Earth Architecture

Connected Sites: 47

Definition
An earth structure is a building or other structure made largely from soil. Includes adobe or mud-brick buildings.

Map

Connected Sites

  • Taos Pueblo
    Taos Pueblo
    United States of America
    Inscribed: 1992
    3.24
    132
    13
  • Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.49
    213
    8
  • Mesa Verde
    Mesa Verde
    United States of America
    Inscribed: 1978
    3.96
    187
    9
  • Turaif Quarter
    Turaif Quarter
    Saudi Arabia
    Inscribed: 2010
    2.29
    64
    6
    "It bears witness to a building method that is well adapted to its environment, to the use of adobe in major palatial complexes, .." (OUV crit iv)
  • Lamu Old Town
    Inscribed: 2001
    2.94
    33
    5
    "The section consisting of MUD-BRICK BUILDINGS covers an area of some 21ha" (AB ev)
  • Timbuktu
    Inscribed: 1988
    3.45
    27
    2
  • Moidams
    Moidams
    India
    Inscribed: 2024
    2.06
    5
    3
    "Each moidam (or maidam) is an earthen mound (Ga-Moidam) covered in vegetation, topped by a small shrine (Dole or Chou Cha Li) within a low octagonal wall (Garh)." (Ab Ev)
  • Paquimé
    Paquimé
    Mexico
    Inscribed: 1998
    2.68
    16
    5
    provide exceptional evidence of the development of adobe architecture in North America, and in particular of the blending of this with the more advanced techniques of Mesoamerica (OUV)
  • Çatalhöyük
    Inscribed: 2012
    3.45
    75
    7
    mud brick houses (AB ev)
  • Ashur
    Ashur
    Iraq
    Inscribed: 2003
    2.86
    18
    2
    "The majority of the buildings of the city were built with sun-dried mud-bricks" (AB ev)
  • Mozu-Furuichi Kofun
    Inscribed: 2019
    2.12
    81
    5
    "the largest of the kofun within the nominated series are close to 500 metres in length, and are significant accomplishments of earthen architecture and engineering" (AB ev)
  • Bassari Country
    Inscribed: 2012
    3.09
    12
    2
    "huts built in the ritual villages have earthen walls; in contrast, huts outside of the villages are made out of bamboo" (AB ev)
  • Brú na Bóinne
    Inscribed: 1993
    3.63
    204
    11
    Newgrange : henge
  • Al-Faw
    Al-Faw
    Saudi Arabia
    Inscribed: 2024
    1.29
    4
    3
    "The religious and administrative sectors feature a monumental building named "souk", which might have functioned as a market. It has a square layout with projected corner towers and bastions, as well as thick mudbrick walls six to seven metres above the plain." (AB Ev)
  • Xixia Imperial Tombs
    Inscribed: 2025
    3.00
    19
    1
    "Rammed earth, mud bricks and wood are the main materials used to construct the buildings of the funerary complex." (AB ev)
  • Yazd
    Yazd
    Iran
    Inscribed: 2017
    3.59
    92
    3
    Yazd is also one of the largest cities built almost entirely out of adobe. (wiki)
  • Viking Age Ring Fortresses
    Inscribed: 2023
    2.00
    105
    5
    "fortified circular earthen ramparts clad with timber" – "Construction of these permanent defensive earthworks involved the massive use of turf (in blocks and strips), local loam, earth and clay, combined with prolific quantities of wood (stones were used in some cases, e.g. in gateway walls at Trelleborg)." – "The nominated property comprises a series of five archaeological sites (earthworks) which, overall, possess a general state of conservation that is good." (Nomination file, p. 28, 52, 263)
  • Tomb of Askia
    Inscribed: 2004
    2.22
    6
    1
  • The Royal Court of Tiébélé
    Inscribed: 2024
    3.32
    7
    2
    "an earthen architectural complex" (AB ev)
  • Sudanese style mosques
    Inscribed: 2021
    2.58
    6
    1
  • Silk Roads: Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor
    Silk Roads: Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor
    China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
    Inscribed: 2014
    3.02
    198
    9
    Jiahoe, Gaochang
  • Shibam
    Shibam
    Yemen
    Inscribed: 1982
    3.95
    19
    2
  • Quebrada de Humahuaca
    Inscribed: 2003
    3.14
    63
    5
  • Poverty Point
    Poverty Point
