UNESCO - Gusuku Sites - Shuri Castle Postcard

UNESCO WHS Serie - Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu - 琉球王国のグスク及び関連遺産群 - Shuri-jô site (Shuri Castle) - 首里城跡 - 500 years of Ryukyuan history (12th-17th century) are represented by this group of sites and monuments. The ruins of the castles are evidence for the social structure over that period, while the sacred sites provide mute testimony to the rare survival of an ancient form of religion into the modern age. The economic and cultural contacts of the Ryukyu Islands over that period gave rise to a unique culture. Shuri Castle is a Ryukyuan fortress (gusuku). Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, before becoming largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed. After the war, the castle was re-purposed as a university campus. Beginning in 1992, the central citadel and walls were largely reconstructed on the original site based on historical records, photographs, and memory. Name: Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu - 琉球王国のグスク及び関連遺産群 Site: Shuri-jô site (Shuri Castle) - 首里城跡 Country: Japan Location: City of Naha, Shuri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Kyushu region Inscription: 2000 Category: Cultural (ii)(iii)(vi) Unesco Ref: 972-007 Special Feature: The card has a QR-Code on the backside to navigate for more Informationas about the side