on | tomb of aski a 725
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1985
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1986
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1988
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1989
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Varberg Radio Station
Sweden
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
The Varberg Radio Station at Grimeton in
southern Sweden built 19224 is an
exceptionally well-preserved monument to
early wireless transatlantic communication.
It consists of the transmitter equipment,
including the aerial system of six 127-m-
high steel towers. Although no longer in
regular use, the equipment has been
maintained in operating condition. The 1.1
km
2
site comprises buildings housing the
original Alexanderson transmitter, including
the towers with their antennae, short-wave
transmitters with their antennae, and a
residential area with staff housing. The
architect Carl kerblad designed the main
buildings in the neoclassical style and the
structural engineer Henrik Kreger was
responsible for the antenna towers, the
tallest built structures in Sweden at that
time. The site is an outstanding example of
the development of telecommunications
and is the only surviving example of a major
transmitting station based on pre-electronic
technology.
Varberg Radio Station
was in regular service
until the 1960s. It has
been partly open to
the public since 1997
although some
equipment is still used
by the Swedish Navy.
EUROPE
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Koutammakou, the Land
of the Batammariba
Togo
Criteria Traditional human settlement;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Koutammakou landscape in
northeastern Togo, which extends into
neighbouring Benin, is home to the
Batammariba whose remarkable mud
tower-houses, Takienta, have come to be
seen as a symbol of Togo. In this landscape,
nature is strongly associated with the rituals
and beliefs of society. The 500 km
2
cultural
landscape is remarkable due to the
architecture of its tower-houses which are
a reflection of social structure; its farmland
and forest; and the associations between
people and landscape. Many of the
buildings are two-storeys high and those
with granaries feature an almost spherical
form above a cylindrical base. Some of the
buildings have flat roofs, others have conical
thatched roofs. They are grouped in villages,
which also include ceremonial spaces,
springs, rocks and sites reserved for
initiation ceremonies.
Whether hand-
modelled or built
from mud brick, the
variety of architectural
forms in West Africa
illustrates the many
ways in which the
simple elements of
earth and water are
brought together to
create works of
striking artistic
sophistication and
interest.
726 koutammakou landscape | sacred si tes i n the ki i mountai n range
World Heritage site since
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes
in the Kii Mountain Range
Japan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Set in the dense forests of the Kii
Mountains, south of Osaka and overlooking
the Pacific Ocean, these three sacred sites
Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan,
Koyasan linked by pilgrimage routes to the
ancient capital cities of Nara and Kyoto,
reflect the fusion of Shinto, rooted in the
ancient tradition of nature worship in Japan,
and Buddhism, which was introduced from
China and the Korean Peninsula. The sites
(5 km
2
) and their surrounding forest
landscape reflect a persistent and
extraordinarily well-documented tradition
of sacred mountains over 1,200 years. The
area, with its abundance of streams, rivers
and waterfalls, is still part of the living
culture of Japan and is much visited for
ritual purposes and hiking, with up to fifteen
million visitors annually. Each of the three
sites contains shrines, some of which were
founded as early as the ninth century.
The shrines contain
both buildings and
objects, such as
temples and statues,
as well as such revered
natural elements as
trees and waterfalls.
The journey to the
shrines over arduous
mountain routes was
intended as part of the
religious experience.
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1981
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AFRICA
Atlantic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
World Heritage site since
town hall and roland statue, bremen 727
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1981
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1982
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1983
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2004
Town Hall and Roland on
the Marketplace of Bremen
Germany
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Heritage associated
with events of universal significance
Bremen is in northwestern Germany, on the
river Weser. The medieval town was oblong,
limited by the river on the south side and by
the moat of the ancient defence system on
the north side. The Town Hall and Roland
statue are an outstanding ensemble
representing civic autonomy and market
freedom, as developed in the Holy Roman
Empire. The old town hall was built in the
Gothic style in the early fifteenth century,
after Bremen joined the Hanseatic League.
The building was expertly renovated in the
so-called Weser Renaissance style in the
early seventeenth century. A new town hall
was built next to the old one in the early
twentieth century as part of an ensemble
that survived bombardment during the
Second World War.
The stone statue of
Roland (a legendary
gure in medieval
Europe) is about 5.5 m
tall, and it was initially
erected in 1404,
replacing an earlier
wooden statue. It is
considered the oldest
Roland statue still in
place in Germany and
symbolizes the rights
and privileges of the
free and imperial city
of Bremen.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
728 novodevi chy convent
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1987
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Ensemble of the
Novodevichy Convent
Russian Federation
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The Novodevichy Convent is an
exceptionally well-preserved monastic
complex in southwest Moscow. It provides
an example of the highest accomplishments
of seventeenth century Moscow Baroque
architecture, with rich interiors and an
important collection of paintings and
artefacts. Enclosed by a high masonry wall
with twelve towers and surrounded by a
park, the convent formed part of a chain of
monastic ensembles that were integrated
into the defence system of the city. It was
directly associated with the political, cultural
and religious history of Russia, and closely
linked to the Moscow Kremlin. It was used
by women of the Tsars family and the
aristocracy, and members of the Tsars family
and entourage were buried in its cemetery.
The convent was
founded by Grand
Duke Vasily III in the
1520s to mark the
liberation of
Smolensk and its
return to the Russian
State in 1514. It was
dedicated to the Icon
of the Mother God of
Smolensk Hodigitria,
the highest shrine of
Russian orthodoxy.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
Petroglyphs within the
Archaeological Landscape
of Tamgaly
Kazakhstan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Set around the lush Tamgaly Gorge, amidst
the vast, arid Chu-Ili mountains, is a
remarkable concentration of some 5,000
petroglyphs (rock carvings) dating from the
second half of the second millennium BC to
the beginning of the twentieth century.
Distributed among forty-eight complexes
with associated settlements and burial
grounds, they are testimonies to the
husbandry, social organization and rituals of
pastoral peoples. Human settlements in the
site are often multilayered and show
occupation through the ages. A huge
number of ancient tombs are also to be
found including stone enclosures with
boxes and cists (middle and late Bronze
Age), and mounds (kurgans) of stone and
earth (early Iron Age to the present). The
central canyon contains the densest
concentration of engravings and what are
believed to be altars, suggesting that these
places were used for sacrificial offerings.
The petroglyphs have
been dated to five
distinct phases from
Middle Bronze Age
(fourteenth century BC)
to the Modern Period,
most recently in the
twentieth century. The
most exceptional
engravings are the
earliest and include
solar deities and
zoomorphic beings.
Etruscan Necropolises of
Cerveteri and Tarquinia
Italy
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
These two large Etruscan cemeteries reflect
different types of burial practices from the
ninth to first centuries BC, and bear witness
to the achievements of Etruscan culture,
which over nine centuries developed the
earliest urban civilization in the northern
Mediterranean. Some of the tombs are
monumental, cut in rock and topped by
impressive tumuli (burial mounds). Many
feature carvings on their walls, others have
wall paintings of outstanding quality. The
necropolis near Cerveteri, known as
Banditaccia, contains thousands of tombs
organized in a city-like plan, with streets,
small squares and neighbourhoods. These
provide the only surviving evidence of
Etruscan residential architecture. The
necropolis of Tarquinia, also known as
Monterozzi, contains 6,000 graves cut in
the rock. It is famous for its 200 painted
tombs, the earliest of which date from the
seventh century BC.
The tombs are a
unique testimony to
the vanished culture
of the Etruscans and
represent
extraordinary
evidence of what
objects by themselves
cannot show:
depictions of daily life,
ceremonies and
mythology as well as
the artistic abilities of
their creators.
petroglyphs of tamgaly | necropoli ses of cerveteri and tarqui ni a 729
World Heritage site since
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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Caspian
Sea
Black Sea
ASIA
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
730 champaner-pavagadh archaeologi cal park
World Heritage site since
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Champaner-Pavagadh
Archaeological Park
India
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement; Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological
Park represents a perfect blend of Hindu and
Muslim architecture, and is the only
complete and unchanged Islamic pre-
Mughal city. It boasts a high concentration
of largely unexcavated archaeological,
historic and living cultural heritage
properties cradled in an impressive
landscape. The Great Mosque ( Jami Masjid)
was a model for later mosque architecture in
India and the site also includes fortifications,
palaces, religious buildings, residential
precincts, agricultural structures and water
installations, from the eighthfourteenth
centuries. The Kalikamata Temple on top of
Pavagadh Hill is considered to be an
important shrine, attracting large numbers
of pilgrims throughout the year.
Water installations are
integral and important
to the culture and
design of Champaner.
Different kinds of
wells are known in the
whole area, many of
which are still in use.
During the fteenth
century the water
system was used for
pleasure and aesthetic
purposes as well as for
daily use. Some
houses had running
water and many of the
gardens and pavilions
were decorated with
water channels.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Ruins of one of the mosques at Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park.
World Heritage site since
pi co i sland vi neyard culture 731
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Landscape of the Pico Island
Vineyard Culture
Portugal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The Pico Island landscape reflects a unique
response to viticulture on a small volcanic
island and is the best remaining area of a
once much more widespread practice. The
extraordinarily beautiful man-made
landscape of small, stone-walled fields is
testimony to generations of small-scale
farmers who, in a hostile environment,
created a sustainable living and a much
prized wine. The walls were built to protect
the thousands of small, contiguous,
rectangular plots (currais) from wind and
seawater. The resourcefulness and artistry
of the inhabitants is also evident in the
islands manor houses, wine-cellars, wells,
churches and ports.
Pico is the second
largest of the nine
islands of the Azores
and was uninhabited
until the mid-fteenth
century.
Pico Mountain
(a stratovolcano)
dominates the island,
reaching a height of
2,351 m above sea
level.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Madriu-Perafita-Claror
Valley
Andorra
Criteria Traditional human settlement
The cultural landscape of Madriu-Perafita-
Claror Valley offers a microcosmic
perspective of the way people have
harvested the resources of the high
Pyrenees over millennia. Its dramatic glacial
landscapes of craggy cliffs and glaciers, with
high open pastures and steep wooded
valleys, covers an area of 42.5 km
2
, 9 per cent
of the total area of the principality. It reflects
past changes in climate, economic fortune
and social systems, as well as the persistence
of pastoralism and a strong mountain
culture, notably the survival of a communal
land-ownership system dating back to the
thirteenth century. The site features houses,
notably summer settlements, terraced
fields, stone tracks and evidence of iron
smelting.
The valley has
maintained its
structures of
organization and
management since
medieval times,
surviving as a living
witness to the history
of Andorra, the
culture of the men of
the mountains and
their coexistence with
an extraordinary
natural environment.
732 madri u-perafi ta-claror valley | hi stori c centres of berat and gj i rokastra
World Heritage site since
Historic Centres of Berat
and Gjirokastra
Albania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
The historic towns of Gjirokastra and Berat,
in the Drinos River valley in southern
Albania, are rare examples of well-preserved
towns of an architectural character typical of
the Ottoman period. The thirteenth-century
citadel of Gjirokastra provides the focal
point of the town with its typical tower
houses (Turkish kule). Characteristic of the
Balkan region, Gjirokastra contains a series
of outstanding examples of kule, a type of
building that crystallized in the seventeenth
century. But Gjirokastra also features some
more elaborate examples from the early
nineteenth century. The kule has a tall
basement, a first floor for use in the cold
season, and a second floor for the warm
season. Interiors feature rich decorative
details and painted floral patterns,
particularly in the zones reserved for the
reception of visitors. The town also retains a
bazaar, an eighteenth-century mosque and
two churches of the same period.
Berat, which was
inscribed as a World
Heritage Site in 2008
features a kala, or
castle, most of which
was built in the
thirteenth century.
The citadel area
contains many
thirteenth-century
Byzantine churches
and several mosques
of the Ottoman era.
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World Heritage site since
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1987
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Black
Sea
World Heritage site since
i slands and protected areas of the gulf of cali forni a 733
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1983
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1984
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Islands and Protected Areas
of the Gulf of California
Mexico
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
The site comprises 244 islands, islets and
coastal areas located in the Gulf of
California in northwestern Mexico. The Sea
of Cortez and its islands have been called
a natural laboratory for the investigation
of speciation. Moreover, almost all major
oceanographic processes are present in the
property, giving it extraordinary importance.
The site is one of striking natural beauty
characterized by rugged islands with high
cliffs and sandy beaches. It is home to 695
vascular plant species, more than in any
other marine and insular property on the
World Heritage List. Equally exceptional is
the number of fish species: 891, of which 90
are endemic. The site, moreover, contains
39 per cent of the worlds total number of
species of marine mammals and a third of
the worlds marine cetacean species.
The site is unique in that, in a
very short distance, there are
simultaneously bridge islands
(accessible by land) and oceanic
islands (accessible by sea and air).
The diversity and abundance of
the marine life and the high water
transparency make this a divers
paradise.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Rock formation near Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the Baja
California peninsula.
Old Bridge Area of the Old
City of Mostar
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal signicance
The Old Bridge area of Mostar, with its
medieval, Ottoman, Mediterranean and
Western European architectural features, is
an outstanding example of a multicultural
urban settlement. The Old Bridge and Old
City of Mostar, reconstructed after conict
in 1990, is a symbol of reconciliation,
international co-operation and of the
coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and
religious communities.
The historic town of Mostar spans a
deep valley of the Neretva River. The
area has been settled since prehistoric
times and there is evidence of Roman
occupation. Little is known of its medieval
period, although Christian churches were
established in the fthsixth centuries. The
name of Mostar is rst mentioned in 1474;
its name came from the bridge-keepers
(mostari) of the wooden bridge that crossed
from the market town on the left bank of
the river. Mostars key position on the trade
route between the Adriatic and mineral-
rich central Bosnia led to the settlements
growth across the river. It became the
leading town in Herzegovina and, after
invasion by the Ottomans in 1468, the centre
of Turkish rule in the area.
Mostar was an Ottoman frontier town and
fortications were built up in the sixteenth
century; the bridge was also rebuilt in
stone. Religious and public buildings were
constructed in a religious complex on the
left bank, while private and commercial
buildings, organized in distinct quarters,
were also built. Several Ottoman inns
survive, along with other buildings from
this period, such as fountains and
schools. Surviving late-Ottoman houses
demonstrate the component features of
this form of architecture a hall, a
residential upper storey, a paved courtyard
and a verandah on one or two storeys.
Some early trading and craft buildings
are still extant, notably low shops in
wood or stone, stone storehouses and
a group of former tanneries around an
open courtyard. A number of elements
of the early fortications are visible. The
Hercegusa Tower dates from the medieval
period, whereas the Ottoman defences
are represented by the Halebinovka and
Tara Towers, the watchtowers over the
ends of the Old Bridge and a stretch of the
ramparts.
The city became part of Austro-Hungary
in 1878 and all the administrative buildings
of that period have neoclassical and
Secessionist features. The nineteenth-
century houses and commercial buildings
are also predominantly neoclassical.
Mostar has long
been known for its
old Turkish houses
and Old Bridge, Stari
Most. In the conict
of the 1990s, however,
most of the historic
town and the Old
Bridge, designed by
the renowned architect
Sinan (14891588),
was destroyed. The
Old Bridge was
recently rebuilt and
many of the buildings
in the Old Town have
been restored or rebuilt
with the contribution
of an international
scientic committee
established by
UNESCO.
734 old bri dge and old ci ty of mostar
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Adriatic
Sea
736 humberstone and santa laura saltpeter works
World Heritage site since
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Humberstone and Santa
Laura Saltpeter Works
Chile
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Humberstone and Santa Laura works
contain over 200 former saltpetre works
where workers from Chile, Peru and Bolivia
lived in company towns and forged a
distinctive communal pampinos culture.
That culture is manifest in their rich
language, creativity, and solidarity, and, above
all, in their pioneering struggle for social
justice, which had a profound impact on
social history. Situated in the remote Chilean
Altiplano (high plains), near one of the driest
deserts on Earth, the Atacama, thousands of
pampinos lived and worked in this hostile
environment for over sixty years, from 1880,
to process the largest deposit of saltpetre in
the world, producing the fertilizer sodium
nitrate that was to transform agricultural
lands in North and South America, and in
Europe, and produce great wealth for Chile.
The saltpetre industry
was a huge cultural
exchange complex
where ideas were
quickly absorbed and
exploited. The two
works are outstanding
representations of
this process.
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of macao 737
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Historic Centre of Macao
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The World Heritage site of Macao consists
of the Macao peninsula and the two islands
of Taipa and Coloane. Macao, a port of
strategic importance in the development of
international trade, was under Portuguese
administration from the mid-sixteenth
century until 1999, when it came under
Chinese sovereignty. The first core zone
consists of the central area of the historic
settlement of Macao. It includes a series of
urban spaces and buildings representing
the integration of Portuguese and Chinese
elements along the citys primary urban
route, Rua Direita, which leads from the
ancient Chinese harbour in the south to the
old Christian city in the north. The second
core zone consists of the Guia Fortress,
located on the Guia Hill and incorporating
Guia Chapel (1622) and Guia Lighthouse
(1885), the oldest lighthouse in the South
China seas.
Leal Senado Square
(pictured below) is the
main public square of the
town. Close by there is the
Cathedral Square with the
Cathedral Church (rebuilt
in 1850). Further north is
St Dominics Square with
St Dominics Church
(founded in 1587), along
with the old Chinese
bazaar area and the Sam
Kai Vui Kun Temple.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Le Havre, the city rebuilt by
Auguste Perret
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The city of Le Havre, on the English Channel
in Normandy, was severely bombed during
the Second World War. The destroyed area
was rebuilt according to the plan of a team
headed by Auguste Perret, from 1945 to 1964.
The site forms the administrative,
commercial and cultural centre of Le Havre.
Le Havre is exceptional among many
reconstructed cities for its unity and
integrity. It combines a reflection of the
earlier pattern of the town and its extant
historic structures with the new ideas of
town planning and construction technology.
It is an outstanding post-war example of
urban planning and architecture based on
the unity of methodology and the use of
prefabrication, the systematic utilization
of a modular grid, and the innovative
exploitation of the potential of concrete.
The rebuilt city is
more spacious than
the old, with its
average density
reduced from the pre-
war 200,000 to
80,000 inhabitants
per square kilometre.
The Htel de Ville
(town hall) is the most
monumental
structure in the whole
scheme and its central
part is marked by an
eighteen-storey tower
70 m high.
738 le havre | wadi al-hi tan
World Heritage site since
Wadi Al-Hitan
(Whale Valley)
Egypt
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Wadi Al-Hitan, Whale Valley, in the Western
Desert of Egypt, contains invaluable fossil
remains of the earliest, and now extinct,
suborder of whales, archaeoceti. These fossils
represent one of the major stories of
evolution: the emergence of the whale as an
ocean-going mammal from a previous life
as a land-based animal. This is the most
important site in the world for the
demonstration of this stage of evolution.
It portrays vividly the form and life of these
whales during their transition. The number,
concentration and quality of such fossils
here is unique, as is their accessibility and
setting in an attractive and protected
landscape. The fossils of Al-Hitan show the
youngest archaeocetes, in the last stages of
losing their hind limbs. Other fossil material
in the site makes it possible to reconstruct
the surrounding environmental and
ecological conditions of the time.
This site uniquely
portrays evolution in
action, capturing the
metamorphosis of
whales from land to
sea mammals. The
fossils have both the
typical streamlined
body form of modern
whales, and certain
primitive aspects of
skull and tooth
structure.
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
World Heritage site since
megi ddo, hazor and beer sheba tels 739
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Biblical Tels Megiddo,
Hazor, Beer Sheba
Israel
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Tels (prehistoric settlement mounds) are
characteristic of the flatter lands of the
eastern Mediterranean, particularly
Lebanon, Syria, Israel and eastern Turkey.
Of more than 200 tels in Israel, Megiddo,
Hazor and Beer Sheba are representative
of those that contain substantial remains of
cities with biblical connections. Tel Megiddo
was one of the most powerful cities in
Canaan and Israel. Its twenty major strata
contain the remains of around thirty
different cities. The three tels also preserve
the remains of their impressive
underground water catchment systems,
which reflect sophisticated engineering
solutions to water storage. The water at
Megiddo came from a spring at the foot of
the mound, which was carried by an 80 m
long aqueduct beneath the city wall to the
bottom of a vertical shaft in the city.
Beer Sheba was a
planned city rather
than one that evolved
gradually. The Iron
Age plan shows an
oval outline, encircled
by a wall and gate to
the south. The city was
divided into three
blocks by peripheral
streets and the
residential quarters
were of uniform size.
All streets led to a
main city square.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Tel Megiddo.
740 desert ci ti es i n the negev
World Heritage site since
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Incense Route Desert
Cities in the Negev
Israel
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The four Nabatean towns of Haluza,
Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta are spread along
routes linking them to the Mediterranean
end of the incense and spice routes.
Together they reflect the hugely profitable
trade in frankincense and myrrh from south
Arabia to the Mediterranean, which
flourished from the third century BC until
the second century AD. The Romans used
frankincense in enormous quantities as
incense, medicine and cosmetics. Such was
the demand that its price was at times
higher than gold. The Nabateans grew rich
on the profits of the spice trade, and the
remains of their towns, forts, caravanserai
and sophisticated agricultural systems
demonstrate an outstanding response
to a hostile environment.
The transport of goods
across the desert to the
Mediterranean coast, a
distance of some
1,800 km, was made
possible by the
knowledge of the
desert-dwelling
Nabateans. They were
able to bridge the
impassable desert and
travel into the southern
Arabian Peninsula, a
world unknown to the
Romans and those
living along the coast
of the Mediterranean.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Remains of Nekarot Fortress, on the Incense Route.
Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai
Forest Complex
Thailand
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest
Complex spans 230 km between Ta Phraya
National Park on the Cambodian border in
the east, and Khao Yai National Park in the
west. The site is home to more than 800
species of fauna, including 112 mammal
species, among them 2 species of gibbon,
392 bird species and 200 reptile and
amphibian species. It is internationally
important for the conservation of globally
threatened and endangered mammal, bird
and reptile species, among them nineteen
that are vulnerable, four that are
endangered, and one that is critically
endangered. The area contains substantial
and important tropical forest ecosystems,
which can provide a viable habitat for the
long-term survival of these species.
The forest is a rugged
mountainous area
that is home to
globally endangered
species including
tiger (pictured below),
elephant, leopard cat
and banteng. It also
plays an important
role in the
conservation of
migratory birds,
including the spot-
billed pelican and
greater adjutant.
Osun-Osogbo Sacred
Grove
Nigeria
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The dense forest of the Osun Sacred Grove,
on the outskirts of the city of Osogbo, is one
of the last remnants of primary high forest
in southern Nigeria. Regarded as the abode
of the goddess of fertility Osun, one of the
pantheon of Yoruba gods, the landscape of
the grove and its meandering river is dotted
with sanctuaries and shrines, sculptures and
art works in honour of Osun and other
deities. The sacred grove, which is now seen
as a symbol of identity for all Yoruba people,
is probably the last in Yoruba culture.
It testifies to the once widespread practice
of establishing sacred groves outside all
settlements.
The grove covers
0.75 km
2
of ring-
fenced forest
alongside the Osun
River on the outskirts
of Osogbo. Ritual
paths lead devotees
to forty shrines,
dedicated to Osun
and other Yoruba
deities, and to nine
specic worship
points beside the
river.
dong phayayen-khao yai forest | osun-osogbo sacred grove 741
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
West Norwegian Fjords
Geirangerfjord and
Nryfjord
Norway
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
The two fjords, Geirangerfjord and
Nryfjord, are considered archetypical
fjord landscapes and among the most
scenically outstanding anywhere in the
world. Their exceptional natural beauty is
derived from their narrow and steep-sided
crystalline rock walls that rise up to 1,400 m
from the Norwegian Sea and extend 500 m
below sea level. The sheer walls of the fjords
have numerous waterfalls, while free-
flowing rivers cross their deciduous and
coniferous forests from glacial lakes,
glaciers and rugged mountains. The
landscape features a range of supporting
natural phenomena, both terrestrial and
marine, such as submarine moraines and
marine mammals. Remnants of old and
now mostly abandoned transhumant farms
add a cultural aspect to the dramatic natural
landscape that complements and adds
human interest to the area.
Situated in southwestern Norway, 120 km
from one another, Geirangerfjord and
Nryfjord are part of the west Norwegian
fjord landscape that stretches from
Stavanger in the south to Andalsnes, 500 km
to the northeast. The two fjords are among
the worlds longest and deepest, and are
considered distinctive in a country of
spectacular fjords. Fjord is a word of
Norwegian origin, meaning a glacially over-
deepened valley, usually narrow and steep-
sided and extending below sea level.
Norways fjords are among the most
extensive on Earth and are considered the
type locality for study of fjord landscapes.
Both the fjords developed along faults and
fracture zones at right angles, giving them a
characteristic zigzag form. They are
submarine hanging valleys with floors
between 300500 m deep in ice-scoured
basins, and between 1 and 2 km wide. They
are surrounded by mountains with old
transhumance farms in the hanging valleys,
and high glacial lakes.
Climate is transitional between oceanic
and continental and varies markedly with
aspect and altitude. The vegetation is
moderately diverse due to the range of
gradients from coast to inland, from north
to south, from sea level to 1800 m and to
the consequent variety of terrain and
microclimates.
Wildlife includes four species of deer,
arctic fox, otter, and many marine species
such as Atlantic salmon, seals, porpoise,
dolphins and whales. Over 100 bird species
have been recorded.
The two areas that
comprise the property
complement each
other in their
characteristics. The
more southerly
Nryfjord is located
100 km inland near
the end of Sognefjord.
Its surrounding
mountains are
smooth-topped with
high glacial lakes and
a plateau glacier. The
uplands preserve
much of the rounded
landforms of the pre-
glacial landscape.
Geirangerfjord
(pictured on the right)
lies to the north,
60 km inland on the
upper end of
Storfjord. Its
mountains are more
Alpine in character.
Block elds are more
prevalent and there is
still permafrost and
several small glaciers
on the highest
summits.
742 gei rangerfj ord and nryfj ord
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North Sea
Scandinavia
Atlantic
Ocean
744 hi stori cal centre of the ci ty of yaroslavl
World Heritage site since
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Historical Centre of the
City of Yaroslavl
Russian Federation
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
The historic city of Yaroslavl is renowned for
its numerous seventeenth-century churches
and is an outstanding example of urban
planning reform. Situated at the confluence
of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers some 250 km
northeast of Moscow, the city developed
into a major commercial centre from the
eleventh century. It was renovated in the
neoclassical style in 1763 when Empress
Catherine the Great ordered town planning
reform for the whole of Russia. The
resulting blend of retained historic
structures and new radial urban plan
presents an outstanding example of the
interchange of cultural and architectural
influences between western Europe and the
Russian Empire.
The town has also
kept important
elements from the
sixteenth century
in the Spassky
Monastery, one of the
oldest in the Upper
Volga region. This was
built on the site of a
pagan temple in the
late twelfth century
but has been
reconstructed over
time.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Yaroslavl Kremlin
Tower.
EUROPE
Coiba National Park and its
Special Zone of Marine
Protection
Panama
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Coiba National Park, off the southwest coast
of Panama, protects Coiba Island, thirty-
eight smaller islands and the surrounding
marine areas within the Gulf of Chiriqui.
Protected from the cold winds and effects of
El Nio, Coibas Pacific tropical moist forest
maintains exceptionally high levels of
endemism of mammals, birds and plants
due to the ongoing evolution of new species.
It is also the last refuge for a number of
threatened species such as the crested eagle.
The property is an outstanding natural
laboratory for scientific research and
provides a key ecological link to the tropical
eastern Pacific for the transit and survival of
pelagic fish and marine mammals.
The ecosystems in
the marine zone are
repositories of great
biodiversity, with
760 marine fish
species, 33 types of
shark and 20 species
of cetaceans along
with a significant
population of Indo-
Pacific fish now
established in these
eastern Pacific waters.
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex
Belgium
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The Plantin-Moretus Museum is a printing
plant and publishing house dating from the
Renaissance and Baroque periods. Situated
in Antwerp, it is associated with the history
of the invention and spread of typography.
Its name refers to the greatest printer-
publisher of the second half of the sixteenth
century: Christophe Plantin c. 152089. The
monument is of outstanding architectural
value. It contains exhaustive evidence of the
life and work of what was the most prolific
printing and publishing house in Europe in
the late sixteenth century. The company,
remained in activity until 1867. The building
contains a large collection of old printing
equipment, including two of the oldest
surviving printing presses in the world, an
extensive library, invaluable archives and
works of art, among them a painting by
Rubens.
Antwerps booming
prosperity attracted
140 printers,
publishers and
booksellers to the
town by the mid-
sixteenth century. It
became the centre of
the book business for
Europe north of the
Alps, and one of the
three leading cities of
early European
printing and
typography along with
Paris and Venice.
coi ba nati onal park | planti n-moretus museum 745
World Heritage site since
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1982
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1983
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1984
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SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Soltaniyeh
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The mausoleum of Oljaytu was constructed
in 130212 in the city of Soltaniyeh, the capital
of the Ilkhanid dynasty, which was founded
by the Mongols. Situated in the province of
Zanjn, Soltaniyeh is one of the outstanding
examples of the achievements of Persian
architecture and a key monument in the
development of its Islamic architecture. The
octagonal building is crowned with a 50-m-
tall dome covered in turquoise-blue faence
and surrounded by eight slender minarets. It
is the earliest existing example of the double-
shelled dome in Iran. The mausoleums
interior decoration is also outstanding and
scholars such as A.U. Pope have described the
building as anticipating the Taj Mahal.
When Oljaytu came
to power in 1304 he
made the existing
town his capital,
enlarging it and
renaming it
Soltaniyeh (Imperial).
The city was a major
trading centre
between Asia and
Europe but gradually
declined in the
sixteenthseventeenth
centuries.
746 soltani yeh | qalat al-bahrai n
World Heritage site since
Qalat al-Bahrain Ancient
Harbour and Capital of
Dilmun
Bahrain
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Qalat al-Bahrain is a typical tell an artificial
mound created by many successive layers
of human occupation. The strata of the
300600 m tell testify to continuous human
presence from about 2300 BC to the
sixteenth century AD. About 25 per cent of
the site has been excavated, revealing
structures of different types: residential,
public, commercial, religious and military.
They testify to the importance of the site, a
trading port, over the centuries. On the top
of the 12-m mound there is the impressive
Portuguese fort, which gave the whole site
its name, qala (fort). The site was the capital
of the Dilmun, one of the most important
ancient civilizations of the region. It
contains the richest remains inventoried
of this civilization, which was hitherto only
known from written Sumerian references.
The once thriving and
important city of
Qalat al-Bahrain was
finally abandoned
when its access
channel through the
coral reef silted up,
bringing about
the gradual
transformation from
a 4,500-year-old
settlement to an
archaeological site.
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
The
Gulf
Arabian
Sea
ASIA
Mausoleum of
Oljaytu in Saltaniyeh
Struve Geodetic Arc
Belarus, Estonia, Finland,
Latvia, Lithuania, Norway,
Moldova, Russian Fed.,
Sweden and Ukraine
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The first accurate measuring of a long
segment of a meridian, helping to establish
the exact size and shape of the world,
exhibits an important step in the
development of earth sciences. The Struve
Arc is a chain of survey triangulations
stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to
the Black Sea over 2,820 km away. These are
points of a survey, carried out between 1816
and 1855 by the astronomer Friedrich Georg
Wilhelm Struve, which represented the first
accurate measuring of a long segment of a
meridian. It is an extraordinary example of
scientific collaboration among scientists
from different countries, and of
collaboration between monarchs for a
scientific cause.
Thirty-four of the
original station points
established by Struve
and his colleagues, in
ten countries, exist
today. These are
commemorated by
different marks: a
drilled hole in rock, an
iron cross, cairns, or
built obelisks.
Vredefort Dome
South Africa
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Vredefort Dome, approximately 120 km
southwest of Johannesburg, is a
representative part of a larger meteorite
impact structure, or astrobleme. Dating back
2,023 million years, it is the oldest
astrobleme yet found on Earth. With a radius
of 190 km, it is also the largest and the most
deeply eroded. Vredefort Dome bears
witness to the worlds greatest known single
energy release event, which had devastating
global effects including, according to some
scientists, major evolutionary changes.
It provides critical evidence of the Earths
geological history and is crucial to the
understanding of the evolution of the
planet. Despite the importance of impact
sites to the planets history, geological
activity on the Earths surface has led to the
disappearance of evidence from most of
them, and Vredefort is the only example to
provide a full geological profile of an
astrobleme below the crater floor.
The site contains high
quality and accessible
geological (outcrop)
sites that demonstrate
a range of geological
evidences of a
complex meteorite
impact structure.
struve geodeti c arc | vredefort dome 747
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
AFRICA
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Shiretoko
Japan
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Shiretoko Peninsula is located in the
northeast of Hokkaido, the northernmost
island of Japan. The site includes the land
from the central part of the peninsula to its
tip, Shiretoko Cape, and the surrounding
marine area. It provides an outstanding
example of the interaction of marine and
terrestrial ecosystems as well as
extraordinary ecosystem productivity,
largely influenced by the formation of
seasonal sea ice at the lowest latitude in
the northern hemisphere. It has particular
importance for a number of marine and
terrestrial species, some of them
endangered and endemic, such as
Blackistons fish owl and the Viola kitamiana
plant. The site is globally important for
threatened seabirds and migratory birds, a
number of salmonid species, and for marine
mammals including Stellers sea lion and
some cetacean species.
Shiretoko Peninsula
has a central spine of
volcanoes that
produce geothermal
features such as
geysers and thermally
heated pools. It is one
of Japans most
unspoiled areas.
748 shi retoko | radzi wi ll complex at nesvi zh
World Heritage site since
Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the
Radziwill Family at Nesvizh
Belarus
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history, Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
The Architectural, Residential and Cultural
Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh
is located in central Belarus. The Radziwill
dynasty, who built and kept the ensemble
from the sixteenth century until 1939, gave
birth to some of the most important
personalities in European history and
culture. Due to their efforts, the town of
Nesvizh came to exercise great influence
in the sciences, arts, crafts and architecture.
The complex consists of the residential
castle and the mausoleum Church of
Corpus Christi with their setting. The castle
has ten interconnected buildings, which
developed as an architectural whole around
a six-sided courtyard. The palaces and
church became important prototypes
marking the development of architecture
throughout central Europe and Russia.
The ten
interconnected
buildings of the castle
include the palace, the
galleries, the
residence and the
arsenal, all of which
are set within the
remains of the
sixteenth-century
fortifications. The
castle is connected via
a dam to the Church
of Corpus Christi.
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
Urban Historic Centre of
Cienfuegos
Cuba
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Cienfuegos was founded in 1819 on the
Caribbean coast of southern-central Cuba,
at the heart of the countrys sugar cane,
mango, tobacco and coffee production.
Trading powered the citys growth, with wax
production, as well as timber and sugar,
becoming increasingly important in the
nineteenth century. This historic town
exhibits an important interchange of
cultural and social influences based on the
Spanish Enlightenment. It is also the first
and finest example of an architectural
ensemble representing the new ideas of
modernity, hygiene and order in urban
planning as developed in Latin America from
the nineteenth century.
In its two centuries of
existence, Cienfuegos
has always been a
particularly important
trading city. Despite
its success, the
heritage area has
retained its historic
fabric without the
drastic changes
common in many
other cities.
World Heritage site since
hi stori c centre of ci enfuegos 749
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CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
The cathedral of Cienfuegos.
Kunya-Urgench
Turkmenistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The origins of Kunya-Urgench go back to
the sixth or fifth centuries, the early
Achaemenid period. Situated at the crossing
of trade routes, it was the capital of
Khorezm from the twelfth century and the
second city after Bukhara in central Asia. The
site has three distinct sections: the southern
section contains a series of monuments
dating mainly from the eleventhsixteenth
centuries, including a mosque, the gates of a
caravanserai, fortresses, mausoleums and a
60-m-high minaret; the northern section
consists of a large Muslim graveyard with a
group of three mausoleums at its centre;
the western section is a small area in the
western part of the old town containing the
monument of Ibn Khajib.
The monuments of
Kunya-Urgench
testify to outstanding
achievements in
architecture and
craftsmanship. Their
influence reached as
far south and west as
Iran and Afghanistan,
and later extended to
the architecture of the
Mogul Empire of
sixteenth-century
India.
750 kunya-urgench | syracuse and the necropoli s of pantali ca
World Heritage site since
Syracuse and the Rocky
Necropolis of Pantalica
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The site consists of two separate elements,
containing outstanding vestiges dating back
to Greek and Roman times: The Necropolis
of Pantalica contains over 5,000 tombs cut
into the rock near open stone quarries, most
of them dating from the thirteenth to
seventh centuries BC. Vestiges of the
Byzantine era also remain in the area, notably
the foundations of the Anaktoron Princes
Palace. The other part of the property, Ancient
Syracuse, includes the nucleus of the citys
foundation as Ortygia by Greeks from
Corinth in the eighth century BC. The site of
the city, which Cicero described as the
greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of
all, retains vestiges such as the Temple of
Athena, fifth century BC, later transformed to
serve as a cathedral, a Greek theatre, a
Roman amphitheatre, a fort and more. Many
remains bear witness to the troubled history
of Sicily, from the Byzantines to the
Bourbons, interspersed with the Arabo-
Muslims, the Normans, Frederick II of the
Hohenstaufen dynasty 11971250, the
Aragons and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Historic Syracuse offers a unique testimony
to the development of Mediterranean
civilization over three millennia.
Situated on the
Mediterranean coast
in southeastern Sicily
and enjoying a
favourable climate,
the sites have been
inhabited since
protohistoric times.
The Syracuse-
Pantalica area is
remarkable for its
cultural diversity.
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ASIA
Caspian
Sea
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Sichuan Giant Panda
Sanctuaries - Wolong,
Mt Siguniang and Jiajin
Mountains
China
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, home to
more than 30 per cent of the worlds pandas
which are classed as highly endangered,
covers 9,245 km
2
with seven nature reserves
and nine scenic parks in the Qionglai and
Jiajin Mountains. The sanctuaries constitute
the largest remaining contiguous habitat of
the giant panda, a relic from the palaeo-
tropic forests of the Tertiary Era. It is also the
species most important site for captive
breeding. The sanctuaries are home to other
globally endangered animals such as the red
panda, the snow leopard and clouded
leopard. They are among the botanically
richest sites of any region in the world
outside the tropical rainforests, with
between 5,000 and 6,000 species of flora
in over 1,000 genera.
The giant panda is
recognized as a
National Treasure
of China and is the
flagship for global
conservation efforts.
In the wild it feeds
almost exclusively on
bamboo, and its
preferred habitat is
between altitudes of
2,200 m and 3,200 m.
As a unique single
species and family, the
giant panda is very
important for studying
mammal classification
and evolution.
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si chuan gi ant panda sanctuari es 751
World Heritage site since
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
A young panda cub in the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries.
752 centenni al hall i n wroclaw | hi stori c town of harar j ugol
Centennial Hall in Wroclaw
Poland
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The Centennial Hall, a landmark in the history
of reinforced-concrete architecture, was
erected in 19113 by the architect Max Berg
as a multi-purpose recreational building,
situated in the Exhibition Grounds. In form it
is a symmetrical quatrefoil with a vast circular
central space that can seat some 6,000
persons. The 23-m-high dome is topped
with a lantern in steel and glass. The
Centennial Hall is a pioneering work of
modern engineering and architecture,
which exhibits an important interchange of
influences in the early twentieth century,
becoming a key reference in the later
development of reinforced-concrete
structures.
With its diameter of
65 m, the Centennial
Hall dome was at the
time the largest ever
built. Before then,
the largest dome was
that of the Pantheon
in Rome, completed by
AD 126. The Centennial
Hall dome was twice
as big: this stunning
achievement was
made possible
by the new material
(ferroconcrete) and
Bergs innovative
approach to structural
design.
Harar Jugol, the Fortified
Historic Town
Ethiopia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The fortified historic town of Harar is
located in the eastern part of the Ethiopia
on a plateau with deep gorges surrounded
by desert and savanna. The walls
surrounding this sacred Muslim city were
built between the thirteenth and sixteenth
centuries. Harar Jugol, said to be the fourth
holiest city of Islam, has eighty-two
mosques, three of which date from the
tenth century, and 102 shrines, but the
townhouses with their exceptional interior
design constitute the most spectacular part
of Harars cultural heritage. The impact of
African and Islamic traditions on the
development of the towns building types
and urban layout make for its particular
character and uniqueness.
Harar Jugol is the
centre of an Islamic
region within
otherwise Christian
Ethiopia. The World
Heritage site
comprises the entire
historic walled city of
Jugol, the name Jugol
referring to the
defensive wall as well
as to the fortified town.
One of Harar Jugols
city gates.
World Heritage site since
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World Heritage site since
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
World Heritage site since
old town of regensburg 753
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Old town of Regensburg
with Stadtamhof
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Located on the Danube River in Bavaria,
this medieval town contains many buildings
of exceptional quality that testify to its
history as a trading centre and to its
influence on the region from the ninth
century. A notable number of historic
structures span some two millennia and
include ancient Roman, Romanesque and
Gothic buildings. Regensburgs eleventh- to
thirteenth-century architecture including
the market, city hall and cathedral still
defines the character of the town marked by
tall buildings, dark and narrow lanes, and
strong fortifications. The buildings include
medieval patrician houses and towers, a
large number of churches and monastic
ensembles as well as the twelfth-century
Old Bridge. The town is also remarkable for
the vestiges testifying to its rich history as
one of the centres of the Holy Roman
Empire that turned to Protestantism.
Regensburg Cathedral.
A feature of Regensburg are the
towers built by patrician families,
for which there are no other
comparable examples north of
the Alps. Similar in form to north
Italian towers, they were built more
for the purpose of display than for
protection. The Goldene Turm
(twelfth-century) is nearly 50 m
high while the seven-storey
Baumburgerturm was built in 1270.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Agave Landscape and
Ancient Industrial Facilities
of Tequila
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history; Traditional human settlement;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Stretching between the Tequila Volcano
foothills and the deep Rio Grande valley
is a 347-km
2
landscape of blue agave.
Cultivation of the plant, a staple since
prehistoric times, has shaped the area, and
the agave landscape and local architecture
of haciendas, distilleries, factories and
tabernas have stimulated Mexican national
cultural expressions that have been
promoted around the world.
The area encloses a living, working
landscape of cultivated fields and the
settlements of Tequila, Arenal, and Amatitan
together with working distilleries where the
agave pineapple is fermented and distilled
into tequila.
The site also bears testimony to the
Teuchitlan cultures that shaped the Tequila
area fromAD 200900. They used agave for
the manufacture of basic necessities
including fabric, building materials,
weapons, sugar, honey, medicines, paper
and alcohol. Teuchitlan society grew rich
on the monopoly of agave resources.
The Tequila areas
poor soils and rough
terrain are the ideal
environment for
growing the agave
plant, used in
numerous
manufactures since
prehistoric times.
Tequila spirit became
associated first with
the Jalisco region in
the eighteenth
century and with
Mexico as a whole
after the revolution of
1910 onwards. Agave
culture is now seen
as part of Mexican
national identity.
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World Heritage site since
754 agave landscape and anci ent i ndustri al faci li ti es of tequi la
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Stone Circles of
Senegambia
Gambia and Senegal
Criteria Human creative genius; Testimony
to cultural tradition
The site consists of four large groups of
stone circles that represent an extraordinary
concentration of over 1,000 monuments in
a band 100 km wide along some 350 km
of the river Gambia. The four groups,
Sine Ngayne, Wanar, Wassu and Kerbatch,
cover ninety-three stone circles and
numerous tumuli, (burial mounds), some
of which have been excavated to reveal
material that suggest dates between the
third century BC and sixteenth century AD.
The stones forming
the circles have been
quarried with iron tools
from nearby laterite
quarries and skilfully
shaped into almost
identical pillars, either
cylindrical or polygonal
in section, on average
around 2 m in height
and weighing up to
7 tonnes. Each circle
contains between
eight and fourteen
pillars and has a
diameter of 4 to 6 m.
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites
Tanzania
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
On the eastern slopes of the Masai
escarpment bordering the Great Rift Valley
are natural rock shelters, overhanging slabs
of sedimentary rocks fragmented by rift
faults, whose vertical planes have been used
for rock paintings for at least two millennia.
The spectacular collection of images from
over 150 shelters over 2,336 km
2
, many with
high artistic value, displays sequences that
provide a unique testimony to the changing
socio-economic base of the area from
hunter-gatherer to agro-pastoralist, and the
beliefs and ideas associated with the different
societies. Some of the shelters are still
considered to have ritual associations with
the people who live nearby, reflecting their
beliefs, rituals and cosmological traditions.
The Kondoa sites are
testimony to the lives
of hunter-gatherers
and agriculturalists
who have lived in the
area for several
millennia. Rock art is
still relevant to local
communities, who use
some sites in rituals
for rainmaking,
divining and healing.
stone ci rcles of senegambi a | kondoa rock-art si tes 755
World Heritage site since
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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
Wassu stone circle.
Chongoni Rock-Art Area
Malawi
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Situated within a cluster of forested granite
hills and covering an area of 126.4 km
2
,
high up the plateau of central Malawi, the
127 sites of this area feature the richest
concentration of rock art in central Africa.
They reflect the comparatively scarce
tradition of farmer rock art, as well as
paintings by BaTwa hunter-gatherers who
inhabited the area from the late Stone Age.
The Chewa agriculturalists, whose ancestors
lived there from the late Iron Age, practised
rock painting until well into the twentieth
century. The symbols in the rock art, which
are strongly associated with women, still
have cultural relevance amongst the Chewa,
and the sites are actively associated with
ceremonies and rituals.
The dense and
extensive collection
of rock-art shelters
reflects a remarkable
persistence of cultural
traditions over many
centuries, connected
to the role of rock art
in womens initiations,
in rain making and in
funeral rites. These
traditions make the
Chongoni landscape
a powerful force in
Chewa society and
a significant place for
the whole of southern
Africa.
756 chongoni rock-art area | malpelo fauna and flora sanctuary
World Heritage site since
Malpelo Fauna and Flora
Sanctuary
Colombia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes
Located some 506 km off the coast of
Colombia, the site includes Malpelo Island
(3.5 km
2
) and the surrounding marine
environment (8,572 km
2
). This vast marine
park, the largest no-fishing zone in the
eastern tropical Pacific, provides a critical
habitat for internationally threatened
marine species, and is a major source of
nutrients resulting in large aggregations
of marine biodiversity. It is in particular
a reservoir for sharks, giant grouper and
billfish. Widely recognized as one of the top
diving sites in the world, due to the steep
walls and caves of outstanding natural
beauty, these deep waters support
important populations of large predators
and pelagic species in an undisturbed
environment where they maintain natural
behavioural patterns.
Malpelo Island is
thought to be a
geological hotspot
a product of the
welling up of the
Earths mantle. Its
rocky surface supports
a sparse vegetation
of ferns, lichen,
mosses and algae
which are sustained
by guano.
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AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Cornwall and West Devon
Mining Landscape
United Kingdom
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
The substantial remains of the copper- and
tin-mining industries are a testimony to the
contribution of Cornwall and West Devon
to the Industrial Revolution in Britain and
to the areas fundamental influence on the
mining world at large. The area was the
heartland from which mining technology
rapidly spread and its expertise and
technology, in the form of engines, engine
houses and mining equipment, was
exported around the world.
Much of the local landscape was
transformed in the eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries as a result of the rapid
growth of mining. The deep underground
mines, engine houses, foundries, new towns,
great houses and estates, smallholdings,
ports and harbours, together with ancillary
industries such as smelting, canals and
railways, reflect the prolific innovation which
led to the region producing two-thirds of
the worlds copper supply in the early
nineteenth century.
The success of the
copper, tin and arsenic
mines of Cornwall
and West Devon was
based on deep-shaft
mining made possible
by technological
innovations; these
included the safety
fuse for blasting and
developments in
steam-driven pumping.
When mining in the
area declined in the
1860s, many miners
emigrated, taking
Cornish traditions to
South Africa, Australia
and Central and
South America.
World Heritage site since
cornwall and west devon mi ni ng landscape 757
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EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Tonwanroath pumping engine house at Wheal Coates mine, St Agnes in Cornwall.
758 vi zcaya bri dge
World Heritage site since
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Vizcaya Bridge
Spain
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values
Vizcaya Bridge (Bizkaiko Zubia in Basque)
which straddles the mouth of the Ibaizabal
estuary in the Basque Country, was the first
bridge in the world of its type, carrying people
and traffic over the river on a suspended
gondola. It is among the outstanding
architectural iron constructions of the
Industrial Revolution.
The bridge represents the solution to the
problem of connecting the towns of
Portugalete and Getxo without disrupting
shipping on the river. Its construction
combined nineteenth-century ironworking
traditions with then-innovative technology
using lightweight twisted steel ropes. Its
success meant that it became a model for
many similar bridges in Europe, Africa and
the Americas, only a few of which still survive.
The bridge suffered bomb damage during
the Spanish Civil War but has otherwise
been in continuous operation since it
opened in 1893.
Vizcaya Bridge was
designed by the noted
Basque architect
Alberto de Palacio,
a student of Gustave
Eiffel. The bridge
structure is 45 m high
and spans 160 m
across the river.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Genoa: Le Strade Nuove
and the system of the
Palazzi dei Rolli
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Strade Nuove and the system of the
Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoas historic centre
date from the late sixteenth and early
seventeenth centuries when the Republic of
Genoa was at the height of its financial and
seafaring power. The site represents the first
example in Europe of an urban development
project parcelled out by a public authority
within a unitary framework and associated
with a particular system of public lodging
in private residences, as decreed by the
Senate in 1576. The site includes an
ensemble of Renaissance and Baroque
palaces along the so-called new streets,
Strade Nuove. The Palazzi dei Rolli offer an
extraordinary variety of different solutions,
achieving universal value in adapting to the
particular characteristics of the site and to
the requirements of a specific social and
economic organization. They also offer an
original example of a public network of
private residences designated to host state
visits.
The palaces (palazzi)
are generally three- or
four-storeys high with
spectacular open
staircases, courtyards
and loggias
overlooking gardens,
all in a relatively tight
space. Their owners
obligation to host
state visits led to
a widespread
knowledge of this
architectural model.
Yin Xu
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
The archaeological site of Yin Xu, close to
the city of Anyang, some 500 km south of
Beijing, is an ancient capital city of the late
Shang Dynasty 13001046 BC. It testifies to
the golden age of early Chinese culture,
crafts and sciences, a time of great
prosperity of the Chinese Bronze Age.
A number of royal tombs and palaces,
prototypes of later Chinese architecture,
have been unearthed on the site, including
the Palace and Royal Ancestral Shrines Area,
with more than eighty house foundations,
and the only tomb of a member of the royal
family of the Shang Dynasty to have
remained intact, the Tomb of Fu Hao. The
large number and superb craftsmanship of
the burial accessories found there testify to
the advanced level of Shang crafts industry.
Inscriptions on oracle bones found in Yin Xu
bear invaluable testimony to the
development of one of the worlds oldest
writing systems, ancient beliefs and social
systems.
The oracle-bone script
found at Yin Xu is one
of the oldest known
writing forms. Oracle
bones, or turtle shell,
were heated and the
resulting cracks were
used for divination;
the results were then
inscribed on the bones.
le strade nuove and the palazzi dei rolli , genoa | yi n xu 759
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Aflaj Irrigation Systems of
Oman
Oman
Criteria Traditional human settlement
The property includes five aflaj irrigation
systems and is representative of some 3,000
such systems still in use in Oman. The origins
of this system of irrigation may date back to
AD 500, but archaeological evidence suggests
that irrigation systems existed in this extremely
arid area as early as 2500 BC. Using gravity,
water is channelled from underground
sources or springs to support agriculture
and domestic use. The fair and effective
management and sharing of water in villages
and towns is still underpinned by mutual
dependence and communal values and guided
by astronomical observations. Numerous
watchtowers built to defend the water systems
form part of the site, reflecting the historic
dependence of communities on the aflaj
system. Threatened by the falling level of
the underground water table, the aflaj
represent an exceptionally well-preserved
form of land use.
The word aflaj is the
plural of falaj, which
means to divide into
shares. Equitable
sharing of a scarce
resource to ensure
sustainability remains
the hallmark of this
ancient irrigation
system.
760 aflaj i rri gati on systems of oman | aapravasi ghat
World Heritage site since
Aapravasi Ghat
Mauritius
Criteria Heritage associated with events of
universal significance
In the district of Port Louis, lies the 1,640 m
2
site where the modern indentured labour
diaspora began. In 1834, the British
Government selected the island of Mauritius
to be the first site for what it called the great
experiment in the use of free labour to
replace slaves. Between 1834 and 1920,
almost half a million indentured labourers
arrived from India at Aapravasi Ghat to work
in the sugar plantations of Mauritius, or to
be transferred to Runion Island, Australia,
southern and eastern Africa or the Caribbean.
The buildings of Aapravasi Ghat are among
the earliest explicit manifestations of what
was to become a global economic system
and one of the greatest migrations in history.
The immigration
depot that received
the Indian immigrants
is a complex of
buildings in Port
Louis. Of the original
facility founded in the
mid-nineteenth
century, only around
15 per cent remains
today.
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ASIA
Arabian
Sea
The
Gulf
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
World Heritage site since
crac des chevali ers and qalat salah el-di n 761
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Crac des Chevaliers and
Qalat Salah El-Din
Syrian Arab Republic
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
Crac des Chevaliers and Qalat Salah El-Din
are among the foremost examples of
medieval fortified castles in the world. Both
were vital Crusader strongholds. The Crac
des Chevaliers (Fortress of the Knights) or
Qalaat al-Hosn was built on the site of an
existing fortification by the Order of St John
of Jerusalem, the Knights Hospitaller, who
held it from 1142, turning it into the largest
Crusader fortress in the Holy Land. It finally
fell to a Mameluke siege in 1271. Still
towering over the surrounding landscape,
between Homs and Tartous, the magnificent
Crac is largely restored to its original state.
The Qalat Salah El-Din (Fortress of Saladin)
is partly in ruins but retains features from its
tenth-century Byzantine construction, its
reinforcement by the Crusaders in the
twelfth century, and modifications by the
Ayyubids who captured it under Saladin,
Sultan of Egypt and Syria, in 1188.
Crac des Chevaliers
guarded the route
from Syria to the Holy
Land and was one of
a chain of Crusader
castles commanding
the eastern
Mediterranean.
British soldier and
scholar T.E. Lawrence
called it perhaps the
best preserved and
most wholly
admirable castle in
the world.
Qalat Salah El-Din
was renamed in 1957
in honour of its
conqueror, Muslim
leader Saladin.
Mediterranean Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Crac des Chevaliers.
Sewell Mining Town
Chile
Criteria Interchange of values
Situated at 2,000 m in the Andes, 60 km to the
east of Rancagua, in an environment marked
by extremes of climate, Sewell Mining Town
was built by the Braden Copper company in
1905 to house workers at what was to become
the worlds largest underground copper mine,
El Teniente. It is an outstanding example of
the company towns that were born in many
remote parts of the world from the fusion of
local labour and resources from an
industrialized nation, to mine and process
high-value natural resources. The town was
built on a terrain too steep for wheeled
vehicles around a large central staircase
rising from the railway station. Along its route
formal squares of irregular shape with
ornamental trees and plants constituted the
main public spaces or squares of the town.
The buildings lining the streets are timber,
often painted in vivid green, yellow, red and
blue. At its peak Sewell numbered 15,000
inhabitants, but was largely abandoned in
the 1970s.
The only transport
that served the town,
built on a hillside
generally too steep for
cars, was the railway.
There were no roads
within the town, paths
ran along contours off
the central staircase to
smaller squares and
secondary stairs linking
the different levels. It
was known as the city
of stairs.
762 sewell mi ni ng town | bi sotun
World Heritage site since
Bisotun
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Bisotun is located along the ancient trade
route linking the Iranian high plateau with
Mesopotamia and features remains from
prehistoric times to the Median,
Achaemenid, Sassanian, and Ilkhanid
periods. The principal monument of this
archaeological site is the bas-relief and
cuneiform inscription ordered by Darius I,
The Great, when he rose to the throne of the
Persian Empire in 521 BC. It bears witness to
the interchange of influences in the
development of monumental art and
writing in the region of the Persian Empire.
Roughly 15 m high
and 25 m long, the
bas-relief on Mount
Bisotun depicts
Darius triumphant
over a rival. Below and
around are cuneiform
inscriptions, in three
languages Elamite,
Babylonian and
Old Persian detailing
the kings battles.
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SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Sydney Opera House
Australia
Criteria Human creative genius
Inaugurated in 1973, the Sydney Opera
House is a great architectural work of the
twentieth century that brings together
multiple strands of creativity and innovation
in both architectural form and structural
design. A great urban sculpture set in a
remarkable waterscape, at the tip of a
peninsula projecting into Sydney Harbour,
the building has had an enduring inuence
on architecture. In 1957, when the project of
the Sydney Opera House was awarded by an
international jury to Danish architect Jrn
Utzon, it marked a radically new approach to
construction. Utzons original design
concept and his unique approach to
building gave impetus to a collective
creativity of architects, engineers and
builders. Ove Arup's engineering
achievements helped make Utzon's vision
a reality.
The Opera House
comprises three
groups of interlocking
vaulted shells which
roof two main
performance halls and
a restaurant. These
shell-structures are
set upon a vast
platform and are
surrounded by terrace
areas that function as
pedestrian
concourses.

