World Heritage Sites in different countries. Russian World Natural Heritage Sites

Work is underway to submit the following natural objects to the List: Volga Delta, Lena Delta, Green Belt of Fennoscandia, Kurile Islands, Valdai - Great Divide, Western Sayan, Beringia and Solovetsky Islands.

Natural sites included in the World Heritage List
Square State
Virgin forests of Komi 3.279 million hectares Inscribed on the World Heritage List (1995)
Criteria - N ii, iii
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Pechora-Ilychsky" 721 322
2. Yugyd Va National Park 1 891 701
3. Protected zone of the reserve 666 000
Lake Baikal 8.8 million hectares Listed (1996)
Criteria - N i, ii, iii, iv
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Baikal" 165 724
2. State Biosphere Reserve "Barguzinsky" 374 322
3. State nature reserve"Baikal-Lensky" 660 000
4. Pribaikalsky National Park 418 000
5. National Park "Zabaikalsky" 246 000
6. Reserve "Frolikhinsky" 910 200
7. Reserve "Kabansky" 18 000
8. National Park "Tunkinsky" (partially)
Volcanoes of Kamchatka 3.996 million hectares Included in the List (1996). Expanded in 2001
Criteria - N i, ii, iii, iv
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Kronotsky" 1 147 619,37
2. Natural Park "Bystrinsky" 1 368 592
3. Natural Park "Nalychevsky" 286 025
4. Natural Park "South Kamchatka" 500 511
5. Federal Nature Reserve "South Kamchatsky" 322 000
6. Natural Park "Klyuchevskoy" 371 022
Golden Mountains of Altai 1.509 million hectares Listed (1998)
Criterion - N iv
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Altai" 881 238
2. State Biosphere Reserve "Katunsky" 150 079
3. Natural Park "Mount Belukha" 131 337
4. Ukok Nature Park 252 904
5. Buffer zone "Teletskoye Lake" 93 753
Western Caucasus 0.301 million hectares Listed (1999)
Criteria - N ii, iv
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Caucasian" with a buffer zone 288 200
2. Natural Park "Bolshoy Thach" 3 700
3. Natural monument "Upper reaches of the rivers Pshekha and Pshekhashkha" 5 776
4. Natural monument "Upper reaches of the Tsitsa River" 1 913
5. Natural monument "Buiny Ridge" 1 480
Curonian Spit(shared with Lithuania) 0.031 million hectares Listed (2000)
Criterion - C v
1. National Park "Curonian Spit" (Russia) 6 600
2. National Park "Kursiu Nerijos" (Lithuania) 24 600
1.567 million hectares Included in the List (2001). Expanded in 2018
Criterion - N iv
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Sikhote-Alin" 401 600
2. Bikin National Park 1 160 469
3. Reserve "Goralovy" 4 749
Ubsunur Basin(shared with Mongolia) 0.883 million hectares Listed (2003)
Criteria - N ii, iv
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina" (Russia) 73 529
2. Biosphere Reserve "Uvs Nuur" (Mongolia) 810 233,5
Wrangel Island 2.226 million hectares Listed (2004)
Criteria - N ii, iv
State Nature Reserve "Wrangel Island"
Putorana Plateau 1.887 million hectares Listed (2010)
Criteria - vii, ix
State Nature Reserve "Putoransky"
Lena Pillars 1.387 million hectares Listed (2012)
Criteria - viii
Natural Park of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) "Lena Pillars"
Landscapes of Dauria(shared with Mongolia) 0.913 million hectares Included in the List (2017) Criteria - (ix), (x)
1. State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Daursky" 49 765
2. Protected zone of the State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Daursky" 117 690
3. Federal reserve "Dzeren Valley" 111 568
Total area in Russian Federation: 279 023
4. Strictly protected area “Mongol Daguur” 110 377
5. Buffer zone of the strictly protected area “Mongol Daguur” 477 064
6. Nature reserve"Ugtam" 46 160
Total area in Mongolia: 633 601

Natural sites included in the Tentative List
Objects and territories included in them Square State
Valaam archipelago 0.026 million hectares Included in Preliminary list RF 05/15/1996
Natural Park "Valaam Archipelago"
Magadan Nature Reserve 0.884 million hectares
Nomination has been prepared
State Nature Reserve "Magadansky"
Commander Islands 3.649 million hectares Included in the Preliminary List of the Russian Federation on 02/07/2005.
Nomination has been prepared
State Nature Reserve "Commander"
Great Vasyugan swamp 0.4 million hectares
State complex reserve of the Tyumen region "Vasyugansky"
Krasnoyarsk pillars 0.047 million hectares Included in the Preliminary List of the Russian Federation on March 6, 2007.
State Nature Reserve "Stolby"
Ilmen Mountains 0.034 million hectares

Included in the Preliminary List of the Russian Federation on August 11, 2008.

Nomination has been prepared
State Nature Reserve RAS "Ilmensky"
Bashkir Ural 0.045 million hectares Included in the Preliminary List of the Russian Federation on January 30, 2012.

Natural objects promising for inclusion in the Preliminary List
Objects and territories included in them Square State
Beringia 2.911 million hectares Recommended by IUCN for inclusion in the List
1. Beringia National Park (RF) 1,819,154 ha
2. national reserve Bering Land Bridge (USA) 1,091,595 ha
Volga Delta 0.068 million hectares criterion N iv.
Nomination has been prepared
State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Astrakhan"
Lena Delta 1.433 million hectares Recommended by IUCN for inclusion in the List in accordance with criterion N iv.
Nomination has been prepared
State Nature Reserve "Ust-Lensky"
Kurile Islands 0.295 million hectares Nomination has been prepared
1. State Nature Reserve "Kurilsky" and its buffer zone 65,365 and 41,475
2. Biological reserve "Little Kuriles" 45 000
3. Reserve of regional significance "Urup Island" 143 000
Green Belt of Fennoscandia(shared with Finland and Norway) 0.541 million hectares The Russian part of the nomination has been prepared
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Lapland" 278 436
2. State Nature Reserve "Kostomuksha" 47 457
3. Pasvik State Nature Reserve 14 727
4. Paanajärvi National Park 104 354
5. National Park "Kalevalsky" 95 886
Valdai - Great Divide 0.183 million hectares Nomination has been prepared
1. Valdai National Park 158 500
2. State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Central Forest" 24 447

Natural objects not included in the List
Objects and territories included in them Square State
Vodlozersky National Park 0.58 million hectares
1. Vodlozersky National Park 404 700
2. Reserve "Kozhozersky" 178 600
Bashkir Ural 0.2 million hectares Not included in the List (1998)
1. State Biosphere Reserve "Shulgan-Tash" 22 531
2. State Nature Reserve "Bashkir" 49 609
3. National Park "Bashkiria" (strictly protected area) 32 740
4. Reserve "Altyn Solok" 93 580
Teberdinsky Reserve(extension of the "Western Caucasus" object) 0.085 million hectares Not included in the List (2004)
State Biosphere Reserve "Teberdinsky"

Russia, of course, is rich in unique and, very importantly, untouched economic activity natural complexes. According to rough estimates by scientists, in our country there are about 20 territories worthy of the status of a World Heritage Site. natural heritage. The list of the most promising territories was determined during a joint project of UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and natural resources(IUCN) on boreal forests.

