World Heritage Site Statue of Liberty. The Fifteen Most Famous World Heritage Sites - UNESCO's Untouchable Trust
In our world there are many objects that are unique in their kind and constitute the world heritage of mankind.
World Heritage sites included in the UNESCO special list are of enormous 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 that demonstrate the richness of nature and the capabilities of the human mind.
The list of this organization contains objects among which there are individual architectural structures and ensembles, for example - the Acropolis, cathedrals in Amiens and Chartres, historical city centers - Warsaw and St. Petersburg; and there are also entire cities - Brasilia, Venice along with the lagoon and others. There are also archaeological reserves - for example, Delphi; national parks - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Yellowstone (USA) and others. States on whose territory World Heritage sites are located undertake obligations to preserve them.
It is worth noting that UNESCO World Heritage Sites represent places and objects on the planet that different countries ah, 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 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 view the Buddhist sculptures of the Longmen Grottoes (Dragon Gate) near the city of Luoyang in the Chinese province of Henan. There are more than 2,300 caves in this place; 110,000 Buddhist images, more than 80 dagobas (Buddhist mausoleums) containing relics of Buddhas, as well as 2,800 inscriptions on rocks near the Yishui River, a kilometer long. Buddhism was first introduced to China in these places during the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
The Bayon Temple in Cambodia is famous for its many giant stone faces. There are more than 1,000 temples in the Angkor region, which range 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.
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, has been added to the List world heritage UNESCO July 6, 2008. The complex includes 111 rock burials (1st century BC - 1st century AD), as well as a system of hydraulic structures associated with the ancient Nabataean city of Hegra, which was the center of caravan trade. There are also about 50 rock inscriptions dating back to the Pre-Nabatean period.
The Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) waterfalls are located in the Iguazu National Park in the Argentine province of Misiones. Depending on the water level of the Iguazu River, the park has from 160 to 260 waterfalls, as well as over 2,000 plant species and 400 bird species . National Park Iguazu was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.
The mysterious Stonehenge is a stone megalithic structure consisting of 150 huge stones, located on 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 at the Bafang Pavilion at the Summer Palace, the famous classical imperial garden in Beijing. 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 given 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 Galapagos National Park in Ecuador. She is now approximately 60-90 years old. The Galapagos Islands were originally included on the World Heritage List in 1978, but were listed as endangered in 2007.
People skate on the ice of the canals at the Kinderdijk Mills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is home to the largest collection of historic mills in the Netherlands and is one of the top attractions in South Holland. Decorating holidays taking place here with balloons gives a certain flavor to this place.
View of the Perito Moreno glacier located in national park Los Glaciares, in the southeast of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1981. The glacier is one of the most interesting tourist sites in the Argentine part of Patagonia and the 3rd largest glacier in the world after Antarctica and Greenland.
Terraced gardens in the northern Israeli city of Haifa surround the golden-domed Shrine of the Bab, founder of the Baha'i faith. The world administrative and spiritual center the Baha'i religion, which has fewer than six million adherents worldwide. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008.
Aerial photograph of St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. According to the World Heritage website, within this small state lies a unique collection of artistic 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 is home to the world's largest collection of coral reefs, including 400 species of coral and 1,500 species of fish. The Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981.
Camels rest in the ancient city of Petra in front of Jordan's main monument, Al Khazneh or the treasury, believed to be the tomb of a Nabatean king carved from sandstone. This city, located between Krasny and Dead Seas, is located at the crossroads of Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Phenicia. Petra was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1985.
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous and easily recognizable buildings in the world, a symbol of Sydney and one of the main attractions of Australia. The Sydney Opera House was designated a World Heritage Site in 2007.
Rock paintings made by the San people in the Drakensberg Mountains, located in eastern South Africa. The San people lived in the Drakensberg region for thousands of years until they were destroyed in clashes with the Zulus and white settlers. They left behind incredible rock art in the Drakensberg Mountains, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
General view of the city of Shibam, located in the east of Yemen in the Hadhramaut province. Shibam is famous for its incomparable architecture, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program. All the houses here are built of clay bricks; approximately 500 houses can be considered multi-story, as they have 5-11 floors. Often called "the world's oldest skyscraper city" or "Desert Manhattan", Shibam is also the oldest example of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.
Gondolas along the shore of the Grand Canal in Venice. The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is visible in the background. Island Venice - seaside resort, a center of international tourism of world significance, a venue for international film festivals, art and architectural exhibitions. Venice was included in the UNESCO World Heritage program in 1987.
Some of the 390 abandoned huge statues made of compressed volcanic ash (moai in Rapa Nui) at the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano on Easter Island, 3,700 km off the coast of Chile. Rapa Nui National Park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program since 1995.
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 to defend against 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 prayer mills on the grounds of the Potala Palace in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. The Potala Palace is a royal palace and Buddhist temple complex that 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.
Inca citadel Machu Picchu in the Peruvian city of Cusco. Machu Picchu, especially after receiving 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 that the number of tourists per day be reduced to 800.
Buddhist pagoda Kopon-daito on Mount Koya, Wakayama Province, Japan. Mount Koya, located east of Osaka, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. In 819, the first Buddhist monk Kukai, the founder of the Shingon school, a branch of Japanese Buddhism, settled here.
Tibetan women walk around the Bodhnath Stupa in Kathmandu - one of the most ancient and revered Buddhist shrines. On the edges of the tower crowning it are depicted “Buddha’s eyes” inlaid with ivory. Kathmandu Valley, about 1300 m high, is a mountain valley and 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 They say 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.
