In ancient times, the term 'wonders of the world' referred only to buildings and sculptures, and seven of them were mainly mentioned.
However, from the end of the 18th century and especially in the period of romanticism, lists also began to be compiled seven medieval wonders of the world - which included, for example, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Hagia Sophia.
In addition, often a newer building (Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower) or newly discovered to Europeans (Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat) was declared the eighth wonder of the world.
///We bring you 10 fantastic UNESCO sites around the world! Which one do you want to visit (first)?
Various lists of wonders of the world became particularly popular in the last century when lists began to be compiled natural wonders. Tourist stories, on the other hand, bring the chosen ones 10 wonders of the world which some of the readers may decide to put on their wish list.
Mesa Verde National Park in the USA
Mesa Verde National Park, located in the southwestern part of the American federal state Colorado, is just one of the many national parks of the USA. Not far from the area known as the Four Corners, there are the magnificent ruins of the village of the Pueblo Indians for which the park is widely known.
Mesa Verde means 'green table', and it was one of the first World Heritage sites UNESCO- in the United States, which was listed as early as 1978 with the aim of preserving the rich cultural heritage of the tribal communities from this plateau.
Doing the largest archaeological reserve in the state, stone dwellings provide insight into the lives of the ancestors of the people who left the area. Archaeologists are still trying to find out the reasons for their departure.
Temples of Tikal in Guatemala
Tikal, the great pre-Columbian Mayan city, is today a well-known archaeological site of the northern Guatemala. It already existed in the 4th century before our era and was the capital of the then powerful Mayan kingdom. Tombs and architectural buildings of this locality are covered with numerous reliefs and hieroglyphs whose texts and scenes led to the fact that Tikal is the most understood great city of this nation.
Precisely for these reasons, the Tikal National Park - established primarily to protect the archaeological site, but also the natural environment - was entered on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in North America as early as 1979. Dwellings and fantastic ruins of a ritual center with temples, palaces and public squares, are scattered in this area in a picturesque landscape of luxuriant vegetation.
Probably the largest Mayan city discovered to date, Tikal is especially enchanting at sunrise, “when toucans flutter through the fog, a babbling monkeys clamoring in the green canopy of the lush forest", he reports International Traveler.
Old city in Jerusalem
The Old City of Jerusalem is a walled part of Jerusalem where there are several religiously important landmarks such as: the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall, the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque.
Christian pilgrims flock to Church of the Holy Sepulchre in order to see the tomb of Jesus, the Jews pray to God at The wailing wall, Muslims pray to Allah in Al Aqsa Mosque. So often at odds, these three religions find a common language here – at the top of the Old Town, where the gilded Dome shines in the sun.
After the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, the Old City found itself entirely on the Jordanian side of the city, however, after the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel occupied it along with the rest of Jerusalem.
This locality was placed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in Asia and Oceania in 1981 list of endangered places The Old Town became a World Heritage Site due to uncontrolled urban development, general decay and poor maintenance.
Fes in Morocco
Fes is the second largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca. It is the capital of the province of Fès-Boulemane and one of the four 'royal cities' Morocco along with Rabat, Marrakesh and Meknes. It consists of three parts: Medina Fes, Fes-Jddid and Ville Nouvelle. The old city (Medina Fes el Bali) is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It is located in Fez the oldest university in the world which is still in operation - Al-Karaouine University founded in 859.
Very little has changed in Morocco's oldest city since the Middle Ages, including the ancient tradition of leather tanning that can be observed amid the city's maze of alleyways. In addition, the city has over 150 mosques where you can admire colorful mosaics.
Rice terraces in the Philippines
The rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras encompass five localities entered in 1995 on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in Asia and Oceania as landscapes of exceptional beauty that testify to the unique harmony between people and nature. Protected localities are: Terraces of rice fields in Banaue, and Mayoyao, Hungduan and Nagacadan.
For the past 2000 years, the rice fields of the Philippine province of Ifugao have followed the configuration of the mountains in the spirit of a sacred tradition passed down from generation to generation. Over the centuries, terraces have been built on increasingly steep slopes.
Their maintenance has always been a joint task of members of rural communities who had to have extensive knowledge of the biological richness of the ecosystem, lunar cycles, zonal planning and soil conservation, as well as construction - all framed by characteristic religious rituals. One of them is i Hudhud chant entered on the UNESCO list of intangible world heritage.
Taxis in Pakistan
Taxila, Takkasila or Taxila is an important archaeological site of the ancient Indian city of Gandhar in Pakistan. It is located at an altitude of 550 meters near the Great Debal Road, a historic road that connected northern Afghanistan with Punjab. Taxila was an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist center from the 6th to the 5th century BC, which is why, along with several nearby sites, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia and Oceania in 1980.
But in the Pakistani province of Punjab, there is another world-famous landmark - Badshahi Mosque or the Emperor's Mosque, one of the largest and most beautiful in the country. It is located in the city of Lahore on the outskirts of the fortified city of Lahore.
Rock of Cashel in Ireland
The magnificent Rock of Cashel or as it is also called 'Rock of kings' or 'St. Patrick's Rock', is located in the south of Ireland, next to the road that connects Dublin and Cork. It is the place where, according to legend, Saint Patrick baptized the king of Munster in the 5th century.
Although there are not many artifacts left from that period, it is still considered one of the most important localities that gives the modern world an insight into medieval Celtic art and culture. This is evidenced by the magnificent stone round tower as high as 28 meters, the chapel of King Cormac Mac Carthaigh from the 12th century, and the cathedral from the 13th century.
Prema legends, the rock from which the Rock of Cashel was formed came from nearby Devil's Bit Mountain after Saint Patrick banished the Wicked One to it. After his exile, the rock from the mountain broke off and reached this area, thus becoming a kind of foundation stone for this spectacular building.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza or the Necropolis of Giza in Egypt are among the most famous and oldest buildings of mankind. They are the only remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The biggest and probably the most famous pyramid is Cheops. Near it is the Great Sphinx and the pyramid of Kefren. The third and at the same time the smallest is the Mikeren's pyramid.
And while archaeologists continue to look for pieces of the puzzle of how these ancient wonders were built, one thing is certain – the Great Pyramid stands as a marvelous testament to the skills of ancient Egyptian engineers, writes International Traveller.
This site was inscribed in 1979 on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in Africa, together with the nearby ancient city of Memphis and the necropolises of Abusir, Dahshur and Saqqara.
Ephesus in Turkey
Ephesus is an ancient city on west coast of Asia Minor, at the place where the Kaistros river used to be - in present-day Turkey. It consists of a series of settlements that followed the coast from the Hellenistic period to the Roman era.
Ancient Ephesus is an outstanding example of a Roman port city with a sea canal and a port, which is why it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Asia.
Excavations have revealed large monuments from the time of the Roman Empire including the Library of Celsius, the Grand Theatre, and the remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Sigiriya in Sri Lanka
Sigiriya or lion rock is located in the center of the Matale district in Sri Lanka. Here are the ruins of the former fortified palace of King Kashyap. The Sinhalese king built a palace in the shape of a lion as a stronghold against the invaders.
She swallowed the ruins over time the jungle. Parts of the palace that were declared a World Heritage Site in 1982 remain intact, and visitors can climb the staircase to see the remaining frescoes, rock paintings and terraced gardens.
Once upon a time, this locality was Kingdom, and later became Buddhist monastery.
Photo: Unsplash
Cover photo: Dylan Shaw / Unsplash
Source: International Traveler
