World Heritage Identification Number: 1112
World Heritage since: 2007
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇳 China
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
Map
A Glimpse into the Unique Architecture of Kaiping Diaolou and Villages
The Kaiping Diaolou and Villages, a remarkable ensemble of fortified structures nestled in the rural landscapes of Guangdong Province, China, stand as a testament to the rich cultural exchange between East and West. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, this architectural marvel showcases a unique blend of traditional Chinese and Western architectural styles, reflecting the global influence of emigrants from Kaiping during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages feature the Diaolou, multi-storeyed defensive village houses in Kaiping, which display a complex and flamboyant fusion of Chinese and Western structural and decorative forms. They reflect the significant role of émigré Kaiping people in the development of several countries in South Asia, Australasia and North America, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are four groups of Diaolou and twenty of the most symbolic ones are inscribed on the List. These buildings take three forms: communal towers built by several families and used as temporary refuge, residential towers built by individual rich families and used as fortified residences, and watch towers. Built of stone, pise , brick or concrete, these buildings represent a complex and confident fusion between Chinese and Western architectural styles. Retaining a harmonious relationship with the surrounding landscape, the Diaolou testify to the final flowering of local building traditions that started in the Ming period in response to local banditry.
Encyclopedia Record: Diaolou
Diaolou are fortified multi-storey watchtowers in rural villages, generally made of reinforced concrete. These towers are located mainly in Kaiping, Guangdong province, China. In 2007, UNESCO designated the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (开平碉楼与村落) a World Heritage Site, which covers four separate Kaiping village areas: Sanmenli (三门里), Zilicun (自力村), Jinjiangli (锦江里), and Majianglong village cluster (马降龙村落群). These areas demonstrate a unique fusion of 19th- and 20th-century Chinese and Western architectural styles.Additional Site Details
Area: 371.948 hectares
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 22.2855194444 , 112.5658611111
Image
© Stefan Fussan, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
