World Heritage Sites begins with The top 10 most historical places in the world. UNESCO World Heritage Sites are most of them. This is the main point of my article. So here you go. For a long time, or even thousands of years, some of the most interesting places from the past were forgotten or avoided. The world, with its vast wildernesses, deserts, and ranchers’ fields, was one of these places.
Small pieces of information about lost cities or accidental disclosures by people going about their normal daily lives have led to unbelievable discoveries that are now open for everyone to see. A lot of these have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
World Heritage Sites, includes:
- 1 Top 10 Most Historical Places in the World
- 1.1 Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, Egypt (1979)
- 1.2 Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, Peru (1983)
- 1.3 Petra, Jordan (1985)
- 1.4 Angkor, Cambodia (1992)
- 1.5 Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza, Mexico (1988)
- 1.6 The Great Wall, China (1987)
- 1.7 Taj Mahal, India (1983)
- 1.8 Rapa Nui National Park, Chile (1995)
- 1.9 Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites, United Kingdom (1986)
- 1.10 Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Italy (1980)
Top 10 Most Historical Places in the World
Some amazing places have been near and attracting tourists for a long time. They are just as interesting now as they were when they were first discovered.
It might be a cliche to say that there has never been a better time to see the best places on earth, but it’s also true. Even though they are all important, some seem to be better than others.
Here is a list of the top 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Historical monuments of world with names. Most visited historical sites in the world. List of famous monuments of the world. Most beautiful historical places in the world. Top 10 most historical places in the world.
Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, Egypt (1979)
On the western side of the Nile, Memphis is in the middle of the floodplain. It stands out because it was the main capital of Egypt in the past. Memphis’s unique location at the entrance to the Delta and at the intersection of important shipping routes meant that there was no other possible capital for a ruler who wanted to rule both Upper and Lower Egypt.
Memphis is thought to have been founded in 3000 BC as the capital of a politically unified Egypt. During the Old Kingdom, when the country was run well, Memphis was the country’s capital. Then, for most of the Middle and New Kingdoms, Memphis was the country’s capital (other than Itjtawy and Thebes).
The Late Period and again during the Ptolemaic Period (at the same time as the city of Alexandria), until the Islamic post-city of Fustat on the Nile and, later, Al Qahira covered it up. Memphis was seen as a sacred place because it was both the home of the lords and the center of state government.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Egypt (7). The site has many archaeological remains that show what life was like in the ancient Egyptian city. These include sanctuaries, of which the Temple of Ptah in Mit Rahina is the most important. Ptah was the local god of Memphis. He was the creator god and the patron of craftsmanship.
Other important religious buildings that people remember are the sun temples for Abu Ghurab and Abusir, the Apis temple in Memphis, the Serapeum in Saqqara, and the Heb-Sed temple in Saqqara. The city was the center of power for more than eight lines, and it had royal homes and the remains of the castle of Apries, which was built on top of the city. The royal homes and sanctuaries were surrounded by workshops, dockyards, and weapons stores, as well as private areas that left behind traces.
The Necropolis of Memphis is north and south of the capital. It starts at Giza level and goes south through Zawyet El Aryan, Abu Ghurab, Abusir, Mit Rahina, and Saqqara. It also goes north as far as Dahshur. It has the most important group of amazing stone structures in Egyptian history. These structures show how the shape of the royal tombs changed from the early “mastaba” shape to the pyramid shape.
There are more than 38 pyramids, including the three pyramids of Giza, of which the Great Pyramid of Khufu is the only one that has stood the test of time and may be one of the most important landmarks in all of human history. Other pyramids include those of Abusir, Saqqara, Dahshur, and the Great Sphinx.
In addition to these amazing things, there are more than 9,000 stone-cut tombs from important times, from the First Dynasty to the Thirtieth Dynasty and on to the Greco-Roman Period. The property also has the remains of a number of smaller temples and settlements, which are very helpful for learning about how ancient Egyptians lived here.
How to arrive? When you get there, you can ride a camel or a pony to the pyramids themselves. They are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The cost to get in is £E60 EGP. It costs an extra £E100 EGP to go inside the pyramids.
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, Peru (1983)
The land is naturally beautiful and hilly, and it is high above the Urubamba River. The setting of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful of any archaeological site on Earth. This old Inca city goes down steep slopes on both sides of the mountain, with steps that go over cliff edges and into the valley below.
