Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Beehive Casemate

Discover Beehive Casemate in Sydney, Australia: A defensive fortification carved into a cliff near Sydney Harbour.

Museo Costantiniano della Steccata

Discover Museo Costantiniano della Steccata in Parma, Italy: Among the collection is the shirt worn by Louis XVI when he was executed by guillotine, still marked by a few drops of blood.

Sweetgrass Winery

Discover Sweetgrass Winery in Union, Maine: Grapes be damned, this distillery makes wine from apples, blueberries, cranberries, and more.

Langlais Sculpture Preserve

Discover Langlais Sculpture Preserve in Cushing, Maine: A nature and outdoor art preserve features the large-scale, abstract works of a renowned Maine folk artist.

Jingles

Discover Jingles in Anaheim, California:.

Castor River Shut-Ins

Discover Castor River Shut-Ins in Fredericktown, Missouri: These pink granite water slides are the result of millions of years of erosion.

Münzkabinett

Discover Münzkabinett in Dresden, Germany: Known as the "Coin Cabinet of Dresden," this museum houses over 300,000 currency-related artifacts.

Warder-Totten House

Discover Warder-Totten House in Washington, D.C.: The last remaining building in Washington, D.C., built by H.H. Richardson, one of America's most iconic architects.

Tom Rhodes Tree Carving Trail

Discover Tom Rhodes Tree Carving Trail in Warsaw, Virginia: A journey along this trail means indulging in a slice of nostalgia.

Al Balad

Discover Al Balad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: For centuries, Jeddah’s old town was a major trading port and a point of entry for Hajj pilgrims traveling by sea.

Heisenberg’s Bathtub

Discover Heisenberg's Bathtub in Copenhagen, Denmark: Did he come up with a theory of cosmic-ray showers while sitting in this bath?

St Nicholas Church – Mavrovo

Discover St Nicholas Church – Mavrovo in Mavrovo, North Macedonia: Depending on the region's rainfall, this church may be partially submerged.

Virginia Musical Museum

Discover Virginia Musical Museum in Williamsburg, Virginia: Home to the organ played at General MacArthur's funeral.

Mt. Hollywood Tunnel

Discover Mt. Hollywood Tunnel in Los Angeles, California: This nondescript tunnel has been featured in dozens of films and TV shows.

Czech Stop & Little Czech Bakery

Discover Czech Stop & Little Czech Bakery in West, Texas: Some of the best pastries in "the Czech heritage capital of Texas" come from a gas station off I-35.

Transpeninsular Line Marker

Discover Transpeninsular Line Marker in Fenwick Isle, Delaware: A unique marker erected during the 18th-century.

Central Station Wagon Hoist

Discover Central Station Wagon Hoist in Leeds, England: This device was crucial to the Industrial Revolution development of Leeds.

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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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