About UNESCO World Heritage
The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted at the XVII session of the General Conference of UNESCO on November 16, 1972 and entered into force on December 17, 1975. Its main goal is to attract the forces of the world community to preserve unique objects of culture and nature. In 1975, 21 states ratified the Convention, over the 42 years of its existence, 172 more states have acceded to them, and by mid-2017 the total number of states parties to the Convention has reached 193. In terms of the number of states parties, the World Heritage Convention among other international programs of UNESCO is the most representative. In order to improve the efficiency of the work of the Convention, the Committee and the World Heritage Fund were formed in 1976.
The first cultural and natural sites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List two years after the program was established. Of the natural areas, the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), the national parks Yellowstone (USA), Nahanni (Canada) and Seamen (Ethiopia) received heritage status. Over the past years, the List has become very representative both in terms of the regions of the planet represented and in terms of the number of objects: by mid-2017, it included 206 natural, 832 cultural and 35 mixed natural and cultural objects in 167 countries of the world. Italy, Spain, Germany, France and China have the largest number of cultural properties on the List (more than 30 each), while the United States, Australia, China, Russia and Canada have the largest number of natural World Heritage sites (more than 10 properties each). Under the protection of the Convention are such world-famous natural monuments as the Great Barrier Reef, the Hawaiian and Galapagos Islands, the Grand Canyon, Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Baikal.
Of course, to be on a par with the universally recognized world pearls of nature and culture for any object is honorable and prestigious, but at the same time, this is a great responsibility. To receive World Heritage status, a property must be of Outstanding Human Value, undergo a rigorous peer review process, and meet at least one of 10 selection criteria. At the same time, the nominated natural object must comply with at least one of the following four criteria:
vii) include unique natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value;
VIII) present outstanding examples of the main stages of 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;
IX) present outstanding examples of important ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
X) include natural areas of great importance for the conservation of their biological diversity, including areas of endangered species that are of outstanding scientific or conservation value.
The protection, management, authenticity and integrity of a property are also important factors that are taken into account when it is assessed before inscription on the List.
The status of a world natural heritage site provides additional guarantees for the safety and integrity of unique natural complexes, increases the prestige of the territories, promotes the popularization of objects and the development of alternative types of nature management, and ensures priority in attracting financial resources.
World Heritage Project
In 1994, Greenpeace Russia began work on the World Heritage project, aimed at identifying and protecting unique natural complexes that are threatened by the serious negative impact of human activities. Giving natural areas the highest international conservation status to further guarantee their safety is the main goal of the work carried out by Greenpeace.
The first attempts to include Russian protected natural areas in the UNESCO World Heritage List were made in the early 1990s. In 1994, the All-Russian meeting "Modern problems of creating a system of objects of the world and Russian natural heritage" was held, at which a list of promising territories was presented. At the same time, in 1994, Greenpeace Russia experts prepared the necessary documents for inclusion in the UNESCO List of a natural complex called the “Virgin Komi Forests”. In December 1995, he was the first in Russia to receive the status of a world natural heritage site.
At the end of 1996, "Lake Baikal" and "Volcanoes of Kamchatka" were included in the List. In 1998, another Russian natural complex, the Golden Mountains of Altai, was included in the List; in 1999, a decision was made to include the fifth Russian natural site, the Western Caucasus. At the end of 2000, the Curonian Spit became the first international site in Russia (together with Lithuania) to receive the status of a World Heritage site in terms of "cultural landscape". Later, the UNESCO List included "Central Sikhote-Alin" (2001), "Ubsunur Basin" (2003, jointly with Mongolia), "Natural Complex of the Wrangel Island Reserve" (2004), "Putorana Plateau" (2010) , Lena Pillars Nature Park (2012) and Landscapes of Dauria (2017, jointly with Mongolia).
Nominations for consideration by the World Heritage Committee must first be placed on a national Tentative List. At present, it contains such natural complexes as the Commander Islands, the Magadan Reserve, the Krasnoyarsk Pillars, the Great Vasyugan Swamp, the Ilmensky Mountains, the Bashkir Urals, the Reserved Kenozero, the Oglakhty Ridge and Bikin River Valley. Work is underway to expand the territory of the Golden Mountains of Altai (by including the adjacent territories of China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan). Negotiations are underway with Finland and Norway on the joint nomination "Green Belt of Fennoscandia".
Russia, of course, is rich in unique natural complexes not affected by economic activity. According to rough estimates, there are more than 20 territories in our country worthy of the status of a world natural heritage site. Among the promising territories, the following natural complexes can be noted: the Kuril Islands, the Lena Delta, the Volga Delta.
