Archives: Atlas Obscuras

National Museum of Ancient Art

Discover National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, Portugal: This little-known national museum houses over 40,000 works of art from across the world.

Indian Stones

Discover Indian Stones in Reading, Vermont: These commemorative stones honor a young woman born in captivity.

Penny Rock

Discover Penny Rock in Montrose, Pennsylvania: Visitors to Salt Springs State Park are encouraged to literally put their two cents in Penny Rock.

Peak Alum Works

Discover Peak Alum Works in Ravenscar, England: At the height of alum production at this factory, human urine was a valued commodity.

Lerwick Public Sign Snail

Discover Lerwick Public Sign Snail in Lerwick, Scotland: The unexpected mascot of Shetland's capital.

‘Gods and Goddesses of Baseball’

Discover 'Gods and Goddesses of Baseball' in San Francisco, California: A modern frieze of ancient Grecian mythological figures playing a national pastime.

Xuanwu Lake Park

Discover Xuanwu Lake Park in Nanjing, China: Once an imperial lake garden, anyone can now visit this city park.

Faidherbe Bridge

Discover Faidherbe Bridge in Saint-Louis, Senegal: A 19th-century architectural masterpiece with ties to Gustave Eiffel.

Gilmore Car Museum

Discover Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan: Home to over 300 antique cars and motorcycles, including Thomas Edison's Model A.

Niokolo Koba Park

Discover Niokolo Koba Park in Senegal: This park was designated by UNESCO as an Endangered World Heritage site.

Newton’s Apple Tree, Trinity College

Discover Newton's Apple Tree, Trinity College in Cambridge, England: This tree was grafted from the actual tree that led Isaac Newton to ponder the theory of gravity.

Norchia Necropolis

Discover Norchia Necropolis in Viterbo, Italy: One of ancient Etruria's most spectacular archaeological sites with impressive necropolises and rugged landscape.

Franz Sederevičiaus Sculpture Ensemble

Discover Franz Sederevičiaus Sculpture Ensemble in Kudirkos Naumiestis, Lithuania: An impressive ensemble of sculptures that survived the Soviet regime.

Humpback Bridge

Discover Humpback Bridge in Covington, Virginia: The oldest arched-covered bridge in Virginia has truly withstood the test of time.

Hotel Camino Real Polanco

Discover Hotel Camino Real Polanco in Mexico City, Mexico: This hotel is an amazing example of the Escuela Tapatía de Arquitectura movement.

Knill’s Steeple

Discover Knill's Steeple in Carbis Bay, England: A quirky mausoleum celebrated once every five years with young dancing girls, widows, a tax man, and more.

Rio Shipwreck

Discover Rio Shipwreck in Russia: One of the most popular attractions in the small resort town of Kabardinka.

St. Mary’s Well, Jesmond

Discover St. Mary's Well, Jesmond in Newcastle upon Tyne, England: A famous pilgrimage site that remains hidden in the midst of a city.

Huang Kuan Statue

Discover Huang Kuan Statue in Edinburgh, Scotland: The first Chinese student to graduate from a European university.

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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

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