World heritage sites in other countries are examples. Interesting places

The buildings 25.09.2019

The buildings

World Heritage is a variety of natural or man-made objects that need to be preserved for future generations due to their special cultural, historical or ecological significance. As of 2012, there are 962 items on this list, 754 of them are cultural monuments, 188 are natural and 29 are mixed.
UNESCO was established in 1945 and its purpose is to protect and preserve places of special value or physical significance for all mankind. In 1954, during the construction of the Aswan Dam, Abu Simbel, a man-made temple carved into the rock, fell under flooding. The responsible organization allocated money for the building to be dismantled and moved to a higher location. This unprecedented action took four years, and highly qualified specialists from 54 countries of the world were involved in its implementation in a short time.
Today, on the pages of Forum-City, we will discuss a rather entertaining topic - the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Aldabra Atoll
The atoll consists entirely of corals and is a group of four islands separated by narrow straits. It is located north of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Belongs to the State of Seychelles.
Aldabra is considered the second largest in the world after Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Kiribati archipelago. Its dimensions: 34 km in length and 14.5 km in length, height above sea level up to 8 m. The area of the inner lagoon is 224 square meters. km.
Since the 17th century, it has been used by the French to hunt giant sea turtles, as their meat was considered an exquisite delicacy. For a long time, pirates also ruled these places, because the atoll is located far from populated areas.
In 1982, this piece of paradise was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique natural monument. This is one of the few islands on our planet that has not been touched by civilization. Currently, it is home to a huge population of giant sea turtles (over 152 thousand) and two completely unique species of bats. The entrance to this nature reserve is tightly controlled, and all approaches by the sea are protected.
Giant statue in China
The huge Buddha Maitreya is carved into the rock at the confluence of three rivers - Minjiang, Qingjiang and Daduhe near the city of Leshan in China. According to an ancient legend, a famous monk named Haithong of the Tang Dynasty, worried about frequent shipwrecks and deaths in a whirlpool just opposite this rock, vowed to carve a stone statue of a seated Buddha. He raised funds and began construction, and his followers completed this work. The largest monument in the world was built over 90 years - from 713 to 803.
For the convenience of visitors, a special Nine Turns path has been built here, consisting of 250 steps. There is a pavilion next to the trail where tourists can relax and admire the giant's face up close.
Almost until the middle of the 13th century, a huge seven-story wooden structure covered the statue from the weather, but over time it collapsed, and the structure remained defenseless against the elements. Debris left by tourists began to accumulate at the foot, the waters of three rivers washed away the lotus-shaped base.
The local department has hired 40 workers to restore the unique statue to its former grandeur. The project invested about $ 700,000 and another $ 730,000 to improve security systems.
Every year, more than 2 million travelers from all over the world come to see the seated Buddha and add about $ 84 million to the budget of the Leshan City Tourism Department.
Hatra, or El-Khadr
It is an ancient ruined city in the Parthian kingdom, the ruins of which are still located on the territory of Northern Iraq in the Ninewa province to the northwest of the capital of the country, Baghdad. It was founded in the III century, and it flourished in period II-I centuries BC.
The total area was about 320 hectares, in shape it resembled an oval, surrounded by a double line of high stone walls with four gates oriented to the cardinal points. The most powerful defensive wall, two meters high, was built of stone, behind it was a deep ditch up to 500 meters wide. There were 163 defense towers at a distance of 35 meters from each other.
The city belonged to Arab princes, who regularly paid tribute to the warlike Persians, and was located at the crossroads of the main trade routes of that time. In the center was a palace and temple complex with an area of about 12,000 square meters. meters. Due to its transit location, El-Khadr included religious buildings of different directions, it was even called the "House of God".
Thanks to good defenses and vigilant round-the-clock security ancient city even withstood the attack of the legionaries of the Roman Empire in 116 and in 198 already new era, but in 241, Hatra fell during the siege of the Persian ruler Shapur and was soon destroyed and consigned to oblivion.
Schroeder House by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld
This house in 1924 was specially built for the 35-year-old widow Truus Schröder-Schrader and her three children in the small Dutch town of Utrecht. The building is distinguished by innovative solutions in the original and unusual design of the exterior at that time, as well as the view of spacious balconies and huge windows.
Developed the project and all internal layout novice architect Gerrit Thomas Rietveld. The widow proposed a number of unusual innovations, which it was also decided to implement. So, in the kitchen on the ground floor, an elevator was built, in which ready meals were served upstairs directly to the set table. All the interiors of the first level are quite traditional for that time. The walls are made of old bricks.
But on the second floor, as planned by the hostess of the house, the entire space remained completely open, and it can be divided into several rooms at any time using sliding walls... All wardrobes and beds are transformers, assembled during the day and unfold at night. Instead of the usual curtains, as in all neighbors, they used multi-colored plywood boards.
Currently, the unique house belongs to the Central Museum of the city of Utrecht and guided tours that take about an hour are held there.
This building is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, because it had a significant impact on further architectural trends, and also became the first open-plan house in the world history of architecture.
Krak des Chevaliers
The Krak de Chevalier (or Krak de l'Hospital) is a unique crusader structure located in the state of Syria on the top of a cliff 650 meters high. The nearest town of Homs is located 65 km east of the castle.
This is one of the most well-preserved fortresses of the Order of the Hospitallers in the world. In the 10th century, this castle became its headquarters, where a garrison of 2,000 soldiers and 60 knights could be deployed during the crusade.
In addition to the powerful walls, many buildings were reconstructed and restored in gothic style... This is a large conference room, water storage tanks, a chapel, an inner aqueduct, storage rooms and two stables that could hold up to 1000 horses. In the rock mass under the building, underground storage facilities for food and water were made, which could be enough for a long siege for 5 years.
