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Naumburg Cathedral is clearly not the first cathedral on the list and it's a fair guess that it won't be the last, but I have to say it is one of the nicest ones - by which I mean that it is really well-preserved, with hardly any post-medieval alterations, and gives the look and feel of an authentic church from the Middle Ages. Its four towers can be seen from far away, and its interior is full of fine late Romance and early Gothic archiecture, especially the works by the so-called Naumburg Master. There is also a very nice cloister and a treasury. Located in Martin Luther's homeland, it is also notable for being the first Protestant cathedral and diocese in the world, and the first Protestant bishop anywhere was personally installed in the cathedral by Luther himself (it remained a diocese for only about 20 years, though). I reached Naumburg by train in a half-day trip from Leipzig.

I visited the Tower on my 27th birthday at the start of a mission to visit all 27 of the UK's World Heritage sites within the year. It was a different visit to many people's I suppose as I was joined by 35 children on a day trip from the English language summer school I'd been working at, but still I was able to walk around the Tower and peruse the Crown Jewels all while trying to keep the kids in check. 

The Tower is best approached by river cruise along the Thames. Approaching the tower from the water, you can sense the fear that the tower would have inspired as you glide past the famous ‘Entry to the traitor’s gate’ inscription on the wall. This is the second gate to the Tower and certainly the one through which no one hoped to pass. Those who had committed treason were taken by barge along the river, passing under London Bridge on which the heads of recently executed prisoners were displayed on spikes, and entering the complex through this gate.These ill-fated prisoners included Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Thomas More, amongst many others who were accused of treason during the reigns of England’s unforgiving kings. Thankfully it's now a fairly stress-free way to get to the Tower, unless you've been bad-mouthing the royals!

Once inside there's a plethora of things to see, but the Crown Jewels exhibition is the highlight and therefore the longest queue. I think we waited …

Visited dec 2018. Humberstone is a little out of the way in the north of Chile but I love these kind of sites so we suffered the extra 6 hours on a bus from San Pedro de Atacama to get to Iquique. Fortunately domestic flights are cheap in Chile (for now) so could fly back to Santiago easily after. 

The site is easily visited by local bus from Iquique, dropping you off on the main highway out front. Humberstone and Santa Laura are easily visible from there. As the representative of over 200 similar sites in the region I can only imagine the poor state the others must be in. Parts of Humberstone (the plaza, theatre, market a few homes, etc) have been restored and the museums are full of quality detailed information, but what I liked the most was wandering through the rusted fences and into the broken homes and factories still barely standing. Without more support most structures might not last much longer as is the worry with Santa Laura. Unfortunately we spent so long in Humberstone that we didn't have time to walk the 2km over to Santa Laura and see it as well. I'd suggest an early start to be on the safe side. 

Hard to believe that not so long ago this region at its peak was producing nearly 90% of the world's nitrates and now it is nearly forgotten, wearing away in the desert. Overall a very worthy inclusion of a globally …

Mount Vernon simply cannot be separated with the man and its not what the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association want. As stated on the official website, "The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association is an intrepid group of American patriots who have been preserving and promoting George Washington's Mount Vernon for more than 160 years." If the property was managed by the National Park Service, perhaps the narrative of Mount Vernon would be more expansive in scope. The justification of Outstanding Universal Value outlined in the nomination refers to Mount Vernon as an "evolved cultural landscape of the 18th-century American south".

I enjoyed my time at Mount Vernon, but the founding myths of American greatness should not be inscribed on the world heritage list. Sure Washington is a great man, but he is also a deeply flawed one as well. Unfortunately, while the preservationists that operate Mount Vernon have done more to address the issue of slavery, the narrative over generations that has been fed to the American public is one that still tends to justify or dismiss slavery when discussing statesmen like Washington or Jefferson. For example, common dismissals of the slavery issue include "Washington freed his slaves when he died." That is only partially correct. Yet, other relevant questions are rarely pursued, for example: What about the conditions of slaves or the stories about slaves that attempted to escape Mount Vernon? I was certainly curious to know more about the slave burial ground.

