Andrew_Kerr Profile
I wouldn't say I let UNESCO listings dictate where I go but whenever I have decided to go somewhere I check to see what is nearby. UNESCO sites, tentative sites and former tentative sites are usually worth a visit.
Recent Reviews Andrew_Kerr
Les Plages du Débarquement, Normandie, 1944 (T)
Andrew_Kerr UK - 29-Mar-25
Les Plages du Débarquement, Normandie, 1944, are better known in English as the D Day Landing Beaches in Normandy.The five beaches that make up the D Day landings are (from west to east) Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword and they stretch along the Normandy coast from Isigny-sur-Mer in the west to Ouistreham in the east, spanning a total distance of 75 kilometers.It is possible to visit the most prominent sights in a single day with the use of a car. And along the way there plenty of significant things to visit. Every small seaside town and village seems to have a monument to the landings often in the form of a preserved tank or a pillbox
Read OnFortified Manasija Monastery (T)
Andrew_Kerr UK - 27-Mar-25
On a damp October day I visited the Manasija Monastery on the way back from a day out at Resava cave and Lisine waterfall which made for a very pleasant day of sightseeing.The monastery was okay, as a building it was functional, nothing particularly impressive about it, a typical Byzantine style, orthodox church and monastic buildings and the fortifications were quite interesting but I did detect a certain amount of negativity towards me, as a tourist, from the priests inside the monastery and an Irish nun who ran the gift shop. I mean, if you don't want tourists don't have a gift and souvenir shop.I love Serbia, it's one of my most visited countries but I have come across this negativity from the orthodox world several times there which is a shame
Read OnKnights Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta (T)
Andrew_Kerr UK - 08-Apr-25
I agree with the comments of others here, this nomination makes little sense, the city of Valletta is already a UNESCO site, it's a tiny city, the smallest capital in Europe, and the fortifications are an integral part of the city.
It looks like an attempt to draw more tourists in to be honest.
Don't misunderstand me, the fortifications are impressive and made from that beautiful honey coloured stone that makes Malta so unique but it would be a travesty to get a separate listing when many places in need of inclusion are left out.
Many cities do have multiple listings, London and Paris are just a couple of examples, the difference here is that the whole city of Valletta is a UNESCO site so it already encompasses all elements.
Fortress of Suomenlinna
Andrew_Kerr UK - 06-Apr-25
A short ferry ride across the bay from Helsinki, Suomenlinna makes for a pleasant excursion from the Finnish capital.Apart from the many fortifications there is quite a lot to see on the island, or, more correctly, islands as Suomenlinna is spread across 3 or 4 closely connected islands, joined by bridges.Inside the fortifications there's a tranquil world of duck ponds, quaint houses, little inlets with boats and yachts moored and lighthouses. It's all very rural and a far cry from the city a few minutes away.The views back across the bay to the city are worth the trip too.I did find that the best views of the islands are from the Helsinki - Tallinn ferry that sails very close to the iconic, Kings Gate, the main entrance to the old military fort
Read OnAncient Greek Theatres (T)
Andrew_Kerr UK - 27-Mar-25
I don't envy the people who have to say which of the ancient Greek theatres deserve UNESCO listing because there are a lot and even some of the small ones I've been to are nonetheless impressive. For example, the huge theatre of Epidavros is famous and well known to most Greekophiles but there is also an absolutely charming and much smaller amphitheatre nearby called the Theatre of Palaia Epidavros.
But I will stick to the script and mention a visit to the aforementioned huge theatre at Epidavros.
And it is indeed, hugely impressive and is still used for concerts even today.
There's also a very nice museum on site with some artifacts that wouldn't be out of place in the national museum in Athens.
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- Name
- Andrew_Kerr
- Country
- UK
- Ranking
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- Most Impressive
- Old City of Havana or Valley of the Kings
Recently Visited WHS
- Update 15.03.25
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10 Best Missing
Visited WHS
Rating StatsBrugge 5Kotor 5Mostar 5Rhodes 5Riga 5Rome 5Verona 5Acropolis 4.5Budapest 4.5City of Bath 4.5Edinburgh 4.5Florence 4.5Istanbul 4.5Mystras 4.5Oporto 4.5Prague 4.5Westminster 4.5Corfu 4Ephesus 4Granada 4Kraków 4Modena 4Naples 4Pompei 4Salzburg 4Sintra 4Tallinn 4Vienna 4Belem 3.5Guimarães 3.5Ironbridge Gorge 3.5Kairouan 3.5Lake District 3.5Medina of Sousse 3.5Pergamon 3.5Sighisoara 3.5Thessalonika 3.5Vilnius 3.5Belfries 3Saltaire 2.5Reviewed WHS
Visited TWHS
- Ancient Greek Theatres (T)
- Archaeological site of Ancient Messene (T)
- Arsenal de Rochefort et fortifications de l'estuaire de la Charente (T)
- Central Park (T)
- City of Motovun (T)
- City of York: historic urban core (T)
- Ellis Island (T)
- Fortified Manasija Monastery (T)
- Gorge of Samaria National Park (T)
- Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston (T)
- Jerusalem (T)
- Knights Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta (T)
- Kyiv: Saint Sophia Cathedral with Related Monastic Buildings, St. Cyril's and St. Andrew's Churches, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (T)
- Le Portail du Monastère de Ripoll (T)
- Les Plages du Débarquement, Normandie, 1944 (T)
- Mdina (Citta Vecchia) (T)
- Rocks of Belogradchik (T)
- Rouen : ensemble urbain à pans de bois, cathédrale, église Saint-Ouen, église Saint Maclou (T)
- Smederevo Fortress (T)
- The Bodrum Castle (T)
- The historic town of Korcula (T)
- The historic urban site of Počitelj (T)
Reviewed TWHS
- Les Plages du Débarquement, Normandie, 1944 (T)
- Fortified Manasija Monastery (T)
- Knights Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta (T)
- Ancient Greek Theatres (T)
- Central Park (T)
- Historical Lisbon, Global City (T)
- Tyniec-Bielany Salwator (in and near Krakow) (T)
- Smederevo Fortress (T)
- City of York (T)
- Mdina (Citta Vecchia) (T)
- Duomo di Milano (T)
- Place des Vosges de Paris (T)
- Eltz Castle (T)
- Death Valley National Park (T)
- Shakespeare's Stratford (T)
- SS Great Britain (T)
- Cambridge Colleges and Backs (T)
- The historic urban site of Počitelj (T)
- Trakai Historical National Park (T)
- Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston (T)
- City of Motovun (T)
- Rocks of Belogradchik (T)
- The historic town of Korcula (T)
- Gorge of Samaria National Park (T)