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UNESCO to Assess Damage on World Heritage Sites in Nepal

Due to the strong earthquake in Nepal, monuments and sites within the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage property as well as several other cultural and natural heritage sites have been heavily damaged, according to UNESCO’s preliminary assessment on the ground.

“As we are receiving more information from the ground, I am deeply aggrieved by the magnitude of human loss caused by the earthquake in Nepal. I am also shocked by its devastating impact on the unique cultural heritage in the country, in particular extensive and irreversible damage at the World Heritage site of Kathmandu Valley”, explained Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO.

Also, Nepal’s natural heritage – in particular Sagarmatha National Park and Mount Everest – has been severely affected by the earthquake.  Only minimal impact has been documented at the World Heritage site of Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha (1997), and Chitwan National Park (1984).

The cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley is composed of seven groups of monuments and buildings representing a broad range of historical and artistic achievements for which the Valley is world famous: They include the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan.

Source and Further Information

Website of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre

ICCROM Call for Information

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