Russian cultural sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List include such recognized historical and architectural monuments as the historical center of St. Petersburg, the Kremlin and Red Square, the Kizhi Pogost, the Solovetsky, Ferapontov and Novodevichy monasteries, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye , monuments of Veliky Novgorod, Vladimir, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Derbent, Bolgar and Sviyazhsk, the Struve geodetic arc (together with Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova).
Ten natural objects of the Russian Federation are on the UNESCO World Heritage List (4 of them are recognized as natural phenomena of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance), and this is not counting another 15 objects that are cultural objects of protection. This is not at all surprising, because Russia is a truly vast country, with a huge territory, with incredibly beautiful and diverse nature, with a rich cultural heritage.
If you want to see the virgin nature of Russia in its original form, then it will not be difficult for Russians (and foreign tourists too) to go to one of the nature reserves or national parks of the country, on the territory of which these ten objects are located that need constant protection at the international level. level...
1. Forests of the Komi Republic
The area of these forests is more than 3 million hectares, on which there is a national park and a state biosphere reserve. This facility opened a new page for Russia in environmental protection at the global level.
The virgin forests of Komi are known as the largest untouched forests growing in Europe. They occupy an area of 32,600 square kilometers in the north of the Ural Mountains, within the Pechero-Ilychsky Reserve and the Yugyd Va National Park. According to their composition, the Komi forests belong to the taiga ecosystem. They are dominated by coniferous trees. The western part of the forests falls on the foothills, the eastern - on the mountains themselves. The forest area of Komi is distinguished by the diversity of not only flora, but also fauna. More than two hundred species of birds live here, 40 species of rare mammals, and 16 species of fish that are considered valuable for fishing, preserved since the Ice Age, live in the reservoirs. For example, Siberian grayling and palia char belong to such fish species. Many inhabitants of the virgin forests of Komi are listed in the Red Book of the planet. This natural object of the Russian Federation was included in the UNESCO list in 1995 - the very first in the list.
2. Lake Baikal
For the whole world, Baikal is a lake, for the people of Russia who are in love with a unique natural object, Baikal is a sea! Located in Eastern Siberia, it is the deepest lake on the planet and, at the same time, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water in terms of volume. The shape of Baikal has the shape of a crescent. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 meters with an average depth of 744. Baikal contains 19 percent of all fresh water on the planet. The lake is fed by more than three hundred rivers and streams. Baikal water is distinguished by a high content of oxygen. Its temperature rarely exceeds plus 8-9 degrees Celsius even in summer near the surface. The water of the lake is so clean and transparent that it allows you to see in depth at a distance of up to forty meters.
The oldest and deepest (approximately 1700 meters) on Earth, Lake Baikal covers an area of over three million hectares. The reservoir that appeared about 25 million years ago was in almost complete isolation, due to which an amazing ecosystem was formed in its fresh waters, the study of which allows obtaining information about the evolutionary processes taking place on the planet.
Unique even on a global scale, the lake is about 20% of all the reserves of such necessary fresh water on Earth, as well as a delightful sight that inspires beauty and enchants with the luxury of amazing landscapes.
Lake Baikal was named a beautiful pearl by UNESCO in 1996 and included in the list of priceless heritage of the planet.
3. Kamchatka volcanoes .
This site was also included in the World Heritage List in 1996. Five years later (in 2001), the territory of the object subject to international protection expanded due to the movement of lithospheric plates of the Pacific volcanic ring. Today, the territory of the state biosphere reserve is about 4 million hectares. This area is called the "natural museum of volcanology." Both long-extinct and active volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula can serve as exhibits. Moreover, each of the "exhibits" is an individual object, for the study of which life is not enough.
In total, there are currently about 300 extinct volcanoes and 30 active volcanoes on the territory of this object, but the number of the latter changes every year. The most interesting tourist attraction of this region is the Valley of Geysers in the Konotsky Biosphere Reserve. The mountain rivers of Kamchatka abound with huge numbers of salmon fish, and coastal waters are home to many species of whales and dolphins.
4. Altai Mountains
These mountains are called "Golden", as each species of animals, birds and fish is unique here. Altai cedar forests and mammals with the most valuable commercial fur, which can be equated in value with gold, have been preserved here. The object covers an area of more than 1.5 million hectares, was included in the UNESCO list in 1998. The "golden" Altai mountains are located at the intersection of the mountain system of Siberia and Central Asia.
The vegetation of this region is unique, there is an abundance of alpine meadows, there are steppes, semi-deserts and tundra. Absolutely everything is unique here, from snow leopards to mountainous landforms. The pearl of the Altai Territory is Lake Teletskoye, which is also called "Small Baikal".
5. Natural Park "Lena Pillars"
The fabulously beautiful landscapes of the park are formed by hundred-meter rock formations that pacify the waters of the beautiful Lena River. The Lena Pillars are located in the very heart of Sakha (Republic of Yakutia).