I am thankful the Alamo was …

Karlštejn castle is one of the top tourist destinations in Czechia, frequently visited also by locals due to the popularity of emperor Charles IV, the founder of Karlštejn. Thus, the castle is an epitome for medieval building for every Czech person. The castle was built on a limestone rock in the mid of 14th century, originally for private purposes of the emperor. But it has changed very soon, and Charles IV turned the castle to the strongbox that should protect imperial jewelry of the Holy Empire (now, it is not there). However, the most important was the sacral function: The castle was designed as the giant reliquary with parts of interior decorated by precious stones, glass incrustations, frescoes and desk paintings by international artists such as Nicholas Wurmser from Strasbourg, Tommaso da Modena, and especially Magister Theodoricus who designed the decoration of S Cross Chapel.

The castle is easily accessible by train from Prague, and it is located in Bohemian Karst protected area. It is hidden in the side valley of river Berounka, but its visual impact is iconic. However, the current shape is the result of a purist reconstruction by Josef Mocker in 19th century. It was the main reason for postponing the nomination as the clarification of the issue of authenticity was requested by ICOMOS. Another problem is a desolate state of some parts of the castle and really outdated visitor center. Actually, there is no visitor center or even a shelter in case of raining at …

UNique - 8/10

Nestled in the valley of Wadi Musa, protected by the narrow gorges and high vantage points, is Petra, the capital city of the ancient Nabatean kingdom. The kingdom was at the height of its political and economic significance and prosperity from the 4th century BC and until the Roman conquest in 2nd century AD. Romans continued construction in the city by expanding the amphitheater and adding tombs and temples. Using the sandstone of the valley, the inhabitants of Petra carved out their buildings directly out of the mountains. Due to the unique colour of the rock, the ancient city appears to glow ablaze in the setting sun.

ESsential - 10/10

Voted as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, it is no surprise as Petra’s architecture exemplifies an intricate mixture between the Western Hellenistic and Mesopotamian cultures. The columned pediments of the Treasury and the Monastery provide a striking contrast to the impeccably flat facades of the Royal Tombs. Similar to Hampi and Pompeii, Petra provides a vivid snapshot of the entire civilization from its high religious and ritualistic monuments to the modest cave dwellings of the city dwellers.

COst-effective - 4/10

At the steep price of 55 Jordanian dinars for the two-day pass, Petra is definitely the most expensive Heritage Site I have visited. Having said that, the vastness of the complex really allows you to explore the city at your own pace and create your own itineraries off …

The reviews of this site are not very enthusiastic, but seem to stem from the fact that most people only visited the Georgium, which is the most central component and is located right across the street from the Bauhaus masters' houses in Dessau. I took a walk there as well, but since this is basically just a city park with some Baroque landscaping features added, I can understand why nobody was overwhelmed. The main part of this site, the Wörlitz Park, is much larger and provides a much nicer experience. It can be reached by a special train from Dessau (and a short walk from Wörlitz Train Station) and is a classic English-style landscape garden with many natural elements, large bodies of water, a few historic buildings, the expected birdlife from peacocks to swans, and, especially, a wide variety of bridges in different shapes, colours and sizes. On a nice day, it is a pleasure to take a stroll through the park (including several mini ferry rides). It still isn't a first-class WH site, but overall better than I expected.

I visited the Forest of Fontainebleau in large part because I was in the midst of a long trip to Paris and wanted a few days away from the crowds (I also wanted to see the Chateaux of Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte, neither of which disappointed). I was vaguely familiar with the Barbizon School of painters, which is why the village of Barbizon caught my eye as a place to stay. I'm happy to report a visit to the forest is absolutely worth it. Even on the very hot, fairly busy weekend I visited (over the Bastille Day holiday), you could see why a school of French painters, inspired by the great Dutch and English landscape artists, were drawn here. The landscape is covered in gorges, craggy rock formations, and forests that are delightfully cool (let me reiterate just how absurdly hot it was when I visited) that would be interesting in and of themselves. Knowing that the landscape here is what inspired a generation of artists to reject the strictures of the French Academy and to (unknowingly) lay the foundations of Impressionism and the many Modernist movements that followed makes it unique and, to my mind, absolutely deserving of World Heritage status.