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sydney opera house 763
World Heritage site since
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
764 i wami gi nzan si lver mi ne | ri chtersveld cultural and botani cal landscape
Richtersveld Cultural and
Botanical Landscape
South Africa
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
The 1,600 km
2
Richtersveld Cultural and
Botanical Landscape of dramatic
mountainous desert in northwestern South
Africa, constitutes a cultural landscape
communally owned and managed. This site
sustains the semi-nomadic pastoral
livelihood of the Nama people, reflecting
seasonal patterns that may have persisted
for as much as two millennia in southern
Africa. It is the only area where the Nama
still construct portable rush-mat houses
(haru om), and includes seasonal migrations
and grazing grounds, together with stock
posts. The pastoralists collect medicinal and
other plants and have a strong oral tradition
associated with different places and
attributes of the landscape.
The extensive
communal grazed
lands are a testimony
to land management
processes that have
ensured the
protection of the
succulent Karoo
vegetation. The
seasonal pastoral
grazing regimes of
the Nama, which
sustain the extensive
biodiversity of the
area, were once much
more widespread and
are now vulnerable.
World Heritage site since

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World Heritage site since
Indian Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
and its Cultural Landscape
Japan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, in the
southwest of Honshu Island, is a cluster of
mountains, rising to 600 m and interspersed
with deep river valleys featuring the
archaeological remains of large-scale
mines, smelting and refining sites and
mining settlements worked between the
sixteenth and twentieth centuries. The
mines contributed substantially to the
overall economic development of Japan and
southeast Asia in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries, prompting the mass
production of silver and gold in Japan. The
mining area is now heavily wooded.
Included in the site are fortresses, shrines,
parts of Kaid transport routes to the coast,
and three port towns, Tomogaura,
Okidomari and Yunotsu, from where the ore
was shipped to Korea and China.
Japan was a major
silver producer. By the
first half of the
seventeenth century,
when production at
Iwami Ginzan was at
its peak, it is estimated
that its output
accounted for almost
a third of all world
silver production.
Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
World Heritage site since
red fort complex 765

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Red Fort Complex
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with events
of universal significance
The Red Fort, completed in 1648, represents
the zenith of Mughal creativity. The palace
plan is based on standard Islamic designs
but each pavilion displays architectural
elements typical of Mughal building a
fusion of Persian, Timurid, Hindu and
Islamic traditions.
Emperor Shah Jahan established his capital
at Shahjahanabad and built the Red Fort
Complex as his palace fort, enclosing it in
ornate red sandstone walls that stretch for
2.5 km. The innovative planning, gardens
and architectural style of the fort complex
strongly influenced later building and
garden design in Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra.
The Red Fort has been a powerful symbol
for the Indian nation since its construction.
The British Army captured it after the Indian
Mutiny of 18578 and held it until India
gained independence in 1947. It has
remained at the centre of national
independence celebrations ever since.
The Mughal Empire in India lasted
from 1526 until the mid-eighteenth
century. It reached the height of its
power around 1700, when it
encompassed almost the whole
subcontinent. The empires most
notable existing legacy is its
architecture: Shah Jahan, who built
the Red Fort, was also the builder of
the Taj Mahal.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Teide National Park
Spain
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
Situated on the island of Tenerife, Teide
National Park features the Teide-Pico Viejo
stratovolcano at 3,718 m, the highest peak
on Spanish soil. Rising 7,500 m above the
ocean floor, it is regarded as the worlds
third-tallest volcanic structure and stands
in a spectacular environment. The visual
impact of the site is all the greater due to
atmospheric conditions that create
constantly changing textures and tones in
the landscape and a sea of clouds that
forms a visually impressive backdrop to the
mountain. Teide is of global importance in
providing evidence of the geological
processes that underpin the evolution of
oceanic islands.
Mount Teide is an
exceptional example
of a relatively old, slow
moving, geologically
complex and mature
volcanic system. With
diverse and accessible
features in a relatively
limited area, it has
long been a major
centre for
international research
with a significant
history of influence on
the study of geology
and geomorphology.

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World Heritage site since
766 tei de nati onal park
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural
Landscape
Azerbaijan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape
covers three areas of a plateau of rocky
boulders rising out of the semi-desert of
east-central Azerbaijan, with an outstanding
collection of more than 6,000 rock
engravings bearing testimony to 40,000
years of rock art. The site also features the
remains of inhabited caves, settlements and
burials, all reflecting an intensive human use
by the inhabitants of the area during the wet
period that followed the last Ice Age, from
the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages.
The site, which covers an area of 5.4 km
2
, is
part of the larger Gobustan Reservation.
The rock art at
Gobustan is detailed
and wide-ranging: it
includes plants and
animals, and human
figures dancing,
hunting, fighting and
travelling in boats.
Nearby are
inscriptions left by
troops of Alexander
the Great and Roman
soldiers of the
Emperor Trajan.
samarra archaeologi cal ci ty | gobustan rock art 767
World Heritage site since

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Caspian
Sea
Black
Sea
ASIA
Animal rock-art
engraving, Gobustan.
Samarra Archaeological
City
Iraq
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Samarra Archaeological City is the site of a
powerful Islamic capital city that ruled for a
century over the provinces of the Abbasid
Empire, extending from Tunisia to central
Asia. Located on both sides of the river
Tigris, 130 km north of Baghdad, the length
of the site from north to south is 41.5 km; its
width varying from 8 km to 4 km. It testifies
to the architectural and artistic innovations
that developed there and spread to other
regions of the Islamic world and beyond.
The ninth-century Great Mosque and its
spiral minaret are among the numerous
remarkable architectural monuments of the
site, 80 per cent of which remain to be
excavated.
Samarra contains two
of the largest
mosques and the
largest palaces in the
Islamic world. Carved
stucco, known as the
Samarra style, was
developed there and
spread to other parts
of the region. A new
type of ceramic,
known as lustre ware,
was also developed in
Samarra, imitating
utensils made of
precious metals such
as gold and silver.
Caspian Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean
Sea
South China Karst
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
The South China Karst region extends over
a surface of 500,000 km
2
lying mainly in
Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi provinces.
The region displays a series of karst
landforms in a variety of humid, subhumid,
tropical and subtropical climate conditions,
and geographical settings. It comprises
three clusters: Shilin Karst, Libo Karst and
Wulong Karst.
Shilin, in Yunnan province, contains classic
examples of stone-forest landscapes, noted
for high limestone pinnacles and towers
decorated with deep, sharp karren (see photo
on the right). They formed over some 270
million years during four major geological
time periods from the Permian to present,
illustrating the episodic nature of the
evolution of these karst features. The stone
forests of Shilin are considered superlative
natural phenomena and a world reference
with a wider range of pinnacle shapes than
other karst landscapes, and a higher
diversity of shapes and changing colours.
Libo contains carbonate outcrops of
different ages that erosive processes shaped
over millions of years into impressive cone
and tower karsts. It contains a combination
of numerous tall karst peaks, deep dolines,
sinking streams and long river caves. Libo
is also noted for its biodiversity, with over
314 vertebrate species and 1,532 plant
species, including several endemics and a
number of plants and animals that are
globally or nationally endangered.
Wulong represents high inland karst
plateaus that have experienced considerable
uplift, and includes giant collapse
depressions and high natural bridges
between stretches of deep, unroofed caves.
Its giant dolines and bridges are
representative of south Chinas Tiankeng
landscapes. Wulongs landscapes contain
evidence for the history of one of the worlds
great river systems, the Yangtze and its
tributaries.
Minority peoples live in two of the karst
areas and make up most of the population.
There is a strong relationship between karst
and the cultural identity and traditions of
the people. In Shilin, the Yi people have
developed a lifestyle adapted to the karst
environment and the stone forests are
reflected in every aspect of their culture.
The Shui people in Libo have managed their
lands for at least a thousand years and
provide an exemplary example of
sustainable forest management.
Shilin stone forest in
Yunnan province.
Four types of karst
landscape in the area
are considered
outstanding. These
are: fengcong karst
(cone karst),
characterised by
linked conical hills
and depressions,
valleys and gorges;
fenglin karst (tower
karst), comprising
isolated cones or
towers on broad
plains; stone forests,
with a wide diversity
of closely spaced
pinnacles and towers,
and tiankeng karst
(giant dolines)
massive circular
collapse structures
often in close
proximity to
spectacular gorges
and decorated caves,
where cave or doline
collapse can create
natural rock bridges.
768 south chi na karst
World Heritage site since

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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Central University City
Campus of the Universidad
Nacional Autnoma de
Mxico (UNAM)
Mexico
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
The ensemble of buildings, sports facilities
and open spaces of the Central University
City Campus of the Universidad Nacional
Autnoma de Mxico (UNAM), was built
from 1949 to 1952 by more than sixty
architects, engineers and artists who were
involved in the project. As a result, the
campus constitutes a unique example of
twentieth-century modernism integrating
urbanism, architecture, engineering,
landscape design and fine arts with
references to local traditions, especially to
Mexicos pre-Hispanic past. The ensemble
embodies social and cultural values of
universal significance and is one of the most
significant icons of modernity in Latin
America.
The Biblioteca Central
(Central Library) of
UNAM is the
universitys most
famous and iconic
building. Tiled murals,
the work of Mexican
artist Juan OGorman,
cover the four walls
and represent historic
and modern Mexico
and the university.
World Heritage site since
Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes
Namibia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes has one of the
largest concentrations of rock petroglyphs
(engravings) in Africa. Most of these well-
preserved engravings represent rhinoceros,
elephant, ostrich and giraffe, as well as
drawings of human and animal footprints.
The site also includes six painted rock-
shelters with motifs of human figures in red
ochre. The objects excavated from two
sections, date from the Late Stone Age. The
site forms a coherent, extensive and high-
quality record of ritual practices relating to
hunter-gatherer communities in this part of
southern Africa over at least 2,000 years.
Over 2,000 figures
have been
documented, most of
which are
recognisable
depictions of animals
together with
engravings of their
tracks. It is thought
the imagery was
linked to the beliefs of
hunter-gatherers who
dominated this area
until around AD 1000.

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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
770 central uni versi ty ci ty campus of unam | twyfelfontei n or / ui-// aes
World Heritage site since
old town of corfu 771

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Old Town of Corfu
Greece
Criteria Significance in human history
The Old Town of Corfu, on the island of
Corfu off the western coasts of Albania and
Greece, is located in a strategic position at
the entrance to the Adriatic Sea, and has its
roots in the eighth century BC. The three
forts of the town, designed by renowned
Venetian engineers, were used for four
centuries to defend the maritime trading
interests of the Republic of Venice against
the Ottoman Empire. In the course of time,
the forts were repaired and partly rebuilt
several times, more recently under British
rule in the nineteenth century. The mainly
neoclassical housing stock of the Old Town
is partly from the Venetian period, partly of
later construction, notably the nineteenth
century. As a fortified Mediterranean port,
Corfus urban and port ensemble is notable
for its high level of integrity and
authenticity.
The fortifications of
Corfu have been
actively involved in
many conflicts
between the west
and the east
Mediterranean from
the fifteenth to the
twentieth centuries.
During rebuilding
they have been altered
to allow for
developments in
weapons of attack and
principles of defence,
successively by the
Venetians and by the
British.
EUROPE
Ionian
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
World Heritage site since

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772 beech forests of the carpathi ans and germany
Primeval Beech Forests of the
Carpathians and the Ancient
Beech Forests of Germany
Germany, Slovakia and
Ukraine
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes
The Primeval Beech Forests of the
Carpathians are an outstanding example
of undisturbed, complex temperate forests
and were inscribed onto the list in 2007.
In 2011 the site was extended to include
ve forests in Germany totalling 4,391
hectares. Together they comprise the
largest area of virgin forests of European
beech (fagus sylvatica) in existence. They
represent all stages of beech forest in age and
development, and they contain the largest
and tallest beech specimens in the world.
In all, the forests constitute an invaluable
genetic reservoir of beech and many species
associated with, and dependent on, these
forest habitats.
The areas contain complete naturally
functioning ecosystems. Flora and fauna
are rich and include rare and unique plants
and animals. Some species, such as black
stork, are associated with, and depend on,
undisturbed forest habitats.
These forests represent examples of
on-going post-glacial biological and
ecological evolution of terrestrial ecosystems
and are indispensable to understanding
the spread of the beech in the Northern
Hemisphere across a variety of environments.
The Primeval Beech
Forests of the
Carpathians and the
Ancient Beech Forests
of Germany represent
the largest remaining
virgin forests of
the European beech
(Fagus sylvatica)
covering almost
34,000 hectares in
this tri-national site.
They are also home to
the largest and tallest
beech specimens in
the world.
EUROPE
North
Sea
Black Sea
World Heritage site since
ri deau canal 773

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Rideau Canal
Canada
Criteria Human creative genius; Significance in
human history
The Rideau Canal, built by the British to
defend Canada against the USA, was one of
the first canals designed for steam-powered
vessels. It is the only canal from the great
North American canal-building era that
remains operational along its original line
with most of its structures intact. The site
also features an ensemble of fortifications
in Kingston, a reminder of the period when
Britain and the USA vied for control of the
region.
The Rideau was one of several canals the
British built after the war of 1812, when
Britain defended Upper Canada against
American invasion. It was intended as an
alternative route to the St Lawrence River,
which was vulnerable to American blockade.
In the event, the canal was never used for
military purposes but instead has served
important commercial and recreational
purposes since its construction.
The Rideau Canal was
completed in 1832 and
covers 202 km of the
Rideau and Cataraqui
rivers, from Ottawa
south to Kingston on
Lake Ontario. It is the
best-preserved
example of a slack-
water canal in North
America,
demonstrating the
use of this European
technology on a large
scale.
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Arctic
Ocean
Rideau Canal and The
Houses of Parliament,
Parliament Hill,
Ottawa.
Kaiping Diaolou and
Villages
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Significance in human history
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages feature the
diaolou, multi-storeyed defensive village
houses in Kaiping, which display a complex
and elaborate fusion of Chinese and
Western structural and decorative forms.
The main towers, with their settings and
through their flamboyant display of wealth,
are a type of building that reflects the
significant role of migr Kaiping people in
the development of several countries in
south Asia, Australasia and North America,
during the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. There are four groups
of diaolou and twenty of the most symbolic
ones are inscribed on the World Heritage
List. These buildings take three forms:
communal towers built by several families
and used as temporary refuge, residential
towers built by individual rich families and
used as fortified residences, and watch
towers. They are built of stone, pis
(rammed earth or clay), brick or concrete
and retain a harmonious relationship with
the surrounding landscape.
The building of
defensive towers was
a local tradition in the
Kaiping area since
Ming times. The
conspicuous wealth of
the returning Chinese
migrs contributed
to the spread of
banditry in the area
and the diaolou were
an extreme response
to the threat. Those in
the site represent the
final flourishing of a
centuries-old
tradition.
774 kai pi ng di aolou and vi llages
World Heritage site since

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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
bordeaux 775

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Bordeaux, Port of the Moon
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Port of the Moon, port city of Bordeaux
in southwest France, is inscribed on the
World Heritage List as an inhabited historic
city, an outstanding urban and architectural
ensemble, created in the age of the
Enlightenment, whose values continued up
to the first half of the twentieth century, and
with more protected buildings than any
other French city except Paris. It is also
recognized for its historic role as a place of
exchange of cultural values over more than
2,000 years, particularly since the twelfth
century, due to commercial links with
Britain and the Low Countries. Urban plans
and architectural ensembles of the early
eighteenth century onwards place the city
as an outstanding example of innovative
classical and neoclassical trends and give it
an exceptional urban and architectural unity
and coherence. Its urban form represents
the success of philosophers who wanted to
make towns into melting pots of humanism,
universality and culture.
The age of
Enlightenment
produced Bordeauxs
best known
architectural and urban
features. Louis-Urbain
Aubert, Marquis de
Tourny, arrived in
Bordeaux in 1743,
staying there until 1757.
He undertook major
projects for the
renovation and
opening up the
medieval city,
especially to the
faades of buildings on
the quays along the
river Garonne, the vital
commercial artery of
the community.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
The water mirror and Place de la Bourse.
Gamzigrad-Romuliana,
Palace of Galerius
Serbia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
Gamzigrad-Romuliana, the Palace of
Galerius in the east of Serbia, is one of the
most important Late Roman sites. A fortified
palace compound and memorial complex, it
was built by the Tetrarch Galerius
Maximianus (c. AD 260311), between the late
third and early fourth centuries.
The association of rulers with the divine
hierarchy was one of the characteristics of
the tetrarchy, and the palace is
representative of Late Roman imperial and
religious symbolism: the glorification of the
emperor as all-powerful ruler and as a god
underlies its construction.
The site consists of fortifications, a palace,
basilicas, temples, hot baths, a memorial
complex and a tetrapylon.
The buildings intertwining of ceremonial
and memorial functions is unique, as are the
spatial and visual relationships between the
palace and the memorial complex, where the
mausoleums of Galerius and his mother
Romula are located.
Gamzigrad-Romuliana was built
as a place to which Galerius could
retire, much like the palace built at
Split by his successor, the Emperor
Diocletian, who had instituted the
tetrarchy in the Roman Empire.
The palace was known as Felix
Romuliana after the emperors
mother.
World Heritage site since

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776 gamzi grad-romuli ana, palace of galeri us
EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Black
Sea
World Heritage site since
lavaux, vi neyard terraces 777

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Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces
Switzerland
Criteria Significance in human history
The Lavaux vineyard terraces are an
outstanding example of a centuries-long
interaction between people and their
environment, developed to optimize local
resources and so produce a highly valued
wine that has long been important to the
economy.
Although there is evidence that vines were
grown in the area in Roman times, the
present vine terraces can be traced back to
the eleventh century when monks from
Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries
cultivated the area. There are more than
10,000 terraces together with buildings
churches, castles, cellars and houses that
reflect the local history from monastic times
to the twentieth century, when the
landscape took on its present appearance.
The area is a thriving cultural landscape
that demonstrates its millennium-long
evolution and development through its
well-preserved landscape and buildings, and
in the continuation and adaptation of long-
standing local cultural traditions.
The Lavaux Vineyard
Terraces stretch for
about 30 km along the
south-facing northern
shores of Lake
Geneva from the
Chateau de Chillon to
the eastern outskirts
of Lausanne in the
Vaud region, covering
the lower slopes of the
mountainside
between the villages
and the lake.
Conditions in the area
are ideal for the
production of the
Chasselas grape.
EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa
Turkmenistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The Parthian Fortresses of Nisa consist of
two tells (prehistoric settlement mounds) of
Old and New Nisa, indicating the site of one
of the earliest and most important cities of
the Parthian Empire, a major power from
mid-third century BC to the third century AD.
They conserve the unexcavated remains of
an ancient civilization which skilfully
combined its own traditional cultural
elements with those of the Hellenistic and
Roman west. Archaeological excavations in
two parts of the site have revealed richly
decorated architecture, illustrative of
domestic, state and religious functions.
Situated at the crossroads of important
commercial and strategic axes, this powerful
empire formed a barrier to Roman
expansion while serving as an important
communication and trading centre between
east and west, north and south.
Nisa was the capital
of a powerful empire.
Old Nisa, the royal
citadel, is a 0.14 km
2
tell, or mound,
surrounded by a
rampart with towers;
while the 0.25 km
2
tell
of the city, known as
New Nisa, has walls
up to 9 m high.
778 parthi an fortresses of ni sa | rai nforests of the atsi nanana
World Heritage site since
Rainforests of the
Atsinanana
Madagascar
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The Rainforests of the Atsinanana comprise
six national parks distributed along the
eastern part of the island. These relict
forests are critically important for
maintaining ongoing ecological processes
necessary for the survival of Madagascars
unique biodiversity, which reflects the
islands geological history. Having
completed its separation from all other land
masses more than sixty million years ago,
Madagascars plant and animal life evolved
in isolation. The rainforests are inscribed in
the World Heritage List for their importance
to both ecological and biological processes
as well as their biodiversity and the
threatened species they support. Many
species are rare and threatened, especially
primates and lemurs.
Madagascar is one
of the foremost
countries for
megadiversity of flora
and fauna. The island
has around 12,000
endemic plants and is
globally significant for
its wildlife, especially
primates. The site
protects key areas of
their habitat in
original forests.

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ASIA
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
mehmed paa sokolovi c bri dge i n vi egrad 779

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Mehmed Paa Sokolovic
Bridge in Viegrad
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The Mehmed Paa Sokolovic Bridge of
Viegrad crosses the Drina River and was
built between 1571 and 1577. It is considered
to be characteristic of the height of
Ottoman monumental architecture and
civil engineering, and a representative
masterpiece of the renowned Ottoman
architect Sinan.
The 179.5-m-long bridge has eleven
masonry arches with spans of 10.7 m to 15
m, and an access ramp at right angles with
four arches on the left bank of the river.
The arches are enhanced by architectural
features typical of the classical Ottoman
period.
The bridge was important in allowing
control of the inner Balkans by the Ottoman
Empire in Istanbul. It forms a highlight of
the route linking the plains of the Danube to
Sarajevo and the Adriatic coast, particularly
to the port of Dubrovnik.
The Viegrad bridge
was commissioned
by the Grand Vizier
Mehmed Paa
Sokolovic (150579),
the foremost minister
or adviser to the
sultan, who was a
Bosnian. The building
of the bridge was
primarily a tribute to
his native region.
EUROPE
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Adriatic
Sea
Jeju Volcanic Island and
Lava Tubes
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes together
display a range and quality of accessible
volcanic features that offer a distinctive and
important contribution to the
understanding of volcanic activity and lava
cave formation.
The volcanic island of Jeju is an area of
outstanding natural beauty and the site
covers an area of 188 km
2
. It comprises three
locations: Geomunoreum lava-tube system
of caves; Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone,
rising out of the ocean; and the shield or
shallow-sided volcano of Mount Hallasan,
at 1,950 m, the highest mountain in the
Republic of Korea. Hallasan, with its
waterfalls, multi-shaped rock formations and
lake-filled crater, is the primary volcano, with
the Hallasan Natural Reserve at its summit.
There are around 360 subsidiary cones
around the island, many of which, on
cooling, formed the lava-tube caves.
A lava tube is a conduit that
develops under a lava flow and
through which lava is expelled
during a volcanic eruption. After the
rock cools, the empty, elongated
channel or lava tube remains.
Geomunoreum, with its
multicoloured carbonate roofs
and floors and dark lava walls, is
regarded as the finest lava-tube
system of caves in the world.
World Heritage site since

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780 j ej u volcani c i sland and lava tubes
Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
Yellow
Sea
Columnar jointing in the volcanic rock, Jeju.
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lop-Okanda
Gabon
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Significant
ecological and biological processes;
Significant natural habitat for biodiversity
Over 1,550 plant
species have been
recorded so far in
the park and it is
anticipated that the
final total could reach
over 3,000, making
Lop-Okanda one of
the most outstanding
areas for floral
diversity in the Congo
rainforest ecoregion.
Protective town of San Miguel and the Sanctuary of Jess
Nazareno de Atotonilco
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance
in human history
This fortified town, established in the
sixteenth century, reached its apogee in
the eighteenth century, when many of its
outstanding religious and civic buildings
were built in the Mexican Baroque style.
It was a melting pot of Spanish, Creole and
Amerindian cultures. The Jesuit sanctuary,
14 km away, is one of the finest examples of
eighteenth-century Baroque art and
architecture in Latin America.
During its long
history the town has
also played a part in
the struggle for
Mexican
independence. It was
the birthplace of
national hero General
Ignacio Allende and
was renamed San
Miguel de Allende in
1926 in his honour.
lop-okanda | san mi guel and the sanctuary of j ess nazareno de atotoni lco 781
World Heritage site since

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Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
The Ecosystem and Relict Cultural
Landscape of Lop-Okanda demonstrates
an unusual interface between dense and
well-conserved tropical rainforest and relict
savanna environments with a great diversity
of species, including endangered large
mammals, and habitats. The site illustrates
ecological and biological processes in terms
of species and habitat adaptation to post-
glacial climatic changes. It contains
evidence of the successive passages of
different peoples who have left extensive
and comparatively well-preserved remains
of habitation around hilltops, caves and
shelters, evidence of iron-working and a
remarkable collection of some 1,800
petroglyphs (rock carvings). The propertys
collection of Neolithic and Iron Age sites,
together with the rock art found there,
reflects a major migration route of Bantu
and other peoples from west Africa along
the river Ogoou valley to the north of the
dense evergreen Congo forests and to
central, east and southern Africa, that has
shaped the development of the whole of
sub-Saharan Africa.
World Heritage site since

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NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
782 san mari no and mount ti tano | sacred mi j i kenda kaya forests
World Heritage site since

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San Marino Historic Centre
and Mount Titano
San Marino
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
San Marino is one of the worlds oldest
republics and the only Italian city-state that
survives today. With its unique,
uninterrupted continuity as the capital of an
independent republic since the thirteenth
century, San Marino exemplifies the
establishment of a representative
democracy based on civic autonomy and
self-governance and so represents an
important stage in the development of
democratic models in Europe and around
the world.
The San Marino site covers 0.6 km
2
. The
Historic Centre is strategically sited on the
top of Mount Titano and its many
monuments include fortification towers,
walls, gates and bastions; a neoclassical
nineteenth-century basilica; fourteenth- and
sixteenth-century convents; the nineteenth-
century Palazzo Publico; and the Titano
Theatre, dating from the eighteenth
century.
The state of San
Marino is an enclave
in the Appenine
Mountains and is
landlocked and
surrounded by Italy. It
was the only city-state
not to be brought into
union with the rest of
Italy by Garibaldi
during the
Risorgimento, the
nineteenth-century
national unification
movement, and
maintains its
independence today.
EUROPE
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Adriatic
Sea
First tower (Guaita)
on Mount Titano.
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya
Forests
Kenya
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
Spread out along around 200 km of the
Kenyan coast are a number of separate
forested sites, mostly on low hills, in which
are the remains of fortified villages, kayas, of
the Mijikenda people. Tradition tells how
kayas were created from the sixteenth
century onwards as the Mijikenda migrated
south from Somalia. The kayas began to fall
out of use in the early twentieth century and
are now revered as the repositories of
spiritual beliefs of the Mijikenda people and
are seen as the sacred abode of their
ancestors. The forests around the kayas have
been nurtured by the Mijikenda community
to protect the sacred graves and groves and
are now almost the only remains of the
once extensive coastal lowland forest.
A typical kaya
consisted of a circular
stockade in a clearing
in the forest,
approached by well-
dened paths. Houses
were arranged around
the edge of the
stockade and within
the centre of the
village there would be
either a grove of trees
or a large thatched
structure called a
moro, places for
meetings of the
council of elders.
Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
Rhaetian Railway in the
Albula / Bernina
Landscapes
Italy and Switzerland
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The Rhaetian railway brings together two
historic mountain railway lines that cross
the Swiss Alps through two passes. Opened
in 1904, the Albula line is 67 km long. It
features an impressive set of structures
including forty-two tunnels and covered
galleries and 144 viaducts and bridges and
reaches a height of 1,819 m. The 61 km
Bernina Pass line features thirteen tunnels
and galleries and fifty-two viaducts and
bridges and reaches a height of 2,253 m.
These railways overcame the isolation of
settlements in the central Alps early in the
twentieth century, with a major and lasting
socio-economic impact on life in the
mountains. They display outstanding
architectural and civil engineering
achievements, built in harmony with the
landscapes through which they pass.
The railway crosses
the Swiss Alps, to the
south of the upper
valley of the Rhine, by
two passes. It follows
the valley and the
Albula Pass, and then
crosses the upper
valley of the Engadin
(Saint-Moritz), before
crossing the Bernina
Pass and descending
to the river Adda, in
the Italian Veltin.
784 rhaeti an rai lway | berli n moderni sm housi ng estates
World Heritage site since
Berlin Modernism Housing
Estates
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Significance in
human history
The site consists of six housing estates in
Berlin that testify to innovative housing
policies from 1910 to 1933, especially during
the Weimar Republic, when the city of Berlin
was particularly progressive socially,
politically and culturally. The estates are an
outstanding example of the building reform
movement that contributed to improving
housing and living conditions for people
through novel approaches to town
planning, architecture and garden design.
The estates also provide exceptional
examples of Modernism, the new
architectural style, featuring fresh design
solutions, as well as technical and aesthetic
innovations. Bruno Taut, Martin Wagner and
Walter Gropius were among the leading
architects of these projects which exercised
considerable influence on the development
of housing around the world.
The idea of these
Berlin estates was to
create housing for all
income levels, of
equal standard and
varying size, with
dedicated bathrooms
and kitchens and
generous loggias and
balconies, which faced
the sun. The designers
not only aimed at
creating a new social
and spatial order; they
also wanted to create
beautiful facilities and
make the inhabitants
happy.

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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Socotra Archipelago
Yemen
Criteria Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Socotra is globally important for biodiversity
conservation because of its exceptionally
rich and distinct flora and fauna; 37 per cent
of its plant species, 90 per cent of its reptile
species and 95 per cent of its land snail
species do not occur anywhere else in the
world. Socotra, one of the most biodiverse
and distinct islands in the world, has been
termed the Galpagos of the Indian Ocean.
The site represents
all the terrestrial and
marine features and
processes essential
for the long-term
conservation of the
archipelagos rich and
distinct biodiversity.
It covers about 75 per
cent of the total land
area, protecting all
the major vegetation
types, areas of high
floral and faunal
values and important
bird areas, and the
most significant areas
of marine biodiversity.
Historic Centre of
Camagey
Cuba
Criteria Significance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
Camagey is an exceptional example of a
traditional urban settlement relatively
isolated from main trade routes. It was one
of the first villages founded by the Spaniards
in Cuba and was the centre of a region
dedicated to cattle breeding and the sugar
industry. Settled in its current location in
1528, its irregular urban pattern developed
with large and small squares, winding
streets, alleys and irregular blocks of
buildings, highly unusual for Latin American
colonial towns located on flat land. The
Spanish colonizers followed medieval
European influences in terms of urban
layout and traditional construction
techniques brought to the Americas by their
masons and construction masters. The
centre reflects the influence of numerous
styles including neoclassical, neocolonial,
Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
Religious architecture
reached its peak in the
eighteenth century.
Churches are compact,
usually with
symmetrical faades
with scant decoration.
Some adjoin convents,
hospitals or cemeteries.
As a group, the religious
buildings show extreme
simplicity, but their
historical, artistic and
symbolic value has
contributed to the
naming of Camagey
as the City of
Churches.
socotra archi pelago | hi stori c centre of camagey 785
World Heritage site since

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AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Red
Sea
NORTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Egyptian vulture
Kuk Early Agricultural Site
Papua New Guinea
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
This site consists of 1.2 km
2
of swamps
in the southern highlands of New Guinea,
1,500 m above sea level. Archaeological
excavation has established Kuk as the site
of the earliest, independent agriculture in
Oceania and could indicate that it
contributed to the spread of domesticated
plants, and of settlement, culture and
societies across the region. It contains well-
preserved archaeological remains
demonstrating the technological leap from
plant exploitation to agriculture, initially
with taro and yam on wetland margins
around 7,000 years ago, and then with
organised domestication and cultivation
of bananas on drained ground some 4,000
years ago. It is an excellent example of
transformation of agricultural practices over
time, from cultivation mounds to draining
the wetlands through the digging of ditches
with wooden tools.
Kuk is one of the few
places in the world
where archaeological
evidence suggests
independent
agricultural
development and
changes in
agricultural practice
over more than 7,000
years. Modern
farming activities at
Kuk remain relatively
low-key and do not
intrude upon the
archaeological
features of the site.
786 kuk early agri cultural si te | saryarka steppe and lakes
World Heritage site since
Saryarka Steppe and
Lakes of Northern
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes; Significant natural habitat for
biodiversity
This site features wetlands of outstanding
importance for migratory birds, including
the globally threatened Siberian white crane,
Dalmatian pelican and Pallass fish eagle,
that travel from Africa, Europe and south
Asia to their breeding grounds in western
and eastern Siberia. The central Asian steppe
provides a valuable refuge for over half the
species of the regions steppe flora,
a number of threatened bird species and the
critically endangered Saiga antelope.
The wetlands of the
site are globally
important. The
Korgalzhyn-Tengiz
lakes provide feeding
grounds for up to
1516 million birds,
including up to
2.5 million geese. They
also support 350,000
nesting waterfowl,
while the Naurzum
lakes support 500,000
nesting waterfowl.