Such an amazing natural phenomenon owes its appearance to the continental climate, within which temperature fluctuations reach about one hundred degrees (+40 degrees in summer and -60 degrees in winter). The pillars are separated by deep ravines with steep slopes. Their formation took place under the influence of water, which contributes to the freezing of the soil and its weathering. Similar processes led to the fact that the ravines deepened and expanded. Water in this case plays the role of a destroyer, representing a danger to the pillars.
Introduced in 2012 into the list of heritage of the planet, the Lena Pillars are of interest not only from the point of view of an aesthetic spectacle, but also a unique archaeological zone, on the territory of which the remains of ancient animals of the Cambrian period were found.
This natural site has an area of 1.27 million hectares. If we take into account the geological structure of the soil in the park, then this land can “tell” a lot about the history of the planet, about living organisms and vegetation.
Many remains of mammoths, bison, woolly rhinos, Lena horses, reindeer and other remains of ancient mammals have been found in the Lena Pillars. Today, 12 representatives of animals and birds listed in the Red Book of the planet live on the territory of the complex. It is believed that the Lena Pillars have a huge "aesthetic influence" on a person due to their unique beauty of landscapes, the quaintness of the relief with huge caves, fabulous-looking stone sculptures, rocky spiers, niches and "towers".
6. Sikhote-Alin Reserve
This territory, included in the UNESCO list in 2001, covers an area of about 0.4 million hectares. The object is valuable because unique broad-leaved forests and ancient coniferous forests have been preserved on its territory. There is also an incredible mixture of different types of flora and fauna, among which there are many rare species.
A large biosphere reserve in Primorsky Krai was originally created to preserve the sable population. At present, it is the most convenient place for observing the life of the Amur tiger. A huge number of plants grow on the territory of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve. More than a thousand higher species, more than a hundred - mosses, about four hundred - lichens, more than six hundred species of algae and more than five hundred - fungi.
The local fauna is represented by a large number of birds, marine invertebrates and insects. Many plants, birds, animals and insects are among the protected objects. lemongrass chinese,ginseng,Fori rhododendron and Palibina edelweiss, spotted deer and Himalayan bear, black crane and stork, Japanese starling, Sakhalin sturgeon, fish owl and Swallowtail butterfly - all of them found shelter in the Sikhote-Alin Reserve.
7. Natural complex of the Wrangel Island Reserve
The protected area, which in 2004 added to the list of UNESCO treasures, is located beyond the Arctic Circle. It includes the relief landscapes of Wrangel Island, whose area is over 7 thousand square meters. kilometers, and Herald Island, whose area is 11 thousand square meters. kilometers, as well as the coastal waters of the East Siberian Sea and the waters of the Chukchi Sea.
This region managed to avoid glaciation, thanks to which the area is distinguished by amazing biological diversity. The harsh climate of the protected area appealed to the walruses, who have formed here the largest rookery in the Arctic. The picturesque land was also chosen by polar bears, the density of their ancestral dens in this region is considered the highest on the planet.
More than fifty species of birds nest here, including both endemics and endangered ones. Gray whales rush here, choosing this place for feeding. Surprisingly, over four hundred species of vascular plants are found on the island, among which there are also endemics.
Here tourists can see the largest "bird colonies" in the Eastern Arctic. Pleistocene relics predominate among plant forms. The landscape of the island is unusual, as well as its water area. Many travelers dream of visiting here.
8. Ubsunur basin
The area of this unique biosphere reserve is 0.8 million hectares. The object was included in the UNESCO list in 2003. A salt lake with a large area is located on the border of Mongolia and the Russian Republic of Tyva. By the way, only seven sections of the intermountain basin with a shallow lake (up to 15 meters) are located on the territory of Russia, the remaining five parts of the Transboundary Facility are located in Mongolia. Each of the seven sections of the basin on our territory is individual in appearance and the plants that grow there depending on the landscapes.
Inhabitant of the Ubsunur Hollow
WHere you can see the foothills with eternal stretches of snow-capped peaks, there are also areas of mountain taiga, alpine meadows, wetlands, mountain tundra and even sandy deserts. The remnant mountains with bright vegetation and contrasting landscapes give a special picturesqueness to the Ubsunur basin. Endangered animal species are found here - mountain sheep - argali, snow leopard, as well as many rare species of birds - geese, herons, terns, gulls, waders, etc. During the excavation of ancient burial mounds on the territory of the basin, unique rock paintings, burials and stone sculptures were discovered .
9. Putorana Plateau
Included in the World Heritage List in 2010, this natural site of the Russian Federation covers a total area of more than 1.8 million hectares. This virgin basalt plateau in the north of Eastern Siberia, almost at the Arctic Circle, is invaluable in terms of study by geologists and geomorphologists. The mountainous terrain has a stepped landscape, flat-topped massifs are intersected by deep canyons. The plateau was formed at the turn of the Mesozoic and Paleozoic as a result of volcanic activity. Forty-layer deposits allow us to study the structure of the planet.
