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[
{
"id": "3",
"year": 1978,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Aachen Cathedral ",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N50 46 28 E6 5 4",
"lat": 50.77444444444444,
"lng": 6.084444444444444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/3",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0003_0001-750-0-20131014170237.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Aachen Cathedral © Mario Santana ",
"shortInfo": "Aachen Cathedral \n\nConstruction of this palatine chapel, with its octagonal basilica and cupola, began c. 790–800 under the Emperor Charlemagne. Originally inspired by the churches of the Eastern part of the Holy Roman Empire, it was splendidly enlarged in the Middle Ages. ",
"longInfo": "With its columns of Greek and Italian marble, its bronze doors, the largest mosaic of its dome (now destroyed), the Palatine Chapel of Aachen has, from its inception, been perceived as an exceptional artistic creation. It was the first vaulted structure to be constructed north of the Alps since antiquity. It remained, during the Carolingian Renaissance and even at the beginning of the medieval period, one of the prototypes of religious architecture which led to copies or imitations (Mettlach, Nijmegen). It is an excellent and distinctive example of the family of aularian chapels based on a central plan with tribunes.\n\nThe construction of the chapel of the Emperor at Aachen symbolized the unification of the west and its spiritual and political revival under the aegis of Charlemagne. In 814, Charlemagne was buried here, and throughout the Middle Ages until 1531 the Germanic emperors continued to be crowned here. The collection of the treasury of the cathedral is of incalculable archaeological, aesthetic, and historic interest.\n\nThe most important historical epoch of Aachen started with the takeover of the government by Charlemagne in AD 768. The imperial palace by the hot springs soon became his permanent residence and so developed into a spiritual and cultural centre. Two hundred years later he was canonized, which resulted in a flow of pilgrims wishing to see Charlemagne's tomb and the relics he gathered during his life. The town's ties with Charlemagne are reflected in numerous architectural heirlooms and memorials in the townscape.\n\nWhen he began work on his Palatine Chapel in 786, Charlemagne's dream was to create a 'new Rome'. The core of Aachen Cathedral at the time of its construction was the largest dome north of the Alps. Its fascinating architecture, with classical, Byzantine and Germanic-Franconian elements, is the essence of a monumental building of the greatest importance. For 600 years, from 936 to 1531, Aachen Cathedral was the coronation church for thirty German kings, and even today it retains much of the glamour of its historic past.\n\nIts present form has evolved over the course of more than a millennium. Two parts of the original complex have survived: the Coronation Hall (Aula Regia), which is currently located in the Town Hall, built in the 14th century, and the Palatine Chapel, around which the cathedral would later be built.\n\nThe Palatine Chapel, constructed about 790-800, is based on an octagonal ground plan, which is ringed by an aisle, surmounted by tribunes and roofed with a dome; the chapel itself is easily distinguished from later additions by its distinctive structure. An atrium on the western side led, through a portico, to the imperial apartments. The Gothic choir and a series of chapels that were added throughout the Middle Ages created the composite array of features that characterized the cathedral.\n\nThe interior is punctuated on the lower storey by round arches set upon eight stout cruciform pillars, and on the upper storey by the matroneum, a gallery for women. The populace was admitted in the lower part of the chapel; the Emperor sat up high, facing the altar, on the stone throne upon which the kings of Germany would be crowned. The high dome gathers light from eight open-arched windows above the drum; it was originally entirely covered with a great mosaic depicting Christ Enthroned, in purple robes and surrounded by the Elders of the Apocalypse. The present-day mosaic date back to 1870-73. The interior of the chapel is embellished by coloured marbles that Charlemagne probably ordered to be brought from Rome and Ravenna. Despite the subsequent additions, the Palatine Chapel constitutes a unitary nucleus.\n\nThe Cathedral Treasury in Aachen is regarded as one of the most important ecclesiastical treasuries in northern Europe. The crypt of the cathedral contains the cross of Lothar (990), made from gold and inlaid with precious stones, the dark-blue velvet chasuble with embroidered pearls, a reliquary-bust of Charlemagne made from silver and gold, and a marble sarcophagus decorated with a relief of the Abduction of Proserpine, which once contained the body of Charlemagne."
},
{
"id": "2",
"year": 1978,
"target": "ECU",
"name": "City of Quito",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N0 0 14 W78 30 0",
"lat": 0.0038888888888888888,
"lng": -78.5,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/2",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0002_0001-750-0-20061215143310.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "City of Quito\n\nQuito, the capital of Ecuador, was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city and stands at an altitude of 2,850 m. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the city has the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America. The monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo, and the Church and Jesuit College of La Compañía, with their rich interiors, are pure examples of the 'Baroque school of Quito', which is a fusion of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and indigenous art. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "1",
"year": 1978,
"target": "ECU",
"name": "Galápagos Islands",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N0 49 0.012 W91 0 0",
"lat": 0.81667,
"lng": -91,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0001_0002-750-0-20100729045519.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Galápagos Islands © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Galápagos Islands\n\nSituated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835. ",
"longInfo": "Situated in the Pacific some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique 'living museum and showcase of evolution'. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a 'melting pot' of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflect the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many species of finch that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution following his visit in 1835.\n\nThe site is situated on the Galápagos Submarine Platform, and consists of about 120 islands. The larger islands are Isabela, Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Santiago and San Cristobal. The islands were formed by volcanic processes and most represent the summit of a volcano, some of which rise over 3,000 m from the Pacific floor. The western part of the archipelago experiences intense volcanic and seismic activity. The larger islands typically comprise one or more gently sloping shield volcano, culminating in collapsed craters or calderas. Long stretches of shoreline are only slightly eroded, but in many places faulting and marine erosion have produced steep cliffs and lava, coral or shell sand beaches. Other noteworthy landscape features include crater lakes, fumaroles, lava tubes, sulphur fields and a great variety of lava and other ejects such as pumice, ash and tuff.\n\nThe marine environments are highly varied and are associated with water temperature regimes reflecting differences in nutrient and light levels. These range from warm temperate conditions brought on by vigorous upwelling (Equatorial Undercurrent) and a moderately cool, warm temperate-subtropical influence (Peru Flow).\n\nThere is considerable variation in altitude, area and orientation between the islands which when combined with their physical separation, has contributed towards the species diversity and endemism on particular islands. Coastal vegetation occurs along beaches, salt-water lagoons and low, broken, boulder-strewn shores. Protected coves and lagoons are dominated by mangrove swamps. The arid zone is found immediately inland from the coastal zone, and is the most widespread formation in the islands. The humid zone emerges above the arid zone through a transition belt in which elements of the two are combined. It is a very damp zone maintained in the dry season by thick, garua fogs which accumulate through most of the night and last well into each day. A fern-grass-sedge zone covers the summit areas of the larger islands where moisture is retained in temporary pools.\n\nThe endemic fauna includes invertebrate, reptile and bird species. There are a few indigenous mammals. All the reptiles, except for two marine tortoises, are endemic. These include the Galápagos giant tortoise, with 11 subspecies on different islands, all of which are endangered, terrestrial iguanas, marine iguana, three racer species, numerous lizards of the genus and geckos. The native avifauna includes 57 residents, of which 26 (46%) are endemic and 31 are regular migrants. Endemic taxa include 13 species of Darwin's finches, including Floreana tree finch and mangrove finch. Other noteworthy species include dark-rumped petrel, Galápagos flightless cormorant, Galápagos penguin, lava gull, Floreana mockingbird, Galápagos hawk, lava heron, nocturnal swallow-tailed gull, Galápagos rail, thick-billed flycatcher, Galápagos martin and Galápagos dove. The native mammalian fauna includes six species: Galápagos fur seal, Galápagos sea lion, two species of rice rat, bat and hoary bat. Marine fauna includes several species of sharks, rays and Cetaceans. Green turtle and hawksbill turtle are common in surrounding waters, with the former nesting on sandy beaches."
},
{
"id": "29",
"year": 1978,
"target": "POL",
"name": "Historic Centre of Kraków",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N50 4 0.012 E19 57 34.992",
"lat": 50.06667,
"lng": 19.95972,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/29",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0029_0019-750-0-20130715122356.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Cracow's Historic Centre © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Kraków\n\nThe historic centre of Cracow, the former capital of Poland, is situated at the foot of the Royal Wawel Castle. The 13th-century merchants' town has Europe's largest market square and numerous historical houses, palaces and churches with their magnificent interiors. Further evidence of the town's fascinating history is provided by the remnants of the 14th-century fortifications and the medieval site of Kazimierz with its ancient synagogues in the southern part of town, Jagellonian University and the Gothic cathedral where the kings of Poland were buried. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "26",
"year": 1978,
"target": "SEN",
"name": "Island of Gorée",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N14 40 1.992 W17 24 2.988",
"lat": 14.667219999999999,
"lng": -17.40083,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/26",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0026_0005-750-0-20130919145107.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Island of Gorée ",
"shortInfo": "Island of Gorée\n\nThe island of Gorée lies off the coast of Senegal, opposite Dakar. From the 15th to the 19th century, it was the largest slave-trading centre on the African coast. Ruled in succession by the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French, its architecture is characterized by the contrast between the grim slave-quarters and the elegant houses of the slave traders. Today it continues to serve as a reminder of human exploitation and as a sanctuary for reconciliation. ",
"longInfo": "The Island of Gorée is a memorial to the African diaspora. It continues to serve as a reminder of human exploitation and as a sanctuary for reconciliation.\n\nGorée is a small (18 ha) land mass located off the coast of Senegal, opposite Dakar. From the 15th to the 19th centuries, it was the largest slave-trading centre on the African coast. An estimated 20 million Africans passed through the Island between the mid-1500s and the mid-1800s. Ruled in succession by the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French, its architecture is characterized by the contrast between the grim slave-quarters and the elegant houses of the slave traders.\n\nThe House of Slaves was built in 1776 by the Dutch, the last surviving slave house in Gorée; the earliest date back to 1536 and were built by Portuguese, the first Europeans to set foot on the Island in 1444. Cells, each 2.60 m by 2.60 m, were reserved for men and contained up to 15 to 20 people, seated with their backs against the wall, chained around the neck and arms. In the middle of the chain, there was a big iron ball which the slave had to carry between his two hands and two legs. They were released only once a day to satisfy their needs, generally within this house. The hygienic conditions were so revolting that the first pest epidemic which ravaged the island in 1779 originated here.\n\nA small house contained between 150 and 200 slaves, who had to wait for very long periods - up to three months - before being carried away on board ship. Their departure to the Americas also depended on the buyers, and family separation was total. There were special cells where children were stored and in these the mortality rate was obviously the highest in the house.\n\nThe young girls were separated from the women because they were more expensive. All the houses situated on the edge of Gorée - even the actual presbytery - were former slave houses. Some slave traders had sexual relations with the young slave girls and when they got pregnant they were released in Gorée or in Saint-Louis. It was thus in the young girls' interest to give themselves to the slave traders in order to gain freedom. It was for these young girls the only way to salvation. The mixed-race girls in Gorée, commonly called 'Signare', a deformation of the Portuguese word senhoras, formed the aristocracy in Gorée, like the Creoles in the French West Indies.\n\nThere was a cell where they kept the temporarily unfit, because a man's value was based on his weight: the minimum weight for men was fixed at 60 kg. If they weighed less than this these men were placed in cells to be fattened with locally grown beans, very starchy, known in Senegal as niebe.\n\nThis sloping corridor is today known as the gate of 'the trip from which no one returned', because once the slaves left through this gate leading into the sea, it was their farewell to Africa. Just outside this gate, there was a wharf of palm wood, which served as a loading dock, and some of the slaves obviously awaited the loading to try to escape by plunging into the sea. They could not go far as they were either shot by the guards or devoured by the sharks, attracted because the sick and injured were thrown into the sea.\n\nLeaning over the balcony on this staircase, the buyers and the European slave traders were able to observe the slaves and to discuss the muscular value of each, because each African ethnic group had its quoted value and specialization. The upper part of the building served as a residence for European traders.\n\nThe conservation of the Island of Gorée has as its objective the rehabilitation of the heritage and socio-economic revitalization. The preservation of the architectural heritage is linked to the protection of the natural environment (coastal areas) and the improvement of the infrastructure (water, sewers, refuse disposal, etc.)."
},
{
"id": "4",
"year": 1978,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N51 28 0 W55 37 0",
"lat": 51.46666666666667,
"lng": -55.61666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/4",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0004_0001-750-0-20090924181234.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site © Dick Houghtton ",
"shortInfo": "L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site\n\nAt the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland, the remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement are evidence of the first European presence in North America. The excavated remains of wood-framed peat-turf buildings are similar to those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland. ",
"longInfo": "At the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland, the remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement are evidence of the first European presence in North America. The excavated remains of wood-framed peat-turf buildings are similar to those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland.\n\nRecognized in 1960, excavated from 1961 to 1968 and then from 1973 to 1976, and protected by Parks Canada since1977, the Epaves Bay archaeological site, which is located near Anse aux Meadows, at the northern extremity of Newfoundland is of great importance in the history of the settlement of Rwarica. The earliest sign of human activity go back roughly 5,000 years and among the prehistoric and protohistoric populations which succeeded one another is a well-defined branch of Eskirms (Dorset Eskimos) which has been shown to have existed from about AD 400-700. A temporary settlement for fishermen, this coastal site, which is located on a coastline covered by peat bogs, would appear to have been abandoned for roughly a century. During the 9th century it was re-established by an archaic native population similar to that from which, during the historic era, the Beothuk 'Indians' descended.\n\nUntil about 1500, this population maintained a quasi-permanent settlement, many traces of which have been found in the bay and surrounding area. This occupation, whether seasonal or continuous, was not the only presence in the area. The exceptional significance of l'Anse aux Meadows arises precisely from a temporary Viking settlement comprising eight houses, one forge and four workshops. The excavations provided detailed information on the settlement, implements and lifestyle of the occupants. The large houses (the most spacious of which measured respectively 24 m by 4.5 m and 19 m by 14 m) are characterized by the building techniques used, which are similar to those in use in Norway during the same period: a structure covered with turf taken from the peat bog; a type of especially pointed roof; thick peat partitions on the sod floors; layout of the rooms, fireplaces and openings. The objects found include a number which fall clearly within the categories of Viking artefacts such as a stone oil lamp, a balance, a birch bark case for a ballast stone, etc.\n\nNear the forge, the low-shaft furnace (which is partially conserved) a deposit of slag was found. The fifty-odd forged iron objects (nails, rivets, buckles, etc.) that were found both in the dwellings and workshops comply with the normal typology of late Viking settlements along the Norwegian coastline.\n\nThe excavation of L'Anse aux Meadows was conducted on a vulnerable site and followed by extensive laboratory study. It was possible, thanks to a palaeo-ecological study making use of seed and pollen fossils, to reconstruct the long-term landscape and surroundings of this human settlement. In spite of the astonishing appearances of its archaeological vestiges, L'Anse aux Meadows is an outstanding property of human heritage. It is a precious and, until now, unique milestone in the history of human migration and the discovery of the universe: it is the oldest settlement of European origin in America."
},
{
"id": "27",
"year": 1978,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Mesa Verde National Park",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 15 42 W108 29 8",
"lat": 37.26166666666666,
"lng": -108.48555555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/27",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0027_0001-750-0-20090918192934.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mesa Verde National Park © Nomination File ",
"shortInfo": "Mesa Verde National Park\n\nA great concentration of ancestral Pueblo Indian dwellings, built from the 6th to the 12th century, can be found on the Mesa Verde plateau in south-west Colorado at an altitude of more than 2,600 m. Some 4,400 sites have been recorded, including villages built on the Mesa top. There are also imposing cliff dwellings, built of stone and comprising more than 100 rooms. ",
"longInfo": "Among the American Indian civilizations recognized by ethnologists and prehistorians, that of the Anasazi Indians and of their distant descendants, the Pueblos of New Mexico and Arizona are indeed quite original, owing in part to the substantial rigours of their natural environment: the south-western part of Colorado with its mesas cut by deep canyons. On the high limestone and sandstone plateau, which in one place reaches an altitude of 2,620 m above sea level, the climate is semi-arid, being characterized by irregular precipitation and great differences between day and night temperature. The first signs of regular human occupation go back to the 6th century of the current era. They are principally located on the plateau where partially buried villages, consisting of silos and low dwellings, have existed since this period. Original handicrafts, in which the production of yucca fibre objects play a major role, was to remain characteristic of Anasazi civilization for seven centuries.\n\nFrom roughly 750 to 1100 some highly specific features appeared in the human settlements of Mesa Verde. While the plateau villages were increasingly built in an L- or U-shaped layout, the valley villages grew larger. In rock shelters under the refuge of imposing overhanging cliffs, on the side of cuestas deeply lacerated by erosion, composite, both troglodytic and built villages were established having various functions: agricultural, handicrafts or religious - the first kivas (subterranean or buried structures of a subcircular layout) appeared during this period.\n\nThis civilization reached its apogee between 1100 and the end of the 13th century before suddenly disappearing. Impressive, multi-storey constructions (the best-known being 'Cliff Palace' and 'Long House', with its 181 rooms and 15 kivas) were erected under the shelter of the cliffs. They are demonstrative of surprising progress in building techniques and a very keen sense for use of space. At the same time, agrarian techniques were improved: irrigation, based on a network of reservoirs and dams, was used to offset the rigours of a climate largely hostile to the cultivation of cereals and starches, staples of the Anasazi diet. This 'golden age', facilitated by control of the natural environment, is further illustrated by the outstanding quality of the handicrafts. As the first explorers of Mesa Verde claimed on many an occasion, the wickerwork, weaving and especially ceramics were of astonishing quality.\n\nDiscovered in 1874, the rock-cut villages of Mesa Verde were pillaged by collectors (there was a very large pottery sale in 1889) before being studied and excavated by archaeologists. However, the protection of the site which came into effect in 1906 under the Federal Antiquities Act is one of the most effective and long-standing on the American continent."
},
{
"id": "24",
"year": 1978,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Nahanni National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N61 32 50 W125 35 22",
"lat": 61.54722222222222,
"lng": -125.58944444444444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/24",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0024_0001-750-0-20090916184130.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Nahanni National Park ",
"shortInfo": "Nahanni National Park\n\nLocated along the South Nahanni River, one of the most spectacular wild rivers in North America, this park contains deep canyons and huge waterfalls, as well as a unique limestone cave system. The park is also home to animals of the boreal forest, such as wolves, grizzly bears and caribou. Dall's sheep and mountain goats are found in the park's alpine environment. ",
"longInfo": "Located in the south-west corner of Northwest Territories, along the course of the South Nahanni and Flat rivers, the park lies in a diverse mountainous area comprising mountain ranges, rolling hills, elevated plateaus, deep canyons and huge waterfalls, as well as a unique limestone cave system.\n\nThe dissected sandstone, shale and limestone mountains ranges in the east and central areas of the park sharply contrast the Ragged Range of harder igneous rocks in the park's western extremity. The park encompasses parts of the Hyland Plateau, Selwyn Mountains, Liard Plateau, Mackenzie Plain and Mackenzie Mountains and a major part of the Nahanni River, one of North America's finest wild rivers.\n\nIn the valley below the Ragged Range, tufa mounds known as the Rabbitkettle Hotspring, rise in a succession of terraces to a height of 30 m. Other features of the area include three major canyons; Virginia Falls; extensive karst terrain with a complex underground river system, caves, labyrinths, closed canyons and sinkholes; wind eroded sandstone landforms known as the Sand Blowouts; and large areas that have remained unglaciated for up to 300,000 years.\n\nThe park contains transitional and vegetation types of two major biomes: Nearctic boreal forest; and Nearctic alpine tundra. All stages of boreal forest occur, from recent burns to mature spruce forests, and with associated variations on wet, mesic and dry habitats. Densely growing white spruce and poplar dominate valley bottoms. At higher altitudes and on the northern slopes, black spruce is more prominent. An area of spruce-larch/lichen taiga with several orchid species is present near Virginia Falls. Alpine tundra characterized by sedges, lichens, grasses and shrubs occurs on the higher mountains of the Tlogotsho, Headless and Funeral ranges. Wild mint, golden rod, yellow monkey-flower and aster are among the many flowering plants that grow in abundance near mineral springs in the vicinity of Flat River. Almost 600 species of vascular plant and 325 species of bryophyte have been identified in Nahanni.\n\n40 species of mammal, including grey wolf, grizzly bear, black bear, woodland caribou, moose, white-tailed deer, mountain goat, Dall's sheep and beaver are present. A total of 170 species of bird in 29 families have been observed including peregrine falcon, golden eagle, trumpeter swan and bald eagle. Arctic grayling and Dolly Varden trout occur in the streams that flow into the Nahanni and Flat rivers.\n\nThe original inhabitants of this area are ethnologically known as Goat or Mountain Indians and Kaska Indians, who were found living in the area when the Northwest and Hudson Bay fur trading companies established their trading posts along the Mackenzie River in the 1820s."
},
{
"id": "18",
"year": 1978,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N12 1 45.66 E39 2 25.512",
"lat": 12.02935,
"lng": 39.04042,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/18",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0018_0016-750-0-20131216151810.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela © Ko Hon Chiu Vincent ",
"shortInfo": "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela\n\nThe 11 medieval monolithic cave churches of this 13th-century 'New Jerusalem' are situated in a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village with circular-shaped dwellings. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilmigrage and devotion. ",
"longInfo": "The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are exceptionally fine examples of a long-established Ethiopian building tradition. Monolithic churches are to be found all over the north and the centre of the country. Some of the oldest of such churches are to be found in Tigray, where some are believed to date from around the 6th or 7th centuries. King Lalibela is believed to have commissioned these structures with the purpose of creating a holy and symbolic place which considerably influenced Ethiopian religious beliefs.\n\nThe 11 medieval monolithic cave churches of this 13th-century 'New Jerusalem' are situated in a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village with circular-shaped dwellings. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilgrimage and devotion.\n\nLalibela is a small town at an altitude of almost 2,800 m in the Ethiopian highlands. It is surrounded by a rocky, dry area. Here in the 13th century devout Christians began hewing out the red volcanic rock to create 13 churches. Four of them were finished as completely free-standing structures, attached to their mother rock only at their bases. The remaining nine range from semi-detached to ones whose facades are the only features that have been 'liberated' from the rock.\n\nThe Jerusalem theme is important. The rock churches, although connected to one another by maze-like tunnels, are physically separated by a small river which the Ethiopians named the Jordan. Churches on one side of the Jordan represent the earthly Jerusalem; whereas those on the other side represent the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of jewels and golden sidewalks alluded to in the Bible.\n\nIt was King Lalibela who commissioned the structures, but scholars disagree as to his motivation. According to a legendary account, King Lalibela was born in Roha. His name means 'the bee recognizes its sovereignty'. God ordered him to build 10 monolithic churches, and gave him detailed instructions as to their construction and even their colours. When his brother Harbay abdicated, the time had come for Lalibela to fulfil this command. Construction work began and is said to have been carried out with remarkable speed, which is scarcely surprising, for, according to legend, angels joined the labourers by day and at night did double the amount of work which the men had done during the hours of daylight.\n\nLike more episodes in the long history of this country, there are many legends about this king. One is that Lalibela was poisoned by his brother and fell into a three-day coma in which he was taken to Heaven and given a vision of rock-hewn cities. Another legend says that he went into exile to Jerusalem and vowed that when he returned he would create a New Jerusalem. Others attribute the building of the churches to Templars from Europe.\n\nThe names of the churches evoke hints of Hebrew, a language related to the Hamo-Semitic dialect still used in Ethiopian church liturgies: Beta Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World), Beta Qedus Mikael (House of St Michael) and Beta Amanuel (House of Emmanuel) are all reminiscent of the Hebrew beth (house). In one of the churches there is a pillar covered with cotton. A monk had a dream in which he saw Christ kissing it; according to the monks, the past, the present and the future are carved into it. The churches are connected to each other by small passages and tunnels."
},
{
"id": "9",
"year": 1978,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Simien National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N13 10 60 E38 4 0",
"lat": 13.183333333333334,
"lng": 38.06666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/9",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0009_0001-750-0-20100409095011.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Simien National Park\n\nMassive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau has created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m. The park is home to some extremely rare animals such as the Gelada baboon, the Simien fox and the Walia ibex, a goat found nowhere else in the world. ",
"longInfo": "Massive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau has created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m.\n\nThe site is located in the western Simen Mountains, 120 km north-east of Gondar in Begemder Province, north-west Ethiopia. With its abundance of creviced basalt rock, Simen serves as an ideal water catchment area, replenished by two wet seasons and the Mayshasha River, which weaves its way north to south through the national park. Consequently the park is rich in a wide range of wildlife and vegetation.\n\nThe vegetation is a mixture of afro-alpine woods, heath forest and high montane vegetation. Higher altitudes support montane savannah and montane moor land with tree heath, giant lobelia, yellow primrose, everlastings, lady's mantle and mosses (Grimmiaceae). Lichen drapes the high-altitude forest trees. Ridge tops and gorge sides support coarse grassland with herbs thickets, scattered, and creepers. Forests of St John's wort once flourished at 3,000-3,800 m, but few still remain. There are high, but unquantified, levels of endemism.\n\nThe park is home to some extremely rare animals such as the gelada baboon, Simen foxand walia ibex, a goat found nowhere else in the world. Walia ibex on the north scarp of the massif are endemic to the Simen Mountains, with most of the population occurring in the park. Simen fox are endemic to Ethiopia, and other mammals include the hamadryas baboon, colobus monkey, leopard, caracal, wild cat, spotted hyena, jackal and several large herbivores, including bushbuck, common duiker and klipspringer. The 400 bird species include lammergeyer, Verreaux's eagle, kestrel, lanner falcon and augur buzzard. A total of 21 mammals have been recorded, with three endemics and 63 bird species, including seven endemics.\n\nThe Simen region has been inhabited by human settlers and cultivators for at least 2,000 years. Today it is surrounded by old cultural centres such as Aksum, where over 100 hand-carved stone monoliths (stelae) can be found, Lalibela and Gonder, where curious 15th-century churches and palaces still stand. Erosion indicates that cultivation first started on the gentler slopes of the highland valleys but later extended onto steeper slopes. Simen is at the crossing of old trade routes and records of various local features were made in the 18th and 19th centuries."
},
{
"id": "32",
"year": 1978,
"target": "POL",
"name": "Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 58 45 E20 3 50",
"lat": 49.97916666666667,
"lng": 20.06388888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/32",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0032_0024-750-0-20130715152647.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines © Our Place ",
"shortInfo": "Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines\n\nThe deposit of rock salt in Wieliczka and Bochnia has been mined since the 13th century. This major industrial undertaking has royal status and is the oldest of its type in Europe. The site is a serial property consisting of Wieliczka and Bochnia salt mines and Wieliczka Saltworks Castle. TheWieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines\n\n illustrate the historic stages of the development of mining techniques in Europe from the 13th to the 20th centuries: both mines have hundreds of kilometers of galleries with works of art, underground chapels and statues sculpted in the salt, making a fascinating pilgrimage into the past. The mines were administratively and technically run by Wieliczka Saltworks Castle, which dates from the medieval period and has been rebuilt several times in the course of its history. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "28",
"year": 1978,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Yellowstone National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N44 27 38.016 W110 49 40.008",
"lat": 44.46056,
"lng": -110.82777999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/28",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0028_0023-750-0-20140711181712.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Yellowstone National Park © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Yellowstone National Park\n\nThe vast natural forest ofYellowstone National Park\n\n covers nearly 9,000 km2 ; 96% of the park lies in Wyoming, 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho. Yellowstone contains half of all the world's known geothermal features, with more than 10,000 examples. It also has the world's largest concentration of geysers (more than 300 geyers, or two thirds of all those on the planet). Established in 1872, Yellowstone is equally known for its wildlife, such as grizzly bears, wolves, bison and wapitis. ",
"longInfo": "Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872, covers 9,000 km2 of a vast natural forest of the southern Rocky Mountains in the North American west. It boasts an impressive array of geothermal phenomena, with more than 3,000 geysers, lava formations, fumaroles, hot springs and waterfalls, lakes and canyons. It is equally known for its wildlife: grizzly bears, bison, wolves and wapiti, North American elk.\n\nThe park is part of the most seismically active region of the Rocky Mountains, a volcanic 'hot spot'. The Yellowstone Plateau, now a forested area of 650,000 ha with an average elevation of 2,000 m, was formed out of the accumulation of rhyolite magma. The plateau is flanked on the north, east and south by mountains that rise to 4,000 m. Crustal uplifts 65 million years ago raised blocks of crust to form the southern Rocky Mountains. After that, volcanic outflows of andesitic composition were common to about 40 million years ago. Andesitic ashflows and mudflows of the Eocene age covered forests, which became petrified. Some 200 species of petrified plant have been found. A more recent period of rhyolitic volcanism began in the region about 2 million years ago, during which time thousands of cubic kilometres of rhyolitic magma filled immense chambers under the plateau and then erupted to the surface. Three cycles of eruption produced huge explosive outbursts of ash. The latest eruptive cycle formed a caldera 45 km wide and 75 km long, when the active magma chambers erupted and collapsed. The crystallizing magma is the source of heat for hydrothermal features such as geysers, hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles.\n\nYellowstone contains 200-250 active geysers and perhaps 10,000 thermal features. Most of the area was glaciated during the Pleistocene and many glacial features remain. The park lies at the headwaters of three major rivers. Yellowstone River is a major tributary of the Missouri River that flows via the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. Firehole and Gibbon rivers unite to form the Madison, which also joins the Missouri. Snake River arises near the park's south boundary and joins the Columbia to flow into the Pacific. Yellowstone Lake is the largest lake at high elevation (2,357 m) in North America. Lower Yellowstone Falls is the highest of more than 40 named waterfalls in the park.\n\nThe park is dominated by lodgepole pine. Great elevational differences produce a range of plant communities, from semi-arid steppe to alpine tundra. There are seven species of coniferous tree and some 1,100 species of vascular plant growing in the park, including an endemic grass. The thermal areas contain unique assemblages of thermal algae and bacteria.\n\nSix species of ungulate are native to the park. Grizzly bear has been the subject of intensive study and management for 30 years. There are currently some 50 breeding females and 150 cubs have been born in the last three years. Native fishes are protected by regulations that also permit the taking of non-native introduced species.\n\nPalaeontological study of Lamar Cave has yielded remains of over 30 species of mammal. This suggests a diversity of fauna in prehistoric times much like that found in Yellowstone today.\n\nArchaeological investigations of numerous important sites show that human groups visited the park area for 10,000 years, but none made it a permanent home."
},
{
"id": "90",
"year": 1979,
"target": "EGY",
"name": "Abu Mena",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N30 51 0 E29 40 0",
"lat": 30.85,
"lng": 29.666666666666668,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/90",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0090_0013-750-0-20140707164921.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Abu Mena © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Abu Mena\n\nThe church, baptistry, basilicas, public buildings, streets, monasteries, houses and workshops in this early Christian holy city were built over the tomb of the martyr Menas of Alexandria, who died in A.D. 296. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "38",
"year": 1979,
"target": "TUN",
"name": "Amphitheatre of El Jem",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N35 17 47.004 E10 42 24.984",
"lat": 35.296389999999995,
"lng": 10.70694,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/38",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0038_0001-750-0-20090924142636.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Amphitheatre of El Jem © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Amphitheatre of El Jem\n\nThe impressive ruins of the largest colosseum in North Africa, a huge amphitheatre which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. This 3rd-century monument illustrates the grandeur and extent of Imperial Rome. ",
"longInfo": "The monument of El Jem is one of the most accomplished examples of Roman amphitheatre construction, approximating to the status of the Colosseum in Rome. The construction of such a polished and complex building, located in a distant province and destined for popular attractions, is symbolic of a certain type of Roman imperial propaganda.\n\nClassical Thysdrus (today El Jem) is now no more than an overgrown agricultural village, 60 km south of Sousse. Nonetheless, it houses the impressive ruins of the largest amphitheatre in North Africa, built during the 1st half of the 3rd century. It most probably accommodated up to 60,000 spectators. Elliptical in form, it is built from large stone blocks and probably comprised four floors. Built on level terrain, rather than into the flanks of a hillside, and supported by a complex vaulting system, it illustrates the grandeur and extent of imperial Rome.\n\nIt is a complex building that is well preserved and little altered, one of the last surviving monuments of this type from the Roman world, 138 m long by 114 m wide. Underneath it run two passageways, in which animals, prisoners and gladiators were kept until the moment when they were brought up into the bright daylight to perform what was in most cases the last show of their lives.\n\nThysdrus prospered especially at the time of Emperor Hadrian (AD 117-38), when it became an important centre of olive oil manufacture. It is in good condition, like the Colosseum in Rome, but parts of its yellow stone walls were used to build the modern town. The construction started in 238 by Gordius I, who was declared Emperor of Rome here. The theatre was never completed, because of political rivalries and lack of funds within the Empire. Stones were quarried from a distance of 50km away, but even so most of the material was too soft to carve. There was no decent water supply available, and so naval battles were never staged in the arena. Later the amphitheatre served for centuries as a stronghold: it was the last Berber bastion against Arab invaders. Following the Roman period, the amphitheatre was used at various times as a citadel, which is the reason it was attacked twice by cannon fire.\n\nApart from the Roman amphitheatre, the sights of El Jem are still covered by sand. The modern city of El Jem is a sleepy place without much character, but the amphitheatre is massive, almost as large as the Colosseum in Rome. It is in fairly good condition: there is nothing missing which detracts from its grandeur. One area of the walls is gone, damages due to 17th-century ignorance, when dissidents hiding inside were driven out by the ruling Turks: a large hole was blown in the wall in order to uncover their hiding places."
},
{
"id": "20",
"year": 1979,
"target": "SYR",
"name": "Ancient City of Damascus",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N33 30 41.004 E36 18 23.004",
"lat": 33.51139,
"lng": 36.30639,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/20",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0020_0001-750-0-20121026111508.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Great Mosque of the Umayyads © Sacred Sites ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient City of Damascus\n\nFounded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, it was the centre of a flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace. The city has some 125 monuments from different periods of its history – one of the most spectacular is the 8th-century Great Mosque of the Umayyads, built on the site of an Assyrian sanctuary. ",
"longInfo": "Damascus is considered to be the oldest city as well as the oldest capital of the world. It is the cradle of historical civilizations, constituting a beacon of science and art over time, and a historical encyclopaedia which tells a great part of the history of humanity. In the same way, it represents a historical reference for comparing the systems of architecture and town planning over several thousand years.\n\nFounded in the 3rd millennium BC, Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. Dominated to the west by Mount Qasiyun and bounded to the east by the desert, Damascus was founded, with the name of Palmyra, in an oasis that was very fertile thanks to the presence of the River Barada, a meeting place for cultures and caravans. It was the capital of an Aramaic kingdom (11th-7th centuries BC), often at war with the kings of Israel and temporarily conquered by King David. After being defeated twice by the Assyrians, it was definitively conquered by Nebuchadnezzar in 600 BC. It fell into Persian hands in 530 BC, and then in 333 BC it was annexed to the empire of Alexander the Great. The two adjoining areas were unified by the Romans, during the reigns of Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla (AD 197-217). The city was enclosed by a single ring of enclosure walls that are still be identified. After the interval of rule by the Sassanid Parthians, in 636 its fate was sealed permanently as part of the Arab world, becoming the prestigious and monumental capital of the Umayyad caliph. The city then began to expand outside the enclosure walls and enjoyed a time of particular economic prosperity, which continued despite its loss of capital status under the Mameluke dynasty and the devastation wrought during the Mongol incursion.\n\nDamascus preserves a few traces of its long history prior to the Arabic conquest, including some from the Roman period, such as the decumanus, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, which coincides with the present-day route that crosses the city from east to west, a road lined with columns which still preserves one of the three monumental arches.\n\nThe main entrance to the old city is the al Hamidiyeh souk. The Ayyubid Citadel of Damascus is a masterpiece of military architecture, and its courtyards, walls and two enormous entrances illustrate numerous historical events, including the conquest by Timur in 1400.\n\nAt the end of the 4th century, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius, on the site of the ancient Temple of Jove there was a Byzantine church dedicated to St John the Baptist and, since 706, the Great Mosque, built at the behest of al-Walid, the sixth Umayyad caliph. The complex has an external courtyard, bounded by a massive wall and flanked by three minarets in different styles. The inner courtyard has three sides with a covered double portico and the centre of it is covered by a dome for the ablution ritual that precedes the prayers. Adjoining the porticoes is the Dome of Treasure, a small octagonal pavilion covered with fine mosaics, and surmounted by a dome that stands on eight Corinthian columns. On the fourth side of the internal courtyard is the mosque proper, subdivided by arches into three parallel aisles, cut on a perpendicular line by a transect, the central part of which was covered by a wooden dome that was destroyed in 1401.\n\nThe arrangement of its component elements is reminiscent of the Christian churches of Syria and Armenia and represents a significant example of Umayyad art that continues, through the master craftsmen employed, the tradition of Byzantine art. The urban fabric underwent important transformations with the rise to power of the Abbasids: the urban centre ceased to be a unified organism and was divided up into autonomous quarters, each equipped with its own institutions, mosques, public baths, markets, and police corps. In this way, the rectangular blocks from the Hellenistic grid were transformed into the characteristic Islamic urban fabric. Over the centuries guilds of craftsmen and merchants established themselves around the Great Mosque, while the important Christian minority consolidated itself in the north-east quarters of the city, around the churches and sites associated with the conversation of St Paul."
},
{
"id": "87",
"year": 1979,
"target": "EGY",
"name": "Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N25 43 59.988 E32 36 0",
"lat": 25.73333,
"lng": 32.6,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/87",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0087_0001-750-0-20120606095508.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Karnak Temple, entrance © Emmanuel Pivard ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis\n\nThebes, the city of the god Amon, was the capital of Egypt during the period of the Middle and New Kingdoms. With the temples and palaces at Karnak and Luxor, and the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, Thebes is a striking testimony to Egyptian civilization at its height. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "65",
"year": 1979,
"target": "GTM",
"name": "Antigua Guatemala",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N14 34 0 W90 40 0",
"lat": 14.566666666666666,
"lng": -90.66666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/65",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0065_0020-750-0-20130123145533.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Antigua Guatemala © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Antigua Guatemala\n\nAntigua, the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was founded in the early 16th century. Built 1,500 m above sea-level, in an earthquake-prone region, it was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins. In the space of under three centuries the city, which was built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, acquired a number of superb monuments. ",
"longInfo": "Antigua Guatemala is an outstanding example of preserved colonial architecture and of cultural value. The religious, private and government buildings bear exceptional testimony to the Spanish colonial architecture in Antigua.\n\nBuilt 1,500 m above sea level in an earthquake-prone region, Antigua, the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was founded in the early 16th century as Santiago de Guatemala. The conquerors chose this location as the previous capital had flooded in 1541 and the valley provided an adequate source of water and a fertile soil. Antigua Guatemala was the seat of Spanish colonial government for the Kingdom of Guatemala, which included Chiapas (southern Mexico), Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It was the cultural, economic, religious, political and educational centre for the entire region until the capital was moved to present-day Guatemala City after the damaging earthquakes of 1773, but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins. In the space of under three centuries the city, which was built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, acquired a number of superb monuments.\n\nMuch of the architecture today dates from the 17th and 18th centuries and provides us with a colonial jewel in the Americas. The construction of the Palace of the Captains-General was begun on the original building in 1549 and completed in 1558, but the building has been repeatedly reconstructed following damaging earthquakes. In 1735 the Casa de la Moneda was inaugurated in this large complex, but most of the structure was destroyed in the 1773 quakes. On the east side of the Plaza de Armas stood the cathedral, inaugurated in 1680, after 11 years of construction. The cathedral was laid out with three aisles and salient transepts in a cruciform plan. Bays off the side aisles contained chapels. The present day church is a reconstruction of a small portion of the front of the cathedral. In the centre of the Plaza stands the Fountain of the Sirens, designed in 1739 by architect Miguel Porras. On the north side of the Plaza stands the Ayuntamiento or City Hall dating from 1743 which was little damaged by the 1773 earthquakes.\n\nThe Universidad de San Carlos was built around 1763, when the university, founded in 1676, was moved to this site. By the end of the 18th century the building required extensive renovations. The present portal was built in 1832 when the building was turned into a public school, the university having been moved to Guatemala City where it remains today.\n\nAmong the masterpiece of religious architecture, one of the most fascinating colonial sites in Antigua is Las Capuchinas (the Capuchin Convent) completed in 1736 under the direction of Diego de Porres, the chief architect of the city. Today the convent is partially intact and partially in ruins. The present church of La Merced was finished in 1767; the facade is one of the most beautiful in Antigua, featuring intricate and ornate patterns in white stucco on a yellow background. The church has short squat bell towers different from the churches built in seismically less active Mexico during the same epoch. The monastery attached to La Merced was totally destroyed by the Santa Marta quakes, and never rebuilt. Another very special ruin is that of the convent of Santa Clara founded in 1699 by the arrival of five nuns and one legate from Mexico. The convent's first church was completed in 1705, but destroyed in 1717. The remains standing today are those of a new church and convent started in 1723 and finished in 1734. The church of El Carmen, completed in 1728, is the third to occupy this site. The main facade of the church is ornate Baroque, and unique in Antigua with its triple pairs of columns set on podia projecting forward from the main wall in place of the niches and saints usually occurring here on Antigua's churches.\n\nReligious and government buildings do not hold a monopoly on Spanish colonial architecture in Antigua, however: colonial architecture and modern construction in colonial style is found throughout Antigua in mansions and in humbler homes."
},
{
"id": "37",
"year": 1979,
"target": "TUN",
"name": "Archaeological Site of Carthage",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N36 51 10.008 E10 19 23.988",
"lat": 36.85278,
"lng": 10.32333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/37",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0037_0001-750-0-20100520160928.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Site of Carthage © Yvon Fruneau ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Site of Carthage\n\nCarthage was founded in the 9th century B.C. on the Gulf of Tunis. From the 6th century onwards, it developed into a great trading empire covering much of the Mediterranean and was home to a brilliant civilization. In the course of the long Punic wars, Carthage occupied territories belonging to Rome, which finally destroyed its rival in 146 B.C. A second – Roman – Carthage was then established on the ruins of the first. ",
"longInfo": "Carthage is one of the most famous historic sites of the Roman Empire. The Roman Julia Carthago illustrates the splendour and wealth of Rome, and exerted considerable influence on the development of structural architecture and of characteristic Punic and Roman town planning. It is also important testimony to Punic history and constitutes an interesting example of the Punic city.\n\nThe state takes its name from the city of Carthage, out on the coast, 10 km from modern Tunis. Carthage was founded in the 9th century by Phoenician traders from Tyre, in today's Lebanon; it had two first class harbours, and therefore an advantage in possessing the most efficient means of communications of those days, the sea. The Carthaginians soon developed high skills in the building of ships and used these to dominate the seas for centuries. The most important merchandise was silver, lead, ivory and gold, beds and bedding, simple cheap pottery, jewellery, glassware, wild animals from African, fruit, and nuts.\n\nIn the 7th century, with the establishment of Greek trading colonies in Sicily, the position of Carthage was seen as inconvenient, and a conflict became inevitable. In the 6th century Carthage had conquered the territory of the Libyan tribes and the old Phoenician colonies and had control over the North African coast, stretching from today's Morocco to the borders of today's Egypt, plus Sardinia, Malta, the Balearic Islands, and the western half of Sardinia.\n\nThe town was fighting the Greeks and the Romans for control over territories. The war against the Greeks lasted more than 200 years, ending with success for Carthage. The wars against Rome, known as the Punic Wars, were divided into three periods, from 264 to 146 BCE. In 146 BC Carthage was almost totally burnt to the ground, and strict controls over further settlement were imposed on the remaining population.\n\nIn the 1st century CE, Augustus founded Colonia Julia Carthago, a city that once again proved the skills and the power of the people of this region. Within a few years it prospered and soon became only second to Rome in splendour and wealth. In 439 the Vandal king Genseric occupied Carthage and made it his capital. In 637 Carthage was captured by the Arabs and destroyed, and since then never regained its importance, largely owing to the concentration of power in nearby Tunis.\n\nThe Punic port is the best place to visit, as Carthage was a seaport that was stronger on the seas than the Roman Empire for many years.\n\nMost modern archaeologists agree that child sacrifice was performed by the Carthaginians at the site of the Tophet, just a few hundred metres from the Punic port. The Tophet (not the original name, but the biblical name for sanctuaries for child sacrifice in the Middle East) lies next to a sanctuary dedicated to Baal Hammon and Tanit, but little remains of this.\n\nAn example from the period of Roman rule is the Antonine Baths, constructed from AD 145 to AD 165, which reflect the extent to which Carthage was an important and rich city even after the Roman conquest.\n\nAlso remarkable is the presence of the Cathedral of St Louis on the hill overlooking Carthage: it was built in the 1890s on the spot where the French King Louis IX died in 1270. Today the cathedral is used only for cultural purposes."
},
{
"id": "31",
"year": 1979,
"target": "POL",
"name": "Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945)",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N50 2 20 E19 10 30",
"lat": 50.038888888888884,
"lng": 19.175,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/31",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0031_0009-750-0-20120809180203.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Entrance of Auschwitz I © Nathalie Valanchon ",
"shortInfo": "Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945)\n\nThe fortified walls, barbed wire, platforms, barracks, gallows, gas chambers and cremation ovens show the conditions within which the Nazi genocide took place in the former concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest in the Third Reich. According to historical investigations, 1.5 million people, among them a great number of Jews, were systematically starved, tortured and murdered in this camp, the symbol of humanity's cruelty to its fellow human beings in the 20th century. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "33",
"year": 1979,
"target": "BLR",
"name": "Białowieża Forest ",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N52 43 39 E23 58 52",
"lat": 52.7275,
"lng": 23.981111111111108,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/33",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0033_0007-750-0-20140415145754.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Bialowieza Forest © Mateusz Szymura ",
"shortInfo": "Białowieża Forest \n\nThe Białowieża Forest World Heritage site, on the border between Poland and Belarus, is an immense range of primary forest including both conifers and broadleaved trees covering a total area of 141,885 hectares. Situated on the watershed of the Baltic Sea and Black Sea, this transboundary property is exceptional for the opportunities it offers for biodiversity conservation. It is home to the largest population of the property’s iconic species, the European bison. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "33",
"year": 1979,
"target": "POL",
"name": "Białowieża Forest ",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N52 43 39 E23 58 52",
"lat": 52.7275,
"lng": 23.981111111111108,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/33",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0033_0007-750-0-20140415145754.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Bialowieza Forest © Mateusz Szymura ",
"shortInfo": "Białowieża Forest \n\nThe Białowieża Forest World Heritage site, on the border between Poland and Belarus, is an immense range of primary forest including both conifers and broadleaved trees covering a total area of 141,885 hectares. Situated on the watershed of the Baltic Sea and Black Sea, this transboundary property is exceptional for the opportunities it offers for biodiversity conservation. It is home to the largest population of the property’s iconic species, the European bison. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "42",
"year": 1979,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Boyana Church",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 38 60 E23 16 0",
"lat": 42.65,
"lng": 23.266666666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/42",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0042_0005-750-0-20130419121325.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Boyana Church © Vincent Ko Hon Chiu ",
"shortInfo": "Boyana Church\n\nLocated on the outskirts of Sofia,Boyana Church\n\n consists of three buildings. The eastern church was built in the 10th century, then enlarged at the beginning of the 13th century by Sebastocrator Kaloyan, who ordered a second two storey building to be erected next to it. The frescoes in this second church, painted in 1259, make it one of the most important collections of medieval paintings. The ensemble is completed by a third church, built at the beginning of the 19th century. This site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art. ",
"longInfo": "During the Middle Ages the strong Bulgarian fortress of Boyana (Batil) stood on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha in what is now the Sofia suburb of Boyana. This name is mentioned for the first time in 969. Boyana was one of the 35 fortresses and settlements that formed the fortification systems of the city of Sredets (Sofia). Boyana Church was built within the fortress and is a magnificent example of medieval architecture and monumental art.\n\nThe church has undergone many transformation and extensions, and thus its present complex volume differs considerably from the original. New buildings have been added to the First (East) Church, architectural transformations have been made, and the decoration has been changed. At present Boyana Church consists of buildings from the 11th, 13th and 19th centuries.\n\nThe oldest Boyana Church, the so-called East or First Church, was designed and used as a chapel. It had a typical Greek cross plan with a dome, and a concealed internal cross without free-standing support and without a narthex. It is built entirely of brick. The north and south facades are articulated on the outside with three blind arches, each with the central arch higher than the side ones; the arches are not related to the structure of the building. The brickwork decorations are figural: archivolts with 'wolf's tooth' and concentric rows of bricks above the arches.\n\nThe plan of the interior is reminiscent of a Greek cross and is scantily lit by long narrow openings (one each on the north and south walls, four on the dome) as well as through one triforium on the apse. The entire interior surface of the walls and dome was covered with murals. Some larger fragments have been preserved in the apse. As the First Church was painted again in the mid-18th century, traces of the original paintings are noticeable only where the upper layer of murals has been destroyed.\n\nIn the 13th century the feudal ruler of the western region of the Second Bulgarian State, Sebastocrator Kaloyan and his wife Desislava, who were closely related to the royal family, commissioned the extension of the church. The builders added a new two-storey building to the western wall of the First Church. The ground floor has direct access from the First Church and was intended as a narthex. It is rectangular, covered with a cylindrical vault. On the inside, the walls are decorated only with two niches on the southern and northern sides respectively, probably for a family tomb. The upstairs floor of Kaloyan's Church has an almost identical architectural composition to the older building, in the shape of a Greek cross, and it was used as a family chapel. It was dedicated to the martyr healer St Panteleimon. Access to the chapel is by an outside staircase along the southern wall. It is possible that the stairs connected the chapel with the house of the nobleman. There are grounds for believing that in the event of danger, the mobile staircase was removed, thus, the upstairs chapel could also be used as a defence tower.\n\nThe articulation of the facades is figural as in the First Church. The northern and southern facades have four blind arches each on the level of the second floor. One of the arches on the southern wall is wider and was used as an entrance to the chapel on the second floor. The eastern facade of Kaloyan's Church rises above the roof of the First Church. On the outside its surface is broken by a small semicircular apse. The western, entrance facade is the most representative and has a pronounced monumental character. The new church, extended and renewed by the family of the Sebastocrator, was decorated with paintings and consecrated in 1259.\n\nThe Boyana frescoes are an early example of the icon-painting style which later on was adopted in mural painting and as such they mark the beginning of specific features which strongly influenced the Tirnovo artistic school. The icon-style murals that became widespread in the Serbian, Russian and Mount Athos monasteries during the 14th to 16th centuries are closely related to this innovation."
},
{
"id": "59",
"year": 1979,
"target": "NOR",
"name": "Bryggen",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N60 23 49.992 E5 19 23.016",
"lat": 60.39722,
"lng": 5.32306,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/59",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0059_0001-750-0-20090914151456.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Bryggen © Erik K Veland ",
"shortInfo": "Bryggen\n\nBryggen, the old wharf of Bergen, is a reminder of the town’s importance as part of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire from the 14th to the mid-16th century. Many fires, the last in 1955, have ravaged the characteristic wooden houses ofBryggen\n\n. Its rebuilding has traditionally followed old patterns and methods, thus leaving its main structure preserved, which is a relic of an ancient wooden urban structure once common in Northern Europe. Today, some 62 buildings remain of this former townscape. ",
"longInfo": "In its present form, following the 1702 fire, the harmonious ancient quarter of Bryggen illustrates the use of space in a district of Hanseatic merchants. It is a type of northern fondaco unequalled by even Lübeck or Novgorod.\n\nThis part of the town with its traditional wooden buildings perpetuates the memory of one of the oldest large trading port of northern Europe, and the only one outside the Hanseatic League whose original structures remain within the city limits and cityscape. Founded in about 1070 by King Olav the Peaceful (Olav Kyrre), the port of Bergen was initially a possession of the old Norwegian aristocracy that had acquired a monopoly on fish trading. The sagas, such as that of King Sverre (c. 1180) already spoke of the Bryggen district as the base of patrician merchants. About 1350, the powerful Hanseatic League gained control of Bergen and a food packing trade was established not long afterwards. The Bryggen district owes its physiognomy to the German colonists. It is characterized by the construction of buildings along the narrow streets running parallel to the docks.\n\nThe urban unit revolves around a courtyard (gård), which is common to several three-level wooden houses whose gabled facades and lateral walls are covered with shingles, as are the roofs.\n\nTowards the back of the gård, there is a small warehouse or storeroom (kjellere) of stone which protects the area against fire. This repetitive structure was adapted to the living conditions of the colonists of the Hanseatic trading post. The German merchants, who were bachelors, took up winter residence in the small individual wooden houses, and the storeroom was used as a individual or collective warehouse. A true colony, Bryggen enjoyed quasi-extraterritoriality which continued beyond the departure of the Hanseatics until the creation of a Norwegian trading post in 1754 on the impetus of fishermen and shipowners of German origin.\n\nThis district, which bears the traces of social organization of space going back to the 14th century, suffered damage over the centuries, some of the most devastating of which being the fires of 1476 and 1702. It nevertheless retains a medieval appearance owing to the fact that it was always reconstructed in accordance with the original plan and using traditional techniques. In 1955 another fire did extensive damage to the city as a whole, one-third of which was destroyed. Following this last catastrophe, the remaining 58 houses were carefully restored and methodical excavations revealed various levels of occupation, from the 12th to the 18th centuries. On this particular occasion, the variations of the seafront, which contrast with the immutability of the land plot, were studied."
},
{
"id": "81",
"year": 1979,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Chartres Cathedral",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N48 26 51 E1 29 14",
"lat": 48.4475,
"lng": 1.4872222222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/81",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0081_0001-750-0-20061213122149.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Chartres Cathedral\n\nPartly built starting in 1145, and then reconstructed over a 26-year period after the fire of 1194,Chartres Cathedral\n\n marks the high point of French Gothic art. The vast nave, in pure ogival style, the porches adorned with fine sculptures from the middle of the 12th century, and the magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows, all in remarkable condition, combine to make it a masterpiece. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "71",
"year": 1979,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Dinosaur Provincial Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N50 46 4 W111 29 32",
"lat": 50.76777777777777,
"lng": -111.49222222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/71",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0071_0001-750-0-20090910163537.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Dinosaur Provincial Park © Kevin Saff ",
"shortInfo": "Dinosaur Provincial Park\n\nIn addition to its particularly beautiful scenery,Dinosaur Provincial Park\n\n – located at the heart of the province of Alberta's badlands – contains some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made from the 'Age of Reptiles', in particular about 35 species of dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years. ",
"longInfo": "Dinosaur Provincial Park - located at the heart of Alberta's badlands - contains some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made from the 'Age of Reptiles', in particular about 35 species of dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years.\n\nDinosaur Provincial Park is located in the Dry Mixedgrass Subregion of the Grassland Natural Region. This is the warmest and driest subregion in Alberta. Permanent streams are relatively rare, although the ones that do exist are deeply carved into the bedrock in some places. This as exposed Cretaceous shales and sandstones, creating extensive badlands, the largest in Canada. \n\nGreat rivers that flowed here 75 million years ago left sand and mud deposits that make up the valley walls, hills and hoodoos of modern-day Dinosaur Provincial Park. About 15,000 years ago this area was flat and covered by an ice sheet some 600 m thick. During this ice age, glacial melt water carved steep-sided channels; ice crystals, wind and flowing water continued to shape the badlands. Today, water from prairie creeks and run-off continues to sculpt the landscape and expose bedrock.\n\nDuring the late Cretaceous period, 75 million years ago, the landscape was very different. The climate was subtropical, with lush forests covering a coastal plain. Rivers flowed east, across the plain into the Bearpaw warm inland sea. The low swampy country was home to a variety of animals, including dinosaurs. The conditions were also perfect for the preservation of their bones as fossils. Between 1979 and 1991, a total of 23,347 fossil specimens were collected, including 300 dinosaur skeletons.\n\nGeological strata of the Judith River formation have yielded many of the dinosaur remains for which the park is renowned. Some 35 species of over 34 genera of 12 families of dinosaurs have been found in the park, including specimens from every known group of dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period. The families Hadrasauridae, Ornithomimidae, Tyrannosauridae, Nodosauridae, Pachycephalosauridae and Ceratopsidae are best represented. Other fossil remains include fish, turtles, marsupials and amphibians.\n\nAbout 6% of the park is occupied by significant and, for the most part, undisturbed riparian habitat shaped by the meandering channel of the Red Deer River and characterized by point bars, wide terraces, fans and cut banks.\n\nThe river terraces support lush and diverse vegetation in various successional stages, ranging from pioneer willow stands to structurally complex plains, cottonwood forest, tall shrub thickets, ephemeral wetlands and dense sagebrush flats. Plains cottonwood riparian communities are among the most threatened habitats in semi-arid regions. The 'badlands' provide habitat for a number of ecologically specialized plant species and are characterized by open vegetation dominated by plants of the genus Artemisia and the family Chenopodiaceae. Remnant and recently created grasslands occur on buttes and large pediments.\n\nThe mild winter microclimate, coupled with an abundant food supply, provides critical winter range for native ungulates such as pronghorn, mule deer and white-tailed deer. The relative richness and abundance of breeding avifauna is noteworthy. Over 150 species of bird have been recorded. The area supports a number of species locally threatened or at their biogeographic limits, including golden eagle, prairie falcon, ferruginous hawk, loggerhead shrike, merlin, sparrow and grasshopper sparrow. Plains spade-foot toad also occurs."
},
{
"id": "76",
"year": 1979,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Everglades National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N25 33 16 W80 59 47",
"lat": 25.554444444444446,
"lng": -80.99638888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/76",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0076_0001-750-0-20090918192505.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Everglades National Park © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Everglades National Park\n\nThis site at the southern tip of Florida has been called 'a river of grass flowing imperceptibly from the hinterland into the sea'. The exceptional variety of its water habitats has made it a sanctuary for a large number of birds and reptiles, as well as for threatened species such as the manatee. ",
"longInfo": "Everglades National Park is situated on the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula. The park is bounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the Tamiami Trail and mostly state lands to the north and the Florida Keys to the south and south-east. It includes most of Florida Bay. The biosphere reserve includes Dry Tortugas National Park, a group of seven coral reefs and surrounding shoals, coral reefs and waters.\n\nEverglades National Park is a shallow basin tilted to the south-west and underlain by extensive Pleistocene limestone with oolitic and bryozoan facies. The park serves as a vital recharge area for the Biscayne Aquifer, a major source of freshwater for Miami and south-east Florida. It lies at the interface between temperate and subtropical America and between fresh and brackish water, shallow bays and deeper coastal waters, thus creating a complex of habitats supporting a high diversity of flora and fauna. The area of transition from freshwater (glades) to saltwater (mangrove) is a highly productive zone that incubates great numbers of economically valuable crustacea. The vegetation and flora of south Florida have fascinated scientists and naturalists since their discovery and were a primary reason for the establishment of the park. One cause of this fascination is the presence of a high percentage of West Indian species. A noteworthy feature is the rather high degree of local endemism. Hammocks or tree islands are dominated by hardwood species of both tropical and temperate affinities. The most important trees are mangroves, taxa, slash pine and cypress. Prairies can be dominated by sawgrass, muhley grass, or cordgrass in coastal areas.\n\nThe Everglades protect 800 species of land and water vertebrates, including over 14 threatened species, and 25 mammals, over 400 bird species, 60 known species of reptile, amphibian and insect, including two threatened swallowtail butterfly species. Over 20 species of snake have been recorded, including the threatened indigo snake. More than 275 species of fish are known from the Everglades, most inhabiting the marine and estuarine waters. Several species are important game species that attract thousands of anglers to the park. During autumn a continuous procession of songbirds and other migrants fly over or rest on these islands.\n\nThe park is rich in both prehistoric and historic heritage: it contains 200 known archaeological sites. A Native American group, the Miccosukee tribe of Florida, has a special use permit area inside the park. Fort Jefferson, in Dry Tortugas National Park, is the largest brick masonry fort in America. It was large enough to garrison 1,500 men, but was never involved in battle, although it did secure a post for Union forces during the Civil War and afterwards served as a prison. The park's northern boundary is retained by the Miccosukee Indians under a special use permit for community development."
},
{
"id": "19",
"year": 1979,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N12 36 24.912 E37 27 58.212",
"lat": 12.606919999999999,
"lng": 37.466170000000005,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/19",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0019_0001-750-0-20061213164028.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region\n\nIn the 16th and 17th centuries, the fortress-city of Fasil Ghebbi was the residence of the Ethiopian emperor Fasilides and his successors. Surrounded by a 900-m-long wall, the city contains palaces, churches, monasteries and unique public and private buildings marked by Hindu and Arab influences, subsequently transformed by the Baroque style brought to Gondar by the Jesuit missionaries. ",
"longInfo": "The World Heritage site is an outstanding testimony of the modern Ethiopian civilization on the northern plateau of Tana. The characteristics of the style of the Gondar period appeared at the beginning of the 17th century in the capital city and have subsequently marked Ethiopian architecture in a long-lasting manner.\n\nFlanked by twin mountain streams at an altitude of more than 2,300 m, Gondar was founded by Emperor Fasilidas who, tiring of the pattern of migration that had characterized the lifestyle of so many of his forefathers, moved his capital here in 1636, a role that it filled until 1864. It is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. No one knows exactly why Fasilidas chose to establish his headquarters there. Some legends say an archangel prophesied that an Ethiopian capital would be built at a place with a name that began with the letter G. The legend led to a whole series of 16th- and 17th-century towns: Guzara, Gorgora, and finally Gondar. Another legend claims that the city was built in a place chosen by God, who pointed it out to Fasilidas who had followed a buffalo there when hunting.\n\nThe main castle, which stands today in a grassy compound surrounded by later fortresses, was built in the late 1630s and early 1640s on the orders of Fasilidas. With its huge towers and looming battlemented walls, it resembles a piece of medieval Europe transposed to Ethiopia. In addition to this castle, Fasiladas is said to have been responsible for the building of a number of other structures, perhaps the oldest of which is the Enqulal Gemb (Egg Castle), so named on account of its egg-shaped domed roof.\n\nBeyond the confines of the city to the north-west by the Qaha River there is another fine building sometimes associated by Fasilidas, a bathing palace. The building is a two-storeyed battlemented structure situated within and on one side of a rectangular pool of water which was supplied by a canal from the nearby river. The bathing pavilion itself stands on pier arches, and contains several rooms reached by a stone bridge, part of which could be raised for defence. The Emperor, who was greatly interested in architecture was also responsible for seven churches and a number of bridges.\n\nIyasu the Great, a grandson of Fasilidas, was particularly active. His castle was described at the time as finer than the House of Solomon. Its inner walls were decorated with ivory, mirrors and paintings of palm trees and its ceiling was covered with gold-leaf and precious stones. Iyasu's most lasting achievement was the Church of Debra Berhan Selassie (Light of the Trinity), which stands surrounded by a high wall on raised ground to the north-west of the city and continues in regular use. A plain, thatched, rectangular structure on the outside, the interior of Debra Berhan Selassie is marvellously painted with scenes from religious history. The north wall is dominated by a depiction of the Trinity above the Crucifixion; the theme of the south wall is St Mary and that of the east wall the life of Jesus. The west wall shows major saints, with St George in red and gold on a prancing white horse.\n\nNot long after completing this remarkable and impressive work, Iyasu went into deep depression when his favourite concubine died. He abandoned affairs of state and his son, Tekla Haimanot, declared himself Emperor and killed his father. Tekla Haimanot was in his turn murdered; his successor was also forcibly deposed and the next monarch was poisoned. The brutalities came to an end with Emperor Bakaffa, who left two fine castles, one attributed directly to him and the other to his consort, the Empress Mentewab.\n\nBakaffa's successor, Iyasu II, is regarded by most historians as the last of the Gondar Emperors to rule with full authority. During his reign, work began on a whole range of new buildings outside the main palace compound. The monarch also developed the hills north-west of the city centre known as Kweskwam (after the home of the Virgin Mary)."
},
{
"id": "34",
"year": 1979,
"target": "GHA",
"name": "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N5 23 27.708 E0 29 36.996",
"lat": 5.391030000000001,
"lng": 0.49361,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/34",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0034_0001-750-0-20090925171445.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions © John Tolva ",
"shortInfo": "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions\n\nThe remains of fortified trading-posts, erected between 1482 and 1786, can still be seen along the coast of Ghana between Keta and Beyin. They were links in the trade routes established by the Portuguese in many areas of the world during their era of great maritime exploration. ",
"longInfo": "The remains of fortified trading-posts established between 1482 and 1786 can still be seen along the coast of Ghana between Keta and Beyin. They were links in the trade routes established by the Portuguese in many areas of the world during their era of great maritime exploration.\n\nAccra was first settled at the end of the 16th century when the Ga people migrated there. The site allowed them to engage in trade with the Europeans who had built forts nearby, the most important of these being James Fort and Ussher Fort. These early inhabitants also engaged in farming and lagoon fishing, with sea fishing taken up during the middle of the 18th century. During the slave trade Accra took on greater importance owing to the nearby forts, many of which were owned and controlled by the Dutch, a prominence that lasted until the abolition of the slave trade in 1807.\n\nIn Accra, competition between the different European states was strong and having a fort at Accra was of great strategic value, as it lay at the end of an important inland trade route. The forts and castles were built and occupied at different times by European traders and adventurers from Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Germany and Britain to safeguard trading posts. The castles defended the European merchants and their local allies and trading partners against competition; they were used as entrepôts for slaves and trade-goods, and they were the centres of European administration on the Gold Coast.\n\nUssher Fort is one of three European forts in Accra which have survived to the present day, the others being Christiansborg Castle (known locally as 'The Castle') and James Fort. It was built as Fort Crêvecoeur by the Dutch in 1649. In the 18th century Fort Crêvecoeur played an important role in the slave trade. Afterwards, its history remained closely linked to the history of what was formerly known as Dutch Accra, nowadays Ussher Town, just north of the fort. Fort Crêvecoeur was once more destroyed in 1862, when an earthquake hit Accra. Partly reconstructed, the fort was handed over to the British in 1868 and renamed Ussher Fort. Soon after, the British started using Ussher Fort, as well as the nearby James Fort, as a prison. They enlarged the fort considerably and the original Dutch fort is now almost indistinguishable. In 1993, the fort ceased to function as a prison, when it was taken over by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, who now uses part of the building as offices. \n\nIn 1652 the Swedes built a lodge in Accra that in 1660 was taken by the Dutch. In 1661 the Danes occupied the place and built a fort named Fort Christiansborg, located on a rock cliff near the African town of Osu. The fort was in Danish hands for some 200 years apart from a short Portuguese occupation. In 1680 a Portuguese ship arrived at the Danish fort and its Governor sold it to the Portuguese commander of the ship. The Portuguese renamed it Fort São Francisco Xavier and built a chapel. In 1683 the Danes from nearby Fort Fredriksborg reoccupied it and moved their headquarters there. The fort was square in plan, with four bastions. The Danes made several attempt to establish plantations near the fort and they also established in the early 1800s a hill-station and a plantation at Frederiksborg. In 1850 it was sold to the English."
},
{
"id": "75",
"year": 1979,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Grand Canyon National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N36 6 3 W112 5 26",
"lat": 36.100833333333334,
"lng": -112.09055555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/75",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0075_0001-750-0-20110920195939.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Grand Canyon National Park\n\nCarved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon (nearly 1,500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in the world. Located in the state of Arizona, it cuts across theGrand Canyon National Park\n\n. Its horizontal strata retrace the geological history of the past 2 billion years. There are also prehistoric traces of human adaptation to a particularly harsh environment. ",
"longInfo": "Grand Canyon National Park was created on 26 February 1919 by an act of Congress. First protected in 1893 as a forest reserve in which mining, lumbering and hunting continued to be allowed: upgraded to a game reserve in 1906, giving protection to the wildlife: redesignated a National Monument in 1908.\n\nThe park is dominated by the spectacular Grand Canyon: a twisting, 1.5 km deep and 445.8 km long gorge, formed during some 6 million years of geological activity and erosion by the Colorado River on the raised Earth's crust (2.5 km above sea level). It divides the park into the North Rim and South Rim which overlook the 200 m to 30 km wide canyon; the buttes, spires, mesas and temples in the canyon are in fact mountains looked down upon from the rims. Ongoing erosion by the seasonal and permanent rivers produces impressive waterfalls and rapids of washed-down boulders along the length of the canyon and its tributaries. Exposed horizontal geological strata in the canyon span some 2,000 million years of geological history, providing evidence of the four major geological eras, early and late Precambrian, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The early Precambrian strata, known as the Vishnu Schist formation, are devoid of fossils. The first fossil evidence appears in the late Precambrian Bass Limestone with remains of early plant forms. Subsequent strata dating from the Palaeozoic era catalogue the sequence of local history, with both marine and terrestrial fossils demonstrating the periods in the distant past when the whole region was alternately submerged and raised. The Mesozoic era is less well illustrated within the park, but tracks made by early reptiles are found to the east in the Navajo Indian reservation. They are a few fossil remains of mammals from the early Cenozoic.\n\nAltitudinal range provides a variety of climates and habitats, ranging from desert to mountain conditions. The canyon is a vast biological museum stretching through five different life and vegetation zones: Hudsonian on the North Rim plateau with Colorado blue spruce and Rocky Mountain maple; Canadian near the North Rim, with aspen and Ponderosa and forests of Douglas fir, white fir and aspen at 2,500 m; high-altitude Transition (Ponderosa) forests of Pinus ponderosa and gambel oak; upper Sonoran on and below the South Rim with Utah juniper, pinon pine and sagebrush; and the Lower Sonoran down the canyon and at the bottom (desert cacti, rabbitbrush, mesquite, Morman tea and Manzanita).\n\nOver 1,000 plant species have so far been identified from the park. There are 11 plant species listed as threatened in the United States statutes in the park, including Palmer amsonia, goldenweed, plains cactus, scouler catchfly, wild buckwheats, primrose and clute penstemon. In addition, 15 plant species are recommended for consideration as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.\n\nConcerning the fauna, 76 mammal, 299 bird and 41 reptile and amphibian species have been identified from the park and some 16 fish species inhabit the Colorado River and its tributaries. Rare or threatened birds are listed under the United States Endangered Species Act of 1973.\n\nThe park contains more than 2,600 documented prehistoric ruins, including evidence of Archaic cultures (the earliest known inhabitants), Cohonina Indians along the South Rim, and Anasazi Indians on both the South Rim, North Rim, and within the Inner Canyon. Hualapai and Havasupai Indians moved into the canyons at this time, where they remained undisturbed until the Anglo-Americans arrived in 1860. Archaeological remains show the adaptation of human societies to severe climate and physiographic environment."
},
{
"id": "89",
"year": 1979,
"target": "EGY",
"name": "Historic Cairo",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N30 3 0 E31 15 39.996",
"lat": 30.05,
"lng": 31.26111,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/89",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0089_0001-750-0-20110920200236.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Cairo\n\nTucked away amid the modern urban area of Cairo lies one of the world's oldest Islamic cities, with its famous mosques, madrasas, hammams and fountains. Founded in the 10th century, it became the new centre of the Islamic world, reaching its golden age in the 14th century. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "97",
"year": 1979,
"target": "HRV",
"name": "Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 30 33.984 E16 26 35.988",
"lat": 43.50944,
"lng": 16.44333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/97",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0097_0035-750-0-20130910173608.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian © Ko Hon Chiu Vincent ",
"shortInfo": "Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian\n\nThe ruins of Diocletian's Palace, built between the late 3rd and the early 4th centuries A.D., can be found throughout the city. The cathedral was built in the Middle Ages, reusing materials from the ancient mausoleum. Twelfth- and 13th-century Romanesque churches, medieval fortifications, 15th-century Gothic palaces and other palaces in Renaissance and Baroque style make up the rest of the protected area. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "78",
"year": 1979,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Independence Hall",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N39 56 55 W75 9 0",
"lat": 39.948611111111106,
"lng": -75.15,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/78",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0078_0003-750-0-20150518200853.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Independence Hall © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Independence Hall\n\nThe Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution of the United States (1787) were both signed in this building in Philadelphia. The universal principles of freedom and democracy set forth in these documents are of fundamental importance to American history and have also had a profound impact on law-makers around the world. ",
"longInfo": "Independence Hall in Philadelphia may be considered the birthplace of the United States of America: it was here that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the Articles of Confederation uniting the 13 colonies were ratified in 1781, and the Constitution setting out the nation's basic laws was adopted in 1787, after George Washington had presided over the debate, which ran from May to September.\n\nThe building was designed by Andrew Hamilton to house the Assembly of the Commonwealth (colony) of Pennsylvania. Finished in 1753, it is a modest brick structure with a steeple that was intended to hold a 2,080 lb (943 kg) bell. The bell, however, has cracked twice and stands silently on the ground in a special shelter (a reproduction now hangs in the steeple). Independence Hall is important not for its architectural design but for the documents of fundamental importance to American history drafted and debated here that formed the democracy of the United States.\n\nThe building has undergone many restorations, notably by Greek revival architect John Haviland in 1830, and by a committee from the National Park Service in 1950, returning it to its 1776 appearance. The universal principles of freedom and democracy have also had a profound impact on lawmakers around the world.\n\nIndependence National Historical Park, located in downtown Philadelphia ('Centre City'), interprets events and the lives of the diverse population during the years when the city was the capital of the United States, from 1790 to 1800. A section of the park where Benjamin Franklin's home once stood is dedicated to teaching about his life and accomplishments. Spanning approximately 18 ha, the park has about 20 buildings open to the public."
},
{
"id": "121",
"year": 1979,
"target": "NPL",
"name": "Kathmandu Valley ",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 42 14.22 E85 18 30.888",
"lat": 27.70395,
"lng": 85.30857999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/121",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0121_0016-750-0-20110322183451.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© TTF ",
"shortInfo": "Kathmandu Valley \n\nThe cultural heritage of theKathmandu Valley \n\nis illustrated by seven groups of monuments and buildings which display the full range of historic and artistic achievements for which theKathmandu Valley \n\nis world famous. The seven include the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan. ",
"longInfo": "The Monumental Zones represent the highly developed architectural expression of religious, political and cultural life of Kathmandu Valley, with a concentration of monuments unique and unparalleled in the world. It is the principal centre of settlement in the hill area of Nepal and one of the prime cultural foci of the Himalayas. Pashupatinath is also Nepal's most renowned Hindu creation site. Changu Narayan Temple is an impressive double-roofed temple which is said to be the most ancient Vishnu temple in Kathmandu Valley.\n\nKathmandu, the capital, is the political, commercial and cultural hub of Nepal. Kathmandu is an exotic and fascinating showcase of a very rich culture, art and tradition. The valley, roughly an oval bowl, is encircled by a range of green terraced hills and dotted by compact clusters of red tiled-roofed houses. A remarkable legend says that the valley was once covered by a lake until the Bodhisattva Manjushri raised his sword of wisdom and sliced a passage through the mountain walls, draining the water and creating the first settlements.\n\nThe valley embraces most of Nepal's ethnic groups, but Newars are the indigenous inhabitants and the creators of the valley's splendid civilization. Kathmandu Valley is composed of seven Monumental Zones with three historical palaces within their essential urban settings (Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur), two Hindu centres (Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan ), and two Buddhist centres (Swayambunath and Boudhanath ).\n\nThe city of Kathmandu is a melting pot for the nation's population, not only today but also in times past, which probably explains the rich cultural heritage of the city. Kathmandu with its unique architectural heritage, palaces, temples and courtyards has inspired many writers, artists, and poets, both foreign and Nepalese. It boasts a unique symbiosis of Hinduism, Buddhism and Tantrism in its culture, which is still as alive today as it was hundreds of years ago. The religious influence can be openly seen in the city. Most of the principal monuments are in Durbar Square , the social, religious and urban focal point of the city, built between the 12th and the 18th centuries by the ancient Malla kings of Nepal. Some of the most interesting are the Taleju Temple, Kal Bhairab, Nautalle Durbar, Coronation Nasal Chowk, and the Gaddi Baithak, the statue of King Pratap Malla, the Big Bell, Big Drum and the Jaganath Temple.\n\nAnother intriguing piece here is the 17th-century stone inscription that is set into the wall of the palace, with writings in 15 languages. It is believed that if anybody deciphers this entire inscription, milk would flow from the spout, which lies just below the unscripted stone wall. Some people say that the inscription contains coded directions to a treasure that King Pratap Malla has buried beneath Mohan Chowk of Durbar Square.\n\nLalitpur or Patan, just across the holy Bagmati River about 14 km east of Kathmandu city, is a fabulous city of great historic and cultural interest. Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon) is situated at an altitude of 1,401 m. Shaped liked a conch-shell, Bhaktapur means the 'city of devotees'.\n\nPashupatinath, 5 km north-east of Kathmandu Valley, is one of the most important Hindu temples. It is Nepal's most sacred Hindu shrines and one of the subcontinent's greatest Shiva sites, a sprawling collection of temples, ashrams, images and inscriptions raised over the centuries along the banks of the sacred Bagmati river."
},
{
"id": "72",
"year": 1979,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek1",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N61 11 51.3 W140 59 31.1",
"lat": 61.19758333333333,
"lng": -140.99197222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/72",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0072_0001-750-0-20110920195919.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek\n\nThese parks comprise an impressive complex of glaciers and high peaks on both sides of the border between Canada (Yukon Territory and British Columbia) and the United States (Alaska). The spectacular natural landscapes are home to many grizzly bears, caribou and Dall's sheep. The site contains the largest non-polar icefield in the world. ",
"longInfo": "A unique area with high mountain peaks, foothills, glacial systems, lakes, streams, valleys and coastal landscapes. The Wrangell-St Elias region represents the most extensive array of glaciers and ice fields outside the polar region. These features and the high mountains of the Wrangell-St Elias, Chugach and Kluane ranges have resulted in the region becoming known as the 'Mountain Kingdom' of North America. Geologically the mountains are included in the Pacific mountain system and include the 130 km long Bagley ice field, the second-highest peak in the USA (Mount St Elias) and the largest piedmont glacier on the North American continent (Malaspina Glacier). Extensive lowlands are found only in the centre and along north-western fringes of the region. Elsewhere lowlands are sandwiched between mountains and sea or occur as narrow valleys and plateaux grading into upland and serrated peaks. Principal drainages include the Copper, Chitina, White, Alsek and Donjek rivers and tributaries. The Malaspina foreland coastal area comprises mainly long, straight piedmont glacial beaches cut through by numerous often sizeable glacial-melt drainage-ways.\n\nThe wide ranges of climatic zones and elevations in the region have resulted in a great variety of ecosystems representing three major biomes or broad vegetational subdivisions: the coastal coniferous biome; the northern coniferous biome; and the alpine tundra biome. The coastal coniferous biome includes coastal spruce-hemlock forests, tall shrub thickets and bogs and marshes.\n\nThe northern coniferous biome includes closed tall spruce and deciduous forests, open, low mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, tall shrub thickets and low shrub thickets.\n\nThe alpine tundra biome includes moist sedge and grass alpine tundra and dry alpine tundra: moist sedge and grass alpine tundra at 900-1,500 m on gradual slopes, meadow-like tundra composed of sedges and grasses interspersed with low shrubs such as blueberry and Labrador tea; and dry alpine tundra, on steeper mountain slopes and exposed ridges from 900 m to the elevation of perpetual ice and snow comprising low, matted alpine plants dominated by mountain avens.\n\nThere is a great variety of fauna reflecting the habitat diversity. Carnivores include coyote, grey wolf, red fox, short-tailed weasel, mink, wolverine, river otter, lynx and the more easily visible brown bear and black bear. A rare bluish colour phase of the black bear, known locally as the glacier bear, is centred in the vicinity of Yakutat. Other mammals include pica and snowshoe hare, arctic ground squirrel, beaver Castor, muskrat and porcupine. Rodents include the hoary marmot. Moose and caribou range in lower elevations and mountain goat and Dally sheep occupy high mountainous areas. Bison were introduced in 1950 and again in 1962. Black-tailed deer may occur along coastal fringes.\n\nThe avifauna includes spruce grouse, ruffed grouse, willow ptarmigan, rock ptarmigan, white-tailed ptarmigan, trumpeter swan and many song birds.\n\nAll five species of Alaskan Pacific salmon including red salmon, chum, silver salmon, pink salmon and king salmon spawn in park or preserve waters. Freshwater fish species include Dolly Virden, lake trout, steelhead, cutthroat trout, arctic grayling, turbot, round whitefish and humpback whitefish."
},
{
"id": "72",
"year": 1979,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek2",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N61 11 51.3 W140 59 31.1",
"lat": 61.19758333333333,
"lng": -140.99197222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/72",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0072_0001-750-0-20110920195919.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek\n\nThese parks comprise an impressive complex of glaciers and high peaks on both sides of the border between Canada (Yukon Territory and British Columbia) and the United States (Alaska). The spectacular natural landscapes are home to many grizzly bears, caribou and Dall's sheep. The site contains the largest non-polar icefield in the world. ",
"longInfo": "A unique area with high mountain peaks, foothills, glacial systems, lakes, streams, valleys and coastal landscapes. The Wrangell-St Elias region represents the most extensive array of glaciers and ice fields outside the polar region. These features and the high mountains of the Wrangell-St Elias, Chugach and Kluane ranges have resulted in the region becoming known as the 'Mountain Kingdom' of North America. Geologically the mountains are included in the Pacific mountain system and include the 130 km long Bagley ice field, the second-highest peak in the USA (Mount St Elias) and the largest piedmont glacier on the North American continent (Malaspina Glacier). Extensive lowlands are found only in the centre and along north-western fringes of the region. Elsewhere lowlands are sandwiched between mountains and sea or occur as narrow valleys and plateaux grading into upland and serrated peaks. Principal drainages include the Copper, Chitina, White, Alsek and Donjek rivers and tributaries. The Malaspina foreland coastal area comprises mainly long, straight piedmont glacial beaches cut through by numerous often sizeable glacial-melt drainage-ways.\n\nThe wide ranges of climatic zones and elevations in the region have resulted in a great variety of ecosystems representing three major biomes or broad vegetational subdivisions: the coastal coniferous biome; the northern coniferous biome; and the alpine tundra biome. The coastal coniferous biome includes coastal spruce-hemlock forests, tall shrub thickets and bogs and marshes.\n\nThe northern coniferous biome includes closed tall spruce and deciduous forests, open, low mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, tall shrub thickets and low shrub thickets.\n\nThe alpine tundra biome includes moist sedge and grass alpine tundra and dry alpine tundra: moist sedge and grass alpine tundra at 900-1,500 m on gradual slopes, meadow-like tundra composed of sedges and grasses interspersed with low shrubs such as blueberry and Labrador tea; and dry alpine tundra, on steeper mountain slopes and exposed ridges from 900 m to the elevation of perpetual ice and snow comprising low, matted alpine plants dominated by mountain avens.\n\nThere is a great variety of fauna reflecting the habitat diversity. Carnivores include coyote, grey wolf, red fox, short-tailed weasel, mink, wolverine, river otter, lynx and the more easily visible brown bear and black bear. A rare bluish colour phase of the black bear, known locally as the glacier bear, is centred in the vicinity of Yakutat. Other mammals include pica and snowshoe hare, arctic ground squirrel, beaver Castor, muskrat and porcupine. Rodents include the hoary marmot. Moose and caribou range in lower elevations and mountain goat and Dally sheep occupy high mountainous areas. Bison were introduced in 1950 and again in 1962. Black-tailed deer may occur along coastal fringes.\n\nThe avifauna includes spruce grouse, ruffed grouse, willow ptarmigan, rock ptarmigan, white-tailed ptarmigan, trumpeter swan and many song birds.\n\nAll five species of Alaskan Pacific salmon including red salmon, chum, silver salmon, pink salmon and king salmon spawn in park or preserve waters. Freshwater fish species include Dolly Virden, lake trout, steelhead, cutthroat trout, arctic grayling, turbot, round whitefish and humpback whitefish."
