World Heritage Sites in Latin America.

In the last few years, UNESCO has intensified its efforts to preserve and restore monuments and other cultural properties of Latin America, whose countries are increasingly aware of the importance of their cultural heritage as a factor of cultural identity, as well as the place of this heritage in the overall development of Latin American countries.

In 1974, a regional program began with six countries in the Andean region (Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador). This program, funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), was so successful that it stimulated the emergence of a number of other programs initiated by some Latin American countries. Many different activities arose in areas such as the training of professional personnel, the inventory and conservation of monuments and other treasures, and in urban planning.

Since 1975, a training program has been organized annually in Cusco, Peru, along with courses in the conservation of architectural monuments, archaeological ruins and other works of art. More than a hundred students from these six countries received scholarships to attend theoretical and practical courses taught by more than 40 world-renowned experts.

UNESCO takes an active part in the implementation of such programs.

Photo – UNESCO

Laboratories-workshops for the restoration of works of painting and sculpture were also created in La Paz (Bolivia) and Quito (Ecuador), and the scope of activities of existing laboratories-workshops in Santiago (Chile), Lima (Peru) and Bogota (Colombia) was expanded.

All countries participating in this regional program have begun the urgent task of compiling an inventory of all their historical buildings and other works of art, with the assistance of a large number of experts and consultants.

Specialists in a wide range of fields of knowledge were called upon to address the problems of conservation of mud brick, stone, paper, wood, ceramics and metal, as well as the restoration of colonial buildings and issues related to museums and the preservation and planning of historic cities.

Seminars and symposia are also held with the participation of world-renowned experts on topics such as “preservation of historical cities” (Quito, Ecuador), “Museology” (Bogota, Colombia) and “Inventory of monuments” (Santiago, Chile).

The main goal of the regional program is to introduce as widely as possible the cultural heritage of Latin America and to increase participation in the program of people living near historical monuments. To achieve this goal, exhibitions are created, lectures, symposiums, round table discussions are organized, brochures and articles are published, and radio and television broadcasts are conducted. A noteworthy example of such activity is the exhibition entitled “5000 years of Peruvian fabric”, exhibited in Lima in

UNESCO is also involved in another large program in Latin America, the COPESCO plan, in which Peru and UNESCO cooperate in the field of cultural and economic development in the area between Cusco and Lake Titicaca. The objectives of the plan are, firstly, to preserve pre-colonial and colonial monuments, especially numerous in this area, which was once the center of the Inca Empire, and secondly, to encourage the development of tourism. Because pilgrimage to these historical monuments can help develop the economy and improve the currently low standard of living in the area.

In the initial stages of this plan, UNESCO is making its expertise in restoration techniques available to Peru. The work will be financed by the Peruvian government and the Inter-American Development Bank.

In accordance with the wishes of the Government of Peru, UNESCO will continue to provide technical assistance on specific restoration problems. Many specialists and consultants work together with Peruvian specialists in areas such as archaeology, architectural restoration, painting and sculpture, as well as museology and urban planning. The workshop/laboratory in Cusco also serves as a center for regional training courses taught by world-renowned experts.

In addition to these two broad projects, UNESCO is involved in a number of other specialized activities related to the conservation of the cultural heritage of Latin America. Together with Honduras, UNESCO is helping to preserve the site of an ancient Mayan settlement near Copán and is helping Guatemala rebuild the damage caused by last year's earthquakes. UNESCO is also collaborating with Panama in compiling an inventory of the country's historical monuments and with Brazil in organizing training courses for specialists in the restoration of monuments and in the conservation of historic towns and villages.

Finally, UNESCO is working closely with Argentina and Uruguay on the conservation and restoration of the ruins of the Jesuit missions; with Uruguay - on the research and excavation of prehistoric settlements near Salto Grande; with Bolivia - on the conservation of archaeological sites and restoration of old Jesuit settlements in the east of the country; and with a training center in Churubusco in Mexico.

