Historic Center of Naples

Historic Center of Naples UNESCO World Heritage Site, Italy

From the Historic Center of Naples World Heritage inscription: From the Neapolis founded by Greek settlers in 470 B.C. to the city of today, Naples has retained the imprint of the successive cultures that emerged in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. This makes it a unique site, with a wealth of outstanding monuments such as …

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Old City of Berne

Old City of Berne UNESCO World Heritage Site, Switzerland

From the Old City of Berne World Heritage inscription: Founded in the 12th century on a hill site surrounded by the Aare River, Berne developed over the centuries in line with an exceptionally coherent planning concept. The buildings in the Old City, dating from a variety of periods, include 15th-century arcades and 16th-century fountains. Most …

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Historic Centre of Sighisoara

Historic Center of Sighisoara UNESCO World Heritage Site, Romania

From the Historic Centre of Sighisoara World Heritage inscription: Sighisoara, an example of a small fortified city in the border region between the Latin-oriented culture of central Europe and the Byzantine-Orthodox culture of south-eastern Europe, is an outstanding testimony to the fast-disappearing culture of the Transylvanian Saxons. The city, which lies in the heart of …

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Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania

Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania World Heritage Site, Romania

From the Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania World Heritage inscription: The Transylvanian villages with fortified churches provide a vivid picture of the cultural landscape of southern Transylvania. They are characterized by the specific land-use system, settlement pattern, and organization of the family farmstead units preserved since the late Middle Ages, dominated by their fortified …

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Boyana Church

Boyana Church UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the Boyana Church World Heritage inscription: Located on the outskirts of Sofia, Boyana Church consists of three buildings. The eastern church was built in the 10th century, then enlarged at the beginning of the 13th century by Sebastocrator Kaloyan, who ordered a second two-story building to be erected next to it. The frescoes in …

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Historic Areas of Istanbul

Historic Areas of Istanbul UNESCO World Heritage Site, Turkey

From the Historic Areas of Istanbul World Heritage inscription: With its strategic location on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Istanbul has been associated with major political, religious and artistic events for more than 2,000 years. Its masterpieces include the ancient Hippodrome of Constantine, the 6th-century Hagia …

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Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek

Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek

From the World Heritage inscription for Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek: The Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek national parks and protected areas along the boundary of Canada and the United States of America are the largest non-polar icefield in the world and contain examples of some of the world’s longest and most spectacular …

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Ningaloo Coast

Ningaloo Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site, Australia

From the World Heritage inscription for the Ningaloo Coast: The 604,500-hectare marine and terrestrial property of Ningaloo Coast, on the remote western coast of Australia, includes one of the longest near-shore reefs in the world. On land, the site features an extensive karst system and a network of underground caves and water courses. Annual gatherings …

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