},
{
"id": "43",
"year": 1979,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Madara Rider",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 17 60 E27 8 60",
"lat": 43.3,
"lng": 27.15,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/43",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0043_0001-750-0-20081229164058.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "The Madara Rider © © OUR PLACE THE WORLD HERITAGE COLLECTION ",
"shortInfo": "Madara Rider\n\nTheMadara Rider\n\n, representing the figure of a knight triumphing over a lion, is carved into a 100-m-high cliff near the village of Madara in north-east Bulgaria. Madara was the principal sacred place of the First Bulgarian Empire before Bulgaria’s conversion to Christianity in the 9th century. The inscriptions beside the sculpture tell of events that occurred between AD 705 and 801. ",
"longInfo": "The sculptor carved a relief of a majestic horseman 23 m above ground level in an almost vertical 100 m high cliff. The horseman is thrusting a spear into a lion lying at his horse's feet, while a dog runs after the horseman. In antiquity the Thracian tribes inhabited the plain. There was an ancient Thracian sanctuary in the large open cave under the rocks, which is known today as the Nymphs' Cave.\n\nThe fortress and a large farm (villa rustica) prospered at the foot of the cliff for more than three centuries during Roman times, until it fell into disuse with the decline of the Roman Empire. The pitched towers of the fortress were rebuilt when the first Bulgarian capital, Pliska, was established nearby.\n\nDuring the difficult times at the end of the 7th century the relations of the young Bulgarian state and Byzantium were very complex. The Bulgarians won the right to establish their state in a victorious battle, but Byzantium considered itself an heir to the Roman Empire and never gave up its claim on this territory. When the dethroned Byzantine Emperor Justinian asked for help from the Bulgarian Khan Tervel, he was obliged to accept the Bulgarian conditions. The Emperor was reinstalled on the throne in Constantinople thanks to the Bulgarian army. These events took place in the year 705: thus, only a quarter of a century after the Bulgarian state had been founded, it was not only recognized by but also received tribute from Byzantium.\n\nThe Madara Horseman was carved at the very beginning of the 8th century, about three decades after the foundation of the Bulgarian State (681). The sculpture marks a triumph: the Byzantine Empire had recognized the new state. The relief is not an abstract symbolic scene but presents a particular image with its own historical background and profound symbolism. The place chosen is such that the bulge of the rock allows some parts of the relief to project more than the rest. Other elements of the composition are almost flat because they had to be accommodated in the slope of the rock surface.\n\nThe sculptor used three methods for the carving of the figures. First he outlined the images with a 1.5 cm wide and 2 cm deep groove in the rock (only the lion is not surrounded by such a groove). Then he hewed out the surrounding surface so that the figures project from it. The third method used was to cover the figures in red plaster so as to outline them even better against the rock. Most of this plaster has been destroyed by the elements, but some traces are still visible. The letters of the inscriptions were also filled with the same plaster. The sculptor worked carefully on the composition in order to ensure that the relief would be seen clearly from a distance. The elements of this skilful composition are arranged in such a way as not to distract but emphasize the impact.\n\nThe sculpture offers an original combination of dynamic and static character, of formal gestures and realistic details. The image is of a particular event but it implies a sense of triumph beyond the limits of time. However, although this monumental work of art combines the concrete with the abstract, the inscription cut in the left and right sides of the composition provided curt, precise and simple information about the event and some of the circumstances related to it. The profound historical meaning of the relief is further clarified by the inscriptions around the figures. These inscriptions were made in three consecutive stages and are related to important events. They are the earliest proto-Bulgarian inscriptions and the earliest written data on Bulgarian history.\n\nHowever, these traditions began with the texts on the Madara relief. These three texts not only mark the beginning of the historic annals but are also related to the images and meaning of the relief, of the victorious scene presented. The existence of a state acquires its complete meaning only through its international recognition, and these texts mark precisely the events connected with the international recognition of the state, with its introduction into international relations as a respected partner."
},
{
"id": "36",
"year": 1979,
"target": "TUN",
"name": "Medina of Tunis",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N36 49 0.012 E10 10 0.012",
"lat": 36.81667,
"lng": 10.16667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/36",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0036_0001-750-0-20150507154927.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Medina of Tunis © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Medina of Tunis\n\nUnder the Almohads and the Hafsids, from the 12th to the 16th century, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. Some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains, testify to this remarkable past. ",
"longInfo": "The Medina of Tunis has exerted an outstanding influence on the development of architecture, sculpture, and connected arts, and of urban planning. This group of buildings is rare, as most historic Islamic centres have suffered grave destruction and reconstruction over the centuries, whereas Tunis still preserves its homogeneity.\n\nUnder the Almohads and the Hafsids, from the 12th to 16th centuries, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. Some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains, testify to this remarkable past.\n\nIt is a commercial and economical centre for northern Tunisia and the administrative centre for the whole of Tunisia. It is situated close to the sea with only Lake Tunis between it and Mediterranean Sea. Tunis is divided into three parts: the old city, called the Medina; the French quarter, which now is the centre; and the newer and larger regions built in the south and north of the city.\n\nTunis has a number of landmarks; most dominant are the Zitouna mosque and the few remains of ancient Carthage. Suuq is the Arabic name for market, medina for town. In Tunis today, the suuq is also known as the medina. Today, the medina is still inhabited, but by only a small percentage of the total population.\n\nThis is where the main mosque of Tunis is located, as has been the case almost all the time Tunis has been a Muslim city. The city was even laid out with it as the centre. Its name means 'olive tree', and comes from the mosque's founder who taught the Koran under an olive tree. It was first erected in the 9th century by the Aghlabid rulers, but its most famous part, the minaret, is a 19th-century addition.\n\nThe Medina of Tunis extends over 270 ha and includes most of the 700 historic monuments of the city. It is divided between the central core, which still bears traces from the period of its foundation (8th century), and two quarters dating back to the 13th century. This remarkable set of buildings developed from a small settlement named Oppidum tunicense, mentioned by Pliny the Elder. It reached its greatest splendour in the 13th century under the Hafsid dynasty, but continued to be enriched with mosques, buildings, and madrasas during the 16th and 17th centuries.\n\nThe decorated, mysterious and varied doors that line the roads, above all those of the Medina, illustrate the ways of thought and life of Tunisian families: there are simple doors with a single leaf, double rectangular doors in Hafsid style, and doors with a small under door known as a Khoukha. It was invented by the Spanish princess, wife of Abdulaziz Ibn Moussa Ibn Noussair, in order to oblige his Muslim subjects to bow to their monarch. Their colour also have a particular meaning: yellow ochre in the Koran is the colour loved by God; green is the colour of Paradise; blue, only introduced in recent times, recalls the 'blue of Sidi Bou Said', the village north of Tunis, which in the past was identified with catastrophe, but today used between the dominant colours in the windows and the walls of the houses of the Tunis medina. tricolour (white, green and red) one is the coat of arms of the Hafsid dynasty, who reigned from 1228 to 1574 in Tunis: they were brought together to recall the preceding dynasties - white for the Aghlabids, green for the Fatimids, and red for the Sanhajids.\n\nThe decorations (hilia, jewel) over the doors are made using large and small nails in order to execute symbolic and geometric designs: they have considerable historical and sociological importance. Also to be found are the symbol of Tanit, the Carthage goddess of the fertility, the six-angled star of David (which according to legend drives away djinng, the malignant spirits), the Christian cross (a memory of the Christian past of Tunisia, with St Augustine of Hippo), the Muslim mihrab (the place in the mosque where the Imam leads the faithful in prayer), the Turkish moon, symbolizing Ottoman Turkey, and the other Christian symbols, the eye and the fish."
},
{
"id": "115",
"year": 1979,
"target": "IRN",
"name": "Meidan Emam, Esfahan",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N32 39 26.82 E51 40 40",
"lat": 32.65745,
"lng": 51.67777777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/115",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0115_0001-750-0-20070104125415.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Meidan Emam, Esfahan\n\nBuilt by Shah Abbas I the Great at the beginning of the 17th century, and bordered on all sides by monumental buildings linked by a series of two-storeyed arcades, the site is known for the Royal Mosque, the Mosque of Sheykh Lotfollah, the magnificent Portico of Qaysariyyeh and the 15th-century Timurid palace. They are an impressive testimony to the level of social and cultural life in Persia during the Safavid era. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "86",
"year": 1979,
"target": "EGY",
"name": "Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N29 58 33.744 E31 7 49.476",
"lat": 29.976039999999998,
"lng": 31.13041,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/86",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0086_0020-750-0-20110809172342.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur\n\nThe capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt has some extraordinary funerary monuments, including rock tombs, ornate mastabas, temples and pyramids. In ancient times, the site was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "80",
"year": 1979,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N48 38 8.016 W1 30 38.016",
"lat": 48.63556,
"lng": -1.51056,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/80",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0080_0001-750-0-20061213175956.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay\n\nPerched on a rocky islet in the midst of vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides between Normandy and Brittany stand the 'Wonder of the West', a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel St Michael, and the village that grew up in the shadow of its great walls. Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, the abbey is a technical and artistic tour de force, having had to adapt to the problems posed by this unique natural site. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "99",
"year": 1979,
"target": "MKD",
"name": "Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region3",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 7 5.016 E20 48 47.988",
"lat": 41.11806,
"lng": 20.81333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/99",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0099_0001-750-0-20110920200411.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Graciela Gonzalez Brigas ",
"shortInfo": "Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region\n\nSituated on the shores of Lake Ohrid, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. Built mainly between the 7th and 19th centuries, it has the oldest Slav monastery (St Pantelejmon) and more than 800 Byzantine-style icons dating from the 11th to the end of the 14th century. After those of the Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow, this is considered to be the most important collection of icons in the world ",
"longInfo": "In 1979, the Committee decided to inscribe the Ohrid Lake on the World Heritage List under natural criteria (iii). In 1980, this property was extended to include the cultural and historical area, and cultural criteria (i)(iii)(iv) were added."
},
{
"id": "125",
"year": 1979,
"target": "MNE",
"name": "Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 28 59.988 E18 41 60",
"lat": 42.48333,
"lng": 18.7,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/125",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0125_0025-750-0-20121123154848.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor\n\nIn the Middle Ages, this natural harbour on the Adriatic coast in Montenegro was an important artistic and commercial centre with its own famous schools of masonry and iconography. A large number of the monuments (including four Romanesque churches and the town walls) were seriously damaged by the 1979 earthquake but the town has been restored, largely with UNESCO’s help. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "39",
"year": 1979,
"target": "TZA",
"name": "Ngorongoro Conservation Area4",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S3 11 13.992 E35 32 26.988",
"lat": -3.18722,
"lng": 35.54083,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/39",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0039_0001-750-0-20100731235950.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Lions (Panthera leo) on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater, May 2007. The 22.5 km (14 mile) wide Crater is home to the world’s highest density of lions—62 were recorded here in 2001. © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Ngorongoro Conservation Area\n\nThe Ngorongoro Conservation Area spans vast expanses of highland plains, savanna, savanna woodlands and forests. Established in 1959 as a multiple land use area, with wildlife coexisting with semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists practicing traditional livestock grazing, it includes the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest caldera. The property has global importance for biodiversity conservation due to the presence of globally threatened species, the density of wildlife inhabiting the area, and the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and other animals into the northern plains. Extensive archaeological research has also yielded a long sequence of evidence of human evolution and human-environment dynamics, including early hominid footprints dating back 3.6 million years. ",
"longInfo": "The open plains of the eastern Serengeti rise to the crater highlands of the volcanic massifs of Loolmalasin (3,587 m) and Oldeani (3,168 m) dating from the late Mesozoic and early Tertiary.\n\nNgorongoro Crater is one of the largest inactive unbroken calderas in the world which is unflooded. It has a mean diameter of 16-19 km, a crater floor of 26,400 ha, and a rim soaring to 400-610 m above the crater floor. The formation of the crater and other highlands are associated with the massive rifting which occurred to the west of the Gregory Rift Valley. The conservation area also includes Empakaai Crater and Olduvai Gorge, famous for geology and associated palaeontological studies.\n\nA variable climate and diverse landforms and altitudes have resulted in several distinct habitats. Scrub heath and the remains of dense montane forests cover the steep slopes. The crater floor is mainly open grassy plains with alternating fresh and brackish water lakes, swamps and two patches of acacia woodland; Lerai Forest, comprising dominant tree species Acacia xanthonhloea and Rauvolfia caffra .\n\nA population of about 25,000 large animals lives in the crater, mainly ungulates, along with the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa. They include the critically endangered black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis , which have declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 11-14 in 1995, and hippopotamus, which are very uncommon in the area. There are also many other ungulates: wildebeest (7,000 estimated in 1994), Burchell's zebra (4,000), eland, Grant's and Thomson's gazelles (3,000). The crater has the densest known population of lion, which are classed as vulnerable, numbering only 62 in 2001. On the crater rim are leopard and the endangered African elephant, numbering 42 in 1987 but only 29 in 1992, mountain reedbuck and buffalo (4,000 in 1994). However, since the 1980s the crater's wildebeest population has fallen by a quarter to about 19,000 and the numbers of eland and Thomson's gazelle have also declined whereas buffalos increased greatly, probably due to the prevention of fire which favours high fibrous grasses over shorter, less fibrous types.\n\nIn summer enormous numbers of Serengeti migrants pass through the plains of the reserve, including 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebra and 470,000 gazelle. Waterbuck mainly occur mainly near Lerai Forest; serval widely in the crater and on the plains to the west. Common in the reserve are lion, hartebeest, spotted hyena and jackal. Cheetah, classed as vulnerable although common in the reserve, are scarce in the crater itself. The endangered wild dog Lycaon pictus has recently disappeared from the crater and may have declined elsewhere in the Conservation Area as well. The golden cat has recently been seen in the Ngorongoro forest.\n\nNgorongoro has palaeontological and archaeological sites over a wide range of dates. The four major sites are Olduvai Gorge, Laetoli site, Lake Ndutu site and the Nasera Rock Shelter. The variety and richness of the fossil remains, including those of early hominids, has made this one of the major areas in the world for research on the human evolution. Olduvai Gorge has produced valuable remains of early hominids including Australopithecus and Homo habilis as well as fossil bones of many extinct animals. Nearby, at Laetoli, are fossil hominid footprints from the Pliocene age.\n\nActually there is considerable controversy about the exact number of people in the NCA partly because pastoral people, being mobile, are difficult to enumerate, but some Maasai live there."
},
{
"id": "88",
"year": 1979,
"target": "EGY",
"name": "Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N22 20 11.004 E31 37 33.996",
"lat": 22.336389999999998,
"lng": 31.62611,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/88",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0088_0001-750-0-20120820105715.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ramses II temple © Emmanuel Pivard ",
"shortInfo": "Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae\n\nThis outstanding archaeological area contains such magnificent monuments as the Temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae, which were saved from the rising waters of the Nile thanks to the International Campaign launched by UNESCO, in 1960 to 1980. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "95",
"year": 1979,
"target": "HRV",
"name": "Old City of Dubrovnik",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 39 2.016 E18 5 29.004",
"lat": 42.65056,
"lng": 18.09139,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/95",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0095_0001-750-0-20061214113715.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Old City of Dubrovnik\n\nThe 'Pearl of the Adriatic', situated on the Dalmatian coast, became an important Mediterranean sea power from the 13th century onwards. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik managed to preserve its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains. Damaged again in the 1990s by armed conflict, it is now the focus of a major restoration programme co-ordinated by UNESCO. ",
"longInfo": "The proposed extension to the west of the old city includes part of the Pile suburb, with the Brsalje plateau. It marks the point where a major road entered the Roman town that preceded medieval Dubrovnik, and archaeological excavations have revealed the presence there of a Palaeochristian basilica, as well as medieval cemeteries. The Lovrijenac Fortress, located on a cliff, is first mentioned in a document of 1301, but its defensive importance is such that it must have been built much earlier (as early as the 11th century according to some scholars). The fortress owes its present appearance to the 15th and 16th centuries.\n\nThe Pile suburb was a planned development of the 15th century, around a clearly defined industrial zone dating back to the 13th century. It was devoted to tanning and leather-working, the casting of cannon, soap manufacture,etc - activities which, for reasons of hygiene and security, were placed outside the walls but within the protection of the fortress. In the early 15th century an important dyeing industry developed in the area, and this was followed by other industries, such as glass-making, bell-casting, and weaving.\n\nThese industrial operations led to the construction of workers' houses, and the settlement had its own Church of St George, dating back to the 14th century but rebuilt in its present form in 1590. The Pile suburb has retained its original character, although some changes resulted from the building in the late 19th century of a new road linking Pile with Gruz and passing outside the ramparts of the medieval town. The area known as Iza Grada (Behind the city) lies outside the northern part of the ramparts, and has remained an open space, for defensive reasons, throughout the town I s history. The road joining Pile and Gruz marks its northern boundary.\n\nOn the eastern side of the old city lies Ploce, which has served as the centre for trade with the hinterland for centuries. The area proposed for the extension of the World Heritage Site lies to the south of the main road and includes the Lazarets and the Revelin Fortress.\n\nThe Kase moles were built around 1485 on the plans of paskoje Milicevic, the most famous Ragusan engineer of the Renaissance period, to protect the port against south-easterly gales while at the same time improving the facilities for controlling vessels approaching the town.\n\nThe building of the Lazarets began in 1627 and they were completed in 1648. Their siting at the eastern entrance to the city was practical: this is where traders and travellers would approach Dubrovnik from potentially plague-ridden parts of central Europe or the Orient. They have preserved their original appearance to a remarkable degree.\n\nThe Revelin Fortress, built to command the town moat on its northern side, dates from 1449, though its present appearance is that of the 16th century, when it was remodelled by the architect Antonio Ferramolino di Bergamo.\n\nThe island of Lokrum lies to the south-east of Dubrovnik, some 500 m from the coast. In 1023 it became a Benedictine abbey, the first of several in the Republic of Dubrovnik. The monastic complex (and especially the Church of the Virgin Mary, destroyed by the earthquake of 1667 and not rebuilt) was continually enlarged in succeeding centuries. Following the reform of the Benedictine Order in the later 15th century, the monastery passed to the Congregation of St Justina of Padua, which was responsible for the building of a new monastery in Gothic-Renaissance style to the south of the ruins of the Benedictine establishment.\n\nDuring their occupation of the island in the early 19th century the French began work on the construction of the Fort Royal Fortress, which was completed by the Austrians in the 1830s. In 1859 Archduke Maximilian of Austria (later Emperor of Mexico) bought the island with the intention of building a villa in classical style on the ruins of the Benedictine abbey, but only a small part of this work was completed."
},
{
"id": "83",
"year": 1979,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Palace and Park of Versailles",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N48 48 18 E2 7 10",
"lat": 48.805,
"lng": 2.1194444444444445,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/83",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0083_0019-750-0-20130523172531.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Palace and Park of Versailles © Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Palace and Park of Versailles\n\nThe Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Embellished by several generations of architects, sculptors, decorators and landscape architects, it provided Europe with a model of the ideal royal residence for over a century. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "114",
"year": 1979,
"target": "IRN",
"name": "Persepolis",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N29 56 3.984 E52 53 25.008",
"lat": 29.93444,
"lng": 52.89028,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/114",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0114_0001-750-0-20061213182447.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Persepolis\n\nFounded by Darius I in 518 B.C.,Persepolis\n\n was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It was built on an immense half-artificial, half-natural terrace, where the king of kings created an impressive palace complex inspired by Mesopotamian models. The importance and quality of the monumental ruins make it a unique archaeological site. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "98",
"year": 1979,
"target": "HRV",
"name": "Plitvice Lakes National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N44 52 40.008 E15 36 51.984",
"lat": 44.87778,
"lng": 15.61444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/98",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0098_0003-750-0-20140923151116.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Plitvice Lakes National Park © Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Plitvice Lakes National Park\n\nThe waters flowing over the limestone and chalk have, over thousands of years, deposited travertine barriers, creating natural dams which in turn have created a series of beautiful lakes, caves and waterfalls. These geological processes continue today. The forests in the park are home to bears, wolves and many rare bird species. ",
"longInfo": "Plitvice Lakes were declared public property by the law of 8 April 1949, and a national park in the Official Journal (Narodne novine) NO.29 1949. Accepted as a World Heritage site in 1979 ."
},
{
"id": "85",
"year": 1979,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N45 3 27 E1 10 12",
"lat": 45.0575,
"lng": 1.1700000000000002,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/85",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0085_0001-750-0-20150616165157.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Lascaux cave © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley\n\nThe Vézère valley contains 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic and 25 decorated caves. It is particularly interesting from an ethnological and anthropological, as well as an aesthetic point of view because of its cave paintings, especially those of the Lascaux Cave, whose discovery in 1940 was of great importance for the history of prehistoric art. The hunting scenes show some 100 animal figures, which are remarkable for their detail, rich colours and lifelike quality. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "94",
"year": 1979,
"target": "ITA",
"name": "Rock Drawings in Valcamonica",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N45 57 25.4 E10 17 50.4",
"lat": 45.957055555555556,
"lng": 10.297333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/94",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0094_0001-750-0-20070828113805.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Elisabetta Roffia ",
"shortInfo": "Rock Drawings in Valcamonica\n\nValcamonica, situated in the Lombardy plain, has one of the world's greatest collections of prehistoric petroglyphs – more than 140,000 symbols and figures carved in the rock over a period of 8,000 years and depicting themes connected with agriculture, navigation, war and magic. ",
"longInfo": "The rock engravings of Valcamonica, which date back over 8,000 years, constitute an extraordinary figurative documentation of prehistoric customs and mentality. The systematic interpretation, topological classification, and chronological study of these configurations in stone have made a considerable contribution to the fields of prehistory, sociology and ethnology.\n\nValcamonica is home to the greatest complex of rock drawings in subalpine Italy and there are approximately 250,000 petroglyphs drawn on hundreds of exposed rocks depicting scenes of agriculture, navigation, war and magic. The area where the rock carvings were most plentiful was in the lowest section of the valley between the Concarena and Pizzo Badile Camuno peaks.\n\nSeveral periods of carving can be identified that correspond to the evolution of Cammunic society:\n\nUpper Palaeolithic (c. 8000 BC) showing scenes depicting hunting and early civilisation; Neolithic (4000-3000 BC) towards the end of the glaciation period, the first depictions of a religious nature appear. The human figure became fundamental to the carvings along with depictions of daily life. This period was the high point in Cammunic art. Eneolithic (3000-2000 BC): the quality of the drawings improved and they almost became a narrative with highly detailed hunting and rural life scenes. A very important element is the appearance of scenes depicting female initiation rituals; after 1000 BC the isolation of the Cammuni ended and they began to meet new people, often while defending their territory. Battle scenes are carved into the rocks as well as drawings showing huts, wagons, harvests and weapons. This was when Cammunic art was at its highest point and from then on it began to wane.\n\nThe first rock drawings by man date back to the pre-Boreal climatic interval in the 8th millennium that was characterized by dense pine and birch forest. The first hunters from the Cammuni tribe lived in groups on the hillsides and not the valley floor, especially during thaws, as landslides were commonplace.\n\nBetween the 16th century BC and AD 476, Valcamonica was occupied by the Romans. There were iron mines in this area and Celtic craftsmen were able to produce high-quality steel from it. Full governmental autonomy and Roman citizenship was granted to the residents of the area. Even during Roman times, Valcamonica sustained raiding parties by barbarians. The Herulians arrived after the fall of the Roman Empire and were followed by the Ostrogoths, who brought much death and destruction in 542.\n\nThe Langobards ruled the valley between 568 and 774 when it was taken over by the Franks. Benedictines, sent to the valley to bring Christianity to the community, built churches and alms-houses to help the needy. Around 1000, the farming community began to feel some sense of self-identity and to request self-rule. This was how Le Vicinie were formed - an association of vicini. Communes started to appear after 1164 with approval of the emperor. From 1428, Valcamonica came under the Republic of Venice despite many disputes between Milan and Venice over the acquisition of the valley over the next quarter-century.\n\nThe thriving economy of Valcamonica was based on wool production by the monks, but pastoral work, especially in the high valleys, was also important. The villages that had iron mines began to gain importance. Brescia was overcome by the French in 1769 and Valcamonica took the name of 'Cantone della Montagna' and was split up into seven townships. The borough of Serio was formed in 1797 and included the communes on the right bank of the River Oglio, whereas communes on the left bank came under Brescia. In 1801 all of Valcamonica broke away from Brescian jurisdiction and its annexation by Serio. Agriculture and stock farming suffered drastically during Napoleonic rule. Austria reannexed the valleys to Serio. Between 1815 and 1818, Valcamonica was stricken by famine and plague. At the start of the period of the Kingdom of Italy, the 52 communes were split up in the three districts of Breno, Edolo and Pisogne with Breno as the main district."
},
{
"id": "45",
"year": 1979,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 43 0 E25 58 0",
"lat": 43.71666666666667,
"lng": 25.966666666666665,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/45",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0045_0001-750-0-20090924172939.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo © Klearchos Kapoutsis ",
"shortInfo": "Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo\n\nIn the valley of the Roussenski Lom River, in north east Bulgaria, a complex of rock-hewn churches, chapels, monasteries and cells developed in the vicinity of the village of Ivanovo. This is where the first hermits had dug out their cells and churches during the 12th century. The 14th-century murals testify to the exceptional skill of the artists belonging to the Tarnovo School of painting. ",
"longInfo": "In the valley of the Roussenski Lom River, in north-east Bulgaria, a complex of rock-hewn churches, chapels, monasteries and cells developed in the vicinity of the village of Ivanovo. This is where the first hermits had dug out their cells and churches during the 12th century. The 14th-century murals testify to the exceptional skill of the artists of the Tarnovo school of painting.\n\nThe period of the history of Bulgaria from the last years of the 12th century, when for the second time the country became independent from Byzantium, until the Ottoman Empire annexation in 1396, is known as the Second Bulgarian Empire. Independence from Byzantium could not be complete until the Bulgarian clergy became dependents of the Patriarch of Costantinopoli. In 1204, the Kaloyan Tsar signed an agreement with the Papacy in order to return as part of the Roman Catholic church. It was not to be a long-lasting agreement. During the reign of Tsar Ivan Ansen II, Bulgaria once again embraced Orthodox Christianity, but with its own Patriarch, not subordinate to Costantinople.\n\nThe first Patriarch was the monk Gioacchino, who shared with Ivan Ansen the plan to expand the Bulgarian church. Before taking over the Patriarchal throne he had lived as a hermit in a cave in the river Rusenski Lom valley, not far from the village of Ivanovo. The monk achieved so high a level of sanctity that Tzar Ivan Ansen entrusted to him the construction of a monastery, something which contributed to strengthen his image as a merciful monarch. The convent was built between 1218 and 1235 and had from the outset a rocky character; all its buildings were dug into the limestone cliff gorge of the river and its contributories.\n\nIn the years between 1331 and 1371 the monastery, thanks to further new royal donations, acquired the best of its artistic patrimony: the splendid frescoes attributable to the painters of the so-called Tarnovo School.\n\nDuring the conquest of the country by the Ottoman Turks in 1396, the forgotten monastery of Ivanovo fell quickly into ruins and was abandoned. The solid limestone out of which it was carved and on which frescoes were painted enabled it to resist to the inclemency of the weather. Along the two walls of the Rusenski Lom river gorge there is a labyrinth of cells, of rooms, and above all of churches and chapels dug into the cliff face which were originally completely covered by frescoes, but of which only five are still in good condition.\n\nBearing in mind the fact that three of these churches go back to the reign of Ivan or immediately afterwards, they constitute remarkable evidence of the revolution in painting during the two centuries of the Second Bulgarian Empire. In the churches of the first period, the human figures are painted in the same realistic style, with oval faces and fleshy lips, and the colours of the clothing are bright. The 14th-century frescoes by contrast are in the classical style of the Palaeologic period.\n\nThe five churches and their frescoes are testimony to the Byzantine art influence in Bulgaria. The creation and decoration of these rock-hewn churches is largely attributable to the donations of the Bulgarian Tzars in the 13th and 14th centuries."
},
{
"id": "120",
"year": 1979,
"target": "NPL",
"name": "Sagarmatha National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 57 55.008 E86 54 47.016",
"lat": 27.96528,
"lng": 86.91306,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/120",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0120_0001-750-0-20061214142719.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Sagarmatha National Park\n\nSagarmatha is an exceptional area with dramatic mountains, glaciers and deep valleys, dominated by Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world (8,848 m). Several rare species, such as the snow leopard and the lesser panda, are found in the park. The presence of the Sherpas, with their unique culture, adds further interest to this site. ",
"longInfo": "The Sagarmatha National Park includes the highest point of the Earth's surface, Mount Everest (Sagarmatha). The park is also of major religious and cultural significance in Nepal as it abounds in holy places such as the Thyangboche and also is the homeland of the Sherpas whose way of life is unique, compared with other high-altitude dwellers.\n\nThe park encompasses the upper catchments of the Dudh Kosi River system, which is fan-shaped and forms a distinct geographical unit enclosed on all sides by high mountain ranges. The northern boundary is defined by the main divide of the Great Himalayan Range, which follows the international border with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. In the south, the boundary extends almost as far as Monjo.\n\nThis is a dramatic area of high, geologically young mountains and glaciers. The deeply-incised valleys cut through sedimentary rocks and underlying granites to drain southwards into the Dudh Kosi and its tributaries, which form part of the Ganges River system. The upper catchments of these rivers are fed by glaciers at the head of four main valleys, Chhukhung, Khumbu, Gokyo and Nangpa La. Lakes occur in the upper reaches, notably in the Gokyo Valley, where a number are impounded by the lateral moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier (at 20 km the longest glacier in the park). There are seven peaks over 7,000 m. The mountains have a granite core flanked by metamorphosed sediments and owe their dominating height to two consecutive phases of upthrust. The main uplift occurred during human history, some 500,000-800,000 years ago. Evidence indicates that the uplift is still continuing at a slower rate, but natural erosion processes counteract this to an unknown degree.\n\nIn the region there are six altitudinal vegetation classed, from oak forests at the lowest elevations to lichens and mosses at the highest elevations. The Himalayan zone provides the barrier between the Palaearctic realm and the Indomalayan realm.\n\nMost of the park (69%) comprises barren land above 5,000 m, 28% is grazing land and about 3% is forested. Six of the 11 vegetation zones in the Nepal Himalaya are represented in the park: lower subalpine; upper subalpine; lower alpine; upper alpine; and subnival zone. Oak used to be the dominant species in the upper montane zone but former stands of this species.\n\nIn common with the rest of the Nepal Himalaya, the park has a comparatively low number of mammalian species, apparently due to the geologically recent origin of the Himalaya and other evolutionary factors. The low density of mammal populations is almost certainly the result of human activities. Larger mammals include common langur, jackal, a small number of wolf, Himalayan black bear, red panda, yellow-throated marten, Himalayan weasel, masked palm civet, snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer, Indian muntjac, serow, Himalayan tahr and goral. Sambar has also been recorded. Smaller mammals include short-tailed mol, Tibetan water shrew, Himalayan water shrew; marmot, woolly hare, rat and house mouse.\n\nInskipp lists 152 species of bird, 36 of which are breeding species for which Nepal may hold internationally significant populations. The park is important for a number of species breeding at high altitudes. The park's small lakes, especially those at Gokyo, are used as staging points for migrants. A total of six amphibians and seven reptiles occur or probably occur in the park.\n\nThere are approximately 2,500 Sherpa people living within the park. The people are primarily Tibetan Buddhists. Their activities are primarily agricultural or trade based. Their properties have been excluded from the park by legal definition. There is and will continue to be an influence on the people by the park and vice versa. The Sherpas are of great cultural interest, having originated from Salmo Gang in the eastern Tibetan province of Kham, some 2,000 km from their present homeland. They probably left their original home in the late 1400s or early 1500s, to escape political and military pressures, and later crossed the Nangpa La into Nepal in the early 1530s. They separated into two groups, some settling in Khumbu and others proceeding to Solu. The two clans (Minyagpa and Thimmi) remaining in Khumbu are divided into 12 subclans. Both the population and the growth of the monasteries took a dramatic upturn soon after that time. The Sherpas belong to the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, which was founded by the revered Guru Rimpoche who was legendarily born of a lotus in the middle of a lake. There are several monasteries in the park, the most important being Tengpoche."
},
{
"id": "96",
"year": 1979,
"target": "SRB",
"name": "Stari Ras and Sopoćani",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 7 8.004 E20 25 22.008",
"lat": 43.11889,
"lng": 20.42278,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/96",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0096_0001-750-0-20090928185416.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Stari Ras and Sopocani © Lumen roma ",
"shortInfo": "Stari Ras and Sopoćani\n\nOn the outskirts of Stari Ras, the first capital of Serbia, there is an impressive group of medieval monuments consisting of fortresses, churches and monasteries. The monastery at Sopoćani is a reminder of the contacts between Western civilization and the Byzantine world. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "113",
"year": 1979,
"target": "IRN",
"name": "Tchogha Zanbil",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N32 4 59.88 E48 31 60",
"lat": 32.0833,
"lng": 48.53333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/113",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0113_0015-750-0-20131029160318.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Tchogha Zanbil © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Tchogha Zanbil\n\nThe ruins of the holy city of the Kingdom of Elam, surrounded by three huge concentric walls, are found atTchogha Zanbil\n\n. Founded c. 1250 B.C., the city remained unfinished after it was invaded by Ashurbanipal, as shown by the thousands of unused bricks left at the site. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "44",
"year": 1979,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 37 0 E25 23 60",
"lat": 42.61666666666667,
"lng": 25.4,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/44",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0044_0001-750-0-20100520161237.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak © Yvon Fruneau ",
"shortInfo": "Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak\n\nDiscovered in 1944, this tomb dates from the Hellenistic period, around the end of the 4th century BC. It is located near Seutopolis, the capital city of the Thracian king Seutes III, and is part of a large Thracian necropolis. The tholos has a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber, both decorated with murals representing Thracian burial rituals and culture. These paintings are Bulgaria’s best-preserved artistic masterpieces from the Hellenistic period. ",
"longInfo": "In 1942 a tomb dated to the 3rd century BC was discovered near Kazanlak in the romantic Valley of Roses, near the ancient city of Teutopolis. The Kazanlak Tomb is a peak in the development of Hellenistic art; it is a significant contribution to the art of the entire Hellenistic world.\n\nThe numerous burial mounds in the Kazanlak area (more than 500), together with the remains of Thracian settlements, including Seuthopolis, the only Thracian city that has been completely excavated, preserved and researched, show that the area was inhabited by a large Thracian population, which reached the height of its cultural development during the 5th to 3rd centuries BC.\n\nSeuthopolis was founded by the Thracian King Seuth III at the end of the 4th century BC. The city was fortified, with a layout based on the principles of the Greek polis. Monumental works of Thracian architecture have been found in Seuthopolis, such as the palace-temple, with interiors decorated with murals, and the temples of Dionysius and the Great Thracian Gods. Seven brick tombs were discovered in the necropolis, four of which are of the beehive type. The use of brickwork in the making of tombs is typical for the area of Seuthopolis: nowhere else in Thrace were bricks used so widely in building.\n\nThe tomb stands on top of a rocky hill, and has been constructed without deep foundations. It comprises the three chambers required by the Thracian cult of the dead: an antechamber for the chariot, horses, or slaves which accompanied the dead man in the after-life; a corridor (dromos), which was a small room for the things needed in the after-life; and a burial chamber for the body itself. The three components have different shapes and dimensions.\n\nThe murals are the chief asset of the Kazanlak Tomb, because they are the only entirely preserved work of Hellenistic art that has been found in exactly the state in which it was originally designed and executed. They start from the antechamber. The walls are of a light ochre colour, against which large stones are outlined with dark-blue lines, in imitation of squared stonework, thus creating a solemn atmosphere before entering the corridor and burial chamber. Only a small part of this decoration is preserved, high on the east wall of the antechamber. The entrance to the corridor has a painted dark-ochre frame.\n\nThe painting in the corridor and the burial chamber in fact represent a monumental facade. It begins with a high podium, above it follows the neutral load-bearing wall, and then the composition ends in architectural details with pictures between them.\n\nThe artworks in the Tomb reach their peak in the burial chamber. The floor is coloured in Pompeian red. The podium stands on the circle of the plinth and is covered on the top with a wide black band. The plinth imitates pink marble with light blue veins. The podium consists of eight squares divided with grooves imitating marble facing. The load-bearing wall coloured in Pompeian red follows above the black band. The composition in the burial chamber is designed with great skill and knowledge of the architectural elements of the Ionic entablature. The painter, however, has intentionally infringed the Ionic proportions with the large figure frieze. He thus achieved an exceptional impact by enclosing the entire composition in a colourful frame of architectural motifs.\n\nThe murals were executed on the basis of a preliminary design drawn upon the final fine layer of plaster. Even today faint lines incised on the wet plaster can be distinguished, marking out the plinths and the contours of the vault. The pattern of the Kazanlak Tomb murals shows that they were not painted spontaneously: the paintings are a result of carefully premeditated artistic composition executed in accordance with a precise project. The architecture and the pattern of the composition were prepared together as an integrated work of art. It is clear that both were the work of one person - an artist-architect."
},
{
"id": "64",
"year": 1979,
"target": "GTM",
"name": "Tikal National Park",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N17 13 0 W89 37 0",
"lat": 17.216666666666665,
"lng": -89.61666666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/64",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0064_0008-750-0-20130222144506.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Tikal © B. Doucin/L.Lalait ",
"shortInfo": "Tikal National Park\n\nIn the heart of the jungle, surrounded by lush vegetation, lies one of the major sites of Mayan civilization, inhabited from the 6th century B.C. to the 10th century A.D. The ceremonial centre contains superb temples and palaces, and public squares accessed by means of ramps. Remains of dwellings are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside. ",
"longInfo": "Together with Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, Maya is the most important reserve in the country, because of its archaeological and bio/ecological interest. Rivers, lakes, swamps and flooding savannas are important for biodiversity and for migratory birds. The reserve contains the largest area of tropical rainforest in Guatemala and Central America, with a wide range of unspoilt natural habitats. A large area of the reserve still comprises dense broadleaved forests with more than 300 species of commercially useful trees, such as cedar, mahogany, ramon (bread-nut tree), Araceae\n\n(osier for furniture), chicle, pepper and others.\n\nThe soils of El Petén-Caribbean form a sedimentary basin with deposits from the Mesozoic and the Tertiary periods. They contain limestone and dolomites showing Cretaceous characteristics of karst formations with a broken relief. Soils are clayey and slightly permeable, with internal drainage, and easily compactable. Two types are found in the reserve: the Yucatan shelf to the north, formed by small hills, and the Lacandon mountain chain in the centre, consisting of rounded hills of calcareous origin, mountain chains, lagoons and alluvial plains. In the Lacandon area, soils are poor and there are abrupt cliffs. In the Tikal, Uaxactun and Dos Lagunas areas, the topography is undulating and soils are well drained. Laguna del Tigre and Laguna de Yaxha are the main lagoons found in the wetland area, where there are a large number of 'aguadas' or superficial swamps. The rivers in the reserve are part of the drainage basin of the Usumacinta River in the Gulf of Mexico. This is one of the most extensive wetland systems in Central America.\n\nTikal protects some 22,100 ha of rainforest. The rich vegetation includes; species of savannah such as nance; high altitude forest with chicle, ramon , West Indian mahogany, cedar, palma de botan (palm) and palma de escobo , 'tinto' lowland forest. Other common tree species include cedar and the palm. Over 2,000 plant species were identified in the park area. Local people use forest species such as chicle, pepper, cedar, mahogany and ramon and the use of leaves and flowers from Chamaedorea and Araceae spp. are used for ornamental purposes.\n\nFifty-four species of mammal occur, including mantled howler monkey, spider monkey, giant anteater, lesser anteater, dwarf anteater, three-toed sloth, nine-banded armadillo, squirrel, pocket gopher, raccoon, brown coati, kinkajou, tayra, paca, long-tailed weasel, hooded skunk, otter, puma, margay, ocelot, jaguarundi, jaguar, Baird's tapir which is limited by water availability, collared and white-lipped peccaries, white-tailed deer and red brocket deer. The avifauna comprises 333 species, representing 63 of the 74 families in Guatemala, and includes ocellated turkey, red macaw, jaribu stork and many others, including crested eagle.\n\nReptiles and amphibians include Morelet's crocodile, the Central American river turtle, nine families of amphibian and six genera of turtles, as well as 38 species of non-poisonous and poisonous snakes including coral snake, four species of Bothrops and two subspecies of rattlesnake Crotalus. A rich invertebrate fauna, especially arthropods, also occurs.\n\nIn the heart of this jungle, surrounded by lush vegetation, lies one of the major sites of the Mayan civilization. The ceremonial centre contains superb temples and palaces, and public squares accessed by means of ramps. Remains of dwellings are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside. The ruined city reflects the cultural evolution of Mayan society from hunter- gathering to farming, with an elaborate religious, artistic and scientific culture which finally collapsed in the late 9th century. At its height, AD 700-800, the city supported a population of 90,000 Mayan Indians. There are over 3,000 separate buildings dating from 600 BC to AD 900, including temples, residences, religious monuments decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions and tombs. Excavations have yielded remains of cotton, tobacco, beans, pumpkins, peppers and many fruits of pre-Columbian origin. Large areas are still to be excavated."
},
{
"id": "58",
"year": 1979,
"target": "NOR",
"name": "Urnes Stave Church",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N61 17 60 E7 19 59.988",
"lat": 61.3,
"lng": 7.33333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/58",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0058_0007-750-0-20140617114116.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Urnes Stave Church © Our Place ",
"shortInfo": "Urnes Stave Church\n\nThe wooden church of Urnes (the stavkirke) stands in the natural setting of Sogn og Fjordane. It was built in the 12th and 13th centuries and is an outstanding example of traditional Scandinavian wooden architecture. It brings together traces of Celtic art, Viking traditions and Romanesque spatial structures. ",
"longInfo": "The stave churches constitute one of the most elaborate types of wood construction which are typical of northern Europe from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages.\n\nChristianity was introduced into Norway during the reign of St Olav (1016-30). The churches were built on the classic basilical plan, but entirely of wood. The roof frames were lined with boards and the roof itself covered with shingles in accordance with construction techniques which were widespread in Scandinavian countries.\n\nAmong the roughly 1,300 medieval stave churches indexed, about 30 remain in Norway. Some of them are very large, such as Borgund, Hopperstad or Heddal churches, whereas others, such as Torpo or Underdal, are tiny. Urnes Church was selected to represent this outstanding series of wood buildings for a number of reasons, which make it an exceptional monument:\n\nIts antiquity: This church, which was rebuilt towards the mid-12th century, includes some elements originating from a stave church built about one century earlier whose location was revealed by the 1956-57 excavations.\n\nThe exemplary nature of its structure: This is characterized by the use of cylindrical columns with cubic capitals and semicircular arches, all of which use wood, the indigenous building material, to express the language of stone Romanesque architecture.\n\nThe outstanding quality of its sculpted monumental decor: On the outside, this includes strapwork panels and elements of Viking tradition taken from the preceding building (11th century). In the interior is an amazing series of 12th-century figurative capitals that constitute the origin of the Urnes Style production.\n\nThe wealth of liturgical objects of the medieval period: This includes Christ, the Virgin and St John as elements of a rood beam, a pulpit of sculpted wood, enamelled bronze candlesticks, the corona of light, etc.\n\nExcellent conservation of a perfectly homogeneous ensemble: The embellishment of the 17th century (1601 and c. 1700) and the restorations of 1906-10 preserved its authenticity completely.\n\nThe location of the church within the backdrop of a glacial valley on the north bank of Sognefjord."
},
{
"id": "84",
"year": 1979,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Vézelay, Church and Hill",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 27 59 E3 44 54",
"lat": 47.46638888888889,
"lng": 3.7483333333333335,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/84",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0084_0064-750-0-20130114173907.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Vézelay, Church and Hill © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Vézelay, Church and Hill\n\nShortly after its foundation in the 9th century, the Benedictine abbey of Vézelay acquired the relics of St Mary Magdalene and since then it has been an important place of pilgrimage. St Bernard preached the Second Crusade there in 1146 and Richard the Lion-Hearted and Philip II Augustus met there to leave for the Third Crusade in 1190. With its sculpted capitals and portal, the Madeleine of Vézelay – a 12th-century monastic church – is a masterpiece of Burgundian Romanesque art and architecture. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "63",
"year": 1979,
"target": "COD",
"name": "Virunga National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N0 55 0 E29 10 0",
"lat": 0.9166666666666666,
"lng": 29.166666666666668,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/63",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0063_0001-750-0-20150413150423.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Virunga National Park © Fauna & Flora International ",
"shortInfo": "Virunga National Park\n\nVirunga National Park (covering an area of 790,000 ha) comprises an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes to the snowfields of Rwenzori at an altitude of over 5,000 m, and from lava plains to the savannahs on the slopes of volcanoes. Mountain gorillas are found in the park, some 20,000 hippopotamuses live in the rivers and birds from Siberia spend the winter there. ",
"longInfo": "The park lies in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the border with Uganda and Rwanda, and includes part of Lake Edward (Idi Amin), the Semliki River valley, parts of the Rwindi, Ishasha and Rutshuru valleys south of the lake, the Virunga area within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and part of the Rwenzori range. Lake Edward belongs to the Nile river system and Lake Kivu to the Congo Basin river system.\n\nFeatures include hot springs in the Rwindi plains and the Virunga Massif volcanoes, such as Nyamulagira (3,068 m) and Nyiragongo (3,470 m), are still active. The areas of lowest and highest rainfall in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are in Virunga National Park.\n\nThe considerable altitudinal range results in marked climatic variations which affect the overall biological and geographical diversity of habitats. Habitat types include lakes at various altitudes, marshy deltas and peat bogs, savannahs and lava plains, low altitude equatorial forest, high-altitude glaciers, and snowfields (the Rwenzori peaks have permanent snow cover).\n\nLocated at the border between several biogeographic zones, the park protects both tropical rainforest and eastern steppe species, and its range of altitudes adds to the habitat variety. The diversity includes: bamboo and Hagenia forest on the mountains; equatorial forest along the Semiliki; wooded savannah of the Rwindi; steppes; various low savannahs; swamps and transitional habitats; dry thick forest; Neoboutonia macrocalyx forest on the lava plains; wet thick forest; alpine forests; and sparse vegetation above 4,300 m comprising mainly lichens and spermatophyta, although Graminae have been found growing at over 5,000 m.\n\nSome of the largest wild animal concentrations in Africa occur along the rivers of the park. Mammals in the savannah of the Rwindi area include: elephant, hippopotamus, buffalo, numerous antelope including kob, defassa waterbuck and topi, warthog, lion and various monkeys. Large numbers of pelicans occur on the lower Rutshuru. In the Semiliki Valley and on the slopes of the Virunga mountains are gorilla, chimpanzee and okapi. In the extreme north are forest hog and bongo. Birds include Nahan's francolin, forest ground thrush, shoebill and probably papyrus yellow warbler."
},
{
"id": "15",
"year": 1980,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Aksum",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N14 7 48.684 E38 43 6.996",
"lat": 14.13019,
"lng": 38.718610000000005,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/15",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0015_0001-750-0-20110920195409.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Aksum\n\nThe ruins of the ancient city ofAksum\n\n are found close to Ethiopia's northern border. They mark the location of the heart of ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom ofAksum\n\n was the most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. The massive ruins, dating from between the 1st and the 13th century A.D., include monolithic obelisks, giant stelae, royal tombs and the ruins of ancient castles. Long after its political decline in the 10th century, Ethiopian emperors continued to be crowned inAksum\n\n. ",
"longInfo": "The ruins of the ancient city of Aksum are located close to Ethiopia's northern border. They mark the location of the heart of ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom of Aksum was the most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. The massive ruins, dating from between the 1st and 13th centuries, include monolithic obelisks, giant stelae, royal tombs and the ruins of ancient castles. Long after its political decline in the 10th century, Ethiopian emperors continued to be crowned in Aksum.\n\nBeginning around the 2nd millennium BCE and continuing until the 4th century CE there was immigration into the Ethiopian region. The immigrants came mostly from a region of western Yemen associated with the Sabean culture. Conditions in their homelands were most probably so harsh that the only means of escape was by a direct route across the Red Sea into Eritrea. By the 4th century, Aksum was already at its peak in land sovereignty, which included most of southern Yemen.\n\nThe city of Aksum emerged several centuries before the birth of Christ, as the capital of a state that traded with ancient Greece, Egypt and Asia. With its fleets sailing as far afield as Ceylon, Aksum later became the most important power between the Roman Empire and Persia, and for a while controlled parts of South Arabia. Aksum, whose name first appears in the 1st century AD in the Periplus of the Eritrean Sea, is considered to be the heart of ancient Ethiopia. Indeed, the kingdom which held sway over this area at this time took its name from the city. The ruins of the site spread over a large area and are composed of tall, obelisk-like stelae of imposing height, an enormous table of stone, vestiges of columns and royal tombs inscribed with Aksumite legends and traditions. In the western sector of the city there are also the ruins of three castles from the 1st century AD.\n\nThe earliest records and legends suggest that it was from Aksum that Makeda, the fabled Queen of Sheba, journeyed to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem. A son was born to the queen from her union with Solomon. This son, Menelik I, grew up in Ethiopia but travelled to Jerusalem as a young man, where he spent several years before returning to his own country with the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark, according to Ethiopian belief, has remained in Aksum ever since (in an annex to the Church of St Mary of Zion).\n\n In addition to the old St Mary of Zion church, there are many other remains in Aksum dating back to pre- and early Christian times. Among these, a series of inscriptions on stone tablets have proved to be of immense importance to historians of the ancient world. They include a trilingual text in Greek, Sabaean (the language of South Arabia) and Ge'ez (classical Ethiopian), ordered by King Ezana in the 4th century AD, along with the 3,000-year-old stelae and obelisks. The standing obelisk rises to a height of over 23 m and is exquisitely carved to represent a nine-storey building in the fashion of the 'tower-houses' of southern Arabia.\n\nAksum inherited a culture highly influenced by southern Arabia. The Aksumites' language, Ge'ez, was a modified version of the southern Arabian rudiments, with admixtures of Greek and perhaps Cushitic tongues already present in the region. Their architectural art was inherited from southern Arabian art; some Aksumite artwork contained combinations of Middle Eastern deities.\n\nFrom its capital on the Tigray Plateau, Aksum was in command of the ivory trade with Sudan. It also dominated the trade route leading south and the port of Adulis on the Gulf of Zola. Its success depended on resourceful techniques, the production of coins, steady migrations of Graeco-Roman merchants and ships landing at the port of Adulis. In exchange for Aksum's goods, traders offered many kinds of cloth, jewellery and metals, especially steel for weapons.\n\nAt its peak, Aksum controlled territories as far as southern Egypt, east to the Gulf of Aden, south to the Omo River, and west to the Cushite Kingdom of Meroë. The South Arabian kingdom of the Himyarites was also under the control of Aksum. Unlike the nobility, the people used salt and iron bars as money and barter remained their main source of commerce."
},
{
"id": "102",
"year": 1980,
"target": "DZA",
"name": "Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N35 49 6.384 E4 47 12.624",
"lat": 35.81844,
"lng": 4.78684,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/102",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0102_0001-750-0-20130925184001.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "The ruins of Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad, the first capital of the Hammadid emirs, founded in 1007 and demolished in 1152. © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad\n\nIn a mountainous site of extraordinary beauty, the ruins of the first capital of the Hammadid emirs, founded in 1007 and demolished in 1152, provide an authentic picture of a fortified Muslim city. The mosque, whose prayer room has 13 aisles with eight bays, is one of the largest in Algeria. ",
"longInfo": "The ensemble of preserved ruins known as the Al Qal'ah of Beni Hammad is situated on the southern flank of the Jebel Maâdid in a mountainous setting of striking beauty. It bears exceptional witness to a cultural tradition: it is one of the most interesting and most precisely dated monumental complexes of the Islamic civilization and provides an authentic picture of a fortified Muslim city.\n\nIn a mountainous site at 1,000 m above sea level, on the southern flank of the Jebel Maâdid, are to be found the ruins of the first capital of the Hammadid emirs, founded in 1007 by Hammad, son of Bologhine, the founder of Algiers. The city was abandoned in 1090 when it was menaced by a Hilalian invasion, and finally destroyed in 1152 by the Almohads. It enjoyed great splendour during the 11th century. The Al Qal'a encompasses a large number of monumental remains, among which are the Great Mosque and its minaret, as well as a series of palaces including the Kanar, Greeting and Lake Palaces.\n\nThe mosque, with its prayer room of 13 aisles with eight bays, is one of the largest in Algeria after that of Mansura. The minaret, 25 m high, is the prototype of the three-tiered minaret composition which may be seen most notably at the Giralda of Seville. The palatial ruins bear witness to the great refinement of the Hammadid civilization.\n\nThe Castle of the Beacon Light, set on a sheer rocky peak from which its keep dominated the surrounding area, was inspired by the layout of eastern palaces. The palace of the Hammadid emirs is a complex made up of three residences separated by gardens, pavilions and cisterns.\n\nExcavations have brought to light the locations of other palaces, as well as an abundance of other material which is exhibited in the museums of Sétif, Constantine and Algiers."
},
{
"id": "22",
"year": 1980,
"target": "SYR",
"name": "Ancient City of Bosra",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N32 31 5.016 E36 28 54.012",
"lat": 32.51806,
"lng": 36.48167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/22",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0022_0001-750-0-20100520145750.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Yvon Fruneau ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient City of Bosra\n\nBosra, once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, was an important stopover on the ancient caravan route to Mecca. A magnificent 2nd-century Roman theatre, early Christian ruins and several mosques are found within its great walls. ",
"longInfo": "Bosra is associated with important events in the history of ideas and beliefs: according to tradition its bishop took part in the Council of Antioch, while the Prophet Muhammad came there twice and, at the time of his first visit, is said to have learned the precepts of Christianity from a Nestorian monk named Bahira. The monuments built in different times make Bosra a city of extreme rarity, of universal importance and of unique aesthetic value\n\nThe old city of Bosra was the northern capital of the Nabataean kingdom of the Roman province of Arabia, referred to in the Bible, in AD 106. It was successively an important religious metropolis of the Byzantine Empire and a caravan centre, in the role of a large frontier market on the pilgrim route to Mecca.The square minarets are without doubt the oldest still standing in the whole of Islam. The significance of the city as an important stop on the way to Mecca and the prosperity that this brought lasted until the 17th century. By then the region was becoming unsafe and pilgrims began to take a less dangerous route further west.\n\nOf the city which once counted 80,000 inhabitants, there remains today only a village of striking beauty, settled among the ruins. The 2nd century Roman theatre, probably built under Trajan, is the only monument of this type with its upper gallery in the form of a covered portico that has been integrally preserved. This unique monument, enclosed by the walls and towers of a splendid citadel fortified between 481 and 1231, alone would suffice for the glory of Bosra. From outside it could be an Arab fortress similar to many others. On a semi-circular front, great square towers built from enormous blocks of stone (some of the corner ones are more than 5 m high) project from the blind ramparts. A deep ditch, the first line of defence, is crossed on a six-arched bridge. An iron-bound gate, a series of vaulted rooms, twisting passages, rampart walks, and all kinds of defensive works give an impression of the military quality of the castle, but there is no preparation for the discovery that right at its heart lies a splendid ancient theatre.\n\nThe two structures, both equally fine, are closely integrated into one another. The 13th-century enclosing wall completely encircles the cavea of the theatre. When the Arabs entered Bosra they immediately blocked all the doors and openings of the ancient theatre with thick walls, thus transforming it into an easily defensible citadel. But the new threats posed by the Crusaders rendered these early defences inadequate; so in the mid-11th century three towers were built, jutting out from the Roman building; nine other larger ones followed between 1202 and 1251. Later accretions overlaid the interior of the theatre and its ranges of seats, but at the same time preserved them. This interior has now been fully uncovered and restored in its entire majestic entirety by the Department of Antiquities, which began its work here shortly after Syria became independent.\n\nThere is room for 15,000 spectators to face a stage 45 m long and 8.5 m deep, and a stage wall whose base is emphasized by a series of Corinthian columns. Many details of its architecture proclaim the perfection of its construction and the concern of its 2nd-century builders for the comfort of the audience. Furthermore, sources reveal that the whole theatre was draped with silk hangings that protected audiences from both summer sun and winter rain. Perfumed water was also evaporated in the theatre - the ultimate touch of style and refinement.\n\nIn Bosra, Nabatean and Roman monuments, Christian churches, mosques and madrasas come together, all equally celebrated: they are to be found within the half-ruined enceinte of the city. The basilica of the martyrs Sergios, Bacchos and Leontios, the cathedral of Bosra, was completed in 513 by Archbishop Julianus. The structure of this monument, a central plan with eastern apses flanked by two sacristies, exerted a decisive influence on the evolution of Christian architectural forms, and to a certain extent on Islamic forms as well. The Mosque of Omar, restored in 1950, is one of the rare constructions of the 1st century of the Hegira preserved in Syria. The Jami' Mabrak an-Naqua madrasa is one of the oldest and most celebrated of Islam."
},
{
"id": "138",
"year": 1980,
"target": "PAK",
"name": "Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 19 45 E68 8 20",
"lat": 27.329166666666666,
"lng": 68.1388888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/138",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0138_0001-750-0-20090514115329.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro\n\nThe ruins of the huge city of Moenjodaro – built entirely of unbaked brick in the 3rd millennium B.C. – lie in the Indus valley. The acropolis, set on high embankments, the ramparts, and the lower town, which is laid out according to strict rules, provide evidence of an early system of town planning. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "35",
"year": 1980,
"target": "GHA",
"name": "Asante Traditional Buildings",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N6 24 4 W1 37 33",
"lat": 6.401111111111112,
"lng": -1.6258333333333335,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/35",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0035_0001-750-0-20091006123446.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Bâtiments traditionnels ashanti © Sébastien Moriset ",
"shortInfo": "Asante Traditional Buildings\n\nTo the north-east of Kumasi, these are the last material remains of the great Asante civilization, which reached its high point in the 18th century. Since the dwellings are made of earth, wood and straw, they are vulnerable to the onslaught of time and weather. ",
"longInfo": "To the north-east of Kumasi are to be found the last material remains of the great Asante civilization, which reached its high point in the 18th century. As the dwellings are made from earth, wood and straw, they are vulnerable to the onslaught of time and weather. These buildings are the last remaining material testament of the great Asante civilization, of which they are a perfect illustration.\n\nThe traditional Asante (Ashanti) buildings are spread throughout the north and north-east of Kumasi. The majority of the Asante villages were destroyed during the 19th century in the wars undertaken by this people against English domination between 1806 and 1901. It was during this period that the royal mausoleum (Barem) was burned by Baden-Powell in 1895. There exists today only a small number of the traditional structures, habitats of men and gods, of which the majority are less than 100 years old.\n\nThe disposition of these structures is well known through eyewitness reports by early European travellers as well as contemporary studies. A series of poles and wooden imposts linked by bamboo slats form the framework which supports the thatched roof. The floor is of puddled clay. A rich decor of earth-facing over a core of wood reigns over the principal facade; this is comprised of a balustrade, imposts, and sometimes windows whose decorative openwork may be likened to that of the transenna (a heavy grill-work used for closing off the tombs of Christian martyrs). The decoration consists of geometric, floral, animal, or anthropomorphic motives.\n\nThe preservation of these structures built from heterogeneous material poses a difficult, if not insoluble, problem. The thatched roofs are made from obviously fragile material. At the time of the publication of Michael Swithenbank's basic book, Ashanti Fetish Houses, the majority of the houses had been given a roofing of corrugated iron. Since then, maintenance efforts have been agreed to by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.\n\nThe wood of the framework of the roof, essentially derived from two tropical species (Hippocrates africana and Hippocrates rowlandii), is known for its resistance against termites. However, it does not appear to be very durable, owing to the process of biological deterioration at this latitude. The existence of the clay facings covering the wood core can likewise not be guaranteed over the coming decades."
},
{
"id": "140",
"year": 1980,
"target": "PAK",
"name": "Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N34 19 15 E71 56 45",
"lat": 34.32083333333334,
"lng": 71.94583333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/140",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org/",
"imageAuthor": "",
"shortInfo": "Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol\n\nThe Buddhist monastic complex of Takht-i-Bahi (Throne of Origins) was founded in the early 1st century. Owing to its location on the crest of a high hill, it escaped successive invasions and is still exceptionally well preserved. Nearby are the ruins of Sahr-i-Bahlol, a small fortified city dating from the same period. ",
"longInfo": "The Buddhist ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and the neighbouring city remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol are among the most characteristic of this type of structure.\n\nThe Buddhist monastic complex of Takht-i-Bahi (Throne of Origins) is situated on top of a 152 m high hill, about 80 km from Peshawar and 16 km north-west of the city of Mardan. It was founded in the early 1st century AD, and was successively occupied and expanded from that time until it fell into disuse through the discontinuation of charitable endowments in modern times. Owing to its location on the crest of a hill, it escaped the invasions of the Huns and other antagonistic peoples, leaving it today with much of its original character intact. The name Takht-i-Bahi derives from the spring on the hilltop and is literally translated as 'Spring Throne'.\n\nThe complex, the most impressive and complete Buddhist monastery in Pakistan, consists of four main groups:\n\nIn 1871, many sculptures were found at Takht-i-Bahi. Some depicted stories from the life of the Buddha while others, more devotional in nature, included the Buddha and Bodhisattava.\n\nThe Court of Stupas is surrounded on three sides by open alcoves or chapels. The excavators were of the view that originally they contained single plaster statues of the Buddha sitting or standing, dedicated in memory of holy men or donated by rich pilgrims. The monastery to the north was probably a two-storey structure consisting of an open court, ringed with cells, kitchens and a refectory."
},
{
"id": "93",
"year": 1980,
"target": "ITA",
"name": "Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N45 27 57.2 E9 10 13.8",
"lat": 45.46588888888889,
"lng": 9.170499999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/93",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0093_0006-750-0-20150623140436.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with \"The Last Supper\" by Leonardo da Vinci © Our Place ",
"shortInfo": "Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci\n\nThe refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie forms an integral part of this architectural complex, begun in Milan in 1463 and reworked at the end of the 15th century by Bramante. On the north wall is The Last Supper, the unrivalled masterpiece painted between 1495 and 1497 by Leonardo da Vinci, whose work was to herald a new era in the history of art. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "131",
"year": 1980,
"target": "MLT",
"name": "City of Valletta",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N35 54 2.016 E14 30 51.984",
"lat": 35.90056,
"lng": 14.51444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/131",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0131_0028-750-0-20120323173206.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Tim Schnarr ",
"shortInfo": "City of Valletta\n\nThe capital of Malta is inextricably linked to the history of the military and charitable Order of St John of Jerusalem. It was ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St John. Valletta’s 320 monuments, all within an area of 55 ha, make it one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. ",
"longInfo": "Valletta is pre-eminently an ideal creation of the late Renaissance with its uniform urban plan, inspired by neo-Platonic principles, its fortified and bastioned walls modelled around the natural site, and the voluntary implantation of great monuments in well-chosen locations.\n\nThe capital of Malta is one of the rare urban inhabited sites that has preserved in near entirety its original features. It is inextricably linked to the history of the military and charitable Order of St John of Jerusalem. It was ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St John. The city has undergone no important modifications since 1798, the date when it was abandoned by the Knights of St John.\n\nWithin the confines of the fortified peninsula of Valletta, which constitutes one of the most attractive natural sites of the Mediterranean, dominating the two ports of Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour, the density of the buildings dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries is impressive. After the great siege of Malta in 1565, the new city, based on an orthogonal urban plan, was founded by the Italian engineer Francesco Laparelli of Cortona (1521-70), the planning being carried out by Girolamo Cassar. The fortification and the uniform urban plan of Valletta were inspired by architectural principles of the Italian Renaissance in combination with techniques of contemporary city-planning and aesthetic considerations of urban theorists. The buildings of the order are harmoniously integrated within the uniform grille of the streets: the Cathedral of St John (former Conventual Church of the Order, 1573), Palace of the Grand Master (end of 16th century), Auberge de Castille et Leon (1574), Auberge de Provence (1571-75), Auberge d'Italie (1574), Auberge d'Aragon (end of 16th century) and Infirmary of the Order (end of 16th century).\n\nThe same is true of the great religious buildings as Our Lady of Victory (1566), St Catherine (1576), and Il Gesù (1595). The improvements attributed to the military engineers and architects of the 18th century have not disturbed this harmony (Auberge de Bavière, Church of the Shipwreck of St Paul, Library and Mantel Theatre, etc.). The total of 320 historic monuments within a confined area of 55 ha is among the most strongly concentrated of this nature in the world.\n\nThe interweave of the urban fabric is of excellent quality and even the minor architecture has undergone no substantial alteration. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the influence of English architecture has combined in a surprising manner with that of the older existing local structures, creating new and original forms (for example narrow houses with bow windows, which fit well into the urban milieu. Moreover, the state of preservation of its well-constructed patrimony serves to make Valletta an example of historic conservation on a universal scale."
},
{
"id": "100",
"year": 1980,
"target": "MNE",
"name": "Durmitor National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 7 58.8 E19 0 59.76",
"lat": 43.133,
"lng": 19.0166,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/100",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0100_0001-750-0-20090930160049.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Durmitor National Park © Mladen Jablanovic ",
"shortInfo": "Durmitor National Park\n\nThis breathtaking national park was formed by glaciers and is traversed by rivers and underground streams. Along the Tara river canyon, which has the deepest gorges in Europe, the dense pine forests are interspersed with clear lakes and harbour a wide range of endemic flora. ",
"longInfo": "192 as a national park (Sluzbeni list Nar. Rep. Crne Gore \"No. 14/1952). Accepted as a World Heritage site in 1980."
},
{
"id": "135",
"year": 1980,
"target": "PAN",
"name": "Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N9 33 14 W79 39 21",
"lat": 9.55388888888889,
"lng": -79.65583333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/135",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0135_0001-750-0-20110920195548.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo\n\nMagnificent examples of 17th- and 18th-century military architecture, these Panamanian forts on the Caribbean coast form part of the defence system built by the Spanish Crown to protect transatlantic trade. ",
"longInfo": "The group of 17th- and 18th-century fortifications, the historic sites of Portobelo and San Lorenzo, are outstanding examples of Spanish colonial military architecture of this period. These fortifications, imbued with history, are a magnificent example of Spanish military architecture, located in a natural setting of great beauty.\n\nThe forts, castles, barracks and batteries of Portobelo created a defensive line around the bay and protected the harbour; the works at San Lorenzo guarded the mouth of the Chagres River. Conquered by Henry Morgan in 1668 and by Admiral Edward Vernon in 1739, these fortifications were continuously rebuilt because they command the access to the Isthmus of Panama, which has always been of the utmost importance for Europe's commerce with its colonies. In 1761 the Spaniards rebuilt the fort for the third time, building the structures seen today. However, trade routes had changed and the new fort did not suffer any new attacks.\n\nAntonelli's Spanish military architecture characterizes the first construction period (1596-99) and the neoclassical style of Salas and Hernandez (1753-60) dominated afterwards.\n\nThe Pan American Institute of Geography and History, along with other international organizations, already recognizes the sites of Portobelo and San Lorenzo El Real to be of universal importance; they are an essential link to an understanding of American history. The forts are however in a poor state of preservation.\n\nFort San Lorenzo was abandoned by Spain in 1821 when Panama became independent. After Panama became part of Colombia, the fort was used as a prison, then as the point of entry for mail from Britain to Latin America. During the California Gold Rush in 1849 it served as a camping ground for adventurers, particularly on the old town of Chagres below the fort and on the west bank of the Chagres River. The Chagres River stayed as the main inter-ocean route until the construction of the railroad from Manzanillo Island (now Colón City) to Panama in 1850."
},
{
"id": "136",
"year": 1980,
"target": "COD",
"name": "Garamba National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N4 0 0 E29 15 0",
"lat": 4,
"lng": 29.25,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/136",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0136_0001-750-0-20090819153025.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Nuria Ortega ",
"shortInfo": "Garamba National Park\n\nThe park's immense savannahs, grasslands and woodlands, interspersed with gallery forests along the river banks and the swampy depressions, are home to four large mammals: the elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus and above all the white rhinoceros. Though much larger than the black rhino, it is harmless; only some 30 individuals remain. ",
"longInfo": "The site is located in the north-east of the country, on the Sudanese border. The park's immense savannahs, grasslands and woodlands, interspersed with gallery forests along the riverbanks and swampy depressions, are home to four large mammals: the elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus and above all the white rhinoceros.\n\nA vast undulating plateau broken up by inselbergs (generally of granitic formation) and sizeable marshland depressions, it lies on the watershed between the River Nile and the River Zaire. The largest rivers are the Dungu, Aka and Garamba.\n\nThe park's position, between the Guinean and Sudanese biogeographic realms, makes it particularly interesting. Three formations can be distinguished: gallery forest, forest clumps and marshland; aquatic and semi-aquatic associations; and savannahs ranging from dense woodland to virtually treeless grassland. The densely wooded savannah, gallery forests, and papyrus marshes of the north and west give way in the centre to more open tree/bush savannah. Numerous small rivers with valley grasslands and papyrus swamps dissect the grasslands. It is estimated that there are approximately 1,000 vascular plant species, of which some 5% are endemic.\n\nThe park contains probably the last viable natural population of square-lipped or northern white rhinoceros. Elephant is a unique population representing an intermediary form between the forest and savannah subspecies. Other mammals include northern savannah giraffe (occurring nowhere else in the country), hippopotamus, buffalo, hartebeest, kob, waterbuck, chimpanzee, olive baboon, colobus, vervet, de Brazzas and four other species of monkey, two species of otter, five species of mongoose, golden cat, leopard, lion, warthog, bush pig, roan antelope and six other antelope species."
},
{
"id": "91",
"year": 1980,
"target": "VAT",
"name": "Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 53 24.8 E12 29 32.3",
"lat": 41.89022222222222,
"lng": 12.492305555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/91",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0091_0061-750-0-20140709164150.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura\n\nFounded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC, Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and it became the capital of the Christian world in the 4th century. The World Heritage site, extended in 1990 to the walls of Urban VIII, includes some of the major monuments of antiquity such as the Forums, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column and the Column of Marcus Aurelius, as well as the religious and public buildings of papal Rome. ",
"longInfo": "The extraterritorial properties of the Holy See that make up this World Heritage site comprise a series of unique artistic achievements - Santa Maria Maggiore, St John Lateran and St Paul Outside the Walls. These properties exerted considerable influence on the development of architecture and monumental arts throughout the centuries in a large part of the Christian world.\n\nThe Lateran Treaty concluded in 1929 between Italy and the Holy See established that a number of properties termed 'extraterritorial' and situated on Italian soil remained the exclusive property of the Holy See. In addition to the three great churches, there are several remarkable palaces: the Cancelleria (1483-1517), the Palazzo Maffei, the Palazzo di San Callisto and lastly, the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, renovated by Bernini and Borromini.\n\nThe Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four greater basilicas of Rome, of greatest artistic importance, religious and urban planning. In papal Rome it became one of the fulcrums of the urban plan of Sixtus V. The basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, with its typical bell tower and the cupolas, is a characteristic element of the Roman scene. Characteristic of the basilica is the quality and the abundance of the mosaics: those of the nave (36 panels) and those of the arch dated back to the 5th century, while those of the apse have been finished in 1295. The beautiful rear facade, the work of Carl Rainaldi (1673), is one of the most solemn realizations of the Baroque architecture.\n\nSan Giovanni in Laterano was the first cathedral of Rome, where Emperor Constantine allowed the pope to set up the episcopal chair after 312. Popes lived in the Lateran Palace until Clement V (1305-14) transferred the papal seat to Avignon. The present name is a result of the importance of the baptistry in the church, and of the presence of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. It had five naves; the exterior was simple, but the interior was lavishly decorated. The first major restoration was ordered by Pope Saint Sergius (687-701). Pope Sergius III (904-11) had the basilica completely rebuilt because of the earthquake damage. The old foundations were used, and it was built within the old perimeter. It was after this rebuilding that it was formally dedicated to St John the Baptist. The additional dedication to St John the Evangelist was made by Pope Lucius II (1144-45). In 1646, the basilica was in danger of collapsing. Pope Innocent X gave the task of restoring it to Borromini, in preparation for the Holy Year of 1650. It was during Borromini's restoration that the church was given its Baroque appearance.\n\nSan Paolo fuori le Mura is one of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome built at the request of Constantine in 314 and later enlarged. In 1823, after being almost completely destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt by the architect Poletti and finished in 1854. The interior of the current basilica has 80 monolithic columns of Montorfano granite divided into five naves. On the upper part of the walls closed by slabs of Egyptian alabaster between big windows there are 36 frescoes with the scenes from the life of St Paul. Underneath the wall the frieze extends to the entire medium aisle. Against the internal wall of the facade there are six large alabaster columns presented by the Viceroy of Egypt to Gregory XVI."
},
{
"id": "91",
"year": 1980,
"target": "ITA",
"name": "Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 53 24.8 E12 29 32.3",
"lat": 41.89022222222222,
"lng": 12.492305555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/91",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0091_0061-750-0-20140709164150.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura\n\nFounded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC, Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and it became the capital of the Christian world in the 4th century. The World Heritage site, extended in 1990 to the walls of Urban VIII, includes some of the major monuments of antiquity such as the Forums, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column and the Column of Marcus Aurelius, as well as the religious and public buildings of papal Rome. ",
"longInfo": "The extraterritorial properties of the Holy See that make up this World Heritage site comprise a series of unique artistic achievements - Santa Maria Maggiore, St John Lateran and St Paul Outside the Walls. These properties exerted considerable influence on the development of architecture and monumental arts throughout the centuries in a large part of the Christian world.\n\nThe Lateran Treaty concluded in 1929 between Italy and the Holy See established that a number of properties termed 'extraterritorial' and situated on Italian soil remained the exclusive property of the Holy See. In addition to the three great churches, there are several remarkable palaces: the Cancelleria (1483-1517), the Palazzo Maffei, the Palazzo di San Callisto and lastly, the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, renovated by Bernini and Borromini.\n\nThe Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four greater basilicas of Rome, of greatest artistic importance, religious and urban planning. In papal Rome it became one of the fulcrums of the urban plan of Sixtus V. The basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, with its typical bell tower and the cupolas, is a characteristic element of the Roman scene. Characteristic of the basilica is the quality and the abundance of the mosaics: those of the nave (36 panels) and those of the arch dated back to the 5th century, while those of the apse have been finished in 1295. The beautiful rear facade, the work of Carl Rainaldi (1673), is one of the most solemn realizations of the Baroque architecture.\n\nSan Giovanni in Laterano was the first cathedral of Rome, where Emperor Constantine allowed the pope to set up the episcopal chair after 312. Popes lived in the Lateran Palace until Clement V (1305-14) transferred the papal seat to Avignon. The present name is a result of the importance of the baptistry in the church, and of the presence of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. It had five naves; the exterior was simple, but the interior was lavishly decorated. The first major restoration was ordered by Pope Saint Sergius (687-701). Pope Sergius III (904-11) had the basilica completely rebuilt because of the earthquake damage. The old foundations were used, and it was built within the old perimeter. It was after this rebuilding that it was formally dedicated to St John the Baptist. The additional dedication to St John the Evangelist was made by Pope Lucius II (1144-45). In 1646, the basilica was in danger of collapsing. Pope Innocent X gave the task of restoring it to Borromini, in preparation for the Holy Year of 1650. It was during Borromini's restoration that the church was given its Baroque appearance.\n\nSan Paolo fuori le Mura is one of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome built at the request of Constantine in 314 and later enlarged. In 1823, after being almost completely destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt by the architect Poletti and finished in 1854. The interior of the current basilica has 80 monolithic columns of Montorfano granite divided into five naves. On the upper part of the walls closed by slabs of Egyptian alabaster between big windows there are 36 frescoes with the scenes from the life of St Paul. Underneath the wall the frieze extends to the entire medium aisle. Against the internal wall of the facade there are six large alabaster columns presented by the Viceroy of Egypt to Gregory XVI."
},
{
"id": "30",
"year": 1980,
"target": "POL",
"name": "Historic Centre of Warsaw",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N52 15 59.004 E21 0 42.012",
"lat": 52.26639,
"lng": 21.01167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/30",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0030_0008-750-0-20130715142931.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Warsaw © Our Place ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Warsaw\n\nDuring the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944, more than 85% of Warsaw's historic centre was destroyed by Nazi troops. After the war, a five-year reconstruction campaign by its citizens resulted in today's meticulous restoration of the Old Town, with its churches, palaces and market-place. It is an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century. ",
"longInfo": "The reconstruction of the historic centre of Warsaw, associated with events of considerable historic significance, has exercised a considerable influence, in the majority of European countries, on the evolution of doctrines of urbanization and the preservation of older districts of cities.\n\nFollowing the insurrection of the inhabitants of Warsaw in August 1944, the Polish capital was annihilated in a reprisal by the Nazi occupation troops. From these ruins, between 1945 and 1966, the will of the nation brought to life again a city of which 85% had been destroyed. The reconstruction of the historic centre so that it is identical with the original symbolizes the will to ensure the survival of one of the prime settings of Polish culture and illustrates, in an exemplary fashion, the restoration techniques of the second half of the 20th century. The reconstruction of religious edifices such as the Cathedral of St John, the churches of Our Lady, St James and the Holy Trinity, and the palace, was accompanied by the integral restitution of the urban whole, with its full land allotment and its reconstruction. The example of the market place of the Old City is justifiably famous.\n\nWarsaw Old Town was established in the 13th century. The heart of the area is the Old Town Market Square: until the end of the 18th century the square was the most important place in Warsaw; regular fairs and festivities were held here. During the Second World War the square was turned into rubble, but after many years of reconstruction it was restored to its original beauty. Surrounding streets feature old architecture such as the City Walls and the Barbican. The Cathedral of St John, completed in the 15th century, was originally a parish church and only became a cathedral in 1798. During the war it was destroyed but it has been restored to its original Gothic style. The interior of the cathedral features many works of religious art, tombs and various sculptures and paintings.\n\nThe Royal Castle is a magnificent example of the Baroque style, built in the 14th century. In 1569 King Zygmunt III Waza moved his residence there when Warsaw became the capital of Poland. Between 1598 and 1619 the king had the castle restyled as a polygon by Italian architects. In the 18th century King Augustus III converted the east wing into Baroque style, while King Stanislaw Poniatowski added sessions of the Royal Library. The Royal Castle served as both a residence for the kings as well as hosting sessions of the Sejm (Polish Parliament). It is now a museum displaying furniture, famous paintings and other great works of art. The fascinating interiors of the castle contain many original furnishings, statues, paintings and other objets d'art. Among the paintings are works by Bernardo Bellotto and Marcello Bacciarelli.\n\nAlmost every building in the Old Town, a blend of different styles from Gothic to Baroque, is old and of a unique architectural style. Among the other attractive historic structures are the many churches, the Barbican, the City Walls, Fukier House, Pelican House, Pod Blacha Palace and Salvator House."
},
{
"id": "124",
"year": 1980,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Historic Town of Ouro Preto",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S20 23 20 W43 30 20",
"lat": -20.38888888888889,
"lng": -43.50555555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/124",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0124_0006-750-0-20121218171636.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Colonial houses; City of Ouro Preto, State of Minas Gerais; Brazil; UNESCO World Heritage SiteMaisons coloniales; Ville de Ouro Preto; Etat de Minas Gerais; Brésil; Site du Patrimoine Mondial de l’UNESCOKolonialhäuser der Stadt Ouro Preto; Staat Minas Gerais; Brasilien; Welterbe UNESCO © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Town of Ouro Preto\n\nFounded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Preto (Black Gold) was the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil’s golden age in the 18th century. With the exhaustion of the gold mines in the 19th century, the city’s influence declined but many churches, bridges and fountains remain as a testimony to its past prosperity and the exceptional talent of the Baroque sculptor Aleijadinho. ",
"longInfo": "Located 513 km north of Rio de Janeiro, Ouro Preto (Black Gold) was the main focal point of the period known as the Golden Age of Brazil. Originally called Vila Rica, this city played a leading role in Brazil's history in the 18th century. It was created by thousands of soldiers of fortune eager to enrich themselves by exploiting the gold deposits; they were followed by many artists who came to settle and produce works of outstanding quality, such as the São Francisco of Assis church by Antonio Francisco Lisboa (Aleijadinho).\n\nOuro Preto, the old capital of Minas Gerais, owes its origins to the discovery and exploitation of the gold. The creation in 1698 of the Capitania de São Paulo e Minas do Ouro resulted in the earlier mining settlements being transformed into villas (small towns), the second of which was Vila Rica, in 1712. Minas Gerais became an independent Capitania in 1720, with Vila Rica as its capital. The growth of the town was rapid as a result of the rich mineral resources, and it developed its own urban features characteristic of a mining town. In the closing years of the 18th century it became a centre of the movement for the emancipation of Brazil from colonial rule known as Inconfidência Mineira. A rapid decline in mineral resources and mining resulted in a deterioration in the economy of this part of the province. In 1823 its status was changed to that of an imperial town, with the new name of Ouro Preto and this attracted a number of higher education establishments, but with the transfer of the provincial capital in 1897 to Belo Horizonte the fortunes of Ouro Preto declined again. Since the 1930s it has been principally a tourist centre.\n\nThe town was shaped by the grouping together of small settlements (arriais) in a hilly landscape, where the houses, mostly single- or two-storeyed, seem to support one another, forming an irregular urban layout that follows the contours of the landscape. However, the resources derived from mining, coupled with the talents of artists such as Aleijadinho and others, some outstanding architectural and artistic masterpieces are to be found. A 'Mining Baroque' style developed in the second half of the 18th century which successfully fused Brazilian influences with European Baroque and Rococo.\n\nThe Church of Saõ Francisco de Assis is considered to be a masterpiece of Brazilian architecture. Ouro Preto also boasts a number of other fine churches and secular buildings such as the churches of Our Lady of the Pillar, the Rosário dos Homens Pretos, the Virgin of the Conceição, and the Virgin of Carmel, the House of the Baroness, the chafarizes of the High Da Cruz and Alto of the Heads.\n\nTiradentes Square is the main point from which all the roads diverge. Around it are situated imposing public and private buildings, such as the old Parliament House (1784), today the Museum of the Inconfidência, and the Palace of the Governors, which has become the School of Mines and Metallurgy.\n\nThe townscape of Ouro Preto is also noteworthy for its bridges and fountains, all blending into an urban and natural setting of great beauty."
},
{
"id": "8",
"year": 1980,
"target": "TUN",
"name": "Ichkeul National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N37 9 48.996 E9 40 28.992",
"lat": 37.16361,
"lng": 9.674719999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/8",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0008_0001-750-0-20090929162745.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Ichkeul National Park\n\nThe Ichkeul lake and wetland are a major stopover point for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds, such as ducks, geese, storks and pink flamingoes, who come to feed and nest there. Ichkeul is the last remaining lake in a chain that once extended across North Africa. ",
"longInfo": "Garaet el Ichkeul National Park is situated on the Mateur plain and is approximately 30 km south-west of the Mediterranean coast.\n\nIn AD 1240 the dynasty of the Hafsids managed Djebel Ichkeul as a hunting reserve. The area was first realized to be of international importance in the late 1960s and early 1970s, leading to a major part of the Ichkeul marshes being ceded to the Direction des Fôrets in 1974 and was ratified as a National Park in 1980.\n\nThe park consists of an isolated and wooded massif, Djebel Ichkeul and a brackish permanent lake, Lac Ichkeul, the area of which varies with season. The lake is indirectly connected to the sea by the river, Oued Tindja, which leads into the marine lagoon, Lac de Bizerte. In the summer, the reduced level of incoming freshwater, in combination with high levels of evaporation, result in an overall drop in the level of the lake. There is also an increase in the concentration of salinity due to the influx of sea water. The waters in Ichkeul reach greatest salinity from July to October; there is a replenishment of fresh-water with the first autumnal rains.\n\nDjebel Ichkeul is composed of Triassic and Jurassic formations, largely as metamorphosed limestone with pseudo-dolomitic marbles. Triassic limestone and other sedimentary deposits are exposed in the quarries on the south-western slopes of the Djebel. The endorheic (closed) basin of the lake and also the marshes are composed of Quaternary alluvia.\n\nThe park has a typical semi-arid ecosystem dominated by Mediterranean plant species. Distinct habitat types within the park include the mountain and its foothills, dominated by a lentisc with wild olive, phillyrea and Smilax aspera . There is a rich variety of northern Tunisian plant species. The vegetation of the marshes is zoned. The lake is fringed by a narrow belt of reeds while further inland the area is dominated by Scirpus maritimus , S. lacustris and Juncus .\n\nThe Ichkeul wetland is the most productive wetland for waterfowl in North Africa and one of the most important sites in the entire Mediterranean region for wintering Palaearctic species, with past records of up to 300,000-400,000 birds present at one time. 226 species of birds including 34 breeding residents were recorded in 1986. The most numerous species are wigeon (39,000: 112,000 in the 1970s), common pochard (120,000 in 1971) and coot (36,000: 188,000 in 1973). High records for common pochard and greylag goose (3,200: 18,000 in the 1970s) show that Ichkeul is their most important wintering site in north-west Africa. 600 (4% of known world population) of the threatened white-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala , were seen in 1977. Other wintering wetland birds include the threatened marbled teal Marmoronetta angustirostris , ferruginous duck and corncrake; also high numbers of green-winged teal, northern pintail, northern shoveler and black-winged stilt. Flamingoes summer on the lake.\n\nIchkeul is recognized as being extremely diverse largely due to the wide variety of habitats. One of the most notable of the mammals recorded at Ichkeul is the otter, which has been hunted for its meat. Less than 10 animals were believed to exist at the time of a 1987 survey. Of the larger mammals there are large populations of wild boar and introduced wild water buffalo; also a number of crested porcupine, jackal, genet, Egyptian mongoose, wild cat and four species of bat.\n\nReptiles and amphibians vary with water level and salinity. The marsh frog is common in the marshes. There are also painted frog, three species of toad, two harmless species of snake and one lacertid. Two pond turtles, Iberian Clemys leprosa and European Emys orbicularis , are found in the lake.\n\nThe lake and marshes, especially the dense Potamogeton beds, support huge populations of a few species of marine and brackish water invertebrates. Species include Nereis diversicolor , Gammarus locusta , Corophium volutator , Sphaeroma hookeri , Idotea spp., Hydrobia spp., Abra spp. and Cerastoderma glaucum . Freshwater invertebrate species also occur on the edge of the saltmarsh. Shore crab Carcinus mediterraneus and Balanus amphitrite occur near the Tindja canal.\n\nThe site also has internationally important fossil deposits, including late Tertiary and early Quaternary outcrops on the northern shore. The Pleistocene deposits include numerous unique assemblages of fossil mammal remains."
