Baekje Historic Areas

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 2015

criteria. Cultural

Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 2000

criteria. Cultural

Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 2019

criteria. Cultural

The Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies UNESCO WHS is composed of serial sites located in the provinces of North Gyeongsang, North Jeolla, South Chungcheong, South Gyeongsang, and South Jeolla as well as Daegu Metropolitan City. This property is composed of Neo-Confucian academies from the Joseon Dynasty (1392CE – 1910CE). The seowon was an academy for learning which focused on the imparting of Confucian teachings. Their design took into account the appreciation of nature to cultivate the mind and body. As such, they were often situated near mountains and water sources and the buildings were constructed to facilitate connections to the landscape upon which they stand.

Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 2009

criteria. Cultural

The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty UNESCO WHS is located in eighteen locations in Seoul Special City as well as the Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces of South Korea. It is composed of forty tombs of members of the royal family of the House of Yi, which ruled Korea between 1392 and 1910. These tombs were built over a timespan of more than five centuries, from 1408 to 1966. They represent the ultimate forms of royal tomb architecture on the Korean Peninsula, an architectural history which goes back some 5,000 years. Their layouts are shaped by the principles of pungsu (classical Korean geomancy) and create a setting for the tradition of ancestral worship and its rites.

Jongmyo Shrine

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 1995

criteria. Cultural

The Jongmyo Shrine UNESCO WHS can be found in Seoul Special City, South Korea. It was a royal shrine for the monarchs of the Joseon Dynasty. Dedicated to the royal forebears of the Korean Joseon Dynasty (1392CE – 1910CE), the shrine has existed in its current form since the 16th century CE. Housing the spirit tablets of departed Joseon kings and queens, it is also the place where the reigning king will go to perform the rituals of ancestral worship, in accordance to Confucian beliefs. The site has been in use since the 14th century; however, a Japanese invasion in the 16th century destroyed the original building, It was rebuilt in the 17th century, and the layout of buildings since then has been preserved.

Hwaseong Fortress

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 1997

criteria. Cultural

The Hwaseong Fortress UNESCO WHS is located in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. It is a fortification built in the 18th century CE during the Korean Joseon Dynasty. King Jeongjo (1752CE – 1800CE, r. 1776CE – 1800CE) of the Joseon Dynasty (1392CE – 1910CE) reinterred remains of his father, Crown Prince Jangheon (1735CE – 1762CE) in the city of Suwon at the end of the 18th century. He then further embarked on a project to build strong defensive fortifications to surround the tomb. The structures incorporated the latest technological know-how then from both the East and the West. The fortress walls run for 5.7km, enclosing a land area of 130ha. Other defense features include flood- and land gates, observation towers, command posts, attack towers, bastions, ravelins, and bunkers. The architecture of the fortress differed from contemporary ones in China and Japan and was pivotal to the development of Korean architecture, urban planning, and landscape design.