At the end of 2002, 104 sites were included in the UNESCO List, located in 23 countries in this region. Most of them

— in Mexico (22),

- in Brazil (16) and

— in Peru (10)

Of these, 71 objects cultural heritage

Chronologically, they cover the period of time from the second millennium BC to the present day. But basically they represent the periods of the Middle Ages and modern times. Accordingly, they can be divided into objects of the pre-Columbian and post-Columbian eras

TO pre-Columbian era

The heritage sites of the three already mentioned Latin American civilizations are included.

In Mesoamerica these are world famous

- monuments of the Mayan Indians - ruins of the cities of Palenque,

Chichen Itza,

Uxmal in Mexico,

on the Yukotan Peninsula,

Copan in Honduras

- monuments of the Aztec era in Central Mexico (Teotihuacan).

They are characterized by such monumental structures as

like step pyramids-teocalli,

palaces of rulers,

ball game courts.

In the Andean region, many objects date back to this era.

in Peru - the famous mysterious geoglyphs of the Nazca desert,

— fragments of the ancient Incan capital of Cusco

in Colombia - archaeological parks of San Agustin and Tierradentro

in Bolivia - the archaeological region of Tiwanaku near Lake. Titicaca

With a certain degree of convention, the world-famous stone statues of Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, described by Thor Heyerdahl and other travelers, can be attributed to the Andean region

Post-Columbian era

Associated mainly with the Spanish and Portuguese colonization of Central and South America after the start of the Great Geographical Discoveries.

From Spanish Heritage objects of this era include

- cities with a rectangular layout characteristic of Spanish architecture of that time, a central square (“Plaza Mayor”), numerous Catholic cathedrals and monasteries, and palaces of the nobility.

In the West Indies this is, for example,

— Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, associated with

named after Columbus

- the old part of Havana with its fortifications in Cuba

In Central America

- historical centers of Mexico City, Puebla - in Mexico

- cities and fortresses in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama

— monuments of Cartagena in Venezuela,

Quito in Ecuador,

Cusco in Peru

- mining town of Potosi in Bolivia

Legacy of colonial Portugal widely represented in Brazil (the cities of Salvador, Olinda, Ouro Preto, etc.)

To objects modern times include

- the new capital of Brazil - the city of Brasilia, designed and built by Brazilian architects Luis Costa and Oscar Niemeyer and having in plan the symbolic shape of an airplane with a “fuselage” and “wings”. This is one of the most grandiose and organic urban planning projects of the 20th century in terms of design and execution.

Objects natural heritage in the region 30.

These are national parks and reserves. Most Famous

— Iguazu in Brazil and Argentina

— Los Glaciares in Argentina

— Manu in Peru

— Galapagos Islands in Ecuador

World of travel

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This wonderful continent, fraught with so many mysteries and surprises, inspired both Jules Verne when he wrote his novel about adventures in Patagonia, “The Children of Captain Grant,” and Arthur Conan Doyle, who came up with “The Lost World” here, at the foot of Roraima. The main attractions of South America are unique natural sites, but in our top there is room for several other pearls of the continent.

All of Rio is in front of you

One of the most famous attractions of South America (and, in particular, Brazil) remains the 38-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The Savior extends his hands over the city (their span reaches 30 meters), as if blessing everyone below. You can climb to the top of Mount Corcovado (on which the statue is installed) by electric train. The foot of Jesus has the best views of the bay and city, so the climb is a must!

For what offense were they buried in the ground?

Chile boasts another unique attraction in South America - Easter Island. Its main decoration is the giant statues (moai), around which the Rapa Nui National Reserve is organized. The statues (of which there are almost nine hundred) represent the heads of people, as if dug into the ground. The height and weight of the giants varies; they are made of fairly light rocks (tuff or basalt compounds, in other words, compressed volcanic ash). All the giants look towards the center of the island. Scientists claim that the moai were made in the 12th-15th centuries.

