Catedral de Aachen, Alemanha

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/3 

Foi entre 790 e 800 que o imperador Carlos Magno iniciou a construção desta basílica palatina de forma octogonal  rematada por uma cúpula, à semelhança das igrejas do Império Romano do Oriente, dotada com magníficos ornatos  datados da época medieval

FR:

C'est de 790 à 800 environ que l'empereur Charlemagne entreprit la construction de la chapelle Palatine, basilique octogonale à coupole, imitée des églises de l'Empire romain d'Orient et ornée de précieuses adjonctions datant de l'époque médiévale.

EN:

Construction of this palatine chapel, with its octagonal basilica and cupola, began c. 790–800 under the Emperor Charlemagne. Originally inspired by the churches of the Eastern part of the Holy Roman Empire, it was splendidly enlarged in the Middle Ages.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (i): With its columns of Greek and Italian marble, its bronze doors, the largest mosaic of its dome (now destroyed), the Palatine Chapel of Aachen, from its inception, has been perceived as an exceptional artistic creation. It was the first vaulted structure north of the Alps since Antiquity.

Criterion (ii): Bearing the strong imprint of both Classic and Byzantine tradition this chapel remained, during the Carolingian Renaissance and even at the beginning of the medieval period, one of the prototypes of religious architecture which inspired copies or imitations.

Criterion (iv): The Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne is an excellent and distinctive example of the family of aulian chapels based on a central plan with tribunes.

Criterion (vi): The construction of the Chapel of the Emperor at Aachen symbolised the unification of the West and its spiritual and political revival under the aegis of Charlemagne. In 814, Charlemagne was buried here, and throughout the Middle Ages until 1531, the German emperors continued to be crowned at Aachen. The collection of the treasury of the Cathedral is of inestimable archaeological, aesthetic and historic interest.

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/3   »  texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese, media.

Parque Nacional de Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Austrália

Inicialmente conhecido por Parque Nacional de Uluru (Ayers Rock-Mount Olga), este sitio apresenta formações geológicas  espectaculares que dominam a  vasta planície arenosa do centro da Austrália.

O enorme monólito de Uluru e as cúpulas rochosas de Kata Tjuta, situadas a oeste do parque, fazem parte do sistema ancestral de crenças  tradicionais de uma das sociedades humanas mais antigas do mundo. O povo arborígene dos anangu é o proprietário ancestral de Uluru-Kata Tjuta.

FR:  

Ce parc, qui s’appelait autrefois parc national d’Uluru (Ayers Rock-Mont Olga), présente des formations géologiques spectaculaires qui dominent la vaste plaine sableuse du centre de l’Australie. L’immense monolithe d’Uluru et les dômes rocheux de Kata Tjuta, à l’ouest d’Uluru, font partie intégrante du système de croyances traditionnelles de l’une des plus anciennes sociétés humaines du monde. Les propriétaires traditionnels d’Uluru-Kata Tjuta appartiennent au peuple aborigène des Anangu.

EN:

This park, formerly called Uluru (Ayers Rock – Mount Olga) National Park, features spectacular geological formations that dominate the vast red sandy plain of central Australia. Uluru, an immense monolith, and Kata Tjuta, the rock domes located west of Uluru, form part of the traditional belief system of one of the oldest human societies in the world. The traditional owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta are the Anangu Aboriginal people.

UNESCO site:  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/447     »   texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese, media.

Região das Montanhas Azuis, Austrália

A região das Montanhas azuis cobre 1,03 milhões de hectares formados por mesetas calcárias, gargantas e escarpas, onde predominam os eucaliptos de zona temperada.

 O sítio, compreendendo oito áreas protegidas, é representativo da adaptação e diversificação evolutivas dos eucaliptos ao continente australiano, no período de isolamento posterior à sua separação de Gondwana.

A Região das Montanhas Azuis conta com 91 categorias taxonómicas de eucalipto, e notabiliza-se pela diversidade estrutural e ecológica dos seus eucaliptos e por uma vasta gama de habitats.  A região é ilustrativa da diversidade biológica da Austrália e contém cerca de 10% da flora vascular do país, bem grande número de espécies raras ou ameaçadas, compreendendo espécies endémicas e relictas, como o pinheiro Wollemi  que subsiste em espaços muito confinados.