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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Coral Sea
Arafura Sea
Caspian
Sea
Black Sea
ASIA
Dalmatian pelican.
World Heritage site since
swi ss tectoni c arena sardona 787

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Swiss Tectonic Arena
Sardona
Switzerland
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona is an
exceptional and dramatic example of the
process of mountain building through
continental collision. The structures and
processes that characterize the
phenomenon are displayed in a mountain
setting and the area has been a key site for
the study of geological sciences since the
eighteenth century.
The Glarus Alps are glaciated mountains
rising dramatically above narrow river
valleys and are the site of the largest post-
glacial landslide in the central Alpine region.
The Glarus Overthrust is a key part of the
whole site. This is a break in the earths crust
where compression forces the upper side of
two tectonic plates further upwards over the
lower one. The exposures of the rocks below
and above this feature are visible in three
dimensions and they have made substantial
contributions to the understanding of
mountain-building tectonics.
The Swiss Tectonic
Arena Sardona lies
in the Alps in
northeastern
Switzerland and
covers a mountainous
area of 329 km
2
; it
includes seven
peaks that rise above
3,000 m.
EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
Klntaler lake and the
Glarus Alps.
Fujian Tulou
China
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history; Traditional human
settlement
Set amongst the rice, tea and tobacco fields
of southwest Fujian Province, this site
contains forty-six extraordinary communal
earthen houses (tulou), built between the
twelfth and the twentieth centuries. They
are up to five storeys high, with an inward-
looking, circular or square floor plan, each
housing a whole clan of up to 800 people.
They were built for defensive purposes
around a central open courtyard with few
windows to the outside and only one
entrance. They feature tall, fortified mud
walls capped by tiled roofs with wide over-
hanging eaves. The most elaborate
structures date back to the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. In contrast with their
plain exterior, the inside of the tulou were
built for comfort and were often highly
decorated.
Tulou functioned as
impregnable village
units and were known
as a little kingdom for
the family or a
bustling small city.
Their lower sections,
reinforced with stone,
were generally
windowless, while the
upper floors were
studded with gun
holes. The main gate
was reinforced, often
with watertanks built
above to extinguish
assault by fire.
788 fuj i an tulou | lagoons of new caledoni a
World Heritage site since
Lagoons of New Caledonia:
Reef Diversity and
Associated Ecosystems
France
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Significant ecological and biological processes;
Significant habitat for biodiversity
The tropical lagoons and coral reefs of New
Caledonia are considered to be some of the
most beautiful reef systems in the world,
with a wide variety of shapes and forms
within a comparatively small area. They
feature an exceptional diversity of coral and
fish species and a continuum of habitats
from mangroves to seagrasses. The
excellent ecological condition of the reefs is
remarkable, in particular the number and
diversity of large fish and top predators,
such as sharks and barracuda. The lagoons
provide habitats to a number of threatened
fish, turtles and marine mammals, including
the third largest population of dugongs in
the world. The reefs are of varying age, from
living reefs to ancient fossil reefs, providing
an important source of information on the
natural history of Oceania.
The natural beauty of
the lagoons result
from the combination
of coastal and oceanic
landscapes with a
background of
forested mountains.
This beauty continues
in the clear water
below the surface with
dramatic displays of
coral diversity and
massive coral
structures, together
with arches, caves and
major fissures in the
reefs.

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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
Temple of Preah Vihear
Cambodia
Criteria Human creative genius
Preah Vihear, a Hindu temple dedicated
to the god Shiva, is an outstanding
masterpiece of Khmer architecture in terms
of its design, the exceptional quality of its
carved stone ornamentation and its
relationship to its spectacular setting.
The temple stands in a cliff-top location on
the edge of a plateau that dominates the
plain of Cambodia. It is a unique complex
comprising a series of sanctuaries linked by
a system of pavements and staircases that
extend over an 800-m-long axis.
The sites origins date from its ninth-
century beginnings as a hermitage. In the
eleventh and twelfth centuries it was built
up as a royal temple under the Khmer kings
Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II. The
temple was adapted for use by Buddhists
after Hinduism declined in the region.
ASIA
South
China
Sea
Indian Ocean
Surtsey
Iceland
Criteria Significant ecological and biological
processes
Surtsey, a volcanic island approximately
32 km from the south coast of Iceland, is a
new island formed by volcanic eruptions
that took place between 1963 and 1967. Free
from human interference, Surtsey has been
producing unique long-term information
on the colonisation process of new land by
plant and animal life. Since 1964, scientists
have observed the arrival of seeds carried by
ocean currents, the appearance of moulds,
bacteria and fungi and, in 1965, the first
vascular plant, of which there were ten
species by the end of the first decade. By
2004, they numbered sixty, together with
seventy-five bryophytes, seventy-one lichens
and twenty-four fungi. Eighty-nine species
of birds have been recorded on Surtsey,
along with 335 species of invertebrates.
EUROPE
Greenland
Atlantic
Ocean
Scandinavia
The temple was the
scene of battles
between the
Cambodian army and
Khmer Rouge fighters
in the 1970s, during
Cambodias civil war.
However, despite the
countrys violent
recent history, the
temple site remains
well preserved.
Geographically
isolated, Surtsey has
been legally protected
since its formation
and will continue to
provide invaluable
data on biological
colonisation long into
the future. Another
part of the evolution
of Surtsey is the
process of coastal
erosion which has
already halved the
area of the island and
is predicted to remove
another two-thirds,
leaving only the most
resistant core.

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temple of preah vi hear | surtsey 789
790 melaka and george town | stari grad plai n
World Heritage site since
Stari Grad Plain
Croatia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement
The fertile plain near the port, now known as
Stari Grad, on the Adriatic island of Hvar,
was colonized by Ionian Greeks from Paros
in the fourth century BC. It quickly became
one of the most important Greek colonies
of the Adriatic because of its flourishing
agriculture. This agricultural activity, based
on grapes and olives, has been maintained
since Greek times to the present. The site is
also a nature reserve. The landscape features
ancient stone walls and trims, or small stone
shelters, and bears testimony to the regular
geometrical system of land division used by
the ancient Greeks, the chora, which has
remained virtually intact over twenty-four
centuries. This system was completed with
tanks of varying sizes for the retention of
rainwater.
The agricultural plain
of Stari Grad and its
environment are an
example of very
ancient traditional
human settlement,
which is today under
threat from modern
economic
development,
particularly rural
depopulation and the
abandonment of
traditional farming
practices.

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EUROPE
Adriatic
Sea
Tyrrhenian
Sea
Melaka and George Town,
Historic Cities of the Straits
of Malacca
Malaysia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition, Significance in human history
The historic cities of Melaka and George
Town, on the Straits of Malacca, are
remarkable examples of historic colonial
towns, demonstrating a succession of
cultural influences that derive from their
former function as trading ports linking
East and West.
The towns complement one another in
illustrating different stages of development
and successive changes over a period of
time. Melaka demonstrates their early
history: originating in the fifteenth-century
Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and
Dutch periods beginning in the early
sixteenth century, its notable monuments
are its government buildings, churches,
squares and fortifications. Residential and
commercial buildings feature strongly in
George Town, which represents the British
era from the end of the eighteenth century
until the twentieth century. Together, the
two towns constitute a unique architectural
and cultural townscape without parallel
anywhere in east and southeast Asia.
Melaka and George
Town were forged
from the mercantile
interaction of Malay,
Chinese, and Indian
cultures and of three
successive European
colonial powers over
almost 500 years.
Each has left its
imprint on the local
architecture and
urban form,
technology and
monumental art.
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
ASIA
World Heritage site since
monarch butterfly bi osphere reserve 791

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Monarch Butterfly
Biosphere Reserve
Mexico
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
protects key overwintering sites for the
monarch butterfly whose concentration
in the property is a superlative natural
phenomenon.
The 563 km
2
biosphere lies within rugged
forested mountains about 100 km
northwest of Mexico City. In a dramatic
manifestation of insect migration, up to a
billion monarch butterflies return annually
from northern breeding areas to land in
close-packed clusters within fourteen
overwintering colonies in central Mexicos
oyamel fir forests. The biosphere reserve
protects eight of these colonies and an
estimated 70 per cent of the total
overwintering population of the monarch
butterflys eastern population.
In the spring the butterflies begin an eight-
month round-trip migration that takes them
as far as eastern Canada and back, during
which four successive generations are born
and die.
The millions of
monarch butterflies
that return to the
property every year
colour the trees
orange, bend
branches with their
massed weight, fill the
sky when they take
flight, and sound like
light rain with the
beating of their wings.
To witness this unique
phenomenon is an
exceptional
experience of nature.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
A monarch buttery
feeding on a owers
nectar.
792 le morne cultural landscape | armeni an monasti c ensembles of i ran
World Heritage site since

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Le Morne Cultural
Landscape
Mauritius
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
significance
Le Morne, a rugged mountain that juts into
the Indian Ocean in the southwest of
Mauritius, was used as a shelter by runaway
slaves, called maroons, through the
eighteenth and early years of the nineteenth
centuries. Mauritius was a major
transhipment place for slaves between
Africa, India and the Americas and became
known as the Maroon republic because of
the comparatively large number of escaped
slaves who were in hiding on Le Morne.
Protected by the mountains isolated,
wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs, it
offered a retreat against those who hunted
them down. Many only survived as free men
for a few weeks; others managed to set up
small communities on the mountain,
around its base, in caves on its sides or on
its summit.
Since the abolition
of slavery in 1835 the
maroons have
achieved legendary
status as heroic
resistance fighters
and Le Morne has
become the symbol
of their suffering,
their bid for freedom
and their sacrifice.
The mountain,
together with its
surrounding foothills
and lagoons, is a place
of great scenic beauty.
Armenian Monastic
Ensembles of Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal significance
The fortified Armenian monasteries of
northwest Iran bear testimony, since the
origins of Christianity and certainly since
the seventh century, to Armenian culture
and its contact with Persian and later
Iranian civilizations. The monasteries
of St Thaddeus and St Stepanos and the
Chapel of Dzordzor are outstanding
examples of Armenian architectural and
decorative traditions. Situated on the south-
eastern fringe of Armenian influence, the
monasteries constituted a major centre
for the dissemination of that culture. The
monastery of St Thaddeus, the presumed
location of the tomb of St Thaddeus, the
apostle of Jesus Christ, has always been
a place of high spiritual significance for
Christians and other inhabitants in the
region. It is still a living place of pilgrimage
for the Armenian Church.
The monasteries have
survived human and
natural destruction
over the course of
2,000 years and have
been rebuilt several
times in keeping with
Armenian cultural
traditions. Today they
are the only important
vestiges of Armenian
culture in this region.
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
World Heritage site since
bah holy places i n hai fa and the western gali lee 793

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Bah Holy Places in Haifa
and the Western Galilee
Israel
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The Bah Holy Places in Haifa and the
Western Galilee are inscribed for their
profound spiritual meaning and the
testimony they bear to the strong tradition
of pilgrimage in the Bah Faith.
The sites include the two most holy places
in the Bah religion associated with its
founders, the Shrine of Bahullh in Acre
and the Shrine of the Bb in Haifa, together
with their surrounding gardens, associated
buildings and monuments. These two
shrines are part of a larger complex of
buildings, monuments and sites at seven
distinct locations in Haifa and the Western
Galilee that draw large numbers of pilgrims
from around the world.
The two holy Bah shrines are tangible
places of great meaning for one of the
worlds religions.
The Bah Faith is a
monotheistic religion
that emphasizes the
spiritual unity of all
peoples. It was
founded by
Bahullh in Persia
in the nineteenth
century and it is
estimated that there
are over five million
Bahis around the
world.
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
ASIA
The Shrine of the Bb
and the Bah Gardens,
Haifa.
The Fortifications of Vauban comprise
twelve groups of fortified buildings and
sites that together represent the peak of
classic bastioned fortification typical of
Western military architecture. They are the
finest examples of the work of Sbastien Le
Prestre de Vauban (16331707), the renowned
military engineer of King Louis XIV.
The twelve properties in the site form a
ring around Frances borders. They are at
Arras, Besanon, Blaye-Cussac-Fort-Mdoc,
Brianon, Camaret-sur-Mer, Longwy, Mont-
Dauphin, Mont-Louis, Neuf-Brisach, Saint-
Martin-de-R, Sant-Vaast-la-
Hougue/Tatihou and Villefranche-de-
Conflent. The fortifications include towns
built from scratch by Vauban, citadels built
on plains, urban bastion walls and bastion
towers. There are also mountain forts, sea
forts, a mountain battery and two mountain
communication structures.
794 forti fi cati ons of vauban
World Heritage site since

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1987
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Fortifications of Vauban
France
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Significance in human history
Vauban played a
major role in the
history of fortification.
His work crystallized
earlier theories of
strategy into a rational
system of
fortifications based
on a concrete
relationship to the
territory to be
defended. His
theories and models
were studied and used
across the world and
made a major
contribution to
military architecture.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Fort at Brianon.
Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian
Mountain Area
Slovakia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Significance in human history
These wooden churches, two Roman
Catholic, three Protestant and three Greek
Orthodox, were built between the sixteenth
and eighteenth centuries, mostly in quite
isolated villages, using wood as the main
material and traditional construction
techniques. They are good examples of a
rich local tradition of religious architecture,
marked by the meeting of Latin and
Byzantine cultures. The buildings exhibit
some variations in their floor plans, interior
spaces and external appearance due to their
respective religious practices. They bear
testimony to the development of major
architectural and artistic trends during the
period of construction, adapted to a specific
geographical and cultural context. Interiors
are decorated with paintings on the walls
and ceilings and other works of art that
enrich their cultural significance.
The wooden churches
are an outstanding
testimony to the inter-
ethnic and inter-
cultural character of
this small area in the
Carpathian
Mountains, where
Latin and Byzantine
cultures met and
overlapped, and of
tolerance at a time of
religious and political
upheaval in the
Habsburg Empire.
Chief Roi Matas Domain
Vanuatu
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal significance
The domain comprises three early
seventeenth-century sites on the islands of
Efate, Lelepa and Artok associated with the
life and death of the last paramount chief, or
Roi Mata, of what is now central Vanuatu. It
includes Roi Matas residence, the site of his
death and Roi Matas mass burial site. It is
closely associated with the oral traditions
surrounding the chief and the moral values
he espoused.
The landscape reflects
continuing Pacific
chiefly systems and
respect for this
authority through tapu
(tabu) prohibitions on
the use of Roi Matas
residence and burial
that have been
observed for over 400
years and that have
structured the local
landscape and social
practices. Roi Mata
still lives for many in
contemporary
Vanuatu as a source of
power and inspiration.
slovak wooden churches | chi ef roi matas domai n 795
World Heritage site since

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EUROPE
North Sea
Black Sea
OCEANIA
Coral
Sea
Melanesia
Pacic
Ocean
Joggins Fossil Cliffs
Canada
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The Joggins Fossil Cliffs have been
described as the coal age Galpagos due
to their wealth of fossils from the
Carboniferous (354 to 290 million years ago).
These include the remains and tracks of the
first known reptiles, and the rainforest in
which they lived, left intact and undisturbed.
With its 14.7 km of sea cliffs, low bluffs, rock
platforms and beaches, the site contains
remains of three ecosystems: estuarine bay,
floodplain rainforest and fire-prone forested
alluvial plain with freshwater pools. Joggins
offers the richest assemblage known of the
fossil life in these three ecosystems with
96 genera and 148 species of fossils and
20 footprint groups. It played a vital role in
the development of geological and
evolutionary principles.
Upright fossil trees
are preserved at a
series of levels in the
cliffs together with
animal, plant and
trace fossils.
These provide
environmental
context and enable
a complete
reconstruction to be
made of the extensive
fossil forests that
dominated land at this
time, and which are
now the source of
most of the worlds
coal deposits.
796 j oggi ns fossi l cli ffs | mount sanqi ngshan nati onal park
World Heritage site since
Mount Sanqingshan
National Park
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
Mount Sanqingshan National Park contains
a unique array of fantastically-shaped
granite pillars and peaks, concentrated in a
relatively small area. The looming, intricate
rock formations intermingled with delicate
forest cover and combined with ever-
shifting weather patterns create a landscape
of arresting beauty. It is located in the west
of the Huyaiyu mountain range in the
northeast of Jiangxi Province. The area is
subject to a combination of subtropical,
monsoonal and maritime influences and
forms an island of temperate forest above
the surrounding subtropical landscape.
It also features numerous waterfalls, some
of them 60 m in height, lakes and springs.
The access afforded by suspended walking
trails in the park permits visitors to
appreciate the parks stunning scenery and
enjoy its serene atmosphere.
The park is well
known for its Taoist
cultural relics, stone
carvings and temples.
Mount Sanqingshan
has been a Taoist
shrine since a priest,
Ge Hong, came to the
mountain 400 years
ago. The ancient
religion of Taoism is
based on worship in
and of nature, a
philosophy much in
keeping with
conservation ethics
now practised here.

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NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Arctic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
mantua and sabbi oneta 797

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Mantua and Sabbioneta
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Mantua and Sabbioneta in the Po valley of
northern Italy, are important both for the
value of their architecture and also for their
prominent role in the dissemination of
Renaissance culture. They represent two
aspects of Renaissance town planning:
Mantua shows the renewal and extension
of an already existing city, while 30 km away,
sixteenth-century Sabbioneta represents the
expression of contemporary theories on the
planning of the ideal city.
Typically, Mantuas layout is irregular with
regular parts showing different stages of its
growth since the Roman period. It includes
many medieval buildings, among them an
eleventh-century rotunda and a Baroque
theatre. Sabbioneta, on the other hand,
is a single-period city. Together they offer
exceptional testimony to the urban,
architectural and artistic realizations of the
Renaissance, linked by the vision, planning
and work of the local ruling family of
Gonzaga.
Mantua was renovated
in the fifteenth
sixteenth centuries
with hydrological
engineering, urban and
architectural works.
The participation of
renowned architects
and painters made it a
prominent capital of
the Renaissance.
Sabbioneta was a new
town built according to
Renaissance ideals. Its
defensive walls, grid-
patterned streets,
public spaces and
monuments make it
one of the best
examples of European
ideal cities.
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
Mantua from Lago di Mezzo.
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site
(Madin Slih)
Saudi Arabia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The remarkable archaeological site of Al-Hijr
formerly known as Hegra is the largest
conserved site of the Nabataean civilization
south of Petra in modern-day Jordan. It
includes a major ensemble of tombs whose
architecture and decorations are cut directly
into the sandstone of the local landscape.
The site has in total 111 well-preserved
monumental tombs, ninety-four of which
have decorated faades dating from the first
century BC to the first century AD. There are
also fifty inscriptions of the pre-Nabataean
period and some cave drawings. It is an
outstanding illustration of the Nabataeans
specific architectural style and
accomplishment.
The site includes a set of wells, most of
which were sunk into the rock,
demonstrating the Nabataeans mastery
of water techniques for agricultural
purposes. Some wells are still in use today.
Al-Hijr is located at a
meeting point
between various
civilizations of late
Antiquity, on a trade
route between the
Arabian Peninsula, the
Mediterranean world
and Asia. It bears
outstanding witness
to important cultural
exchanges in
architecture,
decoration, language
use and the caravan
route. Although
abandoned during the
pre-Islamic period,
the route continued to
play its international
role for caravans and
then for the
pilgrimage to Mecca.
World Heritage site since

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AFRICA
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Arabian
Sea
798 al-hi j r archaeologi cal si te
Cidade Velha, Historic
Centre of Ribeira Grande
Cape Verde
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
The town of Ribeira Grande, renamed
Cidade Velha in the late eighteenth century,
was the rst European colonial town built in
the tropics, and it provided an early image of
transcontinental geopolitical visions. Its
situation, with access to shipping routes
between Europe, Africa and the Americas,
made it central to further Portuguese
colonisation and administration.
It became an important centre in the West
African slave trade and the large-scale
mixing of European and African cultures
and people led to the development in the
town of the rst Creole culture. The Pillory,
for punishing slaves, still stands in the town
which is overlooked by the Fortress of So
Filipe.
New forms of colonial agriculture, based
on its situation between temperate and
tropical climate zones, were developed in
the Ribeira Grande valley and the town
became a platform for the acclimatisation
and dissemination of plant species across
the world.
So Tiago, on which
Cidade Velha stands,
is part of the Cape
Verde archipelago.
Portuguese explorers
rst arrived in 1462
during their
explorations of the
African coast.
In the fteenth
century, Vasco da
Gama and
Christopher
Columbus stopped off
in the port on their
voyages to India and
the Americas
respectively.
Royal Tombs of the Joseon
Dynasty
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
The Royal Tombs of the Korean Joseon
Dynasty form a collection of forty tombs
scattered over eighteen locations. They are
directly associated with a living tradition of
ancestral worship through the performance
of prescribed rites. The tombs represent an
outstanding example of an architectural
ensemble and landscape illustrating a
signicant stage in the development of
burial mounds in Korean and East
Asian tombs.
Sites of outstanding natural beauty were
chosen: typically tombs face south toward
water, protected by a hill behind and ideally
have mountain ridges in the distance.
Alongside the burial area, each tomb
features a ceremonial area, an entrance and
associated buildings including a shrine and
tomb-keepers house.
The grounds outside are adorned with
stone objects including gures of people
and animals.
The Royal Tombs of
the Joseon Dynasty,
which ruled in Korea
from the fourteenth
to the twentieth
centuries, were built
between 1408 and
1966 to honour the
memory of ancestors,
show respect for their
achievements, assert
royal authority,
protect ancestral
spirits from evil and
provide protection
from vandalism.
ci dade velha | royal tombs of the j oseon dynasty 799
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Sea of
Japan
Pacic Ocean
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Yellow
Sea
La Chaux-de-Fonds /
Le Locle, Watchmaking
Town Planning
Switzerland
Criteria Signicance in human history
The small sister cities of La Chaux-de-Fonds
and Le Locle in the Jura Mountains are
centres of the Swiss watch-making industry
and represent outstanding examples of
single-industry manufacturing towns which
are well preserved and still thriving today.
The local watch-making culture dates to
the seventeenth century and the towns were
originally planned in the early nineteenth
century following extensive damaging res.
The towns layout, along an open-ended
series of parallel strips of intermingled
houses and workshops, was designed totally
for the single goal of manufacturing.
The planning of both towns has
accommodated successfully the transition
from the artisanal production of a cottage
industry to the more concentrated factory
production that replaced it in the late
nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
La Chaux-de-Fonds
and Le Locle owe
their existence
solely to the watch-
making industry.
Their location, 1000
metres up in the
Jura Mountains, is a
remote and infertile
area unsuitable for
farming.
In Das Kapital, Karl
Marx described La
Chaux-de-Fonds as a
huge factory-town
in his analysis of the
division of labour in
the watch-making
industry of the Jura.
Sacred City of Caral-Supe
Peru
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
The Sacred City of Caral-Supe reects the
rise of civilisation in the Americas. As a fully
developed state of the third millennium BC,
it is remarkable for its social and political
complexity and its impact on developing
settlements throughout the Supe Valley and
beyond.
Exceptionally well preserved, Caral is one
of eighteen urban settlements situated
in the same area and features complex
architectural and spatial elements: in
particular, its monumental earthen platform
mounds and sunken circular courts are
powerful expressions of a consolidated
state. These features were to inuence and
dominate much of the Peruvian coast for
centuries.
The citys plan and some of its
components, including pyramidal
structures and residence of the elite, show
clear evidence of ceremonial functions,
signifying a powerful religious ideology.
The 5000-year-old,
0.7 km
2
archaeological
site of Caral-Supe
stands on a dry desert
terrace overlooking
the green valley
of the Supe River.
The city was a
centre of the Norte
Chico civilisation,
a pre-Columbian
society claimed to
be the oldest known
civilisation in the
Americas and one of
the oldest in the world.
800 la chaux- de- fonds / le locle | caral- supe
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Adriatic
Sea
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
pontcysyllte aqueduct and canal 801
World Heritage site since
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Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and
Canal
United Kingdom
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Signicance in human history
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal,
completed in the early years of the
nineteenth century, is a feat of Industrial
Revolution civil engineering. Due to the
difcult terrain, the building of the canal
required substantial, bold engineering
solutions including tunnel construction,
especially as it was built without using locks.
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a pioneering
masterpiece of engineering and
monumental metal architecture, conceived
by the noted civil engineers Thomas Telford
and William Jessop. The unique production
capacities of the British iron industry
allowed the use of both cast and wrought
iron in the construction of arches that were
light and strong, producing an overall effect
that is both monumental and elegant.
The site is regarded a masterpiece of
creative genius and a synthesis of expertise
already acquired in Europe. It is also
recognized as an innovative ensemble that
inspired many projects all over the world.
The name
Pontcysyllte is
(approximately)
pronounced pont-
kuh-suh-llt-eh.
The Pontcysyllte
Aqueduct towers at
heights of over 37 m
above the oor of the
steep-sided Dee valley,
bearing only a cast-
iron, water-lled
trough and a towpath
with a handrail. Its
completion in 1805
came at the end of the
canal-building era: the
railway age was less
than three decades
away.
EUROPE
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Mount Wutai
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
Mount Wutai, with its ve at peaks, is one
of four sacred Buddhist mountains in
China. Temples were built there from the
rst century AD to the early twentieth
century and many of the countrys most
important monasteries and temples stand
on its slopes. It is the global centre for
Buddhist worship of Manjusri, the
Bodhisattva of Wisdom.
Mount Wutai received imperial patronage
for over 1000 years and the landscape was
adorned with buildings, statuary, paintings
and stelae (inscribed slabs) in recognition
and conrmation of its status as a Buddhist
sacred place.
The architecture reects a fertile exchange
of ideas from Nepal and Mongolia and as a
whole chronicles over more than a
millennium the development of Buddhist
architecture in China and its strong
inuence on both temple- and palace-
building.
Their mountain
landscape is integral
to the temples of
Mount Wutai. The
high peaks, snow-
covered for much of
the year, thick forests
of vertical pines, rs,
poplar and willow
trees and lush
grassland form a
landscape of great
beauty that has been
celebrated by artists
since at least the
seventh century.
One of the many
temples on Mount
Wutai.
802 mount wutai
World Heritage site since
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Shushtar Historical
Hydraulic System
Iran (Islamic Republic of )
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Traditional human settlement
Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System is a
complete and large-scale and therefore
unique example of hydraulic techniques
developed in ancient times to allow
settlement on semi-desert lands. The
diversion of a mountain river by means of
canals and other civil-engineering
structures brought water to a vast territory
for urban and domestic supply, agriculture,
sh farming, mills, city defence and
transport.
In its present form the system dates from
the third century AD, probably built on fth-
century BC bases. It synthesises diverse
techniques of hydraulic engineering applied
over several centuries: from Elamites and
Mesopotamians and later, Nabateans skilled
in canal irrigation (suggesting Petras water-
management systems may have been
inuential); and Roman civil engineers
contributed to the construction.
In its entirety, the system demonstrates an
accomplished and early vision of the
possibilities for land development afforded
by diversion canals and large weir-dams.
The Krvn River was
diverted around
Shushtar to form a
moat around which
defensive bridges and
gates were built. A
network of channels
or qants honeycombs
under the city,
supplying the river
water direct to
reservoirs in houses
and buildings for
domestic use,
irrigation, and storage
during times of war.
Some remnants of
these ghanats still exist
below older houses.
Sulaiman-Too Sacred
Mountain
Kyrgyzstan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
Sulaiman-Too is an exceptional spiritual
landscape reecting both ancient religious
and Islamic beliefs and particularly the cult
of the horse. Its strong traditions of worship
span several millennia and it presents the
most complete picture of a sacred mountain
in Central Asia.
Its ve peaks and slopes contain a large
assembly of ancient cult places and caves
with petroglyphs, interconnected by a
network of ancient paths, together
with later mosques.
Sulaiman-Too matches iconic images from
Zoroastrian and Vedic tradition: one
mountain with a peak dominating four
others, in the centre of a river valley and
surrounded by other mountains.
With its long tradition of religious worship
and rich remains together with its ideal
form, Sulaiman-Too has had a profound
effect over much of Central Asia.
Sulaiman-Too
dominates its
landscape of the fertile
Fergana Valley and the
city of Osh. Medieval
Osh stood at an
important crossroads
on the Central Asian
Silk Routes connecting
Asia, Africa and the
Mediterranean worlds.
shushtar hydrauli c system | sulai man-too sacred mountai n 803
World Heritage site since
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1986
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1987
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1988
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
ASIA
Himalaya
Aral
Sea
The Wadden Sea
Germany/Netherlands
Criteria Major stages of Earth's history;
Signicant ecological and biological processes;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
The Wadden Sea is a large temperate
coastal-wetland environment and is the
worlds largest unbroken system of
intertidal sand and mudats.
It encompasses a multitude of transitional
zones between the land, sea and freshwater
environments with tidal channels, sandy
shoals, sea-grass meadows, mussel beds,
sandbars, mudats, salt marshes, estuaries,
beaches and dunes.
The availability of food and minimal
disturbance makes these coastal wetlands
unusually rich in the diversity of their fauna
and they are home to numerous plant and
animal species, including marine mammals
such as the harbour seal, grey seal and
harbour porpoise.
They are also a breeding and wintering
area for up to 12 millions birds annually and
support more than 10 per cent of 29 species.
Up to 6.1 million birds can be present at one
time.
Biodiversity on a worldwide scale is reliant
on the Wadden Sea.
The size and diversity
of the Wadden Sea is
unique. It is distinctive
in being almost entirely
a tidal at and barrier
system with only minor
river inuences.
Dynamic natural
processes create a
constantly changing
variety of barrier
islands, channels,
gullies, saltmarshes
and other coastal and
sedimentary features.
The area provides
crucial lessons for
wetland and coastal
management
(important for
addressing climate
change).
804 the wadden sea
World Heritage site since
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Stoclet House
Belgium
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values
The Stoclet House is one of the most
complete realisations of the Wiener
Werksttte (Vienna Workshops) community
of architects, artists and designers which
grew out of the Vienna Secession
movement in the early twentieth century.
The Brussels house was designed and built
by Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann
between 1905 and 1911, and is his
masterpiece.
From its inception the house was intended
as an ideal expression of the arts and the
materials used were uniformly of superb
quality. A number of artists, including Klimt
and Moser, worked under Hoffmann to
design and integrate every aspect of the
house, ttings, household objects and
gardens.
The house has remained inuential and
inspirational since its completion and was a
herald of Art Deco and the Modern
Movement.
The Stoclet House is a
private dwelling
designed and built for
banker and art-lover
Adolphe Stoclet. His
designers and artists
enjoyed an unlimited
budget and artistic
free rein.
The coordinated work
of the Wiener
Werksttte architects,
artists, designers and
craftsmen makes the
house a classic and
superb example of
Gesamtkunstwerk
(total artwork), a
dening feature of
Jugendstil or Art
Nouveau.
The Ruins of Loropni
Burkina Faso
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Ruins of Loropni are the remains of a
thousand-year-old fortied stone
settlement that played an important role in
the trans-Saharan gold trade. Loropni is
the nest remaining example of these West
African settlements.
The 11,130 m
2
property consists of tall,
laterite stone perimeter walls, up to 6 m
high, surrounding a large settlement.
As the best-preserved of ten similar
fortresses in the Lobi area and part of a
larger group of around a hundred stone-
built enclosures, Loropni was part of a
network of settlements that ourished with
the lucrative trans-Saharan gold trade which
ran north-south between the seventh and
eleventh centuries, linking the gold-hungry
Mediterranean economies with sub-
Saharan Africa where gold was plentiful.
Loropni was nally deserted early in the
nineteenth century.
Loropnis size and
scope reect the gold
trades power and
inuence and its links
with the Atlantic
coast.
Gold was mined in the
area by the Lohron or
Koulango peoples
who occupied
Loropni and
controlled the
excavation and
rening processes.
Production reached
its height between the
fourteenth and
seventeenth
centuries.
stoclet house | rui ns of loropni 805
World Heritage site since
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Tower of Hercules
Spain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The Tower of Hercules is the only fully
preserved and functioning Roman
lighthouse. It is still used for maritime
signalling and is one of the oldest
lighthouses in the world. It bears witness to
organised and elaborate systems of
navigation in ancient times and helps in the
understanding of ancient Atlantic sea routes.
The sea area beyond, named Finisterra as
the Romans thought it the end of the world,
was notorious for dangers to shipping and
construction of what was called the Farum
Brigantium(Tower of Brigantium) began in
the rst century AD.
The tower stands on a 57-m-high rock and
rises a further 55 m; the Roman core is 34 m
high. It is divided into three progressively
smaller levels, the rst corresponding to the
Roman structure.
The tower was restored in neoclassical style
in the late eighteenth century.
The Tower of Hercules
stands at the entrance
of A Corua (La
Coruna) harbour in
the Galicia province of
Spain. The tower
features in several
medieval legends of
the Roman demigod,
Hercules. Within the
tower site there is also
a sculpture park, Iron
Age rock carvings and
a Muslim cemetery.
806 tower of hercules
World Heritage site since
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1986
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1987
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1988
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The Dolomites
Italy
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earth's history;
The Dolomites are widely regarded as being
among the most distinctive and beautiful
mountain landscapes in the world and are of
international importance in terms of their
geomorphology and geology.
The dramatic pale, vertical peaks of the
limestone range are formed in a variety of
distinctive sculptural forms that is
extraordinary in a global context.
The nine areas within the site present a
wide range of landforms fashioned by
erosion, tectonism and glaciation.
Spectacular limestone formations are
characteristic to the Dolomites and include
steeples, pinnacles, long, deep, narrow
valleys and some of the highest vertical rock
walls in the world. Dynamic processes
continue to affect the area with frequent
landslides, oods and avalanches.
The site also features excellent examples of
the preservation of carbonate platforms,
sedimentary systems from the Mesozoic era
(up to 251 million years ago), with fossil
records.
The Dolomites form a
limestone mountain
range renowned for
its natural beauty.
They lie over an area
of 1400 km
2
in the
northern Italian Alps
and include eighteen
summits over
3,000 m.
The mountains rise as
peaks with intervening
ravines, standing
isolated in some places
and forming sweeping
panoramas in others.
Talus (scree) deposits
lie below, with forest-
and meadow-covered
foothills.
the dolomi tes 807
World Heritage site since
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1986
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1987
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1988
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
808 australi an convi ct si tes
Australian Convict Sites
Australia
Criteria Signicance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
The property includes a selection of eleven
penal sites, among the thousands
established by the British Empire on
Australian soil in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. The sites are spread
across Australia, from Fremantle in Western
Australia to Kingston and Arthur's Vale on
Norfolk Island in the east; and from areas
around Sydney in New South Wales in the
north, to sites located in Tasmania in the
south. Around 166,000 men, women and
children were transported to Australia over
80 years between 1787 and 1868,
condemned by British justice to
transportation to the convict colonies. Each
of the sites had a specic purpose, in terms
both of punitive imprisonment and of
rehabilitation through forced labour to help
build the colony. The property presents the
best surviving examples of large-scale
convict transportation and the colonial
expansion of European powers through the
presence and labour of convicts.
The eleven sites
feature a wide range of
buildings, from the
Parramatta riverside
residence of the rst
governors of New
South Wales, with
servants' quarters; to
the barracks, prison,
dockyards and
quarries of the Port
Arthur complex.
The old penal ruins at
Kingston, Norfolk
Island
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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OCEANIA
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
so franci sco square i n so cri stvo | bi ki ni atoll 809
So Francisco Square in the
Town of So Cristvo
Brazil
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
So Francisco Square, in the town of So
Cristvo in northeastern Brazil, is a
quadrilateral open space surrounded by
substantial early buildings such as So
Francisco Church and convent, the Church
and Santa Casa da Misericrdia, the
Provincial Palace and the associated houses
of different historical periods surrounding
the Square. This monumental ensemble,
together with the surrounding eighteenth-
and nineteenth-century houses, creates an
urban landscape which reects the history
of the town since its origin. The Franciscan
complex is an example of the typical
architecture of the religious order
developed in this area. The city was the
capital of Sergipe del Rey province and
attracted the administrative, religious and
commercial organisation and architecture
attendant on its status.
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Bikini Atoll, Nuclear Test
Site Marshall Islands
Criteria Signicance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
In the wake of World War II, in what would
become the initial stage of the Cold War, the
United States of America decided to begin
testing nuclear weapons in the Pacic
Ocean, on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall
Islands. After the displacement of the local
inhabitants, sixty-seven nuclear tests were
carried out in the Marshall Islands on Bikini
and Enewetak Atolls from 1946 to 1958,
twenty-three of these on Bikini Atoll. The
world's rst deliverable hydrogen bomb, the
Bravo, was detonated on Bikini Atoll in 1954.
Bikini Atoll has conserved direct tangible
evidence that is highly signicant in
conveying the power of the nuclear tests,
i.e. the sunken ships sent to the bottom of
the lagoon by the tests in 1946, remnants of
testing facilities on various islands in the
atoll, and the gigantic Bravo crater. The tests
had major consequences on the geology
and natural environment of Bikini Atoll and
on the health of those who were exposed to
radiation. Through its history, the atoll
symbolises the dawn of the nuclear age,
despite its paradoxical image of peace and
of earthly paradise. This is the rst site from
the Marshall Islands to be inscribed on the
World Heritage List.
Pacic Ocean
ASIA
So Cristvo was
founded in its present
location in 1607 when
Spain and Portugal
were united under one
crown. The Portuguese
designed colonial
towns to
accommodate local
topography, but So
Cristvo is unique in
Brazil for its gridded,
more formulaic,
Spanish-inuenced
design.
The residual features
of the testing include
explosion craters,
sunken warships and
aircraft from simulated
battle scenarios, and
monitoring bunkers
on the islands. Some
radioactivity is still
present and while
much of the
ecosystem has
regenerated, the
human impact on
those in and near the
blast zones was much
more severe. Although
deemed safe, Bikini
remains uninhabited
in 2010.
810 dengfeng | ardabi l
Historic Monuments of
Dengfeng, in the Centre of
Heaven and Earth
China
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
Mount Songshan is considered to be the
central sacred mountain of China. At the
foot of this 1500-m-high mountain, close to
the city of Dengfeng in Henan province and
spread over a 40 km circle, stand eight
clusters of buildings and sites, including
three Han Que gates (remains of the oldest
religious edices in China), temples, the
Zhougong Sundial Platform and the
Dengfeng Observatory. Constructed over
the course of nine dynasties, these buildings
are reections of different ways of
perceiving the centre of heaven and earth
and the power of the mountain as a centre
for religious devotion. The historical
monuments of Dengfeng include some of
the best examples of ancient Chinese
buildings devoted to ritual, science,
technology and education.
In Chinese culture,
mountains were
considered a link
between heaven and
earth and Mount
Songshan was of
primary importance, as
a centre of mountain
worship and the
Confucian culture and
the birthplace of Chan
(Zen) Buddhism.
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Sheikh Safi al-Din
Khnegh and Shrine
Ensemble in Ardabil
Iran (Islamic Republic of )
Human creative genius; Interchange of values;
Signicance in human history
Built between the beginning of the sixteenth
century and the end of the eighteenth century,
this place of spiritual Su pilgrimage uses
traditional forms of Iranian architecture.
Builders knew how to get the most out of a
small space in order to provide multiple
amenities which include among others, a
library, a mosque, a school, a mausoleum, a
cistern, a hospital, kitchens, a bakery and some
ofces.
The site includes a
pathway leading to the
Sheiks sanctuary laid
out over seven oors
which reect the seven
stages of Su
mysticism. These are
separated by eight
doors which represent
the eight attitudes of
Susm. In addition, the
site is comprised of
richly decorated
interiors and faades
as well as a remarkable
collection of ancient
objects. It forms a rare
collection of medieval
Islamic architecture.
Sheikh Sa
Mausoleum, Ardabil
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Danxia look at rst
glance like limestone-
based karst landscapes
but unlike those are
made up of red
sandstones. Danxia are
unique to southern
China and take their
name from Mount
Danxia, one of the
most famous
examples of the
landform.
Danxia landforms,
Yunnan
China Danxia
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of earth's history
China Danxia is the name given in China to
landscapes developed on continental red
terrigenous sedimentary beds inuenced by
constructive forces (including uplift) and
destructive forces (including weathering
and erosion). The inscribed site comprises
six areas found in the subtropical zone of
southwest China. They are characterized by
spectacular red cliffs and a range of
erosional landforms, including dramatic
natural pillars, towers, ravines, valleys and
waterfalls. These rugged landscapes have
helped to conserve subtropical broad-leaved
evergreen forests, and host many species of
ora and fauna, about 400 of which are
considered rare or threatened.
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
chi na danxi a 811
812 pi tons, ci rques and remparts of reuni on
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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Pitons, cirques and
remparts of Reunion Island
France
Natural phenomena or beauty; Signicant
natural habitat for biodiversity
The Pitons, cirques and remparts (ramparts)
of Reunion Island site coincides with the
core zone of La Runion National Park. The
property covers more than 1000 km or
40 per cent of La Runion, an island
comprising two adjoining volcanic massifs
located in the southwest of the Indian
Ocean. Dominated by two towering
volcanic peaks, the dormant Piton de Neiges
and the highly active Piton de la Fournaise,
massive walls and three cliff-rimmed
cirques, the property includes a great variety
of rugged terrain and impressive
escarpments, forested gorges and basins
creating a visually striking landscape. It is
the natural habitat for a wide diversity of
plants, presenting a high level of endemism.
There are subtropical rainforests, cloud
forests and heaths creating a remarkable
and visually appealing mosaic of
ecosystems and landscape features.
The variations in
topography, climate
and altitudes on the
island allow the
support of a rich and
diverse range of plant
life, including over 800
indigenous species,
many of them not
found on the other
Mascarene Islands.
Piton de la Fournaise,
Runion
AFRICA
Indian
Ocean
ci ty of albi 813
Episcopal City of Albi
France
Criteria Signicance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
On the banks of the Tarn river in southwest
France, the old city of Albi reects the
culmination of a medieval architectural and
urban ensemble. Today the Old Bridge
(Pont-Vieux), the Saint-Salvi quarter and its
church are testimony to its initial
development (tenth eleventh centuries).
Following the Albigensian Crusade against
the Cathar heretics (thirteenth century) it
became a powerful episcopal city. Built in a
unique southern French Gothic style from
local brick in characteristic red and orange
colours, the lofty fortied cathedral (late
thirteenth century) dominates the city,
demonstrating the power regained by the
Roman Catholic clergy. Alongside the
cathedral is the bishops vast Palais de la
Berbie, overlooking the river and
surrounded by residential quarters that date
back to the Middle Ages. The Episcopal City
of Albi forms a coherent and homogeneous
ensemble of monuments and quarters that
has remained largely unchanged over the
centuries.
The Episcopal City is
specically the part of
Albi that grew up
around the
centrepiece of its
austere and
magnicent cathedral,
Sainte-Ccile dAlbi
and associated
buildings. Built of red
brick in Southern
Gothic style between
1282 and 1480, it was
intended as a
statement of faith and
power after the
Albigensian Crusade.
Albi Cathedral
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
814 j antar mantar | papahnaumokukea
Jantar Mantar
India
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
The Jantar Mantar, in Jaipur, is an astronomical
observation site built in the early eighteenth
century. It includes a set of some twenty main
xed instruments. They are monumental
examples in masonry of known instruments but
which in many cases have specic characteristics
of their own. Designed for the observation of
astronomical positions with the naked eye, they
embody several architectural and instrumental
innovations. This is the most signicant, most
comprehensive, and the best preserved of
India's historic observatories. It is an expression
of the astronomical skills and cosmological
concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the
end of the Mughal period.
The Jantar Mantar is
said to be the worlds
largest stone
observatory, built
between 1727 and 1734
by Maharaja Jai Singh
II of Jaipur. Its huge
instruments include
sundials, instruments
to measure time, plot
the skies and calculate
celestial heights,
courses, latitudes and
longitudes. They were
built according to
Ptolemaic cosmology,
which placed Earth at
the centre of the
universe.
Astronomical
instruments, Jantar
Mantar
Much of the
monument is made
up of pelagic and
deepwater habitats,
with notable features
such as seamounts
and submerged
banks, extensive coral
reefs and lagoons. It is
one of the largest
marine protected
areas in the world.
World Heritage site since
1987
.
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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ASIA
Indian
Ocean
Papahnaumokukea is a vast and isolated
linear cluster of small, low-lying islands and
atolls, with their surrounding ocean, roughly
250 km to the northwest of the main
Hawaiian Archipelago and extending over
some 1931 km. The area has deep
cosmological and traditional signicance
for living Native Hawaiian culture, as an
ancestral environment, as an embodiment
of the Hawaiian concept of kinship between
people and the natural world, and as the
place where it is believed that life originates
and to where the spirits return after death.
On two of the islands, Nihoa and
Makumanamana, there are archaeological
remains relating to pre-European
settlement and use.
Papahnaumokukea
United States of America
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance; Major stages of Earth's history;
Signicant ecological and biological processes;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
NORTH
AMERICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic
Ocean
tabri z hi stori c bazaar 815
Tabriz Historic Bazaar
Complex
Iran (Islamic Republic of )
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
Tabriz, in the province of Eastern Azerbaijan,
has been a place of cultural exchange since
antiquity and its historic bazaar complex is
one of the most important commercial
centres on the Silk Road. Tabriz Historic
Bazaar Complex consists of a series of
interconnected, covered, brick structures,
buildings, and enclosed spaces for different
functions. The town and its bazaar were
already prosperous and famous in the
thirteenth century, when the town became
the capital city of the Safavid kingdom. The
city lost its status as capital in the sixteenth
century, but remained important as a
commercial hub until the end of the
eighteenth century, with the expansion of
Ottoman power. It is one of the most
complete examples of the traditional
commercial and cultural system of Iran.
Tabriz Bazaar is among the oldest in the
Middle East and the largest covered bazaar
in the world. Italian traveller Marco Polo
called the city one of the richest trading
centres in the world.
World Heritage site since
1987
.
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
The Bazaar, Tabriz
816 thang longhanoi | cami no real de ti erra adentro
The Thang Long Imperial Citadel was built
in the eleventh century by the Ly Viet
Dynasty, marking the independence of the
Dai Viet. It was constructed on the remains
of a Chinese fortress dating from the
seventh century, on drained land reclaimed
from the Red River Delta in Hanoi. It was
the centre of regional political power for
almost thirteen centuries without
interruption. The Imperial Citadel buildings
and the remains in the 18 Hoang Dieu
Archaeological Site reect a unique South-
East Asian culture specic to the lower Red
River valley, at the crossroads between
inuences coming from China in the north
and the ancient Kingdom of Champa in the
south.
Most of the buildings
in the imperial city of
Thang Long,
including the royal
palaces, were
destroyed by the
French in the
nineteenth century.
Their archaeological
remains are being
excavated today. The
parts still extant
include Doan Mon
gate, the dragon-
adorned steps of Kinh
Thin Palace, the Hu
Lu (Princess Palace)
and the Flag Tower.
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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Central Sector of the
Imperial Citadel of Thang
Long Hanoi
Vietnam
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Heritage associated with
events of universal signicance
Pacic
Ocean ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Camino Real de Tierra
Adentro
Mexico
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro was the
Royal Inland Road, also known as the Silver
Route. The inscribed property consists of
fty-ve sites and ve existing World
Heritage sites lying along a 1400 km section
of this 2600 km route, that extends north
from Mexico City to Texas and New Mexico,
United States of America. The route was
actively used as a trade route for 300 years,
from the mid-sixteenth to the nineteenth
centuries, mainly for transporting silver
extracted from the mines of Zacatecas,
Guanajuato and San Luis Potos, and
mercury imported from Europe. Although it
is a route that was motivated and
consolidated by the mining industry, it also
fostered the creation of social, cultural and
religious links in particular between Spanish
and Amerindian cultures.
The World Heritage
site stretches only to
the MexicoUS
border. The trail
encompasses many
features, including
chapels and
haciendas, mountains
and bridges, a hospital
and cemetery, towns
and ve cities that are
already World
Heritage sites in their
own right:
Guanajuato, Mexico
City, Quertaro, San
Miguel and Zacatecas.
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
This property lies on the northern slopes
of the Tlacolula valley in subtropical
central Oaxaca and consists of two pre-
Hispanic archaeological complexes and
a series of prehistoric caves and rock
shelters. Some of these shelters provide
archaeological and rock-art evidence for
the progress of nomadic hunter-gatherers
to incipient farmers. Ten-thousand-year-
old Cucurbitaceae seeds in one cave,
Guil Naquitz, are considered to be the
earliest known evidence of domesticated
plants in the continent, while corn cob
fragments from the same cave are said to
be the earliest documented evidence for
the domestication of maize. The cultural
landscape of the Prehistoric Caves of Yagul
and Mitla demonstrates the link between
man and nature that gave origin to the
domestication of plants in North America,
thus allowing the rise of Mesoamerican
civilizations.
The site has 147 caves
and rock shelters set
two or three hundred
metres up in the
Mixe Mountains.
The evidence they
contain of plant
remains and art is
thought to highlight a
pivotal point in mans
progress to cultivation
and settled farming.
In addition to
its prehistoric
importance, Oaxaca
was also home to
the pre-Columbian
Zapotec civilization
from around 500 bc.
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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Prehistoric Caves of Yagul
and Mitla in the Central
Valley of Oaxaca
Mexico
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
prehi stori c caves of yagul and mi tla | proto- urban si te of sarazm 817
Sarazm, which means where the land
begins, is an archaeological site bearing
testimony to the development of human
settlements in Central Asia, from the fourth
millennium bc to the end of the third
millennium bc. The ruins demonstrate the
early development of proto-urbanization
in this region. This centre of settlement,
one of the oldest in Central Asia, is situated
between a mountainous region suitable
for cattle rearing by nomadic pastoralists,
and a large valley conducive to the
development of agriculture and irrigation
by the rst settled populations in the region.
Sarazm also demonstrates the existence
of commercial and cultural exchanges
and trade relations with peoples over an
extensive geographical area, extending
from the steppes of Central Asia and
Turkmenistan, to the Iranian plateau, the
Indus valley and as far as the Indian Ocean.
With a local economy
that encompassed
agriculture and cattle-
rearing, mineral-
working and crafts, a
prosperous early form
of town developed in
Sarazm. By the third
millennium BC it was
Central Asias most
important production
centre for metal
mining and working,
notably copper and
tin. Appropriately, the
forgotten settlement
was only rediscovered
in 1976 when a local
farmer found a copper
dagger at a building
site.
Proto-urban Site of Sarazm
Tajikistan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Himalaya
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
818 si ngelgracht, amsterdam
The historic urban ensemble of the canal
district of Amsterdam was a project for a new
port city built at the end of the sixteenth
and beginning of the seventeenth centuries.
It comprises a network of canals to the west
and south of the historic old town and the
medieval port that encircled the old town,
and was accompanied by the repositioning
inland of the citys fortied boundaries, the
Singelgracht. This was a long-term
programme that involved extending the city
by draining the swampland, using a system
of canals in concentric arcs and lling in the
intermediate spaces. These spaces allowed
the development of a homogeneous urban
ensemble including gabled houses and
numerous monuments. This urban
extension was the largest and most
homogeneous of its time. It was a model of
large-scale town planning, and served as a
reference throughout the world until the
nineteenth century.
The Dutch Golden
Age began in the late
sixteenth century. The
prots from the
worldwide trading
networks built by the
Dutch East India and
West India
Companies made
Amsterdam not only
the leading nancial
centre but the worlds
richest city.
Canalside houses,
Amsterdam.
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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Seventeenth-century canal
ring area of Amsterdam
inside the Singelgracht
Netherlands
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange of
values; Signicance in human history
EUROPE
North
Sea
putorana plateau 819
This site coincides with the area of the
Putoransky State Nature Reserve, and is
located in the central part of the Putorana
Plateau in northern Central Siberia. It is
situated about 100 km north of the Arctic
Circle. The part of the plateau inscribed on
the World Heritage List harbours a
complete set of subarctic and arctic
ecosystems in an isolated mountain range,
including pristine taiga, forest tundra,
tundra and arctic desert systems, as well as
untouched cold-water lake and river
systems. A major reindeer migration route
crosses the property, which represents an
exceptional, large-scale and increasingly
rare natural phenomenon.
The untouched arctic
and subarctic
ecosystems of the
Putorana Plateau are
supported by an
extraordinary
landscape of austere
and dramatic beauty.
Erosion, sedimentation
and tectonic uplift have
all played a part in
shaping its aspect of
basalt, limestone and
sandstone stepped
massifs intercut by
gorges, waterfalls and
lakes, often in fjord-
type formations.
Waterfall on Dulismar
river, Putorana Plateau
Putorana Plateau
Russian Federation
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant ecological and biological processes
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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820 at turai f di stri ct i n ad-di r' i yah
This property was the rst capital of the
Saudi dynasty, in the heart of the Arabian
Penisula, northwest of Riyadh. Founded in
the fteenth century, it bears witness to the
Najdi architectural style, which is specic to
the centre of the Arabian peninsula. From
the sixteenth century onwards the area
around the ad-Diriyah oasis was the Saudi
dynastys powerbase. Ultimately they
constructed a complete system of
fortications to defend it, of which at-Turaif,
built in the eighteenth century, was the
citadel. In the eighteenth and early
nineteenth century, its political and religious
role increased, and the citadel at at-Turaif
became the centre of the temporal power of
the House of Saud and the spread of the
Wahhabi reform inside the Muslim religion.
The property includes
the remains of many
palaces and an urban
ensemble built on the
edge of the ad-
Diriyah oasis. In 1818
the town fell to the
Ottoman Turks who
destroyed it when
they were forced out
by the resurgent
Saudis in 1824.
Saad ibn Saud Palace,
Diriyah
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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At-Turaif District
in ad-Dir'iyah
Saudi Arabia
Criteria Signicance in human history;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
ASIA
AFRICA
Arabian
Sea
phoeni x i slands 821
Phoenix Islands Protected
Area
Kiribati
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant ecological and biological processes
The Phoenix Island Protected Area (PIPA) is
a 408,250 km expanse of marine and
terrestrial habitats in the Southern Pacic
Ocean. The property encompasses the
Phoenix Island Group, one of three island
groups in Kiribati, and is the largest
designated Marine Protected Area in the
world. PIPA conserves one of the world's
largest intact oceanic coral archipelago
ecosystems, together with fourteen known
underwater sea mounts (presumed to be
extinct volcanoes) and other deep-sea
habitats. The area contains approximately
800 known species of fauna, including
about 200 coral species, 500 sh species,
18 marine mammals and 44 bird species.
The structure and functioning of PIPA's
ecosystems illustrate its pristine nature and
importance as a migration route and
reservoir.
The Phoenix Island
group has been only
intermittently
populated through its
history. Now the
islands are virtually
uninhabited again,
and the almost
complete lack of
human inuence on
the marine
environment has
created an extensive
and pristine ocean
wilderness.
Coral reef near
Enderbury Island,
Phoenix Islands
Protected Area
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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Pacic Ocean
OCEANIA
822 hi stori c vi llages of korea
Historic Villages of Korea:
Hahoe and Yangdong
Korea, Republic of
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
Founded between the fourteenth fteenth
centuries, Hahoe and Yangdong are seen as
the two most representative historic clan
villages in the Republic of Korea. Their
layout and location sheltered by forested
mountains and facing out onto a river and
open agricultural elds reect the
distinctive aristocratic Confucian culture of
the early part of the Joseon Dynasty
(13921910). The villages were located to
provide both physical and spiritual
nourishment from their surrounding
landscapes. They include residences of the
head families, together with substantial
timber-framed houses of other clan
members, also pavilions, study halls,
Confucian academies for learning, and
clusters of one-storey mud-walled,
thatched-roofed houses, formerly for
commoners. The landscapes of mountains,
trees and water around the village, framed
in views from pavilions and retreats, were
celebrated for their beauty by seventeenth-
and eighteenth-century poets.
The two villages were
designed to reect
Neo-Confucian
philosophy in their
every aspect. This
even related to which
group of people lived
at a particular altitude
or location: the
aristocratic classes
had tile-roofed houses
built on the higher
grounds further up
the valleys, while the
thatched dwellings of
lower-class workers
were built further
down the slopes.
Hahoe village
Pacic Ocean
Sea of
Japan
ASIA
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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Sri Lanka's highlands are situated in the
south-central part of the island. The
property comprises the Peak Wilderness
Protected Area, the Horton Plains National
Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest.
These montane forests, where the land rises
to 2,500 m above sea level, are home to an
extraordinary range of ora and fauna,
including several endangered species such
as the western-purple-faced langur, the
Horton Plains slender loris and the Sri
Lankan leopard. The richness of the Central
Highlands plant and wildlife derives not
just from its ecosystem but from the uplift
of the land and the landforms that
developed. The region is considered a super
biodiversity hotspot.
The rugged and deeply
dissected terrain with
its isolated valleys
allowed species to
develop and evolve
differently across
various locations.
Many of these species
are endemic and a
relatively high
proportion globally
threatened.
Horton Plains, Sri
Lanka
World Heritage site since
1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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Central Highlands of
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
ASIA
Arabian
Sea
Indian Ocean
central hi ghlands of sri lanka 823
Longobards in Italy. Places
of the power (AD 568-774)
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
The Longobards in Italy, Places of the Power,
AD 568774 comprises seven groups of
important buildings (including fortresses,
churches, and monasteries) throughout
the Italian Peninsula. They testify to the
high achievement of the Lombards, who
migrated from northern Europe and
developed their own specic culture in
Italy, where they ruled over vast territories
in the 6th to 8th centuries. They gradually
converted from nomadism and paganism to
settlement and Christianity, which opened
up new arenas of artistic expression, such
as architecture (especially churches) and
its accompanying decorative arts (such
as frescoes). The Lombards synthesis of
architectural styles marked the transition
from Antiquity to the European Middle
Ages, drawing on the heritage of Ancient
Rome, Christian spirituality, Byzantine
inuence and Germanic northern Europe.
The serial property testies to the Lombards
major role in the spiritual and cultural
development of Medieval European
Christianity, notably by bolstering the
monastic movement.
824 longobards i n i taly
EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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The Longobards were
an East Germanic
tribe who, in AD 568,
left their settlements
in the valley of the
Danube to invade
Byzantine Italy. The
Lombard Kingdom
they established (later
named Kingdom
of Italy) lasted
until 774, when it
was conquered by
the Franks. Their
inuence on Italian
political geography
lives on in the name of
the modern region of
Lombardy.
The village Cividale
Del Friuli in the
province of Udine,
north-eastern Italy
825
Fagus Factory in Alfeld
Germany
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The Fagus Factory is a ten-building complex
that is a landmark in the development
of modern architecture and industrial
design. Serving all stages of manufacture,
storage and dispatch of lasts used by the
shoe industry, the complex, which is still
operational today, is situated in Alfeld an der
Leine in Lower Saxony. The Fagus company
was founded in 1910 by Carl Benscheidt
and he commissioned the architect Eduard
Werner to build his new factory.
He accepted Werners layout but in 1911
asked Walter Gropius and Adolf Meyer
to design the revolutionary faades of the
buildings, with their large windows and
unsupported corners. The factory was
constructed between 1911 and 1913, with
some additions and interiors completed
by 1925. The complex has been sensitively
restored in recent times.
With its ground-
breaking use of
vast expanses of
glass panels and
its functionalist
aesthetics, the Fagus
Factory complex
foreshadowed the
work of the Bauhaus
school (led by Walter
Gropius) and is a
landmark in the
development of
architecture in Europe
and North America.
826 fagus factory | the causses and the cvennes
World Heritage site since
The Causses and the
Cvennes, Mediterranean
agro-pastoral Cultural
Landscape
France
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The 3,023 km
2
property, in the southern
part of central France, is a mountain
landscape interspersed by deep valleys that
is representative of the relationship between
agro-pastoral systems and their biophysical
environment, notably through drailles
(drove roads). Villages and substantial
stone farmhouses on deep terraces of the
Causses reect the organization of large
abbeys from the eleventh century. Mont
Lozre, inside the property, is one of the
last places where summer transhumance
is still practised, with farmers moving their
livestock from winter pastures in the valleys
to high pastures in the hills.
The Cvennes were
atmospherically
described in the
classic travel book,
Robert Louis
Stevensons Travels
with a Donkey in the
Cvennes, published
in 1879, and the route
that he took with his
recalcitrant donkey,
Modestine, can now
be followed as the
Stevenson Way.
1988
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1989
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Residence of Bukovinian
and Dalmatia Metropolitans
Ukraine
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
The Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian
Metropolitans at Chernivtsi represents a
masterful synergy of architectural styles
built by Czech architect Josef Hlavka from
1864 to 1882. The property, an outstanding
example of nineteenth-century historicist
architecture, also includes a seminary and
monastery, dominated by the domed,
cruciform Seminary Church, along with a
garden and park. Hlavka created a complex
of buildings that draws upon Moorish,
Flemish, Byzantine and Romanesque
styles and merges these with the local
Bukovinian roof style of decorated, glazed
tiles. The complex contains three major
buildings around an open courtyard, the
Metropolitan Palace in the centre, with
the Seminary and church on one side and
the Presbytery, which included the Guest
House, Psalmist School and Icon Painting
School, on the other. The interiors of the
church and the Metropolitan Palace are
elaborately decorated. The buildings now
form part of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi
National University, one of Ukraines oldest
universities, founded in 1875.
The Residence
of Bukovinian
and Dalmatian
Metropolitans
embodies the powerful
presence of the
Orthodox Church
during the Habsburg
rule of this area,
reecting the Austro-
Hungarian Empires
policy of religious
tolerance. The buildings
mirror this in their
eclectic mixture of
stylistic inuences.
World Heritage site since
resi dence of bukovi ni an and dalmati an metropoli tans 827
1988
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1989
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EUROPE
Black Sea
Baltic Sea
Caspian
Sea
Selimiye Mosque and its
Social Complex
Turkey
Criteria Human creative genius; Signicance in
human history
The square Selimiye Mosque, with its single
great dome and four slender minarets,
dominates the skyline of the former
Ottoman capital of Edirne in western
Turkey, close to Greece and Bulgaria. The
mosque was commissioned by Sultan
Selim II and built between 1568 and 1575,
although, sadly, Selim died a few months
before the mosque was completed. Sinan,
the most famous Ottoman architect in the
sixteenth century, considered the complex,
which includes madrasas (Islamic schools),
a covered market, clock house, outer
courtyard and library, to be his best work.
The interior decoration using Iznik tiles from
the peak period of their production testies
to an art form that remains unsurpassed in
this material. The complex is considered to
be the most harmonious expression ever
achieved of the Ottoman klliye, a group of
buildings constructed around a mosque and
managed as a single institution, and is a high
point of Ottoman architecture.
The dome of the Selimiye Mosque
spans 31.3 m and is over 43 m high,
while the elegant and narrow
minarets are 71 m high.
Internally the great dome is
supported by eight massive pillars
that form an octagon within the
square oor plan of the mosque.
828 seli mi ye mosque
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Historic Bridgetown and its
Garrison
Barbados
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados and
its historic centre provides an outstanding
and well-preserved example of British
colonial architecture from the seventeenth
nineteenth centuries, which testies to the
spread of Great Britains Atlantic colonial
empire. The property also includes the
nearby military garrison which consists of
numerous historic buildings. The garrison
was created in the late eighteenth century
around Charles Fort, which dates from 1650
and St Anns Castle (from 1707). Parts of the
garrison wall survive as do the Main Guard
House, the Drill Hall and the Soldiers and
Ofcers Barracks. With its serpentine urban
layout, Bridgetown provides a different
approach to colonial town-planning
compared to the Spanish and Dutch
colonial cities of the region, which were
built along a grid plan.
The historic core
of Bridgetown
includes the islands
Parliament Building
which dates from the
1870s (the Parliament
itself was established
in 1639), St Michaels
Cathedral, which
dates from 1629, and
the Lord Nelson
Statue, in National
Heroes Square,
which was erected in
1813, one of the rst
monuments to the
great sailor.
Len Cathedral
Nicaragua
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The strength of the
construction of the
18th-century Len
Cathedral (Basilica
de la Asuncion) has
ensured that it has
survived earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions
and wars and it
remains one of
Central Americas
largest cathedrals.
hi stori c bri dgetown | len cathedral 829
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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SOUTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Caribbean
Sea
SOUTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Built between 1747 and the early nineteenth
century to the design of Guatemalan
architect Diego Jos de Porres Esquivel,
Len Cathedral expresses the transition
from Baroque to Neoclassical architecture.
The cathedral is characterized by its
restrained Neoclassical interior decoration
and the abundance of natural light. The
vault of the Sanctuary, however, is richly
ornamented. The Cathedral houses
important works of art including a wooden
Flemish altarpiece, and paintings of the
fourteen stations of the Way of the Cross by
Nicaraguan artist Antonio Sarria (late 19th
and early 20th centuries).
830 ni ngaloo coast
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1995
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Ningaloo Coast
Australia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
Tasman
Sea
The 6,045 km
2
marine and terrestrial
property of Ningaloo Coast is on the remote
western coast of Australia, approximately
1,200 km north of Perth. It includes one of
the longest near-shore reefs in the world
and is renowned for the annual gatherings
of whale sharks, which come to the reef to
feed from March to June. The area supports
an abundance of marine life, including
500 species of sh, 300 species of coral
and 600 species of mollusc as well as many
other marine invertebrates. New species of
sponges have also been recently discovered.
On land the site features an extensive karst
system and a network of underground
caves, conduits, and groundwater streams.
They support a variety of rare species that
contribute to the exceptional biodiversity
of the marine and terrestrial site. Many
of the 630 plant species are at the end of
their geographic range and are considered
extremely important from an ecological
perspective.
At 260 km, Ningaloo
Reef is one of the
worlds largest
fringing coral reefs.
It supports dolphins,
dugongs, manta
rays, whales, turtles
and whale sharks.
Adjacent to the reef
is an arid landscape
with an extensive
underground karst
system that houses
many rare species
that contribute to the
exceptional diversity
of the property.
A whale shark on the
Ningaloo Reef
Indian
Ocean
Tasman
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
West Lake Cultural
Landscape of Hangzhou
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history
World Heritage site since
west lake cultural landscape of hangzhou 831
1988
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1989
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1990
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
The West Lake Cultural Landscape of
Hangzhou, comprising the West Lake
and the hills surrounding it on three sides,
has inspired famous poets, scholars and
artists since the ninth century. It comprises
numerous temples, pagodas, pavilions,
gardens and ornamental trees, as well as
causeways and articial islands. These
additions have been made to improve the
landscape west of the city of Hangzhou
to the south of the Yangtze river. The
West Lake has an area of around 6 km
2

its largest island is called Three Ponds
Mirroring the Moon and its oldest is the
Mid-Lake Pavilion. The West Lake has
inuenced garden design in the rest of
China as well as Japan and Korea over
the centuries and bears an exceptional
testimony to the cultural tradition of
improving landscapes to create a series of
vistas reecting an idealized fusion between
humans and nature.
Leifeng Pagoda is a
ve-storey octagonal
pagoda built on
Sunset Hill on the
southern side of the
West Lake. Originally
built in 975 by Qian
Hongchu, King of
Wuyue, to celebrate
the birth of a son, it
was badly damaged
by Japanese pirates
during the Ming
dynasty and nally
collapsed in 1924; it
has recently been
reconstructed.
Sunset at West Lake
(Xi Hu), Hangzhou
Fort Jesus, Mombasa
Kenya
Criteria Interchange of values; Traditional
human settlement
Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese in
15931596 to the designs of Giovanni Battista
Cairati to protect the port of Mombasa, is one
of the most outstanding and well-preserved
examples of sixteenth-century Portuguese
military fortication and is a landmark in the
history of this type of construction. The forts
layout and form reected the Renaissance
ideal that perfect proportions and geometric
harmony are to be found in the human body
and when seen from above it does indeed
have a human shape.
Fort Jesus was the rst
colonial fort in Africa
designed to withstand
cannon attack.
Declared a national
monument in 1958,
the fort had been used
as a prison by the
British and as a slave
market by the Arab
rulers of Mombasa
after it fell to the
Omanis in 1698.
832 fort j esus | saloum delta
World Heritage site since
Saloum Delta
Senegal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
The Saloum Delta area of Senegal is on
the Atlantic coast over 100 km south of
Dakar. Fishing and shellsh gathering
have sustained human life in the 5,000
km
2
property over the centuries. The site
comprises brackish channels encompassing
over 200 islands and islets, mangrove forest,
an Atlantic marine environment, and dry
forest. The site is marked by 218 shellsh
mounds, some of them several hundred
metres long, produced by its human
inhabitants over the ages. Burial sites on
twenty-eight of the mounds take the form
of tumuli where remarkable artefacts have
been found. They are important for our
understanding of cultures from the various
periods of the deltas occupation and testify
to the history of human settlement along
the coast of West Africa.
The Saloum Delta
property includes the
Saloum Biosphere
Reserve, designated
by UNESCO in 1982,
which is dominated
by mangroves and
also contains sand
dunes, forests
and sand islands.
There are active
community-based
schemes to safeguard
the mangroves
and to encourage
reforestation.
1988
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1989
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1990
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Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
Konso Cultural Landscape
Ethiopia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
Konso Cultural Landscape is a 55 km
2

