Top UNESCO World Heritage Cities – The United Nations educational science and cultural organization is trying to preserve different cities around the globe, and these cities are called UNESCO World Heritage cities.
This city has a long history, And it has seen great changes happening to the world in those years. Nowadays this city has become a major tourist spot for people all around the world.
The United Nations help those countries to preserve UNESCO World Heritage cities and try to maintain their original look. Let’s take a look at a few of the top UNESCO World Heritage cities and try to learn a little bit about them.
Cordoba, Spain
Cordoba, Spain, has a collection of the most World Heritage sites in a city. The United Nations consider Cordoba, Spain, as one of the top UNESCO World Heritage cities. The city has four UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Starting from the Great Mosque with its sea of orange-and-white striped arches. The second one is the Historical Center, which includes the Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir river and the 1,000-year-old ruined Moorish city of Medina Azahara. Travelers suggest everyone visit the city in May and experience the flower-filled patios at the annual UNESCO-protected patios festival.
Beijing, China
Apart from the Great Wall of China, Beijing also has a few arrows in its pocket, and that is why it became one of the top UNESCO World Heritage cities in the world. The city also has various locations such as the Great Wall of China, the grand canal, and the Ming tombs.
The Forbidden City, Temple of heaven, and summer palace are one of the big hitters for historical attractions in the city. Just 50 kilometers outside the city, an important archaeological dig where crucial ancient human fossils have been discovered is also located near the city. That is why it has become one of these most popular and top World Heritage cities in the world.
Rome, Italy
Rome, located in Italy, does not need any introduction in the world. You can visit any country in the world and ask for Rome. Everyone in the world knows about it. It has a great history, and that is why United Nations put it on the list of top UNESCO World Heritage cities in the world.
Many historians consider Rome as one giant UNESCO World Heritage site which has a huge catalog of classical wonders. It has deep breath, the Colosseum, the forum, the pantheon, Trajan column, the circus Maximus, the Terme di Caracalla, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, and the Column of Marcus Aurelius And the list goes on and on.
Apart from all these historical buildings, There is Vatican City itself right next to the wrong. It has one of the largest religious buildings in the world, Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City in Mexico is another one of the top UNESCO World Heritage cities. It’s located at the edge of North America. Mexico City also has a rich history to explore as it was built upon the ruins of the old Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan by the Spanish invaders.
The Historic Center around the huge Zócalo central square is One of the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which encompasses Aztec archaeological sites such as the Templo Mayor. It is a colonial structure such as the Metropolitan Cathedral and Palacio de las Bellas Artes from the early 20th century.
Just 35 kilometers south of the city of Mexico, you will reach the Xochimilco, which is part of the same site, whose idyllic canals, artificial islands, and floating gardens hark back to a pre-Hispanic past.
Mexico City also has two more UNESCO-protected sites to discover. The first one is the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México campus, with its modernist architecture. The second one is Diego Rivera murals which is the house and studio of artist Luis Barragán.
Moscow, Russia
Don’t forget, Russians also have a rich history, and Moscow is one of the top UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world. Moscow has five places For the tourists to discover. It has a collection of four cathedrals, a defensive wall, and towers, home of tsars, Grand Kremlin Palace, etc.
You might also have heard about the world-famous Red Square in Moscow. It has colorful fires of Saint Basil’s cathedral, And the world-famous Tomb of Lenin, The same place where Russians are preserving the body of their revolutionary leader.
If you go to the southeast part of Moscow city, you will find another UNESCO World Heritage site, the Church of the Ascension at Kolomenskoye, Which was built in 1532 to celebrate the birth of the future Ivan that is terrible.
Mumbai, India
Indian city Mumbai is also one of the top UNESCO World Heritage cities. Just like any other UNESCO city, it can also offer a great experience to all the tourists with its unique history. Starting from one of the most hectic train terminus, the Chhatrapati Shivaji train terminus.
It has an Italian gothic style which was created by British architectural engineer Frederick William Stevens in 1887 during the British rule on India. You can take a boat and move to Elephanta islands which have cave temples built in the 5th and 7th centuries. Most of these cave temples are dedicated to Hindu God Shiva.
Apart from all that, it also has the historical Mumbai High Court, you know, cinema and rajabai clock tower. It is the capital city of Maharashtra state which is also the home of two more UNESCO World Heritage sites, Ellora and Ajanta caves.
Berlin, Germany
Does Germany need any introduction? It was one of the hottest cities in the world during World War Two and the historical Cold War era, which ended in 1991 when the Soviets gave up. Germany has a museum island that is home to five museums built between 1824 and 1930.
Apart from that, it also has six Berlin modernism housing estates to appreciate the socially progressive agriculture. If you are visiting Berlin, then I will suggest you go to the palaces and parks of Potsdam.
Burges, Belgium
Europe is the home of top UNESCO World Heritage cities. Apart from Berlin or Rome, Burges in Belgium Is also marked as a UNESCO World Heritage city by the united nations. Just like other cities, it also has a huge history and house of beautiful world heritage sites.
Historians believe it’s one of the most preserved cities in Europe. It has medieval towns and an entire gothic center which is one huge UNESCO protected site in the city. Apart from that, the city is also home to picturesque canals and the restaurant-lined Market Square.
If you are in the city, you should also visit the Church of Our Lady, which has a towering 115.6m (380ft) brick spire and Michelangelo’s Madonna.
Jerusalem, Israel
There is no doubt Jerusalem, located in Israel, is one of the oldest cities in the world, and one of these words conflicted also. It is also one of the sacred cities in the most important religions in the world, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
As for historians, the war of Jerusalem is still its own ceasefire. All three religions claim the city belongs to them, and currently, it’s under the occupation of Israel, a country of Jews. It is also the home of the temple mount, western world to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Takeaways
The world is full of top UNESCO World Heritage sites. You can find these cities on every continent and most probably every country in the world. You might have heard about major cities such as Berlin, Beijing or Jerusalem, which are very famous due to their huge part in world history.
But, there are many unsung top World Heritage cities in the world, and one of them is Mumbai, located in India. It has a mixture of both colonial-era and local history. You can find structures and caves built in the 3rd and 4th centuries near Mumbai.
On the other hand, Burges in Belgium is also an unsung World Heritage city. Whenever people talk about top UNESCO World Heritage Cities in Europe, they mostly talk about Berlin or Rome, but Burges in Belgium is also the House of several UNESCO World Heritage sites, for example, Gothic center.
Apart from those cities, you can also visit Laos, Vietnam, Ecuador, Morocco, the United Kingdom, and many other countries to visit their World Heritage city. These countries are also the home of at least one World Heritage city.
How UNESCO announced that it is a world heritage city.
There is a process that the United Nations used to announce the top UNESCO World Heritage cities in the world. All of these countries have to go through the same process, such as having at least two or more UNESCO World Heritage sites and must have a great history.