City sitting on seven hills, mixed with rich maritime history and contemporary culture - Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon 263; Fado, urban popular song in Portugal 00563 Rua Augusta Arch - main entrance gateway of the city Another relocation, this time to Southampton , another hiatus of my blog. Based on popular demand, I am on board again. What and Why Lisbon ( Portuguese : Lisboa ) , sitting on seven hills, occupies a unique space in Europe’s hist

Cultural and historic confluence of ancient Egyptian and Nubian civilisations - Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae 88; Handmade...

The heart of wine-making and Romanesque architectural heritage - Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion 932; Gastronomic meal of the French 00437;...

Formation of Alps in Switzerland - Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona 1179; Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 1363; Avalanche risk management 01380; Alpinism 01471; Alpine pasture season 01966; Yodelling 02287 Piz Sardona What and Why The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona ( German : Weltnaturerbe TektonikArena Sardona ) is a major mountain thrust fault caused by the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates 100 million years ago! This major shearing action no

A Carthaginian trading post with a syncretic urban structure and culture - Kasbah of Algiers 565; Knowledge, know-how and practices...

The warm cradle that produces Swiss wines - Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces 1243; The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement 1321; Winegrowers’ Festival in Vevey 01201; Art of dry stone construction, knowledge and techniques 02106 Lavaux vineyard What and Why Along the north bank of Lake Geneva ( French : Le Léman ) lies a 30-km stretch of terraced vineyards that produces the wine appellation of the region. The region, which occupi

Ancient pearling site that started the nation - Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy 1364 ; Fjiri 01747 Oyster beds in Muharraq What and Why For centuries, Muharraq ( Arabic: المحرق, Al-Muḥarraq ) was the Persian Gulf’s pearling epicentre. After all the region produces some of the finest pearls in the world, and this literally gave birth to the regional Bahraini culture and civilisation since the 3rd century BCE. Virtually everyone was involved in the pearling indu

Possibly Japan's most cultural and beautiful city steeped in tradition - Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) 688; Kabuki theatre 00163; Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year 00869; Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan 01618 Kinkaku-ji What and Why Kyoto ( Japanese : 京都, Kyōto ) carries the reputation of being the

An desert oasis blossoming rich civilisations and cultural heritages - Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas) 1343; Majlis, a cultural and social space 01076; Date palm, knowledge, skills, traditions and practices 01509; Al Aflaj, traditional irrigation network system in the UAE, oral traditions, knowledge and skills of construction, maintenance and equitable water distribution 01577; Falconry, a living human heritage 01708; Arabic calligraphy

Hanseatic dockyards standing for more than a thousand years - Bryggen 59; Oselvar boat - reframing a traditional learning process of building and use to a modern context 01156; Nordic clinker boat traditions 01686 Bryggen 1 What and Why Bergen , a coastal city in Norway ( Norwegian : Norge ) , was the main commercial hub of the Hanseatic League (German: Hanse ) during the 13th to 17th century CE. The Hanseatic League started as a mediaeval commercial confederation of guilds

Iconic fjords, massive waterfalls, canyon valleys and impressive railway - West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord 1195; Craft techniques and customary practices of cathedral workshops, or Bauhütten, in Europe, know-how, transmission, development of knowledge and innovation 01558; Nordic clinker boat traditions 01686 Nærøyfjord What and Why The scenic and narrow Nærøyfjord , a branch of the large Sognefjord , is 18-km fjord is often cited as one of the most bea

One of the earliest cultural boulevards of Europe - Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences 1618; Mediterranean diet 00884 Plaza de Cibeles What and Why The Paseo del Prado is the main north-south axis of Madrid , and is characterised by a densely tree-lined boulevard. The boulevard is the main tourist landmark for the city residents with a few world-class museums along the way: the Prado Museum ( Spanish : Museo Nacional del Prado ) , the Thyssen-

A ‘nice’ touristy riviera city - Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera 1635; The skills related to perfume in Pays de Grasse: the...

Universal symbol and cradle of Greek antiquity civilisation - Acropolis, Athens 404; Mediterranean diet 00884 Acropolis What and Why Stepping into the Acropolis of Athens ( Greek : Ακρόπολη Αθηνών, Akrópoli Athinón ) is like being teleported back in time and it is one feeling that you can experience when you are there. The Acropolis is an ancient citadel built on top of a rocky hill which has become synonymous as the cradle of Greek and western civilisation, and much herald

Once the largest city on Earth, now the largest temple in the world - Angkor 668; Sbek Thom, Khmer shadow theatre 00108 Angkor Wat What...

World's largest Buddhist temple of superlatives - Borobudur Temple Compounds 592; Gamelan 01607 Borobudur dawn view What and Why...

Masterpiece Hindu temples built during the 10th century CE - Prambanan Temple Compounds 642; The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its...

6,000 year-old megalithic burial mounds with astronomical precision - Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne...

A mosque? A cathedral? - Historic Centre of Cordoba 313; Fiesta of the patios in Cordova 00846; Mediterranean diet 00884...

Magical use of space, light, water and greens in a Moorish castle - Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada 314; Flamenco 00363;...