Man-made World Heritage Sites Abroad. Interesting places

In our world, there are many objects that are unique in their kind and make up world heritage humanity.

World heritage sites included in the special list of UNESCO are of great interest to the entire population of the planet. Unique natural and cultural objects make it possible to preserve those unique corners of nature and man-made monuments which demonstrate the richness of nature and the possibilities of the human mind.

The list of this organization contains objects among which there are separate architectural structures and ensembles, for example - the Acropolis, cathedrals in Amiens and Chartres, historical city centers - Warsaw and St. Petersburg; and there are whole cities - Brasilia, Venice, along with the lagoon and others. There are also archaeological reserves - for example, Delphi; National parks - marine park Great Barrier Reef, Yellowstone (USA) and others. The states on whose territory the World Heritage sites are located undertake obligations to preserve them.

It is worth noting that UNESCO World Heritage Sites are places and objects on the planet, in different countries selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in accordance with the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The Convention is designed to protect and preserve the outstanding cultural and natural values ​​that constitute the heritage of all mankind. The first three places in terms of the number of objects are occupied by Italy, Spain and China.

In this photo collection you will see places from different parts of our planet that are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

tourists visiting Buddhist sculptures Longmen Grottoes ("Dragon Gate") near the city of Luoyang in Chinese province Henan. There are more than 2,300 caves in this place; 110,000 Buddhist images, more than 80 dagobas (Buddhist mausoleums) containing relics of the Buddhas, as well as 2,800 inscriptions on the rocks near the Yishui River, a kilometer long. For the first time Buddhism in China was introduced in these places during the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Bayon Temple in Cambodia is famous for its many giant stone faces. There are over 1,000 temples in the Angkor region, ranging from nondescript piles of brick and rubble scattered among rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, considered the world's largest single temple. religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored. More than a million tourists visit them every year.

One of the parts of the Al-Hijr archaeological site - also known as Mada'in Salih. This complex, located in the northern regions Saudi Arabia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 6, 2008. The complex includes 111 rock burials (I century BC - I century AD), as well as a system of hydraulic structures dedicated to the ancient Nabatean city of Hegra, which was the center of caravan trade. There are also about 50 rock inscriptions dating back to the Donabatean period.

The waterfalls "Garganta del Diablo" ("Devil's Throat") are located on the territory of the Iguazu National Park in the Argentine province of Misiones. Depending on the water level in the Iguazu River, the park has from 160 to 260 waterfalls, as well as over 2000 plant species and 400 bird species The Iguazu National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

Mysterious stonehenge stone megalithic structure, consisting of 150 huge stones, and located on the Salisbury Plain in the English county of Wiltshire. This ancient monument is believed to have been built in 3000 BC. Stonehenge was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.

Tourists stroll by the Bafang Pavilion at the Summer Palace, Beijing's famous classical imperial garden. summer palace, built in 1750, was destroyed in 1860 and rebuilt in 1886. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998.

Statue of Liberty at sunset in New York. "Lady Liberty", which was presented to the United States by France, stands at the entrance to New York Harbor. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

"Solitario George" (Lonely George), the last living giant tortoise of this species, born on Pinta Island, lives in the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador. She is now approximately 60-90 years old. The Galapagos Islands were originally inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978, but in 2007 they were marked as endangered.

People skate on the ice of the canals in the Kinderdijk mills area, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk has the largest collection of historic windmills in the Netherlands and is one of the top attractions in South Holland. Decoration with balloons of the holidays passing here gives a certain flavor to this place.

View of the Perito Moreno glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park, in the southeast of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. This place was listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1981. The glacier is one of the most interesting tourist sites in the Argentinean part of Patagonia and the 3rd largest glacier in the world after Antarctica and Greenland.

Terraced gardens in the north Israeli city Haifa is surrounded by the golden-domed Shrine of the Bab, the founder of the Baha'i faith. Here is the world administrative and spiritual center the Bahá'í religion, which has fewer than six million adherents worldwide. This site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008.

