By / MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Team
At its 39th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Bonn, Germany, UNESCO announced nine new additions to the World Cultural Heritage list. Notable sites include China’s “Tusi Sites,” Japan’s Hashima Island, and Singapore’s Botanic Gardens. These sites were inscribed due to their representative cultural and historical significance. With these additions, China now has 48 World Heritage sites, ranking second globally in total number, just behind Italy.
UNESCO announces new additions, with Singapore’s Botanic Gardens also making the list. (Image source / travelwithjoshcohen)
The nine new World Cultural Heritage sites are:
● Japan | Hashima Island
Once featured in British media as one of the world’s top ten ghost towns, Japan’s Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island, is an abandoned island located about 19 kilometers southwest of Nagasaki. Its battleship-like shape gave it its nickname. During its mining heyday, the small island was home to up to 5,000 residents. After the decline of mining, inhabitants left, leaving behind crumbling, empty buildings that create an eerie, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.
Japan’s deserted Hashima Island, with its haunting atmosphere, was once listed among the world’s top ten ghost towns. (Image source / gunkanjima-populartourismplace)
● France | Champagne and Burgundy Vineyards
The champagne industry is a blend of agriculture, industry, and commerce. UNESCO stated that the vineyards, wine cellars, and estate buildings of France’s Champagne region hold significant cultural value.
France’s Champagne region is highly representative of French culture. (Image source / straitstimes)
● China | Tusi Sites
China’s Tusi Sites reflect the unique administrative wisdom of the ancient unified multi-ethnic Chinese state in managing the diverse ethnic regions of the southwest through the strategy of “unified governance and tailored administration.” This approach promoted sustained development in ethnic areas, contributed to long-term national unity, and played a prominent role in preserving cultural diversity.
● Singapore | Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is the world’s first tropical garden to be inscribed on the World Heritage list and the third garden worldwide to receive such recognition. Covering 74 hectares and boasting over 150 years of history, the gardens house tens of thousands of orchid species and more than 20,000 types of tropical and subtropical flowers and trees.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens features tens of thousands of unique and exotic plants. (Image source / travelokam)
● South Korea | Baekje Historic Areas
The Baekje Historic Areas not only vividly showcase the historical interactions between ancient Korean kingdoms and other East Asian states like China and Japan, but also embody the unique cultural value of the Baekje Kingdom itself. Along with the Goguryeo Tombs (North Korea) and the Gyeongju Historic Areas, they represent the capitals of the ancient Three Kingdoms of Korea, all now inscribed as World Heritage.
● USA | San Antonio Missions
● Germany | Hamburg’s Historic Maritime Warehouses and Business Districts
Located in Hamburg, Germany, the Speicherstadt warehouse district was established in 1888 and has evolved over decades into the world’s largest warehouse-based commercial complex. The area's development reflects the global trade expansion from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
Germany’s maritime warehouse district reflects the development of trade through the ages. (Image source / huffingtonpost)
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