About UNESCO World Heritage

The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted at the XVII session of the General Conference of UNESCO on November 16, 1972 and entered into force on December 17, 1975. Its main goal is to attract the forces of the world community to preserve unique objects of culture and nature. In 1975, 21 states ratified the Convention, over the 42 years of its existence, 172 more states have acceded to them, and by mid-2017 the total number of states parties to the Convention has reached 193. In terms of the number of states parties, the World Heritage Convention among other international programs of UNESCO is the most representative. In order to improve the efficiency of the work of the Convention, the Committee and the World Heritage Fund were formed in 1976.

The first cultural and natural sites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List two years after the program was established. Of the natural areas, the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), the national parks Yellowstone (USA), Nahanni (Canada) and Seamen (Ethiopia) received heritage status. 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-2017, it included 206 natural, 832 cultural and 35 mixed natural and cultural objects in 167 countries of the world. Largest number of cultural objects in the List are Italy, Spain, Germany and France and China (more than 30 each), the USA, Australia, China, Russia and Canada have the most a large number of Natural World Heritage Sites (more than 10 sites each). Under the protection of the Convention are such world-famous natural monuments as the Great Barrier Reef, the Hawaiian and Galapagos Islands, the Grand Canyon, Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Baikal.

Of course, it is an honor and prestige for any object to be on a par with the universally recognized world pearls of nature and culture, but at the same time, this is a great responsibility. To receive World Heritage status, a property must be of Outstanding Human Value, undergo a rigorous peer review process, and meet at least one of 10 selection criteria. At the same time, the nominated natural object must comply with at least one of the following four criteria:

vii) include unique natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value;

VIII) present outstanding examples of the main stages of the history of the Earth, 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 physiographic features of the relief;

IX) present 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;

X) include natural areas of great conservation importance biodiversity, including areas of endangered species that represent outstanding global heritage from the point of view of science or nature conservation.

The protection, management, authenticity and integrity of a property are also important factors that are taken into account when it is assessed before inscription on the List.

The status of a world natural heritage site provides additional guarantees for the safety and integrity of unique natural complexes, increases the prestige of the territories, promotes the popularization of objects and the development of alternative types of nature management, and ensures priority in attracting financial resources.

World Heritage Project

In 1994, Greenpeace Russia began work on the World Heritage project, aimed at identifying and protecting unique natural complexes that are threatened by the serious negative impact of human activity. Giving natural areas the highest international conservation status to further guarantee their safety is the main goal of the work carried out by Greenpeace.

The first attempts to include Russian protected natural areas in the UNESCO World Heritage List were made in the early 1990s. In 1994, the All-Russian meeting "Modern problems of creating a system of objects of the world and Russian natural heritage" was held, at which a list of promising territories was presented. At the same time, in 1994, Greenpeace Russia experts prepared the necessary documents for inclusion in the UNESCO List of a natural complex called the “Virgin Komi Forests”. In December 1995, he was the first in Russia to receive the status of a world natural heritage site.

At the end of 1996, "Lake Baikal" and "Volcanoes of Kamchatka" were included in the List. In 1998, another Russian natural complex, the Golden Mountains of Altai, was included in the List; in 1999, a decision was made to include the fifth Russian natural site, the Western Caucasus. At the end of 2000, the Curonian Spit became the first international site in Russia (together with Lithuania) to receive the status of a World Heritage site in terms of "cultural landscape". Later, the UNESCO List included "Central Sikhote-Alin" (2001), "Ubsunur Basin" (2003, jointly with Mongolia), "Natural Complex of the Wrangel Island Reserve" (2004), "Putorana Plateau" (2010) , Lena Pillars Nature Park (2012) and Landscapes of Dauria (2017, jointly with Mongolia).

Nominations for consideration by the World Heritage Committee must first be included in the national Tentative List. At present, it contains such natural complexes as the Commander Islands, the Magadan Reserve, the Krasnoyarsk Pillars, the Great Vasyugan Swamp, the Ilmensky Mountains, the Bashkir Urals, the Reserved Kenozero, the Oglakhty Ridge and Bikin River Valley. Work is underway to expand the territory of the Golden Mountains of Altai (by including the adjacent territories of China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan). Negotiations are underway with Finland and Norway on the joint nomination "Green Belt of Fennoscandia".

Russia, of course, is rich in unique natural complexes not affected by economic activity. According to rough estimates, there are more than 20 territories in our country worthy of the status of a world natural heritage site. Among the promising territories, the following natural complexes can be noted: the Kuril Islands, the Lena Delta, the Volga Delta.

Russian cultural sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List include such recognized monuments history and architecture, as the historical center of St. Petersburg, the Kremlin and Red Square, the Kizhi churchyard, the Solovetsky, Ferapontov and Novodevichy monasteries, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, the monuments of Veliky Novgorod, Vladimir, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Derbent, Bolgar and Sviyazhsk, Struve geodetic arc (together with Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova).

The adoption in 1972 by the international organization UNESCO of the Convention for the Protection of the World Heritage of Humanity was due to serious global changes human habitats. The need for additional measures aimed at improving the environment, in which a person is inextricably linked with nature and ensures the safety of cultural heritage inherited from past generations, has become obvious.

natural heritage

The list of monuments of the World Natural Heritage includes objects of both living and inanimate nature. The monuments of world significance include all the most famous wonders of nature, which have exceptional beauty and are valuable for all mankind. These are such objects as the Grand Canyon, Iguazu Falls, Mount Chomolungma, Komodo Island, Mount Kilimanjaro, and many dozens of other objects. World natural heritage sites in Russia include Lake Baikal, volcanoes, primeval Komi forests, the island, the Ubsunur basin, the mountains of the Western Caucasus, Central Sikhote-Alin and Altai.

