Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Ypres Tower

Discover Ypres Tower in Rye, England: Also known as Rye Castle, this 13th-century fortification later became a prison and held one of Rye's most famous criminals.

Shrine of the Ages

Discover Shrine of the Ages in Grand Canyon Village, Arizona: This small interfaith chapel lies not far from the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Wine Cellars of Cricova

Discover Wine Cellars of Cricova in Cricova, Moldova: Seventy-five miles of limestone caves host more than a million bottles of wine beneath a sleepy Moldovan town.

Grottoes of Catullus

Discover Grotte di Catullo (Grottoes of Catullus) in Sirmione, Italy: On the shores of Lake Garda, the ruins of a Roman villa that allegedly belonged to the poet Catullus.

The Plotz Plot

Discover The Plotz Plot in Holbrook, Arizona: For those going through a life transition, a place to leave behind a piece of your former self.

Oxford Castle & Prison

Discover Oxford Castle & Prison in Oxford, England: This Norman castle was once the site of a Victorian-era prison, and now exists as a luxury hotel.

Giant Straw Sandals of Hōzōmon

Discover Owaraji (Giant Straw Sandals) in Tokyo, Japan: An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way, to keep demons at bay.

Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal

Discover Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal in Rochester Hills, Michigan: The remains of a failed canal can be found in several towns near Lake St. Clair and is known historically as "Mason's Folly.".

Niedzica Castle

Discover Niedzica Castle in Niedzica-Zamek, Poland: This picturesque castle in Poland has a rich history, including a legend that ties it to lost Incan treasures.

Craigentinny Marbles

Discover Craigentinny Marbles in Edinburgh, Scotland: This enormous, elaborate tomb looks oddly out of place next to a suburban Edinburgh bowling club.

Smoky Mountain Elk Fest

Discover Smoky Mountain Elk Fest in Maggie Valley, North Carolina: An annual celebration of the region's successful elk reintroduction program.

Benten-dō Temple

Discover Benten-dō Temple in Tokyo, Japan: A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

Holden Wood Antiques

Discover Holden Wood Antiques in Lancashire, England: This antique shop and tea room reside inside a twice defunct church that was moved stone by stone to its current location.

Theatre of Dionysus

Discover Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, Greece: Heralded as the world's first theater, these ruins are often overlooked as they reside in the shadows of the Acropolis.

Rotterdam’s Old City Wall

Discover Rotterdam's Old City Wall in Rotterdam, Netherlands: Inside this metro station is a section of the city's former medieval fortification.

The Autograph Tree

Discover The Autograph Tree in Ireland: This Copper beech tree nestled on a nature reserve is host to a bevy of autographs from Irish literary icons.

Culver Battery

Discover Culver Battery in Isle of Wight, England: The now-quiet remains of coastal artillery defenses that were used in both World Wars.

Drvengrad

Discover Drvengrad in Mokra Gora, Serbia: An idyllic traditional timber village on a picturesque hill was built for a film.

‘Travelling Light’

Discover 'Travelling Light' in Calgary, Alberta: A controversial blue hoop has been puzzling freeway drivers since 2013.

Ueno Daibutsu

Discover Ueno Daibutsu in Tokyo, Japan: Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

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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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