FR:

La région des montagnes Bleues couvre 1,03 million d’hectares formés de plateaux calcaires, de gorges et d’escarpements dominés par des forêts d’eucalyptus de zone tempérée. Le site, qui comprend huit aires protégées, se distingue par sa représentation de l’adaptation et de la diversification évolutionnaires des eucalyptus sur le continent australien dans l’isolement post-Gondwana. La région des montagnes Bleues qui compte 91 taxons d’eucalyptus, est aussi remarquable par l’exceptionnelle diversité structurelle et écologique de ses eucalyptus associée à un large éventail d’habitats. Le site offre une bonne illustration de la diversité biologique de l’Australie avec 10 % de sa flore vasculaire et un grand nombre d’espèces rares ou menacées, y compris des espèces endémiques et reliques, comme le pin Wollemi (wollemia noblis), qui subsistent dans des microsites extrêmement restreints.

EN:

The Greater Blue Mountains Area consists of 1.03 million ha of sandstone plateaux, escarpments and gorges dominated by temperate eucalypt forest. The site, comprised of eight protected areas, is noted for its representation of the evolutionary adaptation and diversification of the eucalypts in post-Gondwana isolation on the Australian continent. Ninety-one eucalypt taxa occur within the Greater Blue Mountains Area which is also outstanding for its exceptional expression of the structural and ecological diversity of the eucalypts associated with its wide range of habitats. The site provides significant representation of Australia's biodiversity with ten percent of the vascular flora as well as significant numbers of rare or threatened species, including endemic and evolutionary relict species, such as the Wollemi pine, which have persisted in highly-restricted microsites.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (ix): The Greater Blue Mountains include outstanding and representative examples in a relatively small area of the evolution and adaptation of the genus Eucalyptus and eucalypt-dominated vegetation on the Australian continent.  The site contains a wide and balanced representation of eucalypt habitats including wet and dry sclerophyll forests and mallee heathlands, as well as localised swamps, wetlands and grassland.  It is a centre of diversification for the Australian scleromorphic flora, including significant aspects of eucalypt evolution and radiation. Representative examples of the dynamic processes in its eucalypt-dominated ecosystems cover the full range of interactions between eucalypts, understorey, fauna, environment and fire.  The site includes primitive species of outstanding significance to the evolution of the earth’s plant life, such as the highly restricted Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) and the Blue Mountains pine (Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii).  These are examples of ancient, relict species with Gondwanan affinities that have survived past climatic changes and demonstrate the highly unusual juxtaposition of Gondwanan taxa with the diverse scleromorphic flora.

Criterion (x): The site includes an outstanding diversity of habitats and plant communities that support its globally significant species and ecosystem diversity (152 plant families, 484 genera and c. 1,500 species).  A significant proportion of the Australian continent’s biodiversity, especially its scleromorphic flora, occur in the area.  Plant families represented by exceptionally high levels of species diversity here include Myrtaceae (150 species), Fabaceae (149 species), and Proteaeceae (77 species).  Eucalypts (Eucalyptus, Angophora and Corymbia, all in the family Myrtaceae) which dominate the Australian continent are well represented by more than 90 species (13% of the global total).  The genus Acacia (in the family Fabaceae) is represented by 64 species.  The site includes primitive and relictual species with Gondwanan affinities (Wollemia, Pherosphaera, Lomatia, Dracophyllum,Acrophyllum, Podocarpus and Atkinsonia) and supports many plants of conservation significance including 114 endemic species and 177threatened species.

The diverse plant communities and habitats support more than 400 vertebrate taxa (of which 40 are threatened), comprising some 52 mammal, 63 reptile, over 30 frog and about one third (265 species) of Australia’s bird species.  Charismatic vertebrates such as the platypus and echidna occur in the area.  Although invertebrates are still poorly known, the area supports an estimated 120 butterfly and 4,000 moth species, and a rich cave invertebrate fauna (67 taxa).

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/917  »  texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese.

Mantanha de Mogun-Taiga / Bacia de Ubs Nuur, Rússia

A Bacia de Ubs Nuur, que cobre uma área de mais de um milhão de hectares, é a bacia fechada mais setentrional da Ásia Central.

Tira o seu nome ao grande lago de Ubs Nuur, pouco profundo e muito salgado, que desempenha um papel muito importante na vida das aves migratórias, tanto fluviais e lacustres como marinhas.

