Home›Buddhist Sites›UNESCO World Heritage Status›Inscribed on the World Heritage ListBrowse ByInscribed on the World Heritage ListThis page groups sacred sites by whether UNESCO has formally recognized them. Wikipedia notes elsewhere that cultural traditions can be "recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," the same kind of international listing that applies to World Heritage sites. Browsing by UNESCO status lets a visitor see which sacred sites carry that international recognition and which do not.FactsLearn MoreInscribed on the World Heritage ListSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsOverviewWhat Defines This GroupingWell-attestedThe places of the Buddha's own life, together with the monasteries, stupas, cave-temples and sacred mountains of every land Buddhism reached. The group spans Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, and most of its members lie outside the country the tradition began in - Buddhist sacred geography followed the religion's expansion rather than staying with its origin. 2Size of the Traditional SetWell-attestedFour: the places the Mahaparinibbana Sutta names as those a Buddhist should visit - the birth, the awakening, the first teaching and the final nirvana of the Buddha. Later tradition extends the four to a set of eight. 2DirectoryCategoryWell-attestedSacred Sites 1Learn MoreThe Holy Places of Buddhism This group holds the sacred sites of Buddhism, spread across Asia along the paths of the religion's expansion from India. Buddhist sacred geography begins with the places of the Buddha's own life (his birth, awakening, first teaching and passing), and extends to the great monasteries, stupas and cave-temples raised over relics and images. The browser will find the pilgrimage places of the Buddha's biography together with the monastic and devotional centres of the lands to which Buddhism spread. The entries describe each site's history and significance, noting the tradition (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) to which it chiefly belongs.Inscribed on the World Heritage ListFilter Results25 entriesPilgrimage StatusAllMajor pilgrimage destination today (10)One of a named, enumerated set of pilgrimage places (5)Pilgrimage attested historically; not continuing (2)Pilgrimage gathered on a dated festival (3)Cult Centre OfAllShakyamuni Buddha (3)Associated WithAllManjushri (1)Min Mahagiri (1)Samantabhadra (1)Shakyamuni Buddha (3)Shiva (1)Originated InAllChina (10)East Asia (2)India (5)Indian Subcontinent (8)Japan (2)Southeast Asia (4)Holds ElementAllAir (1)Fire (1)Origin Period Start YearAll-531 (1)-300 (1)200 BCE (1)366 (1)400 (1)460 (1)523 (1)600 (1)640 (1)652 (1)745 (1)780 (1)816 (1)1044 (1)1181 (1)1645 (1)Practice StatusAllControl of or access to the site is contested (1)In active religious use (16)Ruin or archaeological site; the cult has ceased (1)Standing, but maintained as a museum or heritage monument (11)Site TypeAllMonastery or monastic community (8)Necropolis, cemetery or burial ground (1)Palace with a sanctuary (1)Religious settlement or planned community (1)Rock-cut or underground sanctuary (5)Sacred mountain, hill or peak (4)Shrine (3)Stupa or pagoda (7)Temple or temple complex (7)TraditionAllBuddhism (25)Christianity (1)Hinduism (2)Islam (1)Jainism (1)CountryAllCambodia (1)China (10)India (5)Indonesia (1)Japan (2)Laos (1)Myanmar (1)Nepal (2)Sri Lanka (2)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 25Adam Peak (Sri Pada)Inscribed on the World Heritage ListAjanta CavesInscribed on the World Heritage ListAngkor ThomInscribed on the World Heritage ListBaganInscribed on the World Heritage ListBodh GayaInscribed on the World Heritage ListBorobudurInscribed on the World Heritage ListBoudhanathInscribed on the World Heritage ListEllora CavesInscribed on the World Heritage ListGreat Stupa of SanchiInscribed on the World Heritage ListGreat Wild Goose PagodaInscribed on the World Heritage ListHaw Pha Bang (Royal Temple, Luang Prabang)Inscribed on the World Heritage ListJokhangInscribed on the World Heritage ListKoyasanInscribed on the World Heritage ListLingyun HillInscribed on the World Heritage ListLongmen GrottoesInscribed on the World Heritage ListLumbiniInscribed on the World Heritage ListMogao CavesInscribed on the World Heritage ListMount EmeiInscribed on the World Heritage ListMount WutaiInscribed on the World Heritage ListPotala PalaceInscribed on the World Heritage ListSarnathInscribed on the World Heritage ListSongyue PagodaInscribed on the World Heritage ListTemple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)Inscribed on the World Heritage ListTodai-jiInscribed on the World Heritage ListYungang GrottoesInscribed on the World Heritage ListSources1. Divinity Atlas Directory Taxonomy, First Edition Category Treetier 12. An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, 2nd editiontier 1Peter Harvey, Cambridge University Press, 2013View the SourceDivinity Atlas Directory Prose, First Edition Category Descriptionstier 1Comments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.