These incomprehensible ruins have been put back together and are well taken care of, giving visitors a good idea of what the city might have looked like when it was busy in the 1500s and 1600s. Many people go to Peru just to see Machu Picchu, and depending on how they get there, the trip to the ruins can be an adventure in and of itself.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Peru (13). To get to the site, those with a daring spirit can choose a guided, multi-day climb and outdoor trip along the well-known Inca Trail, or they can take a bus from the small town of Aguas Calientes at the base of the slope. Most visitors get to Aguas Calientes by train from Cusco or the Sacred Valley.
How to get there? All year, you can go to Machu Picchu. Taking the train to Aguas Calientes is the easiest way to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu (the town found a couple of miles from the site). It is a beautiful 3.5-hour trip along paths and tracks that run right next to the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley. On either side of the river, there are emotional gullies that separate the paths. The other way to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu is to walk as part of a multi-day Inca trail trip. This is the more beautiful and rewarding way to get there.
Petra, Jordan (1985)
Since 1985, Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Placed between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, it has been inhabited for a long time. The Nabateans built their capital city out of stone. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, it was a major stop for caravans carrying incense from Arabia, silks from China, and spices from India. It was a hub between Arabia, Egypt, and Syria-Phoenicia.
Petra is half built and half carved out of stone, and it is surrounded by mountains with entrances and cracks. During the Nabataean, Roman, and Byzantine times, a lot of people lived in a mostly dry area because of how well water was managed. It is one of the most expensive and important archaeological sites in the world, and it is set in a beautiful red sandstone scene.
The Outstanding Universal Value of Petra comes from the fact that it has a huge number of complex burial chambers and sanctuaries, strict high places, water channels, passages, and redirection dams that work together with a huge system of storages and supplies to control and save water, and a wide range of archeological remains, such as copper mines, sanctuaries, temples, and other public buildings.
Hellenistic building exteriors and typical Nabataean rock-cut sanctuaries and burial chambers, like the Khazneh, the Urn Tomb. The Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, and the Deir (which means “religious community”) show a new creative achievement and an amazing engineering group from the main hundreds of years before Christ to the first centuries after Christ.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Jordan (6). The different pieces of archeological remains and design landmarks from ancient times to the prehistoric times tell us a lot about the now-lost civilizations that lived at the site.
Angkor, Cambodia (1992)
Angkor, which is in Siem Reap in the north of Cambodia, is likely the most important archaeological site in Southeast Asia. It covers an area of about 400 square kilometers and has a lot of sanctuaries, water-powered structures (bowls, dykes, reservoirs, and waterways), and communication routes.
Angkor was the center of the Khmer Kingdom for a few hundred years. The site is a great collection of things that show how far people have come. It has great landmarks, some old city plans that are unique, and a lot of water.
Sanctuaries like Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Preah Khan, and Ta Prohm are great examples of Khmer architecture. They are also deeply connected to their landscapes and have a lot of symbolic meaning. The way the Khmer Empire’s new capitals were built and how they looked said a lot about their social status and place in society.
So, Angkor is an important place because it has social, strict, and representative qualities as well as high building, archeological, and creative significance. The recreation center is full of people, and there are many towns spread out all over it.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Cambodia (3). Some of these towns can be traced all the way back to the time of Angkor. The people practice gardening and, even more specifically, rice farming.
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza, Mexico (1988)
During the Classic period, the town of Chichen-Itza was built near two natural depressions called cenotes or chenes. This is how the town got its name, “At the edge of the well of the Itzaes.” The water in the cenotes came from water that was deep underground.
Different nearby records give different dates for this settlement: some say it was built between 415 and 435 A.D., while others say it was built in 455 A.D. The town that grew up around the area known as Chichen Viejo once had important landmarks and a lot of interest: the Nunnery, the Church, Akab Dzib, Chichan Chob, the Temple of the Panels, and the Temple of the Deer.
Between the sixth and tenth centuries, they were built in the style that was typical of the Maya. They were then used in both the north and south of the Puuc slopes. The second Chichen-Itza settlement, which is the most important one for historians, was where Toltec heroes moved from the Mexican level to the south in the tenth century.
According to the most well-known version, the King of Tula, Ce, Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, or Kukulkan, as the Maya interpreted the name, took the city around 967 A.D. Also, the year 987 A.D. After Yucatán won, there was a recent trend of mixing Maya and Toltec customs, which shows how well people can adapt.
