View source for Silk Road UNESCO World Heritage Sites

{{Infobox World Heritage Site
| WHS         = Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor
| Image       = [[Image:Silk route copy.jpg|300px]]
| Caption = Silk Road extending from [[Europe]] through [[Asia]]. Overland routes are red, and the maritime routes are blue.
| Location     = [[China]]<br>[[Kazakhstan]]<br>[[Tajikistan]]
| Type        = Cultural
| Criteria    = ii, iii, iv, vi
| ID          = 1442
| Region      = Asia-Pacific
| Year        = 2014
| Session     = 38th
}}
The '''Silk Road UNESCO World Heritage Sites''' are sections of the ancient [[Silk Road]] and historical sites along route that have been designated by the [[UNESCO]] as [[World Heritage Site]]s.  

On June 22, 2014, UNESCO designated 5,000&nbsp;km stretch of the Silk Road network from Central China to the Zhetsyu Region of [[Central Asia]] as a new World Heritage Site called '''Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor'''  The corridor spans [[China]], [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Kyrgyzstan]] and includes 33 new sites and several previously designated heritage sites.<ref name=officialsite/>  

UNESCO expects additional Silk Road corridors to be added in the following years.

==History==
In 1988, UNESCO initiated a study of the Silk Road to promote understanding of cultural diffusion across Eurasia and protection of cultural heritage.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  In August 2006, UNESCO and the [[State Administration of Cultural Heritage|State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People's Republic of China]] co-sponsored a conference in [[Turpan]], [[Xinjiang]] on the coordination of applications for the Silk Road's designation as a World Heritage Site <ref name=GaoMeiXJB>(Chinese) [http://finance.people.com.cn/n/2014/0623/c1004-25185125.html 高美, "丝路入遗33遗迹22处在中国" 《新京报》] 2014-06-23</ref>  At this conference, China and five Central Asia republics, [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Tajikistan]], [[Uzbekistan]] and [[Turkmenistan]] agreed to make a joint application in 2010.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  The six countries formed a coordinating committee in 2009 to prepare for the joint-application.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  

On March 28, 2008, China submitted a tentative list of 48 Silk Road sites to UNESCO for consideration as cultural heritage.  These sites were divided into overland Silk Road sites in [[Henan]], [[Shaanxi]], [[Qinghai]], and [[Gansu Province]], [[Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region]] and [[Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region]] as well as maritime Silk Road sites in [[Ningbo]], [[Zhejiang Province]] and [[Quanzhou]], [[Fujian Province]].<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5335/ UNESCO, "Chinese Section of the Silk Road: Land routes in Henan Province, Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province, Qinghai Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Sea Routes in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province and Quanzhou City, Fujian Province - from Western-Han Dynasty to Qing Dynasty"] 2008-03-28</ref>  On May 2, 2008, [[Iran]] submitted a tentative list of Silk Route sites in [[Khorasan Province]].  On January 3, 2010, [[Turkmenistan]] submitted a list of 29 sites along 11 segments of the Silk Road.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5521/, UNESCO, "Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan"] 2010-01-03</ref>  On January 20, 2010, [[India]] submitted a tentative list of Silk Road sites divided into 12 components.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5492/ UNESCO, "Silk Road Sites in India"] 2010-01-20</ref>  On February 19, 2010, Kyrgyzstan submitted a list of six sites and Uzbekistan submitted a list with 18 sites.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5518/ "Silk Roads Sites in Kyrgyzstan"] 2010-02-19</ref><ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5500/ UNESCO, "Silk Roads Sites in Uzbekistan"] 2010-02-19</ref>  Kazakhstan's tentative list was submitted on May 3, 2012.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5754/ UNESCO, "Silk Road"] 2012-05-03</ref>

At the end of 2011, UNESCO proposed that due to the vast scale of the Silk Road project that the application be divided into corridors.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  In December 2011, China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan agreed to jointly pursue application for one corridor from Central China across the Tianshan Range, and each country nominated one government official, one archaeologist and a national application committee.  Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan prepared to apply for another corridor.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  In 2013, the application for the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor was finalized and officially submitted by Kyrgyzstan.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  It contained 22 sites in China, 8 sites in Kazakhstan and 3 sites in Kyrgyzstan.  Each UNESCO member country may submit one application per year, and China had submitted an application for the [[Grand Canal (China)|Grand Canal]].<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  The original sites proposed by China was substantially revised for this application.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>  Sites in the [[Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region]] and relating to the Maritime Silk Road were removed.<ref>(Chinese) [http://hn.ifeng.com/zixun/yaowen/detail_2014_06/21/2466710_0.shtml 梁新慧, "3国联手申遗'丝绸之路'河南成唯一'双遗产'省份" 《东方今报》 ] 2014-06-21</ref> Chinese organizers have said that several of the sites left out of the application may be submitted in the future.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>

