41 Heritage sites to see before you die

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral in Italy. It was built in 1173 and took 200 years to complete. The tower is 55.86 meters high and weighs about 14,453 tons. It has eight floors. The entire tower is made of marble and adopts the Romantic architectural style. The leaning of the Leaning Tower of Pisa began when the third floor was built. Due to the uneven location and the soft soil, it began to tilt continuously. For centuries, the government has spent a lot of money to repair it and tried to pull it back to a horizontal position, but the effect was minimal. Yet, this leaning tower has stood for centuries, surviving numerous earthquakes and remaining intact. People call it the "Tower that Defies Gravity." Today, more tourists visit. The Leaning Tower of Pisa's allure lies not only in its unique tilt but also in its demonstration of humanity's perseverance in the face of natural forces. Standing tall in the Piazza dei Miracoli, it tells it...

  The Source of Wonderland: Why Is Jiuzhaigou Valley   Called a “ Fairy-Tale World ” ? Jiuzhaigou Valley   is located in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, named for the nine Tibetan villages within its valleys. Hailed as a “ fairy-tale world, ” it boasts 114 alpine lakes (haizi) and 17 waterfall clusters. Designated a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1992, its main landscapes comprise three valleys: Shuzheng Valley, Rize Valley, and Zechawa Valley. The lake waters, rich in calcium carbonate and mineral deposits, refract sunlight to create a mesmerizing interplay of blue and green hues, evoking the ethereal beauty of a fairyland.                                                                               The Five-Color Lake of Jiuzhaigou Valley ...

1. Red Cliff and Dan Cliff, Danxia's Ultimate Song Gaoyi Ridge Scenic Spot is located in Chenzhou, Hunan, and is one of the most representative landscapes in the Danxia landform of southern Hunan. It is named after its shape resembling a towering "chair". The mountains here are undulating, and the reddish gravel layers shine brightly in the sunlight, layer by layer like the annual rings of the earth, recording geological changes over billions of years. The most shocking thing is the cliff that stretches for several kilometers, like a giant axe splitting open, standing straight and steep, reaching the top to overlook, the sea of clouds surging, magnificent and magnificent. Gaoyi Ridge Scenic Spot(Source from chinadaily) 2. Green waters surround the mountains, reflecting the emerald screen Danxia does not exist alone, a bay of blue water gently embraces the foot of the mountain, injecting a lively atmosphere into this world. The lake water is clear and its color cha...

On a quiet morning in a Tibetan village, you might spot a group by a stone heap, burning juniper in a small fire as colorful prayer flags flutter nearby — a simple but sacred Weisang ritual. What is Weisang? “Weisang” is a traditional Tibetan ritual. This custom is common in Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, and other Tibetan areas. “Wei” means burning, and “Sang” means purification in Tibetan. Simply put, Weisang is the practice of burning sacred wood and offerings to show respect to gods and spirits. History and Origins Weisang started with Bon, the ancient native religion of Tibet, over a thousand years ago. When Buddhism came to Tibet, it mixed with local culture, and Weisang was kept as part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition. It’s not just for festivals — it’s part of daily life. People do Weisang in the morning, before a trip, during hard times, or after a good harvest.   How is Weisang done? Location : Done in a special burner called a “sang khang.” It’s usually...

Portuguese Folk Dance is a group dance which stemmed from the rural areas of Portugal. It combines traditional folk dance, folk songs and respective instruments. As Portuguese came to Macau, Portuguese Folk Dance continuously integrating local elements throughout the development process. The performers are the local Portuguese, Macanese and Chinese and other communities. Usually people group in two, a male and a female. The instruments includes violins, accordions, ukuleles, harmonicas, traditional guitars and drums. The theme of the songs usually is love songs or telling the happiness of a bountiful harvest. Portuguese Folk Dance has a long history in Macau, is an important part in Macau culture. It shows the friendliness between Portuguese and Macau people. The development of this type of dance in Macao reflects well the cultural legacy of the city and the interpretation that Portuguese arts and culture has had through the initiative of local residents, namely through the Macane...

Fado intangible performing art, Portugal Wondering around the streets and blocks of Portugal, in exquisite cafés, you probably will meet those performers, with Portuguese guitars and their beautiful voices, they are creating a view of recreated life and releasing people’s souls. People coming and gather in this place especially for fado Fado is a style of intangible performing arts dated back to 1820s when it was first invented, it focused on the hoping for working-class people to express their needs, and it is mostly done by female singers in the streets of Lisbon. One of this period’s attributes is Maria Severa (Gorlinski,2024). Painting of Maria Severa The second style of fado was started from 1870s to 1890s in the northern city of Portugal and was combined of many different types of music performing styles from the university students. This time, the main leaders turned from female to male. They appeared more frequently in those places full of cultural se...

Lingnan Plaster Moulding, Guangdong, China If you think plaster moulding is boring and monotonous, maybe you have never seen Lingnan Plaster Moulding (or gray sculpture). Of course, they are not always gray, but rather colorful. This fascinating art form, also craft, comes from the Lingnan region in southern China. It has been adding vitality to walls and roofs for centuries. The recorded Plaster Moulding process can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty in China (884 AD) and is mainly popular in the Pearl River Delta area of Guangdong Province. There were also records of this craft in the Song Dynasty (1197 AD), which were mainly used in religious occasions, such as temples. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, plaster moulding was common in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Because they were mainly used in temples, mansions and other buildings, they also became a symbol of richer or nobles. Colorful Plaster Moulding about Animals and Landscapes To make Plaster Moulding, materials used i...

Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum The Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty, located in Xi 'an, Shaanxi Province, China, is an important part of the Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. It has a history of more than two thousand years. Discovered by farmers in 1974, it is hailed as "the eighth Wonder of the World" and "one of the great archaeological discoveries of the 21st century". Qin Shi Huang, named Ying Zheng, was the first emperor in Chinese history. He unified the six states and established the Qin Dynasty, brought an end to the age of war. It was he who ordered the Terracotta Army to be made as his burial objects. 卡通人物 描述已自动生成 Portrait of Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shihuang is huge in scale, mainly composed of three pits, with over 8,000 terracotta figurines unearthed. The first pit is the largest and mainly occupied by infantry. Second pit contains cavalry, inf...

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the collections from the National Palace Museum, Taipei are an important part of China's cultural heritage. The museum preserves nearly 700,000 cultural relics and artworks, which are a display of the thousand years' historical heritage of Chinese traditional culture. They are like bridges, guiding modern people to former glory. Today, let's step into this museum together and explore those Chinese cultural heritages that have amazed the world. The Ultimate Beauty of Porcelain and Jade Porcelain and jade artifacts are carved to their natural advantage to reveal their unique beauty. Jadeite Cabbage , one of the treasures of the museum, is carved using the natural color of jade, with lifelike insects on the leaves, preserving the natural texture of jade while giving it a vibrant flavor of life;  Meat-shaped Stone  made of agate shows the form of  streaky pork, implying the lucky meaning of family fatness and house prosperity, ...