Deep cracks in the plateau were formed by glaciers, which subsequently filled with water, forming lakes with a unique appearance and a depth of up to 400 meters. There are many beautiful waterfalls on the territory of the plateau, one of which (in the valley of the Kanda River) has a height of 108 meters. In total, there are 25 thousand small and large lakes with a huge supply of fresh water on the territory of the Putorana Plateau. There are more than 30 species of mammals in this northern reserve, and all of them are rare or relict.
Vegetation is represented by 400 species - mainly woodlands, mountain tundra and larch taiga. The plateau serves as a resting place for thousands of species of migratory birds.
The picturesque landscapes of the beautiful plateau coincide with the boundaries of the reserve of the same name located beyond the Arctic Circle, which adorns the territory of Central Siberia. The changing zones betray each other a special charm of the area: virgin taiga, the richest forest tundra, colorful landscapes of the tundra and the fabulous beauty of the icy Arctic deserts. A real decoration of the plateau: winding ribbons of rivers and a crystal saucer of a lake filled with clear cold water. Through the inhospitable lands of the plateau, a road stretches along which deer migrate. This is an incredible sight, which in nature can be observed less and less.
10. Territories of the Western Caucasus
The nature reserve with an area of 0.3 million hectares has been included in the UNESCO list since 1999. These territories are almost untouched by human civilization. Today they are protected not only by UNESCO, but also by other all-Russian and international organizations - Greenpeace, the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, NABU, Dresden Technical University, the North Caucasus working group, etc. The territory of the reserve covers areas that stretch from the upper reaches of the river Kuban to the Belaya and Malaya Laba rivers..
Caucasus. Blooming rhododendron in the Upper Mzymta valley
The vegetation in this protected region is represented by coniferous and broad-leaved forests, crooked forests, mountain meadows, and nival belt. Every third plant here is considered relic. Rare species of birds of prey nest here - ospreys, bearded vultures, golden eagles, griffon vultures, etc. Among the large animals in the reserve, you can see West Caucasian tigers, brown bears, wolves, Caucasian red deer, bison, etc. Tourists will be interested to see beautiful karst formations in this natural area with deep gorges, waterfalls, underground rivers, tarns, moraines, cirques and valleys formed by mountain glaciers.
11. Curonian Spit
The Curonian Spit is a sandy spit located on the coast of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. The Curonian Spit is a narrow and long saber-shaped strip of land that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea and extends from the city of Zelenogradsk, Kaliningrad Region, to the city of Klaipeda (Smiltyne) (Lithuania).
Length - 98 kilometers, width ranges from 400 meters (near the village of Lesnoy) to 3.8 kilometers (near Cape Bulviko, just north of Nida).
The Curonian Spit is a unique natural-anthropogenic landscape and a territory of exceptional aesthetic value: The Curonian Spit is the largest sand body that is part of the Baltic sand spits complex, which has no analogues in the world. The high level of biological diversity due to the combination of different landscapes - from desert (dunes) to tundra (raised bog) - gives an idea of important and long-term ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, river, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. The location of the spit and its relief are unique.
The most significant element of the spit relief is a continuous strip of white sand dunes 0.3-1.0 km wide, partly approaching the highest in the world (up to 68 m).
The Curonian Spit contains natural areas that are the most representative and important for the conservation of biological diversity, including those where endangered species are preserved, which are of outstanding world significance in terms of science and nature conservation: due to its geographical position and orientation from northeast to south west it serves as a corridor for migratory birds of many species flying from the northwestern regions of Russia, Finland and the Baltic countries to the countries of Central and Southern Europe. Every year, in spring and autumn, 10 to 20 million birds fly over the spit, most of which stop here for rest and feeding.
In the last entry, I posted not all the architectural objects of Russia, marked by UNESCO for their uniqueness and historical value. Today I will add to this list...
12. Citadel, old city and fortifications of Derbent .
The citadel, the old town and fortifications of Derbent is the collective name under which in 2003 UNESCO inscribed the medieval architectural heritage of the city of Derbent on the World Heritage List.
The history of ancient Derbent, located off the coast of the Caspian Sea, on the territory of modern Dagestan, has, according to archaeologists, five thousand years. This one of the oldest cities in Russia was at first a small settlement founded at the foot of the spurs of the Caucasus Mountains, which later acquired city fortifications of impressive size.