},
{
"id": "137",
"year": 1980,
"target": "COD",
"name": "Kahuzi-Biega National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S2 30 0 E28 45 0",
"lat": -2.5,
"lng": 28.75,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/137",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0137_0001-750-0-20090831170008.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Gorilla called Ninja © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Kahuzi-Biega National Park\n\nA vast area of primary tropical forest dominated by two spectacular extinct volcanoes, Kahuzi and Biega, the park has a diverse and abundant fauna. One of the last groups of eastern lowland (graueri) gorillas (consisting of only some 250 individuals) lives at between 2,100 and 2,400 m above sea-level. ",
"longInfo": "The park is situated in the eastern part of the country, 50 km west of the town of Bukavu, near Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border. It consists of a smaller sector on the eastern side covering part of the Mitumba Mountains, and a larger western sector in the Zairean central basin. The two zones are connected by a narrow corridor. The entrance to the park is at Tshivanga, on the eastern side.\n\nThe 75,000 ha eastern sector is entirely montane. The massif is part of the Mitumba Mountain range, the western mountains of the Great Rift Valley. The two main peaks, Mount Kahuzi (3,308 m) and Mount Biéga (2,790 m) are extinct volcanoes, and the massif dates from the late Tertiary or early Quaternary.\n\nThe lowland sector in the Zairean central basin covers the watersheds of the tributaries of the Luka and Lugulu rivers. These both drain into the River Lualaba. The extension lies below 1,500 m apart from isolated peaks such as Mount Kamani (1,700 m), and consists of mountains cut by deep valleys. Undulating terrain in the west forms a belt between the two zones.\n\nThe western zone is forested by equatorial rainforest, with transition forest between 1,200 m and 1,500 m. In the eastern zone, six different primary vegetation types have been distinguished: mountain rainforest, high-altitude rainforest, swamp forest, bamboo forest, subalpine heather and swamp and peat bog.\n\nThe park was established to protect 200-300 eastern lowland (Grauer's) gorilla occurring mainly in the forests at 2,100-2,400 m, but also in the lower rainforest. The 'mosaic' of biotypes makes the park an excellent gorilla habitat. Other primates include eastern chimpanzee, and numerous Cercopithecinae and Colobinae. Other mammals include elephant, forest hog and many antelope and duiker. Avifauna includes the endemic Rockefeller's sunbird, Grauer's broadbill, Grauer's warbler and Shelley's crimsonwing.\n\nEndemic mammal species include giant gennet, Aquatic civet, Maclaud's horseshoe bat, Ruwenzori least otter shrew, owl-faced monkey, eastern needle-clawed galago, Thomas' tree squirrel and Alexander's bush squirrel.\n\nFifteen villages of shifting cultivators were located in the eastern sectors of the park when it was created and continue to be occupied. The park is situated in one of the most densely populated areas of the country. Some 90% of the population of Kivu is rural, mainly dependent on agriculture. Seven separate tribal groups live around the park including the Pygmy, Barega and Bashi peoples. Traditional livelihoods are based on shifting agriculture and subsistence hunting."
},
{
"id": "10",
"year": 1980,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Lower Valley of the Awash",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N11 6 0.216 E40 34 45.804",
"lat": 11.10006,
"lng": 40.579390000000004,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/10",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0010_0001-750-0-20090930114131.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Lower Valley of the Awash © Ebel ",
"shortInfo": "Lower Valley of the Awash\n\nThe Awash valley contains one of the most important groupings of palaeontological sites on the African continent. The remains found at the site, the oldest of which date back at least 4 million years, provide evidence of human evolution which has modified our conception of the history of humankind. The most spectacular discovery came in 1974, when 52 fragments of a skeleton enabled the famous Lucy to be reconstructed. ",
"longInfo": "The development that took place in the Lower Valley of the Awash changed the history of mankind. The hominid remains excavated there are characteristic of a unique type.\n\nMost of the Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene palaeo-anthropological localities that have provided information about the ancestors of mankind are concentrated in the East African Rift System. This is due to the fact that volcanic and tectonic activities were responsible for creating dynamic environments for the proliferation of life and the preservation of faunal and floral remains within the confines of the rift. Volcanic and tectonic activities related to rift evolution created plateaus and mountains; most of the sediments in the basins were derived from these topographic highs located within and outside the rift valleys. Lavas, volcaniclastic sediments, and tephra were responsible for the quick burial and preservation of fossils.\n\nHowever, there are numerous gaps in the fossil record representing an important period (10-5 million years BP) pertinent to the understanding of the pongid/hominid split and the extinction and appearance of numerous taxa. The Middle Awash valley contains late Miocene fossiliferous sedimentary sequences that can fill this gap. Detailed geological, palaeontological, palaeoenvironmental, and palaeoecological studies in the Middle Awash fluvial and lacustrine fossiliferous sedimentary rocks are addressing the environment-related evolutionary issues.\n\nFrom 1973 to 1976, a team of international specialists working in the Lower Valley of the Awash excavated a large entire of extremely well-preserved human and animal fossils. These remains, the oldest of which are at least 4 million years old, constitute evidence of human evolution which has modified the history of mankind. The most complete fossil found at this site is the remains of the skeleton of a humanoid, certain traits of which link it with the australopithecine species whereas certain others place it with Homo sapiens. The most spectacular discovery came in 1974 at the site of Hadar, when 52 fragments of a skeleton enabled the famous hominid known as Lucy to be reconstructed.\n\nThe term 'hominid' refers to a member of the zoological family Hominidae; hominids share a suite of characteristics which define them as a group. The most conspicuous of these traits is bipedal locomotion, or walking upright. As in a modern human's skeleton, Lucy's bones are full of evidence clearly pointing to bipedality. At Hadar the size difference between males and female is very clear, with larger males and smaller females being fairly easy to distinguish: Lucy clearly fits into the smaller group.\n\nThe hominid-bearing sediments in the Hadar formation are divided into three members. Lucy was found in the highest of these, the Kada Hadar member. Although fossils cannot be dated directly, the deposits in which they are found sometimes contain volcanic flows and ashes, which can be dated. According to these dates Lucy is dated to just less than 3.18 million BP.\n\nAlthough several hundred fragments of hominid bone were found at the Lucy site, there was no duplication of bones. The bones all come from an individual of a single species, a single size, and a single developmental age. In life, she would have stood about 1 m tall and weighed 27-30 kg. There are several indicators which give an idea of her age: her third molars; all the ends of her bones and her cranial sutures indicate a completed skeletal development; her vertebrae show signs of degenerative disease. All these indicators, when taken together, suggest that she was a young, but fully mature, adult when she died. No cause has been determined for Lucy's death. The remains are stored in a specially constructed safe in the Paleoanthropology Laboratories of the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa."
},
{
"id": "17",
"year": 1980,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Lower Valley of the Omo",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N4 47 60 E35 58 0",
"lat": 4.8,
"lng": 35.96666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/17",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0017_0001-750-0-20090925163746.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Lower Valley of the Omo © AdamPG ",
"shortInfo": "Lower Valley of the Omo\n\nA prehistoric site near Lake Turkana, the lower valley of the Omo is renowned the world over. The discovery of many fossils there, especially Homo gracilis, has been of fundamental importance in the study of human evolution. ",
"longInfo": "The hominid remains that have been excavated in the Lower Valley of the Omo are characteristic of a unique type. They bear exceptional witness to important developments in the field of cultural development.\n\nThe south-west of Ethiopia is a region rich in wildlife resources, with three major national parks. Distinctly different from other parts of Ethiopia, it offers a mixture of fertile grasslands, terraced hillsides, broad rivers and forests. The National Park in which the hominid remains have been found is one of the most beautiful in Ethiopia. Its 4,068 km2 of wilderness bordered by the Omo River is home to an amazing range of wildlife: 306 species of bird have been identified here, while large herds of eland, buffalo and elephant are not uncommon.\n\nThe Lower Valley of the Omo is unlike any other place on Earth in that so many different types of people have inhabited such a small area of land over many millennia. It is believed that it was the crossroads of a wide assortment of cultures where early humans of many different ethnicities passed as they migrated to and from lands in every direction. As a result the Lower Valley of the Omo, which is a prehistoric site near Lake Turkana, is renowned the world over.\n\nThe discovery of many fossils there, especially of Homo gracilis, has been of fundamental importance in the study of human evolution. The site is well documented owing to the research undertaken during the 1930s by Professor Camille Aramburg and from 1968 to 1976 by a team of palaeontologists and prehistorians. The discoveries of humanoid fossils in the valley include jaw bones, quantities of detached teeth, and fragments of australopithecines. Furthermore, evidence of the oldest-known humanoid technological activity has been found in this region, as well as stone objects attesting to an encampment of prehistoric human beings that is among the oldest known today."
},
{
"id": "129",
"year": 1980,
"target": "HND",
"name": "Maya Site of Copan",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N14 50 60 W89 7 59.988",
"lat": 14.850000000000001,
"lng": -89.13332999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/129",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0129_0001-750-0-20090918162409.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Maya Site of Copan ",
"shortInfo": "Maya Site of Copan\n\nDiscovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio, the ruins of Copán, one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization, were not excavated until the 19th century. The ruined citadel and imposing public squares reveal the three main stages of development before the city was abandoned in the early 10th century. ",
"longInfo": "Copán with its temples, plazas and terraces, comprises a type of architectural complex among the most characteristic of the Mayan civilization. The lengthy inscription on the Hieroglyphic Stairway Plaza is of considerable historical significance.\n\nThere is evidence that Copán was inhabited during the American Formative period (2000 BC-AD 300), although few remains exist today which attest to this occupation. The great period of Copán, paralleling that of other major Mayan cities, occurred during the Classical period, AD 300-900. Major cultural developments took place with significant achievements in mathematics, astronomy and hieroglyphic writing.\n\nArchitectural activity, as well, made strides during this period. The site of Copán went through three principal stages of development during which evolved the temples, plazas, altar complexes and ball courts that can be seen today. Shortly after 900, the site was abandoned. Although Copán was discovered in 1570 by Diego Garcia de Palacio, its existence did not receive worldwide attention until the work of John Lloyd Stephens from 1839 to 1841. Since then, numerous archaeological expeditions have explored and excavated various parts of the site.\n\nThe Mayan city of Copán as it exists today is composed of a main complex of ruins with several secondary complexes encircling it. The main complex consists of the Acropolis and important plazas. Among the five plazas are the Ceremonial Plaza, with an impressive stadium opening onto a mound with numerous richly sculptured monoliths and altars; the Hieroglyphic Stairway Plaza, with a monumental stairway at its eastern end that is one of the outstanding structures of Mayan culture. On the risers of this 100 m wide stairway are more than 1,800 individual glyphs which constitute the longest known Mayan inscription. The Easter Plaza rises a considerable height above the valley floor. On its western side is a stairway sculptured with figures of jaguars originally inlaid with black obsidian.\n\nFrom what is known today, the sculpture of Copán appears to have attained a high degree of perfection. The Acropolis, a magnificent architectural complex, appears today as a large mass of rubble which came about through successive additions of pyramids, terraces and temples. The world's largest archaeological cut runs through the Acropolis. In the walls of the cut, it is possible to distinguish floor levels of previous plazas and covered water outlets.\n\nDuring the period when Mayan civilization spread across Central America, Copán was the largest and most influential city in the south-eastern sector.\n\nCopán remains endangered by continued erosion of the river, microflora; and the outlying complexes, by continued agricultural practices. The site is a seismic zone and had suffered damage from at least two earthquakes. Further, the natural surroundings of the area are being threatened by the infringement of the neighbouring town of Copán Ruins."
},
{
"id": "132",
"year": 1980,
"target": "MLT",
"name": "Megalithic Temples of Malta",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N36 2 56.688 E14 16 10.092",
"lat": 36.04908,
"lng": 14.26947,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/132",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0132_0001-750-0-20090922162534.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "The Megalithic Temples of Malta, Hagar Qin © Sacred Sites ",
"shortInfo": " Megalithic Temples of Malta\n\nSeven megalithic temples are found on the islands of Malta and Gozo, each the result of an individual development. The two temples of Ggantija on the island of Gozo are notable for their gigantic Bronze Age structures. On the island of Malta, the temples of Hagar Qin, Mnajdra and Tarxien are unique architectural masterpieces, given the limited resources available to their builders. The Ta'Hagrat and Skorba complexes show how the tradition of temple-building was handed down in Malta. ",
"longInfo": "The monuments that make up this World Heritage site constitute the most characteristic examples of structures representing a major development in the cultural as well as the artistic and technological domains. Professor Lord Renfrew (Cambridge University), one of the leading prehistorians of the present day, has described the group of megalithic temples on the islands of Malta and Gozo as 'the oldest free-standing monuments in the world'. They are, moreover, remarkable for their diversity of form and decoration.\n\nBeing among the remarkable megalithic temples of the Maltese archipelago, the prehistoric ensemble of Ġgantija on the island of Gozo may be favourably compared with the three great temples of the island of Malta: Mnajdra, Ħagar Qim and Tarxien. Within a completely preserved enclosure wall, Ġgantija consists of two temples of multi-foil plan.\n\nThe southern temple, with its two elliptical cells, is the oldest; the northern temple, which is small in size, is more recent, although no later than 2200 BC. The ensemble of Ġgantija which serves as a point of archaeological reference - the 'Ġgantija Phase' (c. 3000-2200 BC) is one of the most important periods of the Maltese Bronze Age. The complex structure of the cultural group of Ġgantija, the excellent state of preservation of its materials - hard chalky coralline and the softer globigerina limestone - make it an excellent testament of megalithic prehistoric art.\n\nĦagar Qim and Mnajdra, although in the same tradition as the Ġgantija temples, are in no way duplicates of them. Each of these complexes is the result of a separate individual development, differing greatly in plan and articulation, as well as in constructional techniques, from Ġgantija and from each other. Both illustrate full mastery of the use of globigerina limestone for orthostats and for the regular courses of corbelling above in the interiors, in contrast to the rough boulders used in Ġgantija South. Each complex has to be ranked as a unique architectural masterpiece which would be immensely impressive at any date, given the very limited resources of the builders, but is quite staggering when taken with the extraordinarily early dates now attributed to them.\n\nThe same considerations hold for the Tarxien complex, except that it is considerably less well preserved than the others. It too is the product of individual development and displays some architectural features not found elsewhere. It is also unique in the wealth of elaborate carved ornament found there (although all this has unfortunately had to be removed from the site for protection), and the lower half of an extraordinary colossal stone figure. Another point is that because it is the only one of the monuments of this scale that has been regularly excavated and reported on, much more is known about what kind of use was made of it than of the others. The elaborate rituals to which the temples are testimony are a very remarkable manifestation of the human spirit, especially on a remote island at such an early date.\n\nTa' Ħaġrat offers the best preserved example of a temple with the early trefoil plan, plus the poorly preserved remains of what is assumed to be the earliest type of all. The former, although on a much smaller scale than the above monuments, would be considered remarkable for its date if they were not available for comparison. Its chief importance is as evidence of the development of the tradition, rather than in its own right, and this applies even more so, of course, to the smaller and earlier unit.\n\nBoth Ta' Ħaġrat and Skorba are significant mainly in terms of the information they provide about the development of the temple tradition in Malta. They are both essential to the proper understanding of the great masterpieces."
},
{
"id": "79",
"year": 1980,
"target": "CYP",
"name": "Paphos",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N34 45 29.988 E32 24 20.016",
"lat": 34.75833,
"lng": 32.40556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/79",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0079_0002-750-0-20121218123322.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Paphos © Mario Santana ",
"shortInfo": "Paphos\n\nPaphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult of Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite's legendary birthplace was on this island, where her temple was erected by the Myceneans in the 12th century B.C. The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs mean that the site is of exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of NeaPaphos\n\n are among the most beautiful in the world. ",
"longInfo": "Because of their great antiquity, and because they are closely and directly related to the cult and legend of Aphrodite (Venus), who became the ideal of beauty and love, inspiring writers, poets and artists throughout human history, Paphos is of outstanding universal value. Pre-Hellenic fertility deities were worshipped in Cyprus from Neolithic times. Many of the archaeological remains are of great antiquity, as Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. The Temple of Aphrodite represents one of the earliest settlements, while the mosaics of Nea Paphos are extremely rare and rank among the best examples in the world. The architectural remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and rock-hewn peristyle tombs are of outstanding historical value as they are one of the keys of the understanding of ancient architecture.\n\nPetra tou Romiou, or Aphrodite's Rock, is a rock that marks the site of Aphrodite's birthplace, which was a place of pilgrimage for the entire Hellenic world. Excavations have unearthed the spectacular 3rd- to 5th-century mosaics of the Houses of Dionysus, Orpheus and Aion, and the Villa of Theseus, buried for 16 centuries and yet remarkably intact. The mosaic floors of these noblemen's villas are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology.\n\nNearby, the stone pillar where St Paul according to tradition was bound and beaten for preaching Christianity. The Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery was founded in the 12th century and is dedicated to Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate. The neighbouring monastery of Agios Neofytos contains some of the world's finest Byzantine frescoes and icons as well as an interesting Byzantine museum.\n\nThe Tombs of the Kings, in Kato Paphos, is a monumental structure carved out of solid rock with some tombs decorated with Doric pillars. Spread over a vast area, these impressive underground tombs date back to the 4th century BC. High officials rather than kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the locality its name.\n\nPalaipaphos (Old Paphos) was one of the most celebrated pilgrimage centres of the ancient Greek world, and once the city-kingdom of Cyprus. Here stood the famous elaborate sanctuary of Aphrodite, the most ancient remains of which date back to the 12th century BC. It is the most significant of a dozen such consecrated sites in Cyprus The glorious days of the sanctuary lasted until the 3rd-4th centuries AD. Amphoras and ceremonial bowls from here, many of which are on display in the Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia, depict exquisitely costumed priestesses as well as erotic scenes from the sacred gardens that once surrounded the temple.\n\nOriginally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbour; it was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, dismantled by the Venetians in 1570, and rebuilt by the Ottomans after they captured the island in the 16th century."
},
{
"id": "134",
"year": 1980,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Redwood National and State Parks",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 22 26 W123 59 53",
"lat": 41.37388888888889,
"lng": -123.99805555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/134",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0134_0001-750-0-20090918190827.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "False Klamath © Nomination File ",
"shortInfo": "Redwood National and State Parks\n\nRedwood National Park comprises a region of coastal mountains bordering the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. It is covered with a magnificent forest of coastal redwood trees, the tallest and most impressive trees in the world. The marine and land life are equally remarkable, in particular the sea lions, the bald eagle and the endangered California brown pelican. ",
"longInfo": "Redwood National Park comprises a region of coastal mountains bordering the Pacific (to 930 m above sea level) north of San Francisco. It is covered with a magnificent forest of sequoia redwood trees, the tallest and most impressive trees in the world. The marine and land life are equally remarkable, in particular the sea lions, the bald eagle and the endangered California brown pelican.\n\nThe park was established specifically to protect these trees, because it is only here and in Oregon that they now survive. Descendants of the giant evergreens that grew during the age of the dinosaurs, redwoods thrived in moist temperate regions of the world. They take 400 years to mature and some of the survivors are more than 2,000 years old. Their thick, sapless bark protects them from fire, but landslides and wind can topple old trees. Cultural landscapes reflect American Indian history. The Indians used fallen redwood trees to build canoes and houses; commercial logging began during the gold rush era. Logging of redwoods continues and is debated by the timber industry and environmentalists. The trees stand as majestic reminders of the slow evolution of nature.\n\nThe area transcends two distinctive physiographic environments: the coastline, and the mountains of the Coast Range. The park's 55 km coastline consists of steep, rocky cliffs broken by rolling slopes and broad sandy beaches. Gently rounded summits contrast with steep slopes and deeply incised streams. Bedrock is primarily highly deformed Cretaceous deep water marine sandstones, siltstones and shales. Lesser amounts of chert, volcanic greenstones and metamorphic rocks occur as blocks within the sedimentary rocks.\n\nThe predominant vegetation type is coastal redwood forest. There are 15,800 ha of old-growth redwood, 20,800 ha are cut over and the balance comprises other vegetation types. The redwoods are surviving remnants of the group of trees that were once found throughout many of the moist temperate regions of the world, but are now confined to the wet regions on the west coast of North America. As slope and dryness increase, the forest is superseded by prairie vegetation.\n\nThere are 75 species of mammal. Freshwater marshes, ponds and streams provide valuable nesting and feeding areas for several species of migratory waterfowl. Several offshore rocks in the area are important nesting sites for seabirds. Threatened birds include the endangered brown pelican, southern bald eagle and American falcon.\n\nArchaeological surveys, test excavations, research and consultations conducted over the past 20 years have resulted in the recording of 50 prehistoric archaeological sites, 19 historic sites and at least 21 places of significance to local Indian communities. The archaeological sites span 4,500 years and represent changing settlement and subsistence systems. Historic resources include examples of early trails, homestead and ranching, fishing, dairy, mining and logging industries, and military structure.\n\nThe redwood forests represent some 42% of the remaining old growth redwood stands, a small fragment of once extensive cover. Legal protection is total, but sport fishing is allowed. The principal National Park Service zoning classification comprises natural, historic and park development enclaves.\n\nThe parks' mosaic of habitats includes prairie/oak woodlands, mighty rivers and streams and 55 km of pristine Pacific coastline."
},
{
"id": "55",
"year": 1980,
"target": "NOR",
"name": "Røros Mining Town and the Circumference",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N62 34 26 E11 23 8",
"lat": 62.573888888888895,
"lng": 11.385555555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/55",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0055_0003-750-0-20110111114557.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Nomination File/Havran, Jiri ",
"shortInfo": "Røros Mining Town and the Circumference\n\nRøros Mining Town and the Circumference is linked to the copper mines, established in the 17th century and exploited for 333 years until 1977. The site comprises the Town and its industrial-rural cultural landscapes; Femundshytta, a smelter with its associated area; and the Winter Transport Route. Completely rebuilt after its destruction by Swedish troops in 1679, Røros contains about 2000 wooden one- and two-storey houses and a smelting house. Many of these buildings have preserved their blackened wooden façades, giving the town a medieval appearance. Surrounded by a buffer zone, coincident with the area of privileges (the Circumference) granted to the mining enterprise by the Danish-Norwegian Crown (1646), the property illustrates the establishment and flourishing of a lasting culture based on copper mining in a remote region with a harsh climate. ",
"longInfo": "Røros is a characteristic example of this type of technological and industrial development, as well as being an outstanding survivor of a traditional kind of human settlement built by traditional methods of construction. Also, it has vulnerable under the impact of economic change since the cessation of copper mining after 333 years of continuous activity. Lastly, Røros embodies a strong degree of rarity because of its location. It was built as an industrial community in the mountains (650 m above sea level) at a very northern latitude subject to extremely long winters and low temperatures (-50 °C).\n\nWithin the framework of Norway's inventory of cultural property, Røros ranks in importance with Bryggen and the stave church at Urnes. Røros is an extensive mining settlement dating from 1644, when the development of the copper works began. Its physical history has continued without interruption since the town was burned in 1679.\n\nThus the numerous surviving buildings represent the Norwegian tradition of construction that flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. The buildings reflect the dual occupations of the inhabitants - mining and farming - the domestic groups being arranged as compact farmyards. These groups are disposed on a regular urban pattern adapted to the mountain terrain, reflecting the particular kind of industrial planning introduced by the Danish kings of Norway in the 16th and 17th centuries.\n\nRøros is in a remarkably complete state of preservation. An engraving of the town as seen from the slag heaps in the 1860s is virtually the same as a photograph of the 1970s taken from the same viewpoint.\n\nPreservation efforts date from the early years of the 20th century. The first legal protection of buildings in Røros was effected in 1923. Legal protection now extends to 80 buildings. In 1936 land was purchased for the development of an open-air museum, and the first old building was moved to the site in 1947. However, the museum impetus was overtaken by a movement, dating from 1938, that led to the preparation of plans for the preservation of the town and copper works in situ ."
},
{
"id": "23",
"year": 1980,
"target": "SYR",
"name": "Site of Palmyra",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N34 33 15.012 E38 16 0.012",
"lat": 34.55417,
"lng": 38.26667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/23",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0023_0058-750-0-20121121124019.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Site of Palmyra © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Site of Palmyra\n\nAn oasis in the Syrian desert, north-east of Damascus, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world. From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations, married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. ",
"longInfo": "Palmyra exerted a decisive influence on the evolution of neoclassical architecture and modern urbanization.The city offers the consummate example of an ancient urbanized complex, for the most part protected, with its large public monuments such as the Agora, the Theatre and the temples. Alongside these, the inhabited quarters are preserved, and there are immense cemeteries outside the fortified enceinte. Palmyran art, for which the great museums of the world now vie, unites the forms of Graeco-Roman art with indigenous elements and Iranian influences in a strongly original style. As the crossroads of several civilizations, it is here that unique creations came into existence, notably in the domain of funerary sculpture.\n\nSince prehistory there has been human settlement in this area, from the Palaeolithic and Neolithic eras. Palmyra is a fertile oasis located close to a mountainous passage, in the heart of the Syrian desert. It developed into a staging post between Al-Shaam and Iraq, the Arab Gulf and Persia and the Mediterranean. It was to the exploitation of this rich caravan trade that the city owed its prosperity and importance. Palmyra established itself as the most important market for Eastern products and the leading caravan city of the Roman Empire, taking over a role that had previously been performed by Petra. This began when the emperor Trajan in AD 105-6 incorporated it into the new province of Arabia, following the annexation of Nabatea, a client state that controlled much of the trade with the East.\n\nDuring the 3rd century AD, with the accession of the Sassanid dynasty to the Parthian throne and the resulting resumption of hostilities against the Romans, Palmyra also assumed an important strategic and military role: the nobleman Septimius Odaenathus obtained support and recognition from Rome, as an ally in their struggle against the Sassanids. When the Emperor Valerian was defeated and captured by the King of the Parthians, Odaenathus took a stand in defence of the empire and Valerian's son, Gallienus, winning a series of military victories. He was succeeded on the throne by his younger son from his second marriage, Wahballath, under the regency of his mother Zenobia, who invited to her court as her son's preceptor Cassius Longinus. She conquered all of Syria and extended her dominion as far as Egypt and Anatolia. Palmyra, which was spared at first, made an attempt at rebellion but was quickly sacked and plundered, and the city walls were destroyed. It was the beginning of the city's decline, but the myth of the queen of Palmyra, Zenobia, was not destroyed. She was the incarnation of the finest male and female virtues, which were to outlive the collapse of the ancient world.\n\nPalmyra was a wealthy caravan centre from 44 BC to AD 272, alternately independent from and under the rule of Rome, which during the 2nd and 3rd centuries was richly embellished. The grand colonnade, 1,100 m in length, which links the temple of Bel with the so-called Camp of Diocletian, is the monumental axis of the city, with its open central street flanked by covered lateral passages. The principle of the colonnaded portico is to be found in the secondary axes, which run perpendicular to the grand colonnade, and certain of these date back to the 2nd century. The colonnade is not perspectival in its progress: the two areas are not aligned with each other, and so it takes a sharp turn before straightening out again at the three-arched Triumphal arch dating from the Severan period, only to undergo a further adjustment to align itself with the so-called Tetrapyle, two pairs of floral columns symmetrically arranged on tall monumental bases. The temple proper, built in AD 32, stood at the centre of a sacred precinct which was later bounded by a broad porticoed peribolos with a double order of columns on the interior, punctuated on the exterior by elegant Corinthian pilaster strips.\n\nOutside the inhabited town, along the four main access roads to the city, stood four cemeteries, which feature three types of tomb. The oldest and most distinctive group is represented by the funerary towers, tall multi-storey sandstone buildings belonging to the richest families. On the fronts of those that survive, foremost among them the Tower of Elahbel, there is an arch with sarcophagus halfway up, which in ancient times supported a reclining statue. Corridors and rooms were subdivided by vertical bays of loculi, closed by slabs of stone carved with the image of the deceased and painted in lively colours."
},
{
"id": "139",
"year": 1980,
"target": "PAK",
"name": "Taxila",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N33 46 45 E72 53 15",
"lat": 33.77916666666667,
"lng": 72.8875,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/139",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0139_0001-750-0-20130801163450.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Taxila © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Taxila\n\nFrom the ancient Neolithic tumulus of Saraikala to the ramparts of Sirkap (2nd century B.C.) and the city of Sirsukh (1st century A.D.),Taxila\n\n illustrates the different stages in the development of a city on the Indus that was alternately influenced by Persia, Greece and Central Asia and which, from the 5th century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D., was an important Buddhist centre of learning. ",
"longInfo": "Taxila lies 30 km north-west of Rawalpindi on the Grand Trunk Road. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Asia. Situated strategically on a branch of the Silk Road that linked China to the West, the city flourished both economically and culturally. Taxila reached its apogee between the 1st and 5th centuries AD. Buddhist monuments were erected throughout the Taxila valley, which was transformed into a religious heartland and a destination for pilgrims from as far afield as Central Asia and China. That Taxila was very famous can be deduced from the fact that it is mentioned in several languages. In Sanskrit, the city was called Takshaçila (Prince of the Serpent Tribe); in Pâli it was known as Takkasilâ; the Greeks knew the town as Taxila, which the Romans rendered as Taxilla; the Chinese called it Chu-ch'a-shi-lo.\n\nTaxila is a vast complex of ruins, some 30 km north-west of modern Islamabad, which includes a Mesolithic cave (Khanpur cave), four settlement sites (Saraidala, Bhir, Sirkap and Sirsukh), a number of Buddhist monasteries of various periods and above Giri, Muslim mosques and madrasas of the medieval period. The Bhir mound is the earliest historic city of Taxila and was probably founded in the 6th century BC by the Achaemenids, according to legend by a son of the brother of the legendary hero Rama. The first town was situated on a hill that commanded the river Tamra Nala, a tributary of the Indus. It was an important cultural centre and it is said that the Mahabharata was first recited at Taxila. Stone walls, house foundations and winding streets represent the earliest forms of urbanization on the subcontinent.\n\nSirkap was a fortified city founded during the mid-2nd century BC. Taxila was the capital of a kingdom called Hinduš (Indus country) and consisted of the western half of the Punjab. It was added to the Achaemenid empire under Darius I the Great, but the Persian occupation did not last long. The many private houses, stupas and temples are laid out on the Hellenistic grid system and show the strong Western classical influence on local architecture. The city was destroyed in the 1st century AD by the Kushans of central Asia.\n\nTo the north, excavations of the ruins of the Kushan city of Sirsukh have brought to light an irregular rectangle of walls in ashlar masonry with rounded bastions. This wall attests to the early influence of Central Asian architectural forms on those of the subcontinent.\n\nThe city of Sirkap (Severed Head), chronologically the second major city of Taxila, is to be found spreading down the Hathial Spur and on to the plains of the Taxila valley. It is bounded by the Tamra stream and to the north and south by the Gau stream, which today has been almost completely obliterated by a modern road and water channel. The present layout of the city was established by the Bactrian Greeks sometime around 180 BC and takes the form of a wide and open grid system. In general, the city presents a better planned architecture than Bhir Mound. The city is encompassed by a mighty wall over 5 km long and up to 6 m thick. There may well have been an entrance on each of the four sides originally, but today the only one evident is the northern wall and it is through here that visitors normally enter the city. A number of temples and monasteries can be found here: Apsidal Temple, Sun Temple, Shrine of the Double Headed Eagle, Kunala Monastery and Ghai Monastery.\n\nThe major attraction in this city is the Great Stupa, one of the largest and most impressive throughout Pakistan, located just 2 km east of Bhir Mound and Sirkap. The chapels and chambers around the Great Stupa were built at various times from the 1st century BC to the post-Kushan period. These structures display a wide range of designs and probably were donated by pilgrims, possibly representing various schools of Buddhism.\n\nOther sites of interest include the city of Sirsukh which is believed to belong to the Kushan period. To the north of Sirkap are four temples, all standing on earlier mounds and overlooking the city. They are all in the style of Greek temples. The best to visit is probably the one at Jandial, 1.5 km north of Sirkap."
},
{
"id": "12",
"year": 1980,
"target": "ETH",
"name": "Tiya",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N8 26 5.676 E38 36 43.56",
"lat": 8.43491,
"lng": 38.6121,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/12",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0012_0001-750-0-20090917172935.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Tiya ",
"shortInfo": "Tiya\n\nTiya is among the most important of the roughly 160 archaeological sites discovered so far in the Soddo region, south of Addis Ababa. The site contains 36 monuments, including 32 carved stelae covered with symbols, most of which are difficult to decipher. They are the remains of an ancient Ethiopian culture whose age has not yet been precisely determined. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "130",
"year": 1980,
"target": "MLT",
"name": "Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N35 52 16.824 E14 30 26.604",
"lat": 35.871340000000004,
"lng": 14.50739,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/130",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0130_0001-750-0-20090930155303.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Hal Saflieni Hypogeum © Heiko Gorski ",
"shortInfo": "Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum\n\nThe Hypogeum is an enormous subterranean structure excavated c. 2500 B.C., using cyclopean rigging to lift huge blocks of coralline limestone. Perhaps originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric times. ",
"longInfo": "Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is a cultural property of exceptional prehistoric value. This unique monument dates back to early antiquity (about 2500 BC) and it is the only known example of a subterranean structure of the Bronze Age.\n\nThe hypogeum was discovered accidentally in 1902 by a stonemason who was laying the foundations of some houses on the island of Malta. Temi Zammit, the first Director of Malta's Museums Department, assumed responsibility for the excavation. His excavation yielded a wealth of archaeological material including much pottery and human bones, personal ornaments such as beads and amulets, little carved animals and larger figurines.\n\nThis 'labyrinth', as it is often called, consists of a series of elliptical chambers and alveoli of varying importance, to which access is gained by different corridors. The megalithic walls are constructed of cyclopean masonry - large irregular blocks of chalky coralline stone without mortar - which was summarily dressed with rudimentary tools of flint and obsidian. The principal rooms distinguish themselves by their domed vaulting and by the elaborate structure of false bays inspired by the doorways and windows of contemporary terrestrial constructions. The hypogeum, which was originally conceived as a sanctuary, perhaps an oracle, from the prehistoric period was transformed into an ossuary, as borne out by the remains of more than 7,000 individuals discovered during the course of the excavation.\n\nThe upper level consists of a large hollow with a central passage and burial chambers cut on each side. One of the chambers still contains original burial deposits. The middle level consists of various chambers very smoothly finished, which give the impression of built masonry. The workmanship is all the more impressive when it is considered that the chambers were meticulously carved using only flint and stone tools. Curvilinear and spiral paintings in red ochre are still visible in some areas. One of the niches in the 'Oracle Chamber' has the characteristic of echoing deep sounds. The carved facade is magnificent and the quality of its architecture is in a remarkable state of preservation."
},
{
"id": "162",
"year": 1981,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Amiens Cathedral",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 53 42 E2 18 6",
"lat": 49.894999999999996,
"lng": 2.3016666666666663,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/162",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0162_0002-750-0-20130919162222.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Amiens cathedral © Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Amiens Cathedral\n\nAmiens Cathedral, in the heart of Picardy, is one of the largest 'classic' Gothic churches of the 13th century. It is notable for the coherence of its plan, the beauty of its three-tier interior elevation and the particularly fine display of sculptures on the principal facade and in the south transept. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "149",
"year": 1981,
"target": "GTM",
"name": "Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N15 16 14.124 W89 2 24.9",
"lat": 15.27059,
"lng": -89.04025,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/149",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0149_0007-750-0-20140710155034.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua\n\nInhabited since the 2nd century A.D., Quirigua had become during the reign of Cauac Sky (723–84) the capital of an autonomous and prosperous state. The ruins of Quirigua contain some outstanding 8th-century monuments and an impressive series of carved stelae and sculpted calendars that constitute an essential source for the study of Mayan civilization. ",
"longInfo": "The ruins of Quirigua retain an impressive series of stelae and sculpted calendars, partially deciphered, which constitute a remarkable and unique source of the history of the social, political and economic events of the Mayan civilization. The zoomorphic and anthropomorphic sculptures are among the most attractive pre-Columbian works known.\n\nQuirigua is, together with that of Copán (Honduras), one of the major testimonies to the Mayan civilization. At Quirigua, traces of human occupation are attested to from about AD 200, but the zenith of the city may be placed during the period known as Late Classic, about AD 600-900.\n\nInhabited since the 2nd century AD, Quirigua had become during the reign of Cauac Sky (723-84), the first sovereign of the historic period who has been identified with certainty, the capital of an autonomous and prosperous state. The extraction of jade and obsidian in the upper valley of the Rio Motagua, which was tightly controlled, gave rise to a profitable goods trade with the coastal ports of the Caribbean. This monopoly remained in existence during the 9th century.\n\nThe ruins of Quirigua contain some outstanding 8th-century monuments and an impressive series of carved stelae and sculpted calendars that constitute an essential source for the study of Mayan civilization. However, Quirigua is a zone of high seismic risk; in addition, several monuments have undergone accelerated erosion owing to the tropical climate.\n\nFor reasons which are not clear, Quirigua then entered a period of decline. It is known that, at the time of the arrival of the European conquistadores, the control of the jade route had been taken over by Nito, a city closer to the Caribbean coast. Although Quirigua has retained ruins and vestiges of dwellings ranging from between AD 200 and AD 900, most of the monuments that ensure Quirigua its world-wide renown date from the 8th century, the period during which the city was entirely remodelled in accordance with its function as royal residence and administrative centre.\n\nThe monumental complexes which are set out around the Central Plaza, the Ceremonial Plaza and the Plaza of the Temple are remarkable for the complexity of their structure - a highly elaborate system of pyramids, terraces, and staircases which results in a complete remodelling of the natural relief and which creates, as at Copán, a singular dimension.\n\nThe production of monolithic stone monuments, called stelae with their dated texts of hieroglyphs, defines the beginnings and the end of the Classic period of Maya civilization. The stelae remain the principal written chronicles of this lost civilization, as well as the key to their highly advanced calendar system. Like most Mayan monuments, they were erected to commemorate the passage of time, and significant historic events. During its brief time of erecting stelae, Quirigua was one of only two cities to regularly erect monuments marking the end of five-year periods.\n\nThese huge stone monolithic sculptures were artfully carved without the benefit of metal tools; stone chisels, driven by other stones or wooden mallets, were the only tools available. Most of the monuments face north, allowing the early morning sun to highlight the relief of the carvings. Stele E was dedicated at Quirigua in 771 AD, and is the largest known quarried stone in the Maya world. It stands 35 feet (10.6 m) tall, 5 feet (1.5 m) wide and 4 feet (1.2 m) thick; it weighs in at 130,000 pounds (about 59,000 kg). [I haven't deleted the imperial measurements here as they are so precise, in case you want to keep them.] This gigantic marker stands as a monument to the Ancient Maya Civilization, and to the Mayan lord of the forgotten city of Quirigua who is depicted, over three times life size, on its face. Nearby stand 21 other monuments, the finest examples of Classic Mayan stone carving."
},
{
"id": "164",
"year": 1981,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 40 39.5 E4 37 50.5",
"lat": 43.677638888888886,
"lng": 4.630694444444445,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/164",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0164_0016-750-0-20131106100701.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Arles Arena © Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments\n\nArles is a good example of the adaptation of an ancient city to medieval European civilization. It has some impressive Roman monuments, of which the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. During the 4th century Arles experienced a second golden age, as attested by the baths of Constantine and the necropolis of Alyscamps. In the 11th and 12th centuries, Arles once again became one of the most attractive cities in the Mediterranean. Within the city walls, Saint-Trophime, with its cloister, is one of Provence's major Romanesque monuments. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "165",
"year": 1981,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 38 21.984 E4 23 20.796",
"lat": 47.63944,
"lng": 4.3891100000000005,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/165",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0165_0001-750-0-20090421152711.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay\n\nThis stark Burgundian monastery was founded by St Bernard in 1119. With its church, cloister, refectory, sleeping quarters, bakery and ironworks, it is an excellent illustration of the ideal of self-sufficiency as practised by the earliest communities of Cistercian monks. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "159",
"year": 1981,
"target": "PAN",
"name": "Darien National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N7 44 10 W77 32 50",
"lat": 7.736111111111112,
"lng": -77.54722222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/159",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0159_0002-750-0-20141209121057.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Darien National Park © Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Darien National Park\n\nForming a bridge between the two continents of the New World,Darien National Park\n\n contains an exceptional variety of habitats – sandy beaches, rocky coasts, mangroves, swamps, and lowland and upland tropical forests containing remarkable wildlife. Two Indian tribes live in the park. ",
"longInfo": "Darien National Park is located in the Province of Darien to the east of Santa Fe and the Gulf of San Miguel. It extends along about 80% of the Colombian border and includes part of the Pacific coast. The Darién, Sapo, Jungurudo and Pirre mountain ranges are found within the site as well as the Jurado mountain chain and basins of the Tuira, Balsas, Sambu, Jaqué rivers and part of the Chucunaque River. Access is by river and heavy truck.\n\nThe area has been under protection since 1972, with the establishment of Alto Darién Protection Forest and was declared a national park on 1980. This park is in a unique geographical position, as it forms a land-bridge between the Central and South American continents. It has emerged from below sea level on several occasions, the most recent being in the early Pleistocene. The Pacific tides influence the Chucunaque and Tuira rivers for many kilometres inland. Natural erosion has resulted in numerous landslides with deep cuts and gorges.\n\nDarién contains a wide range of habitats: sandy beaches, rocky coasts, mangroves, freshwater marshes, palm forest swamps and lowland and upland moist tropical forest. The eroded landslides and associated gorges have given rise to successional plant communities, with major tracts of primary and secondary forests covering most of the terrain. The average height of the monsoon forest is approximately 40 m with occasional dominant trees reaching 50 m. The most abundant species in the area is cuipo. Premontane and montane forests occur above 200 m, with several types of botanically interesting ecosystem including cloud forest and the elfin forest of Cerro Pirre. Wetland forest along the Chucunaque and Tuira rivers is often covered by pure stands of cativo, this species being the most utilized timber tree in the region, and mangroves along the Pacific coast.\n\nThere have been few studies of the fauna. Mammals include bush dog, giant anteater, jaguar, ocelot, capybara, douroucoulis, howler monkey, brown-headed spider monkey, Baird's tapir, agoutis and white-lipped peccary. Harpy eagle also occurs in the park, as do Cayman crocodile and American crocodile.\n\nThe area is both anthropologically and historically rich, with two major indigenous groups: Chocó and Kuna Indians and a number of smaller groups still living by traditional practices. The area was visited by Spanish conquistadors and the coast was explored by Christopher Columbus in 1502. In 1510, the town of Santa Maria la Antigua del Darién was established probably somewhere within the park boundaries. As a result of the Spanish presence and mistreatment, many of the Indians moved away. Today, conservation of the Indian's culture is included as a management objective. There are a number of archaeological sites.\n\nTwo Indian tribes live in the park along the edges of the rivers: approximately 1,000 Chocó and 200 Kuna Indians. These groups have maintained their subsistence agricultural systems through centuries of European contact. On the western boundary of the park are a number of small farming plots whose owners have no title deeds."
},
{
"id": "25",
"year": 1981,
"target": "SEN",
"name": "Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N16 30 0 W16 10 0.012",
"lat": 16.5,
"lng": -16.16667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/25",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0025_0001-750-0-20110920195658.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary\n\nSituated in the Senegal River delta, the Djoudj Sanctuary is a wetland of 16,000 ha, comprising a large lake surrounded by streams, ponds and backwaters. It forms a living but fragile sanctuary for some 1.5 million birds, such as the white pelican, the purple heron, the African spoonbill, the great egret and the cormorant. ",
"longInfo": "14 April 1971 by Decree No. 71-411. Nearby area (3ha) was first classified as a nature reserve by Decree No. 62-065 of 26 February 1962. Enlarged in 1975 by Decree No. 75-1222 (from 13,000ha to 16,000ha). Listed as a Ramsar site in 1980 and accepted as a World Heritage site in 1981."
},
{
"id": "171",
"year": 1981,
"target": "PAK",
"name": "Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N31 35 25 E74 18 35",
"lat": 31.590277777777775,
"lng": 74.30972222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/171",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0171_0002-750-0-20130419184915.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore © Zishan Sheikh ",
"shortInfo": "Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore\n\nThese are two masterpieces from the time of the brilliant Mughal civilization, which reached its height during the reign of the Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort contains marble palaces and mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. The elegance of these splendid gardens, built near the city of Lahore on three terraces with lodges, waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, is unequalled. ",
"longInfo": "The Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore are a unique artistic realization which, while bearing exceptional testimony to the Mughal civilization, has exercised a considerable influence, long after its creation in the Punjab and throughout the Indian subcontinent.\n\nLahore Fort, situated north-west of the city, has the same mythical origins as the city because its foundation is attributed to Prince Lob, son of Rama. Yet the first historic references to the fort date from before the 11th century. Destroyed and rebuilt several times by the Mughals from the 13th to the 15th centuries, it was definitively rebuilt and reorganized starting with the reign of Emperor Akbar (1542-1605). Based on the 21 monuments preserved within its boundaries, it comprises the most beautiful repertory of the forms of Mughal architecture, whose evolution may be followed over more than two centuries. The monuments from the reign of Akbar are characterized by the use of regular wall masonry consisting of baked bricks and blocks of red sandstone. Hindu influence may be noted, especially in the zoomorphic corbels which do not belong to the Mughal tradition.\n\nAmong the testimonies to this first series of structures, the Masjidi Gate flanked by two bastions and the Khana-e-Khas-o-Am (Public and Private Audience Hall) may be cited. The style of Akbar's constructions was not appreciably altered by his successor, Jahangir, who finished the large north court in 1617-18 that had been begun by Akbar and, in 1624-25, undertook the decoration of the north and north-west walls of the Fort.\n\nOn the other hand, the buildings constructed by Shah Jahan (1627-58), the prince-architect with sumptuous tastes, differ from their antecedents given the luxururious materials, marble, hard stone, and mosaics, and their exuberant decorative repertory, which is alive with motifs borrowed from Iranian art. The entire complex of fairy-like buildings surrounding the Court of Shah Jahan (Diwan-e-Kas, Lal Burj, Khwabgah-e-Jahangiri, etc.) and especially the Shah Burj or Shish Mahal, make it one of the most beautiful palaces in the world. Built in 1631-32, it sparkles with mosaics of glass, gilt, semi-precious stones and marble screening. All these monuments, and those, no less attractive, built under the reign of Aurangzeb, suffered greatly after the fall of the Mughal dynasty. The wars and sieges undergone by the Sikhs in the 19th century, and the British occupation, considerably reduced the monumental heritage of Lahore. Since 1927, a reorganization plan has been under study. It took effect in 1973 and suitable preservation measures were declared by the Government of Pakistan in 1975."
},
{
"id": "154",
"year": 1981,
"target": "AUS",
"name": "Great Barrier Reef",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "S18 17 10 E147 41 60",
"lat": -18.28611111111111,
"lng": 147.70000000000002,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0154_0001-750-0-20110920195723.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Great Barrier Reef\n\nTheGreat Barrier Reef\n\n is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (‘sea cow’) and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction. ",
"longInfo": "The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It the world's most extensive stretch of coral reef and is probably the richest area in terms of faunal diversity in the world. Its great diversity reflects the maturity of an ecosystem which has evolved over millions of years on the north-east continental shelf of Australia. The site contains a huge diversity of species including over 1,500 species of fish, about 360 species of hard coral, 5,000 species of mollusc, and more than 175 species of bird, plus a great diversity of sponges, anemones, marine worms and crustaceans, among others.\n\nThe reef system, extending to Papua New Guinea, the reef comprises some 2900 individual reefs of all sizes and shapes covering more than 20,000 km2, including 760 fringing reefs, which range in size from under 1ha to over 10,000 ha and vary in shape to provide the most spectacular marine scenery on Earth. There are approximately 600 continental islands including many with towering forests and freshwater streams, and some 300 coral cays and unvegetated sand cays. A rich variety of landscapes and seascapes, including rugged mountains with dense and diverse vegetation and adjacent fringing reefs, provide spectacular scenery.\n\nThe form and structure of the individual reefs show great variety. Two main classes may be defined: platform or patch reefs, resulting from radial growth; and wall reefs, resulting from elongated growth, often in areas of strong water currents. There are also many fringing reefs where the reef growth is established on subtidal rock of the mainland coast or continental islands.\n\nThe site includes major feeding grounds for the endangered dugong and nesting grounds of world significance for two endangered species of marine turtle, the green and the loggerhead, as well as habitat for four other species of marine turtle; given the severe pressures being placed on these species elsewhere, the Great Barrier Reef may be their last secure stronghold. It is also an important breeding area for humpback and other whale species.\n\nA wide range of fleshy algae occurs, many of which are small and inconspicuous but which are highly productive and are heavily grazed by turtles, fish, molluscs and sea urchins. In addition, algae are an important component of reef building processes. 15 species of seagrass grow throughout the reef area forming over 3,000 km2 of seagrass meadows and providing an important food source for grazing animals, such as dugongs.\n\nThe Great Barrier Reef, and in particular the northern sector, is important in the historic and contemporary culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups of the coastal areas of north-east Australia. This contemporary use of and association with the Marine Park plays an important role in the maintenance of their cultures and there is a strong spiritual connection with the ocean and its inhabitants."
},
{
"id": "158",
"year": 1981,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 44 58 W113 37 26",
"lat": 49.74944444444444,
"lng": -113.62388888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/158",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0158_0001-750-0-20120917155504.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump © Maureen J. Flynn ",
"shortInfo": "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump\n\nIn south-west Alberta, the remains of marked trails and an aboriginal camp, and a tumulus where vast quantities of buffalo (American Bison) skeletons can still be found, are evidence of a custom practised by aboriginal peoples of the North American plains for nearly 6,000 years. Using their excellent knowledge of the topography and of buffalo behaviour, they killed their prey by chasing them over a precipice; the carcasses were later carved up in the camp below. ",
"longInfo": "Situated in south-west Alberta, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is one of the most important hunting sites identified to date. At the edge of a landscape of hills and of highlands cut by natural passes, a high sandstone cliff falls off to the east. This coastal relief lends itself ideally to primitive hunting methods.\n\nFor thousands of years the native people of the plains hunted the North American bison. The plains Indian lifestyle became dependent on hunting buffalo, and they adapted numerous hunting techniques to obtain their livelihood. The most sophisticated technique developed by the native people to kill buffalo was the buffalo jump. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is one of the oldest and best preserved sites of this kind with its elaborate drive lane complex and deep archaeological deposits still intact.\n\nThe site was used for the slaughter of bison from 3600 BC to 2600 BC, then intermittently towards 900 BC, and finally, continuously from AD 200 to 1850. Explored for the first time in 1938, it has since 1960 been the object of systematic excavations which have considerably enriched the knowledge of prehistoric arms and tools, and above all, transformed current thinking on the use of game as food and in clothing and lodging.\n\nWest of the cliff lies a large drainage basin 40 km2 in extent. This is a natural grazing area with plenty of water and mixed grass which remains fresh well into the fall. This natural grazing area attracted herds of buffalo late into the fall.\n\nTo start the hunt, 'buffalo runners', young men trained in animal behaviour, would entice the herd to follow them by imitating the bleating of a lost calf. As the buffalo moved closer to the drive lanes (long lines of stone cairns were built to help the hunters direct the buffalo to the cliff kill site), the hunters would circle behind and upwind of the herd and scare the animals by shouting and waving robes. As the buffalo stampeded towards the edge of the cliff, the animals in front would try to stop but the sheer weight of the herd pressing from behind would force the buffalo over the cliff.\n\nBelow the cliff kill site are deep stratified deposits that contain evidence of use going back more than 5,700 years. These deposits consist of accumulated layers of dirt, stone rubble and bones referred to as loess. Over thousands of years of use, the loess has accumulated to a depth of over 11 m. Artefacts found in the kill site include bone, worn or broken stone tools and resharpening flakes, thousands of stone points, dart points and arrow heads. A few stone knives and choppers have also been found.\n\nThe flat area immediately below the kill site was where the hunters camped while they finished butchering the buffalo. A few tipi rings, the stones used to anchor tipis against the wind, can still be seen on the prairie level. It was here that meat was sliced into thin strips and hung on racks to dry in the sun. Large leg bones were smashed to remove the nutritious marrow, and the numerous boiling pits excavated by archaeologists in this area indicate these broken bones were also boiled to render grease. Boiling was done by throwing red-hot rocks into hide-lined pits filled with water.\n\nHead-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is associated with human survival during the prehistoric period and bears witness to a custom practised by the peoples of the North American plains for some 6,000 years. By its size, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump broadly outdistances analogous sites discovered in the 19th century in Europe, such as Solutré in France (slaughter of wild horses) or Vestonice in Czechoslovakia (slaughter of young mammoths)."
},
{
"id": "143",
"year": 1981,
"target": "PAK",
"name": "Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N24 46 0 E67 54 0",
"lat": 24.766666666666666,
"lng": 67.9,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/143",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0143_0001-750-0-20080506170639.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "View of Nizam al-Din Tomb with polygon pavilion © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta\n\nThe capital of three successive dynasties and later ruled by the Mughal emperors of Delhi, Thatta was constantly embellished from the 14th to the 18th century. The remains of the city and its necropolis provide a unique view of civilization in Sind. ",
"longInfo": "The archaeological site of Thatta and the necropolis of Makli testify in an outstanding manner to the civilization of Sind from the 14th to the 18th centuries. Within the broad family of Islamic monuments, those of Thatta represent a particular type, notable for the fusion of diverse influences into a local style. The effect of the Grand Mosque of Shah Jahan with its complex of blue and white buildings capped by 93 domes is unique.\n\nFrom the 14th to the 18th centuries, Thatta played an important role in the history of Sind, as the city, which commanded the delta of the Indus, had been successively the capital of the Samma, Argun and Tarkhan dynasties before being governed from 1592 to 1739 in the name of the Mughal emperors of Delhi.\n\nFrom 1739, when the province of Sind was ceded to the Shah Nadir of Iran, Thatta entered into a period of decadence and neglect. The site preserves, in a state of exceptional integrity, an imposing monumental complex with the remains of the city itself in the valley and especially those of the necropolis, massed at the edge of the Makli plateau, covering a distance of about 12 km.\n\nThe four centuries that comprise the golden age of Thatta have left their traces on the form of monuments of high quality in stone and brick. Among those in stone are the tombs of Jam Nizammudin, who reigned from 1461 to 1509, and those of Isa Khan Tarkhan the Younger and of his father, Jan Baba, both of which were constructed before 1644. Among the edifices in brick and glazed tiles are the mosque of Dabgir, that of Shah Jahan (1644-47) and numerous mausolea, and tombs of which the most colourful is that of Diwan Shurfa Khan (died 1638).\n\nIf the tomb of Jam Nizamuddin establishes evident ties with Hindu architecture of the Gujerat style and the influence of Mughal imperial architecture, it is in no way a simple copy. At Thatta, an original concept of stone decoration was born, perhaps using glazed tile models. Even in the area of architectural terracotta, the distant examples of Persia and Asia were transposed. Neither in their technique nor in their colour do the monuments of Thatta resemble those of Lahore.\n\nThe salt air carried by the monsoons has an extremely harmful and corrosive effect on the brick, rendering the preservation of a large number of monuments of the Makli plateau highly precarious."
},
{
"id": "147",
"year": 1981,
"target": "AUS",
"name": "Kakadu National Park",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "S12 49 60 E132 49 60",
"lat": -12.833333333333334,
"lng": 132.83333333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/147",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0147_0006-750-0-20121119165741.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Kakadu National Park © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Kakadu National Park\n\nThis unique archaeological and ethnological reserve, located in the Northern Territory, has been inhabited continuously for more than 40,000 years. The cave paintings, rock carvings and archaeological sites record the skills and way of life of the region’s inhabitants, from the hunter-gatherers of prehistoric times to the Aboriginal people still living there. It is a unique example of a complex of ecosystems, including tidal flats, floodplains, lowlands and plateaux, and provides a habitat for a wide range of rare or endemic species of plants and animals. ",
"longInfo": "This unique archaeological and ethnological reserve has been inhabited continuously for more than 40,000 years. The cave paintings, rock carvings and archaeological sites record the skills and way of life of the region's inhabitants, from the hunter-gatherers of prehistoric times to the Aboriginal people still living there. It is a unique example of a complex of ecosystems, including tidal flats, floodplains, lowlands and plateaux, and provides a habitat for a wide range of rare or endemic plant and animal species.\n\nThe park comprises four major landforms: Arnhem land plateau and escarpment complex; southern hills and basins; Koolpinyah surface; and coastal riverine plains. The western rim of the Arnhem land plateau comprises escarpments ranging in height from about 30-330 m over a distance of some 500 km. In addition to the four major landforms, almost 500 km2 of intertidal and estuarine areas and two islands lie within the park. The tropical monsoonal climate, with its marked wet and dry seasons, is the major factor determining the surface water hydrology, vegetation and, over time, the landforms of the park region.\n\nThe vegetation can be classified into 13 broad categories, seven of which are dominated by a distinct species of Eucalyptus . Other categories comprise mangrove; samphire; lowland rainforest; paper bark swamp; seasonal flood plain and sandstone rainforest. Floristically it is the most diverse and most natural area of northern Australia with 46 species of plant considered rare or threatened, and nine restricted to the park.\n\nBecause of its diversity of land systems from marine and coastal habitats (which support substantial turtle and dugong populations) through to the arid sandstone escarpment, Kakadu is one of the world's richest wildlife parks. One-third of Australia's bird species and one quarter of its freshwater and estuarine fish species species are found in Kakadu. Huge concentrations of waterbirds (2.5 million) make seasonal use of the floodplains of the park and there are a diversity of invertebrates including 55 species of termite and 200 species of ant (10% of the total world number) as well as a wide diversity of small mammals. It also contains the most important breeding habitat in the world for the saltwater crocodile and the pig-nosed turtle - both threatened reptiles.\n\nAll the major landforms are incorporated in the park, which therefore provides an outstanding example of both ancient and recent geological changes to the continent. The park also contains many examples of relict species and species that represent the various periods of the biological evolution of the Australian fauna. The coastal rivers and flood plains illustrate the ecological effects of sea-level change in this part of Australia, as such; the park provides a special opportunity to investigate large-scale evolutionary processes in an intact landscape.\n\nThe region has been little affected by European settlement, in comparison with the remainder of the continent, hence the natural vegetation remains extensive in area and relatively unmodified, and its faunal composition is largely intact. Approximately 300 Aboriginal people reside in the park, including traditional owners and Aboriginals with recognized social and traditional attachments to the area. The park contains many Aboriginal archaeological, sacred and art sites."
},
{
"id": "145",
"year": 1981,
"target": "ARG",
"name": "Los Glaciares National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S50 0 0 W73 14 57.984",
"lat": -50,
"lng": -73.24944,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/145",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0145_0013-750-0-20130207121418.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Los Glaciares National Park © Philipp Schinz ",
"shortInfo": "Los Glaciares National Park\n\nTheLos Glaciares National Park\n\n is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with rugged, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes, including Lake Argentino, which is 160 km long. At its farthest end, three glaciers meet to dump their effluvia into the milky grey glacial water, launching massive igloo icebergs into the lake with thunderous splashes. ",
"longInfo": "Los Glaciers National Park is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with rugged, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes, including the great Lago Argentino. This vast alpine area includes the Patagonian ice field which occupies about half of the park. Extending over 14,000 km2, the ice field is the largest ice mantle outside Antarctica. It has a total of 47 glaciers and a further 200 smaller glaciers are independent of the main ice field.\n\nIt is the best place in South America to see glaciers in action. Glacial activity is concentrated around two main lakes, Argentino and Viedma. Lake Argentino is particularly spectacular with three glaciers dumping their effluvia into its milky glacial waters. Massive blue icebergs are launched into the lake with a thunderous splash.\n\nLos Glaciers contains some of the few glaciers in the world that are actually advancing. The effects of retreating and advancing glaciers can be clearly seen. The advancing Mereno glacier in the park often advances so far that its snout cuts off the normal escape stream of Lake Rico, forming a natural dam which inundates vast areas. When the glacier retreats in the heat of summer a wall of water roars down the valley.\n\nThe park contains two distinct vegetation types: subantarctic Patagonian forest and Patagonian steppe. The most impressive wildlife in the park is the birds. The many lakes offer an ideal habitat to black-necked swans and a variety of ducks and geese, and Chilean flamingos wade along the shore. Overhead glides the Andean condor, the largest bird in the world in terms of wing area, and the high grasslands are dotted with Darwin's rhea, South America's version of the ostrich.\n\nMammals include an isolated population of southern Andean huemul, and mountain viscacha probably lives in some sectors of the park, but its presence remains to be confirmed. Other species of interest are the guanaco, Argentine grey fox and Austral hog-nosed skunk.\n\nThe site suffers from introduced species, notably the European hare, whose voracious appetite is having a major impact on the natural ecosystem, and two species of trout, which have taken up residence in the rushing streams of the park.\n\nMammals include an isolated population of southern Andean huemul, and mountain viscacha probably lives in some sectors of the park, but its presence remains to be confirmed. Other species of interest are the guanaco, Argentine grey fox and Austral hog-nosed skunk.\n\nPrehistoric inhabitants of the area were hunter-gatherers who relied on guanaco for their subsistence. These were followed by the Tehuelchian culture. The park includes at least 14 sites of archaeological interest which are related to these cultures. Tehuelches Indians were almost exterminated during the process of European colonization."
},
{
"id": "150",
"year": 1981,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Mammoth Cave National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 11 14 W86 6 11",
"lat": 37.18722222222222,
"lng": -86.10305555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/150",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0150_0001-750-0-20090918190110.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mammoth Cave National Park © Nomination File ",
"shortInfo": "Mammoth Cave National Park\n\nMammoth Cave National Park, located in the state of Kentucky, has the world's largest network of natural caves and underground passageways, which are characteristic examples of limestone formations. The park and its underground network of more than 560 surveyed km of passageways are home to a varied flora and fauna, including a number of endangered species. ",
"longInfo": "Mammoth Cave National Park, located in the state of Kentucky, has the world's largest network of natural caves and underground passageways, which are characteristic examples of limestone formations.\n\nThe park includes by far the longest cave system in the world, with known passages extending some 550 km. It is of geological importance due to the 25 million years of cave-forming action by the Green River and its tributaries. Almost every type of cave formation is known within the site and the geological processes involved in cave formation are continuing. The long passages with huge chambers, vertical shafts, stalagmites and stalactites, gypsum 'flowers' and 'needles' and other natural features of the cave system are all superlative examples of their types. The park and its underground network of more than 550 km surveyed passageways are home to varied flora and fauna (including a number of endangered species).\n\nIt is the most extensive and diverse cave ecosystem in the world, with over 200 species, mostly invertebrate, indigenous to the network of caves, with 42 species adapted to life in total darkness. Outside the cave, the karst topography is superb, with fascinating landscapes, luxuriant vegetation and abundant wildlife - terrestrial vertebrates include 43 mammal, 207 bird, 37 reptile and 27 amphibian species. All the features of a karst drainage system are found within the site. Fossils are distributed throughout the rocks of the Mississippian age and include brachiopods, crinoids and corals.\n\nSurface features are also important and Big Woods, a temperate deciduous oak-hickory dominated forest, is reputed to be one of the largest and best remaining examples of the ancient forest of eastern North America that once covered Kentucky. The vegetation communities on the surface of the plateau include 84 tree varieties, 28 varieties of shrubs and vines, 29 types of fern, 209 wildflowers, 67 species of algae, 27 species of fungi and 7 species of bryophyte. This temperate deciduous oak-hickory forest is dominated by oaks including white, black and chestnut oaks and hickories including pignut and mockernut, with some beech, maples, tulip tree, ash and eastern red cedar\n\nThe troglodyte fauna includes several endangered species of blind fish, shrimp, bat and freshwater mussel.\n\nOf special concern is the Kentucky cave shrimp, a freshwater species of uncertain status. The geological setting has contributed to the species richness of the area with the cave system being old enough to have viable communities of fauna from three karst regions within an area large enough for speciation to have occurred. Nowhere else do the blind fish and their spring-cave dwelling relative co-exist.\n\nArchaeological sites in the area show evidence of four pre-Columbian Indian cultures. Mammoth Cave has been important in the development of human culture, with four distinct cultural periods described: palaeo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian. The early Woodland culture is particularly important because it marked the independent development of organized horticulture in the Western Hemisphere, with primitive agriculture on river floodplains and was the period of the first exploration and mining in Mammoth Cave. Several mummies, sandals, campfire sites, bare foot prints have been found preserved in the stabilizing cave atmosphere.\n\nHowever, the site does not include the entire river catchments of waters flowing through the site, so future disturbance is possible, particularly to the south and east of the park, where light industry is replacing agriculture.\n\nThere are no permanent inhabitants in the core area. About 240 people live in the buffer zones with a further 1,500 in the transition area, including about 600 in Park City."
},
{
"id": "170",
"year": 1981,
"target": "MAR",
"name": "Medina of Fez",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N34 3 39.996 W4 58 40.008",
"lat": 34.06111,
"lng": -4.97778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/170",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0170_0001-750-0-20090918111021.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Panoramic view © Barbara Blanchard ",
"shortInfo": "Medina of Fez\n\nFounded in the 9th century and home to the oldest university in the world, Fez reached its height in the 13th–14th centuries under the Marinids, when it replaced Marrakesh as the capital of the kingdom. The urban fabric and the principal monuments in the medina – madrasas, fondouks, palaces, residences, mosques and fountains - date from this period. Although the political capital of Morocco was transferred to Rabat in 1912, Fez has retained its status as the country's cultural and spiritual centre. ",
"longInfo": "The Holy City of Fez, a jewel of Spanish-Arabic civilization, is an outstanding and well-preserved example of an ancient capital of the Almoravids and the Almohads in the North African context, despite the destruction of the city and the transfer of the capital to Rabat. The Medina of Fez in its old, densely packed monuments - madrasas, fondouks, palaces, residences, mosques and fountains - is the memory of the capital founded in year 192 of the Hegira (808) by Idriss II.\n\nThe ancient city, home to the oldest university in the world, is composed of two distinct centres. One is the quarter of the Andalous, a population that fled from the Umayyad masters of Cordoba and who came to settle definitively on the right bank of the Fez. The other is the quarter of the Quarawiyyia, a people emigrated from Kairouan in the 11th century who chose the left bank of the river to develop their activities.\n\nDespite the destruction of a considerable part of the city by the Almoravids, the dynasty that took power in the 11th century, the two quarters grouped around two major monuments, the Jama el Andalous (the Mosque of the Andalusians) and the mosque of El Karaouiyne, have preserved their identities intact in the old city of Fez el Bali.\n\nIn the 13th century, after the Merinid conquest, when the city found itself constrained within its walls, a new city, Fez el Jedid, was founded directly to the west, in ah 674 by the sultan Abou Youssouf. It replaced Marrakesh as the capital of the kingdom. In the 14th century a Jewish quarter, the Mellah, was joined to the newly founded city. The urban fabric and the principal monuments in the Medina date from this period.\n\nSince then, the twin cities have led a symbiotic existence without losing their own character. Fez is at once an astonishing city-museum and one of the largest Islamic metropolises in which the various demographic strata have determined the greatest variety of architectural forms and urban landscapes.\n\nHaving been deserted since 1912 to the advantage of the modern city, the political capital of Morocco was transferred to Rabat, but Fez has retained its status as the country's cultural and spiritual centre."
},
{
"id": "155",
"year": 1981,
"target": "CIV",
"name": "Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N7 36 11.448 W8 23 27.492",
"lat": 7.60318,
"lng": -8.39097,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/155",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0155_0002-750-0-20121115153953.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mount Nimba © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve\n\nLocated on the borders of Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, Mount Nimba rises above the surrounding savannah. Its slopes are covered by dense forest at the foot of grassy mountain pastures. They harbour an especially rich flora and fauna, with endemic species such as the viviparous toad and chimpanzees that use stones as tools. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "155",
"year": 1981,
"target": "GIN",
"name": "Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N7 36 11.448 W8 23 27.492",
"lat": 7.60318,
"lng": -8.39097,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/155",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0155_0002-750-0-20121115153953.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mount Nimba © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve\n\nLocated on the borders of Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, Mount Nimba rises above the surrounding savannah. Its slopes are covered by dense forest at the foot of grassy mountain pastures. They harbour an especially rich flora and fauna, with endemic species such as the viviparous toad and chimpanzees that use stones as tools. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "153",
"year": 1981,
"target": "SEN",
"name": "Niokolo-Koba National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N13 4 0.012 W12 43 0.012",
"lat": 13.06667,
"lng": -12.71667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/153",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0153_0008-750-0-20121121150923.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Niokolo-Koba ",
"shortInfo": "Niokolo-Koba National Park\n\nLocated in a well-watered area along the banks of the Gambia river, the gallery forests and savannahs ofNiokolo-Koba National Park\n\n have a very rich fauna, among them Derby elands (largest of the antelopes), chimpanzees, lions, leopards and a large population of elephants, as well as many birds, reptiles and amphibians. ",
"longInfo": "Niokolo-Koba National Park covers 913,000 ha of the Guinea savannah of Senegal, with significant areas of bush land and gallery forest along both banks of the upper Gambia River. The area is rich in wildlife, with over 70 species of mammal, 329 bird, 36 reptile, 20 amphibian and vast numbers of invertebrates. The lions are a special attraction, reputed to be Africa's largest; Derby's eland, an endangered species, is the world's largest antelope. Other endangered species include chimpanzees, leopards and elephants. With around 1 million hectares, Niokolo-Koba certainly has sufficient size to demonstrate the key aspects of the functioning Guinea savannah ecosystem, and to ensure the survival of the endangered species contained therein. The park is a relatively flat region, with small lines of hills reaching about 200 m, separated by wide floodplains which become inundated during the rains. The park is crossed by the River Gambia and its two tributaries, the Niokolo Koba and the Koulountou.\n\nVegetation varies from a southern Sudanian type to Guinean with savannah predominant, more luxuriant vegetation along the course of the rivers and a varying cover of trees and bushes. This vegetation changes its character according to topography and soils. In the valleys and plains there are vast areas of Vetiveria and herbaceous savannahs. Seasonally flooded grassland is typically composed of Paspalum arbiculare and Echinochloa . Dry forest is made up of Sudanian species. There are also areas of bamboo. In ravines and gallery forests species indicative of a south Guinean climate are present, with lianes very abundant. On the edges of rivers semi-aquatic species, occur and annuals, which disappear when the water level rises, are found in the periodically flooded sands. Ponds are bordered by either dry forests or herbaceous savannahs, depending on humidity and soil compaction. Occasionally the centre of a marsh is occupied by thick thorn bushes of Mimosa pigra . Carnivores include leopard, lion and hunting dog. There are also buffalo roan, giant eland, Guinea baboon, green and patas monkey, bay colobus, all three African crocodiles and dwarf crododile, four tortoise species, and hippopotamus which is present in all three large watercourses. The park is the last refuge in Senegal for giraffe and elephant. About 150 chimpanzees live in the gallery forest of the park and on Mont Assirik (the north-western limit of their distribution). Birds include Denham's bustard, ground hornbill, violet turaco, spur-winged goose, white-faced tree duck, martial eagle and bateleur."
},
{
"id": "148",
"year": 1981,
"target": "ISR",
"name": "Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N31 46 60 E35 13 0",
"lat": 31.78333333333333,
"lng": 35.21666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0148_0001-750-0-20070503115007.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls\n\nAs a holy city for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Jerusalem has always been of great symbolic importance. Among its 220 historic monuments, the Dome of the Rock stands out: built in the 7th century, it is decorated with beautiful geometric and floral motifs. It is recognized by all three religions as the site of Abraham's sacrifice. The Wailing Wall delimits the quarters of the different religious communities, while the Resurrection rotunda in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre houses Christ's tomb. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "151",
"year": 1981,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Olympic National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 44 54 W123 26 56",
"lat": 47.748333333333335,
"lng": -123.44888888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/151",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0151_0001-750-0-20090914164402.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Olympic National Park © Brian Michelsen ",
"shortInfo": "Olympic National Park\n\nLocated in the north-west of Washington State,Olympic National Park\n\n is renowned for the diversity of its ecosystems. Glacier-clad peaks interspersed with extensive alpine meadows are surrounded by an extensive old growth forest, among which is the best example of intact and protected temperate rainforest in the Pacific Northwest. Eleven major river systems drain the Olympic mountains, offering some of the best habitat for anadromous fish species in the country. The park also includes 100 km of wilderness coastline, the longest undeveloped coast in the contiguous United States, and is rich in native and endemic animal and plant species, including critical populations of the endangered northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet and bull trout. ",
"longInfo": "Olympic National Park is isolated from other mountain ranges and surrounded by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound; this isolation has allowed the development of endemic species, including Olympic marmot, 4 subspecies of other mammals, 2 subspecies of trout, and 12 species or varieties of plant. 11 major river systems drain the Olympic mountains, offering some of the best habitat for anadromous fish species (such as salmon that live their lives in the sea and migrate to a freshwater river to spawn) in the country.\n\nReflecting the varied topography (from seashore to glacier) and the varied rainfall, the vegetation zones in the site are complex and varied. The park is divided into two segments: a mountainous core and a separate coastal strip. The rugged features of Olympic National Park are the result of the collision of drifting continental plates.\n\nThe area contains a great wealth of geological formations, affected by high rainfall on the west and low rainfall on the east. The lighter shales, sandstones and basalts, which had been violently sheared and squeezed during this tectonic movement, bobbed up like a cork, forming a dome some 95 km in diameter. Deep valleys and canyons were eroded out of this dome and glaciers sculpted the craggy peaks and beautiful cirques to form the spectacular landscape which characterizes the modern Olympics.\n\nThe mountains contain about 60 active glaciers; the area is unique in because it is the lowest latitude in the world in which glaciers begin at an elevation lower than 2,000 m and exist below 1,000 m. Glacier-clad peaks interspersed with extensive alpine meadows are surrounded by an extensive old growth forest, among which is the best example of intact and protected temperate rainforest in the Pacific Northwest.\n\nThe coastal strip of the site stretches along 80 km of wilderness beach, characterized by rocky headlands, log-strewn beaches, and a wealth of intertidal life; rocky islets along the coast are remnants of a continuously receding, changing coastline, and the arches, caves and buttresses are evidence of the continuous battering of the waves. Tide pools are filled with hundreds of species of invertebrate life, and seals, sea lions, sea otters and several species of whale are often seen in the waves and around the offshore islands.\n\nThe main danger to the integrity of the site is, oddly, one of its attractions: the mountain goat. Due to the isolation of the site, mountain goats never dispersed naturally to the Olympics, so their introduction in 1925-29 may be causing significant changes in the natural ecosystem. The mountain goats have reduced plant cover, increased erosion, and shifted plant-community dominants towards more resistant or less palatable species; they have been recorded feeding on at least three of the endemic plants, and some concern has been expressed that these species may be endangered by the mountain goat.\n\nThe coniferous forest of Olympic is of prime commercial interest and practically all the original forest outside the park has been harvested."
},
{
"id": "160",
"year": 1981,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Palace and Park of Fontainebleau",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N48 24 7 E2 41 53",
"lat": 48.401944444444446,
"lng": 2.698055555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/160",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0160_0001-750-0-20090505174849.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Palace and Park of Fontainebleau\n\nUsed by the kings of France from the 12th century, the medieval royal hunting lodge of Fontainebleau, standing at the heart of a vast forest in the Ile-de-France, was transformed, enlarged and embellished in the 16th century by François I, who wanted to make a 'New Rome' of it. Surrounded by an immense park, the Italianate palace combines Renaissance and French artistic traditions. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "163",
"year": 1981,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the \"Triumphal Arch\" of Orange",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N44 8 8.6 E4 48 30.3",
"lat": 44.13572222222222,
"lng": 4.808416666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/163",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0163_0001-750-0-20090506121652.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the \"Triumphal Arch\" of Orange\n\nSituated in the Rhone valley, the ancient theatre of Orange, with its 103-m-long facade, is one of the best preserved of all the great Roman theatres. Built between A.D. 10 and 25, the Roman arch is one of the most beautiful and interesting surviving examples of a provincial triumphal arch from the reign of Augustus. It is decorated with low reliefs commemorating the establishment of the Pax Romana. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "144",
"year": 1981,
"target": "TZA",
"name": "Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S8 57 28.008 E39 31 22.008",
"lat": -8.95778,
"lng": 39.52278,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/144",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0144_0027-750-0-20121111133403.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Songo Mnara © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara\n\nThe remains of two great East African ports admired by early European explorers are situated on two small islands near the coast. From the 13th to the 16th century, the merchants of Kilwa dealt in gold, silver, pearls, perfumes, Arabian crockery, Persian earthenware and Chinese porcelain; much of the trade in the Indian Ocean thus passed through their hands. ",
"longInfo": "Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara are two archaeological sites of prime importance to the understanding of the Swahili culture, the Islamization of the east coast of Africa and the extensive commerce of the medieval period and the modern era. These are islands, situated close to each other, off the Tanzanian coast. On each island a complex of ruins has been preserved, but those of Kilwa Kisiwani are by far the most important.\n\nThe site has been occupied from the 9th to 19th centuries and reached its peak in the 13th and 14th centuries. Among the many monuments these are some of the most important:\n\nThe ceramics and small objects gathered during the excavations bear exceptional testimony to the commercial, and consequently cultural, exchanges of which Kilwa, and to a lesser extent, Songo were the theatre. Cowrie shells and beads of glass, carnelian or quartz were mixed with porcelain of the Sung dynasty as a medium of exchange from the 12th century. Chinese porcelain and Islamic monochrome faience continued to be the vectors of a bartering system well after the appearance of a monetary atelier at Kilwa."
},
{
"id": "157",
"year": 1981,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "SGang Gwaay",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N52 5 42 W131 13 13",
"lat": 52.095,
"lng": -131.22027777777777,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/157",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0157_0001-750-0-20090924182044.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "SGang Gwaay © Amanda ",
"shortInfo": "SGang Gwaay\n\nThe village of Ninstints (Nans Dins) is located on a small island off the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii). Remains of houses, together with carved mortuary and memorial poles, illustrate the Haida people's art and way of life. The site commemorates the living culture of the Haida people and their relationship to the land and sea, and offers a visual key to their oral traditions. ",
"longInfo": "The village of Ninstints (Nans Dins) is located on a small island off the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii), and it bears a unique testimony to the vanished civilization of the Haida Indians, a tribe living essentially from hunting and fishing in the archipelago.\n\nThe San Christoval Mountains form the backbone of Gwaii Haanas, rising to 1,123 m at Mount de la Touche. The higher elevations of this range are dominated by mountain hemlock and alpine tundra vegetation zones. The lower elevations are mainly cedar, pine and western hemlock. The hemlock-Sitka spruce zone is on the islands of the eastern part of Gwaii Haanas, including the eastern fringe of Moresby Island. The distinct island flora and fauna have evolved over thousands of years. The species here often differ from those found on the mainland. Many common continental species are not found on the islands at all, or have evolved into unique subspecies such as the black bear and pine marten (both larger than mainland cousins), deer mouse, dusky shrew and short-tailed weasel.\n\nAn estimated 1.5 million seabirds nest along some 4,700 km of shoreline on the islands from May to late August. Approximately half of these seabirds can be found in Gwaii Haanas. Many are burrow-nesters, such as the rhinoceros auklet, ancient murrelet, tufted puffin, horned puffin, Cassin's auklet, Leach's storm petrel and fork-tailed storm petrel. Because the islands are situated along the Pacific flyway, dozens of species of migrating birds stop here in spring and autumn.\n\nThe seas around Gwaii Haanas teem with life. These waters are home to salmon, herring, halibut, rockfish, mussels, crab, starfish, sea urchin and octopus, along with numerous other species. Haida Gwaii is also on the spring migration route of the grey whales which spend their summers in feeding grounds in the Bering Sea. Killer whales (orcas), humpback and minke whales are also seen in the waters surrounding Gwaii Haanas, along with dolphins, porpoises and harbour seals.\n\nThe first traces of human occupation date back almost 2,000 years; the village was not deserted until shortly after 1880, when about 25 Indians still took up winter quarters there before leaving for summer hunting and fishing expeditions near Queen Charlotte Islands. A series of unit dwellings, cedar longhouses, still exists, of which 10 are in good condition. However, it is above all the 32 totemic and mortuary columns on the edge of the dwelling zone which contribute to the world renown of the site. These wooden columns, sculpted with stylized anthropo-zoomorphic figures, have suffered considerable erosion at the hands of nature.\n\nMore of the village has been taken by nature, consumed by age and the elements, and returned to the forest. What remains is unique in the world, a 19th-century Haida village where the ruins of ten houses and 32 memorial or mortuary poles bespeak the power and artistry of a rich and flamboyant society.\n\nThe Haida have always thrived on the wealth of both the sea and the forest. Shellfish and salmon were staple foods. Giant Western red cedars were the raw material of ocean-going canoes, vast post-and-plank houses, and great poles bearing both symbols of family history and holding inside them the bones of ancestors. The Haida lived on SGaang Gwaii for thousands of years.\n\nRemains of houses, together with carved mortuary and memorial poles, illustrate the Haida people's art and way of life. The site commemorates the living culture of the Haida people and their relationship to the land and sea, and offers a visual key to their oral traditions. Gwaii Haanas is a protected area that contains the essence of the rugged beauty and ecological character of the Pacific coast. It is a celebration of more than 10,000 years of connection between land, sea and Haida culture."
},
{
"id": "156",
"year": 1981,
"target": "TZA",
"name": "Serengeti National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S2 19 59.988 E34 34 0.012",
"lat": -2.3333299999999997,
"lng": 34.56667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/156",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0156_0001-750-0-20091104125027.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Serengeti National Park\n\nThe vast plains of the Serengeti comprise 1.5 million ha of savannah. The annual migration to permanent water holes of vast herds of herbivores (wildebeest, gazelles and zebras), followed by their predators, is one of the most impressive natural events in the world. ",
"longInfo": "The area of savannah and open woodland comprises some 1.5 million hectares and contains the largest herds of grazing animals in the world and the carnivores that prey on them, providing a wildlife spectacle that is second to none. The great migrating herds are continuously moving through the entire ecosystem, but the sight is most impressive in May and June, when the animals travel en masse from the central plains to the permanent water holes on the western side of the park. The Serengeti ecosystem contains much more than these dominant species.\n\nThe annual migration is dominated by wildebeest in enormous numbers - some 190,000 in the 1950s, 1.69 million in 1989, but 1.27 million in 1991; also by Burchell's zebra (some 200,000), Thomson's gazelle, with some eland and topi, each harvesting the grass most suited to it. The herds are followed by prides of lion numbering up to 3,000 individuals, spotted hyena, striped hyena, golden jackal, side-striped jackal and black-backed jackal. The last packs of the endangered wild dog disappeared in 1991. A rabies epidemic killed three of the packs, but there is no agreement on the full cause of the disappearance.\n\nThere are large herds of antelope of many species. On the grasslands are eland, lesser kudu, roan antelope, oribi, Grant's gazelle, hartebeest, steenbock, topi and oryx, also buffalo. In the woodlands are grimmia, impala and Kirk's dikdik. In the swamps are reedbuck and waterbuck. Among the kopjes are klipspringer, as well as giraffe and olive baboon; and on the mountains, mountain reedbuck.\n\nOther characteristic larger mammals are leopard, cheetah (classed as vulnerable), caracal, African elephant (endangered: estimated number 1,357 in 1994), black rhinoceros (critically endangered: there are very few left), hippopotamus and giraffe. Smaller mammals include numerous species of bat, bushbaby, vervet monkey, patas monkey, black and white colobus monkey and olive baboon, aardvark, ground pangolin, cape hare, porcupine, three species of hyrax and many other rodents, bat-eared fox, two species of otter, ratel, zorilla, common genet, large spotted genet, African civet, seven species of mongoose, aardwolf, serval, golden cat, African wildcat and bushpig. Reptiles include Nile crocodile, Nile monitor lizard, African rock python, blacknecked spitting cobra and puff adder.\n\nOver 500 bird species include 34 raptors, 6 vultures and aggregations of over 20,000 waterbirds. There are ostrich, marabou stork, lesser flamingo, African fish eagle, tawny eagle, lesser falcon (vulnerable), secretary bird, helmeted guineafowl, crowned crane, kori bustard, black-winged pratincole, black-winged plover, Caspian plover, white-winged black tern, Fischer's lovebird, purpuratus, southern ground hornbill, greycrested helmet shrike, Karamoja apalis (vulnerable), redthroated tit and several birds of restricted distribution such as rufous-tailed weaver.\n\nSerengeti is contiguous with Ngorongoro Conservation Unit, an area of 528,000 ha declared a World Heritage site in 1979. But even the combined Serengeti-Ngorongoro ecosystem of some 2 million hectares does not include the entire ecosystem. It is felt that the Serengeti National Park is sufficiently large to ensure the survival of all the species contained therein if it is maintained as at present, but that it does not by itself ensure the protection of the entire migratory ecosystem."