Situated in north-east Wales, the 18-kilometre Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a feat of Industrial Revolution-era civil engineering, completed in the early years of the 19th century. Still in use more than 200 years after its opening, it is one of the busiest sections of the UK canal network, handling around 15,000 boats a year. In 2009, the Pontkysilte Aqueduct was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a "landmark in the history of civil engineering during the Industrial Revolution". This aqueduct is one of the unusual monuments to plumbers and plumbing
A herd of elk grazes in the meadows of Yellowstone National Park. Mount Holmes, to the left, and Mount Dome are visible in the background. In 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 added Old Havana and its fortifications to the World Heritage List in 1982. Although Havana has expanded to a population of over 2 million, 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 courtyards.
UNESCO - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was created in November 1945.
Among the main five areas of UNESCO's activities, it is worth highlighting the cultural area, which is in charge of a program such as World Heritage, the purpose of which is to preserve cultural and natural objects which are the property of all humanity.
UNESCO World Heritage is the best man-made creations of mankind and unique natural phenomena of historical, cultural and environmental significance.
The UNESCO World Heritage List as of July 2012 includes 962 sites of cultural and natural significance of special universal value from around the world.
The presence in this list of valuable cultural and natural sites of a country contributes not only to its international prestige, but also to economic benefits and the development of tourism.
To be included in this list, an object must meet at least one of the ten established selection criteria (6 cultural and 4 natural criteria). The only object on the UNESCO list that was assessed according to all 6 cultural criteria, among which there is one such as “a masterpiece of human creative genius,” is the Great Wall of China. The wall is a majestic man-made structure, the construction of which has been ongoing since the 3rd century BC. e. up to the 17th century.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites include cities and archaeological sites, castles, palaces and fortresses, cathedrals, temples and abbeys, theaters and museums, islands, valleys and parks, and much more.
Each country in the world is famous for its unique history, culture, architecture and nature, so each of these countries has designated sites for protection. The most famous among cultural sites are: the religious building Stonehenge (Great Britain), the mausoleum-mosque of the Taj Mahal (India), the Moscow Kremlin (Russia), the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), and among natural ones - Belovezhskaya Pushcha(Poland), Lake Baikal (Russia), Great Barrier Reef (Australia).
Almost every year, UNESCO holds sessions where members of the World Heritage Committee decide to include a particular site on the list of protected sites. At the last session, which was held in July 2012 in St. Petersburg, the UNESCO World Heritage List included, in particular, such sites as the historical city of Rabat (Morocco), decorations of farm houses in the province of Hälsingland (Sweden), and the natural park " Lena Pillars" (Russia), coastal landscapes of Carioca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and others.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a unique opportunity for travelers to get acquainted with outstanding cultural monuments and natural objects our planet and discover many interesting places, the existence of which was not even suspected. How many of you have heard or know about such a place as the settlement of Lumbini in Nepal, which is associated with the birth of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, or about the “Frankincense Trail” in Oman; about the largest crater in the world - Vredefort in South Africa, whose age is estimated at 2 billion years, or about the Monastery of St. Gall in Switzerland, whose library is one of the oldest and richest in the world and stores precious ancient manuscripts.
Therefore, if you want to spend your holidays in any country, look at photographs of the best creations of mankind and nature. Maybe you want to visit the Acropolis of Athens or the legendary Palace of Knossos, then you should consider a tour to Greece. Or maybe you want to go to Greenland and visit the Ilulissat Fjord to watch giant icebergs drifting, or visit the caves and enjoy the fantastic scenery of Ha Long Bay, located in Vietnam.
On our website you can get acquainted with both unique World Heritage sites and other interesting places, natural and cultural attractions of different countries, which will help you in planning tourist routes and will serve as a good guide on your trip. Have a nice trip!
Independence Hall
Independence Hall (English: Independence Hall, lit. Independence Hall) is a building in Independence Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, known as the place where the Declaration of Independence was discussed, agreed upon and signed in 1776; place where the US Constitution was signed. From 1775 to 1783, the building was used as a meeting place for the Second Continental Congress. The building is currently part of the US Historical Park and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Designed in Georgian style by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton, the building was built by Woolley between 1732 and 1753. The building was originally intended for the Pennsylvania government.
Independence Hall is built of red brick. Highest point the building rises 41 meters above the ground. There are 2 more buildings adjacent to the building: the old city council building to the east and the Congress Hall to the west.
Liberty Bell
The bell tower of Independence Hall was where the Liberty Bell was originally located. Currently, the bell tower houses the Centennial Bell, created in 1876 on the centenary of the declaration of independence. The Liberty Bell is on display to the public in one of the adjacent pavilions.
In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, while visiting Philadelphia, presented as a gift to the American people a replica of the Century Bell, manufactured by the same factory as the original bell. It is now installed in the bell tower near Independence Hall.
Image of Independence Hall on the 1975-1976 50-cent coin
Work of the Second Continental Congress and the Declaration of Independence
Assembly Hall
From 1775 to 1783, Independence Hall was the main meeting place for the Second Continental Congress, drawn from representatives from each of the thirteen colonies. The Declaration of Independence was approved here on July 4, 1776, and then read to the public in what is now known as Independence Square. This document united the North American colonies and declared their independence from Great Britain. This event is celebrated on July 4th as Independence Day.
