Message about world heritage. Little-known UNESCO monuments in Russia, which not everyone knows about. Giant statue in China

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 items on this list, 754 of which are cultural monuments, 188 – natural and 29 – 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. Responsible organization allocated money to have the building 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 a unique natural monument. 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. The largest monument in the world 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 was the palace temple complex with an area of about 12,000 sq. 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 security, the ancient city withstood 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 listed world heritage UNESCO, because it had a significant influence on subsequent 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 a garrison of 2,000 soldiers and 60 knights could be accommodated during the crusade.
In addition to the powerful walls, many buildings were reconstructed and restored gothic style. 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 impregnable fortress King Edward I of England saw it, 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 quite large settlement ancient people in southeastern Mexico, Oaxaca. Just 9 km from the state capital on a low ridge mountain range, passing through the valley, there is a man-made plateau. It was home to 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 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. 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
It is a 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 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 there are carved in the rocks nearby cave temples different religions, 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 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 Big hall, in which there is a sculpture of Buddha reading a sermon.
"Indra Sabha" is a two-level monolithic Jain temple.
"Kailasanatha" is central place 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 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.
Architecture ancient complex Wudang Mountains combines the best achievements of Chinese traditions over the past one and a half thousand 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
National Park Kerchin Seblat 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 exploring an 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 rainforests with nature preserved in its original form, for outlandish plants and amazing representatives 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.
Cave pretty small 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 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.
Area of this stone structure is 135 thousand sq. 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 was discovered in 1924, belonging to the oldest man. 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.

World Heritage sites included in the UNESCO special list are of enormous interest to the entire population of the planet. Unique natural and cultural sites provide an opportunity 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 1, 2009, the World Heritage List included 890 sites (including 689 cultural, 176 natural and 25 mixed) in 148 countries: individual architectural structures and ensembles - the Acropolis, cathedrals in Amiens and Chartres, the historical center of Warsaw (Poland) and St. Petersburg (Russia), Moscow Kremlin and Red Square (Russia), etc.; cities - Brasilia, Venice along with the lagoon, etc.; archaeological reserves - Delphi, etc.; National parks - Marine Park Great Barrier Reef, Yellowstone (USA) and others. The states on whose territory World Heritage sites are located undertake obligations to preserve them.

1) Tourists examine 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. (China Photos/Getty Images)

2) 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. (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 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 associated with the ancient Nabatean city of Hegra, which was a center of caravan trade. There are also about 50 rock inscriptions dating back to the Pre-Nabatean period. (Hassan Ammar/AFP - Getty Images)

4) "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 in the Iguazu River, the park has from 160 to 260 waterfalls, as well as over 2000 species of plants and 400 bird species Iguazu National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984 (Christian Rizzi/AFP - Getty Images)

5) Mysterious Stonehenge stone megalithic structure, consisting of 150 huge stones, and 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. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

6) 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. (China Photos/Getty Images)

7) 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. (Seth Wenig/AP)

8) "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. (Rodrigo Buendia/AFP - Getty Images)

9) People skate on the ice of the canals in the area of the Kinderdijk mills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk has 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. (Peter Dejong/AP)

10) View of the Perito Moreno glacier located in 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. (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 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. (David Silverman/Getty Images)

12) Aerial photography 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. (Giulio Napolitano/AFP - Getty Images)

13) 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. Big Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981. (AFP - Getty Images)

14) Camels are resting in ancient city Peter's in front of Jordan's main monument, Al-Khazneh or the treasury, believed to be the tomb of a Nabatean king carved out of 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. (Thomas Coex/AFP - Getty Images)

15) 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. Sydney Opera theatre included in the World Heritage Program in 2007. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP - Getty Images)

16) Rock paintings made by the San people in 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. (Alexander Joe/AFP - Getty Images)

17) 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. (Khaled Fazaa/AFP - Getty Images)

18) Gondolas near the shore Grand Canal in Venice. The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is visible in the background. Island Venice - seaside resort, center international tourism world-class venue for international film festivals, art and architectural exhibitions. Venice was included in the UNESCO World Heritage program in 1987. (AP)

