Establishment of the world heritage list of the first monument. Russian natural sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, provisional list, and promising for inclusion
Work is underway to include the following natural objects in the List: Volga Delta, Lena Delta, Green Belt of Fennoscandia, Kurile Islands, Valdai - Great Watershed, Western Sayan, Beringia and the Solovetsky Islands.
Natural sites inscribed on the World Heritage List |
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Square | State | |
Virgin forests of Komi | 3.279 million ha | Inscribed on the World Heritage List (1995) Criteria - N ii, iii |
1. State biosphere reserve"Pechora-Ilychsky" | 721 322 | |
2. National Park "Yugyd Va" | 1 891 701 | |
3. Reserve zone | 666 000 | |
Lake Baikal | 8.8 million ha | Listed (1996) Criteria - N i, ii, iii, iv |
1. Baikalsky State Biosphere Reserve | 165 724 | |
2. State Biosphere Reserve "Barguzinsky" | 374 322 | |
3. State Nature Reserve "Baikal-Lensky" | 660 000 | |
4. National Park "Pribaikalsky" | 418 000 | |
5. Zabaikalsky National Park | 246 000 | |
6. Reserve "Frolikhinsky" | 910 200 | |
7. Reserve "Kabansky" | 18 000 | |
8. Tunkinsky National Park (partially) | ||
Volcanoes of Kamchatka | 3.996 million ha | Included in the List (1996). Expanded in 2001 Criteria - N i, ii, iii, iv |
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Kronotsky" | 1 147 619,37 | |
2. Natural park "Bystrinsky" | 1 368 592 | |
3. Natural park "Nalychevskiy" | 286 025 | |
4. Natural park "South Kamchatsky" | 500 511 | |
5. Reserve of federal importance "South Kamchatsky" | 322 000 | |
6. Natural park "Klyuchevskoy" | 371 022 | |
Golden Mountains of Altai | 1.509 million ha | Listed (1998) Criterion - N iv |
1. Altai State Biosphere Reserve | 881 238 | |
2. State Biosphere Reserve "Katunsky" | 150 079 | |
3. Belukha Mountain Natural Park | 131 337 | |
4. Natural park "Ukok" | 252 904 | |
5. Buffer zone "Teletskoe Lake" | 93 753 | |
Western Caucasus | 0.301 million ha | Listed (1999) Criteria - N ii, iv |
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Kavkazsky" with a buffer zone | 288 200 | |
2. Natural park "Big Thach" | 3 700 | |
3. Monument of nature "Upper reaches of the rivers Pshekha and Pshekhashkha" | 5 776 | |
4. Monument of nature "Upper reaches of the river Tsitsa" | 1 913 | |
5. Monument of nature "Ridge Buiny" | 1 480 | |
Curonian Spit(jointly with Lithuania) | 0.031 million ha | Listed (2000) Criterion - Cv |
1. Curonian Spit National Park (Russia) | 6 600 | |
2. National Park "Kursiu Nerijos" (Lithuania) | 24 600 | |
1.567 million ha | Included in the List (2001). Expanded in 2018 Criterion - N iv |
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1. State Biosphere Reserve "Sikhote-Alinsky" | 401 600 | |
2. Bikin National Park | 1 160 469 | |
3. Reserve "Goralovy" | 4 749 | |
Ubsunur Hollow(shared with Mongolia) | 0.883 million ha | Listed (2003) Criteria - N ii, iv |
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina" (Russia) | 73 529 | |
2. Biosphere Reserve "Uvs Nuur" (Mongolia) | 810 233,5 | |
Wrangel Island | 2.226 mln ha | Listed (2004) Criteria - N ii, iv |
State Nature Reserve "Wrangel Island" | ||
Putorana Plateau | 1.887 million ha | Listed (2010) Criteria - vii, ix |
State Nature Reserve "Putoransky" | ||
Lena Pillars | 1.387 million ha | Listed (2012) Criteria - viii |
Natural Park of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) "Lena Pillars" | ||
Landscapes of Dauria(shared with Mongolia) | 0.913 million ha | Included in the List (2017) Criteria - (ix), (x) |
1. State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Daursky" | 49 765 | |
2. Protected zone of the State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Daursky" | 117 690 | |
3. Reserve of federal significance "Valley of Dzeren" | 111 568 | |
Total area in the Russian Federation: | 279 023 | |
4. Strictly protected area "Mongol Daguur" | 110 377 | |
5. Buffer zone of the Mongol Daguur Strictly Protected Area | 477 064 | |
6. Nature reserve "Ugtam" | 46 160 | |
Total area in Mongolia: | 633 601 |
Natural properties included in the Tentative List |
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Objects and their territories | Square | State |
Valaam archipelago | 0.026 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on May 15, 1996. |
Natural Park "Valaam Archipelago" | ||
Magadan Reserve | 0.884 million ha | Nomination prepared |
State natural reserve "Magadansky" | ||
Commander Islands | 3.649 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Nomination prepared |
State Natural Reserve "Komandorsky" | ||
Big Vasyugan swamp | 0.4 million ha | |
State complex reserve of the Tyumen region "Vasyugansky" | ||
Krasnoyarsk pillars | 0.047 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on March 6, 2007. |
State Nature Reserve "Stolby" | ||
Ilmensky mountains | 0.034 million ha |
Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on August 11, 2008. Nomination prepared |
State Natural Reserve of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Ilmensky" | ||
Bashkir Ural | 0.045 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on January 30, 2012. |
Natural properties promising for inclusion on the Tentative List |
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Objects and their territories | Square | State |
Beringia | 2.911 million ha | Recommended by the IUCN for inclusion in the List |
1. Beringia National Park (RF) | 1,819,154 ha | |
2. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (USA) | 1,091,595 ha | |
Volga Delta | 0.068 million ha | criterion N iv. Nomination prepared |
State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Astrakhansky" | ||
Lena Delta | 1.433 million ha | Recommended by the IUCN for inclusion in the List in accordance with criterion N iv. Nomination prepared |
State Nature Reserve "Ust-Lensky" | ||
Kurile Islands | 0.295 million ha | Nomination prepared |
1. Kurilsky State Nature Reserve and its buffer zone | 65 365 and 41 475 | |
2. Biological reserve "Small Kuriles" | 45 000 | |
3. Reserve of regional significance "Urup Island" | 143 000 | |
Green Belt of Fennoscandia(shared with Finland and Norway) | 0.541 million ha | The Russian part of the nomination is ready |
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Laplandsky" | 278 436 | |
2. State Nature Reserve "Kostomukshsky" | 47 457 | |
3. State Nature Reserve "Pasvik" | 14 727 | |
4. Paanajärvi National Park | 104 354 | |
5. Kalevalsky National Park | 95 886 | |
Valdai - Great Watershed | 0.183 million ha | Nomination prepared |
1. Valdaisky National Park | 158 500 | |
2. State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Central Forest" | 24 447 |
Natural objects not included in the List |
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Objects and their territories | Square | State |
Vodlozersky National Park | 0.58 million ha | |
1. National Park "Vodlozersky" | 404 700 | |
2. Reserve "Kozhozersky" | 178 600 | |
Bashkir Ural | 0.2 million ha | Not included in the List (1998) |
1. Shulgan-Tash State Biosphere Reserve | 22 531 | |
2. State natural reserve "Bashkir" | 49 609 | |
3. National Park "Bashkiria" (strictly protected area) | 32 740 | |
4. Reserve "Altyn Solok" | 93 580 | |
Teberdinsky Reserve(expansion of the object "Western Caucasus") | 0.085 million ha | Not included in the List (2004) |
State Biosphere Reserve "Teberdinsky" |
