Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Battle of Almansa Museum

Discover Battle of Almansa Museum in Almansa, Spain: Commemorating a battle where French troops were commanded by an Englishman, and English troops by a Frenchman.

Camondo Stairs

Discover Camondo Stairs in Beyoğlu, Turkey: A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.

Semini Sculpture

Discover Semini Sculpture in Antwerp, Belgium: This heavily worn bas-relief was once an honored fertility symbol.

Stockholms Geographical Midpoint

Discover Stockholms Geographical Midpoint in Stockholm, Sweden: The center of Stockholm can be found along this quiet street.

Hermitage of Saint Sava

Discover Hermitage of Saint Sava in Savovo, Serbia: This mesmerizing medieval monastery-cave complex sits thousands of feet above ground overlooking a valley.

Villa Mehu

Discover Villa Mehu in Kirkkonumm, Finland: This abandoned villa of makeshift buildings was once the home of dancer Elis Sinistö.

Fort Pitt Blockhouse

Discover Fort Pitt Blockhouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The last remnants of Fort Pitt also hold the distinction of being the oldest structure west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Kawaramachi Housing Complex

Discover Kawaramachi Housing Complex in Kawasaki, Japan: This Metabolist, retro-futuristic residential complex resembles a cyberpunk space colony established on Earth.

Wildlife Mural

Discover Wildlife Mural in Edinburgh, Scotland: One of Edinburgh's most popular works of street art is located well off the beaten path.

Great Falls Nike Missile Launch Site W-83

Discover Great Falls Nike Missile Launch Site W-83 in Herndon, Virginia: An out-of-place Air Force radar dome is all that denotes this park as a former missile launch site.

Tham Piew Cave

Discover Tham Piew Cave in Muang Kham, Laos: A tangible and sobering reminder of an atrocity that took place during a secret war.

Tsuki Shrine

Discover Tsuki Shrine in Saitama, Japan: A unique Shinto shrine filled with bunnies and wordplay.

Big Mine Run Geyser

Discover Big Mine Run Geyser in Ashland, Pennsylvania: The only geyser in the state of Pennsylvania is caused by pressure from an abandoned coal mine outside of the ghost town Centralia.

Carrickfergus Rangers Stone

Discover Carrickfergus Rangers Stone in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland: This stone honors the U.S. Rangers who made Carrickfergus their home base during World War II.

HaliPuu’s Campfire Barista

Discover HaliPuu's Campfire Barista in Sirkka, Finland: In the Hugging Tree Forest, lingonberry marshmallows, hot chocolates, and the best campfire lattes north of the Arctic Circle come to you.

Temple of Minerva Medica

Discover Temple of Minerva Medica in Rome, Italy: Believed to be the remains of the lost Temple of Minerva, this nymphaeum has been known by its misnomer to this day.

Stanbury Jacko

Discover Stanbury Jacko in Geelong, Australia: A stuffed, prize-winning ram is all that remains of a world-renowned stud line, and a reminder of its owner's gruesome end.

Twilight Epiphany Skyspace

Discover Twilight Epiphany Skyspace in Houston, Texas: Artist James Turrell's ode to dawn and dusk on the campus of Rice 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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