At the end of the 12th century, during another crusade, King Edward I of England saw the impregnable fortress, and soon his castles appeared in Wales and England, very similar in structure to Krak.
Monastery of the town of Alcobas
The Cistercian monastery "de Santa Maria de Alcobaça", located in the Portuguese city of Alcobaça, was founded by King Afonso Henriques in 1153 and for two centuries served as a burial vault for the rulers of Portugal. The cathedral is the first building in the Gothic style, built on the territory of the ancient state.
Architecture is historically valuable. The two wings of the main facade are made in the Baroque style, and between them there is a church, the facade of which, as it were, connects these two directions. At the top there is a balcony supported by four statues - they symbolize the main virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and sobriety.
In 1755, the whole country was shocked by the great Lisbon Earthquake, which was very destructive, but the temple survived - only the sacristy and part of the service buildings were damaged. However, it was not possible to restore the original appearance of the historical site. Near the entrance to the church is the Hall of the Kings, where there are statues of all the monarchs of Portugal, and the history of this place is written on the walls with the help of blue and white azuleijos tiles from the 18th century.
After viewing this early Gothic masterpiece, other interiors of the famous cathedrals of Europe seem gloomy and less aesthetic. These buildings showcase the perfect skills and dedication of medieval craftsmen. And the entire ensemble "de Santa Maria de Alcobaça" is one of the finest monuments of Portuguese art.
Monte Alban
According to prominent scientists with a worldwide reputation, this is a fairly large settlement of ancient people in the south-east of Mexico, Oaxaca. Just 9 km from the state capital, a man-made plateau stretches on a low ridge of a mountain range passing through a valley. On it was the very first city in the entire historical region, which played a significant role as the socio-political and economic center of the Zapotec civilization.
In the early 30s, the ruins of this ancient settlement were discovered by the Mexican archaeologist Alfonso Caso. Many pundits equate this discovery with a sensational discovery of the true location of the legendary Troy.
"Mexican Troy" turned out to be a city of high culture, local craftsmen as early as 200 BC were already able to process rock crystal and make unique jewelry from gold.
During the excavations, 150 four-chamber crypts, palaces and pyramids, very similar to those erected by the Mayan tribe, an ancient observatory, a giant amphitheater with 120 rows for spectators, powerful stone stairs 40 meters wide, a structure resembling a stadium and much more were discovered.
The walls of the buildings are decorated with frescoes, relief images of human figures and stone mosaics. A kind of burial ceramic urns in the form of gods and various animals have been discovered.
The impressive ruins of the center ancient civilization Monte Alban are located in such a way that they are visible from anywhere in the central part of the Oaxaca Valley
Lalibela
It is a small town in northern Ethiopia, located in the Ahmara region at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level. It is the center of pilgrimage for the entire population of the country, because almost all residents of the town are Christians of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Lalibela was built as the New Jerusalem in response to the Muslim seizure of the Christian shrine in the State of Israel, therefore many historical buildings have names and types of architecture similar to the ancient buildings of Jerusalem.
According to 2005 data, the population of the city was 15 thousand people, of which the majority (about 8,000) are women. This medieval religious center is famous for its monolithic three-aisled churches carved into volcanic tuff, built between the 11th and 13th centuries. The bas-reliefs and wall paintings of these ancient structures mix Christian and pagan symbols and motives.
Thirteen temples seem to grow out of the ground. "Bethe Mariam" is considered the oldest, and "Bethe Medhane Alei" - the largest church in the world, carved into the rock. According to the legend, in the last of the churches carved into the rocks, "Beta Golgotha", the remains of King Lalibela are buried.
These unique works of architecture of ancient craftsmen are also monuments to the engineering thought of medieval Ethiopia - near many of them there are wells that are filled with water using the most complex system based on the use of artesian wells.
Eight hundred years ago, people could supply water to a height of 2500 meters!
Ellora
It is a simple village in the state of Maharashtra, India, near the city of Aurangabad. It is famous for the fact that nearby in the rocks are carved cave temples of different religions, the creation of which dates back to the 6th-9th centuries of the new era. Of the 34 caves of Ellora, 12 in the south are Buddhist, 17 in the center are dedicated to Hindu gods, and 5 to the north are Jain.
Most of the ancient shrines have their own names, the most famous is “Kailas”. This beautiful, well-preserved example of ancient architecture is considered one of the most precious monuments in India. Colossal statues of Shiva, Vishnu and other gods revered in the country are carved in a granite canopy over the entrance to this place, sacred for all Hindus.
This is followed by the huge goddess Lakshmi - she is reclining on lotus flowers, and around there are majestic elephants. On all sides, the temple is surrounded by monumental size lions and vultures, they froze in different poses, and guard the peace of the heavenly kings.
One of the legends says that this piece of paradise was built by one raja - Edu of Elichpur - in gratitude for the healing with water from a spring located on the territory of the temple.
Vishvakarma has a multi-storey entrance and Big hall, in which stands a sculpture of a Buddha preaching a sermon.
Indra Sabha is a two-level monolithic Jain temple.
"Kailasanatha" is the centerpiece of the entire sacred complex, and during the construction of this miracle in the town of Ellora more than 200,000 tons of rock were removed.
Ancient building complex in the Wudang Mountains
The Wudang Mountains in China are famous for their ancient monasteries and temples; a long time ago, a university for the study of medicine, pharmacology, nutritional systems, meditation and martial arts was founded here.
Back in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the first religious center, the Temple of the Five Dragons, was opened in this area. Much construction on the mountain began in the 15th century, when Emperor Yongle summoned 300,000 soldiers and built the complexes. At that time, 9 monasteries, 36 sketes and 72 shrines, many gazebos, bridges and multi-tiered pagodas were erected, forming 33 architectural ensembles. The construction lasted 12 years, and the complex of structures covered the main peak and 72 small peaks - the length was 80 km.
The "Golden Hall" is one of the most famous, it took 20 thousand tons of copper and about 300 kg of gold to make it. According to scientists, it was forged in the capital of China, Beijing, and then delivered in parts to the Wudang Mountains.