The Mayan city of Chichen-Itza is a good example of this mix. Exact models are the Caracol, a round observatory for the heavens whose name comes from the twisting stairs that lead up to it, and El Castillo, a fort, in the group of buildings to the south (otherwise called the Temple of Kukulkan).
Around El Castillo are porches where the most impressive buildings were built. To the north-west are the Great Ball Court, Tzompantli or the Skull Wall, the sanctuary known as the Jaguar Temple, and the House of Eagles. To the north-east are the Temple of the Warriors, the Group of the Thousand Columns, the Market, and the Great Ball Court. To the south-west is the Tomb of the High Priest.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Mexico (35). After the 13th century, Chichen-Itza doesn’t seem to have built any important landmarks, and the city fell apart quickly after 1440. Not until 1841 A.D. were the remains found.
How to arrive? Chichen-Itza is about 125 miles from Cancun and 75 miles from Merida. Most people visit it on their way from one place to another. The confirmation fee is 188 MXN per person and free for kids under 12 years old. The site is open from 8am to 5pm every day.
The Great Wall, China (1987)
The Great Wall of China is one of those obvious bucket-list places that have been making people happy for a long time. It has a length of about 6,000 kilometers and winds through forests and mountains. This huge wall, which connects parapets and lookouts, was built over a long period of time. The oldest parts date back to the seventh century BC.
Today, you can choose to just visit the wall on a road trip from a place like Beijing, or you can take multiple trips to see the whole thing. Some parts of the divider have been put back together, but other parts need serious repairs. Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of China (56)
How to arrive? You can get to the dividing line from Beijing by going to Badaling, Juyongguan, Mutianyu, or Jinshanling. Badaling is only 76 kilometers (47 miles) from Beijing.
Public transportation will get you there, and it will only cost you 12 CNY. It takes less than two hours each way. For the divider, tickets cost between 30 and 60 RMB. Depending on which part of the wall you visit, the hours change.
Taj Mahal, India (1983)
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, was built in the 1600s as a sign of eternal love. This white marble tomb, which was built for Emperor Shah Jahan’s late wife, is a must-see for everyone. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
Every year, between 2 and 4 million people come to see the Taj, so there have been ongoing restrictions on the travel industry to help protect the site. In any case, the air pollution that’s ruining the marble is the biggest threat.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of India (40). How to arrive? The site is open Saturday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but it is closed on Fridays. What do adults cost? Kids don’t pay the 1,000 INR.
Rapa Nui National Park, Chile (1995)
Rapa Nui National Park is a safe place to see wild animals in Chile. It is on Easter Island and protects the Rapa Nui culture. This culture shared things that had never been seen before, such as design and model in the Polynesian setting.
Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world. It is 3,700 kilometers from the coast of Chile and has a land area of 16,628 hectares. The World Heritage property is about 7,000 hectares and includes four nearby islands.
The island was settled by a small group of people from Eastern Polynesia near the end of the first thousand years of the Christian era. Their culture was shown in amazing works like the stylized stages called ahu and the monster sculptures called moai, which were made to honor the people who came before them.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Chile (7). The archeological sites in Rapa Nui National Park stand out the most. It is thought that there are about 900 sculptures, more than 300 stylized stages, and a lot of buildings that have to do with farming, funeral traditions, lodging, making things, and other activities.
Archaeological pieces that stand out are the moai, which range in height from 2 to 20 meters and are usually made from yellow–earthy colored magma tuff. Simple picks (toki) made from hard basalt were used to cut the moai, and the slants were then dropped into holes that had just been dug.
There are many different kinds and sizes of them, including those that were being cut, those that were being moved to their last objections—the ahu—, and those that were being destroyed and raised. The quarries (like Rano Raraku) are a priceless example of how they worked together to cut the rocks.
The ahu vary a lot in size and shape. The Ahu Tongariki, with its 15 moai, is the biggest and most impressive. There are some constants, like a raised, rectangular base made of large, worked stones filled with rubble, a slope that is often cleaned up with rearranged beach rocks, and a flat area in front of the stage.
Stone art sites, such as pictographs and petroglyphs, are also very important. They have a wide range of styles, techniques, and themes. There are also rock carvings in the caverns, which are also sites of archeological interest.
