Sep 13th, 2012 at 4:30PM:
In central Anatolia, about three hours south of the capital of Ankara, is Cappadocia, one of the most popular areas to visit in Turkey. Renowned for its "fairy chimneys" – wind-swept rock formations that sprout from the landscape looking like stone mushrooms, Flintstone dwellings and phalluses – and vast network of caves, many of which served as places of worship for early ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
unesco posts
Three Ways To Stay In Cappadocia, Turkey
Sep 13th, 2012 at 4:30PM:
In central Anatolia, about three hours south of the capital of Ankara, is Cappadocia, one of the most popular areas to visit in Turkey. Renowned for its "fairy chimneys" – wind-swept rock formations that sprout from the landscape looking like stone mushrooms, Flintstone dwellings and phalluses – and vast network of caves, many of which served as places of worship for early ...Video: Virtual Tour Of Maeshowe, Scotland
Aug 30th, 2012 at 2:30PM:
I recently had the good fortune to visit the Orkney Islands to the north of Scotland and saw that region's amazing prehistoric archaeology. One of the most impressive monuments was the large vaulted burial chamber of Maeshowe. It was built around 2700 B.C., making it older than the pyramids at Giza, and is a masterpiece of stonework. Maeshowe is also famous for its much later (but still old) ...
Amazing 3-D Laser Scan Of Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches In Ethiopia
Aug 23rd, 2012 at 9:00AM:
Of all the incredible monuments in Ethiopia, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are by far the most impressive. Starting in the 12th century A.D., Ethiopian rulers dug a series of churches out of the solid bedrock.
This architecture-in-reverse creates a bizarre and otherworldly scene. As you walk along the exposed rock, you come across giant holes in the stone filled with churches. Narrow ...
Google Street View Offers Virtual Trips Around Mexico's Ancient Monuments
Aug 22nd, 2012 at 4:00PM:
We've talked a lot about Google Street View here on Gadling. It seems that every month a new attraction is added to this amazing and somewhat sinister application.
The latest is a series of views of the great monuments of Mexico. Google has been cooperating with the National Institute of Anthropology and History to take images of important sites such as Teotihuacan, Palenque and Chichen Itza. ...The Leaning Colosseum Of Rome
Jul 31st, 2012 at 1:00PM:
Rome's iconic Colosseum is beginning to tilt, the Guardian newspaper reports.
The stadium where gladiators used to hack away at one another to cheering crowds has developed a distinct slant, with one side being 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) lower than the other. Archaeologists have been studying the tilt for a year and have confirmed that it is real and could pose a threat to the monument's ...Prehistoric Tombs And Viking Graffiti In Orkney, Scotland
Jul 26th, 2012 at 11:30AM:
There's something about death.
Graveyards, war memorials, mummified monks, Purgatory Museums ... if there's dead people involved, I'm there. That's why my 6-year-old son found himself crawling through prehistoric tombs with his dad on remote Scottish islands for his summer vacation.
He loved it, of course. He still has that wonderful sense of adventure children should keep into adulthood. ...The Heart Of Neolithic Orkney
Jul 25th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
For reasons that aren't very clear, the Orkney Islands just north of Scotland were the happening place to be 5000 years ago.
The temperature was warmer in Orkney back then, with forest and deer in addition to the abundant bird and marine life that still mark Orkney out as a natural wonderland. The Neolithic (Late Stone Age) people farmed the land and hunted game. They also built some of the ...How Could An Ancient City Survive In The Desert?
Jun 22nd, 2012 at 1:00PM:
The drive through the Syrian desert to the ancient city of Palmyra makes you wonder how anyone lived out here 2000 years ago. For hours you speed east from Damascus along a dusty desert road, the only sights being a few dull concrete buildings, Bedouin with their herds and a thick black telephone line snaking along the ground next to the highway.
Once you get to Palmyra, you find a lush ...Video Of The Day: Huayna Picchu Offers Bird's-Eye View Of Machu Picchu
Jun 11th, 2012 at 6:30PM:
Standing on the mountain ridge of Machu Picchu, the most recognized site of the Incas that sits high above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, is an experience sought after by people from all over the world. Walking around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, one can't help but wonder what life was like for the Incas who lived there in the 15th century. As visitors take a moment – or in some ...