However, the first documentary evidence of this place as a large city dates back to the 5th century. At that time, the Persian king Yazdegerd II ruled here, who appreciated its strategic location. This, by the way, is reflected in the name, because Derbent in Iranian means “mountain outpost” or “mountain pass”. Approximately 100 years later, another king erected a fortified city on the remains of the former defensive structures, which is called Old, with an impregnable fortress and powerful fortifications. Between these fortifications, stretching deep into the Caucasus Mountains for more than 40 kilometers, a city has developed that still retains a medieval character.
Citadel of Nara-kala
It continued to be a strategically important site well into the 19th century. Derbent has experienced many dramatic events throughout its history: wars, assaults, periods of decline and prosperity, times of independence and subjugation to other peoples. But still, this place has preserved many monuments of all these turbulent periods.
This is: the citadel of Naryn-kala, with thick and high walls, the ruins of the palace of the Derbent Khan, baths and a guardhouse;
13. Struve geodesic arc
The Struve arc is a network of 265 triangulation points, which were stone cubes buried in the ground with an edge length of 2 meters, with a length of more than 2820 kilometers. It was created to determine the parameters of the Earth, its shape and size. It is named after the creator - the Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve (Vasily Yakovlevich Struve).
The Struve geodetic arc was measured by Struve and employees of the Derpt (Tartu) and Pulkovo observatories (whose director was Struve) for 40 years, from 1816 to 1855, over 2820 km from Fuglenes near the North Cape in Norway (latitude 70 ° 40′11″ N) to the village of Staraya Nekrasovka, Odessa region, near the Danube (latitude 45° 20′03″ N), which formed a meridian arc with an amplitude of 25° 20′08″.
Struve geodesic arc, "Point Z", o. Gogland, Leningrad region
Currently, arc points can be found on the territory of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia (on the island of Gogland), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova (Rud village) and Ukraine. On January 28, 2004, these countries applied to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee with a proposal to approve the remaining 34 points of the Struve Arc as a World Heritage Site. In 2005, this proposal was accepted.
A story about other architectural monuments of Russia included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, Around the world
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UNESCO sites in Russia are cultural, architectural, historical and natural attractions that are world heritage. First of all, of course, it is worth mentioning the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square. These are the central places where the most important cultural and political events of modern Russia take place. In addition, unique architectural monuments are concentrated here. This is St. Basil's Cathedral, and the Church of the Annunciation, and the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, and other iconic objects. Tens of thousands of tourists come to Moscow every year to visit the Kremlin.
One of the most famous sights of our country - the architectural ensemble of Kizhi - is also a UNESCO heritage in Russia. This is a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture, located in Karelia. The complex includes several objects built in the 18th century. These are two churches - the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Intercession Church. They are completely made of wood. The bell tower next to them was completed in the 19th century. The uniqueness of these objects lies in the monumentality of the entire ensemble and amazing ornaments, which were made by the masters of traditional architecture.
The sights under the protection of UNESCO in Russia include unique natural objects. One of them, of course, is Lake Baikal. It is the largest freshwater reservoir on the planet. In addition, it is famous for its unique ecosystem, which is home to rare living organisms. Baikal is surrounded on all sides by mountains. In particular, the Barguzinsky and Primorsky ridges are located here. The maximum depth of the lake exceeds one and a half kilometers. Due to its exceptional importance for the ecology of our planet, Baikal was included in the World Heritage Site.
Another iconic city of our country is St. Petersburg. Its sights and architectural monuments are also of global importance. This city is called the "Venice of the North" for a reason. There really is a special atmosphere here. It is due to its uniqueness and a large number of cultural and architectural monuments that St. Petersburg was included in the World Heritage Site.
Work is underway to include the following natural objects in the List: Volga Delta, Lena Delta, Green Belt of Fennoscandia, Kurile Islands, Valdai - Great Watershed, Western Sayan, Beringia and the Solovetsky Islands.