On June 14, 1775, at Independence Hall, delegates to the Continental Congress elected George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. On July 26, Benjamin Franklin was elected postmaster general.
Cahokia Mounds Historic Site
Cahokia or Cahokia is a group of 109 North American Indian mounds located near the city of Collinsville in Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi, opposite the city of St. Louis. The largest archaeological monument of Mississippian culture (VII-XIII centuries) Since 1982, it has been protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Covering more than 2,000 acres, Cahokia is the only prehistoric Indian city north of Mexico and the largest archaeological site of the famous Mississippian culture. Cahokia is made up of 109 mounds by North American Indians known as the Mound Builders, but it remains a great mystery how they were able to build such huge, complex mounds.
Cahokia is famous for its huge mounds, large clay structures. This city was inhabited from approximately 700 to 1400 AD by ancient peoples. At the beginning there were only a few thousand, but then the population of Cahokia grew to tens of thousands.
A ceramic jug with an image of the so-called “underwater panther”, belonging to the Mississippian culture. Found in Parkin State Archaeological Park, Cross County, Arkansas, USA, dating: 1400-1600, height 20 cm
The real name of the city is unknown and the inhabitants apparently did not use writing. The name Cahokia comes from an unrelated tribe that lived in this area when the first French explorers arrived (late 17th century).
The ancient Cahokia Indians built more than 120 clay mounds. Some mounds have not survived to this day, as they were destroyed by subsequent tribes. The Cahokia mound complex is an amazing sight. Some mounds do not exceed a few meters in height, while others exceed a height of 30 meters. More than 50 million cubic feet of earth were moved to build these embankments, with huge quarries still standing in some places. The Indians carried the soil on their backs, dragging large, heavy baskets.
At the height of the Cahokian culture (1,100 to 1,200 AD), the city covered nearly six square miles and had a population of 20,000 people. The buildings were built in rows around spacious areas. Food came to the city from small villages around where they were engaged in agriculture and livestock farming. The Cahokians traded with other tribes as far as Minnesota.
Flourished from 1050 to 1250 AD. e. the city fell into complete decline by 1500. It is estimated that 40,000 people lived in an area of about two square miles at that time. About one and a half million cubic meters of earth were required to create the mysterious ritual mounds.
Here is a place of power, the largest man-made earthen structure in North America - the Monastic Mound, so named because for several years at the beginning of the 17th century. a group of French monks of the mysterious Trappist order lived there. The mound covers an area of fourteen acres and is over 30 m high.
The most likely reason for the desolation of this place is the depletion of natural resources. According to another version, climate change has affected soil fertility, or perhaps the inhabitants of these places have become victims of external aggression.
During the exploration and excavation of the Cahokia mounds, a number of mysterious and shocking discoveries were discovered. One of the mounds, known as number 72, contained a burial dating back to 1050
A tall man, who died at a little over forty years of age, rested on a bed decorated with an ornament of twenty thousand shells and eight thousand arrowheads. In the mystical crypt, items made of mica, copper, plaster, as well as stones used in various games were discovered.
Scientists have suggested that the deceased held an important position in the hierarchy of his tribe. In the same burial were the remains of four men with severed heads and hands, and fifty-three women aged between fifteen and twenty-five, most likely strangled. Due to the fact that all the deceased were approximately the same age and died a violent death at the same time, a version of the act of human sacrifice was put forward. A certain number of people were sent to accompany their leader in his afterlife. This is the largest burial of its kind ever discovered in North America.
Model of the leader's burial.
In front of the main temple of Cahokia stretched a peculiar area measuring at least 19 hectares. A 3-kilometer palisade was built around the Monakhov Mound, which was updated several times. The size of the settlement suggests that at its height it was the largest on the continent north of Mexico.
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Researchers believe that the creation of mounds began in this area in the middle of the 7th century. By the 10th-11th centuries, Cahokia reached its maximum prosperity and acquired the status of the largest North American city
Fortress of La Fortaleza and the historical part of the city of San Juan
During the period XV-XIX centuries. a system of defensive structures was built at this strategic location in the Caribbean to protect the city and San Juan Bay. They are excellent examples of the adaptation of European military architecture to the characteristics of American harbors.
Puerto Rico (Spanish Puerto Rico, translated as “rich port”), officially the Freely Associated State of Puerto Rico, is located in the Caribbean Sea on the island of Puerto Rico from the group of Greater Antilles and a number of adjacent small islands.
“Old San Juan,” or Viejo San Juan, lies at the very tip of the peninsula of the same name, which juts out into the waters of the Atlantic in a long, irregular strip. It was here that the first buildings of the future city were moved from Caparra, it was here, between the deep waters of San Juan Bay and open sea, the first caravels arrived with a cargo of New World treasures, and it was here, on a strip of land convenient for defense, that the capital of the country grew.
Caguanas Indigenous Ceremonial Center
The entire Old Town, literally replete with buildings and structures of the 16th-17th centuries, is today a National Historical Zone and the main point of attraction for numerous tourists. The old town is most like a museum under open air, a collection of darkened buildings from the Spanish colonial era, with many of them, most notably the area around Plaza del Cinto Centenario, considered the best preserved example of this style in the Western Hemisphere.
The steep and narrow streets here are paved with smooth bars known as "adequines", and the pastel facades of the buildings and balconies with wrought-iron trellises entwined with flowering plants seem to have stepped out of the pages of the classics of Spanish literature. Stone fortress walls stretch along the entire northern side of Viejo San Juan, forming, together with its forts, a powerful defensive system designed to protect the city from attacks by British, Dutch and French corsairs.
