Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Bury Ditches

Discover Bury Ditches in Lydbury North, England: This Iron Age hill fort remained hidden until a series of storms revealed its history.

‘Out of Order’

Discover 'Out of Order' in London, England: A domino effect created with Britain’s iconic telephone boxes.

Las Grutas de Tolantongo

Discover Las Grutas de Tolantongo in Tolantongo, Mexico: The development of this cliffside waterpark is representative of Mexico's history of co-op tourism developments.

Beatle Bums

Discover Beatle Bums in Plymouth, England: The only place where can you share a seat with the bums of the Fab Four.

‘The Minotaur’

Discover 'The Minotaur' in Lille, France: This monumental mural crafted nearly 40 years ago is still in perfect condition.

Belfry of Tournai

Discover Belfry of Tournai in Tournai, Belgium: After the construction of a nearby cathedral obstructed the view, the oldest belfry in Belgium was more than doubled in height.

Collinsworth Cemetery

Discover Collinsworth Cemetery in Plano, Texas: This family cemetery is a reminder of a smallpox outbreak in late-19th-century Texas.

Mausoleum of Augustus

Discover Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome, Italy: This large, circular tomb is the final resting place of the first emperor of Rome.

Ashikaga School

Discover Ashikaga School in Ashikaga, Japan: The oldest academic institution in Japan provides a glimpse of university life during the days of the samurai.

Hot Springs Beer

Discover Hot Springs Beer in Hot Springs, Arkansas: This Arkansas town is known for its gangster history, its healing waters, and now its brews.

Vera Cruz

Discover Vera Cruz in Santa Barbara County, California: This house is a mosaic of tiled artwork sourced from local artists.

Surrey Dive

Discover Surrey Dive in Box Hill, Australia: This former brickworks pit is full of legends about its murky depths.

The Allaire Dinosaurs

Discover The Allaire Dinosaurs in Allenwood, New Jersey: Dinosaurs, magic, and wonder are hidden amid the forests of Allaire State Park.

Clements Wood

Discover Clements Wood in Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland: This woodland area is a lasting tribute to the Queen Mother.

Mandela House

Discover Mandela House in Soweto, South Africa: Nelson Mandela lived here with his family from 1946 until his arrest in 1962.

Germantown White House

Discover Germantown White House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The oldest surviving presidential residence in the United States.

The Gallery Whitehead

Discover The Gallery Whitehead in Whitehead, Northern Ireland: This Edwardian style home doubles as a magnificent local art gallery.

Hyder

Discover Hyder in Hyder, Alaska: The easternmost town in Alaska can only be accessed from Canada.

Stuðlagil Canyon

Discover Stuðlagil Canyon in Eiriksstadhir, Iceland: This canyon is comprised of gorgeous waters and magnificent basalt columns.

Hartsville Nuclear Plant

Discover Hartsville Nuclear Plant in Hartsville, Tennessee: This abandoned nuclear cooling tower casts a shadow over a bucolic town.

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

PP ToS