Russia - unique country. It ranks first in the world in terms of territorial area and ninth in terms of population. As of 2012, there are 25 specially protected sites in Russia. Fifteen of them have the status of a cultural attraction, the remaining ten are of a natural nature. Six out of fifteen UNESCO cultural sites in Russia are labeled “i”, that is, they are considered masterpieces human civilization. Four out of ten natural objects have the highest aesthetic criterion “vii”.

The nature of the country is distinguished by a variety of plant and animal forms: northern mosses and lichens coexist with southern palm trees and magnolias, coniferous forests of the taiga form a striking contrast with the steppe crops of wheat and sunflowers.

Climatic, natural and cultural diversity has led to interest in it from both domestic and foreign citizens. Natural and man-made attractions, river cruises and rail travel, beach and wellness, sports and extreme tourism make the country attractive to all categories of vacationers.

The main attractions of Russia are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Anyone who wants to discover great country, can begin by becoming familiar with twenty-five natural and man-made sites that have a cultural, historical or environmental degree of global significance. and is compiled in order to preserve and show modern people the full depth of our common civilizational heritage.

UNESCO sites in Russia - PHOTO

The northern capital of Russia was included in the UNESCO List of 36 monuments located not only in St. Petersburg itself, but also in its neighbors - Pushkin and Shlisselburg. The palace and park ensembles of the villages of Gatchina and Strelna, the Koltuvskaya and Yukkovskaya uplands, the Lindulovskaya Grove and the Komarovskoye village cemetery - all this makes up one huge cultural nature education, geographically and historically connected with the northern capital of Russia. It is itself represented on the UNESCO List as a historical center and old part city, Pulkovo Observatory and palace and park ensembles Peterhof, Shuvalovsky Park and the Vyazemsky estate, local fairways and numerous city highways.

Two wooden churches and a bell tower, built in the 18th-19th centuries in Kizhi, were included in the UNESCO List in 1990. The cultural heritage of Karelia is known throughout the world for the Church of the Transfiguration, built, according to legend, without a single nail. Since the mid-20th century, the Kizhi State Historical and Architectural Museum has been operating on the basis of the Kizhi Pogost. Along with the ancient original buildings, it includes objects of wooden religious architecture that were brought and erected in the immediate vicinity - for example, an eight-wing windmill built in 1928. The wooden fence of the Kizhi churchyard ensemble was reconstructed in 1959 in accordance with the principles of organizing traditional churchyard fences.

Symbols of an entire country and era - the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square - are among the most significant cultural attractions of Russia and the whole world. It seems that there is not a person on Earth who does not know what they look like. When visiting Russia, most foreigners first go to Red Square. The Moscow Kremlin is one of the oldest architectural monuments in Russia. Its majestic walls and numerous towers, its Orthodox cathedrals and palace buildings, its squares and gardens, the Armory Chamber and the Kremlin Palace of Congresses reflect the centuries-old history of the country. Adjacent to the north-eastern wall of the Kremlin, Red Square is famous not only for the Mausoleum and the Eternal Flame, but also for the numerous events organized there recently. Victory parades, concerts dedicated to Russian Independence Day, New Year's skating rinks - all this can be afforded by one of the largest pedestrian areas in Moscow.

Veliky Novgorod and its surrounding areas are included in the UNESCO list with more than ten cultural sites that are predominantly of a religious nature. Znamensky, Zverin, Antoniev and, the Church of the Nativity on the Red Field, the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa, St. John the Merciful and the Annunciation on Myachina and many other Orthodox buildings date back to ancient periods Russian history and are unique architectural complexes. The Novgorod Detinets (that is, the Kremlin) and the part of the city related to it are interesting from the point of view of historical and architectural heritage.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery was built in the 20-30s of the 15th century. It is spread over four islands of the Solovetsky archipelago. The cultural and historical ensemble "Solovetsky Islands" includes the main monastery, the Ascension and Savvatievsky skete, St. Isaac's, Makarievskaya and Filippovskaya hermitages on Bolshoi Solovetsky Island, Sergievsky monastery on the island of Bolshaya Muksalma, Trinity and Golgotha-Ruspyatsky monastery and Eleazar's hermitage on Anzer and Andreevskaya deserts and stone labyrinths on Bolshoi Zayatsky Island. IN Soviet time The largest special-purpose forced labor camp in the USSR, Solovetsky, operated on the monastery territory. Monastic life became possible here only at the end of 1990.

Eight architectural monuments of ancient Russian architecture, mostly of a white stone nature, were included in the UNESCO list in 1992. All of them are located on the territory of the Vladimir region and belong to the Orthodox culture of Russia. In Vladimir there are three UNESCO-protected sites: built in the 12th century and Dmitrievsky Cathedral, as well as the Golden Gate. In Suzdal there is a 12th-century Kremlin with the Nativity Cathedral and the Spaso-Efimievsky Monastery, built in the 16th-17th centuries. The village of Bogolyubovo is known to Orthodox pilgrims for the Palace of Andrei Bogolyubsky and the magnificent. The Church of Boris and Gleb in the village of Kideksha is the first white stone building in northeastern Rus'.

Built in the 16th century, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord is the first stone Orthodox church to use a tent instead of a classic dome. According to legend, it was erected on the occasion of the birth of Ivan the Terrible. The place for the temple was chosen on the right bank of the Moscow River, famous for its miraculous spring. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord has the appearance of a centric temple-tower, rising above the ground to a height of 62 meters. The architectural design of the church shows features of the early Renaissance. The temple is surrounded in a circle by a two-tiered gallery-promenade.

The Holy Trinity Lavra of Sergius was founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh in 1337. Currently it is the largest Orthodox monastery in Russia. The Trinity-Sergius Lavra is located in the center of Sergiev Posad, a city in the Moscow region. The designation “Laurel” indicates the crowded, large population of the monastery. The architectural ensemble of the monastery consists of fifty buildings of various functional purposes. Among them there are Orthodox cathedrals, numerous bell towers, and royal palaces. Boris Godunov and members of his family found their final refuge in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

The virgin forests of Komi are known as the largest intact forests growing in Europe. They cover an area of ​​32,600 square kilometers in the north Ural mountains, within the Pechero-Ilychsky Nature Reserve and the Yugyd Va National Park. In terms of their composition, Komi forests belong to the taiga ecosystem. They are dominated by coniferous trees. The western part of the forests is in the foothills area, the eastern part is in the mountains themselves. The Komi forest is distinguished by the diversity of not only flora, but also fauna. More than two hundred species of birds live here, and rare species of fish are found. Many forest plants are protected.