Russia, of course, is rich in unique and, which is very important, natural complexes not affected by economic activity. According to rough estimates of scientists, there are about 20 territories in our country worthy of the status of a World Natural Heritage Site. The list of the most promising territories was determined during the joint project of UNESCO and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) on boreal forests.
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.
As of July 6, 2012, there are 962 sites on the World Heritage List (including 745 cultural, 188 natural and 29 mixed), located in 148 countries of the world. Among the objects there are separate architectural structures and ensembles, for example - the Acropolis, cathedrals in Amiens and Chartres, historical city centers - Warsaw and St. Petersburg, the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square; 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.
In this photo selection you will see 29 objects from different parts of our planet that are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
1) Tourists inspect the Buddhist sculptures of the 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. (China Photos/Getty Images)
2) 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 religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored. More than a million tourists visit them every year. (Voishmel/AFP - Getty Images)
3) One of the parts of the archaeological site of Al-Hijr - also known as Madain Salih. This complex, located in the northern regions of 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 dated to the ancient Nabataean city of Hegra, which was the center of caravan trade. There are also about 50 rock inscriptions dating back to the Donabatean period. (Hassan Ammar/AFP - Getty Images)
4) 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 varieties of plants and 400 Iguazu National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984. (Christian Rizzi/AFP - Getty Images) #
5) The mysterious Stonehenge is a stone megalithic structure, consisting of 150 huge stones, and located on the Salisbury Plain in English county Wiltshire. This ancient monument is believed to have been built in 3000 BC. Stonehenge was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
6) Tourists stroll by the Bafang Pavilion in the Summer Palace, Beijing's famous classical imperial garden. The Summer Palace, built in 1750, was destroyed in 1860 and rebuilt in 1886. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998. (China Photos/Getty Images)
7) The 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. (Seth Wenig/AP)
8) "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. (Rodrigo Buendia/AFP - Getty Images)
9) 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. (Peter Dejong/AP)
10) View of the Perito Moreno Glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park, in the southeast of the Argentinean 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. (Daniel Garcia/AFP - Getty Images)
11) 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. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008. (David Silverman/Getty Images)
12) Aerial photography of St. Peter's Square in. 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. (Giulio Napolitano/AFP - Getty Images)
13) 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. The Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981. (AFP - Getty Images)
14) Camels rest in the ancient city of Petra in front of Jordan's main monument, Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury, supposedly the tomb of a Nabataean king carved out of sandstone. This city, located between the Red and Dead Seas, is at the crossroads of Arabia, Egypt, and Phoenicia. Petra was added to the World Heritage List in 1985. (Thomas Coex/AFP - Getty Images)
15) 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. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP - Getty Images)
16) Rock paintings made by the San people in the Dragon Mountains located in the east 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 rock paintings in the Dragon Mountains, which were inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2000. (Alexander Joe/AFP - Getty Images)
17) General view of the city of Shibam, located in the east 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. (Khaled Fazaa/AFP - Getty Images)
18) Gondolas near the 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. (AP)
19) Some of the 390 abandoned huge statues of compressed volcanic ash (moai in the Rapa Nui language) at the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano on Easter Island, 3700 km from the coast of Chile. Rapa Nui National Park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program since 1995. (Martin Bernetti/AFP - Getty Images)
20) Visitors walk along the Great Wall of China 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. Great Wall with a length of 8851.8 km is one of the largest construction projects ever completed. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP - Getty Images)
21) Temple at 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 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986. (Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP - Getty Images)
22) A Tibetan pilgrim rotates prayer mills on the grounds of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet's capital. The Potala Palace is royal palace and a 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. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP - Getty Images)
23) 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. (Eitan Abramovich/AFP - Getty Images)
24) Buddhist pagoda Kompon-daito on Mount Koya, in the province of Wakayama, 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. (Everett Kennedy Brown/EPA)
25) 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, "Buddha's eyes" inlaid with ivory are depicted. The Kathmandu valley is about 1300 m high - mountain valley and the 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. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
26) A bird flies over the Taj Mahal - a mausoleum-mosque located in Indian city 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. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP - Getty Images)
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27) Located in northeast Wales, the 18km Pontcysillte Aqueduct is an Industrial Revolution civil engineering feat 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 the unusual monuments to plumbers and plumbing. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
28) 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. (Kevork Djansezian/AP)
29) Cubans drive an old car along the Malecon in Havana. UNESCO contributed Old Havana and its fortification inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1982. Although Havana has expanded to over 2 million people, its old center preserves an interesting mixture of baroque and neoclassical monuments and homogeneous ensembles of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought iron gates and patios. (Javier Galeano/AP)
World Heritage is a variety of natural or man-made objects that need to be preserved for future generations due to their special cultural, historical or environmental significance. As of 2012, there are 962 items on this list, 754 of them are cultural monuments, 188 are natural and 29 are mixed.
