Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Kistefos Museum

Discover Kistefos Museum in Jevnaker, Norway: The grounds and buildings of an old wood pulp mill have been transformed into an innovative art park and museum.

Mascarons of Pont Neuf

Discover Mascarons of Pont Neuf in Paris, France: If you look closely at the oldest bridge in Paris, you might notice hundreds of ugly faces leering from its sides.

‘Mr Poetry’

Discover 'Mr Poetry' in Fitzroy, Australia: A tribute to local poet and music journalist Adrian Rawlins.

Velvet

Discover Velvet in Berlin, Germany: Taste freshly foraged yarrow and black locust blossoms at this ambitious cocktail bar.

Velvet

Discover Velvet in Berlin, Germany: Foraged yarrow and black locust blossoms are on the menu at this ambitious cocktail bar.

The Intermittent Fountain of Fontesborbes

Discover Fontaine Intermittente de Fontestorbes in Bélesta, France: Every half hour, the flow of this unusual spring cycles between a rush of water and barely a trickle.

Mount Tarrengower Lookout Tower

Discover Mount Tarrengower Lookout Tower in Maldon, Australia: A timber transport car and a team of horses were needed to carry this lookout to the top of Mount Tarrengower in the 1920s.

Richard Proenneke Museum

Discover Richard Proenneke Museum in Donnellson, Iowa: A replica of the self-taught naturalist's iconic cabin stands inside a library near his hometown.

Museo MAPUKA

Discover Museo MAPUKA in Barranquilla, Colombia: Explore the rich history of Colombia's Indigenous peoples.

Rundetaarn Replica

Discover Rundetaarn Replica in Solvang, California: In the "Danish Capital of America," a replica of one of Copenhagen's most iconic buildings.

Falks Grav

Discover Falks Grav in Baskarp, Sweden: The final resting place of a young stagecoach robber who refused mercy.

Hickison Summit

Discover Hickison Summit in Austin, Nevada: This rest area is also home to a remarkable petroglyph site.

Ørsted’s House

Discover Ørsted's House in Copenhagen, Denmark: The house where a Danish physicist discovered the connection between electricity and magnetism.

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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