The World Natural Heritage Sites are the Statue of Liberty. UNESCO World Heritage: Historical Monuments of the United States. Lake Malawi National Park

In our world there are many objects that are unique in their kind and make up world heritage humanity.

World Heritage sites included in the UNESCO special list are of enormous interest to the entire population of the planet. Unique natural and cultural sites provide an opportunity to preserve those unique corners of nature and man-made monuments that demonstrate the richness of nature and the capabilities of the human mind.

The list of this organization contains objects among which there are individual architectural structures and ensembles, for example, the Acropolis, the cathedrals in Amiens and Chartres, historical centers cities - Warsaw and St. Petersburg; and there are also entire cities - Brasilia, Venice along with the lagoon and others. There are also archaeological reserves - for example, Delphi; National parks - Marine Park Great Barrier Reef, Yellowstone (USA) and others. States on whose territory World Heritage sites are located undertake obligations to preserve them.

It is worth noting that UNESCO World Heritage Sites represent places and objects on the planet that different countries ah, which are selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in accordance with the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and natural heritage. The Convention is designed to protect and preserve outstanding cultural and natural values ​​that constitute the heritage of all mankind. The first three places in terms of the number of objects are occupied by Italy, Spain and China.

In this photo collection you will see places from different corners of our planet, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Tourists view the Buddhist sculptures of the Longmen Grottoes (Dragon Gate) near the city of Luoyang in Chinese province Henan. There are more than 2,300 caves in this place; 110,000 Buddhist images, more than 80 dagobas (Buddhist mausoleums) containing relics of Buddhas, as well as 2,800 inscriptions on rocks near the Yishui River, a kilometer long. Buddhism was first introduced in China in these places during the reign of Eastern Dynasty Han.

The Bayon Temple in Cambodia is famous for its many giant stone faces. There are more than 1,000 temples in the Angkor region, which range from nondescript piles of brick and rubble scattered among rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, considered the world's largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored. More than a million tourists visit them every year.

One of the parts of the archaeological site of Al-Hijr - also known as Madain Salih. This complex, located in the northern regions Saudi Arabia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 6, 2008. The complex includes 111 rock burials (1st century BC - 1st century AD), as well as a system of hydraulic structures associated with the ancient Nabatean city of Hegra, which was a center of caravan trade. There are also about 50 rock inscriptions dating back to the Pre-Nabatean period.

The Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) waterfalls are located in the Iguazu National Park in the Argentine province of Misiones. Depending on the water level of the Iguazu River, the park has from 160 to 260 waterfalls, as well as over 2,000 plant species and 400 bird species . National Park Iguazu was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

Mysterious Stonehenge stone megalithic structure, consisting of 150 huge stones, and located on Salisbury Plain in the English county of Wiltshire. This ancient monument, is believed to have been built in 3000 BC. Stonehenge was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.

Tourists stroll at the Bafang Pavilion at the Summer Palace, the famous classical imperial garden in Beijing. Summer Palace, built in 1750, was destroyed in 1860 and rebuilt in 1886. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998.

Statue of Liberty at sunset in New York. "Lady Liberty", which was given to the United States by France, stands at the entrance to New York Harbor. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

"Solitario George" (Lonely George), the last living giant tortoise of this species, born on Pinta Island, lives in Galapagos National Park in Ecuador. She is now approximately 60-90 years old. The Galapagos Islands were originally included on the World Heritage List in 1978, but were listed as endangered in 2007.

People skate on the ice of the canals at the Kinderdijk Mills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is home to the largest collection of historic mills in the Netherlands and is one of the top attractions in South Holland. Decorating holidays taking place here with balloons gives a certain flavor to this place.

View of the Perito Moreno glacier located in national park Los Glaciares, in the southeast of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1981. The glacier is one of the most interesting tourist sites in the Argentine part of Patagonia and the 3rd largest glacier in the world after Antarctica and Greenland.

Terraced gardens in the northern Israeli city Haifa is surrounded by the golden-domed Shrine of the Bab, the founder of the Baha'i faith. Here is the world administrative and spiritual center of the Baha'i religion, the number of professers of which worldwide is less than six million. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008.

