Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Istanbul 2461

Discover Istanbul 2461 in Istanbul, Turkey: Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.

Keyhole Arch at Pfeiffer Beach

Discover Keyhole Arch at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, California: Centuries of crashing waves carved out this small hole in the rock, which lights up at certain parts of the year.

The Grave of St. Patrick

Discover The Grave of St. Patrick in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland: A boulder in the Churchyard of Down Cathedral marks the legendary burial place of "The Apostle of Ireland.".

Polesine Camerini Power Station

Discover Polesine Camerini Power Station in Porto Tolle, Italy: The chimney of a shuttered power station in the Po Delta is the second-tallest structure in Italy.

Bamberg Horseman

The true identity of this rider has eluded art historians for nearly 200 years.

‘Alice and the White Rabbit’

Discover 'Alice and the White Rabbit' in Guildford, England: This sculpture combines the literary Alice with her real-life inspiration.

Pinula Aqueduct

Discover Pinula Aqueduct in Guatemala City, Guatemala: It's not quite as old as its Roman appearance suggests, but this piece of infrastructure served Guatemala City for centuries.

Cuernavaca Cathedral Murals

Discover Cuernavaca Cathedral Murals in Cuernavaca, Mexico: Monumental paintings, discovered in a Mexican cathedral in 1957, depict the deaths of some friars in Japan.

Route 50 Tombstone

Discover Route 50 Tombstone in Little Hocking, Ohio: In the middle of an abandoned stretch of old Route 50 lies a tombstone that weighs three tons.

Thompson Family Cemetery

Discover Thompson Family Cemetery in Fairfax, Virginia: A graveyard that dates back over 200 years stands near a busy shopping center.

The Cartersville Abandoned Plane

Discover The Cartersville Abandoned Plane in Cartersville, Georgia: This mysterious twin turboprop Grumman G-159 covered in graffiti has spent a decade and a half abandoned.

Tashanta

Discover Tashanta in Tashanta, Russia: The last stop in southeast Russia.

Yoshinogari Historical Park

Discover Yoshinogari Historical Park in Yoshinogari, Japan: The largest archaeological site from the Yayoi period.

Gamla Riksbanken (The Old National Bank)

Discover Gamla Riksbanken (The Old National Bank) in Stockholm, Sweden: One of the world's first dedicated bank buildings in the world is now the oldest one.

Castello Carrarese di Este

Discover Castello Carrarese di Este in Este, Italy: The origins of a large, medieval castle are shrouded in mystery, but now it's a delightful garden.

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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