Historic residence of the King of Spain - Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid 318 El Escorial What and Why Philip II (Spanish: Felipe II, né Felipe de Habsburg) of Spain's (España) was a man of extraordinary ambition and extraordinary melancholy, and El Escorial is the physical embodiment of both. He commissioned this vast complex in the 1560s to serve simultaneously as a monastery, basilica, royal palace, pantheon, library, museum, university, school and hospital, a

A mosque? A cathedral? - Historic Centre of Cordoba 313; Fiesta of the patios in Cordova 00846; Mediterranean diet 00884 Mosque-Cathedral What and Why Cordova ( Spanish : Córdoba ) is an epicentre of cultural crossroads in Europe as it contains a mixture of the diverse cultures that have settled it throughout history. Very few cities in the world had the history and privilege to serve as the capital of a major Roman province, namely Further Hispania ( Hispania Ulterior )

Magical use of space, light, water and greens in a Moorish castle - Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada 314; Flamenco 00363; Mediterranean diet 00884 Alhambra What and Why Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located on a hilltop in Granada and was originally constructed as a small fortress in the late 9th century on the remains of Roman fortifications . The complex was then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by th

One of the most beautiful mediaeval European cities with a hint of former communist feel - Historic Centre of Kraków 29; Nativity scene (szopka) tradition in Krakow 01362 Old town square What and Why Kraków (pronounced /ˈkrakuf/) is always cited as one of the most culturally rich and beautiful cities in the world in various forum, so much so that its fame lands itself being the first batch of UNESCO WHS inscriptions in 1979. Banked on the Vistula river ( Polish : Wisła ) ,

The darkest and cruellest chapter in modern human history - Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940–1945) 31 Birkenau camp entrance What and Why Simply the grimmest of all places that I have visited, just the mention of the name sends shiver down one's spine. Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a widespread symbol of terror, genocide and the Holocaust in the global consciousness. This breath of horror persists until today when Poland ( Polish

The old salt mine with extraordinary salt rock sculptures - Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines 32 Saint Kinga Chapel What and Why The Wieliczka Salt Mine ( Polish : Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka ) , excavated since the 13th century, produced table salt continuously until 2007 and was one of the world's oldest operating salt mines. The mine is located in Wieliczka , which is a city just south of Kraków . Table salt, in the form of sodium chloride with brine welling up to the s

Two-route Mannerist pilgrimage park that gives its visitors an air of serenity - Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park 905 Basilica of Saint Mary What and Why Kalwaria Zebrzydowska park ( Polish : Sanktuarium pasyjno-maryjne w Kalwarii Zebrzydowskiej ) is a beautiful and serene Mannerist , or late Renaissance , architectural and park landscape complex and pilgrimage park, built in the 17th century as the Counter Refo

Mediaeval church with frescoes of long-lasting legacy - Boyana Church 42; Bulgarian Chitalishte (Community Cultural Centre): practical experience in safeguarding the vitality of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 00969 Boyana Church What and Why The Boyana Church ( Bulgarian : Боянска Ц ърква, Boyanska Tsărkva ) is a mediaeval Orthodox church built in the 10th century located in the Boyana district, apparently the most well-off area of Sofia (София, Sofiya ) . The church is

Culturally rich Orthodox monastery near the Bulgarian border - Rila Monastery 216 Rila monastery What and Why The Rila monastery ( Bulgarian : Рилски манастир, Rilski manastir ) is one of the greatest monasteries built in Bulgaria (България, Bŭlgariya ) or possibly in the Balkans , and is regarded a s one of the most significant cultural, historical, and spiritual landmarks of the country . The Eastern Orthodox monastery is founded as early as the 10th century and is cont

Mediaeval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery in a conflict epicentre - Medieval Monuments in Kosovo 724 Visoki Dečani What and Why Visoki Dečani Monastery ( Albanian : Manastiri i Deçanit ) is one of the four mediaeval Serbian Orthodox Christian monasteries in the disputed state of Kosovo ( Kosova ) . The famous historic monastery is commissioned by the King of Serbia (Serbian: Србија, Srbij a ) Stefan Dečanski (Serbian: Стефан Дечански, né Стефан Немањић, Stefan Nema

Venetian fortified town deep in the Mediterranean sea cliff - Natural and Culture-Historical Region of Kotor 125; Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra - Western State Da Mar 1533 Fortification of Kotor What and Why Kotor ( Montenegrin : Котор) is a beautifully landscaped historic fortification built largely by the Republic of Venice (Venetian: Venèçia ) around the Mediterranean inner bay, between the rugged mountains and the serene w

The Pearl of Adriatic as if a page from Games of Thrones - Old City of Dubrovnik 95; Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik 00232; Art of dry stone construction, knowledge and techniques 02106 Dubrovnik What and Why Dubrovnik , known as the ' Pearl of the Adriatic ' by George Byron , is a city that comes out of the page of the mediaeval fantasy stories with the city being beautifully planned and constructed with brown marbles and limestones. The history of the ci

An Ottoman bridge symbolising ethnic diversity and reconciliation - Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar 946 Stari Most from across the bank What and Why Mostar is famous for its gorgeous Old Bridge ( Bosnian : Stari Most ) which connects the eastern and western part of the city across the river Neretva . The bridge is significant in many aspects: It carries history when it was built in the mid-16th century and stood for 427 years until it was blown up during the Bosn

Ottoman-era bridge in Eastern Europe - Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad 1260 Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge What and Why The Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge ( Serbo-Croatian : Most Mehmed-paše Sokolovića ) is a historic arch-bridge in Višegrad , over the Drina River in Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Bosna i Hercegovina ) . It was completed during the mid-16th century. The bridge is considered the representation of the apex of Ottoman architecture . Moreover since it crosses

Dawn of textile factory system - Derwent Valley Mills 1030 Belper North Mill What and Why The Derwent Valley Mills in the United Kingdom represents the birthplace of the modern mass-production factory system . Stretching around 20 km along the River Derwent area, this particular WHS preserves a number of 18th and 19th century cotton mills and transport infrastructure, all originating and benefitting from the invention of the water frame by Richard Arkwright in the 1770s.

World most beautiful town square - La Grand-Place, Brussels 857; Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular...

Centre of Art Nouveau and a showcase of architectural innovation - Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) 1005;...

Once the world's largest commercial canal-based city with a picturesque mediaeval urbanscape - Flemish Béguinages 855; Belfries of Belgium and France 943; Historic Centre of Brugge 996; Safeguarding the carillon culture: preservation, transmission, exchange and awareness-raising 01017; Beer culture in Belgium 01062 Boatrip at Rozenhoedkaai What and Why Bruges ( Dutch : Brugge ) was at one point the commercial heart of the world, due its port and rivers. The city connects wi

Former papal residence before Vatican - Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge 1995; Gastronomic...

Mini Rome - Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of Orange 163 What and Why The Roman city of Orange was...