Aerial photograph of St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. According to the World Heritage website, within this small state lies a unique collection of artistic and architectural masterpieces. The Vatican was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

Colorful underwater scenes of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This thriving ecosystem is home to the world's largest collection of coral reefs, including 400 species of coral and 1,500 species of fish. The Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981.

Camels resting in ancient city Peter's in front of Jordan's main monument, Al-Khazneh or the treasury, believed to be the tomb of a Nabatean king carved out of sandstone. This city, located between Krasny and Dead Seas, is located at the crossroads of Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Phenicia. Petra was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1985.

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous and easily recognizable buildings in the world, a symbol of Sydney and one of the main attractions of Australia. Sydney Opera theatre included in the World Heritage Program in 2007.

Rock art made by the San people in the Drakensberg Mountains to the east South Africa. The San people lived in the Drakensberg region for thousands of years until they were destroyed in clashes with the Zulus and white settlers. They left behind incredible rock art in the Drakensberg Mountains, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

General view of the city of Shibam, located in the east of Yemen in the Hadhramaut province. Shibam is famous for its incomparable architecture, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Program. All the houses here are built of clay bricks; approximately 500 houses can be considered multi-story, as they have 5-11 floors. Often called "the world's oldest skyscraper city" or "Desert Manhattan", Shibam is also the oldest example of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.

Gondolas along the shore of the Grand Canal in Venice. The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is visible in the background. Island Venice - seaside resort, center international tourism world-class venue for international film festivals, art and architectural exhibitions. Venice was included in the UNESCO World Heritage program in 1987.

Some of the 390 abandoned huge statues made of compressed volcanic ash (moai in Rapa Nui) at the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano on Easter Island, 3,700 km off the coast of Chile. National Rapa Nui Park included in the UNESCO World Heritage program since 1995.

Visitors walk along the Great Wall of China in the Simatai area, northeast of Beijing. This largest architectural monument was built as one of the four main strategic strongholds to defend against invading tribes from the north. Great Wall with a length of 8,851.8 km, it is one of the largest construction projects ever completed. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987.

Temple in Hampi, near the South Indian city of Hospet, north of Bangalore. Hampi is located in the middle of the ruins of Vijayanagara - the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Hampi and its monuments were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986, notes fresher.ru.

A Tibetan pilgrim turns prayer mills on the grounds of the Potala Palace in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. The Potala Palace is royal palace and Buddhist temple complex, which was the main residence of the Dalai Lama. Today, the Potala Palace is a museum actively visited by tourists, remaining a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and continuing to be used in Buddhist rituals. Due to its enormous cultural, religious, artistic and historical significance, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

Inca citadel Machu Picchu in the Peruvian city of Cusco. Machu Picchu, especially after receiving UNESCO World Heritage status in 1983, became the center mass tourism. The city is visited by 2,000 tourists per day; In order to preserve the monument, UNESCO demands that the number of tourists per day be reduced to 800.

Buddhist pagoda Kopon-daito on Mount Koya, Wakayama Province, Japan. Mount Koya, located east of Osaka, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. In 819, the first Buddhist monk Kukai, the founder of the Shingon school, a branch of Japanese Buddhism, settled here.

Tibetan women walk around the Bodhnath Stupa in Kathmandu, one of the most ancient and revered Buddhist shrines. On the edges of the tower crowning it are depicted “Buddha’s eyes” inlaid with ivory. Kathmandu Valley with an altitude of about 1300 m - mountain valley And historical region Nepal. There are many Buddhist and Hindu temples here, from the Boudhanath stupa to tiny street altars in the walls of houses. Locals They say that 10 million Gods live in the Kathmandu Valley. The Kathmandu Valley was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979.

A bird flies over the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum-mosque located in the Indian city of Agra. It was built by order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. Taj Mahal was listed by UNESCO inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1983. Architectural miracle was also named one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World" in 2007.

Situated in north-east Wales, the 18-kilometre Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a feat of Industrial Revolution-era civil engineering, completed in the early years of the 19th century. Still in use more than 200 years after its opening, it is one of the busiest sections of the UK canal network, handling around 15,000 boats a year. In 2009, the Pontkysilte Aqueduct was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a "landmark in the history of civil engineering during the Industrial Revolution". This aqueduct is one of the unusual monuments to plumbers and plumbing

A herd of elk grazes in the meadows of Yellowstone National Park. Mount Holmes, to the left, and Mount Dome are visible in the background. In Yellowstone National Park, which occupies almost 900 thousand hectares, there are more than 10 thousand geysers and thermal springs. The park was included in the World Heritage program in 1978.