O sítio, dividido em doze áreas protegidas, compreende uma vasta gama de ecossistemas que representam os principais biomas da Eurásia oriental.

O ecossistema das estepes alberga uma grande variedade de aves e nas zonas desérticas vivem ratos do deserto (jerbilos), jerboas e uma espécie rara de doninhas marmóreas. As zonas montanhosas servem de refúgio ao leopardo das neves, espécie em vias de extinção, bem como a ovelhas da montanha (argalis) e o ibex asiático.

FR:

Le Bassin d’Ubs Nuur, qui couvre une surface de plus de un million d’hectares, est le bassin fermé le plus septentrional d’Asie centrale. Il tire son nom de l’Ubs Nuur, un grand lac peu profond et très salé, qui joue un rôle important dans la vie des oiseaux migrateurs, tant aquatiques que marins. Le site, divisé en douze aires protégées, comprend une vaste gamme d’écosystèmes qui représentent les principaux biomes de l’Eurasie orientale. L’écosystème steppique entretient une riche diversité d’oiseaux et le désert un certain nombre de gerbilles, gerboises et putois marbrés rares. Les montagnes sont d’importants refuges pour le léopard des neiges (une espèce menacée), l’argali et le bouquetin d’Asie.

EN:

The Uvs Nuur Basin (1,068,853 ha), is the northernmost of the enclosed basins of Central Asia. It takes its name from Uvs Nuur Lake, a large, shallow and very saline lake, important for migrating birds, waterfowl and seabirds. The site is made up of twelve protected areas representing the major biomes of eastern Eurasia. The steppe ecosystem supports a rich diversity of birds and the desert is home to a number of rare gerbil, jerboas and the marbled polecat. The mountains are an important refuge for the globally endangered snow leopard, mountain sheep (argali) and the Asiatic ibex.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (ix): The remote and enclosed salt lake system of Uvs Nuur with its high degree of naturalness is of international scientific importance due to its large-scale undisturbed climatic, hydrological and ecological processes and phenomena. Because of the relatively stable past and contemporary pastoral use of the grasslands and the absence of conversion or major human impacts over thousands of years, it constitutes a unique field site for a great variety of subjects, including research into the ongoing development of Uvs Nuur and other smaller lakes within the basin, and the still intact processes of long term lake salinisation and eutrophication. In addition to important past and current research efforts on both sides of the border and in recognition of its unique geophysical and biological characteristics, the Uvs Nuur Basin has also been selected as a field site for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGPB), a global effort to monitor and understand global change.

Criterion (x): The serial property conserves the most valuable areas representing the much larger Uvs Nuur Basin, across an enormous range of ecosystems and habitats, including along a major altitudinal gradient. The diversity represents the major biomes of Central Asia with a corresponding floral and faunal diversity. There are important areas of different forest types and highly specialized vegetation in high altitudes, tundra systems and dry land ecosystems, including species and communities adapted to saline conditions. The more than 550 higher plants include relict species and a number of plants endemic to Mongolia and the Tuva Republic, with five species endemic to the lake basin. The various ecosystems support a rich faunal diversity, such as the argali sheep, Siberian ibex, Pallas's cat and the elusive and globally endangered snow leopard. The numerous rodents are of major ecological importance and include two vulnerable jerboa species and gerbil. The many ecological niches are occupied by an impressive density of breeding raptors. The property is also of major importance for waterfowl, as well as a stepping stone in the bird migration between Siberia and wintering ranges in China and South Asia.

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/769    »    texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese.

Sítio funerário da Idade do Bronze de Sammallahdenmäki, Finlândia

Este cemitério da Idade do Bronze, com cerca de trinta túmulos funerários de, constitu testemunho incomparável das práticas fúnebres e das estruturas sociais e religiosas da Europa do Norte há mais de três milénios.

FR:

La trentaine de tumulus funéraires en granit du cimetière de l'âge du bronze de Sammallahdenmäki constituent un témoignage exceptionnel des pratiques funéraires et des structures sociales et religieuses de l'Europe du Nord d'il y a plus de trois millénaires.

EN:

This Bronze Age burial site features more than 30 granite burial cairns, providing a unique insight into the funerary practices and social and religious structures of northern Europe more than three millennia ago.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (iii): The Sammallahdenmäki cairn cemetery bears exceptional witness to the society of the Bronze Age of Scandinavia.

