Rock Cut Architecture

Connected Sites: 30

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

  • Lalibela
    Lalibela
    Ethiopia
    Inscribed: 1978
    4.14
    92
    6
    "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)
  • Ellora Caves
    Inscribed: 1983
    4.06
    109
    11
    "One Of The Largest Rock-Cut Hindu Temple Cave Complexes In The World" (Wiki)
  • Ajanta Caves
    Inscribed: 1983
    3.81
    108
    7
    The Caves Are Carved Out Of Flood Basalt And Granite Rock Of A Cliff (Wiki)
  • Etruscan Necropolises
    Inscribed: 2004
    3.47
    205
    9
    Several Tombs
  • Hegra
    Hegra
    Saudi Arabia
    Inscribed: 2008
    3.89
    62
    9
    Rock-Cut Necropoles
  • Mahabalipuram
    Inscribed: 1984
    3.77
    102
    4
  • Mogao Caves
    Inscribed: 1987
    4.08
    76
    5
    "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
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.44
    184
    4
    "Partially Carved Out Of The Adjacent Mountain" (Wiki)
  • Gebel Barkal
    Inscribed: 2003
    3.13
    34
    4
    "Rock-Cut Burials And Temples" (Ab Ev)
  • Necropolis of Bet She'arim
    Inscribed: 2015
    2.86
    78
    4
    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.""
    See Www.Jns.Org
  • Mt. Kumgang
    Mt. Kumgang
    Korea (DPR)
    Nominated: 2025
    77%
    8
    0
    "The 14th Century Myogilsang And Sambul Rock Feature Some Of The Largest Buddha Sculptures In The Korean Peninsula." - Ab Evaluation
    See En.Wikipedia.Org
  • Yungang Grottoes
    Inscribed: 2001
    3.93
    125
    3
    "The Grottoes Were Excavated In The South Face Of A Sandstone Cliff" (Wiki)
  • Val d'Orcia
    Inscribed: 2004
    3.23
    240
    11
    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)
    See It.Wikipedia.Org
  • Syracuse
    Inscribed: 2005
    3.50
    311
    8
    Pantalica
  • Saint-Emilion
    Inscribed: 1999
    3.01
    238
    8
    Monolithic Church, Carved From A Limestone Cliff
  • Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo
    Inscribed: 1979
    2.82
    130
    8
    "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)
  • Qadisha Valley
    Inscribed: 1998
    3.31
    81
    4
    Qannubin Monastery And Others
  • Phu Phrabat
    Phu Phrabat
    Thailand
    Inscribed: 2024
    2.71
    33
    5
    "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)
  • Petra
    Petra
    Jordan
    Inscribed: 1985
    4.60
    387
    21
    Treasury And Monastery Are Two Of The Structures That Were Carved Into The Rock Face
  • Pergamon
    Pergamon
    Turkiye
    Inscribed: 2014
    3.56
    171
    6
    The Kybele Sanctuary At Kapikaya Is A Rural Rock-Cut Sanctuary (Ab Ev)
  • Oaxaca and Monte Alban
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.70
    176
    7
    Monte Alban (Originally Carved Out Of The Mountain)
  • Nubian Monuments
    Inscribed: 1979
    4.22
    274
    12
    Abu Simbel
  • Matera
    Matera
    Italy
    Inscribed: 1993
    3.86
    266
    7
    "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)
  • Longmen Grottoes
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.88
    139
    7
    "The Images, Many Once Painted, Were Carved As Outside Rock Reliefs And Inside Artificial Caves Excavated From The Limestone Cliffs" (Wiki)
  • Gyeongju
    Gyeongju
    Republic of Korea
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.30
    181
    14
    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)
  • Elephanta Caves
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.05
    145
    7
    "The Caves Are The Most Magnificent Achievement In The History Of Rock-Architecture In Western India." (Ouv)
  • Dholavira: A Harappan City
    Inscribed: 2021
    2.85
    13
    2
    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)
  • Bali Subak system
    Inscribed: 2012
    3.16
    282
    6
    Gunung Kawi Temple Rock Cut Monuments And Monasteries (Ab Ev)
  • Talayotic Menorca
    Inscribed: 2023
    2.93
    50
    4
  • Ani
    Ani
    Turkiye
    Inscribed: 2016
    3.46
    59
    6