The World Heritage sites also include specially protected areas of habitats for endangered species of animals and plants. Serengeti and Ngorongoro national parks in Tanzania are protected by several million individuals of wild animals of various species. In the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), giant sea turtles, iguana lizards and other animals are protected. most of which are endemic.

Cultural heritage

Various monuments of the World Cultural Heritage can be combined into several groups.

Firstly, these are the historical centers of cities or even entire cities, reflecting the architectural styles of different eras. In Europe, these are the cities of the Ancient World - Rome and Athens, the oldest temples and palaces of which were built in the style of classicism. Medieval Florence and Venice, Krakow and Prague retain majestic Catholic cathedrals and luxurious Renaissance palaces. In Asia, this is the center of three Jerusalem, the ancient capital. In America, the capital of the Aztec Empire, the Inca fortress city of Machu Picchu in Peru.

Secondly, the number of cultural heritage sites includes individual architectural masterpieces. These are, for example, religious centers in Europe (Cologne and Reims cathedrals, Canterbury and Westminster abbeys) and in Asia (Buddhist temples Borobudur and Angor-Watt, mausoleum).

Thirdly, unique monuments of engineering art become objects of cultural heritage. Among them, for example, the Iron Bridge (England), the most grandiose creation of human hands - the Great Wall of China.

Fourthly, these are the most ancient places of worship and archeological monuments of primitive times and the Ancient World. Examples of such objects are English, the Greek ruins of Delphi and Olympia, the ruins of Carthage in.

Fifth, memorable places associated with historical events or the activities of famous people become special heritage sites.

Lecture 53. Cultural and natural heritage as an object of protection

Protection of cultural and natural heritage as an applied scientific discipline.

The protection of cultural and natural heritage is a specific field of knowledge, which is interdisciplinary in nature and has a certain ideological orientation. The scientific basis for the protection of cultural heritage is associated with such disciplines as: history, archeology, history of architecture and art history. This problem is dealt with by a rather narrow circle of scientists, who, by the nature of their activities, are associated with the activities of public and state organizations for the protection of monuments. The protection of cultural heritage is the most important social phenomenon. It is inconceivable without scientific research, the selfless activity of museum workers, the state.

In the study of the protection of cultural heritage, two directions are clearly traced: historical and theoretical and methodological. The first includes the history of the protection of cultural heritage, the second - theoretical developments in the field of terminology, criteria for evaluating monuments, as well as characterizing the very field of antiquity protection as a kind of interdisciplinary knowledge.

The history of the cultural heritage of Russia provides researchers with a wealth of material on the following issues: the study and fixation of monuments, the restoration and use of unique objects, and preservation for future generations. Experience of the Ministry of the Interior Russian Empire, the Imperial Archaeological Commission, the department for museums and the protection of monuments of art and antiquity (Museum Department) of the People's Commissariat for Education of the RSFPS, scientific societies, archaeological congresses - useful for effectively solving modern issues of protecting monuments. The richest experience in the study and preservation of monuments was first analyzed by the most prominent museology theorist A. M. Razgon. Based on extensive archival material, his works present a picture of the protection of Russian antiquities from the 18th century to 1917 (articles from the 1950s-1970s). These works were continued by archaeologists, art critics, and architects.

The theoretical and methodological direction in the field of cultural heritage protection is represented by the results of scientific research of the Russian Research Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage (“Heritage and Modernity”): the conceptual apparatus, tools of scientific discipline, legal aspects of the protection of national heritage. Theoretical problems of the study of cultural and natural heritage include the development of principles for the selection of heritage objects, methods for their assessment, conservation and use. A contradictory situation has developed in which the growing need to theoretically comprehend the growing role of cultural and natural heritage in a crisis era of global and Russian history actually coexists only with a fragmentary, unconsolidated development of individual issues of this profile. The immediate prospect of theoretical developments is to identify the most pressing problems of cultural and natural heritage, the degree of their study, to unite the efforts of scientists on an interdisciplinary basis, to work within the framework of problematic scientific groups.

Modern literature testifies to the emergence of a new cultural phenomenon in the world - education in the field of cultural and natural heritage. We are aware, in particular, of curricula that have existed for a number of years at universities in Europe and other parts of the world. These universities conduct major international campaigns to develop the relevant educational area. These include, for example, the recent international symposium "World Heritage: Embracing the Future, World Heritage Protection and University Education" (Tokyo, 2003). The declaration adopted at it affirms the need and relevance of introducing heritage education into national systems of education and upbringing. At the same time, the importance of this is emphasized not only for Japan or Asian region but also for all regions of the world without exception.

It is known that recently UNESCO has been in this position, pursuing a targeted policy of activating the potential of education at all levels - from preschool to university and postgraduate - in order to ensure an effective heritage protection policy and maximize the involvement of broad sections of society in it. The most important action of UNESCO in this area was the establishment and support of the activities of the University and Heritage Forum. In October 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the basis of the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urban Studies of the University of Buenos Aires (BAU) the next 9th seminar was held. The Forum (FUUH / FUUN) was established in 1995 by the UNESCO Culture Sector on the initiative of F. Mayor, at that time - Director General this organization. It is now a worldwide network of more than 400 universities from all parts of the world associated with heritage teaching and related academic research. Its activities are managed by the UNESCO World Heritage Center in cooperation with the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain.

