Heritage with Related Tags
Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba
The Kutamaku landscape in northeastern Togo, which stretches into neighbouring Benin, is home to the Batamariba people, whose mud towers (Takienta) have become a symbol of Togo. In this landscape, nature is closely linked to the rituals and beliefs of society. The 50,000-hectare cultural landscape is remarkable for the architecture of its towers, which reflect the social structure, farmland and forest, and the connection between people and the landscape. Many of the buildings are two-storey high, and those with granaries are almost spherical with a cylindrical base. Some buildings have flat roofs, others have conical thatched roofs. They are clustered in villages, which also include ritual spaces, springs, rocks and sites reserved for initiation ceremonies.
Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth”
Songshan is a sacred mountain in central China. At the foot of this 1,500-meter-high mountain, near Dengfeng City in Henan Province, eight groups of buildings and sites stand within a 40-square-kilometer radius, including three Hanque Gates - the oldest religious architectural remains in China -, temples, the Zhougong Sundial Platform, and the Dengfeng Observatory. These buildings were built over nine dynasties and reflect people's different understandings of the center of heaven and earth and the power of the mountain as a center of religious belief. Dengfeng's historical sites include some of the best examples of ancient Chinese architecture used for ritual, science, technology, and education.
Göbekli Tepe
Located in the Görmüş Mountains in southeastern Anatolia, the site displays large circular, oval and rectangular megalithic structures built by hunter-gatherers during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period between 9,600 and 8,200 BC. The monuments were probably ritual-related and were likely funerary objects. The distinctive T-shaped columns, carved with images of wild animals, provide insight into the lifestyle and beliefs of people living in Upper Mesopotamia around 11,500 years ago.
Jongmyo Shrine
Jongmyo Shrine is the oldest and most authentic Confucian royal shrine in existence. Dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), it has existed in its current form since the 16th century, housing tablets of teachings from former royal family members. Rituals that combine music, song and dance are still performed here, continuing a tradition that dates back to the 14th century.
Tikal National Park
Deep in the jungle, surrounded by dense vegetation, lies one of the main sites of the Mayan civilization, inhabited from the 6th century BC to the 10th century AD. The ceremonial center contained ornate temples and palaces, as well as a public plaza accessible by a ramp. The remains of dwellings are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside.
Chaco Culture
For more than 2,000 years, the Pueblo people have inhabited a large area of the southwestern United States. Chaco Canyon was the main center of the Ancestral Pueblo culture from 850 to 1250 AD and the center of ceremonial, trade, and political activity in the prehistoric Four Corners region. Chaco is known for its magnificent public and ceremonial buildings and unique architecture—it features an ancient urban ceremonial center unlike anything built before or since. In addition to Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the World Heritage Site includes Aztec Ruins National Monument and several smaller Chaco sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims
The brilliant use of new building techniques in the 13th century and the perfect combination of sculptural decoration and architecture make Notre-Dame de Reims one of the masterpieces of Gothic art. This former monastery still retains the beautiful 9th-century nave, which houses the remains of Archbishop Saint-Rémi (440-533), who performed the holy anointings for the Kings of France. The former Archbishop's Palace, known as the Palais de Tau, played an important role in religious ceremonies and was almost completely rebuilt in the 17th century.
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga consists of a royal city and cemetery as well as a series of sacred sites. It is associated with a strong sense of national identity and has retained its spiritual and sacred character in both past ritual practices and the popular imagination. For 500 years it has been a place of worship for pilgrims from Madagascar and elsewhere.