Alexander Barabanov

Member since August 2017

#31 647 0

I work in finance field. I started to specifically target UNESCO Heritage sites while travelling approximately from 2006. Currently I'm combining several long trips to WHS rich remote regions with weekend visits just to reach one specific site (mainly in Europe). 

Of course, there is certain percentage of oddly sites, when you're asking yourself, what I am doing here, but in general these sites are special and very rewarding to reach and see. The uniqueness is often in their diversity and globality. Visting them and exploring some specific aspects of human activity and nature phenomona increases significantly knowledge horizons. During the process you will find out details of mercury mining, will see thin layer of soil containing remains of 60 million years old, admire mosaics from V century or climb Africa's highest mountain. I think that WHS travelling will be gaining popularity and we also have to contribute to this process.

My most impressive site: Machu Picchu, Brugge, Angkor Vat

My proposal for a new site: Volgograd (Stalingrad battlefield monuments), Old city of Pskov, Manhattan Iconic highscrapers from 30s like Empire State Building or Chrysler Building, certainly some nature park from Faroe Islands, Por-Bazhyn (Tuva)

Recent Visits
  • 2
    0
    May 14, 2025
    South China Karst, Wulingyuan
  • 9
    0
    March 19, 2025
    Cidade Velha, Djoudj, Island of Gorée, Island of Saint-Louis, Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou ...
  • 4
    0
    Jan. 9, 2025
    Al-Ahsa Oasis, Hegra, Historic Jeddah, Rock Art in the Hail Region
>

About Alexander Barabanov

First name
Alexander
Member since
August 2017
Country of Origin
None
Visits
Rank
#31
WHS
647
Tentative Sites
0
Website Participation
Reviews
41
Ratings

Ratings

World Heritage Sites
322 0
Photos
N/A
Locations
N/A
Zones
N/A

Reviews by Alexander Barabanov

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Hegra by Alexander Barabanov

Hegra (Inscribed)

Hegra

Visited this site in January 2025. Day tour (95 SAR) remains the same as described by Tony, Els and Martina, covers 4 clusters and only one tomb (#26) can be …

Cultural Landscape of Kenozero Lake by Alexander Barabanov

Cultural Landscape of Kenozer… (Inscribed)

Cultural Landscape of Kenozero Lake

Visited Kenozero in July 2024 during the days, when it was inscribed (and the news was read out by the guide).Kenozero National Park is a remote place requiring 1,200 km …

Petroglyphs of the Lake Onega and the White Sea by Alexander Barabanov

Petroglyphs of the Lake Onega… (Inscribed)

Petroglyphs of the Lake Onega and the White Sea

Visited Belomorsk cluster in October 2021. Logistics – flight to Karelia’s capital Petrozavodsk, then 370 km by rented car via surprisingly good road to Belomorsk. Petrozavodsk’s national museum of Karelia …

Golden Mountains of Altai by Alexander Barabanov

Golden Mountains of Altai (Inscribed)

Golden Mountains of Altai

Visited this site in September 2020. Our first priority was a trip to Plateau Putorana with the group tour, but unfortunately the minimum required number of tourists was not met …

Virgin Komi Forests by Alexander Barabanov

Virgin Komi Forests (Inscribed)

Virgin Komi Forests

Visited this site in August 2020 as weekend trip from Moscow. I decided to visit Manpupuner Plateau, which is located in the heart of Pechoro-Ilychskiy Nature Reserve, part of Virgin …

Lena Pillars by Alexander Barabanov

Lena Pillars (Inscribed)

Lena Pillars

Visited this remote site in August 2020. Yakutsk (population over 300 thousand) is one of the largest cities not accessible by road full year. It seems that Lena Bridge would …

Volcanoes of Kamchatka by Alexander Barabanov

Volcanoes of Kamchatka (Inscribed)

Volcanoes of Kamchatka

Visited this amazing site in July 2020. We were part of probably the first organized tourist groups after removing regional Covid restrictions. Kamchatka is considered one of the most outstanding …

Medici Villas and Gardens by Alexander Barabanov

Medici Villas and Gardens (Inscribed)

Medici Villas and Gardens

Visited interior of 4 villas in one day on Sunday in November 2019. This could only be done with advance planning, pre-booking and using rented car as follows.

Villa …

Brú na Bóinne by Alexander Barabanov

Brú na Bóinne (Inscribed)

Brú na Bóinne

Visited this site in September 2019. We arrived on Monday and there were not many people. Visitor center is still under refurbishment (the guide told that probably only 2-3 weeks …

Krzemionki prehistoric flint mines by Alexander Barabanov

Krzemionki prehistoric flint … (Inscribed)

Krzemionki prehistoric flint mines

Visited this site in August 2019 during weekend trip to Poland. Visitor center is located in lovely rural setting, however the main entrance seems to be for administrative and the …

Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios by Alexander Barabanov

Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea… (Inscribed)

Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios

Short update from my return visit to Daphni monastery in July 2019, when almost all the scaffolding was removed (only mosaics 24-29 are not clearly visible due to restoration work …

Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture by Alexander Barabanov

Churches of the Pskov School … (Inscribed)

Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture

Visited this site in July 2019 exactly during the weekend when Pskov was inscribed. However, most local guides were quite sure that Pskov was already inscribed for a while. I …

Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs by Alexander Barabanov

Early Christian Necropolis of… (Inscribed)

Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs

Visited this site in April 2019 as a deviation from the road to thermal waters of Heviz. Pecs is very lovely town with beatiful cathedral, ramparts, pedestrian streets and traditional …

Pyramids (Memphis) by Alexander Barabanov

Pyramids (Memphis) (Inscribed)

Pyramids (Memphis)

Visited this site in March 2019. I voted for a guided tour in order to skip the hassles of bakshish boys and distances between Giza, Dahshur, Saqqara and Memphis. With …

Sarazm by Alexander Barabanov

Sarazm (Inscribed)

Sarazm

Visited this site in September 2018 as part of weekend trip to Tajikistan. It took approximately 3 hours to cover 250 km through picturesque Zaravshan river valley (nomination for 2020 …

Grimeton Radio Station by Alexander Barabanov

Grimeton Radio Station (Inscribed)

Grimeton Radio Station

Visited Grimeton radio station with an English guided tour in August 2018 (I booked in advance through the official website for 120 SEK). It is rather small, but contains all …

Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland by Alexander Barabanov

Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsi… (Inscribed)

Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland

Visited Erik-Anders house in August 2018. This is lovely village timber house, richly decorated with colorful wallpapers and spacious rooms. This house is the only easily available house among seven …

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park by Alexander Barabanov

Alejandro de Humboldt Nationa… (Inscribed)

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park

Visited this site in May 2018. There was still very dirty road from Baracoa, which took us over 1 hour to cover 30 km. Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, covering …

Champagne by Alexander Barabanov

Champagne (Inscribed)

Champagne

Visited Pommery champagne house in August 2018. It should be pre-booked in advance through the official web site. The guide told fascinating story of the house, Madam Pommery and champagne …

Desembarco del Granma National Park by Alexander Barabanov

Desembarco del Granma Nationa… (Inscribed)

Desembarco del Granma National Park

Visited this site in May 2018.

This is quite remote site requiring careful planning, we started from Camaguey and then proceeded to Santiago de Cuba via road 20, which …

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