Aerial view of St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. According to the World Heritage website, within this small nation lies a unique collection of art and architectural masterpieces. The Vatican was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

Colorful underwater scenes of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This thriving ecosystem hosts the world's largest collection of coral reefs, including 400 coral species and 1,500 fish species. Big barrier reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981.

Camels rest in ancient city Petra in front of Jordan's main monument, Al-Khazneh or the Treasury, believed to be the sandstone tomb of a Nabataean king. This city, located between Red and dead seas, is located at the crossroads from Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Phoenicia. Petra was added to the World Heritage List in 1985.

Sydney Opera House - one of the most famous and easily recognizable buildings in the world, which is a symbol of Sydney and one of the main attractions of Australia. The Sydney Opera House was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2007.

Rock paintings made by the San people in dragon mountains located in the east of South Africa. The San people lived in the Drakensberg area for thousands of years until they were destroyed in clashes with the Zulus and white settlers. They left behind incredible cave drawings in the Dragon Mountains, which were inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2000.

General view of the city of Shibam, located in the east of Yemen in the province of Hadhramaut. Shibam is famous for its incomparable architecture, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program. All houses here are built of clay bricks, about 500 houses can be considered multi-storey, as they have 5-11 floors. Shibam is often referred to as " the oldest city skyscrapers in the world" or "Desolate Manhattan", it is also the oldest example of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.

Gondolas on the coast Grand Canal in Venice. The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is visible in the background. Island Venice - seaside resort, center international tourism world significance, the venue for international film festivals, art and architectural exhibitions. Venice was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Some of the 390 abandoned huge statues from compressed volcanic ash (moai in the Rapa Nui language) at the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano on Easter Island, 3,700 km from the coast of Chile. Rapa Nui National Park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program since 1995.

Visitors walk along the Great Chinese wall in the Simatai area, northeast of Beijing. This largest architectural monument was built as one of the four main strategic strongholds in order to defend against the invading tribes from the north. The 8,851.8 km long Great Wall is one of the largest construction projects ever completed. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987.

Temple in Hampi, near the South Indian city of Hospet, north of Bangalore. Hampi is located in the middle of the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Hampi and its monuments were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986, notes fresher.ru.

A Tibetan pilgrim turns the prayer mills on the grounds of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet's capital. The Potala Palace is a royal palace and Buddhist temple complex which was the main residence of the Dalai Lama. Today, the Potala Palace is a museum actively visited by tourists, remaining a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and continuing to be used in Buddhist rituals. Due to its enormous cultural, religious, artistic and historical significance, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

The Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu in the Peruvian city of Cusco. Machu Picchu, especially after receiving the UNESCO World Heritage status in 1983, has become a center of mass tourism. The city is visited by 2,000 tourists per day; In order to preserve the monument, UNESCO demands to reduce the number of tourists per day to 800.

Buddhist pagoda Kompon-daito on Mount Koya, in Wakayama province, Japan. Mount Koya, located east of Osaka, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. In 819, the Buddhist monk Kukai, the founder of the Shingon school, an offshoot of Japanese Buddhism, was the first to settle here.

Tibetan women walk around the Bodhnath Stupa in Kathmandu, one of the most ancient and revered Buddhist shrines. On the sides of the tower crowning it are depicted "Buddha's eyes" inlaid with ivory. Kathmandu valley with a height of about 1300 m is a mountain valley and a historical region of Nepal. There are many Buddhist and Hindu temples here, from the Boudhanath stupa to tiny street altars in the walls of houses. locals It is said that 10 million Gods live in the Kathmandu Valley. The Kathmandu Valley was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979.

A bird flies over the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum-mosque located in the Indian city of Agra. It was built by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. The Taj Mahal was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983. The architectural marvel was also named one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World" in 2007.