The Temple of the Purple Cloud consists of several halls - Dragon and Tiger Hall, Purple Sky Hall, Eastern, Western and Parental. The shrines of Wu Zhen are kept here since the day of its foundation.
V troubled times During the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976), many places of worship were destroyed, but later rebuilt, and now the complex is visited by tourists from all over the world.
The architecture of the ancient complex of Wudang Mountains combines the best achievements of Chinese traditions over the past one and a half thousand years.
"Valley of the whales" in Egypt
40 million years ago, "Wadi Al-Hitan" was the bottom of the World Ocean, so hundreds of skeletons of ancient mammals have been preserved here. This unique valley is located 150 km southwest of the capital of Egypt - Cairo. Many of the remains of whales belong to the extinct suborder Archaeoceti, representing one of the most important stages of evolution: the transformation of terrestrial monsters of many tons into marine mammals.
Fossil skeletons clearly show the appearance and lifestyle of these giants in their transition period. In addition, they are all located in an easy-to-study and, importantly, vigilantly protected area.
In addition, there are the remains of the Sirenia sea cows and the Moeritherium elephant seals, as well as prehistoric crocodiles, sea snakes and turtles. Some specimens are so well preserved that the contents of their vast stomachs can be examined.
All together helps scientists to unravel the mystery of the evolution of these largest mammals on the planet.
The pristine exotic of tropical forests
Kerchin-Seblat National Park is the largest nature reserve on the island of Sumatra, its area is about 13.7 thousand square meters. km. Here you can see more than 4000 species of plants, including the world's largest flower - Rafflesia Arnold, its diameter is 60-100 cm, and its weight reaches 8 kg. In addition, this area is home to about 370 species of birds and rare animals (Sumatra tigers, elephants and rhinos, Malay tapir). There are also hot springs, the highest caldera lake and the highest peak on the island. And recently, a muntjak deer was seen here, the species of which was considered extinct in the 30s of the last century.
The second largest is Gunung Loser, with an area of 7927 sq. km. Located in the Aceh region and in the Bukit Lawang area. This small town is considered the best starting point for exploring this exotic place. Guided tours are only permitted with a trained guide and special permission.
In this reserve, the most interesting is the large population of great apes - orangutans. Translated from the Malay language, this means "forest man".
The third largest is Bukit-Barisan-Selatan with an area of 3568 sq. km, covering the provinces of Lampung, Benkulu and South Sumatra. Here you can meet very rare animals - the Sumatran elephant and the striped rabbit.
Tourists appreciate Sumatra for its tropical forests with its pristine nature, for outlandish plants and amazing representatives of exotic fauna. In addition, there are many beautiful and still active volcanoes.
"Sistine Chapel of Primitive Painting"
"Lascaux" is located in France, 40 km from the city of Perigueux and is considered one of the most important Paleolithic monuments in terms of the quantity, quality and preservation of rock art of ancient people. The cave was accidentally discovered in 1940 by four teenagers who noticed a narrow hole in the rock formed by a falling tree. After a survey, scientists have determined that the age of the rock carvings is more than 17,300 years.
The cave is rather small in size, the aggregate of all its galleries is about 250 meters, and the average height is 30 meters. Visitors were allowed in from 1948 to 1955, but then it was closed, since the ventilation systems could not cope with the carbon dioxide that accumulated inside from the breath of numerous tourists, and the rock paintings could be damaged.
Air conditioning systems were changed several times in the last century, but they were all ineffective, and the historical heritage was periodically closed for preventive work... And only in the 21st century were powerful units installed, which successfully coped with the task.
To preserve the wall painting, they decided to copy all the images and made a concrete copy, which shows almost all the rock paintings in the same sequence as the original. The cave was named "Lasko II", it is located just 200 meters from the real one and was first discovered for travelers in 1983.
Takht-e Jamshid
Takht-e Jamshid in Greek "Persepoles" - the ruins of the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. This place is considered one of the most beautiful monuments in the history of the state of Iran. It is located on the plain of Marvdasht at the foot of Mount Ramhat and was founded by the Great Persian King Darius I in 515 BC.
The area of this stone structure is 135 thousand square meters. meters, it includes the "Gates of All Nations", "Apadana Palace", "Throne Room", the tomb of the "King of Kings", an unfinished palace and treasury. Construction lasted for about 45 years and was completed during the reign of Xerxes the Great, the eldest son of Darius.
In Persepoles, mainly the remains of the palace complex and religious buildings have been preserved. The most famous of them is "Apadana" with a ceremonial hall and 72 columns. Five kilometers away is the royal tomb of Naksh Rustam and the rocky reliefs of Naksh Rustam and Naksh Rajab.
Here, in those distant times, there was already a water supply and sewerage system, and during the construction the labor of slaves was not used. The walls of this unique complex were over five meters thick and up to 150 centimeters high. One could climb to the city by the main staircase, which consisted of two flights of 111 steps of white limestone each. Then it was necessary to pass the "Gate of All Nations".
But the powerful walls did not help, and in 330 the great conqueror Alexander the Great stormed the fortified complex and during a feast in honor of the victory burned the capital of the Persian kingdom to the ground, possibly in revenge for the Acropolis destroyed by the Persians in Athens.
Cradle of humanity
The historical monument is located 50 km north-west of Johannensburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa in the south of the African continent. Its area is 474 sq. km, the complex includes limestone caves, including a group called Sterkfontein, where in 1947 Robert Bloom and John Robinson discovered the fossil remains of an ancient man - "Australopithecus africanus" 2.3 million years old.
"Taung-Rock-Fossil-Site" - it was here in 1924 that the famous Taung skull, belonging to the most ancient man, was discovered. The Macapan Valley is famous for the abundance of archaeological traces found in the local caves, confirming the existence of people about 3.3 million years ago.
The fossil remains found here have helped scientists identify ancient hominid specimens dating from between 4.5 and 2.5 million years ago. The same findings fully confirm the theory that our distant ancestors began to use fire as early as about a million years ago.
Perhaps some of the readers will think that there are a lot of numbers in our topic, but this is a story, moreover, not of some individual person, but of our entire civilization.