On June 22, 2014, at the 38th meeting of the World Heritage Committee in [[Doha]], [[Qatar]], the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor application was approved.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>

==Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor==
The Silk Road's Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor, which was approved by the World Heritage Committee in June 2014 as Site No. 1442, consists of 33 newly designated sites in China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.  The sites include capital cities and palace complexes of various empires and kingdoms, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples, ancient paths, posthouses, mountain passes, beacon towers, sections of the [[Great Wall]], fortifications, tombs and religious buildings.<ref name=officialsite>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1442/ UNESCO World Heritage Sites, "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor"] Accessed 2014-06-23</ref>  Collectively, the 33 sites cover an area of {{convert|42668.16|ha|sqmi|1|abbr=on|sortable=on}} and have buffer zone {{convert|189963.13|ha|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}.<ref name=GaoMeiXJB/>

The sites are categorized into four regions along the Silk Road by ICOMOs, which assessed eligibility for the World Heritage inscription:<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/archive/2014/whc14-38com-inf8B1-en.pdf ICOMOS report to the World Heritage Committee 38th ordinary session: ''2014 Evaluations of Nominations of Cultural and Mixed Properties to the World Heritage List'' June 2014]</ref><ref>(Chinese) [http://news.hsw.cn/system/2014/06/23/051954802.shtml 刘超, "丝路申遗涉及3国33处遗迹是全球最大跨国遗产项目" 西安晚报] 2014-06-23</ref>

1. [[Central China]] - ancient imperial capitals in the [[Central Plain (China)|Central]] and [[Guanzhong]] Plains of China.
*Luoyang City of the Eastern Han to Northern Wei Dynasty, [[Luoyang]], [[Henan Province]]
*Dingding Gate, Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasty, Luoyang, Henan Province
*[[Longmen Grottoes]] (a preexisting World Heritage Site), Luoyang, Henan Province
*[[Hangu Pass]],  [[Lingbao, Henan|Lingbao]], Henan Province
*Shihao section of Xiaohan Route, [[Xin'an County]], Henan Province
*[[Weiyang Palace]], [[Xi'an]], [[Shaanxi Province]]
*[[Daming Palace]], Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
*[[Giant Wild Goose Pagoda]], Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
*[[Small Wild Goose Pagoda]], Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
*[[Xingjiao Temple]], Xi'an, Shaanxi Province<ref>Agence France Presse (04/11/2013) [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/xingjiao-temple-china-demolition_n_3059582.html "Xingjiao Temple, Ancient Chinese Buddhist Site, Faces Demolition"] ''The World Post.'' Huffington Post</ref>
*Bin County Cave Temple, [[Bin County, Shaanxi|Bin County]], Shaanxi Province
*Tomb of [[Zhang Qian]], [[Chenggu County]], Shaanxi Province
*[[Maijishan Grottoes|Maijishan Cave Temple Complex]], [[Tianshui]], [[Gansu Province]]

2. [[Hexi Corridor]] in [[Gansu Province]], connecting [[China Proper]] and [[Xinjiang]].
*[[Bingling Temple]] Grottoes, [[Yongjing County]], [[Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture]], Gansu Province
*[[Yumen Pass]], [[Dunhuang]], Gansu Province
*Xuanquanzhi Posthouse, Dunhuang, Gansu Province
*[[Mogao Caves]] (already inscribed on the World Heritage List), Dunhuang, Gansu Province
*Suoyang City Ruins, [[Guazhou County|Anxi]], Gansu Province

3. North and South of [[Tianshan Mountains]] in [[Xinjiang]], China
*[[Gaochang|Qocho (Gaochang)]] City Ruins, [[Turpan]]
*[[Jiaohe Ruins]], Turpan
*[[Beiting Protectorate|Beshbalik]] (Beiting) City Ruins, [[Jimsar County]]
*Kizil Gaha Beacon Tower, [[Kuqa County|Kuqa]] (Kucha)
*[[Kizil Caves]], Kuqa
*[[Subashi (lost city)|Subash Buddhist Temple Ruins]], Kuqa

4. [[Zhetysu|Zhetysu Region]] of the Ili and Talas Valleys of Kazakhstan and the Chuy Valley of Kyrgyzstan
*Site of Kayalyk, [[Almaty Province]], Kazakhstan
*Karamergen, Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
*[[Talgar]], Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
*Aktobe, [[Jambyl Province]], Kazakhstan
*Kulan, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
*Akyrtas, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
*Ornek, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
*Kostobe, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
*[[Suyab]] (Site of Ak-Beshim), [[Chuy Province]], Kyrgyzstan
*City of [[Balasagun]] (Site of Burana), Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan
*City of Nevaket (Site of Krasnaya Rechka), Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{World Heritage Sites in China}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan}}

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[[Category:World Heritage Sites in China]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Asia]]