Destruction, Looting Of Syria's Ancient Heritage Continues, Report Says
Jun 6th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
The upheaval in Syria has been going on for more than a year now, and in that time thousands of people have been killed, including many civilians and children. Syria's many ancient sites are also getting damaged. Previously, we've talked about how the Syrian army has shelled the ancient city of Palmyra and the Crusader castle Crac des Chevaliers. Both of these are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, of ...Video Of The Day: Human Towers In Tarragona, Spain
Jun 4th, 2012 at 6:00PM:
Spain has a multitude of novel traditions. While bullfighting and tomato throwing festivals are known worldwide, there's another custom that isn't as widely recognized. Throughout Catalonia, people who create human towers – also known as castellers – compete to see who can create the tallest human pyramids. Only these flesh-and-muscle structures aren't really pyramids at all; ...
Archaeologists Uncover Suburb Of Giant Largest Prehistoric City
Jun 3rd, 2012 at 11:00AM:
The ancient city of Cahokia in Illinois was the center of an advanced civilization from about 700 to 1400 A.D. Covering six square miles and home to up to 20,000 people, it was the largest prehistoric city north of Mexico. It ruled over a large area and had trade networks stretching across North America.
Dozens of mounds dot the site, atop which the people built temples and homes for the ...Iraq Tries To Get Babylon Onto UNESCO World Heritage List (Again)
May 29th, 2012 at 10:00AM: Babylon in Iraq is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. A Mesopotamian capital that flourished for centuries, it was home to Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.) who introduced the world's first known set of laws, and Nebuchadnezzar (604-562 B.C.) who built the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Time has taken its toll, and so has the modern world. Saddam Hussein decided to rebuild ...Video: The Prehistoric Cave Art Of Cantabria, Spain
May 14th, 2012 at 5:00PM:
One of the advantages of living in Europe is that you can visit lots of historic sites with your kids. This fosters an interest in the past, reduces museum fatigue and is a great way to learn together.
I live in Cantabria, on the north coast of Spain, a region filled with historic sites from Napoleonic forts to preserved Roman towns. Cantabria is most famous for the prehistoric cave art in ...
Summer Hotspot: Montreal, Quebec
Apr 10th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
Hungry for some culture this summer? Skip the jet lag, high exchange rates and long museum lines in Europe for one of North America's most cosmopolitan and best warm-weather destinations: Montreal.
The charms that contribute to Montreal's growing cultural reputation are already evident year-round, ranging from its cosmopolitan European-style cafes, a top-notch range of award-winning ...U.S. Department of the Interior considering new nominees for UNESCO World Heritage sites
Mar 20th, 2012 at 8:00AM: The U.S. Department of the Interior is in the process of considering a number of new sites for possible nomination for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list. That list, which currently features 936 properties from across the globe, recognizes some of the most culturally significant and naturally beautiful locations on our planet. Many of those locations, such as Machu Picchu in Peru and the ...L'Anse aux Meadows: A Viking colony in Canada
Mar 15th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
The Vikings were some of the best sailors of the Middle Ages. They sailed all over the Mediterranean, far up the rivers of Russia and across the north Atlantic to colonize Iceland and Greenland. For a long time archaeologists wondered if they ever made it to other parts of North America besides Greenland. Although some Viking sagas mention a land called Vinland to the west of Greenland, no ...Ancient city of Palmyra under threat from Syrian army
Mar 11th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra may become the latest victim of the ongoing violence in Syria, according to a Global Heritage Fund report.
Palmyra, an ancient oasis city in the desert northeast of Damascus, remained untouched by the conflict until last month, when the Syrian army moved in. According to several reports by refugees since then, units from the army have taken up ...Mexico tourism adds environmentalists to list of foes
Mar 5th, 2012 at 4:30PM: Mexico gets bad press for a number of reasons causing travelers to use extra caution when visiting south of the border. Attractions, like UNESCO biosphere sites along the Baja California Peninsula, draw travelers but a newly thriving coral reef is under threat from a mega-development planned for the area, adding environmentalists to Mexico tourism's list of foes.
In Cabo Pulmo, Mexico, the ...Runestone erected by Christian Vikings added to UNESCO list
Feb 26th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
A Viking runestone bearing a cross and the first written mention of Norway found in the country has been added to UNESCO's Memory of the World program. This program aims to protect important documents that contribute to our global heritage. The runestone, called the Kuli Stone, is the oldest document on Norway's list.
It's important for its early mention of the country's name and also because ...
