UNESCO Heritage Sites

The Struve Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2,820 km. These are points of a survey, carried out between 1816 and 1855 by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, which represented the first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian. This helped to establish the exact size and shape of the planet and marked an important step in the development of earth sciences and topographic mapping. It is an extraordinary example of scientific collaboration among scientists from different countries, and of collaboration between monarchs for a scientific cause. The original arc consisted of 258 main triangles with 265 main station points. The listed site includes 34 of the original station points, with different markings, i.e. a drilled hole in rock, iron cross, cairns, or built obelisks. Continent: Europe Country: Belarus Category: Cultural Criterion: (II) (III) (VI) Date of Insc...

Mir Castle Complex construction of the castle by the Ilyinichi family began at the end of the 15th century, in Gothic style; it was subsequently extended and reconstructed. The initial work consisted of building the walls and towers in Gothic style, but work came to an end for some unknown reason. Building had been completed by the beginning of the 17th century with the addition of palatial accommodation, with some Renaissance features, after it had passed to the Radzivill family. Following sieges in 1655 and 1706 reconstruction work involved the addition of some Baroque features. Continent: Europe Country: Belarus Category: Cultural Criterion: (II)(IV) Date of Inscription: 2000

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is situated on the watershed of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, this immense forest range, consisting of evergreens and broad-leaved trees, is home to some remarkable animal life, including rare mammals such as the wolf, the lynx and the otter, as well as some 300 European Bison, a species which has been reintroduced into the park. The Białowieża Primeval Forest is the last remaining primary deciduous and mixed forest of the European lowlands. Located on the watershed of the Baltic and Black seas, this immense forest range consisting of evergreens and broadleaved trees is the home of some remarkable animal life, including rare and interesting mammals. The park comprises about one-tenth of the entire Białowieża Primeval Forest, which has a wide range of flora and fauna typical of both Western and Eastern Europe. Continent: Europe Country: Belarus Category: Natural Criterion: (VII) Date of Inscription: 1979