Archives: Atlas Obscuras

North Creek Mosaic Project

Discover North Creek Mosaic Project in North Creek, New York: This magnificent work of art captures the spirit of the region.

Queen Bertha and King Æthelberht

Discover Queen Bertha and King Æthelberht in Kent, England: Today, Kent's medieval monarchs hold court on a busy pedestrian thoroughfare—or at least their statues do.

Alder Mine

Discover Alder Mine in Twisp, Washington: Gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc were once extracted at this abandoned mine near Lookout Mountain.

Sea Palace

Discover Sea Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands: Europe's first floating restaurant is home to a hilarious legend.

Egyptian Building

Discover Egyptian Building in Chino Hills, California: A shockingly detailed small scale recreation of the temples of Abu Simbel.

German-Italian Memorial Cemetery

Discover German-Italian Memorial Cemetery in Anniston, Alabama: This small cemetery contains the graves of prisoners of war who were interred at Fort McClellan during World War II.

VC Bird Monument

Discover VC Bird Monument in St John's, Antigua and Barbuda: An imposing statue of the first prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda stands in the middle of a traffic intersection.

Gilliarey

Discover Gilliarey in Torgnon, Italy: High in the Italian Alps, a lonely chapel with a striking view of the Matterhorn.

Nyamirambo Women’s Center

Discover Nyamirambo Women’s Center in Kigali, Rwanda: This center in the Rwandan capital supports women’s livelihoods while educating visitors about traditional cooking, craft making, and more.

Terrace Cemetery

Discover Terrace Cemetery in Wendover, Utah: Almost all that remains of a town dedicated to supporting the First Transcontinental Railroad.

R.W. Norton Art Gallery

Discover R.W. Norton Art Gallery in Shreveport, Louisiana: Explore 4,000 years of European and American art history in the heart of northwest Louisiana.

European Walk of Fame

Discover European Walk of Fame in Rotterdam, Netherlands: The European equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame is slowly spreading over the entire city.

Hunter Creek Falls

Discover Hunter Creek Falls in Reno, Nevada: This wilderness hike to a waterfall has an unlikely beginning in suburban Reno.

John C. Campbell Folk School

Discover John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina: Founded in 1925, this folk school attracts students from across the country and preserves traditional Appalachian art.

Cavanal Hill

Discover Cavanal Hill in Poteau, Oklahoma: Known as the "World's Highest Hill.".

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum

Discover St. Johnsbury Athenaeum in St. Johnsbury, Vermont: A 150-square-foot masterpiece of American landscape art is the crown jewel of this library and art gallery in Vermont.

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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