Spain
These large burial mounds are built out of enormous stones, similar to England's Stonehenge. The vast interior chambers contain enough room for hundreds of people, most likely prominent families, though the true history of who built and used these structures remains a mystery.
(image via Wikimedia)
Antigua and Barbuda
The natural protection of English Harbour cemented the importance of Nelson's Dockyard to the Colonial British Navy as a port-of-call to escape hurricanes. Historic buildings and houses from the mid-1700s have since been restored and are now open to the public after having once fallen into disrepair. It's important to mention that the construction of these buildings would not have been possible without the forced labor of African slaves.
(image via Flickr)
Turkey
Though it now stands in ruins, the city of Ani's population once peaked at around 100,00, an impressive number for the 10th century. After repeated Mongol invasions and a disastrous earthquake, the city was gradually abandoned. Ani's largest claim to fame during antiquity was the incredible number of churches to which it was home, and the ruins of the Cathedral of Ani remain standing to this day.
(image via Flickr)
India
This ancient Buddhist monastery from the 200s BCE has been abandoned since at least the 13th century. Even still, it has left an indelible impact upon modern Tibetan Buddhism. As a center of religious learning for over 800 years, the excavation site is a treasure trove of Buddhism's development and spread.
(image via Flickr)
Greece
Located in eastern Greece, the ancient city of Philippi has been at the confluence of three different early cultures: ancient Greek, ancient Roman, and early Christian communities. Remains of Roman architecture remain, such as public buildings and governmental plazas. The apostle Paul also visited the city to preach the early tenants of Christianity. His and Timothy's letters to the early church community are included in most versions of the Bible as the Epistle to the Philippians.
(image via Flickr)
Gibraltar
The caves located in these British limestone cliffs were home to Neanderthals nearly 100,000 years ago. Ongoing archeological excavations have uncovered rudimentary tools and other signs of habitation, including rock engravings.
(image via Instagram)
Micronesia
The "Venice of Micronesia," Nan Madol was the home of the ruling family of the Pohnpei people. Numerous canals wound their way past palaces, tombs, and temples. Today, however, all that remains are the walls and large stones used in the construction of these incredible structures.
(image via Instagram)
Brazil
Famed architect Oscar Niemeyer is a Brazilian treasure. It's no surprise that some of his buildings wound up on the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Known primarily for his modernist architectural designs and city layouts of the capital Brasília, Niemeyer's Pampulha Modern Ensemble brought those same sensibilities to the city of Belo Horizonte.
(image via Flickr)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
These distinctive tombstones are scattered all across the Balkans, but the majority reside in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dating from the 1100s to the 1500s, the decorative carvings give insights into Medieval European communities and even include now-extinct versions of the Cyrillic alphabet. By declaring them World Heritage Sites, UNESCO hopes to bring more attention to the over 90% that are in disrepair.
(image via Instagram)
Worldwide
This World Heritage Site entry is one of the few that is located throughout the world. Le Corbusier, the pseudonym of Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, was a French-Swiss architect whose buildings became the foundations of modernist design. One of his most famous designs, Notre Dame du Haut, comprises an entirely concrete construction with a pillow-shaped roof that seems to float on top of the building's walls.
(image via Instagram)
Iran
The Middle East's answer to Europe's famous aqueducts was the qanat water system. In use for well over a millennium, the traditional water system consists of channels and shafts that reach aquifers deep under the desert. The system brought fresh water for human and agriculture, allowing communities to flourish in the arid climate of the region.
(image via Instagram)
China
Located in southern China, near Vietnam, these cliff paintings depict human forms and celebration customs of the L?c Vi?t people. Few markers remain of this ancient culture besides this artwork.
(image via Wikimedia)
Mexico
Famed for their pristine and diverse environment, the Revillagigedo Islands are home to numerous specious of birds not found anywhere else in the world. The Pacific islands, just west of mainland Mexico, are also popular with scuba divers and snorkelers for the large numbers of rays, dolphins, and sharks that swim through their waters.
(image via Flickr)
China
One of the largest forests of central China, the Sehnnongjia district's economic activity at one time focused heavily on logging. Since 2000 however, forest cutting has ceased completely and the district is now a nature reserve, preserving over 1,000 square miles. Not only are the forests among some of the oldest in the country, they are also some of its most diverse.
(image via Instagram)
Iran
While Death Valley, California, can boast the hottest air temperatures on the planet, the Loot Desert contains some of the hottest land temperatures. The sand in this region has been measured as hot as 159°F. But it's not the extreme heat for which the Loot Desert received its designation. The area contains some of the tallest, and most consistently changing, sand dunes of any desert in the world.
(image via Instagram)
Canada
Woot. Cliffs. What's so special about cliffs, you ask? These narrow cliffs along the Newfoundland and Labrador coastline contain numerous well-preserved fossils. That in itself isn't particularly unusual, but what really makes these fossils special is that they are believed to be some of the first large fossils following the period of when only microorganisms populated the earth.
(image via Instagram)
Sudan
Much of northern and western Sudan may be covered in desert, but off the country's eastern coast lies an ecological diverse hot spot. The island of Mukawwar and the surrounding area of the nature reserve include miles of shoreline and a Dead Sea coral reef that teem with fish and other marine wildlife.
(image via Twitter)
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
UNESCO declared the Chinese eastern portion of this mountain range a World Heritage Site in 2013, so it only makes sense that the organization finish what they started by also including the western portion. Not only is the area home to ecologically important forests and wildlife, but the mountain range is also held as a sacred location in the Taoist religious tradition.
(image via Instagram)
Chad
Not only do these deep valleys create pockets of water that support dwindling numbers of wildlife, due to desertification, but the canyons and caves also feature rock carvings from bygone cultures, including at Niola Doa.
(image via Wikimedia)
India
Named after the third-tallest mountain in the world, this Indian national park is popular for its hiking trails, though permits are required since it is a protected area. The area's winter accumulation also allows for snow-specific animals such as leopards, bears, and mountain goats.
(image via Instagram)
Iraq
This area of southern Iraq includes both man-made and natural creations. Four specific marshes have been inscribed, all between the Tigris and the Euphrates, that cradled an environment necessary for permanent communities. Three of those cities, now archeological sites, are also included in the designation as being home to the oldest settlements in recorded human history.
(image via Wikimedia)
