Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Roman Legionnaire Modesty Shields

Discover Roman Legionnaire Modesty Shields in Washington, D.C.: Railroad officials in the early 1900s sought to spare travelers the sight of Roman soldiers’ private parts.

Temple of Minerva

Discover Temple of Minerva in Assisi, Italy: What appears to be an ancient Roman temple is actually a Catholic church.

Vennbahn Cycleway

Discover Vennbahn Cycleway in Belgium: Walk or bike along a narrow strip of Belgium sandwiched by German territory.

Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge

Discover Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge in Wilhelmshaven, Germany: Once the longest swing bridge in Europe.

Harukor

Discover Harukor in Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo’s only Ainu restaurant serves Indigenous food from northern Japan.

‘Shetland Receivers’

Discover 'Shetland Receivers' in Lerwick, Scotland: This audio art installation pays tribute to the weather and unique linguistic history of the archipelago.

‘Growing Gardener’

Discover 'Growing Gardener' in Tokyo, Japan: This gnome sculpture and his wonderous hat forces train passengers to do a double-take.

Mangulica & Pulin Statue

Discover Mangulica & Pulin Statue in Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia: Statues of two of Srem's most well-known animals.

The Paolozzi Studio

Discover The Paolozzi Studio in Edinburgh, Scotland: A recreation of pop art pioneer Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi's London studio.

Under-the-Hill Saloon

Discover Under-the-Hill Saloon in Natchez, Mississippi: A 200-year-old bar is all that remains of one Mississippi River town's rough-and-tumble past.

Hermitage of Saint Sylvester

Discover Hermitage of Saint Sylvester in Rome, Italy: This hermitage celebrates the legend of Emperor Constantine's healing from leprosy.

Roncevaux Pass

Discover Roncevaux Pass in Roncesvalles, Spain: The site of a legendary battle immortalized in medieval literature.

Trullo di Marziolla

Discover Trullo di Marziolla in Locorotondo, Italy: The oldest-known example of a historic architectural style recognized by UNESCO.

Apple Valley Model Railroad Club

Discover Apple Valley Model Railroad Club in Hendersonville, North Carolina: Inside this old train depot resides a multi-line model train covering western North Carolina.

Knowth

Discover Knowth in Drogheda, Ireland: This Neolithic passage tomb forms part of a World Heritage Site.

Dun Dornaigil Broch

Discover Dun Dornaigil Broch in Alltnacaillich, Scotland: Unusually, this ancient Iron Age broch has never been excavated.

Pasco County Stilt Houses

Discover Pasco County Stilt Houses in New Port Richey, Florida: These simple structures are living monuments to the fishermen who built this community over a century ago.

National Museum of San Matteo

Discover National Museum of San Matteo in Pisa, Italy: Inside features a display of how artistic crucifixes transformed throughout the centuries.

Hacienda Hotel

Discover Hacienda Hotel in New Port Richey, Florida: Built in 1927, this pink stucco hotel once hosted stars of Hollywood’s silent movie era. Now it's being brought back to life.

Dwarfie Stane

Discover Dwarfie Stane in Hoy, Scotland: Legends surrounding this megalithic tomb range from giants to a dwarf named Trollid.

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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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