Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Mountain Studios

Discover Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland: A permanent exhibition honors Queen, which recorded seven albums at the casino-based studio, including “Under Pressure” with David Bowie.

Le Mort Homme (Dead Man’s Hill)

Discover Le Mort Homme (Dead Man's Hill) in Chattancourt, France: A memorial to the soldiers who died in the bloody battles to control Verdun in World War I.

Monument to Peter I

Discover Monument to Peter I in Saint Petersburg, Russia: This effigy of Peter the Great is greatly disproportionate.

Pilgrim Hall Museum

Discover Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts: This museum shines a light on the true Pilgrim experience in North America.

Mittie Manning’s Tomb

Discover Mittie Manning's Tomb in Holly Springs, Mississippi: This tomb was fashioned with a sliding window for a grieving mother who struggled with her daughter's death.

Valle Crucis Abbey

Discover Valle Crucis Abbey in Llantysilio, Wales: This ancient abbey now lies in majestic ruin behind a caravan park.

The Sock Barn

Discover The Sock Barn in Nashville, Indiana: Where hikers on the Tecumseh Trail can exchange a dirty sock for a free geode.

Trinity Apse

Discover Trinity Apse in Edinburgh, Scotland: This 15th-century structure had a long, tortuous journey to its current location.

Bandundu Water Jazz Band

Discover Bandundu Water Jazz Band in Tervuren, Belgium: A jazz band formed by African water animals in the heart of Flemish Brabant.

Berkeley Weather Beacon

Discover Berkeley Weather Beacon in Boston, Massachusetts: A beacon atop a downtown building provides Bostonians with weather forecasts and baseball news.

Ralph Foster Museum

Discover Ralph Foster Museum in Point Lookout, Missouri: This museum features the original car used on the Beverly Hillbillies sitcom.

Castell Dinas Bran

Discover Castell Dinas Bran in Denbighshire, Wales: These precariously placed ruins harken back to a 13th-century castle.

Monasterio de Santa Catalina

Discover Monasterio de Santa Catalina in Arequipa, Peru: This 16th-century monastery was founded to cloister the daughters of wealthy local families.

Retro Museum

Discover Retro Museum in Varna, Bulgaria: The Grand Mall in Varna hosts one of the biggest collections of Soviet-era paraphernalia in Bulgaria.

The Old Grammar School

Discover The Old Grammar School in Market Harborough, England: This iconic building was founded as a school for the impoverished, but became one for the sons of the local gentry.

‘Imaginary Elephants’

Discover 'Imaginary Elephants' in Nikko, Japan: These sculptures were created by a 17th-century artist who had never seen an elephant.

Maitighar Mandala

Discover Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu, Nepal: Hiding in plain sight near Kathmandu’s government center is a giant mandala that has become a locus for political protest.

St Tudno’s Church

Discover St Tudno's Church in Llandudno, Wales: This 6th-century church honors St. Tudno, the patron saint of Llandudno.

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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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