UNESCO was established in 1945 and its purpose is to protect and preserve places of special value or physical significance for all mankind. In 1954, during the construction of the Aswan Dam, Abu Simbel, a man-made temple carved into the rock, fell under flooding. The responsible organization allocated money for the structure to be dismantled and moved to a higher place. This unprecedented action took four years, and highly qualified specialists from 54 countries of the world were involved in its implementation in a short time.
Today, on the pages of the Forum-Grad, we will discuss a rather entertaining topic - the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Aldabra atoll
The atoll consists entirely of corals and is a group of four islands separated by narrow straits. It is located north of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Belongs to the State of the Seychelles.
Aldabra is considered the second largest in the world after Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Kiribati archipelago. Its dimensions are: 34 km in length and 14.5 km in length, height above sea level is up to 8 m. The area of the inner lagoon is 224 square meters. km.
Since the 17th century, it has been used by the French to hunt giant sea turtles, as their meat was considered an exquisite delicacy. For a long time, pirates also ruled in these places, because the atoll is far from populated areas.
In 1982, this paradise was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique natural monument. This is one of the few islands on our planet not affected by civilization. Currently, it is home to a huge population of giant sea turtles (more than 152,000) and two completely unique species of bats. Entry into this nature reserve is strictly controlled, and all approaches by sea are guarded.
Giant statue in China
The huge Maitreya Buddha is carved into the rock at the confluence of three rivers - Minjiang, Qingyijiang and Daduhe near the city of Leshan in China. According to ancient legend a famous monk named Haithong of the Tang Dynasty, worried about the frequent shipwrecks and deaths in the whirlpool just opposite this rock, vowed to carve a stone statue of a seated Buddha. He raised funds and began construction, and his followers completed this work. The largest monument in the world was built over 90 years - from 713 to 803.
For the convenience of visiting visitors, a special path "Nine Turns" was built here, consisting of 250 steps. Near the trail there is a pavilion where tourists can relax and admire the face of the giant up close.
Almost until the middle of the 13th century, a huge seven-story wooden structure covered the statue from the weather, but over time it collapsed, and the structure remained defenseless against the elements. Garbage left by tourists began to accumulate at the foot, the waters of three rivers washed away the base in the form of a lotus.
The local department hired 40 workers to restore the unique statue to its former grandeur. Approximately $700,000 was invested in the project and another $730,000 was invested in security improvements.
Every year, more than 2 million travelers from all over the world come to see the sitting Buddha and add about $84 million to the budget of the Leshan City Tourism Department.
Hatra, or El-Khadr
This is an ancient ruined city as part of the Parthian kingdom, the ruins of which are still located on the territory of Northern Iraq in the province of Nineveh to the North-West of the capital of the country, the city of Baghdad. It was founded in the III century, and its heyday fell on the period of the II-I centuries BC.
The total area was about 320 hectares, in shape it resembled an oval, surrounded by a double line of high stone walls with four gates oriented to the cardinal points. The most powerful defensive wall two meters high was made of stone, behind it there was a deep ditch up to 500 meters wide. At a distance of 35 meters from each other there were 163 defensive towers.
The city belonged to the Arab princes, who regularly paid tribute to the warlike Persians, and was located at the crossroads of the main trade routes that time. In the center there was a palace and temple complex with an area of about 12,000 square meters. meters. Due to its transit location, El-Khadr included religious buildings of different directions, it was even called the "House of God".
Thanks to good defensive structures and vigilant round-the-clock protection, the ancient city withstood even the attack of the legionnaires of the Roman Empire in 116 and 198 of the new era, but in 241 Hatra fell during the siege of the Persian ruler Shapur and was soon destroyed and forgotten.
Schroeder House by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld
This house in 1924 was specially built for the 35-year-old widow Truus Schröder-Schrader and her three children in the small Dutch town of Utrecht. The building is distinguished by innovative solutions in the original and unusual exterior design for those times, as well as the view of spacious balconies and huge windows.
The project and the entire interior layout were developed by the novice architect Gerrit Thomas Rietveld. The widow proposed a number of unusual innovations, which it was also decided to implement. So, in the kitchen on the first floor, an elevator was built, in which ready-made dishes were served upstairs directly to the set table. All interiors of the first level are quite traditional for that time. The walls are made of old bricks.
But on the second floor, the entire space, according to the idea of the hostess of the house, remained completely open, and at any time it can be divided into several rooms using sliding walls. All wardrobes and beds are transformers, assembled during the day and unfolded at night. Instead of the usual curtains, like all the neighbors, multi-colored plywood shields were used.
Currently, the unique house belongs to the Central Museum of the city of Utrecht and it hosts guided tours that take about an hour.
This structure is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List because it had a significant impact on future architectural trends, and also became the first open-plan house in the world history of architecture.
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers (or Krak de l'Hospital) is a unique building of the crusaders, located in the state of Syria on the top of a cliff 650 meters high. The nearest city of Homs is located 65 km east of the castle.
This is one of the well-preserved fortresses of the Order of Hospitallers in the world. In the 10th century, this castle became his headquarters, where during the crusade a garrison of 2000 soldiers and 60 knights could be accommodated.
In addition to the powerful walls, many buildings in the Gothic style were reconstructed and restored. This is a large conference room, water storage tanks, a chapel, an internal aqueduct, storage rooms and two stables that could contain up to 1000 horses. In the rock mass under the building, underground storage facilities for food and water supplies were made, which could be enough for a long siege for 5 years.
At the end of the 12th century, during the next crusade, King Edward I of England saw the impregnable fortress, and soon his castles appeared in Wales and England, very similar in structure to Krak.
Monastery of Alcobaça
The Cistercian monastery "de Santa Maria de Alcobaça", located in the Portuguese city of Alcobaça, was founded by King Afonso Henriques in 1153 and served as a tomb for the rulers of Portugal for two centuries. The cathedral is the first building in the Gothic style, built on the territory of the ancient state.
Historically valuable is the architecture. The two wings of the main facade are made in the Baroque style, and between them there is a church, the facade of which, as it were, connects these two directions. At the top is a balcony supported by four statues - they symbolize the main virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and sobriety.
In 1755, the whole country was shaken by the great Lisbon Earthquake, which was very destructive, but the temple survived - only the sacristy and part of the service buildings were damaged. However, the original appearance of the historical site could not be restored. Near the entrance to the church is the Hall of the Kings, where there are statues of all the monarchs of Portugal, and the history of this place is written on the walls with the help of blue and white azuleijos tiles of the 18th century.
After examining this masterpiece of early Gothic, other interiors famous cathedrals Europe seems gloomy and not so aesthetic. These buildings demonstrate the perfect skills and dedication of medieval craftsmen. And the entire ensemble "de Santa Maria de Alcobaça" is one of the most beautiful monuments of Portuguese art.
Monte Alban
According to prominent scientists of world renown, this is a rather large settlement of ancient people in the southeast of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca. Only 9 km from the state capital on a low ridge mountain range passing through the valley, there is a man-made plateau. It was the very first city in the entire historical region, which played a significant role as a socio-political and economic center of the Zapotec civilization.
In the early 30s, the ruins of this ancient settlement were discovered by the Mexican archaeologist Alfonso Caso. Many pundits equate this discovery with the sensational discovery of the true location of the legendary Troy.
"Mexican Troy" turned out to be a city of high culture; as early as 200 BC, local craftsmen could already process rock crystal and make unique gold jewelry.
During the excavations, 150 four-chamber crypts, palaces and pyramids, very similar to those built by the Mayan tribe, an ancient observatory, a giant amphitheater with 120 rows for spectators, powerful stone stairs 40 meters wide, a structure resembling a stadium and much more were discovered.
The walls of the buildings are decorated with frescoes, relief images of human figures and stone mosaics. Peculiar burial ceramic urns in the form of gods and various animals were found.
The impressive ruins of the center of the ancient civilization of Monte Alban are located in such a way that they can be seen from anywhere in the central part of the Oaxaca Valley
Lalibela
This is a small town in northern Ethiopia, located in the Ahmara region at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level. It is the center of pilgrimage for the entire population of the country, because almost all the inhabitants of the town are Christians of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Lalibela was built as the New Jerusalem in response to the capture by Muslims of the shrine of Christians in the State of Israel, so many historical buildings have names and types of architecture similar to the ancient buildings of Jerusalem.
According to 2005 data, the population of the city was 15 thousand people, of which most of(about 8,000) - women. This medieval religious center is known for its monolithic, three-nave churches carved into volcanic tuff, built at the turn of the 11th-13th centuries. The bas-reliefs and wall paintings of these ancient structures mix Christian and pagan symbols and motifs.
Thirteen temples seem to grow out of the ground. "Bete Mariam" is considered the oldest, and "Bete Medhane Aley" - the largest church in the world, carved into the rock. According to legend, in the last of the churches carved into the rocks, "Bete Golgotha", the ashes of King Lalibela rest.
These unique works of architecture by ancient craftsmen are also engineering monuments of medieval Ethiopia - near many of them there are wells that are filled with water using a complex system based on the use of artesian wells.
Eight hundred years ago, people could supply water to a height of 2500 meters!
Ellora
This simple village in the state of Maharashtra, India, near the city of Aurangabad. She is famous for the fact that nearby in the rocks are carved cave temples different religions, the creation of which dates back to the 6th - 9th centuries of a new era. Of the 34 caves of Ellora, 12 in the south are Buddhist, 17 in the center are dedicated to Hindu gods, and 5 to the north are Jain.
Most of the ancient shrines have their own names, the most famous being "Kailas". This beautiful, well-preserved example of ancient architecture is considered one of the most precious monuments in India. In the granite canopy above the entrance to this holy place for all Hindus, colossal statues of Shiva, Vishnu and other gods revered in the country are carved.
This is followed by the huge goddess Lakshmi - she reclines on lotus flowers, and majestic elephants stand around. From all sides the temple is surrounded by monumental lions and vultures, they are frozen in different poses, and guard the peace of the heavenly kings.
One of the legends says that this paradise was built by one raja - Elichpur Edu - in gratitude for healing with water from a source located on the territory of the temple.
"Vishvakarma" has a multi-storey entrance and a large hall, in which there is a sculpture of Buddha, giving a sermon.
"Indra Sabha" is a two-level monolithic Jain temple.
"Kailasanatha" is the central place of everything sacred complex, and during the construction of this miracle in the town of Ellora, more than 200,000 tons of rock were removed.