Located in northeast Wales, the 18km Pontcysillte Aqueduct is a civil engineering feat from the Industrial Revolution, completed in the early years of the 19th century. More than 200 years after its opening, it is still in use and is one of the busiest sections of the UK canal network, handling around 15,000 boats a year. In 2009, the Pontkysilte aqueduct was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "a milestone in the history of civil engineering during the Industrial Revolution." This aqueduct is one of unusual monuments plumbing and plumbing

A herd of moose grazes in the meadows of Yellowstone National Park. Mount Holmes, on the left, and Mount Dome are visible in the background. In the Yellowstone National Park, which occupies almost 900 thousand hectares, there are more than 10 thousand geysers and thermal springs. The park was included in the World Heritage program in 1978.

Cubans drive an old car along the Malecon in Havana. UNESCO inscribed Old Havana and its fortifications on the World Heritage List in 1982. Although Havana has expanded and has a population of over 2 million, its old center retains an interesting mixture of baroque and neoclassical monuments and homogeneous ensembles of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought iron gates and patios.

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites- places and objects on the planet, in different countries, which are selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in accordance with the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The Convention is designed to protect and preserve the outstanding cultural and natural values ​​that constitute the heritage of all mankind. In order to protect historical objects from destruction, they are included in common list, which is annually replenished with dozens of places in different corners peace. Let's take a look at some of the famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Mosque of al-Zeitouna, Tunisia

The Great Mosque or Mosque of al-Zeitun, located in the medina of the city of Tunisia, is the most great mosque in the country. Despite the fact that non-Muslims are forbidden to enter the prayer hall, only the inner courtyard of the mosque is worth a visit. The mosque of al-Zeytun is made in the classical style, with arcades, columns and capitals. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979.

Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egypt

The burial temple of Queen Hatshepsut is located at the foot of the rocks of Deir el-Bahri. This temple is very different from many other Egyptian temples. And this is the only sanctuary built in honor of the great female pharaoh.

The temple of Queen Hatshesput is as amazing as the female pharaoh herself. A huge pylon was erected next to this temple, to which a 30-meter dam with sphinxes adjoined. In front of the temple itself, an amazing garden of beautiful shrubs and outlandish trees was laid out. Now the temple is visited by more than a million tourists annually. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1959.

Bahai Gardens, Haifa, Israel

The main attraction of Haifa is the Baha'i World Center, surrounded by beautiful gardens spread out on terraces along the slope of Mount Carmel with original fountains and outlandish trees and plants. The Bahai Gardens in Haifa are one of the most visited places in the entire Mediterranean.

Renowned architects have been working for 10 years to create this eighth wonder of the world. All work was carried out exclusively by volunteers who came from 90 countries to contribute to the construction.

In the heart of the Bahai Gardens on Mount Carmel, is the Shrine of the Bab. Designed by eminent Canadian architect William Maxwell, the structure of the Sanctuary of the Báb is a combination of Western and Eastern styles: granite columns, Corinthian capitals, and stately arches. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008.

Petra, Jordan

The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan. The Nabataean city of Petra was founded in these rocks about 4 millennia ago. Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually gained enormous influence and unprecedented fame. The emergence of the city in such hard to reach place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabataeans to control the flow of water, because in fact Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis!

Flash floods often occur in this area, and the Nabataeans successfully controlled them using dams, cisterns, and aqueducts, which allowed them not only to survive long periods of drought, but also successfully trade water. Everything would have been fine until the Roman emperor Trajan came and destroyed the kingdom. Since the 16th century, no human has set foot here, until in 1812 the Swiss traveler-adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt decided to find in these lands lost city about which there were many legends. As a result, the Swiss found the legendary lost city protected by sands and rocks! Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.

Temple Wat Yai Chai Mongkon, Ayutthaya, Thailand

This temple was erected in 1357 for a community of monks from the Pa Kaeo Sect and was originally called Wat Phra Chao Phya Tha. The temple was intended for meditation, which, along with the monks, was also practiced by King U-Thong. In 1592, in honor of the victory over the Burmese, another king, Naresuan, built a majestic pagoda, after which the temple changed its name and became known as Wat Yai Chai Mongkon.