Abandoned by the ancient Incas

Another mysterious place - the lost settlement of the ancient Incas - is located in Peru. This is Machu Picchu; many people, including celebrities, dream about traveling here (for example, Katy Perry wrote such a trip on her “bucket list”). Machu Picchu rises on a plateau (about 2 thousand meters above sea level). The city was built in the middle of the 15th century, the Spanish conquistadors did not reach it, but where the inhabitants went is a big question. The Incas left their homes around the 1530s. But impressive buildings remained - residential buildings, temples, public buildings, staircases, which are well preserved to this day. Machu Picchu is one of the most interesting historical sites, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Lost World of Roraima

Now let’s admire the main natural attractions of South America! We have already mentioned Arthur Conan Doyle; his novel “The Lost World” was written after the writer and scientist visited the Guiana Highlands. Everything here is unique - from the fauna to the waterfalls. The bizarre landscape and mysterious haze over Mount Roraima invariably attract travelers. The 1,600-kilometer plateau stretches from north to south and passes through Brazil and Venezuela.

Mysterious Andes

The Andes mountain range (the length of which is over 7.3 thousand km) crosses the entire continent of South America and ends in the Cordillera in North America. Sparkling glaciers, stubborn volcanoes and high peaks reaching 6000 m, as well as picturesque valleys and the sources of mighty rivers - that’s what the Andes are. Fantastic area! The highest mountain in the chain is the Argentine peak of Aconcagua (6960 m).

Few people dare to visit the remote corner of the Andes, the harsh Atacama Plateau - after all, this is the driest desert on the planet. There is almost no precipitation here, and the altitude above sea level makes the Atacama climate not very favorable for travel.

Oases are scarce, salt lakes are not suitable for drinking (although beautiful). But this land has its secrets. So, in 2003, a strange mummy was found here (called the Atacama humanoid), and in 2010, a section of the desert was covered with snow.

In Atacama there is an interesting monument - the Hand of the Desert, at which tourists are sure to take pictures.

What a swamp!

Do you remember Vodyanoy’s song from the cartoon “The Flying Ship”? There were these words: “Eh, my life, little money, let it go to the swamp...”. But we are sure that if a fairy-tale character saw this swamp, he would instantly fall in love with it! The Pantanal is the largest swamp on Earth, located in Brazil and affecting the territory of Bolivia and Paraguay. The rich flora and fauna of this “swamp” (whose area exceeds 195 sq. km) have long been an object of study and a tourist attraction in South America.

Nature for horror films

The Amazon is not only the deepest river on the planet, its main feature remains the almost impenetrable jungle, full of dangerous predators, snakes and insects. In fact, the Amazon lowland is the largest rain forest, stretching from the Atlantic to the Andes and from the Brazilian plateau to the Guiana Highlands. There are so many legends associated with these protected places! It’s no wonder that low-budget horror adventure films (for example, a series about giant killer anacondas) take place on the shores of the Amazon.

Where the rainbow lives

Probably the most picturesque main attractions of South America are its largest waterfalls. The unique complex of Iguazu waterfalls and cascades is located in two countries at once - Argentina and Brazil, and in both of them there are national parks around the water pearl.

Another waterfall, located in Venezuela, is the highest in the world (1054 meters), was discovered in the early 1930s by the pilot Angel and therefore received the name Angel. In 1994, both this waterfall and the adjacent Canaima nature reserve were included in the UNESCO list.

Only for the brave!

The last South American attraction from our top is the dream of the most courageous and risky sailors. This is the extreme, southern tip of the continent, from it it is a stone's throw to Antarctica. We're talking about Cape Horn, home to penguins and sea animals that don't mind the cold.

Almost six centuries ago, Ferdinand Magellan sailed here, who discovered the Tierra del Fuego archipelago (the Horn is part of it). Look closely at the wave-cut landscape of this protected corner of the planet – it’s fantastically beautiful.

