Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Beit Guvrin Caves

Discover Beit Guvrin Caves in Ashkelon, Israel: These numerous Israeli caves were dug out over hundreds years for reasons ranging from hideouts to burial sites.

Rosh HaNikra Grottoes

Discover Rosh HaNikra Grottoes in Acre, Israel: The bluer than blue waters in these natural Israeli caves are reached via the world's steepest cable car.

The Azure Window and the Blue Hole

Discover The Azure Window and the Blue Hole in San Lawrenz, Malta: Two geological phenomena in one precarious locale: a towering stone window, and a deep blue void.

Casa Rocca Piccola

Discover Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta, Malta: Dynastic Home of the De Piro Family.

Santa Marija Tal-Virtù Chapel

Discover Santa Marija Tal-Virtù Chapel in Rabat, Malta: Abandoned Roman Catholic chapel abused by Satanists before being restored.

Malta Cart Tracks

Discover Malta Cart Tracks in Attard, Malta: Ancient mysterious ruts carved in the bedrock.

Jesus Tree of Malta

Discover Jesus Tree of Malta in Mdina, Malta: The Jesus tree of Malta bears a striking resemblance to Christ on the cross.

The Old Prison

Discover The Old Prison in Victoria, Malta: This prison on the Maltese island of Gozo is almost 500 years old, and they have the graffiti to prove it.

Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum

Discover Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Paola, Malta: This subterranean necropolis holds three floors of antler-dug grave caves.

Maltese Catacomb Complexes

Discover Maltese Catacomb Complexes in Rabat, Malta: The remains of more than 1,000 people lie deep under the modern town of Rabat.

Mnajdra

Discover Mnajdra in Qrendi, Malta: Stone Age solar temple is aligned with the sun on each equinox and solstice.

Church of San Giorgio

Discover Church of San Giorgio in Monselice, Italy: This Italian church is as beautiful as it is common, except for the real skulls decorating the many mannequins inside.

The House of Cavaliere

Discover The House of Cavaliere in Messina, Italy: An eccentric home in Sicily turns heads on a regular basis.

Burcardo Theater Museum

Discover Burcardo Theater Museum in Rome, Italy: Harlequin costumes, signed scripts, and armor-wearing puppets.

Ruins of Poggioreale

Discover Ruins of Poggioreale in Poggioreale, Italy: This entire town moved to a safe location after it was devastated by an earthquake, but the remains of the original town are still around.

The Abandoned Village of Leri Cavour

Discover The Abandoned Village of Leri Cavour in Italy: A formerly opulent Italian village is now a crumbling ghost town that no one really knows what to do with.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 260 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. 474 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. 499 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. 633 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. 135 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. 167 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). 252 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 148 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. 96 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. 166

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