Ancient Gate Discovered in Tel Ajori

Posted on December 12, 2014

Contributed to WCHV by Danielle

As reported by several media outlets last month (Nov 2014), excavations at Persepolis, have uncovered an ancient gate in Tale-Ajori. The joint Iranian-Italian expedition team has been exploring Tel Ajori or ‘brick mound’in Persepolis during October and November. During the recent excavations, a large gate was unearthed. Perspolis is a magnificent palace complex in Iran founded by Darius the Great around 518 BC. Even older than Persepolis itself, Tale-Ajori lies 3,500 meters outside the city and is believed that it is of great significance for understanding the Achaemenid Empire.

The expedition has been led by Alireza Askari Chaverdi Ph.D of Shiraz University and Prof. Pierfrancesco Callieri of Italian University of Bologna, and financed by provincial department of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO).

The researcher believe that most exciting findings of this excavation are 30 pieces of glazed bricks adorned with images of winged animals, incorporating mythic beasts of Elamite and Achaemenid eras in a style not unlike that of Mesopotamia and Susa in southwestern Iran. The entire outer surface and the great passageway under the gate opening are covered with the colorful glazed bricks.

The discovery of the new gate may shed new light on the role Tale-Ajori played within the ancient landscape.

Photographs were taken by Hassan Zohari and kindly shared with WCHV

Konark Sun Temple – Photos by Sepehr Salimi

Posted on August 21, 2014

Contributed to WCHV by Sepehr Salimi

Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), at Konark, in Odisha, India. It was supposedly built by King Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga Dynasty around 1250. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Compulsory Teaching of Islamic Rules to Foreign Tourists in Iran

Posted on August 4, 2014

Contributed to WCHV by Reza Kamali

The Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Cultural Heritage Administration of Iran have been commissioned to start teaching Islamic rules to foreign tourists traveling to Iran.

According to the official website of Islamic Republic of Iran, quoting from their dedicated site on Religions and denominations, this decision was ratified by a joint commission of Islamic Parliament’s committee of Law and Culture on August 2, 2014.

According to this decision, Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization, Ministry of Islamic Guidance and all other relevant departments have been commissioned to educate the foreign tourists who travel to Iran about Islamic laws and regulations.

The spokesperson for this joint commission has also mentioned that the decision includes the formation of a special branch to oversee all the breaches of this regulation as well as any other offence related to the Islamic rules.

UNESCO Sites: Summer Vacation Anyone?

Posted on July 28, 2014

Contributed to WCHV by Danielle

It’s summer and UNESCO has got vacation plans for you. Every year, more and more tourists are traveling around the globe visiting historical sites and many UNESCO World Heritage sites. In fact, with many countries like China adding more tourists to the total global tourism, it is not a big surprise that UNESCO decided to create a new program with a partner.

The small-ship cruise line Seabourn is in a new partnership with UNESCO and they have created a new program that offers increased access to the organization’s diverse World Heritage sites such as Avignon, France, the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland and Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg.The new partnership, announced last month (June 2014) and beginning with itineraries departing on or after Aug. 1, is expected to raise $1 million over six years by charging passengers $5 to $10 extra for World Heritage tours. The donations will be earmarked for preservation work by UNESCO.

In exchange, the Seabourn Cruise line gains access to World Heritage experts for its on-board speaker roster. Speakers will include experts who have undertaken UNESCO World Heritage Center work, including those who established guidelines for inscription, and evaluated them as archaeologists, art and architecture historians and geologists.

On shore, Seabourn plans to offer special World Heritage Discovery Tours developed with UNESCO site managers. Although many of the tours are still under development, tours may include traditional musical performances, meetings with preservationists and more tours that include the experts. Seabourn already offers visits to roughly 150 UNESCO World Heritage sites annually on its sailings.

Mummified Monks Showcased in Capuchin Monastery

Posted on June 17, 2014

Contributed to WCHV by Danielle

The Capuchin monastery in Brno, in the Czech Republic has unveiled 24 mummies preserved in their robes, holding the rosary beads and has put them on display.

The mummified remains of 18th century monks are the only remaining mummies of the 200 Capuchin Crypt monks and supporters of the religious order, who were buried until the end of the 18th century. According to a Brno tourism website, the composition of the rock and the special ventilation system in the buried champers allowed the corpses to be mummified and preserved.

The church is decorated with Baroque sculptured dating to around 1765. Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic and the largest Moravian city.