At present, the human environment is changing rapidly and with increasing speed. The task of humanity is to maintain nature on the globe in a condition necessary for life, health and well-being. It is also necessary to preserve, as far as possible, at least the most unique places in nature, which are of particular value from a scientific point of view, areas that make up the habitats of valuable or endangered species of plants and animals. There are many unique places in nature, the disappearance of which would be an irreparable loss not only for the country in whose territory they are located, but also for all mankind as a whole.In most countries of the world, networks of so-called "specially protected natural areas" (SPNA) have been created for these purposes. These include the following natural sites:

Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve, Leningrad Region

Zakazniks are created with the aim of preserving or restoring some or all of the components of nature and to maintain an overall ecological balance. Certain types of economic activities are limited in these territories.

Gladyshevsky nature reserve, Leningrad region

Monuments of nature - small areas, including naturally valuable objects: caves, rocks, waterfalls, groves of rare tree species, river valleys, lakes, etc.

Natural monument "Yastrebinoe Lake", Leningrad Region

Natural parks serve to protect natural complexes of ecological, historical and aesthetic value. They are staffed with special staff.

Natural park "Veppsky forest", Leningrad region

B Have you ever been to one of the protected areas? How do you remember this place?

In these territories, people preserve both rare, unique and typical areas of forests, swamps, meadows, reservoirs and other natural ecosystems, rare and widespread species of plants and animals in their natural habitat, bird migration routes, fish spawning routes and others. natural objects and processes.

The entire nature of our planet is priceless and unique. Of course, it is difficult to single out some of the most outstanding and valuable natural areas of "exceptional importance" from the natural areas subject to special protection, which are vitally important to preserve for the present and future generations. This is the subject of a special UNESCO program that makes up the so-called World Heritage List.

The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage entered into force in 1975. Its main goal is to attract the forces of the world community to preserve the unique objects of culture and nature. By mid-2012 total number countries-parties to the Convention have already reached 189. Among the international programs of UNESCO, this program is the most representative. To enhance the effectiveness of the Convention, a World Heritage Committee and Fund were formed in 1976.

The World Natural Heritage is made up of mountains, volcanoes, lakes, rivers, islands, forests, caves, reefs, national parks, nature reserves, reserves.

Of course, being on a par with the generally recognized world pearls of nature and culture is honorable and prestigious, but, at the same time, it is also a great responsibility. To receive World Heritage status, an object must be of outstanding human value, undergo a thorough expert assessment. In this case, the nominated natural object must meet at least one of the following four criteria:

Include unique natural phenomena or territory of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value;

Provide outstanding examples of milestones in Earth's history, including traces of ancient life, serious geological processes that continue to occur in the development of forms of the earth's surface, significant geomorphological or physical-geographical features of the relief;

Provide outstanding examples of important ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

Include natural habitats of great importance for the conservation of biological diversity, including habitats of endangered species that are of outstanding world heritage in terms of science or nature conservation.

The status of a World Natural Heritage Site provides additional guarantees for the safety and integrity of unique natural complexes, increases the prestige of territories, promotes the popularization of sites and the development of alternative types of nature management, and provides priority in attracting funds.

The first cultural and natural sites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List two years after the creation of the program. From natural areas, the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Yellowstone National Parks (USA), Nahanni (Canada) and Seaman (Ethiopia) received the status of heritage. Over the past years, the List has become very representative both in terms of the regions of the planet represented and in terms of the number of objects: by mid-2012 it already included 188 natural objects. Most of them are located in the USA and Australia (more than 10 objects in each country). Under the protection of the Convention are such world famous natural monuments as the Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii, Grand Canyon, Mount Kilimanjaro. Video 62.

In Russia, the initiator of the inclusion of natural sites in the World Heritage List is primarily Greenpeace. By joining this UNESCO program, a new page has been opened in the field of nature conservation in Russia.

Objects of the World Natural Heritage of Russia

There are inaccuracies on the map, since at the moment 11 objects have already been included in the list, including the Putorana plateau and the Lena Pillars natural park. The first in our country to receive the status of a World Natural Heritage Site in 1995 was a natural complex called " Virgin forests Komi ".

The territory of this object is the largest of the remaining massifs of primary forests in Europe, the appearance of which is almost unchanged by human impact. Video 63.

The virgin forests of Komi are a real taiga treasure. There are more than 40 species of mammals (including brown bear, sable, elk), 204 species of birds (including the white-tailed eagle and osprey listed in the Red Book of Russia), 16 species of fish, the most valuable of which are glacial relics - char palia and Siberian grayling.

This territory stretches along the western slope of the Subpolar and Northern Urals for more than 300 km. The Ural mountain system has a significant impact on the climate. In places, natural complexes form a complex mosaic: along narrow river valleys, taiga vegetation rises high into the mountains.

The main tree species - spruce and fir - are accompanied by Siberian cedar. Here the crystal clear tributaries of the Pechora originate and receive. Now the territory of the World Heritage Site "Virgin Komi Forests" is in danger due to illegal gold mining unfolding here (1).Greenpeace Russia and other non-governmental organizations will fight to stop any nature-destroying activity on its territory.

Lake Baikal

Baikal is one of the greatest lakes on the planet, a lake of "superlatives": the deepest (1637 meters), the oldest (about 25 million years), with the most diverse flora and fauna among fresh water oem. Video 64.

The lake has a reserve of fresh water that is unique in terms of volume and quality - more than 20% of the world's reserves). The Baikal depression is the central link of the Baikal rift zone, one of the largest ancient fault systems on Earth. The lake, together with its entire basin, is a peculiar and very fragile natural ecosystem that provides the natural process of the formation of the purest waters. For Siberia, the climate of the Baikal coasts is relatively mild. For example, the number of sunny days per year is higher here than in many Black Sea resorts.One of the richest and most unusual freshwater fauna in the world, which is of exceptional value for the study of evolutionary processes, has formed in the ancient isolated Baikal depression.

Of the more than 2630 species and subspecies of animals and plants found to date in the lake, more than 80% are found nowhere else in the world. Who has not heard of the famous Baikal omul or the Baikal sturgeon? Two unique views viviparous fish, representatives of the family endemic (2) for Lake Baikal, - large and small golomyanka - are known to ichthyologists all over the world. The pyramid of the lake ecosystem is crowned with a mammal of a typical marine origin - the seal, or the Baikal seal.

Unfortunately, the unique nature of Lake Baikal is under threat (3).

WITH Have you heard about the actions that the public is taking in order to protect Baikal from pollution by a pulp and paper mill?

Another danger for Lake Baikal is posed by the planned development of deposits, illegal logging, forest fires, poaching, oil spills.

Volcanoes of Kamchatka

The Kamchatka Peninsula is located at the junction of tectonic plates in the zone of active volcanism, where modern natural processes and the history of our planet are inseparable. Video 65.

Here on limited area concentrated 30 active and about 300 extinct volcanoes, as well as more than 150 groups of thermal and mineral springs. Dozens of geysers, hot springs, fumaroles (4), cascades of waterfalls, sharp peaks of ridges, mud pots and turquoise lakes, carpets of colorful seaweed give a fabulous look to the famous Valley of Geysers

The richest life is presented in the seas washing the coast of Kamchatka. Here are the growth zones of Kamchatka crab larvae, places of salmon fish spawning and their fry rolling into the sea. From summer to the beginning of winter, an amazing natural phenomenon can be observed on the rivers of the peninsula: millions of salmon move in a continuous mass along the rivers upstream to their spawning grounds.

Golden mountains of Altai

The nature of this mountainous area, located at the junction Central Asia and Siberia, is distinguished by its striking originality. There are few places in the world with such a contrasting combination of different landscapes in such a small space. Video 66.

The flora and fauna of the region are diverse, in many respects unique. Here are the most significant subalpine and alpine meadows in terms of area in the mountains of Siberia. The color of the vegetation of the Southern Altai is also unique, where semi-deserts, steppes and tundra coexist. The variety of landscapes contributed to the emergence and preservation of endemics in Altai, often occupying very small areas. Among the rare species of mammals, the snow leopard should be distinguished; this is one of the most beautiful cats in the world fauna. Very few of these animals have survived in Altai.

Unique geological history region, "recorded" in the uneven-aged rocks composing it and captured in extraordinary relief forms. Such are, for example, high terraces the Katun rivers, striking in their grandeur. Mount Belukha is grandiose - the highest peak in Siberia (4506 meters). Altai river valleys are narrow deep canyons.

The diversity of nature has left its mark on the culture and religion of the indigenous population of this territory - the Altai. The achievements of the Altai traditional medicine... As the eminent philosopher, writer, traveler H.K. Roerich, “many peoples passed through Altai and left traces: Scythians, Huns, Turks”. Gorny Altai is called an open-air museum.

Western Caucasus

The western part of the Greater Caucasus in terms of the diversity of flora and fauna, their safety is unmatched not only in the Caucasus region, but also among other mountainous regions of Europe and Western Asia. Video 67.

This is the territory where a large number of endangered rare, endemic and relict plant and animal species. It is especially important that the habitat of the most vulnerable large mammals has been preserved here: bison, Caucasian red deer, West Caucasian tur, chamois, Caucasian subspecies of brown bear, wolf and others.

The Caucasian Reserve is practically the only habitat of the mountain bison in the world; outside this territory it is almost completely exterminated by poachers.

The territory is rich in picturesque objects: powerful waterfalls, peaked mountain peaks (up to 3360 meters), turbulent mountain rivers with clear water, clear mountain lakes, huge trees (majestic fir up to 85 meters high and more than 2 meters in diameter), rare plants (orchids, etc. .) and many others. An invaluable unique natural complex has been preserved in the Western Caucasus.