Today, only the walls of La Muralla and the ramparts of El Morro and San Cristobal have remained intact, but this area is enough to appreciate the former greatness of this fortress.
In the very north-west of the city, on Cape Punta del Moro, stands the most impressive example of the Spanish fortification school - Fort Fuerte San Felipe del Moro, guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay. This fortress, considered one of the largest and most advanced in the Caribbean, was built by Spanish engineers over more than 200 years - it was founded in 1539, and the last of its six tiers was completed only in 1787.
This massive structure has withstood countless attacks, including such famous ones as the attacks of the pirate Francis Drake's fleet in 1595, the attack of the Dutch fleet in 1625, or the fire of the guns of the entire American Atlantic squadron in 1898. The majestic walls of the fort rise 42 meters above the waters of the Atlantic. meters, and in its depths hide countless barracks, galleries, dungeons and firing positions, many of which are simply carved into the rocky soil of the cape. A huge number of exhibitions are regularly held on the territory of El Morro, showing the role of Puerto Rico in the conquest of the New World.
The northeastern tip of the Old Town is covered by the second fortress of this system - Fuerte San Cristobal. Stretching from Avenida Muñoz Rivera to Calle Norzagaray, this majestic fort was built between 1634 and 1790. and originally occupied an area of 27 acres (this is the largest fortification built by the Spaniards in the New World).
Today, tourists can freely explore its labyrinth-like structures and almost six kilometers of network of secret tunnels, ditches, and dungeons of military positions, built within the depths of 45-meter walls, from which a beautiful panorama of San Juan and its bays opens. Fuerte San Felipe del Moro and Fuerte San Cristobal are National Historic Monuments and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Plaza de San José lies in the very center of the old part of the city. Around this colorful square, decorated with a statue of the city's founder, Juan Ponce de Leon, there are many small museums and pleasant cafes.
In the northern part of the square rises the Iglesia San Jose Church (1530) - one of the few Gothic churches in America (the second is also in Puerto Rico - this is Porta Coelli in San Germán, 1606).
Porta_Coeli_in_San_Germán Both the first church on the island and one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, Iglesia San José was built as a Dominican monastery and chapel dedicated to St. Thomas Aquinas (the original building was badly damaged by a hurricane and rebuilt by the Jesuits in 1865).
Other attractions of the Old Town include Casa Blanca (1523, was built as the residence of Ponce de Leon),
Dominican convent (1523, now houses the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture),
residence of the island's governor - La Fortaleza (1540 - the oldest residence in the Western Hemisphere), Alcalde, or City Hall (1604-1789), Casino (not a gaming club at all, but a fashionable palace built in 1917 and recently excellent renovated),
Cathedral of San Juan (1520-1535, restored 1977), neoclassical building of La Princesa (built as a prison in 1837, now the main office of the Tourist Company
Puerto Rico and a wonderful exhibition gallery of works by local artists),
fragments of the city wall of La Muraglia (1539-1782) up to 6 meters thick,
Cemeterio de San Juan cemetery behind the northern edge of the walls of La Muralla, the old fortress gates of La Puerta de San Juan (1635),
the Casa del Libro mansion and the nearby Capilla del Libro chapel,
Capilla del Cristo (1753) and the nearby Parque de las Palomas (a real pigeon sanctuary),
magnificent hotel El Convento in an old building convent, as well as the striking sculptural group La Rogativa (1797) to commemorate the miraculous salvation of the city from the British invasion
beautiful house Casa Rosada (1812)
Museo_de_las_Americas_
It is not surprising that within the old part of the city there are many museums, including such famous ones as the Museo de Las Americas in the building of the old army barracks
Cartel de Balahona (the most interesting archaeological finds islands, as well as many artistic works by masters of Puerto Rico and the USA),
"Children's Museum" Museo del Niño,
Museo del Arte e Historia (extensive exhibition of Puerto Rican art and musical traditions),
Casa Blanca Museum (collection of objects and things from the era of the beginning of the Conquest),
Francisco Oller Art Museum in the old city hall (many historical works),
Puerto Rico Museum of Art (www.mapr.org),
g Museum of Contemporary Art (www.museocontemporaneopr.org),
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty (English Statue of Liberty, full name - Liberty Enlightening the World) is one of the most famous sculptures in the USA and in the world, often called the “symbol of New York and the USA”, “symbol of freedom and democracy", "Lady Liberty". This is a gift from French citizens for the centennial of the American Revolution.
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, about 3 km southwest of the southern tip of Manhattan, in New Jersey. Until 1956, the island was called “Bedloe's Island,” although it was popularly called “Liberty Island” since the beginning of the 20th century.
Statue of Liberty (view from the pedestal)
The goddess of freedom holds a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left. The inscription on the tablet reads “English. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" (written in Roman numerals the date "July 4, 1776"), this date is the day of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. “Freedom” stands with one foot on broken shackles.
Visitors walk 356 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty or 192 steps to the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize earthly precious stones and heavenly rays that illuminate the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents (the Western geographical tradition counts exactly seven continents).
The total weight of copper used to cast the statue is 31 tons, and the total weight of its steel structure is 125 tons. The total weight of the concrete base is 27 thousand tons. The thickness of the copper coating of the statue is 2.57 mm.
