Thursday, April 18, 2019

UNESCO Heritage Sites of South India

UNESCO World Heritage Sites of South India





UNESCO World Heritage sites are important place of cultural or natural heritage. In 1982, International Council of Monuments and sites declared April 18th as the World Heritage Day. World Heritage Day is to raise awareness about Monuments and other sites which form a part of our history and culture.



World Heritage Sites of South India

1. Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram

The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram was built by Pallava Kings in the 7th and 8th century. These monuments have been carved out of rock along the coromandel coast. Monuments at Mahabalipuram was inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage list as cultural propery in 1984. The monuments includes Ratha Temple, Mandapas, 11 Cave sanctuaries, Arjuna's Penance





2. Churches and Convents of GOA
Churches and Convents of GOA was built by the Portuguese rulers of Goa between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was listed in World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1986 as cultural property. These monuments are built in laterites and the walls are plastered with limestone mortar mixed with broken shells.




3. Group of Monumnets, Hampi

Hampi was the Capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. The Group of Monuments in Hampi includes Virupaksha Temple, Ruins of the Kings Palace, Lotus Mahal, Elephants Stable, Vittala Temple, Stone Chariot etc. Group of Monuments in Hampi was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in the year 1986.




4. Group of Monuments, Pattadakal

The Group of Monuments in Pattadakal was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in the year 1987. The group of monuments includes Virupaksha Temple built in BC 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate King Vikramaditya II victory over the Pallava kings. Between the 6th and the 8th century, Chalukya Dynasty built temples at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal. Other temples of Pattadakal includes Papanatha Temple, Jain Narayana temple and 8 temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.




5. Great Living Chola Temples

Great Living Chola Temples in the state of Tamilnadu was built by the Chola kings in the 11th and 12th centuries. The temples includes Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. The site was inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 as a Cultural Heritage site




6. Nilgiris Mountain Railway

Nilgiri Mountain Railway was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Nilgiri Mountain Railway located in the Western Ghats of South India was built in 1908. The Other Mountain Railways of India listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List includes Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kalka-Shimla Railway. 





7. Western Ghats

Western Ghats also known as the Sahyadri Mountains is one of the World's tem Hottest Biodiversity hotspots. The list includes 39 properties which includes National Parks, Wild Life Sanctuaries and Reserve Forest. Twenty of the are in the state of Kerala, ten in Karnataka and five in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra





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