    United States of America
    Inscribed: 2014
    2.28
    65
    8
    "The site consists of an integrated complex of earthen monuments" (OUV)
  • Orkhon Valley
    Inscribed: 2004
    2.52
    53
    6
    Karakorum, Mud walls
  • Koutammakou
    Koutammakou
    Benin, Togo
    Inscribed: 2004
    2.87
    23
    3
  • Jomon Prehistoric Sites
    Inscribed: 2021
    2.50
    40
    4
    "artificial earthen mounds" (Official description) – "The 17 component parts of the nominated serial property include settlements, burial areas, and ritual and ceremonial sites that include stone circles and earthworks." (AB Ev) – For example, Component Part 013 (Kiusu Earthwork Burial Circles) (Nomination file, p. 85)
  • Hahoe and Yangdong
    Hahoe and Yangdong
    Republic of Korea
    Inscribed: 2010
    2.83
    110
    7
    Most of lower class houses in Yangdong are mud wall house
  • Gyeongju
    Gyeongju
    Republic of Korea
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.31
    148
    14
    Wolseong Fortress "The fortress was built in 101 AD. The east, west, and north walls were built on stone/earth foundation covered with clay. -Kyongju by Kim, Yong-nam (published by Woojin Press, Seoul, Korea) 2008
  • Fujian Tulou
    Inscribed: 2008
    3.68
    61
    6
  • Coro and its Port
    Inscribed: 1993
    2.64
    16
    2
    Coro's traditional buildings are built of earth - adobe, or earth reinforced in a technique known as "bahareque".
  • Coffee Cultural Landscape
    Inscribed: 2011
    2.97
    70
    7
    "The undulating high-mountain landscape was slowly adorned with towns built in tapia - or cob - and bahareque - plaited cane and mud walls -, with mud roof tiles." (Nomination file, p. 73)
  • Cliff of Bandiagara
    Inscribed: 1989
    3.46
    31
    2
  • Chan Chan
    Inscribed: 1986
    3.33
    81
    7
  • Baekje Historic Areas
    Baekje Historic Areas
    Republic of Korea
    Inscribed: 2015
    2.42
    74
    8
    “Gongsanseong Fortress consists of both earthen wall sections and stone wall sections, although most parts are stone walls. The total length of the fortress amounts for 2,660m (stone walls: 1,925m; earthen walls: 735m).” - Nomination File
  • Asante Traditional Buildings
    Inscribed: 1980
    1.88
    35
    5
  • Al Ain
    Al Ain
    United Arab Emirates
    Inscribed: 2011
    2.52
    116
    8
    mud brick constructions
  • Al-Ahsa Oasis
    Al-Ahsa Oasis
    Saudi Arabia
    Inscribed: 2018
    2.20
    44
    3
    Al-Qubbah Mosque and other buildings
  • Agadez
    Agadez
    Niger
    Inscribed: 2013
    2.96
    10
    2
  • Bahla Fort
    Inscribed: 1987
    2.69
    120
    8
    Its ruined walls and towers
  • Hopewell
    Hopewell
    United States of America
    Inscribed: 2023
    2.23
    42
    7
    "these earthworks consist of embankment walls enclosing huge spaces, with carefully positioned and often monumental gateways" (AB ev)
  • Djenné
    Inscribed: 1988
    3.66
    33
    2
  • Arslantepe Mound
    Inscribed: 2021
    2.42
    36
    5
    The Arslantepe mud-brick architecture, due to its antiquity, advanced technology, and state of preservation, is also an outstanding example of a traditional building system representative of a millenarian culture shared by all Near Eastern communities. (...) It has been widely exposed and preserved in perfect and integral state, with the original mud-brick walls, mud plaster and floors, internal features and paintings (...). (Executive summary, p. 4)
  • Santiniketan
    Inscribed: 2023
    1.65
    11
    3
    "The Uttarayan area was established to the north of the Ashrama from 1919 with the construction of two mud brick buildings (one of which, Konark, still stands), followed by five additional houses for Rabindranath Tagore. These show various experiments with the thermal performance of mud buildings" (AB ev)
  • Ahwar of Southern Iraq
    Inscribed: 2016
    2.98
    23
    4
    Sumerian sites
  • Samarra
    Inscribed: 2007
    3.02
    27
    5
    "The main building materials are fired brick, mud-brick and adobe" (AB ev)
  • Royal Palaces of Abomey
    Inscribed: 1985
    2.72
    37
    2