1268 properties177 countries58 in danger
Independent atlas · not affiliated with Petit FutéAdvertise
The WorldHeritage Atlasevery inscribed site, mapped and dated
In danger
Heritage Atlas
  1. Home
  2. Germany
  3. Messel pit
NaturalRef. 720

Messel pit

Natural World Heritage property in Germany, inscribed in 1995 under criterion (viii).

Messel pit, Germany
Photo: Wilson44691 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio ComplexAachen CathedralAbbey and Altenmünster of LorschAbbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-GartempeAbbey of FontenayAbbey of Saint GallAcropolis of AthensAeolian IslandsAigaiAlcobaça MonasteryAlhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, GranadaAlto Douro Wine RegionAmalfi CoastAncient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of EuropeAncient City of NessebarAntequera Dolmens SiteAphrodisiasAppian WayArab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and MonrealeAranjuez Cultural LandscapeArchaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of AquileiaArchaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre AnnunziataArchaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the DanevirkeArchaeological Ensemble of MéridaArchaeological Ensemble of TárracoArchaeological site of Carthagearchaeological Site of DelphiArchaeological Sites of Mycenae and TirynsArchitectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at NesvizhArles, Roman and Romanesque MonumentsArtists' Colony in DarmstadtAssisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan SitesAtapuercaAugustusburg and Falkenlust PalacesAuschwitzbanks of the SeineBardejov Town Conservation ReserveBatalha MonasteryBathBauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and BernauBeaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944BeemsterBéguinages in FlandersBelfries of Belgium and FranceBergpark WilhelmshöheBerlin Modernism Housing EstatesBiałowieża ForestBirka and HovgårdenBlaenavon Industrial LandscapeBlenheim PalaceBom Jesus do Monteborders of the Roman EmpireBourges CathedralBoyana ChurchBrú na BóinneBryggenBudapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy AvenueBurgos CathedralBursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman EmpireButrintCanal du MidiCanterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's ChurchCasbah of AlgiersCastel del MonteCastles and Town Walls of King Edward in GwyneddCatalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de BoíCathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in SevilleCathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, ModenaCaves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian JuraCaves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak KarstCentennial HallCentro Histórico de ÉvoraChaîne des Puys - Limagne fault tectonic arenaChampagne hillsides, houses and cellarsChauvet CaveChristiansfeldchurches of MoldaviaChurches of PeaceChurches of the Pskov School of ArchitectureCilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di PadulaCité de CarcassonneCity of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss EggenbergCity of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and FortificationsCity of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the VenetoClassical WeimarClimats, terroirs of BurgundyCollegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of QuedlinburgCologne CathedralColonies of BenevolenceConvent of ChristCordouan LighthouseCornwall and West Devon Mining LandscapeCrespi d'AddaCultural Landscape of SintraCultural Landscape of the Serra de TramuntanaCultural Reserve of KernavėCuronian SpitDacian Fortresses of the Orăștie MountainsDanube DeltaDecorated Farmhouses of HälsinglandDelosDerwent Valley MillsDessau-Wörlitz Garden RealmDjemiladomus de janasDoñana National ParkDouggaDrottningholm PalaceDurham Castle and CathedralDurmitor National ParkDutch Water Defence LinesEarly Christian Monuments of RavennaEarly Christian Necropolis of PécsEise Eisinga PlanetariumEngelsberg IronworksEphesusEpiscopal City of AlbiEtna ParkEtruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and TarquiniaEuphrasian BasilicaEvaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern ApenninesFagus FactoryFalun MineFerrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po DeltaFertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural LandscapeFlow CountryForth BridgeFortifications of VaubanFountains AbbeyFrom the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan SaltFrontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment)GamzigradGardens and Castle at KroměřížGarrison Border Town of Elvas and its FortificationsGenoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei RolliGiant's CausewayGlarus thrustGorham's Cave complexGrachtengordelGrand-PlaceGrimeton VLF transmitterGulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola ReserveHadrian's VillaHallstatt-Dachstein Salzkammergut cultural landscapeHanseatic City of LübeckHanseatic town of VisbyHeart of Neolithic OrkneyHeritage of Mercury. Almadén and IdrijaHierapolis-PamukkaleHigh Coast/Kvarken ArchipelagoHistoric Areas of IstanbulHistoric Centre of AvignonHistoric Centre of BruggeHistoric Centre of Český Krumlovhistoric centre of CórdobaHistoric Centre of FlorenceHistoric Centre of Guimarães and Couros