It is of fundamental importance that the FJUN was originally created as an interdisciplinary forum of representatives of the natural sciences and humanities, aimed both at stimulating scientific research in the field of heritage, and the implementation of their results in educational practice. The leading role in the activities of the Forum is played by its annual thematic seminars, for consideration of which the most topical issues heritage policy. The topic of the Buenos Aires workshop was formulated as "Heritage Management: Center and Periphery". The theme attracted 206 participants from 21 countries in all major regions of the world.
As a prologue to the next forum, its hosts offered the participants an extensive tour of the multi-million dollar Buenos Aires. During it, its rich, although relatively young, due to well-known historical circumstances, cultural heritage was demonstrated - both in the city center and on its periphery. The contrast between the brilliant, aristocratically graceful and prosperous, despite the country still experiencing the consequences of the recent severe economic crisis, the center and the amazingly poor, wretched and neglected periphery is simply shocking. However, this contrast almost does not extend to heritage objects and phenomena: cathedrals and monuments are in approximately the same condition, tango is danced with the same inspiration everywhere, mate is loved and drunk everywhere. And this is the phenomenon of heritage, no doubt - in its local manifestation, but in general, apparently, universal and, at the same time, not yet fully understood by researchers.

Monument- in the legal sphere - the status that is assigned to objects of cultural and natural heritage that have a special value for society (Federal Law "On objects of cultural heritage (monuments of history and culture) of the peoples of the Russian Federation", 2002). Monuments are divided into: single objects, ensembles, places of interest. According to the categories of significance, monuments are divided into: objects of federal, regional and local significance. According to the form of ownership, the monuments are divided into: state (federal, subjects of the Russian Federation), municipal and private. Typologically, monuments are divided into monuments according to: archeology, history, architecture, monumental art. All monuments are included in the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Objects.

cultural and natural heritage- a set of objects of culture and nature, reflecting the stages of development of society and nature and perceived by society as values ​​to be preserved and updated. One of the cultural forms developed by mankind for the preservation and transmission of monuments is the museum. Modern literature raises issues of updating heritage - i.e. activities aimed at the preservation and inclusion of monuments in modern culture by enhancing the socio-cultural role of monuments and their interpretation. In the practical sphere, certain directions for the use of objects have developed: for their original purpose, for a purpose different from the original, but not causing damage to the object; for presentation and study purposes. In most cases, the actualization of the heritage is considered in the aspect of its museumification.

cultural landscape- an integral and territorially localized set of natural, technical and socio-cultural phenomena formed as a result of the combination of natural processes and creative, intellectual, as well as routine, life-supporting, human activities.

The cultural landscape includes territories, the formation of which was influenced by man. Human impact significantly changes the natural landscape and leads to new phenomena. A number of properties of natural landscapes and their individual components, including soils, are revealed only when these landscapes are developed by humans. In many artificial landscapes, new fertile soils have been created or the unique properties of these soils have manifested themselves, making it possible to obtain products of considerable mass and unique quality. Such soils also need protection. The development of the theory of nature protection includes several aspects. First, the preservation of the global gene pool: existing species plants and animals. Secondly, it is necessary to preserve the main types of natural biogeocenoses (ecosystems) of connections between all their components. This is usually done by creating nature reserves and sanctuaries. Protection also includes the protection of artificial landscapes (such as Yasnaya Polyana, Kamennaya Steppe, Losiny Ostrov, Kuskovo, Neskuchny Sad, etc.).

concept landscape usually associated with visual impressions of the landscape, pictures of nature, terrain. The landscape is considered as a natural territorial complex having the same geological foundation, one type of relief, and the same climate. The components of the landscape complex are the masses of the solid earth's crust, climate, hydrosphere, relief, soil, and the biosphere, including man as a species.

Landscape is a complex, ambiguous concept, there are many directions for studying the topic of landscape. The role of man in the formation of modern landscape complexes and the influence of human activity on the properties of the landscape is so great that it became necessary to determine the type of landscape as a result of the development of natural spaces by man. In landscape science there is such a direction as landscape ecology. This scientific direction studies landscapes by analyzing the ecological relationships between vegetation and the environment, the interaction of the constituent parts of the natural complex and the impact of society on the natural component of landscapes by analyzing the balances of matter and energy.

The study of human impact on the environment and, as a result, the formation of environmental types has become a special area of ​​landscape science. A landscape whose properties are determined by human activity is called an anthropogenic landscape. Anthropogenic landscapes are natural environment intentionally or unintentionally altered by a person. One of the types of anthropogenic landscape is technogenic, a kind of landscape where a person (industrial activity) is the central element that determines the functioning and structure of the landscape. The opposite of an anthropogenic landscape is a natural landscape that is formed or formed under the influence of only natural factors, which has not been influenced by human activity.

The concept of cultural landscape was introduced into scientific circulation by L. Berg at the beginning of the 20th century. The doctrine of the cultural landscape begins within the framework of physical geography, the concept of a cultural landscape is identical to the concept of an anthropogenic landscape. In the future, the cultural landscape was considered by representatives of Russian geographical science as a special case of the anthropogenic landscape, namely, comfortable, historically adapted to natural conditions, expediently formed. In turn, the anthropogenic landscape is a natural-territorial complex changed under the influence of human activity. One of the modern exhaustive definitions of the cultural landscape arises in those years (80-90 years of the XX century), when among specialists there is an understanding of the need to include a layer of non-material (spiritual) culture in the structure of the cultural landscape.

A cultural landscape is a natural complex mastered by an ethnos, a community of people. A type of cultural landscape that most clearly reflects the ethnic, national aspects of the interaction between man and nature.
Sometimes, in wide circles, far from geography and culturologists, by "cultural landscape" they mean small plot, turned into a well-groomed garden thanks to the masters of garden design. The superficiality of such an understanding of such a multi-component phenomenon is obvious.

Scientific approaches to the definition of categories: semiotic, axiological, geographical.

