This year the World Heritage Committee named 19 new World Heritage Sites from around the world. The continent of Asia is home to a huge number these sites and now eight new ones have been added to the list. Here is a peek at the seven new UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia.
Al Zubarah Archaeological Site, Qatar
The town of Al Zubarah by the Gulf coast was founded by Kuwaiti merchants. The coastal town was a bastion of trade in the 18th-19th centuries. Interestingly, sand from the desert protected the many important buildings in the vicinity. Al Zubarah is now an important excavation site that showcases the progressive trade and pearl-driving industry that contributed much to the emergence of the Gulf states that we know today.
The Hill Forts of Rajashtan in India
The largest of the six forts of Rajashtan on the Aravallis mountain range measures around 20 kilometers in circumference. The majesty and power of the Rajput military states that dominated the region from the 8th to the 18th centuries are clearly manifested in the manner by which the forts were erected, primarily for the defense of the temples, palaces, and urban centers within the walls.
Kaesong Historic Sites, North Korea
The majesty of the Koryo Dynasty (from the 10th to the 14th centuries) is depicted in the 12 separate historic sites within Kaesong City in the DPRK. The former capital has a tomb complex, a number of palaces, as well as walls and gates that according to the UNESCO, “embody the political, cultural, philosophical, and spiritual values of a crucial era in the region’s history.”
Iran’s Golestan Palace
The Qajar era of Iran brought forth the old and majestic walled Golestan Palace in Iran, a product of the merging of Persian architecture and Western influences. The Qajar family was instrumental in making Tehran the capital of Iran. The family lavishly invested on this structure which now showcases to the world the richness of art and architecture of the 19th century.
Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in Southern Yunnan, China
The Hani people have sustained their daily lives tending to crops on mountain slopes along the banks of the Hong River. For more than 1, 300 years they have designed an irrigation system that ensures cultivation of red rice, their primary crop. The continued flourishing of the Honge Hani Rice Terraces is a perfect example of how man can live in harmony with his environment.
Mountains of the Pamirs/Tajik National Park, Tajikistan
Tajikistan is a country in Central Asia and its mostly uninhabited Tajik National Park is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The significance of this site is largely due to its endangered fauna, particularly the Siberian ibex, the snow leopards and the Marco Polo Argali sheep which call the 6 million acre mountain area home.
Xinjiang Tianshan in China
Snow-capped and widely forested Xinjiang Tianshan is a component of one of the largest mountain systems in the world, the Tiashan mountain range of Central Asia. The region’s stark contrasts and has made it a major contender in this year’s World Heritage list. The Xinjiang Tiashan encompasses an area of more than 600, 000 hectares and has four components namely Bayinbukuke, Bogda, Kalajun-Kuerdening, and Tomur.
Mt. Fuji’s singular beauty has made it a source of inspiration for Japanese poets, artists, holy men, and the country’s prime movers. This snow-capped stratovolcano has been synonymous to Japan and is one of its most iconic symbols. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee recognized its cultural value not just to the Japanese people but to the world as well.