Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Brandymore Castle

Discover Brandymore Castle in Arlington, Virginia: This "castle" is actually a limestone and quartz formation hidden along a trail.

Roman Tomb Köln-Weiden

Discover Roman Tomb Köln-Weiden in Cologne, Germany: The final resting place for a wealthy Roman family, this tomb might be the best preserved of its kind outside Italy.

Troll Falls

Discover Troll Falls in Kananaskis, Alberta: A stone troll guards the hike that leads to this waterfall.

Site of Alice’s Restaurant

Discover Site of Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts: You can get anything you want at the former site of the restaurant immortalized by Arlo Guthrie.

Whistle Stop Restaurant

Discover Whistle Stop Restaurant in Monon, Indiana: Train cars and railroad artifacts abound at this restaurant devoted to railway history.

Paris Mint

Discover Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) in Paris, France: The oldest continuously operating mint in the world that has been making coins since the 9th-century.

It’s All Good Bakery

Discover It's All Good Bakery in Oakland, California: This bakery sits on the site of the Black Panther Party's first headquarters.

Raithaane

Discover Raithaane in Lalitpur, Nepal: This restaurant preserves and serves lesser-known and regional Nepali food.

Nairobi City Park

Discover Nairobi City Park in Nairobi, Kenya: This urban park is home to monkeys and a number of endangered plants.

Lt. James Cook Monument Cairn

Discover Lt. James Cook Monument Cairn in Seventeen Seventy, Australia: A cairn commemorating James Cook's second landing in Australia.

Old Ben Pavilion

Discover Old Ben Pavilion in Kokomo, Indiana: More than 100 years after his death, the world's largest steer is still attracting crowds.

Christy Buchanan’s SHE Garden & Gallery

Discover Christy Buchanan's SHE Garden & Gallery in Winnsboro, South Carolina: A whimsical folk art environment where you can lose yourself in the many colors of joy, beauty, and creativity.

‘Chronicle of Georgia’

Discover 'Chronicle of Georgia' in Tbilisi, Georgia: This extraordinary, multi-pillared monument depicts the fascinating history of Georgia.

The God’s Bridge

Discover The God's Bridge in Akchour, Morocco: Reaching this rock formation involves a hike through rocky rapids and springs where wild turtles reproduce.

Boyds Negro School

Discover Boyds Negro School in Boyds, Maryland: The only public school for Black children in the region from 1895-1936.

Kõpu Lighthouse

Discover Kõpu Lighthouse in Mägipe, Estonia: One of the oldest lighthouses in the world has been in continuous use since it was first built in 1531.

Rod Serling’s Grave

Discover Rod Serling's Grave in Interlaken, New York: The final resting place for the famed creator and narrator of "The Twilight Zone.".

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

PP ToS