For the whole world, Baikal is a lake, for the residents of Russia, who are in love with a unique natural object, Baikal is a sea! Located in Eastern Siberia it is the most deep lake planet and, at the same time, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. The shape of Baikal looks like a crescent. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 meters with an average depth of 744. Baikal contains 19 percent of all fresh water on the planet. The lake is fed by more than three hundred rivers and streams. Baikal water has a high oxygen content. Its temperature rarely exceeds plus 8-9 degrees Celsius even in summer in the surface area. The water of the lake is so clean and transparent that it allows you to see at a depth of up to forty meters.

The volcanoes of Kamchatka are part of the Pacific volcanic ring of fire - a large chain of main active volcanoes planets. Unique natural sites were included in the UNESCO List in 1996, along with adjacent areas characterized by picturesque views and biological diversity. The exact number of volcanoes on the peninsula is unknown. Scientists talk about several hundred and even thousands of objects. About thirty of them are classified as active. Most famous Kamchatka volcano is Klyuchevskaya Sopka - the most high volcano Eurasia and the most active on the peninsula. The volcanoes of Kamchatka have different volcanic origins and are divided into two superimposed belts - Middle and East Kamchatka.

A large biosphere reserve in the Primorsky Territory was originally created to preserve the sable population. Currently it represents the most comfortable spot observing the life of the Amur tiger. A huge number of plants grow on the territory of the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve. More than a thousand higher species, more than a hundred mosses, about four hundred lichens, more than six hundred species of algae and more than five hundred fungi. Local fauna represented big amount birds, marine invertebrates and insects. Many plants, birds, animals and insects are protected species. Schisandra chinensis and edelweiss Palibina, spotted deer and Himalayan bear, black kite and Japanese starling, Sakhalin sturgeon and swallowtail butterfly - they all found shelter in the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve.

The three most significant areas of the Altai Mountains - the Altai and Katunsky reserves and the Ukok plateau - were included in the UNESCO list in 1998 under the name “Golden Mountains of Altai”. Among the protected geographical objects Mount Belukha and Lake Teletskoye were also hit. Natural criterion "x" Altai Mountains received for the most fully presented picture of alpine vegetation. In this area, five belts follow one after another: steppe, forest-steppe, mixed, subalpine and alpine. The territory of the golden mountains of Altai is home to rare species of animals - snow leopard, Siberian mountain goat and others.

The basin of Lake Uvs-Nur, located in the Republic of Tyva, belongs to both Russia and Mongolia. On the part of the Russian Federation, it is represented by the Ubsunur Basin biosphere nature reserve, which includes both the waters of the lake itself and the land areas adjacent to it. The latter is home to a unique and, in many ways, diverse ecosystem of the region - here you can find glaciers and the northernmost deserts in Eurasia. On the territory of the Ubsunur depression there are taiga zones, forest and classical steppes, alpine tundra and meadows. The area of ​​the reserve is replete with several tens of thousands of unexcavated burial mounds of ancient nomadic tribes.

Located in the Western Caucasus, the natural biosphere reserve belongs to the category of state ones. It is a large natural formation belonging to two climatic zones– temperate and subtropical. More than 900 species of vascular plants and 700 species of fungi grow on the territory of the reserve. Initially, the Caucasian Reserve was called the bison reserve. Nowadays, it was decided to abandon this definition, since, in addition to bison, there are a large number of other mammals in the Western Caucasus, each of which requires state protection. Today, on the territory of the reserve you can find wild boars and roe deer, Western Caucasian tur and brown bear, Caucasian mink and bison.

Not only the Moscow and Novgorod Kremlin are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Kazan Kremlin is also among the culturally significant objects of world significance. Its historical and architectural complex, consisting of a white-stone Kremlin, temples and other buildings, is a monument of three historical periods: XII-XIII, XIV-XV and XV-XVI centuries. The Kremlin territory of Kazan has the shape of an irregular polygon, coinciding in outline with the hill on which the ancient settlement is located. Initially, the Kazan Kremlin was a Bulgarian fortress. Then it came under the rule of the Kazan Khanate. After the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, the first Orthodox churches appeared on Kremlin territory. In 2005, in honor of the millennium of Kazan, the main mosque of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kul Sharif, was built within the Kazan Kremlin.

Currently, the Ferapontov Monastery is one of the inactive monasteries. The Ferapontovsky branch of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve and the unique Museum of Dionysius' Frescoes located there became a stumbling block between the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2000, the Ferapontov Monastery was included in the UNESCO List, which finally gave it the status of not so much a religious, but a cultural heritage of humanity. The architectural ensemble of the monastery is represented by the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, painted by the famous Moscow icon painter of the 15th-16th centuries - Dionysius, the monumental Church of the Annunciation, the treasury chamber and service buildings.

The Curonian Spit is a long, narrow strip of sandy land that separates the Curonian Lagoon from Baltic Sea. According to its geographical status, this natural object is sometimes classified as a peninsula. The length of the Curonian Spit is 98 kilometers, the width is from 400 to 4 kilometers. The saber-shaped strip of land belongs half to Russia, half to Lithuania. On Russian territory The Curonian Spit contains the eponymous national park. The original peninsula was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its biological diversity. Numerous landscapes, from deserts to tundra, a large amount of flora and fauna, as well as the ancient migration route of birds make the Curonian Spit a unique natural complex that needs protection.

Most Southern City Russia, located in the Republic of Dagestan, Derbent, is one of the oldest cities in the world. The first settlements on its territory arose at the end of the 4th millennium BC. The city acquired its modern appearance in 438. In those distant times, Derbent was a Persian fortress, consisting of the Naryn-Kala citadel and double walls descending to the Caspian Sea. The ancient fortress, old town and fortifications of Derbent were included in the UNESCO List in 2003. Naryn-Kala has survived to this day in the form of ruins, ancient temple fire worshipers, a mosque, bathhouses and water reservoirs located on its territory.

Wrangel Island, located in the Arctic Ocean, was discovered in 1849. In 1926, the first polar station was created on it, in 1948 the island was inhabited by domesticated reindeer, and in 1975 by musk oxen. The latest event led to the fact that the authorities of the Magadan region decided to establish a nature reserve on Wrangel Island, which also included neighboring island Herald. At the end of the 20th century, the adjacent water areas also became part of the Wrangel Island nature reserve. The island's flora consists mainly of ancient plant species. The fauna of the area is poorly developed: most often, birds and walruses are found here, which have established their main Russian rookery on Wrangel Island.

