Nine World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites in Vietnam

To date, Vietnam has 9 heritage sites recognized by UNESCO as World Natural and Cultural Heritages, including 5 Cultural Heritages, 3 Natural Heritages and 1 Mixed Heritage.

To date, Vietnam has 9 heritage sites recognized by UNESCO as World Natural and Cultural Heritages, including 5 Cultural Heritages, 3 Natural Heritages and 1 Mixed Heritage.

Ha Long Bay. (Photo: Minh Duc/TTXVN)

At 5:39 p.m. local time (9:39 p.m. on September 16, Vietnam time), in the capital Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved the dossier. Nominate and recognize the Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago (located in Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city) as a World Natural Heritage.

[Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago is a World Natural Heritage]

Thus, up to now, Vietnam has 9 heritage sites recognized by UNESCO as World Natural and Cultural Heritages, including 5 Cultural Heritages, 3 Natural Heritages and 1 Mixed Heritage.

1. Hue Monuments Complex - World Cultural Heritage in 1993

On December 11, 1993, the Hue Monuments Complex was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is the 410th Heritage on the List and the first world heritage of Vietnam to be honored.

The Hue Monuments Complex has 29 relics scattered across Hue city, Huong Tra town, Huong Thuy town and Phu Vang district (Thua Thien-Hue province) with nearly 500 main construction items. mainly made from wood.

Hue Citadel. (Photo: Tuong Vi/TTXVN)

For nearly 400 years (1558-1945), Hue was the Capital of 9 Nguyen Lords (16th-18th centuries) in Dang Trong, the Capital of the Tay Son Dynasty (late 18th century), then the Capital of the The country was unified under the 13th reign of King Nguyen (1802-1945).

The ancient capital of Hue today still preserves tangible and intangible cultural heritage containing many values ​​that represent the intelligence and soul of the Vietnamese people.

2. Ha Long Bay - World Natural Heritage in 1994, 2000

In 1994, Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site for its aesthetic value and was re-recognized for the second time, with exceptional global value in geology and geomorphology in 2000.

The golden sunlight covers the towering mountains in the middle of the sea, creating a majestic, overwhelming scene of Ha Long Bay. (Photo: Pham Hau/VNA)

The area recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site has an area of ​​434km2, including 775 large and small limestone islands - this is one of the original elements constituting heritage value, managed and preserved according to the Law on Heritage. Cultural Assets, Environmental Protection Law; Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage; Regulations on Management, Protection and Promotion of the Value of World Natural Heritage Ha Long Bay. To have a World Natural Heritage like today, Ha Long Bay has gone through a geological history of nearly 400 million years with the process of accumulating thick limestone layers, sinking many times and being eroded by sea water. 3. My Son Relics (Quang Nam) - World Cultural Heritage in 1999

Although heavily devastated by time and war, what remains at My Son still plays an extremely important role in the world's historical, cultural, architectural and artistic heritage.

Construction began in the 4th century by King Bhadravarman (reigned from 349-361) and ended in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, under the reign of King Jaya Simhavarman III (Che Man), My Son is a The complex has more than 70 temples and towers with many architectural and sculptural styles representing each historical period of the Champa kingdom.

My Son temple complex is recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. (Photo: VNA)

Most of the architectural works and sculptures at My Son are influenced by Hinduism.

The temples and towers mostly face the East - the direction of the rising Sun, the abode of the gods; except for a few towers facing West or both East-West directions, expressing the thoughts towards the afterlife of deified kings after death and to show nostalgia for their ancestors.

The main temples in My Son worship a set of Linga or an image of the god Siva - the protector of the Champa kings.

The god worshiped in My Son is Bhadravarman, the king who founded the first king line of the Amaravati region in the 4th century, combined with the name Siva, becoming the main religion worshiping the god-king and royal ancestors.

4. Hoi An ancient town - World Cultural Heritage in 1999

Hoi An in the late 16th and early 17th centuries was an urban place, with bustling trade on the docks and boats.

Many foreign traders such as Japan, China, England, France, Portugal, the Netherlands... came here to set up trading posts, do import-export business and make a living.

Therefore, Hoi An style is a combination of indigenous elements and styles with styles originating from abroad.

Domestic and foreign tourists visit Hoi An ancient town. (Photo: VNA)

Along with many ups and downs of history, the ancient town of Hoi An still retains its most ancient beauty.

This is a relic complex that is preserved almost intact with 1,360 relics including 1,068 ancient houses, 11 ancient wells, 38 clan churches, 19 pagodas, 43 shrines to worship gods, 23 communal houses, 44 ancient tombs. special type and a bridge.