Ancient Building Complex in Wudang Mountains
The Wudangshan Mountains in China are famous for their ancient monasteries and temples. Once upon a time, a university was founded here to research medicine, pharmacology, nutrition systems, meditation and martial arts.
Even during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the first religious center was opened in this area - the Temple of the Five Dragons. Large construction on the mountain began in the 15th century, when the Yongle Emperor called 300,000 soldiers and built complexes. At that time, 9 monasteries, 36 sketes and 72 shrines, many pavilions, bridges and multi-tiered pagodas were built, forming 33 architectural ensembles. The construction lasted 12 years, and the complex of structures covered the main peak and 72 small peaks - the length was 80 km.
The Golden Hall is one of the most famous, it took 20 thousand tons of copper and about 300 kg of gold to make it. According to scientists, it was forged in the capital of China, Beijing, and then delivered in parts to the Wudang Mountains.
The Purple Cloud Temple consists of several halls - Dragon and Tiger Hall, Purple Sky Hall, East, West and Parent Halls. The shrines of Wu Zhen have been kept here since the day of its foundation.
During the troubled times of the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976), many places of worship were destroyed, but later restored, and now the complex is visited by tourists from all over the world.
The architecture of the ancient Wudang Mountains complex combines the best achievements of Chinese traditions over the past 1500 years.
"Valley of the Whales" in Egypt
40 million years ago, "Wadi Al-Hitan" was the bottom of the World Ocean, so hundreds of skeletons of ancient mammals have been preserved here. This unique valley is located 150 km southwest of the capital of Egypt - Cairo. Many of the remains of whales belong to the extinct suborder Archaeoceti, representing one of the most important stages of evolution: the rebirth of terrestrial multi-ton monsters into marine mammals.
Fossil skeletons clearly show the appearance and lifestyle of these giants in their transitional period. In addition, they are all located in a convenient for study and, importantly, vigilantly protected area.
In addition, there are the remains of Sirenia sea cows and Moeritherium elephant seals, as well as prehistoric crocodiles, sea snakes and turtles. Some specimens are so well preserved that you can study the contents of their vast stomachs.
All together helps scientists unravel the mystery of the evolution of these largest mammals on the planet that still exists.
The pristine exotics of the rainforests
The Kerchin-Seblat National Park is the largest reserve on the island of Sumatra, its area is about 13.7 thousand square meters. km. Here you can see more than 4,000 species of plants, including the world's largest flower - Rafflesia Arnold, its diameter is 60-100 cm, and its weight reaches up to 8 kg. In addition, about 370 species of birds and rare animals (Sumatra tigers, elephants and rhinoceros, Malayan tapir) live in this area. There are also hot springs, the highest caldera lake and the highest peak on the island. And recently a muntjac deer was seen here, the species of which was considered extinct in the 30s of the last century.
The second largest is Gunung Leuser, with an area of 7927 sq. km. It is located in the Aceh region and in the area of the town of Bukit Lawang. This small town is considered the best starting point for walking around exotic place. Excursions are allowed only with a trained guide and with special permission.
In this reserve, the most interesting is the large population of great apes - orangutans. Translated from the Malay language, it means "forest man".
The third largest is Bukit-Barisan-Selatan with an area of 3568 sq. km, covering the provinces of Lampung, Bengkulu and South Sumatra. Here you can meet very rare animals - the Sumatran elephant and the striped rabbit.
Tourists appreciate Sumatra for its tropical forests with nature preserved in its original form, for outlandish plants and amazing representatives of exotic fauna. In addition, there are many beautiful and still active volcanoes.
"Sistine Chapel of Primitive Painting"
"Lascaux" is located in France, 40 km from the city of Perigueux and is considered one of the most important Paleolithic monuments in terms of the quantity, quality and preservation of the rock art of ancient man. The cave was accidentally discovered in 1940 by four teenagers who noticed a narrow hole in the rock formed by a fallen tree. After examination, scientists determined that the age of the rock paintings is more than 17,300 years.
The cave is quite small in size, the totality of all its galleries is about 250 meters, and average height 30 meters. Visitors were allowed from 1948 to 1955, but then it was closed, as the ventilation systems could not cope with carbon dioxide accumulating inside from the breath of numerous tourists, and the rock paintings could be damaged.
Air conditioning systems were changed several times in the last century, but they were all ineffective, and the historical heritage was periodically closed for maintenance work. And only in the 21st century powerful units were installed that successfully coped with the task.
To preserve the wall paintings, they decided to copy all the images and made a concrete copy, where almost all the rock paintings are presented in the same sequence as the original. Called the cave "Lasko II", it is located only 200 meters from the real one and was first opened to travelers in 1983.
Takht-e Jamshid
Takht-e Jamshid in Greek "Persepolis" - the ruins of the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. This place is considered one of the most beautiful monuments of the history of the state of Iran. It is located on the Marvdasht plain at the foot of Mount Ramhat and was founded by the Great Persian King Darius I in 515 BC.
The area of this stone structure is 135 thousand square meters. meters, it includes the "Gate of all nations", "Apadana Palace", "Throne Room", the tomb of the "King of Kings", an unfinished palace and a treasury. The construction lasted about 45 years and was completed under the reign of Xerxes the Great, the eldest son of Darius.
In Persepolis, mainly the remains of the palace complex and religious buildings have been preserved. The most famous of them is "Apadana" with a ceremonial hall and 72 columns. Five kilometers away is the royal tomb of Nakshe-Rustam and the rock reliefs of Nakshe-Rustam and Nakshe-Rajab.
Here in those distant times there was already a water supply and sewage system, and the labor of slaves was not used in the construction. The walls of this unique complex were more than five meters thick and up to 150 centimeters high. The city could be climbed front staircase, consisting of two marches of 111 white limestone steps each. Then it was necessary to pass the "Gate of all nations".
