Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Lake McDonald

Discover Lake McDonald in West Glacier, Montana: Spectacular views await visitors to this lake.

The Great Fourstone

Discover The Great Fourstone in Lancaster, England: A massive glacial deposit that includes a carved staircase to reach the top.

Farol da Ponta dos Rosais

Discover Farol da Ponta dos Rosais in São Jorge, Portugal: On the cliffs of São Jorge in the Azores stand the remains of a lighthouse that was struck by a series of earthquakes.

Basalt plug

Discover Basalt plug in Mono City, California:.

Paul Revere Capture Site

Discover Paul Revere Capture Site in Lincoln, Massachusetts: This location holds the truth to what truly happened that faithful night.

Rising Sun Revolving Door

Discover Rising Sun Revolving Door in Yokohama, Japan: At the time of its construction, this type of door was nearly unheard of.

La Trobe Swing Bridge

Discover La Trobe Swing Bridge in Sale, Australia: The La Trobe Swing Bridge was the first movable bridge constructed in Victoria.

Alux House at San Pedro Hotel

Discover Alux House at San Pedro Hotel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico: It might look like a doghouse, but this small structure was actually built to house a spirit from Maya mythology.

Hwangsang-dong Buddha Carving

Discover Hwangsang-dong Buddha Carving in Gumi, South Korea: An outstanding Unified Silla Period rock carved Buddha.

The Disney Collection

Discover The Disney Collection in Orlando, Florida: An unassuming corner inside downtown Orlando's library offers a whole new world of the park and its history.

St Anthony Head

Discover St Anthony Head in England: On this headland lies a 19th Century lighthouse and historic gun battery.

Tasmans Arch

Discover Tasmans Arch in Eaglehawk Neck, Australia: A natural rock bridge towers above the sea.

Bergsala’s Super Mario

Discover Bergsala's Super Mario in Kungsbacka, Sweden: A statue of the heroic plumber stands outside a company that bluffed its way into being Nintendo's Scandanavian distributor.

Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine

Discover Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine in Hibbing, Minnesota: Nicknamed the "Grand Cayon of the North," this open-pit mine in Minnesota has a much shorter history.

Green Point

Discover Green Point in Anacortes, Washington: On the edge of this small Washington Park, a piece of the Earth's mantle has come to the surface.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 261 ii
To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design. 480 iii
To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared. 514 iv
To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history. 642 ix
To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. 137 v
To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change. 172 vi
To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria). 256 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 151 viii
To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features. 98 x
To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation. 168

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