Rock Cut Architecture
Structures carved in situ into 'living rock' which are not primarily based on natural caves even though in India and China these are often referred to as being 'caves'.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Ajanta Caves | The caves are carved out of flood basalt and granite rock of a cliff (wiki) | |
| Ani | great number of rockcarved structures including chapels, burial chambers, warehouses and pigeon houses (AB ev) | |
| Bali Subak system | Gunung Kawi Temple rock cut monuments and monasteries (AB ev) | |
| Dholavira: A Harappan City | Of a series of five buried water reservoirs, the "third one which is centrally located is primarily a rock-cut architecture of excellence, exquisite beauty and superb skill." (Nomination text, p. 121) | |
| Elephanta Caves | "The caves are the most magnificent achievement in the history of rock-architecture in western India." (OUV) | |
| Ellora Caves | "one of the largest rock-cut Hindu temple cave complexes in the world" (wiki) | |
| Etruscan Necropolises | Several tombs | |
| Gebel Barkal | "rock-cut burials and temples" (AB ev) | |
| Gyeongju | Mount Namsan "The rock-cut reliefs and engravings and the stone images are fine examples of Shilla Kingdom Buddhist art from the 7th to the 14th century. They are artistic masterpieces which trace the evolution of this especially refined school of Buddhist art throughout its most prolific and innovatory period, in particular from the 7th to the 10th century. They depict for the most part Buddha, and also the saints and bodhisattvas associated with him. Skilful use is made of the landscape in siting many of the sculptural groups. The most impressive is probably the Buddha Rock, a massive natural formation in the Tapkol Valley. It is located close to a three storey pagoda, and its three walls are decorated with vivid depictions in bas-relief of Buddha in different incarnations, surrounded by his acolytes and disciples." - Advisory Body Evaluation (2000) | |
| Hegra | rock-cut necropoles | |
| Lalibela | "The eleven Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela are monolithic churches ...The rock-hewn churches at Lalibela are made through a subtractive processes in which space is created by removing material. Out of the 11 churches, 4 are free-standing (monolithic) and 7 share a wall with the mountain out of which they are carved." (wiki) | |
| Longmen Grottoes | "The images, many once painted, were carved as outside rock reliefs and inside artificial caves excavated from the limestone cliffs" (wiki) | |
| Mahabalipuram | ||
| Matera | "renowned for its rock-cut urban core, whose twin cliffside zones are known collectively as the Sassi .. The Sassi are houses dug into the calcarenitic rock itself" (wiki) | |
| Mogao Caves | "The caves are examples of rock-cut architecture, but unlike Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, the local rock is a rather soft gravel conglomerate that is not suitable for either sculpture or elaborate architectural details" (wiki) | |
| Monastery of Geghard | "partially carved out of the adjacent mountain" (wiki) | |
| Necropolis of Bet She'arim | interior decoration of rock cut architecture Man-made catacombs, with interior carvings: "In one cave, known as the Cave of the Coffins, "the mother of all menorahs" was discovered."" | |
| Nubian Monuments | Abu Simbel | |
| Oaxaca and Monte Alban | Monte Alban (originally carved out of the mountain) | |
| Pergamon | The Kybele Sanctuary at Kapikaya is a rural rock-cut sanctuary (AB ev) | |
| Petra | Treasury and Monastery are two of the structures that were carved into the rock face | |
| Phu Phrabat | "Wat Look Koei (the son-in-law's temple) is a rock shelter modified to create a monastery. (...) The back wall and the lower portions of the two side walls were carved from the rock pillar that supports the top rock." - "Tam Phra (the monk's cave) was a large rock shelter, but the top rock slab collapsed and broke into several pieces sometime in the past. Its bottom part was carved into a large room, with many Buddhist statues sculpted out of the rock pillar." (AB Ev) | |
| Qadisha Valley | Qannubin Monastery and others | |
| Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo | "Many churches, chapels, monasteries and cells were cut into the natural rock along the Rusenski Lom river, during the 13-14th centuries." (OUV) – "The Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo (...) are a group of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries hewn out of solid rock" (Wikipedia) | |
| Saint-Emilion | Monolithic church, carved from a limestone cliff | |
| Syracuse | Pantalica | |
| Val d'Orcia | The cave of San Filippo Benizi is a small oratory located in Bagni San Filippo in Castiglione d'Orcia, carved out of a large block of travertine in the shape of a vault closed at the ends by two walls and divided in two by a partition wall. (Nomination file, p. 74-75) | |
| Yungang Grottoes | "The grottoes were excavated in the south face of a sandstone cliff" (wiki) |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Rock Cut Architecture?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source