But the powerful walls did not help, and in 330 the great conqueror Alexander the Great stormed the fortified complex and burned the capital of the Persian kingdom to the ground during a feast in honor of the victory, possibly in retaliation for the Acropolis destroyed by the Persians in Athens.
Cradle of mankind
The historical monument is located 50 km northwest of Johanensburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa in the south of the African continent. Its area is 474 sq. km, the complex includes limestone caves, including a group called Sterkfontein, where in 1947 Robert Bloom and John Robinson discovered the fossil remains of an ancient man - Australopithecus africanus, 2.3 million years old.
"Taung Rock Fossil Site" - it was here in 1924 that the famous skull of Taung, belonging to the oldest man, was discovered. The Macapan valley is known for the abundance of archaeological traces found in the local caves, confirming the existence of people about 3.3 million years ago.
Fossils found here have helped scientists identify ancient hominin specimens dating back to between 4.5 and 2.5 million years ago. The same finds fully confirm the theory that our distant ancestors began to use fire already in the period about a million years ago.
It may seem to some of the readers that there are a lot of figures in our topic, but this is the history, and not of any single person, but of our entire civilization.
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, humanity came to the conclusion that the most valuable objects must be added to a separate 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 there are picturesque corners of nature and amazing creations of human hands, but some objects may surprise those who do not know what principles this list is based on.
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 - the Galapagos Islands, which 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
On the territory of the 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 at the moment, and 15 more are under consideration. Of the CIS countries, this 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 the culinary traditions of 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 capable of creating 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.
At present, the human environment is changing rapidly and at an increasing rate. The task of mankind is to maintain nature on the globe in a condition necessary for life, health and well-being. It is also necessary to preserve, as far as possible, at least the most unique places in nature that are of special value from a scientific point of view, areas that make up areas of valuable or endangered species of plants and animals. There are many unique places in nature, the disappearance of which would be an irreparable loss not only for the country in which they are located, but for all mankind as a whole.In most countries of the world, networks of so-called "specially protected natural areas" (SPNA) have been created for these purposes. These include the following natural objects:
Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve, Leningrad Region
Reserves are created with the aim of preserving or restoring some or all of the components of nature and to maintain the overall ecological balance. Some types of economic activity are limited in these territories.
Gladyshevsky reserve, Leningrad region
Natural monuments are small territories, including objects of natural value: caves, rocks, waterfalls, groves of rare tree species, river valleys, lakes, etc.
Natural monument "Hawk Lake", Leningrad region
Natural parks serve to protect natural complexes of ecological, historical and aesthetic value. They are staffed with special staff.
Veppsky Forest Nature Park, Leningrad Region
B Have you ever visited one of the protected areas? What do you remember about this place?
In these territories, people preserve both rare, unique and typical areas of forests, swamps, meadows, reservoirs and other natural ecosystems, rare and common species of plants and animals in their natural habitat, bird flight routes, fish spawning routes and others. natural objects and processes.
All the nature of our planet is priceless and unique. Of course, from those subject to special protection natural areas it is difficult to single out some of the most outstanding and valuable corners of nature of "exceptional importance" that are vitally important to preserve for the present and future generations. This is the subject of a special UNESCO program, which is the so-called World Heritage List.
The UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage entered into force in 1975. Its main goal is to attract the forces of the world community to preserve unique objects of culture and nature. By mid-2012, the total number of countries participating in the Convention had already reached 189. Among the international programs of UNESCO, this program is the most representative. In order to improve the efficiency of the work of the Convention, the Committee and the World Heritage Fund were formed in 1976.
World natural heritage is made up of mountains, volcanoes, lakes, rivers, islands, forests, caves, reefs, national parks, nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries.
Of course, being on a par with the universally recognized world pearls of nature and culture is honorable and prestigious, but at the same time it is a great responsibility. To receive World Heritage status, an object must be of outstanding universal value, undergo a thorough expert assessment. At the same time, the nominated natural object must meet at least one of the following four criteria:
Include unique natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value;
Present outstanding examples of the main stages of the history of the Earth, including traces of ancient life, serious geological processes that continue to occur in the development of the forms of the earth's surface, significant geomorphological or physiographic features of the relief;
Present outstanding examples of important ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
Include natural areas of great importance for their conservation of biological diversity, including areas of endangered species that are of outstanding scientific or conservation value.
The status of a world natural heritage site provides additional guarantees for the safety and integrity of unique natural complexes, increases the prestige of territories, promotes the popularization of objects and the development of alternative types of nature management, and ensures priority in attracting financial resources.
The first cultural and natural sites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List two years after the creation of the program. Of the natural areas, the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), the national parks Yellowstone (USA), Nahanni (Canada) and Seamen (Ethiopia) received heritage status. Over the past years, the List has become very representative both in terms of the regions of the planet represented and in terms of the number of objects: by mid-2012, it already included 188 natural objects. Most of them are located in the USA and Australia (more than 10 objects in each country). Under the protection of the Convention are such worldwide famous monuments nature like big barrier reef, Hawaiian Islands, Grand Canyon, Mount Kilimanjaro. Video 62.
In Russia, the initiator of the inclusion of natural objects in the World Heritage List is primarily Greenpeace. By joining this UNESCO program, a new page was opened in the field of nature protection in Russia.
Russian World Natural Heritage Sites
There are inaccuracies on the map, since at the moment 11 objects are already included in the list, including the Putorana Plateau and natural Park"Lena Pillars". The first in our country to receive the status of a world natural heritage site in 1995 was a natural complex called "Virgin Komi Forests".
The territory of this object is the largest of the remaining massifs of primary forests in Europe, the appearance of which is almost not changed by human influence. Video 63.
The virgin forests of Komi are a real taiga treasury. There are more than 40 species of mammals here (including brown bear, sable, elk), 204 species of birds (including the white-tailed eagle and osprey listed in the Red Book of Russia), 16 species of fish, the most valuable of which are considered glacial relics - char palia and Siberian grayling.