Natural sites inscribed on the World Heritage List |
||
| Square | State | |
| Virgin forests of Komi | 3.279 million ha | Inscribed on the World Heritage List (1995) Criteria - N ii, iii |
| 1. State Biosphere Reserve "Pechora-Ilychsky" | 721 322 | |
| 2. National Park "Yugyd Va" | 1 891 701 | |
| 3. Reserve zone | 666 000 | |
| Lake Baikal | 8.8 million hectares | Listed (1996) Criteria - N i, ii, iii, iv |
| 1. Baikalsky State Biosphere Reserve | 165 724 | |
| 2. State Biosphere Reserve "Barguzinsky" | 374 322 | |
| 3. State Nature Reserve "Baikal-Lensky" | 660 000 | |
| 4. National Park "Pribaikalsky" | 418 000 | |
| 5. Zabaikalsky National Park | 246 000 | |
| 6. Reserve "Frolikhinsky" | 910 200 | |
| 7. Reserve "Kabansky" | 18 000 | |
| 8. Tunkinsky National Park (partially) | ||
| Volcanoes of Kamchatka | 3.996 million ha | Included in the List (1996). Expanded in 2001 Criteria - N i, ii, iii, iv |
| 1. State Biosphere Reserve "Kronotsky" | 1 147 619,37 | |
| 2. Natural park "Bystrinsky" | 1 368 592 | |
| 3. Natural park "Nalychevskiy" | 286 025 | |
| 4. Natural park "South Kamchatsky" | 500 511 | |
| 5. Reserve of federal importance "South Kamchatsky" | 322 000 | |
| 6. Natural park "Klyuchevskoy" | 371 022 | |
| Golden Mountains of Altai | 1.509 million ha | Listed (1998) Criterion - N iv |
| 1. Altai State Biosphere Reserve | 881 238 | |
| 2. State Biosphere Reserve "Katunsky" | 150 079 | |
| 3. Belukha Mountain Natural Park | 131 337 | |
| 4. Natural park "Ukok" | 252 904 | |
| 5. Buffer zone "Teletskoe Lake" | 93 753 | |
| Western Caucasus | 0.301 million ha | Listed (1999) Criteria - N ii, iv |
| 1. State Biosphere Reserve "Kavkazsky" with a buffer zone | 288 200 | |
| 2. Natural park "Big Thach" | 3 700 | |
| 3. Monument of nature "Upper reaches of the rivers Pshekha and Pshekhashkha" | 5 776 | |
| 4. Monument of nature "Upper reaches of the river Tsitsa" | 1 913 | |
| 5. Monument of nature "Ridge Buiny" | 1 480 | |
| Curonian Spit(jointly with Lithuania) | 0.031 million ha | Listed (2000) Criterion - Cv |
| 1. Curonian Spit National Park (Russia) | 6 600 | |
| 2. National Park "Kursiu Nerijos" (Lithuania) | 24 600 | |
| 1.567 million ha | Included in the List (2001). Expanded in 2018 Criterion - N iv |
|
| 1. State Biosphere Reserve "Sikhote-Alinsky" | 401 600 | |
| 2. Bikin National Park | 1 160 469 | |
| 3. Reserve "Goralovy" | 4 749 | |
| Ubsunur Hollow(shared with Mongolia) | 0.883 million ha | Listed (2003) Criteria - N ii, iv |
| 1. State Biosphere Reserve "Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina" (Russia) | 73 529 | |
| 2. Biosphere Reserve "Uvs Nuur" (Mongolia) | 810 233,5 | |
| Wrangel Island | 2.226 mln ha | Listed (2004) Criteria - N ii, iv |
| State Nature Reserve "Wrangel Island" | ||
| Putorana Plateau | 1.887 million ha | Listed (2010) Criteria - vii, ix |
| State Nature Reserve "Putoransky" | ||
| Lena Pillars | 1.387 million ha | Listed (2012) Criteria - viii |
| Natural Park of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) "Lena Pillars" | ||
| Landscapes of Dauria(shared with Mongolia) | 0.913 million ha | Included in the List (2017) Criteria - (ix), (x) |
| 1. State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Daursky" | 49 765 | |
| 2. Protected zone of the State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Daursky" | 117 690 | |
| 3. Reserve of federal significance "Valley of Dzeren" | 111 568 | |
| Total area in the Russian Federation: | 279 023 | |
| 4. Strictly protected area "Mongol Daguur" | 110 377 | |
| 5. Buffer zone of the Mongol Daguur Strictly Protected Area | 477 064 | |
| 6. Nature reserve "Ugtam" | 46 160 | |
| Total area in Mongolia: | 633 601 | |
Natural properties included in the Tentative List |
||
| Objects and their territories | Square | State |
| Valaam archipelago | 0.026 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on May 15, 1996. |
| Natural Park "Valaam Archipelago" | ||
| Magadan Reserve | 0.884 million ha | Nomination prepared |
| State natural reserve "Magadansky" | ||
| Commander Islands | 3.649 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Nomination prepared |
| State Natural Reserve "Komandorsky" | ||
| Big Vasyugan swamp | 0.4 million ha | |
| State complex reserve of the Tyumen region "Vasyugansky" | ||
| Krasnoyarsk pillars | 0.047 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on March 6, 2007. |
| State Nature Reserve "Stolby" | ||
| Ilmensky mountains | 0.034 million ha |
Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on August 11, 2008. Nomination prepared |
| State Natural Reserve of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Ilmensky" | ||
| Bashkir Ural | 0.045 million ha | Included in the Tentative List of the Russian Federation on January 30, 2012. |
Natural properties promising for inclusion on the Tentative List |
||
| Objects and their territories | Square | State |
| Beringia | 2.911 million ha | Recommended by the IUCN for inclusion in the List |
| 1. Beringia National Park (RF) | 1,819,154 ha | |
| 2. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (USA) | 1,091,595 ha | |
