I'm rather torn on Stoclet House in Brussels, Belgium. As far as visiting experience goes, I would give it a .5 for its lack of accessibility. But should World Heritage Sites be judged solely by accessibility? Another World Heritage Site in Brussels, the Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta only has the interior of one of its four sites regularly available to visitors, while natural sites, such as Surtsey or the Rio Abiseo National Park, also prohibit tourism. There are even World Heritage Sites that prohibit access based on gender, such as Mount Athos and Okinoshima Island. Some sites that limit tourism compensate with museums or replicas, such as the case of the Decorated Cave of Pont d'Arc. Others have properties visible from the exterior that compensate for their lack of interior access, such as the Art Nouveau stylings of the Horta houses, or the Usonian architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright's Frank and Katherine Jacob's House. I'm more willing to forgive a site for lack of accessibility if, as a cultural site, they compensate with museums or replicas, or are part of a larger nomination in which other components are visible. For natural sites, I am always in favor of lack of accessibility if it preserves an endangered ecosystem.

As far as the World Heritage Site committee is concerned, accessibility to visitors does not factor into its requirements for inscription. Stoclet House was inscribed because it it was considered a masterpiece of architecture, a crucial example of the Viennese Secession movement, which bridged Art Nouveau architecture with later Art Deco and modernist architecture. Some of this can be seen in the clean lines of the exterior of Stoclet House, with its Art Deco-style tower and plain marble facade. The rich interior--including furniture, sculptures, and mosaics--was another significant factor in the World Heritage Site committee's decision to inscribe the site. However, the interior remains unavailable to visitors.

This is where I particularly fault the committee. If Stoclet House were so worthy to be inscribed, then it would benefit from a museum or exhibit that includes pictures of the interior available to tourists to better understand the significance of the Viennese Seccession style. Another option could have been to propose a serial nomination further exploring Viennese Seccession, perhaps including the Secession Building already inscribed in the Historic Centre of Vienna. Until there is some way to fully appreciate the value of Stoclet House as a World Heritage Site, though, I am afraid it will continue to get poor reviews.

Logistics: Stoclet House is a short walk down the Avenue de Tervueren from the Montgomery station on Brussels Metro; it can also be reached by private transportation. The journey will likely take longer than the visit.