Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Gorilla Diorama

Discover Gorilla Diorama in New York, New York: Creating this diorama spurred naturalist Carl Akeley to begin advocating to protect the apes.

Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins

Discover Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins in Aguadilla Pueblo, Puerto Rico: Years of neglect and nature took a toll on this 19th-century lighthouse.

Maglič

Discover Maglič in Maglič, Serbia: The ruins of this medieval castle on a foggy hill tell the story of a once-mighty empire.

Inverkeithing Mercat Cross

Discover Inverkeithing Mercat Cross in Inverkeithing, Scotland: Aside from denoting a public square or market, this medieval structure was also a sign of a town's prosperity.

Headstone-Eating Trees

Discover Headstone-Eating Trees in Arlington, Virginia: The rogue roots are gradually consuming some of the historic marble grave markers.

The DDR Museum

Discover The DDR Museum in Berlin, Germany: A fascinating insight into daily life in the Eastern Bloc.

Olson House

Discover Olson House in Cushing, Maine: If a visit to this farmhouse feels as if you are stepping into an artistic masterpiece, you’d be right.

John J. Montgomery Obelisk

Discover John J. Montgomery Obelisk in Santa Clara, California: Today's aerospace industry can be traced back to one man and his gliders.

World Trade Center Artwork

Discover World Trade Center Artwork in London, England: This sculpture, residing in a quiet corner of a London park, honors the victims of 9/11.

Silent Pool

Discover Silent Pool in Albury, England: This peaceful oasis appears dreamy, but it's also the site of a nightmarish legend.

Chromium Mill Ruins

Discover Chromium Mill Ruins in Red Lodge, Montana: Operational for less than a year, this mill produced more than 11,000 tons of chrome concentrate in its short lifespan.

Los Ángeles and La Cruz Graveyards

Discover Los Ángeles and La Cruz Graveyards in Aguascalientes, Mexico: Legends, sculptures, and unique tombs can be seen lurking in these connected cemeteries.

Vicolo Inferno

Discover Vicolo Inferno in Imola, Italy: Also known as "Hell Alley," this tiny street in Imola gained its name in a bloody episode in the 16th-century.

Stockholm University Arboretum

Discover Stockholm University Arboretum in Stockholm, Sweden: A collection of trees from various corners of the world call Stockholm University home.

The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading

Discover The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: This stunning Brazilian library contains the largest collection of Portuguese texts outside of Portugal itself.

Fisherman’s Quay

Discover Fisherman’s Quay in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland: A glimpse into the last days of a once-booming past fishing industry.

The Goodnight Barn

Discover The Goodnight Barn in Pueblo, Colorado: This historic stone barn is the former home of legendary cattleman Charles “Lonesome Dove” Goodnight.

The Site of Yatate Hajime

Discover The Site of Yatate Hajime in Tokyo, Japan: The site where the poet Matsuo Bashō read one of the first haiku that comprise his famous travelogue.

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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

PP ToS