Heritage with Related Tags
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region
The area features one of the largest complexes of churches and monasteries in the pre-Byzantine Empire. The complex consists of 10 World Heritage-listed monuments, all richly decorated with frescoes that showcase Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus. The complex includes small churches, whose rustic architecture contrasts with their elaborate decoration, and monasteries such as the Monastery of St. John Lampadistis.
Butrint
Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint was a Greek colony, a Roman city and the seat of a bishopric. It flourished for a time under Byzantine rule, was briefly occupied by the Venetians and was abandoned in the late Middle Ages due to the destruction of the marshes. The area formed the present archaeological site, a treasure trove of relics from various periods of the city's development.
Ancient City of Nessebar
Nessebar, located on a rocky peninsula in the Black Sea, has a history of more than 3,000 years and was originally a Thracian settlement (Menebria). In the early 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony. Most of the city's remains date back to the Hellenistic period, including the Acropolis, the Temple of Apollo, the Agora and the walls of the Thracian fortifications. Among other monuments, the Cathedral and Fortress of Stara Mitropolia date back to the Middle Ages, when it was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the western coast of the Black Sea. The wooden houses built in the 19th century are typical representatives of the Black Sea architecture of the time.
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
Ravenna was the capital of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, and then of Byzantine Italy until the 8th century. It has unique early Christian mosaics and monuments. All eight buildings - the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Baptistery of Nyonia, the New Basilica of Sant'Apollinare, the Baptistery of Arias, the Archbishop's Church, the Mausoleum of Theoderic, the Church of San Vitale and the New Basilica of Sant'Apollinare - were built in the 5th and 6th centuries. They show great artistic skills, combining Greco-Roman traditions, Christian iconography, and Eastern and Western styles.
Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
The Royal Exhibition Building and its surrounding Carlton Gardens were designed for the great International Exhibitions held in Melbourne in 1880 and 1888. The building and grounds were designed by Joseph Reid. The building is constructed of brick and timber, steel and stone. It incorporates elements of Byzantine, Romanesque, Lombard and Italian Renaissance styles. The building is typical of the International Exposition movement, which saw more than 50 exhibitions held between 1851 and 1915 in places such as Paris, New York, Vienna, Calcutta, Kingston (Jamaica) and Santiago (Chile). All the expositions had a common theme and aim: to record material and moral progress by showcasing the industries of nations.
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica
The site consists of two separate parts and contains outstanding remains dating back to the Greek and Roman eras: the Pantalica Necropolis contains more than 5,000 tombs hewn around an open-air quarry, most of which date from the 13th to the 7th century BC. The area also preserves remains from the Byzantine era, especially the foundations of the Anaktolon (Prince's Palace). The other part of the site is Ancient Syracuse, which includes the core of the city of Ortygia, founded by Greeks from Corinth in the 8th century BC. Described by Cicero as "the greatest and most beautiful of the Greek cities", the city preserves remains of the Temple of Athena (5th century BC, later converted into a cathedral), a Greek theater, a Roman amphitheater, a fortress, and more. Many of the remains bear witness to Sicily's turbulent history, from the Byzantines to the Bourbons, with Arab Muslims, Normans, Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen (1197-1250), the Aragonese, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Historic Syracuse offers a unique testimony to the development of Mediterranean civilization over three thousand years.
umm jimmar
<p>Umm Al-Jimāl is a rural settlement in northern Jordan that developed spontaneously from an earlier Roman settlement around the 5th century AD and continued until the end of the 8th century. It preserves basalt buildings from the Byzantine and early Islamic periods, reflecting the architectural style of the Hauran region, as well as some former Roman military buildings that were adapted for other uses by later inhabitants. The settlement is located in a vast agricultural landscape that also includes a complex water collection system that supported agriculture and animal husbandry. The earliest buildings excavated at Umm Al-Jimāl date from the 1st century AD, when the area was part of the Nabataean Kingdom. A rich collection of inscriptions in Greek, Nabataean, Safavid, Latin, and Arabic, spanning many centuries, provides a deep understanding of the local history and reveals the evolution of the inhabitants' religious beliefs. </p>
Ancient Villages of Northern Syria
The approximately 40 villages scattered across eight parks in northwestern Syria provide powerful evidence of rural life in the late ancient and Byzantine periods. Built between the 1st and 7th centuries and abandoned between the 8th and 10th centuries, the villages feature well-preserved landscapes and architectural remains of dwellings, pagan temples, churches, cisterns, baths, etc. The cultural landscape of the villages also serves as an important example of the transition from the ancient pagan world of the Roman Empire to Byzantine Christianity. The remains of hydraulic technology, protective walls, and Roman agricultural plot planning further demonstrate the mastery of agricultural production by the local population.
Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din
These two castles are the most representative examples of the exchange of influences and the evolution of Near Eastern defensive architecture during the Crusades (11th-13th centuries). The Castle of the Knights was built between 1142 and 1271 by the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem. Further work by the Mamluks in the late 13th century made it one of the best preserved Crusader castles. The Fortress of Saladin (Qal'at Salah El-Din), although partly in ruins, is an outstanding example of this type of fortification, both in terms of the quality of its construction and the preservation of its historical strata. It retains features from the 10th-century Byzantine period, Frankish modifications from the late 12th century, and fortifications added during the Ayyubid period (late 12th to mid-13th century).
Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain Area
The Slovak part of the Carpathian wooden churches inscribed on the World Heritage List includes two Roman Catholic, three Protestant and three Greek Orthodox churches, built between the 16th and 18th centuries. The site is a good example of the rich local religious architectural tradition, a cross between Latin and Byzantine cultures. Due to their respective religious practices, the buildings present some typological differences in plan, interior spaces and exteriors. They bear witness to the development of the main architectural and artistic trends of the period of construction, as well as their interpretation and adaptation to a specific geographical and cultural context. The interiors are decorated with paintings and other works of art on the walls and ceilings, enriching the cultural significance of the site.
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region
The area features one of the largest complexes of churches and monasteries in the pre-Byzantine Empire. The complex consists of 10 World Heritage-listed monuments, all richly decorated with frescoes that showcase Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus. The complex includes small churches, whose rustic architecture contrasts with their elaborate decoration, and monasteries such as the Monastery of St. John Lampadistis.
Churches of Moldavia
These eight churches in northern Moldavia were built between the late 15th and 16th centuries and their facades are covered with frescoes, masterpieces of Byzantine art. The frescoes are authentic and exceptionally well preserved. Far from being mere wall decorations, the frescoes systematically covered all facades and represented a complete cycle of religious themes. Their unique compositions, elegant figures and harmonious colors blend perfectly with the surrounding countryside. The Sucevita Monastery Church, whose interior and exterior walls are entirely decorated with 16th-century frescoes, is the only church to feature the Staircase of St. John Climacus.
Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
The Goreme Valley and its surroundings are a scenic area entirely carved by erosion and feature rock-hewn sanctuaries that provide unique evidence of post-Iconoclastic Byzantine art. Dwellings, troglodyte villages and underground towns can also be seen here, which are the remains of traditional human settlements dating back to the 4th century.
Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios
Although geographically far apart, these three monasteries (the first in Attica near Athens, the second in Phokida near Delphi, and the third on an Aegean island near Asia Minor) are of the same type and share the same aesthetic characteristics. The churches were built with a cruciform plan, with large domes supported by angled arches forming an octagonal space. In the 11th and 12th centuries they were decorated with fine marble work as well as mosaics on a gold background, all of which are characteristic of the "Second Golden Age of Byzantine Art".
Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika
The provincial capital and seaport of Thessaloniki, founded in 315 BC, was one of the first bases for the spread of Christianity. Among its Christian monuments are fine churches, some in the form of a Greek cross, others in the form of a three-nave basilica. Built over a long period from the 4th to the 15th century, these churches constitute a diachronic typological series that had a considerable influence on the Byzantine world. The Rotunda and the mosaics of St. Demetrius and St. David are among the great masterpieces of early Christian art.
Archaeological Site of Mystras
Mystras, or "Miracle of the Morea", was built in 1249 as an amphitheatre around a fortress constructed by William de Verhardouin, Prince of Achaea. Reconquered by the Byzantines and subsequently occupied by the Turks and Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the stunning medieval ruins standing in a scenic setting.
Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra
Berat and Gjirokastra are listed as rare examples of typical architectural styles from the Ottoman period. Berat, located in central Albania, has witnessed the coexistence of various religious and cultural communities over the centuries. There is a castle, known locally as Kara, most of which was built in the 13th century, but its origins date back to the 4th century BC. The castle area has many Byzantine churches, mainly built in the 13th century, and several mosques from the Ottoman period, which began in 1417. Gjirokastra, located in the Drinos River Valley in southern Albania, has a series of fine two-story houses built in the 17th century. The town also preserves a bazaar, an 18th-century mosque and two churches from the same period.
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo
The four buildings at the site reflect the pinnacle of Byzantine-Romanesque ecclesiastical culture, with a distinctive style of fresco painting that developed in the Balkans between the 13th and 17th centuries. The Monastery of Dečani was built in the mid-14th century for the Serbian King Stefan Dečani and also serves as his mausoleum. The Archbishop's Monastery of Pécs is a group of four domed churches that features a series of frescoes. The 13th-century frescoes in the Church of the Holy Apostles were painted in a distinctive monumental style. The early 14th-century frescoes in the Church of Our Lady of Livisa represent the emergence of the so-called Neo-Paleologo Renaissance style, which blends influences from Eastern Orthodox Byzantine and Western Romanesque traditions. This style played a decisive role in later Balkan art.
Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin
These two Byzantine monasteries, located in the Tumania region, were important centers of learning during the flourishing period of the Chiurigian dynasty (10th-13th centuries). Sanakhin was famous for its schools of painters and calligraphers. The two monastic complexes represent the highest achievement of Armenian religious architecture, with a unique style that combines elements of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture with traditional vernacular architecture of the Caucasus region.
Saint Catherine Area
The Eastern Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine sits at the foot of Mount Horeb, where the Old Testament records that Moses received the Law. The mountain is revered by Muslims as Jebel Musa. The entire area is a holy site for three major world religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The monastery was founded in the 6th century, making it the oldest Christian monastery still in use. The walls and buildings of the monastery are of great significance to the study of Byzantine architecture, and the monastery houses a large collection of early Christian manuscripts and icons. The rugged mountainous landscape contains numerous archaeological and religious sites and monuments, providing the perfect backdrop for the monastery.
Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region
Lake Ohrid is a stunning natural wonder that provides a refuge for a wide range of local freshwater plants and animals dating back to the Tertiary period. The town of Ohrid, situated on the lakeshore, is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. Built mainly between the 7th and 19th centuries, the town is home to the oldest Slavic monastery (St Pantelejmon) and over 800 Byzantine-style icons dating from the 11th to the late 14th century. In the shallow waters near the lakeshore, three sites attest to the presence of prehistoric pile dwellings, while the small forest peninsula is home to the remains of an early Christian church founded in the mid-6th century.