Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Gare de la Ciotat

Discover Gare de la Ciotat in La Ciotat, France: This little train station is forever immortalized in film history.

Carvings of El Jalacate

Discover Carvings of El Jalacate in El Jalacate, Nicaragua: Located in the mountains of Nicaragua, one man has spent most of life beautifying a massive cliff by hand.

Menz Restaurant & Bar

Discover Menz Restaurant & Bar in Rio Grande, New Jersey: Come for the Italian food, stay for the taxidermy and giant statues.

Harvard Bridge Smoot Measurements

Discover Harvard Bridge Smoot Measurements in Boston, Massachusetts: In 1958, an MIT fraternity pledge laid down on this bridge and instituted a new, unique unit of measurement.

David’s Waterfall

Discover David Waterfall in Ein Gedi, Israel: The tallest waterfall in the Judean Desert is named for its connection to a biblical figure.

David Roche House Museum

Discover David Roche House Museum in North Adelaide, Australia: A vast and opulent collection of art and show dog memorabilia collected over one man's lifetime.

Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station

Discover Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station in Tokyo, Japan: Take a few seconds to look at this abandoned, art-filled station as you pass by on the subway to Ueno.

Buffalo Bill Statue

Discover Buffalo Bill Statue in Glasgow, Scotland: This monument dedicated to the legendary American showman can be found in Scotland's largest city.

Chicago Stock Exchange Arch

Discover Chicago Stock Exchange Arch in Chicago, Illinois: A spectacular remnant of an Adler and Sullivan masterpiece that was destroyed in 1972.

Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

Discover Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Postenje, Serbia: The oldest church in Serbia was also the ecclesiastical seat of the region during the Middle Ages.

Rokuon-ji Temple

Discover Rokuon-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan: This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.

Stanage Edge

Discover Stanage Edge in Derbyshire, England: This iconic Peak District ridge was once one of the busiest roads in medieval Britain.

Ministry of Brewing

Discover Ministry of Brewing in Baltimore, Maryland: An abandoned church gets a second life as a massive beer hall and event space.

The Last Clarion House

Discover The Last Clarion House in Newchurch-in-Pendle, England: At this snack-shack in the bucolic British countryside, you can still get a slice of socialism with your spot of tea.

Obake Kaidan

Discover Obake Kaidan in Tokyo, Japan: A flight of this "ghost staircase" has 40 steps on the way up, but only 39 steps on the way down.

Mermaid Chair

Discover Mermaid Chair in Zennor, England: This wooden chair dates possibly back to the 15th century, and commemorates a local legend.

Monastery Blagoveštenje Gornjačko

Discover Monastery Blagoveštenje Gornjačko in Breznica, Serbia: This outcropping was once home to a medieval monastery destroyed during the Ottoman conquest.

Church of Panagia Mesosporitissa

Discover Church of Panagia Mesosporitissa in Elefsina, Greece: Only open for two days a year, this church links ancient Greek and modern Christian celebrations.

Patcham Pylon

Discover Patcham Pylon in Brighton, England: This monumental gateway marks the northern edge of Brighton and is a welcome sign to all visitors to the seaside city.

Lee Chapel Cemetery

Discover Lee Chapel Cemetery in Burke, Virginia: Burke’s oldest cemetery also houses the victim of the county's grisliest murder.

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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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