Here is a statue of the Reclining Buddha in yellow saffron robes. In addition to the Reclining Buddha, you can admire the statues of meditating Buddhas, also dressed in saffron robes. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1991.

Chichen Itza, Mexico

The sacred city of the Itza people, known as Chichen Itza, is located 75 miles east of the city of Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán. In translation, from the language of local tribes, this name means "Well of the Itza tribe." Archaeologists consider it one of the places of power associated with the Mayan culture. Old City occupies an area of ​​about six square miles, where once there were hundreds of buildings, of which today only ruins remain. About three dozen surviving buildings are of great interest to researchers. The most famous structure is the step pyramid of Kukulkan.

It has a square at the base and its height reaches 23 m. they form an image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a thirty-seven-meter snake, “creeping” as the sun moves to its own head, carved at the base of the stairs. It is on this light show that tourists most often come. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988.

Victoria Station (Chhatrapati Shivaji), Mumbai, India

Victoria is the largest railway station in India. The dome of the station building, one of the largest in the world, is visible from afar. A few years ago, it was renamed in honor of the King of India - Chhatrapati Shivaji. But the people still call him Victoria. The covered platform has a length of 400 meters. Ceilings of steel and glass support massive columns, their capitals are made of iron, some of white sandstone.

Thick walls, voluminous spaces, spacious verandas provide coolness inside the building. The facade of the building is decorated with protruding bay windows, decorative columns, figurines of fairy-tale characters. The main function of the dome is to amaze the imagination and serve as a guide. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004.

Novodevichy convent, Moscow, Russia

The Novodevichy Convent, in the south-west of Moscow, in the bend of the Moskva River, was founded in 1524 by the vow of Grand Duke Vasily III in memory of the capture of Smolensk in 1514. Novodevichy was an important link in the defensive ring of the Moscow guard monasteries. In 1871, at the expense of the Filatievs, an orphanage-school for orphans of "non-noble rank" was opened; there were also two almshouses for nuns and novices. By 1917, 51 nuns and 53 novices lived in the monastery.

In 1922 the monastery was closed, and the "Museum of the Emancipation of Women" was created in it. By 1926 it was transformed into a historical, domestic and art museum, since 1934 a branch of the Historical Museum. Since 1980, the residence of the Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna has been in the Novodevichy Convent. In 1994, a convent was re-established under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna. Since 1995, services have resumed in the cathedral on patronal feasts. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004.

Plaza of Spain, Rome, Italy

One of the most famous and beautiful squares Rome is located in the center of the city Plaza de España. It got its name due to the fact that in 1620 the palace of Spain, or the Palazzo di Spagna, which housed the embassy of this country, appeared on it.

In the northern part of the Plaza de España is the Spanish Steps. Before her in 1627-1629. architect Pietro Bernini built the Barcaccia Fountain in the form of a sunken boat. The steps of the Spanish Steps lead to the church of Trinita dei Monti towering over the square. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1959.

Desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan

Wadi Rum is one of the main attractions of Jordan along with the city of Petra. This is an example of an extraordinary sandy landscape, consisting of an almost perfectly smooth surface of pink-golden sand and multi-colored sandstone hills rising above it all. Calm and silence reign here, only separate, lonely settlements occasionally disturb the desert with their presence.

On the territory of the desert are the remains of the ruins of the ancient temple of the Nabataeans. Also in the expanses of Wadi Rum there are protected areas for breeding antelopes, which are monitored by members of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011.

Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Argentina

Perito Moreno is a glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park, in the southeast of the Argentinean province of Santa Cruz. The glacier is 78 km away. from the village of El Calafate. This huge accumulation of ice was named after the explorer Francisco Moreno, who first explored the region in the 19th century.

Perito Moreno has an area of ​​250 km² and is one of 48 glaciers fed by southern part Patagonian glacier. This a natural phenomenon- third largest source fresh water in the world. Unfortunately, from year to year the glacier collapses and loses its value. There is a certain charitable organization that accepts donations in order to keep the glacier alive. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1981.