The Novodevichy Mother of God-Smolensk Monastery was founded in 1524 in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria”. The location of the Orthodox women's monastery is the Maiden's Field in Moscow. In the center of the monastery is the five-domed Smolensk Cathedral, from which the creation of everything began architectural ensemble religious monument of the Russian capital. In the 17th century, the Church of the Assumption was built around it Holy Mother of God, Church of the Transfiguration, Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, bell tower, refectory, Lopukhinsky, Mariinsky and Funeral Chambers.

The historical center of Yaroslavl, consisting of Rublennoye Gorod (the local Kremlin) and Zemlyanoy city, was noted by UNESCO in 2005 as an outstanding architectural example of urban planning reform carried out under Catherine II. Construction from the time of classicism took place near the parish church of Elijah the Prophet, in front of which there was a semicircular square. Streets-beams were drawn to it, each of which ended with an architectural monument that was earlier in construction - the Assumption Cathedral on Strelka, the Znamenskaya and Uglichskaya towers, the Church of Simeon the Stylite.

A network of 265 geodetic reference points, created in the first half of the 19th century to study earth parameters, is currently found in many European cities. On Russian territory it is represented by two points - “Point Mäkipällus” and “Point Z”, located on the island of Gogland. Of more than two hundred objects of the Struve arc, only 34 points have survived to this day, which served as the basis for including a unique scientific monument of humanity in the List of especially valuable cultural objects of our time.

Like many natural sites in Russia included in the UNESCO List, the Putarana Plateau was included in it due to the unique combination of different ecological systems. Located within an isolated mountain range The Putorana State Nature Reserve combines within its territory the subarctic and arctic zones, taiga, forest-tundra and arctic desert. The Putorana subspecies of the snow leopard, listed in the Red Book of Russia, lives on the territory of the reserve. The world's largest population of wild reindeer also winters on the plateau.

The Lena Pillars located on the territory of the Sakha Republic are the most recent Russian facility, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012. The geological formation, located on the banks of the Lena, is a multi-kilometer complex of vertically elongated rocks. At the heart of the unique natural monument lies Cambrian limestone. Scientists attribute the beginning of the formation of the Lena Pillars to the Early Cambrian, a time 560 million years distant from ours. The relief form of the Lena Pillars was formed much later - only 400 thousand years ago. Near the Lena Pillars there is a natural park of the same name. On its territory there are blowing sands and a parking lot. ancient man. Fossilized remains of mammoths are also found here.

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 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 - Marine Park Great Barrier Reef, Yellowstone (USA) and others. The 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.

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) Waterfalls "Garganta del Diablo" ("Devil's Throat" are located on the territory National Park Iguazu in the Argentine province of Misiones. Depending on the water level of the Iguazu River, the park has between 160 and 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. (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. Summer Palace, built in 1750, was destroyed in 1860 and rebuilt in 1886. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998. (China Photos/Getty Images)

7) 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. 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 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. (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 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. (David Silverman/Getty Images)

12) Aerial photography of St. Peter's Square in. 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. The Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981. (AFP - Getty Images)

14) Camels rest in the ancient city of Petra in front of Jordan's main monument, Al Khazneh or the treasury, 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, 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. The Sydney Opera House was designated a World Heritage Site in 2007. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP - Getty Images)

16) Rock paintings made by the San people in the Drakensberg Mountains, located in the east 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 in the province of Hadhramaut. 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. Shibam is often called " oldest city skyscrapers in the world" or "Desert Manhattan", this 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 Buddhist temple complex, which was the main residence of the Dalai Lama. Today, the Potala Palace is a museum actively visited by tourists, remaining a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and continuing to be used in Buddhist rituals. Due to its enormous cultural, religious, artistic and historical significance, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP - Getty Images)

23) 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 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. (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)

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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 retains 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)

How and who creates the UNESCO Heritage List? Once a year, the 192 participating countries submit applications for a maximum of two national sites that have historical, natural or cultural value. Over the course of a year and a half, UNESCO staff study the applications, vote and make a decision at the final session. The most worthy objects are included in the World Heritage List, but there are also those who are left on the so-called waiting list. The Organization will still work with these applicants.

There are 27 UNESCO heritage sites in Russia. In addition to specific locations, UNESCO also supports cultural values ​​- folklore and life of different peoples. For example, currently on the waiting list among Russian candidates are the Old Believers of Transbaikalia and the Yakut heroic epic.

Virgin forests of Komi, Komi Republic

This is the first natural site in Russia that came under the protection of UNESCO. Komi has some of the last untouched forests in Europe. They are also called the “treasury of the taiga.” Here time seems to have stopped. Crystal-clear river riffles talk to cedars and spruces that reach toward the quiet clouds. Occasionally the cries of a golden eagle can be heard. The main owners of these places are animals and birds listed in the Red Book - white-tailed eagle, osprey, peregrine falcon. Yes, the Sapsan train, which runs between Moscow and St. Petersburg, was named after the rare bird. She can fly at speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour! Any cheetah would be jealous here.

Protected Komi forests are located on the territory of two reserves: Pechoro-Ilychsky and Yugyd Va. There are different routes: you can raft the river for a week or walk along the river for three days. hiking trail. Rent a room from local residents or stay at a recreation center. Among the few camps, there are those the road to which is already an adventure. For example, although the Ozernaya base is located in the center of the park, it can only be reached by helicopter. In the reserves you will see the first silicon mines, traces of ancient cave lions or mammoths, and prayer houses of the Old Believers. The main thing is to notify the administration of the reserves about your trip in advance. They will help with organizing the trip and getting passes. Pour hot tea into a thermos, take notes in a notebook and get ready to meet the spirits of the taiga jungle.

How to get there:

  • Pechoro-Ilychinsky Nature Reserve: flight S7 Airlines to Syktyvkar. Then from the Syktyvkar station by train to Troitsko-Pechorsk, from there by bus to the village of Yaksha, the villages of Ust-Ilych or Priuralsk. Then local residents will help you get to the reserve - by boat in summer, by snowmobile in winter. You can also order a transfer from the train station in Troitsko-Pechorsk at the administration of the reserve.
  • Yugyd Va Nature Reserve: flight S7 Airlines to Syktyvkar. Then from Syktyvkar station by train to Pechora. You can get from the town of Pechora to the village of Aranets by bus, and from there it’s about 50 km along the hiking trail to the border of the national park.