},
{
"id": "168",
"year": 1981,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Speyer Cathedral",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 19 0 E8 26 35",
"lat": 49.31666666666667,
"lng": 8.443055555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/168",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0168_0001-750-0-20110422150906.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Tim Schnarr ",
"shortInfo": "Speyer Cathedral\n\nSpeyer Cathedral, a basilica with four towers and two domes, was founded by Conrad II in 1030 and remodelled at the end of the 11th century. It is one of the most important Romanesque monuments from the time of the Holy Roman Empire. The cathedral was the burial place of the German emperors for almost 300 years. ",
"longInfo": "Speyer Cathedral exerted a considerable influence not only on the development of Romanesque architecture in the 11th and 12th centuries, but also on the evolution of the principles of restoration in Germany, in Europe, and in the world from the 18th century to the present.\n\nThe cathedral, along with those of Worms and Mainz, is a major monument of Romanesque art. It is, by virtue of its proportions, the largest, and, by virtue of the history to which it is linked (the Salic emperors made it their place of burial), the most important.\n\nThe cathedral, dedicated to St Mary and St Stephen, was founded by Conrad II and was built essentially between 1030 and 1106. It incorporates the general layout of St Michael of Hildesheim and brings to perfection a type of plan that was adopted generally in the Rhineland. This plan is characterized by the equilibrium of the eastern and western blocks and by the symmetrical and singular placement of the towers which frame the mass formed by the nave and the transept. Under Henry IV renovations and extensions were undertaken.\n\nSpeyer Cathedral is the first known structure to be built with a gallery that encircles the whole building. The system of arcades added during these renovations was also a first in architectural history.\n\nIn 1689 the cathedral was seriously damaged by fire. Following this disaster, the architect I. M. Neumann attempted its reconstruction in the Romanesque style, in the 18th century, although not without inventing a Baroque Westwerk (1772-78). The Bavarian King Ludwig I commissioned the painting of the interior. From 1846 to 1853 painters of the school of Johannes Schraudolph and Josef Schwarzmann completed the work in late Nazarene style.\n\nThis addition was replaced in 1854-58 by a western block, a pastiche of the Romanesque style in keeping with current ideas. During the same period, the entire interior was enhanced by heavy neo-Romanesque decorative paintings and large historical panels, attributed to Schraudolph and his atelier.\n\nStarting in 1957, the removal of the paintings and the layers of painted plaster was undertaken in order to restore the 11th-century form of the cathedral. The crypt is of special interest as it has retained its original condition to the present day. It houses the graves of no less than eight medieval German emperors and kings, buried there between 1039 and 1309. It also includes the grave of Emperor Konrad II, who had to be buried elsewhere for the first two years after he died because the crypt was not yet finished at the time of his death.\n\nA huge stone font, with a capacity of 1,560 litres, stands on the square in front of the main portal of the cathedral. This font once symbolized the borderline between the diocese and the city.\n\nSpeyer Cathedral is one of the most important Romanesque monuments from the time of the Holy Roman Empire and the imposing triple-aisled vaulted basilica is the culmination of a design that was to be very influential in the subsequent development of Romanesque architecture during the 11th and 12th centuries. "
},
{
"id": "167",
"year": 1981,
"target": "AUS",
"name": "Willandra Lakes Region",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "S34 0 0 E143 0 0",
"lat": -34,
"lng": 143,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/167",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0167_0001-750-0-20140304152542.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Willandra Lakes Region © DSEWPaC ",
"shortInfo": "Willandra Lakes Region\n\nThe fossil remains of a series of lakes and sand formations that date from the Pleistocene can be found in this region, together with archaeological evidence of human occupation dating from 45–60,000 years ago. It is a unique landmark in the study of human evolution on the Australian continent. Several well-preserved fossils of giant marsupials have also been found here. ",
"longInfo": "The fossil remains of a series of lakes and sand formations that date from the Pleistocene can be found in this region, together with archaeological evidence of human occupation dating from 45-60,000 years ago. It is a unique landmark in the study of human evolution on the Australian continent. Several well-preserved fossils of giant marsupials have also been found here.\n\nThe Willandra Lakes Region is primarily a geological site, with fauna and flora of significant interest in an archaeological sense: the Willandra Lakes may be the best locality for establishing a link between the extinction of the giant marsupial fauna and predation by humans. The Australian geological environment, with its low topographic relief and low energy systems, is unique in the longevity of the landscapes it preserves. The site includes the entire lake and river system from Lake Mulurulu, the latest to hold water, to the Prungle Lakes, dry for more than 15,000 years, and the region is unique in the world.\n\nThe Willandra Lakes provide excellent conditions for recording the events of the Pleistocene epoch (when man evolved into his present form), demonstrating how non-glaciated zones responded to the major climatic fluctuations between glacial periods. When Willandra Billabong Creek ceased to flow and so to replenish the lakes, this dried in series from the Prungle Lakes in the south to Lake Mulurulu in the north over several thousand years; as each lake evaporated, it became an independent system undergoing a basic transformation from fresh water to saline water to dry lake bed.\n\nAs long as water remained in a lake, dunes were accumulated along the eastern margins. It is this system of transverse crescent-shaped dunes, called 'lunettes', which contain evidence of past hydrological and geochemical environments. The freshwater lakes concentrated clean quartz sands on eastern beaches, but the lakes became more saline as they dried out, and clay pellets were chipped from the exposed lake floor by high winds to form distinctive clay lunettes. Such clay dunes are rare in world terms, and the well-preserved fossil examples in the Willandra Lakes region are an important geological resource; the 30 m high Lake Chibnalwood clay lunette is one of the largest in the world.\n\nThe Willandra Lakes Region is a remarkable example of a site where the economic life of Homo sapiens can be reconstructed, showing a remarkable adaptation to local resources and a fascinating interaction between human culture and the changing natural environment. The fossil landscape remains largely unmodified since the end of the last Pleistocene ice age.\n\nArchaeological discoveries made here are of outstanding value. They include a 26,000-year-old cremation site (the oldest known in the world), a 30,000-year-old ochre burial, the remains of giant marsupials in an excellent state of conservation, and grindstones from 18,000 years ago used to crush wild grass for flour whose age is comparable with that claimed for the earliest seed-grind economies. The region also contains the remains of hearths, some dated to 30,000 years ago.\n\nThe region also provides evidence of the most distant point of dispersal reached during the course of the last glaciation by Homo sapiens and the earliest economic data in the world for human dependence on freshwater resources, in a pattern paralleled by Aborigines as recently as 100 years ago on the Darling River."
},
{
"id": "169",
"year": 1981,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 47 34.008 E9 56 20.004",
"lat": 49.79278,
"lng": 9.93889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/169",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0169_0001-750-0-20100201180143.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square\n\nThis magnificent Baroque palace – one of the largest and most beautiful in Germany and surrounded by wonderful gardens – was created under the patronage of the prince-bishops Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn. It was built and decorated in the 18th century by an international team of architects, painters (including Tiepolo), sculptors and stucco-workers, led by Balthasar Neumann. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "185",
"year": 1982,
"target": "SYC",
"name": "Aldabra Atoll",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S9 25 0 E46 25 0",
"lat": -9.416666666666666,
"lng": 46.416666666666664,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/185",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0185_0001-750-0-20100520162247.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Aldabra Atoll\n\nThe atoll is comprised of four large coral islands which enclose a shallow lagoon; the group of islands is itself surrounded by a coral reef. Due to difficulties of access and the atoll's isolation, Aldabra has been protected from human influence and thus retains some 152,000 giant tortoises, the world's largest population of this reptile. ",
"longInfo": "The least-disturbed large island in the Indian Ocean, Aldabra is of outstanding scientific interest. It is the only place in the world where a reptile is the dominant herbivore; some 150,000 giant tortoises (more than on the Galápagos Islands) feed on tie grasses and shrubbery, including plants that have evolved to take advantage of tortoise grazing patterns. The tortoises are the last survivors of a life form once found on many Indian Ocean islands; slow-moving and vulnerable, the giant land tortoises on all other Indian Ocean islands have been driven to extinction by human exploitation, leaving Aldabra as their only remaining stronghold. The island's isolation has allowed the evolution of a distinct fauna, with two endemic birds (Aldabra arush warbler and Aldabra drongo) and another 11 birds that have distinct subspecies (showing evolution in action); among the most interesting is the Aldabran white-throated rail, the last representative of the western Indian Ocean flightless birds - all others have gone the way of the dodo.\n\nAldabra is a classic coral atoll which has been built up from the seabed. It consists of four main islands of coral limestone separated by narrow passes and enclosing a large shallow lagoon. Most of the land surface consists of ancient coral reef (about 125,000 years old) now raised above sea level, the rest being even older reef limestones. The lagoon contains many smaller islands and the entire atoll is surrounded by an outer reef. Geomorphological processes have produced a varied topography, generally rugged, which supports a variety of habitats with a relatively rich biota for an oceanic island, and a high degree of endemism. Over much of the surface of the islands, weathering has led to dissection of the limestones into holes and pits, although at the eastern end the surface is more continuous on upraised lagoonal sediments. Along the coast are undercut limestone cliffs, with a perched beach and sand dunes on the southern (windward) coast. Marine habitats range from coral reefs to mangrove mudflats with minimal human impact. Tidal range is more than 3 m, which can lead to strong channel currents.\n\nThe terrestrial flora is exceptionally rich for a small coral island, with 273 species of flowering plant and fern. Much of the land is covered with dense Pemohis acidula thicket and other shrubs. There are 19 endemic species, a further 22 species are shared only with neighbouring islands. Many of these plants are considered to be threatened. Mangroves surround the lagoon, and inshore waters also support seagrass meadows.\n\nThis island group is one of the few areas of the world where reptiles dominate the terrestrial fauna, with the largest world population of giant tortoise, which appears to be self-sustaining. Green turtle breed here, with approximately 1,000 females laying annually. There are 13 species of terrestrial bird including the last representative of the western Indian Ocean flightless birds - Aldabran rail with two endemic Aldabran forms. The Aldabra warbler has not been seen for several years and might be naturally extinct. Previously restricted to 10 ha of coastal tall scrub, this was considered possibly the most endangered bird in the world, as only five birds have been seen since its discovery in 1968. Aldabran drongo and some endemic subspecies are also found. There is a population of about 8,000 birds of this flightless race, which does not seem seriously threatened by the feral cats. The islands are important breeding grounds for thousands of seabirds, including several thousand each of red-tailed tropic bird and white-tailed tropic bird, hundreds of masked booby, several thousand red-footed booby, some Abbott's booby, and thousands each of greater frigate bird and lesser frigate bird. There are also thousands of nesting terns. The only endemic mammal is a flying fox. So far about 1,000 species of insect have been recorded, many' of them new and endemic forms.\n\nThere is no permanent settlement. The resident population is composed of Foundation employees and visiting scientists."
},
{
"id": "201",
"year": 1982,
"target": "LKA",
"name": "Ancient City of Polonnaruwa",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N7 54 57 E81 0 2",
"lat": 7.9158333333333335,
"lng": 81.00055555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/201",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0201_0001-750-0-20100122164442.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Barbara Blanchard ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient City of Polonnaruwa\n\nPolonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. It comprises, besides the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the monumental ruins of the fabulous garden-city created by Parakramabahu I in the 12th century. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "202",
"year": 1982,
"target": "LKA",
"name": "Ancient City of Sigiriya",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N7 57 0 E80 45 0",
"lat": 7.95,
"lng": 80.75,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/202",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0202_0010-750-0-20121130111249.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ancient City of Sigiriya © Barbara Blanchard ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient City of Sigiriya\n\nThe ruins of the capital built by the parricidal King Kassapa I (477–95) lie on the steep slopes and at the summit of a granite peak standing some 180m high (the 'Lion's Rock', which dominates the jungle from all sides). A series of galleries and staircases emerging from the mouth of a gigantic lion constructed of bricks and plaster provide access to the site. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "190",
"year": 1982,
"target": "LBY",
"name": "Archaeological Site of Cyrene",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N32 49 30 E21 51 29.988",
"lat": 32.825,
"lng": 21.858330000000002,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/190",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0190_0001-750-0-20110920200111.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Site of Cyrene\n\nA colony of the Greeks of Thera, Cyrene was one of the principal cities in the Hellenic world. It was Romanized and remained a great capital until the earthquake of 365. A thousand years of history is written into its ruins, which have been famous since the 18th century. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "183",
"year": 1982,
"target": "LBY",
"name": "Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N32 38 17.988 E14 17 35.016",
"lat": 32.638329999999996,
"lng": 14.29306,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/183",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0183_0002-750-0-20101005105934.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna\n\nLeptis Magna was enlarged and embellished by Septimius Severus, who was born there and later became emperor. It was one of the most beautiful cities of the Roman Empire, with its imposing public monuments, harbour, market-place, storehouses, shops and residential districts. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "184",
"year": 1982,
"target": "LBY",
"name": "Archaeological Site of Sabratha",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N32 48 19.008 E12 29 6",
"lat": 32.805279999999996,
"lng": 12.485,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/184",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0184_0009-750-0-20110809170511.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Site of Sabratha\n\nA Phoenician trading-post that served as an outlet for the products of the African hinterland, Sabratha was part of the short-lived Numidian Kingdom of Massinissa before being Romanized and rebuilt in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "198",
"year": 1982,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 39 31 W90 3 41",
"lat": 38.65861111111111,
"lng": -90.06138888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/198",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0198_0001-750-0-20090925170204.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site © Emily Dickinson ",
"shortInfo": "Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site\n\nCahokia Mounds, some 13 km north-east of St Louis, Missouri, is the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico. It was occupied primarily during the Mississippian period (800–1400), when it covered nearly 1,600 ha and included some 120 mounds. It is a striking example of a complex chiefdom society, with many satellite mound centres and numerous outlying hamlets and villages. This agricultural society may have had a population of 10–20,000 at its peak between 1050 and 1150. Primary features at the site include Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric earthwork in the Americas, covering over 5 ha and standing 30 m high. ",
"longInfo": "Cahokia Mounds State historic site is the most comprehensive affirmation of the pre-Columbian civilizations in the Mississippi region. It is an early and eminent example of pre-urban structuring, which provides an opportunity to study a type of social organization, on which written sources are silent.\n\nThe archaeological site of Cahokia, so named for a subtribe of the Illini who occupied the area when the French arrived, serves as a point of reference for the study of pre-Columbian civilizations in the area of the Mississippi from approximately 900 to 1600. Within the vast zone of plains and plateaux the occupation of the land and the population development underwent an original evolution during the last phase of prehistory, characterized at once by agricultural advances and by a social system which favoured urban concentration. Anthropologists have estimated a sedentary population of an average of 10,000 inhabitants whose social and professional organization, lifestyle and funerary rites have been brought to light by a series of excavations.\n\nFascinating information about the people who once built the great prehistoric city of Cahokia was revealed accidentally during excavations in the early 1960s. Dr Warren Wittry was studying excavation maps when he observed that numerous large oval-shaped pits seemed to be arranged in arcs of circles. He theorized that posts set in these pits lined up with the rising Sun at certain times of the year, serving as a calendar, which he called Woodhenge. Fragments of wood remaining in some of the post pits revealed that red cedar, a sacred wood, had been used for the posts. The most spectacular sunrise occurs at the equinoxes, when the Sun rises due east. The post marking these sunrises aligns with the front of Monks Mound, where the leader resided, and it looks as though Monks Mound gives birth to the Sun.\n\nThe limits of the site are defined by a number of earthwork levees comparable to the enceinte of the protohistoric European oppida. Within this circumvallation, space is rationally distributed between living quarters, zones of specialized activities and public ceremonial areas. Small gardens were attached to each living unit but the cultivated lands were essentially found outside the circumvallation, where a series of small satellite villages were located.\n\nThe architecture of Cahokia is based on the exclusive use of two materials: earth and wood. The omnipresent forms are those of mounds, when either served as mottes or as funerary tumuli. The dwellings consisted of posts or of wooden palisades. The wooden palisades could serve equally as well as defensive enclosures. In the 12th century, the entire central sector of the site, including the largest (Monks) mound, which is a testament to the sophisticated engineering skills of these people. It had been encircled by such a palisade, which took the form of a bastioned enceinte. Excavation results suggest the existence of a markedly hierarchical social structure, incorporating an interior city where the centre of power was located.\n\nThe third circle (AD 1000) was reconstructed in 1985 at the original location. Red ochre pigment found in some of the postholes suggests the posts may have been painted.\n\nAssociated with Round Top, Mound 60 is a large, rectangular platform mound known as the Fox Mound. These two mounds seem to be united by a platform as a contour line surrounds them both on the map. The contour may, however, only represent a blending of the slope wash, or talus slopes, of the two mounds coming together. They probably were a unit because the relationship to each other is matched by other paired mounds at the site. They seem strongly reminiscent of the association of platform charnel-house mounds and conical burial mounds in this ethno-historic period of the south-eastern United States."
},
{
"id": "191",
"year": 1982,
"target": "DZA",
"name": "Djémila",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N36 19 14.016 E5 44 12.012",
"lat": 36.32056,
"lng": 5.73667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/191",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0191_0001-750-0-20090923174604.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Situated 900 m above sea-level, Djémila, or Cuicul, with its forum, temples, basilicas, triumphal arches and houses, is an interesting example of Roman town planning adapted to a mountain location. © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Djémila\n\nSituated 900 m above sea-level,Djémila\n\n, or Cuicul, with its forum, temples, basilicas, triumphal arches and houses, is an interesting example of Roman town planning adapted to a mountain location. ",
"longInfo": "Djémila bears eloquent exceptional testimony to the Roman civilization and constitutes an outstanding example, with its forum, temples, basilicas, triumphal arches and houses, of an architectural ensemble representative of Roman culture. It is also is an interesting example of Roman town planning adapted to a mountain location.\n\nThe Roman colony of Cuicul was probably founded on the present site of Djémila, during the brief reign of Nerva (AD 96-98). The early city, whose name is of Berber origin, occupies a remarkable defensive position on a rocky spur which spreads at an altitude of 900 m, between two mountain streams, Wadi Guergour and Wadi Betame.\n\nThe classic formula of Roman urban planning was adapted to the physical constraints of the site: at both ends of the cardo maximus, the backbone of the city, are two gates. In the centre is the forum, an enclosed square surrounded by buildings essential to the functioning of civil life: the capitolium to the north, the curia to the east, a civil basilica (Basilica Julia) to the west. Aristocratic dwellings set with rich mosaics from which they take their contemporary names (the House of Amphitrite, the House of Europa, etc.) multiplied during the course of the 2nd century in this central quarter, where the Temple of Venus Genetrix and the macellum (covered market) are also located. However, this cramped defensive situation, hemmed in by walls, hindered the development of the city.\n\nIn the mid-2nd century the city therefore expanded to the south, where a new quarter, rich in both public buildings and private dwellings, was established. Here were built the Arch of Caracalla, the temple of the family of Severus, a new forum, a theatre (already completed under Antoninus Pius), and, further along, baths constructed in the reign of Commodus. Among the buildings of the classical period the Basilica Vestiaria (cloth market) and a fountain that is a small-scale replica of the Meta Sudans in Rome are noteworthy. Christianity was implanted in the southern quarter at an early date. The remains of a group of episcopal buildings have been located there: two basilicas, a baptistry, a chapel and several houses, the residence of the bishop and the priest.\n\nThe Vandals were in Djémila for only a short time; the city was retaken by the Byzantines in 553. Excavations did not begin on the abandoned site, which is one of the world's most beautiful Roman ruins, until 1909."
},
{
"id": "203",
"year": 1982,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan Salt ",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N46 56 15 E5 52 35",
"lat": 46.9375,
"lng": 5.876388888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/203",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0203_0001-750-0-20090506110238.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan Salt \n\nThe Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, near Besançon, was built by Claude Nicolas Ledoux. Its construction, begun in 1775 during the reign of Louis XVI, was the first major achievement of industrial architecture, reflecting the ideal of progress of the Enlightenment. The vast, semicircular complex was designed to permit a rational and hierarchical organization of work and was to have been followed by the building of an ideal city, a project that was never realized.The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains was active for at least 1200 years until stopping activity in 1962. From 1780 to 1895, its salt water travelled through 21 km of wood pipes to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans. It was built near the immense Chaux Forest to ensure its supply of wood for fuel. The Saltworks of Salins shelters an underground gallery from the 13th century including a hydraulic pump from the 19th century that still functions. The boiler house demonstrates the difficulty of the saltworkers’ labour to collect the “White Gold”. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "174",
"year": 1982,
"target": "ITA",
"name": "Historic Centre of Florence",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 46 23.016 E11 15 21.996",
"lat": 43.77306,
"lng": 11.25611,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/174",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0174_0051-750-0-20140718150235.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Florence © Tim Schnarr ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Florence\n\nBuilt on the site of an Etruscan settlement, Florence, the symbol of the Renaissance, rose to economic and cultural pre-eminence under the Medici in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its 600 years of extraordinary artistic activity can be seen above all in the 13th-century cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore), the Church of Santa Croce, the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, the work of great masters such as Giotto, Brunelleschi, Botticelli and Michelangelo. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "189",
"year": 1982,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S8 0 48 W34 50 42",
"lat": -8.013333333333334,
"lng": -34.845,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/189",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0189_0017-750-0-20131015143928.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda © Lyssuel Calvet ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda\n\nFounded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, the town’s history is linked to the sugar-cane industry. Rebuilt after being looted by the Dutch, its basic urban fabric dates from the 18th century. The harmonious balance between the buildings, gardens, 20 Baroque churches, convents and numerous small passos (chapels) all contribute to Olinda’s particular charm. ",
"longInfo": "The historical centre of Olinda, which is located several kilometres to the north of the harbour installations, industrial zones and skyscrapers of Recife, still retains the charm of a city museum of the colonial period. Olinda was founded in 1537 by the Portuguese Duarte Coelho Pereira and owed its rapid rise to the cultivation of sugar cane in the region of Pernambuco using slave labour.\n\nFrom the 16th century, churches and convents, of which only rare examples such as the Church of São João exist today, were built by religious missions. The Dutch occupied the region from 1630 to 1654 and during the occupation a well-planned town was built where present-day Recife is located. Pernambuco was ably governed by the Dutch and prospered with the production of sugar in the plantations located in the rich alluvial soil along the coast. However, the invaders burned down Olinda, although they created a pacific and developed administration centred in Recife.\n\nPortuguese rule replaced that of the Dutch in Pernambuco in 1654, and Olinda recovered; once again it was an important Brazilian village, as a developed and cultural centre. In the early 18th century a bitter rivalry developed between Olinda, the administrative capital of the Captaincy and the residence of rich aristocratic plantation owners, and Recife, which was the commercial centre, largely inhabited by traders, ship's chandlers and warehouse workers.\n\nRecife continued to prosper, however, while Olinda declined, and in 1827 it was made the capital of the province. In 1817 Pernambuco was the scene of a local armed rebellion against Portuguese rule. It remained for years a hotbed of republicanism and revolutionary agitation, and it was the site of unsuccessful insurrections against Portuguese rule in 1821-22, 1824, 1831 and 1848. Pernambuco became a state of the Brazilian Republic in 1891.\n\nThe essential urban fabric of Olinda dates from the 18th century, although it incorporates some older monuments. Among the more important of the buildings of Olinda are the Episcopal Church, the Jesuit College and Church (now the Church of Graça), the Franciscan, Carmelite, Benedictine and other monasteries and convents, and the Misericórdia, Amparo and São João Batista churches.\n\nThe unique quality of the Historic Centre arises from the balance, which has generally been maintained, between the private and public buildings and the gardens of the early land allotment. It is a town of unexpected views: one of the numerous Baroque churches and convents or the numerous passos (chapels and oratories) will appear unexpectedly as one turns a corner. The studied refinements of the decor of these conscious architectural structures contrasts with the charming simplicity of the houses, which are painted in vivid colours or faced with ceramic tiles.\n\nOver recent decades, Olinda - a city of art, much appreciated by artists - has been the object of numerous preservation measures. Outstanding buildings such as the Church of Graça, with the former Jesuit College, the Convent do Carmo and the Episcopal Palace have all been more or less completely restored. The construction of new complexes is regulated by a master plan and the zone of protection was extended in 1979."
},
{
"id": "186",
"year": 1982,
"target": "AUS",
"name": "Lord Howe Island Group",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "S31 33 56 E159 5 18",
"lat": -31.565555555555555,
"lng": 159.08833333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/186",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0186_0001-750-0-20071205113221.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Lord Howe Island © Tourism Australia ",
"shortInfo": "Lord Howe Island Group\n\nA remarkable example of isolated oceanic islands, born of volcanic activity more than 2,000 m under the sea, these islands boast a spectacular topography and are home to numerous endemic species, especially birds. ",
"longInfo": "Located in the South Pacific, 700 km north-east of Sydney, the property is included administratively in New South Wales. The preserve includes some 75% of the land area of Lord Howe Island and all of the offshore islands and rocks of significant size in the region. These are the Admiralty Group; Mutton Bird and Sail Rock; Blackburn (Rabbit) Island; Gower Island; and Ball's Pyramid, together with a number of small islands and rocks. The seaward boundary follows the mean high water mark and consequently excludes all littoral and marine areas. The entire island group has remarkable volcanic exposures not known elsewhere.\n\nThe main island of Lord Howe measures 10 km from north and south and is little more than 2 km in width. It roughly describes a crescent, enclosing a coral reef lagoon on its south-western side. The island's topography is dominated by the southerly Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird. Only a narrow isthmus of lowland country in the north-central part of the island is habitable. The northern tip consists of steep hillsides culminating in extensive sea cliffs against the northern coastline.\n\nLord Howe Island is the eroded remnant of a large shield volcano which erupted from the sea floor intermittently for about 500,000 years in the late Miocene (6.5-7 million years ago). The island group represents the exposed peaks of a large volcanic seamount which is about 65 km long and 24 km wide and which rises from ocean depths of over 1,800 m. Four separate series of volcanic rocks are recognized on the main island group: tuffs, breccia and basalts, with widespread intrusion of basaltic dykes. The dominant landforming process on Lord Howe since the last of the volcanic eruptions has been marine erosion, which has cut and maintained major cliffs. Slope failure and accumulation of talus at the foot of some cliffs, especially in the south, have modified their original shape.\n\nThe island supports the southern truest coral reef in the world, which is of Pleistocene to Recent Age and differs considerably from more northerly warm water reefs. It is unique in being a transition between the algal and coral reef, due to fluctuations of hot and cold water around the island. A wide variety of vegetation types has been described for the islands, with the diversity corresponding with the range of habitats. Variable exposure to wind and penetration of salt spray appear to be the main determinants of vegetation occurrence, structure and floristic.\n\n A population of the large forest bat occurs on the Island. No other indigenous native mammals are known. Introduced species, however, include mice, rats and goats.\n\nThere are at least 129 native and introduced bird species. Lord Howe is now the only known breeding ground for providence petrel. Fleshy-footed shearwater breeds in large numbers, with possibly half the world's population present seasonally. Other important species breeding within the preserve include kermadec petrel, black-winged petrel, wedge-tailed shearwater, little shearwater, white-bellied storm petrel, masked booby, and red-tailed tropic bird in greater concentrations than probably anywhere else in the world.\n\nThe earliest European discovery of Lord Howe appears to have been in 1788 by the British. A small permanent settlement was established in the 19th century, subsisting on trade with passing ships. There is no recognized evidence of prior Polynesian or Melanesian discovery or settlement."
},
{
"id": "188",
"year": 1982,
"target": "DZA",
"name": "M'Zab Valley",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N32 28 59.988 E3 40 59.988",
"lat": 32.48333,
"lng": 3.6833299999999998,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/188",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0188_0001-750-0-20100621130452.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "M'Zab Valley\n\nA traditional human habitat, created in the 10th century by the Ibadites around their five ksour (fortified cities), has been preserved intact in the M’Zab valley. Simple, functional and perfectly adapted to the environment, the architecture of M’Zab was designed for community living, while respecting the structure of the family. It is a source of inspiration for today’s urban planners. ",
"longInfo": "The M'Zab Valley, located within the Sahara, 600 km south of Algiers, is the site of a unique group in a restricted area. Traces of very early settlement are to be found on the plateau and rocky slopes bordering this valley, which has been ravaged by rare and devastating flooding of the wadi. However, systematic occupation of the land and the adaptation of a strikingly original architecture to a semi-desert site date from the beginning of the 11th century and are the achievement of a group of human beings defined by clearly defined religious, social and moral ideals.\n\nThe Ibadis, whose doctrine in many ways achieved the intransigent purism of Khridjism, dominated part of the Maghreb during the 10th century. They founded a state whose capital, Tahert, was destroyed by fire in 909; they then sought other territorial bases, first at Sedrata and finally in the M'Zab. The site bears witness, in a most exceptional manner, to the Ibadi culture at its height.\n\nThe primary reason for choosing this valley, which until then had been inhabited only sporadically by nomadic groups, was the defensive possibilities that it offered a community that was concerned with its own protection and fiercely dedicated to the preservation of its identity, even at the expense of isolation. The occupation of the land and the organization of space were based on very strict principles and, in their precision and their detail, were exemplary in character. A group of five ksour (ksar: fortified village) - El Atteuf, Bou Noura, Beni Isguen, Melika and Ghardia - located on rocky outcrops housed a sedentary and essentially urban population. Each of these miniature citadels, encircled by walls, is dominated by a mosque, whose minaret functioned as a watchtower. The three unchanging elements - ksar, cemetery, palm grove with its summer citadel - are found in all five villages. They serve to illustrate an example of a traditional human settlement, which is representative of a culture that has continued into the 20th century.\n\nThe mosque, with its arsenal and grain stores, was conceived as a fortress, the last bastion of resistance in the event of a siege. Around this building, which is essential to communal life, are houses built in concentric circles right up to the fortress walls. Each house, a cubic cell of standard type, illustrates an egalitarian ideal, whereas in the cemetery only the tombs of sages and the small mosques are distinguished in any way. The pattern of the life in the M'Zab Valley included a seasonal migration. Each summer the population moved to palm groves, where the 'summer cities' were marked by a looser organization, the highly defensive nature of the houses, the presence of watchtowers, and a mosque without a minaret, comparable with those in the cemeteries.\n\nThe settlement of the M'Zab Valley has exerted considerable influence on architects and city planners of the 20th century, from Le Corbusier to Pouillon."
},
{
"id": "180",
"year": 1982,
"target": "HTI",
"name": "National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N19 34 24.996 W72 14 39.012",
"lat": 19.57361,
"lng": -72.24417,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/180",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0180_0001-750-0-20090918161840.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers ",
"shortInfo": "National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers\n\nThese Haitian monuments date from the beginning of the 19th century, when Haiti proclaimed its independence. The Palace of Sans Souci, the buildings at Ramiers and, in particular, the Citadel serve as universal symbols of liberty, being the first monuments to be constructed by black slaves who had gained their freedom. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "204",
"year": 1982,
"target": "CUB",
"name": "Old Havana and its Fortification System",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N23 7 60 W82 20 60",
"lat": 23.133333333333333,
"lng": -82.35,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/204",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0204_0002-750-0-20130225164916.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Old Havana and its Fortifications © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Old Havana and its Fortification System\n\nHavana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish. By the 17th century, it had become one of the Caribbean's main centres for ship-building. Although it is today a sprawling metropolis of 2 million inhabitants, its old centre retains an interesting mix of Baroque and neoclassical monuments, and a homogeneous ensemble of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards. ",
"longInfo": "Havana, last of the cities founded in Cuba by the Spanish conquistadores, had become by 1550 the most important on the island, a position that it has continued to hold. Havana was established at its present location in 1519 by the Spanish and became one of the Caribbean's main centres for shipbuilding. Its location made of the city a perfect gathering point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru: Havana became the front door to the vast Spanish colonial empire, and in 1607 it became also the capital of Cuba.\n\nIn 1762, during the Seven Years' War, England seized Havana and held on to it for 11 months, then exchanging it for Florida. Newly recovered Havana was then turned into a strongly fortified city; it was also allowed to trade freely, developing and growing steadily through the 18th and 19th centuries. The city was physically untouched by the devastating wars of independence in the second half of the 18th century, making Havana easily the finest surviving Spanish complex in the Americas.\n\nDuring Prohibition in the United States, Havana became a paradise for those who wanted good rum and fine cigars - at least until New Year's Eve 1959, when rebels led by Fidel Castro marched into town. Today it is a capital of about 2 million inhabitants, the largest city in the Antilles and, with its skyscraper district dominating the port, the most modern.\n\nDespite its turbulent history, the city suffered little damage in the country's wars and revolutions, and stands today much as it was built 100 years ago or more. It is today a sprawling metropolis of 2 million inhabitants, its old centre retaining an interesting mix of Baroque and neoclassical monuments, and a homogeneous ensemble of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards.\n\nMany of Old Havana's finest buildings have been converted into museums, and there are churches, palaces, castles, revolutionary monuments and markets to visit; however, the renovations are only slowly extending to residential areas. The most outstanding sights include the Plaza de la Catedral, one of the most beautiful squares in the city, with the towers of the Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana which dominate the square. Nearby is the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the oldest extant colonial fortress in the Americas: its west tower is crowned by a bronze weathervane dating back to 1632. La Giraldilla, as the nimble-figured wind-spinner is called, is believed to be Doña Inés de Bobadilla, waiting in vain for her husband, the explorer Hernando de Soto, who set off to Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth and died eaten by cannibals.\n\nThe royal palm-studded Plaza de Armas has been the seat of authority and power in Cuba for 400 years. The imposing Palacio de los Capitanes Generales on the west side of the square is one of Cuba's most majestic buildings: it is now the City Museum. Calle Obispo runs off the Plaza de Armas and was one of Ernest Hemingway's hangouts.\n\nFor the last several years the government of Cuba has been involved in efforts to restore to the historic centre its character of a colonial city, which has been compromised by a rapid urbanization. The fortress of La Fuerza has been restored, as have the palaces of the Segundo Cabo and of Los Capitanes Generales. The pattern of early urban setting still exists with its four large squares: Plaza de La Cathedral, Plaza de San Francisco, Plaza Vieja and Plaza de Las Armas. There is also a notable complex of 17th- to 19th-century buildings."
},
{
"id": "192",
"year": 1982,
"target": "YEM",
"name": "Old Walled City of Shibam",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N15 55 36.984 E48 37 36.012",
"lat": 15.92694,
"lng": 48.62667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/192",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0192_0008-750-0-20110809171056.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Old Walled City of Shibam\n\nSurrounded by a fortified wall, the 16th-century city of Shibam is one of the oldest and best examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. Its impressive tower-like structures rise out of the cliff and have given the city the nickname of ‘the Manhattan of the desert’. ",
"longInfo": "The old walled city of Shibam and Wadi Hadramaut constitute an outstanding example of human settlement and land use. The domestic architecture of Shibam is an outstanding characteristic example of houses in the Arab and Muslim world. The rigorous city planning based on the principle of vertical construction is exceptional and an example of a traditional but vulnerable culture\n\nSometimes called the 'Chicago of the desert' or the 'Manhattan of the desert', the old city of Shibam presents to historians and urbanists one of the earliest and most perfect examples of rigorous planning based on the principle of vertical construction.\n\nThe city is built on a hillock, which has allowed it to escape the devastating floods of Wadi Hadramaut and to become the capital of the territory after the destruction of ancient pre-Islamic capital, Shabwa, in AD 300. Its plan is trapezoidal, almost rectangular; and it is enclosed by earthen walls within which a block of dwellings, also built from earth, have been laid out on an orthogonal grid. The highest house is eight storeys high and the average is five.\n\nThe impressive structures for the most part date from the 16th century, following a devastating flood of which Shibam was the victim in 1532-33. However, some older houses and large buildings still remain from the first centuries of Islam, such as the Friday Mosque, built in 904, and the castle, built in 1220.\n\nIn Shibam there are some mosques, two ancient sultan's palaces, a double monumental door and 500 more buildings, separated or grouped, but all made uniform by the material of which they are constructed: unfired clay."
},
{
"id": "196",
"year": 1982,
"target": "HND",
"name": "Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N15 44 40 W84 40 30",
"lat": 15.744444444444444,
"lng": -84.67500000000001,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/196",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0196_0001-750-0-20070830151559.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO/Marc Patry ",
"shortInfo": "Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve\n\nLocated on the watershed of the Río Plátano, the reserve is one of the few remains of a tropical rainforest in Central America and has an abundant and varied plant and wildlife. In its mountainous landscape sloping down to the Caribbean coast, over 2,000 indigenous people have preserved their traditional way of life. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "200",
"year": 1982,
"target": "LKA",
"name": "Sacred City of Anuradhapura",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N8 19 60 E80 22 60",
"lat": 8.333333333333334,
"lng": 80.38333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/200",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0200_0001-750-0-20150608110546.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Sacred City of Anuradhapura © Vincent Ko Hon Chiu ",
"shortInfo": "Sacred City of Anuradhapura\n\nThis sacred city was established around a cutting from the 'tree of enlightenment', the Buddha's fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. Anuradhapura, a Ceylonese political and religious capital that flourished for 1,300 years, was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Hidden away in dense jungle for many years, the splendid site, with its palaces, monasteries and monuments, is now accessible once again. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "199",
"year": 1982,
"target": "TZA",
"name": "Selous Game Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S9 0 0 E37 23 60",
"lat": -9,
"lng": 37.4,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/199",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0199_0001-750-0-20121115154706.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Selous © Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Selous Game Reserve\n\nLarge numbers of elephants, black rhinoceroses, cheetahs, giraffes, hippopotamuses and crocodiles live in this immense sanctuary, which measures 50,000 km2 and is relatively undisturbed by human impact. The park has a variety of vegetation zones, ranging from dense thickets to open wooded grasslands. ",
"longInfo": "The Selous Game Reserve is an ecosystem (7,400,000 ha) and includes Mikumi National Park and Kilombero Game Controlled Area. A large area of the reserve is drained by the Rufiji River and tributaries that include the Luwegu, Kilombero, Great Ruaha, Luhombero and Mbarangardu. The Rufiji is formed by the Luwegu and Kilombero which join at Shughuli Falls. Soils are relatively poor and infertile.\n\nWhile there are many habitat types, the deciduous miombo woodland is dominant, providing the world's best example of this vegetation type; as this is thought to be maintained by fire it may be the result of human activities in the past.\n\nThe reserve has a higher density and species diversity than any other miombo woodland area, despite long winter drought and poor soils, owing to its size, the diversity of its habitats, the availability of food and water and the lack of settlements. Animal populations in the surrounding areas are often as high, especially in the dry season and contain many of the same species. Some 400 species of animal are known and in 1986 approximately 750,000 large animals of 57 species were recorded. The greatest concentrations are in the north and north-east, also in the inner south. In 1994, in the reserve and surrounding buffer area, there were 52,000 of the endangered African elephant, 50% of the country's total, which is growing again after years of decline due to ivory poaching: 109,000 in 1980 had dwindled to 31,000 by 1989. Within the reserve they totalled 31,735 in 1994 and are found throughout the area. The critically endangered black rhinoceros, which numbered 3,000 in 1981, are now estimated as between 100 and 400 in several small scattered populations.\n\nSeveral animal populations are large (the figures are quoted from a 1994 aerial survey by TWCM): buffalo (138,000), blue and nyasa or white-bearded wildebeest (46,500), impala (29,500), Burchell's zebra (21,500), Lichtenstein's hartebeest (20,000), kongoni (11,700) and common waterbuck (10,000). Grassland species north of the Rufiji include giraffe (2,200), blue wildebeest, buffalo, impala, eland, reedbuck, warthog, lion (vulnerable at 3,000-4,000) and an occasional cheetah, also vulnerable. Hippopotamus (27,000) and crocodile are abundant. Greater kudu, sable antelope (1,600), with eland, impala, nyasa wildebeest and hartebeest are typical of the miombo woodland. Other relatively widespread mammals include yellow baboon, leopard, spotted hyena, the largest population of the wild dog in Africa (endangered: approximately 1,300). There are also sidestriped jackal, puku, klipspringer, and red and blue duikers. Rarer species include Sanje crested mangabey, Uhehe red colobus (vulnerable), black and white colobus monkey, topi and Sharpe's greysbok.\n\nThe birdlife is rich: 350 species of bird have been recorded including knob-billed duck, southern ground hornbill and bateleur eagle, Stierling's woodpecker, white-headed lapwing, the endemic Udzungwa forest partridge (classed as vulnerable) and the rufous-winged sunbird (also vulnerable). The adjacent Mikumi lowlands and mountains and Kilombero wetlands and the nearby Udzungwa Mountains are rich in vulnerable bird species which, like the Kilombero weaver, might stray into the reserve. The globally threatened wattled crane, corncrake and lesser kestrel also occur. Reptiles and amphibians are numerous but little studied.\n\nThe area is so large that it can absorb all but the most severe pressures on its resources. There are plans to harness the flood waters of the Rufiji River, with a dam to be constructed at Stieqler's Gorge; but this would affect only relatively small part of the reserve and should not be a matter of Selous concern unless the reservoir draws in large numbers of settlers. Because of difficulties of transportation, the interior of Selous is seldom patrolled, so the estimated numbers of species may be far in excess of the current true situation if poaching has been as serious a problem as elsewhere in East Africa. Much of the infrastructure of the site (roads, guardposts, water systems, etc.) has deteriorated in recent years due to lack of sufficient funding."
},
{
"id": "195",
"year": 1982,
"target": "CIV",
"name": "Taï National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N5 45 0 W7 40 0.012",
"lat": 5.75,
"lng": -7.66667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/195",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_195-750-0-20040607103017.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "",
"shortInfo": "Taï National Park\n\nThis park is one of the last major remnants of the primary tropical forest of West Africa. Its rich natural flora, and threatened mammal species such as the pygmy hippopotamus and 11 species of monkeys, are of great scientific interest. ",
"longInfo": "Declared as a 'Forest and Wildlife Refuge' in 1926 by the French administration. National park status on 28 August 1972 by Presidential Decree 75-545. Reduced by 20,000ha ('Reserve de faune du N'Zo') on 21 March 1973 by Decree 73-132. Redefined by Special Decree 77-348 of 3 June 1977, which added a 20,000ha buffer zone around the park. The area was part of a ‘forêt classée' under a decree of 16 April 1926, then part of a 425,000ha réserve de faune under a decree of 7 August 1956. Accepted in April 1978 as a biosphere reserve and in 1982 as a World Heritage site. In November 1984 it was included in the IUCN list of eleven most threatened areas."
},
{
"id": "181",
"year": 1982,
"target": "AUS",
"name": "Tasmanian Wilderness",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "S41 34 60 E145 25 0",
"lat": -41.583333333333336,
"lng": 145.41666666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/181",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0181_0006-750-0-20130927123650.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Tasmania, Australia © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Tasmanian Wilderness\n\nIn a region that has been subjected to severe glaciation, these parks and reserves, with their steep gorges, covering an area of over 1 million ha, constitute one of the last expanses of temperate rainforest in the world. Remains found in limestone caves attest to the human occupation of the area for more than 20,000 years. ",
"longInfo": "Cradle Mountain-Lake st Clair was re-proclaimed as a national park (124,848ha) on 18 July 1971 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970, subsequent to which various extensions and boundary adjustments have been made. Cradle Mountain was originally established as a scenic reserve (63,943ha) on 16 May 1922 under the Scenery Preservation Act 1915 and extended by 60,705ha to include Lake st Clair and Oakleigh Creek Conservation Area on 1 December 1936. These areas have also received sanctuary status at various times (31 May 1927 in the case of Cradle Mountain) under the Animal and Birds Protection Act 1919. (Oakleigh Creek conservation Area was not upgraded to national park status along with the rest of the scenic reserve in 1971). \n\nFranklin-Lower Gordon wild Rivers was created a national park on 13 May 1981. Of its 195,200ha expanse, 14,125ha were revoked on 2 september 1982 and vested in the Hydro-Electric Commission. This land is leased to the Department of Lands, Parks and Wildlife from 1 December 1986 for 25 years; for purposes of the National Parks and wildlife Act it is regarded as a state reserve. Three conservation areas covering a total area of 23,135ha ceased to exist on their incorporation into the national park at the time of its establishment, namely Gordon River state Reserve (created on 3 May 1939 and extended on 19 June), Frenchmans Cap National Park (created on 14 June 1941 and extended on 29 August 1951) and Lyell Highway State Reserve (created on 3 May 1939). Southwest National Park was created on 16 October 1969 following the extension and renaming of Lake Pedder National Park.\n\nThe latter was created on 23 March 1955, some of which was originally part of Port Davey state Reserve established on 24 October 1951. Southwest National Park was re-proclaimed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 and extended to 372,300ha on 3 November 1976, since when additional extensions have been made on 17 November and 1 December 1976, and on 13 May 1981.\n\nEffective dates of establishment of other conservation areas are as follows:\n\nWalls of Jerusalem National Park                                                         17 June 1981\n\nExit Cave state Reserve                                                                        4 April 1979\n\nCentral Plateau Conservation Area                                                  10 February 1982\n\nSouthwest Conservation Area                                                                  9 July 1980\n\nSouthwest National Park was designated a biosphere reserve in October 1977. A conglomerate of national parks, comprising Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair, Franklin-Lower Gordon Wild Rivers and Southwest, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1982 and named Western Tasmanian Wilderness National Parks. It was renamed Tasmanian Wilderness in 1989. Full details on the progress of reservation, except in the case of state forests and Sarah Island Historic Reserve, are given in the World Heritage nomination (Government of Australia, 1988)."
},
{
"id": "179",
"year": 1982,
"target": "DZA",
"name": "Tassili n'Ajjer",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N25 30 0 E9 0 0",
"lat": 25.5,
"lng": 9,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/179",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0179_0001-750-0-20090910111123.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Illizi © Gruban ",
"shortInfo": "Tassili n'Ajjer\n\nLocated in a strange lunar landscape of great geological interest, this site has one of the most important groupings of prehistoric cave art in the world. More than 15,000 drawings and engravings record the climatic changes, the animal migrations and the evolution of human life on the edge of the Sahara from 6000 BC to the first centuries of the present era. The geological formations are of outstanding scenic interest, with eroded sandstones forming ‘forests of rock’. ",
"longInfo": "Tassili, a mountainous region in the centre of the Sahara, situated to the south-east of the Algerian Sahara and bordered by the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Niger and Mali, is a strange lunar landscape of deep gorges, dry river beds and 'stone forests'. During the prehistoric period Tassili benefited from climatic conditions which were more favourable to human occupation. The abundance of game, the possibilities of animal husbandry and of pastoral life which lay within immediate proximity of impregnable defensive sites constituted the basic factors which favoured population development.\n\nThe unique rock formations and networks of steep-sided valleys of the plateau are a result of the alternation of wet and dry periods. At the end of the Upper Pleistocene, for example, there were huge lakes in the region, in what are today the great Ergs. The lakes were fed by rivers flowing down the Tassili, and dry river beds remain from this period. The action of the rivers on the surface of the plateau formed deep gorges and separate plateaux. Over the last 10,000 years the area has become steadily drier, although this process was reversed by a more humid period from 4000 BC to 2000 BC. Wind erosion during dryer periods has formed rock formations which resemble ruins, known as 'stone forests'.\n\nThe plants and animals found on the plateau bear witness to former wetter periods. Relict species surviving in wet microclimates include fish and shrimp and, until the 1940s, a dwarf Saharan crocodile, many thousands of kilometres from the nearest population in Egypt.\n\nFrom about 6000 BC to the early centuries of the Christian era, the various peoples who inhabited this plateau left numerous traces in the archaeological record: settlements, tumuli and enclosures that have yielded abundant ceramic material. However, Tassili owes its world renown to the paintings and the rock engravings of all kinds found since 1933. This art covers several periods, each of which corresponds to a particular fauna, yet each can equally be characterized by stylistic differences, without reference to an ecosystem.\n\nFive different periods can be identified: the naturalistic period, in which the fauna of the savannah is depicted; the archaic period, when small schematic figures or colossal forms assume the aspects of pictograms charged with an evident magical significance; the Bovidian period (4000-1500 BC), the dominant period in terms of the number of paintings, during which the representation of bovine herds and the scenes of daily life, incorporating a renewed naturalistic aesthetic, are among the best known examples of prehistoric mural art; the Equidian period, covering the end of the Neolithic and protohistoric periods, which corresponds to the disappearance of numerous species from the effects of progressive desiccation and to the appearance of the horse; and the Cameline period, during the first centuries of the Christian era, coinciding with the onset of the hyper-arid desert climate and with the appearance of the dromedary. This site has one of the most important groups of prehistoric cave art in the world. The most important group of paintings is situated to the east of Djanet in the National Park; other remarkable works of rock art are located to the north, in the region of the Wadi Djerat near Illizi."
},
{
"id": "194",
"year": 1982,
"target": "DZA",
"name": "Timgad",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N35 27 0 E6 37 59.988",
"lat": 35.45,
"lng": 6.633330000000001,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/194",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0194_0001-750-0-20100108152533.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Timgad © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Timgad\n\nTimgad lies on the northern slopes of the Aurès mountains and was created ex nihilo as a military colony by the Emperor Trajan in AD 100. With its square enclosure and orthogonal design based on the cardo and decumanus, the two perpendicular routes running through the city, it is an excellent example of Roman town planning. ",
"longInfo": "Timgad, which lies on the northern slopes of the Aurès mountains in a site of great natural beauty, is a consummate example of a Roman military colony created ex nihilo by the Emperor Trajan in AD 100 under the name of Thamugadi. With its square enclosure and orthogonal design based on the cardo and decumanus, the two perpendicular routes running through the city, it is an excellent example of Roman town planning at its height, while it would have served as a compelling image of the grandeur of Rome on Numidian soil.\n\nInscribed in a square enceinte measuring 355 m on each side, the layout of Timgad is based on a precise orthogonal grid, originating from the decumanus, which follow the axis of the military road from Theveste to Lambesis, and the north-south axis of the cardo. The result is a network of insulae of regular proportions, which is interrupted only to the south in order to provide space for large public buildings: the forum and its annexes (basilica and curia), temples, a theatre with a seating capacity of 3,500, a market and baths. In the north-east sector, there are other baths and a public library, conforming with the network of insulae, open into the cardo.\n\nBy the mid-2nd century, the rapid growth of the city could no longer be constricted by the narrow confines of its original foundation. Timgad spread beyond the perimeters of the ramparts, and several major public buildings were constructed in the new quarters to the west and to the south, such as the capitolium, temples, markets and baths. Most of these buildings date from the Severan period when the city enjoyed its 'golden age', which is further attested to by immense private residential buildings such as the House of Sertius or the House of Hermaphrodite.\n\nDuring the Early Empire, the buildings were frequently restored, the streets were paved with large rectangular slabs of limestone, and particular attention was paid to the disposition of public conveniences. The houses sparkled under their decor of sumptuous mosaics, which were intended to offset the absence of precious marbles.\n\nDuring the Christian period, Timgad was a bishopric which became renowned at the end of the 4th century when Bishop Optat became the spokesman for the Donatist heresy. After the Vandal invasion of 430, Timgad was destroyed by tribesmen from the Aurès mountains at the end of the 5th century. The city saw a revival of activity after the Byzantine reconquest in the 6th century, but the Arab invasion brought about the destruction of Thamugadi, where occupation ceased definitively after the 8th century."
},
{
"id": "193",
"year": 1982,
"target": "DZA",
"name": "Tipasa",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N36 32 60 E2 22 60",
"lat": 36.55,
"lng": 2.3833333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/193",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0193_0001-750-0-20110920200132.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Tipasa\n\nOn the shores of the Mediterranean,Tipasa\n\n was an ancient Punic trading-post conquered by Rome and turned into a strategic base for the conquest of the kingdoms of Mauritania. It comprises a unique group of Phoenician, Roman, palaeochristian and Byzantine ruins alongside indigenous monuments such as the Kbor er Roumia, the great royal mausoleum of Mauretania. ",
"longInfo": "Tipasa comprises a unique group of Phoenician, Roman, palaeo-Christian and Byzantine ruins alongside indigenous monuments such as the Kbor er Roumia, the great royal mausoleum of Mauritania.\n\nThe site of Tipasa, on the Mediterranean coast 70 km west of Algiers, brings together one of the most extraordinary archaeological complexes of the Maghreb; it is perhaps the one that is most significant to the study of the contacts between the indigenous civilizations and various waves of colonization from the 6th century BC to the 6th century AD. This coastal city was first a Carthaginian trading centre, whose cemetery is one of the most extensive of the Phoenician world (6th-2nd centuries BC). It was then conquered by the Romans who used it as a base from which to conquer the Mauritanian kingdoms.\n\nThe oldest Roman settlement is located in the centre of the city on a steep slope protected by cliffs and by a rudimentary defensive wall. In AD 147, at the time of the war undertaken by Antoninus Pius against the Mauritanians, this modest settlement was enclosed by a wall, 2,300 m in length. This rampart, which is flanked by square and circular towers, includes three main entrances, two of which are protected by semi-circular fortified defensive works comparable with those found in Gaul and Germany. Within this enclosure there are important buildings situated both in the original core of the city and in its new quarters: the forum, the curia, the capitolium, two temples, an amphitheatre, a nymphaeum, a theatre and baths.\n\nThe impressive ruins of the civic buildings are set in the heart of a dense network of private houses (many decorated with paintings and mosaics), commercial warehouses, and industrial establishments of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Christianity was established in the city in the second half of the 3rd century(Tipasa later became a bishopric) and there are numerous Christian religious buildings. The immense 4th-century seven-aisled basilica, the central aisle of which was later subdivided, and a baptistry based on a circular plan, were located intra muros to the west on the hill of Ras Knissia.\n\nBeyond the enceinte, a vast Christian cemetery spreads out around a funerary chapel which Bishop Alexander constructed as a resting place for his predecessor. Across to the east are the Basilica of St Peter and St Paul, and on the hill of St Salsa are to be found the tomb and the church dedicated to this martyr, which became the object of a pilgrimage around which another cemetery developed.\n\nThe Vandal invasion of the 430s did not mark the definitive end of Tipasa's prosperity, but although the city was reconquered by the Byzantines in 534, it fell into a decline in the 6th century from which it never recovered."
},
{
"id": "230",
"year": 1983,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N46 33 52.992 E0 51 57.996",
"lat": 46.564719999999994,
"lng": 0.8661099999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/230",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0230_0001-750-0-20090421150752.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe\n\nKnown as the 'Romanesque Sistine Chapel', the Abbey-Church of Saint-Savin contains many beautiful 11th- and 12th-century murals which are still in a remarkable state of preservation. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "268",
"year": 1983,
"target": "CHE",
"name": "Abbey of St Gall",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 25 23.988 E9 22 40.008",
"lat": 47.42333,
"lng": 9.377780000000001,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/268",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0268_0001-750-0-20140110162409.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Convent of St. Gall (Deutsch: Fürstabtei St. Gallen) © Norbert Aepli ",
"shortInfo": "Abbey of St Gall\n\nThe Convent of St Gall, a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery, was, from the 8th century to its secularization in 1805, one of the most important in Europe. Its library is one of the richest and oldest in the world and contains precious manuscripts such as the earliest-known architectural plan drawn on parchment. From 1755 to 1768, the conventual area was rebuilt in Baroque style. The cathedral and the library are the main features of this remarkable architectural complex, reflecting 12 centuries of continuous activity. ",
"longInfo": "St Gall is a typical and outstanding example of the large Benedictine monastery, centre of art and knowledge, with its rich library and its scriptorium; the successive restructurings of the conventual's space attest to its ongoing religious and cultural function. The Convent exerted great influence on developments in monastic architecture following the Council of Aachen.\n\nIt was in 612 that the lrish monk Gallus withdrew into the valley of Steinach to lead the existence of a hermit. In 747, the abbot Othmar established a community of Benedictine monks in the place made famous by St Gall and at the same time founded a school.\n\nDuring the 9th and 10th centuries, the abbey of St Gall was one of the most renowned centres of Western culture and science. Its apogee coincided with the abbacy of Gotzbert (816-37) to whom was sent the famous plan on parchment known as the Plan of Saint Gall; this was probably sent by the Bishop of Basel, Heito, Abbot of Reichenau. Following the Council of Aachen, this architectural design accompanied by 341 annotations constitutes the ideal plan of a Benedictine abbey, including a scriptorium and a library. Excavations carried out at St Gall by Sennhauser show that this innovative plan was partially realized.\n\nIn 818, in the course of the Carolingian reform of the Church by Ludwig the Pious, the abbey, as a monastery immediately subordinate to the empire, received an imperial privilege of immunity, making it independent of the Diocese of Constance and placing it under the direct protection of the Crown. In 883 the East Frank Ludwig II the German conferred upon it the right to choose its own abbot, and finally, in 854, it was released from the obligation to pay tithes to the Bishop of Constance. The Abbey of St Gall had at last attained full autonomy.\n\nThe abbots had since 1206 been Princes of the Empire and ruled over the town of St Gall, the Fürstenland, and after 1468 over the County of Toggenburg. The Princely Abbey ruled at that time over the territory surrounding the town, while simultaneously being cut off in its monastery from the town itself, which in the meantime had gone through the Reformation and become independent. The Reformation had in fact for a time threatened the dissolution of the abbey itself, but after 1531 clerical sovereignty was restored, although freedom of religious practice was conceded to Toggenburg. Abbey rule in effect ended when French troops marched into St Gall in 1798. In 1805, the abbey was dissolved. Its clerical and administrative successor was to all intents and purposes the newly created Bishopric of the same name, which, although at first set up as the twin Diocese of Chur and St Gall, was made legally independent and then separated from Chur in 1847.\n\nIn 1836 the church became a cathedral: only the foundations and some elements of architecture, discovered as a result of probes undertaken after 1960, remain of what was once the splendour of the Carolingian monastery. Indeed, it has been reconstructed several times. Its present appearance, marked by the full-blown Baroque style of the cathedral (former abbatial) and the library, are the result of the construction campaigns of the 18th century."
},
{
"id": "251",
"year": 1983,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Agra Fort",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 10 60 E78 1 60",
"lat": 27.183333333333334,
"lng": 78.03333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/251",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0251_0018-750-0-20120322171806.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Tim Schnarr ",
"shortInfo": "Agra Fort\n\nNear the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th-century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful mosques. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "242",
"year": 1983,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Ajanta Caves",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N20 33 11.988 E75 42 0",
"lat": 20.55333,
"lng": 75.7,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/242",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0242_0001-750-0-20110415171012.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Bruno Poppe ",
"shortInfo": "Ajanta Caves\n\nThe first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries A.D.), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a considerable artistic influence. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "217",
"year": 1983,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Ancient City of Nessebar",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 39 21.996 E27 43 48",
"lat": 42.65611,
"lng": 27.729999999999997,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/217",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0217_0001-750-0-20090914105639.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ancient City of Nessebar © Gordontour ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient City of Nessebar\n\nSituated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, the more than 3,000-year-old site of Nessebar was originally a Thracian settlement (Menebria). At the beginning of the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony. The city’s remains, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications. Among other monuments, the Stara Mitropolia Basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the west coast of the Black Sea. Wooden houses built in the 19th century are typical of the Black Sea architecture of the period. ",
"longInfo": "Systematic archaeological studies, reinforcement, restoration and conservation have preserved the material traces of history in Nessebar more than anywhere else. The small peninsula is a meeting place of bygone times. Nessebar has demonstrated on several occasions the significant historic position of a frontier city on the outposts of a threatened empire. The millennia of uninterrupted human occupation (the earliest traces of human settlement date back to over 3,000 years ago) have produced an impressive cultural occupation layer that is as thick as 6 m in some places.\n\nConfined to a rocky promontory of the Bulgarian coast, Nessebar is a rich city-museum with more than three millennia of history. The Thracians were the first to establish themselves on this natural defensive site, as attested by numerous discoveries of Bronze Age objects. Strabo records, moreover, the legendary foundation by the Thracian, Mena, from whom the city took its original name, Menebria. Dorian colonists from Megara made it one of the oldest Greek colonies of Pontus Euxinus (the Black Sea) under the name of Messembria: according to Herodotus it was already in existence in 513 BC.\n\nNessebar lies nestling along a romantic isthmus. Its cobbled streets, well kept medieval churches, and timbered houses from the 19th century illustrate its chequered past. Nessebar's churches can be best described as a cross between Slav and Greek Orthodox architecture, and are some of the finest in the area. One of the oldest towns in Europe, it still exudes the spirit of different ages and peoples - Thracians, Hellenes, Romans, Slavs, Byzantines and Bulgarians.\n\nThe Greek city, whose acropolis rose on the eastern end of the peninsula, was defended on the landward side by a 6th-century wall which still partially exists to the north. Vestiges of the agora, the theatre, and the Temple of Apollo were brought to light near buildings constructed during the period when Messembria fell under Roman influence. The city was taken in 71 BC, but continued to enjoy numerous privileges, such as that of minting its own coinage. When the death of Theodosius (395) provoked the schism with the Roman Empire, Messembria fell into the Byzantine domain and it was not long before it became one of the most important strongholds of the Eastern Empire, and the object of struggles between Greeks and Bulgarians. It was successively held by first one and then the other, depending on the fortunes of each army, until 812 when the Bulgarian Khan Krum seized it after a siege of two weeks.\n\nUntil its capture by the Turks in 1453, Nessebar comprised monuments of exceptional quality: for example, the Stara Mitropolia, a large basilica without transept rebuilt in the 9th century; the Church of the Virgin; the Nova Mitropolia, founded in the 11th century and continually embellished until the 18th century; the Church of St John the Baptist, which houses the archaeological museum; and finally a remarkable series of 13th- and 14th-century churches: St Theodore, St Paraskebba, St Michael and St Gabriel, and St John Alituhgethos. Other notable churches are the Old Bishop's Residence in an early Byzantine style (4th-5th centuries), and the New Bishops Residence (St Stefan), containing valuable 12th-century murals.\n\nThe Turkish domination coincided with the decline of Nessebar, but it did not diminish the monumental heritage, which was enriched from the 19th century by numerous houses in the 'Plovdiv style'. This vernacular architecture ensures the cohesion of an urban fabric of high quality. Nessebar's National Revival houses with stone foundations and broad wooden eaves, which overhang narrow cobbled lanes leading right to the sea, are also remarkably beautiful."
},
{
"id": "269",
"year": 1983,
"target": "CHE",
"name": "Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N46 37 46.02 E10 26 51.54",
"lat": 46.62945,
"lng": 10.44765,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/269",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0269_0011-750-0-20120821164235.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair © Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair\n\nThe Convent of Müstair, which stands in a valley in the Grisons, is a good example of Christian monastic renovation during the Carolingian period. It has Switzerland's greatest series of figurative murals, painted c. A.D. 800, along with Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes. ",
"longInfo": "The Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair, in the upper valley of the Canton of Grisons, bears exceptional testimony to a Carolingian civilization and art which has disappeared. It is one of the most coherent examples of conventual architecture and painting of the Carolingian period and the early Middle Ages.\n\nThis convent was, most likely, founded around 780 by the Bishop of Chur at the behest of Charlemagne. It is noted from the beginning of the 9th century as being an establishment of Benedictines. It did not become a convent until 1163.\n\nThe most important construction of the monastic complex, including two cloisters, is the church, dedicated to St John the Baptist. Formed by a simple rectangular hall some 20 m long, it is closed at the east by three tall semi-circular apses, adorned on the exterior by blind arcades.\n\nIn the church, the removal of the Gothic ceiling (1908-9) and of the whitewash (1947-51) brought to light important vestiges of frescoes dating from the Romanesque period (approximately 1150-70) and, more important still, from the Carolingian period. This is, in fact, the most important cycle of painting which is currently known dating from around 800. These figurative paintings (scenes from the Old and New Testaments), of a fine aesthetic quality, painted in a limited range of ochres, reds and browns, postdate the frescoes of Castelseprio and San Salvatore in Brescia. They are particularly important in understanding the evolution of certain Christian iconographic themes, such as the Last Judgement. The panels are framed with painted strips of garlands and ribbons, and culminate at the top in a large cornice that reproduces an architectural feature. Sadly, the cycle has suffered considerable damage, both because of ill-conceived restorations and because of the repainting of the apses, which probably took place between 1165 and 1180, whereas the frescoes on the side walls, with the Stories of David, were removed and placed in the Landesmuseum in Zürich.\n\nOther precious artworks preserved in the Benedictine complex date from successive centuries: dating from the Romanesque period are, in addition to the frescoes preserved in the church's apse area, the large statue in painted stucco depicting Charlemagne (1165), located in the choir, and on the left wall of the same room a fine Romanesque relief depicting the Baptism of Christ (1087).\n\nWithin the enclosure walls of the monastery are found other early elements, among them, in particular, in the north-west quarter, the residence of Bishop Norbert with its remarkable decor of frescoes and stucco-work in the two-storey chapel (11th and 12th centuries).\n\nThe other rooms in the abbey, which for the most part date back to the 18th century, are located around the main cloister and contain documents, models related to the religious complex, reliquaries, robes, and object of sacred art, dating from the 13th to the 18th centuries.\n\nDuring the Gothic and Baroque periods, it was subjected to major modifications, like the rest of the complex: two rows of columns divided the interior into three aisles, a matroneum was installed, and the original wooden ceiling was replaced by a vaulted roof; on the exterior, in the 15th century, adjoining the right-hand side of the church, a stout tower with a square plan was built, a tower-house for the Abbess of the convent."
},
{
"id": "206",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PRT",
"name": "Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 39 18 W27 13 12",
"lat": 38.655,
"lng": -27.22,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/206",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0206_0001-750-0-20091001205630.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores © Fr Antunes ",
"shortInfo": "Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores\n\nSituated on one of the islands in the Azores archipelago, this was an obligatory port of call from the 15th century until the advent of the steamship in the 19th century. The 400-year-old San Sebastião and San João Baptista fortifications are unique examples of military architecture. Damaged by an earthquake in 1980, Angra is now being restored. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "273",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PER",
"name": "City of Cuzco",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S13 31 19.992 W71 58 59.988",
"lat": -13.52222,
"lng": -71.98333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/273",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0273_0007-750-0-20121204163721.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "City of Cuzco © CRAterre ",
"shortInfo": "City of Cuzco\n\nSituated in the Peruvian Andes, Cuzco developed, under the Inca ruler Pachacutec, into a complex urban centre with distinct religious and administrative functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisan and industrial production. When the Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the ruins of the Inca city. ",
"longInfo": "Cuzco and the old villages still retain traces of land occupation from the Inca Empire to preserve, in a more global manner, an archaeological heritage, which has become susceptible to the effects of urbanization.\n\nSituated at 3,400 m above sea level, in a fertile alluvial valley fed by several rivers in the Peruvian Andes, Cuzco was developed under the Inca ruler Pachacutec into a complex urban centre with distinct religious and administrative functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisanal and industrial production.\n\nIn 1536, within the Spanish colonial domain from which it did not definitively emerge until after the proclamation of independence (1821) and the victory of Bolívar at Ayacucho. From its complex past, woven with significant events and beautiful legends, the city has retained a remarkable monumental ensemble and a coherence that recent changes have not compromised.\n\nInca mythology attributes the foundation of the city to the Inca Manco Cápac: according to tradition the golden sceptre that the Sun had given him was thrust into the fertile soil of Cuzco to designate the emplacement of the capital.\n\nIn actuality, Cuzco appears to have been a centre of only mediocre importance until the 15th century when the power of the Incas was affirmed following the battle against the Chancas invaders: its reconstruction, directed by two great Incas, Pachacutec (1438-71) and Tupac Yupanqui (1471-93) lasted 20 years and, supposedly, employed 50,000 men. The first of these rulers (to whom is also attributed the construction of Machu Picchu) wished to create an ideal city that would respond to the multiple functions of a capital: after having canalized the two principal rivers (Saphi and Tullumayo), whose flooding periodically menaced the inhabitants of the old Cuzco, he laid down the foundations of an extremely hierarchical organization in which the urban centre united administrative and religious functions, whereas the outlying areas and especially the satellite-towns situated in a cultivated zone (Cayaucachi, Claquillchaca, Picchu, Quillipata, Carmenca, Huacapunco, etc.) were units of agricultural, artisanal and industrial production. This tripartite division must have stirred the imagination of the conquistadores, as did the orthogonal layout of the streets of the Ciudad Nobiliaria, barely inflected to accommodate land erosion. The European invaders respected the plan of this rational city, so curiously close to the idea cities of the Renaissance. They limited themselves to the destruction of the principal edifices charged with political and religious symbolism, and constructed new monuments, aggressively Catholic and Spanish, on the admirable cyclopean masonry of the demolished walls of these buildings. The Huaccapayta, centre of the Inca empire, bordered by the palaces of Pachacutec, Viracocha and Huayna Capac, is the present-day Plaza de Armas; the palace of Viracocha was demolished in order to build the cathedral begun in 1560; the Acclahuasi to construct the convent of Santa Catalina; the Coricaucha, partially destroyed in order to make space for the convent of Santo Domingo de Guzman, etc.\n\nCuzco is today an amazing amalgam of the Inca capital and the colonial city. Of the first, it preserves impressive vestiges, especially its plan: walls of meticulously cut granite or andesite, rectilinear streets running within the walls, ruins of the Sun Temple of which the Golden Garden, once covered with sculptures of precious metals, was pillaged by the Spanish soldiers to enrich the coffers of Charles V. Of the colonial city, there remain the freshly whitewashed squat houses, the palace and the marvellous Baroque churches which achieved the impossible fusion of the Plateresco, Mudejar or Churrigueresco styles with that of the Inca tradition."
},
{
"id": "227",
"year": 1983,
"target": "CIV",
"name": "Comoé National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N9 0 0 W4 0 0",
"lat": 9,
"lng": -4,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/227",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_227-750-0-20040607103220.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "",
"shortInfo": "Comoé National Park\n\nOne of the largest protected areas in West Africa, this park is characterized by its great plant diversity. Due to the presence of the Comoé river, it contains plants which are normally only found much farther south, such as shrub savannahs and patches of thick rainforest. ",
"longInfo": "One of the largest protected areas in West Africa, this park is characterized by its great plant diversity.\n\nIt is one of the few remaining natural areas in the region that is large enough to ensure the ecological integrity of the species contained within the site.\n\nThe park comprises the land between the Comoé and Volta rivers, with mean altitude of 250-300 m and a series of ridges and granite inselbergs rising to 600 m. The River Comoé and its tributaries form the principal drainage and the Comoé runs through the park for 230 km. Watercourses also drain to the Volta in the east. Permanent and semi-permanent water occurs in many places. The soils are infertile and unsuitable for cultivation in some areas.\n\nThe park contains a remarkable variety of habitats and plant associations found, more often, further south, including savannah, patches of thick rainforest and riparian grasslands.\n\n It provides an outstanding example of an area of transitional habitat from forest to savannah. All types of savannah occur. The forest is composed of many leguminous trees. The gallery forests are dominated by Cynometra vogelii ; the patches of dense dry forest by Isoberlinia doka , Anogeissus leiocarpus , Cola cordifolia , Antiaris africana , nationally threatened Chlorophora excels , and the edible 'akee'; and the flood plains by Hyparrhenia rufa .\n\nAreas of specialized vegetation occur on the rocky inselbergs and in aquatic habitats. Comoé forms the northerly limit for some species including yellow-backed duiker and bongo. There are a large number of mammal species with 11 species of monkey including anubis baboon, green monkey, diana monkey, mona monkey, lesser white-nosed monkey, white collared mangabey, black and white colobus and chimpanzee; 17 species of carnivore including lion and leopard; giant pangolin, aardvark and rock hyrax; and 21 species of artiodactyl including bushpig, warthog, hippopotamus, bushbuck, sitatunga, buffalo, red-flanked duiker, waterbuck, kob, roan antelope and oribi. Birds include 10 species of heron, ducks, raptors, plovers and francolins, hammerkop, black-winged stilt, four of the six West African stork species, and five of the six West African vulture species."
},
{
"id": "265",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PRT",
"name": "Convent of Christ in Tomar",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N39 36 16.992 W8 25 3",
"lat": 39.60472,
"lng": -8.417499999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/265",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0265_0001-750-0-20090424164036.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Fiona Starr ",
"shortInfo": "Convent of Christ in Tomar\n\nOriginally designed as a monument symbolizing the Reconquest, the Convent of the Knights Templar of Tomar (transferred in 1344 to the Knights of the Order of Christ) came to symbolize just the opposite during the Manueline period – the opening up of Portugal to other civilizations. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "243",
"year": 1983,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Ellora Caves",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N20 1 35.004 E75 10 45.012",
"lat": 20.02639,
"lng": 75.17917,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/243",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0243_0001-750-0-20110415171918.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Bruno Poppe ",
"shortInfo": "Ellora Caves\n\nThese 34 monasteries and temples, extending over more than 2 km, were dug side by side in the wall of a high basalt cliff, not far from Aurangabad, in Maharashtra. Ellora, with its uninterrupted sequence of monuments dating from A.D. 600 to 1000, brings the civilization of ancient India to life. Not only is the Ellora complex a unique artistic creation and a technological exploit but, with its sanctuaries devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, it illustrates the spirit of tolerance that was characteristic of ancient India. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "259",
"year": 1983,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Great Smoky Mountains National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N35 35 35 W83 26 8",
"lat": 35.59305555555556,
"lng": -83.43555555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/259",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0259_0001-750-0-20090925171309.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Great Smoky Mountains National Park © LostBob ",
"shortInfo": "Great Smoky Mountains National Park\n\nStretching over more than 200,000 ha, this exceptionally beautiful park is home to more than 3,500 plant species, including almost as many trees (130 natural species) as in all of Europe. Many endangered animal species are also found there, including what is probably the greatest variety of salamanders in the world. Since the park is relatively untouched, it gives an idea of temperate flora before the influence of humankind. ",
"longInfo": "Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most important natural area in the eastern United States and is of world importance as an example of temperate deciduous hardwood forest and thus an outstanding example of the diverse Arcto-Tertiary geoflora era, having a high number of temperate species with some rich mixed stands. During Pleistocene glaciation it was the major North American refuge for temperate and boreal species of flora and fauna, so has a large number of endemic species as well as an extremely rich species composition. With 130 species of tree, it has almost as many species as all of Europe. This has resulted in a rich vegetation mosaic. It harbours many endangered species of animals, and has possibly the greatest diversity of salamanders in the world; it is a centre of endemism for North American molluscs.\n\nThe dominant topographic feature of the park is the range of the Great Smoky Mountains with 16 peaks over 1,829m. Lesser ridges form radiating spurs from the central ridgeline. In broad aspect, the topography of the park consists of moderately sharp-crested, steep-sided ridges separated by deep V-shaped valleys. Many of the mountain ridges branch and subdivide creating a complex of drainage systems with many fast-flowing clear mountain streams. The park contains 22 major watersheds and the water table is near the surface in almost all sections. Precambrian metamorphic rocks consisting of gneisses and schists, and sedimentary rocks.\n\nThe vegetation changes continuously with elevation, slope aspect and soil moisture patterns. Five species are officially listed as endangered on the Fish and Wildlife Service List of Candidate Endangered Plants. A diverse fauna occurs including at least 50 native animals, reflecting the richness of the flora. Several species of bat and over 200 species of bird inhabit the park.\n\nHeavy precipitation and numerous streams make the mountains ideal for a wide variety of amphibian species; the park also contains a diversity of invertebrates, over 70 species of native fish, spiders, insects and other arthropods, and over 100 species of caddisfly and stonefly.\n\nArchaeological sites support the theory that prehistoric people (15,000 years ago) were hunters and gatherers. Present historical and cultural interpretation in the park is based mainly on the structures dating from the mid-1800s to 1920, including the finest collection of log buildings in the United States.\n\nThe park contains evidence of four pre-Columbian Indian cultures: Mississippian, Woodland, Archaic and palaeo-Indian. The early Woodland culture period is of special archaeological importance because it shows the first evidence of organized horticulture in North America, with primitive agriculture on river floodplains. These Indians used the caves for shelters and chipped gypsum and mirabilite off the walls: more than 150 archaeological sites have been identified within the national park. Saltpeter deposits were discovered on the cave walls and this valuable nitrate was removed and sent to be processed in gunpowder factories between 1809 and 1819. Three churches and 14 cemeteries still exist in the park and are used by the public.\n\nThere are no permanent inhabitants in the core area. About 240 people live in the buffer zones with a further 1,500 in the transition area. Only 25% of the population is considered urban and no significant increase in urbanization is expected in the near future. Most people are engaged in agriculture, tourism or service industries."
},
{
"id": "258",
"year": 1983,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 19 30.7 E8 37 43.8",
"lat": 42.32519444444445,
"lng": 8.628833333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/258",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0258_0002-750-0-20121115152539.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Porto © Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve\n\nThe nature reserve, which is part of the Regional Natural Park of Corsica, occupies the Scandola peninsula, an impressive, porphyritic rock mass. The vegetation is an outstanding example of scrubland. Seagulls, cormorants and sea eagles can be found there. The clear waters, with their islets and inaccessible caves, host a rich marine life. ",
"longInfo": "Scandola Nature Reserve established under decree of 9 December 1975. Parc naturel regional de Corse established under decree of 12 May 1972. Since a law of 2 May 1930, updated by decree of 14 December 1976, no destruction or modification can be carried out in the area without authorisation from the Minister of the Environment. Girolata and Porto were classified as nature reserves in 1975 and 1976. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1983 and Scandola Nature Reserve was awarded the European Diploma in 1986."
},
{
"id": "274",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PER",
"name": "Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S13 7 0 W72 34 60",
"lat": -13.116666666666667,
"lng": -72.58333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0274_0011-750-0-20130123122006.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu\n\nMachu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. ",
"longInfo": "Machu Picchu bears, with Cuzco and the other archaeological sites of the valley of the Urubamba (Ollantautaybo, Runcuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupamarca, Huiñay Huayna, Intipucu, etc.) a unique testimony to the Inca civilization. Cuzco and the old villages still retain traces of land occupation from the Inca Empire to preserve, in a more global manner, an archaeological heritage which has become susceptible to the effects of urbanization. Furthermore, Macchu Picchu is an outstanding example of man's interaction with his natural environment.\n\nStanding 2,430 m above sea level, in the midst of a tropical mountain forest in an extraordinarily beautiful setting, Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height. Its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna.\n\nMachu Picchu covers 32,500 ha in some of the scenically most attractive mountainous territory of the Peruvian Andes. As the last stronghold of the Incas and of superb architectural and archaeological importance, Machu Picchu is one of the most important cultural sites in Latin America; the stonework of the site remains as one of the world's great examples of the use of a natural raw material to provide outstanding architecture which is totally appropriate to the surroundings. The surrounding valleys have been cultivated continuously for well over 1,000 years, providing one of the world's greatest examples of a productive man-land relationship; the people living around Machu Picchu continue a way of life which closely resembles that of their Inca ancestors, being based on potatoes, maize and llamas. Machu Picchu also provides a secure habitat for several endangered species, notably the spectacled bear, one of the most interesting species in the area. Others animals include: dwarf brocket, the otter, long-tailed weasel, pampas cat and the vulnerable ocelot, boa, the Andean cock of the rock, and the Andean condor.\n\nThe natural vegetation is of humid and very humid lower montane forest of the subtropical region, mainly with genera and ferns of the Cyathea and palms.\n\nSet on the vertiginous site of a granite mountain sculpted by erosion and dominating a meander in the Rio Urubamba, Machu Picchu is a world renowned archaeological site. The construction of this amazing city, set out according to a very rigorous plan, comprises one of the most spectacular creations of the Inca Empire. It appears to date from the period of the two great Incas, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1438-71) and Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1472-93). The function of this city situated at least 100 km from the capital, Cuzco, has not been formulated which are not verifiable given the absence of written documentation and sufficiently explicit material evidence.\n\nWithout making a judgement as to their purpose, several quite individual quarters may be noted in the ruins of Machu Picchu: a quarter 'of the Farmers' near the colossal terraces whose slopes were cultivated and transformed into hanging gardens; an 'industrial' quarter; a 'royal' quarter and a 'religious' quarter. Inca architecture reveals itself here in all of its force with the titanic earthen works which multiplied the platforms, levelled the rocky relief, constructed ramps and stairways and literally sculpted the mountain whose cyclopean constructions appear to be a prolongation of nature."
},
{
"id": "275",
"year": 1983,
"target": "ARG",
"name": "Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil)",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S28 32 36 W54 15 57",
"lat": -28.543333333333337,
"lng": -54.26583333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/275",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0275_0002-750-0-20120730182151.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ruins of the Jesuit reduction San Ignacio Mini, Church gate, Misiones Province, Argentina, South AmericaRuinen der Jesuitenreduktion San Ignacio Mini, Kirchentor, Misiones Provinz, Argentinien, Südamerika © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil)\n\nThe ruins of São Miguel das Missões in Brazil, and those of San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María la Mayor in Argentina, lie at the heart of a tropical forest. They are the impressive remains of five Jesuit missions, built in the land of the Guaranis during the 17th and 18th centuries. Each is characterized by a specific layout and a different state of conservation. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "275",
"year": 1983,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil)",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S28 32 36 W54 15 57",
"lat": -28.543333333333337,
"lng": -54.26583333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/275",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0275_0002-750-0-20120730182151.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ruins of the Jesuit reduction San Ignacio Mini, Church gate, Misiones Province, Argentina, South AmericaRuinen der Jesuitenreduktion San Ignacio Mini, Kirchentor, Misiones Provinz, Argentinien, Südamerika © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil)\n\nThe ruins of São Miguel das Missões in Brazil, and those of San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María la Mayor in Argentina, lie at the heart of a tropical forest. They are the impressive remains of five Jesuit missions, built in the land of the Guaranis during the 17th and 18th centuries. Each is characterized by a specific layout and a different state of conservation. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "266",
"year": 1983,
"target": "USA",
"name": "La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N18 28 0 W66 7 30",
"lat": 18.466666666666665,
"lng": -66.125,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/266",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0266_0001-750-0-20090925164544.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico © Ulises Jorge ",
"shortInfo": "La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico\n\nBetween the 15th and 19th centuries, a series of defensive structures was built at this strategic point in the Caribbean Sea to protect the city and the Bay of San Juan. They represent a fine display of European military architecture adapted to harbour sites on the American continent. ",
"longInfo": "The entire historic site of San Juan with its different monumental components maintains, at the present, a balance between constructed and non-constructed zones. The Fortaleza is tangibly associated with the history of the New World and its explorers and colonists.\n\nFor the explorers and the colonists of the New World who came from the east, Puerto Rico was an obligatory stopping-place in the Caribbean. From this evolved its primordial strategic role at the beginning of the Spanish colonization. The island was for centuries a stake disputed by the Spanish, French, English and Dutch. The fortifications of the bay of San Juan, the magnificent port to which Puerto Rico owes its name, bear witness to its long military history.\n\nSan Juan had the first municipal government in the New World outside Santo Domingo, as well as the first military presidios in Spanish America. By the 19th century, the old city had become a charming residential and commercial district. The city itself, with its institutional buildings, museums, houses, churches, plazas and commercial buildings, is part of the San Juan Historic Zone which is administered by municipal, State and Federal agencies.\n\nLa Fortaleza is one among several, of the fortresses which protect it. Over the centuries, San Juan in fact protected Spain's empire against Carib Indians, pirates and the warships of other countries. This vast, coherent defensive system with ramparts, fortlets and fortresses, attesting formerly to its effectiveness and today to its historic significance. The principal components of this defensive system are, starting in the south:"
},
{
"id": "264",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PRT",
"name": "Monastery of Batalha",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N39 39 28.008 W8 49 36.984",
"lat": 39.657779999999995,
"lng": -8.82694,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/264",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0264_0001-750-0-20090424162625.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Fiona Starr ",
"shortInfo": "Monastery of Batalha\n\nThe Monastery of the Dominicans of Batalha was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It was to be the Portuguese monarchy's main building project for the next two centuries. Here a highly original, national Gothic style evolved, profoundly influenced by Manueline art, as demonstrated by its masterpiece, the Royal Cloister. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "263",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PRT",
"name": "Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 41 30.984 W9 12 56.988",
"lat": 38.691939999999995,
"lng": -9.215829999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/263",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0263_0001-750-0-20090923104954.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon ",
"shortInfo": "Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon\n\nStanding at the entrance to Lisbon harbour, the Monastery of the Hieronymites – construction of which began in 1502 – exemplifies Portuguese art at its best. The nearby Tower of Belém, built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's expedition, is a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "267",
"year": 1983,
"target": "CHE",
"name": "Old City of Berne",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N46 56 53.016 E7 27 1.008",
"lat": 46.94806,
"lng": 7.45028,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/267",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0267_0010-750-0-20140709144411.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "OLD CITY OF BERNE © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Old City of Berne\n\nFounded in the 12th century on a hill site surrounded by the Aare River, Berne developed over the centuries in line with a an exceptionally coherent planning concept. The buildings in the Old City, dating from a variety of periods, include 15th-century arcades and 16th-century fountains. Most of the medieval town was restored in the 18th century but it has retained its original character. ",
"longInfo": "Built on a rocky promontory which fits tightly into a loop of the Aar River, the old city of Berne still retains the imprint and original character of the successive periods of its very rich history in its plan and its monuments. It was founded, on a hill site surrounded by the Aar, by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen (most likely in 1191): on Kramgasse there is the first of Berne's many ornamented fountains, an armoured bear holding the standard of the city's founder, dating from 1535. The original core was established around Fort Nydegg, seat of ducal power; but, when Berne became a free city in 1218, it expanded to the west towards the Zeitglochenturm (restored in 1771). A new stage in its urban expansion coincided with the protectorate of Peter II of Savoy (1255-65) when the city extended to the Käfigturm (rebuilt in 1643); some years later Fort Nydegg was destroyed and a lower quarter built up on its site. A bridge was built to give access to this quarter. The final urban expansion of the medieval period took place in the 14th century. It is marked by the Christoffel tower.\n\nThe gradual conquest of the site is still evident in the parcelling, largely a result of the medieval implantation. However, the physiognomy of Berne has been modified by additions and developed over the centuries in line with an exceptionally coherent planning concept right up to the modern period. The buildings in the Old City, dating from a variety of periods, include 15th-century arcades and 16th-century picturesque fountains, as well as towers and walls. The cathedral was constructed during the 17th century, when many patrician houses were built from sandy limestone; towards the end of the 18th century, almost 80% of the constructed zones were renewed. Like many European capitals, Berne today offers a contrast (particularly acute on the Bubenbergplatz) of old monuments and contemporary buildings; but it preserves in localized areas, traditional old streets with arcades of which the majority are walking streets.\n\nThe three quietest and most characteristic streets in the Old Town - Postgasse, Gerechtigkeitsgasse and Jünkerngasse - all meet at the Nydeggbrücke, the easternmost point of Berne's peninsula and the location of Nydegg Castle, built probably before the 1191 founding of Berne and the spur to the city's construction. It was destroyed in the mid-13th century and its location is now marked by the Nydeggkirche, although parts of its massive stone foundations survive here and there. The church is a mishmash of elements added to an original 1341 building, with a well which originally stood within the precincts of the 12th-century castle and a picturesque view of the medieval houses clustering on the slopes all around.\n\nThe impressively wide main cobbled thoroughfare of the old town stretches away on both sides of the Zytglogge: Marktgasse is to the west, while elegant Kramgasse runs east and features many Baroque facades stuck on to the medieval arcaded buildings early in the eighteenth century. There is the Einstein House, the apartment and workplace of the famous scientist, who developed his theory of relativity in 1905.\n\nRathausplatz is dominated by the double-staircased Rathaus. Although the building dates from 1406-17, it has been much altered over the centuries - not least in 1939-42, when the ground floor was entirely rebuilt. Opposite is a 1542 fountain sporting a Bernese standard-bearer in full armour. Next to the Rathaus is the St Peter und St Paul-Kirche, built in 1858 as the first Catholic parish church to go up in the city since the Reformation.\n\nIn Läuferplatz the fountain-statue of the city herald standing at the head of the low Untertorbrücke, one of the oldest bridges in Switzerland (1468). To the south-west, Gerberngasse follows the bend of the river down into one of the most appealing districts of the Old Town, Matte. For many centuries this was a self-contained district of craftspeople and dockworkers which long retained its own dialect, related to the Jenisch language of the Swiss gypsies and dubbed Mattenenglisch by the other Bernese, an incomprehensible language spoken in a meadow (Matte). Since 1848, large public monuments have been built which underscore the function of the capital of Berne: the Bundeshaus, Museum of Fine Arts, Historical Museum, University, Municipal Theatre, etc."
