Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Laurel Hill House

Discover Laurel Hill House in Lorton, Virginia: Standing for over 200 years, the abandoned home of a Revolutionary War hero and later a succession of prison superintendents.

De Leidse Zeemijn (Leiden’s Naval Mine)

Discover De Leidse Zeemijn (Leiden's Naval Mine) in Leiden, Netherlands: The remnants of a WWI naval mine that once terrorized the country now decorates a street.

Central Café and Restaurant 1887

Discover Central Café and Restaurant 1887 in Budapest, Hungary: Some of the greatest minds in the history of Hungarian art and science converged in this café.

Travelers Chapel

Discover Travelers Chapel in Conway, South Carolina: This tiny chapel next to a highway provides weary travelers a place to rest, pray, or maybe even get married.

Sunrise Resort

Discover Sunrise Resort in East Haddam, Connecticut: An abandoned 146-acre summer resort slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Dowles Graveyard

Discover Dowles Graveyard in Bewdley, England: The church is gone, but the graves and legends remain.

Sacello Ipogeico

Discover Sacello Ipogeico in Paestum, Italy: The only visible remains of this ancient Greek underground temple is its roof protruding from the earth.

‘Constantine the Great’

Discover 'Constantine the Great' in York, England: This sculpture marks the spot where one of the greatest Roman rulers was proclaimed emperor.

Jones Bar-B-Q Vending Machine

Discover Jones Bar-B-Q Vending Machine in Kansas City, Kansas: Why settle for barbecue chips when you can get actual barbecue?

Richard McDonald’s Niche

Discover Richard McDonald's Niche in Manchester, New Hampshire: This humble resting place belongs to one of history's most celebrated restaurateurs.

Deganwy Castle

Discover Deganwy Castle in Deganwy, Wales: This ancient castle has been abandoned since the Edwardian conquest of Wales.

Cattedrale di Parma (Parma Cathedral)

Discover Cattedrale di Parma (Parma Cathedral) in Parma, Italy: The city of Parma's cathedral is home to one of the greatest illusionistic frescoes of the Renaissance.

Polar Bears Memorial

Discover Polar Bears Memorial in Troy, Michigan: This monument commemorates the only American soldiers to have directly fought Russians during World War I.

William Penn Landing Site

Discover William Penn Landing Site in Chester, Pennsylvania: Surrounded by industrial sprawl, a small monument marks the site of William Penn's first landing in Pennsylvania.

The Witch Stone of Great Leighs

Discover The Witch Stone of Great Leighs in Great Leighs, England: Near this allegedly haunted pub, you can find strong spirits on the rocks.

Church of the Holy Trinity

Discover Church of the Holy Trinity in Codrongianos, Italy: A striped 12th-century basilica sits in the countryside of Sardinia.

Peppersauce Cave

Discover Peppersauce Cave in Oracle, Arizona: An off-the-beaten path cave with an underground lake.

Saint Patrick’s High Cross

Discover Saint Patrick's High Cross in Carndonagh, Ireland: This rare and ancient Christian relic is one of Ireland’s oldest freestanding stone crosses.

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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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