Curonian Spit

The relief of this territory, located in the Kaliningrad region, is unique. A continuous strip of sand dunes 0.3 - 1 km wide, some of which are close to the highest in the world (up to 68 m), stretches along the peninsula for 70 km. Video 68.

Due to its geographical position and orientation from north-east to south-west, the spit serves as a “guiding line” for birds of many species migrating from the north-western regions of Russia, Finland and the Baltic countries to the countries of Central and Southern Europe. Annually in spring and autumn 10 - 20 million birds fly over the spit, a significant part of which stop here for rest and feeding. Among the birds flying here, there are many rare and endangered species listed in the Red Data Books of Russia, Europe and the world.

It is especially interesting that the scythe is rich in objects. cultural heritage... These are defense structures, unique in their scale, extremely valuable from the point of view of history, science and art; fishermen's settlements harmoniously integrated into the landscape; archaeological sites and monuments of religious architecture. The many-sided dune relief of the Curonian Spit, combined with the green of the forests, the whiteness of the sandy beaches and the endless blue of the Baltic Sea, has a high aesthetic value.

Central Sikhote-Alin

This territory, located in the south of the Far East within Russia, is one of the largest and least human-altered foci for the conservation of communities of ancient coniferous-deciduous and deciduous forests. Video 69.

It presents a lot of rare and endangered animal species, a significant part of which is preserved only within its limits. The mountainous country of Sikhote-Alin is the last large integral territory in the world inhabited by the Amur tiger. Many other rare and endangered species of plants and animals that are endemic to the region need protection.

Picturesque landforms, deep rivers, combined with an exceptional variety of flora and fauna, the presence of exotic plants and animals, reminiscent of the tropics, give the nature of Sikhote-Alin absolutely unique features. There are many objects of aesthetic and recreational importance here: rock massifs, picturesquely standing out among the taiga, waterfalls, lakes and rapids, reefs, sandy bays on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

Ubsunur pool

The Ubsunur Basin, located on the territory of Mongolia and Russia, is one of the most original and unusual places in Central Asia. Video 70.

This region has preserved a unique complex of neighboring, closely interacting, extremely contrasting ecosystems - from taiga to desert. Glaciers, snowfields, mountain tundra of the alpine belt and subalpine meadows turn into a vast mountain-taiga belt, which is replaced by forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and even loose sandy ridges, creating a natural phenomenon of exceptional beauty and diversity. It is impossible to see such diverse landscapes in such close proximity anywhere else in Eurasia. This territory has an unusually high species richness for temperate latitudes.

The relatively sparsely populated territory, the absence of industrial facilities allow the pool to be preserved as a natural laboratory for the study of biospheric processes

However, the value of the territory lies not only in the unique nature of the Ubsunur basin. The cultural heritage sites located here are of great importance - archaeological sites, many of which have not yet been studied. Nowhere else in Central Asia mounds are found in such a concentration as here (according to a rough estimate, there are up to 20 thousand of them); most of them are older Egyptian pyramids... Thousands of rock paintings and stone statues, the remains of medieval settlements and Buddhist chapels form a unique natural and cultural landscape.

Natural system of the reserve "Wrangel Island»

The Wrangel Island Nature Reserve is located on the border of the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas on the Wrangel and Herald Islands with an adjacent 12-mile sea area. Video 71.

The 180th meridian passes through Wrangel Island, so the island lies in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. The relief is predominantly mountainous, highly dissected, with coastal lowlands in the north and south. There are 1400 rivers and streams on the island, about 900 small lakes. The unique combination of natural-historical and landscape-climatic conditions, as well as the inaccessibility, led to a large number of endemic, rare and relict plant species on the islands. On the islands, as part of the ancient land that once united the Eurasian and North American continents, both Euro-Asian and American species of flora and fauna are widely represented.

Putorana plateau

The plateau is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It is a large basalt plateau located on the northern limit of the taiga and is almost completely unaffected. economic activities person. Video 72. Trap landforms (5), crossed by huge canyons, are unusual and extremely interesting. The scale and number of waterfalls are impressive (the largest concentration is on the territory of Russia). There is a 108 m high waterfall - one of the highest in our country. There are many lakes on the plateau with depths of up to 400 m; lake fjords are very picturesque.More than 1300 plant species have been recorded on the Putorana plateau. Here is the northern limit of distribution of flying squirrel, lynx, sable, wood grouse. The migration route of the world's largest population of wild reindeer, the Taimyr, runs through the plateau. It is also home to a little-studied, extremely interesting local form of the bighorn sheep.

Lena Pillars

The natural park "Lenskie Stolby" is located in Central Yakutia, in the middle reaches of the Lena River. Video 73.

The park got its name because of the unique ridge of rocks - fabulous stone statues in the form of pillars and towers stretch along the banks of the Lena for tens of kilometers. Some are up to 100 meters high. This natural monument is composed of Cambrian limestones - rock, formed over 500 million years ago.

In addition, in the park there are small areas desert landscape - unique permafrost ecosystems, as well as waving sands-tukulans - isolated and independently developing sand ridges with slopes that are practically not fixed by vegetation. In the area of the Lena Pillars, scientists discovered burials of bone remains of ancient fauna: mammoth, bison, Lena horse, woolly rhinoceros.

The park is home to 21 species of rare and endangered "Red Book" plants. In the basin of the middle reaches of the Lena River, the fish fauna includes 31 species. There are 101 bird species nesting in the park. There are such animals as sable, brown bear, squirrel, elk, red deer, chipmunk, musk deer, mountain-forest form of wild reindeer.

