A place I definitely want to visit someday,
A journey to discover the wondrous heritage of humanity
From Europe to Asia, Africa, America, and Oceania
Discover 58 must-see UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The World Heritage system began in 1972 when UNESCO adopted the 'Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage' at the General Conference to prevent the destruction of precious heritage sites that must be preserved by humanity due to human negligence.
When a site is added to the World Heritage List, it receives more attention for management and preservation, and it also becomes a 'bucket list travel destination' that many people want to visit at least once.


『UNESCO World Heritage Sites』 is a book that contains a selection of world heritage sites that the author has visited over the past 30 years while traveling around the world. This is the second revised edition.
From well-known landmarks like the Eiffel Tower to ancient ruins like Angkor Wat and the pyramids, to lesser-known but must-see cultural heritage sites like the Medina of Marrakech, Morocco, and the historic port cities of Fiji, we cover everything from these.
Through stories about the history and people associated with each cultural heritage, our perspective on world history and human history will broaden.

Leaving Edinburgh Castle and heading east along the High Street, now lined with numerous shops and restaurants, you will come across the Palace of Holyroodhouse, located a short distance from the city centre of Edinburgh.
In other words, the palace is symmetrical with Edinburgh Castle across the High Street.
Holyrood Palace has been the residence of the Scottish royal family since the 16th century.
Queen Elizabeth II stayed there whenever she visited Scotland during her lifetime, and it is open to the public when there are no official events.
--- p.32, from “Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town, England”

The Mona Lisa was also the subject of a theft that shocked the world.
It was the work of Italian Vincenzo Perugia and Argentine Valpierno, who were in charge of installing glass to protect the Mona Lisa.
After that, Valpierno hid the original and painted six forgeries, which he sold at high prices.
Two years passed, and Vincenzo Perugia, worn out by the pain, decided to resell the original.
Then the culprit was caught, and the Mona Lisa returned to the Louvre.

--- p.48, from 「Travel Story Mona Lisa in the Louvre Museum」

The Lorelei, which is 132 meters high, is a narrow and curved section of the Rhine River, making it a very difficult place for boatmen passing through.
But legend has it that as the sun began to set, a beautiful girl with golden hair appeared on Lorelei Hill and sang in a beautiful voice.
It is said that many boatmen who listened to the mysterious song were so captivated by the girl's beauty that their ships would run aground on reefs or be swept away by the strong current and fall into the water.

--- p.100, from "Travel Story: The Legend of Lorelei Hill"

When you enter the castle, you will see Ninomaru Palace.
The palace consists of five buildings, each with numerous rooms.
At that time, it is said that the space that could be entered here was restricted according to class or status.
One interesting fact is that the floor was designed to make a sound every time you stepped on it to prevent intruders from entering the palace.

--- p.197, from “Historical Monuments of Kyoto, Japan”

The size of the pyramids varies depending on the majesty and power of the kings placed within them.
In other words, the more powerful a king was, the larger the pyramid in which his tomb was placed.
The largest pyramid was started around 2650 BC by King Khufu of the 4th Dynasty of Egypt and completed in 2570 BC.
Because of this, this pyramid is also called the Pyramid of Khufu.
Today, this pyramid is the largest in Egypt and is also the best preserved in its original form.

--- p.267, from “Egypt_Giza Pyramids and Sphinx”

Machu Picchu was not simply a city built on a high mountain, but was also a sacred place for the Incas.
Here, sacrifices and various ceremonies were performed to the Inca god Pacha Mama, and in these sacrifices and ceremonies, women were sometimes offered as sacrifices to the god.
This fact was later revealed through the discovery of a female mummy near the temple.

--- p.343, from “Peru_Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary”