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The view from the observation deck over the Messel Pit is quite uninteresting, you just see a big hole of about 500 meters in diameter. That this place is an important palaeontological site and that excavations still take place is not evident.

As the other reviewers I also recommend to take a guided tour. There are tours every day from April to October. Several years ago I attended the one-hour tour and on my last visit (in 2012) the two-hours tour. Both guides were excellent. In fact, there is not much to see, but they made the best of it. I learned a lot about the origin of the fossils, the geology, and the recent history of the pit (oil shale mining, the proposed garbage dump which was prevented by public opposition, and finally the WH inscription). During the two-hours tour we walked to the artesian well at the bottom of the pit and we also went past the site of the current excavations. The guide explained the technique: a large block is cut out from the oil shale and is carefully split with a flexible blade. If a fossil is found, it must be immediately stored in water to protect it from drying out. We were also searching for fossils in the overburden. That was a lot of fun, not only for the children. And with some luck you can find a part of a plant or a small insect.

The fossils were formed 47 million years ago (Eocene) …

I visited this WHS in September 2006. The main square with the cathedral and tower is a great example of early Romanesque art. The rose window was the highlight of my visit coupled with the divine buffet and wine-tasting in a nearby restaurant. Salute!

I visited this WHS in May 2010. The colourful leaning wooden houses along the Bryggen harbour were the highlight of my visit. I ate a delicious whale steak with cranberry sauce in one of the very good restaurants there (registered in the whale husbandry programme). Great place to visit!

I visited this WHS in January 2012. The Western Group of Temples includes several temples with erotic carvings but also carvings depicting hunting, battles, warriors, gods, etc. They are very well kept although some of the restoration works were quite dubious and not totally loyal to the original. The Eastern Group of Temples is less visited by tourists and there are more locals worshipping the gods there since there is no entrance fee. I was surprised that these temples were still being used as a place of worship till nowadays. This WHS really deserves to be inscribed in the list and shouldn't be merely described as a group of erotic temples because it is much more than that.

This WHS is very similar to the red Agra Fort and could be quite confusing to discern when trying to recall both experiences. However, the Red Fort in Delhi is truly a national and worldwide heritage site and encloses several buildings, palaces, courtyards and gardens within its walls. I visited this WHS in January 2012.

Similar to the Red Fort in Delhi but still worth visiting. I visited this WHS in December 2011 and was struck by the architecture of this site, especially the several arches adorning the courtyards. Beware of the seemingly innocent monkeys around the site. My camera zoom lens was split-seconds away from being bitten by one of the monkeys, but as soon as I was pressing the button to take a picture I noticed a sudden movement and luckily my instinct told me to move sideways. That way the monkey attack wasn't successful and instead I ended up with a very close-up photo of an angry monkey showing off its fangs!

I visited this WHS in January 2012. The 72.5m red sandstone and marble Minaret alone, already deserves being inscribed in the list. The intricate carvings with arabic calligraphy and islamic symbols are truly incredible and can be seen from every angle adorning the tallest minaret in India. The rest of the site is made up of interesting remains, tombs and an early mosque.

I visited this WHS in January 2012. This site is unique as it was the stepping stone to build the Taj Mahal. The architectural symmetry of the tomb and its gardens can be clearly seen also in this site.

I visited this WHS in Summer 2011. The flying buttresses of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens were immediately visible from far away as I approached Amiens by car. The West front of the cathedral with the rose window is amazing and has several gothic sculptures. It is also the tallest complete cathedral in France. Worth visiting together with the Amiens belfry (also a WHS).

I visited in Summer 2011 and could admire this WHS in low and high tide. I saw Puccini's Madamme Butterfly en plein air just in front of the WHS and it was truly an unforgettable experience. I explored the rocky tidal island with a tiny population of only 44 people. In the morning when the tide retreated I walked all the way the to Channel Islands following some tourist groups from afar to be sure to avoid the quick sand zones. It is certainly one of the most beautiful WHS France has to offer.

I visited this WHS in August 2012. This huge gothic cathedral could be seen from kilometres away as arrived by car from Paris. The first thing to come to mind was "What on earth is such a huge cathedral doing here in the middle of nowhere?". You can imagine how awestruck the local people must have felt in front of such a building in the Medieval times. I found the central labyrinth and the original stained glass to be very interesting and unique but the rest of the interior was being restored and pretty similar to any other gothic cathedral I've visited.

I visited this WHS in August 2012 by car. I went there early and bought the tickets online to avoid long queues. There still was quite a queue already at 08.30 although the palace opens at 09.00. I explored the royal courtyards and gates before entering the historic palace. The Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's Bedchamber were the highlights of the Palace although crowded. However, the highlight of this WHS for me are the enormous gardens with fountains and the canal. I walked to the Petit and Grand Trianon and visited both together with Marie Antoinette's Estate and the Queen's Hamlet away from the crowds. Very peaceful to walk around and interesting monuments (such as the Temple of Love).

There are so many historical and cultural sights in Paris that it surely must have made more sense to include them all in one WHS. From the Notre Dame Cathedral to Montmartre, from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, from Place de la Concorde to the Opera Garnier. Paris and the Banks of the Seine offer a new discovery and a new experience every time I visit. Old and new intertwine in a perfect symbiosis and offer one of the richest experiences you can get when visiting a WHS.

I visited this WHS in May 2012. The Papal Palace and bridge are the highlights of this site, however getting lost in the narrow winding streets of Avignon was equally rewarding. The food was delicious and the wine divine.

Miners' Centre, Lewarde, France -

As an Australian coal mining historian I attended the 2010 Lewarde Colloquium. This centre is an absolute marvel in terms of its presentation of the life and hard times of coal miners and their communities. It is a living link with Zola's Germinal. It is well-managed, welcoming and not to be missed.

For professional mining historians, students or family visitors, Lewarde is a treasure and a credit to all who continue to remind us of the debt the present owes to the past.

Alan Murray, Australia.

I visited this WHS in May 2012. I was really pleased to see how well the amphitheatre was kept and really surprised by how large it was! The view from the top is outstanding. More attention should be given to the Triumphal Arch of Orange which offers interesting Roman carvings and sculptures. Unfortunately, it is quite away from the centre of Orange and it is currently in the middle of a roundabout with a lot of traffic passing by. After seeing both sites I felt that they both deserve the same attention as UNESCO has rightly inscribed both as one WHS.

I visited this WHS in May 2012. This Baroque palace with its gardens is one of the largest and most beautiful in Germany. The architectural symmetry of this Bavarian palace was the highlight of my visit.

I visited this WHS in November 2007. Gaudí's masterpieces can be seen all throughout Barcelona. The city's landmark is obviously the Sagrada Familia, closely followed by Park Güell. However, the highlight of my trip was entering the Casa Batilló. It was like stepping into a cartoon or into another world.

I visited this WHS in May 2010. I trekked around the West Norwegian fjords and peeked down 600m high cliffs. However, the best way to enjoy the natural beauty of the fjords is by boat. By boat, I could gaze at the many cliffs, waterfalls, trees and birds around the fjords. An outstanding natural beauty!

I visited this site in May 2012 on the way from Würzburg. The ironworks have gone out of production but they are the only intact example in Western Europe and North America of an integrated ironworks built in the 19th and 20th centuries. The whole visit was quite a short but informative one. I would have never visited this place if it weren't for UNESCO. However, visiting it helped me picture and understand how important such places were in the industrial revolution.