Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Cakeland.LA

Discover Cakeland.LA in Los Angeles, California: A cake-themed art installation tucked away in historic Chinatown.

Sö 90 Runestone

Discover Sö 90 Runestone in Eskilstuna, Sweden: This runestone once destroyed by an explosion has been painstakingly reassembled to save its history.

Grave of Gracie Watson

Discover Grave of Gracie Watson in Savannah, Georgia: More than a century after her death, Little Gracie Watson remains one of Savannah's most often-visited residents.

Bombardment Garden

Discover Bombardment Garden in Whitby, England: The recreated ruins of a house designed to memorialize a World War I shelling on the town.

Merlion

Discover Merlion in Singapore: This statue once earned the distinction as one of the "Three Major Disappointments of the World.".

New Gourna Village

Discover New Gourna Village in Al Qarnah, Egypt: There are ongoing efforts to preserve this village, the best known work of Egyptian architect Hasan Fathy.

Hermitage of San Venanzio

Discover Eremo di San Venanzio (Hermitage of San Venanzio) in Raiano, Italy: This hermitage spanning an Italian river gorge draws pilgrims hoping to heal ailments like arthritis and migraines.

Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park

Discover Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park in Sedona, Arizona: This 24-acre park offers a place for meditation in the midst of Sedona's iconic red rocks.

La Trobe’s Cottage

Discover La Trobe's Cottage in Melbourne, Australia: The former home of Victoria's first Lieutenant-Governor.

Holy Kipinas Monastery

Discover Holy Kipinas Monastery in Kalarrites, Greece: This 13th-century monastery chiseled into the side of a mountain is equipped with a bridge that can be lifted to protect against raids.

One Calvert Plaza

Discover One Calvert Plaza in Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore's first skyscraper may be home to the inspiration behind pulp fiction's most celebrated bird.

Sandwich Boardwalk

Discover Sandwich Boardwalk in Sandwich, Massachusetts: Hundreds of personalized inscribed planks make up this historic boardwalk.

Fucino Space Centre

Discover Fucino Space Centre in Ortucchio, Italy: The largest civilian satellite control center in the world is located in the middle of a drained lake.

Monastery of Kipinas

Discover Monastery of Kipinas in Kalarrites, Greece: This 13th-century monastery chiseled into the side of a mountain is equipped with a bridge that can be lifted to protect against raids.

Wolji Pond

Discover Wolji Pond in Gyeongju, South Korea: This human-made pond is part of a Korean palace complex first built in the 7th century.

Hacienda Santa Rosa

Discover Hacienda Santa Rosa in Costa Rica: The only combat zone in Costa Rica used during the Battle of Santa Rosa.

Boulder Bank

Discover Boulder Bank in Glenduan, New Zealand: An unusual snaking bank of boulders caused by longshore drift.

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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