You could certainly see the Forest of Fontainebleau on a day trip from Paris, but if you can stay a night or two I'd recommend it (I stayed two and wish I'd stayed at least one more night). I really enjoyed Barbizon, which remains an …

March 2019 - We passed the sites of Val di Noto several times on our journey. Day 1 we were in Catania. It definitely has some beautiful baroque churches and main street. The top attraction is the black elephant statue made from lava. Catania has a lot of food, Pasta Norma is a typical dish with eggplant and really delicious.

On day 8 of our journey we visited Caltagirone. Due to the bad wheather it was not as impressive as we anticipated. We spend the next night in Ragusa. We were amazed by this city build on two rocks. It does have some typical baroque cathedrals but basically its a small twon with windy, narrow roads. Escpecially at night it has a very unique atmosphere. Next day we went on to Modica. Nice but only for a few hours. Noto, which was completely build from scratch after an devistating earthquake, was worth visiting for a whole day. It has a baroque town planning and some amazing piazzas. The balconies with angels or horses, are worth a small detour on your walk through the city.

March 2019 - Day 8 of our Sicily trip. After spending the night on a nice Agriturismo near Piazza Armerina, we visited the Villa Casale in the morning.

Yet, there were only few ourists at that time. The whether was crappy, but most of the sight are roofed so the visit was nice anyway. The Villa reminds rather of a construction site than a Museum. You walk 2-3 meters above the mosacis and can see every sinle one. Some of them are in very good shape, others look demolished. Some mosaics look a bit like someone made a joke and depicted todays art in roman style moasaics, especially when looking at the bikini girls or even some nude scenes. Also the way the animals are depicted, is just incredible. Definietly worth a visit, but could be a bit more visitors friendly.

The last week of March and Spring had arrived in England as suddenly and as unexpectedly as it does every single year. People emerged, pale-skinned, from their houses, blinking in the sunlight like new-born rabbits, turning their faces to the warmth of the sun and casting off layers of clothing as they went. Strolling through the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew it was momentarily easy to forget that I was in south-west London. Off Syon Vista the south-east Asian magnolias were in full bloom, their milk-white waxy petals stained pink and purple. The Japanese cherry trees scattered a frosting of blossom beneath their boughs. Emerald green parakeets flitted from tree to tree. And in the dripping steam of the great Victorian Palm House my footsteps disturbed an Australian water dragon from his meal of ripe papaya.

Despite the profusion of plants from climate zones ranging from the desert to the Alps there is something about Kew Gardens that is inescapably English. And by ‘English’ I mean the England of the mid-19th century as it marched off across the globe waving the flags of ‘science’ and ‘order’. For the grounds attached to the royal Kew Palace were to be the home of the botanic samples brought back from those foreign adventures, the flora of the furthest reaches of the Empire tamed into ornamental parterres and romantic thickets. It reminded me somewhat of the political scientist Walter Bagehot’s quote about the English constitution, that it needed to be both ‘dignified’ (‘to …

This could probably be said of all World Heritage Sites, but a little bit of research makes a huge difference for how you'll experience Thingvellir. If you do the standard stop-off along the Golden Circle, you'll see a very nice view across a scenic valley (assuming the weather is clear, which is a big gamble based on my admittedly limited experience in Iceland), a lovely waterfall, and, if you go to the gorgeous new visitor center, an excellent introduction of the geological, ecological, and cultural importance of the park. But Thingvellir (and, really, Iceland in general) is a place that deserves a deeper dive. Read up on the geology of Iceland before you go. Given that most of the world's plate boundaries are underwater, it's rare enough to be able to walk between continents (as you can do here), but to be able to stand atop the world's longest (and mostly submerged) mountain range, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is an even rarer opportunity (your choices are basically Iceland and the Azores). As one of the only large islands in the North Atlantic, the flora and fauna of Iceland are isolated and unique, and Thingvellir is one of the best places to see both (especially the flora, though I understand that this is one of the few places near Reykjavik where you can see Arctic foxes, which I sadly did not). Above all, if you want to make sense of Iceland, read its literature to understand why Thingvellir is the beating heart …