| Volga Delta | 0.068 million ha | criterion N iv. Nomination prepared |
| State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Astrakhansky" | ||
| Lena Delta | 1.433 million ha | Recommended by the IUCN for inclusion in the List in accordance with criterion N iv. Nomination prepared |
| State Nature Reserve "Ust-Lensky" | ||
| Kurile Islands | 0.295 million ha | Nomination prepared |
| 1. Kurilsky State Nature Reserve and its buffer zone | 65 365 and 41 475 | |
| 2. Biological reserve "Small Kuriles" | 45 000 | |
| 3. Reserve of regional significance "Urup Island" | 143 000 | |
| Green Belt of Fennoscandia(shared with Finland and Norway) | 0.541 million ha | The Russian part of the nomination is ready |
| 1. State Biosphere Reserve "Laplandsky" | 278 436 | |
| 2. State Nature Reserve "Kostomukshsky" | 47 457 | |
| 3. State Nature Reserve "Pasvik" | 14 727 | |
| 4. Paanajärvi National Park | 104 354 | |
| 5. Kalevalsky National Park | 95 886 | |
| Valdai - Great Watershed | 0.183 million ha | Nomination prepared |
| 1. Valdaisky National Park | 158 500 | |
| 2. State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Central Forest" | 24 447 | |
Natural objects not included in the List |
||
| Objects and their territories | Square | State |
| Vodlozersky National Park | 0.58 million ha | |
| 1. National Park "Vodlozersky" | 404 700 | |
| 2. Reserve "Kozhozersky" | 178 600 | |
| Bashkir Ural | 0.2 million ha | Not included in the List (1998) |
| 1. Shulgan-Tash State Biosphere Reserve | 22 531 | |
| 2. State natural reserve "Bashkir" | 49 609 | |
| 3. National Park "Bashkiria" (strictly protected area) | 32 740 | |
| 4. Reserve "Altyn Solok" | 93 580 | |
| Teberdinsky Reserve(expansion of the object "Western Caucasus") | 0.085 million ha | Not included in the List (2004) |
| State Biosphere Reserve "Teberdinsky" | ||
Russia, of course, is rich in unique and, what is very important, natural complexes not affected by economic activity. According to rough estimates of scientists, there are about 20 territories in our country worthy of the status of a World Natural Heritage Site. The list of the most promising territories was determined during the joint project of UNESCO and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) on boreal forests.
Central Sikhote-Alin
The name Sikhote-Alin, which is unusual for the Russian ear, is borne by mountains in the Primorsky Territory. Rare animals such as the Himalayan bear and the Amur tiger live here. The protected area was recognized as a heritage of mankind in 2001.
Architectural and historical complex Bulgar
On the territory of Tatarstan, the ruins of a city founded by the Volga Bulgars (Turkic tribes) have been preserved. In 1361, the city was destroyed by the Golden Horde prince Bulat-Timur - fortunately, not completely. The settlement has survived to this day, which was recognized as a unique monument in 2014.
Wrangel Island
Wrangel Island is the northernmost of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It includes not only the island of the same name, but also the neighboring Herald Island, as well as the adjacent waters of the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas. The islands are known for their huge walrus rookeries and the highest density of polar bear dens in the world. The reserve was recognized as the heritage of mankind in 2004.
Historic center of Yaroslavl
One of the dominant features of Yaroslavl is the complex of the Spassky Monastery, which is often referred to as the Kremlin. Together with other historical buildings of the city, it was included in the World Heritage List in 2005.
Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye
Built in the royal estate in 1532, when Kolomenskoye was not yet the territory of Moscow. The church was recognized as a heritage of humanity in 1994.
Lake Baikal
Surprisingly, the deepest lake in the world was recognized as the heritage of mankind not among the first natural attractions. UNESCO noted the exclusivity of this reservoir only in 1996.
The architectural ensemble of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra
In 1993, the main attraction of Sergiev Posad was added to the list. The largest male monastery in Russia was founded in 1337, and the laurel acquired its familiar appearance by the 18th century, when most of the buildings available to the public today appeared here.
Western Caucasus
The mountains of the Western Caucasus, on the territory of which, for example, the Sochi National Park and the Ritsa Reserve are located, stretch from Anapa to Elbrus. Here you can find both low-mountain relief and typically alpine landscapes with numerous glaciers. The mountains were included in the UNESCO list in 1999.
Citadel, old city and fortifications of Derbent
Derbent is considered the oldest city in Russia. The first mention of it dates back to the 6th century BC, when it was called the Caspian Gate. Here is the citadel and fortifications, whose age is 16 centuries. In 2003, UNESCO recognized them as an exceptional historical monument.