Semiotic

Semiotics (from Greek - the doctrine of signs) - the science of signs, sign systems ah and semiotic reality. The subject of semiotics is the analysis of signs and sign systems obtained in various sciences or in practical activities, and their generalization within the framework of conceptual schemes specific to semiotics. Semiotic activity is the activity of scientists in the creation and application of signs and sign systems in certain areas of knowledge. The semiotic approach involves the study of various cultural and natural phenomena as sign systems. In the museum business - one of the tools scientific analysis and descriptions of the interaction of different sign systems involved in the formation of museological discourse. The semiotic approach involves the identification of meaning, theoretical understanding of the historical, technological, mythological and other components of phenomena and objects.

Axiological

Axiology (from Greek - value) - the theory of values. Axiology studies issues related to the nature of values, their place in reality and the structure of the value world, that is, the relationship of various values ​​among themselves, with social and cultural factors and the structure of the individual. Axiology as a special section philosophical knowledge arises when the concept of being is split into two elements: reality and value as an opportunity for practical implementation. The task of axiology in this case is to show the possibilities of practical reason in the general structure of being.

The axiological approach proceeds from the fact that there are no universal laws in history. Everything in history is determined by means of individualization, i.e., the relation to utility, significance to the individual. History should be history for people not as an evolutionary process, but as a spiritual, value self-determination, the formation of moral, religious, aesthetic values, cultural values. The process of development is the process of the formation and development of moral standards - can be recognized historical process only in the development of an active, creative, moral personality, creating history with its own moral values. History has several forms of manifestation, where the value orientation and the value setting on the orientation of the narrator of the story dominate - poetry, literature, oral creativity, moral and ethical norms, material monuments.

There are two directions in the Axiological approach:

· an idiographic paradigm (approximately equal to the phenomenological one), which reduces the study of an object to a description of specific individual phenomena, objects that, through deciphering the psychology of the fact, make it possible to single out significant, semantic moments of the sociocultural space. In this case, the subject of sociocultural research studies becomes historical fact, historical and cultural object;

· The pluralistic paradigm, aimed at the multiplicity of cultures, its semiotic nature, is the so-called "sociology of understanding" (M. Weber), which allows the use of not only constant, a priori phenomena. In this case, the subject of research is not only the fact, but also the thinking of the “historical” subject, the process of the formation of the social system, the socio-cultural sphere.

Geographic approach- a general scientific method that combines the analysis of any territory (small area and locality, region, country, association of countries, continent, global system) two requirements: consideration of space and complexity - "from geology to ideology". In economic works, it implies the rejection of the “point approach” to the country's economy, when all its diversity is described by integral indicators and models without taking into account spatial differences, which leads to distortions of reality and disintegration of the single economic space. With a geographical approach, the usual practice of using common architectural and construction designs, regulations and practices for the whole country is unacceptable. Complexity is associated with the variability of the leading factors of social development of a particular region, when leading role can play not only economic, but also social, natural, ethnic and other factors, as well as synergistic effects from their combination in a given territory. The geographical approach helps to establish a real picture of interaction various factors, including inherited traditions in the economy, the mentality of the people inhabiting this territory, and complex dependencies associated with geographical location.

In accordance with the classical geographical approach, the cultural landscape is the sum of several subsystems, namely: the natural landscape, settlement systems, economy, spiritual culture (mainly folklore). Territorial methods for the protection of historical and cultural heritage, implemented through the concept of a cultural landscape, do not have adequate legal support and are practically not used by state bodies for the protection of cultural heritage objects, which focus on individual monuments, and not on territorial complexes. At the same time, according to the existing division of powers between the executive authorities, the tasks of protecting immovable cultural property have traditionally been within the competence of state bodies for the protection of cultural heritage objects. National parks as public institutions should interact very closely with these public authorities. However, the preservation and use of historical and cultural heritage in national parks requires a fundamentally different organization of work, without denying the positive experience of existing organizational structures.

Criteria for the value characteristics of the heritage: chronological, sacral, memorial, aesthetic.

Chronological criterion is the "age" of the object, determined by the duration of the time interval between the date of creation and the present time.

Sacred criterion- defines not just the votive symbolism of objects, but "sacredness" in terms of the symbolic role of objects in the perception of society: national independence, ethnic uniqueness, awareness of oneself as part of a community, undeciphered reality, "sacralization" of historical figures (princes, kings, emperors, scientists, thinkers, writers, poets, etc.).

Memorial- this is the identification of the connection of an object with a certain person or historical event. The memorial criterion involves determining the uniqueness of an object in terms of specifying the monument, determining its reliquary, i.e. identification of those features that have a high degree of emotional impact, especially revered person, phenomenon, event.

Aesthetic criterion - a sign on the basis of which an assessment, definition or classification of an object is given. The problems of aesthetics in science are of great interest and are still far from being solved. In modern philosophical literature, the concepts of aesthetics are mainly related to art and other types of human activity that are not related to art are practically not considered. The problem of aesthetic evaluation is not simple. A true aesthetic assessment requires preparation, a set of information for comparison, scientific knowledge. It is rather difficult today to identify the appropriate algorithm for applying the aesthetic criterion.

Uniqueness and social value.

Public recognition of an object is the recognition of an object as a significantly valuable object, in which creative forces nature or man: historical phenomenality or important historical evidence illustrating a certain stage in history, a process, event or phenomenon that is historically significant for nature and society. In the system of criteria for cultural heritage, criteria of social significance are distinguished from the point of view of uniqueness: phenomena of exceptional beauty and aesthetic value, engineering, technical thought of a person. The criterion is fully applicable to the cultural landscape, the definition of which contains an indication of its ability to “imprint” historical events, fix them in its component composition or structure. The concept of taxonomic uniqueness is also used, that is, the exceptional rarity of a certain type or class of objects. Such unique phenomena include natural and cultural relics. Uniqueness always implies a high scientific and informative value.