The height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 meters, including the base and pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 meters.
The statue was constructed from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame.
The statue is usually open to visitors, usually arriving by ferry. The crown, accessible by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. The museum, located in the pedestal (and accessible by elevator), houses a history exhibition
The French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. It was intended as a gift for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model: the beautiful, recently widowed Isabella Boyer, wife of Isaac Singer, the creator and entrepreneur in the field of sewing machines. “She was freed from the awkward presence of her husband, who left her with only the most desirable attributes in society: fortune... and children. From the very beginning of her career in Paris, she was a well-known personality. As the beautiful French widow of an American entrepreneur, she proved a suitable model for Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty."
Manor Monticello
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author of the American Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States, was also a talented architect of classicist buildings. He designed Monticello (1769–1809), his plantation home, and his ideal “academic village” (1817–1826), which is still the core of the University of Virginia. Jefferson's use of classical architectural language suggests that the new republic in America saw itself as the heir to the European tradition. It also symbolized the country's reaching maturity to allow it to experiment in the field of culture.
Monticello is the only house in the United States to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Jefferson, who grew up on one of Virginia's largest tobacco plantations, inherited several thousand acres of land at age 21, including the hills of Monticello (Italian for "little mountain"), where he began building his mansion in 1768.
The estate stands on the crest of a 264-meter hill, from where its name comes, meaning “hillock” in Italian. The manor house was founded by Jefferson in 1769 according to his own design, inspired by the drawings of Andrea Palladio. On the sides of the manor house there were two long terraces in the shape of the letter L, which hid from the eyes of guests the kitchen, laundry and other utility rooms where black slaves lived and worked.
. Jefferson thought out not only the exterior of the building, but also the interior details, including ingenious devices, like an elevator hidden behind the fireplace in the dining room that takes you directly down to the wine cellar.
Monticello Palace is unique not only in its design, but also in its use of resources. Bricks for construction in the 18th century were imported from England. Jefferson produced all his building materials, including nails, on site. Among other improvements, he added a mezzanine and an octagonal dome, the first of its kind in America.
The initial design for Monticello consisted of 14 rooms, but after several years in Europe as the U.S. Secretary to France, Jefferson became interested in fashionable trends in French architecture and changed the plan. The building has doubled its size to 1000 sq.m., not counting pavilions and terraces, and now includes 43 rooms.
Additional rooms were used not so much for housing and guests, but for storing an enormous collection of books, European art, Indian artifacts and souvenirs from travel. The Monticello Palace also contains Jefferson's unique inventions: rotating shelves, a photocopier, a spherical sundial and many other devices.
Jefferson
Born into one of the wealthiest families in the United States and known for his extravagance, Jefferson left his heirs numerous debts. He bequeathed the Monticello Palace to the state to establish a school for the children of deceased naval officers. However, his daughter, Martha Randolph, was forced to sell the palace for $4,500 to an admirer of her father's talent, Captain Levi. In 1923, Monticello purchased the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and opened it to the public as a museum.
Monticello Palace reflects Jefferson's personal ideas and ideals. The original main entrance through the portico is equipped with a plate connected to a weather vane, indicating the direction of the wind. The large clock face on the east wall has only an hour hand, as Jefferson believed this was a fairly accurate time indicator for workers.
Submission of the draft Declaration by the Committee of Five to Congress. John Trumbull's famous painting reproduced on the back of an old $2
Jefferson's private quarters are located in the south wing. The library contains books from his third collection. The first library burned down in a fire, and he donated the second to the US Congress after the Capitol fire in 1814.
Most of the furniture at Monticello is original, but other pieces were restored by the foundation for the 250th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth in 1993.
Visitors are offered a tour on the ground floor, or can take the elevator to the mezzanine. The second and third floors are closed to the public. In addition to the palace, stroll through Monticello's extensive gardens, which housed an experimental laboratory for ornamental and useful plants from around the world.
World Heritage sites included in the UNESCO special list are of enormous 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 that demonstrate the richness of nature and the capabilities 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. Among the objects there are individual 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 also entire cities - Brasilia, Venice along with the lagoon and others. There are also archaeological reserves - for example, Delphi; national parks - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Yellowstone (USA) and others. States on whose territory World Heritage sites are located undertake obligations to preserve them.
In this photo collection you will see 29 objects from different parts of our planet that are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Tourists view the Buddhist sculptures of the Longmen Grottoes (Dragon Gate) near the city of Luoyang in the Chinese province of Henan. There are more than 2,300 caves in this place; 110,000 Buddhist images, more than 80 dagobas (Buddhist mausoleums) containing relics of Buddhas, as well as 2,800 inscriptions on rocks near the Yishui River, a kilometer long. Buddhism was first introduced to China in these places during the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
The Bayon Temple in Cambodia is famous for its many giant stone faces. There are more than 1,000 temples in the Angkor region, which range 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. So if you have the finances and free time, then you need to buy air tickets and go traveling!
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 (1st century BC - 1st century AD), as well as a system of hydraulic structures dating back 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 Pre-Nabatean period.
The Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) waterfalls are located in the Iguazu National Park in the Argentine province of Misiones. Depending on the water level of the Iguazu River, the park has from 160 to 260 waterfalls, as well as over 2,000 plant species and 400 bird species Iguazu National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.