Cubans drive an old car along the Malecon in Havana. UNESCO added Old Havana and its fortifications to the World Heritage List in 1982. Although Havana has expanded to a population of over 2 million, its old center preserves an interesting mixture of Baroque and Neoclassical monuments and homogeneous ensembles of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought iron gates and courtyards.

World Heritage sites included in the UNESCO special list are of enormous interest to the entire population of the planet. Unique natural and cultural objects make it possible to preserve those unique corners of nature and man-made monuments that demonstrate the richness of nature and the capabilities of the human mind.

As of July 6, 2012, there are 962 sites on the World Heritage List (including 745 cultural, 188 natural and 29 mixed), located in 148 countries. Among the objects there are individual architectural structures and ensembles, for example - the Acropolis, cathedrals in Amiens and Chartres, historical city centers - Warsaw and St. Petersburg, the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square; and there are also entire cities - Brasilia, Venice along with the lagoon and others. There are also archaeological reserves - for example, Delphi; national parks - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Yellowstone (USA) and others. States on whose territory World Heritage sites are located undertake obligations to preserve them.

In this photo collection you will see 29 objects from different parts of our planet that are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Tourists view the Buddhist sculptures of the Longmen Grottoes (Dragon Gate) near the city of Luoyang in the Chinese province of Henan. There are more than 2,300 caves in this place; 110,000 Buddhist images, more than 80 dagobas (Buddhist mausoleums) containing relics of Buddhas, as well as 2,800 inscriptions on rocks near the Yishui River, a kilometer long. Buddhism was first introduced to China in these places during the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

UNESCO - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was created in November 1945.

Among the main five areas of UNESCO's activities, it is worth highlighting the cultural area, which is in charge of a program such as World Heritage, the purpose of which is the preservation of cultural and natural sites that are the heritage of all humanity.

UNESCO World Heritage is the best man-made creations of mankind and unique natural phenomena of historical, cultural and environmental significance.

The UNESCO World Heritage List as of July 2012 includes 962 sites of cultural and natural significance of special universal value from around the world.

The presence in this list of valuable cultural and natural sites of a country contributes not only to its international prestige, but also to economic benefits and the development of tourism.

To be included in this list, an object must meet at least one of ten established evaluation selection criteria (6 cultural and 4 natural criteria). The only object on the UNESCO list that was assessed according to all 6 cultural criteria, among which there is one such as “a masterpiece of human creative genius,” is the Great Chinese Wall. The wall is a majestic man-made structure, the construction of which has been ongoing since the 3rd century BC. e. up to the 17th century.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites include cities and archaeological sites, castles, palaces and fortresses, cathedrals, temples and abbeys, theaters and museums, islands, valleys and parks, and much more.

Each country in the world is famous for its unique story, culture, architecture and nature, so each of these countries has designated sites for protection. The most famous cultural sites are: religious building Stonehenge (Great Britain), the mausoleum-mosque of the Taj Mahal (India), the Moscow Kremlin (Russia), the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), and among natural ones - Belovezhskaya Pushcha(Poland), Lake Baikal (Russia), Bolshoi barrier reef(Australia).

Almost every year, UNESCO holds sessions where members of the World Heritage Committee decide to include a particular site on the list of protected sites. At the last session, which was held in July 2012 in St. Petersburg, the following sites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, in particular: historical city Rabat (Morocco), decorations of farmhouses in the province of Hälsingland (Sweden), natural Park“Lena Pillars” (Russia), coastal landscapes of Carioca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and others.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a unique opportunity for travelers to get acquainted with outstanding cultural monuments and natural objects our planet and discover many interesting places, the existence of which was not even suspected. How many of you have heard or know about such a place as the settlement of Lumbini in Nepal, which is associated with the birth of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, or about the “Frankincense Trail” in Oman; about the largest crater in the world - Vredefort in South Africa, whose age is estimated at 2 billion years, or about the monastery of St. Gall in Switzerland, whose library is one of the oldest and richest in the world and stores precious ancient manuscripts.