Work to continue to include new territories on the World Heritage List continues. According to the rules, nominations for consideration by the World Heritage Committee must first be included in the national Tentative list... They are presented on the map of the World Natural Heritage of Russia (see above).

It is obvious that effective protection of such territories is impossible without active involvement public organizations, as many citizens of the country as possible. Let us remember that we are individually and collectively responsible for the preservation of natural complexes.

Read the resolution of the International Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations on World Heritage Sites (6).

What can we, the people of Russia, do to support the conservation and development of specially protected natural areas?

Each of these places is unique in its own way, and all together they function, making up the unity and integrity of the life support system on the Planet. They create its unique, still far from fully unraveled and cognized appearance.

There are many beautiful buildings, natural phenomena and other unique objects in the world that delight people. And the task of each generation is to preserve this wealth and pass it on to descendants. The most valuable attractions are included in a special list.

About World Heritage Sites

It is scary to think that the descendants will not see, for example, the Acropolis or Meanwhile, this can happen, if not in the near future, then after several generations. That is why one of the primary tasks of humanity is to preserve and increase the cultural and natural resources of the planet.

For this purpose, a special list was created, which includes World Heritage sites located on the territory of various countries and regions. There are many of them, they are diverse, and each is unique in its own way.

General information about the list

For the first time, the idea of a list of the most valuable sites in the world was realized in 1978, after the UN Convention was adopted six years earlier, which proclaimed the common responsibility for the preservation of the most significant cultural and natural monuments.

At the end of 2014, the list contains 1007 items. Italy, China, Spain, France, Germany, Mexico, India, Great Britain, Russia and the USA are in the top ten by the number of World Heritage Sites. In total, there are 359 items included in the list on their territory.

There are a number of criteria according to which the list is expanded. They include the uniqueness or exclusivity of a place or building from different points of view: its inhabitants, structures, evidence of an important stage in the development of civilizations, etc. Therefore, sometimes you can find objects that are quite unexpected for someone on the list.

Categories and examples

All the diversity of the World Heritage is divided into three conditional groups: cultural, natural and cultural-natural. The first category is the most numerous, it includes 779 items, for example, the building of the Opera House in Sydney. The second group contains 197 objects, including Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Grand Canyon. The last category is the smallest - only 31 monuments, but they combine both natural beauty and human intervention: Machu Picchu, Meteora monasteries, etc.

For some reason, people are accustomed to first of all admiring buildings and creations of their own efforts, forgetting about natural beauties. And in vain, because in fact it is also a World Cultural Heritage.

In Russia

On the territory of the Russian Federation there are 26 monuments included in the UNESCO list. Of these, 15 are classified as cultural, and the remaining 11 are natural. They are located throughout the country and include, in fact, the unique UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Russia.

For the first time, the Russian Federation added to the list of countries on whose territory there are monuments to human and natural genius, in 1990, when the list was replenished with the Kizhi Pogost and the historical center of St. Petersburg. In the future, the World Heritage of Russia has been regularly replenished and is still expanding. The list includes reserves, monasteries, geological monuments and many other objects. So, in 2014, the historical and archaeological complex "Bulgar", which is located in Tatarstan, entered the list of the World Heritage of Russia.

Full list

The World Heritage Sites of Russia are mostly known to many citizens. But someone will also find unfamiliar places for themselves that they might want to visit, so it is better to give a complete list:

historical center and monuments of St. Petersburg;
Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow;
Kizhi churchyard;
Veliky Novgorod and its environs;
white monuments of Suzdal and Vladimir;
Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye;
Trinity-Sergius Lavra;
Komi forests;
Lake Baikal;
Kamchatka volcanoes;
Sikhote-Alin nature reserve;
golden Altai mountains;
the basin of the Ubsu-Nur lake;
Western Caucasus;
Kazan Kremlin;
Ferapontov Monastery;
Curonian Spit;
the old town of Derbent;
Wrangel Island;
Novodevichy Convent;
the historical center of Yaroslavl;
the Struve arc;
Putorana plateau;
Lena Pillars;
complex "Bulgar".

Another point is connected with the political events of 2014 - the ancient city of Chersonesos is located on the Crimean peninsula, which is also included in the World Cultural Heritage. Russia actually has something to strive for, because there are many more unique sites located on the territory of the country, and each of them may eventually enter the UNESCO list. In the meantime, it is still worth learning more about those monuments that are already on this list. After all, it was not for nothing that they were included there?

Natural

Russia is a huge country, the largest on the planet in terms of territory. 9 time zones, 4 climatic and great amount different zones. It is not surprising that the World Natural Heritage of Russia is quite numerous and diverse - 11 sites. There are huge forests, clean and deep lakes, natural phenomena of amazing beauty.

