6 works named by UNESCO in the World Heritage series in 2024
This article summarises impressive works in the 2024 World Heritage list announced by UNESCO.
On July 27, 2024 the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, India officially announced the list of World Heritage sites to be considered for inscription in 2024. This list includes 24 new heritage sites, including 19 cultural heritage sites, 4 natural heritage sites and 1 heritage site that is a combination of both categories. The announcement has brought the total number of World Heritage sites to 1,223 worldwide.
The article focuses on introducing some typical architectural and sculptural works in the list. Through many empires and dynasties, they have become witnesses of time and intangible cultural and historical values.
Beijing Central Axis – China
The Beijing Central Axis is a complex that runs north-south through central Beijing. Built in 1271 and completed in the 16th century, it includes the former imperial palace and gardens, ceremonial buildings, and public buildings. Over the centuries, the Beijing Central Axis has evolved and is now the longest inner-city axis in the world, with a total length of 7.8 km.
According to UNESCO, “The choice of location, layout, form and design of the city presents an ideal urban model as recorded in the ‘Rites of Zhou – Kao Gong Ji’, reflecting the ancient Chinese tradition of city planning. This project is a witness to the development and evolution of Beijing, and at the same time an important symbol, demonstrating the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization.”
Târgu Jiu Sculpture Complex – Romania
Constantin Brâncuși was one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century and a pioneer of Modernism. From 1937 to 1938, he created sculptures in Târgu Jiutô, which were built to honor those who sacrificed their lives defending the city during World War I. Surrounding the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul are Brâncuși's sculptures, strategically placed. Among them, the most prominent are The Endless Column , a 30-meter tall sculpture that pierces the sky.
According to UNESCO, “Constantin Brâncuși's remarkable combination of landscape architecture, urban planning and abstract sculpture transcends the local wartime context, offering a unique vision of the human condition of the time.”
Umm Al-Jimāl – Jordan
Umm Al-Jimāl is a rural area in northern Jordan, formerly settled by the Romans from around the 5th to the 8th centuries. It contains early Byzantine and Islamic basalt structures, representative of the Hauran architectural style; along with a number of Roman military buildings that have been renovated by local residents.
The earliest structures discovered at Umm Al-Jimāl date back to the 1st century, when the area became part of the Nabataean Kingdom. A rich trove of ancient texts in Greek, Nabataean, Safaitic, Latin and Arabic has been unearthed, providing insights into local history and changes in religion and belief in the area.
Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer – Gaza, Palestine
Located on a sand dune off the coast of Nuseirat, the Saint Hilarion/Tell Umm Amer Monastery, now only ruins, is one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, dating back to the 4th century. Founded by Saint Hilarion, the monastery began as a solitary hermitage, which grew into a community. It was the first monastic community in the Holy Land, laying the foundations for the spread of religious activities in the region.
Sitting at the crossroads of trade and communication between Asia and Africa, the monastery played a central role in religious, cultural and economic exchanges, and is a testament to the flourishing of desert monasteries during the Byzantine period.
Schwerin Residence Ensemble – Germany
The Schwerin Palace Complex was designed for the Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in the 19th century and is known as the pinnacle of European castle architecture. It includes the Grand Duke's palace and residence, cultural and ceremonial buildings such as theaters, museums, churches, and also integrated artillery barracks to ensure national security.
UNESCO commented: “Through its richness and diversity of architectural and landscape features, the Schewerin Palace Complex represents the entire spectrum of history, spanning from the Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque to Neo-Classicism, Neo-Gothic and the local style called ‘Johann-Albrecht’.”
Moidam – Burial Mounds of the Ahom Dynasty – India
Located at the foothills of the Patkai Mountains in eastern Assam, this land is the site of the Tai-Ahom royal cemetery. The Tai-Ahom people came to Assam in the 13th century, later founded the city of Charaideo and established the royal cemetery here, marking the most important cultural and spiritual values of the nation.
During the 600 years from the 13th to the 19th centuries, the Tai-Ahom people built moidam , or “spirit house,” using natural elements such as hills, forests, and water to create a sacred geographical whole. Believing that each king was a god, the Tai-Ahom developed a distinct funeral process for their royal family. Burial mounds were initially built of wood, then of stone and baked brick, as recorded in Changrung Phukan , the classic Ahom text. Royal cremation ceremonies were conducted with great pomp, reflecting the social hierarchy in Tai-Ahom life.
According to Art Republik Vietnam