Therefore, if you want to spend your holidays in any country, look at photographs of the best creations of mankind and nature. Maybe you'd like to visit Acropolis of Athens or the legendary Palace of Knossos, then you should choose a tour to Greece. Or maybe you want to go to Greenland and visit the Ilulissat Fjord to watch giant icebergs drifting, or visit the caves and enjoy the fantastic scenery of Ha Long Bay, located in Vietnam.

On our website you can get acquainted with both unique World Heritage sites and other interesting places, natural and cultural attractions of different countries, which will help you in planning tourist routes and will serve as a good guide on your trip. Have a nice trip!

Independence Hall

Independence Hall (English: Independence Hall, lit. Independence Hall) is a building in Independence Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, known as the place where the Declaration of Independence was discussed, agreed upon and signed in 1776; place where the US Constitution was signed. From 1775 to 1783, the building was used as a meeting place for the Second Continental Congress. Currently the building is part historical park USA, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Designed in Georgian style by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton, the building was built by Woolley between 1732 and 1753. The building was originally intended for the Pennsylvania government.

Independence Hall is built of red brick. Highest point the building rises 41 meters above the ground. There are 2 more buildings adjacent to the building: the old city council building to the east and the Congress Hall to the west.


Liberty Bell

The bell tower of Independence Hall was where the Liberty Bell was originally located. Currently, the bell tower houses the Centennial Bell, created in 1876 on the centenary of the declaration of independence. The Liberty Bell is on display to the public in one of the adjacent pavilions.


In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, while visiting Philadelphia, presented as a gift to the American people a replica of the Century Bell, manufactured by the same factory as the original bell. It is now installed in the bell tower near Independence Hall.

Image of Independence Hall on the 1975-1976 50-cent coin

Work of the Second Continental Congress and the Declaration of Independence


Assembly Hall
From 1775 to 1783, Independence Hall was the main meeting place for the Second Continental Congress, drawn from representatives from each of the thirteen colonies. The Declaration of Independence was adopted here on July 4, 1776, and then read to the public in what is now known as Independence Square. This document united the North American colonies and declared their independence from Great Britain. This event is celebrated on July 4th as Independence Day.









On June 14, 1775, at Independence Hall, delegates to the Continental Congress elected George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. On July 26, Benjamin Franklin was elected postmaster general.
Cahokia Mounds Historic Site

Cahokia or Cahokia is a group of 109 North American Indian mounds located near the city of Collinsville in Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi, opposite the city of St. Louis. The largest archaeological monument of Mississippian culture (VII-XIII centuries) Since 1982, it has been protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.


Covering more than 2,000 acres, Cahokia is the only prehistoric Indian city north of Mexico and the largest archaeological site of the famous Mississippian culture. Cahokia is made up of 109 mounds by North American Indians known as the Mound Builders, but it remains a great mystery how they were able to build such huge, complex mounds.


Cahokia is famous for its huge mounds, large clay structures. This city was inhabited from approximately 700 to 1400 AD by ancient peoples. At the beginning there were only a few thousand, but then the population of Cahokia grew to tens of thousands.


A ceramic jug with an image of the so-called “underwater panther”, belonging to the Mississippian culture. Found in Parkin State Archaeological Park, Cross County, Arkansas, USA, dating: 1400-1600, height 20 cm
The real name of the city is unknown and the inhabitants apparently did not use writing. The name Cahokia comes from an unrelated tribe that lived in this area when the first French explorers arrived (late 17th century).
The ancient Cahokia Indians built more than 120 clay mounds. Some mounds have not survived to this day, as they were destroyed by subsequent tribes. The Cahokia mound complex is an amazing sight. Some mounds do not exceed a few meters in height, while others exceed a height of 30 meters. More than 50 million cubic feet of earth were moved to build these embankments, with huge quarries still standing in some places. The Indians carried the soil on their backs, dragging large, heavy baskets.


At the height of the Cahokian culture (1,100 to 1,200 AD), the city covered nearly six square miles and had a population of 20,000 people. The buildings were built in rows around spacious areas. Food came to the city from small villages around, where they were engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. The Cahokians traded with other tribes as far as Minnesota.