},
{
"id": "271",
"year": 1983,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Pilgrimage Church of Wies",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 40 52.6 E10 54 0.5",
"lat": 47.68127777777777,
"lng": 10.90013888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/271",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0271_0001-750-0-20131014172231.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Pilgrimage Church of Wies © Public Domain ",
"shortInfo": "Pilgrimage Church of Wies\n\nMiraculously preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, the Church of Wies (1745–54), the work of architect Dominikus Zimmermann, is a masterpiece of Bavarian Rococo – exuberant, colourful and joyful. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "225",
"year": 1983,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Pirin National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 44 33.8 E23 25 49.7",
"lat": 41.74272222222222,
"lng": 23.430472222222225,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/225",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0225_0010-750-0-20150518200741.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Pirin National Park © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Pirin National Park\n\nSpread over an area of over 27,000 ha, at an altitude between 1008 and 2914 m in the Pirin Mountains, southwest Bulgaria, the site comprises diverse limestone mountain landscapes with glacial lakes, waterfalls, caves and predominantly coniferous forests. It was added to the World Heritage List in 1983. The extension now covers an area of around 40,000 ha in the Pirin Mountains, and overlaps with thePirin National Park\n\n, except for two areas developed for tourism (skiing). The dominant part of the extension is high mountain territory over 2000m in altitude, and covered mostly by alpine meadows, rocky screes and summits. ",
"longInfo": "Extending over an area of 27,400 ha and lying at an altitude of 1,008-2,914 m in the Pirin mountains, south-west Bulgaria, Pirin National Park has a limestone Balkan landscape, with lakes, waterfalls, caves and pine forests. The rugged mountains, with some 70 glacial lakes scattered throughout them, are home to hundreds of endemic and rare species, many of which are representative of the Balkan Pleistocene flora. The mountains also have diverse and unique landscapes of great aesthetic value.\n\nPirin Mountain stretches from north-west to south-east between the valleys of the Strouma and Mesta rivers. There are many rivers and waterfalls. Winter in the upper parts is cold and long with snow cover remaining for five to eight months. Summer is cool and short.\n\nThe presence of limestone rocks, the southerly position of the range and close proximity to the Aegean, coupled with its relative isolation, have made Pirin Mountain an important refuge for many species. Forests in the park are mainly coniferous with endemic Macedonian pine being widespread and forming the timberline in the granite part of the mountain. Endemic Bossnian pine occurs in the highest zone of the karst area. Unique stands of Pinus peuce and Pinus leucodermis , up to 250-300 years old and 30-45 m high, are found in Baiouvi Doupki-Djindjiritsa Reserve. Some individual Pinus leucodermis trees are over 500 years old. Silver fir, Austrian pine, spruce, Scots pine and beech form a mixed coniferous forest type.\n\nGenerally, the timberline has developed as a result of human interference over a long period and descends as low as 2,000 m, but in some places reaches 2,200-2,300 m. In the subalpine zone there are thickets of dwarf mountain pine and Juniperus sibirica . Above 2,400-2,600 m is a layer of alpine meadows, stony slopes, screes, rocks, etc.\n\nThe flora of Pirin, comprising as it does many rare species, is of great interest and beauty. One of the most active flora speciation in Bulgaria is situated in the limestone part of the mountain. Pirin has a mixture of central European, Alpine, Balkan mountain and sub-Mediterranean species, but in addition there are about 30 local endemic species.\n\nThere is a wide variety of animal species including many endemic species and glacial relicts among the invertebrate fauna. Threatened bird and mammal species include brown bear, grey wolf, pine marten, rock marten, polecat, badger, otter, wild cat, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, Balkan chamois, golden eagle, capercaillie, hazel grouse, eagle owl, black woodpecker and three-toed woodpecker."
},
{
"id": "229",
"year": 1983,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N48 41 37 E6 10 60",
"lat": 48.69361111111111,
"lng": 6.183333333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/229",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0229_0001-750-0-20090506100559.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy\n\nNancy, the temporary residence of a king without a kingdom – Stanislas Leszczynski, later to become Duke of Lorraine – is paradoxically the oldest and most typical example of a modern capital where an enlightened monarch proved to be sensitive to the needs of the public. Built between 1752 and 1756 by a brilliant team led by the architect Héré, this was a carefully conceived project that succeeded in creating a capital that not only enhanced the sovereign's prestige but was also functional. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "216",
"year": 1983,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Rila Monastery",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 7 0 E23 23 60",
"lat": 42.11666666666667,
"lng": 23.4,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/216",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0216_0001-750-0-20090924174836.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Rila Monastery © Nenko Lazarov ",
"shortInfo": "Rila Monastery\n\nRila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex which played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria. Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. A characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation. ",
"longInfo": "Rila Monastery, the oldest in the Slav world and still the largest active religious centre in Bulgaria, is first and foremost an exceptionally fine artistic complex, in which architecture and painting merge harmoniously. Apart from this, it has been for centuries the seat of the development, preservation, and diffusion of Slav religious culture in all its various manifestations, including literary and artistic, and it became the symbol of Bulgarian cultural identity that was continually threatened by Turkish domination.\n\nThe monastery stands about 120 km from Sofia, in the heart of the Rila Massif, located at the north-western extremity of the Rodopi Mountains, a mountainous system with peaks that rise to almost 3,000 m. In this area, which was still covered by forest in AD 876-946, lived the hermit Ivan Rilski (Saint John of Mila), the evangelizer of the Slavic peoples. He was responsible for the construction of the original nucleus of the coenobitic community, a short distance from the cave in which he lived as an anchorite; this nucleus was completely destroyed in the 13th century by fire.\n\nA new building was constructed a few kilometres from the site of the first foundation, and it was completed in the 15th century thanks to the donations of Stefan Hrelyu, a powerful local prince who ordered in 1355 the construction of the tower that still bears his name and a church dedicated to John of Rila, who had in the meantime been canonized.\n\nDuring the Ottoman Turkish domination of Bulgaria, the monastery took on the role of bulwark of national identity in the face of foreign occupation. It became a destination for pilgrimages from all over the Balkan region, especially after 1469, when the relics of the saint were brought there.\n\nThe complex continued to serve this function in the centuries that followed, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it became one of the powerhouses of the Bulgarian Renaissance. This period is documented by the splendid cross that is still preserved in the museum of the monastery, executed and decorated with more than 100 biblical scenes by the monk Raphael, one of the leading figures of the movement.\n\nThe existing structures, with the exception of the Hrelyu Tower, date back to the 19th-century building project. They occupy a vast area which forms an irregular square, provided with two entrances, both decorated with frescoes. The building that surrounds it contains four chapels, a refectory and some 300 cells, a library and rooms for the guests of the monastery. The complex has an interior courtyard overlooked by three- and four-storey constructions, embellished by orders of arches set upon stone columns which unify their facades and form airy loggias. This is enlivened by the chromatic interplay between the white of the plaster and the red and black hues of the bricks.\n\nThe Hrelyu tower is a compact building 23 m high, square in plan. The highest of its five storeys contains a chapel dedicated to the Transfiguration and decorated by a series of frescoes that were done in the second half of the 14th century: in the nave are depicted stories of Saint John of Rila.\n\nOf the building constructed in the 19th century, the most important is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, built in 1833 on the structure of the preceding building. This church houses a magnificent carved wooden iconostasis, executed in 1842 by Athanasios Taladuro of Thessalonica, and many frescoes.\n\nThe cultural heritage contained in the monastery is not limited to its buildings, but extends to the works of art and documents that constitute a priceless testimonial to Bulgarian civilization; they are chiefly to be found in the museum and in the library."
},
{
"id": "260",
"year": 1983,
"target": "ECU",
"name": "Sangay National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S1 49 59.988 W78 19 59.988",
"lat": -1.83333,
"lng": -78.33332999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/260",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0260_0003-750-0-20150518200716.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Sangay National Park © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Sangay National Park\n\nWith its outstanding natural beauty and two active volcanoes, the park illustrates the entire spectrum of ecosystems, ranging from tropical rainforests to glaciers, with striking contrasts between the snowcapped peaks and the forests of the plains. Its isolation has encouraged the survival of indigenous species such as the mountain tapir and the Andean condor. ",
"longInfo": "Established as a Wildlife Reserve on 16 June 1975 under Interministry Agreement No. 190. The status was changed to National Park on 26 July 1979 under Interministry Agreement No. 322. Inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List in 1983."
},
{
"id": "219",
"year": 1983,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Srebarna Nature Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N44 6 51.984 E27 4 41.016",
"lat": 44.11444,
"lng": 27.07806,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/219",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0219_0002-750-0-20110920200254.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Srebarna Nature Reserve\n\nTheSrebarna Nature Reserve\n\n is a freshwater lake adjacent to the Danube and extending over 600 ha. It is the breeding ground of almost 100 species of birds, many of which are rare or endangered. Some 80 other bird species migrate and seek refuge there every winter. Among the most interesting bird species are the Dalmatian pelican, great egret, night heron, purple heron, glossy ibis and white spoonbill. ",
"longInfo": "The Srebarna Nature Reserve is a freshwater lake adjacent to the Danube and extending over 600 ha. It is the breeding ground of almost 100 species of bird, many of which are rare or endangered. Some 80 other bird species migrate and seek refuge there every winter. Among the most interesting bird species are the Dalmatian pelican, great egret, night heron, purple heron, glossy ibis and white spoonbill, white-tailed eagle, little cormorant.\n\nThe reserve was set up primarily to protect the rich diversity of wildfowl, the bird species represent half of the Bulgarian avifauna. Species found in Srebarna include mute swan, a variety of geese and ducks, red-necked grebe, two of the three European species of marsh tern, and bearded tit. Otter is occasionally found in the reserve. White-fronted goose, red-breasted goose and blue throat have become established as wintering species.\n\nSome 67 plant species can be found in Srebarna Nature Reserve, including water lily and a number of rare marsh plants. Reeds occupy two-thirds of the reserve and form a thick barrier around the lake. They form reed-mace islands which birds use for nesting.\n\nThis freshwater lake is situated on the flood plain of the River Danube, to which it was connected until 1949. The disconnection prevented annual flooding and the level of lake falls 1 m per year. However, the lake was reconnected by canal in 1978 with the Danube to prevent water levels from becoming too low and to restore the lake's fish population.\n\nThe reserve is affected by a rapid and abnormal development of succession processes due to annual sedimentation of large reed-mace vegetation in the reserve, as well as the insufficient water influence of the Danube. Consequently, the reed-mace islands are extended and increased in thickness so that wild boars, foxes and jackals now pose a threat to both individual birds nests and colonies. A series of upstream interferences, including the Iron Gate Dam, have permanently altered the natural hydrology of the Danube River in this region and that of Srebarna."
},
{
"id": "252",
"year": 1983,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Taj Mahal",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 10 27.012 E78 2 31.992",
"lat": 27.17417,
"lng": 78.04222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/252",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0252_0008-750-0-20110920200709.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Taj Mahal\n\nAn immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, theTaj Mahal\n\n is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. ",
"longInfo": "The Taj Mahal, an immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. It no doubt partially owes its renown to the moving circumstances of its construction. Shah Jahan, in order to perpetuate the memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631, had this funerary mosque built. The monument, begun in 1632, was finished in 1648; unverified but nonetheless, tenacious, legends attribute its construction to an international team of several thousands of masons, marble workers, mosaicists and decorators working under the orders of the architect of the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahori.\n\nSituated on the right bank of the Yamuna in a vast Mogul garden of some 17 ha, this funerary monument, bounded by four isolated minarets, reigns with its octagonal structure capped by a bulbous dome through the criss-cross of open perspectives offered by alleys or basins of water. The rigour of a perfect elevation of astonishing graphic purity is disguised and almost contradicted by the scintillation of a fairy-like decor where the white marble, the main building material, brings out and scintillates the floral arabesques, the decorative bands, and the calligraphic inscriptions which are incrusted in polychromatic pietra dura. The materials were brought in from all over India and central Asia and white Makrana marble from Jodhpur. Precious stones for the inlay came from Baghdad, Punjab, Egypt, Russia, Golconda, China, Afghanistan, Ceylon, Indian Ocean and Persia. The unique Mughal style combines elements and styles of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture.\n\nThe Darwaza, the majestic main gateway, is a large three-storey red sandstone structure, completed in 1648, with an octagonal central chamber with a vaulted roof and with smaller rooms on each side. The gateway consists of lofty central arch with two-storeyed wings on either side. The walls are inscribed with verses from the Qu'ran in Arabic in black calligraphy. The small domed pavilions on top are Hindu in style and signify royalty. The gate was originally lined with silver, now replaced with copper, and decorated with 1,000 nails whose heads were contemporary silver coins.\n\nThe Bageecha, the ornamental gardens through which the paths lead, are planned along classical Mughal char bagh style. Two marble canals studded with fountains, lined with cypress trees emanating from the central, raised pool cross in the centre of the garden, dividing it into four equal squares. In each square there are 16 flower beds, making a total of 64 with around 400 plants in each bed. The feature to be noted is that the garden is laid out in such a way as to maintain perfect symmetry. The channels, with a perfect reflection of the Taj, used to be stocked with colourful fish and the gardens with beautiful birds.\n\nThe Taj Mahal itself, situated in the north end of the garden, stands on two bases, one of sandstone and above it a square platform worked into a black and white chequerboard design and topped by a huge blue-veined white marble terrace, on each corner there are four minarets. On the east and west sides of the tomb are identical red sandstone buildings. On the west is the masjid (mosque), which sanctifies the area and provides a place of worship. On the other sides is the jawab, which cannot be used for prayer as it faces away from Mecca. The rauza, the central structure or the mausoleum on the platform, is square with bevelled corners. Each corner has small domes while in the centre is the main double dome topped by a brass finial. The main chamber inside is octagonal with a high domed ceiling. This chamber contains false tombs of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan, laid to rest in precise duplicates in a. Both tombs are exquisitely inlaid and decorated with precious stones, the finest in Agra.\n\nThe Taj Mahal's pure white marble shimmers silver in the moonlight, glows softly pink at dawn, and at close of day reflects the fiery tints of the setting Sun. From an octagonal tower in the Agra Fort across the River Yamuna, Shah Jahan spent his last days as a prisoner of his son and usurper to the empire, Aurangzeb, gazing at the tomb of his beloved Mumtaz."
},
{
"id": "205",
"year": 1983,
"target": "CRI",
"name": "Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N9 24 25.5 W82 56 19.7",
"lat": 9.407083333333334,
"lng": -82.93880555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/205",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0205_0002-750-0-20100706091719.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park\n\nThe location of this unique site in Central America, where Quaternary glaciers have left their mark, has allowed the fauna and flora of North and South America to interbreed. Tropical rainforests cover most of the area. Four different Indian tribes inhabit this property, which benefits from close co-operation between Costa Rica and Panama. ",
"longInfo": "The park lies in the foothills and mountains of Cordillera de Talamanca between the mountain ranges of Las Vueltas, Cartago and Echandi on the Panamanian/Costa Rican border.\n\nThe Cordillera de Talamanca is the highest and wildest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. It was formed by the folding of the Earth's crust and uplifting activity that created the land dividing the Pacific from the Caribbean. A long period of marine deposition in the shallow surrounding seas up until the Middle Miocene was followed by a period of marine volcanism, which included the uplifting of the whole area to some 4,000 m above sea level. Subsequent erosion due to heavy rainfall has created a rugged topography. During the Quaternary period, glaciers carved cirque lakes and steep valleys on the slopes of Chirripo National Park, the only area in Central America to show signs of glaciation.\n\nTropical rainforests have covered most of the area since at least the last glaciations, about 25,000 years ago. The park includes lowland tropical rainforest and cloudforest, as well as four communities not found elsewhere in Central America: subalpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, lakes of glacial origin and high-altitude bogs. The area also contains all five altitudinal zones found in the tropics. Most of the main crest lies within montane rainforest, characterized by mixed oak forest. Below 2,500 m lower montane rainforest occurs and the forest is generally more mixed. The Talamanca Mountains contain the largest tracts of virgin forest in Costa Rica. On high points along the ridge, at elevations above 2,900-3,100 m, frequent stands of paramo, swamps, cold marshes occur. The paramo located on Mount Kamuk contains the richest and most varied vegetation (after Chirripo) in the entire Talamanca Range and is the only one in Costa Rica that shows no signs of human intervention. Species diversity is perhaps unequalled in any other reserve of equivalent size in the world, due to the convergence of the floras of North and South America and varied climatic and edaphic (soil-related) factors.\n\nThe fauna is extremely diverse, with intermigrations from both North and South America. Signs of tapir, a species as yet unrecorded in Costa Rica, are abundant at Cerros Utyum, Kamuk and Fabrega near the Panamanian border. All Central American felines are found including puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, tiger cat and jaguar, as well as the Central American squirrel monkey and Geoffroy's spider monkey. A green and black high-altitude viper, that has rarely been seen or collected, is present. Resplendent quetzal is present in the park as are many other bird species, such as bare-necked umbrella bird, three-wattled bellbird, harpy eagle, crested eagle, solitary eagle and orange-breasted falcon. It has been suggested that no other park is the world possesses as many species and such a wealth of fauna.\n\nArchaeological sites are reported along all major watercourses, yet an almost total lack of archaeological investigation within the area makes objective analysis of the human history difficult. Less than 50 km away, near Baru Volcano in Chiriquo Panama, pre-ceramic sites have been discovered dating back more than 12,000 years. Such sites are extremely rare in Central America, but this discovery just a short distance away indicates the possibility of more finds of Central America's earliest human inhabitants in the area. Studies on the Pacific Slope of Costa Rica just a few kilometres from La Amistad-Talamanca International Park have revealed much about the area's pre-Columbian inhabitants."
},
{
"id": "205",
"year": 1983,
"target": "PAN",
"name": "Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N9 24 25.5 W82 56 19.7",
"lat": 9.407083333333334,
"lng": -82.93880555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/205",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0205_0002-750-0-20100706091719.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park\n\nThe location of this unique site in Central America, where Quaternary glaciers have left their mark, has allowed the fauna and flora of North and South America to interbreed. Tropical rainforests cover most of the area. Four different Indian tribes inhabit this property, which benefits from close co-operation between Costa Rica and Panama. ",
"longInfo": "The park lies in the foothills and mountains of Cordillera de Talamanca between the mountain ranges of Las Vueltas, Cartago and Echandi on the Panamanian/Costa Rican border.\n\nThe Cordillera de Talamanca is the highest and wildest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. It was formed by the folding of the Earth's crust and uplifting activity that created the land dividing the Pacific from the Caribbean. A long period of marine deposition in the shallow surrounding seas up until the Middle Miocene was followed by a period of marine volcanism, which included the uplifting of the whole area to some 4,000 m above sea level. Subsequent erosion due to heavy rainfall has created a rugged topography. During the Quaternary period, glaciers carved cirque lakes and steep valleys on the slopes of Chirripo National Park, the only area in Central America to show signs of glaciation.\n\nTropical rainforests have covered most of the area since at least the last glaciations, about 25,000 years ago. The park includes lowland tropical rainforest and cloudforest, as well as four communities not found elsewhere in Central America: subalpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, lakes of glacial origin and high-altitude bogs. The area also contains all five altitudinal zones found in the tropics. Most of the main crest lies within montane rainforest, characterized by mixed oak forest. Below 2,500 m lower montane rainforest occurs and the forest is generally more mixed. The Talamanca Mountains contain the largest tracts of virgin forest in Costa Rica. On high points along the ridge, at elevations above 2,900-3,100 m, frequent stands of paramo, swamps, cold marshes occur. The paramo located on Mount Kamuk contains the richest and most varied vegetation (after Chirripo) in the entire Talamanca Range and is the only one in Costa Rica that shows no signs of human intervention. Species diversity is perhaps unequalled in any other reserve of equivalent size in the world, due to the convergence of the floras of North and South America and varied climatic and edaphic (soil-related) factors.\n\nThe fauna is extremely diverse, with intermigrations from both North and South America. Signs of tapir, a species as yet unrecorded in Costa Rica, are abundant at Cerros Utyum, Kamuk and Fabrega near the Panamanian border. All Central American felines are found including puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, tiger cat and jaguar, as well as the Central American squirrel monkey and Geoffroy's spider monkey. A green and black high-altitude viper, that has rarely been seen or collected, is present. Resplendent quetzal is present in the park as are many other bird species, such as bare-necked umbrella bird, three-wattled bellbird, harpy eagle, crested eagle, solitary eagle and orange-breasted falcon. It has been suggested that no other park is the world possesses as many species and such a wealth of fauna.\n\nArchaeological sites are reported along all major watercourses, yet an almost total lack of archaeological investigation within the area makes objective analysis of the human history difficult. Less than 50 km away, near Baru Volcano in Chiriquo Panama, pre-ceramic sites have been discovered dating back more than 12,000 years. Such sites are extremely rare in Central America, but this discovery just a short distance away indicates the possibility of more finds of Central America's earliest human inhabitants in the area. Studies on the Pacific Slope of Costa Rica just a few kilometres from La Amistad-Talamanca International Park have revealed much about the area's pre-Columbian inhabitants."
},
{
"id": "261",
"year": 1983,
"target": "SYC",
"name": "Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S4 19 45.012 E55 44 15",
"lat": -4.3291699999999995,
"lng": 55.737500000000004,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/261",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0261_0001-750-0-20060322110317.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "",
"shortInfo": "Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve\n\nIn the heart of the small island of Praslin, the reserve has the vestiges of a natural palm forest preserved in almost its original state. The famous coco de mer , from a palm-tree once believed to grow in the depths of the sea, is the largest seed in the plant kingdom. ",
"longInfo": "18 April 1966 as a Nature Reserve under the Wild Birds Protection (Nature Reserves) Regulation S. I. 27/1696. Further protection under the National Parks and Nature Conservancy Act (Cap. 159) S.I. No. 57 of 1979, Praslin National Park (Designation) Order of 1979, and the Cocooode-mer Management Decree 1978."
},
{
"id": "256",
"year": 1983,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Wood Buffalo National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N59 21 30 W112 17 36",
"lat": 59.358333333333334,
"lng": -112.29333333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/256",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0256_0001-750-0-20090916185810.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Wood Buffalo National Park ",
"shortInfo": "Wood Buffalo National Park\n\nSituated on the plains in the north-central region of Canada, the park (which covers 44,807 km2) is home to North America's largest population of wild bison. It is also the natural nesting place of the whooping crane. Another of the park's attractions is the world's largest inland delta, located at the mouth of the Peace and Athabasca rivers. ",
"longInfo": "Situated on the Northern Boreal Plains in the north-central region of Canada, Wood Buffalo comprises a vast wilderness area (44,807 km2 ) which is home to North America's largest population of wild bison. It is also the natural nesting place of the whooping crane. Another of the park's attractions is the world's largest inland delta, located at the mouth of the Peace and Athabasca rivers.\n\nThe park has four main landscape featues: a glacially eroded plateau; glaciated plains; a major freshwater delta formed by three major rivers; and alluvial river lowlands. The lowlands and floodplains of Peace, Athabasca and Slave rivers and the delta in Lake Athabasca exhibit classic fluvial landforms, with a complex series of meander scars, oxbow lakes and former river terraces, and good examples of birds-foot delta development. During dry periods, the mudflats of one plain are dominated by mineral salts. These salt plains are unique in Canada.\n\nVegetation is typical of the boreal forest zone with white spruce, black spruce, jack pine and tamarack predominant. Many watercourses have stands of balsam poplar and some upland has almost pure stands of aspen. Extensive stands of white spruce forests cover the banks of Peace, Athabasca and Birch rivers. The upper surface of the plateau is about 1,500 m above the rest of the park and supports a spruce-willow-birch upland tundra community. Some areas of prairie occur.\n\nShrublands of willow and alder occur where wet marsh soils meet drier forest soils. There is also extensive muskeg in the west and north of the park, an association of black spruce, sphagnum moss and northern heath plants.\n\nThe park contains the largest undisturbed grass and sedge meadows in North America. The park was created specifically to protect North American bison, one of the largest free-roaming, self-regulating herds in existence, and consisting of a cross between 'wood' bison and 'plains' bison.\n\nThis is one of a few sites where the predator-prey relationship between wolves and bison still exists. A total of 46 other mammal species have been recorded including black bear, woodland caribou, Arctic fox, moose, grey wolf, lynx, snowshoe hare, muskrat, beaver and mink. Occasionally animals more common to southern Canada are seen, such as red fox, porcupine and white-tailed deer. The caves of karstlands provide essential hibernation sites for bats.\n\nA total of 227 bird species have been recorded which include great grey owl and snowy owl, willow ptarmigan, redpoll crossbill and boreal chickadee. This is the only breeding site of whooping crane; peregrine falcon and bald eagle also breed within the park. The Peace-Athabasca Delta is an important area for migrant waterfowl including snow geese, white-fronted geese and Canada geese, whistling swan, diver, all seven species of North American grebe and species of duck.\n\nReptiles and amphibians are severely limited in numbers, but Canadian toad, leopard frog and red-sided garter snake reach their northern limits here. Boreal chorus frog and wood frog are also found in aquatic habitats. The fish fauna has been poorly studied, although there are a wide variety of aquatic habitats. 36 species have been recorded to date, four of them introduced."
},
{
"id": "314",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 10 36.012 W3 35 39.984",
"lat": 37.176669999999994,
"lng": -3.59444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/314",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0314_0022-750-0-20130207151811.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada © Philipp Schinz ",
"shortInfo": "Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada\n\nRising above the modern lower town, the Alhambra and the Albaycín, situated on two adjacent hills, form the medieval part of Granada. To the east of the Alhambra fortress and residence are the magnificent gardens of the Generalife, the former rural residence of the emirs who ruled this part of Spain in the 13th and 14th centuries. The residential district of the Albaycín is a rich repository of Moorish vernacular architecture, into which the traditional Andalusian architecture blends harmoniously. ",
"longInfo": "Archaeological excavations have shown that the hill where the Albayzín is now situated has been occupied continuously from as early as the Roman period. In the mid-8th century the region's governor Asap ben Abderrahman built a fortress where the Plaza de San Nicolas is now located (known as the Casbah until the Alhambra was built in the 13th century, when it became known as the Old Casbah). A new defensive enclosure was added by the Zirids in the 11th century, and around this a settlement grew up. The town prospered under the Nasrid dynasty and this was reflected by considerable development of the Albayzín in the mid-14th century; it became the quarter of Arab and Jewish craftsmen and traders.\n\nWhen the Reconquista was completed in 1492, the population of the Albayzín rose to 60,000. The emigration of most of the Moslem inhabitants and the baptism of those who remained, together with settlement by a substantial Christian population, had an effect on the development of the quarter, but without disfiguring the old Moorish town. The new late Gothic or early Plateresque churches and monasteries harmonized with the existing architecture.\n\nThe remarkable expansion of agriculture in the region in the 19th century gave a new impetus to the development of Granada. The lower quarters of the town were transformed and lost their artistic qualities. However, the Albayzín was spared this new urbanization owing to its hillside location. Today the town is divided into two distinct parts: on the one hand the modem lower town and on the other the medieval town on its two hills, the Alhambra and the Albayzín, which form a coherent whole."
},
{
"id": "293",
"year": 1984,
"target": "LBN",
"name": "Anjar",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N33 43 32.988 E35 55 46.992",
"lat": 33.72583,
"lng": 35.929719999999996,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/293",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0293_0001-750-0-20110920200929.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO / Véronique Dauge ",
"shortInfo": "Anjar\n\nThe city ofAnjar\n\n was founded by Caliph Walid I at the beginning of the 8th century. The ruins reveal a very regular layout, reminiscent of the palace-cities of ancient times, and are a unique testimony to city planning under the Umayyads. ",
"longInfo": "Anjar is an outstanding and closely dated example of Umayyad urbanism and it also stands unique as the only historic example of an inland commercial centre. The ruins in the Beqaa, not far from the roads that link Homs and Baalbek to Tiberias and Mount Lebanon to Damascus, were discovered when archaeological explorations began in 1949.\n\nLocated on a site that was occupied over a long period (re-employed elements of Greek, Roman and early Christian buildings are frequently found in the masonry of its walls), the city of Anjar was founded at the beginning of the 8th century by Caliph Walid I (705-15). It takes its name from the Arabic term ayn al-jaar (water from the rock), referring to the streams that flow from the nearby mountains.\n\nThis surprising urban creation, which was never completed, had only a brief existence in 744. The partisans of Caliph Ibrahim, son of Walid, were defeated outside the walls of Anjar by Marwan ben Mohammed, who became the last Omayyad caliph. After this, Anjar, which was partially destroyed, was abandoned. Like Abu al Fida after him, William of Tyre saw only ruins, the results of numerous battles of the 12th century. It is the only non-coastal trading city in the country, and it flourished for only 20-30 years before the Abbasids overran the city and it fell into disuse. At its peak, it housed more than 600 shops, Roman-style baths, two palaces and a mosque.\n\nExcavations have revealed a fortified city, enclosed by walls flanked by 40 towers where an inscription from 741 may still be seen in situ. The rectangular fortified wall (385 m by 350 m) is precisely oriented. The walls are 2 m thick and built from a core of mud and rubble with an exterior facing of sizable blocks and an interior facing of smaller layers of blocks. Against the interior of the enclosures are three stairways built on each side. They gave access to the top of the walls where guards circulated and protected the town.\n\nDominated by gates flanked by porticos, an important north-south axis (cardo maximus) and a lesser east-west axis (decumanus maximus) are superimposed above the main sewers and divide the city into four equal quadrants. Public and private buildings are laid out according to a strict plan: the principal palace and mosque in the south-east quadrant; the secondary palace and baths in the north-east and north-west quadrants; the densely inhabited south-west quadrant criss-crossed by a network of streets built on an orthogonal plan.\n\nThe urban spatial organization, which is remarkably devised, is more reminiscent of that of a royal residence (of which the city-palace of Diocletian at Split remains the best example) than that of the Roman military camps and colonial cities. The ruins are dominated by the spectacular vestiges of a monumental tetrapyle, at the crossing of the two principal axes, as well as by the walls and colonnades of the Omayyad palace, three levels of which have been preserved. These structures incorporate sculptures from the Roman period, but are notable as well for the exceptional plasticity of the elements of the contemporary decor within the construction.\n\nMore evidence of the Umayyad dependence on the architectural traditions of other cultures appears in the Umayyad baths, which contain the three classical sections of the Roman bath: the vestiary where patrons changed clothing before their bath and rested afterwards, and three rooms for cold, warm and hot water. The size of the vestiary indicates the bath was more than a source of physical well-being but also a centre of social interaction.\n\nA city with 600 shops and an overwhelming concern for security must have required a fair number of people. Keeping this in mind, archaeologists looked for remains of an extensive residential area and found it just beyond the tetrastyle to the south-west."
},
{
"id": "294",
"year": 1984,
"target": "LBN",
"name": "Baalbek",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N34 0 25.452 E36 12 17.784",
"lat": 34.00707,
"lng": 36.20494,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/294",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0294_0007-750-0-20110920201544.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Baalbek © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Baalbek\n\nThis Phoenician city, where a triad of deities was worshipped, was known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period. It retained its religious function during Roman times, when the sanctuary of the Heliopolitan Jupiter attracted thousands of pilgrims.Baalbek\n\n, with its colossal structures, is one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee. ",
"longInfo": "Baalbek, with its colossal structures, is a unique artistic creation and an eminent example of a sanctuary of the imperial Roman period. It is located on two historic trade routes, between the Mediterranean coast and the Syrian interior and between northern Syria and northern Palestine. Today the city, 85 km from Beirut, is an important administrative and economic centre in the northern Beqaa valley.\n\nThe origin of the name Baalbek is not precisely known. The Phoenician term Baal means 'lord' or 'god' and was the title given to the Semitic sky-deity. The word Baalbek may therefore mean 'God of the Beqaa valley' (the local area) or 'God of the Town', depending on different interpretations of the word.\n\nLying on fertile plains, Baalbek was, during the Phoenician period, no more than an agricultural village where a triad of fertility gods were worshipped; given the name Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period, the modest city saw its apogee after the arrival of the Romans in Phoenicia in 64 BC, when it became one of the most celebrated sanctuaries of the ancient world, progressively overlaid with colossal constructions which were built during more than two centuries. The monumental ensemble of Heliopolis is one of the most impressive testimonies - and doubtless the most celebrated - to imperial Roman architecture.\n\nHistorians attribute to Augustus the design of the imperial sanctuary where a significant religious transfer came about to the benefit of Rome. Whatever the case, the Romanized triad of Heliopolis (Jupiter, Venus and Mercury) came to replace the Phoenician triad (Baal-Shamash, Anta and Alyn). The first building work, that of the Temple of Jupiter, began during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the late 1st century BC and completed soon after AD 60 under Nero. The immense sanctuary of Jupiter Heliopolitanus was lined by 104 massive granite columns imported from Aswan and held a temple surrounded by 50 additional columns. From that time, work did not abate until the construction of the Great Altar (c. 100) and the so-called Temple of Bacchus (c. 120-25), named for the many sculptured reliefs interpreted by archaeologists as scenes from the childhood of this god.\n\nThe Grand Court, construction of which began during the reign of Trajan (98-117), contained various religious buildings and altars, and was surrounded by a splendid colonnade of 128 rose granite columns. These columns are known to have been quarried in Aswan (Egypt). Today, only six columns remain standing, the rest having been destroyed by earthquakes or taken to other sites. The Temple of Venus was added at the beginning of the 3rd century. It is assumed to be a Venus temple because of its ornamentation of seashells, doves and other artistic motifs associated with the cult of this goddess. During Byzantine Christian times the temple was used as a church and dedicated to the Christian martyr St Barbara.\n\nAt Baalbek-Heliopolis, the phenomenon of religious syncretism, which amalgamated the old Phoenician beliefs with the myths of the Graeco-Roman pantheon, was prolonged by an amazing stylistic metamorphosis. The Syro-Phoenician formulae of the Seleucid period were fused with the classic decorative grammar of the Ara Pacis Augustae. There resulted an architecture of a considerable expressive force which was combined, without redundancy, in the ornamental motives of the colonnades, niches and exedras and was also freely expressed in the ceilings with sculpted coffered panels and the framework of the doorways.\n\nIn 634, Muslim armies entered Syria and besieged Baalbek. A large mosque was built within the walls of the temple compound, which was converted into a citadel. Over the next few centuries, the city and region of Baalbek were controlled by various Islamic dynasties. Its monuments suffered from theft, war and earthquakes, as well as from numerous medieval additions.\n\nThis Phoenician city, where a triad of deities was worshipped, retained its religious function during Roman times, when the sanctuary of the Heliopolitan Jupiter attracted thousands of pilgrims."
},
{
"id": "316",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Burgos Cathedral",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 20 25.9 W3 42 17.33",
"lat": 42.34052777777778,
"lng": -3.704813888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/316",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0316_0011-750-0-20130221165152.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Burgos Cathedral © Laura Berdejo ",
"shortInfo": "Burgos Cathedral\n\nOur Lady of Burgos was begun in the 13th century at the same time as the great cathedrals of the Ile-de-France and was completed in the 15th and 16th centuries. The entire history of Gothic art is summed up in its superb architecture and its unique collection of works of art, including paintings, choir stalls, reredos, tombs and stained-glass windows. ",
"longInfo": "Burgos Cathedral, an outstanding example of an integral Gothic cathedral, with church, cloister and annexes. has exerted, at different times, a considerable influence on the evolution of architecture and the plastic arts. It bears witness to the creative genius of many architects, sculptors, and craftsmen. It is sufficient to call to mind its role in the diffusion in Spain of the forms of French Gothic art of the 13th century, and the international importance of the workshop in the 15th and 16th centuries where artists from the Rhineland, Burgundy and Flanders trained Spanish architects and sculptors, thus creating one of the most flourishing schools of the end of the Middle Ages.\n\nBegun in 1221 and completed in 1567, Santa María de Burgos is a striking summary of the evolution of Gothic architecture. The body of the work, undertaken through the initiative of Bishop Mauricio in the reign of Ferdinand III 'the Holy', was rapidly carried out: a first campaign, the most important, was completed in 1293. The plan of the cathedral is based on a Latin cross of pleasing proportions. The three-storey elevation, the vaulting, and the tracery of the windows are closely related to contemporary models of the north of France. The portals of the transept (the Puerta del Sarmental to the south and the Puerta de la Coronería to the north) may also be compared with the great sculpted ensembles of the French royal domain, while the enamelled brass tomb of Bishop Mauricio resembles the so-called Limoges goldsmith work. Undertaken after the cathedral, the two-storeyed cloister that was completed towards 1280 still fits within the framework of 'French' High Gothic.\n\nAfter a hiatus of some 200 years, work was resumed on the Cathedral of Burgos in the mid-15th century and continued over more than 100 years. These were embellishments of a profuse splendour which have, ever since, assured the world renown of this edifice. The workshop was composed of an international team. Among the most famous architects were Juan de Colonia, soon relieved by his son Simon (towers and open spires of the facade, the Constable's chapel, the Chapel of Santa Ana) and Felipe de Borgoña, assisted by numerous collaborators (choir, cupola and lantern tower over the transept crossing).\n\nWhen in 1567 two of these architects, Juan de Vallejo and Juan de Castaneda, completed the prodigious cupola with its starred vaulting, the cathedral of Burgos incorporated one of the greatest concentrations of masterpieces of this last phase of the Gothic: the Puerta della Pellejería (1516) of Francesco de Colonia, the ornamental grill and choir stalls, the grill of the chapel of the Presentation (1519), the retablo of Gil de Siloé in the Constable's chapel, the retablo of Gil de Siloé and Diego de La Cruz in the chapen of Santa Ana, the staircase of Diego de Siloé in the north transept arm, the tombs of Bishop Alonso de Cartagena, of Bishop Acuña, of Abbot Juan Ortega de Velasco, of the Condestable Pedro Hernández de Velasco and of his wife Doña Mencia de Mendoza, etc. Thereafter, the cathedral continued to be a monument favoured by the arts - the Renaissance retablo of the Capilla Mayor by Rodrigo and Martín de la Haya, Domingo de Berríz and Juan de Anchieta, the tomb of Enrique de Peralta y Cardenas in the chapel of San Enrique, the chapel of Santa Tecla and the trascoro of the 18th century."
},
{
"id": "295",
"year": 1984,
"target": "LBN",
"name": "Byblos",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N34 7 9.012 E35 38 51",
"lat": 34.119170000000004,
"lng": 35.6475,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/295",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0295_0001-750-0-20110920200954.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO / Véronique Dauge ",
"shortInfo": "Byblos\n\nThe ruins of many successive civilizations are found atByblos\n\n, one of the oldest Phoenician cities. Inhabited since Neolithic times, it has been closely linked to the legends and history of the Mediterranean region for thousands of years.Byblos\n\n is also directly associated with the history and diffusion of the Phoenician alphabet. ",
"longInfo": "Byblos bears exceptional testimony to the beginnings of Phoenician civilization. From the Bronze Age, it provides one of the primary examples of urban organization in the Mediterranean world.\n\nThe Phoenicians, who considered Gublu (the Gebal of the Bible) to be one of their oldest cities, were in no way wrong: the site of Byblos has been continuously inhabited since the Neolithic period. The oldest human settlement, some 7,000 years old, appears to have been a fishing village whose numerous monocellular huts have been rediscovered.\n\nTowards 3200 BC, a new spatial organization took form: the mound was covered with houses with stone walls, while the inhumation urns, until that time placed within the living area, were shifted to the periphery of the agglomeration where various types of funerary rituals may be observed in the large necropolis. Towards 2800, Gebal appeared as a highly structured city: enclosed by a massive fortified wall (whose construction, legend attributes to the god El), it comprised a main street and a network of smaller streets.\n\nThe prosperity of the harbour - from which cedar wood, an indispensable material for building construction and for naval yards, as well as cedar oil, used for the mummification of bodies, were exported to Egypt - entailed large constructions, such as that of the temple of Baalat-Gebal, the goddess of the city, which several pharaohs enriched with their offerings. This city, of which numerous traces still exist, was burned around 2150 by the invading Amorites: a thick layer of ash (in some places 50 cm) seals off the original levels.\n\nApproximately two centuries later, the city was rebuilt with new temples (the Temple of the Obelisks, dedicated c. 1900-1600 BC to the god Reshef, is the best known of this period) and commercial relations with Egypt were re-established in all their intensity. Towards the middle of the Bronze Age, the treasure of the nine Royal Tombs of Byblos attests to the degree of perfection of a civilization which competed with that of King Ahiram (National Museum, Beirut), an inscription in Phoenician characters is addressed to eventual grave robbers; and one may see in this curse the proof that writing, widely disseminated, was no longer the monopoly of the scribes.\n\nA commercial city, Byblos was able to accommodate successive dominations, whether Assyrian, Babylonian, Achaemenid or Greek. During the Roman period, its commercial role declined, but the city assumed an eminent religious function: hordes of pilgrims, as noted in the 2nd century AD by Lucian of Samosate, crowded its temples, which were constantly reconstructed and embellished.\n\nIts decline began during the Byzantine period and continued during the Arab occupation after AD 636. The only time when the city recaptured some of its former importance was during the Crusades. Under the impulse of the Genoans, commerce made Giblet a prosperous transit harbour. The renewal, which is attested by its walls, the massive structure of the castle of the Crusaders, the church of St John the Baptist and its baptistry, was without a future: Byblos declined slowly until the 19th century."
},
{
"id": "304",
"year": 1984,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N51 25 29 W116 28 47",
"lat": 51.42472222222222,
"lng": -116.47972222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/304",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0304_0002-750-0-20121123104125.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Peyto Lake, Banff NP © Maureen J. Flynn ",
"shortInfo": "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks\n\nThe contiguous national parks of Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho, as well as the Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber provincial parks, studded with mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and limestone caves, form a striking mountain landscape. The Burgess Shale fossil site, well known for its fossil remains of soft-bodied marine animals, is also found there. ",
"longInfo": "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks comprises Banff National Park, Hamber Provincial Park, Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park, Mount Robson Provincial Park, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park and Yoho National Park.\n\nThe Canadian Rocky Mountains are oriented in a south-eastern to north-western direction along the Continental Divide and consist of the Western Ranges, the Main Ranges, the Front Ranges and the Foothills, all of which are represented within the parks.\n\nActive glaciers and ice fields still exist throughout the region, particularly in the Main Ranges. The most significant is the Columbia ice field, the largest in North America's subarctic interior. Covering 325 km2 , the ice field spans the Continental Divide and the boundary between Jasper and Banff National Parks.\n\nThe Columbia ice fields of Jasper National Park are regarded as the hydrographic apex of North America and are the headwaters to three major river systems: the North Saskatchewan River, the Athabasca River and the Columbia River. The park waters of Yoho flow to the Pacific along Kicking Horse. Mount Robson Park encompasses the headwaters of Fraser River while Hamber Park encompasses Fortress Lake watershed. There are numerous lakes in Mount Assiniboine Park, most of which are located in broad alpine valleys and plateaus where they occupy glacially scoured depressions in the limestone bedrock.\n\nThe Rockies have been divided into three life zones or ecoregions: montane, subalpine and alpine. Montane vegetation occurs in major valley bottoms, on the foothills and sun-exposed slopes of lower mountain sides, especially in the front ranges. Forest is generally found between 1,200 m and 1,800 m and typical species include Douglas fir, white spruce, aspen and poplar. Montane wetlands and meadows occupy areas adjacent to major rivers.\n\nThe subalpine ecoregion occupies mountainsides between 1,800 m and 2,100 m, and valley bottoms of high elevations. This is the most extensive ecoregion in the Rockies and can be subdivided into lower and upper subalpine. The alpine ecoregion occurs above the timberline. It is characterized by diminutive and hardy vegetation such as low-growing willow and dwarf birch, heath, mountain avens and sedge.\n\nA total of 56 mammalian species have been recorded. Characteristic species found in alpine meadows include Rocky Mountain goat, bighorn sheep, northern pika and hoary marmot. Forest mammals include moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer, caribou, red deer and red squirrel. Carnivores include grey wolf, grizzly bear, black bear, wolverine, lynx and puma.\n\nSome 280 avifaunal species have been noted, including northern three-toed woodpecker, white-tailed ptarmigan, grey jay, mountain bluebird, Clark's nutcracker, golden eagle, mountain chickadee and rock pipit. Other recorded fauna includes one species of toad, three species of frog, one species of salamander and two species of snake."
},
{
"id": "288",
"year": 1984,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N50 49 30.1 E6 54 35.2",
"lat": 50.825027777777784,
"lng": 6.909777777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/288",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0288_0010-750-0-20140708150345.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl\n\nSet in an idyllic garden landscape, Augustusburg Castle (the sumptuous residence of the prince-archbishops of Cologne) and the Falkenlust hunting lodge (a small rural folly) are among the earliest examples of Rococo architecture in 18th-century Germany. ",
"longInfo": "Augustusburg and Falkenlust present the first important creations of the Rococo style in Germany. For more than a century, they served as models for most of the princely courts. Like the Residence of Würzburg, the castles and gardens are outstanding examples of the large princely residence of the 18th century.\n\nSet in an idyllic garden landscape, Augustusburg Castle, the sumptuous residence of the prince-archbishops of Cologne, and the Falkenlust hunting lodge, a small rural folly, are among the earliest examples of Rococo architecture in 18th-century Germany.\n\nA Rococo masterpiece, the castle of Augustusburg is directly linked to the great European architecture of the first half of the 18th century. In 1715, Josef-Clemens of Bavaria, Prince-Elector of Cologne, planned to construct a large residence at Brühl, on the foundations of a medieval castle. He consulted a French architect, Robert de Cotte, who sent the plans. However, this project was not immediately followed up and Prince-Elector Clemens-August, who was less francophile than his father, rejected de Cotte's proposals and in 1725 called on a Westphalian architect, Johann Conrad Schlaun, to build the castle that was to carry his name.\n\nSchlaun's tenure lasted three years. Before his departure in 1728, he constructed, with less creative genius than economic sense, a building of three wings that incorporated the medieval ruins and the north tower of the earlier castle. Under the impulse of the architect who followed Schlaun, French influence manifested itself again. However, François de Cuvillies, who had been lent by the Elector of Bavaria to his relative, represented tendencies distinct from the classicism of de Cotte. An architect at the court of Munich since 1724, he above all valued a type of ornament which was based on a system of asymmetry and invention, in imitation of Meissonier.\n\nHis Baroque tendencies, brought to life by the Rococo style of the years of the Regency, found fertile ground in the German Empire, where Rococo reigned at Vienna as at Munich, integrating in the same workshop Austrian, Bavarian, Italian, and French artists. The castle of Augustusburg, a bold and successful revamping of the lacklustre construction of Schlaun, and the hunting lodge of Falkenlust, a dazzling creation, ex nihilo, are among the best examples of this international art of unprecedented richness.\n\nAt Augustusburg, around a piece of creative genius, the staircase of Balthasar Neumann, which is a rapturous structure that unites a lively movement of marble and stucco, jasper columns, and caryatids, culminating in the astonishing frescoed ceiling of Carlo Carlone, in the central block, the wings of the parade and the private apartments are organized in a hierarchy of effects of outstanding conception. The bon enfant decor of the new grand summer apartments with its faience tiles from the Low Countries is in striking opposition to the 'official' programme.\n\nFalkenlust is a country house with symmetrical avant-corps. On the ground floor, an oval salon is conceived in the same language, full of improvization, charm, and liberty. In the chapel, the Bordelais Laporterie created an astonishing marine grotto by facing the walls with shells and concretions. The large gardens, laid out in a single campaign, both oppose and complement each other. At Augustusburg, Dominique Girard, a pupil of Le Nôtre, proved to be more sensitive to decorum, multiplying monumental ramps and symmetrical flower beds, like those of the gardens of Nymphenburg, Schleissheim, and the Belvedere of Vienna, of which he was also the designer. At Falkenlust the landscaping, although highly concerted, nonetheless endeavours to create the randomness of a natural site."
},
{
"id": "284",
"year": 1984,
"target": "NPL",
"name": "Chitwan National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 30 0 E84 19 59.988",
"lat": 27.5,
"lng": 84.33332999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/284",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0284_0001-750-0-20110322161630.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© TTF ",
"shortInfo": "Chitwan National Park\n\nAt the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan is one of the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of the 'Terai' region, which formerly extended over the foothills of India and Nepal. It has a particularly rich flora and fauna. One of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros lives in the park, which is also one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger. ",
"longInfo": "Royal Chitwan National Park lies in the lowlands or Inner Terai of southern central Nepal on the international border with India. The park covers 932 km2 of subtropical lowland, wedged between two east-west river valleys at the base of the Siwalik range of the outer Himalayas.\n\nChitwan is dominated by almost monotypic stands of sal forest which occupy 60% of the total area and is a remnant of the lowland Terai forest which once stretched across the foothills of the Himalayas through India and Nepal. Riverine forest and grasslands form a mosaic along the river banks are maintained by seasonal flooding. On the hills are pines and scattered palms, and moister slopes support bamboos.\n\nChitwan is situated in a river valley basin or dun, along the flood plains of the Rapti, Reu and Narayani rivers. The Narayani is also called the Gandaki and is the third-largest river in Nepal. It originates in the high Himalaya and, drains into the Bay of Bengal. The Siwaliks show a distinctive fault pattern that has produced steep cliffs on the south-facing slopes, where vegetation cover is poorer than the northern slopes. The flood plains comprise a series of ascending alluvial terraces laid down by the rivers and subsequently raised by Himalayan uplift. The terraces are composed of layers of boulders and gravels set in a fine silty matrix.\n\nThe climax vegetation of the Inner Terai is sal forest, which covers some 60% of the park. However, floods, fires and riverine erosion combine to make a continually changing mosaic of grasslands and riverine forests in various stages of succession. Purest stands of sal occur on better drained ground such as the lowlands around Kasra in the centre of the park. Elsewhere, sal is intermingled with chir pine along the southern face of the Churia Hills and with tree species. Creepers are common. The under-storey is scant with the exception of grasses.\n\nThe park contains the last Nepalese population (estimated at 400) of the endangered great one-horned Asian rhinoceros which is the second largest concentration of this species to occur after Kaziranga National Park in India. Royal Chitwan is also one of the last strongholds of the Royal Bengal tiger. Other threatened mammals occurring in the park include leopard, wild dog, sloth bear and gaur. Other mammals include sambar, chital, hog deer, barking deer, wild pig, monkeys, otter, porcupine, yellow-throated marten, civet, fishing cat, jungle cat, jackal, striped hyena and Indian fox. Aquatic species include the gangetic dolphin, the mugger crocodile and the endangered gharial.\n\nPrior to its re-introduction to Royal Bardia National Park in 1986, the park contained the last Nepalese population of the Indian rhinoceros. Tiger is present and has been the subject of a long-term study begun in 1974. Over 350 bird species are reported. Himalayan grey-headed fishing eagle and white-back vulture. Ruddy shelduck and bar-headed goose winter on the rivers. The threatened Indian python also occurs within the park, and some 99 fish species inhabit the rivers and oxbow lakes."
},
{
"id": "249",
"year": 1984,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N12 37 0.012 E80 11 30.012",
"lat": 12.616670000000001,
"lng": 80.19167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/249",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0249_0001-750-0-20090918173439.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram ",
"shortInfo": "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram\n\nThis group of sanctuaries, founded by the Pallava kings, was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the 7th and 8th centuries. It is known especially for its rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant open-air reliefs such as the famous 'Descent of the Ganges', and the temple of Rivage, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "313",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Historic Centre of Cordoba",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 52 45.1 W4 46 47",
"lat": 37.879194444444444,
"lng": -4.779722222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/313",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0313_0001-750-0-20090929160107.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Cordoba © Waqqas Akhtar ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Cordoba\n\nCordoba's period of greatest glory began in the 8th century after the Moorish conquest, when some 300 mosques and innumerable palaces and public buildings were built to rival the splendours of Constantinople, Damascus and Baghdad. In the 13th century, under Ferdinand III, the Saint, Cordoba's Great Mosque was turned into a cathedral and new defensive structures, particularly the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Torre Fortaleza de la Calahorra, were erected. ",
"longInfo": "The Historic Centre of Cordoba now comprises the streets surrounding the monument and all the parcels of land opening on to these, together with all the blocks of houses around the mosque-cathedral. To the south this area extends to the further bank of the River GuadaIquivir (to include the Roman bridge and the Calahorra), to the east to the Calle San Fernando, to the north to the boundary of the commercial centre, and to the west to incorporate the AIcázar des los Reyes Cristianos and the San Basilio quarter. The city, by virtue of its extent and plan, its historical significance as a living expression of the different cultures that have existed there, and its relationship with the river, is a historical ensemble of extraordinary value.\n\nCordoba is defined by two geographical features: the mountains of the Sierra Morena, with their mineral wealth, and Guadalquivir, which skirts and then cuts through them. It was a flourishing Carthaginian township in 206 BC, when it was captured by the Romans, who recognized its strategic and commercial importance and made it the capital of Hispania Inferior, adorned with fine public and private buildings and enclosed by imposing fortifications. Among its illustrious sons were the two Senecas and the poet Lucan.\n\nWith the onset of the barbarian invasions of the 6th century, Roman society on the Iberian peninsula crumbled, and Cordoba fell to the Visigoths. In 756 the Caliph of Damascus set up his court at Cordoba and laid the foundations for the most glorious period of the city's history. He began building the Great Mosque, on the site of a Roman temple of Janus, which had been converted into a church by the Visigoths. Cordoba became the centre of a great realm renowned for its artistic and intellectual predominance and its liberal toleration of other religions, but the Caliphate collapsed after the bitter civil war of 1009-31, and only the Great Mosque survived as a symbol of its achievements. In 1236 the city was captured by Ferdinand III: the mosque became the cathedral and new defensive structures were raised, as befitted its role as a frontier town under constant threat of attack from the Moors. The historic centre, clustering round the mosque-cathedral, preserves much of its medieval urban fabric, with its characteristic narrow, winding streets.\n\nIts earlier Roman past is, however, also in evidence, as the sixteen-span bridge was originally thrown across the fast-flowing GuadaIquivir. The fine mosaics in the Alcázar, with its columns of the 1st century AD temple, and sections of the Roman wall. The gardens of the Alcázar formed part of the Moorish design for the area around the Mosque, and are good examples of Moorish Andalusian garden design, with effective use of water. The remains of the monumental CaliphaI Baths are nearby. During the Moorish period there were many small places of worship around the Great Mosque. Most of these have disappeared, but their minarets survive as the churches of Santiago and San Lorenzo and the Hermitage of Santa Clara. Another important monument from this period is the Almodóvar Gate. There are reminders of the important Jewish population of Moorish Cordoba in the quarter known as La Judería, which best preserves the original street pattern, and the small Synagogue, converted for Christian use after the expulsion of the Jews in 1492.\n\nThe Christian structures of the Alcázar date from the early 14th century, and were built as a royal residence: they show strong Mudejar influence in their design. The Torre de la Calahorra formed part of a medieval fortress, perhaps from the beginning of the Christian period. The church of San Jacinto (now the Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions) is in Florid Gothic style; the Chapel of San Bartolomeo, Moorish in origin, now is clearly Christian, in the Gothic-Mudejar style; San Francisco and San Nicolás, which date from the same period. Also important buildings are from the 16th century: the Seminary of San Pelagio, Puerta del Puente, Casa Solariega de los Pàez de Castillo and Casa del Marqués de la Fuensanta del Valle, which illustrate the religious, military and architectural styles. From the 18th century come the civic buildings: the Triunfos de San Rafael and Hospital del Cardenal Salazar."
},
{
"id": "303",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ARG",
"name": "Iguazu National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S25 31 5 W54 7 60",
"lat": -25.518055555555556,
"lng": -54.13333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/303",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0303_0010-750-0-20130207121737.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Iguazu National Park © Philipp Schinz ",
"shortInfo": "Iguazu National Park\n\nThe semicircular waterfall at the heart of this site is some 80 m high and 2,700 m in diameter and is situated on a basaltic line spanning the border between Argentina and Brazil. Made up of many cascades producing vast sprays of water, it is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. The surrounding subtropical rainforest has over 2,000 species of vascular plants and is home to the typical wildlife of the region: tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, jaguars and caymans. ",
"longInfo": "The site consists of the national park and national reserves in Misiones Province, north-eastern Argentina. The Iguazú River forms the northern boundary of both the reserves and park, and also the southern boundary of Iguaçu National Park World Heritage site in Brazil.\n\nThe Iguazú Falls span the border between Argentina and Brazil. Some 80 m high and 3 km wide, the falls are made up of many cascades that generate vast sprays of water and produce one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world.\n\nThe vegetation is mostly subtropical wet forest rich in lianas and epithytes, although the forests have less species diversity when compared with others in Brazil and parts of Paraguay. Nonethless, over 2,000 species of vascular plant have been identified. Vegitation around falls is particularly luxuriant due to the constant spray.\n\nThe fauna are typical of the region and include tapir, coati, tamandua, raccon. The site is particularly rich in bird speices with almost half of Argentina's bird species found there. Threatened mammals such as the jaguar, ocelot and tiger-cat number among the carnivores, and the giant anteater and Brazilian otter are also found. Primates include the black-capped capuchin and black howler monkey. There are also small populations of the endangered broad-nosed caiman and the threatened Brazilian merganser (sawbill duck).\n\nThe first inhabitants in the area were the Caingangues Indians. This tribe was dislodged by the Tupi-Guaranies who coined the name Iguazú (Big Water). The first European to reach the falls was the Spaniard Don Alvar Nuñes Cabeza de Vaca in 1541 and some 10 years later Spanish and Portuguese colonization commenced. There are at least two sites of particular archaeological interest within the park."
},
{
"id": "289",
"year": 1984,
"target": "MWI",
"name": "Lake Malawi National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S14 1 59.988 E34 52 59.988",
"lat": -14.033330000000001,
"lng": 34.88333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/289",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0289_0007-750-0-20130529123128.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Lake Malawi © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Lake Malawi National Park\n\nLocated at the southern end of the great expanse of Lake Malawi, with its deep, clear waters and mountain backdrop, the national park is home to many hundreds of fish species, nearly all endemic. Its importance for the study of evolution is comparable to that of the finches of the Galapagos Islands. ",
"longInfo": "The park, which covers some 94 km2 , is composed of the Cape Maclear peninsula, three other disjunct mainland areas, 12 islands and lake waters that lie within 100 m of the park's terrestrial components. Total water area is estimated as 7 km2 . Habitat types vary from rocky shorelines to sandy beaches and from wooded hillsides to swamps and lagoons. Granitic hills rise steeply from the lakeshore and there are a number of sandy bays including a fine beach in the Chembe-Otter Point area. Lake surface elevation is near 475 m, while the highest point on the peninsula is 1,140 m.\n\nThe lake water is remarkably clear. The level fluctuates according to season with a long-term cycle of fluctuation. Recent years have seen increases to the highest levels since recording began (probably due to increased rainfall and clearing of forests on the high plateau). Lake Malawi itself is the third deepest in the world and occupies an elongated crack of the Rift Valley.\n\nThe land areas excluding the smallest islands are (or were once) heavily wooded. Originally this was a characteristic community containing baobab and several species of Ticus , Sterculia , Khaya and Albizzia with a groundcover of grasses and wild flowers. Due to clearing of the forest, some woodland areas have been altered to Brachystegia and shrubby vegetation. Soils are stony and of poor nutrient status.\n\nLake Malawi contains the largest number of fish species of any lake in the world. There are between 500 and 1,000 fish species, with perhaps half occurring in the park area. Endemism is high (thought to exceed 90%) and particularly noteworthy are the Cichlidae , of which all but five of an estimated 350 species are endemic to Malawi. The lake contains 30% of all known cichlid species. Of particular interest are the mbuna rock fish. Other fish species include 28 endemic to the lake. The flora of the lake have not been studied in detail.\n\nMammals include hippo (particularly in the Monkey Bay area) duiker, baboon, vervet monkey, bush pig, warthog and occasional elephant (reported as coming down to the lake between Mwenya and Nkhudzi hills). Leopard, kudu, bushbuck and impala have been reduced or extirpated from the area. The park is rich in birdlife including fish eagle along the shoreline. The islands, especially Mumbo and Boadzulu, are important nesting areas for white-throated cormorant which number several thousand. Reptiles include crocodiles and abundant monitor lizards on Boadzulu Island.\n\nArchaeological evidence points to a long period of human occupation with sites dating back to the Iron Age in the 4th century. The Cape Maclear area was one focal point in the ivory and slave trade era. In more recent times a Livingstone Mission was established there and the area was a stopover on the Cape to London flying boat service."
},
{
"id": "302",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ZWE",
"name": "Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S15 49 10 E29 24 29",
"lat": -15.819444444444445,
"lng": 29.408055555555553,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/302",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0302_0001-750-0-20090918182318.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Parc national de Mana Pools, aires de safari Sapi et Chewore © Nomination File ",
"shortInfo": "Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas\n\nOn the banks of the Zambezi, great cliffs overhang the river and the floodplains. The area is home to a remarkable concentration of wild animals, including elephants, buffalo, leopards and cheetahs. An important concentration of Nile crocodiles is also be found in the area. ",
"longInfo": "On the banks of the Zambezi, great cliffs overhang the river and the floodplains. The area is home to a remarkable concentration of wild animals, including elephants, buffalo, leopards and cheetahs. An important concentration of Nile crocodiles is also be found in the area\n\nMana Pools, Sapi and Chewore (which total some 6,766 km2 ) are part of the Miombo woodland/savannah biogeographic realm. They front the lower Zambezi River, and include large areas of the rugged Zambezi escarpment (which rises to over 1,000 m from the valley floor). The area contains the last remaining natural stretch of the Middle Zambezi. The Mana Pools are former channels of the Zambezi. Much of the Chewore is heavily dissected and the Mupata Gorge (some 30 km long) occurs along the northern border of this part of the area. Above the Mupata Gorges the river is broad and sandy, flowing through numerous channels, sandbanks and islands.\n\nWell-grassed Brachystegia communities dominate the mountainous escarpment and higher Chewore areas with small but significant riparian communities along the numerous streams. The valley floor is dominated by mopane woodlands or dry highly deciduous thickets known as Jesse. On the younger sandier alluvial deposits along the Zambezi are well-developed tracts of winterthorn with more diverse woodlands containing Kigelia africana and Trichelia emetica on the higher deposits.\n\nThe nominated site has a rich and varied fauna with large mammal populations include threatened animals which concentrate on the flood plains during the dry season when water elsewhere is scarce and when the numerous winterthorn trees shed their protein-rich pods. The fauna includes elephant which number in thousands, hippopotamus, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena, honey badger, warthog, bushpig, plains zebra, and many antelopes including mixed herds of greater kudu, bushbuck, nyala, eland, waterbuck, sable antelope, grysbok and steenbok.\n\nNile crocodile are numerous. Birdlife on the river and in the bush is prolific with over 380 species recorded including Nyasa lovebird, yellow-spotted nicator, rock pratincole, banded snake-eagle and Livingstone's flycatcher. Common fish include tigerfish, bream, vundu, nkupi, chessa, cornish jack and lungfish.\n\nThere are two further contiguous areas, Dande Safari Area (523 km2 ) established in 1968, and the Urungwe Safari Area (2,870 km2 ) established in 1976. Much of the area had been protected as a non-hunting area since 1930.\n\nThe area is of limited agricultural potential. There is virtually no permanent human habitation."
},
{
"id": "318",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N40 34 54.3 W4 7 35.1",
"lat": 40.58175000000001,
"lng": -4.126416666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/318",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0318_0001-750-0-20090924132324.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid\n\nBuilt at the end of the 16th century on a plan in the form of a grill, the instrument of the martyrdom of St Lawrence, the Escurial Monastery stands in an exceptionally beautiful site in Castile. Its austere architecture, a break with previous styles, had a considerable influence on Spanish architecture for more than half a century. It was the retreat of a mystic king and became, in the last years of Philip II's reign, the centre of the greatest political power of the time. ",
"longInfo": "An exemplary votive monument, the retreat of a mystic king, the Escurial was, during the closing years of the reign of Philip II, the paradoxical centre of the greatest political power of that period. This royal monastery dedicated to St Lawrence is a unique artistic achievement. There is nothing in the project, in the form or in the design of this monument, which is not exceptional. Although out of keeping with the national temperament, the Escurial exerted a considerable influence in Spain during almost half a century: the gigantic unfinished cathedral of the Asunción of Valladolid was begun around 1580 by Herrera in the same severe style.\n\nThe construction of the monastery and site of the Escurial in Madrid was the realization of an unusual vow by Philip II of Spain in repentance for having shelled the church San Lorenzo in 1577. This explains the gigantic expiatory monastery, the general plan of which reproduces the form of an inverted griddle, the instrument of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence. The handle is represented by the Royal Palace, which projects on the eastern side, and four angle towers, 55 m high, represent the feet. The college, the convent and the cloister, all quadrangular in plan, are placed on either side of the central court (Patio de los Reyes) which precedes the church; it is constructed of a bluish granite from Guadarrama.\n\nThis ensemble was begun in 1563 by Juan Bautista de Toledo and completed in 1584 by Juan de Herrera. The treatment, deliberately austere, offers a vivid contrast to the traditional Spanish architecture of the Renaissance. Within the church, however, the Capilla Mayor was given a decor as rich as it was imposing: the retablo, 30 m high, the work of an Italian team under the orders of Herrera, unites coloured marbles, paintings, gilding and large bronze statues; in the lateral oratories, two renowned groups, modelled and cast in bronze by Pompeo and Leone Leoni, represent, on the side of the Gospel, Charles V with his family, and on the side of the Epistle, Philip II among his family, dressed in their magnificent attire and frozen in prayer.\n\nBeneath the church is the sepulchral vault of the kings of Spain, whose principal crypt (Pantheon of the Kings) is an octagonal chamber faced with pietra dura incorporating ornaments of gilded bronze."
},
{
"id": "285",
"year": 1984,
"target": "COL",
"name": "Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N10 25 0 W75 31 60",
"lat": 10.416666666666666,
"lng": -75.53333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/285",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0285_0021-750-0-20130917145041.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena\n\nSituated in a bay in the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena has the most extensive fortifications in South America. A system of zones divides the city into three neighbourhoods: San Pedro, with the cathedral and many Andalusian-style palaces; San Diego, where merchants and the middle class lived; and Gethsemani, the 'popular quarter'. ",
"longInfo": "Cartagena, together with La Habana and San Juan de Puerto Rico, was one of the three most important ports in the West Indies. It is an outstanding example of the military architecture of the 16th-18th centuries - the most extensive in the New World and one of the most complete.\n\nOn 1 June 1533 the Madrileño Don Pedro de Heredia founded Cartagena de Indias on a tiny coastal archipelago in the Caribbean. Located in the Gulf of Darien, 100 km west of the mouth of the Rio Magdalena, Cartagena used the advantages both of its position and of its site: a narrow band of land cut off from the continent by a succession of bays offering good anchorage and by narrow channels which constituted an excellent natural defence. A century later, this was where all the stolen treasures from the Indians of New Granada were stored before being moved to Spain. Cartagena grew rich on palaces, gardens, convents and churches, adopting the Catalan and Andalusian styles.\n\nIn 1586, the most famous military engineer of the Crown of Spain, Bautista Antonelli, was charged with the fortification of the city. His work, finally completed in the 17th century, made Cartagena an impregnable stronghold, which successfully resisted the attacks of Baron Pontis until 1697. In the 18th century, new additions gave the fortified ensemble its present spaciousness. The initial system of fortification included only the urban enclosure, the bastioned harbour of San Matias at the entry to the pass of Bocagrande, and the tower of San Felipe del Boqueron which controlled the Bahia de las Animas. Little by little, all of the passes were dominated by forts: San Luis, San José and San Fernando in Bocachica, San Rafael and Santa Barbara in Pochachica (the south-west pass); Santa Cruz, San Juan de Manzanillo and San Sebasi de Pastellilo around the interior Bahia; San Felipe de Barajas, on the rocky crag which dominated the city to the east and protected the access to the isthmus of Cebrero. The fortifications of San Felipe de Barajas protected Cartagena during numerous sieges, giving the city its unconquerable character and reputation. They are described as the masterpiece of Spanish military engineering in America.\n\nWithin the shelter of the formidable defences, the city continued to grow. The plan, characteristic of colonial foundations of the 16th century, illustrates a rigorous zoning system, divided into three quarters corresponding to the major social categories: San Pedro, San Diego and Gethsemani.\n\nThe old city conserves all the enchantment of the colonial period, with its narrow streets flanked by beautiful inner doors and projecting balconies. Entry by the Puerta del Reloj, the main entrance of the walled enclosure, gives access to the Plaza de los Coches, where long ago the slave market was held. The quarter of San Pedro, where the nobles and the notables resided, still preserves monuments of high quality such as the cathedral (1575-1612), the church and convent of San Pedro Claver, the church of Santo Domingo, and the building that once was the monastery of San Diego. In the Palace of the Inquisition, a beautiful structure with a magnificent inner door in Baroque style, the Court of the Holy Office carried out its functions, judging witchcraft and heretical cases. Today it houses a historical and archaeological museum; the Palace of the Government, and the home of Marquia de Valdehoyos.\n\nThe quarter of San Diego, to the north-east, was where the merchants and middle-class craftsmen resided; to the south-west, on a small island which slowly became attached to the mainland, was Gethsemani, the popular quarter. In the north sector of the walled city is the Plaza de los Coches, under whose arches ammunition and military equipments were stored and where troops were stationed during the colonial period. Outside the perimeters of the walls the Monasterio de la Popa, built on the summit of a hill that dominates the whole city."
},
{
"id": "280",
"year": 1984,
"target": "COD",
"name": "Salonga National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S2 0 0 E21 0 0",
"lat": -2,
"lng": 21,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/280",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0280_0003-750-0-20121115154605.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Saloga © Kim S. Gjerstad ",
"shortInfo": "Salonga National Park\n\nSalonga National Park is Africa's largest tropical rainforest reserve. Situated at the heart of the central basin of the Congo river, the park is very isolated and accessible only by water. It is the habitat of many endemic endangered species, such as the dwarf chimpanzee, the Congo peacock, the forest elephant and the African slender-snouted or 'false' crocodile. ",
"longInfo": "The park lies in a large section of the central basin of the Zaire River in Bandundu and Kasaï equatorial regions, a very isolated region mainly accessible by boat.\n\nThree types of landscape can be recognized: low plateaux, river terraces and high plateaux, each with different associated vegetation. Rivers in the west of the north sector are large and meandering with marshy banks. On the higher ground in the east, valleys are deeper, and rivers may run below cliffs of up to 80 m. The south sector includes the watershed between the basin of the Luilaka to the north and east, Likoro to the west, and Lukenje to the south. Salonga is the largest tropical forest national park in the world. Equatorial forest covers most of the area, varying in composition according to the geomorphology. The principal forest types are swamp, riverine and dry-land. Evergreen ombrophile forest is dominated by well-developed stands of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei . Semi-deciduous forest covers almost all areas between the rivers. Pioneer or transitory communities are found along river banks. Grassland vegetation, rather than savannah, occurs in the north sector, known locally as botoka-djoku (elephant's bath). The total area of grassland is under 0.5% of the park area. Southwards, the vegetation is more open with esobe clearings.\n\nThe most important species that has been reported is the endemic dwarf chimpanzee. However, it is absent from the north sector and there is now doubt that it still exists in the south sector. Other species include colobus monkeys, long-tailed pangolin, giant ground pangolin, tree pangolin, hippopotamus, leopard, African golden cat, Angolan mongoose, Congo water civet, bush pig, yellow-backed duiker, okapi, water chevrotain, sitatunga, bushbuck, bongo and pygmy Cape buffalo. Birds include cattle egret, black stork (migrant), yellow-billed stork and the endemic Zaire 'peacock'. Reptiles include African slender-snouted crocodile.\n\nA group of less than 1,000 Ediki lives in Yaelima, Dekese zone, in the centre of the park; while 500 Kitawalistes live near Lomela substation on the northern block. Both are in contact with poachers. It is proposed to relocate them outside the central zone. In order to improve the living conditions of the local population, it has been proposed to farm grey parrot in villages in the buffer zone. Traditional fishing is undertaken in the numerous rivers, as well as hunting and gathering in the buffer zone."
},
{
"id": "307",
"year": 1984,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Statue of Liberty",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N40 41 22 W74 2 41",
"lat": 40.68944444444444,
"lng": -74.04472222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/307",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0307_0001-750-0-20110920201028.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Laïa Caballé ",
"shortInfo": "Statue of Liberty\n\nMade in Paris by the French sculptor Bartholdi, in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel (who was responsible for the steel framework), this towering monument to liberty was a gift from France on the centenary of American independence. Inaugurated in 1886, the sculpture stands at the entrance to New York Harbour and has welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States ever since. ",
"longInfo": "The Statue of Liberty is a masterpiece of the human creative spirit. Its construction in the studios of Bartholdi in Paris represents one of the greatest technical exploits of the 19th century. It welcomed immigrants at the entrance to New York harbour, and so it is directly and materially associated with an event of outstanding universal significance: the populating of the United States, the melting pot of disparate peoples in the second half of the 19th century. The fact that the statue, whose funds were raised by international subscription, was executed in Europe, by a French sculptor, strengthens the symbolic interest of this world-renowned work.\n\nDuring the second half of the 19th century, the population of the United States almost doubled in 30 years, from 38,500,000 inhabitants in 1870 to 76,000,000 in 1900. This prodigious growth is principally due to immigration which reached an unprecedented high at that time. Between 1840 and 1880, 9,438,000 foreigners landed in the United States, among which, besides the British, were Germans, Irish and Scandinavian. Between 1880 and 1914, the number of immigrants reached 22,000,000, this time deriving mainly from southern and eastern Europe.\n\nIt is within this context the order was placed for the Statue of Liberty, made in Paris by the French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel, who conceived and executed the metallic skeleton which was to form the interior framework. The exterior 'envelope' was composed of brass plaques, formed by hammering them in hard wood moulds made from plaster models. These plaques were then soldered and riveted together. After Bartholdi prefabricated the figure in Paris by moulding sheets of copper over a steel framework, it was shipped to the United States in 241 crates in 1885.\n\nSome of the money to erect the statue was contributed by American schoolchildren. It is certain that for millions of immigrants who came to America in the 19th century seeking freedom, it was the fulfilment of their dreams. The sculptor also intended with his work to be an immense and impressive symbol of human liberty, and it is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy. The people of France gave the statue to the people of the United States over 100 years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution.\n\nThe Statue of Liberty, a woman holding on high a book and a 46 m long torch set on Liberty Island, situated at the entrance to New York harbour about 1 km from the landing point of the immigrants, was dedicated on 28 October 1886 and was designated a National Monument on 15 October 1924. On 8 September 1937, jurisdiction was enlarged to encompass all of Bedloe's Island and in 1956, the island's name was changed to Liberty Island. On 11 May 1965, Ellis Island was also transferred to the National Park Service and became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.\n\n'Liberty Enlightening the World' was extensively restored in time for the spectacular centennial of American independence on 4 July 1986, for whom it symbolized the ideals of Washington and Lincoln. It has continued to inspire people across the world."
},
{
"id": "246",
"year": 1984,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Sun Temple, Konârak",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N19 53 15 E86 5 40.992",
"lat": 19.8875,
"lng": 86.09472,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/246",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0246_0003-750-0-20140224103928.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Sun Temple, Konârak © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Sun Temple, Konârak\n\nOn the shores of the Bay of Bengal, bathed in the rays of the rising sun, the temple at Konarak is a monumental representation of the sun god Surya's chariot; its 24 wheels are decorated with symbolic designs and it is led by a team of six horses. Built in the 13th century, it is one of India's most famous Brahman sanctuaries. ",
"longInfo": "Konârak is an outstanding testimony to the 13th-century kingdom of Orissa. It is directly and materially linked to Brahmin beliefs, and forms the invaluable link in the history of the diffusion of the cult of Surya, which originated in Kashmir during the 8th century and finally reached the shores of eastern India.\n\nOn the eastern coast of India, south of the Mahanadi Delta, is the Brahmin temple of Kimarak (still spelled as Konârak or Konârka), one of the most famous Brahmin sanctuaries of Asia. Konârak derives its name from Konârka, the presiding deity of the Sun Temple. Konârka is a combination of two words, kona (corner) and arka (Sun). It was one of the earliest centres of Sun worship in India. Built around 1250 in the reign of King Narasingha Deva (1238-64), it marks the apogee of the wave of foundations dedicated to the Sun God Surya; the entire temple was conceived as a chariot of the Sun God with a set of spokes and elaborate carvings.\n\nThe present Sun Temple was probably built by King Narashimhadev I (1238-64) of the Ganga dynasty to celebrate his victory over the Muslims. The temple fell into disuse in the early 17th century after it was desecrated by an envoy of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. The legend has it that the temple was constructed by Samba, the son of Lord Krishna. Samba was afflicted by leprosy and after twelve years of penance he was cured by Surya, the Sun God, in whose honour he built this temple.\n\nAgainst the horizon, on the sandy shore, where the rising Sun emerges from the waters of the Gulf of Bengal, stands the temple, built from stone and carefully oriented so as to permit the first rays of the Sun to strike its principal entry. It is a monumental representation of the chariot of Surya pulled by a team of seven horses (six of which still exist and are placed on either side of the stairway leading to the sanctuary).\n\nOn the north and south sides, 24 wheels some 3 m in diameter, lavishly sculptured with symbolic motives referring to the cycle of the seasons and the months, complete the illusionary structure of the temple-chariot. Between the wheels, the plinth of the temple is entirely decorated with reliefs (fantastic lions, musicians and dancers, erotic groups). Like many Indian temples, Konârak comprises several distinct and well-organized spatial units. The vimana (principal sanctuary) was surmounted by a high tower with a sikkara which was razed in the 19th century; to the east, the jahamogana (audience hall) now dominates the ruins with its pyramidal mass, the original effect.\n\nFurther to the east, the natmandir (dance hall), today unroofed, rises on a high platform. Various subsidiary structures are still to be found within the enclosed area of the rectangular wall, which is punctuated by its gates and towers.\n\nApart from the Puranas, other religious texts also point towards the existence of a Sun temple at Konârak long before the present temple. Konârak was once a bustling port of Kalinga and had good maritime trade relations with South-East Asian countries."
},
{
"id": "299",
"year": 1984,
"target": "LBN",
"name": "Tyre",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N33 16 18.984 E35 11 39.984",
"lat": 33.27194,
"lng": 35.19444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/299",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0299_0001-750-0-20110920200959.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO / Véronique Dauge ",
"shortInfo": "Tyre\n\nAccording to legend, purple dye was invented inTyre\n\n. This great Phoenician city ruled the seas and founded prosperous colonies such as Cadiz and Carthage, but its historical role declined at the end of the Crusades. There are important archaeological remains, mainly from Roman times. ",
"longInfo": "Tyre ruled the seas and founded prosperous colonies such as Cadiz and Carthage, but its historical role declined at the end of the Crusades. There are important archaeological remains, mainly from Roman times.\n\nFrom the 5th century BC, when Herodotus of Halicarnassus visited it, Tyre was considered one of the oldest metropolises in the world. To demonstrate the renown of this city, it is sufficient to recall the events that associated it directly with the important stages in human history: the discovery of the alphabet (the Greeks who copied and adapted it honoured Cadmos); that of purple pigment (which legend attributes to Melkart, the Phoenician Heracles); as well as the construction in Jerusalem of the Temple of Solomon, thanks to the competition held by the King of Tyre, Hiram; and the exploration of the seas by the hardy navigators who sailed as far as the Western Mediterranean and founded trading centres, such as Utica, Cadiz and especially Carthage, which ultimately assured a quasi-monopoly of the important maritime commerce.\n\nSited at the entrance to the sea, according to the prophet Ezekiel, Tyre, which was constructed on an impregnable island, succumbed in 332 to the attack of Alexander of Macedonia who had blockaded the straits by a dyke before his final assault. The original Greek city was followed in 64 BC by a Roman city constructed on this historically charged site. Tyre was to win back on several occasions some of its former splendour. In the early period of Christianity, it was the seat of a province that incorporated 14 bishoprics. Having fallen under Arabic domination in 636, it was retaken by the Crusaders in 1124 with the help of a Venetian fleet. From 1124 to 1294, the date of its evacuation, the city became a stronghold of the Christians who built 18 churches, not including the chapel of the castle, and reconstructed the cathedral reusing elements of the original basilica. Following the Crusades, the historic role of the city declined. Almost totally destroyed by the Mamelukes at the end of the 13th century, it was only modestly reconstructed in the 18th century. Despite a recent increase of population, Tyre has today only 60,000 inhabitants.\n\nIn the present souk, archaeological remains essentially include the Roman city and the medieval constructions of the Crusades. These are divided into two distinct zones:"
},
{
"id": "286",
"year": 1984,
"target": "VAT",
"name": "Vatican City",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 54 7.776 E12 27 26.496",
"lat": 41.90216,
"lng": 12.45736,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/286",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0286_0004-750-0-20101025105041.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Vatican City © Tim Schnarr ",
"shortInfo": "Vatican City\n\nTheVatican City\n\n, one of the most sacred places in Christendom, attests to a great history and a formidable spiritual venture. A unique collection of artistic and architectural masterpieces lie within the boundaries of this small state. At its centre is St Peter's Basilica, with its double colonnade and a circular piazza in front and bordered by palaces and gardens. The basilica, erected over the tomb of St Peter the Apostle, is the largest religious building in the world, the fruit of the combined genius of Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini and Maderno. ",
"longInfo": "As the site of the tomb of Saint Peter and a pilgrimage centre, the Vatican is directly and materially linked with the history of Christianity. Furthermore, it is both an ideal and an exemplary creation of the Renaissance and of Baroque art. It exerted an underlying influence on the development of art from the 16th century.\n\nThe independent state defined by the Lateran Treaty of 11 February 1929 extends its territorial sovereignty over an integral area of less than 50ha: the Vatican City. However, this tiny enclave of Rome has, within the heritage of mankind, an importance which is inversely proportional to its derisory area. Centre of Christianity since Constantine (4th century), first the occasional, and then the permanent seat of papal power, the Vatican is at once an important archaeological site of the Roman world, the pre-eminently holy city of the Catholics and one of the major cultural reference points of both Christians and non-Christians.\n\nIts prestigious past explains the development of an architectural and artistic ensemble, of exceptional value. The churches and palaces rest on a substratum impregnated with history. Beneath the basilica of Saint Peter, reconstructed in the 16th century under the guidance of the most brilliant architects of the Renaissance, remains of the first basilica founded by Constantine still exist, as well as fragments of the circus of Caligula and Nero, and an entire Roman necropolis of the 1st century AD, where Christian sepulchres are placed side-by-side with pagans. Saint Peter's was founded as a longitudinal basilica with five aisles, with a transept, apse, and large atrium with quadriporticus. The edifice was erected in 315 over a tomb of Saint Peter. The apse area was subjected to a lengthy renovation which, entrusted by Pope Nicholas V in 1452 to Bernardo Rossellino, over the course of the following two centuries led a total revamping of the basilica's structural appearance. Julius II inaugurated a massive artistic project for the refoundation of the entire basilica, along with the decoration of the Stanze Vaticane and the Sistine Chapel and the construction of his own tomb. In 1606, finally, Carlo Maderno built the monumental facade and in 1626 the church was consecrated. Lorenzo Bernini was entrusted in 1656 for the renovation of the area in front of the basilica. He built two enormous hemicycles with Doric porticoes linked to the church through a trapezoidal plaza that frames the facade between two inclined perspectival backdrops. It represents the Church's embrace of all Christianity.\n\nThe Vatican Palace, built on a residence of Pope Symmachus (498-514), renewed during the Carolingian period and in the 12th century, is the result of a long series of construction campaigns in which, from the Middle Ages successive popes rivalled each other in their munificence. The building of Nicholas III (1272-80) was enlarged principally by Nicholas V (1447-55), Sixtus IV (1471-84) preceding the major works of Innocent VIII, Julius II and Leo X (Belvedere and Belvedere Court, San Damaso Court and Loggia of Raphael).\n\nThe history of Renaissance art and of the Baroque period merges freely with the later additions to the palace, from Paul III (1534-49) to Alexander VII (1665-67). The works of the 18th century (the foundation of the Pio-Clementino Musem by Pius VI), of the 19th century (the Antiquities Museum of Pius VII and Gregory XVI) and of the 20th century (the new Picture Gallery) fit within the tradition of papal patronage."
