UNESCO World Heritage Sites

 

Burgos Cathedral :: Burgos, Spain

Built during the early 12th century, Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain is famous for its massive size and amazing Gothic architecture. Construction began on the cathedral on the orders of King Ferdinand III of Castile and Mauricio, Bishop of Burgos on July 20, 1221. After a hiatus of nearly 200 years work resumed on the cathedral toward the middle of the 15th century and continued for more than 100 years. It wasn’t fully completed until 1567, three years after the death of Michelangelo, when the lantern spire over the main crossing was added. In 1919, Burgos Cathedral became the final resting place of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (El Cid), a Castilian nobleman, military leader and diplomat who after being exiled, captured and ruled the city of Valencia in 1094. Read more

Palace of Versailles :: Paris, France

The Chateau de Versailles is without a doubt one of the most beautiful if not the most beautiful example of French 18th century art. The original site was used by King Louis XIII as a hunting lodge. Upon his death his son and heir Louis XIV started a transformation of the building and even moved the government and royal court to the newly renovated site. The Palace was continually upgraded and enlarged until the French Revolution when the royal occupants were ceremoniously beheaded! Read more

Monastery of Haghpat :: Haghpat, Armenia

Founded by Saint Nishan, construction on the medieval wonder that is the Monastery of Haghpat was started over a millennium ago in 966 AD. It continued for another 300 years, each addition to the grounds creating another splendor to gaze upon. Set in the magnificent valley formed by Dzoraget River, the monastic complex exhibits both Byzantine and ancient Caucasian architectural components and is a striking accent amongst the forested hills. Read more

Angkor Wat :: Angkor, Cambodia

Built in the early 12th century for the king Suryavarman II to serve as his state temple and capital city, Angkor Wat is the best-preserved temple at the site. It is the only temple in the complex to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation, originally Hindu then Buddhist. It is a wonderful example of Khmer architecture and has become a symbol of Cambodia, even appearing on its national flag. This amazing landmark is Cambodia’s most popular tourist attraction, being visited by thousands upon thousands each year. Read more

Villa d’Este :: Tivoli, Italy

Villa d’Este and its amazing Italian Renaissance Garden in Tivoli near Rome are a comprehensive example of Italian Renaissance culture at its most refined. Commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este upon his appointment as Governor of Tivoli, the existing villa built in the 13th century for use by the governor was entirely reconstructed to meet the cardinal’s vision of a palatial setting surrounded by an amazing terraced garden. Using nearby Villa Adriana, the palatial retreat of Emperor Hadrian, as inspiration the cardinal created an elaborate garden with a mixture of architectural elements and water features which had a strong influence on European landscape design for centuries to come. In 2001 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list as an outstanding example of Renaissance culture at its peak as well as due to the influence the gardens of Villa d’Este had throughout Europe. Read more

Mir Castle :: Mir, Belarus

The Mir Castle Complex in Belarus is an wonderful example of a central European castle. Construction of the castle began at the end of the 15th century and was subsequently extend and reconstructed in Renaissance styles by Duke Ilinich in the early 16th century and once more in Baroque style around 1568 when the castle passed into the hands of Mikolaj Krzysztof “the Orphan” Radziwill. The three architectural styles blend harmoniously Read more

Riga, Latvia

First settled nearly 2000 years ago, the city of Riga, Latvia in Northern Europe is among the more fantastically beautiful places in the EU. It is also one of the least traveled. As such, it is a wonderfully interesting tourist destination for those looking for a taste of old world Europe without all of the crazy crowds and over priced bistros. Long serving as an important stop in trade routes from East to West (due to its location along the majestic Daugava River), Riga has benefited from its position. As the capitol of Latvia, the historic city center is simply magical. Although many of the earliest structures have been lost to wars and fires, there are still numerous aspects of medieval, neoclassical, and art nouveau architecture to surprise and delight. Read more

Topkapi Palace :: Istanbul, Turkey

Today one of Turkey’s major tourist attractions, Topkapi Palace was the official and primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 of their 624 year reign. This sprawling 175 acre complex once accommodated a community of four thousand people and is home to the most holy relics of the Muslim world. Throughout the years the complex has been expanded with many renovations done after an earthquake in 1509 as well as a fire in 1665. The palace is full of amazing examples of Ottoman architecture and its hundreds of rooms and champers house large collections of porcelain, weapons, robes, armor, murals and much more. In 1924, after the end of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish government transformed Topkapi Palace into a museum of the imperial era. Read more