Flourished from 1050 to 1250 AD. e. the city fell into complete decline by 1500. It is estimated that 40,000 people lived in an area of ​​about two square miles at that time. About one and a half million cubic meters of earth were required to create the mysterious ritual mounds.


Here is a place of power, the largest in North America a man-made earthen structure - the Monastic Mound, so named because for several years at the beginning of the 17th century. a group of French monks of the mysterious Trappist order lived there. The mound covers an area of ​​fourteen acres and is over 30 m high.


The most likely reason for the desolation of this place is called exhaustion natural resources. According to another version, climate change has affected soil fertility, or perhaps the inhabitants of these places have become victims of external aggression.

During the exploration and excavation of the Cahokia mounds, a number of mysterious and shocking discoveries were discovered. One of the mounds, known as number 72, contained a burial dating back to 1050


A tall man, who died at a little over forty years of age, rested on a bed decorated with an ornament of twenty thousand shells and eight thousand arrowheads. In the mystical crypt, items made of mica, copper, plaster, as well as stones used in various games were discovered.





Scientists have suggested that the deceased held an important position in the hierarchy of his tribe. In the same burial were the remains of four men with severed heads and hands, and fifty-three women aged between fifteen and twenty-five, most likely strangled. Due to the fact that all the deceased were approximately the same age and died a violent death at the same time, a version of the act of human sacrifice was put forward. A certain number of people were sent to accompany their leader in his afterlife. This is the largest burial of its kind ever discovered in North America.


Model of the leader's burial.

In front of the main temple of Cahokia stretched a peculiar area measuring at least 19 hectares. A 3-kilometer palisade was built around Monakhov Mound, which was updated several times. The size of the settlement suggests that at its height it was the largest on the continent north of Mexico.




.




Researchers believe that the creation of mounds began in this area in the middle of the 7th century. By the 10th-11th centuries, Cahokia reached its maximum prosperity and acquired the status of the largest North American city


Fortress of La Fortaleza and the historical part of the city of San Juan

During the period XV-XIX centuries. a system of defensive structures was built at this strategic location Caribbean Sea to protect the city and San Juan Bay. They are excellent examples of the adaptation of European military architecture to the characteristics of American harbors.


Puerto Rico (Spanish Puerto Rico, translated as “rich port”), officially the Freely Associated State of Puerto Rico, is located in the Caribbean Sea on the island of Puerto Rico from the group of Greater Antilles and a number of adjacent small islands.



“Old San Juan,” or Viejo San Juan, lies at the very tip of the peninsula of the same name, which juts out into the waters of the Atlantic in a long, irregular strip. It was here that the first buildings of the future city were moved from Caparra, it was here, between the deep waters of San Juan Bay and open sea, the first caravels arrived loaded with treasures of the New World, and it was here, on a strip of land convenient for defense, that the capital of the country grew.





Caguanas Indigenous Ceremonial Center
All Old city, literally full of buildings and structures of the 16th-17th centuries, today is a National Historical Zone and the main point of attraction for numerous tourists. The old town is most like a museum under open air, home to a collection of darkened buildings from the Spanish colonial era, many of them, most notably the area around Plaza del Cinto Centenario, considered the best preserved example of this style in the Western Hemisphere.

The steep and narrow streets here are paved with smooth bars known as "adequines", and the pastel facades of the buildings and balconies with wrought iron trellises entwined with flowering plants seem to have stepped out of the pages of the classics of Spanish literature. Stone fortress walls stretch along the entire northern side of Viejo San Juan, forming, together with its forts, a powerful defensive system designed to protect the city from attacks by British, Dutch and French corsairs.




Today, only the walls of La Muralla and the ramparts of El Morro and San Cristobal have remained intact, but this area is enough to appreciate the former greatness of this fortress.








In the very north-west of the city, on Cape Punta del Moro, stands the most impressive example of the Spanish fortification school - Fort Fuerte San Felipe del Moro, guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay. This fortress, considered one of the largest and most advanced in the Caribbean, was built by Spanish engineers over more than 200 years - it was founded in 1539, and the last of its six tiers was completed only in 1787.