},
{
"id": "320",
"year": 1984,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Works of Antoni Gaudí ",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 24 48.168 E2 9 10.699",
"lat": 41.41338,
"lng": 2.1529719444444444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/320",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0320_0001-750-0-20090828152832.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Works of Antoni Gaudí \n\nSeven properties built by the architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) in or near Barcelona testify to Gaudí’s exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These monuments represent an eclectic, as well as a very personal, style which was given free reign in the design of gardens, sculpture and all decorative arts, as well as architecture. The seven buildings are: Parque Güell; Palacio Güell; Casa Mila; Casa Vicens; Gaudí’s work on the Nativity façade and Crypt of La Sagrada Familia; Casa Batlló; Crypt in Colonia Güell. ",
"longInfo": "The works of Antoni Gaudí represent a series of outstanding examples of the building typology in the architecture of the early 20th century, residential as well as public, to the development of which he made a significant and creative contribution. It is, furthermore, an outstanding and well-preserved example of the ideal garden cities dreamed of by the urbanists of the end of the 19th century. It exhibits an important interchange of values closely associated with the cultural and artistic currents of his time, as represented in El Modernisme of Catalonia. It anticipated and influenced many of the forms and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century.\n\nGaudí was born in 1852 in Reus, a small town south of Barcelona, and he died in a street accident in 1926. The intellectual context towards the end of the 19th century in Catalonia was marked by Modernisme, a movement that extended from around 1880 to the First World War, parallel to currents such as Naturalism, Arts and Crafts, and Art Nouveau. It was motivated by return to traditions as an expression of national identity, as well as by the introduction of modern techniques and materials. Modernisme differed from the other movements by becoming important for popular cultural identity. Gaudí's work represents the genius of the architect, expressing particular spatial qualities and plasticity in the undulating lines and harmonies of colours and materials in architectural surfaces and sculpted features.\n\nHis main undertaking is the church of Sagrada Familia, based on the Latin cross. The work had been started by architect Francesc de P. del Villar in 1882 in Gothic revival style. In 1883 Gaudì made fundamental changes to the first project and continued the work until his death. The crypt was built in 1884-89 and the Nativity facade finished in 1905. The four fantastic bell towers were finished in 1925-30. The transept elevation of the Passion was started in 1960, and construction of the church still continues.\n\nCasa Vicens, a suburban residence, was the first independent design by Gaudí, built in 1883-88 and enlarged in 1925 by Serra Martinez in consultation with Gaudí. The design combines mastery in brick and a variety of Valencia tile. Its wrought ironwork is remarkable. In the interior, there is a fine series of painted wall decorations. The luxury villa of El Capricho (1883), near Comillas, Santander Province, was commissioned by a rich industrialist. The architecture has similarities with the Casa Vicens, reflecting Catalan influences.\n\nIn 1884, Gaudí designed the pavilions of the Güell estate, with porter's lodge and stables, in the suburban areas of Barcelona. Most spectacular is the imaginative dragon gate. The Parc Güell (1900-14), a garden-city of 60 lots, is an incontestable masterpiece, the final blossoming of 19th-century eclecticism. He was invited in 1887 to plan a new episcopal palace at Astorga. This granite building with its vaulted interiors reflects the medieval character of the nearby Gothic cathedral. Work on the college of the Teresianas had already started when Gaudí was invited to take on the project. The building is severe and consisting of a single elongated rectangular block.\n\nGaudí was commissioned in 1902-4 to study the renovation and restoration of the Gothic cathedral of Palma de Mallorca, La Seu (1300-1600). Gaudí's project resulted in spatial and structural changes and the new design of various details especially around the main altar. He removed the large traditional choir structures, placing the elements on the sides, and opening up the central nave. In 1898 came a commission to design a church for the Colónia Güell, a community working in textile industry outside Barcelona. The work started in 1908, but was interrupted in 1914 with only the Crypt built. This unique structure was used by Gaudí to experiment building in brick and stone, stretching the possibilities of traditional Catalan structures to their utter limits.\n\nThe other buildings making up the World Heritage site are: Casa de Botines (1892), Casa Calvet (1898), the residential villa of Figueras, or Casa Bellesguard (1900) and Casa Batlló (1904-7), an urban residence in Barcelona."
},
{
"id": "308",
"year": 1984,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Yosemite National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 44 46 W119 35 48",
"lat": 37.74611111111111,
"lng": -119.59666666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/308",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0308_0001-750-0-20110920201037.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Yosemite National Park\n\nYosemite National Park lies in the heart of California. With its 'hanging' valleys, many waterfalls, cirque lakes, polished domes, moraines and U-shaped valleys, it provides an excellent overview of all kinds of granite relief fashioned by glaciation. At 600–4,000 m, a great variety of flora and fauna can also be found here. ",
"longInfo": "Yosemite National Park, on the west slope of the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, is an area of outstanding scenic beauty and great wilderness value. The park represents practically all the different environments found within the Sierra Nevada, including sequoia groves, historic resources, evidence of Indian habitation, and domes, valleys, polished granites and other geological features illustrating the formation of the mountain range.\n\nThe park is dominated by the Sierra Nevada, which is a tilted granite area. Granite underlies most of the park and is exposed as domes, partial domes, knobs and cliffs. There is exceptionally glaciated topography over most of the area including the spectacular Yosemite Valley, a 914 m deep cleft carved by glaciers through a gently rolling upland. The valley is a widened portion of the prevailing narrow Merced River canyon which traverses the southern sector of the park from east to west. The massive sheer granite walls present a freshly glaciated appearance with little postglacial erosion. The park is known for its many waterfalls, including the Yosemite Falls and Ribbon Falls, and some 300 lakes, including Emerald and Merced. Other notable canyons in the park are the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River and the Tenaya Canyon. There are also two major rivers (Merced and Tuolumne). The area was previously heavily glaciated and, although no glaciers are still existent in the park, the marks of their passing are everywhere. Glacial action combined with the granitic bedrock has resulted in unique and pronounced landform features. These include distinctive polished dome structures as well as the related glacial features of hanging valleys, tarns, moraines and U-shaped valleys. Monolithic granitic blocks such as Half Dome and the perpendicular wall of El Capitan are classic distinctive reflections of the geological history of the area.\n\nThe variety of flora is reflected in the existence of six distinct vegetation zones which are governed by altitudinal variation. Notable are three groves of the giant sequoia tree and extensive alpine meadows. There are 1,200 species of flowering plant along with various other ferns, bryophytes and lichens. There is one endemic and eight threatened or endangered species of plant.\n\nThe park has 67 mammalian species, of which 32 are rodents, 221 species of bird, 18 reptile, 10 amphibian and 11 fish, of which 6 are endemic. One bird species (bald eagle) is endangered and the peregrine falcon is listed as vulnerable. A few non-native species have been accidentally introduced such as beaver and white-tailed ptarmigan. Bighorn sheep were declared extinct in Yosemite in 1914 but were reintroduced in 1986.\n\nThere are 1,000 designated archaeological sites recorded by visitors, park staff and during systematic archaeological surveys. Yosemite is viewed as a boundary zone between the two major cultural provinces of Central California and the Great Basin. In late prehistoric and historic times Yosemite was occupied by two main tribes of North American Indians. There are 569 designated archaeological sites within the park.\n\nYosemite's natural beauty was the impetus, then, for the first implementation of the national park concept as we know it today. Adding to Yosemite's cultural importance are the archaeological features found in the area.\n\nMuch change has however occurred in the Yosemite landscape. Suppression of natural fires and heavy stock and sheep grazing in the past has also altered the original vegetation."
},
{
"id": "310",
"year": 1985,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 22 57.1 W4 6 58.2",
"lat": 43.38252777777778,
"lng": -4.1161666666666665,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/310",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0310_0001-750-0-20090924132936.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain\n\nSeventeen decorated caves of the Paleolithic age were inscribed as an extension to the Altamira Cave, inscribed in 1985. The property will now appear on the List asCave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain\n\n. The property represents the apogee of Paleolithic cave art that developed across Europe, from the Urals to the Iberian Peninusula, from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. Because of their deep galleries, isolated from external climatic influences, these caves are particularly well preserved. The caves are inscribed as masterpieces of creative genius and as the humanity’s earliest accomplished art. They are also inscribed as exceptional testimonies to a cultural tradition and as outstanding illustrations of a significant stage in human history. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "330",
"year": 1985,
"target": "PER",
"name": "Chavin (Archaeological Site)",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S9 35 33.981 W77 10 42.433",
"lat": -9.5927725,
"lng": -77.17845361111111,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/330",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0330_0001-750-0-20090922163159.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Chavin (Archaeological Site) ",
"shortInfo": "Chavin (Archaeological Site)\n\nThe archaeological site of Chavin gave its name to the culture that developed between 1500 and 300 B.C. in this high valley of the Peruvian Andes. This former place of worship is one of the earliest and best-known pre-Columbian sites. Its appearance is striking, with the complex of terraces and squares, surrounded by structures of dressed stone, and the mainly zoomorphic ornamentation. ",
"longInfo": "The village of Chavín de Huántar, located in a high valley of the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 3,177 m was constructed near one of the oldest known and most admired pre-Hispanic sites.\n\nThis site gave its name to the Chavín Culture, one of the ancient civilizations of South America, which developed roughly between 1500 and 300 BC. It preceded the first regional civilizations such as that of Salinar Maranga and Nasca.\n\nVisited on a regular basis by travellers during the 19th century, Chavín was excavated from 1919 by the Peruvian archaeologist, Julio C. Tello, whose work contributed to the site's international reputation. In 1945, a good many of the monuments were covered up by a disastrous landslide. Moreover, Chavín was affected by an earthquake in 1970.\n\nThe 'archaeological project of Chavín', which since 1980 has been the focus of joint efforts on the part of Federico Villareal University and the Volkswagen Foundation, has made possible the resumption of excavation and safeguard plan for the site under the supervision of the Instituto Nacionale de Cultura.\n\nThe site consists of a number of terraces and squares having constructions of bonded stones. The prevailing ceremonial and cultural nature of the entire Chavín complex is very clear. It characterizes the architecture of the 'Lanzon temple', the 'Tello pyramid' which are both built upon a complex network of galleries, and the sculpted decor of the immense ornate megaliths: the Lanzon, a granite monolith of more than 4 m in height, the Raimondi stele, a 2 m block of diorite, the Tello obelisk, etc.\n\nThe bas-relief sculptures on slabs, lintels and columns is characterized by an essentially zoomorphic repertory (jaguars, snakes, condors, caimans) to which human faces are added here and there. The renowned cabezas claves, a sort of round corbel embossed on the wall stones (one of which still exists in situ on the 'Castillo' wall at the temple's southern flank) are one of the most gripping creations of the monumental art of Chavín."
},
{
"id": "357",
"year": 1985,
"target": "TUR",
"name": "Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 40 0.012 E34 51 0",
"lat": 38.666669999999996,
"lng": 34.85,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/357",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0357_0034-750-0-20140708121108.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia © Ministry of Culture and Tourism ",
"shortInfo": "Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia\n\nIn a spectacular landscape, entirely sculpted by erosion, the Göreme valley and its surroundings contain rock-hewn sanctuaries that provide unique evidence of Byzantine art in the post-Iconoclastic period. Dwellings, troglodyte villages and underground towns – the remains of a traditional human habitat dating back to the 4th century – can also be seen there. ",
"longInfo": "The rupestral sanctuaries of Cappadocia constitute an unique artistic achievement in a region of superlative natural features, providing irreplaceable testimony to post-iconoclast Byzantium. The dwellings, village convents and churches retain the fossilized images of a province of the Byzantine Empire between the 4th century and the Turkish invasion.\n\nThe eroded plateau of the Göreme valley is a spectacular example of the effects of differential erosion of the volcanic tuff sediments by wind and water. Typical features are pillars, columns, towers, obelisks and needles that reach heights of 40 m. The major remnant of erosion, Akdağ (1,325 m), is the dominant feature in the valley. The nearby Erciyas volcano is still active with occasional minor eruptions. Its outstanding example represents the Earth's evolutionary history. Within these rock formations people have excavated a network of caves which served as refuges, residences, storage and places of worship dating from the 4th century. The surrounding landscape is agricultural with a number of small scattered rural villages.\n\nThe historical setting, the rock-hewn churches and the unusual eroded landforms combine to produce a mixed cultural/natural landscape of unusual appearance. Architectural styles are based on the local stone and the valley has changed little over the centuries.\n\nAlthough the area has been extensively used and modified by man for centuries the resulting landscape is one of harmony and consideration of the intrinsic values of the natural landforms. There has been some earthquake damage to some of the cones and pillars but this is seen as a naturally occurring phenomenon. In the ruin like landscape of the Cappadocia plateau where natural erosion has sculpted the tuff into shapes which are eerily reminiscent of towers, spires, domes and pyramids, man has added to the workmanship of the elements by digging cells, churches and veritable subterranean cities which together make up one of the world's largest cave dwelling complexes. Although interesting from a geological and ethnological point of view, this phenomenal rupestral site excels especially for the incomparable beauty of the decor of the Christian sanctuaries whose features make Cappadocia one of the leading examples of post-iconoclast Byzantine art.\n\nIt is believed that the first signs of monastic activity in Cappadocia date back to the 4th century at which time, acting on the instructions of Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea (Kayseri), small anchoritic communities began inhabiting cells dug into the rock. Later on, in order to resist Arab forays they began banding together into troglodyte villages or subterranean towns such as Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu which served as places of refuge.\n\nCappadocian monasticism was already well established in the iconoclast period (725-842), as illustrated by the many sanctuaries, the decoration of which was held to the strict minimum of symbols (most often sculpted or tempera painted crosses). After 842, however, many rupestral churches were dug in Cappadocia. These churches were richly decorated with brightly coloured figurative painting. Among them were those in the Göreme valley: Tokalı Kilise, El Nazar Kilise (10th century), Barbara Kilise, Saklı Kilise (11th century), Elmalı Kilise and Karanlık Kilise (end of the 12th to beginning of the 13th centuries), etc."
},
{
"id": "358",
"year": 1985,
"target": "TUR",
"name": "Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N39 22 16.576 E38 7 18.574",
"lat": 39.37127111111111,
"lng": 38.12182611111111,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/358",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0358_0006-750-0-20140708172719.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği © Zishan Sheikh ",
"shortInfo": "Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği\n\nThis region of Anatolia was conquered by the Turks at the beginning of the 11th century. In 1228–29 Emir Ahmet Shah founded a mosque, with its adjoining hospital, at Divrigi. The mosque has a single prayer room and is crowned by two cupolas. The highly sophisticated technique of vault construction, and a creative, exuberant type of decorative sculpture – particularly on the three doorways, in contrast to the unadorned walls of the interior – are the unique features of this masterpiece of Islamic architecture. ",
"longInfo": "The Divriği mosque is an outstanding example of Selçuk mosques in Anatolia, having neither a courtyard, colonnades, nor an uncovered ablutions basin, but which (owing perhaps to the harshness of the climate) organizes all religious functions in an enclosed area. A charitable foundation, the contiguous hospital makes an already exceptional ensemble even more interesting thanks to a princely command.\n\nFar away from the major communication links at the south-east of Sivas province in eastern Anatolia, the mountainous region of Divriği (Tephrike in the Byzantine Empire) was a 12th-century refuge for the Paulician Christian sect which was persecuted by Basil I and then by John Tzimisces, who exiled their survivors to Thrace. From there the heresy gradually moved westward, gaining followers of varying degrees of loyalty such as the Bogarmils or Cathars.\n\nAfter 1071, Divriği fell to the Turks. In 1118 the city was given to Mengücek Bey and the dynasty of the Mengücekids governed the province virtually without interruption until the Mongol occupation in 1277.\n\nThe rectangular ensemble of buildings, which occupies the south-west slope of the hill from which Divriği Castle rises, dates back to this first Turkish period. There is a mosque which was founded in 1228-29 by the Mengücekid emir, Ahmet Shah, and a marestan (hospital for the insane) endowed by his wife, Malikaturan Malik. These two complementary monuments were built simultaneously by the same architect, Khurramshad of Ahlat.\n\nThe sole prayer room in the great mosque has five aisles, each consisting of five bays. It has stone vaulting and above are two cupolas of unequal size. One is above the ablutions basin and the other is above the mihrab (prayer niche). The second cupola is the principal one, recognizable from the exterior by its hexagonal spire.\n\nWith its ribwork on pendentives, it is the most refined piece of architecture that the mosque has to offer. Yet each of the 16 remaining vaults is an amazing technical feat: the vaulting of the hospital room is comparable in scientific achievement, making use of a spacious design of perfectly pure lines. The principal nave opens towards the east on an iwan (three-sided, vaulted hall open at one end) and laterally on to two iwans flanked by small rooms. Such a layout makes possible isolation as well as contact in a communal area.\n\nFrom the outside, the Divriği ensemble provides a gripping contrast between the low, blind walls of its rectangular enclosure and the three immense gates which afford access to the hospital at the west and to the mosque at the north and west. These three high, recessed gates with their exuberant decor which is both floral and geometric have been the subject of the most paradoxical of comparisons with Khmer and Gothic monuments. As was the case with the vaulting in the mosque and the hospital, the architect most likely drew his inspiration from contemporary Armenian or Georgian motifs, transposing them in an ingenious fashion.\n\nThere is a fourth and more recent opening at the east side which can probably be traced back to 1241."
},
{
"id": "277",
"year": 1985,
"target": "IRQ",
"name": "Hatra",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N35 35 17.016 E42 43 5.988",
"lat": 35.588060000000006,
"lng": 42.71833,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/277",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0277_0010-750-0-20110809171308.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Hatra\n\nA large fortified city under the influence of the Parthian Empire and capital of the first Arab Kingdom,Hatra\n\n withstood invasions by the Romans in A.D. 116 and 198 thanks to its high, thick walls reinforced by towers. The remains of the city, especially the temples where Hellenistic and Roman architecture blend with Eastern decorative features, attest to the greatness of its civilization. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "356",
"year": 1985,
"target": "TUR",
"name": "Historic Areas of Istanbul",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N41 0 30.492 E28 58 47.748",
"lat": 41.00847,
"lng": 28.97993,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/356",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0356_0047-750-0-20140708161434.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Areas of IstanbulMaiden's Tower and Behind Historic Peninsula of Istanbul © Ministry of Culture and Tourism ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Areas of Istanbul\n\nWith its strategic location on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Istanbul has been associated with major political, religious and artistic events for more than 2,000 years. Its masterpieces include the ancient Hippodrome of Constantine, the 6th-century Hagia Sophia and the 16th-century Süleymaniye Mosque, all now under threat from population pressure, industrial pollution and uncontrolled urbanization. ",
"longInfo": "Istanbul bears unique testimony to the Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations. Throughout history, the monuments in the centre of the city have exerted considerable influence on the development of architecture, monumental arts and the organization of space, in both Europe and Asia. Thus, the 6,650 m terrestrial wall of Theodosius II with its second line of defences, created in AD 447, was one of the leading references for military architecture even before St Sophia became a model for an entire family of churches and later mosques and before the mosaics of the palaces and churches of Constantinople influenced Eastern and Western Christian art.\n\nIstanbul was built at the crossroads of two continents; it was successively the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire, and it has constantly been associated with major events in political history, religious history and art history in Europe and Asia for some 20 centuries.\n\nAt the same time, however, Istanbul is a large metropolis. With its population of some 3 million inhabitants, this historic city has undergone population growth in the past 30 years, which has profoundly changed its conservation conditions. The threat of pollution arising from industrialization and rapid and initially uncontrolled urbanization have jeopardized the historical and cultural heritage of the old town.\n\nThe World Heritage site covers four zones, illustrating the major phases of the city's history using its most prestigious monuments:\n\nThe ancient city and the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire are both represented: by the hippodrome of Constantine (324) in the Archaeological Park, by the aqueduct of Valens (378) in the Süleymaniye quarter, and by the ramparts built starting in 413 upon the order of Theodosius II, located in the last of the four zones.\n\nThe capital of the Byzantine Empire is highlighted by several major monuments. In the Archaeological Park there are the churches of St Sophia and St Irene, which were built in the reign of Justinian (527-65); In the Zeyrek quarter there is the ancient Pantocrator Monastery which was founded under John II Comnenus (1118-43) by the Empress Irene; in the zone of the ramparts there is the old church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (now the Kariye Camii) with its marvellous mosaics and paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries. Moreover, the current layout of the walls results from modifications performed in the 7th and 12th centuries to include the quarter and the Palace of the Blachernes.\n\nThe capital of the Ottoman Empire is represented by its most important monuments: Topkapı Saray and the Blue Mosque in the archaeological zone; the Sehzade and Süleymaniye mosques, which are two of the architect Koça Sinan's major works, constructed under Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-66) in the Süleymaniye quarter; and the vernacular settlement vestiges of this quarter (525 wooden houses which are listed and protected)."
},
{
"id": "309",
"year": 1985,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S12 58 0 W38 30 0",
"lat": -12.966666666666667,
"lng": -38.5,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/309",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0309_0029-750-0-20131015103954.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia\n\nAs the first capital of Brazil, from 1549 to 1763, Salvador de Bahia witnessed the blending of European, African and Amerindian cultures. It was also, from 1558, the first slave market in the New World, with slaves arriving to work on the sugar plantations. The city has managed to preserve many outstanding Renaissance buildings. A special feature of the old town are the brightly coloured houses, often decorated with fine stucco-work. ",
"longInfo": "Salvador de Bahia is an eminent example of Renaissance urban town planning adapted to a colonial site by having an upper city of a defensive, administrative and residential nature which overlooks the lower city where commercial activities revolve around the port. The density of monuments makes it, along with Ouro Preto, the colonial city par excellence in the Brazilian Northeast. It is one of the major points of convergence of European, African and American Indian cultures in the 16th-18th centuries.\n\nSalvador was the first historic capital of Brazil, since, as early as 1549, the Governor General, Thome de Souza, on the orders of João II of Portugal, made it the seat of the royal administration. It played a leading economic and political role until 1763, when the seat of administration was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. The upper city, located in the area of Bahia de Todos los Santos, was discovered in 1502 by Amerigo Vespucci, and has been preserved by its historical evolution. It was built upon a ridge parallel to the Atlantic coast, which made possible defence against Spanish (1580) and Dutch (1624) attacks.\n\nTo the north and north-east, the lower city and port have not retained their pristine character, whereas on the three other sides population growth, which has been particularly fast since 1966 owing to the industrial development of the region, has resulted in the historic city being enclosed by a very dense urban zone.\n\nThe historical centre itself, which revolves around the Pelourinho quarter with its triangular place, is characterized by its fidelity to the 16th-century plan, the density of its monuments, and the homogeneity of its construction on a hilly and picturesque site which embellishes the urban scenery by providing steeply falling and ascending views of incomparable beauty.\n\nIn addition to a number of major buildings of the 17th-18th centuries, such as the cathedral and the convents of St Francis, St Dominic, Carmel and St Anthony, Salvador also retains a host of 16th-century open spaces (Municipal Plaza, House of Mercy) and Baroque palaces (Archiepiscopal Palace, Saldanha Palace, Ferrão Palace, etc.).\n\nThere are also many streets which are characteristic of the colonial city, lined with bright multicoloured houses, which in some cases are decorated with high-quality stucco."
},
{
"id": "300",
"year": 1985,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Historic District of Old Québec",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N46 48 34 W71 12 38",
"lat": 46.809444444444445,
"lng": -71.21055555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/300",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0300_0017-750-0-20130108180939.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic District of Old Québec © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Historic District of Old Québec\n\nQuébec was founded by the French explorer Champlain in the early 17th century. It is the only North American city to have preserved its ramparts, together with the numerous bastions, gates and defensive works which still surround Old Québec. The Upper Town, built on the cliff, has remained the religious and administrative centre, with its churches, convents and other monuments like the Dauphine Redoubt, the Citadel and Château Frontenac. Together with the Lower Town and its ancient districts, it forms an urban ensemble which is one of the best examples of a fortified colonial city. ",
"longInfo": "Québec illustrates one of the major stages in the population and growth of the Americas during the modern and contemporary period. When Samuel de Champlain founded Québec, the capital of New France, in 1608 he chose the natural site of a steep plateau overlooking the St Laurent River. The old heart of the city was established on this promontory, Cap-aux-Diamants, which is protected by Fort St Louis.\n\nQuébec, which was a fortified city, a centre of population, and a harbour where ships delivered manufactured goods from Europe and loaded the precious pelts from the Great North, had an urban organization very early on and a zoning system which stemmed from these various functions. The cliff obviously divided the city into two districts: the district of business, barter, and the navy located in the Lower City, and the administrative and religious centre which gradually took hold in the Upper City.\n\nUnder English domination from 1759 to 1867 urban growth stayed within the limits of the site, and so the city expanded towards the west, all the way to the ramparts built in 1720 by Gaspard Chaussegros de Léry.\n\nThe construction of a citadel at the far south-east end of Cap-aux-Diamants by the engineer Elias Durnford from 1819 to 1831 and the expansion of the system of fortifications to cover the city's entire perimeter were in keeping with the original spatial organization of the city and gave Québec its current topographical features. The city is an early example of urban heritage conservation as a result of the action of Lord Dufferin, who from 1875 to 1880 took a stand against the demolition of the fortifications which, from a strategic standpoint, had become useless. He simply had new gates to the city cut into them. From the beginning of the 20th century, and so well before being classified as a historic monument in 1957, the fortified walls of Québec were maintained by Canadian government funds.\n\nThe oldest quarters are located in the Lower City in the vicinity of the Place Royale, which along with the Rue Notre Dame is lined with old 17th- and 18th-century houses. Notre-Dame des Victoires Church, which was built starting in 1688 according to Claude Baillif's plans and which was burned down during the siege of 1759, was rebuilt during the English domination. In the Upper City, the convents of the Jesuits (1625), the Recolletés (1629) and the Ursulines (1642), along with the Seminary (1663), have not retained their original form. However, despite the vicissitudes of history (the siege of 1759, great fires in the 18th and 19th centuries) they have retained some of the original elements. Of the 700 old civil or religious buildings remaining, 2% date back to the 17th century, 9% to the 18th century and 43% to the first half of the 19th century. At the same time, the city took on its present aspect, which was greatly influenced by the Baillairgés, a dynasty of architects who, for several generations, imposed an interesting interpretation of the neoclassical style.\n\nA coherent urban ensemble, Québec's historic district, including the citadel, the Upper City defended by walls with bastions, and the Lower City with its harbour and old quarters, provides an outstanding example of a fortified colonial town, which is by far the most complete in North America."
},
{
"id": "321",
"year": 1985,
"target": "BGD",
"name": "Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N22 40 0.012 E89 47 60",
"lat": 22.66667,
"lng": 89.8,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/321",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0321_0004-750-0-20140623145817.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat\n\nSituated in the suburbs of Bagerhat, at the meeting-point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this ancient city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century. The city’s infrastructure reveals considerable technical skill and an exceptional number of mosques and early Islamic monuments, many built of brick, can be seen there. ",
"longInfo": "The historic city of Khalifatabad is an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble which illustrates a significant stage in human history. Situated in the suburbs of Bagerhat, at the meeting point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this ancient city was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century. In this local capital of 50 km2 along the Bhairab River, 360 mosques, public buildings, mausoleums, bridges, roads, water tanks and other public buildings were built from baked brick. Shait Gumbad Mosque and Khan Jahan's Mausoleum are just two examples of these historic buildings.\n\nToday this old city, created within a few years and swallowed up by the jungle after the death of its founder in 1459, is striking because of certain uncommon features. The density of Islamic religious monuments is explained by the piety of Khan Jahan, which is evidenced by the engraved inscription on his tomb. The lack of fortifications is attributable to the possibilities of retreat into the impenetrable swamps of the Sunderbans. The quality of the infrastructures - the supply and evacuation of water, the cisterns and reservoirs, the roads and bridges - all reveal a perfect mastery of the techniques of planning and a will towards spatial organization.\n\nToday, the monuments, which have been partially disengaged from the vegetation, may be divided in two principal zones: to the west around the Mosque of Shait Gumbad and to the east around the Mausoleum of Khan Jahan.\n\nMore than 50 monuments have been catalogued. These include the Mosque of Shait Gumbad renowned for its large prayer room, divided into seven longitudinal naves; the mosques of Singar, Bibi Begni and Chunakkola; the mosques of Reza Khoda, Zindavir and Ranvijoypur. All these monuments are threatened, owing to the extreme salinity of the soil and the atmosphere, made especially vulnerable because brick architecture predominates."
},
{
"id": "333",
"year": 1985,
"target": "PER",
"name": "Huascarán National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S9 19 59.988 W77 24 0",
"lat": -9.33333,
"lng": -77.4,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/333",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0333_0001-750-0-20091001151627.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Llanganuco, Huascarán National Park © martin (necktru) ",
"shortInfo": "Huascarán National Park\n\nSituated in the Cordillera Blanca, the world's highest tropical mountain range, Mount Huascarán rises to 6,768 m above sea-level. The deep ravines watered by numerous torrents, the glacial lakes and the variety of the vegetation make it a site of spectacular beauty. It is the home of such species as the spectacled bear and the Andean condor. ",
"longInfo": "The national park was established on 1 July 1975 by Supreme Decree no. 0622-75-AG (under the law on forests and wildlife, Decree-law no. 21147). Accepted as a biosphere reserve by Unesco on 1 March 1977 and designated a World Heritage site in 1985."
},
{
"id": "337",
"year": 1985,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Kaziranga National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N26 40 0 E93 25 0",
"lat": 26.666666666666668,
"lng": 93.41666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/337",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0337_0001-750-0-20110920201258.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Wild Asian, Asiatic Elephants and Indian or Great One-horned Rhinoceros in the swamp, Kaziranga national park, Assam, India,Elephas maximus, Elephantidae family, Proboscidea Order, Rhinoceros unicornis, Rhinocerotidae family, Perissodactyla OrderEléphants d'Asie sauvage et Rhinocéros indien dans les marais, Parc national de Kaziranga, Assam, IndeAsiatische oder Indische Elefanten und Panzernashorn im Moor, Kaziranga Nationalpark, Assam, Indien © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Kaziranga National Park\n\nIn the heart of Assam, this park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed by a human presence. It is inhabited by the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds. ",
"longInfo": "Final notification as a national park issued on 11 February 1974, following the first notification in 1969. Originally established as a reserved forest in 1908, a game sanctuary in 1916 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1950. Designated as a World Heritage site in December 1985."
},
{
"id": "340",
"year": 1985,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Keoladeo National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 9 32 E77 30 31",
"lat": 27.15888888888889,
"lng": 77.50861111111111,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/340",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0340_0001-750-0-20110923001811.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Sarus Crane, Grus antigone, Gruidae family, Gruiformes order, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Keoladeo National Park\n\nThis former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas is one of the major wintering areas for large numbers of aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. Some 364 species of birds, including the rare Siberian crane, have been recorded in the park. ",
"longInfo": "The site is situated in eastern Rajasthan, the park is 2 km south-east of Bharatpur and 50 km west of Agra. The area consists of a flat patchwork of marshes in the Gangetic plain, artificially created in the 1850s and maintained ever since by a system of canals, sluices and dykes. Normally, water is fed into the marshes twice a year from inundations of the Gambira and Banganga rivers, which are impounded on arable land by means of an artificial dam called Ajan Bund, to the south of the park. The first time, usually in mid-July, is soon after the onset of the monsoon and the second time is in late September or October when Ajan Bund is drained ready for cultivation in winter. Thus, the area is flooded to a depth of 1-2 m throughout the monsoon (July-September), after which the water level drops. From February onwards the land begins to dry out and by June only some water remains. For much of the year the area of wetland is only 1,000 ha. Soils are predominantly alluvial - some clay has formed as a result of the periodic inundations.\n\nIn a semi-arid biotype, the park is the only area with much vegetation, hence the term 'Ghana' meaning 'thicket'. The principal vegetation types are tropical dry deciduous forest, intermixed with dry grassland in areas where forest has been degraded. Apart form the artificially managed marshes, much of the area is covered by medium-sized trees and shrubs. Forests, mostly in the north-east of the park, are dominated by kalam or kadam, jamun and babul. The open woodland is mostly babul with a small amount of kandi and ber. Scrublands are dominated by ber and kair. The aquatic vegetation is rich in species and is a valuable source of food for waterfowl.\n\nPrimates are rhesus macaque and langur. Large predators are absent, leopard having been deliberately exterminated by 1964, but small carnivores include Bengal fox, jackal, striped hyena, common palm civet, small Indian civet, Indian grey mongoose Herpestes edwardsi , fishing cat, leopard cat, jungle cat and smooth-coated otter. Ungulates include blackbuck, chital, sambar, hog deer, nilgai and wild boar and feral cattle. Other mammals include Indian porcupine and Indian hare.\n\nAn estimated 65 million fish fry are carried into the park's water impoundments by river flooding every year during the monsoon season, which provides the food base for large numbers of wading and fish-eating birds. Some 364 species of bird have been recorded in the park, which is considered to be one of the world's finest areas for birds, with a unique assemblage of species.\n\nThe park's location in the Gangetic Plain makes it an unrivalled breeding site for herons, storks and cormorants and an important wintering ground for large numbers of migrant ducks. The most common waterfowl are gadwall, shoveler, common teal, cotton teal, tufted duck, comb duck, little cormorant, great cormorant, Indian shag, ruff, painted stork, white spoonbill, Asian open-billed stork, oriental ibis, darter, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper and green sandpiper. Sarus crane, with its spectacular courtship dance, is also found here.\n\nAmong landbirds is a rich assortment consisting of warblers, babblers, bee-eaters, bulbuls, buntings, chats, partridges and quails. Grey hornbill and Marshall's iora are also present. There are many birds of prey including the osprey, peregrine, Pallas' sea eagle, short-toed eagle, tawny eagle, imperial eagle, spotted eagle and crested serpent eagle. Greater spotted eagle has recently been recorded breeding here, a new breeding record for the species in India and lesser spotted eagle nested in the park in 1986, the first nesting record for the species in India for some time.\n\nSeveral other threatened avifauna species occur, including Dalmatian pelican, spot-billed pelican, greater adjutant, lesser adjutant, marbled teal, Baikal teal, Baer's pochard, red kite, cinereous vulture and sociable lapwing.\n\nReptiles include water snakes, Indian python, banded krait, green rat snake, turtles and monitor lizard."
},
{
"id": "338",
"year": 1985,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Manas Wildlife Sanctuary",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N26 43 30 E91 1 50",
"lat": 26.724999999999998,
"lng": 91.03055555555555,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/338",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0338_0001-750-0-20110920201310.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Manas Wildlife Sanctuary © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Manas Wildlife Sanctuary\n\nOn a gentle slope in the foothills of the Himalayas, where wooded hills give way to alluvial grasslands and tropical forests, the Manas sanctuary is home to a great variety of wildlife, including many endangered species, such as the tiger, pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant. ",
"longInfo": "Manas takes its name from the Goddess Manasa. The site is noted for its spectacular scenery, with a variety of habitat types that support a diverse fauna, making it the richest of all Indian wildlife areas. The park represents the core of an extensive tiger reserve that protects an important migratory wildlife resource along the West Bengal to Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan borders. Its wetlands are of international importance. It is also the single most important site for the survival of pygmy hog, hispid hare and golden langur.\n\nThe park, which includes part of Manas Reserve Forest and all of North Kamrup Reserve Forest, constitutes the core of Manas Tiger Reserve located in the forest divisions of Kachugaon, Haltugaon, Western Assam Wildlife and North Kamrup.\n\nLying in the foothills of the Outer Himalaya, the area is low-lying and flat. The Manas River flows through the western portion of the park, where it splits into three separate rivers, and joins the Brahmaputra some 64 km further south. These and other rivers running through the tiger reserve carry an enormous amount of silt and rock debris from the foothills, resulting from the heavy rainfall, fragile nature of the rock and steep-gradients of the catchments. This leads to the formation of alluvial terraces, comprising deep layers of deposited rock and detritus overlain with sand and soil of varying depth, shifting river channels and swamps. The area of the Boki basin, in the west of the park, is sometimes inundated during the monsoon. The three main types of vegetation are: tropical semi-evergreen forests in the northern part of the park; tropical moist and dry deciduous forests (the most common type); and extensive alluvial grasslands in the western part of the park.\n\nThere is also a considerable variety of aquatic flora along river banks and in the numerous pools. Dry deciduous forests represent early stages in succession and are replaced by moist deciduous forests away from water courses, which, in turn, are succeeded by tropical semi-evergreen climax forest. Grasslands cover about 50% of the park.\n\nA total of 55 mammals, 36 reptiles and three amphibians have been recorded Manas harbours by far the greatest number of India's Schedule I mammals of any protected area in the country. Many are typical of South-East Asian rainforest and have their westernmost distribution here. Mammals include golden langur, a recently discovered endemic restricted to Manas, capped langur, Hoolock gibbon, clouded leopard, tiger (second-largest population in India), leopard, golden cat, fishing cat, leopard cat, marbled cat, binturong, sloth bear, wild dog, Ganges dolphin, Indian elephant, Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hog, swamp deer, sambar, hog deer, Indian muntjac, water buffalo, gaur, giant squirrel, hispid hare and Indian pangolin.\n\nOver 450 species of bird have been recorded, including the threatened Bengal florican, great pied hornbill, wreathed hornbill and other hornbills. Uncommon waterfowl species include spot-billed pelican, lesser adjutant and greater adjutant.\n\nReptiles include a variety of snakes, gharial and monitor lizard. Assam roofed turtle has recently been recorded."
},
{
"id": "331",
"year": 1985,
"target": "MAR",
"name": "Medina of Marrakesh",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N31 37 53.004 W7 59 12.012",
"lat": 31.63139,
"lng": -7.98667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/331",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0331_0007-750-0-20121206115918.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Medina of Marrakesh © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Medina of Marrakesh\n\nFounded in 1070–72 by the Almoravids, Marrakesh remained a political, economic and cultural centre for a long period. Its influence was felt throughout the western Muslim world, from North Africa to Andalusia. It has several impressive monuments dating from that period: the Koutoubiya Mosque, the Kasbah, the battlements, monumental doors, gardens, etc. Later architectural jewels include the Bandiâ Palace, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Saadian Tombs, several great residences and Place Jamaâ El Fna, a veritable open-air theatre. ",
"longInfo": "The capital of the Almoravids and the Almohads played a decisive role in the development of medieval planning. Marrakesh (which gave its name to the Moroccan Empire) is the textbook example of a large Islamic capital in the Western world. With its maze of narrow streets, houses, souks (markets), traditional crafts and trade activities, and its medina, this ancient settlement is an outstanding example of a vibrant historic city.\n\nMarrakesh was founded in 1071-72 by Youssef ben Tachfin on the site of the camp where Abou Bekr had left him in charge. From that point forward, Marrakesh was no longer an occasional stopping place for the Almoravids. It became the true capital of these conquering nomads who succeeded in stretching their empire from the Sahara to the Ebro and from the Atlantic to Kabylia.\n\nThe original layout of the medina dates back to the Almoravid period from which there still remain various monumental vestiges (ruins of the so-called Abou Bekr Kasbah, Youssef ben Tachfin Mosque and Ali ben Youssef Palace, not far from the Koutoubia, the pool and the 'Koubba' of Ali ben Youssef Mosque which were discovered in 1955, Bab Aylan gate, etc.). In essence it is an adaptation of the older urban model of Marrakesh.\n\nThe walls of the medina were built in 1126-27 following the order given by Ali ben Youssef. The planting of the palm groves, which at the present still cover a surface area of roughly 13,000 ha to the east of the city, has also been credited to the Almoravids. When in 1147 this dynasty bowed to the attacks of the Almohads led by Abdel Mou'men, the task of purification that was carried out did not spare the monuments which, for the most part, were destroyed by the victors. Nevertheless Marrakesh remained the capital. Under the Almohad rulers (1147-1269), Marrakesh experienced new and unprecedented prosperity.\n\nBetween 1147 and 1158, Abd el Mou'men had the Koutoubia Mosque built upon the ruins of the Almoravid foundations. Its incomparable minaret, key monument of Muslim architecture, is one of the major features of the cityscape and is the actual symbol of the city. The ruler's successors, Abou Yacoub Youssef and especially Yacoub el Mansour, were the ones who truly renovated the capital. They built new quarters, extended the city wall, fortified the Kasbah (1185-90) which was a prolongation of the city to the south with its own ramparts and gates (Bab Agnaou, Bab Robb), its mosque, palace, market, hospital, parade-ground and gardens. These leaders strengthened their control over their domains by planting crops (Menara to the west) and by civil engineering achievements, the best known of which are the Tensift Bridge and the kettara network in the palm groves.\n\nThe decline of Marrakesh, which began during the conquest of the city by the Merinids in 1269, never went beyond the point of no return, as is illustrated by a number of non-negligible constructions (Ben Salih Mosque and minaret, not long after 1321). The rebirth of the capital under the Saadian rulers (1510-1669) led to a new blossoming of the arts, as borne out by the ruins of the El Badi Palace and the Saadian tombs, whose precious architecture is isolated from the rest of the Kasbah by a wall. Some of the elements making up these refined and sumptuous constructions came from afar, such as the marble columns from Carrara which Montaigne observed being cut in Tuscany 'for the king of Morocco in Berberia'. Also dating back to the Saadian period is the restoration of the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the building of several fountains decorated with gypsum work and woodwork (Mouassine, Chrob ou Chouf and Bab Doukkala Fountains).\n\nUnder the reign of the Alawite dynasty, Marrakesh, the temporary capital, was graced with a new mosque, madrasas, palaces and residences harmoniously integrated into the homogeneous unit of the old town, which was surrounded by 10 km of clay and lime and beaten-cob ramparts. Beyond the walls were the great traditional areas of greenery: the palm groves, the Menara and, to the south, the Agdal gardens that were redesigned by Moulay Abd er Rahman (1822-59)."
},
{
"id": "312",
"year": 1985,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 21 45.432 W5 50 34.908",
"lat": 43.36262,
"lng": -5.84303,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/312",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0312_0001-750-0-20090924133410.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias\n\nIn the 9th century the flame of Christianity was kept alive in the Iberian peninsula in the tiny Kingdom of the Asturias. Here an innovative pre-Romanesque architectural style was created that was to play a significant role in the development of the religious architecture of the peninsula. Its highest achievements can be seen in the churches of Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, Santa Cristina de Lena, the Cámara Santa and San Julián de los Prados, in and around the ancient capital city of Oviedo. Associated with them is the remarkable contemporary hydraulic engineering structure known as La Foncalada. ",
"longInfo": "Fruela I, King of Asturias from 757 to 768, founded a basilica dedicated to the Saviour at a place then known as Ovetao, with a royal residence alongside, where his son Alfonso II was born. At about the same time a monastic community established itself in the same place and built a monastery dedicated to San Vicente.\n\nThe new settlement was destroyed during the campaign of the Cordoban Emirate in 794-95; however, it was rebuilt by Alfonso II and served as his capital. During his long reign (791-842) Oviedo was provided with many new ecclesiastical and secular buildings; these included the rebuilt basilica and monastery, a second basilica dedicated to San Tirso, a church dedicated to the Virgin, palaces, and baths inside the walls and a third basilica, dedicated to San Julián and Santa Basilisa extra muros.\n\nThe two religious establishments on the southern side of the Naranco, Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel, were built during the harsh reign of Ramiro I (842-50). It is not known why he chose to locate these some miles outside the capital of his predecessor. The contribution of Alfonso III, last and greatest of the Asturian kings (866-910), was the construction of a fortress to the north-east, outside the walls. Below the castle, in a quarter known from its location as Socastiello, was the Jewish quarter in late medieval times.\n\nIt was around this time that the remains of the Cordoban martyrs Eulogius and Leocricia were brought to Oviedo. A treasury was built at the Cathedral to house them, the Cámara Santa (Holy Chamber), which was to become a place of pilgrimage in the later Middle Ages.\n\nOn the death of Alfonso, the Royal court moved to León and Oviedo had a setback, since it lost its important royal connections. However, it continued to hold a high place in religious and ecclesiastical affairs, rivalling Santiago de Compostela as a place of pilgrimage. It also attracted a number of Frankish immigrants, to such an extent that two separate jurisdictions were set up, one for the Castilian and the other for the Frankish part of the population. This connection with south-western France continued throughout the Middle Ages.\n\nOviedo was given its first legal regulations, the Fuero Charter, during the reign of Alfonso VI of León and Castille (1065-1105). These clearly excluded those citizens who paid allegiance to the Bishop of Oviedo and not to the Crown. The city was given the right to build new fortifications around its extended urban area by Alfonso IX (1188-1230). It quickly expanded beyond these limits, and communities of mendicant friars were established outside. During this time the influence of the religious foundations - the Cathedral and the monasteries of San Pelayo and Santa María in particular - grew considerably, and much of the urban land was in their possession.\n\nThis medieval order came to an end with the disastrous fire on Christmas Day 1521. In the subsequent reconstruction the townsfolk freed themselves to a considerable extent from ecclesiastical overlordship. Secular public buildings were erected, such as the Town Hall, the Magistrates' Court (Audiencia), and the University, and the 17th and 18th centuries saw many fine bourgeois palaces and houses built."
},
{
"id": "348",
"year": 1985,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N40 39 23.22 W4 42 0.432",
"lat": 40.65645,
"lng": -4.70012,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/348",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0348_0001-750-0-20090924134052.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches\n\nFounded in the 11th century to protect the Spanish territories from the Moors, this 'City of Saints and Stones', the birthplace of St Teresa and the burial place of the Grand Inquisitor Torquemada, has kept its medieval austerity. This purity of form can still be seen in the Gothic cathedral and the fortifications which, with their 82 semicircular towers and nine gates, are the most complete in Spain. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "311",
"year": 1985,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N40 56 54.5 W4 7 0.3",
"lat": 40.94847222222222,
"lng": -4.11675,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/311",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0311_0001-750-0-20090708013648.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Cathedral © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct\n\nThe Roman aqueduct of Segovia, probably built c. A.D. 50, is remarkably well preserved. This impressive construction, with its two tiers of arches, forms part of the setting of the magnificent historic city of Segovia. Other important monuments include the Alcázar, begun around the 11th century, and the 16th-century Gothic cathedral. ",
"longInfo": "Segovia is indicative of a complex historical reality. Its neighbourhoods, streets, and houses are laid out in accordance with a social structure in which hierarchy was overshadowed by belonging to one of the different cultural communities. Moors, Christians and Jews coexisted for a long time in the medieval city and worked together during the 16th century manufacturing boom. All the component parts of the built environment, from domestic architecture to the great religious and military structures, can be found in Segovia in a broad range of construction techniques and styles.\n\nThe Roman aqueducts of Sevilla, Toledo, and Calahorra in Spain did not survive. The 221 colossal piers bear witness to the magnitude of the Aquae Atilianae in the province of Zaragoza. The impressive monuments that survive in Mérida, Tarragona, and Segovia illustrate the political determination which, following the steps of the victorious armies, greatly increased the number of aqueducts which Frontinus described as 'the most solemn testimony of the Empire.'\n\nThe Aqueduct of Segovia, the symbol of the city, is the best known of these civil engineering feats owing to its monumentality, to its excellent state of conservation, and in particular to its location in one of the most beautiful urban sites in the world.\n\nThe hydraulic engineers who tapped the waters of the Río Frío in the Sierra de Guadarrama to bring them 18km to Segovia via a canal with an average gradient of 1% ran into no natural obstacle more challenging than the crossing of the valley of the Río Clamores at the end of the course. In order to reach the rocky contrefort on which the city was perched they had to erect an enormous construction of masonry 813 m in length, consisting of four straight segments and two superimposed arcades borne by 128 pillars. At the lowest point of the valley, the aqueduct stands at a height of 28.5 m above ground.\n\nThis colossal edifice is undocumented. However, the profile of the arcade and the construction technique used afford typological comparisons with the Aqua Claudia in Rome, a canal built between AD 38 and 52. Moreover, excavation carried out at the foot of the piers appears to corroborate a date of roughly AD 50.\n\nFollowing its restoration, which took place after 1484 on the initiative of the Catholic Kings (Los Reyes Católicos), the aqueduct was always used and well maintained. The most serious damage which it suffered occurred in the last century: the replacement in 1929-30 of the 16th-century stone conduit with a cement canal, the stone conduit having earlier replaced a wooden one; disintegration of the masonry owing to the effects of vibration caused by traffic of heavy trucks; decay of the stone caused by gas pollutants. This physical-chemical damage results principally from a poorly planned urban development policy which has destroyed the monument's surroundings by the building of parking lots, large thoroughfares and slip roads which detract from the beauty of the aqueduct and hinder its proper conservation."
},
{
"id": "351",
"year": 1985,
"target": "CYP",
"name": "Painted Churches in the Troodos Region",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N34 55 13 E33 5 45",
"lat": 34.92027777777778,
"lng": 33.09583333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/351",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0351_0001-750-0-20090917115627.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Painted Churches in the Troodos Region ",
"shortInfo": "Painted Churches in the Troodos Region\n\nThis region is characterized by one of the largest groups of churches and monasteries of the former Byzantine Empire. The complex of 10 monuments included on the World Heritage List, all richly decorated with murals, provides an overview of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus. They range from small churches whose rural architectural style is in stark contrast to their highly refined decoration, to monasteries such as that of St John Lampadistis. ",
"longInfo": "The churches of the region of Troodos are a well conserved example of rural religious architecture during the Byzantine period. The refinement of their decor provides a contrast with their simplicity of structure. The latest post-Byzantine painters alone, with their 'rustic' style, are at times in harmony with this vernacular architecture.\n\nThe paintings of the Troodos region bear an outstanding testimony to the Byzantine civilization at the time of the Comnenes, thanks to the Nikitari and Lagoudera ensembles. It should be noted that the former, where the name Alexis Comnene is mentioned in a dedication, was probably executed by artists from Constantinople and that the latter was painted at the very time of the fall of Isaac Comnene and the sale of Cyprus to Guy de Lusignan.\n\nAlthough the existence of any direct influence cannot be confirmed, there was during the 12th century a very close relationship between painting in Cyprus and Western Christian art (stylistic relationships in the case of the Nikitari paintings; iconographical relationships in the case of the paintings of Lagoudera). Thus, there do exist some answers to the very complex question of ties between the two Christianities. These answers take the form of Cypriot monuments which precedes the constitution of the Frankish Lusignan Kingdom which was a fundamental link in the chain of East-West artistic exchanges.\n\nIn the region of the Mounts of Troodos, in the heart of Cyprus, can be found one of the greatest concentrations of churches and monasteries in the Byzantine Empire, by which the island was annexed during the conquest of 965. The complex of ten monuments included on the World Heritage List, all richly decorated with murals, provides an overview of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus. They range from small churches, whose rural architectural style is in stark contrast to their highly refined decoration, to monasteries such as that of St John Lampadistis.\n\nAmong the most significant cycles is that of Panagia Phorbiotissa of Nikitari, which was traced back to 1105-06 thanks to a written dedication, and that of Panagia tou Arakou in Lagoudera, which was executed during the last six months of 1192. These paintings are the perfect expression of rudimental art during the period of the Comnenes. The 13th- and 14th-century painting is also represented by works of great quality in Nikitari, at the church of the Virgin in Moutoullas, and at St Heracleidius's, which is one of the twin churches of the Kalopanayotis monastery. Moreover, it is linked to St John Lampadistis. Finally, there is post-Byzantine painting which, after the fall of the Empire, spread the artistic formulas of Constantinople. It is well represented by the narthex of the Kalopanayotis monastery, by the church of the Archangel Michael in Pedhoulas (1474), that of the Holy Cross, in Platanistasa (1494), etc.\n\nApart from the church of St Nicholas in Kakopetria, which contains 11th-century paintings (Transfiguration , Resurrection of Lazarus , Entry to Jerusalem ), 12th-century paintings (Forty Martyrs of Sebaste , The Last Judgement , St Nicholas ), paintings from the 14th (The Nativity , St Theodore and St George ) and the 16th centuries (donors and inscriptions of dedication from 1520, Birth of the Virgin ), there are very few churches the decor of which testifies to a succession of periods.\n\nThe Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour (Ayia Sotira) in Palaichori belongs to the architectural type of the steep-pitched wooden roof with flat hooked tiles. This type of roofing over a Byzantine church is not found elsewhere, making the wooden-roofed churches of Cyprus a unique group example of religious architecture. The church is a type of construction that is characteristic of the mountainous region of Troodos. It is particularly notable for its very rich wall-paintings, dating back to the 16th century."
},
{
"id": "326",
"year": 1985,
"target": "JOR",
"name": "Petra",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N30 19 50.016 E35 26 35.988",
"lat": 30.33056,
"lng": 35.443329999999996,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/326",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0326_0044-750-0-20130219143242.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Petra © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Petra\n\nInhabited since prehistoric times, this Nabataean caravan-city, situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia.Petra\n\n is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world's most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture. ",
"longInfo": "Inhabited since prehistoric times, the Nabataean caravan city of Petra, situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia and bears a unique testimony of a disappeared civilization in which ancient Eastern traditions blended with Hellenistic architecture.\n\nPetra lies south of modern Amman on the edge of the mountainous desert of Wadi Araba, surrounded by towering hills of sandstone which gave the city some natural protection against invaders. It was for centuries the meeting point of the main routes used by camel caravans transporting spices between the Mediterranean and the Near East, Africa and India. Petra was first established around the 6th century BC by the Nabataean Arabs, a Semitic people who laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended into Syria. In AD 106 Trajan annexed the Nabataean Kingdom as part of the province of Arabia. The many earthquakes that hit Petra triggered a slow decline for the city, which was not halted by its designation as an Archiepiscopal See. The Arabs conquered the city in 636 but it remained distant from the pilgrim road to Mecca. The Crusaders constructed a fort there in the 12th century and Petra returned to its ancient splendour, but soon they withdrew, leaving Petra to the local people until the early 19th century, when it was visited by the Swiss explorer Burckhardt.\n\nNorth from the Khazneh lies the massif of Jebel Khubtha. Three large structures (Royal Tombs) are carved into the rock face, which is known as the King's Wall.\n\nFirst is the Urn Tomb, a well-preserved monument that faces on to an open terrace fronted by a double row of vaults. A colonnaded cloister runs along the northern side of the terrace. The elaborate facade fronts a single, unadorned room. The walls are smooth, the interior corners exact. The only decoration to be seen at present comes from the beautiful whorls of different-coloured sandstone in the walls, ceiling and floor of the chamber.\n\nThe Corinthian Tomb, a smaller version of the Khazneh, is followed by the Palace Tomb (Silk Tomb), named from the extraordinary chromatic effect of the rock.\n\nSome distance away from the Royal Tombs, to the north, there is a tomb built in 130 for the Roman governor of the city under Hadrian, Sextius Florentinus.\n\nThe Khazneh el Faroun, or the Treasury of the Pharaoh, is an imposing facade standing some 40 m tall, cut directly from the rock of the mountainside. On the lower floor is a portico with six columns, crowned by floral capitals and surmounted by a fronton; the third floor is divided into three parts at the centre is a tholos with a conical roof, surmounted by a urn, and on either side two half-frontons, supported by columns. An architectural and sculptural decoration of the highest quality adorns the architecture elements and the front of the building. The Khazneh is the only rock-cut building in Petra that presents absolutely no Nabataean element and attests to link exclusively with the Alexandrian world and Hellenistic artistic traditions. Behind the impressive facade, a large square room has been carved out of the rock of the cliff. This is typical of the tombs in Petra; the interiors are as plain as the exteriors are intricate.\n\nThe Siq is the gorge formed by the torrent, the Musa, which the Nabataeans blocked with a dam and channelled to carry drinking water to the city; along the rock walls of the Siq there is a succession of inscriptions, niches and small votive altars, but also reliefs and sculptures that depict a caravan of men and camels. Once inside, the Siq narrows to little more than 5 m in width, whereas the walls tower up hundreds of metres on either side. The floor, originally paved, is now largely covered with soft sand, although evidence of Nabataean construction can still be seen in some places.\n\nThere are also noteworthy relics from Roman times: at the southern edge of the valley stands the 1st century AD theatre, carved almost entirely in the rock, which could hold more than 8,000 spectators, while at the end of the Siq the ruins open out of the colonnaded way. Set on a promontory that overlooks the valley of Petra to the west, accessible via a type of sacred stepped way cut into the rock, is another building with an imposing facade carved out of the rock: this is al-Dayr, the austerity and the simplicity of which join to demonstrate the original local version of elements of the Hellenistic tradition. The structure of the interior is devoid of any funeral installation."
},
{
"id": "344",
"year": 1985,
"target": "FRA",
"name": "Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 56 50 E4 32 7",
"lat": 43.947222222222216,
"lng": 4.535277777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/344",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0344_0021-750-0-20140707173016.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)\n\nThe Pont du Gard was built shortly before the Christian era to allow the aqueduct of Nîmes (which is almost 50 km long) to cross the Gard river. The Roman architects and hydraulic engineers who designed this bridge, which stands almost 50 m high and is on three levels – the longest measuring 275 m – created a technical as well as an artistic masterpiece. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "332",
"year": 1985,
"target": "TUN",
"name": "Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N36 56 47.004 E11 5 57.012",
"lat": 36.946389999999994,
"lng": 11.09917,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/332",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0332_0005-750-0-20110809174927.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis\n\nThis Phoenician city was probably abandoned during the First Punic War (c. 250 B.C.) and as a result was not rebuilt by the Romans. The remains constitute the only example of a Phoenicio-Punic city to have survived. The houses were built to a standard plan in accordance with a sophisticated notion of town planning. ",
"longInfo": "Kerkuane, which has never been reinhabited since it was abandoned, bears exceptional witness to Phoenician town planning and daily life in a Punic city.\n\nAt the tip of Cap Bon, the archaeological site of Kerkuane has enriched knowledge in the area of Punic town planning thanks to the discovery of a city (Tamezrat?) which was fossilized after being abandoned during the first Punic War (c. 250 BC). Unlike Carthage, Tyre or Byblos, no Roman city was built upon this Phoenician city whose port, ramparts, residential districts, shops, workshops, streets, squares, temples and necropolis clearly remain as they were in the 3rd century.\n\nThe rectangular houses have a single entrance and a corridor which afford access to an interior courtyard containing a well, a washbasin and a bath; around the courtyard there are reception rooms. In proving the repetitive nature of this particular plan, which was taken to be a typical plan, the excavation made it possible to confirm the existence of an authentic town-planning programme that gave considerable importance to hydraulics and hygiene.\n\nThrough the study of small artefacts and structures, it is possible to understand a city that was cut off from the hinterland and lacking in agricultural and pastoral occupations, preferring to focus its efforts on industry (manufacture of purple dye through murex processing) and arts and crafts (stonecutters, masons, stucco workers, potters, and makers of clay figurines abounded there). It is believed that this Phoenician port traded with the Punic cities of Sicily, particularly Motya, as early as the 6th century.\n\nThe links between Punic culture, Hellenic culture and natives cultures can be analysed over three centuries on the basis of architectural forms and on a number of iconographic documents illustrating Assyro-Babylonian, Phoenician, Greek and Sicilian, etc., influences.\n\nThe necropolis of Arg el Ghazouani, located on a rocky hill less than 1 km north-west of the city, is the best conserved portion of the great Kerkuane necropolis whose tombs are scattered throughout the coastal hills at the extreme end of Cap Bon. In the protected area there are approximately 200 tombs, including 50 that have not been excavated. Investigations of the site revealed two types of tomb: these hewn in rock and these comprising a funerary chamber, with dromos in tiers and an antechamber. No other example of this type of tomb with steps has been found outside the area of Cap Bon.\n\nThe funerary chambers reveal a rich collection of seats, niches and dug-out sarcophagi never before found in other necropolises. Decorations painted in red ochre and inscriptions of the name of the deceased engraved above the entrance doors are a basic source for the study of funerary rites. Exceptionally rich furnishings (ceramics, bronze artefacts, jewellery, coins, etc.) add to the value of the site. Burials at the site cover a long period, from the 6th to the mid-3rd centuries BC."
},
{
"id": "327",
"year": 1985,
"target": "JOR",
"name": "Quseir Amra",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N31 48 6.984 E36 35 8.988",
"lat": 31.801940000000002,
"lng": 36.58583,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/327",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0327_0004-750-0-20110809171539.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Quseir Amra\n\nBuilt in the early 8th century, this exceptionally well-preserved desert castle was both a fortress with a garrison and a residence of the Umayyad caliphs. The most outstanding features of this small pleasure palace are the reception hall and the hammam, both richly decorated with figurative murals that reflect the secular art of the time. ",
"longInfo": "Quseir Amra bears exceptional testimony to the Omayyad civilization which was imbued with a pre-Islamic secular culture whose austere religious environment only left behind insignificant traces in the visual arts. It is the best conserved architectural ensemble, if not the most complete, of all the Omayyad palaces and castles in Jordan and Syria.\n\nBuilt in the early 8th century AD, this exceptionally well-preserved desert castle was both a fortress with a garrison and a residence of the Umayyad caliphs. The most outstanding features of this small pleasure palace are the reception hall and the hammam, both richly decorated with figurative murals that reflect the secular art of the time.\n\nApproximately 85 km east of Amman and not far from the caravan trail which passes through Azrak, Kharaneh and Tubah, Quseir Amra is one of the many residences which the Omayyad caliphs built in the desert of present-day Syria and Jordan. These 'castles of the desert' had various roles. They were fortresses where garrisons could be lodged, on at least an occasional basis; they were places of relaxation where the caliphs could come back into contact with the traditional existence of Bedouin nomads. The fortress of Quseir Amra, square in shape, is in ruins with no thing more than the foundations remaining. But the small country house with its three-nave reception hall and hammam still exists with its extraordinary mural decorations. These murals, which were discovered by the Austrian, Alois Musil, in 1898 and made known in 1907, were restored by a team of Spanish specialist headed by the archaeologist, Martin Almagro.\n\nQuseir Amra, which was probably built under Walled I (705-15), although a more recent theory suggests the reign of Walled II (743-44), is interesting first of all because of the remarkable architectural structure of the reception hall and also due the existence of a very extensive bath complex. Supplied by a noria and an aqueduct, it resembles Roman baths with its three rooms: the changing-room (apodyterium), the warm bath (tepidarium) and the hot bath (caldarium), in addition to the service room.\n\nWhat gives Quseir Amra its uniqueness, however, is the figurative painting on the walls and vaults of the reception hall and hammam. There are historical themes (royal figures who were defeated by the Omayyad caliph) and mythological representations as well (the muses of Poetry, Philosophy and History, with their names in Greek), a zodiac, hunting scenes and hammam scenes as well as some imaginary themes (animal musicians, a hunter being chased by a lion), etc."
},
{
"id": "352",
"year": 1985,
"target": "NOR",
"name": "Rock Art of Alta",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N69 57 0 E23 10 59.988",
"lat": 69.95,
"lng": 23.18333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/352",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0352_0001-750-0-20110920201413.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Rock Art of Alta\n\nThis group of petroglyphs in the Alta Fjord, near the Arctic Circle, bears the traces of a settlement dating from c. 4200 to 500 B.C. The thousands of paintings and engravings add to our understanding of the environment and human activities on the fringes of the Far North in prehistoric times. ",
"longInfo": "The Rock Drawings of Alta constitute the most important piece of evidence in favour of the existence of human activity in the confines of the Great North during the prehistoric period. Studied from 1967, the petroglyphs of the Alta fjord in the province of Tromsø were immediately classed among the leading rock art sites in the world. Close to the Arctic Circle, they are a valuable illustration of human activity between 4200 and 500 BC in the Northern Hemisphere.\n\nThe position of the paintings and engravings with respect to sea level at different postglacial periods constitutes a relative dating element, which is corroborated by objective iconography data. According to the principle of reverse stratigraphy, the most ancient works are generally the highest, the most recent being close to the present sea level (the height difference is roughly 26 m). They are primordial evidence of the fauna, representing reindeer, elks, bears, dogs and/or wolves, foxes, hares, geese, ducks, swans, cormorants, halibut, salmon and whales, and of the environment. They also depict boating, hunting, trapping and fishing scenes, as well as people taking part in dances and ritual acts. In the final phase, some agricultural activities, rendered precarious by the climate, appear to have supplemented certain staples traditionally provided by hunting and fishing.\n\nThe thousands of paintings and engravings located at 45 sites scattered over seven localities illustrate a chronological sequence consisting of four phases. The largest area is at Hjemmeluft/Jiepmaluokta, where Alta Museum is situated. Approximately 3,000 figures have been found here. This is the only area open to the public. In addition, there is an area with rock paintings. Some of the panels at Hjemmeluft/Jiepmaluokta are linked by wooden footways.\n\nHunters and fishers in the late Stone Age/early Metal Age, between 6,200 and 2,000 years ago, made the rock carvings in Alta. During this period, Hjemmeluft/Jiepmaluokta was where people from the coast and inland regions, who gathered here several times a year perhaps in connection with seasonal, nomadic journeys, performed ritual ceremonies. The rock carvings depict some of the beliefs held by these people and the rites they practised. The rock carvings were probably elements in myths and stories about the worlds inhabited by the people and the spirits.\n\nThe rock carvings at Hjemmeluft/Jiepmaluokta were hewn into the massive and hard sandstone using one stone as a chisel and another stone or an antler as a hammer. The outlines of the figures were pecked out first, and then the lines and surfaces were chiselled out. Today many of the figures are difficult to see, and, therefore, some of the figures along the wooden footway are painted with a red colour resembling the colour of the rock paintings in Scandinavia. However, the majority of the rock carvings in Alta are not painted.\n\nThe museum exhibition covers the period from the pioneer settlement 11,000 years ago to the birth of Christ. It gives a thematic introduction to Finnmark's prehistory, which has been studied by researchers ever since the geologist and archaeologist Anders Nummedal discovered the earliest settlements in this part of Norway in 1925. This pioneer settlement in the early Stone Age was previously known as the Komsa Culture, named after the little mountain in Alta where Nummedal made his first finds. Throughout the Stone Age and early Metal Age, hunting and fishing people lived off the ample resources in the area. The first immigrants settled on the coast, but people gradually also occupied the interior. In the large rock art areas in Alta, groups from coast and inland met to practise religious rites and beliefs.\n\nThe rock carvings in Alta indicate that this was a religious meeting-place in the late Stone Age (4200-1800 BC) and early Metal Age (1800 BC). Various types of bear-hunting scenes are common among the oldest rock carvings, suggesting that the bear may have been viewed in a similar way 5,000-6,000 years ago as it was in the pre-Christian Sámi religion. The Sámi gods are presented as they are depicted on the Runebommen (magic drum). The exhibition also shows how, in the Sámi religion, nature was regarded as possessing a soul and being alive."
},
{
"id": "287",
"year": 1985,
"target": "LBY",
"name": "Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N24 49 59.988 E10 19 59.988",
"lat": 24.83333,
"lng": 10.33333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/287",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0287_0011-750-0-20110225161649.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Federica Leone ",
"shortInfo": "Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus\n\nOn the borders of Tassili N'Ajjer in Algeria, also a World Heritage site, this rocky massif has thousands of cave paintings in very different styles, dating from 12,000 B.C. to A.D. 100. They reflect marked changes in the fauna and flora, and also the different ways of life of the populations that succeeded one another in this region of the Sahara. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "323",
"year": 1985,
"target": "BEN",
"name": "Royal Palaces of Abomey",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N7 10 60 E1 58 60",
"lat": 7.183333333333334,
"lng": 1.9833333333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/323",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0323_0009-750-0-20140722163132.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Royal Palaces of Abomey © CRAterre Ensag ",
"shortInfo": "Royal Palaces of Abomey\n\nFrom 1625 to 1900, 12 kings succeeded one another at the head of the powerful Kingdom of Abomey. With the exception of King Akaba, who had his own separate enclosure, they all had their palaces built within the same cob-wall area, in keeping with previous palaces as regards the use of space and materials. The royal palaces of Abomey are a unique reminder of this vanished kingdom. ",
"longInfo": "The Royal Palaces of Abomey bear exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition that has become vulnerable under the impact of time. Still used regularly for traditional rituals and for royal ceremonies, the palace buildings are important not simply because of the past that they represent, but also for the tradition they help to sustain. For a society without written documents, the bas-reliefs (used as decorative features) serve as a unique record of the past, they represent the most significant events in the evolution of the Fon people and their empire, glorifying the military victories and power of each king and documenting the Fon people's myths, customs and rituals.\n\nThe West African Kingdom of Abomey (formerly Dahomey), founded in 1625 by the Fon people, developed into a powerful military and commercial empire. Under the twelve kings who succeeded one another from 1695 to 1900, the kingdom became one of the most powerful on the west coast of Africa. Until the late 19th century its primary source of wealth was from selling of prisoners of war as slaves to European slave traders for transport across the Atlantic to the New World.\n\nEach of the twelve kings built a lavish palace on the royal grounds in Abomey, the capital city, all within the same cob-walled area, in keeping with previous palaces as regards the use of space and materials. They are all characterized by a number of structural constants: within the walled enceinte, each palace has its own walls and is also built around three courtyards. The exterior courtyard is the site of ritual ceremonies and military parade, the interior courtyard and the private courtyard afford access to the residence of the king and queens of two distinct zones, that of the palaces and that of the north-northwest, the zone of the Akaba Palace. Over the centuries, the palace complex came to be filled with dwellings, facilities, murals, sculptures, and a series of intricate bas-reliefs. Earthen bas-reliefs were used as an essential decorative feature in the facades of most of the palaces. The walls show that the military might of the Abomey kingdom was based, in part, on companies of female warriors who matched their male counterparts in fierceness and courage. They also portray mythical animals that symbolized the characteristics of the kings and their power as rulers.\n\nIn order to defy French occupation in 1892, Abomey King Behanzin ordered that the city (including the palaces) be burned. The Salle des Bijoux (Hall of Jewels), the palace of an earlier ruler, is thought to have been one of the few structures to survive the fire, making its bas-reliefs of particular importance as a historic record of the Fon's rich culture."
},
{
"id": "322",
"year": 1985,
"target": "BGD",
"name": "Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N25 1 60 E88 58 60",
"lat": 25.03333333333333,
"lng": 88.98333333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/322",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0322_0013-750-0-20131008165904.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur\n\nEvidence of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the 7th century onwards, Somapura Mahavira, or the Great Monastery, was a renowned intellectual centre until the 12th century. Its layout perfectly adapted to its religious function, this monastery-city represents a unique artistic achievement. With its simple, harmonious lines and its profusion of carved decoration, it influenced Buddhist architecture as far away as Cambodia. ",
"longInfo": "Paharpur is a small village 5 km west of Jamalganj in the Greater Rajshahi District where the remains of the most important and largest known monastery south of the Himalayas have been excavated.\n\nThe Paharpur Vihara, known as Somapura Mahavira, was built by the Pala Emperor Dharmapala (AD 770-810). The monastery is quadrangular in form, with a colossal temple of a cross-shaped floor plan in the centre of the courtyard and with an elaborate gateway complex on the north. There are 45 cells on the north and 44 in each of the other three side, making a total number of 177 monastic cells along the enclosure walls on the four sides. This layout, and the decoration of carved stones and terracotta plaques, reflect the building's religious function, which is greatly influenced by Buddhist architecture from Cambodia and Java (Indonesia).\n\nThis 7th-century archaeological find covers an area of about 11 ha. The entire establishment, which occupies a quadrangular court measuring more than 275 m, externally on each side, has high enclosure-walls about 5 m thick and 3-5 m high.\n\nEvidence of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the 7th century onwards, Somapura Mahavira (Great Monastery) was a renowned intellectual centre until the 12th century. Its layout perfectly adapted to its religious function, this monastery-city represents a unique artistic achievement. With its simple, harmonious lines and its profusion of carved decoration, it influenced Buddhist architecture as far away as Cambodia.\n\nA small site-museum built in 1956-57 houses the representative collection of objects recovered from the area. The excavated finds have also been preserved at the Varendra Research Museum at Rajshahi. The antiquities of the Museum include terracotta plaques, images of different gods and goddesses, pottery, coins, inscriptions, ornamental bricks, and other minor clay objects."
},
{
"id": "334",
"year": 1985,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S20 29 59 W43 51 28",
"lat": -20.499722222222225,
"lng": -43.85777777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/334",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0334_0001-750-0-20110920201250.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Santuario de Bom Jesus de Matosinhos in the city of Congonhas, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil; Masterpiece of artist Aleijadinho (1738-1814); UNESCO World Heritage site;Santuario de Bom Jesus de Matosinhos dans la ville de Congonhas, état de Minas Gerais, Brésil; Pièce maitresse de l’artiste Aleijadinho (1738-1814); Site du Patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO; Santuario de Bom Jesus de Matosinhos in der Kolonialstadt Congonhas, Staat Minas Gerais, Brasilien; Meisterwerk des Artisten Aleijadinho (1738-1814); Welterbe UNESCO; © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas\n\nThis sanctuary in Minais Gerais, south of Belo Horizonte was built in the second half of the 18th century. It consists of a church with a magnificent Rococo interior of Italian inspiration; an outdoor stairway decorated with statues of the prophets; and seven chapels illustrating the Stations of the Cross, in which the polychrome sculptures by Aleijadinho are masterpieces of a highly original, moving, expressive form of Baroque art. ",
"longInfo": "In the 18th century, Minas Gerais was in its heyday - there were more than 30,000 prospectors in 1712. Moreover, the devotion of these pioneers was responsible for a remarkable blossoming of religious art, full of Baroque reminiscences, influenced by Rococo currents and pregnant with modern Expressionist invention.\n\nAt Congonhas de Campo, the wish of a Portuguese immigrant who had been miraculously cured of a crippling infirmity was the impetus for the construction of one of Christian art's most amazing groupings of monuments. Buried in the still luxuriant nature of the Brazilian highlands, the Sanctuary is an integral part of the landscape, constituting the full attainment of the union of nature, man, and deity of Brazilian culture. The ensemble includes Bom Jesus Church, completed in 1772 and built on the peak of the Morro do Maranhão. Inspired by the Sanctuaries of Bom Jesus do Motosinhos, not far from Oporto, and Bom Jesus de Braga, both in Portugal, the complex was completed in a little more than 60 years of hard work, and constituted an original creation, unique in its style, of the best-known Brazilian artists and artisans of the time.\n\nThe church is a simple construction in the tradition of the first religious edifices in Minas Gerais. However, after the death of its founder, Feliciano Mendes, in 1765 it was given a sumptuous interior decor of rocaille and Rococo style inspired by Italian models, transforming its original appearance.\n\nThe church was the creation of the architect Francisco Lima Cerqueira and the master builders Domingos Antonio Dantas and Antonio Rodrigues Falcado, who completed the building in 1773. Cerqueira was responsible, in particular, for the remarkable innovations incorporated in the architecture of the church, which were sufficient to create a regional school of architecture in its own right. The plan of the building develops along a single and broad aisle, terminating in a principal chapel where the altar is located. On either side of the central structure stand two tall bell towers, recessed from the main line of the facade, and covered with domes similar to those on the other chapels, but smaller in size. The facade is a simple square opened by a portal with its jambs finely adorned, as well as by two windows. The upper part terminates in a pediment with an undulating silhouette. Externally, the complex is rendered in bright white plaster, broken only by the reliefs in soapstone that mark its profile along the parapet of the staircase, the corners of the towers, the jutting consoles that divide the main part of the facade from the pediment, the reliefs of the portal, and the pediment itself. The motifs are repeated in slightly simpler form for the chapels.\n\nWhereas the exterior represents the Brazilian Baroque style, the interior harks back to Italian culture with the decoration in a luxuriant Rococo style that covers the walls and ceilings and clearly inspires the carvings on the altar, the statues and the paintings that cover the walls of the hall and the principal tribune.\n\nThe parvis, the arrangement of which began in 1770, is decorated with twelve statues of the Prophets by Aleijadinho between 1800 and 1805. The Passos, seven Stations of the Cross which are housed in small chapels were also sculpted by Aleijadinho between 1796 and 1800. Christian art in Latin America reached its unquestioned zenith with those multicoloured groups whose scenographic presentation strengthens the pathetic character. As has been pointed out on numerous occasions, with Aleijadinho, a half-breed born in Vila Rica, Baroque sculpture takes on an aesthetic dimension that is unknown to Europe."
},
{
"id": "347",
"year": 1985,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N42 52 50.736 W8 32 40.848",
"lat": 42.88076,
"lng": -8.54468,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/347",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0347_0006-750-0-20130221170250.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Cathedral and the town © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)\n\nThis famous pilgrimage site in north-west Spain became a symbol in the Spanish Christians' struggle against Islam. Destroyed by the Muslims at the end of the 10th century, it was completely rebuilt in the following century. With its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings, the Old Town of Santiago is one of the world's most beautiful urban areas. The oldest monuments are grouped around the tomb of St James and the cathedral, which contains the remarkable Pórtico de la Gloria. ",
"longInfo": "Santiago de Compostela is associated with one of the major themes of medieval history. From the shores of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea thousands of pilgrims carrying the scallop shell and the pilgrim's staff for centuries walked to the Galician sanctuary along the paths of Santiago, veritable roads of faith. Around its cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque art, Santiago de Compostela conserves a valuable historic centre worthy of one of Christianity's greatest holy cities. During the Romanesque and Baroque periods the sanctuary of Santiago exerted a decisive influence on the development of architecture and art, not only in Galicia but also in the north of the Iberian peninsula.\n\nThis is an extraordinary ensemble of distinguished monuments grouped around the tomb of St James the Greater, the destination of all the roads of Christianity's greatest pilgrimage from the 11th to the 18th century. Santiago de Compostela, owing to its monumental integrity, enshrines both specific and universal values. To the irreplaceable uniqueness of Romanesque and Baroque masterpieces is added the transcendental aesthetic contribution which makes use of diachronic and disparate elements in the construction of an ideal city which is overflowing with history. The exemplary nature of this city of Christian pilgrimage which is enriched by the ideological connotations of the Reconquista is echoed by the great spiritual significance of one of the few places that are so deeply imbued with faith as to become sacred for the tile of humanity.\n\nOn the miraculously discovered spot where the bones of the Apostle had been buried, a basilica was erected in approximately 818 during the reign of Alfonso II, king of Asturias. The Galician tomb thereafter became the symbol of the resistance of Spanish Christians against Islam. At the battle of Clavijo (844) the victory over the forces of Abd ar Rahman II was attributed to Santiago. Taken and laid waste in 997 by Al Mansour, the city was rebuilt during the 11th century around the Apostle's tomb, which had not been violated.\n\nThe oldest monuments date back to this period - the main body of the cathedral, consecrated in 1211, with its admirable Romanesque structure (plan in the form of a Latin cross, choir and deambulatory and radiating chapels, interior space magnified by the great number of galleries) and its sculpted array (Puerta de las Platerías at the southern arm of the transept). Building continued throughout the 12th century and drew to a triumphal close in 1188 with the erection of the Portico de la Gloria in the main facade.\n\nThe continuous embellishment process which characterizes the life of this edifice, to which were added Gothic chapels at the choir and transept, the cupola in 1448, the 16th-century cloister and finally the immense Churrigueresque casket of the Obradoiro (1738-50) is symbolic of the future of the entire medieval city, which has been profoundly transformed over the centuries yet respect for its monumental quality has always been maintained.\n\nAt the Plaza de España, one of the world's most beautiful urban areas, there is an intermingling of the Romanesque and Gothic forms in the Palace of Diego Gelmírez and San Jerónimo, of the Baroque facade of the Hospital Reál with its inset Plateresque portal by Enrique de Egas (1505-11) and the neoclassical theme of the Rajoy Palace.\n\nElsewhere in ensembles whose composition is less forceful, civil and religious architectural elements from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are also integrated into a high-quality urban fabric where 17th- and 18th-century themes prevail."
},
{
"id": "187",
"year": 1985,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N52 9 10.008 E9 56 38.004",
"lat": 52.15278,
"lng": 9.94389,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/187",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0187_0001-750-0-20090924143057.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim © Public Domain ",
"shortInfo": "St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim\n\nSt Michael's Church was built between 1010 and 1020 on a symmetrical plan with two apses that was characteristic of Ottonian Romanesque art in Old Saxony. Its interior, in particular the wooden ceiling and painted stucco-work, its famous bronze doors and the Bernward bronze column, are – together with the treasures of St Mary's Cathedral – of exceptional interest as examples of the Romanesque churches of the Holy Roman Empire. ",
"longInfo": "St Michael's Church has exerted great influence on developments in architecture. The complex bears exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared. These two edifices and their artistic treasures give a better overall and more immediate understanding than any other decoration in Romanesque churches in the Christian West.\n\nThe ancient Benedictine abbey church of St Michael, built between 1010 and 1022 by Bernward, Bishop of Hildesheim, is one of the key monuments of medieval art. Of basilical layout with opposed apses, the church is characterized by its symmetrical design: the east and west choirs are each preceded by a transept which protrudes substantially from the side aisles; elegant circular turrets on the axis of the gable of both transept arms contrast with the silhouettes of the massive lantern towers located at the crossing. In the nave, the presence of square impost pillars alternating in a original rhythm with columns having cubic capitals creates a type of elevation which was prove very successful in Ottonian and Romanesque art.\n\nSt Mary's Cathedral, rebuilt after the fire of 1046, still retains its original crypt. The nave arrangement, with the familiar alternation of two consecutive columns for every pillar, was modelled after that of St Michael's, but its proportions are more slender.\n\nThe church of St Michael and the cathedral contain an exceptional series of elements of interior decoration that together are quite unique for the understanding of layouts used during the Romanesque era. First come the bronze doors dating to 1015, which retrace the events from the book of Genesis and the life of Christ, and the bronze column dating from around 1020, the spiral decor of which, inspired by Trajan's Column, depicts scenes from the New Testament.\n\nThese two exceptional castings, the first of this size since antiquity, were commissioned by Bishop Bernward for St Michael's; they are now preserved in the cathedral. Also of special significance are the corona of light of Bishop Hezilon and the baptismal fonts of gold-plated bronze of Bishop Conrad."
