They comprise the largest remaining 'virgin' forests of the European beech ('Fagus sylvatica'). The Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe cover forests of the European beech in 18 countries. The lakeshore reed beds and wetlands provide critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of wintering water birds, including rare and threatened species such as the Dalmatian Pelican, Ferruginous Duck, Swan, Spotted Eagle, and Eastern Imperial Eagle. The lake's water holds many endemic species of fish, molluscs etc. Almost all surviving churches were built by the Byzantines and by the Bulgarians. As an episcopal city, Ohrid was an important cultural center. Its churches are renowned for their frescoes and icons. The city of Ohrid has been a cultural centre of great importance for the Balkan and the Slavonic language.

The Natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid Region comprises the ancient city of Ohrid and nearby Lake Ohrid, one of the deepest and oldest lakes in Europe. After a short period of occupation by the Venetians (late 14th century), the city under Ottoman administration was threatened by the marshes that formed around the lake and was abandoned by the population. The city's last era of prosperity was under Byzantine administration (Epirus).

Many religious structures were built by the Christians. Roman occupation prompted the development of the city and, during the Christian era, it became the seat of a bishopric. A Greek colony was founded there in the late 7th century BC. The site, on a hill next to a lake connecting to the sea by a canal, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Residential quarters, the bazaar, churches, and mosques were built vertically and in stone.īutrint is an archaeological site that provides valuable evidence of ancient and medieval civilizations on the territory of modern Albania. From the 14th to the 19th century it developed into a regional center. Gjirokastra was built around a 13th-century citadel. The designated area includes Berat castle, mosques, churches, and the Gorica bridge. The Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra are both well-preserved Ottoman towns, decorated with outstanding examples of kule: Balkan-Ottoman style tower houses.īerat has been particularly marked by the peaceful coexistence of Ottoman Islam with a large Christian minority. The Minaret was forgotten by the outside world until rediscovered in 1886 by Sir Thomas Holdich. It is famous for its intricate brick, stucco and glazed tile decoration, which consists of alternating bands of kufic and naskhi calligraphy, geometric patterns, and verses from the Qur'an. The 65 metre high minaret, surrounded by mountains that reach up to 2400 meters, is built entirely of baked bricks. The 12th and 13th century Ghurids controlled not only Afghanistan, but also parts of eastern Iran, Northern India and parts of Pakistan. Jam is probably located at the site of the Ghurid dynasty's summer capital, Firuzkuh. The Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam represent the artistic creativity and mastery of structural engineering of the Ghurid civilization (1000-1220). In March 2001, the Afghan Taliban government ordered them to be demolished. They were probably erected in the 4th or 5th century. The two most prominent of these statues were standing Buddhas, measuring 55 and 37 meters high respectively, that were the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world. Many statues of Buddha were carved into the sides of cliffs facing Bamiyan city. The kingdom of Bamiyan was a Buddhist state positioned at a strategic location along the trade routes that for centuries linked China and Central Asia with India and the west. The Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley is an outstanding representation of the Buddhist art that resulted from the interaction between man and nature especially from the 1st to 13th centuries CE.

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