UNESCO world heritage sites
UNESCO world heritage sites
Recently, UNESCO has voted to remove ‘Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City’ from its ‘World Heritage List’.
- The committee cited the “irreversible loss of attributes conveying the outstanding universal value of the property” as a reason for the removal of the site from the world heritage list.
- Along with this, Rudreswara Temple of Telangana has been declared as the 39th World Heritage Site of India.
- On July 25, 2021, the 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to declare it a ‘World Heritage Site’. Rudreshwar Temple (also known as Ramappa Temple) was proposed by the Government of India for the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag, 2019.
What are ‘World Heritage Sites’?
- World Heritage sites are classified as natural or man-made areas or works of art of international importance and in need of special protection.
- These sites are officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- UNESCO considers sites classified as World Heritage as important to humanity, as these sites have cultural and physical importance.
- The protection of ‘World Heritage Sites’ is done under an international treaty named ‘Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’ adopted by UNESCO in the year 1972.
Key Points:
- The list of World Heritage Sites is administered by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO and prepared under the International World Heritage Programme. This committee consists of 21 member countries of UNESCO elected by the United Nations General Assembly.
- Each World Heritage Site, where it is located, remains part of the statutory territory of that country, and UNESCO considers its protection to be in the interest of the international community.
- In order to be selected as a World Heritage Site, a site must already be classified as a unique, distinctive landmark or symbol as a site of cultural or physical significance, both geographically and historically distinct.
Types of World Heritage Sites:
- ‘Cultural heritage sites’: It includes historical buildings and city sites, important archaeological sites and monumental sculptures or paintings etc.
- Natural heritage sites: These are confined to natural areas.
- ‘Mixed heritage sites’: The ‘heritage sites’ included under this have elements of both natural and cultural importance.
Rudreshwar Temple
- The Rudreshwar Temple, which is located at Palampet in Mulugu, Telangana state, was built in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire.
- This temple was built by Recharla Rudra, the general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Dev.
- Ramalingeswara Swamy is the presiding deity of this temple.
- This temple is also known as Ramappa Mandir, Ramappais was the sculptor of the temple, after whom it is named, who worked in this temple for forty years. The temple complexes built during the reign of the Kakatiyas have a distinct style, decoration and technique.
Source – The Hindu
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