},
{
"id": "359",
"year": 1985,
"target": "BGR",
"name": "Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 40 0.012 E26 40 0.012",
"lat": 43.666669999999996,
"lng": 26.66667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/359",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0359_0001-750-0-20090924180152.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari © Nenko Lazarov ",
"shortInfo": "Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari\n\nDiscovered in 1982 near the village of Sveshtari, this 3rd-century BC Thracian tomb reflects the fundamental structural principles of Thracian cult buildings. The tomb has a unique architectural decor, with polychrome half-human, half-plant caryatids and painted murals. The 10 female figures carved in high relief on the walls of the central chamber and the decoration of the lunette in its vault are the only examples of this type found so far in the Thracian lands. It is a remarkable reminder of the culture of the Getes, a Thracian people who were in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds, according to ancient geographers. ",
"longInfo": "The discovery in 1982 of the Thracian tomb of Sveshtari was one of the most spectacular archaeological events of the 20th century. The tomb itself is a unique artistic achievement with its half-human, half-vegetable caryatids enclosed in chitons in the shape of inverted palmettes. The fact the original polychromy has been preserved with its ochre, brown, blue, red and lilac shades adds to the bewitching charm of an expressive composition where the anthropomorphic supports conjure up the image of a choir of mourners frozen in the abstract positions of a ritual dance. The tomb is an exceptional testimony to the culture of the Getae, a Thracian people living in the north of Hemus, in contact with the Greek and Hyperborean worlds according to ancient geographers.\n\nThe tomb is located in a region declared an archaeological reserve, near the town of Razgra between the villages of Malak Porovetz and Sveshtari in Isperih municipality, in the river Krapinetz canyon and on the hills around. The time when the Sveshtari tomb was built (mid-3rd century BC) coincided with the period of a great political, economic and cultural upsurge of the Thracian tribe of the Getae. The rich decoration and perfect architecture of the tomb demonstrate the political power of the ruler.\n\nUnder a tumulus 11.5 m high and roughly 70 m in diameter, geophysical prospecting revealed, to the south-east, the monumental entrance to a hypogeum of exceptional interest, including a dromos, an antechamber, and two rectangular funeral chambers. The layout of this Thracian king's tomb, which is very different from that of Thracian tombs with cupolas such as that of Kazanlak, fits a Hellenistic model to be found in Macedonia, Asia Minor and Egypt. The tomb of Sveshtari is, however, unique in its architectural decor and in the specific character of funeral rites revealed by the excavation.\n\nThe tomb consists of a corridor (dromos) and three square chambers: antechamber, lateral chamber, and main burial chamber covered by a semi-cylindrical vault. The plan of the building provides a new interesting example in Thracian building practice. The decoration of the tomb is executed in the spirit of the contemporary Hellenistic architecture. Its entrance is flanked by two rectangular columns (antae). Above them there is an architrave plate with a frieze in relief, consisting of stylized bovine heads (bucrania), rosettes and garlands. Ten beautiful female figures with hands raised high like caryatids are impressive. The figures are about 1.20 m tall, presented frontally, wearing long sleeveless dresses (chitons) tied with a thin belt below the breasts.\n\nTwo funerary beds, human bones and grave offerings were discovered in the central chamber. From the scattered stone details it was possible to reconstruct the facade of the tomb (aedicula), consisting of pilasters, cornice and a pediment, and closed with three stone doors. Being situated in front of the large funerary bed as a symbol of the boundary between life and death, the aedicula isolated the grave of the deified ruler (the most sacral part of the tomb) from the rest of the place. In the centre of the composition the goddess is offering a gold wreath to the ruler, depicted as a horseman facing her. On both sides of them there are processions of servants and armour-bearers carrying different gifts in their hands.\n\nThe layout of the central chamber which contained two stone funeral beds and an aedicula imitates the arrangement of a peristyle house: five half-columns and ten sculpted feminine caryatids in high relief on limestone flagstones support the architrave barrel-vaulted Doric frieze with its triglyphs and metopes spanning the room at mid-height.\n\nIn the north-west lunette, on the wall opposite the entrance, there is a painting depicting the deceased as hero, who, in the presence of several protagonists, is advancing on horseback towards the central figure of a deity extending a laurel wreath. Skeletal material found during excavation bears witness to the horse sacrifices that accompanied the funerary rites."
},
{
"id": "21",
"year": 1986,
"target": "SYR",
"name": "Ancient City of Aleppo",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N36 13 59.988 E37 10 0.012",
"lat": 36.23333,
"lng": 37.166669999999996,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/21",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0021_0042-750-0-20130219143134.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Ancient City of Aleppo © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Ancient City of Aleppo\n\nLocated at the crossroads of several trade routes from the 2nd millennium B.C., Aleppo was ruled successively by the Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans. The 13th-century citadel, 12th-century Great Mosque and various 17th-century madrasas, palaces, caravanserais and hammams all form part of the city's cohesive, unique urban fabric, now threatened by overpopulation. ",
"longInfo": "Aleppo has exceptional universal value because it represents medieval Arab architectural styles that are rare and authentic, in traditional human habitats. It constitutes typical testimony of the city's cultural, social, and technological development, representing continuous and prosperous commercial activity from the Mameluke period. It contains vestiges of Arab resistance against the Crusaders, but there is also the imprint of Byzantine, Roman and Greek occupation in the streets and in the plan of the city.\n\nLocated 350 km north of Damascus at the crossroads of several trade routes, Aleppo was very prosperous from the 3rd millennium BC, a prosperity it preserved throughout its evolution and its settlement. The old city was surrounded by a defensive enclosure, flanked by towers and entered by fortified gates from the Islamic era. Aleppo is famous for its mosques, madrasas (the Fardos Madrassa is one of the outstanding religious buildings) and churches. It is still a very active Arab commercial city. Aleppo has a jumble of houses in the subtlest pastel colours with slender minarets and, dominating it all, the great mass of the Citadel. The southern ramparts, partly cleared of houses, lead to the impressive of all the fortified gates, Bab Qinnesrin.\n\nThe al Gassa- skirts the Jdeideh, 'old houses' quarter, with its beautifully decorated courtyards. All the houses here are built from fine limestone, lining narrow streets without shops and sometime vaulted. This lead through the souks, covered by vaulted roofs. The al Joumrok khan (Customs Caravanserai) dates from the 17th century: French, English, and Dutch merchants traded here and their consuls were obliged to live here. In a corner a staircase leads up to a private house which was the Venetian consulate from the 15th to the 19th century when it became the residence of the Belgian consul; at the present time the house conserves its typically Venetian style. Over many generations men of taste have built up a priceless collection of works of art from every country between China and.\n\nThe Jami al Kabir entrance (Umayyad or Great Mosque) is opposite an old Koranic school, the al Halawyah Madrassa, installed in the former Byzantine cathedral erected at the command of the Empress Helena. The Great Mosque was founded in the early Islamic period, but there is little to see that dates from that time. The Mameluke minaret dates from 1090 and is, with its fine proportions and Kufic inscriptions, a good example of the great period of Islamic architecture in Syria. The north facade is one side of the square.\n\nA ring of crenellated walls and towers rises rise 50m above the city from a steep glacis, encircling a mass of ruins of every period. The nail-heads on the doors themselves are beautifully worked, the lintels have comic or enigmatic carvings on them, and there are fine Kufic inscriptions calling upon the power and the mercy of Allah. The interior of the citadel shows all too clearly how it has been ravaged by enemies (the Mongols invaded it twice) and shattered by earthquakes (that of 1822 was particularly devastating).\n\nSt George's Cathedral stands behind a labyrinth of narrow streets on a tiny square. The postern gate in the middle of the ramparts (Bab Antakia) is the Antioch Gate. Beyond there are many important monuments - the little domed Byzantine church converted into a mosque; a prison with dungeons dug into the rock; a stretch of wall 4 m thick, the base of a Syrio-Hittite temple; the remains of a great mosque built by Saladin's son; a covered building containing sculpture and objects from various periods found on the site; the tomb of Emir Zaher Ghazi (son of Saladin) in an annex to a madrasa founded during the Crusader period.\n\nThe 13th century royal palace, with its fine stalactite and honeycomb entrance porch, is inlaid with white marble. The throne room, dating from the Mameluke period (15th-16th centuries) has been tastefully restored: Syrian artists and craftsmen have recreated the luxurious setting of the court - the ceiling with its decorated beams and caissons, lighting, windows, polychrome columns - all are a tribute to their skill. There are around 200 minarets, some squat like defensive towers, others slender as needles. On the other side stands a fine octagonal, part of the 15th century al Atroush mosque."
},
{
"id": "374",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N53 8 23 W4 16 37",
"lat": 53.13972222222222,
"lng": -4.276944444444444,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/374",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0374_0001-750-0-20150528164251.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Caernarfon castle, Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd © Richard0 ",
"shortInfo": "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd\n\nThe castles of Beaumaris and Harlech (largely the work of the greatest military engineer of the time, James of St George) and the fortified complexes of Caernarfon and Conwy are located in the former principality of Gwynedd, in north Wales. These extremely well-preserved monuments are examples of the colonization and defence works carried out throughout the reign of Edward I (1272–1307) and the military architecture of the time. ",
"longInfo": "The castles and fortified towns of Gwynedd are the finest examples of late 13th-century and early 14th-century military architecture in Europe. Their construction, begun in 1283 and at times hindered by the Welsh uprisings of Madoc ap Llewellyn in 1294, continued until 1330 in Caernarvon and 1331 in Beaumaris. They have only undergone minimal restoration and provide, in their pristine state, a veritable repertory of medieval architectural forms: barbicans, drawbridges, fortified gates, chicanes, redoubts, dungeons, towers and curtain walls.\n\nThe royal castles bear unique testimony of construction in the Middle Ages. The accounts that have survived specify the origin of the workmen, who were brought in from all regions of England, and describe the use of quarried stone on the site. They outline financing of the construction works and provide an understanding of the daily life of the workmen and population and thus constitute one of the major references of medieval history.\n\nThroughout his reign (1272-1307) Edward I, King of England, worked to expand and defend his domain, implementing at the same time a military and settlement policy whose traces are still visible from the Pyrenees to Scotland. Above all in Wales, it is the major illustration of the great construction policy of his reign: a series of superb castles, which in some cases are combined with new towns surrounded by fortified walls, are the examples of the medieval urban planning.\n\nFrom 1283 he undertook a castle-building programme of unprecedented scale. What he did was to station garrisons so as to quell any possible revolts, foster the settlement of castral towns by settlers and finally illustrate in a more symbolic than strategic fashion English power.\n\nIn 20 years, 10 fortresses were built, not to mention those restored after being wrested from the enemy. From among this series of constructions, located close together, are Beaumaris Castle, on the south-east coast of the island of Anglesey; the fortified structures of Caernarvon and Conway castles on the north-west coast of Wales; and Harlech Castle, north of Cardigan Bay.\n\nThe typological, technical and stylistic coherence of these constructions are explained by the fact that all were built by the same man, the king's chief architect in Wales. Beaumaris and Harlech, begun in 1283, are of virtually the same design (the massive square of the inner wall is surrounded by an octagonal wall flanked by towers) both being the work of the Savoyard architect James de Saint George, the greatest military engineer of his time.\n\nBeaumaris and Harlech represent a unique artistic achievement in that they combine the double-wall structure which is characteristic of late 13th-century military architecture with a highly concerted central plan and in terms of the beauty of their proportions and masonry. These are the masterpieces of James de Saint George who, in addition to being the king's chief architect, was governor of Harlech from 1290 to 1293.\n\nThe Caernarvon and Conway ensembles, where the royal castle, the ordinary residence of the governor and garrison are the keystone of the military installation which also comprises an adjacent fortified town, are very instructive regarding Edward I's policy in Wales. The castral towns, of a regular layout, were inhabited by English settlers who were able to muster up a militia in times of revolt."
},
{
"id": "366",
"year": 1986,
"target": "PER",
"name": "Chan Chan Archaeological Zone",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S8 5 60 W79 4 59.988",
"lat": -8.100000000000001,
"lng": -79.08332999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/366",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0366_0001-750-0-20110920201521.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Chan Chan Archaeological Zone\n\nThe Chimu Kingdom, with Chan Chan as its capital, reached its apogee in the 15th century, not long before falling to the Incas. The planning of this huge city, the largest in pre-Columbian America, reflects a strict political and social strategy, marked by the city's division into nine 'citadels' or 'palaces' forming autonomous units. ",
"longInfo": "The planning of Chan Chan, the largest city of pre-Hispanic America and unique testimony to the disappeared Chimu kingdom, is a masterpiece of inhabited space, and hierarchical construction which illustrates a political and social ideal that has rarely been expressed with such clarity.\n\nThe Chimu kingdom reached its zenith in the 15th century, not long before falling under the sway of the Incas. In about 1470, after a long war, the Inca Tupac Yupanqui took King Minchancaman in captivity to Cuzco. The king's son, Chumun Caur, governed the kingdom of the north, thereafter weakened and divided, on behalf of the Inca. Some 60 years later, the Spanish conquistadores, favourably welcomed by the Chimus out of hate for the Incas, founded a new capital 5 km from Chan Chan which in 1535 was given the name of Pizarro's home town, Trujillo, when the site of Chan Chan was quickly abandoned. Archaeology which has provided us with data on the Chimu civilization which, around 1200, replaced the Mochica culture on the very location where the latter began developing in the 4th century. It was the Moche valley which was the vital centre of a vast empire stretching from the Gulf of Guayaquíl in the north to the region of Pramonga in the south. In this dry zone the river, which flowed into a canal 80 km long, was used, via an intricate system of irrigation, to supply the entire region that lay close to Chan Chan. It is now difficult to imagine the fertility of this region during the height of the Chimu civilization.\n\nThe ruins of Chan Chan, which were plundered by Spanish treasure hunters and which continue to be by their modern counterparts, the 'huaqueros', in spite of protective legislation, very early on attracted the attention of travellers, historians and archaeologists. A simplified plan of the ruins was drawn up between 1755 and 1785 by the Spaniard Baltazar Martinez de Compañon. Even today, in spite of the excellent surveys conducted from 1969 by the Harvard mission headed by Michael E. Moseley, mapping of the site is incomplete and archaeological exploration has only just begun. Yet the rapid and seemingly unstoppable erosion of a particularly vulnerable building material, adobe, constitutes a serious obstacle to in-depth knowledge of the site. Many of the structures excavated and surveyed in the past have entirely disappeared.\n\nWhat strikes all visitors is the sheer size of Chan Chan and the intense organization of its strictly hierarchical urban space. The city as a whole covers occupies no less than 6 km2. This zone comprises nine large rectangular ensembles delineated by high, thick earthen walls and known as 'citadels' or 'palaces'. Each of these 'palaces' forms a type of independent urban unit which comprises several spaces, built or not as the case may be, around one or more squares, the ceremonial character is in some cases quite obvious. Among them are temples, dwellings, storehouses, kitchens, reservoirs, orchards, gardens, funeral platforms, cemeteries, etc. The cob walls decorated with raised friezes in which abstract motifs, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic subjects add to the exceptional splendours of these large arrays of ruins. Outside these nine rectangular units four industrial sectors were found to the west and south. The main activities appear to have been woodworking, weaving and the working of gold and silver. An area further to the south seems to have been used for farming as witnessed by the remains of an irrigation system, but many temples have been found there as well."
},
{
"id": "234",
"year": 1986,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Churches and Convents of Goa",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N15 30 7.992 E73 54 42.012",
"lat": 15.50222,
"lng": 73.91167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/234",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0234_0001-750-0-20110920200359.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Churches and Convents of Goa\n\nThe churches and convents of Goa, the former capital of the Portuguese Indies – particularly the Church of Bom Jesus, which contains the tomb of St Francis-Xavier – illustrate the evangelization of Asia. These monuments were influential in spreading forms of Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque art in all the countries of Asia where missions were established. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "370",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Durham Castle and Cathedral",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N54 46 29 W1 34 34",
"lat": 54.77472222222222,
"lng": -1.576111111111111,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/370",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0370_0004-750-0-20101006163513.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Valerio Li Vigni ",
"shortInfo": "Durham Castle and Cathedral\n\nDurham Cathedral was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries to house the relics of St Cuthbert (evangelizer of Northumbria) and the Venerable Bede. It attests to the importance of the early Benedictine monastic community and is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England. The innovative audacity of its vaulting foreshadowed Gothic architecture. Behind the cathedral stands the castle, an ancient Norman fortress which was the residence of the prince-bishops of Durham. ",
"longInfo": "Located on a rocky butte overlooking a bend in the Wear River, the monumental array constituted by the cathedral and its outbuildings to the south, and by the castle which inhibits the main access to the peninsula, to the north, makes up one of the best-known cityscapes of medieval Europe.\n\nThe history of Durham is linked to that of the transfer of the body of St Cuthbert, the evangelist of Northumbria, who died in 687. In 998 the Saxon community of monks in Durham dedicated a stone 'White Church' of which there are no remains. Thus, Durham became a privileged cathedral in which the northern Christian traditions were revived thanks to a monastic community which grew out of the Benedict Biscop foundation around the relics of Cuthbert and Bede.\n\nThe present cathedral (1093-11331) constitutes one of the high points in the history of medieval architecture. The elevation of the nave, with the diminishing proportion of the ground arcades, galleries and clerestories, remains close to the Norman models and the system of decoration is revealing of traditional Romanesque aesthetics, which also marks the sober masses of the harmonious facade flanked by two towers that project slightly and were partially rebuilt during the 13th and 14th centuries.\n\nThe lantern tower was reconstructed in the 15th century and the crossing of the transept was revaulted on this occasion. The monastic buildings, grouped together to the south of the cathedral, comprise few of their pristine elements but make up a diversified and yet coherent ensemble of medieval architecture which 19th-century restoration, substantial in the cloister and the chapter house, did not denature.\n\nThe architectural evolution of the castle, taking place over eight centuries, is even more complex. Of the original Norman foundation, there remains essentially the typical layout comprising a motte to the east and a large bailey to the west. The construction was begun in 1072 by Waltheof, Earl of Northumberland. It was an effective fortress which regularly faced the onslaught of Scottish troops; in the 17th century the military role of the castle gave way to a more residential character which was further accentuated when the castle became part of Durham University in the 19th century.\n\nThe present castle is a veritable labyrinth of halls and galleries of different periods, and in its north wing it houses various vestiges of the Romanesque epoch, include the castral chapel, built in 1080.\n\nDurham Cathedral, owing to the innovative audacity of its vaulting, constitutes a type of experimental model which was far ahead of its time. It is the largest and most perfect monument of 'Norman' style architecture in England. The small castral chapel for its part marks a turning point in the evolution of 11th-century Romanesque sculpture. Around the relics of Cuthbert and Bede, Durham crystallized the memory of the evangelizing of Northumbria and of primitive Benedictine monastic life."
},
{
"id": "255",
"year": 1986,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Fatehpur Sikri",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N27 5 39.984 E77 39 51.012",
"lat": 27.09444,
"lng": 77.66417,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/255",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0255_0001-750-0-20110920200713.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Diwan-i-Khas, Hall of private Audience of the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh, India, UNESCO World Heritage SiteDiwan-i-Khas, Hall des audiences privées de l’Empereur Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh, Inde, Site du Patrimoine Mondial de l’UNESCO Diwan-i-Khas, Die private Audienzhalle, Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh, Indien, Welterbe der UNESCO © M & G Therin-Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Fatehpur Sikri\n\nBuilt during the second half of the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar,Fatehpur Sikri\n\n (the City of Victory) was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years. The complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "380",
"year": 1986,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Garajonay National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N28 7 34.5 W17 14 14",
"lat": 28.12625,
"lng": -17.237222222222222,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/380",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0380_0001-750-0-20090928120959.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Garajonay National Park © Paul Stephenson ",
"shortInfo": "Garajonay National Park\n\nLaurel forest covers some 70% of this park, situated in the middle of the island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands archipelago. The presence of springs and numerous streams assures a lush vegetation resembling that of the Tertiary, which, due to climatic changes, has largely disappeared from southern Europe. ",
"longInfo": "25 March 1981. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986."
},
{
"id": "369",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N55 15 0 W6 29 7",
"lat": 55.25,
"lng": -6.485277777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/369",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0369_0001-750-0-20090928181354.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast © Stefano Berti ",
"shortInfo": "Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast\n\nThe Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60 million years ago. ",
"longInfo": "The site lies on the north coast of the County of Antrim, Northern Ireland, and includes the Causeway Coast extending for about 6 km between Causeway Head and Benbane Head. The Causeway Coast has an unparalleled display of geological formations representing volcanic activity during the early Tertiary period some 50-60 million years ago. The most characteristic and unique feature of the site is the exposure of a large number of regular polygonal columns of basalt in perfect horizontal sections forming a pavement.\n\nTertiary lavas of the Antrim Plateau, covering some 3,800 km2 , represent the largest remaining lava plateau in Europe. The coastline is composed of a series of bays and headlands consisting of resistant lavas.\n\nThe average height of the cliffs is 100 m, and has a stepped appearance due to the succession of five or six lava flows through geological time. This geological succession during the Tertiary period consists of the Lower Basalts, where about six of the 11 lava flows are 67 m thick and are exposed between Plaiskin Head and Benbane Head; the Interbasaltic Bed which are exposed along extensive sections of the cliffs east of Giant's Causeway; and the Middle Basalts, which are thick flows ranging from 30 m to over 150 m. The Giant's Causeway displays the columnar basalt structures and includes the Specific sites of interest include the Giant's Causeway itself (a sea-level promontory of almost entirely regular polygonal columns averaging 45 cm in diameter and numbering 40,000 columns), the Giant's Organ (60, 12 m high regular columns and the three-tier structured Middle Basalt), Chimney Tops and Hamilton's Seat (a viewpoint). The coastline is also cut through by olivine and theoleiite dykes.\n\nIn addition to its geological features the site has a range of habitats covering seashore, cliff, scree, grassland, scrub, heathland and marsh.\n\nThe Giant's Causeway itself (a sea-level promontory of almost entirely regular polygonal columns averaging 45 cm in diameter and numbering approximately 40,000 columns); the Giant's Organ (about 60 regular columns, 12 m high; Chimney Tops (a number of columns separated from the cliffs by erosion); and Hamilton's Seat (a view point). The coastline is also cut through by olivine and tholeiite dykes, a good example of which can be seen at Roveran Valley Head. Exposure of these columns, in perfect horizontal sections at such a scale creating a pavement, is considered a unique combination of features.\n\nThe wreck site of the Armada gallesass Gerona in Port-na-Spaniagh, below the isolated columns known as the 'Chimneys', is of considerable cultural importance. The sublittoral area is a protected nautical archaeological site, and the treasures and other Armada artefacts recovered by Robert Stenuit and his team between 1967 and 1969 are conserved in the Ulster Museum, Belfast. This collection is a major part of all known recovered Armada artifacts.\n\nThe Giant's Causeway featured in the 18th-century geological controversies on the origins of basalts. There is an interesting cultural heritage associated with place names, and other local history such as the kelp (seaweed) and fisheries exploitation carried out by local communities, documented mainly in the 18th to mid-20th centuries."
},
{
"id": "368",
"year": 1986,
"target": "AUS",
"name": "Gondwana Rainforests of Australia",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "S28 15 0 E150 3 0",
"lat": -28.25,
"lng": 150.05,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/368",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0368_0001-750-0-20071205110908.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Gondwana rainforests © Tourism Queensland ",
"shortInfo": " Gondwana Rainforests of Australia\n\nThis site, comprising several protected areas, is situated predominantly along the Great Escarpment on Australia’s east coast. The outstanding geological features displayed around shield volcanic craters and the high number of rare and threatened rainforest species are of international significance for science and conservation. ",
"longInfo": "With the opening of the Gwydir Highway in December 1960, the Gibraltar Range became accessible and moves were initiated to establish a national park. Approximately 14,000ha was reserved for public recreation by notification in the Government Gazette of 8 March 1963 and further 1,425ha was added by notification in the Government Gazette of 17 September 1965. The area was formally created a national park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1967. Further land was incorporated with the park by proclamation in the Government Gazette of 24 December 1970 (c. 105ha) and 1 July 1977 (c. 1,790ha). Washpool National Park was reserved under the Forestry Revocation and National Parks Reservation Act, 1983. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986."
},
{
"id": "364",
"year": 1986,
"target": "ZWE",
"name": "Great Zimbabwe National Monument",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S20 16 60 E30 55 60",
"lat": -20.28333333333333,
"lng": 30.933333333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/364",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0364_0008-750-0-20130515122908.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Great Zimbabwe National Monument © Graciela Gonzalez Brigas ",
"shortInfo": "Great Zimbabwe National Monument\n\nThe ruins of Great Zimbabwe – the capital of the Queen of Sheba, according to an age-old legend – are a unique testimony to the Bantu civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries. The city, which covers an area of nearly 80 ha, was an important trading centre and was renowned from the Middle Ages onwards. ",
"longInfo": "The ruins of Great Zimbabwe bear a unique testimony to the lost civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries. A unique artistic achievement, this great city has struck the imagination of African and European travellers since the Middle Ages, as evidenced by the persistent legends which attribute to it a biblical origin. The entire Zimbabwe nation has identified with this historically symbolic ensemble and has adopted as its emblem the steatite bird, which may have been a royal totem.\n\nThe impressive ruins of Great Zimbabwe ('stone houses', which cover an area of some 80 ha, lie 30 km from Masvingo (formerly Fort Victoria)\n\nThe pioneering works of David Randall-MacIver in 1905-6, corroborated since by numerous finds of dated archaeological artefacts and by radiocarbon analysis, have proved that Great Zimbabwe was founded in the 11th century on a site which had been sparsely inhabited in the prehistoric period, by a Bantu population of the Iron Age, the Shona. In the 14th century, it was the principal city of a major state extending over the gold-rich plateaux; its population exceeded 10,000 inhabitants. In about 1450, this capital was abandoned, not as a result of war, but because the hinterland could no longer furnish food for the overpopulated city, and deforestation made it necessary to go farther and farther to find firewood. The resulting migration benefited Khami, which became the most influential city in the region, but signalled waning political power.\n\nWhen in 1505 the Portuguese settled in Sofala, the region was divided between the rival powers of the kingdoms of Torwa and Mwene-Mutapa. From the 11th to 15th centuries, the wealth of Great Zimbabwe was associated with gold trading, controlled by the Arabs, and extensive trade activities on the east coast of Africa where Kilwa was the main trading centre. In addition to jewellery that had escaped greedy European gold hunters at the end of the 19th century, archaeological excavations in Great Zimbabwe unearthed glass beads and fragments of porcelain and pottery of Chinese and Persian origin which testify to the extent of trade within the continent. A 14th-century Arab coin from Kilwa was also found; it was reissued in 1972.\n\nThe territory managed by the National Museums and Monuments Administration includes the three main areas of Great Zimbabwe :"
},
{
"id": "241",
"year": 1986,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Group of Monuments at Hampi",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N15 18 51.984 E76 28 18.012",
"lat": 15.314440000000001,
"lng": 76.47167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/241",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0241_0001-750-0-20121026111655.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Group of Monuments at Hampi © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Group of Monuments at Hampi\n\nThe austere, grandiose site of Hampi was the last capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Its fabulously rich princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which won the admiration of travellers between the 14th and 16th centuries. Conquered by the Deccan Muslim confederacy in 1565, the city was pillaged over a period of six months before being abandoned. ",
"longInfo": "The city of Hampi bears exceptional testimony to the vanished civilization of the kingdom of Vijayanagar, which reached its apogee under the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509-30). It offers an outstanding example of a type of structure that illustrates a significant historical situation: that of the kingdoms of South India which, menaced by the Muslims, were occasionally allied with the Portuguese of Goa.\n\nThe austere, grandiose site of Hampi was the last capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Its fabulously rich princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which won the admiration of travellers between the 14th and 16th centuries. Conquered by the Deccan Muslim confederacy in 1565, the city was pillaged over a period of six months before being abandoned.\n\nAs the final capital of the last of the great kingdom of South India, that of the Vijayanagar, Hampi, enriched by the cotton and the spice trade was one of the most beautiful cities of the medieval world. Its palaces and Dravidian temples were much admired by travellers, be they Arab (Abdul Razaak), Portuguese (Domingo Paes) or Italian (Nicolò dei Conti).\n\nConquered by the Muslims after the battle of Talikota in 1565, it was plundered over six months and then abandoned. Imposing monumental vestiges, partially disengaged and reclaimed, make of Hampi today one of the most striking ruins of the world.\n\nThe temples of Ramachandra (1513) and Hazara Rama (1520), with their sophisticated structure, where each supporting element is scanned by bundles of pilasters or colonnettes which project from the richly sculpted walls, may be counted among the most extraordinary constructions of India. In one of the interior courtyards of the temple of Vitthala, a small monument of a chariot which two elephants, sculpted in the round, struggle to drag along is one of the unusual creations, the favourite of tourists today as well as travellers of the past.\n\nBesides the temples, the impressive complex of civil, princely or public buildings (elephant stables, Queen's Bath, Lotus Mahal, bazaars, markets) are enclosed in the massive fortifications which, however, were unable to repulse the assault of the five sultans of Deccan in 1565."
},
{
"id": "377",
"year": 1986,
"target": "TUR",
"name": "Hattusha: the Hittite Capital",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N40 0 50.004 E34 37 14.016",
"lat": 40.01389,
"lng": 34.62056,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/377",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0377_0001-750-0-20110920201556.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Hattusha: the Hittite Capital\n\nThe archaeological site of Hattusha, former capital of the Hittite Empire, is notable for its urban organization, the types of construction that have been preserved (temples, royal residences, fortifications), the rich ornamentation of the Lions' Gate and the Royal Gate, and the ensemble of rock art at Yazilikaya. The city enjoyed considerable influence in Anatolia and northern Syria in the 2nd millennium B.C. ",
"longInfo": "Hattusha exerted dominating influence upon the civilizations of the 2nd and 1st millennia BC in Anatolia and northern Syria. The palaces, temples, trading quarters and necropolis of this political and religious metropolis provide a comprehensive picture of a capital and bear a unique testimony to the disappeared Hittite civilization. The city's fortifications, along with the Lion Gate and the Royal Gate and the Yazılıkaya rupestral ensemble with its sculptured friezes, represent unique artistic achievements as monuments.\n\nThe ruins of ancient Hattusha, the modern village of Bogâzkale and the great capital of the Hittite empire, are framed by the grandiose backdrop of the high Anatolian plains 200 km to the east of Ankara. The site was partially occupied at the end of the 3rd millennium by a pre-Hittite population which, as was also the case in other regions, permitted Assyrian traders to settle there. From a number of epigraphic documents we learn that the city was then called Hattus (Hattush) and that it was destroyed around 1720 by Anitta, a Hittite sovereign. The vicissitudes of a complex history rich in events did not spare Hattusha from the 18th to 12th centuries and are borne witness to by monumental vestiges of the built-up and rupestral ensembles.\n\nThe site, discovered in 1834, was not comprehensively excavated until 1906, which was the memorable date of the discovery of a copy of a peace treaty between Hattushili III and the Pharaoh Ramses II, which made possible the identification of Hattusha. Since then, joint efforts on the part of German and Turkish archaeologists have made decisive progress in knowledge of the Hittite capital. The exploration of Hattusha should serve as a model of long-term archaeological research planning and has given rise to a host of publications and to a specialized periodical issued by the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.\n\nAt its largest, the city spread over a sloping, uneven plateau, covering 2.1 km from north to south and 1.3 km from east to west. In the 13th century, the city was surrounded by a system of double walls forming a perimeter of roughly 8 km. It was protected at the east end by the Kayalı Boğäz outpost, 1.5 km from the Royal Gate. To the north, beyond the walls, were located a necropolis cut into the rock at Osmankayası and the great rupestral sanctuary of Yazılıkaya, whose walls decorated with bas-reliefs are the undisputed masterpiece of Hittite art.\n\nInside the walls whose most impressive remains lie to the south and the east and comprise primitive Hittite fortifications, with underground passageways, the city is built on two levels. To the northwest, not far from the present-day village of Bogâzkale, which occupies part of the site, is the lower town. The most remarkable monument is the great temple, dedicated to the god of storms and the goddess of the Sun, Arinna, and surrounded by an array of buildings including stores. Thousands of cuneiform tablets were found in this area. Slightly to the north of the temple is the Assyrian settlement's karum with its houses built around a central courtyard. Part of it dates back to the pre-Hittite period. To the south is located the upper city, a complex layout. The most important element is the royal residence of Büyükkale, a veritable palace-citadel perched upon the main peak.\n\nIt is on other fortified peaks the area between the Lions' Gate to the west and the Royal Gate to the east (the only well-preserved vestiges of the five original monumental entrances) that the best preserved stretches of the double wall are to be found. This wall protected Hattusha, its residential quarters, its palaces and four temples."
},
{
"id": "361",
"year": 1986,
"target": "PRT",
"name": "Historic Centre of Évora",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 34 23.016 W7 54 28.008",
"lat": 38.573060000000005,
"lng": -7.907780000000001,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/361",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0361_0016-750-0-20120927171906.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Historic Centre of Évora © José Emilio Guerreiro/Luis Ferreira ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Évora\n\nThis museum-city, whose roots go back to Roman times, reached its golden age in the 15th century, when it became the residence of the Portuguese kings. Its unique quality stems from the whitewashed houses decorated with azulejos and wrought-iron balconies dating from the 16th to the 18th century. Its monuments had a profound influence on Portuguese architecture in Brazil. ",
"longInfo": "Évora is the finest example of a city of the golden age of Portugal after the destruction of Lisbon by the earthquake of 1755. The cityscape of Évora demonstrates the influence exerted by Portuguese architecture in Brazil, in sites such as Salvador de Bahia.\n\nIt is the capital of Alentejo Province and one of the tourist attractions of the south. In spite of sharp population growth which has led to the construction of new quarters to the west, south and east, this museum city has retained all of its traditional charm inside the Vauban-style wall built in the 17th century according to the plans of Nicolas de Langres, a French engineer. The rural landscape to the north has remained virtually unchanged.\n\nÉvora has been shaped by some 20 centuries of history, going as far back as Celtic times. It fell under Roman domination, when it was called Liberalitas Julia and, among other ruins, still retains those of the Temple of Diana. During the Visigothic period, the Christian city occupied the surface area surrounded by the Roman wall, which was then reworked. Under Moorish domination, which came to an end in 1165, further improvements were made to the original defensive system as shown by a fortified gate and the remains of the ancient Kasbah. Moreover, the toponymy is indicative of the Maghreb population, which remained after the reconquest in the La Mouraria quarter of the north-east.\n\nThere are a number of buildings from the medieval period, the best known of which is unquestionably the cathedral, begun in 1186 and essentially completed in the 13th-14th centuries. It was in the 15th century, however, when the Portuguese kings began living there on an increasingly regular basis, that Évora 's golden age began. At that time, convents and royal palaces sprang up everywhere: St Claire Convent, the royal church and convent of São Francisco, not far from the royal palace of the same name, Os Lóios Convent with the São João Evangelista Church. These splendid monuments, which were either entirely new buildings or else constructed within already existing establishments, are characterized by the Manueline style which survived in the major creations of the 16th century: Palace of the Counts of Basto, built on the site of the Alcazar, and the Church of the Knights of Calatrava, the convents of Carmo and da Graça, Santo Antão, Santa Helena do Monte Calvario, etc.\n\nThe 16th century was a time of major urban planning as demonstrated by the ancient style: Agua da Prata aqueduct built in 1537 by Francisco de Arruda and the many fountains that remain (la Praça do Geraldo is the best known). It also marked the beginning of Évora's intellectual and religious influence. The University of the Holy Spirit, where the Jesuits taught from 1553, played a role in the south which was comparable to that of Coimbra in the north of the kingdom. Moreover, Évora began a rapid decline following the expulsion of the Company of Jesus by the Minister, Pombal, in 1759. Évora is also interesting for reasons other than its monumental heritage related to significant historic events and royal orders. This interest also goes beyond the many 16th-century patrician houses (Cordovil house, the house of Garcia de Resende). In fact, the unique quality of the city arises from the coherence of the minor architecture of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, which finds its overall expression in the form of myriad low whitewashed houses, covered with tile roofs or of terraces which line narrow streets whose layout is of medieval configuration in the old city centre and which in other areas bears witness to the concentric growth of the town until the 17th century.\n\nWrought iron and azulejo decoration, which is splendid in the convents and palaces and very charming in the most humble dwellings, serves to strengthen the fundamental unity of a type of architecture which is perfectly adapted to the climate and the site."
},
{
"id": "379",
"year": 1986,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Historic City of Toledo",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N39 52 0.8 W4 1 45.9",
"lat": 39.86688888888889,
"lng": -4.029416666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/379",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0379_0001-750-0-20081106160312.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Historic City of Toledo\n\nSuccessively a Roman municipium, the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom, a fortress of the Emirate of Cordoba, an outpost of the Christian kingdoms fighting the Moors and, in the 16th century, the temporary seat of supreme power under Charles V, Toledo is the repository of more than 2,000 years of history. Its masterpieces are the product of heterogeneous civilizations in an environment where the existence of three major religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – was a major factor. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "355",
"year": 1986,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Iguaçu National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S25 40 59.988 W54 25 59.988",
"lat": -25.68333,
"lng": -54.43333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/355",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0355_0001-750-0-20090923182516.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Iguaçu National Park © Therin Weise ",
"shortInfo": "Iguaçu National Park\n\nThe park shares with Iguazú National Park in Argentina one of the world’s largest and most impressive waterfalls, extending over some 2,700 m. It is home to many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna, among them the giant otter and the giant anteater. The clouds of spray produced by the waterfall are conducive to the growth of lush vegetation. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "371",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Ironbridge Gorge",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N52 37 35 W2 28 22",
"lat": 52.62638888888889,
"lng": -2.472777777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/371",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0371_0001-750-0-20090923125000.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Gorge d'Ironbridge ",
"shortInfo": "Ironbridge Gorge\n\nIronbridge is known throughout the world as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution. It contains all the elements of progress that contributed to the rapid development of this industrial region in the 18th century, from the mines themselves to the railway lines. Nearby, the blast furnace of Coalbrookdale, built in 1708, is a reminder of the discovery of coke. The bridge at Ironbridge, the world's first bridge constructed of iron, had a considerable influence on developments in the fields of technology and architecture. ",
"longInfo": "The Coalbrookdale blast furnace and Ironbridge exerted great influence on the development of techniques and architecture. Ironbridge Gorge provides a fascinating summary of the development of an industrial region in modern times. Mining centres, transformation industries, manufacturing plants, workers' quarters and transport networks are sufficiently well-preserved to make up a coherent ensemble whose educational potential is considerable. The Coalbrookdale blast furnace perpetuates in situ the creative effort of Abraham Darby I, who discovered coke iron in 1709. It is a masterpiece of man's creative genius in the same way as Ironbridge, which is the first known metal bridge, built in 1779 by Abraham Darby III from the drawings of the architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard.\n\nIronbridge Gorge is located in the county of Shropshire, some 30km northwest of Birmingham in the the narrow Severn valley upstream from its confluence with the Caldebrook River in Coalbrookdale. Ironbridge Gorge is an example representative of the main techniques of the industrial age.\n\nIt is an extraordinary concentration of mining zones, foundries, factories, workshops and warehouses, which coexists with an old network of lanes, paths, roads, ramps, canals and railroads, as well as substantial remains of traditional landscape and housing, the forests of the Severn Gorge, ironmasters' houses, workers' living quarters, public buildings and infrastructure equipment of the 18th and 19th centuries.\n\nSince 1968, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has coordinated actions in the areas of discovery, conservation and exploitation of the valley's heritage in addition to providing sound management of museums, monuments and sites and thereby acting as a pioneer in the field of industrial archaeology.\n\nIn the area there are five major areas of interest:"
},
{
"id": "240",
"year": 1986,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Khajuraho Group of Monuments",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N24 51 7.992 E79 55 19.992",
"lat": 24.852220000000003,
"lng": 79.92222000000001,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/240",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0240_0001-750-0-20130801164256.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Khajuraho Group of Monuments © Aneta Ribarska ",
"shortInfo": "Khajuraho Group of Monuments\n\nThe temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050. Only about 20 temples remain; they fall into three distinct groups and belong to two different religions – Hinduism and Jainism. They strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. The Temple of Kandariya is decorated with a profusion of sculptures that are among the greatest masterpieces of Indian art. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "365",
"year": 1986,
"target": "ZWE",
"name": "Khami Ruins National Monument",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S20 9 30 E28 22 36",
"lat": -20.15833333333333,
"lng": 28.37666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0365_0013-750-0-20130920111346.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Khami Ruins National Monument © Our Place ",
"shortInfo": "Khami Ruins National Monument\n\nKhami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been abandoned in the mid-16th century, is of great archaeological interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major centre for trade over a long period of time. ",
"longInfo": "Khami, which still has a considerable archaeological potential, is a site of great interest and provides a testimony adding to that of Great Zimbabwe, developing immediately afterward to the abandonment of this capital.\n\nThe site is located to the west of the Khami River and downstream from the dam built in 1928-29. It is scattered over more than 2 km, from Passage Ruin to North Ruin. The archaeological zone, which was protected against plundering thanks to its 'Royal Reserve' status until the death of King Lobengula in 1893, was not seriously disturbed by the rampant prospecting of the treasure hunters of the Rhodesia Ancient Ruins Company Ltd. It was explored in the 20th century by David Randall-MacIver, Gertrude Caton-Thompson and more recently by K. R. Robinson, whose work has provided in-depth knowledge of the site's history.\n\nAlthough the site is located in a zone where a fairly important human presence can be traced back roughly 100,000 years, it does not appear to have been inhabited continuously until the Iron Age. According to radiocarbon dating methods the city grew between around 1450 and 1650, which fully confirms the study carried out on built-up structures and small archaeological artefacts.\n\nAs is the case in Great Zimbabwe, here several sectors can be distinguished that are clearly differentiated in terms of use. The chief's residence (mambo) was located towards the north, on the Hill Ruins site, which is a hill created largely of alluvial land used to level the terraces, contained by bearing walls. In this sector some highly significant imported goods were found: 16th century Rhineland stoneware, Ming porcelain pieces which date back to the reign of Wan-Li (1573-1691), Portuguese imitations of 17th-century Chinese porcelain, 17th-century Spanish silverware, etc.\n\nThere is a possibility that Khami was visited by Portuguese merchants and even missionaries, because a monumental cross consisting of small blocks of granite can still be seen traced on the rocky ground of Cross Hill, a small hillock immediately north of the mambo residence.\n\nThe population of Khami was spread over several hectares and lived in huts made from cob surrounded by a series of granite walls. The typology of the fences and walls is similar to that of the latest constructions in Great Zimbabwe. Worthy of note are the many decorative friezes, having chevron and checkered patterns, and the great number of narrow passageways and deambulatory galleries, not all of which are covered."
},
{
"id": "378",
"year": 1986,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Mudejar Architecture of Aragon",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N40 20 38.004 W1 6 25.992",
"lat": 40.34389,
"lng": -1.10722,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/378",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0378_0001-750-0-20090911172741.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mudejar Architecture of Aragon © Adam Mizrahi ",
"shortInfo": " Mudejar Architecture of Aragon\n\nThe development in the 12th century of Mudejar art in Aragon resulted from the particular political, social and cultural conditions that prevailed in Spain after the Reconquista. This art, influenced by Islamic tradition, also reflects various contemporary European styles, particularly the Gothic. Present until the early 17th century, it is characterized by an extremely refined and inventive use of brick and glazed tiles in architecture, especially in the belfries. ",
"longInfo": "The Mudejar art of Aragon symbolizes pacific coexistence between the Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures, exchanging knowledge and experiences. Within this special historical context Mudejar art came into being in Teruel, as in Toledo, Zaragoza and many other cities. These art forms drew their substance from both the Western tradition and the Eastern Islamic tradition, itself transformed by the artistic accomplishments in the Maghreb and the Emirate of Córdoba. The material culture has survived in space and time thanks to the historical processes of conquest and colonization of new lands.\n\nThe region owes its architecture to the singular nature of the reconquest, in the early 12th century, of territories dominated by the Moors since the 8th century. For various reasons, the Christians allowed the Moors to remain on the reconquered lands and keep their own culture and religion. On the other hand, Islamic art fascinated the Christians, who continued using its themes for a long time. Mudejar art represents the fusion of two artistic traditions, Islamic and Christian, in the region of Aragon. Here the easily available materials were brick, lime, ceramics, and timber, which were also economical in use.\n\nThe history of Mudejar art in Aragon can be divided into three phases:\n\nThe churches are divided into three groups: those with one nave, those with three aisles, and fortress churches. Another category is represented by the bell towers, the most visible element of Mudejar architecture, which are characterized by great richness in their decoration: a variety of geometric patterns of brick reliefs, different patterns of coloured ceramics, elements in gypsum, as well as various architectural forms, niches, windows, and buttresses. The towers can have different forms in plan: octagonal base, square base, or a mixture of both forms. Their internal structure differs from the Almohades model (with one tower inside another), and the stairs are additional feature. Another typical feature of Mudejar architecture is found in the painted and decorated wooden ceilings (e.g. Santa María de Mediavilla) of Teruel. Mudejar architecture is also found in monasteries, castles, and residential buildings.\n\nIn the Province of Zaragoza there are the Palace of La Aljafería, initially an Islamic royal palace; the Cathedral of La Seo del Salvador, built over a former Moorish mosque; the Church of San Pablo, which has a octagonal tower, and its Almohad-type minaret remains largely intact although with some Renaissance additions and a Baroque spire; the Collegiate Church of Santa María, Calatayud, replacing a former Moorish mosque, with the 14th-century cloister on the north side (the largest of such Mudejar constructions); the Parish Church of Santa Tecla, Cervera de la Cañada, built on top of an old castle; and the Church of Santa María, Tobed, which is well preserved and with fine interiors with carved and painted ceilings, built to the order of Pope Benedict XIII under the patronage of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.\n\nTeruel's monuments are: the towers of San Pedro, the cathedral with the painted ceiling, San Salvador and San Martin. The Teruel towers together form a coherent ensemble which is truly characteristic of Mujédar art after the Reconquista. The architects of the Christian churches copied the structure and decoration of Almohad minarets, although giving them new functions right from the start."
},
{
"id": "385",
"year": 1986,
"target": "YEM",
"name": "Old City of Sana'a",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N15 21 20 E44 12 29",
"lat": 15.355555555555556,
"lng": 44.20805555555556,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/385",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0385_0018-750-0-20110809171007.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Old City of Sana'a\n\nSituated in a mountain valley at an altitude of 2,200 m, Sana’a has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years. In the 7th and 8th centuries the city became a major centre for the propagation of Islam. This religious and political heritage can be seen in the 103 mosques, 14 hammams and over 6,000 houses, all built before the 11th century. Sana’a’s many-storeyed tower-houses built of rammed earth (pisé) add to the beauty of the site. ",
"longInfo": "Within its partially preserved wall, Sana'a is an outstanding example of a homogeneous architectural ensemble whose design and detail illustrate an organization of space characteristic of the early centuries of Islam which has been respected over time. The houses of Sana'a, which have become vulnerable as a result of contemporary social changes, are an outstanding example of a unique, traditional human settlement. Countless partial studies have been made of the houses of Sana'a, with the objective of eventual demolition. The beauty of the urban landscape of Sana'a, whose overall appearance should remain intact, attests that they should be preserved integrally.\n\nThe City of Sana'a, capital of Yemen since 1962, is a fine example of artistic and pictorial quality, now considered to be a homogenous ensemble made up of tower-houses built from rammed earth. Its history covers a period of over 2,000 years. Given official status in the 2nd century BC when it was an outpost of the Yemenite kingdoms, Sana'a (Arabic for 'fortified place') was associated with all the major historical events that took place in Arabia Felix. The site of the cathedral and the martyrium constructed during the period of Abyssinian domination (525-75) bear witness to Christian influence whose apogee coincided with the reign of Justinian.\n\nThe remains of the pre-Islamic period were largely destroyed as a result of profound changes in the city from 628. Beginning with the early years of the Hegira, Sana'a became a major centre for the spread of the Islamic faith. The Great Mosque is said to have been constructed while the Prophet was still living, with materials recovered from the Ghumdan Palace and the cathedral.\n\nThe successive reconstructions of Sana'a under Ottoman domination, beginning in the 16th century, respected the proportions and balance of the medieval city while changing its appearance. At the same time, a new city grew up to the west of the first settlement and is contiguous with it. The new city covers a similar surface area.\n\nThe houses in the old city are of relatively recent construction and have a traditional structure. The stone-built ground floor houses provisions and livestock. A staircase leads to the upper floors which normally comprise, successively, a large common room, which served as a meeting room for business affairs; the divan, used exclusively for festivities and family gatherings; smaller, private living quarters; and, last, on the top floor, the mafraj, a room where men meet in the afternoon. Large windows line three walls of the room forming a kind of loggia. The only differentiating feature of these tower-like houses is the size and number of floors (there may be as many as nine), and the quality of the ornamental and painted decoration of the windows, friezes and coping."
},
{
"id": "384",
"year": 1986,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Old Town of Cáceres",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N39 28 27.984 W6 22 12",
"lat": 39.47444,
"lng": -6.369999999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/384",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0384_0001-750-0-20090924134346.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Old Town of Cáceres © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Old Town of Cáceres\n\nThe city's history of battles between Moors and Christians is reflected in its architecture, which is a blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance styles. Of the 30 or so towers from the Muslim period, the Torre del Bujaco is the most famous. ",
"longInfo": "Cáceres is an outstanding example of a city that was ruled from the 14th to 16th centuries by powerful rival factions: fortified houses, palaces and towers dominate its spatial configuration. This city in Estremadura bears the traces of highly diverse and contradictory influences, such as Islamic arts, Northern Gothic, Italian Renaissance, arts of the New World, etc. The walls of the city bear exceptional testimony to the fortifications built in Spain by the Almohads. The Torre Desmochada in Cáceres is part of an ensemble of walls and towers which is representative of a civilization and which has been largely conserved.\n\nFew traces of the Colonia Norbensis Caesarina, founded 29 BC, remain in the urban landscape; here and there traces of the cardo and the decumanus can be perceived. All that is left of the Roman wall, substantially reworked by the Arabs, is a few wall sections and some foundation stones.\n\nCaesarina, its name in the 6th century, played only a minor role in the Visigothic Kingdom. It had lost almost all its prominence when the Arabs seized it and made it a fortified city, called Qasri, which in the 12th century Al-Idrisi saw as the principal bridgehead against the Christians. Moreover, during the 12th-century wars, after the Almohads had lost and then retaken the city several times, they built remarkable fortifications which completely changed the appearance of the Roman walls. Flanking towers were positioned externally a few metres from the rampart and connected to it by a wall; five of the towers, rectangular in shape, still stand to the west, including the famous Torre del Bujaco; two polygonal towers can be seen to the south (Torre Redonda and Torre Desmochada); to the east, the Torre de los Pozos, rising 30 m above the rampart walk, is partly built into a barbican.\n\nFew monuments have survived from the Muslim period within the walls. The most significant is the five-nave reservoir with three bays, incorporated into the Casa de las Veletas in the 16th century. Although most of the monuments have been lost (the site of the Alcázar was parcelled out in 1473), the pattern of the streets, with winding backstreets that open on tiny squares or turn into narrow alleys, is a survival from urban planning during the Almohad period. The number of patios and interior gardens also bears testimony to the influence of Qasri on Cáceres.\n\nAlfonso IX, King of León, recaptured the city from the Moors in 1229. The destiny of Cáceres shifted again in the 14th century with the massive influx of noblemen who had initially been excluded from repoblación as a result of measures imposed by Alfonso IX. In the space of a few decades, fortified houses dotting the landscape made the city a perfect example of a feudal city, which since 1312 had been the stage for power struggles between rival clans. Notable among the oldest seigniorial fortresses are the Palacio de la Generala, the house and tower de las Cigüeñas, Casa de los Ovando-Perero, Torre de los Espaderos, and Casa Espadero-Pizarro or Casa del Mono.\n\nIn the 15th and 16th centuries, noble pride is demonstrated by richly decorated coats of arms and a surge of towers, machiccolation and crenellation. The Catholic Kings tore down most of these unusual constructions, but preserved some in deference to the wishes of a few select lords (e.g. Palacio de los Golfines de Arriba, Palacio de las Cigüeñas). Only their smaller proportions and a more modest system of defence distinguish the city's exquisite stone houses from the palaces (Casa de Aldana, Casa del Sol, Casa del Aguila, Casa de Ulloa, Casa de Carvajal, etc.). When the 'Americans' returned, new palaces were constructed: Palacio Godoy, built by a newly rich conquistador and Palacio de los Toledo-Moctezuma, built in the second half of the 16th century for the grandson of the Aztec who had greeted Cortes when he reached Mexico. A wide variety of styles is reflected in these constructions and the city's contemporary structures, palaces, churches or convents. The later addition of the imposing Jesuit church of San Francisco Javier (1755) did not disturb the harmony of an urban fabric which had been remodelled according to a common pattern."
},
{
"id": "362",
"year": 1986,
"target": "LBY",
"name": "Old Town of Ghadamès",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N30 7 60 E9 30 0",
"lat": 30.133333333333333,
"lng": 9.5,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/362",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0362_0001-750-0-20110225170246.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Federica Leone ",
"shortInfo": "Old Town of Ghadamès\n\nGhadamès, known as 'the pearl of the desert', stands in an oasis. It is one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities and an outstanding example of a traditional settlement. Its domestic architecture is characterized by a vertical division of functions: the ground floor used to store supplies; then another floor for the family, overhanging covered alleys that create what is almost an underground network of passageways; and, at the top, open-air terraces reserved for the women. ",
"longInfo": null
},
{
"id": "367",
"year": 1986,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 45 0 E6 37 60",
"lat": 49.75,
"lng": 6.633333333333334,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/367",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0367_0008-750-0-20130125113708.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier © Silvan Rehfeld ",
"shortInfo": "Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier\n\nTrier, which stands on the Moselle River, was a Roman colony from the 1st century AD and then a great trading centre beginning in the next century. It became one of the capitals of the Tetrarchy at the end of the 3rd century, when it was known as the ‘second Rome’. The number and quality of the surviving monuments are an outstanding testimony to Roman civilization. ",
"longInfo": "Trier is an example of a large Roman capital after the division of the empire. The remains of the Imperial Palace, in addition to the Aula Palatina and the Imperial Thermae, are impressive in their dimensions. The city bears exceptional testimony to Roman civilization owing to the density and the quality of the monuments preserved: the bridge, the remains of the fortified wall, thermae, amphitheatre, storehouses, etc. In particular, funerary art and the craftsmanship of potters, glassworkers, and moneyers flourished in the city.\n\nSometimes referred to as the 'second Rome', Trier had no claim to this title until the division of the empire by Diocletian in 286 and the institution of the Tetrarchy seven years later. However, even before this era, the Roman city was flourishing. The original centre of the colonial town, the regular insulae, for the most part built during the reign of Claudius (41-54), had extended so much by the mid-2nd century that a wall was built, enclosing the industrial quarters and the nearest thermae (baths) to the south, the amphitheatre, which extended beyond the decumanus maximus to the east, and, most likely, a hippodrome. At the same time, a sandstone and basalt bridge was built over the Moselle, extending westward from the decumanus, which replaced an earlier construction, the foundations of which have been found.\n\nIt was between 258 and 268, when Postumus took up residence there in order to foil the threats of the Franks and the Alemans on the limes (frontier) that Trier became a capital for the first time. When Constantius Chlorus, the ruler of Brittany and Gaul since the division of 293, moved there, it gave more permanence to this choice.\n\nThe reconstruction of the city, the name of which was changed to Treveris, was then undertaken on a large scale by Constantine the Great after 306. The restored amphitheatre and thermae, the Circus maximus, and what remains of an immense imperial palace, construction of which required the destruction of several insulae, reflect a deliberate political choice that grew out of the new balance established by the Tetrarchy. Trier is directly and tangibly associated with one of the major events of human history, Constantine's march against Maxentius in 312, which was a prelude to the Edict of Milan (313) and which signalled the recognition of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.\n\nIt was in Trier that in 326 Constantine founded the twin basilicas to commemorate his twenty years of power; they live on in the form of the Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady. After the death of the great emperor in 337, Trier was the place of residence of his son, Constantine II, and afterward of Valentinian and Gratian. As well as being the capital of the Empire, Trier was additionally the location of the Prefecture of Gaul, an immense administrative district which stretched from the limes germanicus to the Atlantic and from Hadrian's Wall to Tingitana in Mauritania.\n\nDuring the reign of Constantine the Great, the primordial role of Trier in the spread of Christianity became manifest. The invasions of the Goths ushered in the decline of Trier. The imperial capital was then moved to Milan, which was the capital of the Gallic Prefecture of Arles. However, the evolution of Trier has been marked by historical continuity. The layout of the city still corresponds to its 2nd-century configuration, with the major thoroughfares of the cardo (Simeonstrasse) and the decumanus (bridge). For a long time, the major monuments were used in their original capacity: for example, the Aula Palatina ,where Constantine gave audiences, became the palatium of the Frankish counts before falling around 1200 into the hands of the Bishops of Trier who, also Prince-Electors, made this great hall a part of their palace between 1615 and 1647. The surviving Roman gate, known as the Porta Nigra, has undergone several changes of use\n\nOthers changed in terms of form but not in terms of use, such as Constantine's two basilicas, which were almost completely reconstructed between the 11th and 13th centuries and which fossilize, as it were, the primitive religious centre whose location has endured."
},
{
"id": "390",
"year": 1986,
"target": "SVN",
"name": "Škocjan Caves",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N45 40 0.012 E14 0 0",
"lat": 45.666669999999996,
"lng": 14,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/390",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0390_0017-750-0-20130611142059.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Škocjan Caves © Borut Lozej ",
"shortInfo": "Škocjan Caves\n\nThis exceptional system of limestone caves comprises collapsed dolines, some 6 km of underground passages with a total depth of more than 200 m, many waterfalls and one of the largest known underground chambers. The site, located in the Kras region (literally meaning Karst), is one of the most famous in the world for the study of karstic phenomena. ",
"longInfo": "The Škocjan Caves lie in the north-east section of Kraski Landscape Park. The protected area extends over 200 ha and includes four deep and picturesque chasms, Sokolak in the south, Globocak in the west, Sapen dol and Lisicina in the north. They are components of the cave system and are alike floristically. The site also includes the Mahorcic cave which has several underground lakes and five cascades.\n\nThe system of subterranean passages, fashioned by the Reka River, constitutes a dramatic example of large-scale karst drainage. An underground system of passages runs from the Reka's source to Timavo on the Gulf of Trieste in Italy. In places the surfaces of the galleries at several levels have collapsed and give the appearance of deep chasms. The river enters the Škocjan grotto in an underground passage 350 m long, reappearing in the bottom of a 150 m deep and 300 m long chasm, before disappearing into a passage 2 km long. There are five galleries and a canal. A gallery of stalactites and stalagmites leads to the surface. In total there are 25 cascades along the river.\n\nArcheological excavations have revealed that the site has been occupied for more than 10,000 years. Archaeological finds point to continuous settlement from the middle Stone Age to the Iron Age, when a fort was constructed where Škocjan stands today. The Romans erected another fortification in the same place, and during the Middle Ages a fortified rural settlement was established. Documentary references exist since the time of Posidinuis (135-50 BC). It has frequently been written about, with important descriptive works appearing in 1599 and 1689.\n\nA mixture of habitats is represented corresponding to the floras of Central Europe, the Mediterranean, Submediterranean, Ilyrian and Alpine, all of which are present side by side in the Great Valley. The rare endemic Campanula justiniana grows here at its type locality.\n\nThe system of grottos is rich in speleofauna. The underground galleries hold five species of wintering bat in large numbers.\n\nEver since the first scientific studies were carried out in the 19th century, the grotto system has been considered important karst phenomena in Europe and all organizations responsible for it have maintained it intact. The caves were first explored by Svetina in 1839, who descended 100 m into the Reka. Speleological research began in 1851 (and continues to date), research on the water system in 1893 and in 1894 the famous speleologist Martel published the work Les abimes .\n\nThe total population of 400 is present in three villages (Škocjan pri Divaci, Matavan and Betanja) within this area."
},
{
"id": "387",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "St Kilda",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N57 49 2 W8 34 36",
"lat": 57.81722222222223,
"lng": -8.576666666666666,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/387",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0387_0001-750-0-20100121100942.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "St Kilda © Nomination File ",
"shortInfo": "St Kilda\n\nThis volcanic archipelago, with its spectacular landscapes, is situated off the coast of the Hebrides and comprises the islands of Hirta, Dun, Soay and Boreray. It has some of the highest cliffs in Europe, which have large colonies of rare and endangered species of birds, especially puffins and gannets. The archipelago, uninhabited since 1930, bears the evidence of more than 2,000 years of human occupation in the extreme conditions prevalent in the Hebrides. Human vestiges include built structures and field systems, the cleits and the traditional Highland stone houses. They feature the vulnerable remains of a subsistence economy based on the products of birds, agriculture and sheep farming. ",
"longInfo": "St Kilda is of exceptional natural beauty and supports significant natural habitats. It is unique in the very high bird densities that occur in a relatively small area which is conditioned by the complex and different ecological niches existing in the site. There is also a complex ecological dynamic in the three marine zones present in the site that is essential to the maintenance of both marine and terrestrial biodiversity.\n\nThe cultural landscape of St Kilda is an outstanding example of land use resulting from a type of subsistence economy based on the products of birds, agriculture and sheep farming; reflecting age-old traditions. The built structures and field systems, the cleits and the traditional stone houses of the Highlands bear testimony to over two millennia of human occupation of distant land in extreme conditions.\n\nThe archipelago of St Kilda, the remotest part of the British Isles, in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, is the remains of a Tertiary ring volcano, weathered and glaciated to produce dramatic precipitous cliffs. Two stacks adjoining Boreray are the highest in the country: Stac an Armin (191 m) and Stac Lee (165 m). the rocks are predominantly gabbro, granophyre, dolerite and basalt.\n\nThere is archaeological evidence of habitation from over 2,000 years ago, concentrated at Village Bay and Gleann Mor, including evidence of Bronze Age occupation and Viking visits. Important changes came in the 19th century, when most of the earlier structures and residential buildings were replaced with new. The church is a relatively plain two-bay oblong structure built in 1826, a schoolroom being added on the north-west side in 1898-1900. As a result of several outside influences, including religious missionaries, a devastating outbreak of smallpox, and tourism, the islands were finally evacuated in 1930.\n\nThe most common traditional structure on St Kilda is the cleit, of which is about 1,260 have been recorded on Hirta, distributed all over the island, and more than 170 others on the outlying islands and stacks. Cleits are small drystone structures of round-ended rectilinear form, with drystone walls and a roof of slabs covered with earth and turf. Within this basic plan are numerous variations of door position and examples even includes integral adjoining cells. Cleits were usually used to store materials, and their generally open wall construction was designed to allow a through-flow of air. They were used to store birds, eggs and feathers, and harvested crops as well as peat and turf which were both used as fuel.\n\nThe protected settlement areas on St Kilda are:"
},
{
"id": "373",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N51 10 44 W1 49 31",
"lat": 51.178888888888885,
"lng": -1.8252777777777778,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/373",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0373_0001-750-0-20100608164902.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites\n\nStonehenge and Avebury, in Wiltshire, are among the most famous groups of megaliths in the world. The two sanctuaries consist of circles of menhirs arranged in a pattern whose astronomical significance is still being explored. These holy places and the nearby Neolithic sites are an incomparable testimony to prehistoric times. ",
"longInfo": "Stonehenge, Avebury and their associated sites represent a masterpiece of human creative genius of the Neolithic age.\n\nThe site of Stonehenge and Avebury is the best-known ensemble circular megalithic characteristic of the Neolithic civilization in Britain. A number of satellite sites make it possible to better understand the more famous sites by situating them in a broader context.\n\nStonehenge, which was built in several distinct phases from 3100 to 1100 BC, is one of the most impressive megalithic monuments in the world on account of the sheer size of the menhirs, and especially the perfection of the plan, which is based upon a series of concentric circles, and also because of its height: from the third phase of construction on, large lintels were placed upon the vertical blocks, thereby creating a type of bonded entablature. For the constructions two different materials were used: irregular sandstone blocks known as sarsens, quarried in a plain near Salisbury and bluestones quarried about 200 km away in Pembroke County, Wales. An avenue with a bend in it leads to and away from the exterior circle.\n\nAlthough the ritual function of the monument is not known in detail, the cosmic references of its structure appear to be essential. The old theory that the site was a sanctuary for worship of the Sun, although not the subject of unanimous agreement among prehistorians, is nevertheless illustrated by the yearly Midsummer Day ceremony during which there is a folkloric procession of bards and druids at Stonehenge.\n\nAvebury (about 30 km to the north), although not so well known as Stonehenge, is nevertheless Europe's largest circular megalithic ensemble. Its exterior circle comprises some 100 menhirs. In all, 180 standing stones were put into place before the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, as demonstrated by abundant ceramic samples found on the site. There are four avenues (of which only the southern one, West Kennet Avenue, is still lined with megaliths) leading to the four cardinal points of the 'sanctuary'.\n\nNot far from Avebury, among a several satellite sites, are to be found Silbury Hill, where Europe's largest known barrow of prehistoric times is located, as well as Windmill Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow, and Overton Hill."
},
{
"id": "389",
"year": 1986,
"target": "SRB",
"name": "Studenica Monastery",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 29 9.996 E20 32 12.012",
"lat": 43.486110000000004,
"lng": 20.53667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/389",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0389_0001-750-0-20090923155506.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Studenica Monastery ",
"shortInfo": "Studenica Monastery\n\nTheStudenica Monastery\n\n was established in the late 12th century by Stevan Nemanja, founder of the medieval Serb state, shortly after his abdication. It is the largest and richest of Serbia’s Orthodox monasteries. Its two principal monuments, the Church of the Virgin and the Church of the King, both built of white marble, enshrine priceless collections of 13th- and 14th-century Byzantine painting. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "372",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N54 6 58 W1 34 23",
"lat": 54.11611111111111,
"lng": -1.5730555555555557,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/372",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0372_0001-750-0-20131014172358.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey © Valerio Li Vigni ",
"shortInfo": "Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey\n\nA striking landscape was created around the ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey and Fountains Hall Castle, in Yorkshire. The 18th-century landscaping, gardens and canal, the 19th-century plantations and vistas, and the neo-Gothic castle of Studley Royal Park, make this an outstanding site. ",
"longInfo": "The Fountains site owes its originality and striking beauty to the fact that a humanized landscape of exceptional value was constituted around the largest medieval ruins of the United Kingdom, to serve as testimony to Cistercian expansion in England. Essential to the ruins of the abbey are the small Fountains Hall Castle, the landscaping, the gardens, and the canal created by John Aislabie in the 18th century, the plantations and vistas of the 19th century, and Studley Royal Church.\n\nFountains Abbey was founded in 1132 by 13 monks of St Mary's of York, who were searching for an ideal of life in closer keeping with St Benedict's teachings. In 1133, Fountains was recognized as a daughter house of Clairvaux. From the start the abbey benefited from large donations. In the 13th century its land wealth grew to enormous proportions.\n\nWhen the monastic community was broken up after 1530, Fountains was the richest abbey in the kingdom. These four centuries of prosperity are reflected in the utter magnitude of the ruins of the buildings, which constituted the largest monastic complex in Great Britain. Its construction lasted from the 12th to the 16th century, but the abbey was abolished by Henry VIII.\n\nThe nave of the abbey church, with its characteristic structure combining Burgundian-type elevation is close to the pristine ideal of Cistercian austerity. The rich array of monastic buildings grouped together to the south also testifies to the deep-seated changes occurring in a community which rapidly grew away from the pristine ideal owing to its land wealth and its spiritual influence.\n\nAround the cloister, to the east, can be seen the remains of the Chapter House, perpendicular to the gallery, separated from the transept by a vestry. To the south there is a refectory, also running perpendicular to the gallery, flanked by a calefactory and a kitchen. To the west there is an immense storeroom, still standing and the lay brothers' refectory. The monks' dormitory, originally located on the upper floor of the east wing, is no longer there.\n\nAll sorts of annex buildings were added in the vicinity of the cluster of regular and characteristic structures making up the Cistercian abbey: the lay brothers' infirmary, a long corridor leading to various quarters, prison, mortuary chamber, the monks' infirmary with separate kitchen, storeroom and chapel. Near the main complex can also be seen the ruins of the abbey's mill, bakery and malt house.\n\nSt Mary's Church in Studley Royal, 1 km north of Fountains Abbey, is typical of the neo-Gothic style of the Victorian age. The Anglican Church, built between 1871 and 1878 for the Marquis and Marchioness of Ripon, was the religious masterpiece of architect William Burges. It has a highly decorated interior characteristic of Victorian Anglo-Catholic religious sentiments.\n\nThe marquis, who had succeeded to the estate in 1859, was a successful politician and Viceroy of India in 1880-84. A deeply religious man, he disliked Renaissance architecture and looked back with nostalgia to what he saw as the more humanitarian caring Middle Ages.\n\nJohn Aislabie inherited the Studley's estate in 1693. A socially and politically ambitious man, he first became the Tory Member of Parliament for Ripon in 1695 and in 1718 became Chancellor of the Exchequer. Aislabie returned to Yorkshire and devoted himself to the creation of the garden he had begun in 1718. After his death in 1742, his son William extended his scheme by purchasing the remains of the abbey. He also extended the landscaped area in the picturesque romantic style, contrasting with the formality of his father's work. Between them, the two created what is arguably England's most important 18th-century water garden. It escaped major reshaping and the garden and park passed to the Vyner family, descendants of the Aislabies. In 1966 the estate was purchased by West Riding County Council and was acquired by the National Trust in 1983."
},
{
"id": "392",
"year": 1986,
"target": "GRC",
"name": "Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 26 5.928 E21 53 48.984",
"lat": 37.434979999999996,
"lng": 21.89694,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/392",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0392_0001-750-0-20090924102441.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae\n\nThis famous temple to the god of healing and the sun was built towards the middle of the 5th century B.C. in the lonely heights of the Arcadian mountains. The temple, which has the oldest Corinthian capital yet found, combines the Archaic style and the serenity of the Doric style with some daring architectural features. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "404",
"year": 1987,
"target": "GRC",
"name": "Acropolis, Athens",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 58 15.132 E23 43 34.248",
"lat": 37.970870000000005,
"lng": 23.72618,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/404",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0404_0001-750-0-20110920201757.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Acropolis, Athens\n\nThe Acropolis of Athens and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world. In the second half of the fifth century bc, Athens, following the victory against the Persians and the establishment of democracy, took a leading position amongst the other city-states of the ancient world. In the age that followed, as thought and art flourished, an exceptional group of artists put into effect the ambitious plans of Athenian statesman Pericles and, under the inspired guidance of the sculptor Pheidias, transformed the rocky hill into a unique monument of thought and the arts. The most important monuments were built during that time: the Parthenon, built by Ictinus, the Erechtheon, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis, designed by Mnesicles and the small temple Athena Nike.  ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "393",
"year": 1987,
"target": "GRC",
"name": "Archaeological Site of Delphi",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 28 53.364 E22 29 46.212",
"lat": 38.48149,
"lng": 22.49617,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/393",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0393_0001-750-0-20140612150806.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Archaeological Site of Delphi © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Archaeological Site of Delphi\n\nThe pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo spoke, was the site of the omphalos, the 'navel of the world'. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi in the 6th century B.C. was indeed the religious centre and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "433",
"year": 1987,
"target": "OMN",
"name": "Bahla Fort",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N22 57 51.012 E57 18 3.996",
"lat": 22.96417,
"lng": 57.301109999999994,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/433",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0433_0018-750-0-20110809165950.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Editions Gelbart ",
"shortInfo": "Bahla Fort\n\nThe oasis of Bahla owes its prosperity to the Banu Nebhan, the dominant tribe in the area from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. The ruins of the immense fort, with its walls and towers of unbaked brick and its stone foundations, is a remarkable example of this type of fortification and attests to the power of the Banu Nebhan. ",
"longInfo": "Bahla Fort is an outstanding example of the characteristic military architecture of the Sultanate of Oman.\n\nThe Omani civilization dates back thousands of years. In biblical times the country was the hub of the rich trade in frankincense, the aromatic gum which was once considered more precious than gold. Known for their seafaring tradition, the Sultans of Oman ruled over a wealthy trading empire that stretched from the coast of East Africa to the tip of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th centuries.\n\nAt the foot of Djebel Akhdar lie the fortresses of Rustaq to the north, and Izki, Nizwa and Bahla to the south. These have all been capitals at some time in their history, and as a consequence have played an important role in the history of Oman. It was here that the Kharijite communities resisted all attempts at 'normalization' by Caliph Harun Al-Rashid, and put into practice their religious concepts, which were at once radically puritanical and democratic.\n\nNot far from the capital of Oman, the oasis of Bahla owed its prosperity to the Banu Nabhan who, from the mid-12th to the end of the 15th centuries, imposed their rule on the other tribes. Only the ruins of what was a glorious past now remain in this magnificent mountain site. Built on a stone base, the adobe walls and towers of the immense fort probably include some structural elements of the pre-Islamic period, but the major part of the constructions dates from the prosperous time of the Banu Nabhan, with the latest reconstruction dating from the beginning of the 16th century. At the foot of the fort, to the south-west, lies the Friday Mosque with its beautiful sculpted mihrab (prayer niche) probably dating back to the 14th century.\n\nThese monuments are inseparable from the small town of Bahla and its souk, palm grove and adobe ramparts surrounding the oasis, a remarkable work with towers, doors and underground irrigation channels.\n\nThe monuments of Bahla were in a critical state when it was inscribed on the World Heritage List. It had never been restored (thereby conserving a high degree of authenticity), and was not protected by any conservation measures. The terrace of the Friday Mosque had not undergone maintenance work, and it collapsed between 1981 and 1983, causing the arches to cave in and the wall plastering to be torn away, thus endangering the mihrab (prayer niche) in the building, which the Ibadite community had abandoned in favour of the new mosque. A detailed survey was made in 1977 by the Omani Archaeology Department, but restoration work did not make any headway until 1988. This was entirely financed by the Omani Government, with photogrammetric recording by the Mining Museum in Bochum (Germany). By 2005 it was virtually complete."
},
{
"id": "425",
"year": 1987,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Blenheim Palace",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N51 50 31 W1 21 41",
"lat": 51.841944444444444,
"lng": -1.361388888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/425",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0425_0001-750-0-20090915122907.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Blenheim Palace © mazzle278 ",
"shortInfo": "Blenheim Palace\n\nBlenheim Palace, near Oxford, stands in a romantic park created by the famous landscape gardener 'Capability' Brown. It was presented by the English nation to John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, in recognition of his victory in 1704 over French and Bavarian troops. Built between 1705 and 1722 and characterized by an eclectic style and a return to national roots, it is a perfect example of an 18th-century princely dwelling. ",
"longInfo": "By their refusal of the French models of classicism, Blenheim Palace and park illustrate the beginnings of the English Romantic movement, which was characterized by the eclecticism of its inspiration, its return to national sources, and its love of nature. The influence of Blenheim on the architecture and the organization of space in the 18th and 19th centuries was greatly felt both in England and abroad.\n\nBuilt by the nation to honour one of its heroes, Blenheim is, above all, the home of an English aristocrat, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, who was also Prince of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire (as commemorated in the decoration of the Great Drawing Room by Louis Laguerre (1719-20). On 13 August 1704 John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, with the help of Prince Eugene of Savoy, won a decisive victory over French and Bavarian troops at Blindheim. As an expression of the nation's gratitude Queen Anne bestowed on him the royal property of Woodstock, one of the oldest royal properties set in the heart of a forest, rich in game, 13km to the north-west of Oxford. A new palace, commemorating this victory, of colossal dimensions was built between 1705 and 1722; its name became anglicized as Blenheim.\n\nThe works on this outstanding site to begin was entrusted to an ex-soldier and dramatist named John Vanbrugh with the collaboration of an architect, Nicholas Hawksmoor, whose talent was already evident in St Paul's Cathedral in London, Hampton Court, and Whitehall.\n\nThe main interest of this building is the authenticity of its national character: indeed, the decorative and figurative rhetoric all exalt the triumph of the English armies over the French. The term 'English Baroque' has been used when speaking of Blenheim, but this ambiguous and inadequate expression only goes to prove the difficulty art historians have in defining this unclassifiable building.\n\nThe symmetrical plan, with its classic-type spatial organization, is combined with an original elevation: there is something anachronistically defiant in the square towers which stand at the four corners of the main building with their distinct medieval influence. The eclecticism of Vanbrugh, a theatrical taste for stenographic effects which result from the heterogeneous architectural forms used, make Blenheim a pre-Romantic monument whose historical importance cannot be underestimated.\n\nThe innovative character of the palace is accentuated by the conception of the park whose original layout dates back to Vanbrugh: he regulated the course of the River Glyme and created the Great Bridge, which was never completed. However, it was more especially during the period between 1764 and 1774 that 'Capability' Brown, one of the most famous English landscape gardeners, turned this classical park into a wonderful artificial landscape by the creation of two lakes. During the course of the second half of the 18th century, Gothic or neo-Gothic style buildings were built.\n\nIn what remains of the family property of the Dukes of Marlborough (in the palace is the room where Winston Churchill was born in 1874) the evolution of the park has not been held back by conservation measures and its present state owes much to the transformations which were undertaken by the French landscape architect, Achille Duchène, between 1908 and 1930."
},
{
"id": "445",
"year": 1987,
"target": "BRA",
"name": "Brasilia",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S15 46 59.988 W47 53 60",
"lat": -15.783330000000001,
"lng": -47.9,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/445",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0445_0007-750-0-20121115151235.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Brasilia © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Brasilia\n\nBrasilia, a capital created ex nihilo in the centre of the country in 1956, was a landmark in the history of town planning. Urban planner Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer intended that every element – from the layout of the residential and administrative districts (often compared to the shape of a bird in flight) to the symmetry of the buildings themselves – should be in harmony with the city’s overall design. The official buildings, in particular, are innovative and imaginative. ",
"longInfo": "Brasilia, a capital created ex nihilo in the centre of the country in 1956, was a landmark in the history of town planning. The 20th-century principles of urbanism, as expressed by Le Corbusier, have rarely been applied on the scale of capital cities. Only two noteworthy exceptions exist: Chandigarh and Brasilia. Its creators intended that every element, from the layout of the residential and administrative districts (often compared to the shape of a bird in flight) to the symmetry of the buildings themselves, should be in harmony with the city's overall design. The official buildings, in particular, are innovative and imaginative.\n\nThe idea of building a capital in the interior of Brazil is an old one, having been proposed on various occasions since the end of the 17th century. When elected president of the Republic of Brazil in 1955, Juscelino Kubitschek made the creation of the capital city a symbol of his policy to upgrade the image of the entire country, to expand industry, and to undertake major construction projects. In 1956 he appointed a commission to determine an exact location for the city and set up an executive body to carry out the construction work. In the same year, Oscar Niemeyer was made Director of the Department of Architecture and Urban Affairs, and Lucio Costa won the competition held for the plan of Brasilia. This choice brought back together the members of a team that had already proved its worth, Le Corbusier having previously been consulted for this project.\n\nThe definition of an urban ideal based on the separation of functions, the incorporation of vast natural spaces, and a street plan whose wide traffic lanes broke with the tradition of narrower streets, was implicit in the theoretical training of Costa and Niemeyer. However, the practical development of their own style meant that the primary functionalism of the International Style would be rejected in favor of solutions better adapted to the Brazilian context. In this regard, it may be recalled that Niemeyer had built, in 1942-44 at Kubitschek's request, the group at Pampulha, after having designed, in collaboration with Costa, the Brazilian pavilion at the New York World's Fair in 1939.\n\nThe 'pilot plan' that Costa drew up for Brasilia was one of great expressive power. As he himself described it, it was born of the initial gesture of someone designating a place and taking possession of it: a cross formed by two bars intersecting at right angles. This figure was then adapted to the topography and the natural slope of the ground: its orientation was improved by curving the arms of one of the crossbars. The curving north-south axis traces the layout of the wide transportation artery. Along it are the residential zones separated into superquadrats, all practically self-contained, and each possessing its own commercial and leisure centres, green spaces, schools, churches, etc.\n\nThe perpendicular east-west axis, known as the Monumental Axis, links the administrative sections of the new city, which became the official capital in 1960. Oscar Niemeyer's most renowned edifices were built there. They are noteworthy for the purity of their forms and their obvious monumental character, the result of an intelligent balance between horizontal and vertical buildings, rectangular volumes and curved surfaces, and the raw, unfinished materials and polished exteriors of certain structures.\n\nAmong the most beautiful buildings in the urban landscape of Brasilia are those sited around the Plaza of Three Powers, the Planalto Palace, or the Hall of Government, the Congress, with its twin skyscrapers flanked by the cupola of the Senate building and by the inverted cone of the House of Representatives, and finally the Supreme Court. Other structures of an exceptional artistic quality are the Esplanade of the Ministers, the cathedral, the Pantheon of Juscelino Kubitschek and the National Theatre."
},
{
"id": "400",
"year": 1987,
"target": "HUN",
"name": "Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 28 56.712 E19 4 14.412",
"lat": 47.482420000000005,
"lng": 19.07067,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/400",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0400_0040-750-0-20130919125144.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue © Nicolas Economou Photography ",
"shortInfo": "Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue\n\nThis site has the remains of monuments such as the Roman city of Aquincum and the Gothic castle of Buda, which have had a considerable influence on the architecture of various periods. It is one of the world's outstanding urban landscapes and illustrates the great periods in the history of the Hungarian capital. ",
"longInfo": "Within the unified perspective of an immense urban panorama the Danube is the dividing line between two cities, which were quite separate originally: Buda on the spur on the right bank, and Pest in the plain on the left bank. Human occupation of both sites is extremely ancient as it can be traced back to the Palaeolithic period; Celtic populations also established themselves here, attracted by the abundance of thermal springs. But the historic importance of the city is certainly prior to the medieval period, when the two urban developments received their present names. It dates back to the foundation of Aquincum by the Romans, the capital of Lower Pannonia, one of the border provinces of the Empire in the 2nd century AD.\n\nAquincum played an essential role in the diffusion of Roman architectural forms in Pannonia, then in Dacia. Remains of Aquincum and of the camp Contra Aquincum have been revealed by archaeological excavations on both sides of the river and can be seen today, together with a few arches of the aqueduct which supplied the Roman colony, but the present city did not develop on the ruins of the ancient city.\n\nAfter the Hungarian invasion in the 9th century, Pest became the first medieval urban centre, only to be devastated by the Mongol raids of 1241-42. A few years later the castle of Buda was built on a rocky spur on the right bank by Bela IV and the inhabitants of Pest found shelter within its fortified outer walls. The castle is an architectural ensemble illustrating two significant periods of history separated by an interval corresponding to the Turkish invasion. Buda Castle played an essential role in the diffusion of Gothic art in the Magyar region from the 14th century.\n\nThe history of Buda became closely identified with that of the Hungarian monarchy and followed their changing fortunes. There was a brilliant period, corresponding with the Angevin dynasty, from the reign of Charles-Robert (1308-42) to that of Sigismund of Luxembourg (1382-1432). After the end of Hungarian independence, a second golden age coincided with the reign of Matthias Corvinus (1458-90), the humanist king who not only founded the university, the library and the royal printing office, but also attracted Italian architects, sculptors and painters, making Buda one of the main centres of Renaissance art in Europe.\n\nAfter the city was ransacked by the Turks in 1526 and its final fall in 1541, the two original cities were rebuilt and led a semi-lethargic existence until 1686. Recovery did not really begin again until the 18th century, when the Empress Maria Theresa and the Emperor Joseph II took an interest in the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary: the city was then influenced by late Baroque architecture, soon to be supplanted by the more sober lines of discreet neoclassicism. In the 19th century, the city's role as capital became enhanced by the foundation of the Hungarian Academy (1830), after 1862 housed in a neo-Renaissance palace, and especially by the construction of the imposing neo-Gothic Parliament building (1884-1904). The parliament is an outstanding example of a great official building on a par with those of London, Munich, Vienna and Athens. It exemplifies the eclectic architecture of the 19th century, while symbolizing the political function of the second capital of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Since 1849, W. T. Clark's suspension bridge has symbolized the reunification of Buda and Pest (which did not become official until 1873).\n\nWith the Union of Pest and Buda in 1873, Budapest truly became the nation's capital, developing at a faster rhythm than earlier. The symbol of this development is the radial Andràssy Avenue. There had been no attempts at organized urban development since the Middle Ages, and the Hungarian capital needed to make up for this lack in a single great leap in terms of public services, transportation, and city planning. The route of the avenue cut straight through an unregulated suburban area, thereby radically transforming its urban structure. The Siemens and Halske companies built the first underground railway on the European continent there in 1893-96. This also led to the construction of a memorial on Heroes' Square (1894- 1906), the development and extension of the landscape garden, the development of the Szechenyi Baths as an establishment for spa culture, and the Vajdahunyad Castle that displayed the different periods of Hungarian architecture."