The concept of associative (mediated) value is also used, reflecting connections with historical events, outstanding personalities, their work, with social ideals and cultural traditions.

A unique monument is a complex concept that includes many meanings and has many definitions.

Ten natural objects The Russian Federations are on the UNESCO World Heritage List (4 of them are recognized as natural phenomena of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance), and this is not counting another 15 objects that are cultural objects of protection. This is not at all surprising, because Russia is a truly vast country, with a huge territory, with incredibly beautiful and diverse nature, with a rich cultural heritage.

If you want to see the virgin nature of Russia in its original form, then it will not be difficult for Russians (and foreign tourists too) to go to one of the nature reserves or national parks of the country, on the territory of which these ten objects are located that need constant protection at the international level. level...

1. Forests of the Komi Republic

The area of ​​these forests is more than 3 million hectares, on which there is a national park and a state biosphere reserve. This facility opened a new page for Russia in environmental protection at the global level.

The virgin forests of Komi are known as the largest untouched forests growing in Europe. They occupy an area of ​​32,600 square kilometers in the north of the Ural Mountains, within the Pechero-Ilychsky Reserve and national park Yugyd Va. According to their composition, the Komi forests belong to the taiga ecosystem. They are dominated conifers trees. The western part of the forests falls on the foothills, the eastern - on the mountains themselves. The forest area of ​​Komi is distinguished by the diversity of not only flora, but also fauna. Over two hundred live here. bird species, 40 species of rare mammals, and 16 species of fish that are considered valuable for fishing, preserved since the ice age, live in reservoirs. For example, Siberian grayling and palia char belong to such fish species. many inhabitants virgin forests Komi are listed in the Red Book of the planet. This natural object of the Russian Federation was included in the UNESCO list in 1995 - the very first in the list.

2. Lake Baikal

For the whole world, Baikal is a lake, for the people of Russia who are in love with a unique natural object, Baikal is a sea! located in Eastern Siberia it is the deepest lake on the planet and, at the same time, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. The shape of Baikal has the shape of a crescent. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 meters with an average depth of 744. Baikal contains 19 percent of all fresh water on the planet. The lake is fed by more than three hundred rivers and streams. Baikal water is different high content oxygen. Its temperature rarely exceeds plus 8-9 degrees Celsius even in summer near the surface. The water of the lake is so clean and transparent that it allows you to see in depth at a distance of up to forty meters.

The oldest and deepest (approximately 1700 meters) on Earth, Lake Baikal covers an area of ​​over three million hectares. The reservoir that appeared about 25 million years ago was in almost complete isolation, due to which an amazing ecosystem was formed in its fresh waters, the study of which allows obtaining information about the evolutionary processes taking place on the planet.

Unique even on a global scale, the lake is about 20% of all the reserves of such necessary fresh water on Earth, as well as a delightful sight that inspires beauty and enchants with the luxury of amazing landscapes.

Lake Baikal was named a beautiful pearl by UNESCO in 1996 and included in the list of priceless heritage of the planet.

3. Kamchatka volcanoes .

This site was also included in the World Heritage List in 1996. Five years later (in 2001), the territory of the object subject to international protection expanded due to the movement of the lithospheric plates of the Pacific volcanic ring. Today, the territory of the state biosphere reserve is about 4 million hectares. This area is called the "natural museum of volcanology." Both long-extinct and active volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula can serve as exhibits. Moreover, each of the "exhibits" is an individual object, for the study of which life is not enough.

In total, there are currently about 300 extinct volcanoes and 30 active volcanoes on the territory of this object, but the number of the latter changes every year. The most interesting tourist attraction of this region is the Valley of Geysers in the Konotsky Biosphere Reserve. The mountain rivers of Kamchatka abound with huge numbers of salmon fish, and coastal waters are home to many species of whales and dolphins.

4. Altai Mountains

These mountains are called "Golden", as each species of animals, birds and fish is unique here. Altai cedar forests and mammals with the most valuable commercial fur, which can be equated in value with gold, have been preserved here. The object covers an area of ​​more than 1.5 million hectares, was included in the UNESCO list in 1998. The "golden" Altai mountains are located at the intersection of the mountain system of Siberia and Central Asia.

The vegetation of this region is unique, there is an abundance of alpine meadows, there are steppes, semi-deserts and tundra. Absolutely everything is unique here, from snow leopards to mountainous landforms. The pearl of the Altai Territory is Lake Teletskoye, which is also called "Small Baikal".

5. Natural Park "Lena Pillars"

The fabulously beautiful landscapes of the park are formed by hundred-meter rock formations that pacify the waters of the beautiful Lena River. The Lena Pillars are located in the very heart of Sakha (Republic of Yakutia).

Such an amazing natural phenomenon owes its appearance to the continental climate, within which temperature fluctuations reach about one hundred degrees (+40 degrees in summer and -60 degrees in winter). The pillars are separated by deep ravines with steep slopes. Their formation took place under the influence of water, which contributes to the freezing of the soil and its weathering. Similar processes led to the fact that the ravines deepened and expanded. Water in this case plays the role of a destroyer, representing a danger to the pillars.

Introduced in 2012 into the list of heritage of the planet, the Lena Pillars are of interest not only from the point of view of an aesthetic spectacle, but also a unique archaeological zone, on the territory of which the remains of ancient animals of the Cambrian period were found.