Virgin Komi forests. Considered to be the largest intact forests in Europe. Included in the World Heritage of Russia in 1995. Many species of rare representatives of flora and fauna grow and live on their territory.
Lake Baikal. It is the deepest on the planet. Entered the list in 1996. Many species found in the lake are endemic.
Volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula. They are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Included in the World Heritage Sites of Russia in 1996.
Altai. In the list since 1998. Includes habitats of rare representatives of flora and fauna.
Caucasian reserve. Located in three regions of the Russian Federation: Krasnodar Territory, the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygea. On the list since 1999.
Central Sikhote-Alin. Nature reserve located in the Primorsky Territory. Many rare species of animals live on its territory. Included in the UNESCO list in 2001.
Curonian Spit. This unique object is a sandy body stretching over the Baltic Sea for almost 100 kilometers. There are a lot of interesting places on the territory of the spit, for example the famous "Dancing Forest", and through it lies the path of seasonal migration of many birds. Listed in 2000.
Ubsu-Nur basin. Located on the border of the Russian Federation and Mongolia. The basin was included in the list in 2003 according to the criteria of international scientific importance and conservation of biological and landscape diversity.
Wrangel Island. It is divided into almost equal halves between the Western and Eastern hemispheres. Most its territory is occupied by mountains. Rare plants grow here, which, among other things, was the reason for the object to be included in the UNESCO list in 2004 under number 1023.
It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2010. Here are the migration routes of large populations of reindeer, and a unique combination of ecosystems is observed.
Lena Pillars. On the this moment the last World Natural Heritage site in Russia. Was listed in 2012. In addition to its aesthetic importance, this object is valuable for the uniqueness of the geological processes taking place here.

Man-made

Objects of the World Cultural Heritage of Russia, of course, include not only natural monuments, but the results of human labor.

Historical center of St. Petersburg. Red Square and the Kremlin in Moscow. The hearts of both capitals were included in the list simultaneously - in 1990 - and according to four criteria at once.
Kizhi. This unique ensemble wooden buildings was included in the UNESCO list also in 1990. This real wonder of the world not only demonstrates the genius of mankind, but also amazingly harmonizes with the surrounding nature.
In 1992, UNESCO added 3 more sights to its list: the monuments of Novgorod, Suzdal and Vladimir, as well as
The Trinity-Sergius Lavra and the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, listed in 1993 and 1994, respectively, are known for their beauty - many residents of Moscow and the Moscow region regularly visit there.
c entered the list in 2000, as did
Monuments of the city of Derbent in Dagestan - 2003.
in Moscow - 2004.
Historical center of Yaroslavl - 2005.
(2 points), which helped to establish the shape, size and some other parameters of the planet - 2005.
Architectural and historical complex Bulgar - 2014.

As you can see, the sites of the World Cultural Heritage of Russia are mostly concentrated in the European part, which is due to the peculiarities of the development of the territory.

Applicants

The list of the World Heritage of Russia in the coming years may expand significantly. The government of the Russian Federation regularly proposes to the UN more and more new applicants, unique and wonderful in their own way. Now there are 24 more sites that can be included in the main list of UNESCO.

The threat of extinction

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to preserve the World Heritage. Fortunately, Russia is not threatened yet, all of its monuments included in the list are relatively safe. UNESCO regularly edits and publishes a special list of unique objects in danger. Now it consists of 38 items. Natural and cultural monuments fall into this "alarming" list for different reasons: poaching, deforestation, construction and reconstruction projects that violate the historical appearance, climate change, etc. In addition, the worst enemy of the World Heritage is the time that cannot be defeated. And yet, from time to time, monuments are removed from this list, most often due to an improvement in the situation. But there are also sad examples when the situation has deteriorated so much that objects simply ceased to be included in the World Heritage Site. Russia has nothing to fear so far, although the ecological situation in some parts of the country may affect many natural monuments. And then, perhaps, for the Russian Federation, the “alarming” list will become relevant.

UNESCO action

Inclusion in the list is not only and not so much prestige, but first of all, increased attention to the safety and condition of certain objects from the outside more organizations. UNESCO also stimulates the development of ecological tourism and increases the awareness of the people about the uniqueness of the monuments. Among other things, there is a special fund that finances the support of the objects.

Outstanding natural and cultural values that constitute the heritage of all mankind. In 1972, UNESCO adopted the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to which most of the countries of the world have acceded. States, on ... ... Financial vocabulary

Modern encyclopedia

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World heritage- WORLD HERITAGE, outstanding cultural and natural values that constitute the heritage of all mankind. In 1972, UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (entered into force in 1975). Ratified the convention ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Outstanding cultural and natural values that constitute the heritage of all mankind. In November 1972, the General Conference of UNESCO adopted the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (entered into force in 1975, when the number ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Project emblem World heritage World heritage (English World Heritage, French Patrimoine Mondial, Spanish Patrimonio Mundial) outstanding cultural and natural values that constitute the heritage of all mankind. In 1972, UNESCO adopted the Convention ... ... Wikipedia

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Books

World heritage of Russia. Book 2. Monuments of nature, Sirotkina Alla. The books tell about the cultural and natural monuments of Russia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The second volume contains 12 natural objects. Their description and history are given. Each…
World heritage of Russia. Book 1. Architecture, Sirotkina Alla. The book tells about the cultural monuments of Russia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Their description and history are given. Each object is represented by at least 25-30 photographs, ...

This term has other meanings, see Legacy. Project emblem World Heritage ... Wikipedia

The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India includes 27 sites (as of 2008). Contents 1 List 2 Applicants for World Heritage List ... Wikipedia

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Modern encyclopedia

There are 8 items on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia (for 2008). The general World Heritage List includes 878 sites. Thus, the share of Ethiopian properties in the world is approximately 1%. In this table ... ... Wikipedia

Books

World heritage of Russia. Book 1. Architecture, Sirotkina Alla. The book tells about the cultural monuments of Russia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Their description and history are given. Each object is represented by at least 25-30 photographs, ...
World heritage of Russia. Book 2. Nature. Photo album, A. Sirotkina. The books tell about the cultural and natural monuments of Russia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The first volume - 14 architectural objects, the second volume - 12 natural objects. They are given ...

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