Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Garret Hostel Bridge

Discover Garret Hostel Bridge in Cambridge, England: Named after a lodging site that existed nearby, a bridge has existed at this location since 1455.

Wulff Castle

Discover Wulff Castle in Viña del Mar, Chile: A whimsical European-style chateau that calls the coast of Chile home.

Ayrton Senna Mural

Discover Ayrton Senna Mural in Imola, Italy: Famous Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra painted this mural on the Museo Checco Costa to honor the legendary driver.

Pavillon de l’Esprit Nouveau

Discover Pavillon de l'Esprit Nouveau in Bologna, Italy: A masterpiece of modern architecture that caused quite a stir in Paris, recreated in Bologna half a century later.

Isle of Farquhar

Discover Isle of Farquhar in Roche Caiman, Seychelles: A schooner, nicknamed "The Unsinkable," with a long history of survival in the Indian Ocean.

Agawa Canyon Wilderness Park

Discover Agawa Canyon Wilderness Park in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario: Accessible only by train, the beauty of Agawa Canyon Wilderness Park is worth the journey.

ROCC Mars Yard

Discover ROCC Mars Yard in Turin, Italy: Europe's simulation of the Martian surface uses soil from Mount Vesuvius.

Ricetto of Candelo

Discover Ricetto of Candelo in Candelo, Italy: A perfectly preserved example of a fortified Medieval ricetto.

Varoško Groblje

Discover Varoško Groblje in Kragujevac, Serbia: Zastava automobile sculptures and images grace various gravestones in this cemetery.

Inscape Arts and Cultural Center

Discover Inscape Arts and Cultural Center in Seattle, Washington: This former INS center is now home to a thriving community of artists, from performers to painters to architects.

Miniatures & Curious Collections Museum

Discover Miniatures & Curious Collections Museum in Roswell, New Mexico: Inside this small museum resides a strange mix of miniature collections passed down over time.

Berobero no Kamisama

Discover Berobero no Kamisama in Kochi, Japan: This extremely naked God of Drunkards welcomes visitors to Kochi Station.

Museo Menonita (Mennonite Museum)

Discover Museo Menonita (Mennonite Museum) in Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Mexico: A place to learn about the history and culture of Mexico's largest Anabaptist group.

Sleight Family Graveyard

Discover Sleight Family Graveyard in Staten Island, New York: The final resting place of some of Staten Island's earliest settlers and their descendants.

Jisshi Park

Discover Jisshi Park in Tokyo, Japan: This small park holds what remains of a former prison and execution ground.

Schaezler Fountain

Discover Schaezler Fountain in Augsburg, Germany: This fountain tucked away in a park is the focal point of the only "Green Basilica" in Germany.

Arroyo Bird Park

Discover Arroyo Bird Park in San Juan Capistrano, California: This park is home to well over 100 handmade birdhouses.

Bashamichi Station Concourse

Discover Bashamichi Station Concourse in Yokohama, Japan: Remnants of an old bank adorn this station's brick wall.

Beecher Island

Discover Beecher Island in Wray, Colorado: The site of a minor battle might have been forgotten if not for one participant’s famous family and the death of a respected warrior.

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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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