Criterion (iv): The Sammallahdenmäki cemetery is an outstanding example of Bronze Age funerary practices in Scandinavia.

souce: UNESCO site

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/579   »   texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese.

Costa Alta e Arquipélago de Kvarken, Suécia e Finlândia

O Arquipélago de Kvarken (Finlandia) e a Costa Alta (Suécia) situam-se no Golfo de Botnia, prolongamento do Mar Báltico para norte.

As suas 5.600 ilhas e ilhéus do Arquipélago de Kvarken singularizam-se pelas curiosas morenas de picos ondulados, as morenas de Geer formadas pelo derretimento da camada de gelo continental ocorrido nos últimos 10.000 a 24.000 anos.

Neste arquipélago emergem continuamente novas ilhas devido a uma elevação glácio-isostática rápida, fenómeno que ocorre quando os terrenos comprimidos pelo peso de um glaciar se elevam quando este se derrete. O índice de elevação do arquipélago é um dos mais elevados do mundo.

Como consequência do avanço das terras do litoral, as ilhas surgem das águas y unem-se, a superfície das penínsulas aumenta e as baías acabam formando lagos, que despois se  convertem em pântanos e  turfas pantanosas.

A Costa Alta também se configurou em grande medida pela conjunção da glaciação, do recuo dos glaciares  e pela emergência de novas terras.

Desde o recuo final dos glaciares da Costa Alta há 9.600 anos, a elevação da ordem dos 285 metros, constitui o maior  “ressalto” jamais observado.

A Costa Alta constitui um sítio excepcional para a compreensão dos processos geológicos que que conduziram à  formação dos glaciares e das zonas de elevação da  superfície da Terra.

FR:

L’archipel de Kvarken (Finlande) et la Haute côte (Suède) sont situés dans le golfe de Botnie, qui prolonge la mer Baltique vers le nord. Les 5 600 îles et îlots se singularisent principalement par les curieuses moraines à crête bosselées, ou moraines de Geer, formées par la fonte de la nappe de glace continentale composées il y a entre 10 000 et 24 000 ans. L’archipel de Kvarken s’élève de manière continue du niveau de la mer du fait d’un relèvement glacio-isostatique rapide, lorsqu’une terre précédemment comprimée par le poids d’un glacier se relève après la disparition de ce dernier, fait de ce taux de relèvement dans la région l’un des plus élevés au monde.

Du fait de l’avancée du littoral, des îles apparaissent et s’unissent, des péninsules grandissent, des lacs se forment depuis les baies et deviennent des marais et des fagnes tourbeuses. La Haute côte a aussi été largement façonnée par l’association de processus de glaciation, de recul des glaciers et d''émergence de nouvelles terres. Depuis le retrait final des glaces de la Haute côte, il y a 9 600 ans, le relèvement est de l''ordre de 285 m, ce qui correspond au « rebond » manifeste le plus important jamais observé. La Haute côte est un site exceptionnel pour la compréhension des processus importants qui ont formé les glaciers et les zones de relèvement de la surface de la Terre.

EN:

The Kvarken Archipelago (Finland) and the High Coast (Sweden) are situated in the Gulf of Bothnia, a northern extension of the Baltic Sea. The 5,600 islands of the Kvarken Archipelago feature unusual ridged washboard moraines, ‘De Geer moraines’, formed by the melting of the continental ice sheet, 10,000 to 24,000 years ago. The Archipelago is continuously rising from the sea in a process of rapid glacio-isostatic uplift, whereby the land, previously weighed down under the weight of a glacier, lifts at rates that are among the highest in the world. As a consequence islands appear and unite, peninsulas expand, and lakes evolve from bays and develop into marshes and peat fens. The High Coast has also been largely shaped by the combined processes of glaciation, glacial retreat and the emergence of new land from the sea. Since the last retreat of the ice from the High Coast 9,600 years ago, the uplift has been in the order of 285 m which is the highest known ''rebound''. The site affords outstanding opportunities for the understanding of the important processes that formed the glaciated and land uplift areas of the Earth''s surface.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (viii): The High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago is of exceptional geological value for two main reasons. First, both areas have some of the highest rates of isostatic uplift in the world, meaning that the land still continues to rise in elevation following the retreat of the last inland ice sheet, with around 290 m of land uplift recorded over the past 10,500 years. The uplift is ongoing and is associated with major changes in the water bodies in post-glacial times. This phenomenon was first recognized and studied here, making the property a key area for understanding the processes of crustal response to the melting of the continental ice sheet. Second, the Kvarken Archipelago, with its 5,600 islands and surrounding sea, possesses a distinctive array of glacial depositional formations, such as De Geer moraines, which add to the variety of glacial land- and seascape features in the region. It is a global, exceptional and diverse area for studying moraine archipelagos. The High Coast and the Kvarken Archipelago represent complementary examples of post-glacial uplifting landscapes.

