3 Less Know But Beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites

3 Less Know But Beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites

While some UNESCO World Heritage sites are among the most popular tourist destinations in the world, others are less known about, even though they offer an amazingly unique view into some of the most fascinating places on the planet.

The following list has three beautiful and endangered heritage sites that are at risk of disappearing due to industrialization, neglect or unchecked tourism.

Transylvania’s Medieval Villages – Romania

Located in the stunningly beautiful Transylvania region, some of these villages offer the last natural images of how Europe used to look seven or eight centuries ago. The fortified monasteries along with charming architecture and virgin woodland make it a surreal experience. Industrialization, deforestation and weak conservation legislation threaten these unique monuments.

Ciudad Perdida – Colombia

While the more famous Machu Picchu in Peru manages to attract most tourists,  archaeologists are just starting to understand the historic importance of the Colombian “Lost City” which lay hidden for several centuries. Currently over 200 structures have been discovered in the vast site.

Gobekli Tepe – Turkey

The site at Gobekli Tepe is among the most important and unique in the world. It is considered to be the world’s oldest place of worship being around 11,660 years old. The temple discovered here predates the Giza Pyramids by a whopping seven millennia.

Posted by Sophia Andrews on Sunday April 20 2014, 8:45 AM EST. Ref: USA Today. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0