Historic Centre of Bukhara

where. Uzbekistan
what. postcard (Uzbekistan , 2015)

Historic City of Ayutthaya

country. Thailand

year of inscription. 1991

criteria. Cultural

The Historic City of Ayutthaya is located in the province of the same name. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam. From thence until the 18th century CE, it was a splendid cosmopolitan city, a centre of global diplomacy and trade, characterised by monumental buildings and religious structures. The eclectic Ayutthaya style of architecture and art, which marries the earlier Sukhothai style with foreign influences, continues to be influential in Thailand today. In 1767, the Burmese invaded and razed the city to the ground, expelling all its residents, leaving the site as it is today.

Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars

country. Laos

year of inscription. 2019

criteria. Cultural

The Plain of Jars is an archaeological site of megalithic structures located in Xiengkhuang province. Found here are some 2,100 partially-buried stone jars used for funerary practices sometime between 500BCE and 500CE. The fifteen component sites contain large carved stone jars, stone discs, secondary burial sites, tombstones, quarries, and funerary objects. However, little in known of the civilisation that created these objects.

Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape

country. Laos
year of inscription. 2001

criteria. Cultural

The Champasak cultural landscape, found in Champasak province, includes the Vat Phou Temple complex, two planned cities on the banks of the Mekong River, and Phou Kao mountain. The use of the site for religious purposes date back to the 5th century CE; however, the current structures trace their origins to the Angkor era, from the 11th to the 14th century CE. The temple complex, originally constructed for Shaivite Hindu worship, was part of a planned landscape, comprising of an axis from mountain to river of more than 10km, from which a geometric layout of temples and shrines, settlements, and waterworks were laid out.

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.

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

country. China

year of inscription. 2000

criteria. Cultural

The Classical Gardens of Suzhou WHS is a collection of historic gardens found in the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu province. Constructed between the 11th and 19th centuries CE, they epitomise the aesthetic features of the genre. These gardens combine metaphysical philosophies, elements of human design, and concepts of natural beauty, within a single compound in an urban setting. Incorporating elements like water, stones, plants, and various types of buildings of literary and poetic significance containing furniture and artworks, these gardens are seen as embodiment of Chinese culture and artistic attainment.

The nine gardens included in the WHS are the:

• Canglang Pavilion (沧浪亭),
• Couple’s Garden Retreat (耦园),
• Garden of Cultivation (艺圃),
• Humble Administrator’s Garden (拙政园),
• Lingering Garden (留园),
• Lion Grove Garden (狮子林园),
• Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (环秀山庄),
• Net Master’s Garden (网师园), and
• Retreat & Reflection Garden (退思园).

The Grand Canal

country. China
year of inscription. 2014 (modification: 2016)

criteria. Cultural

The Grand Canal is a waterway system which was a crucial transport and communication lifeline in imperial China, linking Beijing to Hangzhou. With some sections first constructed in the 6th century BCE, it was unified as a system during the Sui Dynasty in the 7th century CE and reached its peak in the 13th century CE Yuan Dynasty, when some 2,000km of artificial waterways had been constructed to link five of the main water basins of China. This was an extensive engineering project that was unparalleled in the world before the Industrial Revolution. Still in use today, the thirty-one component sites of the WHS is located in the municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.