arid property of contoured stone-walled
terraces (kabata), pictured top right, and
fortied settlements in the Konso highlands
of Ethiopia. It constitutes a spectacular
example of a living cultural tradition
stretching back twenty-one generations
(more than 400 years) adapted to its
dry hostile environment. The landscape
demonstrates the shared values, social
cohesion and engineering knowledge of its
communities. The Konso live in dry-stone
walled towns (paletea) located on high hills
selected for their strategic and defensive
advantage and which are remarkable for the
beauty and simplicity of their workmanship,
constructed entirely from local natural
materials. In the centre of communities are
the moras, community meeting places, and
the pafta, where adult males sleep at night,
in case they need to protect their settlement.
The paletea are ringed by dry-stone walls,
at least a metre thick and three metres
high. Stone steles in the towns express a
complex system of marking the passing of
generations of leaders.
The Konso Cultural Landscape also features anthropomorphic wooden
statues (waka) grouped to represent respected members of their communities
and particularly heroic events which are an exceptional living testimony to
funerary traditions that are on the verge of disappearing.
World Heritage site since
konso cultural landscape 833
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AFRICA
ASIA
Indian Ocean
834 wadi rum
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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Wadi Rum Protected Area
Jordan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Natural
phenomena or beauty
Wadi Rum is the largest wadi, or dry river
valley, in Jordan, covering an area of
740 km
2
. Situated close to the border
with Saudi Arabia, this dramatic desert
wilderness has a wide range of natural and
cultural treasures.
The landscape features sandstone and
granite mountains that rise sharply to
heights of over 1,700 m from wide sandy
valleys. Narrow gorges and ssures have
been carved through the rocks and there
are many natural arches and caves. There
are more than 25,000 rock carvings with
20,000 inscriptions attesting to 12,000
years of human occupation and interaction
with the natural environment. They trace
the evolution of human thought and the
early development of the alphabet. The
site illustrates the evolution of pastoral,
agricultural and urban activity in the region.
T.E. Lawrence helped
secure the support
of the Wadi Rum
Bedouin tribes during
the Arab Revolt in
1917/18, and he made
several references to
Wadi Rum in his book
The Seven Pillars of
Wisdom. This books
title was inspired
by one of Rums
most spectacular
mountains.
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
ASIA
Cultural Sites of Al Ain
(Hat, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud
and Oases Areas)
United Arab Emirates
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
The Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hat, Hili,
Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas) constitute
a serial property that testies to sedentary
human occupation of a desert region since
the Neolithic period with vestiges of many
prehistoric cultures. Remarkable structures
in the property include circular stone tombs
(ca. 2500 BC), wells and a wide range of
adobe constructions: residential buildings,
towers, palaces and administrative
buildings. Hili moreover features one of
the oldest examples of the sophisticated
aaj irrigation system which dates back to
the Iron Age. This remarkable engineering
feat is not only signicant as a method of
transporting water, but also for the way in
which it allowed settlements to develop. The
property provides important testimony to
the transition of cultures in the region from
hunting and gathering to a sedentary way
of life.
Excavations of one
of the tombs at Hili
discovered pottery
with parallels to
the Kulli culture of
southern Baluchistan
and relief carvings
of humans and
animals. The tomb
also features two
5,000-year-old
petroglyphs one of
two people and an
oryx, another of two
cheetahs catching a
gazelle.
cultural si tes of al ai n | the persi an garden 835
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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The Persian Garden
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
The Persian Garden in the Islamic Republic
of Iran is a property that includes nine
separate gardens in as many provinces.
These exemplify the diversity of Persian
garden designs that evolved and adapted to
different climate conditions while retaining
principles that have their roots in the times
of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia from
ca. 558529 BC. Always divided into four
sectors, with water playing an important
role for both irrigation and ornamentation,
the Persian garden was conceived to
symbolize Eden and the four Zoroastrian
elements of sky, earth, water and plants.
These gardens, dating back to different
periods since the 6th century BC, also
feature buildings, pavilions and walls, as
well as sophisticated irrigation systems. The
harmony and beauty of the properties have
created an international legacy, inuencing
the art of garden design as far as India and
Spain.
The classic Persian
garden originated as
a place to seek both
spiritual peace and
to enjoy communal
recreation with
friends. The simple
but formal rules of
design intended to
maximize all that the
garden could offer.
The Old East Iranian
word for garden or
enclosed space is
pairidaeza which
ultimately gave rise
to the English word
paradise.
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Arabian
Sea
ASIA
The
Gulf
Archaeological Sites of the
Island of Meroe
Sudan
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history;
Traditional human settlement
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
ASIA
Atlantic
Ocean
836 i sland of meroe
The Archaeological Sites of the Island of
Meroe occupy a semi-desert landscape
between the Nile and Atbara rivers. From
the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD this
was the heartland of the Kingdom of Kush,
a major power that controlled a vast empire
extending from the Mediterranean to the
heart of Africa. The property consists of the
royal city of the Kushite kings at Meroe,
near the River Nile, and the cemetery, and
the religious sites of Naqa and Musawwarat
es Sufra. It was the seat of the rulers who
occupied Egypt for close to a century and
features more than two hundred pyramids
in three groups as well as temples, domestic
buildings and major installations connected
to water management. The property
testies to the exchange between the art,
architectures, religions and languages of
local and outside cultures.
The development of
skill in iron working
helped Meroe
grow into a wealthy
kingdom that traded
with societies as far
away as India and
China. At the empires
peak, the rulers of
Meroe controlled
more than 1,000 km
of the Nile valley.
Pyramids of the Kushite
rulers at Meroe
Citadel of the Ho Dynasty
Vietnam
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The late fourteenth century Ho Dynasty
citadel is in Hoa Binh Province,
approximately 150 km west of Hanoi.
The citadels construction testies to the
owering of neo-Confucianism in Vietnam
and its spread to other parts of east Asia.
This followed strict feng shui principles, with
the site lying in a landscape of great scenic
beauty on an axis joining the Tuong Son and
Don Son mountains in a plain between the
Ma and Buoi rivers. The rectangular citadel
measured 870.5 m by 883.5 m in length
and had four massive gates. Uniquely
for a building of that time, it was built
from blocks of green granite. The citadel
buildings represent an outstanding example
of a new style of south-east Asian
imperial city.
The citadel was an
impressive military
stronghold, with walls
5 m high and 3 m thick
protected by deep
ditches. It was also the
site of the royal palace
and the seat of the Ho
Dynasty government
for ten years.
Ancient Villages of
Northern Syria
Syrian Arab Republic
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
Some forty villages grouped in eight parks
situated in northwestern Syria provide
remarkable testimony to rural life in late
Antiquity and during the Byzantine period.
Abandoned in the eighthtenth centuries,
the villages have remained remarkably well-
preserved over the centuries, and among
the ruins are some of the greatest treasures
of Byzantine architecture to be found in the
ancient world. The architectural remains,
which date from the 1st to 7th centuries,
include dwellings, temples, churches,
cisterns and bathhouses that provide a
unique record of Byzantine countryside
habitation. The relict cultural landscape of
the villages also constitutes an important
illustration of the transition from the ancient
pagan world of the Roman Empire to
Byzantine Christianity. Vestiges illustrating
hydraulic techniques, protective walls and
Roman agricultural plot plans furthermore
offer testimony to the inhabitants mastery
of agricultural production.
The Ancient Villages
were close to the
great Christian city
of Antioch (now in
Turkey), trade with
which helped the
area support a large
and prosperous
population. After the
Islamic conquest,
Damascus took over
as the capital. The
region subsequently
went into decline,
leaving the villages as
ghost towns.
ci tadel of the ho dynasty | anci ent vi llages of northern syri a 837
World Heritage site since
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Pacic
Ocean ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Caspian
Sea
ASIA
Kenya Lake System in the
Great Rift Valley
Kenya
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant ecological and biological processes;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
838 kenya lake system i n the great ri ft valley
The Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift
Valley is a natural property of outstanding
beauty that is home to some of Earths
highest avian diversity. The site comprises
three inter-linked relatively shallow lakes
(Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru and Lake
Elementaita) in basins on the oor of the
Rift Valley Province of Kenya and covers
a total area of 320 km
2
. It is the single
most important foraging site for the lesser
amingo anywhere, and a major nesting
and breeding ground for great white
pelicans. It offers a sanctuary to thirteen
globally threatened bird species. Many of
Africas iconic mammal species, including
black rhinos, giraffes, lions, Rothschilds
giraffe, greater kudu, wild dogs and
cheetahs are also found here in abundance.
The variety of wildlife in the Kenya Lake
System makes it valuable for the study of
ecological processes of major importance.
The three lakes are
shallow and are
hydro-geologically
connected through
sub-surface seepage
of water. They are also
alkaline and support
the abundant growth
of the green algae
(Spirulina platensis).
This is the favoured
food of the lesser
amingo, which
congregates on the
lakes in vast numbers.
A great white pelican
takes to the air with
lesser amingos in
the background, Lake
Nakuru.
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings
around the Alps
Austria, France, Germany,
Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
This serial property of 111 small individual
sites encompasses the remains of
prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house)
settlements in and around the Alps. The
dwellings were built from around 5000
to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers
or wetlands and are spread across six
countries. Excavations, only conducted in
some of the sites, have yielded evidence
that provides insight into life in prehistoric
times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age
in Alpine Europe and the way communities
interacted with their environment. Fifty-
six of the sites are located in Switzerland.
The settlements are a unique group of
exceptionally well-preserved and culturally
rich archaeological sites, which constitute
one of the most important sources for
the study of early agrarian societies in the
region.
Although many of
the sites are either
under water or
buried under thick
layers of sediments,
dendrochronologists
have been able to
precisely date the
wooden remains
of architectural
elements. This has
allowed scientists to
track the spatial and
social development of
the prehistoric villages
over time.
Cultural Landscape of the
Serra de Tramuntana
Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history; Traditional human settlement
The Cultural Landscape of the Serra de
Tramuntana is located on a sheer-sided
mountain range parallel to the north-
western coast of the island of Mallorca.
Millennia of agriculture in an environment
with scarce resources has transformed
the terrain, and displays an articulated
network of devices for the management
of water revolving around farming units of
feudal origins. The landscape is marked by
agricultural terraces and inter-connected
water works including water mills as well
as dry-stone constructions and farms.
In addition to its
cultural heritage,
the area is rich in
important wildlife,
including a wide
range of birds of prey
such as the osprey
and Eleonoras falcon,
which visit from
Madagascar. The
Mallorcan midwife
toad was believed
extinct until it was
rediscovered in 1977
in some of the most
remote pools and
watercourses of the
Serra de Tramuntana.
prehi stori c pi le dwelli ngs | serra de tramuntana 839
World Heritage site since
1988
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Hiraizumi Temples,
Gardens and Archaeological
Sites Representing the
Buddhist Pure Land
Japan
Criteria Interchange of values; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
Hiraizumi Temples, Gardens and
Archaeological Sites Representing the
Buddhist Pure Land comprises ve sites,
including the sacred Mount Kinkeisan and
the temple complex of Chvson-ji. It features
vestiges of government ofces dating from
the 11th and 12th centuries when Hiraizumi
was the administrative centre of the
northern realm of Japan and rivalled Kyoto.
The realm was based on the cosmology of
Pure Land Buddhism, which spread to Japan
in the 8th century. It represented the pure
land of Buddha that people aspire to after
death, as well as peace of mind in this life.
In combination with indigenous Japanese
nature worship and Shintoism, Pure Land
Buddhism developed a concept of planning
and garden design that was unique to Japan.
840 hi rai zumi
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Chvson-ji building containing the Konjikid (or Golden Hall)
Mtsv-ji Pure Land garden
Ogasawara Islands
Japan
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes
The Ogasawara Islands form an archipelago
some 1,000 km directly south of Tokyo,
Japan. The property numbers more than
thirty subtropical and tropical islands,
clustered in three groups and covers
surface area of 74 km
2
. The landscape is
dominated by subtropical forest types and
sclerophyllous shrublands surrounded by
steep cliffs. There are more than 440 species
of native vascular plants with exceptionally
concentrated rates of endemism as high as
70% in woody plants. The islands are the
habitat for more than 100 recorded native
land snail species, over 90% of which are
endemic to the islands. The Islands serve
as an outstanding example of the ongoing
evolutionary processes in oceanic island
ecosystems.
The Ogasawara
Islands form a distinct
subtropical moist
broadleaf forest
ecoregion, with a high
degree of biodiversity
and endemism. The
islands have never
been connected
with a continent,
which has allowed
evolution to produce
some unique species
and ecosystems.
The archipelago is
sometimes called
the Galpagos of the
Orient.
ogasawara i slands | coffee cultural landscape 841
World Heritage site since
1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Coffee Cultural Landscape
of Colombia
Colombia
Criteria Traditional human settlement;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
This is an exceptional example of a
sustainable and productive coffee-growing
landscape that was established in the
nineteenth century and which is a strong
symbol for coffee growing areas worldwide.
Within the departments of Antioquia,
Caldas, Risaralda, Quindo, and Valle del
Cauca it encompasses six farming areas,
which include eighteen urban centres on the
foothills of the western and central ranges
of the Cordillera de los Andes in the west of
Colombia. The traditional method of coffee
growing is in small plots in the high forest
between 1,200 and 1,800 m above sea level
and illustrates the way farmers have adapted
cultivation to difcult mountain conditions.
The urban areas, mainly situated on the
relatively at tops of hills above sloping
coffee elds, are characterized by the
architecture of the Antioquian colonization
with Spanish inuence. Building materials
were, and remain in some areas, cob and
pleated cane for the walls with clay tiles for
the roofs.
The majority of
Colombias premium
coffee is grown in
the Coffee Cultural
Landscape. Coffee
production is a major
component of the
Colombian economy
and over 80,000
people work in its
cultivation.
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Petroglyphic Complexes of
the Mongolian Altai
Mongolia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
842 mongoli an altai
World Heritage site since
1988
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The numerous rock carvings and funerary
monuments found in these three sites
illustrate the development of culture in
Mongolia over a period of 12,000 years.
The petroglyphs are engraved, scratched,
gouged or pecked into the surface of
bedrock or boulders. The earliest images
reect a time (11,0006,000 BC) when the
area was partly forested and the valley
provided a habitat for hunters of large
game. Later images show the transition to
herding as the dominant way of life. The
most recent images show the transition to a
horse-dependent nomadic lifestyle during
the early rst millennium BC, the Scythian
period and the later Turkic period (seventh
and eighth centuries AD). The carvings
contribute valuably to our understanding of
pre-historic communities in northern Asia.
ASIA
Lake
Baikal
Sea of
Japan
Lake
Balkash
Nomads driving cattle in the Mongolian Altai.
The petroglyphs feature elk, deer, wild goats,
horses and hunters, either as single images or
compositions of anything up to several hundred
motifs. The earliest carvings date from the Late
Pleistocene. The property also includes many
funerary mounds and groups of standing stones.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Lena Pillars Nature Park
Russian Federation
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Lena Pillars Nature Park features
spectacular 100-m-high rock columns along
the banks of the Lena River in Yakutia. The
rock pillars were produced by the regions
extreme continental climate, which has an
annual temperature range of almost 100 C
(from -60 C in winter to +40 C in summer).
The pillars form rocky buttresses isolated
from each other by deep and steep gullies
developed by frost shattering directed along
intervening joints. Penetration of water
from the surface has facilitated freezethaw
action, which has widened gullies between
pillars leading to their isolation.
World Heritage site since
lena pi llars | mount carmel 843
1989
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1990
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1991
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Sites of Human Evolution
at Mount Carmel: The
Nahal Mearot / Wadi
el-Mughara Caves
Israel
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
Located in the steep-sided Nahal Mearot/
Wadi el-Mughara valley on the western side
of the Mount Carmel range, Tabun, Jamal,
el-Wad and Skhul caves contain cultural
deposits representing the past half a million
years of human evolution. The site is part of
one of the best-preserved fossilized reefs of
the Mediterranean region and is recognized
as providing a denitive chronological
framework at a key period of human
development. Archaeological evidence
covers the appearance of modern humans,
deliberate burials, early manifestations
of stone architecture and the transition
from hunter-gathering to agriculture and
animal husbandry. The site demonstrates
the unique existence of both Neanderthals
and early anatomically modern humans
within the same Middle Palaeolithic cultural
framework, the Mousterian, and provides
an archive of early human life in Southwest
Asia.
The archaeological
knowledge generated
at the Nahal Mearot/
Wadi el-Mughara
site has established
the caves and their
region as crucial
to understanding
the biological,
behavioural and
cultural origins of
humans. Research
has been ongoing
since 1928, and
continues to promote
multidisciplinary
scientic dialogue.
ASIA
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Stratigraphic analysis
of the areas unique
geology has led to
the discovery of the
earliest currently
recorded mass-
extinction events in
the Earths history: the
Sinsk and Toyonian
events, both named
after the Lena Pillars
area. The site also
contains a wealth
of Cambrian fossil
remains of numerous
species, some of them
unique.
844 ri o de j anei ro
World Heritage site since
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1990
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Rio de Janeiro: Carioca
Landscapes between the
Mountain and the Sea
Brazil
Criteria Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
Rio is a unique example of a natural
landscape that has developed over half
a millennium from the interactions
brought about by human settlements
and the development of the city. The
quality of the successive interventions to
a site of such great beauty has given rise
to an extraordinary set of urban public
landscapes, composed of gardens, parks
and protected natural landmarks whose
natural scientic signicance and cultural
associations grant them unique value.
The site encompasses the key natural
elements that have shaped and inspired
the development of the city: from the
highest points of the Tijuca National Parks
mountains down to the sea. They also include
the Botanical Gardens, established in 1808,
Corcovado Mountain with its celebrated
statue of Christ, and the hills around
Guanabara Bay, including the extensive
designed landscapes along Copacabana Bay
which have contributed to the outdoor living
culture of this spectacular city.
Rio de Janeiro is also internationally
recognized for the artistic inspiration it has
provided to musicians, landscapers and
urbanists.
Scientic knowledge
of the native plant life,
allied to the Romantic
ideals prevalent in
the second half of the
nineteenth century,
and increased concerns
about environmental
preservation led to
the reforestation of
the Tijuca massif,
resulting in an urban
forest of unique
features. The man-
made transformations
of the landscape, the
mountain and the
seafront have made the
city a point of reference
the world over.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Aerial view of Christ the Redeemer statue on
Corcovado Mountain, Rio de Janeiro
Chengjiang Fossil Site
China
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
The Chengjiang Fossil Site in Yunnan
province presents an exceptional record
of the rapid diversication of life on Earth
530 million years ago, when almost all of
todays major animal groups emerged. It
is the most complete record of an early
Cambrian marine ecosystem, with food
webs capped by sophisticated predators.
The quality of the preserved biota is
excellent, displaying the anatomy of hard
and soft tissues in a very wide variety of
organisms, invertebrate and vertebrate. The
site documents at least sixteen phyla and a
variety of enigmatic groups as well as about
196 species.
Today the area is largely covered with
secondary forest and shrubs and there is
no industrial activity or permanent human
habitation within the site.
ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
bassari country | chengj i ang fossi l si te 845
World Heritage site since
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Bassari Country: Bassari,
Fula and Bedik Cultural
Landscapes
Senegal
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
This site is in the barely accessible northern
foothills of the Fouta Djallon Massif in
southeastern Senegal, close to the Mali
and Guinean borders. The Bassari, Fula and
Bedik settled here from the eleventh to the
nineteenth centuries. Their agro-pastoral,
social, ritual and spiritual practices represent
an original response to environmental
constraints and human pressures. Terraces
and rice paddies interspersed with villages
form the Bassari landscape, while villages of
dense groups of huts with steeped thatched
roofs characterize the Bedik settlements.
Bassari villages were
grouped on higher
land, so as to control
the plains, and
consisted of round
thatched huts built
around a central
space. In the middle
of the village was a
larger hut, called the
ambofor, where youths
male and female
lived together and
where ritual objects
were kept.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
The 5 km
property opens a
palaeobiological
window of great
signicance to
scholarship. The
discoveries here
range from algae,
through sponges
and cnidarians to
numerous bilaterian
phyla, including
the earliest known
chordates, the
phylum to which
all vertebrates
belong. Almost all
of the soft-bodied
species discovered
at Chengjiang are
unknown elsewhere.
Masjed-e Jm of Isfahan
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Criteria Interchange of values
846 masj ed- e j m of i sfahan
World Heritage site since
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
Located in the historic centre of Isfahan, the
Masjed-e Jm (Friday, or congregational,
mosque) is the centrepiece of Islamic
religious life in the city. It is the oldest
preserved complex of its type in Iran and
a prototype for later mosque designs
throughout Central Asia. Building started
around ad 841 under the Abbasids with the
most signicant structures dating from
the eleventh and twelfth centuries under
the Seljuqs. It is a composite of a variety of
Iranian Islamic styles of construction and
decoration and has even been referred to as
a museum of mosque architecture. Upon
entering the mosque, the dominant space
of the monument is its sahn (courtyard) of
60 m by 70 m, with its four impressive iwans
(vaulted halls opening into the courtyard).
It was the rst Islamic building to adapt
this courtyard layout of Sassanid palaces
to Islamic religious architecture. The site
also features remarkable decorative details
representative of stylistic developments
over more than a thousand years of Islamic
art.
The eleventh-century Nezam
al-Molk Dome set new engineering
standards as the rst double-shell
ribbed-dome structure in the
Islamic world. The smaller but
more elaborate Taj al-Molk Dome
followed soon after. These domes
of the Masjed-e Jm inuenced
domes of later periods and regions
of the Islamic world.
Framed by an entrance arch, the courtyard and minarets of the Friday
mosque in Isfahan, Iran.
Western Ghats
India
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
Older than the Himalaya mountains,
the mountain chain of the Western
Ghats represents geomorphic features
of immense importance with unique
biophysical and ecological processes. The
sites high montane forest ecosystems
inuence the Indian monsoon weather
pattern. Moderating the tropical climate
of the region, it presents one of the best
examples of the monsoon system in the
planet. The forests of the site include some
of the best representatives of non-equatorial
tropical evergreen forests anywhere and
are home to at least 325 globally threatened
ora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and sh
species. It is also recognized as one of the
worlds eight hottest hotspots of biological
diversity.
The Western
Ghats contains an
exceptionally high
level of biological
diversity and
endemism. Of the 650
tree species found in
the Western Ghats,
352 are endemic.
Animal diversity is
also exceptional, and
endangered species
such as the Lion-tailed
macaque, Nilgiri tahr
and Nilgiri langur are
unique to the area.
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Decorated Farmhouses of
Hlsingland
Sweden
Criteria Traditional human settlement
The seven listed decorative farmhouses
of Hlsingland represent the zenith of a
regional timber building tradition that
dates back to the Middle Ages. They reect
the prosperity of independent farmers
who used their wealth in the nineteenth
century to build substantial new homes with
elaborately decorated ancillary houses or
suites of rooms reserved for festivities. The
paintings represent a fusion of folk art with
the styles favoured by the landed gentry
of the time, including the Baroque and
Rococo. Decorated by painters, including
known and unknown itinerant artists, the
properties represent the nal owering of
a long cultural tradition.
They are part of an outstanding collection
of some 1,000 well-preserved farmhouses
with around 400 decorative rooms still in
situ. The density of intact and preserved
rooms is unparalleled within the entire
Northern Taiga.
The farmhouses of
Hlsingland combine
rich decorative
paintings with a highly
developed building
tradition that reects
the considerable
prosperity of the
farmers. These
decorated farms bear
witness to a culture
that has disappeared
today but has been
preserved in an
exceptional way. As
a group they do not
have a parallel.
decorated farmhouses of hlsi ngland | western ghats 847
World Heritage site since
1989
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1990
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1991
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EUROPE
Scandinavia
North
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Sangha protects a large number
of tree species which are heavily
commercially exploited elsewhere,
such as the critically endangered
Mukulungu. With a total area of
more than 7,500 km, the park is
unlike many other protected areas in
that it is not a remaining fragment
of forest but is part of a much larger
intact and ecologically functional
landscape. This is increasingly rare
and signicant in the world today.
Sangha Trinational
Cameroon, Central African
Republic, Congo
Criteria Signicant ecological and biological
processes; Signicant natural habitat for
biodiversity
The three contiguous national parks that
form Sangha lie at the nexus of Cameroon,
the Republic of the Congo and the Central
African Republic in the northwestern
Congo Basin. Much of the site is unaffected
by human activity and it features a wide
range of humid tropical forest ecosystems
with rich ora and fauna, including Nile
crocodiles and goliath tigersh. Forest
clearings support herbaceous species and
Sangha is home to considerable populations
of forest elephants, critically endangered
western lowland gorilla, and endangered
chimpanzee. The sites environment has
preserved the continuation of ecological
and evolutionary processes on a huge scale
and has great biodiversity.
Atlantic
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
AFRICA
848 sangha tri nati onal
World Heritage site since
1989
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1990
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1991
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A male western lowland gorilla
Pearling, Testimony of an
Island Economy
Bahrain
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition
The site is the last remaining complete
example of the cultural tradition of pearling
and the wealth it generated at a time when
the trade dominated the Gulf economy. It
consists of seventeen buildings in Muharraq
city, three offshore oyster beds, part of the
seashore and the Qalat Bu Mahir fortress
on the southern tip of Muharraq Island,
from where boats used to set off for the
oyster beds. It constitutes an outstanding
example of traditional utilization of the
seas resources and human interaction
with the environment, which shaped both
the economy and cultural identity of the
islands society. The buildings listed include
residences of wealthy merchants, shops,
storehouses and a mosque. They have
mostly survived unaltered since the collapse
of the pearl industry and now bear witness
to the distinctive building traditions that
the industry fostered, particularly their high
standard of craftsmanship in timber and
plaster. In their beautiful, fragile state these
buildings evoke memories of that industry
and its supporting social and economic
structures.
Traditional pearling
shaped the single-
product economy and
cultural identity of
Bahrains island society.
The pearl-collecting
traditions of Bahrain
were amongst the
oldest in the world
and consistently
delivered pearls to
the worlds market for
two millennia, from
the second century
to the 1930s, when
Japan developed
cultured pearls and
the traditional industry
collapsed.
ASIA
The
Gulf
Arabian
Sea
Landscape of Grand Pr
Canada
Criteria Traditional human settlement; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
In the southern Minas Basin of Nova Scotia,
the Grand Pr marshland was developed
as agricultural farmland, using dykes
and the aboiteau wooden sluice system,
by French colonists (called Acadians) in
the seventeenth century. The cultural
landscape contains polder farmland and
archaeological elements of the towns
of Grand Pr and Hortonville. It is an
exceptional example of the adaptation of the
rst European settlers to the conditions of
the North American Atlantic coast.
The site is also a
memorial to the
Acadian way of life
and an iconic place of
remembrance of the
Acadians deportation,
known as the Grand
Drangement, which
commenced in 1755
after the British took
control of the French
colony of Acadia (which
included Nova Scotia).
World Heritage site since
grand pr | pearli ng 849
1989
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1990
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NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
The Memorial Church
of Grand Pr located in
the Annapolis Valley of
Nova Scotia.
NordPas de Calais Mining
Basin
France
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal signicance
The NordPas de Calais Mining Basin is
a well-preserved example of the mining
and industrial landscape created by
three centuries of coal extraction. It is
characterized by its pitheads and their
equipment, slag heaps, a dense pattern
of mining communities and the urban
planning of the mining towns. Signicant
economic and cultural values are associated
with the mines history in terms of everyday
activity, the miners living conditions, social
events and accidents.
The NordPas de
Calais Mining Basin
features collieries
(the oldest of which
dates from 1850)
with pithead lifts,
slag heaps (some of
which cover 0.9 km
and exceed 140 m in
height), coal transport
infrastructure, railway
stations, owners
and managers
houses, workers
estates and mining
villages including
schools, religious
buildings, health and
community facilities.
Gonbad-e Qbus
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Criteria Human creative genius; Interchange
of values; Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
Visible from a great distance, this 53-m-high
tomb was built in 1006 for the Ziyarid emir
Qbus Ibn Voshmgir near the ancient city of
Jorjan on the Gorgan River in northeast Iran.
It bears testimony to the cultural exchange
between Central Asian nomads and the
ancient civilization of Iran. The tower is the
only remaining evidence of Jorjan, which
was destroyed during the Mongols invasion
in the fourteenth and fteenth centuries.
Designed in
accordance with
intricate geometric
and mathematical
principles and
constructed of
unglazed red brick,
the hollow cylindrical
shaft, buttressed
by ten triangular
anges, tapers to a
conical roof from the
17-m-diameter base.
It is an outstanding
example of Islamic
architecture.
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
850 nord- pas de calai s mi ni ng basi n | gonbad- e qbus
World Heritage site since
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1990
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1991
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Former coal mine at Wallers Arenberg
World Heritage site since
garri son border town of elvas 851
1989
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Garrison Border Town of
Elvas and its Fortications
Portugal
Criteria Signicance in human history
The bulwarked
fortications,
designed to protect
Elvas against
developments in
modern artillery,
were begun in
1643. They form an
unequal polygon of
twelve sides with the
castle at one corner.
The bulwarks are
battered, surrounded
by a dry ditch and
counterscarp and
further protected by a
number of ravelins.
Guarding the key border crossing between
Portugals capital Lisbon and Spains
capital Madrid, in an undulating, riverine
landscape, the Garrison Town of Elvas was
fortied extensively from the seventeenth
to the nineteenth centuries to become
the largest bulwarked dry-ditch system in
the world. Within its walls, Elvas contains
barracks and other military buildings as well
as churches and monasteries. The great
fortications began when Portugal regained
independence from Spain in 1640. Designed
by Dutch Jesuit Joo Piscsio Cosmander,
they are the best surviving example of the
Dutch school of fortications. The Amoreira
aqueduct (built 15291622) is 7,504 m long
and consists largely of arches arranged
in up to four tiers, bringing water from
the springs to the west of the town to the
town fountain (Fonte da Vila) and later to
the Fortress Cistern. Outlying forts built
on surrounding hills ringed the town to
accommodate the changing needs of
defensive warfare.
EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
The Amoreira
aqueduct that bought
water to Elvas
Site of Xanadu
China
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Signicance in human history;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
Xanadu, Kublai Khans fabled capital city
in Inner Mongolia, was designed by his
Chinese adviser, Liu Bingzhong in 1256,
and located in accordance with feng shui
principles with hills to the north and a river
to the south. It comprises the Palace City,
surrounded by the Imperial City laid out
along a northsouth axis, together with the
Outer City to the west and north, the whole
a square measuring 2,200 m along each
side. From Xanadu, Kublai Khan established
the Yuan Dynasty that ruled China for over
a century, and, following a religious debate
here in 1258, Tibetan Buddhism spread
over northeast Asia. After the overthrow
of the Yuan dynasty by the Ming, the city
was captured and destroyed in 1368. The
surviving remains include fragments of
temples, palaces, tombs, city walls and
nomadic encampments.
The city became an
important stopping
place on the Silk
Road, receiving
many foreign envoys,
among them Marco
Polo from 1275 to
1292, who recorded
his experiences in The
Travels of Marco Polo
and opened the eyes
of the world to China
and the marvels of
Xanadu.
852 si te of xanadu | lenggong valley
World Heritage site since
Archaeological Heritage of
the Lenggong Valley
Malaysia
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
The Perak River ows through Lenggong
valley, an essentially agricultural landscape
threaded with traditional villages and dotted
with limestone massifs. This property
includes four archaeological sites in two
clusters, which span close to two million
years one of the longest records of early
man in a single locality and the oldest
outside the African continent. It features
open-air and cave sites with Palaeolithic
tool workshops providing evidence of
early technology. At the Bukit Bunuh site,
suevite rocks created by a meteorite impact
1.83 million years ago contain embedded
stone handaxes, which are among the oldest
so far discovered outside Africa. At Kota
Tampan there is an open-air in situ stone
tool workshop dated to 70,000 bp, which
has become a global reference site for the
Palaeolithic in Southeast Asia.
Perak Man, Southeast
Asias oldest most
complete human
skeleton, radiocarbon
dated to 10,120 bp, was
found in 1991 in the
Gua Gunung Runtuh
cave, which was used
for habitation and
burial purposes from
around 13,000 bp until
2,600 bp. Stone tools,
animal bones and
shells accompanied
the skeleton.
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
World Heritage site since
bi rthplace of j esus 853
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Birthplace of Jesus:
Church of the Nativity
and the Pilgrimage Route,
Bethlehem
Palestine (oPt)
*
Criteria Signicance in human history; Heritage
associated with events of universal signicance
ASIA
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Bethlehem is 10 km south of Jerusalem, and
this property is located on the site of a cave
identied in Christian tradition since the
second century as the birthplace of Jesus.
The rst church was completed in ad 339. Its
octagonal sanctuary allowed worshippers to
look down into the cave, and adjoining this
was a ve-aisled basilica. Its highly elaborate
geometric mosaic oors survived a re in
the sixth century which destroyed the rest
of the church, and it was then rebuilt by
the Emperor Justinian, keeping the form of
the nave but incorporating the cave under
an apsed chancel. During the Crusader
era in the twelfth century, the church was
embellished with paintings and mosaics,
traces of which survive. The property also
includes Greek Orthodox, Franciscan and
Armenian convents. Bethlehem and the
Church of the Nativity are major pilgrim
destinations, and the nal part of the
traditional route from Jerusalem to the
Church is also included in the property.
Two ights of steps lead down from
the aisles of the church to the cave
of the Nativity. Its marble oor was
ornamented in 1717 with a star to
mark the birthplace of Jesus. The
walls of the cave are partly lined with
marble and partly covered with silks
and buckram.
Entrance to the Grotto of the Nativity, Bethlehem
* member of UNESCO since 23 November 2011
854 lakes of ouni anga
World Heritage site since
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Lakes of Ounianga
Chad
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty
The site includes eighteen interconnected
lakes in the hyper-arid Ennedi region of the
Sahara Desert, part of an exceptional natural
landscape of great beauty. Its saline, hyper-
saline and freshwater lakes are supplied by
groundwater and are found in two groups
40 km apart. Ounianga Kebir comprises
four lakes, the largest of which, Yoan, has
highly saline waters that only sustain algae
and some micro-organisms. The second
group, Ounianga Serir, comprises fourteen
lakes separated by sand dunes. Floating
reeds cover almost half the surface of these
lakes, reducing evaporation. With their high
quality freshwater, some of these lakes are
home to aquatic fauna, particularly sh.
The lakes are fed by
fossil groundwater,
which compensates
for evaporation losses,
making the lakes
durable features even
in the current water-
decit conditions.
There are very few
permanent lakes of
signicant size in
the Sahara Desert,
and the Lakes of
Ounianga seem to be
unique in their type
of fossil groundwater
circulation.
AFRICA
Atlantic Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Lake Yoan
World Heritage site since
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Historic Town of Grand-
Bassam
Cte dIvoire
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
The rst capital of Cte dIvoire, the
Historic Town of Grand-Bassam is an
example of a late nineteenth- and early
twentieth-century colonial town planned
with quarters specializing in commerce,
administration and housing for Europeans
and Africans. The site includes the Nzima
vernacular shing village alongside colonial
architecture marked by functional houses
with galleries, verandas and gardens. It
bears witness to the complex social relations
between Europeans and Africans, and to
the subsequent independence movement.
As a vibrant centre of the territory of French
trading posts on the Gulf of Guinea, which
preceded modern Cte dIvoire, it attracted
populations from all parts of Africa, Europe
and the Mediterranean Levant.
The outstanding
and well-conserved
Historic Town of
Grand-Bassam
embodies colonial
architecture and
town planning based
on the principles
of functionalism
and hygiene of the
time, adapted to
climatic conditions
of West Africa. The
site also includes a
vernacular village
that demonstrates
the permanency of
indigenous cultures.
AFRICA
Atlantic
Ocean
EUROPE
North
Sea
Bay of
Biscay
Major Mining Sites of
Wallonia
Belgium
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The four sites of the property form a strip
170 km long by 315 km wide, crossing
Belgium from east to west, consisting of the
best-preserved nineteenth- and twentieth-
century coal-mining sites in the country. As
a global coal extraction system, the Belgian
colliery model was widely disseminated
and taught, and the four sites represent
the countrys best-preserved collieries of
this age.
The Grand-Hornu and Bois-du-Luc sites
reect the inuence of architectural and
urban trends linked to the utopian view of
the industrial and workers city that arose
in the Age of Enlightenment, notably the
Grand-Hornu colliery and workers city
designed by Bruno Renard in the rst half
of the nineteenth century. Bois-du-Luc
includes numerous buildings erected
from 1838 to 1909 and is one of Europes
oldest collieries, dating back to the end of
the seventeenth century. The last major
European mining disaster occurred at the
Bois du Cazier colliery in 1956, when 262
miners were killed.
The Walloon mines
are one of the oldest
and most important
places of cultural
intermixing through
the participation of
workers from other
regions (Flemish
in the nineteenth
century), and then
through immigration
from various
European regions
in the twentieth
century (Italians,
Czechs, Hungarians,
Poles, Yugoslavs and
Russian prisoners).
hi stori c town of grand- bassam | walloni a 855
Margravial Opera House
Bayreuth
Germany
Criteria Human creative genius; Signicance in
human history
The Margravial Opera House is a
masterpiece of Baroque theatre
architecture, built between 1745 and 1750.
Authentic Baroque court opera culture
and acoustics can still be experienced
by an audience of 500, as its auditorium
retains its original structure of wood and
canvas. Commissioned by Margravine
Wilhelmine, wife of Frederick, Margrave
of BrandenburgBayreuth, the interior
of the Opera House was designed by the
renowned Italian theatre architect Giuseppe
Galli Bibiena. Opening onto a public square,
its grand Baroque faade and ceremonial
foyer foreshadowed the construction of
large public theatres. The highly decorated,
bell-shaped auditorium contains tiers of
loges (or boxes) whose the rear walls are
covered in illusionistic painted canvas
reecting both the traditions of ephemeral
ceremonial architecture and the practical
requirements of covering cracks in the wood
to achieve improved acoustics.
The Opera Houses
benefactor,
Margravine
Wilhelmine, was
a highly talented
composer, artistic
director and stage
director, performing
on her own stage.
Hers is a key work in
theatre architecture,
coming between early
Italian theatres that
looked to antiquity
and large nineteenth-
century public opera
houses.
Neolithic Site of
atalhyk
Turkey
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
atalhyk, on the Southern Anatolian
Plateau, is a very rare, well-preserved
Neolithic settlement comprising two tells.
The taller eastern mound (or tell) contains
evidence of eighteen levels of Neolithic
occupation between 7,400 and 6,200 bc,
including wall paintings, reliefs, sculptures
and other symbolic and artistic features.
The western mound shows the evolution of
cultural practices in the Chalcolithic period
from 6,200 to 5,200 bc. The site illustrates
the transition from settled villages to urban
agglomeration.
atalhyk features
a unique street-less
settlement of houses
clustered back to
back, with roof access
into the buildings.
It is the outstanding
settlement type of
the Neolithic period
and testies to the
evolution of social
organization and
cultural practices as
humans adapted to a
sedentary life.
World Heritage site since
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856 margravi al opera house | atalhyk
EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
EUROPE
ASIA
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
rabat 857
World Heritage site since
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Rabat, Modern Capital
and Historic City: a Shared
Heritage
Morocco
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
Rabat, on the Atlantic coast in northwest
Morocco, combines the Ville Nouvelle, built
under the French Protectorate from 1912
to the 1930s, with the older parts of the
city dating back to the twelfth century. In
addition there are archaeological remains
in the Chellah district from Mauritanian
settlement (seventhsixth century bc)
and from Roman times. The new town,
one of the most ambitious urban projects
in Africa, was the product of a fertile
exchange between the Arabo-Muslim
past and Western modernism. It includes
royal and administrative areas, residential
and commercial developments and the
pleasure and botanic gardens, the Jardins
dEssais. A rich repertoire of forms, specic
spaces and decorative motifs exists, ranging
from the neo-Moorish style to European
neoclassicism, and from naturalism to Art
Deco and modernism. The synthesis of
decorative, architectural and landscape
elements, and the interplay between the
present and the past, offer a rened urban
ensemble of rare quality.
Rabat landmarks
include the twelfth-
century Almohad
ramparts and the
Hassan minaret
(started in 1184), the
only surviving parts
of a proposed capital
for the Almohad
caliphate. The Kasbah
and Medina also go
back to this period
and include buildings
from the Moorish,
or Andalusian,
principality of the
seventeenth century.
AFRICA
Mediterranean
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Bab Oudaa, the principal gateway into Rabts Oudaa
Kasbah, was built in the late twelfth century.
Heritage of Mercury,
Almadn and Idrija
Slovenia, Spain
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The property includes the mining sites
of Almadn in Spain, where mercury has
been extracted since antiquity, and Idrija
in Slovenia, where mercury was rst found
in ad 1490. The sites represent the two
largest mercury mines in the world and
were operational until recent times. They
bear testimony to the intercontinental trade
in mercury between Europe and America.
They also illustrate the social and economic
conditions of mercury extraction, and the
educational and medical traditions linked to
the needs of the mercury mines. The Spanish
property includes Retamar Castle, religious
buildings and traditional dwellings. The site
in Idrija notably features mercury stores
and infrastructure, as well as miners living
quarters and a miners theatre.
Mercury has
toxicological
properties that make
it dangerous to
handle, and mean that
its residues pollute the
environment, which
led to the decline in
its use at the end of
the twentieth century.
The great mines of the
past, such as Almadn
and Idrija, have ceased
to function, and have
become testimony
to a technical and
industrial culture that
has disappeared.
Rock Islands Southern
Lagoon
Palau
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement; Natural
phenomena or beauty; Signicant ecological and
biological processes; Signicant natural habitat
for biodiversity
The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon contains
an exceptional variety of habitats within a
relatively limited area. The maze of dome-
shaped and green Rock Islands, seemingly
oating in turquoise lagoons surrounded
by coral reefs, is of exceptional aesthetic
beauty. There are 445 of these uninhabited
limestone islands of volcanic origins. The
attractiveness of the site is heightened by a
complex reef system featuring over 385 coral
species and different types of habitat. They
sustain a large diversity of plants, birds and
marine life including dugong and at least
thirteen shark species.
The remains of stonework villages,
as well as burial sites and rock art, bear
testimony to the organization of small island
communities over some three millennia.
The abandonment of the villages in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
illustrates the consequences of climate
change, population growth and subsistence
existence on a society living in a marginal
marine environment.
The Rock Islands
Southern Lagoon
contains the highest
concentration
of marine lakes
anywhere in the
world. These are
isolated bodies of
seawater separated
from the ocean by
land barriers and are
among the islands
most distinctive
features. They sustain
high endemism of
populations which
continue to yield new
organisms, including
ve new subspecies
of the Mastigias papua
jellysh.
ASIA
South
China
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
EUROPE
AFRICA Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
World Heritage site since
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858 mercury, almadn and i dri j a | rock i slands southern lagoon
Cultural Landscape of Bali
Province: the Subak System
as a Manifestation of the
Tri Hita Karana Philosophy
Indonesia
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition; Traditional human settlement;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
This cultural landscape of ve rice terraces
and their water temples are the focus of a
cooperative water management system of
canals and weirs, known as subak, which
dates back to the ninth century. Included
in the landscape is the eighteenth-century
Royal Temple of Pura Taman Ayun, the
largest and most impressive architectural
edice of its type on the island. The
water temple networks have managed
the ecology of rice terraces at the scale of
whole watersheds, and cover 195 km. They
provide a unique response to the challenge
of supporting a dense population on a
rugged volcanic island.
Rice is seen as the gift of god, and the
subak system is part of temple culture. Water
from springs and canals ows through
the temples and out onto the rice paddy
elds. The water temples are the focus of a
cooperative management of water resource
by a group of subaks. Today Bali has about
1,200 of these water collectives.
The subak reects
the philosophical
concept of Tri Hita
Karana, which brings
together the realms of
the spirit, the human
world and nature.
This philosophy was
born of the cultural
exchange between
Bali and India over
the past 2,000 years
and has shaped the
landscape of Bali.
The subak system has
enabled the Balinese
to become the most
prolic rice growers
in the archipelago
despite the challenge
of supporting a dense
population.
ASIA
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
World Heritage site since
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cultural landscape of bali 859
Rice terraces of Jatiluwih
Medici Villas and Gardens
in Tuscany
Italy
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal signicance
Twelve villas and two pleasure gardens
spread across the Tuscan countryside
make up this site which bears testimony
to the inuence the Medici family exerted
over modern European culture through
its patronage of the arts. Built between the
15th and 17th centuries, they represent an
innovative system of rural construction
in harmony with nature and dedicated to
leisure, the arts and knowledge. The villas
embody an innovative form and function,
a new type of princely residence that
differed from both the farms owned by
rich Florentines of the period and from
the military might of baronial castles.
The Medici villas form
the rst example of the
connection between
habitat, gardens and
the environment, and
became an enduring
reference for princely
residences throughout
Italy and Europe.
Their gardens and
integration into the
natural environment
helped develop the
appreciation of
landscape characteristic
of Humanism and the
Renaissance.
860 medi ci vi llas and gardens i n tuscany | hi ll forts of raj asthan
World Heritage site since
Hill Forts of Rajasthan
India
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
The serial site, situated in the state of
Rajasthan, includes six majestic forts in
Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur,
Jhalawar, Jaipur and Jaisalmer. The ecclectic
architecture of the forts, some up to 20 km
in circumference, bears testimony to the
power of the Rajput princely states which
ourished in the region from the 8th to the
18th centuries. Enclosed within defensive
walls are major urban centres, palaces,
trading centres and other buildings, including
temples that often predate the fortications,
within which an elaborate courtly culture
that supported learning, music and the arts
developed. Some of the urban centres have
survived, as have many of the sites temples
and other sacred buildings. The forts use the
natural defences offered by the landscape:
hills, deserts, rivers and dense forests. They
also feature extensive water harvesting
structures, largely still in use today.
Chittorgarh Fort is
one of the largest
forts in India and the
grandest in the state
of Rajasthan. It is a
spacious fort located
on an isolated rocky
plateau approximately
2 km long and 155 m
wide. It is surrounded
by a perimeter wall
4.5 km long, beyond
which a 45-degree
hill slope made it
almost inaccessible
to enemies.
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
ASIA
Indian
Ocean
South
China
Sea
Chittorgarh Fort is a
majestic fort situated
on a hilltop near
Chittorgarh town in
the state of Rajasthan.
Cultural Landscape of
Honghe Hani Rice Terraces
China
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Traditional human settlement
The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani
Rice Terraces covers 166 km in southern
Yunnan in China. It is marked by spectacular
terraces that cascade down the slopes of the
towering Ailao Mountains to the banks of the
Hong River. Over the past 1,300 years, the Hani
people have developed a complex system of
channels to bring water from the forested
mountain tops to the terraces. They have also
created an integrated farming system that
involves buffaloes, cattle, ducks, sh and eel,
and supports the production of red rice, the
areas primary crop. They live in eighty-two
villages situated between the mountain-top
forests and the terraces. The villages feature
traditional thatched mushroom houses.
The resilient land management system of
the rice terraces demonstrates extraordinary
harmony between people and their
environment, both visually and ecologically,
and is based on exceptional and long-
standing social and religious structures.
The Hani people
worship the sun,
moon, mountains,
rivers, forests
and other natural
phenomena,
including re.
Tajik National Park
(Mountains of the Pamirs)
Tajikistan
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history
Tajik National Park covers an area of more
than 25,000 km in the east of Tajikistan,
at the centre of the so-called Pamir Knot,
a meeting point of the highest mountain
ranges on the Eurasian continent. It consists
of high plateaux in the east and, to the west,
rugged peaks, some of which are over 7,000
m high, and features extreme seasonal
variations of temperature. A rich variety of
ora species of both the southwestern and
central Asian oristic regions grow in the
Park, which shelters nationally rare and
threatened birds and mammals, such as the
Marco Polo Argali sheep, Siberian ibex and
snow leopard. Subject to frequent strong
earthquakes, the Park is sparsely inhabited,
and virtually unaffected by agriculture and
permanent human settlement. It offers a
unique opportunity for the study of plate
tectonics and subduction phenomena.
The longest valley
glacier outside the
Polar region is located
among the 1,085
glaciers inventoried
in the site, which also
numbers 170 rivers
and more than 400
lakes.
honghe hani ri ce terraces | taj i k nati onal park 861
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Himalaya
ASIA
Caspian
Sea
Historic Centre of Agadez
Niger
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Known as the gateway to the desert, Agadez,
on the southern edge of the Sahara desert,
developed in the 15th and 16th centuries
when the Sultanate of Ar was established
and Tuareg tribes were sedentarized in
the city, respecting the boundaries of old
encampments, which gave rise to the street
pattern still in place today. The historic
centre of the city, an important crossroads
of the caravan trade, is divided into eleven
irregularly-shaped quarters. The site is
marked by ancestral cultural, commercial
and handicraft traditions still practised
today and presents exceptional and
sophisticated examples of earthen
architecture.
The historic centre
of Agadez contains
numerous earthen
dwellings and a well-
preserved group of
palatial and religious
buildings, including
a 27-m-high minaret
made entirely of mud
brick, the highest such
structure in the world.
862 hi stori c centre of agadez | hi stori c monuments and si tes i n kaesng
World Heritage site since
Historic Monuments and
Sites in Kaesng
Korea, Democratic Peoples
Republic of
Criteria Interchange of values; Testimony to
cultural tradition
Situated in Kaesng city, in the south of the
country, the site consists of twelve separate
components, which together testify to the
history and culture of the Kory Dynasty from
the 10th to 14th centuries. The geomantic
layout of the former capital city of Kaesng,
its palaces, institutions and tomb complex,
defensive walls and gates embody the
political, cultural, philosophical and spiritual
values of a crucial era in the regions history.
The site testies to the transition from
Buddhism to neo-Confucianism in East
Asia, and to the assimilation of the cultural,
spiritual and political values of the states
that existed prior to Koreas unication
under the Kory Dynasty. The integration of
Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist and geomantic
concepts is manifest in the planning of the
site and the architecture of its monuments.
The monuments
inscribed also include
an astronomical
and meteorological
observatory, two
schools (including
one dedicated to
educating national
ofcials) and
commemorative
stelae.
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AFRICA
Red
Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Sea of
Japan
Yellow
Sea
ASIA
Tomb of King Kongmin,
a 14th-century
mausoleum located in
Kaepung County, just
outside of the city of
Kaesng.
University of Coimbra
Alta and Soa
Portugal
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history; Heritage associated with events
of universal signicance
Situated on a hill overlooking the city, the
University of Coimbra and its colleges grew
and evolved over more than seven centuries
within the old town. Notable university
buildings include the 12th-century Cathedral
of Santa Cruz and a number of 16th-century
colleges, the Royal Palace of Alcova, which
has housed the University since 1537, the
Joanine Library with its rich baroque decor,
the 18th-century Botanical Garden and
University Press, as well as the large
University City created during the 1940s.
The Universitys edices became a reference
in the development of other institutions of
higher education in the Portuguese-
speaking world, where the University exerted
a major inuence on learning and literature.
The University of
Coimbra offers an
outstanding example
of an integrated
university city with
a specic urban
typology, as well as its
own ceremonial and
cultural traditions that
have been kept alive
through the ages.
Levuka Historical
Port Town
Fiji
Criteria Interchange of values; Signicance in
human history
The town and its low line of buildings set
among coconut and mango trees along the
beach front was the rst colonial capital of
Fiji, ceded to the British in 1874. It developed
from the early 19th century as a centre
of commercial activity by Americans and
Europeans who built warehouses, stores,
port facilities, residences, and religious,
educational and social institutions
around the villages of the South Pacic
islands indigenous population. It is a rare
example of a late colonial port town that
was inuenced in its development by the
indigenous community which continued
to outnumber the European settlers.
Levuka is an
outstanding
example of a late
19th-century Pacic
port settlement,
and reects the
integration of local
building traditions
by a supreme naval
power, leading to
the emergence of a
unique landscape.
uni versi ty of coi mbra | levuka hi stori cal port town 863
World Heritage site since
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1991
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EUROPE
AFRICA
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacic Ocean
OCEANIA
Pao das Escolas,
Coimbra University.
Al Zubarah
Archaeological Site
Qatar
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history; Traditional
human settlement
The walled coastal town of Al Zubarah in
the Gulf ourished as a pearling and trading
centre in the late 18th century and early 19th
century, before it was destroyed in 1811 and
abandoned in the early 1900s. Founded by
merchants from Kuwait, Al Zubarah had
trading links across the Indian Ocean,
Arabia and western Asia. A layer of sand
blown from the desert has protected the
remains of the sites palaces, mosques,
streets, courtyard houses and shermens
huts; its harbour and double defensive walls;
a canal and cemeteries. Excavation has only
taken place over a small part of the site,
which offers an outstanding testimony to
an urban trading and pearl-diving tradition
which sustained the regions major coastal
towns, and led to the development of small
independent states that ourished outside
the control of the Ottoman, European and
Persian empires, and eventually led to the
emergence of the modern-day Gulf States.
The Zubarah Fort
is a historic Qatari
military fortress
originally built by
Sheikh Abdullah bin
Jassim Al Thani, an
Emir of Qatar, in 1938.
It is now a museum
displaying diverse
exhibits, artworks
and archaeological
ndings.
864 al zubarah archaeologi cal si te | el pi nacate and gran desi erto de altar
World Heritage site since
El Pinacate and
Gran Desierto de Altar
Biosphere Reserve
Mexico
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty; Major
stages of Earths history; Signicant natural
habitat for biodiversity
The 7,146 km site comprises two distinct
parts: the dormant volcanic Pinacate Shield
with black and red lava ows and desert
pavements to the east and, in the west, the
Gran Altar Desert, with its ever-changing
and varied sand dunes that can reach a
height of 200 m. The dunes emerge like
islands from the sea of sand and harbour
distinct and highly diverse plant and wildlife
communities, including endemic freshwater
sh species and the endemic Sonoran
pronghorn, which can only be found in
northwestern Sonora and in southwestern
Arizona, USA. Ten enormous, deep and
almost perfectly circular craters, believed
to have been formed by a combination of
eruptions and collapses, also contribute
to the dramatic beauty of the site whose
exceptional combination of features is of
great scientic interest. The site is also a
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The landscape is one
of dramatic contrast
and notably features
linear, star and dome
dunes as well as
several arid granite
massifs, some as high
as 650 m.
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1991
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ASIA
The
Gulf
Arabian
Sea
NORTH AMERICA
Caribbean
Sea
Pacic
Ocean
Ancient City of Tauric
Chersonese and its Chora
Ukraine
Criteria Interchange of values;
Traditional human settlement
The site features the remains of a city
founded by Dorian Greeks in the 5th century
BC on the northern shores of the Black Sea.
It encompasses six component sites with
urban remains, and agricultural lands divided
into several hundreds of chora, rectangular
plots of equal size. The plots supported
vineyards whose product was exported by
the city which thrived until the 15th century.
The site features several public building
complexes and residential neighbourhoods,
as well as early Christian monuments
alongside remains from Stone and Bronze
Age settlements; Roman and medieval tower
fortications and water supply systems; and
exceptionally well-preserved examples of
vineyard planting and dividing walls.
In the 3rd century AD,
the site was known as
the most productive
wine centre of the
Black Sea region and
remained a hub of
exchange between the
Greek, Roman and
Byzantine Empires and
populations north of
the Black Sea. It is an
outstanding example
of democratic land
organization linked
to an ancient polis,
reecting the citys
social organization.
Red Bay Basque
Whaling Station
Canada
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
Red Bay, established by Basque mariners
in the 16th century at the northeastern
tip of Canada on the shore of the Strait
of Belle Isle, is an archaeological site that
provides the earliest, most complete and
best-preserved testimony of the European
whaling tradition. Gran Baya, as it was
called by those who founded the station
in 1530s, was used as a base for coastal
hunting, butchering, rendering of whale
fat by heating to produce oil, and storage.
The site became a major source of whale oil
which was shipped to Europe where it was
used for lighting. The station was used for
some seventy years, before the local whale
population was depleted.
The site, which was
used in the summer
months, includes
remains of rendering
ovens, cooperages,
wharves, temporary
living quarters and a
cemetery, together
with underwater
remains of vessels and
whale bone deposits.
anci ent ci ty of tauri c chersonese | red bay basque whali ng stati on 865
World Heritage site since
1990
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1991
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1992
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EUROPE
Black Sea
Baltic Sea
Caspian
Sea
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacic
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
The National Preserve
of Tauric Chersonese
on the shores of the
Black Sea.
Bergpark Wilhelmshhe
Germany
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
Descending a long slope of a hill dominated
by a giant statue of Hercules, construction
of the monumental water displays of
Wilhelmshhe was started by Landgrave
Charles of Hesse-Kassel in 1689 around an
east-west axis. The displays were developed
further into the 19th century. Reservoirs and
channels behind the Hercules monument
supply water to a complex system of
hydro-pneumatic devices that supply the
sites large Baroque water theatre, grotto,
fountains and 350-m-long Grand Cascade.
Beyond this, channels and waterways wind
across the axis, feeding a series of dramatic
waterfalls and wild rapids; the geyser-like
Grand Fountain which leaps 50 m high; and
the lake and secluded ponds that enliven the
Romantic garden created in the 18th century
by Charles great-grandson, Elector William I.
The great size of the park and its waterworks,
along with the towering Hercules statue
constitute an expression of the ideals of
absolutist monarchy; while the ensemble is
a remarkable testimony to the aesthetics of
the Baroque and Romantic periods.
866 bergpark wi lhelmshhe
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
North
Sea
Baltic Sea
View of the Grand Cascade from the Hercules Statue at the top of
Bergpark Wilhelmshhe.
Xinjiang Tianshan
China
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Signicant ecological and biological processes
Xinjiang Tianshan comprises four
components Tomur, Kalajun-Kuerdening,
Bayinbukuke and Bogda that total an
area of 6,068 km. They are part of the
Tianshan mountain system of Central
Asia, one of the largest mountain ranges
in the world. Xinjiang Tianshan presents
unique physical geographic features
and scenically beautiful areas, including
spectacular snow and snowy mountains,
glacier-capped peaks, undisturbed forests
and meadows, clear rivers and lakes, and
red-bed canyons. These landscapes contrast
with the vast adjacent desert landscapes,
creating a striking visual contrast between
hot and cold environments, dry and wet,
desolate and luxuriant. The landforms and
ecosystems of the site have been preserved
since the Pliocene epoch and present an
outstanding example of ongoing biological
and ecological evolutionary processes.
The site also extends
into the Taklimakan
Desert, one of the
worlds largest and
highest deserts,
known for its large
dune formations and
great dust storms.
Xinjiang Tianshan
is moreover an
important habitat for
endemic and relic
ora species, some
of which are rare and
endangered.
Fujisan, Sacred Place and
Source of Artistic Inspiration
Japan
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
The beauty of the solitary and often snow-
capped stratovolcano, known around the
world as Mount Fuji, rising above villages
and tree-fringed sea and lakes, has long
inspired artists and poets and been the
object of pilgrimages. Its representation in
Japanese art goes back to the 11th century,
but it is the 19th-century wood block prints
that have made Fujisan an internationally
recognized icon of Japan and had a deep
impact on the development of Western art.
The inscribed property consists of twenty-ve
sites which reect the essence of Fujisans
sacred landscape. In the 12th century, Fujisan
became the centre of training for ascetic
Buddhism, which included Shinto elements.
On the upper
1,500-m tier of
the 3,776-m-high
mountain, pilgrim
routes and crater
shrines have been
inscribed alongside
sites around the base
of the mountain,
including Sengen-
jinja shrines, Oshi
lodging houses,
and natural volcanic
features such as lava
tree moulds, lakes,
springs and waterfalls,
which are revered as
sacred.
xi nj i ang ti anshan | fuj i san 867
World Heritage site since
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ASIA
Pacic
Ocean
Sea of
Japan
Pacic
Ocean
ASIA
Mount Fuji from
Lake Kawaguchi.
Golestan Palace
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Criteria Human creative genius;
Interchange of values; Testimony to cultural
tradition; Signicance in human history
The lavish Golestan Palace is a masterpiece
of the Qajar era, embodying the successful
integration of earlier Persian crafts and
architecture with Western inuences. The
walled Palace, one of the oldest groups of
buildings in Teheran, became the seat of
government of the Qajar family, who came
into power in 1779 and made Teheran the
capital of the country. Built around a garden
featuring pools as well as planted areas, the
Palaces most characteristic features and
rich ornaments date from the 19th century.
It became a centre of Qajari arts and
architecture of which it is an outstanding
example, and has remained a source
of inspiration for Iranian artists and
architects to this day. It represents a new
style incorporating traditional Persian arts
and crafts and elements of 18th-century
architecture and technology.
The spectacular
throne known as
Takht-e Marmar
(Marble Throne)
consists of sixty-ve
marble stone pieces
and is made of the
famous yellow marble
of Yazd province. The
thrones supports are
carved in the shape of
men, women, fairies
and demons.
868 golestan palace | wooden tserkvas of the carpathi an regi on
World Heritage site since
Wooden Tserkvas of the
Carpathian Region in
Poland and Ukraine
Poland, Ukraine
Criteria Testimony to cultural tradition;
Signicance in human history
Situated on the eastern fringe of eastern
Europe, this transnational property includes
a selection of sixteen tserkvas churches
built of horizontal wooden logs between
the 16th and 19th centuries by communities
of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek
Catholic faiths. They represent the cultural
expression of four ethnographic groups
and the formal, decorative and technical
characteristics they developed over time.
The tserkvas bear testimony to a distinct
building tradition rooted in Orthodox
ecclesiastic design, interwoven with elements
of local tradition, and symbolic references to
their communities cosmogony.
The tserkvas are
built on a tripartite
plan surmounted by
open quadrilateral or
octagonal domes and
cupolas. They feature
wooden bell towers,
iconostases, and
interior polychrome
decorations, as well
as churchyards,
gatehouses and
graveyards.
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Caspian
Sea
AFRICA
ASIA Mediterranean
Sea
EUROPE
Black Sea
Baltic Sea
Caspian
Sea
The Takht-e Marmar
(Marble Throne) was
built in 1806.
Mount Etna
Italy
Criteria Major stages of Earths history
Mount Etna is an iconic site encompassing
192 km of uninhabited terrain on the
highest part of Mount Etna, on the eastern
coast of Sicily. Mount Etna is the highest
Mediterranean island mountain and the
most active stratovolcano in the world.
The eruptive history of the volcano can be
traced back 500,000 years and at least 2,700
years of this activity has been documented.
The almost continuous eruptive activity
of Mount Etna continues to inuence
volcanology, geophysics and other earth
science disciplines. The volcano also
supports important terrestrial ecosystems
including endemic ora and fauna and its
activity makes it a natural laboratory for the
study of ecological and biological processes.
The diverse and
accessible range of
volcanic features such
as summit craters,
cinder cones, lava
ows and the Valle
del Bove depression
have made the site
a prime destination
for research and
education.
Namib Sand Sea
Namibia
Criteria Natural phenomena or beauty;
Major stages of Earths history; Signicant
ecological and biological processes; Signicant
natural habitat for biodiversity
Namib Sand Sea is the only coastal desert in
the world that includes extensive dune elds
inuenced by fog. Covering an area of over
three million hectares and a buffer zone of
8,995 km, the site is composed of two dune
systems an ancient semi-consolidated one
overlain by a younger active one. The desert
dunes are formed by the transportation of
materials carried thousands of kilometres
from the hinterland by river, ocean current
and wind. The desert features gravel
plains, coastal ats, rocky hills, inselbergs
within the sand sea, a coastal lagoon and
ephemeral rivers, resulting in a landscape of
exceptional beauty.
Fog is the primary
source of water in the
site, accounting for a
unique environment
in which endemic
invertebrates, reptiles
and mammals
adapt to an ever-
changing variety of
microhabitats and
ecological niches.
mount etna | nami b sand sea 869
World Heritage site since
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EUROPE
Mediterranean Sea
Ionian
Sea
AFRICA
Indian Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
One of the many craters
of Mount Etna, Sicily.
Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with
today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our
cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable
sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and
diverse as the wilds of East Africas Serengeti, the
Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up
our worlds heritage.
The United Nations Educational, Scientic and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage
the identication, protection and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage around the world considered to
be of outstanding universal value to humanity. This is
embodied in a unique international treaty, called the
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural
and Natural Heritage adopted by UNESCO in 1972 (see
http://whc.unesco.org/en/conventiontext).
One of the worlds most successful conservation
instruments, the World Heritage Convention
is exceptional in that it links together in a single
document the concepts of nature conservation and the
preservation of cultural properties. It is also signicant in
its universal application World Heritage sites belong to
all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory
on which they are located. By regarding heritage as both
cultural and natural, the Convention recognizes the
ways in which people interact with nature, and of the
fundamental need to preserve the balance between
the two.
UNESCOs World Heritage mission is to:
encourage countries to sign the World Heritage
Convention and to ensure the protection of their
natural and cultural heritage;
encourage States Parties to the Convention to
nominate sites within their national territory for
inclusion on the World Heritage List;
encourage States Parties to establish
management plans and set up reporting systems
on the state of conservation of their World
Heritage sites;
help States Parties safeguard World Heritage
properties by providing technical assistance and
professional training;
provide emergency assistance for World Heritage
sites in immediate danger;
support States Parties public awareness-building
activities for World Heritage conservation;
encourage participation of the local population in
the preservation of their cultural and natural
heritage;
encourage international cooperation in the
conservation of our worlds cultural and natural
heritage.
THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
The World Heritage Convention stipulates the creation
of a World Heritage List. In a detailed process, properties
are inscribed by an intergovernmental twenty-one
member elected Committee, only after a preselection,
nomination, and evaluation process. Two leading
international Non-Governmental Organizations, the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) and the International Council on Monuments
and Sites (ICOMOS), review and advise on the natural
and cultural nominations respectively. The International
Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration
of Cultural Property provides the Committee with expert
advice on conservation of cultural sites. To be included,
sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at
least one out of ten selection criteria:
870
World Heritage and UNESCOs World Heritage Mission
871
Human creative genius
i. to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
Interchange of values
ii. to exhibit an important interchange of human
values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the
world, on developments in architecture or technology,
monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
Testimony to cultural tradition
iii. to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to
a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or
which has disappeared;
Signicance in human history
iv. to be an outstanding example of a type of building,
architectural or technological ensemble or landscape
which illustrates (a) signicant stage(s) in human history;
Traditional human settlement
v. to be an outstanding example of a traditional human
settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative
of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the
environment especially when it has become vulnerable
under the impact of irreversible change;
Heritage associated with events of universal
signicance
vi. to be directly or tangibly associated with events or
living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic
and literary works of outstanding universal signicance.
(The Committee considers that this criterion should
preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
Natural phenomena or beauty
vii. to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas
of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

