Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Gömböc

Discover Gömböc in Budapest, Hungary: The largest statue of this convex, homogeneous object with just one stable and one unstable equilibrium point.

Rovereto Fertility Shrine

Discover Rovereto Fertility Shrine in Rovereto, Italy: An abandoned piece of phallic art repurposed by locals into a makeshift fertility shrine.

Victorian Walkway

Discover Victorian Walkway in Whitehead, Northern Ireland: This Victorian-era walkway is just one of the many 19th-century treasures in Whitehead.

‘Svampen’

Discover 'Svampen' in Stockholm, Sweden: A concrete mushroom that divided Stockholm residents for nearly a century.

‘Dan the Miner’

Discover 'Dan the Miner' in Los Angeles, California: Murder, searching for gold, and being cut in half—the memorial statue of Daniel O. McCarthy and the Pioneers of '49.

Laogai Museum

Discover Laogai Museum in Washington, D.C.: The first museum in the U.S. to address human rights issues in China.

York Tyburn

Discover York Tyburn in York, England: After public executions took place at this location, attendants would also attend a local horse race.

Hollow Mountain

Discover Hollow Mountain in Hanksville, Utah: At this gas station in the middle of the desert, a convenience store has been carved directly into the rock.

Radium Springs Gardens

Discover Radium Springs Gardens in Albany, Georgia: The ruins of a resort and casino sit on the banks of this blue hole spring that pumps 70,000 gallons of warm, clear water every minute.

Kilcoe Castle

Discover Kilcoe Castle in Cork, Ireland: A stunning medieval castle owned and restored by the famed actor Jeremy Irons.

Khalil Gibran Memorial Monument

Discover Khalil Gibran Memorial Monument in Washington, D.C.: Surrounded by a verdant garden and a backdrop of ivy, a monument to beloved poet Khalil Gibran stands outside of the Lebanese embassy.

Reader Rock Garden

Discover Reader Rock Garden in Calgary, Alberta: A Victorian garden in a harsh climate at the border of the prairies and foothills of the Canadian Rockies.

Zuma Rock

Discover Zuma Rock in Abuja, Nigeria: This igneous rock monolith towers above the surrounding landscape just outside the Nigerian capital.

Taushubetsu River Bridge

Discover Taushubetsu River Bridge in Kamishihoro, Japan: An isolated "phantom bridge" doomed to crumble into ruin.

Kosmik Rum

Discover Kosmik Rum in Copenhagen, Denmark: Visitors are treated to a stained glass kaleidoscope interior inside this work of art.

Hof ter Saksen

Discover Hof ter Saksen in Beveren, Belgium: The ruins of a castle sat decaying in this park for years before a massive renovation restored this area to its past beauty.

Al Karaana Lagoon

Discover Al Karaana Lagoon in Al-Karaana, Qatar: Once a highly polluted body of water has now been transformed into a gorgeous lagoon.

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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