This natural site has an area of ​​1.27 million hectares. If we take into account the geological structure of the soil in the park, then this land can “tell” a lot about the history of the planet, about living organisms and vegetation.

Many remains of mammoths, bison, woolly rhinos, Lena horses, reindeer and other remains of ancient mammals have been found in the Lena Pillars. Today, 12 representatives of animals and birds listed in the Red Book of the planet live on the territory of the complex. It is believed that the Lena Pillars have a huge "aesthetic influence" on a person due to their unique beauty of landscapes, the quaintness of the relief with huge caves, fabulous-looking stone sculptures, rocky spiers, niches and "towers".

6. Sikhote-Alin Reserve

This territory, included in the UNESCO list in 2001, covers an area of ​​about 0.4 million hectares. The object is valuable because unique broad-leaved forests and ancient coniferous forests have been preserved on its territory. There is also an incredible mixture of different types of flora and fauna, among which there are many rare species.

A large biosphere reserve in Primorsky Krai was originally created to preserve the sable population. At present, it is the most convenient place for observing the life of the Amur tiger. On the territory of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve grows great amount plants. More than a thousand higher species, more than a hundred - mosses, about four hundred - lichens, more than six hundred species of algae and more than five hundred - fungi.

Local fauna represented large quantity birds, marine invertebrates and insects. Many plants, birds, animals and insects are among the protected objects. lemongrass chinese,ginseng,Fori rhododendron and Palibina edelweiss, spotted deer and Himalayan bear, black crane and stork, Japanese starling, Sakhalin sturgeon, fish owl and Swallowtail butterfly - all of them found shelter in the Sikhote-Alin Reserve.

7. Natural complex of the Wrangel Island Reserve

The protected area, which in 2004 added to the list of UNESCO treasures, is located beyond the Arctic Circle. It includes the relief landscapes of Wrangel Island, whose area is over 7 thousand square meters. kilometers, and Herald Island, whose area is 11 thousand square meters. kilometers, as well as coastal waters East Siberian Sea and the waters of the Chukchi Sea.

This region managed to avoid glaciation, thanks to which the area is distinguished by amazing biological diversity. The harsh climate of the protected area appealed to the walruses, who have formed here the largest rookery in the Arctic. The picturesque land was also chosen by polar bears, the density of their ancestral dens in this region is considered the highest on the planet.

More than fifty species of birds nest here, including both endemics and endangered ones. Gray whales rush here, choosing this place for feeding. Surprisingly, over four hundred species of vascular plants are found on the island, among which there are also endemics.

Here tourists can see the largest "bird colonies" in the Eastern Arctic. Pleistocene relics predominate among plant forms. The landscape of the island is unusual, as well as its water area. Many travelers dream of visiting here.

8. Ubsunur basin

The area of ​​this unique biosphere reserve is 0.8 million hectares. The object was included in the UNESCO list in 2003. A salt lake with a large area is located on the border of Mongolia and the Russian Republic of Tyva. By the way, only seven sections of the intermountain basin with a shallow lake (up to 15 meters) are located on the territory of Russia, the remaining five parts of the Transboundary Facility are located in Mongolia. Each of the seven sections of the basin on our territory is individual in its own way. appearance and the plants that grow there depending on the landscapes.

Inhabitant of the Ubsunur Hollow

Zhere you can see the foothills with eternal stretches of snow-capped peaks, there are also areas of mountain taiga, alpine meadows, wetlands, mountain tundra and even sandy deserts. The remnant mountains with bright vegetation and contrasting landscapes give a special picturesqueness to the Ubsunur basin. Endangered animal species are found here - mountain sheep - argali, snow leopard, as well as many rare species of birds - geese, herons, terns, gulls, waders, etc. During the excavation of ancient burial mounds on the territory of the basin, unique rock paintings, burials and stone statues were discovered .

9. Putorana Plateau

Included in the World Heritage List in 2010, this natural site of the Russian Federation covers a total area of ​​more than 1.8 million hectares. This virgin basalt plateau in the north of Eastern Siberia, almost at the Arctic Circle, is invaluable in terms of study by geologists and geomorphologists. The mountainous terrain has a stepped landscape, flat-topped massifs are intersected by deep canyons. The plateau was formed at the turn of the Mesozoic and Paleozoic as a result of volcanic activity. Forty-layer deposits allow us to study the structure of the planet.

Deep cracks in the plateau were formed by glaciers, which subsequently filled with water, forming lakes with a unique appearance and a depth of up to 400 meters. There are many beautiful waterfalls on the territory of the plateau, one of which (in the valley of the Kanda River) has a height of 108 meters. In total, there are 25 thousand small and large lakes with a huge supply of fresh water on the territory of the Putorana Plateau. There are more than 30 species of mammals in this northern reserve, and all of them are rare or relict.

Vegetation is represented by 400 species - mainly woodlands, mountain tundra and larch taiga. The plateau serves as a resting place for thousands of species of migratory birds.

The picturesque landscapes of the beautiful plateau coincide with the boundaries of the reserve of the same name located beyond the Arctic Circle, which adorns the territory of Central Siberia. The changing zones betray each other a special charm of the area: virgin taiga, the richest forest tundra, colorful landscapes of the tundra and the fabulous beauty of the icy Arctic deserts. A real decoration of the plateau: winding ribbons of rivers and a crystal saucer of a lake filled with clear cold water. Through the inhospitable lands of the plateau, a road stretches along which deer migrate. This is an incredible sight, which in nature can be observed less and less.