This massive structure has withstood countless attacks, including such famous ones as the attacks of the pirate Francis Drake's fleet in 1595, the attack of the Dutch fleet in 1625, or the fire of the guns of the entire American Atlantic squadron in 1898. The majestic walls of the fort rise 42 meters above the waters of the Atlantic. meters, and in its depths hide countless barracks, galleries, dungeons and firing positions, many of which are simply carved into the rocky soil of the cape. A huge number of exhibitions are regularly held on the territory of El Morro, showing the role of Puerto Rico in the conquest of the New World.









The northeastern tip of the Old Town is covered by the second fortress of this system - Fuerte San Cristobal. Stretching from Avenida Muñoz Rivera to Calle Norzagaray, this majestic fort was built between 1634 and 1790. and originally occupied an area of ​​27 acres (this is the largest fortification built by the Spaniards in the New World).




















Today, tourists can freely explore its labyrinth-like structures and nearly six kilometers of network of secret tunnels, ditches, and dungeons of military positions built within the depths of 45-meter walls, which offer beautiful panoramic views of San Juan and its bays. Fuerte San Felipe del Moro and Fuerte San Cristobal are National Historic Monuments and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Plaza de San José lies in the very center of the old part of the city. Around this colorful square, decorated with a statue of the city's founder, Juan Ponce de Leon, are many small museums and pleasant cafes.

In the northern part of the square rises the Iglesia San Jose Church (1530) - one of the few Gothic churches in America (the second is also in Puerto Rico - this is Porta Coelli in San Germán, 1606).


Porta_Coeli_in_San_Germán Both the first church on the island and one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, Iglesia San José was built as a Dominican monastery and chapel dedicated to St. Thomas Aquinas (the original building was badly damaged by a hurricane and rebuilt by the Jesuits in 1865).


Other attractions of the Old Town include Casa Blanca (1523, was built as the residence of Ponce de Leon),
Dominican convent (1523, now houses the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture),



residence of the island's governor - La Fortaleza (1540 - the oldest residence in the Western Hemisphere), Alcalde, or City Hall (1604-1789), Casino (not a gaming club at all, but a fashionable palace built in 1917 and recently excellent renovated),


Cathedral of San Juan (1520-1535, restored 1977), neoclassical building of La Princesa (built as a prison in 1837, now the main office of the Tourist Company
Puerto Rico and a wonderful exhibition gallery of works by local artists),


fragments of the city wall of La Muraglia (1539-1782) up to 6 meters thick,

Cemeterio de San Juan cemetery behind the northern edge of the walls of La Muralla, the old fortress gates of La Puerta de San Juan (1635),
the Casa del Libro mansion and the nearby Capilla del Libro chapel,
Capilla del Cristo (1753) and the nearby Parque de las Palomas (a real pigeon sanctuary),
magnificent hotel El Convento in an old building convent, and also amazing sculptural group La Rogativa (1797) in commemoration miraculous salvation cities from the British invasion
beautiful house Casa Rosada (1812)


Museo_de_las_Americas_















It is not surprising that within the old part of the city there are many museums, including such famous ones as the Museo de Las Americas in the building of the old army barracks
Cartel de Balahona (the most interesting archaeological finds islands, as well as many artwork masters of Puerto Rico and the USA),
"Children's Museum" Museo del Niño,


Museo del Arte e Historia (extensive exhibition of Puerto Rican art and musical traditions),
Casa Blanca Museum (collection of objects and things from the era of the beginning of the Conquest),
Francisco Oller Art Museum in the old city hall (many historical works),
Puerto Rico Museum of Art (www.mapr.org),

g Museum contemporary art(www.museocontemporaneopr.org),
Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty, full name - Liberty Enlightening the World) is one of the most famous sculptures in the USA and in the world, often called the “symbol of New York and the USA”, “symbol of freedom and democracy”, “Lady Liberty”. This is a gift from French citizens for the centennial of the American Revolution.



The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, approximately 3 km southwest of the southern tip of Manhattan, in New Jersey. Until 1956, the island was called “Bedloe's Island,” although it was popularly called “Liberty Island” since the beginning of the 20th century.

Statue of Liberty (view from the pedestal)


The goddess of freedom holds a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left. The inscription on the tablet reads “English. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" (written in Roman numerals the date "July 4, 1776"), this date is the day of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. “Freedom” stands with one foot on broken shackles.