souce: UNESCO site

UNESCO site:   http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/898  » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese

Complexo de Palácios de Changdeokgung, Coreia

No início de século XVI o rei Taejong ordenou que fosse construído um novo palácio no local propício. Foi criada uma oficina para a construção do conjunto dos edifícios oficiais e residenciais, edificados num jardim sabiamente adaptado à topografia irregular do situo numa área de 58 hectares.  O resultado é um exemplo excepcional da arquitectura palaciana do Extremo Oriente, harmoniosamente integrada na paisagem circundante.

FR:

Au début du XVe siècle, le roi Taejong a ordonné la construction d'un nouveau palais dans un lieu propice. Un office de construction du palais a été établi afin de créer cet ensemble constitué d'un certain nombre de bâtiments officiels et résidentiels édifiés dans un jardin minutieusement adapté à la topographie irrégulière du site, d'une superficie de 58 ha. Le résultat est un exemple exceptionnel de la conception extrême-orientale de l'architecture des palais, harmonieusement intégrée à son cadre naturel.

EN:

In the early 15th century, the King Taejong ordered the construction of a new palace at an auspicious site. A Bureau of Palace Construction was set up to create the complex, consisting of a number of official and residential buildings set in a garden that was cleverly adapted to the uneven topography of the 58-ha site. The result is an exceptional example of Far Eastern palace architecture and design, blending harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (ii): Changdeokgung had a great influence on the development of Korean architecture, garden design and landscape planning, and related arts for many centuries.

Criterion (iii): Changdeokgung exemplifies the traditional pungsu principles and Confucianism through its architecture and landscape. The site selection and setting of the palace were based upon pungsu principles, whilst the buildings were laid out both functionally and symbolically in accordance to Confucian ideology that together portrays the Joseon Dynasty’s unique outlook on the world. 

Criterion (iv): Changdeokgung is an outstanding example of East Asian palace architecture and garden design, exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting, adapting to the topography and retaining indigenous tree cover.

souce: UNESCO site

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/816   » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese, media.

Fortaleza e Sítio Histórico Nacional em San Juan, Porto Rico

Durante os séculos XV a XIX, foram construídas no mar das Caraíbas um conjunto de estruturas defensivas com o objectivo de proteger a cidade e a estratégica Baía de San Juan.

Estas fortificações são um bom exemplo da arquitectura militar europeia  adaptada às zonas portuárias do continente americano.

FR:
Point stratégique de la mer des Caraïbes, la baie de San Juan s'est couverte du XV^e au XIX^e siècle d'ouvrages défensifs qui présentent un répertoire varié de l'architecture militaire européenne adaptée aux sites portuaires du continent américain.

EN:
Between the 15th and 19th centuries, a series of defensive structures was built at this strategic point in the Caribbean Sea to protect the city and the Bay of San Juan. They represent a fine display of European military architecture adapted to harbour sites on the American continent.

Statement of Significance

Criterion (vi): La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site outstandingly illustrate the adaptation to the Caribbean context of European developments in military architecture from the 16th to 20th centuries. They represent the continuity of more than four centuries of architectural, engineering, military, and political history.
souce: UNESCO site

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/266  » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese, media.

Santuários e Templos de Nikko, Japão

Os Santuários e Templos de Nikko, bem como a paisagem natural que  os envolve, constituem há muitos séculos um lugar sagrado reconhecidos pelas suas obras-primas arquitectónicas e decorativas. Econtram-se indissociavelmente ligados à história dos shoguns Tokugawa.

FR:

Les sanctuaires et temples de Nikko, ainsi que le cadre naturel qui les entoure, constituent depuis des siècles un lieu sacré où se sont élevés des chefs-d'œuvre d'architecture et de décoration artistique. Ils sont étroitement liés à l'histoire des shoguns Tokugawa.