Major stages of Earths history
viii. to be outstanding examples representing major
stages of Earths history, including the record of life,
signicant on-going geological processes in the
development of landforms, or signicant geomorphic or
physiographic features;
Signicant ecological and biological processes
ix. to be outstanding examples representing signicant
on-going ecological and biological processes in the
evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water,
coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of
plants and animals;
Signicant natural habitat for biodiversity
x. to contain the most important and signicant
natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological
diversity, including those containing threatened species
of outstanding universal value from the point of view of
science or conservation.
The protection, management, authenticity and integrity
of properties are also important considerations.
The process is further detailed in the Operational
Guidelines for the Implementation of the World
Heritage Convention which, along with the actual text
of the Convention, is the main working tool on World
Heritage.
872
UNESCO Worldwide
Africa Asia and the Pacic
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Cte dIvoire
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
United Republic of Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan
Australia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
China
Cook Islands
Democratic Peoples Republic
of Korea
Fiji
India
Indonesia
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan
Lao Peoples Democratic Republic
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
Niue
Pakistan
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Republic of Korea
Russian Federation
Samoa
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Sri Lanka
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Viet Nam
The regions presented here follow specic UNESCO denitions which do
not forcibly reect geography. They refer to the execution of regional
activities of the Organization.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/worldwide/
873
Europe and North America Arab States
Latin America and the Caribbean
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Canada
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Kazakhstan
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Moldova
Romania
Russian Federation
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
The former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Algeria
Bahrain
Djibouti
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Malta
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Palestine (oPt)
*
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Sudan
Syrian Arab Republic
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
* member of UNESCO since 23 November 2011
Country index
Afghanistan
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains
of the Bamiyan Valley 703
Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam
683
Albania
Butrint 389
Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra 732
Algeria
Al Qala of Beni Hammad 109
Djmila 148
Kasbah of Algiers 379
MZab Valley 145
Tassili nAjjer 145
Timgad 148
Tipasa 142
Andorra
Madriu-Perata-Claror Valley 732
Argentina
Cueva de las Manos, Ro Pinturas 607
Iguazu National Park 188
Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks
628
Jesuit Block and Estancias of Crdoba 647
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis 159
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares 111
Pennsula Valds 590
Quebrada de Humahuaca 705
Armenia
Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the
Archaeological Site of Zvartnots 655
Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin 500
Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat
Valley 630
Australia
Australian Convict Sites 808
Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh /
Naracoorte) 429
Fraser Island 393
Gondwana Rainforests of Australia 260
Great Barrier Reef 122
Greater Blue Mountains Area 609
Heard and McDonald Islands 522
Kakadu National Park 127
Lord Howe Island Group 136
Macquarie Island 506
Ningaloo Coast 830
Purnululu National Park 699
Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
718
Shark Bay 368
Sydney Opera House 763
Tasmanian Wilderness 143
Ulueu-Kata Tjula National Park 306
Wet Tropics of Queensland 311
Willandra Lakes Region 125
Austria
City of Graz Historic Centre and Schloss
Eggenberg 585
Fert / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape 664
Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural
Landscape 531
Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg 498
Historic Centre of Vienna 678
Palace and Gardens of Schnbrunn 502
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 839
Semmering Railway 551
Wachau Cultural Landscape 641
Azerbaijan
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape 767
Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshahs
Palace and Maiden Tower 607
Bahrain
Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy 849
Qalat al-Bahrain Ancient Harbour and
Capital of Dilmun 746
Bangladesh
Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat 228
Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur 222
The Sundarbans 512
Barbados
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison 829
Belarus
Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex
of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh 748
Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Biaowie|a Forest 61
Mir Castle Complex 635
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Belgium
Belfries of Belgium and France 575
Flemish Bguinages 562
Historic Centre of Brugge 650
La Grand-Place, Brussels 555
Major Mining Sites of Wallonia 855
Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor
Horta (Brussels) 648
Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes (Mons) 652
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai 655
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum
Complex 745
Stoclet House 805
The Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and
their Environs, La Louvire and Le Roeulx
(Hainault) 554
Belize
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System 483
Benin
Royal Palaces of Abomey 232
Bolivia
City of Potos 289
Fuerte de Samaipata 556
Historic City of Sucre 367
Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos 348
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 636
Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the
Tiwanaku Culture 634
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mehmed Paa Sokolovi Bridge in Viegrad
779
Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar 734
Botswana
Tsodilo 668
Brazil
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves 606
Brasilia 280
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de
Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves 668
Central Amazon Conservation Complex 624
Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos
Veadeiros and Emas National Parks 681
Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves 579
Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia 208
Historic Centre of So Lus 537
Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina 588
Historic Centre of the Town of Gois 674
Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda 150
Historic Town of Ouro Preto 108
Iguau National Park 235
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis 159
Pantanal Conservation Area 656
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the
Mountain and the Sea 844
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas 223
So Francisco Square in the Town of So
Cristvo 809
Serra da Capivara National Park 374
Bulgaria
Ancient City of Nessebar 165
Boyana Church, Soa 60
Madara Rider 69
Pirin National Park 179
Rila Monastery 178
Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo 69
Srebarna Nature Reserve 168
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak 49
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari 234
Burkina Faso
The Ruins of Loropni 805
Cambodia
Angkor 390
Temple of Preah Vihear 789
Cameroon
Dja Faunal Reserve 308
Sangha Trinational 848
Canada
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks 194
Dinosaur Provincial Park 48
Gros Morne National Park 302
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump 118
Historic District of Old Qubec 206
Joggins Fossil Cliffs 796
874 country i ndex
Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay /
Tatshenshini-Alsek 52
Landscape of Grand Pr 849
LAnse aux Meadows National Historic Site 37
Miguasha National Park 599
Nahanni National Park 38
Old Town Lunenburg 463
Red Bay Basque Whaling Station 865
Rideau Canal 773
SGang Gwaay 133
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park 450
Wood Buffalo National Park 170
Cape Verde
Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande
799
Central African Republic
Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park 313
Sangha Trinational 848
Chad
Lakes of Ounianga 854
Chile
Churches of Chilo 620
Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of
Valparaso 696
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
736
Rapa Nui National Park 454
Sewell Mining Town 762
China
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang
Mountains 429
Ancient City of Ping Yao 540
Ancient Villages in Southern AnhuiXidi and
Hongcun 653
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient
Koguryo Kingdom 722
Chengjiang Fossil Site 845
China Danxia 811
Classical Gardens of Suzhou 518
Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice
Terraces 861
Dazu Rock Carvings 584
Fujian Tulou 788
Historic Centre of Macao 737
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa
425
Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, in the Centre
of Heaven and Earth 810
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area
395
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing
Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang 277
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing
Dynasties 616
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest
Area 380
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages 774
Longmen Grottoes 654
Lushan National Park 484
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor 300
Mogao Caves 298
Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan
Giant Buddha Scenic Area 481
Mount Huangshan 357
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan
Irrigation System 648
Mount Sanqingshan National Park 796
Mount Taishan 297
Mount Wutai 802
Mount Wuyi 598
Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples,
Chengde 436
Old Town of Lijiang 510
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian 298
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries Wolong,
Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains 751
Site of Xanadu 852
South China Karst 768
Summer Palace and Imperial Garden in Beijing
552
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong
Family Mansion in Qufu 433
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacricial Altar
in Beijing 559
The Great Wall 294
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
700
West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou
831
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area
382
Xinjiang Tianshan 867
Yin Xu 759
Yungang Grottoes 672
Colombia
Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia 841
Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox 473
Los Katos National Park 426
Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary 756
National Archeological Park of Tierradentro 473
Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments,
Cartagena 184
San Agustn Archeological Park 458
Congo
Sangha Trinational 848
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Garamba National Park 94
Kahuzi-Biega National Park 97
Okapi Wildlife Reserve 478
Salonga National Park 186
Virunga National Park 45
Costa Rica
Area de Conservacin Guanacaste 596
Cocos Island National Park 516
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La
Amistad National Park 162
Cte dIvoire
Como National Park 153
Historic Town of Grand-Bassam 855
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve 126
Ta National Park 139
Croatia
Cathedral of St James in ibenik 627
Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in
the Historic Centre of Pore 516
Historic City of Trogir 533
Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of
Diocletian 82
Old City of Dubrovnik 86
Plitvice Lakes National Park 57
Stari Grad Plain 790
Cuba
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park 672
Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee
Plantations in the South-East of Cuba 649
Desembarco del Granma National Park 583
Historic Centre of Camagey 785
Old Havana and its Fortication System 146
San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de
Cuba 548
Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios 323
Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos 749
Viales Valley 593
Cyprus
Choirokoitia 554
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region 210
Paphos 101
Czech Republic
Gardens and Castle at Krom 565
Historic Centre of esk Krumlov 386
Historic Centre of Prague 384
Historic Centre of Tel 392
Holaovice Historical Village Reservation 551
Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc 637
Jewish Quarter and St Procopius Basilica in
Teb 704
Kutn Hora: Historical Town Centre with the
Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of
Our Lady at Sedlec 469
Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape 493
Litomyl Castle 588
Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at
Zelen Hora 443
Tugendhat Villa in Brno 681
Denmark
Ilulissat Icefjord 708
Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church 426
Kronborg Castle 608
Roskilde Cathedral 452
Dominica
Morne Trois Pitons National Park 515
Dominican Republic
Colonial City of Santo Domingo 343
Ecuador
City of Quito 32
Galpagos Islands 26
Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ros de
Cuenca 576
Sangay National Park 171
country i ndex 875
Egypt
Abu Mena 49
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis 74
Historic Cairo 78
Memphis and its Necropolis the Pyramid
Fields from Giza to Dahshur 70
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
56
St Catherine Area 688
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) 738
El Salvador
Joya de Cern Archaeological Site 416
Estonia
Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn 509
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Ethiopia
Aksum 98
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region 60
Harar Jugol, the Fortied Historic Town 752
Konso Cultural Landscape 833
Lower Valley of the Awash 102
Lower Valley of the Omo 106
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela 32
Simien National Park 37
Tiya 106
Fiji
Levuka Historical Port Town 863
Finland
Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmki
599
Fortress of Suomenlinna 378
Kvarken Archipelago 630
Old Rauma 368
Petjvesi Old Church 436
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Verla Groundwood and Board Mill 486
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid
region 77
France
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe 168
Amiens Cathedral 117
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
131
Belfries of Belgium and France 575
Bordeaux, Port of the Moon 775
Bourges Cathedral 381
Canal du Midi 480
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of
Saint-Rmi and Palace of Tau, Reims 372
Chartres Cathedral 65
Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay 121
Episcopal City of Albi 813
Fortications of Vauban 794
From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains
to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the
production of open-pan salt 153
Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of
Girolata, Scandola Reserve 174
Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace,
Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge 444
Historic Fortied City of Carcassonne 514
Historic Site of Lyons 561
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion 600
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and
Associated Ecosystems 788
Le Havre, the city rebuilt by Auguste Perret 738
Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and
Chalonnes 622
Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay 58
Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin 850
Palace and Park of Fontainebleau 113
Palace and Park of Versailles 62
Paris, Banks of the Seine 360
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrire and Place
dAlliance in Nancy 169
Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island
812
Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) 229
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 839
Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the
Vzre Valley 44
Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs 669
Pyrnes - Mont Perdu 508
Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the
Triumphal Arch of Orange 120
Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
557
Strasbourg Grande le 334
The Causses and the Cvennes, Mediterranean
agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape 826
Vzelay, Church and Hill 66
Gabon
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of
Lop-Okanda 781
Georgia
Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery 435
Historical Monuments of Mtskheta 437
Upper Svaneti 481
Germany
Aachen Cathedral 33
Abbey and Altenmnster of Lorsch 379
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau
484
Bergpark Wilhelmshhe 866
Berlin Modernism Housing Esates 784
Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at
Brhl 193
Classical Weimar 549
Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of
Quedlinburg 441
Cologne Cathedral 474
Fagus Factory in Alfeld 826
Frontiers of the Roman Empire 273
Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wrlitz 610
Hanseatic City of Lbeck 281
Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar 690
Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg
503
Margravial Opera House, Bayreuth 856
Maulbronn Monastery Complex 407
Messel Pit Fossil Site 456
Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of
Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management
System 387
Monastic Island of Reichenau 640
Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin 578
Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski 719
Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof 753
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin 346
Pilgrimage Church of Wies 176
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 839
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the
Ancient Beech Forests of Germany 772
Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and
Church of Our Lady in Trier 251
St Marys Cathedral and St Michaels Church
at Hildesheim 225
Speyer Cathedral 128
The Wadden Sea 804
Town of Bamberg 406
Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of
Bremen 727
Upper Middle Rhine Valley 684
Vlklingen Ironworks 441
Wartburg Castle 589
Wrzburg Residence with the Court Gardens
and Residence Square 132
Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in
Essen 667
Ghana
Asante Traditional Buildings 94
Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central
and Western Regions 44
Greece
Acropolis, Athens 282
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name
Vergina) 504
Archaeological Site of Delphi 262
Archaeological Site of Mystras 341
Archaeological Site of Olympia 336
Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns 574
Delos 353
Historic Centre (Chor) with the Monastery of
Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of
the Apocalypse on the Island of Ptmos 603
Medieval City of Rhodes 324
Meteora 332
Monastries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea
Moni of Chios Greece 342
Mount Athos 309
Old Town of Corfu 771
Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of
Thessalonika 313
Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos 388
Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus 315
Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae 240
Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala 73
Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua 130
Tikal National Park 88
Guinea
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve 126
876 country i ndex
Haiti
National History Park Citadel, Sans Souci,
Ramiers 139
Holy See
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the
Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial
Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura 92
Vatican City 180
Honduras
Maya Site of Copn 90
Ro Pltano Biosphere Reserve 142
Hungary
Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube,
the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrssy
Avenue 274
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst 456
Early Christian Necropolis of Pcs (Sopianae)
619
Fert / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape 664
Hortobgy National Park - the Puszta 583
Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma
and its Natural Environment 479
Old Village of Hollk< and its Surroundings 293
Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape
686
Iceland
Surtsey 789
ingvellir National Park 709
India
Agra Fort 161
Ajanta Caves 156
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi 342
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park 730
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria
Terminus) 723
Churches and Convents of Goa 237
Elephanta Caves 271
Ellora Caves 160
Fatehpur Sikri 247
Great Living Chola Temples 276
Group of Monuments at Hampi 252
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram 204
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal 308
Hill Forts of Rajasthan 860
Humayuns Tomb, Delhi 403
Jantar Mantar 814
Kaziranga National Park 224
Keoladeo National Park 216
Khajuraho Group of Monuments 249
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya 688
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary 215
Mountain Railways of India 576
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National
Parks 333
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi 413
Red Fort Complex 765
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka 694
Sun Temple, Konrak 183
Sundarbans National Park 271
Taj Mahal 154
Western Ghats 847
Indonesia
Borobudur Temple Compounds 376
Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak
System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita
Karana Philosophy 859
Komodo National Park 370
Lorentz National Park 604
Prambanan Temple Compounds 373
Sangiran Early Man Site 503
Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra 712
Ujung Kulon National Park 374
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran 792
Bam and its Cultural Landscape 710
Bisotun 762
Golestan Palace 868
Gonbad-e Qbus 850
Masjed-e Jm of Isfahan 846
Meidan Emam, Esfahan 38
Pasargadae 714
Persepolis 68
Sheikh Sa al-Din Khnegh and Shrine
Ensemble in Ardabil 810
Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System 803
Soltaniyeh 746
Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex 815
Takht-e Soleyman 691
Tchogha Zanbil 88
The Persian Garden 835
Iraq
Ashur (Qalat Sherqat) 697
Hatra 215
Samarra Archaeological City 767
Ireland
Br na Binne Archaeological Ensemble of the
Bend of the Boyne 401
Skellig Michael Monastery 492
Israel
Bah Holy Places in Haifa and the Western
Galilee 793
Biblical Tels Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba 739
Incense Route Desert Cities in the Negev 740
Masada 676
Old City of Acre 680
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel:
The Nahal Mearot / Wadi el-Mughara
Caves 843
White City of Tel-Aviv The Modern
Movement 694
Italy
Archaeological Area of Agrigento 542
Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica
of Aquileia 565
Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum
and Torre Annunziata 524
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other
Franciscan Sites 632
Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua 532
Castel del Monte 506
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande,
Modena 520
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa
Maria delle Grazie with The Last Supper by
Leonardo da Vinci 95
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with
the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia,
and the Certosa di Padula 558
City of Verona 618
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the
Veneto 428
Costiera Amaltana 538
Crespi dAdda 465
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna 487
Eighteenth-Century Royal Palace at Caserta
with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and
the San Leucio Complex 527
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and
Tarquinia 729
Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po
Delta 453
Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the
Palazzi dei Rolli 759
Historic Centre of the City of Pienza 495
Historic Centre of Florence 134
Historic Centre of Naples 448
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the
Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial
Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura 92
Historic Centre of San Gimignano 358
Historic Centre of Siena 460
Historic Centre of Urbino 567
Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) 625
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-
Eastern Sicily) 690
Longobards in Italy. Places of the power (568-
774 AD) 824
Mantua and Sabbioneta 797
Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany 860
Monte San Giorgio 704
Mount Etna 869
Piazza del Duomo, Pisa 265
Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands
(Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) 513
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
839
Residences of the Royal House of Savoy 541
Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina
Landscapes 784
Rock Drawings in Valcamonica 76
Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy 695
Su Nuraxi di Barumini 546
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica
750
The Dolomites 807
The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian
Churches of Matera 399
The Trulli of Alberobello 501
Val dOrcia 724
Venice and its Lagoon 268
Villa Adriana, Tivoli 595
Villa dEste, Tivoli 673
Villa Romana del Casale 546
Japan
Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area 415
Fujisan, Sacred Place and Source of Artistic
Inspiration 867
country i ndex 877
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the
Kingdom of Ryukyu 643
Himeji-jo 409
Hiraizumi Temples, Gardens and
Archaeological Sites Representing the
Buddhist Pure Land 840
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)
477
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto,
Uji and Otsu Cities) 438
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara 560
Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and
Gokayama 462
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine 486
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural
Landscape 764
Ogasawara Islands 841
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii
Mountain Range 726
Shirakami-Sanchi 415
Shiretoko 748
Shrines and Temples of Nikko 604
Yakushima 400
Jordan
Petra 212
Quseir Amra 221
Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefaa) 713
Wadi Rum Protected Area 834
Kazakhstan
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi 707
Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape
of Tamgaly 729
Saryarka Steppe and Lakes of Northern
Kazakhstan 786
Kenya
Fort Jesus, Mombasa 832
Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley 838
Lake Turkana National Parks 517
Lamu Old Town 682
Mount Kenya National Park / Natural Forest
508
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests 782
Kiribati
Phoenix Islands Protected Area 821
Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of
Complex of Koguryo Tombs 715
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesng 862
Korea, Republic of
Changdeokgung Palace Complex 521
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen
Sites 626
Gyeongju Historic Areas 642
Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the
Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana
Woodblocks 462
Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and
Yangdong 822
Hwaseong Fortress 536
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes 780
Jongmyo Shrine 468
Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty 799
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple 457
Kyrgyzstan
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain 803
Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Laos)
Town of Luang Prabang 464
Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements
within the Champasak Cultural Landscape
679
Latvia
Historic Centre of Riga 544
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Lebanon
Anjar 205
Baalbek 191
Byblos 192
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest
of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab) 569
Tyre 197
Lesotho
Maloti-Drakensberg Park 611
Libya
Archaeological Site of Cyrene 136
Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna 144
Archaeological Site of Sabratha 149
Old Town of Ghadams 261
Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus 234
Lithuania
Curonian Spit 615
Kernav\ Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of
Kernav\) 715
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Vilnius Historic Centre 421
Luxembourg
City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and
Fortications 424
Madagascar
Rainforests of the Atsinanana 778
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga 663
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
352
Malawi
Chongoni Rock-Art Area 756
Lake Malawi National Park 190
Malaysia
Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley
852
Gunung Mulu National Park 638
Kinabalu Park 631
Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the
Straits of Malacca 790
Mali
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) 340
Old Towns of Djenn 310
Timbuktu 321
Tomb of Askia 725
Malta
City of Valletta 93
Hal Saieni Hypogeum 98
Megalithic Temples of Malta 96
Marshall Islands
Bikini Atoll, Nuclear Test Site 809
Mauritania
Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt
and Oualata 478
Banc dArguin National Park 340
Mauritius
Aapravasi Ghat 760
Le Morne Cultural Landscape 792
Mexico
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial
Facilities of Tequila 754
Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche 687
Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco
605
Archaeological Zone of Paquim, Casas
Grandes 563
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro 816
Central University City Campus of the
Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico
(UNAM) 770
Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes
of Popocatepetl 432
El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar
Biosphere Reserve 864
El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City 394
Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of
Quertaro 703
Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco
284
Historic Centre of Morelia 369
Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological
Site of Monte Albn 286
Historic Centre of Puebla 284
Historic Centre of Zacatecas 419
Historic Fortied Town of Campeche 577
Historic Monuments Zone of Quertaro 496
Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan 548
Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent
Mines 318
Hospicio Cabaas, Guadalajara 534
Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of
California 733
Luis Barragn House and Studio 722
Monarch Buttery Biosphere Reserve 791
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza 330
Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of
Palenque 299
Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan 288
Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal 489
Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the
Central Valley of Oaxaca 817
Protective Town of San Miguel and the
Sanctuary of Jess Nazareno de Atotonilco
781
878 country i ndex
Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco
419
Sian Kaan 267
Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino 401
Moldova, Republic of
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Mongolia
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape 719
Petrogylphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai
842
Uvs Nuur Basin 693
Montenegro
Durmitor National Park 107
Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of
Kotor 84
Morocco
Archaeological Site of Volubilis 543
Historic City of Meknes 494
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou 305
Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) 666
Medina of Fez 119
Medina of Marrakesh 218
Medina of Ttouan (formerly known as Titawin)
522
Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) 717
Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City:
a Shared Heritage 857
Mozambique
Island of Mozambique 365
Namibia
Namib Sand Sea 869
Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes 770
Nepal
Chitwan National Park 196
Kathmandu Valley 50
Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha 512
Sagarmatha National Park 85
Netherlands
Defence Line of Amsterdam 488
Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder)
580
Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and
Harbour, Curaao 528
Ir. D.F. Woudagemaal (D.F. Wouda Steam
Pumping Station) 566
Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout 523
Rietveld Schrderhuis (Rietveld Schrder House)
636
Schokland and Surroundings 449
Seventeenth-century canal ring area of
Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht 818
The Wadden Sea 804
New Zealand
New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands 556
Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand
354
Tongariro National Park 349
Nicaragua
Len Cathedral 829
Ruins of Len Viejo 619
Niger
Ar and Tnr Natural Reserves 367
Historic Centre of Agadez 862
W National Park of Niger 485
Nigeria
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove 741
Sukur Cultural Landscape 587
Norway
Bryggen 43
Rros Mining Town and the Circumference
104
Rock Art of Alta 232
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Urnes Stave Church 81
Vegayan the Vega Archipelago 716
West Norwegian Fjords Geirangerfjord and
Nryfjord 742
Oman
Aaj Irrigation Systems of Oman 760
Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and
Al-Ayn 322
Bahla Fort 303
Land of Frankincense 614
Pakistan
Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro 102
Buddhist Ruins at Takht-i-Bahi and
Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol
110
Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore 124
Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta 118
Rohtas Fort 532
Taxila 109
Palau
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon 858
Palestine (oPt)
*
Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and
the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem 853
Panama
Archaeological Site of Panam Viejo and
Historic District of Panam 529
Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of
Marine Protection 745
Darien National Park 130
Fortications on the Caribbean Side of Panama:
Portobelo-San Lorenzo 99
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La
Amistad National Park 162
Papua New Guinea
Kuk Early Agricultural Site 786
Paraguay
Jesuit Missions of La Santsima Trinidad de
Paran and Jess de Tavarangue 407
Peru
Chan Chan Archaeological Zone 238
Chavn (Archaeological site) 210
City of Cuzco 158
Historic Centre of Lima 326
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu 172
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa 617
Huascarn National Park 214
Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de
Jumana 434
Man National Park 296
Ro Abiseo National Park 356
Sacred City of Caral-Supe 800
Philippines
Baroque Churches of the Philippines 402
Historic Town of Vigan 582
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National
Park 601
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras 466
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park 412
Poland
Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi
Concentration and Extermination Camp
(1940-1945) 40
Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Biaowie|a Forest 61
Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork 547
Centennial Hall in Wroclaw 752
Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica 675
Historic Centre of Krakw 30
Historic Centre of Warsaw 89
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist
Architectural and Park Landscape Complex
and Pilgrimage Park 594
Medieval Town of Toru 526
Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski 719
Old City of Zamo 382
Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines 36
Wooden Churches of Southern Maopolska
702
Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in
Poland and Ukraine 868
Portugal
Alto Douro Wine Region 662
Central Zone of the Town of Angra do
Heroismo in the Azores 162
Convent of Christ in Tomar 175
Cultural Landscape of Sintra 447
Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its
Fortications 851
Historic Centre of vora 258
Historic Centre of Guimares 682
Historic Centre of Oporto 482
Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture
731
Laurisilva of Madeira 602
Monastery of Alcobaa 337
Monastery of Batalha 177
Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of
Belm in Lisbon 163
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Ca Valley and
Siega Verde 563
University of Coimbra Alta and Soa 863
country i ndex 879 * member of UNESCO since 23 November 2011
Qatar
Al Zubarah Archaeological Site 864
Romania
Churches of Moldavia 412
Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains 597
Danube Delta 362
Historic Centre of Sighioara 592
Monastery of Horezu 408
Villages with Fortied Churches in Transylvania
404
Wooden Churches of Maramure 581
Russian Federation
Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius
Lavra in Sergiev Posad 420
Central Sikhote-Alin 664
Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye 427
Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of
Derbent 698
Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the
Solovetsky Islands 392
Curonian Spit 615
Ensemble of the Ferrapontov Monastery 643
Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent 728
Golden Mountains of Altai 557
Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan
Kremlin 646
Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related
Groups of Monuments 344
Historic Monuments of Novgorod and
Surroundings 383
Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl 744
Kizhi Pogost 356
Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow 350
Lake Baikal 476
Lena Pillars Nature Park 843
Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve 716
Putorana Plateau 819
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Uvs Nuur Basin 693
Virgin Komi Forests 449
Volcanoes of Kamchatka 490
Western Caucasus 601
White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal 396
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park 596
Saint Lucia
Pitons Management Area 711
San Marino
San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano
782
Saudi Arabia
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madin Slih) 798
At-Turaif District in ad-Diriyaha 820
Senegal
Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula and Bedik
Cultural Landscapes 845
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary 121
Island of Gore 29
Island of Saint-Louis 626
Niokolo-Koba National Park 116
Saloum Delta 832
Stone Circles of Senegambia 755
Serbia
Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius 776
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo 717
Stari Ras and Sopoani 76
Studenica Monastery 250
Seychelles
Aldabra Atoll 133
Valle de Mai Nature Reserve 171
Slovakia
Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve 645
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst 456
Historic Town of Bansk tiavnica and the
Technical Monuments in its Vicinity 414
Levoa, Spisk Hrad and the Associated
Cultural Monuments 417
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and
the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany 772
Vlkolnec 418
Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the
Carpathian Mountain Area 795
Slovenia
Heritage of Mercury, Almadn and Idrija 858
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 839
kocjan Caves 261
Solomon Islands
East Rennell 558
South Africa
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas 720
Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa 593
iSimangaliso Wetland Park 575
Maloti-Drakensberg Park 611
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape 693
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
764
Robben Island 569
Vredefort Dome 747
Spain
Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzn, Granada
202
Aranjuez Cultural Landscape 658
Archaeological Ensemble of Mrida 410
Archaeological Ensemble of Trraco 621
Archaeological Site of Atapuerca 647
Burgos Cathedral 200
Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de
Bo 644
Cathedral, Alczar and Archivo de Indias in
Seville 266
Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of
Northern Spain 220
Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana
839
Doana National Park 430
Garajonay National Park 250
Heritage of Mercury, Almadn and Idrija 858
Historic Centre of Crdoba 198
Historic City of Toledo 242
Historic Walled Town of Cuenca 505
Ibiza Biodiversity and Culture 572
La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia 485
Las Mdulas 535
Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid 193
Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the
Asturias 217
Mudjar Architecture of Aragon 256
Old City of Salamanca 328
Old Town of vila with its Extra-Muros
Churches 233
Old Town of Cceres 253
Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct 209
Palau de la Msica Catalana and Hospital de
Sant Pau, Barcelona 528
Palmeral of Elche 639
Poblet Monastery 366
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Ca Valley and
Siega Verde 563
Pyrnes - Mont Perdu 508
Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of beda
and Baeza 697
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the
Iberian Peninsula 562
Roman Walls of Lugo 649
Route of Santiago de Compostela 397
Royal Monastery of Santa Mara de Guadalupe
416
San Cristbal de La Laguna 587
San Milln Yuso and Suso Monasteries 535
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) 211
Teide National Park 766
Tower of Hercules 806
University and Historic Precinct of Alcal de
Henares 568
Vizcaya Bridge 758
Works of Antoni Gaud 182
Sri Lanka
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa 140
Ancient City of Sigiriya 151
Central Highlands of Sri Lanka 823
Golden Temple of Dambulla 363
Old Town of Galle and its Fortications 320
Sacred City of Anuradhapura 138
Sacred City of Kandy 314
Sinharaja Forest Reserve 316
Sudan
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe 836
Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan
Region 695
Suriname
Central Suriname Nature Reserve 658
Historic Inner City of Paramaribo 687
Sweden
Agricultural Landscape of Southernland 640
Birka and Hovgrden 404
Church Village of Gammelstad, Lule 504
Decorated Farmhouses of Hlsingland 847
Engelsberg Ironworks 408
Hanseatic Town of Visby 459
High Coast 630
880 country i ndex
Laponian Area 497
Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in
Falun 667
Naval Port of Karlskrona 553
Rock Carvings in Tanum 432
Royal Domain of Drottningholm 371
Skogskyrkogrden 435
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Varberg Radio Station 725
Switzerland
Abbey of St Gall 176
Benedictine Convent of St John at Mstair 159
La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking
Town Planning 800
Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces 777
Monte San Giorgio 704
Old City of Berne 157
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 839
Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina
Landscapes 784
Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch 660
Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona 787
Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of
the Market-Town of Bellinzone 610
Syrian Arab Republic (Syria)
Ancient City of Aleppo 236
Ancient City of Bosra 105
Ancient City of Damascus 39
Ancient Villages of Northern Syria 837
Crac des Chevaliers and Qalat Salah El-Din
761
Site of Palmyra 100
Tajikistan
Proto-urban Site of Sarazm 817
Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs)
861
Tanzania
Kilimanjaro National Park 278
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites 755
Ngorongoro Conservation Area 42
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo
Mnara 116
Selous Game Reserve 137
Serengeti National Park 112
Stone Town of Zanzibar 612
Thailand
Ban Chiang Archaeological Site 388
Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex 741
Historic City of Ayutthaya 359
Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated
Historic Towns 375
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife
Sanctuaries 364
The Gambia
Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites 698
Stone Circles of Senegambia 755
Togo
Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba
726
Tunisia
Amphitheatre of El Jem 80
Dougga / Thugga 530
Ichkeul National Park 97
Kairouan 335
Medina of Sousse 317
Medina of Tunis 72
Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis 220
Site of Carthage 46
Turkey
Archaeological Site of Troy 550
City of Safranbolu 442
Greme National Park and the Rock Sites of
Cappadocia 230
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrii 225
Hattusha: the Hittite Capital 237
Hierapolis-Pamukkale 329
Historic Areas of Istanbul 226
Nemrut Da 292
Neolithic Site of atalhyk 856
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex 828
Xanthos-Letoon 333
Turkmenistan
Kunya-Urgench 750
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa 778
State Historical and Cultural Park Ancient
Merv 573
Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 422
Rwenzori Mountains National Park 430
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi 663
Ukraine
Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora
865
Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related
Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra 347
Lviv the Ensemble of the Historic Centre 564
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and
the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany 772
Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatia
Metropolitans 827
Struve Geodetic Arc 747
Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in
Poland and Ukraine 868
United Arab Emirates
Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hat, Hili, Bidaa Bint
Saud and Oases Areas) 835
United Kingdom
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape 620
Blenheim Palace 270
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustines Abbey,
and St Martins Church 327
Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in
Gwynedd 257
City of Bath 290
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
757
Derwent Valley Mills 675
Dorset and East Devon Coast 671
Durham Castle and Cathedral 246
Frontiers of the Roman Empire 273
Giants Causeway and Causeway Coast 244
Gough and Inaccessible Islands 468
Heart of Neolithic Orkney 570
Henderson Island 321
Historic Town of St George and Related
Fortications, Bermuda 621
Ironbridge Gorge 239
Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City 707
Maritime Greenwich 507
New Lanark 659
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh 470
Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey
including Saint Margarets Church 272
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal 801
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 692
St Kilda 241
Saltaire 665
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites 254
Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of
Fountains Abbey 248
Tower of London 312
Uruguay
Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del
Sacramento 472
USA
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site 151
Carlsbad Caverns National Park 446
Chaco Culture 285
Everglades National Park 53
Grand Canyon National Park 54
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 164
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 264
Independence Hall 64
Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay /
Tatshenshini-Alsek 52
La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic
Site in Puerto Rico 166
Mammoth Cave National Park 126
Mesa Verde National Park 28
Monticello and the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville 304
Olympic National Park 128
Papahnaumokukea 814
Redwood National Park 103
Statue of Liberty 187
Taos Pueblo 380
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park 450
Yellowstone National Park 34
Yosemite National Park 184
Uzbekistan
Historic Centre of Bukhara 405
Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz 629
Itchan Kala 348
Samarkand Crossroad of Cultures 670
Vanuatu
Chief Roi Matas Domain 795
Venezuela
Canaima National Park 431
Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas 644
Coro and its Port 398
country i ndex 881
Vietnam
Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang
Long Hanoi 816
Citadel of the Ho Dynasty 837
Complex of Hu Monuments 411
Ha Long Bay 440
Hoi An Ancient Town 586
My Son Sanctuary 579
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park 706
Yemen
Historic Town of Zabid 398
Old City of Sanaa 245
Old Walled City of Shibam 152
Socotra Archipelago 785
Zambia
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls 338
Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe National Monument 240
Khami Ruins National Monument 257
Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore
Safari Areas 186
Matobo Hills 696
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls 338
882 i ndex
Index
A
Aachen Cathedral Germany 33
Aapravasi Ghat Mauritius 760
Abbey and Altenmnster of Lorsch Germany
379
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe
France 168
Abbey of St Gall Switzerland 176
Abomey, Royal Palaces of Benin 232
Abu Mena Egypt 49
Abu Simbel, Nubian Monuments Egypt 56
