UNESCO World Heritage Site #96: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

From the World Heritage inscription:

In south-west Alberta, the remains of marked trails and an aboriginal camp, and a tumulus where vast quantities of buffalo (American Bison) skeletons can still be found, are evidence of a custom practised by aboriginal peoples of the North American plains for nearly 6,000 years. Using their excellent knowledge of the topography and of buffalo behaviour, they killed their prey by chasing them over a precipice; the carcasses were later carved up in the camp below.

I didn’t know what to expect when I visited this site, but in the end it was far more interesting than I thought it would be. Most people have an image of Indians on horseback hunting buffalo. Horses, however, weren’t introduced to the Americas until the arrival of the Europeans. Before that they had to walk everywhere. One of the easiest ways to hunt would be to heard bison into a group and run them off a cliff. Most of the tribe would be wait below the cliff to skin and process the bison that jumped. It was actually quite brilliant and very efficient way of providing food.

UNESCO World Heritage Site #95: Waterton Glacier International Peace Park

From the World Heritage inscription:

In 1932 Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta, Canada) was combined with the Glacier National Park (Montana, United States) to form the world’s first International Peace Park. Situated on the border between the two countries and offering outstanding scenery, the park is exceptionally rich in plant and mammal species as well as prairie, forest, and alpine and glacial features.

Glacier might be my favorite national park in the US. The views are breathtaking and mountains are magnificent.

UNESCO World Heritage Site #94: Yellowstone National Park

From the World Heritage inscription:

The vast natural forest of Yellowstone National Park covers nearly 9,000 km2; 96% of the park lies in Wyoming, 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho. Yellowstone contains half of all the world’s known geothermal features, with more than 10,000 examples. It also has the world’s largest concentration of geysers (more than 300 geyers, or two thirds of all those on the planet). Established in 1872, Yellowstone is equally known for its wildlife, such as grizzly bears, wolves, bison and wapitis.

Not only is Yellowstone the first national park in the world, but it is also one of the best. You’d be hard pressed to make a top 10 list of attractions in the natural world and not put Yellowstone on the list. Between the geology and the wildlife, Yellowstone has it all.

UNESCO World Heritage Site #93: Statue of Liberty

From the World Heritage inscription:

Made in Paris by the French sculptor Bartholdi, in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel (who was responsible for the steel framework), this towering monument to liberty was a gift from France on the centenary of American independence in 1886. Standing at the entrance to New York Harbor, it has welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States ever since.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the few cultural World Heritages sites in North America that is from the post-colonial era. There is a smaller replica of the statue in Paris, which is also in a World Heritage site.

UNESCO World Heritage Site #92: Westminster Abby and St. Margaret’s Church

From the World Heritage inscription:

Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance.

Westminster is London. When you think of London you think of Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abby. In addition to the abby you can also enter parliament, which is something I did back in 1999 when I visited London. If I had to list one thing everyone should do if they only have a brief layover in London, it is to visit Westminster.

View my complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO World Heritage Site #92: Westminster Abby and St. Margaret’s Church

From the World Heritage inscription:

Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance.

Westminster is London. When you think of London you think of Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abby. In addition to the abby you can also enter parliament, which is something I did back in 1999 when I visited London. If I had to list one thing everyone should do if they only have a brief layover in London, it is to visit Westminster.

View my complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO World Heritage Site #91: Kew Gardens

From the World Heritage inscription:

This historic landscape garden features elements that illustrate significant periods of the art of gardens from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The gardens house botanic collections (conserved plants, living plants and documents) that have been considerably enriched through the centuries. Since their creation in 1759, the gardens have made a significant and uninterrupted contribution to the study of plant diversity and economic botany.

The Kew Gardens are one of the most underrated attractions in London. I went there on Sunday morning and had a wonderful time. Most of the visitors seemed to be locals, as opposed to the mobs of foreigners you see at the Tower of London or Westminster Abby. It took me a while to get there because of construction with the Underground, but if everything is working the trip shouldn’t be too onerous.

View my complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO World Heritage Site #90: Tower of London

From the World Heritage inscription:

The massive White Tower is a typical example of Norman military architecture, whose influence was felt throughout the kingdom. It was built on the Thames by William the Conqueror to protect London and assert his power. The Tower of London – an imposing fortress with many layers of history, which has become one of the symbols of royalty – was built around the White Tower.

The Tower of London is perhaps the largest tourist trap of all the World Heritage sites I’ve visited. It is worthy of being on the list, but they really sock it to you with the entrance fee and all the other touristy stuff surrounding it.

View my complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO World Heritage Site #89: Maritime Greenwich

From the World Heritage inscription:

The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich, an outlying district of London, and the park in which they are set, symbolize English artistic and scientific endeavour in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Queen’s House (by Inigo Jones) was the first Palladian building in England, while the complex that was until recently the Royal Naval College was designed by Christopher Wren. The park, laid out on the basis of an original design by André Le Nôtre, contains the Old Royal Observatory, the work of Wren and the scientist Robert Hooke.

Greenwich is a really interesting place to visit. It is the location of the Prime Meridian and is where the clocks made by John Harrison, who solved the problem of longitude, are located. Greenwich is not connected to the underground, but is easily accessible from central London by train or ferry. This is not on everyone’s itinerary when they visit London, but really should be.

View my complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites