Khajuraho is a historic town in the Madhya Pradesh region of India that's famous for having a large and spectacular group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples. Some of these temples are themselves famous for bearing graphic erotic sculptures.
There were originally over 80 temples at Khajuraho, built mainly during the Chandella period, but only around 25 now stand in decent condition, spread over an area of about 20 square kilometres. They're made from sandstone, and fall into three distinct architectural groups split between two different religions – Hinduism and Jainism.
Around 10% of the carvings on the temples have sexual and erotic themes. They are all displayed externally, well away from the deities. Many different meanings have been ascribed - some believe they're a warning to worshippers to leave their carnal desires outside, others speculate that they're an encouragment to people to procreate. One commentator, James McConnachie, in his book on the history of the Kamasutra, described the racy Khajuraho carvings as "the apogee of erotic art."
The Khajuraho monuments are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and represent one of India's most popular tourist attractions. Khajuraho is often referred to as one of the "seven wonders" of India.
Submitted by Garry Shaw on Wed, 12/02/2009 - 17:14
Driving through the desert in search of whales sounds counterproductive, but I had been assured that if I hired a jeep and drove seventy kilometres from Egypt’s Faiyum Oasis out into the Sahara this is indeed what I would find. If this was a ruse it was a clever one, and UNESCO were in on it.
All hail! Travel publisher Bradt has done it again: produced a guide that fills a gaping niche in the market. North Africa: The Roman Coast opens up a whole new world of ancient ruins in the Maghreb, the collective term for Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. It provides an adventurous alternative to the well-worn tourist trail in Italy, and a chance to discover remarkably well-preserved but little-visited wonders such as Tunisia’s El Djem, a huge amphitheatre in better condition than the Colosseum, and Leptis Magna (see the video at the bottom of this page).
The UNESCO World Heritage List is possibly the best known list, of anything, anywhere on Earth. One of UNESCO's core projects, it is intended to identify and safeguard the world's natural and cultural treasures. Listing by UNESCO is the ambition of many sites, large and small, around the world because it not only brings prestige and tourist dollars, but it also brings with it the clout of UNESCO and and expertise in the preservation and conservation of sites.
Athens is the ancient and modern capital of Greece, and one of the world's oldest and most famous cities, with a recorded history that spans 3,400 years.
It was a powerful city-state at its peak in the classical period, which lasted roughly from the end of the Persian Wars around 450 BC until the Macedonian conquest of 338 BC. During that phase, Athens was a centre of learning, and philosophical thought generally considered to be the cradle of Western Civilization and democracy.
Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite empire in the late Bronze Age. It was situated in rich agricultural land near the modern city of Boğazkale, and founded around the sixth millenium BC. It was king Hattusili I who made it the capital of the fledgling Hittite empire in 1586 BC.
The city and the empire's peak was in the 14th century BC, when the city covered 1.8 km² with inner and outer sections, either side of a great wall (which still stands in part today) built during the reign of Suppiluliuma I. Modern estimates put the population of the city at between 40,000 and 50,000 during this period.
Krak des Chevaliers is a fortress castle in the Horn's Gap, east of Tripoli, Lebanon. It is built on a 650m-high hill. The fortress controlled the road to the Mediterranean.
The Babylonians, Egyptians, Hittites, Hebrews, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Kurds, Ottoman Turks, Seljuk Turks and Franks have all occupied or fought for the land here. Each has influenced and led to the unique architecture that can today be found at the Krak des Chevaliers.
Krak des Chevaliers is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.
The Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed area, is located 440 kilometres by road south-west of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory. It is home to Uluru (known also by its European name Ayer's Rock), which stands some 348 metres high. The monolith has a great cultural significance for the traditional Aboriginal owners, the Anangu people. The park also includes the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Both iconic Outback landmarks date back hundreds of million of years.
Uluru's traditional owners are the Anangu, comprised of Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara people. They ask visitors not to climb Uluru as the ancient monolith is key to their ancient Dreamtime beliefs. They also ask visitors to respect the park and treat it with care, given that it forms part of their ancient tribal homelands.
The Australian federal government handed the land back to its traditional owners in 1985, with the local people granted a lease over the land. it was subsequently leased back to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which jointly manages it with the Anungu.
The Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm sprange up along the tributaries of the Amu-dar’ya River, on the sandy plains of central Uzbekistan. The surrounding land constitutes one of the largest oases in Central Asia and offered fertile agricultural soil to the area’s first settlers. The first fortifications began to appear in the 7th century BC, built out of local materials, including mud brick, cob, and pakhsa. The sophisticated technology and engineering allowed the structures to maintain their structural stability while allowing for massive walls, gates, towers, and architectural details including vaulted corridors, decorative niches, and arrow slots.
This landscape encompasses a number of desert castles, each in varying states of decay. In addition to the fortresses, there is the fortified town of Gul’dursun-kala,created during the 2nd century.
Added to the World Monuments Fund 2010 Monuments Watch List, the façades of the castles and fortifications have softened through centuries of exposure to wind and other natural elements. Today, cotton cultivation has salinized the soil surrounding the structures, eating away at the foundations and compounding the deterioration left by time and the environment. Comprehensive management and conservation plans are necessary to ensure the preservation of these ancient castles.
Driving through the desert in search of whales sounds counterproductive, but I had been assured that if I hired a jeep and drove seventy kilometres from Egypt’s Faiyum Oasis out into the Sahara this is indeed what I would find. If this was a ruse it was a clever one, and UNESCO were in on it.
The UNESCO World Heritage List is possibly the best known list, of anything, anywhere on Earth. One of UNESCO's core projects, it is intended to identify and safeguard the world's natural and cultural treasures. Listing by UNESCO is the ambition of many sites, large and small, around the world because it not only brings prestige and tourist dollars, but it also brings with it the clout of UNESCO and and expertise in the preservation and conservation of sites. 