Acre, Old City of Israel 680
Acropolis, Athens Greece 282
ad-Diriyah, At-Turaif District in Saudi Arabia
820
Aeolian Islands Italy 625
Aaj Irrigation Systems of Oman Oman 760
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial
Facilities of Tequila Mexico 754
Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst, Caves of
Hungary and Slovakia 456
Agra Fort India 161
Agricultural Landscape of Southern land
Sweden 640
Agrigento, Archaeological Area of Italy 542
Aigai, Archaeological Site of (modern Vergina)
Greece 504
Ar and Tnr Natural Reserves Niger 367
Ait-Ben-Haddou, Ksar of Morocco 305
Ajanta Caves India 156
Aksum Ethiopia 98
Al Ain (Hat, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and
Oases Areas), Cultural Sites of United Arab
Emirates 835
Al Qala of Beni Hammad Algeria 109
Al-Ayn Oman 322
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madin Slih)
Saudi Arabia 798
Al-Khutm Oman 322
Al Zubarah Archaeological Site Qatar 864
Albayzn, Granada Spain 202
Alberobello, The Trulli of Italy 501
Albi, Episcopal City of France 813
Albula / Bernina Landscape, Rhaetian Railway
in the Italy and Switzerland 784
Alcal de Henares, University and Historic
Precinct of Spain 568
Alczar, Seville Spain 266
Alcobaa Monastery of Portugal 337
Aldabra Atoll Seychelles 133
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park Cuba
672
Aleppo, Ancient City of Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 236
Algiers, Kasbah of Algeria 379
Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzn, Granada
Spain 202
Almadn and Idrija, Heritage of Mercury
Slovenia and Spain 858
Alps, Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the
Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy
and Slovenia 839
Alta, Rock Art of Norway 232
Altai, Golden Mountains of Russian Federation
557
Altamira, Cave of Spain 220
Alto Douro Wine Region Portugal 662
Ambohimanga, Royal Hill of Madagascar 663
Amiens Cathedral France 117
Amphitheatre of El Jem Tunisia 80
Amsterdam, Defence Line of Netherlands 488
Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht, Seventeenth-
century canal ring area of Netherlands 818
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang
Mountains China 429
Ancient City of Aleppo Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 236
Ancient City of Bosra Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 105
Ancient City of Damascus Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 39
Ancient City of Nessebar Bulgaria 165
Ancient City of Ping Yao China 540
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka 140
Ancient City of Sigiriya Sri Lanka 151
Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora
Ukraine 865
Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt
and Oualata Mauritania 478
Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche
Mexico 687
Ancient Merv Turkmenistan 573
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis Egypt 74
Ancient Villages in Southern AnhuiXidi and
Hongcun China 653
Ancient Villages of Northern Syria Syrian Arab
Republic (Syria) 837
Andrssy Avenue, Budapest Hungary 274
Angkor Cambodia 390
Angra do Heroismo in the Azores, Central Zone
of the Town of Portugal 162
Anjar Lebanon 205
Antigua Guatemala Guatemala 73
Anuradhapura, Sacred City of Sri Lanka 138
Apocalypse, Cave of the Greece 603
Aquileia, Archaeological Area and the
Patriarchal Basilica of Italy 565
Aragon, Mudjar Architecture of Spain 256
Aranjuez Cultural Landscape Spain 658
Arc-et-Senans, Royal Saltworks of France 153
Archaeological Area of Agrigento Italy 542
Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica
of Aquileia Italy 565
Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum
and Torre Annunziata Italy 524
Archaeological Ensemble of Mrida Spain 410
Archaeological Ensemble of Trraco Spain 621
Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley
Malaysia 852
Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee
Plantations in the South-East Cuba 649
Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco
Mexico 605
Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua
Guatemala 130
Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro Pakistan
102
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name
Vergina) Greece 504
Archaeological Site of Atapuerca Spain 647
Archaeological Site of Cyrene Libya 136
Archaeological Site of Delphi Greece 262
Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna Libya 144
Archaeological Site of Mystras Greece 341
Archaeological Site of Panam Viejo and
Historic District of Panam Panama 529
Archaeological Site of Olympia Greece 336
Archaeological Site of Sabratha Libya 149
Archaeological Site of Troy Turkey 550
Archaeological Site of Volubilis Morocco 543
Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-
Ayn Oman 322
Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
Greece 574
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe
Sudan 836
Archaeological Zone of Paquim, Casas
Grandes Mexico 563
Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius
Lavra in Sergiev Posad Russian Federation
420
Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex
of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh Belarus
748
Archivo de Indias, Seville Spain 266
Ardabil, Sheikh Sa al-Din Khnegh and
Shrine Ensemble in Islamic Republic of Iran
810
Area de Conservacin Guanacaste Costa Rica
596
Arequipa, Historical Centre of the City of Peru
617
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
France 131
Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran Islamic
Republic of Iran 792
Asante Traditional Buildings Ghana 94
Ashur (Qalat Sherqat) Iraq 697
Askia, Tomb of Mali 725
Asklepios at Epidaurus, Sanctuary of Greece 315
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other
Franciscan Sites Italy 632
Asturias, Kingdom of the Spain 217
At-Turaif District in ad-Diriyah Saudi Arabia 820
Atapuerca, Archaeological Site of Spain 647
Athens, Acropolis Greece 282
Athos, Mount Greece 309
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves Brazil 606
Atol das Rocas Reserve Brazil 668
Atsinanana, Rainforests of the Madagascar 778
Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brhl, Castles
of Germany 193
Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi
Concentration and Extermination Camp
(1940-1945) Poland 40
Australian Convict Sites Australia 808
Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh /
Naracoorte) Australia 429
Avebury United Kingdom 254
Avignon, Historic Centre of France 444
vila with its Extra-Muros Churches, Old Town
of Spain 233
Awash, Lower Valley of the Ethiopia 102
Ayutthaya, Historic City of Thailand 359
B
Baalbek Lebanon 191
Baeza, Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of
Spain 697
Bagerhat, Historic Mosque City of Bangladesh
228
Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery
Georgia 435
Bah Holy Places in Haifa and the Western
Galilee Israel 793
Bahla Fort Oman 303
Bahrain, Pearling, Testimony of an Island
Economy Bahrain 849
Baikal, Lake Russian Federation 476
Bali Province: the Subak System as a
Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana
Philosophy, Cultural Landscape of Indonesia 859
Baku, Walled City of Azerbaijan 607
Bam and its Cultural Landscape Islamic
Republic of Iran 710
Bamberg, Town of Germany 406
Bamiyan Valley, Cultural Landscape and
Archaeological Remains of the Afghanistan 703
Ban Chiang Archaeological Site Thailand 388
Banc dArguin National Park Mauritania 340
Bansk tiavnica, Historic Town of Slovakia
414
Barcelona, Palau de la Msica Catalana and
Hospital de Sant Pau Spain 528
Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve Slovakia
645
Baroque Churches of the Philippines Philippines
402
Barumini, Su Nuraxi di Italy 546
Bassae, Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Greece
240
Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula and Bedik
Cultural Landscapes Senegal 845
Bat Oman 322
Batalha, Monastery of Portugal 177
Batammariba, The Land of the Togo 726
Bath, City of United Kingdom 290
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau
Germany 484
Bayreuth, Margravial Opera House Germany
856
Bedik, Fula and Bassari Cultural Landscapes,
Bassari Country: Senegal 845
Beemster Polder Netherlands 580
Beer Sheba, Tel Israel 739
Bguinages, Flemish Belgium 562
Belfries of Belgium and France Belgium and
France 575
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System Belize 483
Bellinzone Switzerland 610
Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Biaowie|a Forest
Belarus and Poland 61
Benedictine Convent of St John at Mstair
Switzerland 159
Berat, Historic Centre of Albania 732
Bergpark Wilhelmshhe Germany 866
Berlin Modernism Housing Estates Germany
784
Berlin, Palaces and Parks of Germany 346
Bermuda, Historic Town of St George and
Related Fortications United Kingdom 621
Berne, Old City of Switzerland 157
Bernina Landscape, Rhaetian Railway in the
Italy and Switzerland 784
Bethlehem, Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the
Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route Palestine
853
Bhimbetka, Rock Shelters of India 694
Biaowie|a Forest Belarus and Poland 61
Biblical Tels Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba
Israel 739
Bikini Atoll, Nuclear Test Site Marshall Islands
809
Birka and Hovgrden Sweden 404
Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and
the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem Palestine
853
Bisotun Islamic Republic of Iran 762
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape United
Kingdom 620
Blenheim Palace United Kingdom 270
Bodh Gaya, Mahabodhi Temple Complex at
India 688
Bom Jesus do Congonhas, Sanctuary of Brazil
223
Bordeaux, Port of the Moon France 775
Borobudur Temple Compounds Indonesia 376
Bosra, Ancient City of Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 105
Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua
Italy 532
Bourges Cathedral France 381
Boyana Church, Soa Bulgaria 60
Brasilia Brazil 280
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha
and Atol das Rocas Reserves Brazil 668
Bremen, Town Hall and Roland on the
Marketplace of Germany 727
Bridgetown and its Garrison, Historic Barbados
829
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Saint
Kitts and Nevis 596
Brno, Tugendhat Villa in Czech Republic 681
Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmki
Finland 599
Brugge, Historic Centre of Belgium 650
Br na Binne Archaeological Ensemble of the
Bend of the Boyne Ireland 401
Bryggen Norway 43
Buda Castle Quarter, Budapest Hungary 274
Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube,
the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrssy
Avenue Hungary 274
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi India 342
Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area
Japan 415
Buddhist Ruins at Takht-i-Bahi and
Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol
Pakistan 110
Buganda Kings, Tombs of Uganda 663
Bukhara, Historic Centre of Uzbekistan 405
Bukovinian and Dalmatia Metropolitans,
Residence of Ukraine 827
Bulguksa Temple Republic of Korea 457
Burgos Cathedral Spain 200
Butrint Albania 389
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda
422
Byblos Lebanon 192
C
Cceres, Old Town of Spain 253
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site USA 151
Cairo, Historic Egypt 78
Calais Mining Basin, Nord-Pas de France 850
Calakmul, Ancient Maya City of Mexico 687
Camagey, Historic Centre of Cuba 785
Camino Real de Tierra Mexico 816
Campeche, Historic Fortied Town of Mexico
577
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks Canada 194
Canaima National Park Venezuela 431
Canal du Centre, The Four Lifts on the Belgium
554
Canal du Midi France 480
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustines Abbey,
and St Martins Church United Kingdom 327
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas South
Africa 720
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient
Koguryo Kingdom China 722
Cappadocia, Rock Sites of Turkey 230
Caracas, Ciudad Universitaria de Venezuela 644
Caral-Supe, Sacred City of Peru 800
Carcassonne, Historic Fortied City of France
514
Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and
the Sea, Rio de Janeiro: Brazil 844
Carlsbad Caverns National Park USA 446
Carlton Gardens, Melbourne Australia 718
i ndex 883
Carpathian Mountain Area, Wooden Churches
of the Slovak part of the Slovakia 795
Carpathians and Ancient Beech Forests of
Germany, Primeval Beech Forests of the
Germany, Slovakia and Ukraine 772
Cartagena Colombia 184
Carthage, Site of Tunisia 46
Casas Grandes, Archaeological Zone of
Paquim Mexico 563
Caserta, Eighteenth-Century Royal Palace at
Italy 527
Castel del Monte Italy 506
Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork Poland
547
Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in
Gwynedd United Kingdom 257
Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brhl
Germany 193
Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de
Bo Spain 644
atalhyk, Neolithic Site of Turkey 856
Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the
Archaeological Site of Zvartnots Armenia 655
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of
Saint-Rmi and Palace of Tau, Reims France
372
Cathedral of St James in ibenik Croatia 627
Cathedral, Alczar and Archivo de Indias in
Seville Spain 266
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande,
Modena Italy 520
Caucasus, Western Russian Federation 601
Causeway Coast United Kingdom 244
Causses and the Cvennes, Mediterranean
agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape,The
France 826
Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of
Northern Spain Spain 220
Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Ptmos,
Historic Centre (Chor) with the Monastery
of Saint John the Theologian and the Greece
603
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst
Hungary and Slovakia 456
Cedars of God, Forest of the Lebanon 569
Centennial Hall in Wroclaw Poland 752
Central Amazon Conservation Complex Brazil
624
Central Highlands of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 823
Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang
Long Hanoi Vietnam 816
Central Sikhote-Alin Russian Federation 664
Central Suriname Nature Reserve Suriname 658
Central University City Campus of the
Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico
(UNAM) Mexico 770
Central Zone of the Town of Angra do
Heroismo in the Azores Portugal 162
Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos
Veadeiros and Emas National Parks Brazil
681
Certosa di Padula Italy 558
Cerveteri and Tarquinia, Etruscan Necropolises
of Italy 729
esk Krumlov, Historic Centre of Czech
Republic 386
Chaco Culture USA 285
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
India 730
Champasak Cultural Landscape Lao Peoples
Democratic Republic (Laos) 679
Chan Chan Archaeological Zone Peru 238
Changdeokgung Palace Complex Republic of
Korea 521
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park Brazil
681
Chartres Cathedral France 65
Chavn (Archaeological site) Peru 210
Chengde, Mountain Resort and its Outlying
Temples China 436
Chengjiang Fossil Site China 845
Chewore Safari Area Zimbabwe 186
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria
Terminus), Mumbai India 723
Chichen-Itza, Pre-Hispanic City of Mexico
330
Chief Roi Matas Domain Vanuatu 795
Chilo, Churches of Chile 620
China Danxia China 811
Chinguetti, Ancient Ksour of Mauritania 478
Chiquitos, Jesuit Missions of the Bolivia 348
Chitwan National Park Nepal 196
Choirokoitia Cyprus 554
Chola Temples, Great Living India 276
Chongoni Rock-Art Area Malawi 756
Chor Greece 603
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa
Maria delle Grazie with The Last Supper by
Leonardo da Vinci Italy 95
Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye Russian
Federation 427
Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage
Route, Bethlehem, Birthplace of Jesus:
Palestine 853
Church Village of Gammelstad, Lule Sweden
504
Churches and Convents of Goa India 237
Churches of Chilo Chile 620
Churches of Moldavia Romania 412
Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica
Poland 675
Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande
Cape Verde 799
Cienfuegos, Urban Historic Centre of Cuba 749
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with
the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia,
and the Certosa di Padula Italy 558
Cinque Terre Italy 513
Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay France 121
Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of
Derbent Russian Federation 698
Citadel of the Ho Dynasty Vietnam 837
City of Bath United Kingdom 290
City of Cuzco Peru 158
City of Graz Historic Centre and Schloss
Eggenberg Austria 585
City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and
Fortications Luxembourg 424
City of Potos Bolivia 289
City of Quito Ecuador 32
City of Safranbolu Turkey 442
City of Valletta Malta 93
City of Verona Italy 618
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the
Veneto Italy 428
Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas Venezuela 644
Classical Gardens of Suzhou China 518
Classical Weimar Germany 549
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) Mali
340
Ca Valley and Siega Verde, Prehistoric Rock-
Art Sites in the Portugal and Spain 563
Cocos Island National Park Costa Rica 516
Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia
Colombia 841
Coffee Plantations in the South-East of Cuba,
Archaeological Landscape of the First Cuba
649
Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of
Marine Protection Panama 745
Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of
Quedlinburg Germany 441
Cologne Cathedral Germany 474
Colonia del Sacramento, Historic Quarter of the
City of Uruguay 472
Colonial City of Santo Domingo Dominican
Republic 343
Como National Park Cte dIvoire 153
Complex of Hu Monuments Vietnam 411
Complex of Koguryo Tombs Democratic Peoples
Republic of Korea 715
Confucius, Temple and Cemetery of China 433
Convent of Christ in Tomar Portugal 175
Copan, Maya Site of Honduras 90
Crdoba, Historic Centre of Spain 198
Crdoba, Jesuit Block and Estancias of
Argentina 647
Corfu, Old Town of Greece 771
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
United Kingdom 757
Coro and its Port Venezuela 398
Costiera Amaltana Italy 538
Crac des Chevaliers and Qalat Salah El-Din
Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) 761
Crespi dAdda Italy 465
Cuenca, Historic Walled Town of Spain 505
Cueva de las Manos, Ro Pinturas Argentina
607
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains
of the Bamiyan Valley Afghanistan 703
Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the
Solovetsky Islands Russian Federation 392
Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak
System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita
Karana Philosophy Indonesia 859
Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice
Terraces China 861
Cultural Landscape of Sintra Portugal 447
Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana
Spain 839
Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hat, Hili, Bidaa
Bint Saud and Oases Areas) United Arab
Emirates 835
Curonian Spit Lithuania and Russian Federation
615
Cuzco, City of Peru 158
Cyrene, Archaeological Site of Libya 136
884 i ndex
D
Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains
Romania 597
Dahshur Egypt 70
Damascus, Ancient City of Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 39
Dambulla, Golden Temple of Sri Lanka 363
Danube, Banks of the, Budapest Hungary 274
Danube Delta Romania 362
Daphni, Monastery of Greece 342
Darien National Park Panama 130
Dazu Rock Carvings China 584
Decorated Farmhouses of Hlsingland Sweden
847
Defence Line of Amsterdam Netherlands 488
Delos Greece 353
Delphi, Archaeological Site of Greece 262
Dengfeng in the Centre of Heaven and Earth
Historic Monuments of China 810
Derbent, Ancient City of Russian Federation 698
Derwent Valley Mills United Kingdom 675
Desembarco del Granma National Park Cuba
583
Dessau, Bauhaus and its Sites in Germany 484
Dessau-Wrlitz, Garden Kingdom of Germany
610
Diamantina, Historic Centre of the Town of
Brazil 588
Dilmun, Ancient Harbour and Capital of
Bahrain 746
Dinosaur Provincial Park Canada 48
Diocletian, Palace of Croatia 82
Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves Brazil
579
Divrii, Great Mosque and Hospital of Turkey
225
Dja Faunal Reserve Cameroon 308
Djmila Algeria 148
Djenn, Old Towns of Mali 310
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary Senegal 121
Dogons, Land of the Mali 340
Dolomites, The Italy 807
Doana National Park Spain 430
Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex
Thailand 741
Dorset and East Devon Coast United Kingdom
671
Dougga / Thugga Tunisia 530
Drakensberg Park South Africa 611
Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder)
Netherlands 580
Drottningholm, Royal Domain of Sweden 371
Dubrovnik, Old City of Croatia 86
Dujiangyan Irrigation System China 648
Durham Castle and Cathedral United Kingdom
246
Durmitor National Park Montenegro 107
E
Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes
of Popocatepetl Mexico 432
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna Italy
487
Early Christian Necropolis of Pcs (Sopianae)
Hungary 619
East Devon Coast United Kingdom 671
East Rennell Solomon Islands 558
Echmiatsin, Cathedral and Churches of Armenia
655
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of
Lop-Okanda Gabon 781
Edinburgh, Old and New Towns of United
Kingdom 470
Eighteenth-Century Royal Palace at Caserta
with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and
the San Leucio Complex Italy 527
Eisleben and Wittenberg, Luther Memorials in
Germany 503
El Jadida Morocco 717
El Jem, Amphitheatre of Tunisia 80
El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar
Biosphere Reserve Mexico 864
El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City Mexico 394
El Vizcaino, Whale Sanctuary of Mexico 401
Elche, Palmeral of Spain 639
Elephanta Caves India 271
Ellora Caves India 160
Elvas and its Fortications, Garrison Border
Town of Portugal 851
Emas National Park Brazil 681
Emei, Mount China 481
Engelsberg Ironworks Sweden 408
Ensemble of the Ferrapontov Monastery Russian
Federation 643
Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent Russian
Federation 728
Epidaurus, Sanctuary of Asklepios at Greece 315
Episcopal City of Albi France 813
Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in
the Historic Centre of Pore Croatia 516
Escurial, Monastery and site of the Spain 193
Essaouira (formerly Mogador), Medina of
Morocco 666
Essen, Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex
in Germany 667
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and
Tarquinia Italy 729
Euphrasian Basilica, Episcopal Complex of the
Croatia 516
Everest, Mount Nepal 85
Everglades National Park USA 53
vora, Historic Centre of Portugal 258
F
Fagus Factory in Alfeld Germany 826
Falkenlust Castle at Brhl Germany 193
Falun, Mining Area of the Great Copper
Mountain in Sweden 667
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region Ethiopia 60
Fatehpur Sikri India 247
Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas
Reserves Brazil 668
Ferrapontov Monastery, Ensemble of the
Russian Federation 643
Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po
Delta Italy 453
Fert / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape
Austria and Hungary 664
Fez, Medina of Morocco 119
Flemish Bguinages Belgium 562
Flint Mines, Neolithic Belgium 652
Florence, Historic Centre of Italy 134
Fontainebleau, Palace and Park of France 113
Fontenay, Cistercian Abbey of France 121
Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore Pakistan
124
Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central
and Western Regions Ghana 44
Fortications of Vauban France 794
Fortications on the Caribbean Side of Panama:
Portobelo-San Lorenzo Panama 99
Fort Jesus, Mombasa Kenya 832
Fortress of Suomenlinna Finland 378
Fossil Cliffs, Joggins Canada 796
Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa South
Africa 593
Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)
Australia 429
Fountains Abbey, Ruins of United Kingdom 248
Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and their
Environs, La Louvire and Le Roeulx
(Hainault), The Belgium 554
Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of
Quertaro Mexico 703
Frankincense, Land of Oman 614
Fraser Island Australia 393
Frontiers of the Roman Empire United Kingdom
and Germany 273
Fuerte de Samaipata Bolivia 556
Fujian Tulou China 788
Fujisan, Sacred Place and Source of Artistic
Inspiration Japan 867
Fula, Bassari and Bedik Cultural Landscapes,
Bassari Country: Senegal 845
G
Galpagos Islands Ecuador 26
Galerius, Palace of Serbia 776
Galle and its Fortications, Old Town of Sri
Lanka 320
Gammelstad, Church Village of, Lule Sweden
504
Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius
Serbia 776
Ganghwa Dolmen Republic of Korea 626
Garajonay National Park Spain 250
Garamba National Park Dem. Rep. of the
Congo 94
Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wrlitz Germany 610
Gardens and Castle at Krom Czech Republic
565
Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its
Fortications Portugal 851
Gaud, Antoni Spain 182
Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan
Region Sudan 695
Geghard, Monastery of Armenia 630
Geirangerfjord Norway 742
Gelati Monastery Georgia 435
Genbaku Dome Japan 477
Generalife, Granada Spain 202
Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the
Palazzi dei Rolli Italy 759
Geoglyphs and Lines of Nasca and Pampas de
Jumana Peru 434
George Town, Historic City of the Straits of
Malacca Malaysia 790
Ghadams, Old Town of Libya 261
i ndex 885
Giants Causeway and Causeway Coast United
Kingdom 244
Girolata, Gulf of France 174
Giza Egypt 70
Gjirokastra, Historic Centre of Albania 732
Glacier Bay Canada and USA 52
Goa, Churches and Convents of India 237
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape
Azerbaijan 767
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
Republic of Korea 626
Gois, Historic Centre of the Town of Brazil 674
Gokayama, Historic Villages of Japan 462
Golden Mountains of Altai Russian Federation
557
Golden Temple of Dambulla Sri Lanka 363
Golestan Palace Islamic Republic of Iran 868
Gonbad-e Qbus Islamic Republic of Iran 850
Gondwana Rainforests of Australia Australia
260
Gore, Island of Senegal 29
Greme National Park and the Rock Sites of
Cappadocia Turkey 230
Goslar, Historic Town of Germany 387
Gough and Inaccessible Islands United Kingdom
468
Granada, Spain 202
Grand-Bassam, Historic Town of Cte dIvoire
855
Grand Canyon National Park USA 54
Grand Pr, Landscape of Canada 849
Graz and Schloss Eggenberg, Historic Centre of
the City of Austria 585
Great Barrier Reef Australia 122
Great Copper Mountain in Falun, Mining Area
of the Sweden 667
Great Living Chola Temples India 276
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrii Turkey 225
Great Rift Valley, Kenya Lake System in the
Kenya 838
Great Saltworks of Salins-le-Bains France 153
Great Smoky Mountains National Park USA
164
Great Wall, The China 294
Great Zimbabwe National Monument
Zimbabwe 240
Greater Blue Mountains Area Australia 609
Greenwich, Maritime United Kingdom 507
Grimeton, Varberg Radio Station Sweden 725
Gros Morne National Park Canada 302
Group of Monuments at Hampi India 252
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram India
204
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal India 308
Guadalajara, Hospicio Cabaas Mexico 534
Guanacaste, Area de Conservacin Costa Rica
596
Guanajuato, Historic Town of Mexico 318
Guaranis, Jesuit Missions of the Argentina and
Brazil 159
Guimares, Historic Centre of Portugal 682
Gulf of California, Islands and Protected Areas
of the Mexico 733
Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of
Girolata, Scandola Reserve France 174
Gunung Mulu National Park Malaysia 638
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the
Kingdom of Ryukyu Japan 643
Gwynedd, Castles and Town Walls of King
Edward in United Kingdom 257
Gyeongju Historic Areas Republic of Korea 642
H
Ha Long Bay Vietnam 440
Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the
Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana
Woodblocks Republic of Korea 462
Haghpat and Sanahin, Monasteries of Armenia
500
Hahoe and Yangdong, Historic Villages of
Korea: Republic of Korea 822
Haifa, Bah Holy Places in Israel 793
Hal Saieni Hypogeum Malta 98
Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural
Landscape Austria 531
Hlsingland, Decorated Farmhouses of Sweden
847
Hampi, Group of Monuments at India 252
Hangzhou, West Lake Cultural Landscape of
China 831
Hanseatic City of Lbeck Germany 281
Hanseatic Town of Visby Sweden 459
Harar Jugol, the Fortied Historic Town
Ethiopia 752
Hatra Iraq 215
Hattusha: the Hittite Capital Turkey 237
Havana, Old Cuba 146
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park USA 264
Hazor, Tel Israel 739
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Canada 118
Heard and McDonald Islands Australia 522
Heart of Neolithic Orkney United Kingdom 570
Henderson Island United Kingdom 321
Heraion of Samos Greece 388
Herculaneum, Archaeological Area of Italy 524
Hercules, Tower of Spain 806
Heritage of Mercury, Almadn and Idrija
Slovenia and Spain 858
Hierapolis-Pamukkale Turkey 329
Hieronymites, Monastery of the Portugal 163
High Coast Sweden 630
Hildesheim, St Marys Cathedral and St
Michaels Church Germany 225
Hill Forts of Rajasthan India 860
Himeji-jo Japan 409
Hiraizumi Temples, Gardens and
Archaeological Sites Representing the
Buddhist Pure Land Japan 840
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)
Japan 477
Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan
Kremlin Russian Federation 646
Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and
Harbour, Curaao, Netherlands 528
Historic Areas of Istanbul Turkey 226
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison Barbados
829
Historic Cairo Egypt 78
Historic Centre (Chor) with the Monastery
of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave
of the Apocalypse on the Island of Ptmos
Greece 603
Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn Estonia
509
Historic Centre of the City of Pienza Italy 495
Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg Austria
498
Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina
Brazil 588
Historic Centre of the Town of Gois Brazil 674
Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda Brazil
150
Historic Centre of Agadez Niger 862
Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace,
Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge
France 444
Historic Centre of Brugge Belgium 650
Historic Centre of Bukhara Uzbekistan 405
Historic Centre of Camagey Cuba 785
Historic Centre of esk Krumlov Czech
Republic 386
Historic Centre of Crdoba Spain 198
Historic Centre of vora Portugal 258
Historic Centre of Florence Italy 134
Historic Centre of Guimares Portugal 682
Historic Centre of Krakw Poland 30
Historic Centre of Lima Peru 326
Historic Centre of Macao China 737
Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco
Mexico 284
Historic Centre of Morelia Mexico 369
Historic Centre of Naples Italy 448
Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological
Site of Monte Albn Mexico 286
Historic Centre of Oporto Portugal 482
Historic Centre of Prague Czech Republic 384
Historic Centre of Puebla Mexico 284
Historic Centre of Riberia Grande Cape Verde
799
Historic Centre of Riga Latvia 544
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the
Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial
Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura Italy 92
Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related
Groups of Monuments Russian Federation
344
Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia Brazil 208
Historic Centre of San Gimignano Italy 358
Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ros de
Cuenca Ecuador 576
Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox
Colombia 473
Historic Centre of So Lus Brazil 537
Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz Uzbekistan 629
Historic Centre of Siena Italy 460
Historic Centre of Sighioara Romania 592
Historic Centre of Tel Czech Republic 392
Historic Centre of Urbino Italy 567
Historic Centre of Vienna Austria 678
Historic Centre of Warsaw Poland 89
Historic Centre of Zacatecas Mexico 419
Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra
Albania 732
Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar
Germany 690
Historic City of Ayutthaya Thailand 359
Historic City of Meknes Morocco 494
Historic City of Sucre Bolivia 367
886 i ndex
Historic City of Toledo Spain 242
Historic City of Trogir Croatia 533
Historic District of Old Qubec Canada 206
Historic District of Panam Panam 529
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa
China 425
Historic Fortied City of Carcassonne France
514
Historic Fortied Town of Campeche Mexico
577
Historic Inner City of Paramaribo Suriname 687
Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta
Pakistan 118
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesng
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea 862
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto,
Uji and Otsu Cities) Japan 438
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara Japan
560
Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in the Centre
of Heaven and Earth China 810
Historic Monuments of Novgorod and
Surroundings Russian Federation 383
Historic Monuments Zone of Quertaro Mexico
496
Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan
Mexico 548
Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat Bangladesh
228
Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del
Sacramento Uruguay 472
Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of
Valparaso Chile 696
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu Peru 172
Historic Site of Lyons France 561
Historic Town of Bansk tiavnica and the
Technical Monuments in its Vicinity Slovakia
414
Historic Town of Grand-Bassam Cte dIvoire
855
Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent
Mines Mexico 318
Historic Town of Ouro Preto Brazil 108
Historic Town of St George and Related
Fortications, Bermuda United Kingdom 621
Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated
Historic Towns Thailand 375
Historic Town of Vigan Philippines 582
Historic Town of Zabid Yemen 398
Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and
Yangdong Republic of Korea 822
Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and
Gokayama Japan 462
Historic Walled Town of Cuenca Spain 505
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa Peru
617
Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl
Russian Federation 744
Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of
Diocletian Croatia 82
Historical Monuments of Mtskheta Georgia 437
Ho Dynasty, Citadel of the Vietnam 837
Hoi An Ancient Town Vietnam 586
Holaovice Historical Village Reservation Czech
Republic 551
Hollk<, Old Village of Hungary 293
Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc Czech
Republic 637
Hongcun, Southern Anhui China 653
Horezu, Monastery of Romania 408
Horta, Victor Belgium 648
Hortobgy National Park - the Puszta Hungary
583
Horyu-ji Area, Buddhist Monuments in the
Japan 415
Hosios Loukas, Monastery of Greece 342
Hospicio Cabaas, Guadalajara Mexico 534
Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona Spain 528
Hovgrden Sweden 404
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area
China 395
Huangshan, Mount China 357
Huascarn National Park Peru 214
Hu Monuments, Complex of Vietnam 411
Humayuns Tomb, Delhi India 403
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
Chile 736
Hwaseong Fortress Republic of Korea 536
Hwasun Republic of Korea 626
I
Iberian Peninsula, Rock Art of the Mediterranean
Basin on the Spain 562
Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture Spain 572
Ichkeul National Park Tunisia 97
Idrija and Almadn, Heritage of Mercury
Slovenia and Spain 858
Iguau National Park Brazil 235
Iguazu National Park Argentina 188
Ilulissat Icefjord Denmark 708
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long Hanoi,
Central Sector of the Vietnam 816
Imperial Garden, Beijing China 552
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing
Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang China 277
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing
Dynasties China 616
Incense Route Desert Cities in the Negev
Israel 740
Independence Hall, Philadelphia USA 64
Ingenios, Valley de los Cuba 323
Ir. D.F. Woudagemaal (D.F. Wouda Steam
Pumping Station) Netherlands 566
Ironbridge Gorge United Kingdom 239
Ironworks, Vlklingen Germany 441
Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks
Argentina 628
Isfahan, Masjed-e Jm of Islamic Republic of
Iran 846
iSimangaliso Wetland Park South Africa 575
Island of Gore Senegal 29
Island of Mozambique Mozambique 365
Island of Saint-Louis Senegal 626
Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of
California Mexico 733
Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) Italy 625
Istanbul, Historic Areas of Turkey 226
Itchan Kala Uzbekistan 348
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine Japan 486
Ivanovo, Rock-Hewn Churches of Bulgaria 69
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural
Landscape Japan 764
J
Jam, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of
Afghanistan 683
Jantar Mantar India 814
Jawor and Swidnica, Churches of Peace in
Poland 675
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes Republic
of Korea 780
Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church
Denmark 426
Jerusalem and its Walls, Old City of 114
Jesuit Block and Estancias of Crdoba,
Argentina 647
Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos Bolivia 348
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis Argentina and
Brazil 159
Jesuit Missions of La Santsima Trinidad de
Paran and Jess de Tavarangue Paraguay
407
Jess Nazareno de Atotonilco, Sanctuary of
Mexico 781
Jewish Quarter and St Procopius Basilica in
Teb Czech Republic 704
Jiajin Mountains, Giant Panda Sanctuary
China 751
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest
Area China 380
Joggins Fossil Cliffs Canada 796
Jongmyo Shrine Republic of Korea 468
Joseon Dynasty, Royal Tombs of the Republic
of Korea 799
Joya de Cern Archaeological Site El Salvador
416
Jumana, Pampas de Peru 434
Jungfrau-Aletsch Switzerland 660
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion France 600
K
Kahuzi-Biega National Park Dem. Rep. of the
Congo 97
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages China 774
Kairouan Tunisia 335
Kakadu National Park Australia 127
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist
Architectural and Park Landscape Complex
and Pilgrimage Park Poland 594
Kamchatka, Volcanoes of Russian Federation
490
Kandy, Sacred City of Sri Lanka 314
Karlskrona, Naval Port of Sweden 553
Kasbah of Algiers Algeria 379
Kastrom Mefaa (Um er-Rasas) Jordan 713
Kasubi, Tombs of Buganda Kings at Uganda
663
Kathmandu Valley Nepal 50
Kazan Kremlin, Historic and Architectural
Complex of the Russian Federation 646
Kazanlak, Thracian Tomb of Bulgaria 49
Kaziranga National Park India 224
Kenya, Mount Kenya 508
Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley
Kenya 838
Keoladeo National Park India 216
Kerkuane, Punic Town of Tunisia 220
Kernav\ Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of
Kernav\) Lithuania 715
i ndex 887
Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens United Kingdom
692
Khajuraho Group of Monuments India 249
Khami Ruins National Monument Zimbabwe
257
Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Mausoleum of
Kazakhstan 707
Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related
Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
Ukraine 347
Kii Mountain Range, Sacred Sites and
Pilgrimage Routes in the Japan 726
Kilimanjaro National Park Tanzania 278
Kilwa Kisiwani, Ruins of Tanzania 116
Kinabalu Park Malaysia 631
Kinderdijk-Elshout Mill Network Netherlands
523
King Edward, Castles and Town Walls of
United Kingdom 257
Kizhi Pogost Russian Federation 356
Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay /
Tatshenshini-Alsek Canada and USA 52
Koguryo Kingdom, Capital Cities and Tombs of
the Ancient China 722
Koguryo Tombs, Complex of Democratic
Peoples Republic of Korea 715
Kolomenskoye, Church of the Ascension Russian
Federation 427
Komodo National Park Indonesia 370
Konrak, Sun Temple India 183
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites Tanzania 755
Kong Family Mansion in Qufu China 433
Konso Cultural Landscape Ethiopia 833
Kosovo, Medieval Monuments in Serbia 717
Kotor, Natural and Culturo-Historical Region
of Montenegro 84
Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba
Togo 726
Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow Russian
Federation 350
Kromdraai, Fossil Hominid Site South Africa
593
Krom, Gardens and Castle at Czech Republic
565
Kronborg Castle Denmark 608
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou Morocco 305
Kuk Early Agricultural Site Papua New Guinea
786
Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites
The Gambia 698
Kunya-Urgench Turkmenistan 750
Kutn Hora: Historical Town Centre with the
Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of
Our Lady at Sedlec Czech Republic 469
Kvarken Archipelago Finland 630
Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities), Ancient
Historic Monuments of Japan 438
L
La Amistad National Park Costa Rica and
Panama 162
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Watchmaking Town
Planning Switzerland 800
La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic
Site in Puerto Rico USA 166
La Grand-Place, Brussels Belgium 555
La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia Spain 485
La Louvire Belgium 554
La Santsima Trinidad de Paran and Jess de
Tavarangue, Jesuit Missions of Paraguay 407
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and
Associated Ecosystems France 788
Lahore, Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Pakistan
124
Lake Baikal Russian Federation 476
Lake Malawi National Park Malawi 190
Lake Turkana National Parks Kenya 517
Lakes of Ounianga Chad 854
Lalibela, Rock-Hewn Churches Ethiopia 32
Lamu Old Town Kenya 682
Land of Frankincense Oman 614
Landscape of Grand Pr Canada 849
Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture
Portugal 731
LAnse aux Meadows National Historic Site
Canada 37
Laponian Area Sweden 497
Las Mdulas Spain 535
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-
Eastern Sicily) Italy 690
Laurisilva of Madeira Portugal 602
Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces Switzerland 777
Le Havre, the city rebuilt by Auguste Perret
France 738
Le Locle, watchmaking town planning
Switzerland 800
Le Morne Cultural Landscape Mauritius 792
Le Roeulx (Hainault) Belgium 554
Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi
dei Rolli, Genoa Italy 759
Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape Czech
Republic 493
Lena Pillars Nature Park Russian Federation 843
Lenggong Valley, Archaeological Heritage of
Malaysia 852
Len Cathedral Nicaragua 829
Len Viejo, Ruins of Nicaragua 619
Leptis Magna, Archaeological Site of Libya 144
Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area China 481
Levoa, Spisk Hrad and the Associated
Cultural Monuments Slovakia 417
Levuka Historical Port Town Fiji 863
Lhasa, Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace
China 425
Lijiang, Old Town of China 510
Lima, Historic Centre of Peru 326
Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de
Jumana Peru 434
Lisbon, Monastery of the Hieronymites and
Tower of Belm in Portugal 163
Litomyl Castle Czech Republic 588
Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City United
Kingdom 707
Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and
Chalonnes, The France 622
Lombardy and Piedmont, Sacri Monti of Italy
695
Longmen Grottoes China 654
Longobards in Italy. Places of the power (568-
774 AD) Italy 824
Lop-Okanda, Ecosystem and Relict Cultural
Landscape of Gabon 781
Lord Howe Island Group Australia 136
Lorentz National Park Indonesia 604
Loropni, The Ruins of Burkina Faso 805
Lorsch, Abbey and Altenmnster of Germany 379
Los Katos National Park Colombia 426
Lower Valley of the Awash Ethiopia 102
Lower Valley of the Omo Ethiopia 106
Luang Prabang, Town of Lao Peoples
Democratic Republic (Laos) 464
Lbeck, Hanseatic City of Germany 281
Lugo, Roman Walls of Spain 649
Lule Gammelstad, Church Village of Sweden
504
Luis Barragn House and Studio Mexico 722
Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha
Nepal 512
Lunenburg, Old Town Canada 463
Lushan National Park China 484
Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg
Germany 503
Luxembourg, City of Luxembourg 424
Lviv the Ensemble of the Historic Centre
Ukraine 564
Lyons, Historic Site of France 561
M
Macao, Historic Centre of China 737
Machu Picchu, Historic Sanctuary of Peru 172
Macquarie Island Australia 506
Madin Slih Saudi Arabia 798
Madara Rider Bulgaria 69
Madeira, Laurisilva of Portugal 602
Madrid, Monastery and Site of the Escurial
Spain 193
Madriu-Perata-Claror Valley Andorra 732
Mahabalipuram, Group of Monuments at
India 204
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
India 688
Maiden Tower, Baku Azerbaijan 607
Major Mining Sites of Wallonia Belgium 855
Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor
Horta (Brussels) Belgium 648
Makli, Historical Monuments at Pakistan 118
Malbork, Castle of the Teutonic Order in
Poland 547
Maloti-Drakensberg Park Lesotho and
South Africa 611
Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary Colombia
756
Mammoth Cave National Park USA 126
Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore
Safari Areas Zimbabwe 186
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary India 215
Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape
Complex Poland 594
Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park
Central African Republic 313
Mantua and Sabbioneta Italy 797
Man National Park Peru 296
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape South Africa
693
Maramure, Wooden Churches of Romania 581
Margravial Opera House Bayreuth Germany 856
Maritime Greenwich United Kingdom 507
Marrakesh, Medina of Morocco 218
888 i ndex
Masada Israel 676
Masjed-e Jm of Isfahan Islamic Republic of
Iran 846
Matera, The Sassi and the park of the
Rupestrian Churches of Italy 399
Matobo Hills Zimbabwe 696
Maulbronn Monastery Complex Germany 407
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor China 300
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Turkestan
Kazakhstan 707
Maya Site of Cpan Honduras 90
Mazagan (El Jadida), Portuguese City of
Morocco 717
McDonald Island Australia 522
Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany Italy 860
Medieval City of Rhodes Greece 324
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo Serbia 717
Medieval Town of Toru Poland 526
Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)
Morocco 666
Medina of Fez Morocco 119
Medina of Marrakesh Morocco 218
Medina of Sousse Tunisia 317
Medina of Ttouan (formerly known as Titawin)
Morocco 522
Medina of Tunis Tunisia 72
Megalithic Temples of Malta Malta 96
Megiddo, Tel Israel 739
Mehmed Paa Sokolovi Bridge in Viegrad
Bosnia and Herzegovina 779
Meidan Emam, Esfahan Islamic Republic of
Iran 38
Meknes, Historic City of Morocco 494
Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the
Straits of Malacca Malaysia 790
Melbourne, Royal Exhibition Building and
Carlton Gardens Australia 718
Memphis and its Necropolis the Pyramid
Fields from Giza to Dahshur Egypt 70
Mercury, Heritage of, Almadn and Idrija
Slovenia and Spain 858
Mrida, Archaeological Ensemble of Spain 410
Meroe, Archaeological Sites of the Island of
Sudan 836
Merv, Ancient Turkmenistan 573
Mesa Verde National Park USA 28
Messel Pit Fossil Site Germany 456
Meteora Greece 332
Miguasha National Park Canada 599
Mijikenda Kaya Forests, Sacred Kenya 782
Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout Netherlands
523
Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma
and its Natural Environment Hungary 479
Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam
Afghanistan 683
Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of
Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management
System Germany 387
Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and
Shenyang, Imperial Palaces of the China 277
Ming and Qing Dynasties, Imperial Tombs of
the China 616
Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in
Falun Sweden 667
Mir Castle Complex Belarus 635
Mitla, Prehistoric Caves of Mexico 817
Modena Italy 520
Moenjodaro, Archaeological Ruins at Pakistan
102
Mogador (Medina of Essaouira) Morocco 666
Mogao Caves China 298
Moldavia, Churches of Romania 412
Monarch Buttery Biosphere Reserve Mexico
791
Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and
Nea Moni of Chios Greece 342
Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin Armenia
500
Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid
Spain 193
Monastery of Alcobaa Portugal 337
Monastery of Batalha Portugal 177
Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat
Valley Armenia 630
Monastery of Horezu Romania 408
Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of
Belm in Lisbon Portugal 163
Monastic Island of Reichenau Germany 640
Mongolian Altai, Petrogylphic Complexes of the
Mongolia 842
Mons, Neolithic Flint Mines at Belgium 652
Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay France 58
Monte Albn, Archaeological Site of Mexico 286
Monte San Giorgio Italy and Switzerland 704
Monticello and the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville USA 304
Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the
Asturias Spain 217
Morelia, Historic Centre of Mexico 369
Morne Trois Pitons National Park Dominica
515
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls Zambia and
Zimbabwe 338
Mostar, Old Bridge Area of the Old City of
Bosnia and Herzegovina 734
Mount Athos Greece 309
Mount Carmel: The Nahal Mearot / Wadi
el-Mughara Caves, Sites of Human Evolution
at Israel 843
Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan
Giant Buddha Scenic Area China 481
Mount Etna Italy 869
Mount Huangshan China 357
Mount Kenya National Park / Natural Forest
Kenya 508
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve Cte
dIvoire and Guinea 126
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan
Irrigation System China 648
Mount Sanqingshan National Park China 796
Mount Taishan China 297