},
{
"id": "383",
"year": 1987,
"target": "ESP",
"name": "Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N37 23 1.824 W5 59 29.58",
"lat": 37.38384,
"lng": -5.99155,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/383",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0383_0001-750-0-20090914151230.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Yvon Fruneau ",
"shortInfo": "Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville\n\nTogether these three buildings form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. The cathedral and the Alcázar – dating from the Reconquest of 1248 to the 16th century and imbued with Moorish influences – are an exceptional testimony to the civilization of the Almohads as well as that of Christian Andalusia. The Giralda minaret is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture. It stands next to the cathedral with its five naves; the largest Gothic building in Europe, it houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The ancient Lonja, which became the Archivo de Indias, contains valuable documents from the archives of the colonies in the Americas. ",
"longInfo": "The Cathedral and the Alcázar of Seville bear exceptional testimony to the civilization of the Almohads and to that of Christian Andalusia dating from the Reconquest of 1248 to the 16th century. The Giralda, which influenced the construction of many towers in Spain and the Americas, is a masterpiece of Almohad architecture. The immense cathedral with its five naves is the largest Gothic edifice in Europe. The elliptical space of the Cabildo, created by Hernan Ruíz, is one of the most beautiful architectural works of the Renaissance.\n\nThe cathedral, one of the most vast and ornate religious edifices in the world, contains in its complex structure the wide range of styles resulting from its troubled history. In the Chapel of the Granada, there are the capitals of several columns dating from the time of the Visigoths, the last vestiges of the original cathedral which in 712 the Arab conquerors condemned to destruction. It is, above all, one of the major witnesses of the Almohad period at its apogee. In 1147, when it became the capital of a Muslim empire that covered the whole of the Maghreb, Seville endowed itself with monuments whose splendour the Arabian travellers took great pleasure in pointing out. The Giralda, which was formerly the minaret of the Great Mosque (built in 1172-98 by the Emir Yaqub al-Mansur), escaped destruction and was turned into a bell tower after the reconquest of Seville in 1248. In the 16th century it was topped with a bronze statue symbolizing the Christian faith, which serves as a weather vane (Giraldillo), at an altitude of 97.52m. The only other part of the cathedral which preserves the memory of the Great Mosque is the Patio de los Naranjos on the north, a marvellous interior garden. The Christians wished to replace the mosque, the destruction of which began in 1401, with a cathedral in the Gothic style, unsurpassed by any other. In 1420 Seville became one of the largest international construction sites of the 15th century, employing the most renowned Spanish, Flemish and German architects and sculptors. Seville's prosperity following the discovery of the New World further bolstered the already considerable financial means made available for the construction and embellishment of the cathedral. In the 16th century, it was enhanced by an incomparable ornamentation of stained glass, altarpieces, grille work and stalls. In the 17th century, the cathedral was still the beneficiary of rich donations, and was filled with Baroque sculptures and paintings by the great Sevillian painters Murillo and Valdés Leal.\n\nThe Alcázar and its gardens is a palatial fortress erected beginning in 712 by the conquering Arabs to control the Guadalquivir. It boasts a crenellated enclosure from the Almohad period as well as several interior spaces dating from before the Reconquest. After 1248 it became a royal residence and was renovated under the reign of Peter the Cruel. The palace constructed in the interior of the Alcázar in 1364-66 illustrates the syncretism proper to Mudejar art which borrows its techniques and decorative expression from the Arabian art of Andalusia. The Patio de las Doncellas is evocative of a captivating aesthetic which survived Christianization with its finely worked stuccos, wooden artesonados ceilings, the azulejos of the galleries, and the fountain that rises in the middle of the courtyard. The work of decoration of the apartments, the fountains or the pavilions undertaken between the 15th and 17th centuries, partially respected the original palace, its general layout, and the traditional refinement of an Andalusian palace.\n\nThe Casa Lonja was built by Philip's II favourite architect, Juan de Herrera, to control trade with the American colonies. This new 'Casa de Contratación' was to replace a similar establishment that had been located in the Alcázar outbuildings since 1503. The 'Hall of Trade' designed by Herrera was constructed between 1583 and 1598 in the severe style favoured by the architect of the Escurial. However, even after the last of the work had been completed in 1649, the 'Casa de Contratación' never occupied the chosen premises. Used for various temporary purposes, the Lonja became, in 1784, the Archivo General de Indias and, from 1790, housed all the historic and diplomatic collections relative to the American colonies."
},
{
"id": "353",
"year": 1987,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Chaco Culture",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N36 3 49.6 W107 58 15",
"lat": 36.06377777777777,
"lng": -107.97083333333333,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/353",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0353_0001-750-0-20080618153215.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "retouched/Q.C. CWL8200 Scanner © Sacred Sites / Martin Gray ",
"shortInfo": "Chaco Culture\n\nFor over 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples occupied a vast region of the south-western United States. Chaco Canyon, a major centre of ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, was a focus for ceremonials, trade and political activity for the prehistoric Four Corners area. Chaco is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings and its distinctive architecture – it has an ancient urban ceremonial centre that is unlike anything constructed before or since. In addition to theChaco Culture\n\n National Historical Park, the World Heritage property includes the Aztec Ruins National Monument and several smaller Chaco sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management. ",
"longInfo": "Chaco is an example of a prehistoric or protohistoric culture that is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings and its distinctive architecture. The cultural sites of Chaco Culture National Historical Park They are part of the history and traditions of the Hopi, the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico, and the Navajo, who continue to respect and honour them. Chaco Canyon is the area with the highest concentration of archaeological sites of the whole zone.\n\nFor over 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples occupied a vast region of the south-western United States. In Chaco Canyon, a major centre of the ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, many different clans and peoples created a community for ceremonials, trade, administrative and political activity in the prehistoric Four Corners area. In addition to the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the World Heritage property includes the Aztec Ruins National Monument and several smaller Chaco sites.\n\nThe Anasazi, sedentary farmers as they were, occupied the greater part of the south-west of what is now the United States. Within this culture the Chacos appear as an autonomous group. This society is characterized by a very elaborate ground occupation system which includes a constellation of towns surrounded by satellite villages and linked by a road network, so characteristic of Chaco culture.\n\nThe zenith was from around 1020 to 1110. The highly organized reconstruction of old living places, such as Pueblo Bonito and Penasco Blanco, demonstrates their skill in the use of building techniques in a difficult environment. The Chaco people combined pre-planned architectural designs, astronomical alignments, geometry, landscaping and engineering to create an ancient urban centre of spectacular public architecture. Chaco was connected to over 150 communities throughout the region by engineered roads and a shared vision of the world.\n\nAt the same time it illustrates the increasing complexity of the Chaco social structure: circular kivas having an essentially religious role appeared on a regular basis in the middle of an increasingly differentiated unitary dwelling. More and more roads were built and the signs of extensive trading became more manifest (imports of ceramics and lithic materials, including turquoise). This phase was followed by a period of rapid decadence about 1110. From 1140 to 1200, the Chaco population died out and the pueblos were abandoned.\n\nAfter 1250, the people migrated from the area, moving south, east and west to join relatives living on the Hopi Mesas, along the Rio Grande, and around Zuñi Mountain. The region remained practically uninhabited until the 17th century, when it was taken over by Navajo Indians."
},
{
"id": "428",
"year": 1987,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "City of Bath",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N51 22 53 W2 21 31",
"lat": 51.38138888888889,
"lng": -2.358611111111111,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/428",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0428_0001-750-0-20100510122518.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Roman Baths © Bath Tourism Plus ",
"shortInfo": "City of Bath\n\nFounded by the Romans as a thermal spa, Bath became an important centre of the wool industry in the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, under George III, it developed into an elegant town with neoclassical Palladian buildings, which blend harmoniously with the Roman baths. ",
"longInfo": "After the conquest of Britain in AD 43 by the Romans many of the hot baths constructed in Europe have become major historic cities. Aquae Sulis, constructed in 60-70, continues, under the name of Bath, to be a renowned spa. Its apogee was in the 18th century. The Romans built a temple there dedicated to Sulis, a local divinity whom they associated with Minerva, as well as a hot bath and including two pools, five baths (four Roman and one medieval) and all the standard equipment of tepidaria, frigidaria and hypocausts. These hot baths and its source, which yields over 1,200,000 litres of water daily at more than 46 °C, were built between the 1st and 4th centuries, and their gradual rediscovery began in 1755.\n\nAfter the fall of the old Roman city, medieval Bath became a major wool-producing centre. The religious influence of the city was considerable from 1091 to 1206. A cathedral was built during the episcopacy of Robert de Lewes; it was demolished shortly after 1495 and was later reconstructed as an abbey church in the Perpendicular style. The abbey church was still uncompleted at the time of the Reformation and the work was finished with great difficulty shortly before it was dedicated in 1609.\n\nIn the 18th century, the medium-sized city of Avon experienced an extraordinary rebirth under the impetus of three exceptional figures: John Wood, Ralph Allen and Richard 'Beau' Nash, who had the ambition to make it one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, an ideal site where architecture and the landscape would combine harmoniously for the delight of the enlightened cure-takers.\n\nThe neoclassical style of the grand public buildings (the Rooms, the Pump Room, the Circus, and especially, Royal Crescent) reflected the ambitions of Bath under the reign of George III. Whether of disproportionate or reduced dimensions, the neoclassical constructions of Bath all express the great influence of Palladio, whom Wood, Allen and Adam considered to be their master."
},
{
"id": "420",
"year": 1987,
"target": "BOL",
"name": "City of Potosí",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S19 35 0.996 W65 45 11.016",
"lat": -19.58361,
"lng": -65.75306,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/420",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0420_0003-750-0-20130603153000.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "City of Potosi © A. Sandoval-Ruiz ",
"shortInfo": "City of Potosí\n\nIn the 16th century, this area was regarded as the world’s largest industrial complex. The extraction of silver ore relied on a series of hydraulic mills. The site consists of the industrial monuments of the Cerro Rico, where water is provided by an intricate system of aqueducts and artificial lakes; the colonial town with the Casa de la Moneda; the Church of San Lorenzo; several patrician houses; and the barrios mitayos, the areas where the workers lived. ",
"longInfo": "In the pre-Hispanic period, Potosí was only a small hamlet perched at an altitude of 4,000 m, in the icy solitude of the Andes. It owes its prosperity to the discovery, between 1542 and 1545, of the New World's biggest silver lodes in the Cerro de Potosí, the mountain south of the city which overlooks it. As a result, Potosí is directly and tangibly associated with an event of outstanding universal significance: the economic change brought about in the 16th century by the flood of Spanish currency resulting from the massive import of precious metals from the New World into Seville.\n\nThe 'Imperial City' of Potosí, which it became following the visit of Francisco de Toledo in 1572, exerted lasting influence on the development of architecture and monumental arts in the central region of the Andes by spreading the forms of a Baroque style incorporating Indian influence. Growth was extremely rapid: in the new town, where building began under the terms of the Law of the Indies in 1572, there were by the 17th century 160,000 colonists, as well as 13,500 Indians who were forced to labour in the mines. Following a period of disorganized exploitation of the native silver lodes, the Cerro de Potosí reached full production capacity after 1580, when a Peruvian-developed mining technique, known as patio, was implemented. In the 16th century, this area was regarded as the world's largest industrial complex in which the extraction of silver ore relied on a series of hydraulic mills.\n\nPotosí is the one example par excellence of a major silver mine in modern times. The city and the region conserve spectacular traces of this activity: the industrial infrastructure comprised 22 lagunas or reservoirs, from which a forced flow of water produce the hydraulic power to activate the 140 ingenios or mills to grind silver ore. The ground ore was then amalgamated with mercury in refractory earthen kilns called huayras or guayras. It was then moulded into bars and stamped with the mark of the Royal Mint. From the mine to the Royal Mint, the whole production chain is conserved, along with dams, aqueducts, milling centres and kilns. Production continued until the 18th century, slowing down only after the country's independence in 1825.\n\nThe site consists of the industrial monuments of the Cerro Rico, where water is provided by an intricate system of aqueducts and artificial lakes; the colonial town with the Casa de la Moneda; the Church of San Lorenzo; several patrician houses; and the barrios mitayos, the areas where the workers lived.\n\nThe Casa de la Moneda (House of the Mint), in the centre of the city close to Republic Square, was constructed between 1753 and 1773. The house today is a numismatic museum. It possesses more than 100 colonial pictures and various archaeological and ethnographic collections. The church of San Francisco was the first church built during the colonial period; it houses the patron of Potosí, El Senor de la Vera Cruz. The church of San Lorenzo was built in 1548; it is an outstanding example of dressed stone in the local Baroque style."
},
{
"id": "407",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CMR",
"name": "Dja Faunal Reserve",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "N3 0 0 E13 0 0",
"lat": 3,
"lng": 13,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/407",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0407_0005-750-0-20130529122345.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Dja © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Dja Faunal Reserve\n\nThis is one of the largest and best-protected rainforests in Africa, with 90% of its area left undisturbed. Almost completely surrounded by the Dja River, which forms a natural boundary, the reserve is especially noted for its biodiversity and a wide variety of primates. It contains 107 mammal species, five of which are threatened. ",
"longInfo": "The site is situated on the Dja which almost completely encircles the reserve, forming its natural boundary, except to the south-west.\n\nExcept in the south-east of the reserve, the relief is fairly flat and consists of a succession of round-topped hills. A major fault line on the southern edge of the reserve, which is followed by the Dja River, has lead to the formation of rather deeper cut valleys on the south-eastern edge of the plateau. Cliffs run along the course of the river in the south for some 60 km, and are associated with a section of the river broken up by rapids and waterfalls. Dja is located in a transition zone between the forests of southern Nigeria, south-west Cameroon and the forests of the Congo Basin. It seems likely that the forests of the region are essentially undisturbed.\n\nThe vegetation mainly comprises dense evergreen Congo rainforest with a main canopy at 30-40 m rising to 60 m. The shrub layer contains over 53 species. The forest is also rich in lianes. The herbaceous layer is composed principally of Marantaceae and Mapania species. The Congo rainforest is also characterized by almost pure stands of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forest.\n\nOther main vegetation types are swamp vegetation, and secondary forest around old villages (which were abandoned in 1946) and recently abandoned cocoa and coffee plantations. Composition of the secondary forest is noticeably different as a result of the relative scarcity of species of the Meliaceae .\n\nAlthough the area is poorly studied, it is known to have a wide range of primate species including western lowland gorilla, greater white-nosed guenon, moustached guenon, crowned guenon, talapoin, red-capped mangabey, white-cheeked mangabey, agile mangabey, drill, mandrill, potto, Demidorff's galago, black and white colobus monkey and chimpanzee. Other mammals include elephant, bongo, sitatunga, buffalo, leopard, warthog, giant forest hog and pangolin.\n\nBirds include Bates's weaver, which is endemic to southern Cameroon, and grey-necked picathartes probably also occurs in this reserve. The type locality of Dja River warbler is near the reserve and there are few other records of this kind. Reptiles include python, lizard and two species of crocodile (both of which are threatened species).\n\nA population of pygmies lives within the reserve, in small sporadic encampments, maintaining an essentially traditional lifestyle."
},
{
"id": "244",
"year": 1987,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Elephanta Caves",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N18 58 0.012 E72 56 8.988",
"lat": 18.966669999999997,
"lng": 72.93583000000001,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/244",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0244_0004-750-0-20100705114254.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Elephanta Caves © UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Elephanta Caves\n\nThe 'City of Caves', on an island in the Sea of Oman close to Bombay, contains a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva. Here, Indian art has found one of its most perfect expressions, particularly the huge high reliefs in the main cave. ",
"longInfo": "The island of Elephanta, the glorious abode of Lord Shiva and an epitome of Hindu cave culture, consists of seven caves on an island in the Sea of Oman close to Mumbai which, with their decorated temples and the images from Hindu mythology, bear a unique testimony to a civilization that has disappeared. Here, Indian art has found one of its most perfect expressions, particularly in the huge high reliefs in the main cave.\n\nThe island of Gharapuri, the 'City of Caves', situated about 10 km from Mumbai on the east side of the harbour, owes its name to the enormous stone elephant found there by Portuguese navigators. This elephant was cut into pieces, removed to Mumbai and somehow put together again. It is today the melancholy guardian of Victoria Gardens Zoo in Mumbai, the great metropolis of Maharashtra State and India's second city population-wise.\n\nThe date of the famous Elephanta Caves is still very much debated and varies from the 6th century to the 8th century according to different specialists. They constitute one of the most striking collections of rock-art in India. There are two groups of caves. To the east, Stupa Hill (thus named because of a small brick Buddhist monument at the top) contains two caves, one of which is unfinished, and several cisterns. To the west, the larger group consists of five rock-cut Hindu shrines. The main cave is universally famous for its carvings to the glory of Shiva, who is exalted in various forms and act ions. The cave consists of a square plan mandapa whose sides measure about 27 m.\n\nThe interior is divided up into smaller areas by rows of supports. The whole shape carefully imitates a building; false profiled beams have been carved in the roof of the cave and the supports, which are complex structures, combine, from bottom to top, the shapes of the pillars, columns and capitals found in bonded stone architecture. At the very entrance to the cave, to the north of an esplanade reached by a steep flight of steps, the pilgrim or visitor to this high place of Shivaism is greeted by two large carved panels depicting, on the left, Shiva Yogisvara (Master of Yoga) and, on the right, Shiva Nataraja (King of Dance), both treated in a monumental style still close to that of the Gupta period. In a chapel on the right of the entrance stands the cylindrical lingam, symbol of the Supreme Being and principle of all energy.\n\nThis chapel has four doors, each flanked by colossal figures of dvarapala, those mediator guardians whose task was to admit the faithful and keep out ill-intentioned visitors. On each wall of the mandapa, enormous high-reliefs (maximum height 5.70 m) present further pictures of Shiva. Opposite the entrance, on the south wall, is the famous and unforgettable three-headed bust of the Mahadeva, whose three faces are the incarnation of three essential functions; to the east, Aghora or Bhairava, terrifying destroyer; to the west, Vamadeva, creator of joy and beauty, incarnated by a woman's head; and in the centre, Tatpurusha, master of positive and negative principles of existence and preserver of their harmony.\n\nOn either side of this central figure there are two other reliefs depicting, on the left, androgynous Shiva (Ardhanarisvara) and, on the right, Shiva receiving the waters of the Ganges (Gangadhara). Ten other reliefs, placed in each angle of the main hall and in the aisles to the east and west, depict further episodes from the legend of Shiva, such as the marriage of Shiva to Parvati, Shiva killing the devil Andhaka, etc. The 15 large reliefs surrounding the lingam chapel in the main Elephanta Cave not only constitute one of the greatest examples of Indian art but also one of the most important collections for the cult of Shiva."
},
{
"id": "430",
"year": 1987,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Frontiers of the Roman Empire",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N54 59 33.4 W2 36 3.6",
"lat": 54.99261111111111,
"lng": -2.601,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/430",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0430_0001-750-0-20110920200821.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Judith Herrmann ",
"shortInfo": " Frontiers of the Roman Empire\n\nThe ‘Roman Limes’ represents the border line of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent in the 2nd century AD. It stretched over 5,000 km from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain, through Europe to the Black Sea, and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the Limes today consist of vestiges of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. Certain elements of the line have been excavated, some reconstructed and a few destroyed. The two sections of the Limes in Germany cover a length of 550 km from the north-west of the country to the Danube in the south-east. The 118-km-long Hadrian’s Wall (UK) was built on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian c. AD 122 at the northernmost limits of the Roman province of Britannia. It is a striking example of the organization of a military zone and illustrates the defensive techniques and geopolitical strategies of ancient Rome. The Antonine Wall, a 60-km long fortification in Scotland was started by Emperor Antonius Pius in 142 AD as a defense against the “barbarians” of the north. It constitutes the northwestern-most portion of the Roman Limes. ",
"longInfo": "The “Hadrian’s Wall” which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the transnational property “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”."
},
{
"id": "430",
"year": 1987,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Frontiers of the Roman Empire",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N54 59 33.4 W2 36 3.6",
"lat": 54.99261111111111,
"lng": -2.601,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/430",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0430_0001-750-0-20110920200821.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Judith Herrmann ",
"shortInfo": " Frontiers of the Roman Empire\n\nThe ‘Roman Limes’ represents the border line of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent in the 2nd century AD. It stretched over 5,000 km from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain, through Europe to the Black Sea, and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the Limes today consist of vestiges of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. Certain elements of the line have been excavated, some reconstructed and a few destroyed. The two sections of the Limes in Germany cover a length of 550 km from the north-west of the country to the Danube in the south-east. The 118-km-long Hadrian’s Wall (UK) was built on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian c. AD 122 at the northernmost limits of the Roman province of Britannia. It is a striking example of the organization of a military zone and illustrates the defensive techniques and geopolitical strategies of ancient Rome. The Antonine Wall, a 60-km long fortification in Scotland was started by Emperor Antonius Pius in 142 AD as a defense against the “barbarians” of the north. It constitutes the northwestern-most portion of the Roman Limes. ",
"longInfo": "The “Hadrian’s Wall” which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the transnational property “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”."
},
{
"id": "250",
"year": 1987,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Great Living Chola Temples",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N10 46 59 E79 7 57",
"lat": 10.783055555555556,
"lng": 79.1325,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/250",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0250_0001-750-0-20090918182409.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Great Living Chola Temples ",
"shortInfo": " Great Living Chola Temples\n\nThe Great Living Chola Temples were built by kings of the Chola Empire, which stretched over all of south India and the neighbouring islands. The site includes three great 11th- and 12th-century Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035. Its 53-m vimana (sanctum tower) has recessed corners and a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the straight and severe tower at Thanjavur. The Airavatesvara temple complex, built by Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a 24-m vimana and a stone image of Shiva. The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. ",
"longInfo": "The Great Chola Temples of southern India are an exceptional testimony to the development of the architecture and the ideology of the Chola Empire and the Tamil civilization in southern India. They represent an outstanding creative achievement in the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravida type of temple (characterized by a pyramidal tower).\n\nThe Cholas were the second great historic dynasty of the Tamil Nadu, the Tamil country, which was the home of the ancient Dravidian culture whose influence was so considerable in the whole of south-east Asia. The great temple of Tanjore was built in a few years, from 1003 to 1010, during the reign of the great king Rajaraja (985-1014), true founder of the Chola Empire which spread throughout the whole of southern India, part of Ceylon and the Maldive and Laccadive archipelagos. Richly endowed by the sovereign, the sanctuary, which also bears his name - it is sometimes called Rajarajesvaram - had a permanent staff of several hundred priests, 400 devadasi (sacred dancers), and 57 musicians, according to inscriptions and chronicles. The Brihadisvara's income in gold, silver and precious stones during the Chola period has been precisely evaluated. These vast resources were efficiently managed and provided not only for the upkeep and improvement of the buildings (which was continued until the 17th century) but also for real investments to be made. The temple lent money, at rates which could sometimes reach 30%, to shipowners, village assemblies and craft guilds. Dedicated to Shiva, the Brihadisvara stands to the south-west of the historic city. A first rectangular surrounding wall, 270 m by 140 m, marks the outer boundary.\n\nThis is dominated on the east side by a 30 m high entrance gateway (gopuram). A second wall, with its entrance in line with the first and crowned with a smaller gopuram decorated with two dvarapala (gatekeepers), surrounds a colonnaded inner courtyard. The temple itself, built from granite blocks and, in part, of bricks, is oriented east-west like the courtyard. The layout takes its inspiration from the Pallava tradition, and especially from the layout of the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram. There is a succession of halls and vestibules (mukta-mandapa, maha-mandapa, ardha-mandapa) leading to the shrine, which is crowned with a 13-storey pyramidal tower. This vimana, which is 60.95 m high and, in turn, crowned with a bulb-shaped monolith weighing an estimated 70 tonnes, is rightly considered to be one of the architectural masterpieces of India. The intricately carved decorations covering the outer walls of the temple are continued inside by the well known representations of the 108 poses of the Bharata-Natyam, the classical Indian dance, mimed by Shiva in person.\n\nThe iconographic programme, inspired by Shiva mythology, also consists of a series of murals from the Chola period which decorate the corridor around the shrine. The famous series depicting Rajaraja in conversation with his guru, Karuvur Devar, gives a good idea of the graphic quality, the delicacy of the colours, the expressiveness of the characters which make this sequence one of the great masterpieces of Chola art. Inside the inner courtyard, the Nandi-mandapa, a pavilion which houses the colossal statue of Nandi, the bull mounted by Shiva (vahana), is of very great interest. The temple of Devi, built in the 13th century by the Pandya king Konerinmaikondan, the temple of Subrahmanya, built and covered with carvings in the 17th century by a Nayak king of Madurai, together with additional temples and chapels of a later date (temple of Ganesh, mandapa of Nataraja) complete this remarkable religious architectural group."
},
{
"id": "419",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CAN",
"name": "Gros Morne National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N49 36 45 W57 31 53",
"lat": 49.612500000000004,
"lng": -57.53138888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/419",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0419_0001-750-0-20090916190933.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Gros Morne National Park ",
"shortInfo": "Gros Morne National Park\n\nSituated on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland, the park provides a rare example of the process of continental drift, where deep ocean crust and the rocks of the earth's mantle lie exposed. More recent glacial action has resulted in some spectacular scenery, with coastal lowland, alpine plateau, fjords, glacial valleys, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and many pristine lakes. ",
"longInfo": "Located on the western shore of the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland, the park provides a rare example of the process of continental drift, where deep ocean crust and the rocks of the Earth's mantle lie exposed. More recent glacial action has resulted in some spectacular scenery, with coastal lowland, alpine plateau, fjords, glacial valleys, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and many pristine lakes.\n\nThe park comprises part of the Long Range Mountains on the Gulf of St Lawrence. The park includes coastal lowlands and an alpine plateau. The marine areas included in the park covers the inner portion of St Paul's Inlet, intertidal zones and estuaries. The shoreline features beaches, steep cliffs, and dune formations up to 30 m in height.\n\nAn upland alpine plateau with perched lakes, bare rock and valleys, covers a large proportion of the eastern central park. The serpentine hills in the south-west comprise ultra-basic igneous rocks, which, due to high heavy metal content, inhibit most plant life. A number of steep sided, glacial valleys cut through the Long Range scarp face, forming deep, oligotrophic fjords, with vertical cliffs up to 685 m high. A number of waterfalls are fed in the summer by snow-melt at higher altitudes.\n\nThe park is geologically diverse with areas of Ordovician sedimentary rocks, Precambrian granite and gneiss, Palaeozoic serpentinized ultra-basic rocks, gabbros, volcanic and Lower Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks. Exposed oceanic crust, mantle, a section of ancient Mohorovicic discontinuity, and other distinctive geological features are also found. There is also an unusually complete palaeotological sequence which has been proposed as the world stratotype for the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary.\n\nThere are up to 36 distinct vegetation types and communities, with some vascular species and bryophytes, representing about 60% of Newfoundland's insular flora.\n\nThe coast includes typical shoreline communities, active dunes with white spruce, and cliffs with prostrate spruce and balsam fir. The coastal plain further inland has a number of plant communities including a mosaic of sedges in meadows with American larch scrub. Black spruce dominates wet, oligotrophic sites and balsam fir is found in more protected and mesic areas. Tundra vegetation has developed on the plateau above this and varies from small areas of coniferous forest and stunted forest to bare rock.\n\nFaunal diversity resembles an oceanic rather than continental-shelf island and is markedly reduced compared with the mainland. However a number of species scarce in Canada are found, including lynx, caribou and arctic hare. The more common marine mammals that can be observed from the park, albeit with a diminishing frequency in recent years include pilot, minke and finback whales and harbour seals.\n\nThe avifauna comprises arctic, boreal and pelagic species, with strays from mainland, the north-west Atlantic and Europe. The park is a significant breeding site for harlequin duck, blackpoll warbler, common tern and arctic tern, a nesting site for bald eagle, rock ptarmigan and American tree sparrow, and a stopover for migrating shore birds.\n\nAnadromous Atlantic salmon and arctic char are found in park waters and also in permanent freshwater form in certain landlocked lakes on the Long Range Mountains.\n\nThere are a number of archaeological sites in the park and human habitation can be traced back to the Maritime Archaic Indians (4,500-3,000 years ago) and the Dorset Eskimos (1,800-1,200 years ago). Europeans settled the area from the late 18th century."
},
{
"id": "239",
"year": 1987,
"target": "IND",
"name": "Group of Monuments at Pattadakal",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N15 56 53.988 E75 49 0.012",
"lat": 15.94833,
"lng": 75.81667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/239",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0239_0001-750-0-20090918174041.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Group of Monuments at Pattadakal ",
"shortInfo": "Group of Monuments at Pattadakal\n\nPattadakal, in Karnataka, represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there. One masterpiece from the group stands out – the Temple of Virupaksha, built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband's victory over the kings from the South. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "272",
"year": 1987,
"target": "DEU",
"name": "Hanseatic City of Lübeck",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N53 52 0.012 E10 41 30.012",
"lat": 53.86667,
"lng": 10.69167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/272",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0272_0005-750-0-20130412141613.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Hanseatic City of Lübeck © Hanseatic City of Lübeck ",
"shortInfo": "Hanseatic City of Lübeck\n\nLübeck – the former capital and Queen City of the Hanseatic League – was founded in the 12th century and prospered until the 16th century as the major trading centre for northern Europe. It has remained a centre for maritime commerce to this day, particularly with the Nordic countries. Despite the damage it suffered during the Second World War, the basic structure of the old city, consisting mainly of 15th- and 16th-century patrician residences, public monuments (the famous Holstentor brick gate), churches and salt storehouses, remains unaltered. ",
"longInfo": "Lübeck is the city which, more than any other, exemplifies the power and historic role of the Hanseatic League. Founded in 1143 by Heinrich der Löwe (Henry the Lion) on a small island of the Baltic coast, Lübeck was the former capital and Queen City of the Hanseatic League from 1230 to 1535. As such it was one of the principal cities of this league of merchant cities which monopolized the trade of the Baltic and the North Sea, just as Venice and Genoa exerted their control over the Mediterranean.\n\nThe plan of Lübeck, with its blade-like outline determined by two parallel traffic routes running along the crest of the island, dates to the beginnings of the site and testifies to the expansion of the commercial centre of Northern Europe. To the west lay the richest quarters with the trading houses and the homes of the rich merchants and to the east were small traders and artisans. The very strict socio-economic organization emerges through the singular disposition of the Buden (small workshops) set in the back courtyards of the rich homes, which were accessed through a narrow network of alleyways (Gänge); other lots on the courtyard (Stiftungshöfe) illustrated the charity of the merchants who housed there the impoverished widows of their colleagues.\n\nLübeck remained an urban monument characteristic of a significant historical structure, but the city was severely damaged during the Second World War, in which almost 20% of it, including the most famous monumental complexes, were destroyed - the cathedral, the churches of St Peter and St Mary and especially the Gründungsviertel, the hilltop quarter where the gabled houses of the rich merchants clustered. Selective reconstruction has permitted the replacement of the most important churches and monuments.\n\nOmitting the zones that have been entirely reconstructed, the World Heritage site includes several areas of significance in the history of Lübeck:"
},
{
"id": "409",
"year": 1987,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Hawaii Volcanoes National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N19 24 3 W155 7 25",
"lat": 19.40083333333333,
"lng": -155.12361111111113,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/409",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0409_0001-750-0-20091210172812.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mauna Kea volcano © Sacred Sites ",
"shortInfo": "Hawaii Volcanoes National Park\n\nThis site contains two of the most active volcanoes in the world, Mauna Loa (4,170 m high) and Kilauea (1,250 m high), both of which tower over the Pacific Ocean. Volcanic eruptions have created a constantly changing landscape, and the lava flows reveal surprising geological formations. Rare birds and endemic species can be found there, as well as forests of giant ferns. ",
"longInfo": "Lies in the south-east part of the island of Hawaii (Big Island), the easternmost island of the State of Hawaii, and includes the summit and south-east slope of Mauna Loa and the summit and south-western, southern, and south-eastern slopes of the Kilauea Volcano. The park extends from the southern coast, with its volcanic sea cliff headlands to the summit calderas of Kilauea, the most active volcano in the world (with more than 50 recorded eruptions in the last 33 years up to 1985) and Mauna Loa volcanoes. The latter is a massive, flat-domed shield volcano built by lava flow layers and is considered to be the best example of its type in the world, extending from 5,581 m below sea level to 4,169 m above.\n\nThe Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is greatest and the calderas of Kilauea are one of most studied in the world: in fact there is a geologic station dating from 1912.\n\nThe climatic gradient varies with altitude from tropical humid to alpine desert.\n\nThe park contains a high diversity of plant communities with striking life-form and physiognomic differences; 23 distinct vegetation types have been described for the park, ranging from the very diverse tropical rainforest of 'Ola'a to the scrub and grassland of Ka'u and the alpine tundra of Mauna Loa, grouped into five major ecosystems: subalpine, montane seasonal, montane rainforest, submontane seasonal and coastal lowlands. The 'Ola'a Forest tract, over 4,000 ha in size, is probably the largest remaining tract of virgin ohia and fern forest in the Hawaiian Islands. The native flora numbering 41 species, with a further 40 listed as rare and warranting special attention.\n\nThe park is rich, in archaeological remains particularly along 'the coast with native villages, temples, graves, paved trails, canoe landings, petroglyphs, shelter caves and agricultural areas. Following the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1778-79, Christian influences started in or around 1823, with churches and schools built and the introduction of cattle, goat and pulu (tree-fern product) harvesting and the encouragement of visitors. Extensive ruins of stone structures dating back to the time of Pa'ao (a high priest) in 1275 are present.\n\nLike all natural areas in Hawaii, the park has been subject to considerable biological alteration since man's arrival. Direct removal or alteration of native forest for growing sugar and pineapple plantations, ranching and logging, has altered the native biota of the forest habitats, particularly at low and middle elevations. Except for a single species of bat Hawaiian hoary bat, native mammalian forms are absent. Little is known to date about invertebrate forms. Avian forms present interesting and significant examples of adaptive radiation and of extinction. Most endemic avian species are rare or endangered. Ranching activities and the introduction of species such as the pig, goat and mongoose have had serious biological consequences, including destruction of native ecosystems and widespread extinction of endemic species. Pockets of standing water, created by the wallowing of the feral pigs, provide breeding places for mosquitoes, resulting in serious avian malaria.\n\nThe control programs undertaken on the basis of solid scientific research have been a model for removal of alien animals and plants (including illegal narcotics) on oceanic islands."
},
{
"id": "412",
"year": 1987,
"target": "MEX",
"name": "Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N19 25 5.988 W99 7 58.008",
"lat": 19.41833,
"lng": -99.13278,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/412",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0412_0001-750-0-20091001123325.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Palacio de Bellas Artes © Esparta ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco\n\nBuilt in the 16th century by the Spanish on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the old Aztec capital, Mexico City is now one of the world's largest and most densely populated cities. It has five Aztec temples, the ruins of which have been identified, a cathedral (the largest on the continent) and some fine 19th- and 20th-century public buildings such as the Palacio de las Bellas Artes. Xochimilco lies 28 km south of Mexico City. With its network of canals and artificial islands, it testifies to the efforts of the Aztec people to build a habitat in the midst of an unfavourable environment. Its characteristic urban and rural structures, built since the 16th century and during the colonial period; have been preserved in an exceptional manner. ",
"longInfo": "From the 14th to the 19th century, Tenochtitlan, and subsequently, Mexico City, exerted a decisive influence on the development of architecture, the monumental arts and the use of space first in the Aztec Kingdom and later in New Spain. The monumental complex of the Templo Mayor bears exceptional witness to the cults of an extinct civilization, whereas the lacustrine landscape of Xochimilco constitutes the only reminder of traditional ground occupation in the lagoons of the Mexico City basin before the Spanish conquest.\n\nThe capital of New Spain, characterized by its chequerboard layout, the regular spacing of its plazas and streets, and the splendour of its religious architecture is a prime example of Spanish settlements in the New World.\n\nThe monuments, groups of buildings or sites located at the heart of the major contemporary city amply illustrate the origins and growth of this city that has dominated the region for many centuries. However, evidence is fragmentary and dispersed. The conquistador Hernán Cortés had the ancient city of Tenochtitlan razed in 1521-22 in order to abolish any trace of the pre-Hispanic culture. In the past half-century the Spanish settlement, which was slow to prosper (100,000 inhabitants in 1537 compared with about 500,000 at the time of the conquest), has been totally swallowed up by today's giant metropolis. The sole reminders of the Aztec capital and the capital of New Spain, and of the outlying village, are a few ruins that have survived the flood of concrete.\n\nThe site covers two distinct zones: the historic centre of Mexico City and the lakeside area of Xochimilco. The value of these two properties is unequalled.\n\nThe historic centre includes the archaeological site of the Templo Mayor, which was excavated between 1978 and 1982. It presents a remarkable array of colonial monuments, of which the cathedral is the most famous, and an impressive series of large public edifices from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as the Palacio de las Bellas Artes. Historical continuity from the founding of Tenochtitlan in the 14th century to the present day is therefore perfectly represented.\n\nThe zone of Xochimilco, 28 km to the south, is the only remaining reminder of the lacustrine landscape of the Aztec capital, where the conquistadores destroyed the monuments and drained the canals. On the edge of the residual lake of Xochimilco (the southern arm of the great dried-up lake of Texcoco where the Aztecs had settled on a group of islets linked to solid ground by footbridges), and in the midst of a network of small canals, are still some chinampas, the floating gardens that the Spanish so admired. This half-natural, half-artificial landscape is now an 'ecological reserve'."
},
{
"id": "415",
"year": 1987,
"target": "MEX",
"name": "Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N17 3 42.984 W96 43 18.012",
"lat": 17.06194,
"lng": -96.72167,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/415",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0415_0001-750-0-20080618154653.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Archaeological Site of Monte Albán © Sacred Sites / Martin Gray ",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán\n\nInhabited over a period of 1,500 years by a succession of peoples – Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs – the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Albán were literally carved out of the mountain and are the symbols of a sacred topography. The nearby city of Oaxaca, which is built on a grid pattern, is a good example of Spanish colonial town planning. The solidity and volume of the city's buildings show that they were adapted to the earthquake-prone region in which these architectural gems were constructed. ",
"longInfo": "Three distinct cultural properties are located in the valley of Oaxaca -the historic centre of the city founded in 1529 by the Spanish, the pre-Hispanic archaeological site of Monte Albán, 4 km south-west of the town, and the village of Cuilapan, 12 km away, where the Dominicans undertook, in the mid-16th century, to build a vast monastery.\n\nMonte Albán is an outstanding example of a pre-Columbian ceremonial centre in the middle zone of present-day Mexico, which was subjected to influences from the north - first from Teotihuacan, later the Aztecs - and from the south, the Maya. With its pelota court, magnificent temples, tombs and bas-reliefs with hieroglyphic inscriptions, Monte Albán bears unique testimony to the successive civilizations occupying the region during the pre-Classic and Classic periods. For more than a millennium, it exerted considerable influence on the whole cultural area. Latter-day Oaxaca is a perfect example of a 16th-century colonial town. Its monumental heritage is one of the richest and most coherent in the area that was known as New Spain.\n\nAmong some 200 pre-Hispanic archaeological sites inventoried in the valley of Oaxaca, the Monte Albán complex best represents the singular evolution of a region inhabited by a succession of peoples: the Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs. The zone to the west of Oaxaca includes three principal ensembles: Atzompa, El Gallo and Monte Albán. The latter, built on a 500 m elevation overlooking the valley, gave its name to a remarkable civilization which was probably the first urban civilization in the Americas. Olmec cultural influences from Monte Albán I phase can be found in the 140 engraved stone slabs of the monument Los Danzantes, and reused in several later edifices built on the side of the central esplanade.\n\nThe main part of this impressive ceremonial centre which forms a 300 m esplanade running north-south with a platform at either end was constructed during the Monte Albán II (c. 300 BC-AD 100) and the Monte Albán III phases. Phase II corresponds to the urbanization of the site and the domination of the environment by the construction of terraces on the sides of the hills, and the development of a system of dams and conduits. In 800 the town had more than 50,000 inhabitants.\n\nThe influences of the Teotihuacan culture can be felt in the superhuman, abstract aspect of a massive architectural style which used great volumes combined in a grandiose fashion with immense open spaces. However, unlike Teotihuacan, whose valley location facilitated its layout, Monte Albán was literally carved out from a solid mountain, in various stages spanning 1,500 years. Man-made terraces and esplanades thus replaced the natural unevenness of the site with a whole new sacred topography of pyramids, and artificial knolls and mounds. The ensemble began to decline around 800, when the Mixtecs, descending from the mountains, threatened the Zapotecs living in the valley. The ultimate phases of Monte Albán IV and V were marked by the transformation of the sacred Olmec city into a fortified town.\n\nTowards 1400, the Mixtec chiefs ordained that they be buried in the ancient tombs of the ceremonial centre. Tomb No. 7 at Monte Albán, explored in 1932, is the most famous example of this practice of reuse. It was there that the 'Treasure of Monte Albán' - a fabulous collection of 500 objects - was found. The collection is now housed in the State Museum of Oaxaca. A short time before the arrival of the conquistadores, the Aztecs took control of the valley and founded the stronghold of Huaxyacac. This place name survived, in 1521, when the Spanish erected the fort of Antequera de Oaxaca on the same site.\n\nThe modern city has fortunately retained its historic centre. A total of 1,200 historic monuments, spared by the evolution of the city, has been inventoried and listed. The major religious monuments (cathedral, Santo Domingo, San Francisco, San Agustín, San Filipo Neri, Soledad, etc.), the superb patrician town houses (home of Cortés), and whole streets lined with other dwellings combine to create a harmonious cityscape, and reconstitute the image of a former colonial city whose monumental aspect has been kept intact. Fine architectural quality also characterizes the 19th-century buildings in this city that was the birthplace of Benito Juarez and which, in 1872, adopted the name of Oaxaca de Juarez."
},
{
"id": "416",
"year": 1987,
"target": "MEX",
"name": "Historic Centre of Puebla",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N19 2 49.992 W98 12 29.988",
"lat": 19.047220000000003,
"lng": -98.20833,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/416",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0416_0006-750-0-20121204120916.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "",
"shortInfo": "Historic Centre of Puebla\n\nPuebla, which was founded ex nihilo in 1531, is situated about 100 km east of Mexico City, at the foot of the Popocatepetl volcano. It has preserved its great religious structures such as the 16th–17th-century cathedral and fine buildings like the old archbishop's palace, as well as a host of houses with walls covered in tiles (azulejos). The new aesthetic concepts resulting from the fusion of European and American styles were adopted locally and are peculiar to the Baroque district of Puebla. ",
"longInfo": "In an untouched urban network, the Historic Centre of Puebla comprises major religious buildings such as the Cathedral Santo Domingo and the Jesuit Church, as well as superb palaces such as the host of old houses whose walls are covered in gaily coloured tiles (azulejos). Although 19th-century transformations resulting from the Reform Laws (1857) modified the urban landscape through the closing of many convents, they made it possible for Puebla to be endowed with high-quality public and private architecture.\n\nPuebla and Cholula lie some 100 km east of Mexico City, at the foot of Popocatepetl, one of the highest volcanoes in Mexico. The two cities constitute the same type of colonial city/pre-Hispanic city combination as Oaxaca and Monte Albán further to the south.\n\nThe two cities, which are about 12 km apart, are very closely associated with the history of New Spain and Mexico. Cortés reached Cholula during the summer of 1519 and it was there that he ordered one of the bloodiest massacres of the entire conquest, with the number of victims among the population reaching between 3,000 and 6,000.\n\nIt was in Puebla on 5 May 1862, that General Zaragoza won the first significant victory over the French expeditionary corps. The city was subsequently renamed Puebla de Zaragoza in memory of this event of national importance.\n\nThe cultural heritage of Cholula and Puebla, which is of considerable interest, cannot be reduced to such simple definitions as an archaeological site or a historic centre.\n\nIn Cholula the Spanish city was built on the ruins of the temples which were burnt during the massacre of 1519. Legend has it that the Spaniards, by building a church on the site of each temple, founded a total of 365 churches, one for each day of the year. This is clearly an exaggeration, but the church of San Gabriél, which the Franciscan began building in 1549, lies in fact on the site of the Quetzalcoatl Sanctuary, and Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, which was built in the 18th century at the very top of the enormous acropolis-pyramid clearly illustrates an unbroken historical continuity stretching from pre-Hispanic times to the present day.\n\nIn Puebla, the urban layout of the 'Ciudad de los Angelos', founded ex nihilo in 1531, has been greatly extended into the Cuetlaxcoapan valley. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the original historic city from the highly industrialized (steelworks, mechanical constructions, canning factories) conurbation of over 1 million inhabitants, and the balance between the new city and the old Indian city has been lost for good. Cholula now appears to be just a western suburb of Puebla and it is bound to merge with the state capital in the medium term, even if the two communities remain district."
},
{
"id": "439",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CHN",
"name": "Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N41 47 39 E123 26 49",
"lat": 41.79416666666666,
"lng": 123.44694444444445,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/439",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0439_0001-750-0-20110920200856.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang\n\nSeat of supreme power for over five centuries (1416-1911), the Forbidden City in Beijing, with its landscaped gardens and many buildings (whose nearly 10,000 rooms contain furniture and works of art), constitutes a priceless testimony to Chinese civilization during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang consists of 114 buildings constructed between 1625–26 and 1783. It contains an important library and testifies to the foundation of the last dynasty that ruled China, before it expanded its power to the centre of the country and moved the capital to Beijing. This palace then became auxiliary to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. This remarkable architectural edifice offers important historical testimony to the history of the Qing Dynasty and to the cultural traditions of the Manchu and other tribes in the north of China. ",
"longInfo": "The Imperial Palaces bear exceptional testimony to Chinese civilization, being true reserves of landscapes, architecture, furnishings and objects of art, as well as containing exceptional evidence to the living traditions and the customs of shamanism practised by the Manchu people for centuries. They illustrate the grandeur of the imperial institution from the Qing dynasty to the earlier Ming and Yuan dynasties, as well as Manchu traditions, and present evidence on the evolution of this architecture in the 17th and 18th centuries.\n\nLying at the centre of Beijing to the north of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City was the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is rectangular in shape and is the world's largest palace complex, covering 74 ha. The curtain wall has a gate on each side and there are towers at each of the four corners, affording views over both the palace and the city outside.\n\nThe Forbidden City is an extremely formal place: it is almost symmetrical and hierarchically arranged so that all the important buildings run down the centre, north-south. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which comprise the outer palace where the Emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation, and the Hall of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and the Hall of Earthly Tranquillity, comprising the inner palace where the imperial family lived, stand in a line from south to north on the central axis. In keeping with geomancy, the main gate is in the south and the northern side is 'protected' by the artificial Coal Hill. The buildings of the Forbidden City fully embody the artistic features and style of ancient Chinese palace architecture, and can be called a masterpiece in Chinese, even world, architectural history.\n\nIn 1406 the Ming dynasty Emperor Zhu Di ordered the construction of an imperial palace: its construction began in 1407 and was completed in 1420. The stone needed was quarried from Fangshan, a suburb of Beijing: for 20,000 peasants to be able to move an enormous stone cylinder in winter, engineers created a huge ice path by pouring liquid water on the frozen soil, and thousands of horses pulled the stone across the ice to the centre of Beijing. Wood was even more difficult to move. Giant trees in Sichuan province were felled for the main halls, but it was found that they were too large to move. Workers had to wait until torrential rains washed the logs into rivers, where boatmen steered them into the Grand Canal, from where they were floated north to Beijing and towed into the palace grounds.\n\nThe Imperial Palace of the Qing dynasty in Shenyang consists of 114 buildings; it contains an important library and testifies to the foundation of the last dynasty that ruled China, before it expanded its power to the centre of the country and moved the capital to Beijing. This palace then became auxiliary to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. This remarkable architectural edifice offers important historical testimony to the history of the Qing dynasty and to the cultural traditions of the Manchu and other tribes in the north of China.\n\nWork began on building the palace in 1625 and it was completed in 1636. Although considered to be a miniature of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Shenyang Palace by comparison is smaller in scale. The Manchurian influence behind its construction also shows a departure in style from its predecessor. The main architecture on the central axis is the Chong Zheng Dian, where the Emperoro attended to his political affairs (this is where Juchen was renamed Manchu). Behind are Feng Huang Lou (Phoenix Tower) and Qing Ning Gong (Palace of Celestial Peace) in which he and his concubines lived. Da Zheng Dian (Hall of Great Affairs) is the main building on the east axis. In front of the hall there are eight pavilions where the Manchurian tribal lords gathered to discuss state affairs and for other important ceremonies."
},
{
"id": "403",
"year": 1987,
"target": "TZA",
"name": "Kilimanjaro National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "AFR",
"regionLong": "Africa",
"coordinates": "S3 4 0.012 E37 22 0.012",
"lat": -3.0666700000000002,
"lng": 37.36667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/403",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0403_0001-750-0-20110920201747.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Evergreen ",
"shortInfo": "Kilimanjaro National Park\n\nAt 5,895 m, Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa. This volcanic massif stands in splendid isolation above the surrounding plains, with its snowy peak looming over the savannah. The mountain is encircled by mountain forest. Numerous mammals, many of them endangered species, live in the park. ",
"longInfo": "The national park and forest reserve occupy the upper part of Mount Kilimanjaro adjacent to the Kenyan border just north of Moshi. The national park comprises the whole of the mountain above the timberline and six forest corridors stretching down through the montane forest belt.\n\nKilimanjaro is a volcanic massif (last showing signs of major activity in the Pleistocene) which is not only the highest mountain in Africa, rising 4,877 m above the surrounding plains to 5,895 m, but also one of the largest volcanoes in the world.\n\nIt stands alone but is the largest of an east-west belt of volcanoes across northern Tanzania. It has three main volcanic peaks of varying ages lying on an east-south-east axis, and a number of smaller parasitic cones. To the west, the oldest peak Shira (3,962 m), of which only the western and southern rims remain, is a relatively flat upland plateau of some 6,200 ha, the northern and eastern flanks having been covered by later material from Kibo. The rugged erosion-shattered peak of Mawenzi (5,149 m) lies to the east. The top of its western face is fairly steep with many crags, pinnacles and dyke swarms. Its eastern side falls in cliffs over 1,000 m high in a complex of gullies and rock faces, rising above two deep gorges, the Great Barranco and the Lesser Barranco. Kibo (5,895 m), is the most recent summit, having last been active in the Pleistocene and still has minor fumaroles. It consists of two concentric craters of 1.9 km by 2.7 km and 1.3 km in diameter, with a 350 m deep ash pit in the centre. The highest point on the mountain is the southern rim of the outer crater. Between Kibo and Mawenzi there is a plateau of some 3,600 ha, called the Saddle, which forms the largest area of high altitude tundra in tropical Africa. There are deep radial valleys especially on the western and southern slopes.\n\nSince 1912 the mountain has lost 82% of its ice cap and since 1962 55% of its remaining glaciers. Kibo still retains permanent ice and snow and Mawenzi also has patches of semi-permanent ice, but the mountain is forecast to lose its ice cap within 15 years. Evidence of past glaciation is present on all three peaks, with morainic debris found as low as 3,600 m. The mountain remains a critical water catchment for both Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania, but as a result of the receding ice cap and deforestation several rivers have dried up, affecting the forests and farmland below.\n\nThe mountain has five main vegetation zones: savannah bushland at 700-1,000 m (south slopes) and 1,400-1,600 m (north slopes), densely populated submontane agroforest on southern and south-eastern slopes, the montane forest belt, subalpine moorland and alpine bogs. Above this is alpine desert. The montane forest belt circles the mountain between 1,300 m (about 1,600 m on the drier north slopes) to 2,800 m. Forests above 2,700 m are within the National Park. According to a 2001 study there are 2,500 plant species on the mountain, 1,600 of them on the southern slopes and 900 within the forest belt. There are 130 species of tree with the greatest diversity being between 1,800 and 2,000 m, as well as 170 species of shrub, 140 species of epiphyte, 100 lianas and 140 pteridophytes.\n\nThe forest between 1,000 m and 1,700 m in the south and east has been extensively farmed with remnants of natural forest left only in deep gorges.\n\nThe whole mountain including the montane forest belt, part of which extends into the National Park, is very rich in species: 140 mammals (87 forest species), including 7 primates, 25 carnivores, 25 antelopes and 24 species of bat. Above the timberline at least seven of the larger mammal species have been recorded, although it is likely that many of these also use the lower montane forest habitat. The most frequently encountered mammals above the timberline are Kilimanjaro tree hyrax, a vulnerable species, grey duiker and eland, which occur in the moorland, with bushbuck and red duiker found above the timberline in places, and buffalo occasionally moving out of the forest into the moorland and grassland. An estimated 220 endangered African elephants are distributed between the Namwai and Tarakia rivers and sometimes occur on the higher slopes. Insectivores occur and rodents are plentiful above the timberline, especially at times of population explosion, although golden moles (Chrysochloridae ) are absent. Three species of primate are found within the montane forests, blue monkey, western black and white colobus, and bushbaby, and among mammals there are leopards as well as some of the species listed above. Abbot's duiker, another vulnerable species, is restricted to Kilimanjaro and some neighbouring mountains. The critically endangered black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis is now extinct in the area and mountain reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula is probably extinct.\n\nAlthough 179 highland bird species have been recorded for the mountain, species recorded in the upper zones are few in number, although they include the occasional lammergeier, mainly on the Shira ridge, hill chat, Hunter's cisticola and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird. The white-necked raven is the most conspicuous bird species at higher altitudes.\n\nThe area surrounding the mountain is quite heavily populated, principally by the Chagga people, and the northern and western slopes of the Forest Reserve surrounding the National Park have 18 medium to large 'forest villages'. Although it is illegal, these people still use the forest for many household and medicinal products, for fuelwood, small-scale farming, beekeeping, hunting, charcoal production and logging. Some 12% of the forest is plantation, some almost reaching to the moorland. The shamba system of tree plantations interplanted with crops comprises over half the planted area but over half of it is not replanted with trees at all."
},
{
"id": "444",
"year": 1987,
"target": "MAR",
"name": "Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "ARB",
"regionLong": "Arab States",
"coordinates": "N31 2 49.992 W7 7 44.004",
"lat": 31.047220000000003,
"lng": -7.128889999999999,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/444",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0444_0001-750-0-20090914124220.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Yvon Fruneau ",
"shortInfo": "Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou\n\nThe ksar, a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. The houses crowd together within the defensive walls, which are reinforced by corner towers. Ait-Ben-Haddou, in Ouarzazate province, is a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco. ",
"longInfo": " \n\nAït-Ben-Haddou is an outstanding example of a southern Moroccan ksar illustrating the main types of construction to be observed in the valleys of Dra, Todgha, Dades and Sous.\n\nThe earthen constructions of southern Morocco are rightly celebrated, for they represent a particular family of pre-Saharan architecture, which is common to all countries of the Great Maghreb, Mauritania and Libya. It is not certain that the introduction of these striking constructions dates back to Islamization and to the foundation of Sijilmassa in 757, but it is probable (although the oldest testimonies do not appear to be from before the 17th century) that their structure and technique were propagated from a very early time in Djebel and in the valleys of the south.\n\nThe typology of this traditional habitat is extremely diversified. Large houses, called tighremt in Berber and dar or kasba in Arabic, bring together, around a central rectangular courtyard, four tall fortified wings, topped by angle towers. In some cases they allow entrance to lower connected houses situated around a second courtyard which has an enceinte.\n\nThe kasba of southern Morocco is the family unit of the wealthy classes and has varied forms and multiple functions. For the most part, they are country houses; the ground floor is used for agricultural purposes and the upper floors serve as living quarters in winter (upper portion) and summer (lower portion). Adjoining houses are reserved for agricultural workers, as in the Skura Oasis. The kasba can, however, also be a veritable palace-fortress, the seat of local power, as in the ancient region of Glaua, in Taurirt and in Teluet. It then takes on the dimensions of a small village.\n\nIn contrast to the kasba, the family unit is the ksar (plural ksour), which is mainly a collective grouping. Inside the defensive walls, which are reinforced by angle towers each with a zigzag-shaped gate, houses crowd together. Some are modest, others resemble small urban castles with their high angle towers whose upper portion presents decorative motifs in clay brick. But there are also buildings and community areas: collective sheep pens and stables, lofts and silos, market place, meeting room for the assembly of family chiefs, mosque, madrasas, etc.\n\nAit-Ben-Haddou is an extraordinary ensemble of buildings offering a complete panorama of pre-Saharan construction techniques (ramming mass worked into panel brick and bull header, ordinary moulded earth, clay brick, etc.) as well as a striking miniature of the architectural typology of southern Morocco. An astonishing loft-fortress overlooks the mountain against which the ksar is located. The lofts (agadir or ighram) are not uncommon in Morocco, but their defensive character is not always as evident as in the present case by the choice of a site on high and a fortification system linking the loft with the village, conceived as the last bastion of resistance in the event of a siege.\n\n "
},
{
"id": "402",
"year": 1987,
"target": "PER",
"name": "Manú National Park",
"type": "Natural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "S12 15 0 W71 45 0",
"lat": -12.25,
"lng": -71.75,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/402",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0402_0004-750-0-20130906155837.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "On the Manu River © Marc Patry ",
"shortInfo": "Manú National Park\n\nThis huge 1.5 million-ha park has successive tiers of vegetation rising from 150 to 4,200 m above sea-level. The tropical forest in the lower tiers is home to an unrivalled variety of animal and plant species. Some 850 species of birds have been identified and rare species such as the giant otter and the giant armadillo also find refuge there. Jaguars are often sighted in the park. ",
"longInfo": "Established by Supreme Decree No.644-73-AG, 29 May 1973, and fully protected. Accepted as part of a MAB biosphere reserve March 1977, which also includes the Manu Reserved Zone established by Supreme Resolution No.151-1980, and adjacent areas of human settlement. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987."
},
{
"id": "441",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CHN",
"name": "Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N34 22 60 E109 5 60",
"lat": 34.38333333333333,
"lng": 109.1,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0441_0027-750-0-20140707154047.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor\n\nNo doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological site, which was not discovered until 1974. Qin (d. 210 B.C.), the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous terracotta warriors, at the centre of a complex designed to mirror the urban plan of the capital, Xianyan. The small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and also of great historical interest. ",
"longInfo": "The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is the largest preserved one in China. It is a unique architectural ensemble whose layout echoes the urban plan of the capital, Xianyang, with the Imperial Palace enclosed by the walls of the city, themselves encircled by other walls. The mausoleum is also associated with an event of universal significance: the first unification of the Chinese territory in a centralized state created by an absolute monarch, in 221 BC.\n\nThe first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (Ying Zheng: 221-210 BC) arranged for his burial place long before his accession to the seat of supreme power. When he became king of Qin in 247 BC, Zheng had his geomancers choose a favourable site at the foot of Mount Li. Work was commenced and was carried out more energetically with each new political and military success over his rivals Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi. Following the proclamation of the Empire of Ten Thousand Generations in 221, work at the burial place took on extraordinary dimensions.\n\nAbout 700,000 workers from every province of the empire toiled unceasingly until the death of the emperor in order to construct a subterranean city within a gigantic mound. The place was a veritable scale model of the palace, the empire and the world. Its treasures were safeguarded by automatically triggered weapons designed to thwart tomb robbers.\n\nAfter Qin Shi Huang's death, the principal craftsmen of the hypogeum were walled up on the orders of the second emperor, as a precaution against their betraying their secrets. The mausoleum, 35 km from Xian, is still landmarked by an imposing mound 43 m high. The interior is built within a first square enclosure, with doors in the middle of each of the four walls corresponding to the four cardinal points. This in turn is surrounded by a second rectangular enclosure running north-south.\n\nThe mausoleum's superstructures have disappeared and there remains only a wooded knoll resembling a truncated pyramid on a 350 m square base. While sinking a well 1.5 km from the exterior eastern wall of the mausoleum's inner room, three peasants from the small village of Yangeun-West came upon a pit in which there were lifesize terracotta statues of warriors. Excavations were begun immediately. Pit 1 contained a veritable army of 1,087 warriors, the infantry and cavalry corps standing in battle formation with archers protecting the flanks. Today it is estimated that there are a potential 6,000 statues of warriors and horses in that one pit alone, which has floored galleries 230 m long. It is now entirely enclosed by the site museum.\n\nTwo other pits were discovered just north of Pit 1 and were found to contain similar items - 1,500 warriors, carts and horses in Pit 2, and 68 officers and dignitaries and a cart with four horses in Pit 3. These pits were provisionally backfilled and the objects extracted from them displayed in exhibition rooms flanking the north and south ends of the great hall of the site museum. Other finds were made on the western slope of the mound; these included notably two half-life-size cast bronze quadrigae.\n\nAccording to current estimates, the statue army of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum must have represented the exact number of the imperial guards. Over the past thirteen years, discoveries have revealed the dimensions of the mausoleum, and the site constitutes one of the most fabulous archaeological reserves in the world.\n\nBecause of their exceptional technical and artistic qualities, the terracotta warriors and horses and the funerary carts in bronze are major works in the history of Chinese sculpture prior to the reign of the Han dynasty. The army of statues also bears unique testimony to the military organization in China at the time of the Warring Kingdoms (475-221 BC) and that of the short-lived Empire of a Thousand Generations (221-210 BC) The direct testimony of the objects found in situ (lances, swords, axes, halberds, bows, arrows, etc.) is evident."
},
{
"id": "440",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CHN",
"name": "Mogao Caves",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N40 7 59.988 E94 49 0.012",
"lat": 40.13333,
"lng": 94.81667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/440",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0440_0001-750-0-20121214174652.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Mogao Caves © Neville Agnew ",
"shortInfo": "Mogao Caves\n\nSituated at a strategic point along the Silk Route, at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences, the 492 cells and cave sanctuaries in Mogao are famous for their statues and wall paintings, spanning 1,000 years of Buddhist art. ",
"longInfo": "The group of caves at Mogao represents a unique artistic achievement as much by the organization of space into cells and temples built on five levels as by the production of more than 2000 sculptures carved out of the rock walls, then covered with clay and painted, and the approximately 45,000 m2 of murals, among which are many masterpieces of Chinese art.\n\nIn the desert landscape of the extreme north-west of Gansu Province are the cliffs of Mogao, which form the eastern edge of Mount Mingsha. The cliffs rise above the Dachuan River, which is 25 km south-east of the Dunhuang oasis. Within the cliffs are the 492 natural cells and rock sanctuaries extending over 1,600 m that make up the famous Caves of a Thousand Buddhas (Qianfodong). The history of these caves is inseparably linked with that of the first Chinese expeditions against the nomads of the Mongolian steppes and Central Asia.\n\nAfter the almost complete failure of the expedition of Zhang Qian in the ancient country of Bactria in 139-126 BC, a long section of great walls was built to protect the northern frontier. In 117 BC, military posts, like that of Dunhuang, were established. Two years later, the number of these command posts was doubled. Control of the Hexi pass and the oases route, which was the central segment of the Silk Route that connected China with the Mediterranean world, was the motivating factor in the incessant conflicts between the Chinese sovereigns and the nomads.\n\nDunhuang would remain cut off from the Middle Empire for long periods at a time, and so constituted a cosmopolitan enclave where all the peoples of Asia mingled together. Many foreign religions were represented, and devotees of Buddhism, Nestorianism and Islam could be found in this caravan oasis. According to an inscription, Buddhist monks first began work on the caves of Mogao in AD 366, whereas the state officially recognized Buddhism as a religion only in 444.\n\nThe majority of the cells and temples were constructed, however, from the 5th century up through the 14th century, when the region began to decline. Several great moments of the history of Central Asia are illustrated in the caves and frescos that illustrate doctrinal themes, reflecting transcendental teaching, correspond to the period in the 7th century when the Tang dynasty tightened its control of the Silk Route.\n\nThe first Tantric themes appear at the time of the occupation of Dunhuang by the Tibetans, from 790 to 851. Following the conquest of Gansu by the Tanguts, these themes multiplied, encouraged by the proliferation of lama sects under the Western Xia (1036-1227). With this same invasion in 1036 correspond the 45,000 manuscripts discovered in 1900 by the Taoist monk Wang Yuan-lu (Wang Guolu) in a cave where they had been hidden at the approach of the Tanguts. Although dispersed, this fabulous collection is one of the essential sources of Asian history.\n\nThe Mogao caves are closely associated with the history of transcontinental relations and that of the propagation of Buddhism in Asia. Being so strongly linked with the history of China, they constitute an anthology of Buddhist art with paintings and sculptures spanning a period of a thousand years. Moreover, since they were still occupied by Buddhist monks from the end of the 19th century until 1930, the rock-art ensemble at Mogao, administered by the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research Institute, preserves the example of a traditional monastic settlement."
},
{
"id": "442",
"year": 1987,
"target": "USA",
"name": "Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 1 58 W78 30 14",
"lat": 38.032777777777774,
"lng": -78.5038888888889,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/442",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0442_0001-750-0-20061213175802.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© UNESCO ",
"shortInfo": "Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville\n\nThomas Jefferson (1743–1826), author of the American Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States, was also a talented architect of neoclassical buildings. He designed Monticello (1769–1809), his plantation home, and his ideal 'academical village' (1817–26), which is still the heart of the University of Virginia. Jefferson's use of an architectural vocabulary based upon classical antiquity symbolizes both the aspirations of the new American republic as the inheritor of European tradition and the cultural experimentation that could be expected as the country matured. ",
"longInfo": "Monticello and the University of Virginia are directly and materially associated with the ideals of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), better known for his political career, the brilliance of which overshadowed his reputation as a writer and architect. These works of perfection, where the difficult passage from Utopia to reality is harmoniously achieved, are directly inspired by the very same principles which led to Jefferson's Declaration of Independence (1776) and his project for the abolition of slavery (1800).\n\nThe integration of the buildings into the natural landscape, the originality of the plan and design, and the refined proportions and decor make Monticello an outstanding example of a neoclassical work of art, while the University of Virginia is an outstanding example of a great educational institution from the Age of Enlightenment.\n\nThe two major works of Thomas Jefferson in Charlottesville are Monticello and the University of Virginia. Monticello (1769-1809) is a perfect example of a neoclassical villa rustica, based on a Roman design, revised by Palladio and amended by the Physiocrats. The University of Virginia is a fine example of the architectural ideal of the Age of Enlightenment put to use in the great educational programme of the third President of the United States.\n\nConstruction of Monticello began in 1769. The very personal conception of the house clearly shows the various influences experienced by its designer: that of Palladio, evidencing in the perfect proportions of the pedimented porticos, and that of the contemporary neoclassical architecture. The interior spatial organization and the low elevation were borrowed from contemporary Parisian town house design. The western facade is dominated by an octagonal dome. Only the harmonious volume of the villa emerges from the foliage of the park where, towards the end of his life, Jefferson planted orchards, vegetable and flower gardens.\n\nJefferson's most ambitious and last architectural undertaking was the construction of the University of Virginia. Elaborating this project, which is based on educational ideals that are both encyclopaedic and democratic, he departed from pre-existing British or American college planning schemes. The rational layout of this 'academic village' is inspired both by the principles of hygiene laid down by the hospital builders and by a symbolic architecture expressed by the hierarchy of volumes and the repertory of forms.\n\nA half-scale copy of the Pantheon in Rome, which houses the library, dominates the academic village. The 10 pavilions housing the professors of the 10 schools that make up the university are deliberately based on a distinctive design and are intended to serve as an encyclopaedia of classical and neoclassical architectural designs. However, the connecting colonnades serve to give a feeling of unity to this space. The later construction of a building at the south end has unnecessarily transformed this triumphal way into an enclosed space."
},
{
"id": "437",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CHN",
"name": "Mount Taishan",
"type": "Mixed",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N36 16 0.012 E117 5 60",
"lat": 36.26667,
"lng": 117.1,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/437",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0437_0001-750-0-20080618103936.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Sacred Mount Tai © Sacred Sites / Martin Gray ",
"shortInfo": "Mount Taishan\n\nThe sacred Mount Tai ('shan' means 'mountain') was the object of an imperial cult for nearly 2,000 years, and the artistic masterpieces found there are in perfect harmony with the natural landscape. It has always been a source of inspiration for Chinese artists and scholars and symbolizes ancient Chinese civilizations and beliefs. ",
"longInfo": "The majestic site of the sacred Mount Tai (Taishan), with its dense forests and ancient temples complementing each other has been the object of imperial pilgrimage for some 2,000 years, and the artistic masterpieces contained within it are in perfect harmony with the natural landscape. It has always been a source of inspiration to Chinese artists and scholars, and symbolizes ancient Chinese civilizations and beliefs.\n\nLocated in central Shandong Province, just north of Tai'an City, Taishan rises abruptly from the vast plain of central Shandong. Geologically, it is the oldest and most important example of the palaeo-metamorphic system representative of the Cambrian period in eastern China. Referred to as the Taishan Complex, it comprises magmatized, metamorphic and sedimentary rock and an intrusive mass of various origins that were formed in the Archaean era 170-200 million years ago. Subsequently, in the Proterozoic era, the Taishan region began to rise, and this uplift continued until the middle of the Cenozoic era. The gneiss that emerged in the Taishan region is the foundation for all of North China.\n\nVegetation covers 80% of the densely wooded area and the flora is diverse, 989 species. Medicinal plants total 462 species, include multiflower knotweed, Taishan ginseng, Chinese gromwell, and sealwort, which are renowned throughout the country. There are over 200 species of animal in addition to 122 species of bird. Large-scaled fish are found in running water at 300-800 m.\n\nTaishan has a very rich cultural heritage, and the integration of this with the natural scenery is considered a precious legacy. Cultural relics include memorial objects, architectural complexes, stone sculptures, and archaeological sites of outstanding importance. It is one of the birthplaces Chinese civilization, evidence of human activity dating back 400,000 years to Yiyuan Man in the Palaeolithic period. By Neolithic times, 5,000-6,000 years ago, it had become a significant cultural centre with two cultures flourishing, the Dawenkou to the north and the Longshan to the south of the mountain.\n\nThe Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) of the Zhou dynasty (1100-221 BC) witnessed the first flare of cultural creativity with the emergence of two rival states, Qi to the north and Lu to the south of the mountain. During the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), the State of Qi built a 500 km long wall as protection from possible invasion by the State of Chu. The ruins of this earliest of the great walls in Chinese history are still evident.\n\nFor over 3,000 years, Chinese emperors of various dynasties have made pilgrimages to Taishan for sacrificial and other ceremonial purposes. Rock inscriptions, stone tablets and temples testify to such visits. Renowned scholars, including Confucius whose home town, Qufu, is only 70 km away, have composed poetry and prose and left their calligraphy on the mountain.\n\nTaishan was also an important centre of religious activity for both Buddhism and Taoism. In 351 BC an eminent monk named Lang, the first to come to the mountain, set up the Lang and Divine Rock temples. During the Northern and Southern dynasties (AD 420-589), the Jade Spring, God's Treasure and Pervading Light temples were built.\n\nPrime Minister Li Jiefu of the Tang dynasty (618-907) regarded the Divine Rock Temple as first among China's four temple wonders. Places for Taoist activities included the Temple to the Heavenly Queen Mother, the Palace of Goddess Doumu, the Azure Cloud Temple, the Rear Rock Basin Temple and the Supreme Lord of Heaven Temple. The Temple to the Heavenly Queen Mother, built before the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-80), is the earliest whereas the Azure Cloud Temple is the most influential, its influence extending over more than half of China."
},
{
"id": "448",
"year": 1987,
"target": "TUR",
"name": "Nemrut Dağ",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N38 2 11.796 E38 45 49.284",
"lat": 38.036609999999996,
"lng": 38.76369,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/448",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0448_0010-750-0-20140708162215.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Nemrut Dağ © Ministry of Culture and Tourism ",
"shortInfo": "Nemrut Dağ\n\nThe mausoleum of Antiochus I (69–34 B.C.), who reigned over Commagene, a kingdom founded north of Syria and the Euphrates after the breakup of Alexander's empire, is one of the most ambitious constructions of the Hellenistic period. The syncretism of its pantheon, and the lineage of its kings, which can be traced back through two sets of legends, Greek and Persian, is evidence of the dual origin of this kingdom's culture. ",
"longInfo": "The tomb or the Hierotheseion of Nemrut Dağ bears unique testimony to the civilization of the kingdom of Commagene. Antiochos I is represented in this monument as a descendant of Darius by his father Mithridates, and a descendant of Alexander by his mother Laodice. This semi-legendary ancestry translates in genealogical terms the ambition of a dynasty that sought to remain independent of the powers of both the East and the West. More than the tombs at Karakuş and Eski Kâhta, the tumulus at Nemrut Dağ illustrates, through the liberal syncretism of a very original pantheon, a significant historical period. The landscaping of the natural site of Nemrut Dağ is one of the most colossal undertakings of the Hellenistic epoch (some of the stone blocks used weigh up to 9 tonnes).\n\nWhen the empire of Alexander the Great was breaking up, numerous kingdoms were formed in the Hellenized provinces of the East. One such kingdom was Commagene, which, from 162 BC to AD 72, existed as a semi-independent state, its sovereigns defending their autonomy first against the Seleucids and then against the Romans.\n\nThe monarchs of this dynasty bore the Greek names of Antiochos or Mithridates. They left behind, in the mountainous region that stretched from the north of the high valley of the Euphrates, not far from Adıyaman, several breathtakingly beautiful funerary sanctuaries. Locations include Eski Kâhta, Karakuş and, especially, Nemrut Dağ, where the most impressive of all the tomb sites is found, that of Antiochos I of Commagene (69-34 BC).\n\nDiscovered by chance in 1881 by Charles Sester, an engineer, it was not until 1953 that exploration of the site was undertaken. Dominating the summit of Nemrut Dağ is a conical tumulus of stone chips. This funerary mound, whose interior layout remains unknown despite numerous attempts to locate the dromos, is surrounded on the east, west and north sides by artificial terraces. The east terrace has two distinct levels dug out of the rock. On the upper level, a row of five colossal seated figures (7 m high) representing deities shares a common substructure with two pairs of equally immense statues, each pair comprising a lion and an eagle, symmetrically positioned at either end. Inscriptions on the statues identify them from left to right as being: the god Apollo-Mithras-Helios-Hermes; the goddess Tyche of Commagene; the god Zeus-Oromasdes; Antiochos himself; the god Heracles-Artagnes-Ares.\n\nThe heads of these statues have broken off and tumbled to the lower terrace, which is bordered on its east side by a pyramid-shaped altar, and on the north and south sides by rows of orthostats. On the north side, these stones are decorated with relief sculptures representing the Persian ancestors of Antiochos. On the south side, his Macedonian ancestors symmetrically face the others. Engraved inscriptions on the backs of the slabs identify the genealogical links.\n\nThe west terrace has similar features, with the same series of five statues between the two lion-eagle pairs, but does not have an altar. The orthostats repeat the dual genealogy of Antiochos I, the Persian branch on the south, the Macedonian on the west. The symmetry is somewhat modified by the topography of the mountain.\n\nThree superb reliefs show Antiochos exchanging a handshake with Apollo-Mithras-Helios-Hermes, with Zeus-Oromasdes and Heracles-Artagnes-Ares. They are framed by an allegorical group of Antiochos and the Commagenes on the left and an astrological relief called 'the king's horoscope' on the right. The inscription, which has been deciphered, gives the date 10 July 62-61 BC: the date that Antiochos I was invested as king by the Romans."
},
{
"id": "401",
"year": 1987,
"target": "HUN",
"name": "Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N47 59 39.984 E19 31 45.012",
"lat": 47.994440000000004,
"lng": 19.52917,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/401",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0401_0003-750-0-20140623150554.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings © OUR PLACE ",
"shortInfo": "Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings\n\nHollokö is an outstanding example of a deliberately preserved traditional settlement. This village, which developed mainly during the 17th and 18th centuries, is a living example of rural life before the agricultural revolution of the 20th century. ",
"longInfo": "Hollókö is an exceptional example of a deliberately preserved traditional human settlement representative of a culture that has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change. This village, which developed mainly during the 17th and 18th centuries, is a living example of rural life before the agricultural revolution of the 20th century. Located about 100 km north-east of Budapest, Hollókö is a small rural community whose 126 houses and farm buildings, strip-field farming, orchards, vineyards, meadows and woods cover 141 ha. The village and the surrounding area are given the same protection as a historic monument such as the castle. Mentioned as early as 1310, this castle, whose ruins lie to the north-west of the village today, played a decisive part in the feudal wars of the Palocz and the Hussite wars. It served as protection for the village whose ruins have been found a little way from its walls.\n\nAt the end of the Ottoman occupation (1683) the castle and the village were finally abandoned and the present village grew up below. It developed gradually throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. As was customary in the region, the first generation of inhabitants settled on either side of the main street. In this one-street village, subsequent generations built their houses at the back of the narrow family plots, thus progressively enlarging the built-up area. The barns were built apart from the village, on the edges of the fields, according to Palocz custom.\n\nThe development of the village and the soil can be traced from various documents. In 1782 it was still a typical one-street village. Later, a second street developed to the east of the main street. A plan of 1885 shows the topography was already like that of the present-day plan: the amount of cultivated land had reached its maximum by the mid-19th century and the village could therefore grow no further. Some limited growth started again in 1960 and is now strictly controlled.\n\nThe inhabitants of Hollókö never heeded a 1783 decree prohibiting the use of wood for building, which considered it to be too inflammable. Consequently the village was periodically devastated by fire. The last of these fires dates back to 1909 but the houses were again built according to the traditional techniques of Palocz rural architecture: half-timbered houses on a stone base with roughcast white-washed walls, enhanced by high wooden pillared galleries and balconies on the street side protected by overhanging porch roofs. The church with its shingled tower is simply a transposition of this domestic architectural style.\n\nHollókö is a living community whose conservation not only includes farming activity but also ensures its success. It provides a certainly exceptional and maybe unique example of voluntary conservation of a traditional village with its soil. The plots that were modified by the regrouping of land were returned to their original strip shape. The vineyards, orchards and vegetable gardens have been recreated; the ecological balance has been restored, even in the forestry environment, taking infinite care to respect historical authenticity. Hollókö not only represents the Palocz subgroup within the Magyar entity, but also bears witness, for the whole of Central Europe, to the traditional forms of rural life, which were generally abolished by the agricultural revolution in the 20th century."
},
{
"id": "426",
"year": 1987,
"target": "GBR",
"name": "Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N51 29 59 E0 7 43",
"lat": 51.499722222222225,
"lng": 0.12861111111111112,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/426",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0426_0004-750-0-20110805164029.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Tim Schnarr ",
"shortInfo": "Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church\n\nWestminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance. ",
"longInfo": "Westminster Abbey, the Palace and St Margaret's illustrate in a concrete way the specificities of parliamentary monarchy over nine centuries. Whether one looks at the royal tombs or the chapter house, the remarkable vastness of Westminster Hall, of the House of Lords or of the House of Commons, art is everywhere present and harmonious, making it a veritable museum of the history of the United Kingdom. Westminster Abbey is a unique artistic construction representing a striking sequence of the successive phases of English Gothic art. In addition to its influence on English architecture during the Middle Ages, the abbey has played another leading role by influencing the work of Barry and Pugin at Westminster Palace, in the 'Gothic Revival' of the 19th century.\n\nOn 16 October 1834, a fire almost completely destroyed the old Westminster Palace. Since 1547, it had been the seat of regular parliamentary assemblies. Previously, it was the principal residence of the kings of England, from Edward the Confessor to Henry VIII. The construction of a new Westminster Palace by Sir Charles Barry and A. W. N. Pugin began in 1835.\n\nThe seat of Parliament, which includes to the south of a central tower, the House of Lords, and to the north the House of Commons, illustrates in colossal proportions the grandeur of the constitutional monarchy and the principle of the bicameral system.\n\nIts facade, situated along the Thames, is 266 m long; the Victoria Tower is to the south, and the Clock Tower (Big Ben) to the north. The ensemble is constructed in the Gothic Tudor style, so as to show, by a deliberately English historical reference, the national character of the monument. The construction is grouped around some precious vestiges of medieval times, the main three of which are Westminster Hall (rebuilt in 1394-99 by Henri Yevele, and a key monument of Perpendicular style), the chapel of St Mary of the Crypt and the Jewel Tower.\n\nThe new Westminster Palace is an outstanding, coherent and complete example of neo-Gothic style, with the magnificent interiors of the Royal Gallery, House of Lords, Central Lobby, House of Commons, library, apartments, etc. The palace is also a vivid symbol of one of the oldest parliamentary institutions in the world. Victoria Tower holds 3 million archival documents, including all Acts of Parliament since 1497.\n\nWestminster Abbey, where all the kings of England have been crowned since 1066, is inseparable from the parliamentary history of the kingdom and the throne is an obvious symbol. Prior to 1547, when the king granted the Commons the chapel of St Stephen, they had no seat in the palace and held their meetings in the abbey.\n\nSt Margaret's, a charming Gothic construction, continues to be the parish church of the House of Commons."
},
{
"id": "449",
"year": 1987,
"target": "CHN",
"name": "Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "APA",
"regionLong": "Asia and the Pacific",
"coordinates": "N39 43 60 E115 55 0",
"lat": 39.733333333333334,
"lng": 115.91666666666667,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/449",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0449_0005-750-0-20130515144728.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian © Vincent Ko Hon Chiu ",
"shortInfo": "Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian\n\nScientific work at the site, which lies 42 km south-west of Beijing, is still underway. So far, it has led to the discovery of the remains of Sinanthropus pekinensis, who lived in the Middle Pleistocene, along with various objects, and remains of Homo sapiens sapiens dating as far back as 18,000–11,000 B.C. The site is not only an exceptional reminder of the prehistorical human societies of the Asian continent, but also illustrates the process of evolution. ",
"longInfo": "The site at Choukoutien (today Zhoukoudian), located 42 km south-west of Peking (Beijing), was explored as early as 1921 by the Swedish geologist J. G. Anderson. The discovery in the sediment of a cave of hominid teeth and then, in 1926, of a whole skull by the Chinese archaeologist Pei Wen Chung (Pei Wen Zhong) excited universal interest, to which the works of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin contributed notably. The chronology of the beginnings of human history generally accepted until then was overthrown by this discovery, since Sinanthropus pekinensis, or Homo erectus pekinensis, lived in the Middle Pleistocene epoch, 700,000-200,000 years before modern times, had mastered fire, and used a number of chipped stone tools. Successive excavations in and around the cave brought to light a great number of incomplete human bones which, after anthropological study, were shown to belong to 40 different individuals.\n\nSome 100,000 objects, essentially rather rough chipped stone tools, numerous traces of domestic hearths, heat-affected stones, burnt bones, ash deposits, etc., as well as fossilized grains, were found. Not far from the main site, a second cave was found to contain remains of Homo sapiens sapiens, dated back to between 18,000 and 11,000 BC, together with a large quantity of other material: necklaces made with teeth, pierced shells and pebbles, bone needles, etc.\n\nUnfortunately the Sino-Japanese conflict, which began in 1937, interrupted the excavations with the most disastrous consequences: the remains of Sinanthropus pekinensis discovered prior to this date were dispersed or lost. Only the casts exhibited in the site museum and some isolated fragments preserved in Sweden remain to this day.\n\nExcavations undertaken after the war by archaeologists from the People's Republic of China have in part compensated for these losses through the discovery of a full jaw (1959) and several elements of cranium (1966). At the same time, other discoveries within China revealed hominids contemporary with Peking Man or older: Lantian Man, found in 1963-64 in Chansi (Shaanxi) Province; and Yuanmou Man, found in 1965 in Yunnan Province. Indeed, the Zhoukoudian site bears witness to the human communities of the Asian continent from the Middle Pleistocene to the Palaeolithic, and more generally illustrates the process of hominization that can only be fully apprehended on a worldwide scale and with the help of numerous examples."
},
{
"id": "395",
"year": 1987,
"target": "ITA",
"name": "Piazza del Duomo, Pisa",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "EUR",
"regionLong": "Europe and North America",
"coordinates": "N43 43 23 E10 23 47",
"lat": 43.723055555555554,
"lng": 10.396388888888888,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/395",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0395_0013-750-0-20131014172705.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "Piazza del Duomo, Pisa © B. Doucin & L. Lalaité ",
"shortInfo": "Piazza del Duomo, Pisa\n\nStanding in a large green expanse, Piazza del Duomo houses a group of monuments known the world over. These four masterpieces of medieval architecture – the cathedral, the baptistry, the campanile (the 'Leaning Tower') and the cemetery – had a great influence on monumental art in Italy from the 11th to the 14th century. ",
"longInfo": ""
},
{
"id": "411",
"year": 1987,
"target": "MEX",
"name": "Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque",
"type": "Cultural",
"region": "LAC",
"regionLong": "Latin America and the Caribbean",
"coordinates": "N17 28 59.988 W92 2 60",
"lat": 17.48333,
"lng": -92.05,
"page": "http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/411",
"image": "http://whc.unesco.org//uploads/thumbs/site_0411_0001-750-0-20080602170215.jpg",
"imageAuthor": "© Sacred Sites / Martin Gray ",
"shortInfo": "Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque\n\nA prime example of a Mayan sanctuary of the classical period, Palenque was at its height between AD 500 and 700, when its influence extended throughout the basin of the Usumacinta River. The elegance and craftsmanship of the buildings, as well as the lightness of the sculpted reliefs with their Mayan mythological themes, attest to
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