For a long time, people did not think about what they would leave to their descendants. Rulers were replaced, entire cultures were destroyed, there was not a trace of them left. Later, people became smarter and preserved works of art, structures of stunning beauty, interesting monuments etc. In the end, mankind came to the conclusion that the most valuable objects should be included in a special list. Today, tourists visiting certain countries are interested in World Heritage Abroad. The UNESCO project has long been more than successful.

world heritage

At some point, people were distracted from the consumption of resources and realized the need to protect natural and flora and fauna. This desire is expressed in a special list, the idea of ​​which was implemented in 1972 within the framework of the Convention "On the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage", which proclaimed universal responsibility for the preservation of the most significant objects.

Today, the list includes more than a thousand items, and all these monuments are located on the territory of 161 states. Among them are picturesque corners nature and amazing creations of human hands, but some objects may surprise those who do not know on what principles this list is compiled.

Criteria

World Heritage abroad and in Russia is not just buildings and natural monuments. Each object is unique in its own way and is included in the list with certain criteria. Conventionally, they are divided into two parts.

For artificial objects, criteria such as reflecting the relationship of human values, the development of architecture, uniqueness or exclusivity, connection with ideas that are in the public domain are important. Of course, beauty and aesthetics are also taken into account. There are six key factors.

As far as natural monuments are concerned, they must include phenomena or sites of exceptional aesthetic quality, represent an example of major stages in history, geological or biological processes, or be important in terms of the conservation of animal diversity and flora. Only four criteria are presented.

Those located abroad or in Russia, which can be attributed approximately equally to one or the other group, are called mixed, or having cultural and natural significance. So, what exactly is on the UNESCO list?

Record countries

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are very unevenly distributed around the world. States in which it is located the largest number monuments are Italy, China, Spain, France, Germany, Mexico, India, Great Britain, Russia and the USA. In total, more than 350 objects are located on their territory, which is more than a third of the entire list. Almost all of these countries can be said to be the heirs of great civilizations and have natural wealth. In any case, such a beginning of the list is not at all surprising.

man-made objects

In this category for 2014, there are 779 objects. This includes the most famous and significant buildings and structures in the world, many of which are symbols of their countries: Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Easter Island, Great Abu Mena in Egypt, Versailles, athenian acropolis, Taj Mahal, Prambanan and Borobudur temples in Indonesia, ancient Samarra, located on the modern territory of Iran, Petra in Jordan, Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan in Mexico, Cusco in Peru, Kizhi churchyard, church in Kolomenskoye, Stonehenge, statue of Liberty, building It is often so difficult to single out one thing that the list includes the entire historical center of certain cities - this is especially often observed in Europe. All the most popular attractions among tourists will certainly fall into this list. But sometimes, if there have been some major changes, the object "leaves" the World Heritage. Two such cases are known abroad: the Elbe river valley near Dresden was excluded in connection with the construction highway; The reserve of white oryx - a special kind of antelope - in Oman was removed from the list due to the reduction of its territory and ineffective fight against poaching. This will probably change over time, but even if not, every year a special committee considers more and more proposals for the inclusion of various properties in the World Heritage Abroad.

natural monuments

The most interesting and beautiful monuments in the category "World Heritage Abroad" - the Creation of man, that is, buildings, structures, etc., are also curious, but it is much more interesting to observe what was created without the help and intervention of people. The list of such monuments (for 2014) includes 197 items. The objects are located in 87 countries of the world. 19 of them are endangered (for one reason or another). By the way, the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites begins with a natural monument - Galapagos Islands who received this honor in 1978. And, perhaps, this can be called quite fair, because many very rare animals and plants live here, the archipelago is also known for its stunning views. And, ultimately, nature remains the most valuable wealth of mankind.

mixed category

Some man-made structures are so closely connected to the landscape and environment that it is difficult to unequivocally call them man-made. Or, on the contrary, a person only slightly changed what appeared as a result of geological, biological and other natural processes. In any case, the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage, represented by objects from this category, is truly unique.

