Heritage with Related Tags
Yin Xu
Located near Anyang, about 500 km south of Beijing, the Yinxu site was an ancient capital of the late Shang Dynasty (1300-1046 BC), witnessing the heyday of China's Bronze Age and the golden age of early Chinese culture, craftsmanship and science. A number of royal tombs and palace buildings were unearthed at the site, laying the foundation for China's later architectural style. These include palaces and royal ancestral halls, where more than 80 house sites were discovered, and the only intact tomb of a member of the Shang royal family - the tomb of Fu Hao. The large number of burial objects and the exquisite craftsmanship are testaments to the high level of craftsmanship in the Shang Dynasty. The oracle bones discovered at Yinxu are one of the oldest writing systems in the world and a valuable testimony to the development of ancient beliefs and social systems.
Arslantepe Mound
The Arslantepe Mound is a 30-meter-high archaeological site located in the Malatya Plain, 12 kilometers southwest of the Euphrates River. Archaeological evidence at the site indicates that it was inhabited from at least the 6th millennium BC to the late Roman period. The earliest strata of the Early Uruk period are characterized by adobe houses from the first half of the 4th millennium BC. The most prominent and prosperous period of the site was the Late Chalcolithic period, during which the so-called palace complex was built. Extensive evidence also confirms the presence of the Early Bronze Age, the most prominent of which is the Royal Tomb Complex. Archaeological strata then extend to the Old Assyrian and Hittite periods, including the Neo-Hittite period. The site demonstrates the processes that led to the emergence of state societies and complex bureaucratic systems that predate writing in the Near East. Many exceptional metal objects and weapons have been unearthed at the site, including the earliest swords known to date in the world, indicating that organized forms of combat began to become the prerogative of the elite, who displayed these swords as instruments of their new political power.
Persepolis
Founded in 518 BC by Darius I, Persepolis was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Built on a vast, half-artificial, half-natural platform, it was here that the King of Kings built an impressive palace complex inspired by Mesopotamian models. The importance and quality of these monumental remains make it a unique archaeological site.
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina)
The city of Aegae, the first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, was discovered in the 19th century near Vergina in northern Greece. Among its most important remains are the magnificent palace, richly decorated with mosaics and painted stucco, and a cemetery with more than 300 tombs, some dating back to the 11th century BC. A royal tomb in the Great Tomb has been identified as that of Philip II, who conquered all the Greek cities and paved the way for his son Alexander and the expansion of the Hellenistic world.
Medina of Tunis
Under the Almohad and Hafsid dynasties, from the 12th to the 16th century, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and richest cities in the Islamic world. Some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains bear witness to this glorious past.
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong
Located in the southern Korean city of Kaesong, the site consists of 12 separate parts that together bear witness to the history and culture of the Goryeo Dynasty from the 10th to the 14th century. The geomantic layout of the former capital of Kaesong, its palaces, institutions and mausoleum complexes, defensive walls and gates embody the political, cultural, philosophical and spiritual values of a pivotal era in the region's history. The inscribed monuments also include an astronomical and meteorological observatory, two schools (one of which was dedicated to training state officials) and memorials. The site bears witness to East Asia's transition from Buddhism to Neo-Confucianism, and the assimilation of cultural ethos and political values from the various countries that preceded the unification of the Goryeo Dynasty. The fusion of Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist and geomantic concepts is reflected in the planning of the site and the architecture of the monuments.
Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape
For eight thousand years, the Fürth/Neusiedl Lake area has been a crossroads of different cultures. This is vividly reflected in its diverse landscape, which is the result of an evolutionary symbiosis between human activities and the natural environment. The unique rural architecture of the lakeside villages and several palaces from the 18th and 19th centuries add great cultural value to the region.
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
Potsdam's palace and park complex covers 500 hectares and comprises 150 buildings built between 1730 and 1916, forming an artistic whole whose eclectic character enhances its uniqueness. It extends into the Berlin-Zehlendorf district, with palaces and parks along the banks of the Havel River and Lake Glienicke. Voltaire stayed at Sanssouci Palace, which was built between 1745 and 1747 during the reign of Frederick II.
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.
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
Located on a hill overlooking the plains, about 40 km from Bhopal, the ruins of Sanchi consist of a group of Buddhist monuments (monumental columns, palaces, temples and monasteries), all in varying states of conservation, most of which date back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. It is the oldest surviving Buddhist sanctuary and was a major Buddhist centre in India until the 12th century AD.
Mount Wutai
Mount Wutai, with its five flat-topped peaks, is a sacred mountain for Buddhism. Its cultural attractions include 41 temples, including the East Hall of Foguang Temple, the tallest surviving Tang Dynasty wooden structure, which contains life-size clay sculptures. It also features the Ming Dynasty Shuxiang Temple, which contains 500 statues that weave Buddhist stories into a three-dimensional picture of mountains and rivers. Overall, the architecture on Mount Wutai records the development of Buddhist architecture over more than a thousand years and its influence on Chinese palace architecture. Mount Wutai, which literally means "Five Terraces", is the highest mountain in northern China and is striking for its rugged terrain and five empty, treeless peaks. Temples were built here from the 1st century AD to the early 20th century.
Anjar
The city of Anjar was founded in the early 8th century by Caliph Walid I. The ruins show a very regular layout, reminiscent of an ancient palace city, and are a unique testimony to Umayyad urban planning.
Changdeokgung Palace Complex
In the early 15th century, Taizong ordered the construction of a new palace in an auspicious location. To build the complex, Taizong established a palace construction bureau, which consisted of several official residences and residential buildings set in a garden that cleverly adapted to the uneven topography of the 58-hectare site. The palace architecture and design is a model of Far Eastern palace architecture and design, blending in with the surrounding landscape.