ZoneHistoric Centre of NaplesHistoric Centre of PortoHistoric Centre of PragueHistoric Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le MuraHistoric Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of MonumentsHistoric Centre of San GimignanoHistoric Centre of SienaHistoric Centre of SighișoaraHistoric Centre of TelčHistoric Centre of the City of PienzaHistoric Centre of the City of SalzburgHistoric Centre of UrbinoHistoric Centre of ViennaHistoric Centres of Berat and GjirokastërHistoric Centres of Stralsund and WismarHistoric City of ToledoHistoric City of TrogirHistoric Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its VicinityHistoric Walled Town of Cuencahistorical city centre of OdesaHistorical Complex of Split with the Palace of DiocletianHolašoviceHollókőHoly Trinity Column in OlomoucHorezu monasteryHortobágy National ParkIbiza, Biodiversity and CultureIchkeul National ParkIr.D.F. WoudagemaalIronbridge GorgeIvrea, industrial city of the 20th centuryJelling Heritage SiteJewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtJewish Quarter and St Procopius' Basilica in TřebíčJodrell Bank ObservatoryJungfrau-Aletsch protected areaJurassic CoastJurisdiction of Saint-EmilionKalwaria Zebrzydowska parkKew GardensKraków Old TownKronborg CastleKrzemionki Prehistoric Striped Flint Mining RegionKutná Hora: Historical Town Centre with the Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at SedlecKyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk LavraLa Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking Town PlanningLake DistrictLandscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby nad LabemLas MédulasLate Baroque Towns of the Val di NotoLavauxLe Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e ValdobbiadeneLednice-Valtice Cultural LandscapeLevoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monumentslifts on the old Canal du CentreLimes DacicusLitomyšl ChateauLongobards in Italy, Places of PowerLonja de la SedaLower German LimesLuther Memorials in Eisleben and WittenbergMadara RiderMadinat Al-ZahraMadriu-Perafita-Claror ValleyMaison CarréeMajor Mining Sites of WalloniaMajor Town Houses of the Architect Victor HortaMalbork CastleMantua and SabbionetaMargravial Opera HouseMaritime GreenwichMaulbronn MonasteryMedici Villas and Gardens in TuscanyMedieval City of RhodesMedieval Monuments in KosovoMedieval Town of ToruńMedina of TunisMegalithic Temples of MaltaMegaliths of Carnac and of the shores of MorbihanMehmed Paša Sokolović BridgeMessel pitMeteoraMines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management SystemMir Castle ComplexMøns KlintModernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of ChiosMonasteries of San Millán de la CogollaMonastery and Site of the Escurial, MadridMonastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in LisbonMont-Saint-Michel and its BayMonte San GiorgioMonuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the AsturiasMount AthosMudejar Architecture of AragonMuseum IslandMuseum Plantin-MoretusMuskau ParkMystrasNatural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid regionNatural and Culturo-Historical Region of KotorNaumburg CathedralNaval City of KarlskronaNeolithic flint mines of SpiennesNew LanarkNice, Winter Resort Town of the Rivieranorthern French coal mining regionNotre-Dame d'AmiensNotre-Dame de ChartresOld and New Towns of EdinburghOld city (Dubrovnik)Old City of BernOld City of SalamancaOld City of ZamośćOld RaumaOld Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churchesold town of CáceresOld town of CorfuOld town of KuldīgaOld Town of LvivOld town of Regensburg with Stadtamhofold town of Santiago de CompostelaOld Town of Segovia and its AqueductOlympiaOre Mountain Mining RegionPadova botanical gardenPadua's fourteenth-century fresco cyclesPalace and gardens of SchönbrunnPalace of FontainebleauPalace of VersaillesPalace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret's ChurchPalaces and Parks of Potsdam and BerlinPalau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, BarcelonaPaleochristian and Byzantine monuments of ThessalonikiPalmeral of ElchePannonhalma ArchabbeyPar force hunting landscape in North ZealandPaseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and SciencesPergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural LandscapePetäjävesi Old ChurchPhilippiPiazza del Duomo, PisaPilgrimage Church of Saint John of NepomukPirin National ParkPlace Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in NancyPlitvice Lakes National ParkPoblet MonasteryPont du GardPontcysyllte Aqueductport of the Moonporticoes of BolognaPortovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)prehistoric pile dwellings around the AlpsPrehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère ValleyPrincely Abbey of CorveyProvinsPunic Town of Kerkuane and its NecropolisPyrénées – Mont Perdu World Heritage SitePythagoreion and Heraion of Samosreconstructed center of Le HavreReichenau IslandRenaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and BaezaResidence Ensemble SchwerinResidence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian MetropolitansResidences of the Royal House of SavoyRhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina LandscapesRhine GorgeRietveld Schröder HouseRila MonasteryRjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage SiteRock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian PeninsulaRock Carvings in Tanumrock drawings in ValcamonicaRock-hewn Churches of IvanovoRoman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier UNESCO World Heritage SiteRoman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of OrangeRoman Walls of LugoRoșia Montană Mining LandscapeRoskilde CathedralRoutes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern SpainRoyal abbey of Saint-RemiRoyal Building of MafraRoyal Monastery of Saint Mary of GuadalupeRøros Mining Town and the CircumferenceSacri Monti of Piedmont and LombardySaint John AbbeySaltaireSammallahdenmäkiSan Marino Historic Centre and Mount TitanoSanctuary of Asclepius, EpidaurusSanta Maria delle GrazieSardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin TepeSchoklandSculptural Ensemble of Constantin Brâncuși at Târgu JiuSelimiye MosqueSemmering railwayShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and MainzŠibenik CathedralSidi Bou SaidSkellig MichaelŠkocjan CavesSkogskyrkogårdenSouthern Öland cultural landscapeSpeicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with ChilehausSpeyer CathedralSrebarna Nature ReserveŚródmieścieSt KildaSt Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at HildesheimStari Grad PlainStari Ras and SopoćaniStećci (UNESCO svjetska baština)Stevns KlintStoclet PalaceStonehengeStrasbourg: from Grande-île to Neustadt, a European urban sceneStruve Geodetic ArcStudenica monasterySu Nuraxi di BaruminiSuomenlinnaSyracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of PantalicaTalayotic Culture of MinorcaTallinn Old TownTarnowskie Góry Lead-Silver-Zinc Mine and its Underground Water Management SystemTemple of Apollo Epicurius in BassaeThe Architectural Work of Le CorbusierThe Bony Fish Fossils of the Western Limfjord – Evolution and Climate Adaptation in the Earliest EoceneThe Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural LandscapeThe DolomitesThe Great Spa Towns of EuropeThe Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of PátmosThe Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and ChalonnesThe Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and HerrenchiemseeThe Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of MateraThe Slate Landscape of Northwest WalesThe Trulli of AlberobelloThe Venetian Works of defence between 15th and 17th centuriesThe Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and MonferratoThe wider area of Mount OlympusThe works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana – Human Centred Urban DesignThracian Tomb of KazanlakThracian Tomb of SveshtariThree Castles of BellinzonaTipasaTokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural LandscapeTournai CathedralTower of HerculesTower of LondonTown Hall of BremenTroyUniversidade de Coimbra – Alta e SofiaUniversity and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de HenaresUrnes Stave ChurchVal d'OrciaValle dei TempliVan Nelle FactoryVatican CityVecrīgaVenice and its LagoonVerlaVeronaVézelay, Church and HillVieux LyonViking Age Ring FortressesVilla d'EsteVilla Romana del CasaleVilla TugendhatVilnius Old TownVizcaya BridgeVjetrenicaVlkolínecVölklingen IronworksWachauWadden SeaWarsaw Old TownWartburgWater Management System of AugsburgWay of Saint James UNESCO World Heritage Sites in FranceWest Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and NærøyfjordWieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt MinesWieskircheWindmills at Kinderdijkwooden churches of MaramureșWooden churches of Southern Lesser Polandwooden churches of the Slovak CarpathiansWooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval AnatoliaWooden tserkvas of Carpathian region in Poland and UkraineWorks of Antoni GaudíWürzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence SquareXanthos-LetoonZagoriŽatec and the Landscape of Saaz HopsZollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex49.917° N, 8.757° E
State Party
Germany
Year of inscription
1995
Criteria
viii
Area of property
42 ha
Location
Messel
What it is
geotope, paleontological site
Official website
grube-messel.de/
Reference
WHC 720 · Wikidata Q639217

Why it is on the List

(viii)An outstanding record of the major stages of Earth’s history: the record of life, geological processes or landforms.
nearby

Closest World Heritage sites

Straight-line distance between the recorded coordinates.

Artists' Colony in Darmstadt, Germany8.0 kmArtists' Colony in DarmstadtGermany · 2021CulturalAbbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch, Germany32 kmAbbey and Altenmünster of LorschGermany · 1991CulturalSpeyer Cathedral, Germany70 kmSpeyer CathedralGermany · 1981CulturalShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz, Germany71 kmShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and MainzGermany · 2021CulturalRhine Gorge, Germany81 kmRhine GorgeGermany · 2002CulturalWürzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square, Germany86 kmWürzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence SquareGermany · 1981Cultural
Germany

More sites in Germany

All 54
1995

Also inscribed in 1995

All of 1995

Data: Wikidata (CC0) · danger list as published in 2026 · independent atlas, not affiliated with UNESCO or Petit Futé.