Asia Archives | Page 2 of 3 | World Heritage Sites

Sunrise, with the temple towers silhouetted in the foreground, the forest spreading out behind that, swathed in cloud, and the sun breaking through the low clouds in the distance.

Borobudur Temple Compounds

A massive and intricately-carved 9th-century Buddhist temple.

On a hill above the lake, a palace and a pagoda.

Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing

A summer retreat for China’s emperors, with extensive classical gardens, an artificial lake, and a collection of palace buildings.

A large round pagoda with three roofs and concentric walls around it, each higher than the one outside it.

Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

A religious complex used by Ming and Qing dynasty emperors that is significant both symbolically and architecturally.

Several travertine ponds in shades of blue.

Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area

A beautiful high-elevation natural area known for its colorful ponds and waterfalls.

A street in Lijiang: shop houses along the right, with red lanterns hanging from the eaves. Motorbikes parked, a child walks in the street, willow trees overhang the street on the left.

Old Town of Lijiang

A charming traditional Chinese town that combines Naxi, Han, Bai and Tibetan influences.

A bonsai evergreen tree in a small pot against a whitewashed wall.

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Nine traditional Chinese gardens that artfully mirror the natural world in very limited spaces.

A flat grassy area with a scattering of the large granite jars, some of them eroded or broken.

Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang – Plain of Jars

Ancient sites with large stone jars that were used in funeral rituals.

A view of snow-capped Mount Fuji across Lake Kawaguchiko, with a small plane above the lake.

Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration

Mount Fuji and numerous natural and religious sites related to its spiritual importance.

Ellora Caves

34 stunning stone-cut caves with carved and painted images from three different religions.

View of Humayun's tomb from an angle: the ground floor is much larger than the upper floors, which rise from the center, with a central dome.

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi

A 16th-century tomb within a complex of tombs, the first garden tomb and the inspiration for the Taj Mahal.

The Library of Celsus seen from close by: columns frame 4 doorways on the ground floor and 3 on the upper floor. Each set of pillars holds a square pediment over the door.

Ephesus

An ancient port city with ruins from the Greek, Roman and early Christian periods.

Entranceway into a shrine, with detailed carvings over the doorway, mostly painted gold, with a white carved dragon right in the center.

Shrines and Temples of Nikko

A complex of ornate and colorful religious buildings in a lovely forest setting.

Paper cranes made of bright paper, strung in long garlands.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)

A UNESCO site for its symbolism and the hope it represents.

A temple with a tall pyramid-shaped roof, covered in carvings.

Great Living Chola Temples

Three outstanding 11th-12th-century temples covered with carvings depicting elements of Hindu mythology.

A red temple with the traditional curved roof lines, one flight up on pillars.

Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi

The remains of what was the center of political power in Vietnam for over a thousand years.

Close-up of an orangutan: face and upper torso.

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra

Three national parks that protect a wide range of endemic flora and fauna, including endangered species.

Rice terraces with palm trees and mountains in the distance.

Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy

A traditional communal system interconnecting natural, religious and cultural components.

Kaziranga National Park

A riverine wildlife refuge that is home to many rare and threatened species, including the one-horned rhinoceros.

A group of temples, each with a pointed roof, at Ayutthaya

Historic City of Ayutthaya

A 14th-18th century city that served as a seat of the Siamese royal court and whose art and architecture show international influences.

View of rice terraces in parallel rows up the side of a mountain.

Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras

A living cultural landscape that has endured for 2000 years.

The grand entranceway to a fort: very ornate detail on and around the arches.

Hill Forts of Rajasthan

Six ornate and unique forts, legacies of the Princely Rajput states.

View from above of several tulou against a backdrop of mountains.

Fujian Tulou

Multi-family inward-facing houses built by the Hakka minority and still used to this day.

A large gateway, arched, with decorative elements both around and under the arch.

Fatehpur Sikri

An ancient city that is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture.

A view along the water with some white colonial buildings in the distance and a lighthouse beyond them.

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications

A charming and well-preserved colonial fortified city in Sri Lanka.

Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain

A small mountain with a very long history as a sacred site.

People at the bottom of the photo look up at the large waterfall behind them which fills the rest of the picture.

Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area

A spectacular landscape of karst landforms, lakes and waterfalls, home to a range of endangered species.

A small fishing boat in Ha Long Bay, in front of two islands connected by a small stretch of sand. Between them more sea is visible.

Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago

A stunning natural landscape and seascape of tall limestone pillars and islands.

Persepolis

Ruins of what was a magnificent palace complex over 2000 years ago, capital of the Achaemenid Empire.

A hiker stands on a rocky trail in Sagarmantha National Park. She carries a backpack and leans on two walking sticks as she looks at the scenery: a view of a rocky, snow-capped mountain peak.

Sagarmatha National Park

Breathtakingly beautiful snow-capped mountains, including Mt Everest; endangered species; and a Nepali Sherpa population that practices Tibetan Buddhism.

In Valley of Flowers National Park, a field of pink flowers in the foreground, a range of mountains in the background, clouds hanging low over the peaks.

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks

A vast nature reserve with breathtaking scenery, perfect for intrepid nature lovers.

A path through lush greenery, trees on either side, a field of flowers straight ahead and to the right, mostly purple and whilte.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

An extensive tropical garden that has evolved since its founding in the colonial period to become a world-class scientific institution.

Ruins of a temple, with tall columns supporting ornate pediments.

Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape

A collection of 9 archeological sites covering several historical periods of an important city’s grand monuments.

A sloped landscape with a scattering of ruins: a well is visible, and a small building, as well as foundations of more buildings and some retaining walls at Troy Archaeological Site.

Archaeological Site of Troy

Excavation of the ancient Greek city of Troy, site of the Trojan War.

In Lumbini, Nepal, a long white building with a railing around the roof and flags on the corners.

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha

The holiest place in Buddhism, containing archeological evidence of Lumbini’s importance as a pilgrimage site.

My Son Sanctuary

Evocative ruins of Champa kingdom Hindu temples, elaborately carved, with brick towers.

From a river, looking onto the land, which is covered with tropical greenery. Two very steep mountains rise behind the riverbank.

Trang An Landscape Complex

A stunning rural landscape of steep karst mountains, river valleys, rice fields and villages.