10. Territories of the Western Caucasus

The nature reserve with an area of ​​0.3 million hectares has been included in the UNESCO list since 1999. These territories are almost untouched by human civilization. Today they are protected not only by UNESCO, but also by other all-Russian and international organizations - Greenpeace, the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, NABU, Dresden Technical University, the North Caucasus working group, etc. The territory of the reserve covers areas that stretch from the upper reaches of the river Kuban to the Belaya and Malaya Laba rivers..

Caucasus. Blooming rhododendron in the Upper Mzymta valley

The vegetation in this protected region is represented by coniferous and broad-leaved forests, crooked forests, mountain meadows, and nival belt. Every third plant here is considered relic. Rare species of birds of prey nest here - ospreys, bearded vultures, golden eagles, griffon vultures, etc. Among the large animals in the reserve, you can see West Caucasian tigers, brown bears, wolves, Caucasian red deer, bison, etc. Tourists will be interested to see beautiful karst formations in this natural area with deep gorges, waterfalls, underground rivers, tarns, moraines, cirques and valleys formed by mountain glaciers.

11. Curonian Spit

The Curonian Spit is a sandy spit located on the coast Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. The Curonian Spit is a narrow and long saber-shaped strip of land that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea and extends from the city of Zelenogradsk, Kaliningrad Region, to the city of Klaipeda (Smiltyne) (Lithuania).

Length - 98 kilometers, width ranges from 400 meters (near the village of Lesnoy) to 3.8 kilometers (near Cape Bulviko, just north of Nida).

The Curonian Spit is a unique natural-anthropogenic landscape and a territory of exceptional aesthetic value: The Curonian Spit is the largest sand body that is part of the Baltic sand spits complex, which has no analogues in the world. The high level of biological diversity due to the combination of different landscapes - from desert (dunes) to tundra (raised bog) - gives an idea of ​​important and long-term ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, river, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. The location of the spit and its relief are unique.

The most significant element of the spit relief is a continuous strip of white sand dunes 0.3-1.0 km wide, partly approaching the highest in the world (up to 68 m).

The Curonian Spit contains natural areas that are the most representative and important for the conservation of biological diversity, including those where endangered species are preserved, which are of outstanding world significance in terms of science and nature conservation: due to its geographical position and orientation from northeast to south west it serves as a corridor for migratory birds of many species flying from the northwestern regions of Russia, Finland and the Baltic countries to the countries of Central and Southern Europe. Every year, in spring and autumn, 10 to 20 million birds fly over the spit, most of which stop here for rest and feeding.

In the last entry, I posted not all the architectural objects of Russia, marked by UNESCO for their uniqueness and historical value. Today I will add to this list...

12. Citadel, old city and fortifications of Derbent .

The citadel, the old town and fortifications of Derbent is the collective name under which in 2003 UNESCO inscribed the medieval architectural heritage of the city of Derbent on the World Heritage List.

The history of ancient Derbent, located off the coast of the Caspian Sea, on the territory of modern Dagestan, has, according to archaeologists, five thousand years. This one of the oldest cities in Russia was originally a small settlement founded at the foot of the spurs Caucasus mountains, which later acquired city fortifications of impressive size.

However, the first documentary evidence of this place as a large city dates back to the 5th century. At that time, the Persian king Yazdegerd II ruled here, who appreciated its strategic location. This, by the way, is reflected in the name, because Derbent in Iranian means “mountain outpost” or “mountain pass”. Approximately 100 years later, another king erected a fortified city on the remains of the former defensive structures, which is called Old, with an impregnable fortress and powerful fortifications. Between these fortifications, stretching deep into the Caucasus Mountains for more than 40 kilometers, a city has developed that still retains a medieval character.

Citadel of Nara-kala

It continued to be a strategically important site well into the 19th century. Derbent has experienced many dramatic events throughout its history: wars, assaults, periods of decline and prosperity, times of independence and subjugation to other peoples. But still, this place has preserved many monuments of all these turbulent periods.

This: the citadel of Naryn-kala, with thick and high walls, the ruins of the palace of the Derbent Khan, baths and a guardhouse;

13. geodetic arc Struve

The Struve arc is a network of 265 triangulation points, which were stone cubes buried in the ground with an edge length of 2 meters, with a length of more than 2820 kilometers. It was created to determine the parameters of the Earth, its shape and size. It is named after the creator - the Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve (Vasily Yakovlevich Struve).

The Struve geodetic arc was measured by Struve and employees of the Derpt (Tartu) and Pulkovo observatories (whose director was Struve) for 40 years, from 1816 to 1855, over 2820 km from Fuglenes near the North Cape in Norway (latitude 70 ° 40′11″ N) to the village of Staraya Nekrasovka, Odessa region, near the Danube (latitude 45° 20′03″ N), which formed a meridian arc with an amplitude of 25° 20′08″.

Struve geodesic arc, "Point Z", o. Gogland, Leningrad region

Currently, arc points can be found on the territory of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia (on the island of Gogland), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova (Rud village) and Ukraine. On January 28, 2004, these countries applied to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee with a proposal to approve the remaining 34 points of the Struve Arc as a World Heritage Site. In 2005, this proposal was accepted.

A story about other architectural monuments of Russia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, Around the world

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Cultural heritage is an important part of the life of every nation. For this reason, one should know what cultural heritage is and why its preservation is so important. It helps to better learn and understand the history of the formation of modern society.

What is cultural heritage

Nature and culture together form the human environment. The skills and knowledge acquired by mankind from the beginning of time are accumulated and multiplied over the centuries, forming a cultural heritage. There is no single definition of what cultural heritage is, since this term is considered from different points of view.

From the point of view of cultural studies, this is the main way of existence of culture. Heritage objects preserve and pass on to future generations values ​​that carry an emotional aspect. History considers cultural heritage primarily as a source of information about the development and formation of modern society. The legal point of view does not take into account the emotional value, but determines the degree of informativeness and relevance of this or that object, as well as its ability to influence society.