There are relatively few such objects - 31, but it is simply impossible to even briefly talk about each one, they are so diverse and interesting in their own way. This includes the national parks of Australia and New Zealand, Mount Athos, Machu Picchu, the monasteries of Meteora, wild nature Tasmania, landscapes and life of Lapland and much more. It is a real miracle that all this wealth has come down to our time in this form, and the common task of mankind is to preserve this heritage for posterity.

Russia and CIS countries

In the territory former USSR There are a large number of monuments included in the UNESCO list. Some are nominated as candidates. In total, there are 52 objects, including the Struve geodetic arc, located on the territory of several states.

The list includes such names as the Moscow Kremlin, Samarkand, Tauric Chersonese, Bukhara, Lake Baikal, the Lena Pillars, the Putorana Plateau, Mount Sulaiman-Too, etc. Having carefully studied the UNESCO World Heritage List located on the territory of the CIS countries, you can even decide never to travel to far abroad countries without exploring their native lands - so diverse and interesting objects are presented in it. Well, and then it is already possible to look at the neighbors, and go beyond the three seas - there will be something to compare with.

UNESCO World Heritage in Ukraine is 7 objects on this moment, and 15 more are under consideration. From CIS countries given country ranks second in terms of the number of items included in the list we are considering. These include, for example, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and in Kyiv, the historical center of Lviv, the beech forest of the Carpathians.

Status

It may seem that World Heritage listing abroad is just a nice bonus, making it easier for tourists and travelers to choose where to go and what to see. But this is absolutely not the case, because many objects are under the threat of partial destruction or disappearance and need special treatment. Their inclusion in the UNESCO list allows to additionally guarantee their safety. In addition, adding certain attractions to this list raises their prestige and popularity, which, in turn, attracts more tourists to the country. The development of this sector of the economy makes it possible to obtain more funds at the disposal of which it is possible to restore those very cultural monuments that are on the UNESCO list. So this project is useful in every way.

Objects under threat

Unfortunately, everything is not so rosy. There is a special section of the list, which lists those natural and cultural monuments that are threatened with critical changes or complete disappearance. The reasons can be different: various kinds of catastrophes and incidents, wars, the negative impact of climate and time. Not all of this can be controlled, so that soon humanity may lose some of the objects included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage. Now this "alarming" list contains 46 items. None of them are included in the World Heritage in Russia. Abroad, such situations, unfortunately, are not rare. But the committee is working in this direction.

The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Danger includes those that appeared a very long time ago - in the 3-5 millennium BC, so their importance can hardly be overestimated. And yet, numerous problems, plans for construction and reconstruction, wars, floods, poaching, etc., do not yet allow us to say that these places are safe.

Committee activities

UNESCO is a huge organization dealing with a wide variety of issues, World Heritage Abroad is just one of them. And all issues related to this topic are decided by a special committee. It meets once a year to make a decision on the objects applying for inclusion in the list. In addition, the committee initiates the creation of working groups that deal with the problems of individual objects. It also acts as a financial institution, highlighting cash countries parties to the Convention upon their request. The committee has 21 members in total. Most of them expire in 2017.

Similar Listings

Of course, cultural and natural monuments are extremely important and valuable, but humanity seeks to preserve not only them. In contrast to material objects, lists were created containing the most significant examples of creativity, areas of expertise, etc. Since 2001, UNESCO has kept records of masterpieces of oral and intangible creativity. But do not think that we are talking about literary works - this list is much wider and more diverse than it seems. This includes culinary traditions various countries of the world, the unique skills of individual peoples, characteristic chants and dances, even falconry!

Another project designed to preserve UNESCO World Heritage Sites is called "Memory of the World". And it really is something akin to a repository of various knowledge - after all, this list contains the most important documents of mankind of all times that have survived to this day. This includes films, photographs, sound recordings, paintings, manuscripts and archives of famous people.

