New Asian Sites Added to World Heritage List
This week, the World Heritage Committee added 19 cultural sites and eight natural sites to the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Among these additions were some sites from Cambodia and Malaysia.
Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca (Malaysia)
Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca (Malaysia) have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.
Situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia, the buildings that make up the sanctuary are dedicated to Shiva. The temple dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its complex history can be traced to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded. This site is particularly well-preserved, mainly due to its remote location near the border with Thailand. The site is exceptional for three reasons: its natural situation on a promontory, with sheer cliffs overlooking a vast plain and mountain range; the quality of its architecture adapted to the natural environment and religious function of the temple; and, finally, the exceptional quality of the carved stone ornamentation of the temple.
I hope the dispute with Thailand over the Temple Preah Vihear gets resolved soon. Part of the temple apparently lies on Thai territory, and if a dual nation listing is what it’ll take to settle the issue, why not?
Tags: Asia, asia travel blog, asia-holidays, asia-travel, Cambodia, george town, holidays, malacca, Malaysia, melacca, melaka, Preah Vihear, travel, unesco, unesco world heritage list, world heritage, world heritage sitesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Asia Travel News, Asian City Tours, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand
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