19) Some of the 390 abandoned huge compressed statues 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. (Martin Bernetti/AFP - Getty Images)

20) Visitors walk along the Great Chinese wall in the Simatai region, 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. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP - Getty Images)

21) 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. (Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP - Getty Images)

22) A Tibetan pilgrim turns prayer mills on the grounds of the Potala Palace in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. The Potala Palace is royal palace and a 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. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP - Getty Images)

23) 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. (Eitan Abramovich/AFP - Getty Images)

24) Kompon-daito Buddhist pagoda 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. (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 edges of the tower crowning it are depicted the “eyes of Buddha” inlaid with ivory. Kathmandu Valley with an altitude of about 1300 m - mountain valley And historical region 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. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

26) 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. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP - Getty Images)

27) Located in north-east Wales, the 18-kilometre long Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a feat of Industrial Revolution 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 (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

28) 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. (Kevork Djansezian/AP)

29) Cubans drive an old car along the Malecon promenade 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. (Javier Galeano/AP)

The adoption in 1972 by the international organization UNESCO of the Convention for the Protection of the World Heritage of Humanity was due to serious global changes in the human environment. The need for additional measures aimed at improving the environment, in which people are inextricably linked with nature and ensures the preservation of cultural heritage inherited from past generations, has become obvious.

Natural heritage

The list of World Natural Heritage monuments includes objects of both living and inanimate nature. Monuments of world significance include all the most famous miracles nature, possessing exceptional beauty and valuable for all humanity. These are objects such as Grand Canyon, Mount Chomolungma, Komodo Island, and many dozens of other objects. The World Natural Heritage sites in Russia include volcanoes, pristine Komi forests, the island, the Ubsunur Basin, the mountains of the Western Caucasus, Central Sikhote-Alin and.

The list of World Heritage sites also includes specially protected areas where endangered species of animals and plants live. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro national parks protect several million wild animals of different species. On Galapagos Islands() there are giant ones under protection sea turtles, iguana lizards and other animals, most of which are endemic.

Cultural heritage

Various monuments of the World cultural heritage can be combined into several groups.

Firstly, these are historical city centers or even entire cities, reflecting the architectural styles of different eras. In Europe, these are the cities of the Ancient World - Rome and Athens, ancient temples and whose palaces were built in the style of classicism. Medieval Florence and Venice, Krakow and Prague retain majestic Catholic cathedrals and luxurious palaces Renaissance. In Asia it is the center of three Jerusalem, ancient capital. In America - the capital of the Aztec Empire, the Incan fortress city of Machu Picchu in Peru.

Secondly, the number of cultural heritage sites includes individual architectural masterpieces. This is, for example, religious centers in Europe (Cologne and Reims cathedrals, Canterbury and Westminster Abbey) and in Asia (Buddhist temples Borobudur and Angor-Watt, mausoleum).

Thirdly, unique monuments of engineering art become objects of cultural heritage. Among them, for example, the Iron Bridge (England), the most grandiose creation human hands- The great Wall of China.

Fourthly, these are the most ancient religious buildings and archaeological monuments of primitiveness and the Ancient World. Examples of such objects include the English, Greek ruins of Delphi and Olympia, and the ruins of Carthage in.

Fifthly, memorial sites associated with historical events or the activities of famous people become special heritage objects.

Natural heritage. General provisions

Definition 1

At the moment, the world natural heritage is understood as non-man-made natural monuments formed under the influence of evolutionary, climatic, biotic and abiotic factors and representing cultural, aesthetic or scientific value for current and future generations.

Natural heritage may include forests, water bodies, mountains and mountain systems, plateaus, other geological formations, rich biodiversity, protected areas and so on.

The study of natural ecosystems in the part of the world natural heritage is studied by such sciences as general ecology, geoecology, recreational geography, geomorphology, hydrology, mineralogy, petrography and many other sciences that are components ecology and geography.

UNESCO's activities for the protection of world natural heritage

Definition 2

UNESCO is the international United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, uniting 195 member countries.

