From the World Heritage inscription for the Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza: The examples of architectural and urban design in Úbeda and Baeza were instrumental in introducing to Spain of Italian Renaissance design criteria but had their origins in the Islamic period. The exceptional feature of this cities lies on the fact that …
From the World Heritage inscription for Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada: Unique artistic creations, the Alhambra and the Generalife of Granada bear exceptional testimony to Muslim Spain of the 16th century. They form an exceptional example of royal Arab residences of the medieval period: neither destroyed nor changed by the alterations of radical restorations, the …
From the Historic Center of Cordoba World Heritage inscription for the Historic Center of Cordoba: Cordoba’s period of greatest glory began in the 8th century after the Moorish conquest, when some 300 mosques and innumerable palaces and public buildings were built to rival the splendors of Constantinople, Damascus, and Baghdad. In the 13th century, under …
From the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville World Heritage inscription for the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville: Together, the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias as a series, form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. They perfectly epitomize the Spanish “Golden Age”, incorporating vestiges of Islamic …
From the City of Bath World Heritage inscription: The Roman remains, especially the Temple of Sulis Minerva and the baths complex (based around the hot springs at the heart of the Roman city of Aquae Sulis, which have remained at the heart of the City’s development ever since) are amongst the most famous and important …
From the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage inscription: The Stonehenge, Avebury, and Associated Sites World Heritage property is internationally important for its complexes of outstanding prehistoric monuments. It comprises two areas of chalkland in Southern Britain within which complexes of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and funerary monuments and associated sites were built. …
From the World Heritage inscription: Warsaw was deliberately annihilated in 1944 as a repression of the Polish resistance to the German occupation. The capital city was reduced to ruins with the intention of obliterating the centuries-old tradition of Polish statehood. The rebuilding of the historic city, 85% of which was destroyed, was the result of …
Krakow is one of the most beautiful cities in Poland. You can really tell the difference between Krakow and Warsaw when you see both cities close up. The newness of the Warsaw old city is much more evident once you compare it to Krakow’s gorgeous and historic old town. As with the old parts of …
From the World Heritage inscription: Auschwitz-Birkenau was the principal and most notorious of the six concentration and extermination camps established by Nazi Germany to implement its Final Solution policy which had as its aim the mass murder of the Jewish people in Europe. Built in Poland under Nazi German occupation initially as a concentration camp …