Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Former Edenhall Hospital

Discover Former Edenhall Hospital in Musselburgh, Scotland: The abandoned buildings of a hospital that saw most of its activity during the World Wars.

St. Cuthbert’s Cave

Discover St. Cuthbert's Cave in Northumberland, England: A rocky outcrop where monks hid their most holy relic while escaping Danish invaders.

Yumen Ghost Town

Discover Yumen Ghost Town in Jiayuguan Shi, China: This once-booming oil city is now a relic of the region's industrial past.

Resting Place of the Giants

Discover Resting Place of the Giants in Seville, Ohio: In the Mound Hill Cemetery resides the final resting place of the world's tallest couple.

Brooklyn Savings Bank Subway Branch

Discover Brooklyn Savings Bank Subway Branch in Brooklyn, New York: Before online banking and smartphone apps, there was "commuter banking" in the subway in Downtown Brooklyn.

Alianello Ghost Town

Discover Alianello Ghost Town in Alianello, Italy: Though an earthquake destroyed this village in 1980, one former resident still walks its streets every day.

Remains of the Morris Canal

Discover Morris Canal in Jersey City, New Jersey: Once considered a marvel of engineering, this 107-mile canal played an integral role in building New York City.

Matilija Dam

Discover Matilija Dam in Ojai, California: The disdain for this dysfunctional dam is reflected in a giant pair of scissors painted on the concrete face.

Chapel on the Dunes

Discover Chapel on the Dunes in Port Aransas, Texas: The oldest functional consecrated church on Mustang Island.

Old Borden Bridge

Discover Old Borden Bridge in Borden, Saskatchewan: This now abandoned arch bridge was constructed during the Great Depression.

Grove of Remembrance

Discover Grove of Remembrance in Baltimore, Maryland: This grove was planted more than a century ago by the War Mothers of World War I.

Postbridge Clapper Bridge

Discover Postbridge Clapper Bridge in Postbridge, England: This ancient stone bridge dates back to the early Middle Ages.

Grutas del Palacio

Discover Grutas del Palacio in Flores, Uruguay: This wonderful rock formation constitutes the first geopark in Uruguay.

Ho Chi Minh Statue

Discover Ho Chi Minh Statue in Vinh, Vietnam: Out of all the statues of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, this one is the tallest and the most impressive.

Arch Canyon Trail

Discover Arch Canyon Trail in Ajo, Arizona: A strenuous, unofficial trail leads to spectacular views in one of America's most remote national monuments.

Cascade Falls

Discover Cascade Falls in Duck Creek Village, Utah: An improbable waterfall springs from an orange-white cliff face, tumbling into the headwaters of the Virgin River above Zion National Park.

Pizza Pacaya

Discover Pizza Pacaya in San Vicente Pacaya, Guatemala: For this chef, an active volcano is his oven.

Promenade du Peyrou

Discover Promenade du Peyrou in Montpellier, France: This plaza is home to a number of works, including Montpellier‘s own Arc de Triomphe.

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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