To be included on the World Heritage List, a natural site must fully meet at least one of the following criteria:

I - Provide a clear example of the reflection of the main stages in the history of the Earth, including traces of ancient life, serious geological processes that continue to occur in the development of the forms of the earth's surface, significant geomorphological or physiographic features of the relief (in other words, we are talking about a special paleontological, geological and geomorphological value );

II - Provide a clear example of important and long-term ecological and biological processes occurring in the evolution and development of terrestrial, river, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals (this is a criterion of natural landscape diversity);

III - Include unique natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value (criterion of natural beauty)

IV - Include natural habitats of great importance and significance in terms of the conservation of biological diversity in them, including habitats of endangered species that represent an outstanding global heritage from the point of view of science and nature conservation (this is biodiversity, with an emphasis on rare and endangered plant species and animals that are listed in the Red Book)

Objects of a cultural and natural nature can be included in the UNESCO List only if they meet not only any natural criterion (or several of them), but at least one of the cultural criteria, i.e. such an object should:

I - To be a creation of the creative genius of man;

II - Reflect the impact that the alternation of universal human values ​​within a certain period of time or a certain cultural region of the world has on the development of architecture or technology, urban planning or planning scales;

III - Be a unique or at least exceptional evidence of a cultural tradition or civilization, existing or disappeared;

IV - Present a clear example of a type of structure, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape that illustrates an important stage(s) in the development of human history;

V - Provide a clear example of traditional human settlement or land use characteristic of a culture (or cultures), especially if they are destroyed by irreversible change;

VI - Be directly or significantly associated with events or life traditions, ideas or views, works of literature and art that represent outstanding global heritage.

The Mayan pyramids are visited by millions of visitors to the region every year. And these monumental buildings have a truly stunning effect on each of them. They are still trying to unravel the mystery of the pyramids of ancient civilization. Until now, scientists are at a loss as to how people who had no idea what a wheel was could build such grandiose structures.

The appearance of another attraction of Latin America - a city lost in the peaks of the Andes, Machu Picchu, located on the territory of modern Peru - raises no less questions. This city even received the status of a New Wonder of the World about 4 years ago. The city is located on a high mountain plateau and remains almost in its original form. No one can put forward any sensible version about how the structures were erected in Machu Picchu at an altitude of almost 2.5 kilometers. Even the conquistadors, whose level of technical development, as modern researchers say, was much higher than that of the Indians, could not get here. Today Machu Picchu is one of the calling cards not only of Peru, but of all of Latin America.

And Peru has other attractions associated with the Inca era. Here is the same plateau on which gigantic figures of animals and insects are carved. These images were discovered relatively recently, when man had the opportunity to rise into the sky. Until now, even experienced researchers of ancient civilizations cannot explain how these grandiose figures were created with such filigree precision, and how much time it took to complete such work. These figures are located on the Nazca plateau and date back to the pre-Inca period of development. All images are made using the non-separating method, which adds mystery.

For those who wish to see the monumental statue of the Savior, it is worth arriving in Rio de Janeiro. This more than a thousand-ton structure rises above the city on Mount Corcovado. From here you can see other attractions of Rio: the Maracana stadium, Copacabana beach.

A few words must also be said about the Maracanã, because it was once the largest stadium in the world. Today it accommodates 103 thousand spectators, although it once accommodated almost 200,000 spectators. After reconstruction, the Maracana lost the palm, but the match attendance record belongs to it - 199,850 people at the 1950 World Cup final, when the Uruguay team beat the Brazilians.

At the end of 2008, 120 sites in Latin America, located in 30 countries in this region, were included in the UNESCO List. Most of them are in Mexico (28), Brazil (16) and Peru (10).

Of the total number of objects, the vast majority (82) belong to the category of cultural heritage objects. Chronologically, they cover the period of time from the second millennium BC to the present day. But for the most part they represent the periods of the Middle Ages and modern times. Accordingly, they can be divided into objects of the pre-Columbian and post-Columbian eras.

The objects of the pre-Columbian era mainly include the heritage of the three already mentioned Latin American civilizations. In Meso-America, these are such world-famous monuments of the Mayan Indians as the ruins of the cities of Palenque, Chichen Itza, Uxmal in Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula, Copan in Honduras, as well as monuments of the Aztecs in Central Mexico (Teotihuacan). They are characterized by such monumental structures as stepped pyramids-theocalli, palaces of rulers, steles, and ball courts. Most of them were discovered in the 19th century. and now attract numerous tourists. In the Andean region, many objects in Peru (including the famous mysterious geoglyphs of the Nazca desert, fragments of the ancient Incan capital of Cusco), in Colombia (archaeological parks of San Agustin and Tierradentro), in Bolivia (archaeological region of Tiwanaku near Lake. Titicaca). With a certain degree of convention, another world-famous heritage site can be attributed to the Andean region - the stone statues of Fr. Easters in the Pacific Ocean, described by Thor Heyerdahl and many other travelers and explorers.