Italy holds the record for sites protected by UNESCO. If in Russia there are 27 of them, then in Italy there are 51. For example, entire cities are included in the heritage list - Venice and Verona.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Solovetsky Islands

Be alone with yourself, without the Internet and plans. Solovki are six large and more than a hundred small islands surrounded by a lead-blue sea. Here you will be met by seals and white whales - beluga whales. Just 150 kilometers - and you are beyond the Arctic Circle. Explore the islands - you will find parking lots primitive man and you will see the Solovetsky Kremlin, surrounded by powerful stone walls with eight towers.

In this place you don’t want to disturb the silence: you just breathe the salty sea air and feel the history. Knock on the door of local residents, they always welcome guests. They will pour you a compote of wild berries, treat you to a sweet flatbread, and slowly tell you about the monastic life of Solovki. During lunch or dinner, ask to cook White Sea fish - it’s very tasty.

How to get there: take an S7 Airlines flight to Arkhangelsk, then transfer to a Solovetsky flight, and in 50 minutes you are there.

Architectural and historical complex "Bulgar", Tatarstan

This was once one of the largest cities The Golden Horde and the place of pilgrimage of the “small hajj”. It was destroyed and restored more than once. Today it is a historical complex on the high bank of the Volga. Start the route from the South Gate to the middle of the complex: the minaret and Cathedral Mosque. It is also called the Tatar Taj Mahal. Take a leisurely stroll through the snow-white expanses and feel like a real khan. Then - to the Black Chamber, the most mysterious building of the settlement. Historians and archaeologists still cannot figure out why it was built.

According to legend, during the invasion of Tamerlane, the khan’s family hid in the Black Chamber. The building was set on fire, and when the fire died out, a white figure of the khan’s daughter appeared above the chamber. Tamerlane was so delighted that he offered marriage in exchange for the lives of her brothers. By sacrificing herself, the girl saved her family, but the building remained black from the fire. The complex stretches along the entire Volga coast. If you're cold, go to the Bread House to warm up. Here they will feed you and tell you how to bake fragrant bread.

How to get there: take an S7 Airlines flight to Kazan, then take a meteor from river port"Kazan", or take .

Natural complex of the Wrangel Island reserve, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug

Wrangel Island is divided by the 180th meridian - in one trip you will visit two hemispheres at once. This is the northernmost protected site in Russia - 500 kilometers beyond the Arctic Circle. A chilling wind, the mountains give way to swampy plains, and fork-tailed gulls circle along the coast. Harsh climate and all shades of the Nordic palette. Here are the noisiest bird colonies, home to kittiwake gulls, thick-billed guillemots and guillemots. And on the island there is the largest “maternity hospital” for polar bears.

Choose one of nine excursion routes and sign up in advance to see everything with your own eyes. You can move around the island on foot, by all-terrain vehicle or quad bike. You can get there by cruise ship from Anadyr. In just a few days you will see the northernmost wonders of Russia - Cape Dezhnev, whale alley and Eskimo villages. All routes are built so that the land remains untouched in its northern, unique beauty.

Lucia Berezyuk

Deputy Director for Environmental Education of the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve

Tourists came to us from Japan, New Zealand, England, the USA, and Australia. This year there were only six cruises, each of which was accompanied by rangers and reserve staff. One of the most interesting sites on the island is the Paleo-Eskimo site in Devil's Ravine. This is the excavation site of a seasonal camp of ancient hunters with a history of 3200 years. At the beginning of summer, walruses, seals and polar bears rest here on the ice floes. On calm days, fountains of gray whales appear in the bay - sometimes up to eight at a time!

How to get there: take an S7 Airlines flight to Magadan, then transfer to a flight to Anadyr, then by ship to Wrangel Island.

Old town of Derbent, Dagestan

Derbent is an ancient Persian city on the Silk Road. These are not just colorful labyrinths of streets where silk carpets and exotic fruits were once sold. This is a “blockpost” between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The gigantic walls of the Naryn-Kala Citadel rise in front of you, giving Derbent a stern and majestic appearance.

Climb up and walk around the perimeter - you will see a beautiful panorama of the old city. Inside, look at the ruins of oriental palaces and medieval baths, fountains and mosques. Enter through the East Gate and you will be surrounded by pointed arches, carved pillars and round towers. Plunge into oriental fairy tale among the green mountains.

How to get there: take an S7 Airlines flight to Makhachkala, then from Southern bus station by minibus.

UNESCO evaluates sites according to ten criteria. The first is a masterpiece of human creative genius. There are 17 such masterpieces in China. Among them is the Great Wall of China.

Ancient city in Chersonesus, Sevastopol, Crimea

The only ancient city in the Northern Black Sea region where streets, residential and cultural buildings have been preserved. Go there in the morning, when the rays of the sun are just beginning to awaken the ancient columns and walls of the fortress. Sit on the steps of the ancient Greek theater and imagine how Homer's tragedies were watched here two millennia ago. Today people come here for modern productions.

Streets ancient city- a real museum open air. If you're lucky, you'll find real excavations. Among the ancient ruins stands the Vladimir Cathedral, the symbol of all sailors of Sevastopol. And nearby there is a fog bell cast from captured Turkish cannons. After walking around the ancient city, go down to the pebble beach. Have a picnic on the beach to the sound of the surf.

How to get there: take an S7 Airlines flight to Simferopol. Buses run directly from the airport to Sevastopol. In Sevastopol, from the city center, by bus number 22. Address: st. Ancient, 1.

Northern islands and monasteries. Ancient palaces and cities. All this is not just numbers on the UNESCO heritage list. These are real places of power where you want to feel every moment. And even though officially there are 27 of these routes in our country. But you know that in reality unique places There are many more that are worth seeing.

Share routes and inspiration. Tell your friends about the S7 Airlines Blog.

Planet Earth is a bottomless treasury that has endowed man with countless riches and made it possible to take advantage of its benefits to create comfortable living conditions. Therefore, the formation of society and its evolution have always occurred in interaction with nature. A clear confirmation of this are the cultural, historical and natural monuments included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Madain Salih Complex, Saudi Arabia

In the northern part of Saudi Arabia there is a unique complex of Madain Salih. It includes more than 100 burials dating from the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD, amazing hydraulic structures that previously served the inhabitants of Hegra, an ancient city that became a center of caravan trade.

More than 50 inscriptions were discovered on the rocks of the complex, the appearance of which dates back to the pre-Nabatean period. In 2008, the amazing Madain Salih complex was added to the UNESCO treasury.

Longmen Grottoes, China

“Dragon Gate” or Longmen Grottoes are located in one of the picturesque Chinese provinces, near the city of Luoyang. This amazing ensemble, consisting of beautiful temples and ancient caves, was the residence of the rulers of China, representing the Wei dynasty, until 494.