UNESCO projects aimed at drawing attention to cultural monuments and phenomena of all kinds, allow us not to forget that each person is able to create something great, worthy of forever remaining in history. They also help sometimes to stop and think about how much beauty was created by ancestors and nature, and how terrible it would be to lose it.

Yuesco is specialized agency United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites includes the most valuable objects (both natural and man-made) in terms of their cultural, historical or environmental significance. Here are twenty unique UNESCO sites located in Europe.

20 PHOTOS

1 Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia.

Forest reserve in Central Croatia, famous for its cascading lakes, waterfalls, caves and limestone gorges.

The most famous square in Russia, located to the east of the Kremlin - the official residence of the president. On Red Square are St. Basil's Cathedral and the State Historical Museum.

A well-preserved ethnographic village, which is included in the list of museums of folk architecture in Slovakia. The settlement reflects traditional features Central European village: log buildings, stables with haylofts and a wooden bell tower.

The largest and most famous Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria, founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in the mid-1800s.

Fortified island abbey gothic style, built between the 11th and 16th centuries in northwestern France.

Roman Catholic church located north of Lisbon. It was built by the Portuguese king Alfonso I in the 12th century.

central part The Hungarian capital boasts such stunning architectural masterpieces as the Parliament Building, the Opera House, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Market Hall.

The largest wooden sacred buildings in Europe, built in the second half of the 17th century after the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years' War.

wooden church, located in western Norway, is an excellent example of traditional Scandinavian architecture.

A monument of nature, consisting of approximately 40,000 interconnected basalt columns, formed as a result of an ancient volcanic eruption.

The highest surviving ancient Roman aqueduct. It is 275 meters long and 47 meters high.

Rococo Bavarian church located in a beautiful alpine valley southwest of Munich.

Geirangerfjord and Nordfjord, located in the southwest of Norway, are among the longest and deepest fjords in the world.

The center of Catholic Christianity, and the residence of the Pope. Also in the Vatican Museums are stored many of the world's artistic masterpieces.

Monastic community and one of the oldest historical monuments Hungary, was founded in 996.

National park with an area of ​​403 sq. km, located on three belts of vegetation: mountain-forest, subalpine and alpine.

The Old Bridge, built in the 16th century during the reign of the Ottoman Empire, is one of the most significant architectural monuments in the Balkans.

A fjord located in western Greenland, 250 km north of the Arctic Circle. It includes the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier moving at 19 meters per day, one of the fastest glaciers in the world.

Famous concert hall, which is one of the best examples of Catalan Art Nouveau. It is also the only concert hall in Europe with natural light.

During the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee, which is taking place these days in Cambodia, the UNESCO World Heritage List was replenished with 19 new items - these are 14 cultural and 5 natural sites. In addition, the boundaries of three objects were expanded.

To date, the World Heritage List has 981 sites in 160 member countries of the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage - 759 cultural, 193 natural and 29 mixed sites. During the 37th session, which will last until June 27, 5 natural objects of Europe, Asia, South America and Africa were added to the list.

Natural objects:

Tajik National Park "Pamir Mountains" (Tajikistan)

"Pamir Mountains" - the first natural object Tajikistan on the World Heritage List. The total area of ​​the park is over 2.5 million hectares. It is located in the east of Tajikistan, in the center of the so-called Pamir mountain junction, from which the highest mountain ranges Eurasia. Alpine plateaus are located in the eastern part of the object, and pointed peaks are located in the western part, the height of some of them exceeds 7 thousand meters. There are 170 rivers, more than 400 lakes and at least 1,085 glaciers, including the longest glacier outside the polar regions in mountain valley. The park also serves as a habitat for rare and endangered species of birds and mammals in Tajikistan.

