Italy boasts 58 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, making it no surprise that Italy boasts the greatest concentration of historical places. Beijing will open up your eyes to China’s imperial past while Xi’an boasts the extravagant tomb complex of Qin Shi Huang.
Machu Picchu may be Peru’s best-known historical landmark, but there’s much more to discover in this exquisite country.
1. Forbidden City
The Forbidden City in Beijing is the world’s largest palace complex, and its name reflects that only until 1912 did only China’s Emperor himself have access to its hallowed walls, ruling China from his seat on the Dragon Throne or state rooms within Outer Court. Ceremonial spaces within Forbidden City reinforced an ideal of cosmic order in Confucian ideology as well as hierarchical stratification through ritual practiced here.
In 1368, Emperor Wu moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing and started construction of this palace to consolidate his power and defend against attacks from Mongol invaders. Its vast compound features numerous halls designed with precise symmetry; coronations ceremonies were often held here for special events such as investitures or royal weddings held here; coronation events also took place here while living halls in Inner Court were surrounded by an organic garden where yellow glazed tiles adorned its buildings as decorations; legend has it that narrow pathways between palaces were sometimes used transport bodies following fire or natural disaster – giving Forbidden City an otherworldly reputation!
2. Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is one of the world’s most revered historic landmarks. A large temple complex in Cambodia with both Buddhist and Hindu temples, it was constructed during King Suryavarman II’s Khmer Empire reign (1113-1150).
A spectacle of beauty and wonder! This marvel boasts over 213 foot-tall sandstone pillars that radiate power while its massive bas-reliefs depict religious stories and mythological tales.
At its height, this site was larger than modern-day Los Angeles. The scale is incredible – at its height it was larger than LA today. At its core is an extremely hierarchical society reflected by palaces, temples and city structures designed by social classes or ranks reflected by designs of palaces, temples or city structures. Discovered again by French explorer Henri Mouhot in 1840s it became a world heritage site and archaeologists are still trying to understand its significance, using LiDar laser scanning technique which maps ruins or uncover hidden temples which would take years otherwise.
3. Bagan
Bagan, Myanmar is an archaeological zone teeming with thousands of temples, stupas and monasteries dating back millennia – making it one of the world’s most significant historical places – rivaling both Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu in terms of importance and history.
This region was the hub of an extensive economic, social and political network during the golden age of Buddhist empire between 11th and 13th centuries, producing over 3,500 temples, monasteries and fortifications that still stand today.
Bagan’s many monuments still maintain a high degree of authenticity when it comes to scale, materials, designs and antiquity despite its large scale and antiquity. Unfortunately, Bagan has suffered damage due to natural disasters in the past and requires regular maintenance in order to retain its integrity.
Myanmar renewed efforts to get Mandalay listed as a cultural heritage site after transitioning from military rule began in 2011. It will officially be registered during an upcoming meeting of UN’s cultural body.
4. Stonehenge
Stonehenge may be one of the world’s most iconic sites, yet this mysterious Neolithic monument represents only a portion of Britain’s ancient sites. Scotland alone features thousands of stone circles such as Calanais.
There’s still some mystery as to the purpose of these structures, but one theory suggests they could have had some kind of astronomical function. Tracking the movements of sun, stars and moon across an ancient circle of stones might have enabled people to keep track of seasons and predict when harvest or planting would take place.
Quarry Wood in Moray is another mysterious stone circle, located high up in the landscape with an intriguing view. Excavations there have unearthed burial cairns and early Bronze Age pottery from its excavation; archaeologists are currently exploring whether or not the site was used for funerary or ceremonial purposes. Archaeologists are exploring an outside bank which might have served to block view from within its borders.