After moving the residence to new town, Buddhist monks settled among the caves and temples. Relief drawings and all kinds of sculptures decorating the stone ensemble are the work of artisans who lived in the vicinity of the grotto.


2,300 amazing caves, about 80 mausoleums, more than 100,000 Buddhist paintings, a huge statue of the majestic Buddha guarding the entrance to the Fengxianse Cave, more than 2,500 inscriptions decorating the rocks along the deep Yishui River - these precious monuments of ancient Chinese culture, making up a single complex, were brought in on the UNESCO heritage list.

Bayon Temple, Cambodia

Among the picturesque nature of Angor Thom, the amazing Bayon temple complex, erected in the 7th century AD in honor of Jayavarman, has been preserved. The ancient architectural structure includes three levels of stone buildings surrounded by three monumental walls.
The temple complex is decorated with huge stone faces and drawings depicting the life and everyday life of the Khmers.


In addition to the Bayon Temple, the Angkor region is home to over a thousand unique temples, representing different eras and levels of civilization. Every year, millions of curious tourists come here to see with their own eyes the unique monuments of ancient religious architecture.

Many of them have survived to this day in a dilapidated state, some have been restored, and some have remained a pile of stones silently resting among endless fields sown with rice.

Stonehand, UK

An oversized stone structure, Stonehand is located among the luxurious nature of Salisbury Plain, in the county of Wilshere in the UK. 150 stones placed in a certain sequence are of great interest to scientists and ordinary tourists who come here to look at amazing creation man, created in 3000 BC.


Under the influence of time and natural phenomena The unique ancient monument began to collapse, so now it is protected with special care. If half a century ago tourists could even climb huge structures, then since 1977 you can only look at them. To touch the stones, you need a special permit, issued within a year on the basis of a personal request.

Stonehand was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.

Lonesome George, Ecuador

The only giant tortoise representing this species of mammal lives in the National Park located in Ecuador. The unique animal was found in 1927 on Pinta Island, located in the northern part of the archipelago, and named after the famous actor George Gobel.


The world's most famous bachelor is in the prime of his life; according to scientists, he is now about 90 years old. It's time to have offspring. George has already been found a female who has genetic similarities with the “groom’s” ancestors, so there is every reason to believe that the line of giant tortoises will continue.

Summer Palace, China

Among the fabulous beautiful scenery In the imperial garden in Beijing in 1750, the magnificent Summer Palace was built, which to this day preserves the memory of the royalty who lived within its walls.

In 1860, the unique architectural masterpiece was destroyed, and more than 20 years later it was restored.

In 1998, the Summer Palace was added to the list of UNSO World Treasures

Statue of Liberty, America

The symbol of the United States of America, the Statue of Liberty, is located in one of the largest metropolises in the country and the world - New York. This is a symbolic gift presented by the French in honor of the centenary of the American Revolution.

“Lady Liberty” personifies the triumph of democracy, freedom of spirit and is a kind of reminder of the difficult period of the Americans’ struggle for their rights.


In 1984, “Lady Liberty” was added to the list of UNESCO heritage sites.

Iguazu National Park, Argentina

In the picturesque province of Misiones, there is a majestic monument of Argentine nature - Iguazu National Park, which in 1984 was recognized as a unique UNESCO heritage.


In addition to the diversity of bird species and the luxury of beautiful exotic vegetation, the park is notable for the incredible number of waterfalls concentrated near the Iguazu River. The number of cascading streams (from 150 to 250 waterfalls) depends on the water level in the river from which they originate.

The territory of the park is an oasis in the center of civilization, which has preserved a huge number of endangered representatives of flora and fauna. Paradise land, filled with the strange aromas of flowers, the crystal sound of water and the cheerful singing of colorful birds, annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world, eager to see with their own eyes the riches of the Argentine region.



Kinderdijk, Netherlands

On the picturesque banks of the canals located near Rotterdam, rows of huge windmills, built several decades ago.

More than a thousand historical structures, named Kinderdijk, after the village in which they are located, have replenished UNESCO's bottomless treasury.

Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

The decoration of the relief landscapes of the Los Glaciares National Park, located in the picturesque province of Santa Cruz, is a huge glacier with the sweet name Perito Moreno. In size it is second only to the glaciers of Antarctica and Greenland.


An amazing masterpiece created by nature has become not only a decoration Argentine Patagonia, he replenished the UNESCO world treasury. A talented creator gave the glacier an amazing architectural form, parts of which are modified under the influence of water flows.


The fact is that from time to time the glacier reaches Lake Argentino and spills over to the opposite shore, thereby forming a massive dam and dividing the water surface into two parts. This leads to a significant increase in water levels in the southern part of the lake.

Cubic meters of icy liquid press on the walls of the glacier, breaking the binding barrier. Such an action is a fascinating spectacle and occurs sometimes once a year, and sometimes once every ten years.

Bahai Terraced Gardens, Israel

Located in the north of Israel picturesque city ok Haifa, the territory of which is enhanced by unique terraced gardens created many years ago.

The beautiful Tomb of Bob, the founder of the popular Bahai religious movement, is buried in the luxury of amazing vegetation.


The majestic symbol of the interaction between nature and man was included in the UNESCO list of unique heritage in 2008.



Vatican

The Vatican, a tiny state located on the territory of Rome, is the world center of Christianity. Here is the papal throne and many unique monuments architecture, the main one of which is the majestic St. Peter's Square, built in 1667 according to the design of the architect Bernini.


Two monumental symmetrical hemispheres connect near St. Peter's Basilica, forming a large-scale square where believers gather to hear and see the pontiff.

Residents small state carefully preserve the historical and cultural heritage of previous generations, part of which is the unique architecture of the country, and valuable works of art preserved behind the walls of the holy basilica.

In 1984, the Vatican was included in the UNESCO lists.

Petra, Israel

The ancient city of Petra is located in the Siq canyon leading to the Arava valley. Residential areas carved out of sandstones rise at an altitude of about 900 meters above sea level and are small caves connected by narrow paths.


Here, on the territory of modern Jordan, where Petra is located, ancient crypts and amazing temples built many centuries ago have been preserved.


The amazing city of Petra is rightfully included in the UNESCO heritage list; in addition, since 2007 it has been called another “wonder of the world”.



Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Australia

Big barrier reef- a unique system consisting of 3,000 separately located coral reefs and more than 900 picturesque islands. It lies in the waters of the Coral Sea and annually attracts millions of divers eager to see the amazing masterpiece created by tiny microorganisms.


Over 2,500 kilometers of fabulous flora and amazing underwater fauna, this is the largest coral reef on the planet, visible even from space.