There is also a town called Orongo, which stands out because of its location and architecture. Even though it hasn’t gotten as much attention, the useful designs and places to stay are very interesting.
According to some studies, the lack of natural resources led to a biological emergency and the decline of the old Rapa Nui society by the sixteenth century. This led to decay and a deep change that caused these huge landmarks to be destroyed.
The first part of the old religion was replaced by the religion of the man-bird. The town of Orongo, which is near the Rano Kau lava well, is a good example of this religion. 54 semi-underground stone places with curved floor plans add to this sacred place, which is richly decorated with petroglyphs of the man-bird and symbols of wealth. In the 1800s, this religion would come to an end.
The number of people living on Rapa Nui dropped to just over 100 because of colonization, bringing in domesticated animals, forcing the first people to move to smaller areas, the emotional effects of new diseases, and, most importantly, subjugation.
The island is now owned by relatives of the ancient Rapa Nui as well as workers from different foundations. Together, these people make up a large, mixed population. How to arrive? Normal business air service from Santiago can get you to the island. Most of Easter Island is small, so it is possible to get around without too much trouble.
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites, United Kingdom (1986)
Stonehenge, Avebury, and Associated Sites, which is on the list of World Heritage sites, is important all over the world because it has a lot of amazing old landmarks. Stonehenge is the oldest stone circle with the most modern arrangement of stones. Avebury is the largest.
Along with related landmarks and scenes, they show formal and funeral home works from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. These works were made because the area was used and marked for around 2000 years, from about 3700 BC to 1600 BC. So, they talk about an interesting part of our collective history.
The World Heritage site is in Chalkland, which is in the south of Britain. It is made up of two areas where buildings from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages were put together. Each area has a central stone circle and henge, as well as many other important landmarks.
At Stonehenge, these include the Avenue, the Cursuses, Durrington Walls, Woodhenge, and the most dense grouping of burial hills in Britain. At Avebury, they include Windmill Hill, the West Kennet Long Barrow, the Sanctuary, Silbury Hill, the West Kennet and Beckhampton Avenues, the West Kennet Palisaded Enclosures, and important pushcarts.
Stonehenge is one of the most famous ancient large landmarks in the world because of the size of its stone structures, the precision of its concentric arrangement and structural plan, the way the stones were shaped, and the fact that it was made with both Wiltshire Sarsen sandstone and Pembroke Bluestone.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of United Kingdom (33). At Avebury, the huge Henge, which has the largest ancient stone circle on the planet, and Silbury Hill, which is the largest ancient hill in Europe, show the amazing design skills that were used to make earthen and large structures that stand out.
In the World Heritage property, there are many ancient settlements, cemeteries, and large earth and stone structures that have lasted for a very long time. Along with their settings, they now set up scenes like no one else. The amount of time and effort that went into making these buildings shows that they were very important to the people who made them.
They tell us about the funeral home and stylized facts of the time, and they show that people in the past were creative, clever, and knowledgeable about the universe. The careful placement of landmarks in relation to the landscape helps us learn more about the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.
How should I get there? At 6.30 in the morning, trains leave London for Salisbury on the dot. From March 30 to May 31, Stonehenge is open from 9:30 am to 7 pm, from June 1 to August 31, from 9 am to 8 pm, from September 1 to October 15, and from October 16 to March 29, from 9:30 am to 5 pm. Prices for adults start at 17.50 GBP and for kids at 10.50 GBP.
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Italy (1980)
The World Heritage property includes the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls as well as all of Rome’s famous landmarks inside the city walls when they were at their largest in the 17th century. The property is confusing and spread out, but it has some of the best archaeological sites in a city setting, which makes it a very well-known collection.
Romulus and Remus are said to have started the city on the banks of the Tiber river in 753 B.C. Rome was the center of the Roman Republic at first; Then, at the end of the Roman Empire, it became the capital of the Christian world in the fourth century. From the fourth century on, Christian Rome took over from Old Rome.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List of Italy (58). The Christian city was built on top of the old city, using the same buildings, materials, and spaces. From the 15th century on, the Popes did a lot to improve the city and its appearance, making it more like the Renaissance and, later, the Baroque styles.
From the time it was founded, Rome has always been a part of the history of people. As the capital of a kingdom that ruled the Mediterranean world for a long time, Rome became the center of the Christian world from that point on.