Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Jackson M. Abbott Wetland Refuge

Discover Jackson M. Abbott Wetland Refuge in Alexandria, Virginia: Dedicated to a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who was also a bird watcher and artist.

Chelyabinsk Meteorite

Discover Chelyabinsk Meteorite in Chelyabinsk, Russia: The largest-known fragment of an asteroid that exploded over the southern Ural region in 2013.

Old Irontown

Discover Old Irontown in Cedar City, Utah: Irontown was founded in 1868, as a second attempt to mine iron from the nearby Iron Mountain.

Sweden’s Geographical Midpoint

Discover Sweden's Geographical Midpoint in Torpshammar, Sweden: The "geometrical" center of the country, as calculated in 1947.

1929 Phillips 66 Station

Discover 1929 Phillips 66 Station in McLean, Texas: This refurbished gas station is one of the oldest in Texas, located on the original Route 66.

Meteorite Crater

Discover Meteorite Crater in Duckwater, Nevada: Despite the name, it's unclear if this small depression in northern Nye County was actually caused by falling space debris.

Thomas Wolfe’s Angel

Discover Thomas Wolfe's Angel in Hendersonville, North Carolina: This stone statue inspired Thomas Wolfe’s 1929 novel 'Look Homeward, Angel.'.

Museo de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum)

Discover Museo de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum) in Valle de Bravo, Mexico: This museum is dedicated to showcasing the collection of the Mama Viña y Oscar Foundation.

Homografiska Museet

Discover Homografiska Museet in Dalsland, Sweden: This small museum explores questions of representation, diversity, and identity.

Niarbyl Bay

Discover Niarbyl Bay in Dalby, Isle of Man: The name Niarbyl means “the tail” and refers to the rocky formations that push out into the Irish Sea.

‘Man/Woman’

Discover 'Man/Woman' in Baltimore, Maryland: Public opinion is still divided on this enormous sculpture in front of Baltimore's Penn Station.

Kala Ghoda Statue

Discover Kala Ghoda Statue in Mumbai, India: A tribute to the area's namesake and King Edward VII.

Longest Known Mastodon Trackway

Discover Longest Known Mastodon Trackway in Ann Arbor, Michigan: See prehistoric footprints, plus two complete mastodon skeletons.

Anna Kéthly Statue

Discover Anna Kéthly Statue in Budapest, Hungary: A stone woman in a stylized dress honors a courageous politician.

Whale Jawbone Fence

Discover Whale Jawbone Fence in Rømø, Denmark: Danish whalers once brought back whale bones to use as building materials in places where wood was scarce.

Round Spring

Discover Round Spring in Round Spring, Missouri: An average of 33 million gallons of water pour out of the collapsed cave at the heart of this spherical spring.

Gibson-Todd House

Discover Gibson-Todd House in Charles Town, West Virginia: This striking Victorian Home with its 113-foot turret is best known as the site where abolitionist John Brown was executed in 1859.

Hrimnir Ramen

Discover Hrimnir Ramen in Oslo, Norway: A microbiologist-chef is slinging noodles with hyperlocal Nordic ingredients.

Black Sabbath Bridge

Discover Black Sabbath Bridge in Birmingham, England: A bench and a bridge pay tribute to Birmingham's favorite heavy metal band.

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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