<img style="float: left;" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/sep/the-guide-logo.gif" alt="" width="150" height="36" />
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img title=" Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave Temples and Fort in Ladakh, India. This is a frame captured in 2014 from inside Cave No. 8, where significant areas of the sacred paintings have been lost. These temples, nestled between the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, contain Buddhist wall paintings of exquisite artistic and spiritual significance, but they are endangered by the menacing disintegration of the surrounding rock. PIC COURTESY/WORLD MONUMENTS FUND" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Gon-Nila-Phuk-Cave-Temples-.jpg" alt=" Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave Temples and Fort in Ladakh, India. This is a frame captured in 2014 from inside Cave No. 8, where significant areas of the sacred paintings have been lost. These temples, nestled between the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, contain Buddhist wall paintings of exquisite artistic and spiritual significance, but they are endangered by the menacing disintegration of the surrounding rock. PIC COURTESY/WORLD MONUMENTS FUND" />
Gon-Nila-Phuk Cave Temples and Fort in Ladakh, India. This is a frame captured in 2014 from inside Cave No. 8, where significant areas of the sacred paintings have been lost. These temples, nestled between the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, contain Buddhist wall paintings of exquisite artistic and spiritual significance, but they are endangered by the menacing disintegration of the surrounding rock. All pictures courtesy/WORLD MONUMENTS FUND
Where: Chapultepec Park, Mexico City, Mexico What: The oldest and largest urban park in Latin America is home to nine museums, a zoo, an amusement park and&nbsp; several recreational spaces. It receives nearly 15 million visitors each year and is an invaluable ecological oasis as well as cultural landmark.
<img title="Chapultepec Park, Mexico City, Mexico" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Chapultepec-Park-Mexico.jpg" alt="Chapultepec Park, Mexico City, Mexico" />
Where: Church and Convent of San Francisco, Quito, Ecuador what: The oldest and most significant religious site in Ecuador includes 13 cloisters, three churches, a plaza, over 3,500 words of religious art and a library holding thousands of books and historic documents.
<img title="Church and Convent of San Francisco, Quito, Ecuador" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Church-and-Convent-of-San-F.jpg" alt="Church and Convent of San Francisco, Quito, Ecuador" />
Where: Brussels Palace of Justice, Belgium What: The Brussels Palace of Justice was built on a massive scale, on a high plateau overlooking the historic centre of Brussels. This central portico with a pair of statues of Ulpian (left) and Cicero (right) by Belgian sculptor Antoine-F&eacute;lix Bour&eacute; (1831-1883) makes for a stunning sight.
<img title="Brussels Palace of Justice, Belgium" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Brussels-Palace-of-Justice-.jpg" alt="Brussels Palace of Justice, Belgium" />
Where: Simwonjeong Pavilion, South Korea What: Simwonjeong is a surviving example of a Korean won-lim, or forest-garden. This ideal was developed by Confucian scholars of the Joseon kingdom to reflect Korean thought.&nbsp;
<img title="Simwonjeong Pavilion, South Korea" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Simwonjeong-Pavilion-South-.jpg" alt="Simwonjeong Pavilion, South Korea" />
What: Sabu-Jaddi Rock Art Sites, Nile Valley, Sudan Why:&nbsp;Hundreds of rock drawings, stretching over an area of roughly three miles, showcase archaeological, artistic, and spiritual significance. This rock art depicts figures and scenes from pre-historic and modern times, and is a testimony to 6,000 years of human occupation.
<img title="Sabu-Jaddi Rock Art Sites, Nile Valley, Sudan" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Sabu-Jaddi-Rock-Art-Sites-S.jpg" alt="Sabu-Jaddi Rock Art Sites, Nile Valley, Sudan" />
Where: National Art Schools, Havana, Cuba What: Created from the utopian ideals of the Cuban Revolution under Fidel Castro, this structure was meant to bring cultural literacy. After surviving decades of neglect, the sites are gaining recognition as modernist monuments, but a solid approach to the management of the site remains a necessity.
<img title="National Art Schools, Havana, Cuba" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/National-Art-Schools-Havana.jpg" alt="National Art Schools, Havana, Cuba" />
Where: Traditional architecture of Mauritius What: The island nation&rsquo;s distinctive architecture is a reflection of its colonial history that connected Europe with the East. The styles are a mix of Dutch, French and British influences from the 17th century. These, along with influences from India and East Africa, together offer a fascinating fusion of East and West.
<img title="Traditional architecture of Mauritius" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Traditional-Architecture-of.jpg" alt="Traditional architecture of Mauritius" />
Where: Petra Archaeological Site, Wadi Mousa, Jordan What: A view of Siq al-Barid, a smaller archaeological site located to the north of Petra, 2009. Many of Petra&rsquo;s most spectacular structures were carved into the red sandstone surroundings.
<img title="Petra Archaeological Site, Wadi Mousa, Jordan" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Petra-Archaeological-Site-J.jpg" alt="Petra Archaeological Site, Wadi Mousa, Jordan" />
Where: Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa What: Known for its architecture and pre-1850s structures, this area has a multi-ethnic vibe as it is made of people from South and Southeast Asia who were forcibly relocated to supply skilled labour for the expanding Cape Colony.
<img title="Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Bo-Kaap-Cape-Town.jpg" alt="Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa" />
What: Convents of Seville, Spain Why: View of the coffered ceiling of the lower choir in the Convent of San Jose, 2012. The dwindling monastic vocation poses a serious challenge to the future of Seville&rsquo;s remaining cloistered convents. These display an array of architectural styles and influences, including Gothic and Mud&eacute;jar, Renaissance, Baroque, and other variants.
<img title="Convents of Seville, Spain" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/nov/Convents-of-Seville-Spain.jpg" alt="Convents of Seville, Spain" />
Information courtesy: World Monuments Fund
All pictures courtesy/WORLD MONUMENTS FUND

From Sudan to South Korea, Spain to India, visit some of the 50 endangered heritage sites across 36 countries that have been included in the just-released 2016 World Monuments Watch list

Travel: Why must we save these global treasures?

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Lifestyle / Travel / Article / Travel: Why must we save these global treasures?

Travel: Why must we save these global treasures?

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast