20 sites:

Aapravasi Ghat
Camino Real
Canal du Midi
Chhatrapati ShivajiTerminus
Forth Bridge
Grand Canal
Grimeton radio station
Goree
Kunta Kinteh
La Lonja de la Seda
Frankincense
Mt railways of India
Pontcysyllte
Quapaq Nan
Rhaetian Railway
Rideau
Semmering
Silk Road I
Four Lifts
Vizcaya

http://www.worldheritagesite.org/categories/category44.html

My selection:

Forth Bridge
Grand Canal
Goree
Mt railways of India
Quapaq Nan
Silk Road I

I wouldn't argue with that list.
The only one I am tempted to add is Grimeton I know others may view it as an odd addition though but telecommunications is such a world changing thing and Grimeton displays it exceptionally well.

my selection

Grand Canal
Goree
Mt railways of India
Quapaq Nan
Silk Road I
Chhatrapati ShivajiTerminus
Vizcaya Bridge

Goree is an interesting one!!
It is absolutely historically clear that it was never the major slaving entrepot which it is claimed to be! The large volume trans-Atlantic slave trade never reached that far north either as a source or as a transhipment point. The figures claimed in the UNESCO papers do not stack up. Similarly there is no evidence that the buildings on the island were used for the purposes claimed or were capable of taking the numbers claimed. I have visited and agree with this - see my review.
The web has lots of history about the way in which this island achieved (or was manipulated into) the status it now enjoys as a symbol of the trans-African trade and a "must do" visit for any "world leader" even though this is not historically justified.


The List has other slave trade related sites but none with its undoubted, albeit unhistorical, "kudos". I see its place on the List as being more in the "belief" category and wouldn't include it on that basis. The Kunta Kinteh site also has its weaknesses in that it is over heavily hyped by the Alex Haley story. The Palaces of Abomey of course show the power of those rulers who connived in the trade and indeed supported it in their own culture. An altogether more realistic manifestation of the history of the region and period! The Colonial powers aspect is perhpas better demonstrated on the trans-Atlantic side where there are several potential sites . And we are likely to be including the Ghanean "Forts and castles".
Regarding others
Mntn railways gets in I suppose because of it quirkiness rather than real significance - But are Semmering and Rhaetian railways any better -I think not? We certainly don't need more than 1 of these 3 railway WHS. It does show what the railway age could achieve (albeit towards the end) and brings in the Raj - though Vic station (which I would support) does that. Perhaps a "N?" For consideration later?

I conclude the same about Vizcaya (visited by us in Sept) as well as the other "single structures" such as 4 lifts, The Forth bridge. I guess we need to show what 19th C engineeng could achieve with one of these but Canal du midi is as significant or more. I guess Ironbridge will get in later.

I quite like Grimeton on the basis that there is nothing better for this important aspect - and we have to show the Little Green Man how we started "communicating" wirelessly!

My selection:
Forth Bridge
Grand Canal
Goree
Mt railways of India
Quapaq Nan
Silk Road I
Four Lifts
Vizcaya

I wouldn't choose any of these WHS mainly because I would choose other WHS which would still encompass transport and trade aspects even if not solely (for example: Venice, Samarkand, etc.)

I think that is a pretty valid point, though I'm not sure anything would encompass transport as well as the Grand Canal, communications as well as Grimeton. And like Solivagant I think Railways are deserving of some representation, the choice is between the quirky mountain railways, or the impressively engineering but somewhat uninteresting Alpine passes, perhaps the Forth Bridge is a good compromise, built for rail but also representing railways?

In bold the ones we seem to agree on. Italic the maybe('s).

Aapravasi Ghat
Camino Real
Canal du Midi
Chhatrapati ShivajiTerminus
Forth Bridge
Grand Canal - Transport
Grimeton radio station - we have to show the Little Green Man how we started "communicating" wirelessly!
Goree
Kunta Kinteh
La Lonja de la Seda
Frankincense
Mt railways of India - quirkiness
Pontcysyllte
Qhapaq Nan
Rhaetian Railway
Rideau
Semmering
Silk Road
Four Lifts
Vizcaya

I think the current WHS list is not representing the development of railway at all. I agree with Solivagant that the Mt. India Railway is because of it quirkiness, and the Semmering, Forth Bridge and Rhaetian are for its unique engineering merit, but not for its role and development of rail.

If the green man ask me I will go with Japan's Shinkansen Line, French TGV or some of first British rail or subway under Andrassy Avenue in Budapest for rail or subway.

Just getting to this topic now. I'm fully in agreement with a lot of folks here. My choices would be:

1. Silk Roads -- this is a trade route that significantly shaped history between Asia and Europe (although this only really touches on sites in China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan), and really should be included
2. Qhapaq Nan -- the Incan civilization depended upon this extensive road network in South America; this is a great inscription to recognize transport in the Americas
3. Grand Canal -- this is the best of the canal sites, and an impressive feat of engineering
4. Grimeton -- significant for the early days of communications, making the world a smaller place

When we get to the Urban Landscape, Urban Continuity section, I will probably choose the Stone Town of Zanzibar as one of my selections, since it represents Arab-African trade (including a non-European slave trade).

I'm not particularly thrilled with any of the currently inscribed railroad sites. If Russia had the Trans-Siberian Railway on the list or the US had a Trans-continental Railroad site on the list, I might be more enthused, but neither are options now.

I think this is an aspect which we might face under several Categories.
In such cases do we just choose the best (or even simply one of) a "poor bunch" or do we say "none of these adequately covers this aspect of human or natural history"?
As Colvin concludes in this case I am inclined to taking the latter approach. Views?

If we are talking importance, its pretty difficult to compare these 3 sites with the rest.

Silk Road
Grand Canal
Qhapaq Nan

I want to add Incense Route-Negev to the list. It fits better in this category. Incense route second longest trading route after Silk route and it will make to my top 200.

My selection:

Forth Bridge
Grand Canal
Semmering
Silk Road