Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Dropped Triglyphs of Palazzo Te

Discover Dropped Triglyphs of Palazzo Te in Mantova, Italy: An architectural oddity where the triglyphs of the courtyard of walls create an optical illusion.

McKendree Cemetery

Discover McKendree Cemetery in Brandywine, Maryland: This methodist cemetery is slowly receding into the wilderness along a Maryland highway.

Parkchester Terracotta Sculptures

Discover Parkchester Terracotta Sculptures in Bronx, New York: These sculptures were designed to beautify this neighborhood when it was established in the 1940s.

‘Gentle Breeze’

Discover 'Gentle Breeze' in Boise, Idaho: This work of art by Matthew Mazzotta resides in this park dedicated to the first black legislator in Idaho.

Oatman Donkey Town

Discover Oatman Donkey Town in Oatman, Arizona: This once-booming Gold Rush town is now home to a herd of feral donkeys.

Alexander Art Trail

Discover Alexander Art Trail in Alexander, Maine: The largest hand-carved, outdoor sculpture collection in the state of Maine.

DeSellum Family Cemetery

Discover DeSellum Family Cemetery in Gaithersburg, Maryland: This small cemetery remains hidden behind a recreation center.

Cors Dyfi

Discover Cors Dyfi in Machynlleth, Wales: Ospreys visit this location every year to nest.

Memento Mori Pendant

Discover Memento Mori Pendant in London, England: The Ranger’s House exhibits fine mementos collected by Sir Julius Werner during the course of his life, including this infamous pendant.

The Jerlov Observatory

Discover The Jerlov Observatory in Vittsjö, Sweden: This former peat factory was transformed into an observatory before being abandoned once again.

The Museum of Hangovers

Discover Muzej Mamurluka (Museum of Hangovers) in Zagreb, Croatia: This unique museum in the world with lots of hangover/ drunk stories, simulator of drunk driving, and a lot more.

Fye Bridge

Discover Fye Bridge in Norwich, England: One of the oldest bridges in Norwich was used during the English witch trials and is said to be haunted.

Sewanee Natural Bridge

Discover Sewanee Natural Bridge in Sewanee, Tennessee: A natural sandstone bridge hidden in the Sewanee forest.

Tafoni Sandstone Monolith

Discover Tafoni Sandstone Monolith in Redwood City, California: This unique formation appears as though an asteroid landed on the forest.

British Royal Party Loo

Discover British Royal Party Loo in Nhlagano, Eswatini: A remote toilet built for the convenience of the British Royal Party on their brief, and only, visit to this small African nation in 1947.

Narayan Darwaja

Discover Narayan Darwaja in Pune, India: One of the five gates into the fortress of to Shaniwar Wada was renamed to commemorate the 10th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire.

Hutton Memorial Garden

Discover Hutton Memorial Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland: A stone-filled garden in the heart of Edinburgh commemorates the father of modern geology.

Hartford Isle of Safety

Discover Hartford Isle of Safety in Hartford, Connecticut: The former location of a platform that allowed passengers to safely wait for the trolley.

Wien Museum Hermesvilla

Discover Wien Museum Hermesvilla in Vienna, Austria: A gift from Emperor Franz Joseph I to his wife.

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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