In addition to activities in the field of education, science, ensuring human rights and freedoms, illiteracy, discrimination, this organization also deals with issues of preserving natural objects of great aesthetic, scientific and other significance. In 1972, UNESCO adopted the Convention for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage. This convention came into force in $3$ years. Since then, a special commission has held annual meetings at which objects are identified for inclusion in the list of cultural and natural heritage sites. In turn, natural heritage sites are selected with the aim of preserving them and attracting a wide range of the public to the uniqueness of natural sites.

There are currently $197 sites listed as World Natural Heritage sites around the world. In addition, $32$ of objects are also allocated based on mixed natural and cultural criteria.

Natural sites have been included in the UNESCO list since 2002 based on four developed criteria:

The property is a natural phenomenon or space of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
The object is an outstanding example of the main stages of the history of the Earth, including monuments of the past, a symbol of ongoing geological processes in the development of relief or a symbol of geomorphological or physiographic features;
The property is an outstanding example of ongoing ecological or biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, plant and animal communities;
The property contains the most important or significant natural habitat for the conservation of biological diversity, including endangered species of exceptional global conservation and scientific value.

Unfortunately, a number of world natural heritage sites are under constant anthropogenic pressure and are subject to destruction and destructive influences natural processes, armed conflicts and uncontrolled tourism. Therefore, at the moment, protecting and attracting public attention to the conservation of natural heritage sites is a very important and urgent task.

Natural heritage of Russia

Currently, Russia has registered $26$ World Heritage Sites, including $10$ World Natural Heritage Sites. In terms of world natural heritage, Russia ranks 4th in the world, after China, the USA and Australia.

The list of natural world heritage sites in Russia includes:

Virgin forests of Komi. Year included in the list: $1995. The territory of the facility is $3.28 million hectares and includes tundra areas covered with forests, swamps and rivers.
Lake Baikal. Year included in the list: $1996. The area of the facility is $3.15 million hectares. Baikal is the oldest and deepest lake on the planet. Its waters store almost $20%$ of all the world's fresh water. The lake is home to a unique animal world, characteristic only for these territories.
Volcanoes of Kamchatka. Year of inclusion in the list: $1996. ($2001-expansion). The object consists of $6$ separate areas and includes a large concentration of volcanoes. The nature of Kamchatka forms a unique landscape from an aesthetic point of view with significant biodiversity.
Gold Altai Mountains. Year included in the list: $1998. The property consists of $3$ separate plots. The territory is home to endangered species such as the snow leopard.
Western Caucasus. Year included in the list: $1999. The area of the facility is $300$ thousand hectares. The area is characterized by the presence of a large number of endemic plant and animal species.
Central Sikhote-Alin. Year of inclusion – $2001$. The territory extends from the Sikhote-Alin mountains to the coast of the Sea of Japan and is home to endangered species of animals - the Amur tiger, the Far Eastern leopard.
Ubsunur basin. Year of inclusion – $2003$. The territory of the facility is $1,069 thousand hectares and consists of $12 separate plots, $7 of which are located in Russia, and $5 in Mongolia. In the Ubsunur depression it is observed great amount birds and rare species of animals.
Wrangel Island. Year included in the list – $2004$. The object includes Wrangel Island itself and Herald Island with adjacent water areas. There is a very high biodiversity here (walruses, polar bear, northern whales, bird nesting sites, etc.).
Putorana plateau. Year of inclusion – $2010$. The object is characterized by untouched tundra, forest-tundra, and a system of arctic deserts. The main migration routes of deer are recorded here.
Lena pillars. Year of inclusion – $2012$. Lena Pillars are natural formations with a height of about $100$ meters and have aesthetic significance and unique beauty.

In addition, 6 new natural sites were included as candidates for inclusion in the World Heritage List (Daursky Reserve, Commander Islands, Magadan Nature Reserve, Krasnoyarsk Pillars, Vasyugan Swamps, Ilmen Mountains), 3 repeated objects (expansion of the Sikhote-Alin object, Virgin Komi forests and Western Caucasus).

Currently, another $1$ object of a mixed type (according to cultural and natural criteria) is listed as a candidate - the cultural landscape of the Cave Cities of Crimean Gothia, which is located in Crimea, however, the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, in accordance with international standards, is disputed between Russia and Ukraine, therefore this object is in limbo and is unlikely to be recognized as a world heritage site in the near future, since it has no national connection.