In 1981, the Great Barrier Reef was added to the UNESCO treasury, and earlier it was awarded the status of a “wonder of the world”.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is one of the most famous nature reserves in Europe and the largest national park in Belarus. In 1993, it received the status of a biosphere reserve, and a year earlier it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.


The picturesque nature conservation site is located on the territory of the Brest and Grodno regions; the Polish-Belarusian border passes through it.
The picturesque landscapes of this amazing area provide excellent conditions for the habitat of many species of animals, including those listed in the Red Book of Belarus.


In the dense thickets of relict forests that once covered the entire territory of Europe, you can meet their powerful owner - the bison, which tourists from different parts of the world come to see.

Rock paintings in Alta, Norway

Another UNESCO cultural and historical heritage is rock paintings discovered in the north of Norway, in the city of Alta. Thanks to this find, it became known about the settlements of ancient people who traded here during the Iron and Stone Ages. Rock art reflects the way of life of the people living in coastal areas and on the mainland, their beliefs, traditions and rituals.

More than 5,000 unique images date back to 4200 – 500 BC and prove that the northern parts of the Earth were previously inhabited.


People first started talking about amazing drawings in 1960, when the first petroglyphs were found. During further excavations, one of the largest archaeological sites of Jemmelüft was discovered, on the territory of which the Alta Museum was founded, open to tourists.

Stave church Urnes, Norway

Among the majesty of the silent mountains, on the picturesque Sognefjord, the outline of the stave church of Urnes, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, looms. An amazing masterpiece of wooden architecture was built three times in the same place. A church built in 1150 for one of the revered and very influential families has survived to this day.


The craftsmen who worked on the construction of the temple were able to convey the splendor of the architecture of that time and restore the decorative details present on the previously destroyed church.


The durable wood, prepared for the construction of the temple in 1130, was able to withstand the influence of time and the elements. Therefore, the unique Urnes Church still delights everyone who has been lucky enough to visit the royal Sognefjord at least once.

Struve arc

A unique geodetic structure called the Struve Arc is a network with reference points marked on the ground using stone cubes, iron crosses, and depressions made in the rocks.

The Struve arc was used to establish the size of the Earth and determine its shape. Over the 40 years of its existence, the amazing geodetic structure has undergone changes, and today it passes through the territory of Belarus, Norway, Lithuania, Moldova, Latvia, Ukraine, Finland, Russia, and Sweden. The total length of the network on which triangulation points are located is 2820 kilometers.


34 strongholds of the Arc, named after one of its creators, Vasily Yakovlevich Struve, are now included in the UNESCO world treasury.

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine

The Kiev Pechersk Lavra is a great Christian shrine located on the right bank of the mighty Dnieper. Founded in the 9th century, the monastery has undergone many changes throughout its existence. Today is a unique reminder ancient architecture reverently delights both true believers and ordinary tourists who come from all over the world to admire the golden-domed temple.

The Pechersk Lavra received its name due to the caves located on its territory, in which the first hermit monks lived.



From the day of its foundation, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra became the spiritual and cultural stronghold of Kievan Rus, and its fame resounded far beyond the borders of the state.

Basilica of the Nativity and pilgrim paths, Palestine

A few kilometers from Jerusalem is the Church of the Nativity of Christ, built in 339 AD. The location for the founding of the basilica was not chosen by chance; it is believed that this is where Jesus Christ was born.


In the 6th century AD, the Church survived a fire, after which it was restored. Only mosaic floors remain from the original structure.

In 2012, the Basilica of the Nativity, along with pilgrimage paths, bell towers, and magnificent terraced gardens, was included in the list of UNESCO heritage sites.



Kakadu National Park, Australia

Kakadu National Park is a unique combination of lush plains and picturesque plateaus, marshy areas covered with emerald thickets of exotic plants, and rivers cutting through the park's life-filled expanses.


In the park you can see hundreds of rare plant species and endangered animals. Amazing natural complex located in the north of Australia, where tribes of ancient settlers lived 40 thousand years ago. This is evidenced by rock paintings found during archaeological excavations. The drawings reflect the way of life of a prehistoric society, whose members hunted and gathered.

Today, Kakadu Park is an archaeological and natural reserve, listed as a UNESCO site in 1981.

Rain forests of the east coast of Australia

In eastern Australia, along the vertiginous cliffs of the Great Dividing Range, lie the mysterious rain forests, which in 1994 became one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.


This unique zone, which includes several luxurious parks and amazing reserves, is of enormous importance for modern science. After all, on its territory there are geological important objects, such as craters extinct volcanoes, and the dense rainforests are home to endemic species representing the local fauna.

Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia

450 kilometers of wet tropical forests run along the north-eastern coast of Australia. Dense, often impassable, thickets have become a habitat for funny marsupials, exotic songbirds and rare representatives of the richest Australian flora and equally diverse fauna.


In 1988, tropical rainforests joined the treasury of the world organization UNESCO.

Fraser Island

Fraser Island, which is more than 120 kilometers long, is the largest sandy island on the planet. Its relief surface is covered with damp tall forests, and the golden curves of the dunes are cut by blue-eyed “hanging” lakes filled with fresh water.


In 1992, this amazing natural complex was included in the UNESCO treasury.

Shark Bay, Western Australia

Shark Bay and its surrounding islands are fabulous a nice place, known for the phenomenal gifts presented by nature itself. Firstly, over 10 thousand individuals of dugong live in the waters washing the coast (the largest population of these animals in the world).


Secondly, in coastal waters you can see huge plantations of algae, covering more than 480 thousand kilometers of the seabed.


Thirdly, the surroundings of the bay are decorated with rounded calcareous formations - stromatolites. They owe their appearance to colonies of algae that actively live under water.


Fourthly, several species of rare mammals live in the bay. Together, all factors stopped the bay from becoming a natural treasure, which was added to the UNESCO list in 1991.

Macquarie Island

In the endless subantarctic waters, between the two continents of Antarctica and Australia, the tiny Macquarie Island is lost. A picturesque piece of land with a length of only 34 kilometers appeared after the collision of the Pacific lithospheric plate with the Indo-Australian plate.

As a result of a strong collision, unique basalt rocks stored at a depth of over 6 kilometers in the Earth's mantle were dumped onto the relief surface of the papaya. In 1997, Macquarie Island joined UNESCO's richest treasury.

Sydney Opera House, Australia

A snow-white structure rises above the azure waters of Sydney Bay, reminiscent of a sailboat filled with winds, ready to set sail - this is the Sydney Opera theatre. The “shells” located on a solid foundation house a magnificently decorated hall and a wonderful restaurant.


Erected in 1973, the building took its place among UNESCO sites (in 2007) and became the most grandiose architectural structure of our time.