EN:

The shrines and temples of Nikko, together with their natural surroundings, have for centuries been a sacred site known for its architectural and decorative masterpieces. They are closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (i): The Nikko shrines and temples are a reflection of architectural and artistic genius; this aspect is reinforced by the harmonious integration of the buildings in a forest and a natural site laid out by people.

Criterion (iv): The Nikko shrines and temples is a perfect illustration of the architectural style of the Edo period as applied to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The Gongen-zukuristyle of the two mausoleums, the Tôshôgû and the Taiyû-in Reibyô, reached the peak of its expression in the Nikko shrines and temples, and was later to exert a decisive influence. The ingenuity and creativity of its architects and decorators are revealed in an outstanding and distinguished manner.

Criterion (vi): The Nikko shrines and temples, together with their environment, are an outstanding example of a traditional Japanese religious centre, associated with the Shinto perception of the relationship of man with nature, in which mountains and forests have a sacred meaning and are objects of veneration, in a religious practice that is still very much alive today.

souce: UNESCO site

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/913  » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese, media.

Construções Palafitas Pré-históricas nos Alpes (Alemanha, Áustria, Eslovénia, França, Itália e Suiça)

O postal mostra o Lago de Constança, na Alemanha (Lac de Constance Lake)

Este bem agrupa 111 sítios situados nos Alpes e à volta, onde se encontram vestígios de instalações palafitas (sobre estacas)  pré-históricas. Datando de cerca de 5.000 a cerca de 500 anos antes de Cristo, situam-se nas margens de lagos, de rios ou de terras pantanosas.

As escavações arqueológicas, efectuadas somente em alguns locais, proporcionaram conhecimentos que dão uma visão da vida quotidiana na Europa alpina no Neolítico e na Idade do Bronze e o modo como as comunidades interagiam com o ambiente. Cinquenta e seis sítios encontram-se na Suíça.

Estes estabelecimentos constituem um grupo único de sítios arqueológicos particularmente ricos e bem conservados, constituindo uma das mais importantes fontes para o estudo das primeiras sociedades agrárias da região.

FR:

Ce bien en série regroupe 111 sites où se trouvent des vestiges d'établissements préhistoriques palafittiques (sur pilotis) dans et autour des Alpes. Datant d'environ 5 000 à environ 500 av. J.-C., ils sont situés sur les bords de lacs, de rivières ou de terres marécageuses. Seul un petit nombre ont été fouillés mais ils ont fourni des éléments qui donnent un aperçu de la vie quotidienne dans l'Europe alpine du Néolithique et de l'Age de bronze, ainsi que des informations sur la façon dont les communautés interagissaient avec leur environnement. Cinquante-six sites se trouvent en Suisse. Ces établissements constituent un groupe unique de sites archéologiques particulièrement riches et très bien conservés ; ils représentent des sources importantes pour l'étude des premières sociétés agraires de la région.

EN:

This serial property of 111 small individual sites encompasses the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. Excavations, only conducted in some of the sites, have yielded evidence that provides insight into life in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe and the way communities interacted with their environment. Fifty-six of the sites are located in Switzerland. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (iv): The series of pile dwelling sites are one of the most important archaeological sources for the study of early agrarian societies in Europe between 5,000 and 500 BC. The waterlogged conditions have preserved organic matter that contributes in an outstanding way to our understanding of significant changes in the Neolithic and Bronze Age history of Europe in general, and of the interactions between the regions around the Alps in particular.

Criterion (v): The series of pile dwelling sites has provided an extraordinary and detailed insight into the settlement and domestic arrangements of pre-historic, early agrarian lake shore communities in the Alpine and sub-Alpine regions of Europe over almost 5,000 years. The revealed archaeological evidence allows an unique understanding of the way these societies interacted with their environment, in response to new technologies, and also to the impact of climate change.

souce: UNESCO site

UNESCO site:  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1363  » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Japanese.

Geysers no Parque Nacional de Yellowstone, Estados Unidos da América

O Parque Nacional de Yellowstone, criado em 1872, é constituído por uma vasta floresta que cobre cerca de 9.000 km², dos quais 96% no estado de Wyoming, 3% no de Montana e 1% no de Idaho.

Nele se encontra a quase metade dos fenómenos geotérmicos do planeta, com cerca de 10.000 exemplos diferentes. O Parque apresenta a maior concentração mundial de geysers, mais de 3.000, que constituem cerca de 2/3 dos geysers do planeta. O Parque é igualmente conhecido pela sua fauna selvagem, que inclui ursos grizzly, lobos, bisontes e wapitis.

