Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks

country. South Korea

year of inscription. 1995

criteria. Cultural

The Temple of Haeinsa is on Mount Gaya in South Gyeosang province. On its grounds are the architecturally-significant buildings of Janggyeong Panjeon, which houses some 80,000 woodblocks of Buddhist texts, laws, and treaties – the Tripitaka Koreana – engraved in Chinese characters between 1237CE and 1248CE. The collection represents the most complete assemblage of Buddhists discourse.

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha

country. Nepal

year of inscription. 1997

criteria. Cultural

This WHS is located in Lumbini province, named after the same gardens where Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was born in 623 BCE. The site soon developed into a place of pilgrimage, being one of the holiest places of one of the largest religions in the world. Within the site are archaeological remains of places of worship and pilgrimage, including the Ashoka pillar (erected in 249 BCE), erected, inscribed, and named after one of the most famous pilgrims, the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Today, the site is being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre.

Bagan

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country. Myanmar

year of inscription. 2019

criteria. Cultural

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area

country. Japan

year of inscription. 1993

criteria. Cultural

The Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area represent some of the oldest surviving wooden structures in the world. The oldest buildings in this WHS date back to the late 7th and early 8th century CE. These ancient wooden structures are located in two temple sites: the Horyu-ji temple and Hokki-ji temple. The architecture is reflective of an adaptation of Chinese Buddhist style to Japanese culture and is also significant historically as it was during this time that Buddhism was introduced from China to Japan by way of Korea.

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi

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country. India

year of inscription. 1989

criteria. Cultural

Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur

country. Bangladesh

year of inscription. 1985

criteria. Cultural

The Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur WHS is located in the Rajshahi Divison. The Somapura Mahavira (or, Great Monastery) was first built here by Dharmapala Vikramshila (770 – 810CE), the king of Varendi-Magadha. It is evident of the rise of this region as an important centre of Mahayana Buddhism from the 7th to the 12th century CE.

Taxila

country. Pakistan

year of inscription. 1980

criteria. Cultural

From 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 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.

Yungang Grottoes

country. China
year of inscription. 2001

criteria. Cultural

The Yungang Grottoes are located in the province of Shanxi. The site houses 252 caves of about 51,000 Buddhist statues, dating back to the 5th and 6th century CE, during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The cave art here is reflective of both South and Central Asian influences as well as distinct Chinese characteristics.

Town of Luang Prabang

country. Laos

year of inscription. 1995 (modification: 2013)

criteria. Cultural

The Town of Luang Prabang is located in the province of the same name. Formerly known as Muang Sua, and, later, Xieng Thong, it was the capital of Lan Xang and thence, the centre of Buddhism in the region. Following the establishment of the French Protectorate of Laos in 1893, it once again become the capital, a role it would hold on to until 1946. Today, the town is known for its preserved architectural and artistic heritage, reflecting a fusion of traditional Lao and colonial European styles. This townscape is set against a natural landscape of a peninsula formed from the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers, with sacred Mount Phousi as the backdrop.

Borobudur Temple Compounds

country. Indonesia

year of inscription. 1991

criteria. Cultural

This Buddhist temple, located in the province of Central Java, dates back to the 8th and 9th century CE. Constructed during the Syailendra Dynasty, its architecture reflects Buddhist concepts of cosmology. It is composed of three tiers: a base of five concentric square terraces, a middle trunk of a cone with three circular platforms, and topped by a stupa. Its walls and balustrades are decorated with carved reliefs, and on the circular platforms are 72 stupas, each containing a statue of Buddha. The temple was abandoned sometime during the 15th century CE, rediscovered in the 19th century CE, and restored in the 20th century CE.

Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns

country. Thailand

year of inscription. 1991

criteria. Cultural

The Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns consists of three closely related ancient towns: Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai, and Kamphaeng Phet. The first two are in Sukhothai province while the third is located in Kamphaeng Phet province. Sukhothai was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam, which existed in the 13th and 14th century CE, while Si Satchanalai was its spiritual centre. Kaemphaeng Phet, located at the kingdom’s southern border, was an important frontier city. The large number of monuments, buildings and temples, and architectural designs found here are distinctly Buddhist and represent the beginning of Thai architecture and art, known as the “Sukhothai style”.

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.