For example, the Marco Polo mountain sheep (Ovis ammon polii), the snow leopard irbis and the Siberian mountain goat live here. Since strong earthquakes are not uncommon in this area, the territory of the park is sparsely populated and practically does not experience the influence of agriculture and permanent settlements. The park provides unique opportunities for studying the overlay and plate tectonics of the earth's crust.

El Pinacate Biosphere Reserve and Gran Desierto de Altar (Mexico)

An object with total area 714,566 ha consists of two separate parts. To the east is a rocky desert and a hardened volcanic plateau formed by black and red lava flows, to the west is the Gran Desierto de Altar desert with a variety of dunes constantly changing shape, some of which reach 200 m in height. Dunes of various shapes wandering here - linear, star-shaped and domed - are adjacent to dry granite massifs up to 650 m high, which, like islands, rise against the background sandy sea, reinforcing amazing contrasts this area. The massifs contain astonishingly diverse communities of plants and animals, including some endemic species, such as the pronghorn Antilocapra americana sonoriensis, which lives only in the north of the Sonoran Desert and in the southwest of Arizona, USA.

Another distinctive feature of the object, emphasizing its exceptional beauty, are 10 huge deep craters, almost perfectly round, formed, presumably, as a result of eruptions and collapses. The unique combination of the characteristics of the object determines not only its beauty, but is also of great scientific interest.

Mount Etna (Italy)

The 19,237 hectare site includes an uninhabited area located at the highest point of Mount Etna on the east coast of Sicily. Etna is the highest island mountain in the Mediterranean and the most active stratovolcano in the world. It has been established that the history of the eruptions of this volcano has 500 thousand years, and for documentary evidence volcanic activity Etna are available for at least the last 2700 years. The almost continuous volcanic activity of Etna continues to influence the development of volcanology, geophysics and other earth sciences. The volcano determines the basis for the existence of important terrestrial ecosystems and some endemic plant and animal species.

Etna's activity has turned it into a natural laboratory for the study of ecological and biological processes. With a range of diverse and observable volcanic features, such as summit craters, ash cones, a lava sheet, and a caldera known as the Valley of the Buffaloes (Valle de Bove), the site has become an important site for research and educational activities.

Namib Desert (Namibia)

The site, which is the only coastal desert in the world, includes an area of ​​more than 3 million hectares and a buffer zone of 899,500 hectares. There are extensive dune fields formed under the influence of fogs, and two dune systems stand out: on top of the old, semi-fixed sands, there are younger mobile dunes. The peculiarity of the object is that its dunes are formed by sand brought by rivers, ocean currents and wind from areas located thousands of kilometers away from the coast.

The property also contains coastal lowlands and pebbly fields, rocky hills rising above the sands, coastal lagoons, dry rivers and other landscapes that combine to create an exceptionally beautiful spectacle. The main source of water in Namib desert is a fog, thanks to which a completely unique environment has been formed here, in which endemic species of invertebrates, reptiles and mammals live, able to adapt to constant changes in the microclimate and ecological niches.

Xinjiang - Tien Shan (China)

The object with a total area of ​​606,833 hectares includes several parts: Tomur Peak (Pobeda Peak), Kalajun Steppe, Syuelin Ridge, Bayanbruk Nature Reserve and Bogdo-Ula. They are part of the world's largest mountain system Tien Shan, located in Central Asia. Xinjiang - Tien Shan has unique physical and geographical characteristics and is distinguished by picturesque landscapes, including amazing mountain peaks crowned with snow and ice, forests and meadows that have not been touched by a human hand, transparent rivers and lakes, red rock canyons. Next to them are vast desert areas, which creates a vivid visual contrast between the zones of heat and cold, dry and humid climate, desert and abundance of life.

The relief and ecosystems of the object have come down to us since the Pliocene epoch and represent a unique monument of continuous biological and ecological evolutionary processes. The site also includes part of one of the largest highland deserts in the world, Takla Makan, known for its giant dunes and violent sandstorms. In addition, Xinjiang - Tien Shan serves as an important habitat for endemic and relic plant species, some of which are rare and endangered.