Golden Altai Mountains
It was under this name that three sections of the Altai Mountains were included in the UNESCO list in 1998: the Altai and Katunsky reserves and the Ukok plateau. Despite the status of specially protected areas, there are still frequent cases of poaching.
Ensemble of the Ferapontov Monastery
The Ferapontov monastery in the Vologda region began to be built in the 15th century. For centuries it has been the most important cultural and religious center of the Belozersk region. Today, in the buildings of the monastery, included in the UNESCO list in 2000, there is a museum and a bishop's residence of the Vologda Metropolis.
Volcanoes of Kamchatka
In 1996, the Kamchatka volcanoes were recognized as a World Heritage Site, and five years later, UNESCO expanded the protected area. A large number of active volcanoes are concentrated here, which makes this area unique even by global standards.
Historical and architectural complex "Kazan Kremlin"
The only Russian Kremlin, on the territory of which the church is adjacent to the mosque, is located in Kazan. It began to be built in the 10th century, and it acquired a more or less modern look only six centuries later. Today, the fortress, which has been considered the heritage of mankind since 2000, is the main attraction of the capital of Tatarstan and a favorite place for walks of the townspeople.
Putorana Plateau
Lenta.ru wrote more than once about the Putorana Plateau, which was included in the World Heritage List in 2010. The natural reserve, stunning in its beauty, is located in the north of Central Siberia, 100 kilometers beyond the Arctic Circle. Here you can see the untouched taiga, forest tundra and the Arctic desert.
White stone monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal
In 1992, the white-stone monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal were recognized as World Heritage. Located very close to each other, the cities are an ideal weekend itinerary, varied and not tiring.
Moscow Kremlin and Red Square
In 1990, the main square of Russia (together with the Kremlin) was one of the first to be included in the list. In total, Moscow has three UNESCO-marked sights, more than in any other region of the country.
curonian spit
Partially located on the territory of Lithuania, the Curonian Spit is one of the main natural attractions of the Kaliningrad region. Its length is 98 kilometers, and its width is from 400 meters at its narrowest point to four kilometers at its widest. The spit was included in the UNESCO heritage list in 2000.
Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent
Another Moscow attraction - the Novodevichy Convent - was created in the 16th-17th centuries. The monastery is a prominent representative of the Moscow Baroque and is known for the fact that women from the royal family were tonsured as nuns here. The importance of the monastery for world culture was recognized in 2005.
Virgin forests of Komi
The largest Russian attraction on the list covers an area of 3.28 million hectares, including lowland tundra, mountain tundra of the Urals and one of the largest tracts of primary boreal forests. These territories have been protected by the state for the past 50 years; forests were included in the UNESCO list in 1995.
The architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost
Many go to Karelia for the sake of Kizhi and Solovki. Both islands are on the World Heritage List. Kizhi churchyard, a monument of wooden architecture, was included in the list in 1990.
Lena Pillars
Located in the largest region of the country - in Yakutia, the pillars are located almost 200 kilometers from the republican center. Excursions here are expensive, but those who have been at the pillars say that they do not regret the money spent. In 2012, the uniqueness of the natural monument was also noted by UNESCO.
Historic center of St. Petersburg
One of the most famous sights not only in Russia, but also abroad is the center of St. Petersburg. The "Venice of the North" with its canals and over 400 bridges was included in the UNESCO list in 1990.
Ubsunur hollow
Another attraction that Russia shares with other states (there are three in total). The Ubsunur basin, partly located on the territory of Mongolia, consists of 12 disparate sections, united by a common name. A huge number of birds live in the local steppes, rare mammals are found in the desert areas, and the snow leopard, listed in the Red Book, lives in the highlands. The basin was included in the UNESCO list in 2006.
Cultural and historical ensemble "Solovki Islands"
The Solovetsky archipelago has six islands, and its total area is more than 300 square kilometers. Despite the fact that it is located on the territory of the Arkhangelsk region, most travelers sail here from Karelia - it's more convenient. The archipelago entered the list in 1992.
The ancient city of Tauric Chersonesos and its choir
Chersonesos is familiar to everyone who at least once rested in the Crimea. The ruins of the ancient polis, which is now part of Sevastopol, were included in the UNESCO list in 2013.
Struve geodesic arc
The Struve Arc is a chain of triangulation points stretching almost three thousand kilometers across the territory of ten European countries from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea. It appeared at the beginning of the 19th century and was used for the first reliable measurement of a large segment of the Earth's meridian arc. It was created by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, better known in those days under the name of Vasily Yakovlevich Struve. In 2005, the attraction was included in the UNESCO heritage list.
Historical monuments of Novgorod and its environs
In the 9th century Novgorod became the first capital of Russia. It is quite logical that it was one of the first to be included in the World Heritage List. UNESCO recognized it as a heritage of mankind already in 1992.