If we combine these concepts, then cultural heritage can be defined as a set of material and non-material values ​​created by nature and man during previous historical eras.

social memory

Social memory should be understood as the basis of social cognition. The experience and knowledge accumulated by mankind are passed down from generation to generation. Development modern man possible only based on the knowledge of ancestors.

Cultural heritage and social memory are concepts that always go hand in hand with each other. Heritage objects are the main means of transferring knowledge, thoughts and worldviews to future generations. This is irrefutable evidence of the existence of certain people, events and ideas. In addition, they guarantee the authenticity of social memory, preventing it from being distorted.

Social memory is a kind of library where all useful knowledge is stored that can be used and improved by society in the future. Unlike the memory of one person, social memory has no end and belongs to every member of society. Ultimately, heritage determines the basic elements of social memory. Those values ​​that are not part of the cultural heritage, sooner or later lose their meaning, are forgotten and excluded from social memory.

Organization UNESCO

UNESCO is a UN agency dealing with education, science and culture (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). One of the goals of UNESCO is to unite countries and peoples to preserve the world's cultural values.

The organization was formed in November 1945 and is based in Paris. To date, more than two hundred states are members of UNESCO.

In the field of culture, the organization is engaged in the preservation and protection of the cultural and natural heritage of mankind. The Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted in 1972, became the basis for this area of ​​activity. During the first session, the main provisions and tasks of the World Heritage Committee were adopted.

The Committee also determined the natural and cultural criteria for assessing objects, according to which they were included or not included in the list of protected. The preservation of cultural heritage is an obligation undertaken by the state that has this or that object, with the support of UNESCO. Today, the register includes more than a thousand protected objects.

world heritage

The 1972 Convention gave a clear definition of what cultural heritage is and divided it into categories. Cultural heritage means:

• monuments;
• ensembles;
• places of interest.

Monuments include all works of art (painting, sculpture, etc.), as well as objects of archaeological significance (rock inscriptions, burials) created by man and valuable for science, history and art. Ensembles are architectural groups harmoniously inscribed in the surrounding landscape. Places of interest are human creations separate from nature or together with it.

The Convention also outlined the criteria for natural heritage. It includes natural monuments, places of interest, geological and physiographic formations.

Cultural heritage of Russia

To date, the World Heritage Register includes twenty-seven objects that are located on the territory of Russia. Sixteen of them are selected according to cultural criteria and eleven are natural objects. The first objects were classified as World Heritage in 1990. Twenty-three more objects are on the list of candidates. Of these, eleven are cultural, three are natural and cultural, and nine are natural objects.

Among the UNESCO Member States, the Russian Federation is in ninth place in terms of the number of World Heritage Sites.

Cultural Heritage Days in Moscow - International Day for the Protection of Monuments and Sites (celebrated on April 18) and International Museum Day (May 18). Every year these days in Moscow free access to heritage sites is opened, excursions, quests, lectures are organized. All these events are aimed at popularization of cultural values, familiarization with them.

Legal aspect

The Federal Law (FZ) on cultural heritage objects was adopted by the State Duma of the Russian Federation in 2002. This law defines the preservation of cultural heritage as a priority for the authorities. The law also establishes the procedure for identifying heritage sites and including them in the register.

This register includes tangible and intangible cultural values ​​that have passed peer review. Each object entered in the register is assigned a registration number and a passport. The passport contains detailed characteristics of the object: name, date of occurrence, photographic materials, description, location information. The passport also reflects data on the expert assessment of the object and the conditions for protecting the object.

According to the Federal Law on objects of cultural heritage, cultural values ​​are recognized as the property of the state. In this regard, the need to preserve them, as well as to popularize and provide access to heritage sites, has been declared. The law prohibits alteration and demolition of objects. Management of cultural heritage objects is a set of measures aimed at the control, preservation and development of cultural objects.

Natural objects of Russia

On the territory of the Russian Federation there are ten objects included in the World Heritage. Six of them, according to the UNESCO classification, should be considered as a phenomenon of exceptional beauty. One of these objects is Lake Baikal. This is one of the oldest freshwater formations on the planet. Thanks to this, a unique ecosystem has formed in the lake.

Volcanoes of Kamchatka are also natural phenomena. This formation is the largest cluster of active volcanoes. The area is constantly evolving and has unique landscapes. The Golden Altai Mountains are unique in their geographical features. The total area of ​​this heritage site is one million six hundred and forty thousand hectares. This is a habitat for rare animals, some of which are on the verge of extinction.

Cultural objects of Russia

Among the objects that represent the cultural heritage of Russia, it is difficult to single out more significant exhibits. Russian culture is ancient and very diverse. These are monuments of Russian architecture, and a colossal project of interweaving the streets and canals of St. Petersburg, and numerous monasteries, cathedrals and Kremlins.

The Moscow Kremlin occupies a special place among the heritage sites. The walls of the Moscow Kremlin are witnesses of many historical events that affect the life of Russia. St. Basil's Cathedral, located on Red Square, is a unique masterpiece of architecture. Churches and monasteries form the main part of the World Heritage Site in Russia. Among them is the ensemble "Solovki Islands", the first settlement of which dates back to the fifth century BC.

Importance of cultural heritage

The value of cultural heritage is very great both for society as a whole and for each person individually. The formation of personality is impossible without knowledge of the traditions and experience of ancestors. Preservation of heritage sites and their enhancement is an important task of every generation. This ensures the spiritual growth and development of mankind. Cultural heritage is an important component of culture, which helps to assimilate the experience of world history.