Welcoming the new 2018 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Built in the 13th century, Naumburg Cathedral is a masterpiece of the High Middle Ages. The life-like sculptures of the unknown "Naumburg Master" are famous. Uta von Naumburg (pictured) is considered the most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages. If the unknown master had known that she would one day belong to the World Heritage, he would certainly have put a smile on her face.

Are the oldest temples of mankind located here? The stone columns and crosses are 12,000 years old. This makes the sanctuary of the Stone Age people in Turkey twice as old as Stonehenge in England and the pyramids of Egypt.

Despite centuries of oppression, four secluded mountain monasteries — Tongdosa, Buseoksa, Beopjusa and Daeheungsa — have preserved the tradition of Korean Buddhism from the 7th century to this day. The five-story main pagoda is the landmark of the Beopjusa temple (pictured); nearly 3,000 monks once lived here.

The Caliph of Cordoba commissioned the construction of a magnificent royal city in 936 and dedicated it to his concubine, Az-Zahra. It was built in 40 years and destroyed by enemy armies 44 years later. Today, the archaeological site near Cordoba provides exciting insight into the Moorish culture and history of Spain.

From the same period, but in a somewhat different architectural style, in northern Germany, the Vikings built during the 9th century the trade center Haithabu, which was protected by the Danevirke, an over 30-kilometer-long (18.6-mile-long) rampart. Here, instead of warring and raiding, Vikings lived as peaceful traders and craftsmen.

Table mountains and rock paintings: the Chiribiquete National Park in the Amazon basin has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site for both its nature and its cultural sites. Around 75,000 prehistoric petroglyphs rock paintings tell of hunting scenes, battles, dances and ceremonies surrounding the "Cult of the Jaguar."

Stone upon stone, held together without mortar, and yet they have lasted for over 500 years. The Thimlich Ohinga dry-stone walls make up the most important archaeological site in East Africa. They bear witness to the culture and craftsmanship of the pastoral communities that settled in the Lake Victoria region from the 16th century onward.

A cathedral, a castle and 10 villages tell the story of persecuted Christian missionaries in Japan from the 17th to the 19th century. They survived in small communities along the coast or on remote islands and developed their very own, extremely popular religion.

The city in northeastern Oman was an important trade hub in the 14th and 15th century. The pictured mausoleum of Bibi Maryam is a reminder of ancient times. In 2010, modern Qalhat had roughly 1,100 inhabitants. Its port, located a little outside the city, is a transfer site for Oman's liquid gas.

European architecture mixed with Indian design: That is the trademark of this district in Mumbai. The Victorian buildings date from the 19th century; the Art Deco ensemble from the 20th century. From Mumbai, this Indo-Gothic-Deco style spread across the Indian subcontinent and now is part of the world heritage of mankind.

This landscape with its vast forests and wide rivers has been the home of the Anishinaabeg people for more than 7,000 years. "Pimachiowin Aki" means "the land that gives life." Preserving this is still deeply rooted in the faith and culture of this indigenous people. They know how to live in harmony with nature.