The mysterious Stonehenge is a stone megalithic structure consisting of 150 huge stones, located on 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 at the Bafang Pavilion at the Summer Palace, the famous classical imperial garden in Beijing. The Summer Palace, built in 1750, was destroyed in 1860 and restored in 1886. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998.
Statue of Liberty at sunset in New York. "Lady Liberty", which was given 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 Galapagos National Park in Ecuador. She is now approximately 60-90 years old. The Galapagos Islands were originally included on the World Heritage List in 1978, but were listed as endangered in 2007.
People skate on the ice of the canals at the Kinderdijk Mills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is home to the largest collection of historic mills in the Netherlands and is one of the top attractions in South Holland. Decorating holidays taking place here with balloons 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. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1981. The glacier is one of the most interesting tourist sites in the Argentine part of Patagonia and the 3rd largest glacier in the world after Antarctica and Greenland.
Terraced gardens in the northern Israeli city of Haifa surround the golden-domed Shrine of the Bab, founder of the Baha'i faith. Here is the world administrative and spiritual center of the Baha'i religion, the number of professers of which worldwide is less than six million. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008.
Aerial photograph of St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. According to the World Heritage website, this small state is home to a unique collection of artistic 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 is home to the world's largest collection of coral reefs, including 400 species of coral and 1,500 species of fish. The Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981.
Camels rest in the ancient city of Petra in front of Jordan's main monument, Al Khazneh or the treasury, believed to be the tomb of a Nabatean king carved from sandstone. This city, located between the Red and Dead Seas, is at the crossroads of Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Phenicia. Petra was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1985.
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous and easily recognizable buildings in the world, a symbol of Sydney and one of the main attractions of Australia. The Sydney Opera House was designated a World Heritage Site in 2007.
Rock paintings made by the San people in the Drakensberg Mountains, located in eastern South Africa. The San people lived in the Drakensberg region for thousands of years until they were destroyed in clashes with the Zulus and white settlers. They left behind incredible rock art in the Drakensberg Mountains, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
General view of the city of Shibam, located in the east of Yemen in the Hadhramaut province. Shibam is famous for its incomparable architecture, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program. All the houses here are built of clay bricks; approximately 500 houses can be considered multi-story, as they have 5-11 floors. Often called "the world's oldest skyscraper city" or "Desert Manhattan", Shibam is also the oldest example of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.
Gondolas along the shore of the Grand Canal in Venice. The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is visible in the background. Island Venice is a seaside resort, a center of international tourism of world importance, a venue for international film festivals, art and architectural exhibitions. Venice was included in the UNESCO World Heritage program in 1987.
Some of the 390 abandoned huge statues made of compressed volcanic ash (moai in Rapa Nui) at the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano on Easter Island, 3,700 km off the coast of Chile. Rapa Nui National Park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program since 1995.
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 to defend against 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.
A Tibetan pilgrim turns prayer mills on the grounds of the Potala Palace in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. The Potala Palace is a royal palace and Buddhist temple complex that 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.
Inca citadel Machu Picchu in the Peruvian city of Cusco. Machu Picchu, especially after receiving 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 that the number of tourists per day be reduced to 800.
Buddhist pagoda Kopon-daito on Mount Koya, Wakayama Province, Japan. Mount Koya, located east of Osaka, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. In 819, the first Buddhist monk Kukai, the founder of the Shingon school, a branch of Japanese Buddhism, settled here.
Tibetan women walk around the Bodhnath Stupa in Kathmandu, one of the most ancient and revered Buddhist shrines. On the edges of the tower crowning it are depicted “Buddha’s eyes” inlaid with ivory. Kathmandu Valley, about 1300 m high, is a mountain valley and 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 say 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.
Situated in north-east Wales, the 18-kilometre Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a feat of Industrial Revolution-era civil engineering, completed in the early years of the 19th century. Still in use more than 200 years after its opening, it is one of the busiest sections of the UK canal network, handling around 15,000 boats a year. In 2009, the Pontkysilte Aqueduct was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a "landmark in the history of civil engineering during the Industrial Revolution". This aqueduct is one of the unusual monuments to plumbers and plumbing
A herd of elk grazes in the meadows of Yellowstone National Park. Mount Holmes, to the left, and Mount Dome are visible in the background. In 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 added Old Havana and its fortifications to the World Heritage List in 1982. Although Havana has expanded to 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 courtyards.
World Heritage refers to various natural or man-made sites that should be preserved for future generations because of their special cultural, historical or environmental significance. As of 2012, there are 962 points 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, was flooded. The responsible organization allocated money so that the structure could be dismantled and moved to a higher place. This unprecedented action took four years, and for its implementation in short term Highly qualified specialists from 54 countries were attracted.
Today on the pages of Forum-Grad we will discuss a rather interesting 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 Indian Ocean. Belongs to the state of Seychelles.
Aldabra is considered the second largest in the world after Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Kiribati archipelago. Its dimensions are: 34 km long and 14.5 km long, height above sea level up to 8 m. The area of the internal lagoon is 224 sq. m. km.
Since the 17th century, it was used by the French to hunt giant sea turtles, as their meat was considered an exquisite delicacy. For a long time, pirates also ruled these places, because the atoll is located far from populated areas.
In 1982 this paradise was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as unique monument nature. This is one of the few islands on our planet that has not been touched by civilization. Currently, it is home to a huge population of giant sea turtles (more than 152 thousand) 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 a 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, concerned about the frequent shipwrecks and deaths of people 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 the work. Most big monument in the world it was built over 90 years - from 713 to 803.
For the convenience of visitors, a special path “Nine Turns” was built here, consisting of 250 steps. Next to the path 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 protected the statue from the weather, but over time it collapsed, and the structure remained defenseless against the natural elements. Garbage left by tourists began to accumulate at the foot, and the waters of three rivers washed away the base in the shape of a lotus.
The local department hired 40 workers to restore the unique statue to its former glory. About $700,000 was invested in the project and another $730,000 was invested in improving security systems.
Every year, more than 2 million travelers from all over the world come to see the seated Buddha and add about $84 million to the budget of the Leshan tourism department.
Hatra, or El-Khadr
This is an ancient destroyed city as part of the Parthian kingdom, the ruins of which are still located in Northern Iraq in the province of Nineveh, northwest of the country's capital, Baghdad. It was founded in the 3rd century, and its heyday occurred in the 2nd-1st centuries BC.
The total area was about 320 hectares; it was shaped like 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 which there was a deep ditch up to 500 meters wide. There were 163 defensive towers at a distance of 35 meters from each other.
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 of 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 24-hour security ancient city resisted even the attacks of the legionnaires of the Roman Empire in 116 and 198 AD, but in 241 Hatra fell under siege by the Persian ruler Shapur and was soon destroyed and consigned to oblivion.
House Schröder by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld
This house was specially built in 1924 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 for those times exterior design, as well as the appearance of spacious balconies and huge windows.
The project and the entire internal 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, an elevator was built in the kitchen on the ground floor, in which ready-made dishes were served upstairs directly to the set table. All the interiors of the first level are quite traditional for that time. The walls are made of antique bricks.
But on the second floor, according to the owner of the house, the entire space remained completely open, and it can be divided into several rooms at any time using sliding walls. All wardrobes and beds are transformable, assembled during the day and unfolded at night. Instead of the usual curtains, like all the neighbors, multi-colored plywood panels were used.
Currently, the unique house belongs to the Central Museum of Utrecht and there are guided tours that take about an hour.
This building is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List because it had a significant influence on further 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 crusader structure located in the state of Syria on the top of a cliff 650 meters high. The nearest city of Homs is 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 2,000 soldiers and 60 knights could be accommodated.
In addition to the powerful walls, many buildings in the Gothic style were reconstructed and restored. These included a large conference hall, water storage tanks, a chapel, an internal aqueduct, storage areas and two stables that could house up to 1,000 horses. In the rock mass under the building there were underground storage facilities for food and water supplies, which could have been enough during 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 for two centuries served as a tomb for the rulers of Portugal. The cathedral is the first building in the Gothic style built on the territory of the ancient state.
Architecture is historically valuable. The two wings of the main facade are made in the Baroque style, and between them there is a church, the facade of which seems to connect these two directions. At the top there 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 historical place 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 using blue and white azulejos tiles from the 18th century.
After viewing this masterpiece of early Gothic architecture, other interiors of famous cathedrals in Europe seem gloomy and not so aesthetic. These buildings demonstrate the perfect skills and dedication of medieval craftsmen. And the entire ensemble of “de Santa Maria de Alcobaça” is one of the most beautiful monuments of Portuguese art.
Monte Alban
According to prominent world-famous scientists, this is a fairly large settlement of ancient people in the southeast of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca. Just 9 km from the state capital, on a low ridge of a mountain range passing through the valley, lies a man-made plateau. It was the site of the very first city in the entire historical region, which played a significant role as the 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 to the sensational discovery of the true location of the legendary Troy.
“Mexican Troy” turned out to be a city of high culture; local craftsmen could already process rock crystal and make unique gold jewelry back in 200 BC.
During the excavations, 150 four-chamber crypts, palaces and pyramids very similar to those built by the Mayans, 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. Original funeral ceramic urns in the form of gods and various animals were discovered.
Impressive ruins of the center ancient civilization Monte Alban are located in such a way that they are visible from anywhere in the central part of the Oaxaca Valley
Lalibela
This small town in northern Ethiopia, located in the Ahmara region at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level. It is a center of pilgrimage for the entire population of the country, because almost all the residents of the town are Christians of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Lalibela was built as the New Jerusalem in response to the Muslim takeover of the Christian holy site in the State of Israel, so many historical buildings have names and architecture similar to the ancient buildings of Jerusalem.
According to 2005 data, the city's population was 15 thousand people, most of whom (about 8,000) were women. This medieval religious center is famous 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 Aleyem” is the largest church in the world, carved into the rock. According to legend, the ashes of King Lalibela rest in the last of the rock-cut churches, Bete Golgotha.
These unique works of architecture by ancient craftsmen are also monuments of the engineering thought 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
It is a simple village in the state of Maharashtra, India, near the city of Aurangabad. It is famous for the fact that nearby cave temples of different religions are carved into the rocks, the creation of which dates back to the 6th – 9th centuries of the new era. Of the 34 caves in 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 is “Kailas”. This beautiful, perfectly preserved example of ancient architecture is considered one of the most precious monuments in India. In the granite canopy above the entrance to this place, sacred to all Hindus, colossal statues of Shiva, Vishnu and other gods revered in the country are carved.
Next comes the huge goddess Lakshmi - she reclines on lotus flowers, and majestic elephants stand around. On all sides the temple is surrounded by monumental-sized lions and vultures, they are frozen in different poses, and guard the peace of the heavenly kings.