March 2019 - on our 6th day we arrived in Agrigento. The city was flooded with people and traffic. There was no way to access the Val di Tiempi. Very unfortunate, since there was Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore. A festival dedicated for blooming almond trees with dances and food. We are a bit sad, that we missed this event.

Next day however, we visited the archaelogical park. You pay 10€ entrance and can take a walk along the temples. They are located on a geological fold and if you look into the right direction, you find many nice motivves for photography. If you look in the direction of Agrigento, you see eyesores of buildings from the 60s, destroying the authenticity and ruining the cultural landscape. We had a nice few hours in the park, before we continued our journey back into the islands interior.

During my short stay in Burkina Faso in February 2019 I was unable to visit its two WHS – Arly National Park was a no-go zone and Loropeni required three more days that I did not have. So I did my best to visit the site that hopefully will become WHS in July 2019 – Ancient metallurgy sites. At least one location seemed to be quite close from Ouagadougou – ovens of Tiwega, near Kaya.

Kaya was theoretically located on the border of the no-go zone, but the taxi driver at the Ouagadougou airport assured that it was safe. We agreed for 50,000 CFA (around EUR 70) for the trip. The road to Kaya took us two hours and did not look like a road through a country with a terrorist threat. For over 100 kilometers, we did not see any police checkpoint (incidentally, perhaps that is why it is easier for extremists to act here). We got to Kaya and the town positively surprised me - it even has a museum (although it did not work, you could at least see or buy some local craft).

Immediately afterwards, the tracking of the proper destination began. The place we were looking for - Tiwega iron furnaces - was to be located only a few kilometers from Kaya. Google even had its exact coordinates, but it turned out to be worthless (its real location is 13.087748, -1.144837). There was a signpost along the main road, but in the …

Akko is a great place to visit. The ancient sites are amazing, but also there is a very old, authentic shuk. You can also walk along a beautiful beach.

We all know about the bumpy road the Naumburg Cathedral had to take to get placed on the List. I decided not to look back on that episode, not to even prepare for my visit, and just take it at face value. I visited it on ‘Holy Saturday’, the day before Easter. I drove all the way there, 620km from my home, just for my 698th tick!

Naumburg an der Saale lies in the former GDR. This may be the main reason why this cathedral wasn’t proposed earlier – the GDR did have a Tentative List but came late to the scene in nominating anything. It wasn’t until after the reunification in 1990 that Potsdam as the first former East German site was placed on the List. Naumburg itself still isn’t really on the beaten tourist track, although on the sunny Saturday when I was there both the town and the cathedral were well-visited by Germans.

The cathedral lies a bit outside of the historic town center. With its 4 towers and irregular shape it is already an attractive sight. Admission costs 6.50 EUR plus another 2 EUR to be allowed to take photos. This policy also is emblematic of what the former cathedral represents nowadays: more a museum than church. It is owned by a foundation and does not receive money from church taxes or public funds.

Of course, I thought “I have already seen so many cathedrals, what more can this one add”? Naumburg does …

Creswell Crags is a small gorge in England Midlands, with several caves on both North and South edges. Bottom of the gorge was turned into a boating lake by the Lord landowner some hundred years ago. Several artefacts from different prehistoric periods were found into the caves, including rhinos and hippos bones, but also, and most interestingly, evidences of human art : 25 rock art figures and few engraved bones, from last Ice Age (approximately 10 000 years ago). This is the only (so far) known rock art in the British Isles, and it was discovered as recently as 2003, when British scientists launched a countrywide search to identify some.