This area is extended along western slope Subpolar and Northern Urals for more than 300 km. The Ural mountain system has a significant impact on the climate. In places, natural complexes form a complex mosaic: along narrow river valleys, taiga vegetation rises high into the mountains.
The main tree species - spruce and fir - are accompanied by Siberian cedar. Here it originates and receives the crystal clear tributaries of the Pechora. Now the territory of the World Heritage Site "Virgin Komi Forests" is in danger due to illegal gold mining unfolding here (1).Greenpeace Russia and other non-governmental organizations will fight to stop any nature-destroying activity on its territory.
Lake Baikal
Baikal is one of the greatest lakes of the planet, a lake of "superlatives": the deepest (1637 meters), the oldest (about 25 million years), with the most diverse flora and fauna among fresh water bodies. Video 64.
The lake has a unique fresh water supply in terms of volume and quality - more than 20% of the world's reserves). The Baikal depression is the central link of the Baikal rift zone, one of the largest ancient fault systems on Earth. The lake, together with its entire basin, is a peculiar and very fragile natural ecosystem that provides a natural process of formation purest waters. For Siberia, the climate of the Baikal coasts is comparatively mild. For example, the number of sunny days a year here is higher than in many Black Sea resorts.One of the richest and most unusual freshwater fauna in the world, which is of exceptional value for studying evolutionary processes, has formed in the isolated Baikal depression since ancient times.
Of the more than 2,630 species and subspecies of animals and plants found so far in the lake, more than 80% are found nowhere else in the world. Who has not heard of the famous Baikal omul or Baikal sturgeon? Two unique species of viviparous fish, representatives of the family endemic (2) for Baikal, the big and small golomyanka, are known to ichthyologists all over the world. The pyramid of the lake ecosystem is crowned by a mammal of typically marine origin - the seal, or the Baikal seal.
Unfortunately, the unique nature of Baikal is under threat (3).
WITH Have you heard about the actions that the public is taking to protect Lake Baikal from pollution by the pulp and paper mill?
Another danger for Baikal is the planned development of deposits, illegal logging, forest fires, poaching, and oil spills.
Volcanoes of Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula is located at the junction of tectonic plates in a zone of active volcanism, where modern natural processes and the history of our planet are inseparable. Video 65.
Here, in a limited area, 30 active and about 300 extinct volcanoes are concentrated, as well as more than 150 groups of thermal and mineral springs. Dozens of geysers, hot springs, fumaroles (4), cascades of waterfalls, sharp peaks of ridges, mud pots and turquoise lakes, carpets of colorful algae give a fabulous look to the famous Valley of Geysers
The richest life is represented in the seas washing the coast of Kamchatka. Here are the growth zones of king crab larvae, salmon spawning places and their juveniles rolling into the sea. From summer to the beginning of winter, an amazing natural phenomenon can be observed on the rivers of the peninsula: millions of salmon in a continuous mass move along the rivers against the current to their spawning grounds.
Golden Mountains of Altai
The nature of this mountainous territory, located at the junction of Central Asia and Siberia, is distinguished by its bright originality. There are few places in the world with such a contrasting combination of different landscapes in such a small space. Video 66.
The flora and fauna of the region are diverse and in many ways unique. Here, the most significant subalpine and alpine meadows in terms of area in the mountains of Siberia. The color of the vegetation of the Southern Altai, where semi-deserts, steppes and tundra coexist, is also unique. The diversity of landscapes contributed to the emergence and preservation of endemics in Altai, often occupying very small areas. Among the rare species of mammals, the snow leopard should be singled out; this is one of the most beautiful cats in the world fauna. Very few of these animals have survived in Altai.
The geological history of the region is unique, “recorded” in the rocks of different ages that make it up and imprinted in unusual landforms. Such, for example, are the high terraces of the Katun River, striking in their grandeur. The grandiose Mount Belukha is the highest peak in Siberia (4506 meters). The Altai river valleys are narrow deep canyons.
The diversity of nature has left its mark on the culture and religion of the indigenous population of this territory - the Altaians. The achievements of Altai traditional medicine are highly valued. As the outstanding philosopher, writer, traveler H.K. Roerich, "many peoples passed through Altai and left traces: Scythians, Huns, Turks." Mountain Altai called an open-air museum.
Western Caucasus
The western part of the Greater Caucasus in terms of the diversity of flora and fauna, their preservation is unparalleled not only in the Caucasus region, but also among others. mountainous areas Europe and Western Asia. Video 67.
This is an area where a large number of endangered rare, endemic and relict species of plants and animals are concentrated. It is especially important that the little-altered habitat of the most vulnerable large mammals has been preserved here: bison, Caucasian red deer, Western Caucasian tur, chamois, Caucasian subspecies of brown bear, wolf and others.
The Caucasian reserve is practically the only habitat of the mountain bison in the world; outside this territory, it is almost completely exterminated by poachers.
The territory is rich in picturesque objects: powerful waterfalls, pointed mountain peaks (up to 3360 meters), stormy mountain rivers with clear water, clear mountain lakes, huge trees (majestic firs up to 85 meters high and more than 2 meters in diameter), rare plants (orchids, etc.) and many others. An invaluable unique natural complex has been preserved in the Western Caucasus.
curonian spit
The relief of this territory, located in the Kaliningrad region, is unique. A continuous strip of sand dunes 0.3 - 1 km wide, some of which are close to the highest in the world (up to 68 m), stretches along the peninsula for 70 km. Video 68.
Due to its geographic location and orientation from northeast to southwest, the spit serves as a "guide line" for birds of many species migrating from the northwestern regions of Russia, Finland and the Baltic countries to the countries of Central and Southern Europe. Every year in spring and autumn 10 - 20 million birds fly over the spit, a significant part of which stops here for rest and feeding. Among the birds flying here are many rare and endangered species listed in the Red Books of Russia, Europe and the world.