Visitors walk 356 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty or 192 steps to the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize the earthly gems and heavenly rays illuminating the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents (the Western geographical tradition includes exactly seven continents).


The total weight of copper used to cast the statue is 31 tons, and the total weight of its steel structure is 125 tons. The total weight of the concrete base is 27 thousand tons. The thickness of the copper coating of the statue is 2.57 mm.


The height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 meters, including the base and pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 meters.



The statue was constructed from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame.


The statue is usually open to visitors, usually arriving by ferry. The crown, accessible by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. The museum, located in the pedestal (and accessible by elevator), houses a history exhibition


The French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. It was intended as a gift for the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model: the beautiful, recently widowed Isabella Boyer, wife of Isaac Singer, the creator and entrepreneur in the field of sewing machines. “She was freed from the awkward presence of her husband, who left her with only the most desirable attributes in society: fortune... and children. From the very beginning of her career in Paris, she was a well-known personality. As the beautiful French widow of an American entrepreneur, she proved a suitable model for Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty."
Manor Monticello


Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author of the American Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States, was also a talented architect of classicist buildings. He designed Monticello (1769–1809), his plantation home, and his ideal “academic village” (1817–1826), which is still the core of the University of Virginia. Jefferson's use of an architectural language based on classical antiquity suggests that the new republic in America saw itself as the heir to the European tradition. It also symbolized the country's reaching maturity to allow it to experiment in the field of culture.

Monticello is the only house in the United States to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


Jefferson, who grew up on one of Virginia's largest tobacco plantations, inherited several thousand acres of land at age 21, including the hills of Monticello (Italian for "little mountain"), where he began building his mansion in 1768.


The estate stands on the crest of a 264-meter hill, from where its name comes, meaning “hillock” in Italian. The manor house was founded by Jefferson in 1769 according to his own design, inspired by the drawings of Andrea Palladio. On the sides of the manor house there were two long terraces in the shape of the letter L, which hid from the eyes of guests the kitchen, laundry and other utility rooms where black slaves lived and worked.


. Jefferson thought not only appearance building, but also interior details, including ingenious devices, like the elevator hidden behind the fireplace in the dining room, which takes you directly down to the wine cellar.


Monticello Palace is unique not only in its design, but also in its use of resources. Bricks for construction in the 18th century were imported from England. Jefferson produced all his building materials, including nails, on site. Among other improvements, he added a mezzanine and an octagonal dome, the first of its kind in America.


The initial design for Monticello consisted of 14 rooms, but after several years in Europe as the U.S. Secretary to France, Jefferson became interested in fashionable trends in French architecture and changed the plan. The building has doubled its size to 1000 sq.m., not counting pavilions and terraces, and now includes 43 rooms.


Additional rooms were used not so much for housing and guests, but for storing an enormous collection of books, European art, Indian artifacts and souvenirs from travel. The Monticello Palace also contains Jefferson's unique inventions: rotating shelves, a photocopier, a spherical sundial and many other devices.

Jefferson
Born into one of the wealthiest families in the United States and known for his extravagance, Jefferson left his heirs numerous debts. He bequeathed the Monticello Palace to the state to establish a school for the children of deceased naval officers. However, his daughter, Martha Randolph, was forced to sell the palace for $4,500 to an admirer of her father's talent, Captain Levi. In 1923, Monticello purchased the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and opened it to the public as a museum.


Monticello Palace reflects Jefferson's personal ideas and ideals. Original main entrance through the portico it is equipped with a plate connected to the weather vane, showing the direction of the wind. Large dial on the east wall has only an hour hand, since Jefferson believed that this was a fairly accurate indication of time for workers.

Submission of the draft Declaration by the Committee of Five to Congress. John Trumbull's famous painting reproduced on the back of an old $2


Jefferson's private quarters are located in the south wing. The library contains books from his third collection. The first library burned down in a fire, and he donated the second to the US Congress after the Capitol fire in 1814.


Most of the furniture at Monticello is original, but the rest were refurbished by the foundation for the 250th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth in 1993.

Visitors are offered a tour on the ground floor, or can take the elevator to the mezzanine. The second and third floors are closed to the public. In addition to the palace, stroll through Monticello's extensive gardens, which housed an experimental laboratory for ornamental and useful plants from around the world.