Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Montreal Signs Project

Discover Montreal Signs Project in Montreal, Québec: This permanent exhibition of commercial signs aims to preserve the cultural heritage of the city.

Tumanyan Matchbox Label Museum

Discover Tumanyan Matchbox Label Museum in Tumanyan, Armenia: A tiny museum dedicated exclusively to the tiny art that decorates matchboxes.

City Park Snow Monkeys

Discover City Park Snow Monkeys in Launceston, Australia: A small troop of Japanese macaques live peacefully in the heart of this Tasmanian city.

Bay Ridge Gingerbread House

Discover Bay Ridge Gingerbread House in Brooklyn, New York: On the hills of Bay Ridge stands a house straight out of a fairy tale.

Anderson Japanese Gardens

Discover Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois: This lush 12-acre site was once named the finest Japanese garden in North America.

Hudson-Athens Lighthouse

Discover Hudson-Athens Lighthouse in Hudson, New York: A small Second Empire-style building is one of only seven remaining lighthouses on the Hudson River.

Casa José Guadalupe Zuno Door

Discover Casa José Guadalupe Zuno Door in Guadalajara, Mexico: This door in the old residential area of Guadalajara hides several communist motifs.

General Lew Wallace Study & Museum

Discover General Lew Wallace Study & Museum in Crawfordsville, Indiana: On the grounds of this study, Lew Wallace composed "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ" and many other works.

Naegelin’s Bakery

Discover Naegelin's Bakery in New Braunfels, Texas: Texas's oldest bakery serves authentic German pastries, including legendary strudel.

Castle of Villaviciosa de Odón

Discover Castle of Villaviciosa de Odón in Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain: A beautiful little castle with a rich history now home to the Archives of the Spanish Air Force.

Union Jack Steps

Discover Union Jack Steps in Gibraltar: Red, white, and blue painted steps along with a Union Jack celebrate the outcome of Gibraltar's 1967 referendum.

El Salto del Agua Waterfall

Discover El Salto del Agua Waterfall in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico: A waterfall and cave near Arroyo Seco that inspired the writings of D. H. Lawrence, Willa Cather, and Mabel Dodge Luhan.

Gyeonggyojang House

Discover Gyeonggyojang House in Seoul, South Korea: The headquarters of Korea’s provisional government later became the site of a prominent statesman's assassination.

The Aztec Hotel

Discover The Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, California: This bizarre hotel on historic Route 66 has been plagued by rumors of crime and paranormal activity.

International Quilt Museum

Discover International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska: Home to the world's largest quilt collection dating from the 1600s through today.

Île Sainte-Marguerite

Discover Île Sainte-Marguerite in Cannes, France: A fortress on this island housed the mysterious prisoner known as the "Man in the Iron Mask" for more than a decade.

Maine Mineral & Gem Museum

Discover Maine Mineral & Gem Museum in Bethel, Maine: A showcase of geologic history is home to one of the largest collection of lunar meteorites on Earth.

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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