FR:

La vaste forêt naturelle du parc national de Yellowstone couvre près de 9 000 km² , dont 96 % dans le Wyoming, 3 % dans le Montana et 1% dans l'Idaho. On trouve à Yellowstone plus de 10 000 caractéristiques thermales, soit plus de la moitié des phénomènes géothermiques du monde. Le parc possède également la plus forte concentration mondiale de geysers, 300 environ qui représentent les 2/3 des geysers de la planète. Créé en 1872, le parc est également connu pour sa faune sauvage qui comprend l'ours grizzli, le loup, le bison et le wapiti.

EN:

The vast natural forest of Yellowstone National Park covers nearly 9,000 km² ; 96% of the park lies in Wyoming, 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho. Yellowstone contains half of all the world's known geothermal features, with more than 10,000 examples. It also has the world's largest concentration of geysers (more than 300 geyers, or two thirds of all those on the planet). Established in 1872, Yellowstone is equally known for its wildlife, such as grizzly bears, wolves, bison and wapitis.

Statement of Significance

Criterion (vii): The extraordinary scenic treasures of Yellowstone include the world’s largest collection of geysers, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, numerous waterfalls, and great herds of wildlife.

Criterion (viii): Yellowstone is one of the world's foremost sites for the study and appreciation of the evolutionary history of the earth. The park has a globally unparalleled assemblage of surficial geothermal activity, thousands of hot springs, mudpots and fumaroles, and more than half of the world’s active geysers. Nearly 150 species of fossil plants, ranging from small ferns and rushes up to large Sequoia and many other tree species, have been identified in the park’s abundant fossil deposits. The world’s largest recognized caldera (45km by 75km – 27 miles by 45 miles) is contained within the park.

Criterion (ix): The park is one of the few remaining intact large ecosystems in the northern temperate zone of the earth. All flora in the park are allowed to progress through natural succession with no direct management being practiced. Forest fires, if started from lightning, are often allowed to burn where possible to permit the natural effects of fire to periodically assert itself. The park’s bison are the only wild, continuously free-ranging bison remaining of herds that once covered the Great Plains and, along with other park wildlife, are one of the greatest attractions.

Criterion (x): Yellowstone National Park has become one of North America's foremost refuges for rare plant and animal species and also functions as a model for ecosystem processes. The grizzly bear is one of the worlds’ most intensively studied and best-understood bear populations. This research has led to a greater understanding of the interdependence of ecosystem relationships. Protection of the park’s flora and fauna, as well as the natural processes that affect their population and distribution allow biological evolution to proceed with minimal influence by man.

souce: UNESCO site

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/28 » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese,  and photos.

Aldeias históricas de Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, Japão

Situadas numa região montanhosa isolada durante muito tempo, as aldeias de Ogimachi, Ainokura y Suganuma viveram durante séculos do cultivo das amoreiras e do bicho da seda.

As suas casas estilo Gassho de tecto de colmo e dupla pendente muito acentuada são únicas no Japão.

Apesar das mudanças radicais ocorridas estas aldeias constituem um notável exemplo de perfeita adaptação da vida tradicional ao ambiente e às circunstâncias socio-económicas.

EN:

Located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time, these villages with their Gassho-style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The large houses with their steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only examples of their kind in Japan. Despite economic upheavals, the villages of Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are outstanding examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people's social and economic circumstances.

FR:

Situés dans une région montagneuse longtemps isolée, ces villages aux maisons de style Gassho tiraient leur subsistance de la culture du mûrier et de l'élevage du ver à soie. Leurs grandes maisons au toit de chaume à double pente très accentuée sont uniques au Japon. Malgré les bouleversements économiques, les villages d'Ogimachi, d'Ainokura et de Suganuma demeurent des témoins exceptionnels de la parfaite adaptation de la vie traditionnelle à son environnement et à sa fonction sociale.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (iv): The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are outstanding examples of traditional human settlements that are perfectly adapted to their environment and their social and economic raison d’être. 

Criterion (v): It is of considerable significance that the social structure of these villages, of which their layouts are the material manifestation, has survived despite the drastic economic changes in Japan since 1950. As a result they preserve both the spiritual and the material evidence of their long history.

souce: UNESCO site

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/734  » texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese,  media.