One of the legends says that this piece of paradise was built by one Rajah - Edu of Elichpur - in gratitude for healing with water from a spring 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 the entire sacred complex, and during the construction of this miracle in the town of Ellora, more than 200,000 tons of rock were removed.
Ancient construction complex in Wudang Mountains
The Wudang Mountains in China are famous for their ancient monasteries and temples. Once upon a time, a university was founded here to study medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, meditation and martial arts.
Back during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the first religious center was opened in this area - the Temple of the Five Dragons. Major construction on the mountain began in the 15th century, when the Yongle Emperor summoned 300 thousand soldiers and built complexes. At that time, 9 monasteries, 36 hermitages and 72 shrines, many gazebos, bridges and multi-tiered pagodas were built, forming 33 architectural ensemble. 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; its production required 20 thousand tons of copper and about 300 kg of gold. According to scientists, it was forged in the capital of China, Beijing, and then transported piece by piece to the Wudang Mountains.
The Purple Cloud Temple consists of several halls – “Dragon and Tiger Hall”, “Purple Sky Hall”, “East”, “West” and “Parent”. The shrines of Wu Zhen have been kept here since its founding.
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 fifteen hundred years.
"Valley of the Whale" in Egypt
40 million years ago, “Wadi Al-Hitan” was the bottom of the World Ocean, which is why hundreds of skeletons of ancient mammals were preserved here. This unique valley is located 150 km southwest of the capital of Egypt - Cairo. Many whale remains belong to the extinct suborder Archaeoceti, representing one of the most important stages of evolution: the degeneration of terrestrial multi-ton monsters into marine mammals.
Fossil skeletons clearly show the appearance and lifestyle of these giants during their transitional period. In addition, they are all located in an area convenient for study and, importantly, vigilantly guarded.
In addition, there are remains of sea cows "Sirenia" and elephant seals "Moeritherium", as well as prehistoric crocodiles, sea snakes and turtles. Some specimens are so well preserved that the contents of their large stomachs can be studied.
All together helps scientists unravel the still existing mystery of the evolution of these largest mammals on the planet.
Pristine exotic tropical forests
Kerchin-Seblat National Park is the largest nature 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 Arnolda, its diameter is 60-100 cm, and its weight reaches up to 8 kg. In addition, this area is home to about 370 species of birds and rare animals (Sumatran tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses, Malayan tapir). There are also hot springs, the highest caldera lake and the highest peak on the island. And recently a muntjac deer was seen here, a species that was considered extinct back in the 30s of the last century.
The second largest is Gunung Löser, with an area of 7927 square meters. km. Located in the Aceh region and around the town of Bukit Lawang. This small town is considered the best starting point for walking around exotic place. Tours are only permitted with a trained guide and special permission.
The most interesting thing in this reserve is the large population of great apes - orangutans. Translated from Malay, it means “forest man”.
The third largest is Bukit Barisan Selatan with an area of 3,568 square meters. km, covering the provinces of Lampung, Bengkulu and South Sumatra. Here you can find very rare animals - the Sumatran elephant and the striped rabbit.
Tourists value Sumatra for its tropical forests with preserved nature in its original form, for its strange plants and amazing representatives of exotic fauna. In addition, there are many beautiful and still active volcanoes.
"The Sistine Chapel of Primitive Painting"
“Lascaux” is located in France, 40 km from the city of Périgueux and is considered one of the most important Paleolithic monuments in terms of the quantity, quality and preservation of ancient cave paintings. The cave was discovered by chance in 1940 by four teenagers who noticed a narrow hole in the rock caused by a falling 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 the average height is 30 meters. Visitors were allowed in from 1948 to 1955, but then it was closed because the ventilation systems could not cope with the carbon dioxide that accumulated 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 were powerful units 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. The cave was called “Lascaux II”; it is located only 200 meters from the present one and was first opened to travelers in 1983.
Takht-e Jamshid
Takht-e Jamshid in Greek “Persepoles” is the ruins of the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. This place is considered one of the most beautiful monuments in 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 “Gateway of All Nations”, “Apadana Palace”, “Throne Room”, the tomb of the “King of Kings”, an unfinished palace and a treasury. Construction lasted about 45 years and was completed during 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 Naqshe-Rustam and the rock reliefs of Naqshe-Rustam and Naqshe-Rajab.
Here in those distant times there already existed water supply and sewerage, and slave labor was not used during construction. The walls of this unique complex were more than five meters thick and up to 150 centimeters high. One could ascend to the city via the grand staircase, consisting of two flights of 111 steps each made of white limestone. 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, during a feast in honor of the victory, burned the capital of the Persian kingdom to the ground, perhaps in retaliation for the Acropolis destroyed by the Persians in Athens.
Cradle of Humankind
The historical monument is located 50 km northwest of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa in the south of the African continent. Its area is 474 square meters. 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" aged 2.3 million years.
"Taung Rock Fossil Site" - it was here that the famous Taung skull, belonging to an ancient man, was discovered in 1924. The Macapan Valley is famous for the abundance of archaeological traces found in the local caves, confirming the existence of people about 3.3 million years ago.
Fossils discovered here have helped scientists identify ancient hominid specimens dating back to between 4.5 and 2.5 million years ago. These same finds fully confirm the theory that our distant ancestors began to use fire about a million years ago.
Perhaps some of the readers will think that our topic contains a lot of numbers, but this is the story, and not of any individual person, but of our entire civilization.