Agile Personal Development

With over 851 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, choosing which ones should be on your must-see list is a daunting task. Trust me, I’ve been trying to figure it out for myself recently, and there are a lot of good choices.

I’ve compiled this list of the Top 10 cultural sites, focused on the world’s history and heritage.

1. Athens, Greece. Here is the birthplace of democracy, a key development in the world. This is where you’ll find the Acropolis, one of Top 10 archaeological sites in world. Also where Western Philosophy (and some would say Western Civilization) began with those guys you know about but have never really studied (shame on you!) - Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
2. Chichen Itza, Mexico. This site in the Yucatan area of Mexico contains the ruins of one of the greatest centers of the Mayan civilization. It is also one of the 7 New Wonders of the World, and one of the Top 10 archaeological sites in the world (see link above).
3. Egyptian Pyramids. Specifically, most people think of the Giza Necropolis, site of the Great Pyramid (the only remaining site of the original 7 Wonders of the World). These are great artifacts of the life and times of Ancient Egypt.
4. Great Wall of China. While there are a number of significant cultural sites within China representing different dynasties, such as the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an (Qin dynasty), or the Forbidden City in Beijing (Ming dynasty), the building of the Great Wall spans across both of these dynasties (almost 2000 years).
5. Kyoto, Japan. As the capital of Imperial Japan for over 1000 years, there are many historical sites to see. Make sure you check out a few of the Top 20 Zen Gardens in the world, such as Ryoan-ji. Sit and ponder more than just your navel.
6. Machu Picchu, Peru. One of the most famous pictures you’ll ever see, this Incan city built high in the Andean mountains is a popular site for hiking. It is also one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
7. Mahabodhi Temple Complex (Bodh Gaya), India. This is one of the holiest sites for Buddhism, as the site where the Buddha’s enlightenment occurred. It also was built during the Gupta period of India, also known as the “Golden Age of India“. This was when the concept of the number zero was first developed, as well as significant work in astronomy (I read a rumor the Kama Sutra was written then as well). Alternatively, the Taj Mahal is another major site representing Indian heritage (built during the reign of the Mughal Empire) that is quite a bit more famous, and also one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
8. Old City of Jerusalem. This location is considered holy by three of the world’s major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (you could call it a “threefer”). This is also where the Dead Sea Scrolls currently are on display, their texts dating back to before 100 AD.
9. Rome, Italy. In addition to being the capital of the Roman Republic and Empire, it also includes the sites of the Holy See (the government of the Catholic Church) and Vatican City, including St. Peter’s Basilica (one of the holiest sites for Christianity) and the Sistine Chapel (you recognize the Sistine Chapel of course, where some famous guy painted something on ceiling). The Vatican museums are considered by some to be one of the Top 10 in the world. The Colosseum has recently been named one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
10. St. Petersburg, Russia. This location was built by Peter the Great, who established the Russian Empire and St. Petersburg as its capital. It is also the site of the Hermitage, one of the Top 10 Museums in the World. And if you don’t that is good enough reason to go, the fact that AskMen.com says this is one of the top 10 World Heritage Sites should convince you.

Making a list like this is difficult, since there are a number of criteria that can be used. My criteria was that all of them had to be on the UNESCO list of cultural World Heritage Sites, and I also have attempted to capture those sites which represent major civilizations or empires in the world’s history, including some of the key sites for the world’s religions. From the Roman Empire to the Incas, from the Japanese Shogun era to Ancient Egypt, I’ve tried to cover the major locations that have influenced the development of world cultures.

There are two others that deserve honorable mentions: Istanbul, Turkey (formerly known as Constantinople), the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and Paris, France whose significant cultural heritage includes the French monarchy and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.

Any ideas on other sites? Also, if you’ve been to any of the above sites, I’m interested in whether you think they are worth it and truly represent the major sites of world history and heritage.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 10:22 pm and is filed under Implementation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.