Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor

This property is a 5,000 km section of the extensive Silk Roads network, stretching from Chang’an/Luoyang, the central capital of China in the Han and Tang dynasties, to the Zhetysu region of Central Asia. It took shape between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD and remained in use until the 16th century, linking multiple civilizations and facilitating far-reaching exchanges of activities in trade, religious beliefs, scientific knowledge, technological innovation, cultural practices and the arts. The thirty-three components included in the routes network include capital cities and palace complexes of various empires and Khan kingdoms, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples, ancient paths, posthouses, passes, beacon towers, sections of The Great Wall, fortifications, tombs and religious buildings.

China

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

N34 18 16 E108 51 26

Date of Inscription: 2014

Criteria: (ii)(iii)(v)(vi)

Property : 42,668 ha

Buffer zone: 189,963 ha

Ref: 1442

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Ogasawara Islands

 

The property numbers more than 30 islands clustered in three groups and covers surface area of 7,939 hectares. The islands offer a variety of landscapes and are home to a wealth of fauna, including the Bonin Flying Fox, a critically endangered bat, and 195 endangered bird species. Four-hundred and forty-one native plant taxa have been documented on the islands whose waters support numerous species of fish, cetaceans and corals. Ogasawara Islands' ecosystems reflect a range of evolutionary processes illustrated through its assemblage of plant species from both southeast and northwest Asia, alongside many endemic species.

Japan

N27 43 6 E142 5 59

Date of Inscription: 2011

Criteria: (ix)

Property : 7,939 ha

Ref: 1362

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Roskilde Cathedral

Brief Description

Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, this was Scandinavia's first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and it encouraged the spread of this style throughout northern Europe. It has been the mausoleum of the Danish royal family since the 15th century. Porches and side chapels were added up to the end of the 19th century. Thus it provides a clear overview of the development of European religious architecture.

Denmark

Island of Sjaelland, City of Roskilde, Sealand Region

N55 38 32 E12 4 47

Date of Inscription: 1995

Criteria: (ii)(iv)

Property : 0.40 ha

Buffer zone: 1.50 ha

Ref: 695rev

Source:  http://whc.unesco.org

China Danxia

China Danxia is the name given in China to landscapes developed on continental red terrigenous sedimentary beds influenced by endogenous forces (including uplift) and exogenous forces (including weathering and erosion). The inscribed site comprises six areas found in the sub-tropical zone of south-west China. They are characterized by spectacular red cliffs and a range of erosional landforms, including dramatic natural pillars, towers, ravines, valleys and waterfalls. These rugged landscapes have helped to conserve sub-tropical broad-leaved evergreen forests, and host many species of flora and fauna, about 400 of which are considered rare or threatened.

China

N28 25 19 E106 2 33

Date of Inscription: 2010

Criteria: (vii)(viii)

Property : 82,151 ha

Buffer zone: 218,357 ha

Ref: 1335

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey

 Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey are located  along the Weser River on the outskirts of Höxter where they were erected between 822 and 885 A.D. in a largely preserved rural setting. The Westwork is the only standing structure that dates back to the Carolingian era, while the original imperial abbey complex is preserved as archaeological remains which are only partially excavated. The Westwork of Corvey uniquely illustrates one of the most important Carolingian architectural expressions. It is a genuine creation of this period, and its architectural articulation and decoration clearly illustrate the role played within the Frankish empire by imperial monasteries in securing territorial control, administration, as well as the propagation of Christianity and of the Carolingian cultural and political order throughout Europe.

Germany

N51 46 41.8 E9 24 36.9

Date of Inscription: 2014

Criteria: (ii)(iii)(iv)

Property : 12 ha

Buffer zone: 69 ha

Ref: 1447

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue

 
This 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.

 Hungary

Budapest

N47 28 56.712 E19 4 14.412

Date of Inscription: 1987

Extension: 2002

Criteria: (ii)(iv)

Property : 473 ha 

Buffer zone: 494 ha

Ref: 400bis

Source: http://whc.unesco.org 

Medina of Marrakesh

Medina of Marrakesh

Founded 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.

Morocco

Province of Marrakesh

N31 37 53.004 W7 59 12.012

Date of Inscription: 1985

Criteria: (i)(ii)(iv)(v)

Property : 1,107 ha

Ref: 331

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Gros Morne National Park

Situated 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.

 Canada

Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador

N49 36 45 W57 31 53

Date of Inscription: 1987

Criteria: (vii)(viii)

Property : 180,500 ha 

Ref: 419

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape

The 121,967-ha Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape encompasses an extensive area of pastureland on both banks of the Orkhon River and includes numerous archaeological remains dating back to the 6th century. The site also includes Kharkhorum, the 13th- and 14th-century capital of Chingis (Genghis) Khan’s vast Empire. Collectively the remains in the site reflect the symbiotic links between nomadic, pastoral societies and their administrative and religious centres, and the importance of the Orkhon valley in the history of central Asia. The grassland is still grazed by Mongolian nomadic pastoralists.

 Mongolia

Orkhon-Kharkorin Region

N47 33 24 E102 49 53

Date of Inscription: 2004

Criteria: (ii)(iii)(iv)

Property : 121,967 ha 

Buffer zone: 61,044 ha

Ref: 1081rev

Source: http://whc.unesco.org