Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Lightning Ridge Artesian Bore Baths

Discover Lightning Ridge Artesian Bore Baths in Lightning Ridge, Australia: On the outskirts of an opal-mining town, these baths fed by a massive underground aquifer are a natural spa.

Prince Station

Discover Prince Station in Prince, West Virginia: In the mountains of West Virginia is this perfectly preserved Art Deco train station.

Nizwa Fort

Discover Nizwa Fort in Nizwa, Oman: This beautifully restored fortification kept the city safe for centuries.

Castilnovo Castle

Discover Castilnovo Castle in Condado de Castilnovo, Spain: The history of this Moorish castle includes royals, a Mexican-Spanish association, and several attempts at lodging.

House on Rock

Discover House on Rock in Bergamo, Italy: This house certainly has a unique decor.

Thirty Nine

Discover Thirty Nine in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Named for the 39 tribes that live in Oklahoma, this restaurant's menu deliciously highlights local flavors.

Iyake Suspended Lake

Discover Iyake Suspended Lake in Ado Awaiye, Nigeria: Ado Awaye Mountain and the unique lake that sits near its peak are shrouded in ancient legends.

Owamni

Discover Owamni in Minneapolis, Minnesota: The dishes at this restaurant by The Sioux Chef celebrate indigenous heritage.

ArtWalk Vaughan

Discover ArtWalk Vaughan in Vaughan, Ontario: This former big box store has been reimagined as a massive public art space.

Webb Bridge

Discover Webb Bridge in Melbourne, Australia: This modern pedestrian bridge on the Yarra River was modeled after an Aboriginal fish trap.

The Wallace Collection Armory

Discover The Wallace Collection Armory in London, England: An eccentric Victorian aristocrat's enormous collection of medieval armor and weapons from around the world.

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

Discover Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama: This 880-acre facility is home to a massive collection of vintage motorcycles and cars, as well as a 2.38-mile race course.

Ambleside Roman Fort

Discover Ambleside Roman Fort in Ambleside, England: This beautifully situated lakeside Roman settlement was likely built during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.

Deep Rock Swimming Hole

Discover Deep Rock Swimming Hole in Fairfield, Australia: The gathering point of an old Melbourne swimming club was site of a historic, world-record dive in 1918.

Driving Creek Railway

Discover Driving Creek Railway in Coromandel, New Zealand: This incredible narrow-gauge mountain railway was created by a ceramic artist.

Menu

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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