Surely you have at least once seen majestic mountains and peaceful valleys, winding rivers and endless forests that will take your breath away? There are many such places on Earth. Unique territories that are important to preserve in their original form are included in the World Natural Heritage List. Now it has 203 objects, 11 of which are in Russia. It just seems that this is quite a bit: among all countries, Russia ranks fourth in the number of objects after China, America and Australia.

World Heritage areas include state nature reserves and national parks. Landscapes change from high-mountain lakes, glaciers, arctic tundras to alpine meadows, taiga, endless steppes and even volcanoes.

It's not only incredible Beautiful places, but also home to many species of animals and plants, rare and even endemic - those that are not found anywhere else in the world. One example is the Amur tiger and the Daurian crane. Some plants on the territory of natural monuments are hundreds of years old. The age of cedar in the Pritelets taiga is more than six centuries.

An object is included in the list if it meets at least one of the criteria:

(VII) represents a natural phenomenon or area of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.

(VIII) reflects the main stages of the history of the Earth, symbolizes geological processes in the development of relief or its features

(IX) reflects ecological or biological processes in the evolution of animals, plants and other organisms

(X) includes significant natural habitat for the conservation of biological diversity and endangered species of exceptional global value

4 out of 11 objects in Russia were selected according to criterion VII: Komi forests, Lake Baikal, Kamchatka volcanoes and the Putorana plateau. Therefore, travelers all over the world strive to see them.

Read the mini-guide to all UNESCO natural heritage sites in Russia to see them in person someday.

1. Virgin Komi forests

The largest intact forests in Europe cover an area of 32,600 km². This is approximately 3 km² more area Belgium. The Komi Forests are the first Russian site to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is home to brown bear, sable, elk, more than 200 species of birds, including those listed in the Red Book, and valuable fish species - palia char and Siberian grayling.

In the thicket of virgin forests and on the banks of rivers you can see stone sculptures weird shape, unusual remains and other forms of weathering, reminiscent of either castle ruins or mythical creatures.

The lush taiga reaches out to Ural mountains, flowing into the tundra, where there are almost no plants, and crystal rivers descend from the ridges and merge into Pechora, giving birth to amazing landscapes.

2. Lake Baikal

A slightly smaller area, 31,722 km², is occupied by the deepest lake on the planet. All of Malta, even enlarged 100 times, would fit on its surface. This is one of the largest World Heritage sites. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 meters. This means that if the Eiffel Tower was installed at the bottom, and four more were placed on top, the last one would still not appear from the water.

The reservoir itself big lake Russia has almost 19% of the world's fresh water reserves. The water in Baikal is so clean that some stones at the bottom are visible even at a depth of 40 meters. In many ways, cleanliness is ensured by epishura, a unique crustacean that consumes organic matter. In general, about 2,600 animals live in Baikal, more than half of which are endemic. On the banks of the reservoir there are forests and swamps, glacial lakes, cirques and canyons. There are more than 800 species of higher plants here.

A special phenomenon and a real attraction of Lake Baikal is ice. At the end of winter in the bays its thickness reaches two meters. On different parts of the surface it freezes in different ways: sometimes it is covered with a web of cracks, sometimes it is dotted with bubbles, sometimes it looks like a mirror, sometimes like frosted glass. Ice splashes formed by frozen waves several meters high, and grottoes that cannot be reached in summer. You can ride around huge lake ice skating, rafting on an ice floe and filling your camera’s memory with cool shots.

Baikal is also interesting in summer: you can go around it natural monument or arrange it with rafting, jeeping and trekking.

3. Volcanoes of Kamchatka

Kamchatka resembles a cake with candles: there is so much here, and 28 out of 29 are in the eastern part. Klyuchevskoy - highest volcano not only Russia, but throughout Eurasia (4750 m), Mutnovsky is famous for its smoking fumarole fields, and in the Maly Semyachik crater there is a piercing lake, like a blue eye wide open into the sky. That is why six separate areas of Kamchatka were included in the UNESCO list.

Another unique place— Uzon caldera. 40,000 years ago, due to several eruptions in a row, a huge volcano collapsed, and in its place a caldera with a diameter of 10 km was formed. It is located on the territory of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and combines rivers, hot springs, tundra, forests and lakes in one landscape.

See also:

4. Golden Mountains of Altai

World Heritage Sites include the Altai Nature Reserve and the buffer zone of Lake Teletskoye, the Katunsky Nature Reserve and the buffer zone of Mount Belukha, as well as the Ukok Plateau. Their territory includes taiga, steppe, mountain tundra and glaciers, meadows and plateaus. If in one trip to Altai you want to see all the most scenic spots, then choose . Especially suitable for those who love comfort, because you will spend the night in hotels.

Altai is no less interesting in winter. Going to, you will see mountain lakes, snow-covered passes, tracts and cedar forests. After spending time here, recharge your batteries for many months to come. And having done this natural object UNESCO, you will photograph panoramas of the North Chuysky ridge and see a unique turquoise lake that does not freeze even at very low temperatures.

5. Western Caucasus

The Western Caucasus was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999. This definition includes Krasnodar region, Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia and part of the Main Caucasian Ridge from Mount Fisht to Elbrus. On the territory of the object there are “three-thousander” mountains, bizarre rocks, deep gorges, caves, glaciers and alpine lakes.

In Adygea, probably, the most big number natural beauty per square meter. There are only two cities in the republic, and the rest of the territory is mountains and waterfalls, alpine meadows and untouched forests, deep canyons and raging rivers. This makes it possible to practice different types active rest, and even . Rock climbing and hiking, horseback riding - why not do it like this, for example?

6. Central Sikhote-Alin

Sikhote-Alin in eastern Russia is a mix of coniferous and broad-leaved trees, taiga and subtropics, southern and northern animal species. Here, for example, you can meet both Himalayan and brown bears. Primorye is a whole world of relics and endemics, where groves of relict yews grow, carpets of Red Book lotuses bloom and rhododendrons—the local sakura—bloom. Protected bays with white beaches hide starfish and schools of colored fish. At high altitudes the tundra extends, while in the lowlands the grass grows up to 3.5 meters.

Sikhote-Alin is the homeland of Amur tigers. Over the past 100 years, their number in the world has decreased by 25 times. Moreover, 95% of the entire population lives in the Far East, and 5% in China. There, killing a tiger is a crime punishable by death. And the Far Eastern leopard remained only in Primorye.

V.K. traveled through the local taiga. Arsenyev is a researcher of the Far East. On the expedition he was with his friend and guide Dersu Uzala, a local hunter. Today you can follow in their footsteps during

7. Ubsunur Basin

This object includes Lake Uvsu-Nur, which belongs simultaneously to Mongolia and Russia (Republic of Tuva). On the territory of Mongolia, this lake is the largest, and its Russian part is only 0.3% of the total area. There are contrasting landscapes here - highlands, mountain taiga massifs, forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert areas. There is even a real sandy desert. The surrounding area of the lake was inhabited several thousand years ago. This is evidenced by petroglyphs on the rocks, stones and mounds, of which there are about 40,000.

8. Wrangel and Herald Islands

In the very north of Russia, where the Chukchi Sea meets the Arctic Ocean, are the gloomy and mountainous Wrangel Islands (7.6 thousand km²) and Herald Islands (11 km²). In a harsh environment where vibrant life seems impossible, there are hundreds of plant species - more than on any other Arctic island. Among the blackening rocks, walruses settled in the largest rookery in the Arctic, and thousands of birds set up nesting grounds. Gray whales swim through these waters during their migrations. Wragnel Island is called the “maternity hospital of polar bears” - there are so many of his ancestral dens here. And in Chukchi it’s called Umkilir, “the island of polar bears.”

It’s worth visiting here at least once to see truly rare animals. For example, musk oxen, which, like reindeer, survived the Late Pleistocene extinction. Their wool is eight times warmer than sheep's wool! , you can also try whale meat, learn an Eskimo dance and walk along the alley of whale bones.

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