Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui - Xidi and Hongcun

country. China

year of inscription. 2000

criteria. Cultural

Xidi and Hongcun are two traditional villages in southern Anhui Province. Their spatial organisation and landscape as well as architecture and decorative styles are definitive of the region, dating from the 14th to 20th century CE. Also distinct are their incorporation of water management systems. Underlying these physical features are the historical cultural bases of patriarchy, Confucianism, and scholar-bureaucrat feudalism.

Mount Huangshan

where. China

year of inscription. 1990

criteria. Mixed

Mount Huangshan has had a significant role in the history of Chinese art and literature since the 8th century CE, during the Tang Dynasty. This is a site of beautiful physical features, including dramatic landscapes of granitic mountain peaks, sea of clouds, and distinctly-shaped rocks and trees. Furthermore, legend has it that the elixir of immortality can be found here. Consequently, it became an attraction for hermits, poets, and landscape artists. In the 16th century CE, during the Ming Dynasty, Mount Huangshan formed the inspiration for the Shanshui (“Mountain and Water”) school of landscape painting, often regarded as the archetype of Chinese art. Botanically, the area is also important for the conservation of a number of species – including threatened ones – endemic locally or nationally.

Historic Ensemble of Potala Palace, Lhasa

where. China
what. postcard (China, 2013)

Sagarmatha National Park

where. Nepal
what. stamp, printed on postal card (China)

Historic Centre of Český Krumlov

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country. Czechia

year of inscription. 1992

criteria. Cultural

Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen

country. Germany
year of inscription. 2004

criteria. Cultural

In the marketplace of Bremen, a city and state, stands the Town Hall and a statue of Roland (a statute of a knight with a drawn sword to symbolise town privileges and city rights), which compose this WHS. The Town Hall was first built in the early 15th century CE in the Gothic style and was renovated in the early 17th century CE in the Weser Renaissance style. In the early 20th century CE, a new Town Hall was built next to the old one. The statue was erected in 1404, and like the original iteration of the Town Hall, was constructed during the era of the Holy Roman Empire.

Hoi An Ancient Town

country. Vietnam

year of inscription. 1999

criteria. Cultural

Hoi An Ancient Town in Quang Nam province, is a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th century CE. The architectural and infrastructural monuments here reflect a blend of indigenous and foreign (principally Chinese and Japanese, and, later, European) cultural influences.

My Son Sanctuary

country. Vietnam

year of inscription. 1999

criteria. Cultural

My Son Sanctuary is located in Quang Nam province. It was the site of Champapura, the capital of the Indianised Hindu Champa Kingdom, which lasted between the 4th and 13th century CE. The remains found here are of tower temples built to venerate Hindu gods, particularly Shiva, and are evidence of the history and culture of the Cham people.

Complex of Hué Monuments

country. Vietnam

year of inscription. 1993

criteria. Cultural

Hué was established as the capital of Viet Nam in 1802, after the country was unified by the Nguyen Dynasty; it was to remain the cultural and religious centre of the country until 1945. The WHS is comprised of a number of monuments in Hué, in the province of Thua Thien-Hue. These include: the Hué Citadel, the imperial residence and centre of governance, fortresses, places of worship, and mausoleums of monarchs of the dynasty. All these are set in an area of great natural beauty, framed by the Ngu Binh Mountain and traversed by the Perfume River.

Historic Centre of Macao

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country. China

year of inscription. 2005
criteria. Cultural

China Danxia

where. China
what. postcard (China, 2018)

Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa

where. China
what. postcard (China, 2018)

West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou

country. China

year of inscription. 2011

criteria. Cultural

This WHS is located in the province of Zhejiang. West Lake is surrounded by mountains on three of its sides, while the city of Hangzhou is located along its fourth. It has been a source of artistic inspiration for poets and artists since the 9th century CE. There are numerous temples, pagodas, pavilions, gardens, causeway, and artificial islands. Its design, which emphasises a harmony between man-made and natural features, has had a profound cultural influence on garden and landscape architecture in China, Japan, and Korea over the centuries.

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe

country. Germany
year of inscription. 2013

criteria. Cultural

The Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe WHS is a park constructed on a dramatic hillside topography, located in the state of Hesse. Earliest construction of the site began in 1689CE and it was further developed into the 19th century CE. Dominated by a giant statue of Hercules, a cleverly-designed hydraulic system supplies water to all parts of the park, including its water features like fountains, channels, waterways, waterfalls, and rapids.

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

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country. Japan

year of inscription. 1994

criteria. Cultural

Heart of Neolithic Orkney

where. United Kingdom
what. postcard (United Kingdom, 2019)

Angkor

country. Cambodia

year of inscription. 1992

criteria. Cultural

The Angkor WHS is located in the province of Siem Reap. It is the site of the remains of various capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century CE. Over the whole area, there are numerous temples of various sizes, irrigation systems, and transport routes. Some of its more famous monuments include: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, and Ta Prohm. Altogether, this archaeological site is evidence of the high level of development of the Khmer Empire.

Temple of Preah Vihear

country. Cambodia

year of inscription. 2008

criteria. Cultural

The Temple of Preah Vihear is a Khmer-era Shaivite temple located in Preah Vihear province. The history of the site as a religious place dates back to the 9th century CE, while the temple complex was constructed in the 11th century CE. The complex is centred along a 800m-long axis and composed of various sanctuaries linked by a system of paths and stairs.