Mount Wutai China 802
Mount Wuyi China 598
Mountain Railways of India 576
Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples,
Chengde China 436
Mozambique, Island of Mozambique 365
Mtskheta, Historical Monuments of Georgia 437
Mudjar Architecture of Aragon Spain 256
Mumbai, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
(formerly Victoria Terminus) India 723
Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin
Germany 578
Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski Germany
and Poland 719
Mstair, Benedictine Convent of St John at
Switzerland 159
My Son Sanctuary Vietnam 579
Mycenae, Archaeological Site of Greece 574
Mystras, Archaeological Site of Greece 341
MZab Valley Algeria 145
N
Nryfjord Norway 742
Nahal Mearot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves,
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel
Israel 843
Nahanni National Park Canada 38
Namib Sand Sea Namibia 869
Nancy, Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrire and
Place dAlliance in France 169
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National
Parks India 333
Napatan Region, Gebel Barkal and the Sites of
the Sudan 695
Naples, Historic Centre Italy 448
Nara, Historic Monuments of Ancient Japan
560
Naracoorte, Fossil Mammal Site Australia 429
Nasca, Lines and Geoglyphs of Peru 434
National Archeological Park of Tierradentro
Colombia 473
National History Park Citadel, Sans Souci,
Ramiers Haiti 139
Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid
region Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 77
Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor
Montenegro 84
Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve
Russian Federation 716
Naval Port of Karlskrona Sweden 553
Nea Moni of Chios, Monastery of Greece 342
Negev, Desert Cities in the Israel 740
Nemrut Da Turkey 292
Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes (Mons)
Belgium 652
Neolithic Site of atalhyk Turkey 856
Nessebar, Ancient City of Bulgaria 165
Nesvizh, Architectural, Residential and Cultural
Complex of the Radziwill Family at Belarus
748
New Caledonia, Lagoons of France 788
New Lanark United Kingdom 659
New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands New
Zealand 556
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania 42
Niger, W National Park of Niger 485
Nikko, Shrines and Temples of Japan 604
Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Mount Cte
dIvoire and Guinea 126
Ningaloo Coast Australia 830
Niokolo-Koba National Park Senegal 116
Nisa, Parthian Fortresses of Turkmenistan 778
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park Bolivia
636
Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin France 850
i ndex 889
Northern Syria, Ancient Villages of Syrian Arab
Republic 837
Notre-Dame, Cathedral of, Reims France 372
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai Belgium 655
Novgorod and Surroundings, Historic
Monuments of Russian Federation 383
Novodevichy Convent, Ensemble of the Russian
Federation 728
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
Egypt 56
Nuclear Test Site, Bikini Atoll Marshall Is 809
O
Oaxaca, Historic Centre of Mexico 286
Ogasawara Islands Japan 841
Ohrid region, Natural and Cultural Heritage of
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
77
Okapi Wildlife Reserve Dem. Rep. of the Congo
478
land, Agricultural Landscape of Southern
Sweden 640
Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar
Bosnia and Herzegovina 734
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh United
Kingdom 470
Old City of Acre Israel 680
Old City of Berne Switzerland 157
Old City of Dubrovnik Croatia 86
Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls 114
Old City of Salamanca Spain 328
Old City of Sanaa Yemen 245
Old City of Zamo Poland 382
Old Havana and its Fortication System Cuba
146
Old Rauma Finland 368
Old Town of vila with its Extra-Muros
Churches Spain 233
Old Town of Cceres Spain 253
Old Town of Corfu Greece 771
Old Town of Galle and its Fortications Sri
Lanka 320
Old Town of Ghadams Libya 261
Old Town of Lijiang China 510
Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof
Germany 753
Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct Spain 209
Old Town Lunenburg Canada 463
Old Towns of Djenn Mali 310
Old Village of Hollk< and its Surroundings
Hungary 293
Old Walled City of Shibam Yemen 152
Olinda, Historic Centre of the Town of Brazil
150
Olomouc, Holy Trinity Column in Czech
Republic 637
Olympia, Archaeological Site of Greece 336
Olympic National Park USA 128
Omo, Lower Valley of the Ethiopia 106
Oporto, Historic Centre of Portugal 482
Orange, Roman Theatre and its Surroundings
and the Triumphal Arch of France 120
Orastie Mountains, Dacian Fortresses of the
Romania 597
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape Mongolia
719
Orkney, Heart of Neolithic United Kingdom 570
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove Nigeria 741
Otsu Japan 438
Ouadane, Ancient Ksour of Mauritania 478
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest
of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)
Lebanon 569
Oualata, Ancient Ksour of Mauritania 478
Ounianga, Lakes of Chad 854
Our Lady at Sedlec, Cathedral of Czech
Republic 469
Ouro Preto, Historic Town of Brazil 108
Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias,
Monuments of Spain 217
P
Padua, Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico)
Italy 532
Padula, Certosa di Italy 558
Paestum Italy 558
Paharpur, Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at
Bangladesh 222
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region Cyprus
210
Palace and Gardens of Schnbrunn Austria 502
Palace and Park of Fontainebleau France 113
Palace and Park of Versailles France 62
Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey
including Saint Margarets Church United
Kingdom 272
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
Germany 346
Palau de la Msica Catalana and Hospital de
Sant Pau, Barcelona Spain 528
Palazzi dei Rolli, Genoa Italy 759
Palenque, Pre-Hispanic City and National Park
of Mexico 299
Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of
Thessalonika Greece 313
Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain Spain
220
Palladian Villas of The Veneto Italy 428
Palmaria Italy 513
Palmeral of Elche Spain 639
Palmyra, Site of Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) 100
Pampas de Jumana Peru 434
Panam Viejo, Archaeological Site of Panama
529
Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment,
Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Hungary 479
Pantalica, Rocky Necropolis of Italy 750
Pantanal Conservation Area Brazil 656
Papahnaumokukea USA 814
Papal Palace, Avignon France 444
Paphos Cyprus 101
Paquim, Archaeological Zone of Mexico 563
Paramaribo, Historic Inner City of Suriname
687
Paris, Banks of the Seine France 360
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares Argentina 111
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa Turkmenistan 778
Pasargadae Islamic Republic of Iran 714
Ptmos, Island of Greece 603
Pattadakal, Group of Monuments at India 308
Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy
Bahrain 849
Pcs (Sopianae), Early Christian Necropolis of
Hungary 619
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian China 298
Pennsula Valds Argentina 590
Perdu, Mont France and Spain 508
Persepolis Islamic Republic of Iran 68
Persian Garden, The Islamic Republic of Iran
835
Petjvesi Old Church Finland 436
Petra Jordan 212
Petrogylphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai
Mongolia 842
Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape
of Tamgaly Kazakhstan 729
Philae, Nubian Monuments Egypt 56
Philippine Cordilleras, Rice Terraces of the
Philippines 466
Phoenix Islands Protected Area Kiribati 821
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Vietnam
706
Piana, Calanche of France 174
Piazza del Duomo, Pisa Italy 265
Piazza Grande, Modena Italy 520
Pico Island Vineyard Culture, Landscape of the
Portugal 731
Piedmont and Lombardy, Sacri Monti of Italy
695
Pienza, Historic Centre of the City of Italy 495
Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at
Zelen Hora Czech Republic 443
Pilgrimage Church of Wies Germany 176
Pilgrimage Park Poland 594
Pilgrimage Route and the Church of the
Nativity, Bethlehem, Birthplace of Jesus
Palestine 853
Ping Yao, Ancient City of China 540
Pirin National Park Bulgaria 179
Pisa, Piazza del Duomo Italy 265
Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island
France 812
Pitons Management Area Saint Lucia 711
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrire and Place
dAlliance in Nancy France 169
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum
Complex, Antwerp Belgium 745
Plitvice Lakes National Park Croatia 57
Po Delta Italy 453
Poblet Monastery Spain 366
Polonnaruwa, Ancient City of Sri Lanka 140
Pompei, Archaeological Area of Italy 524
Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) France 229
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal United
Kingdom 801
Popocatepetl, Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries
on the Slopes of Mexico 432
Pore, Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian
Basilica in the Historic Centre of Croatia 516
Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments,
Cartagena Colombia 184
Porto, Gulf of: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of
Girolata, Scandola Reserve France 174
Portobelo-San Lorenzo Panama 99
Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands
(Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) Italy 513
Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
Morocco 717
890 i ndex
Potala Palace, Historic Ensemble of the China
425
Potos, City of Bolivia 289
Potsdam and Berlin, Palaces and Parks of
Germany 346
Prague, Historic Centre of Czech Republic 384
Prambanan Temple Compounds Indonesia 373
Preah Vihear, Temple of Cambodia 789
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza Mexico 330
Pre-Hispanic City, El Tajin Mexico 394
Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of
Palenque Mexico 299
Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan Mexico 288
Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal Mexico 489
Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the
Central Valley of Oaxaca Mexico 817
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy
and Slovenia 839
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Ca Valley and
Siega Verde Portugal and Spain 563
Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the
Vzre Valley France 44
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany
Germany, Slovakia and Ukraine 772
Protective Town of San Miguel and the
Sanctuary of Jess Nazareno de Atotonilco
Mexico 781
Proto-urban Site of Sarazm Tajikistan 817
Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs France 669
Puebla, Historic Centre of Mexico 284
Puerto Rico, La Fortaleza and San Juan
National Historic Site in USA 166
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National
Park Philippines 601
Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis
Tunisia 220
Purnululu National Park Australia 699
Putorana Plateau Russian Federation 819
Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur Egypt 70
Pyrnes - Mont Perdu France and Spain 508
Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos Greece 388
Q
Qbus, Gonbad-e Islamic Republic of Iran 850
Qalat al-Bahrain Ancient Harbour and
Capital of Dilmun Bahrain 746
Qalat Salah El-Din Syrian Arab Republic
(Syria) 761
Qalat Sherqat (Ashur) Iraq 697
Qin Emperor, Mausoleum of the First China
300
Qing Dynasty, Imperial Tombs of the China 616
Qingcheng, Mount, and the Dujiangyan
Irrigation System China 648
Qubec, Old, Historic District of Canada 206
Quebrada de Humahuaca Argentina 705
Quedlinburg, Old Town of Germany 441
Queensland, Wet Tropics of Australia 311
Quertaro, Franciscan Missions in the Sierra
Gorda of Mexico 703
Quertaro, Historic Monuments Zone of Mexico
496
Qufu, Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and
the Kong Family Mansion in China 433
Quirigua, Archaeological Park and Ruins of
Guatemala 130
Quito, City of Ecuador 32
Quseir Amra Jordan 221
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi India
413
R
Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City:
a Shared Heritage Morocco 857
Radziwill Family at Nesvizh, Architectural,
Residential and Cultural Complex of the
Belarus 748
Rainforests of the Atsinanana Madagascar
778
Ramiers Haiti 139
Rammelsberg, Mines of Germany 387
Rapa Nui National Park Chile 454
Ravenna, Early Christian Monuments of Italy
487
Red Bay Basque Whaling Station Canada
865
Red Fort Complex India 765
Red Square, Moscow Russian Federation 350
Redwood National Park USA 103
Regensburg with Stadtamhof, Old Town of
Germany 753
Reichenau, Monastic Island of Germany 640
Reims, Cathedral of Notre-Dame France 372
Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of beda
and Baeza Spain 697
Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatia
Metropolitans Ukraine 827
Residences of the Royal House of Savoy Italy 541
Reunion Island, Pitons, cirques and remparts of
France 812
Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina
Landscapes Italy and Switzerland 784
Rhine Valley, Upper Middle Germany 684
Rhodes, Medieval City of Greece 324
Ribeira Grande, Historic Centre of Cape Verde
799
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
Philippines 466
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
South Africa 764
Rideau Canal Canada 773
Rietveld Schrderhuis (Rietveld Schrder House),
Utrecht Netherlands 636
Riga, Historic Centre of Latvia 544
Rila Monastery Bulgaria 178
Ro Abiseo National Park Peru 356
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the
Mountain and the Sea Brazil 844
Ro Pinturas, Cueva de las Manos, Argentina
607
Ro Pltano Biosphere Reserve Honduras 142
Riversleigh, Fossil Mammal Site Australia 429
Rros Mining Town and the Circumference
Norway 104
Robben Island South Africa 569
Rock Art of Alta Norway 232
Rock Art Cultural Landscape, Gobustan
Azerbaijan 767
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the
Iberian Peninsula Spain 562
Rock Carvings in Tanum Sweden 432
Rock Drawings in Valcamonica Italy 76
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon Palau 858
Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco
Mexico 419
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka India 694
Rock-Art Area, Chongoni Malawi 756
Rock-Art Sites, Kondoa Tanzania 755
Rock-Art Sites in the Ca Valley, Prehistoric
Portugal 563
Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus Libya 234
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela Ethiopia 32
Rohtas Fort Pakistan 532
Roman Empire, Frontiers of the United Kingdom
and Germany 273
Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and
Church of Our Lady in Trier Germany 251
Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the
Triumphal Arch of Orange France 120
Roman Walls of Lugo Spain 649
Rome, Historic Centre of Italy 92
Roskilde Cathedral Denmark 452
Route of Santiago de Compostela Spain 397
Routes of Santiago de Compostela France 557
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew United Kingdom
692
Royal Domain of Drottningholm Sweden 371
Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens,
Melbourne Australia 718
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga Madagascar 663
Royal Monastery of Santa Mara de Guadalupe
Spain 416
Royal Palaces of Abomey Benin 232
Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans France 153
Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty Republic of
Korea 799
Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur
Bangladesh 222
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo
Mnara Tanzania 116
Ruins of Len Viejo Nicaragua 619
Ruins of Loropni Burkina Faso 805
Rwenzori Mountains National Park Uganda 430
Ryukyu, Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of
the Kingdom of Japan 643
S
Sabbioneta Italy 797
Sabratha, Archaeological Site of Libya 149
Sacred City of Anuradhapura Sri Lanka 138
Sacred City of Caral-Supe Peru 800
Sacred City of Kandy Sri Lanka 314
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests Kenya 782
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii
Mountain Range Japan 726
Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy Italy
695
Safranbolu, City of Turkey 442
Sagarmatha National Park Nepal 85
Sahr-i-Bahlol Pakistan 110
St Augustines Abbey, Canterbury United
Kingdom 327
St Barbara, Church of, Kutn Hora Czech
Republic 469
St Catherine Area Egypt 688
St Gall, Abbey of Switzerland 176
i ndex 891
St George, Historic Town of, Bermuda United
Kingdom 621
St James, Cathedral of, ibenik Croatia 627
St John of Nepomuk at Zelen Hora,
Pilgrimage Church of Czech Republic 443
Saint John the Theologian, Monastery of,
Greece 603
St Kilda United Kingdom 241
Saint Margarets Church, Westminster United
Kingdom 272
St Marys Cathedral and St Michaels Church
at Hildesheim Germany 225
St Martins Church, Canterbury United
Kingdom 327
St Peter, Cathedral of, Trier Germany 251
Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of
Monuments,Historic Centre of Russian
Federation 344
St Procopius Basilica in Teb Czech Republic
704
Saint-Emilion, Jurisdiction of France 600
Saint-Louis, Island of Senegal 626
Saint-Rmi, Former Abbey of France 372
Saint-Savin sur Gartempe, Abbey Church of
France 168
Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic
Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Ukraine 347
Salamanca, Old City of Spain 328
Salins-les-Bains, Great Saltworks of France 153
Salonga National Park Dem. Rep. of the Congo
186
Saloum Delta Senegal 832
Saltaire United Kingdom 665
Salvador de Bahia, Historic Centre of Brazil 208
Salzburg, Historic Centre of the City of Austria
498
Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape Austria 531
Samaipata, Fuerte de Bolivia 556
Samarkand Crossroad of Cultures Uzbekistan
670
Samarra Archaeological City Iraq 767
Sammallahdenmki, Bronze Age Burial Site of
Finland 599
Samos, Pythagoreion and Heraion of Greece
388
San Agustn Archeological Park Colombia 458
San Cristbal de La Laguna Spain 587
San Francesco, Basilica of Italy 632
San Gimignano, Historic Centre of Italy 358
San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
USA 166
San Leucio Complex Italy 527
San Lorenzo Panama 99
San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano
San Marino 782
San Miguel and the Sanctuary of Jess Nazareno de
Atotonilco, Protective Town of Mexico 781
San Milln Yuso and Suso Monasteries Spain
535
San Paolo Fuori le Mura Italy 92
San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba
Cuba 548
Sanaa, Old City of Yemen 245
Sanahin, Monastery of Armenia 500
Sanchi, Buddhist Monuments at India 342
Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus Greece 315
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas Brazil
223
Sangay National Park Ecuador 171
Sangha Trinational Cameroon, Central African
Republic and Congo 848
Sangiran Early Man Site Indonesia 503
Sanqingshan, Mount, National Park China 796
Sans Souci Haiti 139
Sant Pau, Hospital de, Barcelona Spain 528
Santa Ana de los Ros de Cuenca, Historic
Centre of Ecuador 576
Santa Cruz de Mompox, Historic Centre of
Colombia 473
Santa Mara de Guadalupe, Royal Monastery
of Spain 416
Santa Maria delle Grazie with The Last Supper
by Leonardo da Vinci, Church and Dominican
Convent of Italy 95
Santiago de Compostela, Route of Spain 397
Santiago de Compostela in France, Routes of
France 557
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) Spain 211
Santiago de Cuba, San Pedro de la Roca Castle
Cuba 548
So Cristvo, Sa Francisco Square in the
Town of Brazil 809
Santo Domingo, Colonial City of Dominican
Republic 343
Sa Francisco Square in the Town of So
Cristvo Brazil 809
Sa Miguel das Misses, Ruins of Brazil 159
Sapi Safari Area Zimbabwe 186
So Lus, Historic Centre of Brazil 537
Sarazm, Proto-urban Site of Tajikistan 817
Saryarka Steppe and Lakes of Northern
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 786
Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches
of Matera, The Italy 399
Savoy, Residences of the Royal House of Italy 541
Scandola Reserve France 174
Schloss Eggenberg, City of Graz Historic
Centre and Austria 585
Schokland and Surroundings Netherlands 449
Schnbrunn, Palace and Gardens of Austria 502
Segovia, Old Town of Spain 209
Seine, Banks of the France 360
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex Turkey
828
Selous Game Reserve Tanzania 137
Semmering Railway Austria 551
Senegambia, Stone Circles of The Gambia and
Senegal 755
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple
Republic of Korea 457
Serengeti National Park Tanzania 112
Serra da Capivara National Park Brazil 374
Serra de Tramuntana, Cultural Landscape of
the Spain 839
Seuthopolis, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Bulgaria 49
Seventeenth-century canal ring area of
Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht
Netherlands 818
Seville, Cathedral, Alczar and Archivo de Indias
in Spain 266
Sewell Mining Town Chile 762
SGang Gwaay Canada 133
Shakhrisyabz, Historic Centre of Uzbekistan 629
Shark Bay, Western Australia Australia 368
Sheikh Sa al-Din Khnegh and Shrine
Ensemble in Ardabil Islamic Republic of Iran
810
Shenyang, Imperial Palaces of the Ming and
Qing Dynasties China 277
Shibam, Old Walled City of Yemen 152
Shirakami-Sanchi Japan 415
Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, Historic Villages
of Japan 462
Shiretoko Japan 748
Shirvanshahs Palace, Baku Azerbaijan 607
Shrines and Temples of Nikko Japan 604
Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System Islamic
Republic of Iran 803
Sian Kaan Mexico 267
ibenik, The Cathedral of St James in Croatia
627
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries Wolong,
Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains China
751
Siega Verde, Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the
Ca Valley and Portugal and Spain 563
Siena, Historic Centre of Italy 460
Sierra de San Francisco, Rock Paintings of the
Mexico 419
Sierra Gorda of Quertaro, Franciscan Missions
in the Mexico 703
Sierra Maestra, Archaeological Landscape of the
First Coffee Plantations Cuba 649
Sighioara, Historic Centre of Romania 592
Sigiriya, Ancient City of Sri Lanka 151
Siguniang, Mt, Giant Panda Sanctuary China
751
Sikhote-Alin, Central Russian Federation 664
Simien National Park Ethiopia 37
Singelgracht, Seventeenth-century canal ring
area of Amsterdam inside the Netherlands 818
Sinharaja Forest Reserve Sri Lanka 316
Sintra, Cultural Landscape of Portugal 447
Site of Carthage Tunisia 46
Site of Palmyra Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) 100
Site of Xanadu China 852
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel:
The Nahal Mearot / Wadi el-Mughara
Caves Israel 843
Skellig Michael Monastery Ireland 492
kocjan Caves Slovenia 261
Skogskyrkogrden Sweden 435
Slovak Karst, Caves of Aggtelek Karst and
Hungary and Slovakia 456
Socotra Archipelago Yemen 785
Soa, Boyana Church Bulgaria 60
Solovetsky Islands, Cultural and Historic
Ensemble of the Russian Federation 392
Soltaniyeh Islamic Republic of Iran 746
Songo Mnara, Ruins of Tanzania 116
Sopianae (Pcs), Early Christian Necropolis of
Hungary 619
Sopoani Serbia 76
Sousse, Medina of Tunisia 317
South China Karst China 768
Southern Little Poland, Wooden Churches of
Poland 702
892 i ndex
Speyer Cathedral Germany 128
Spiennes (Mons), Neolithic Flint Mines at
Belgium 652
Spisk Hrad and the Associated Cultural
Monuments Slovakia 417
Split, Historical Complex of Croatia 82
Srebarna Nature Reserve Bulgaria 168
Sri Lanka, Central Highlands of Sri Lanka 823
Stari Grad Plain Croatia 790
Stari Ras and Sopoani Serbia 76
State Historical and Cultural Park Ancient
Merv Turkmenistan 573
Statue of Liberty USA 187
Sterkfontein, Fossil Hominid Site of South
Africa 593
Stoclet House Belgium 805
Stone Circles of Senegambia The Gambia and
Senegal 755
Stone Town of Zanzibar Tanzania 612
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites
United Kingdom 254
Stralsund, Historic Centre of Germany 690
Strasbourg Grande le France 334
Struve Geodetic Arc Belarus, Estonia, Finland,
Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Republic of
Moldova, Russian Federation, Sweden and
Ukraine 747
Studenica Monastery Serbia 250
Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of
Fountains Abbey United Kingdom 248
Su Nuraxi di Barumini Italy 546
Sucre, Historic City of Bolivia 367
Sukhothai, Historic Town of Thailand 375
Sukur Cultural Landscape Nigeria 587
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain Kyrgyzstan
803
Sumatra, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of
Indonesia 712
Summer Palace and Imperial Garden in Beijing
China 552
Sun Temple, Konrak India 183
Sundarbans, The Bangladesh 512
Sundarbans National Park India 271
Suomenlinna, Fortress of Finland 378
Surtsey Iceland 789
Suso Monastery Spain 535
Southern Anhui, Ancient Villages in Xidi and
Hongcun China 653
Suzdal, White Monuments of Russian
Federation 396
Suzhou, Classical Gardens of China 518
Sveshtari, Thracian Tomb of Bulgaria 234
Swartkrans, Fossil Hominid Site South Africa
593
Swidnica, Church of Peace Poland 675
Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch Switzerland 660
Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona Switzerland 787
Sydney Opera House Australia 763
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica
Italy 750
T
Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex Islamic
Republic of Iran 815
Tadrart Acacus, Rock-Art Sites of Libya 234
Ta National Park Cte dIvoire 139
Taishan, Mount China 297
Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs)
Tajikistan 861
Taj Mahal India 154
Takht-e Soleyman Islamic Republic of Iran 691
Takht-i-Bahi, Buddhist Ruins at Pakistan 110
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La
Amistad National Park Costa Rica and
Panama 162
Talampaya Natural Park Argentina 628
Tallinn, Historic Centre (Old Town) of Estonia
509
Tamgaly, Petroglyphs within the Archaeological
Landscape of Kazakhstan 729
Tanum, Rock Carvings in Sweden 432
Taos Pueblo USA 380
Tarquinia, Etruscan Necropolises of Italy 729
Trraco, Archaeological Ensemble of Spain 621
Tasmanian Wilderness Australia 143
Tassili nAjjer Algeria 145
Tatshenshini-Alsek Canada and USA 52
Tau, Palace of France 372
Taxila Pakistan 109
Tchogha Zanbil Islamic Republic of Iran 88
Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand
New Zealand 354
Teide National Park Spain 766
Tel-Aviv, White City of The Modern
Movement Israel 694
Tel, Historic Centre of Czech Republic 392
Tels, Bibilical Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba
Israel 739
Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae Greece
240
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong
Family Mansion in Qufu China 433
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacricial Altar
in Beijing China 559
Temple of Preah Vihear Cambodia 789
Tnr Natural Reserve Niger 367
Teotihuacan, Pre-Hispanic City of Mexico 288
Tequila, Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial
Facilities of Mexico 754
Ttouan (formerly known as Titawin), Medina of
Morocco 522
Thang Long Hanoi, Central Sector of the
Imperial Citadel of Vietnam 816
Thatta Pakistan 118
The Causses and the Cvennes, Mediterranean
agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape France 826
The Dolomites Italy 807
The Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and
their Environs, La Louvire and Le Roeulx
(Hainault) Belgium 554
The Great Wall China 294
The Persian Garden Islamic Republic of Iran 835
The Sassi and the park of the Rupestrian
Churches of Matera Italy 399
The Sundarbans Bangladesh 512
The Trulli of Alberobello Italy 501
The Wadden Sea Germany and Netherlands 804
Thebes, Ancient Egypt 74
Thessalonika, Paleochristian and Byzantine
Monuments of Greece 313
ingvellir National Park Iceland 709
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak Bulgaria 49
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari Bulgaria 234
Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of
the Market-Town of Bellinzone Switzerland
610
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
China 700
Thugga Tunisia 530
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife
Sanctuaries Thailand 364
Tichitt, Ancient Ksour of Mauritania 478
Tierradentro, National Archeological Park of
Colombia 473
Tikal National Park Guatemala 88
Timbuktu Mali 321
Timgad Algeria 148
Tinetto Italy 513
Tino Italy 513
Tipasa Algeria 142
Tiryns, Archaeological Site of Greece 574
Titano, Mount San Marino 782
Titawin, Medina of Morocco 522
Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the
Tiwanaku Culture Bolivia 634
Tiya Ethiopia 106
Tlacotalpan, Historic Monuments Zone of
Mexico 548
Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape
Hungary 686
Toledo, Historic City of Spain 242
Tomar, Convent of Christ in Portugal 175
Tomb of Askia Mali 725
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi Uganda
663
Tongariro National Park New Zealand 349
Torre Annunziata, Archaeological Area of Italy
524
Torre Civica, Modena Italy 520
Toru, Medieval Town of Poland 526
Tournai, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Belgium 655
Tower of Belm Portugal 163
Tower of Hercules Spain 806
Tower of London United Kingdom 312
Town of Bamberg Germany 406
Town of Luang Prabang Lao Peoples
Democratic Republic (Laos) 464
Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of
Bremen Germany 727
Transylvania, Villages with Fortied Churches in
Romania 404
Trier, Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter
and Church of Our Lady in Germany 251
Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios Cuba 323
Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad,
Architectural Ensemble of the Russian
Federation 420
Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks, The
Depositories for Republic of Korea 462
Trogir, Historic City of Croatia 533
Troodos Region, Painted Churches in the Cyprus
210
Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra
Indonesia 712
Troy, Archaeological Site of Turkey 550
Trulli of Alberobello, The Italy 501
Teb, Jewish Quarter and St Procopius
Basilica in Czech Republic 704
i ndex 893
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
Madagascar 352
Tsodilo Botswana 668
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Philippines 412
Tugendhat Villa in Brno Czech Republic 681
Tunis, Medina of Tunisia 72
Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes Namibia 770
Tyre Lebanon 197
U
beda and Baeza, Renaissance Monumental
Ensembles of Spain 697
/Ui-//aes, Twyfelfontein or Namibia 770
Uji Japan 438
Ujung Kulon National Park Indonesia 374
Ulueu-Kata Tjula National Park Australia 306
Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefaa) Jordan 713
Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico
(UNAM), Central University City Campus of
the Mexico 770
Universitaria de Caracas, Ciudad Venezuela 644
University and Historic Precinct of Alcal de
Henares Spain 568
University of Coimbra Alta and Soa Portugal
863
University of Virginia in Charlottesville USA
304
Upper Azat Valley Armenia 630
Upper Harz Water Management System
Germany 387
Upper Middle Rhine Valley Germany 684
Upper Svaneti Georgia 481
Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos Cuba 749
Urbino, Historic Centre of Italy 567
Urnes Stave Church Norway 81
Uvs Nuur Basin Mongolia and Russian
Federation 693
Uxmal, Pre-Hispanic Town of Mexico 489
V
Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily), Late
Baroque Towns of the Italy 690
Val dOrcia Italy 724
Valcamonica, Rock Drawings in Italy 76
Vall de Bo, Catalan Romanesque Churches of
the Spain 644
Valle de Mai Nature Reserve Seychelles 171
Valletta, City of Malta 93
Valley of Flowers National Parks India 333
Valparaso, Historic Quarter of the Seaport City
of Chile 696
Vanvitelli, Aqueduct of Italy 527
Varberg Radio Station, Grimeton Sweden 725
Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements
within the Champasak Cultural Landscape
Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Laos) 679
Vatican City Holy See 180
Vauban, Fortications of France 794
Vegayan the Vega Archipelago Norway 716
Velia Italy 558
Veneto, Palladian Villas of the Italy 428
Venice and its Lagoon Italy 268
Vergina, Archaeological Site of Greece 504
Verla Groundwood and Board Mill Finland 486
Verona, City of Italy 618
Versailles, Palace and Park of France 62
Vzelay, Church and Hill France 66
Vzre Valley, Prehistoric Sites and Decorated
Caves of the France 44
Vicenza, City of Italy 428
Victoria Falls Zambia and Zimbabwe 338
Victoria Terminus, India 723
Vienna, Historic Centre of Austria 678
Vigan, Historic Town of Philippines 582
Villa Adriana, Tivoli Italy 595
Villa dEste, Tivoli Italy 673
Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina
Italy 546
Villages with Fortied Churches in Transylvania
Romania 404
Vilnius Historic Centre Lithuania 421
Viales Valley Cuba 593
Virgin Komi Forests Russian Federation 449
Virunga National Park Dem. Rep. of the
Congo 45
Visby, Hanseatic Town of Sweden 459
Viegrad, Mehmed Paa Sokolovi Bridge in
Bosnia and Herzegovina 779
Vizcaya Bridge Spain 758
Vladimir and Suzdal, White Monuments of
Russian Federation 396
Vlkolnec Slovakia 418
Volcanoes of Kamchatka Russian Federation
490
Vlklingen Ironworks Germany 441
Volubilis, Archaeological Site of Morocco 543
Vredefort Dome South Africa 747
W
W National Park of Niger Niger 485
Wachau Cultural Landscape Austria 641
Wadden Sea, The Germany and Netherlands
804
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) Egypt 738
Wadi el-Mughara / The Nahal Mearot Caves,
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel:
Israel 843
Wadi Rum Protected Area Jordan 834
Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshahs
Palace and Maiden Tower Azerbaijan 607
Wallonia, Major Mining Sites of Belgium 855
Warsaw, Historic Centre of Poland 89
Wartburg Castle Germany 589
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park
Canada and USA 450
Weimar and Dessau, Bauhaus and its Sites in
Germany 484
Western Caucasus Russian Federation 601
Western Galilee, Bah Holy Places in the
Israel 793
Western Ghats India 847
West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou
China 831
Wet Tropics of Queensland Australia 311
Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino Mexico 401
Whale Valley (Wadi Al-Hitan) Egypt 738
White City of Tel-Aviv The Modern
Movement Israel 694
White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal
Russian Federation 396
Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines,
Poland 36
Wies, Pilgrimage Church of Germany 176
Willandra Lakes Region Australia 125
Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaao
Historic Area of Netherlands 528
Wismar, Historic Centre of Germany 690
Wittenberg, Luther Memorial in Germany 503
Wolong Giant Panda Sanctuary China 751
Wood Buffalo National Park Canada 170
Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the
Carpathian Mountain Area Slovakia 795
Wooden Churches of Maramure Romania 581
Wooden Churches of Southern Maopolska
Poland 702
Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in
Poland and Ukraine Poland and Ukraine 868
Works of Antoni Gaud Spain 182
Wrangel Island Reserve, Natural System of
Russian Federation 716
Wrangell-St Elias Canada and USA 52
Wroclaw, Centennial Hall in Poland 752
Wudang Mountains, Ancient Building Complex
in the China 429
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area
China 382
Wrzburg Residence with the Court Gardens
and Residence Square Germany 132
Wutai, Mount China 802
Wuyi, Mount China 598
X
Xanadu, Site of China 852
Xanthos-Letoon Turkey 333
Xidi, Southern Anhui China 653
Xinjiang Tianshan China 867
Xochicalco, Archaeological Monuments Zone of
Mexico 605
Xochimilco Mexico 284
Y
Yagul, Prehistoric Caves of Mexico 817
Yakushima Japan 400
Yangdong, Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe
and Republic of Korea 822
Yaroslavl, Historical Centre of the City of
Russian Federation 744
Yellowstone National Park USA 34
Yin Xu China 759
Yosemite National Park USA 184
Yungang Grottoes China 672
Yunnan Protected Areas, Three Parallel Rivers
of China 700
Z
Zabid, Historic Town of Yemen 398
Zacatecas, Historic Centre of Mexico 419
Zamo, Old City of Poland 382
Zanzibar, Stone Town of Tanzania 612
Zelen Hora, Pilgrimage Church of St John of
Nepomuk at Czech Republic 443
Zhoukoudian, Peking Man Site at China 298
Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in
Essen Germany 667
Zvartnots, Archaeological Site of Armenia 655
894 i ndex
acknowledgements 895
Acknowledgements
Concept, design, maps, editorial and project management by the staff
at Collins Geo, Glasgow.
Text edited by Collins Geo. Based on ofcial information made available
by the United Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) and its World Heritage Centre.
With thanks to:
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre and its staff.
The freelance editors, copywriters, cartographers and pre-press
individuals and organizations.
Image credits
Images supplied by www.shutterstock.com unless noted with an asterisk.
All photographers credited unless unknown.
picture located on the upper half of the page
picture located on the lower half of the page
27,javarman; 27,javarman; 28,Duncan Gilbert; 29,faberfoto;
31,Wiktor Bubniak; 32*UNESCO/Jim Williams; 32,Jennifer Stone;
33,skyfish; 33,skyfish; 35,Katrina Leigh; 36*Anna Rosinska-Renaud;
37Will Davies; 39,Olga Kolos; 41,Wiktor Bubniak; 42,Kitch Bain;
42,Kitch Bain; 43,PixAchi; 45*Africa Conservation Fund/www.gorilla.
cd; 47,WitR; 47,Danijela Pavlovic Markovic; 48,Ryan Morgan;
49*Tito Dupret; 51,Om Prakash Yadav; 52,Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz;
53,John A. Anderson; 55,Anton Foltin; 56,Mirek Hejnicki;
56,Vladimir Wrangel; 57,Maugli; 59,Cristina Ciochina; 60*Tito
Dupret; 61,Aleksander Bolbot; 63,Marek Slusarczyk; 64,Tony Strong;
65,Gautier Willaume; 67,Sofilou; 68,steba; 71,Vladamir Wrangel;
72,Piotr Sikora; 73,Daniel Loncarevic; 75,Connors Bros.; 77,Ljupco
Smokovski; 79,W H Chow; 80,PavleMarjanovic; 81,Andrea Seemann;
83,Krkr; 84,Svetlana Tikhonova; 85,Jason Maehl; 87,paradoks_
blizanaca; 88*Tito Dupret; 89,Copestello; 90,Sam Chadwick;
91,Grigory Kubatyan; 92,lexan; 93,PixAchi; 94*Nuria Ortega;
95,Belle Momenti Photography; 96,William Attard McCarthy;
97*UNESCO/Marc Patry; 98*T6 Ecosystem/UNESCO; 99,Matt
Ragen; 100,OPIS; 101,Ioannis Ioannou; 102*Tito Dupret;
102*Tito Dupret; 103,Andrew Ferguson; 104,Inger Anne Hulbkdal;
105,OPIS; 106*Tito Dupret; 106*Tito Dupret; 107,Milan
Ljubisavljevic; 108,David Davis; 109*Tito Dupret; 110*Tito Dupret;
111,David Thyberg; 112,Stephane Angue; 113,Darja Vorontsova;
115,Bomshtein; 115,Stavchansky Yakov; 116*Tito Dupret;
117,Claudio Giovanni Colombo; 118*Waqas Muhammad/Wikipedia;
119,Thomas Cristofoletti; 120,Philip Lange; 121,Norman Bateman;
123,tororo reaction; 123,tororo reaction; 124*(CC by sa 2.5) Ali Imran;
125,Sam DCruz; 126*Prof. Dr Mark-Oliver Rdel; 127,Sam DCruz;
129,Natalia Bratslavsky; 131,Claudio Giovanni Colombo; 132,Khirman
Vladimir; 133,Holger Ehlers; 135,Sailorr; 136*UNESCO/Giovanni
Boccardi; 137,faberfoto; 138,Mirek Hejnicki; 141,Emma Holmwood;
143,Ashley Whitworth; 144,WitR; 147,Leonid Katsyka; 149,Clara;
150,ostill; 151*Tito Dupret; 152,Vladimir Melnik; 155,Luciano
Mortula; 156,JeremyRichards; 157,Marek Slusarczyk; 158,Chris Howey;
160,JeremyRichards; 161,Jarno Gonzalez Zarraonandia; 163,Matt
Trommer; 164,Carolina K. Smith, M.D.; 165,Andreas Gradin; 167,Bryan
Busovicki; 169,Lazar Mihai-Bogdan; 170*(CC by sa 3.0) Alan D. Wilson;
173,Jarno Gonzalez Zarraonandia; 174,Bensliman; 175,Matt Trommer;
177,ultimathule; 178,sunnyfrog; 179,Ljupco Smokovski; 181,Slawomir
Kruz; 182,WH Chow; 183,JeremyRichards; 185,Susan McKenzie;
187,Marcio Jose Bastos Silva; 189,urosr; 190,Dennis Albert Richardson;
191,javarman; 192,Palis Michael; 195*Mark Steward; 195,Nelu
Goia; 196,Jason Maehl; 197,javarman; 199,Brandus Dan Lucian;
200,Vladimir Korostyshevskiy; 201,quantz; 203,Rafael Ramirez Lee;
204,omkar.a.v; 205,Olga Kolos; 207,Kenneth V. Pilon; 208,Jose
Miguel Hernandez Leon; 209,Justin Black; 210*Alonzo Addison;
211,Francisco Turnes; 213,Joseph Calev; 214,Jakub Cejpek;
216,Larsek; 217,Rafael Angel Garcia Dobarganes; 219,Dainis Derics;
221,Factoria singular fotografia; 222*Tito Dupret; 223*(CC by sa 2.0)
Glauco Umbelino; 224,JeremyRichards; 227,ImageDesign; 228*Tito
Dupret; 229,Elena Elisseeva; 231,Jaroslaw Grudzinski; 233,Oscar F.
Chuyn; 235,Jason Maehl; 236,Holger Mette; 237*Tito Dupret;
238,Chris Howey; 239,Jean Frooms; 241,Joe Gough;
242,aguilarphoto; 243,Fotowan; 244,Joe Gough; 245,Vladimir
Melnik; 246,Gail Johnson; 247,Nikolay Titov; 248,pdtnc; 249,Asit
Jain; 251,Jeremy R. Smith Sr.; 252,Mikhail Nekrasov; 253,LianeM;
255,John Evans; 256,Lola; 257,Gail Johnson; 259,inacio pires;
260,Ralph Loesche; 263,dr. Le Thanh Hung; 264,Bryan Busovicki;
265,edobric; 266,sokolovsky; 267,Joseph Calev; 269*Mark Steward;
269*Mark Steward; 270,Rachael Russell; 271*Tito Dupret;
271*Tito Dupret; 272,Vinicius Tupinamba; 273,SmarterMedium;
275,Zsolt Nyulaszi; 276,Sankar; 277,sunxuejun; 279,enote;
280,ostill; 281,rubiphoto; 282,Michael Avory; 285,Zack Frank;
287,Michael Levy; 287,Ian D Walker; 288*Tito Dupret; 289,Chris
Howey; 291,Tamara Kulikova; 292,Nathan Chor; 293,Mary Lane;
295,russal; 296,Joseph Calev; 297,emily2k; 298*Tito Dupret;
298*Tito Dupret; 299,Ales Liska; 301,Jack Cronkhite; 302,Duncan
de Young; 303,Martin Preston; 304,PRANAV VORA; 305,Bidouze
Stphane; 307,pandeqiang; 308*Tito Dupret; 309,Koylias Ioannis;
310,Jam.si; 311,tororo reaction; 312,Mary Lane; 313*UNESCO/
APF-Jos Kalpers - Africa Parks Foundation; 313,Panos Karapanagiotis;
314,Ewen Cameron; 315,Ivan Montero Martinez ; 316,Mithila Somasiri;
317,LouLouPhotos; 319,Bill Perry; 320,Evgeniapp; 322*Tito Dupret;
323,Alexey Goosev; 325,Jozsef Szasz-Fabian; 326,Thomas Barrat;
327,hauhu; 328,VanHart; 329,Clara; 331,Joseph Calev; 332,Andrew
Buckin; 333,Bill McKelvie; 334,Sjoerd van der Wal; 335,Aneta
Skoczewska; 336,Richard Bowden; 337,Pedro Pinto; 339,Korobanova;
341,Ioannis Nousis; 342*Tito Dupret; 343,rj lerich; 345,Fast Snail;
346,Dainis Derics; 347,Dmytro Korolov; 348*Tito Dupret; 349,Sam
DCruz; 351,Dimon; 352,POZZO DI BORGO Thomas; 353,rj lerich;
355,Sander van Sinttruye; 356,Artem Samokhvalov; 357,Tan,Kim Pin;
358,MASSIMO MERLINI; 359,akva; 361,CHRISTOPHE
ROLLAND; 361*Mark Steward; 362,Mircea BEZERGHEANU;
363,Magdalena Bujak; 364*Tito Dupret; 365,Grigory Kubatyan;
366,Sofilou; 367*Dieter Biskamp; 368,Alexander Studentschnig;
369,Bill Perry; 370,Specta; 371,Mikael Damkier; 372,ultimathule;
373,Cristina CIOCHINA; 374*Tito Dupret; 375,John Hemmings;
377,Elena Pokrovskaya; 378,Juha Sompinmki; 380*Tito Dupret;
381,POZZO DI BORGO Thomas; 382*Tito Dupret; 383,Alexander
Maksimov; 385,Ferenc Cegledi; 386,robert paul van beets; 387,Philip
Lange; 388*Tito Dupret; 389,Netfalls; 391,Luciano Mortula;
392,Olga Kolos; 394,Holger Mette; 394,Grigory Kubatyan; 395*Tito
Dupret; 396,Dmitriy Bryndin; 397,MCales; 398*Tito Dupret;
398*Carmen Daly Schelbert; 399,Olga Zaporozhskaya; 400,tororo
reaction; 402,Alan Kraft; 403,paul prescott; 404,PixAchi; 405,enote;
406,Khirman Vladimir; 409,Martin Mette; 410,Jarno Gonzalez
Zarraonandia; 411,Valery Shanin; 413,JeremyRichards; 414,Jozef
Sedmak; 415,Sam DCruz; 417,Wiktor Bubniak; 418,jpatava;
420,krechet; 421,tfrisch99; 423,Steffen Foerster Photography;
424,Fedor Selivanov; 425,Pichugin Dmitry; 427,Svetlana Tikhonova;
428,Thomas M Perkins; 429*Tito Dupret; 431,rm; 433,Bill Perry;
434,Jarno Gonzalez Zarraonandia; 436*Tito Dupret; 437,Tomasz Parys;
439,Huang Yuetao; 440,Kris Vandereycken; 442,polartern;
443,vospalej; 445,carlos sanchez pereyra; 446,Michael J Thompson;
447,Ungor; 448,Danilo Ascione; 449,Motordigitaal;
896 acknowledgements
451,2009fotofriends; 452,Alan Kraft;
453,Gianluca Figliola Fantini; 455,Andrzej
Gibasiewicz; 456,Falk Kienas; 457,Keith
Brooks; 458,Mark Van Overmeire; 459,Daniel
Gustavsson; 461,edobric; 462*Tito Dupret;
463,Helen & Vlad Filatov; 464,Willem Tims;
465,Claudio Giovanni Colombo; 467,Jonald
Morales; 468*Tito Dupret; 469,Jiri Krajicek;
471,godrick; 471*Ron Urquhart; 472,Joel
Blit; 475,Peter Zurek; 476,Kochergin;
477,koi88; 478*Reto Kuster; 479,Mary
Lane; 480,Xavier MARCHANT; 481*Tito
Dupret; 482,Jorge Felix Costa; 483,Joe
Barbarite; 484*Tito Dupret; 487,Valeria73;
489,Alex Garaev; 491,Pichugin Dmitry;
492,Sean Prior; 493,BESTWEB;
494,kirych; 495,L F File; 496,Bryan
Busovicki; 497,Andreas Gradin; 499,Tobias
Guttmann; 499,Marek Slusarczyk; 500,Zorik
Galstyan; 501,Valeria73; 502,Aron Brand;
503*Tito Dupret; 505,aguilarphoto;
507,Benson HE; 509,Veronika Trofer;
511,szefei; 512*Tito Dupret; 512*Tito
Dupret; 513,Dan Breckwoldt; 514,Lagui;
515,Maksym Kalyta; 517*Tito Dupret;
519,Mikhail Nekrasov; 520,MASSIMO
MERLINI; 521,Shapiro Svetlana; 522,Angels
at Work; 523,Floris Slooff; 525,Perov
Stanislav; 526,Tomasz Szymanski; 527,Dino;
528,Angels at Work; 529,rj lerich;
530,WitR; 531,Razvan Stroie; 532*Tito
Dupret; 533,Slawomir Kruz; 534,Bill Perry;
536,Chris102; 537,ostill; 539,ollirg;
540*Tito Dupret; 541,Mauro Bighin;
542,Tobias Machhaus; 543,Dainis Derics;
545,Vladimirs Koskins; 547,Marcin-linfernum;
549,Uwe Bumann; 550,MaxFX;
551*Austrian National Tourist Office/Diejun;
552,Buddhadl; 553,Joerg Hausmann;
555,Ivo Brezina; 557,Pichugin Dmitry;
557,MARTAFR; 559,sunxuejun; 560,Laitr
Keiows; 561,lexan; 562*Tito Dupret;
564,Andy Z.; 566*Tito Dupret; 567,luri;
568,photooiasson; 569*Tito Dupret;
569*Jethro Lennox; 571,David Woods;
572,Factoria singular fotografia; 573*Tito
Dupret; 574,Jan Schuler; 576*David Barrie/
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society;
577,Alfredo Schaufelberger; 578,Philip Lange;
579,Le Do; 580*M. L. Slot-Dekker;
581,Tudor Stanica; 582*Tito Dupret;
584*Tito Dupret; 585,OPIS; 586,Guillermo
Garcia; 589,Joerg Humpe; 591,Pablo H
Caridad; 592,Sorin Popa; 593,robert paul van
beets; 594,Bartlomiej K. Kwieciszewski;
595,Valeria73; 597,Insuratelu Gabriela
Gianina; 598,Sam DCruz; 599*Tito Dupret;
600,riekephotos; 601*Tito Dupret; 602,Ales
Liska; 603,baldovina; 604,WH CHOW;
605,Tootles; 606,kwest; 607,Marc C.
Johnson; 609*(CC by 2.0) sridgway;
610,Fedor Selivanov; 611,EcoPrint;
613,Albo; 614*Tito Dupret; 615,Birute
Vijeikiene; 616,zhouhui8525; 617,Jarno
Gonzalez Zarraonandia; 618,Vladimir Daragan;
621,Ismael Montero Verdu; 623,St. Nick;
624,Joao Virissimo; 625,slava_vn; 626*Tito
Dupret; 627,Hano Uzeirbegovic; 628,rm;
629*Tito Dupret; 630,Alexey Averiyanov;
631,Chong Wei Jin; 633,Ivonne Wierink;
634,javarman; 635,Tim Arbaev; 636*Tito
Dupret; 637,Karel Gallas; 638,Chow Shue
Ma; 639,Miguel Angel Pallardo del Rio;
640,Vladimir Korostyshevskiy; 641,Larky;
642*Tito Dupret; 645 zicci; 646,Pavel K;
648*Tito Dupret; 648*Tito Dupret;
651Wojciech Zbieg; 652*Tito Dupret;
653,Craig Hanson; 654,Buddhadl;
655,Zorik Galstyan; 655*Tito Dupret;
657,ecoventurestravel; 658,Eric Gevaert;
659,rubiphoto; 661,Julia R.; 662,Slvia
Antunes; 663*Tito Dupret; 665,Gyrohype;
666,Seleznev Oleg; 668*(CC by 2.0) Sara &
Joachim; 669,Graham Bloomfield;
670,javarman; 671,Daniel Gilbey ; 672*Tito
Dupret; 673,Joseph Calev; 674,Mark Breck;
677*Israel Ministry of Tourism www.goisrael.
com; 678,Alexander Cyliax; 679,Juha
Sompinmki; 680,Rostislav Glinsky;
681,Nestor Noci; 682*Tito Dupret;
683*UNESCO/Claudio Margottini;
685,LianeM; 686,Falk Kienas;
689,PavleMarjanovic; 690,mirabile;
691*Tito Dupret; 692,jeff gynane;
693*NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS,
and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team and Jesse
Allen; 694*Tito Dupret; 697*UNESCO/
Giovanni Boccardi; 699,urosr; 701,mastiffliu;
702,Wiktor Bubniak; 703*Tito Dupret;
704,AND Inc.; 705,rm; 706*Tito Dupret;
707,Andrew Barker; 708*MODIS/NASA;
709,Eirikur Kristjansson; 710,Igor Alyukov;
711,lidian; 712,Michael Steden; 713*Tito
Dupret; 714*(CC by sa 2.0) Sorosh;
715,fotique; 718,Joern; 721*Fleur Gayet;
723,Holger Mette; 724,Stuart Blyth; 725*(CC
by 2.0) Crazy Joe Devola; 727,Joerg Humpe;
728,Eremin Sergey; 730,Plotnikoff;
731,Horcio Jos Lopes dos Santos; 733,alysta;
736*UNESCO/Alessandro Balsamo; 737,Ng
Wei Keong; 739*Doron Nissim; 740*Tsvika
Tsuk; 741*beltsazar; 743,GagarinART;
744,Zimins@NET; 745*Tito; 746*Tito
Dupret; 749,Rafael Martin-Gaitero;
751,newphotoservice; 752,Kate Kotova;
752*Tito Dupret; 753,manfredxy; 754,Jesus
Cervantes; 755*(CC by sa 2.0) shaunamullally;
755*Tito Dupret; 757,Richard Griffin;
758,Ruta Saulyte-Laurinaviciene; 760*Tito
Dupret; 761,Holger Mette; 763,Neale
Cousland; 765,Holger Mette; 766,Vlad
Zharoff; 767,Tonis Valing; 769,Andy Lim;
770,ECOPRINT; 771,Petros Tsonis;
772,Brykaylo Yuriy; 773,Vlad Ghiea;
774*Tito Dupret; 775,Coquilleau; 776,El
Choclo; 777,lavigne herve;
779,PavleMarjanovic; 780,Connors Bros.;
783,Aleksandrs Jermakovichs; 785,Vladimir
Melnik; 786,Jens Stolt; 787,Peter Wey;
791,Lori Skelton ; 793,Tatiana Belova ;
794,Katarzyna Mazurowska; 795*(CC by 2.0)
PhillipC; 796*Tito Dupret;
797,RookCreations; 798,Salem Alforaih;
801*(CC by sa 2.5) Adrian Pingstone; 802*(CC
by sa 2.0) serapio; 804*Satellite image Jacques
Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team,
NASA/GSFC; 804*(CC by sa 3.0) Mogens
Engelund, Wikipedia; 806 rubiphoto; 807 Dan
Breckwoldt; 808 thewhiteview; 810*(CC by sa
2.0) Marmoulak; 811 zhu difeng; 812*(CC by
sa 3.0) B.navez; 813 ziggysofi; 814 Jeremy
Richards; 815*(CC by sa 2.0) Ensie & Matthias;
818 Gregory James Van Raalte; 819 Dmitry
Zamorin; 820 Fedor Selivanov; *821(CC 3.0)
Dr. Randi Rotjan, New England Aquarium.
www.neaq.org; 822 Stephan Scherhag; 823
Stephan Scherhag; 824 Jessmine; 826*(CC by
2.0) Chris Scott; 827*(CC by 2.0)
chernivtsi_112; 828*(CC by 2.0) Sholeh;
829 rj lerich; 830 Fred Kamphues; 831*(CC by
2.0) Pedrenet; 832 wiw; 833 UNESCO;
834 Carlos Neto; 836 urosr; 838 alanf;
839*(CC by 2.0) Llonguet; 840*(CC by 2.0)
kanegen; 840*(CC by 2.0) chaojikazu;
842*(CC by 2.0) Pichugin Dmitry; 842*(CC
by 2.0) hunta; 844 mangostock; 846
Dashutter; 847 EMJAY SMITH; 848
Uryadnikov Sergey; 849 V. J. Matthew; 850
Shifted; 850*(CC by sa 2.5); 851 inacio pires;
853 Zvonimir Atletic; 854*Sven Oehm (sven.
[email protected]); 856 muratart; 857 Witr;
859 Jason Ho; 860 Igor Plotnikov; 862
Anton_Ivanov; 863 Olga Meffista; 865
Mikhail Markovskiy; 866 elxeneize; 867
Vacclav; 868 Aleksandar Todorovic; 869
Ivan Smuk
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CC by sa 3.0
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(www.worldheritage-tour.org) is a non-prot
organization documenting World Heritage sites in
panography 360 degree imaging thanks to the
support of the J. M. Kaplan Fund from NewYork,
USA.
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