It is especially interesting that the spit is rich in cultural heritage sites. These are defensive structures unique in their scale, extremely valuable from the point of view of history, science and art; fishermen's settlements harmoniously integrated into the landscape; archaeological sites and monuments of religious architecture. Many-sided dune relief curonian spit combined with the greenery of the forests, the whiteness sandy beaches and the boundless blue of the Baltic Sea has a high aesthetic value.
Central Sikhote-Alin
This territory, located in the south of the Far East within Russia, is one of the largest and least human-modified centers of preservation of communities of ancient coniferous-deciduous and broad-leaved forests. Video 69.
It presents a lot of rare and endangered animal species, a significant part of which is preserved only within its boundaries. Mountain country Sikhote-Alin is the last large integral territory in the world inhabited by the Amur tiger. Many other rare and endangered plant and animal species endemic to the region also need protection.
Picturesque landforms, full-flowing rivers, combined with an exceptional variety of flora and fauna, the presence of exotic plants and animals reminiscent of the tropics, give the nature of Sikhote-Alin completely unique features. There are many objects of aesthetic and recreational significance here: rock massifs, picturesquely standing out among the taiga, waterfalls, lakes and rapids, reefs, sandy bays on the coast of the Sea of Japan.
Ubsunur basin
The Ubsunur basin, located on the territory of Mongolia and Russia, is one of the most original and unusual places in Central Asia. Video 70.
This region has preserved a unique complex of neighboring, closely interacting, extremely contrasting ecosystems - from the taiga to the desert. Glaciers, snowfields, mountain tundra of the alpine belt and subalpine meadows pass into the vast mountain taiga belt, which is replaced by forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and even loose sandy ridges, creating an exceptional beauty and diversity natural phenomenon. It is impossible to see such diverse landscapes in such close proximity anywhere else in Eurasia. An unusually high species richness for temperate latitudes reigns in this territory.
Relative sparsely populated territory, the absence of industrial facilities make it possible to preserve the basin as a natural laboratory for the study of biospheric processes
However, the value of the territory lies not only in the unique nature of the Ubsunur basin. Of great importance are the objects of cultural heritage located here - archaeological monuments, many of which have not been studied so far. Nowhere else in Central Asia are barrows found in such a concentration as here (according to a rough estimate, there are up to 20 thousand of them); most of them are old Egyptian pyramids. Thousands of rock paintings and stone sculptures, the remains of medieval settlements and Buddhist chapels form a unique natural and cultural landscape.
The natural system of the reserve "Wrangel Island"»
The Wrangel Island Reserve is located on the border of the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas on the Wrangel and Herald Islands with a 12-mile sea area adjacent to them. Video 71.
The 180th meridian passes through Wrangel Island, so that the island lies in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres. The relief is predominantly mountainous, strongly dissected, with coastal lowlands in the north and south. There are 1400 rivers and streams on the island, about 900 small lakes. A unique combination of natural-historical and landscape-climatic conditions, as well as inaccessibility, have led to a large number of endemic, rare and relict plant species on the islands. On the islands, as parts of the ancient land that once united the Eurasian and North American continents, both Euro-Asian and American species of flora and fauna are widely represented.
Putorana Plateau
The plateau is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It is a large basaltic plateau, located on the northern limit of the taiga and almost completely unaffected by human economic activity. Video 72. Unusual and extremely interesting are the trap relief forms (5), crossed by huge canyons. The scale and number of waterfalls are impressive (the highest concentration in Russia). Here is a 108 m high waterfall - one of the highest in our country. There are many lakes on the plateau with depths up to 400 m, lake fjords are very picturesque.More than 1300 plant species have been recorded on the Putorana Plateau. Here is the northern limit of the distribution of flying squirrel, lynx, sable, stone capercaillie. The migration route of the world's largest population of wild reindeer, the Taimyr one, runs through the plateau. A little-studied, extremely interesting local form of the bighorn sheep also lives here.
Lena Pillars
The Lena Pillars Natural Park is located in Central Yakutia, in the middle reaches of the Lena River. Video 73.
The park got its name because of the unique ridge of rocks - fabulous stone sculptures in the form of pillars and towers stretch along the banks of the Lena for tens of kilometers. Some are up to 100 meters high. This natural monument is composed of Cambrian limestones - rock formed over 500 million years ago.
In addition, in the park there are small areas of the desert landscape - unique permafrost ecosystems, as well as fluttering tukulan sands - isolated and independently developing sandy ridges with slopes practically not fixed by vegetation. In the area of the Lena Pillars, scientists discovered burials of bone remains of ancient fauna: mammoth, bison, Lena horse, woolly rhinoceros.
21 species of rare and endangered "Red Book" plants grow in the park. In the basin of the middle reaches of the Lena River, the fish fauna includes 31 species. Nesting of 101 species of birds has been established in the park. Animals such as sable, brown bear, squirrel, elk, red deer, chipmunk, musk deer, mountain-forest form of wild reindeer are common here.
Work to continue the inclusion of new areas in the World Heritage List continues. According to the rules, nominations for consideration by the World Heritage Committee must first be included in the national Tentative List. They are presented on the World Natural Heritage map of Russia (see above).
Obviously, the effective protection of such territories is impossible without the active involvement of public organizations, as many citizens of the country as possible. Let us remember that we have an individual and collective responsibility for the preservation of natural complexes.
Read the resolution of the International NGO Forum on World Heritage Sites (6).
What can we, the people of Russia, do to support the conservation and development of specially protected natural areas?
Each of these places is unique in its own way, and all together they function, making up the unity and integrity of the life support system on the Planet. They create its unique, still far from fully unraveled and known appearance.