This makes Hoi An a unique place in the annals of modern times.

5. Phong Nha-Ke Bang (Quang Binh) - World Natural Heritage in 2003, 2015

Phong Nha-Ke Bang is located in a limestone mountain area of ​​about 201,000 hectares.

The core area of ​​the national park is 85,754 hectares and a buffer zone of 195,400 hectares.

Characteristics of this national park are limestone formations, 300 caves, underground rivers and rare flora and fauna listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the World Red Book.

Phong Nha Cave is magical and beautiful. (Photo: VNA broadcast)

Experiencing many major changes in stratigraphy and geomorphology, the terrain of this area is extremely complex. Phong Nha-Ke Bang displays impressive evidence of the earth's history, helping researchers understand the geological and topographical history of the region.

On July 5, 2003, at the 27th session, the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO) recognized Vietnam's Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park as a World Natural Heritage with the criteria of exceptional value. global geology and geomorphology.

6. Thang Long Imperial Citadel - World Cultural Heritage in 2010

At Thang Long Imperial Citadel Relics, in addition to a number of existing structures on the ground such as Flag Tower, Doan Mon, Dragon Shelf of Kinh Thien Palace, Hau Lau, Cua Bac..., there are also a large number of architectural vestiges. revealed through archaeological excavations and preserved in situ.

Tourists visit Thang Long Imperial Citadel. (Photo: Thanh Tung/TTXVN)

Relics in different cultural layers overlapping each other are evidence that this is an important political and cultural center of our country from Van Xuan citadel in the 6th century, Tong Binh citadel, An Nam citadel in the 6th century. 7th-9th centuries, capital of Dai Viet through the Ly, Tran, Le, Nguyen dynasties from the 11th to 19th centuries.

The artifacts and architectural ruins found also show a massive system of palaces and attics; At the same time, it adds important knowledge to the understanding of traditional Vietnamese architecture and fine arts.

7. Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (Thanh Hoa) - World Cultural Heritage in 2011

Not the only structure in the country and region with stone architecture, but the Ho Dynasty Citadel is an "unprecedented" demonstration of different and unique construction techniques.

The northern gate of the Ho Dynasty Citadel is built in the style of a rolling arch, with stones arranged in grapefruit segments. (Photo: VNA)

The entire wall and four main gates of the Ho Dynasty Citadel were built in a dome-shaped architecture with blue stone slabs, finely chiseled, square, stacked tightly on top of each other.

The stone slabs have an average length of 1.5m, 1m thick, and weigh 15-20 tons.

The gates are named according to the four main directions: South gate, North gate, East gate, West gate (also known as: Front, Back, Left, Right).

8. Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (Ninh Binh) - Mixed heritage in 2014

With outstanding unique values ​​in aesthetics, landscape, geology, geomorphology and prehistoric habitation traditions, Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage. world in June 2014, becoming the first mixed World Heritage Site in Vietnam. In particular, this place has many scenic relics ranked as special national monuments.

Trang An scenic complex here is blessed by nature with winding limestone mountains surrounding a peaceful river, along with sacred relics and rich and rare flora and fauna. (Photo: Minh Duc/TTXVN)

International geologists evaluate Trang An as one of the places with the most beautiful and attractive karst landscapes in the world, an "outdoor geological museum" more than 250 million years old, and primeval forests. with many rare species of animals and plants.

Trang An limestone blocks are likened to a "fossilized" Ha Long Bay, unique in that they have been invaded and transformed by the sea many times, and over a long period of weathering have emerged on land, creating beautiful landscapes. unusually beautiful.

Coming to Trang An, the most interesting thing is being immersed in nature, with fresh air and quiet space.

The harmony of rocks, rivers, forests and sky in Trang An has together created an extremely lively and captivating natural world.

The panorama of Trang An is covered with lush green forests and majestic cone-shaped towers nearly 200m high, with closed narrow hollows, surrounded by interconnected mountain ridges and swamps connected by a stream system. Underground penetration length up to 1km.

9. Ha Long Bay Complex-Cat Ba Archipelago (Quang Ninh and Hai Phong city) - World Natural Heritage 2023

Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because it has areas of natural beauty including limestone islands covered with vegetation; Sharp limestone peaks rising above the sea surface along with associated karst features such as domes and caves.

Cat Ba archipelago viewed from above. (Photo: VNA)

For Ha Long Bay, this is the third time it has been recognized as a World Natural Heritage.

Previously, in 1994, Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site for its aesthetic value and was re-recognized for the second time, with exceptional global geology-geomorphology value in 2019. 2000./.

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Update day : 18/09/2023