The post-Columbian era, associated mainly with the Spanish and Portuguese colonization of Central and South America after the beginning of the Great Geographical Discoveries, was also widely reflected in the cultural heritage sites of Latin America (Fig. 243). The objects of this era include mainly cities with a rectangular layout characteristic of Spanish architecture of that time, a central square (“Plaza Mayor”), numerous Catholic cathedrals and monasteries, and palaces of the nobility. In the West Indies, this is, for example, the city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, associated with the name of Columbus, the old part of Havana with its fortifications in Cuba, in Central America - the historical centers of the cities of Mexico City, Puebla and some others in Mexico, as well as cities and fortresses in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama. Of the Spanish heritage of this era in South America, the most famous are the monuments of Cartagena in Venezuela, Quito in Ecuador, Cusco in Peru, and the mining city of Potosi in Bolivia. The legacy of the Portuguese colonial empire is widely represented in Brazil (the cities of Salvador, Olinda, Ouro Preto, etc.).

The objects of recent times in the region include the already mentioned new capital of Brazil - the city of Brasilia, designed and built by Brazilian architects Luis Costa and Oscar Niemeyer and having in plan the symbolic shape of an airplane with a “fuselage” and “wings”. This is one of the most ambitious and organic urban planning projects of the 20th century in concept and execution.

There are 35 World Natural Heritage sites in Latin America. These are mainly national parks and reserves. Among them there are such famous ones as Iguazu in Brazil and Argentina, Los Glaciares in Argentina, Manu in Peru, and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. And among the mixed cultural and natural sites here are the ruins of the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala, the Inca mountain fortresses of Machu Picchu and Rio Abysseo in Peru.

Job Description

To be included on the World Heritage List, a natural site must fully meet at least one of the following criteria:
I - Provide a clear example of the reflection of the main stages in the history of the Earth, including traces of ancient life, serious geological processes that continue to occur in the development of the forms of the earth's surface, significant geomorphological or physiographic features of the relief (in other words, we are talking about a special paleontological, geological and geomorphological value );

Topic 13. Cultural and historical monuments of America

Latin America is a region with an area of ​​20.5 million km2, occupying the southern part of the North American continent and the entire South American continent. Unlike other large regions of the world, the basis for such a distinction was primarily the peculiarities of its colonization in the 16th - 17th centuries. Spain and Portugal, as a result of which almost the entire population of the region, which has already exceeded 500 million people, speaks Spanish and Portuguese, which have a Latin base. On the modern political map of Latin America there are 33 independent states and 12 colonial possessions.

Latin America played a big role in the formation of universal human civilization, introducing many original features into it. After the discovery of America by Columbus, the interpenetration and mutual enrichment of European and American civilizations began. Although it cannot be denied that the Spanish conquistadors, during their conquests, sought to destroy the autochthonous civilizations of Central and South America with fire and sword. All the more great is the value of the cultural heritage preserved from them.

In Latin America, more than 50 cultural and historical sites are included in the World Heritage List, and they are located on the territory of 18 countries in this region. The largest number of cultural heritage sites are in Mexico, Peru and Brazil. Their composition is very diverse: here are archaeological reserves in the locations of numerous “dead” cities, and historical centers of “living” cities (and sometimes entire such cities), and forts, and ports, and individual religious buildings. Their chronological range is very extensive: from the second millennium BC to the second half of the 20th century. Nevertheless, in the most general terms, they can still be grouped into four headings: I) prehistoric time, 2) pre-Columbian era, 3) post-Columbian era, 4) modern times. Moreover, almost all heritage sites belong to the second and third categories, while the first and fourth categories are very poorly represented in the region.