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There are 1,223 UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the globe, from the Great Pyramids of Giza to Easter Island to Independence Hall in Philadelphia. These landmarks have cultural, historical or scientific importance, and the World Heritage Site designation offers a level of protection — the program’s goal is to keep these wonders around for future generations. For 2024, UNESCO granted World Heritage Site status to 24 new spots, including these seven highlights.
The Central Axis runs through the heart of historical Beijing
The Central Axis runs north to south through Beijing and features imperial palaces, gardens, and ceremonial and public buildings dating back to the 13th-century Yuan Dynasty. These structures “witness the evolution of the city” and provide “evidence of the imperial dynastic formula and traditions of China’s urban plans,” UNESCO said. The most fashionable spaces in the Central Axis have buildings dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Dacian Limes operating from 106 to 271 CE
During the Roman Empire, the Dacian Limes formed the “longest, most complex land border” of any former Roman province in Europe, National Geographic said. North of the Danube River, these 277 auxiliary forts, ramparts, watch towers and legionary fortresses traverse 16 counties, making up a “network of eerie-looking” sites that “still stand as witnesses to the strategic role Dacia once played.”
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Gedi was a successful city before being abandoned in the 17th century
For centuries, Gedi was one of the most vital Swahili cities near the East African coast, with a giant mosque, a palace, well-built houses, and impressive infrastructure, adding a water-control formula. Experts claim that Gedi was founded in the 13th century, probably rebuilt in the 15th century during its time of greatest wealth, then nevertheless abandoned in the early 17th century. No one knows for sure why Gedi was abandoned, and hypotheses add that it was an epidemic that wiped out the population or a Portuguese attack.
Lencóis Maranhenses National Park is off the beaten path, but the trip
The white sand dunes and emerald and sapphire freshwater lagoons of the Lencóis Maranhenses National Park create an otherworldly landscape in northeastern Brazil. The winds blow the dunes and when it rains, the lagoons replace depth, length and even color. More than 110 species of birds and 42 species of reptiles inhabit the park, in addition to the endangered scarlet ibis, neotropical otter, oncilla, and West Indian manatee.
Nelson Mandela grew up in Mqhekezweni Grand Square
At these 14 sites representing “human rights, liberation and reconciliation,” visitors can walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists. The locations include the University of Fort Hare, where Mandela studied, and the village of Mqhekezweni, where he got his start in political activism. The site of the Sharpeville massacre is a somber stop, a place to remember the 69 Black protesters killed here in 1960 as they protested pass laws.
The Grand Dukes lived in Schwerin Castle
Almost 40 sublime buildings make up the complex, with Schwerin Castle, the former residence of the Grand Duke, being the most opulent. Filled with parks and decorative lakes, most of Schwerin’s structures were built in the 19th century, when the city was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Architectural styles include Neo-Baroque, Neoclassical, and Neo-Renaissance with touches of the Italian Renaissance.
Compared to the ruins in the area, much of um Al-Jimal is intact.
The ruins of Umm Al-Jimal, near the Jordan-Syria border, feature “unpretentious urban architecture,” Lonely Planet said, with buildings offering a “fascinating glimpse into rural life, the Byzantine Roman era, and the early of Islam”. It functioned mainly from the 5th century AD. until the late 8th century AD, but archaeologists have discovered structures dating back to the 1st century. Although little is known about the early history of Umm. Al-Jimal, researchers have been able to examine the site more than others in the domain because “it was rarely looted or vandalized, leaving much of its original design intact. ” » said Lonely Planet.
Catherine García has worked as a senior editor at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News, and “The Book of Jezebel,” among others. He graduated from the University of Redlands and the Columbia University School of Journalism.