Babylon was once a thriving, splendorous city of the ancient world, home to hundreds of thousands of people and ruled by such famed historic leaders as Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar. Today, visitors to the site might have a hard time picturing its illustrious history; much of the ruins, located in modern-day Iraq, are unexcavated, and the area has sustained considerable damage from human development, ill-advised restoration efforts and conflict. But in a major nod to Babylon’s cultural importance, the ancient city was recently added to Unesco’s World Heritage List, along with 28 other sites.
Launched in 1978, the list now includes more than 1,100 sites of “cultural and natural heritage ... considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.” This year’s additions can be found around the world, include both developed and natural landscapes, and range from locations that are thousands of years old to relatively modern additions.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-city-babylon-among-new-unesco-world-heritage-sites-180972579/#MUV5u0JddG3STC0w.99
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