World Heritage Identification Number: 813
World Heritage since: 1997
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇳 China
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Masterpieces of Chinese Landscape Architecture: The Classical Gardens of Suzhou
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou, located in the historical city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, are a remarkable collection of nine gardens that have earned a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These gardens serve as a testament to the enduring tradition of classical Chinese landscape architecture, where the pursuit of replicating natural landscapes in miniature forms a central theme.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to recreate natural landscapes in miniature, is nowhere better illustrated than in the nine gardens in the historic city of Suzhou. They are generally acknowledged to be masterpieces of the genre. Dating from the 11th-19th century, the gardens reflect the profound metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture in their meticulous design.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the basis of criteria (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v), considering that the four classical gardens of Suzhou are masterpieces of Chinese landscape garden design in which art, nature, and ideas are integrated perfectly to create ensembles of great beauty and peaceful harmony, and four gardens are integral to the entire historic urban plan.
Encyclopedia Record: Classical Gardens of Suzhou
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou are a group of gardens in the city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu, China, that have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.Additional Site Details
Area: 11.922 hectares
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 31.31666667 , 120.45
Image
© Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