The talented architect Jorn Utson worked on the implementation of this amazing project. Changing the traditions of urban planning developed over the years, he created a unique sculptural masterpiece that harmoniously complements the picturesque landscapes of the Pacific coast.

Convict settlements, Australia

Of the thousands of camps created by the British Empire in Austria (18th-19th centuries), eleven, located on the islet of Norfolk, Tasmania, around Sydney, were included in the list of UNESCO sites in 2010.


The prisons were designed to house hundreds of thousands of those convicted by British justice. These were men, women, and even children.
Each correctional institution had its own specifics of work and methods of re-educating criminals.

This unique object is valuable as a reminder of the largest expansion European countries, implemented through the deportation and placement of convicted criminals on the territory of colonies.

Leon Cathedral, Nicaragua

The Lena Cathedral, erected at the beginning of the 19th century, personifies the transitional period in architecture, when the Baroque traditions were replaced by more progressive neoclassical trends at that time. In the design of the exterior and interior, features of eclecticism are clearly visible, with the refined luxury characteristic of the style and an abundance of decorative details, harmoniously combined into a single ensemble.


Magnificent stained glass windows, rich ornaments, the use of works of art (paintings by Antonio Sarria, which depict the difficult path to Calvary) - all this gives the cathedral a special flavor that conveys the atmosphere of a difficult era.

The monumental structure of the temple was created according to a design developed by the Guatemalan architect Diego José de Porres Esquivel.

Since 2011, León Cathedral has been part of the UNESCO treasury.

Mozambique island city

The colorful town of Mozambique, founded in the 16th century, is located in the territory island of the same name, which once played an important role in the development of trade relations between Portugal and India.


A tiny town surrounded by an endless expanse of emerald water, framed by the edge of a magnificent sandy shore, is surrounded by the luxury of exotic plants, many of which are of particular value to science.


But not only the picturesque landscapes of the island are noteworthy; local architecture is of particular interest to tourists and researchers. The buildings, maintained in the same style, were built from makuti stone and decorated taking into account the building traditions established in the 16th century.
In 1991, the amazing island city of Mazambique was added to the list of UNESCO sites.

Pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan

Teotihucan – holy city(previously considered the birthplace of the gods), was founded in the 1st century AD, and was completed only at the end of the 7th century. Location (50 kilometers from Mexico City) and high level cultural development made it one of the most influential cities in Central America.


The notable architecture of Teotihucan, especially the large-scale monuments, temples and unique pyramids Moons and Suns designed using the principles of geometry.

Since 1987, the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihucan has been a UNESCO treasure.

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

The eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula is decorated with a picturesque biosphere reserve with the symbolic name Sian Ka'an. This is an amazing natural complex created from tropical forests, mangroves, impenetrable swamps and coral reefs, which have become home to the inhabitants of the nearby water area.


The local flora is amazing and diverse, and the fauna of the reserve is no less rich. More than 300 species of exotic birds enliven the dense forests with their singing, and hydrogeological conditions contribute to the predominance of terrestrial vertebrates, typical for such a region.


The picturesque Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve was added to the UNESCO treasury in 1987.

Historic city of Meknes, Morocco

Founded in the 9th century AD, the military settlement blossomed over time and became the picturesque town of Maknes. Under the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail, Maknes became the capital of the Moroccan state, and the architecture of the city acquired a distinctly Spanish-Moorish flavor.

Majestic towers, powerful walls, huge gates have survived to this day, carefully preserving the memory of the past centuries of prosperity of Meknes.
Since 1996 historical city included in the list of UNESCO monuments.

Bikini Atoll

Until 1946, Bikini Atoll could easily be called heaven on earth. Beautiful nature, kind people, crystal clear waters Pacific Ocean. But the beginning cold war"put an end to the happy existence of local residents. In 1946, they were resettled from their home island, and the picturesque landscapes and waters became a test site for American nuclear weapons.


Over 12 years, over 60 nuclear explosions occurred on the atoll; the first hydrogen bomb was tested here, thereby causing irreparable damage to the geology and nature of the island. The level of radiation in this place is such that nothing living can withstand such radiation.


The ships that sank during the tests, as well as the huge crater left after the explosion of a nuclear bomb, became silent witnesses to the unfortunate events.


Bikini Atoll, as a terrifying symbol of the nuclear age, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010.

Lake Malawi National Park

The southern side of the picturesque Lake Malawi has turned into a unique national park, the waters of which are home to many interesting representatives of underwater fauna.


The deep-sea lake with the purest water is home to dozens of species of endemic fish, and its ichthyofauna is of great interest to scientists studying evolutionary processes on Earth.


The unique lake was added to the UNESCO treasury in 1984.

Ancient quarters and fortifications of the city of Luxembourg

Luxembourg is a fortified city that at different periods was part of the Roman Empire, Prussia, Spain, and France. Passing from one state to another, the city became more and more fortified, eventually turning into the most protected fortress in Europe.

This was the case until 1867, after which the fortification was destroyed. Today, the dilapidated remains of the fortress and stone buildings remind us of the former power of military-era architecture.


The ancient city with its quarters and fortifications was included in the list of UNESCO sites in 1994.



Curonian Spit

The Curonian Spit is a sandy peninsula with a length of 98 kilometers. The width of the unique strip in different areas ranges from 400 meters to 4 kilometers.


The picturesque landscapes of the peninsula have been actively developed by people since ancient times. Today there is a struggle to preserve a unique natural masterpiece exposed to wind and sea. To negate the negative impact of natural factors, work is underway to strengthen forest plantations and sand dunes.


In 2000, the Curonian Spit was added to the UNESCO heritage list.

Los Catios National Park, Colombia

Los Catios National Park is located on 72 thousand hectares of picturesque Colombian land, which was added to the UNESCO treasury in 1994.


The relief landscapes of the colorful land are covered with dense forests, wet plains, from time to time turning into low hills.
The park territory became home to huge amount amazing animals, including rare representatives of the local fauna.

Lake system in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya

The shallow lakes of the Great Rift Valley (Nakuru, Elementaita and Bogoria) are a unique nature reserve, home to an incredible diversity of birds, including over 12 endangered species. Birds can survive only if they are within the safe Great Rift Valley.


The emerald surface of the lakes is surrounded by luxurious landscapes, covered with emerald thickets of forests, which have become home to a huge number of animals (black rhinoceros, funny Rothschild giraffe, powerful lion, population of wild dogs and leopards).

The Rift Valley is a place where pelican chicks are born and colorful flocks of beautiful flamingos walk in the shallow waters. This mesmerizing spectacle annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists eager to see with their own eyes the amazing beauty of the Great Rift Valley and lake system, which was included in the list of UNESCO sites in 2011.

 

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