Visitors centre is new, with all expected facilities from car park to restaurant, shop and information point. It also holds a two-room museum, which most interesting displays are, in my opinion, two of the above-mentioned engraved bones: one with a horse head and one with the figure of a man. The access to the gorge itself is free and by footpaths only, however it is highly advised to have a look at the museum first. Entrances of the different caves can easily be spotted when touring the gorge (in total, the walk is around one mile) but are all closed by grids: you must take part to a guided tour to get inside. In front of our visit in April 2019, we had called and secured a “rock art tour”.

Of the 25 identified rock art carvings, 23 …

March 2019 - day 5 of our Sicily trip. We started in Milazzo that morning and made a early lunch stop in Cefalu. Nice little town, that reminded us of Dalmatian towns. But most significant is the Cathedral with its mosaics. We visited also the local market and continued our journey to Palermo.

We arrived Saturday afternoon. Good for us, since the traffic wasnt as bad as anticipated. From the hotel we started the walk from one site to the next. Unfortunately the concept of charging 8-15€ entrance fee for each site, made it a quick round. We visited the Norman sites from outside, took some fotos and concetrated on the street food, Palermo is known for.

The red roofs of San Giovanni degli Eremiti and San Cataldo are unique for Europe and take you to 1001 night tales. However they are empty inside, so why do they charge so much entrance? The Cathedral looks promising and reminded us of Andalusia, but from inside, a boring baroque church. zje Royal Palace we could only see from outside, it looks a bit deplaced between all the traffic.

Next morning we visited Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio. That was realy magnificent. The mosaics, the painted stard, all the gold. Its like a fairy tale. Just wonderful. The rest of the city is not realy inviting. Many dirty streets, no sights, but a lot of history, very interesting people, and the amrkets are an exceptional experience. I had Pane con la Milza …

This church is treated as one of the most important examples of Mexican baroque art. It is situated on top of the hill in the center of Taxco de Allarcon and its towers are visible from really long distance. The church itself is very nice. The ceiling is plain white but what makes it special are wooden crafted altars that are really masterpieces of art.

Does it deserve WH status? Well, I doubt it, Mexico has numerous examples of great baroque churches, many of them inscribed under “Historic center of ...”.

Does the church itself deserve a detour? I would hesitate to say yes unless you are very close (e.g. go from Mexico City to Acapulco).

But is it worth to go there? YES, definitely! Not exactly because of the church but because of lovely town of Taxco de Allarcon. This town is really picturesque, situated on the layer of the mountain, with lake below. On the way to Mexico City there are several viewing points where you can admire its full panorama, which is particularly appealing at night. Unlike all inscribed historic centers in Mexico, that are full of colors, Taxco de Allarcon is entirely white. Entire town is really hilly and it is quite difficult to walk but you can always take a taxi (and all taxies in Taxco are stylish white Volksvagen Beetles). Most of the buildings are renovated and the town looks wonderful, especially after dark. I have visited all inscribed historic centers …

A church spire stands over the city upon exiting the Speyer train station, but it isn't part of the Speyer Cathedral. Instead, one has to walk just under one kilometer south down Bahnhofstrasse to Maximilianstrasse in order to see the Romanesque cathedral anchoring the east end of the street. The cathedral was begun almost 1,000 years ago, and is quite remarkable both near and far away. Sadly, I visited at the end of March this year, so the towers were not yet open for tours. Additionally, minor work was under way at the front entrance, which required an entrance from the side of the church. I had the cathedral almost all to myself (with just the cleaning crew) since I arrived just after it opened at 0900. Even though I'd already seen many churches in Germany in March, I really appreciated the sparse beauty of the nave. On the day of my visit, I was also the first to visit the vaults underneath the cathedral, where I had time to contemplate in silence the history of this cathedral, where eight German emperors and kings, as well as some of their wives, were laid to rest. Speyer Cathedral was one of Germany's first inscribed World Heritage Sites, and it is an absolutely beautiful and impressive sight to see.

Logistics: Speyer Cathedral is within walking distance from the train station, which has regular connections to Heidelberg via the S3 rail line.