Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Gennarino Scugnizzo

Discover Gennarino Scugnizzo in Capri, Italy: This bronze boy sits on one of Capri's rocky cliffs, waving at the passing boats.

Walt Disney’s Bench

Discover Walt Disney’s Bench in Anaheim, California: Inspiration struck on this seat outside the Griffith Park merry-go-round.

Abandoned Cotton Gin

Discover Abandoned Cotton Gin in Salley, South Carolina: Hidden in this little-known town stands a piece of agriculture history.

Sotheby’s Sekhmet

Discover Sotheby's Sekhmet in London, England: Heralded as the oldest statue in London.

Big Chiques Bridge #4

Discover Big Chiques Bridge #4 in Manheim, Pennsylvania: One of the few remaining covered bridges in Lancaster County.

Wyoming Sculpture

Discover Wyoming Sculpture in Bath, Maine: One of the largest wooden ships ever built is honored by a steel sculpture evoking her once-superlative scale.

Stonyhurst Hall

Discover Stonyhurst Hall in Stonyhurst, England: The grounds of this Catholic boarding school are said to have inspired Arthur Conan Doyle and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Camp Hayden

Discover Camp Hayden in Port Angeles, Washington: An abandoned World War II bunker part of a chain that runs throughout Washington.

Statue of Frankenstein’s Monster

Discover Statue of Frankenstein's Monster in Geneva, Switzerland: One of the most historical literary characters continues to stroll his hometown.

The Wreck Bell

Discover The Wreck Bell in Queenscliff, Australia: This bell was once used to summon rescue crews when ships fell victim to the treacherous waterways.

Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Munich

Discover Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Munich, Germany: On high feast days, the entire blue-glass front of this modern church opens up to reveal the small wooden church inside.

Hemer Felsenmeer

Discover Hemer Felsenmeer in Hemer, Germany: Wooden pathways run through this rocky landscape, which legend says was created when a dwarven king pulled down his own castle to stop raiding giants.

‘Silver Sabler’

Discover ‘Silver Sabler’ in Keflavík, Iceland: An obscure antihero from the Marvel Comics universe adorns a wall inside Iceland's largest airport.

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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

PP ToS