Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Jim Varney’s Grave

Discover Jim Varney’s Grave in Lexington, Kentucky: This tombstone marks the final resting place of the beloved 1990's character, Ernest P. Worrell.

Denny Substation

Discover Denny Substation in Seattle, Washington: The Denny Substation has been called "the coolest substation in the world" and sits in a densely populated Seattle neighborhood.

‘Woodpecker Column’

Discover 'Woodpecker Column' in Toronto, Ontario: The giant birds honor two native North American species.

Museo Pumapungo (Pumapungo Museum)

Discover Museo Pumapungo (Pumapungo Museum) in Cuenca, Ecuador: This museum’s collection includes rescued birds, fine art, and a collection of shrunken heads.

Jok’s Kitchen

Discover Jok's Kitchen in Bangkok, Thailand: A three-table eatery sits inside the home-kitchen of a seafood virtuoso in Bangkok's Chinatown.

The Last Tenement

Discover The Last Tenement in Boston, Massachusetts: The last remaining 19th-century tenement from Boston's old West End neighborhood.

The Moose at the Toronto Police Museum

Discover The Moose at the Toronto Police Museum in Toronto, Ontario: Along with his smaller donkey pal, he guards the museum’s exhibits and memorabilia.

Deborah Sampson’s Gravestone

Discover Deborah Sampson's Gravestone in Sharon, Massachusetts: She become one of the first women to serve in the United States military by secretly dressing like a man.

Cafe Beveren

Discover Cafe Beveren in Antwerp, Belgium: This small corner bar is home to a rare 1930s dance organ that still plays tunes for one Euro.

Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ

Discover Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica, Montenegro: Its frescoes depict the likeness of Marshal Tito, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels burning in hell.

Hargeisa War Memorial

Discover Hargeisa War Memorial in Hargeisa, Somalia: A MiG-17 fighter jet sits atop this memorial to the indiscriminate bombardment of Hargeisa.

Birdhouse Paradise of Bill Larkin

Discover Birdhouse Paradise of Bill Larkin in Loogootee, Indiana: One man's goal to be surrounded by color resulted in this enchanting assortment of avian abodes.

Lysa Hora (Bald Mountain)

Discover Lysa Hora (Bald Mountain) in Kyiv, Ukraine: This hill is known for its connection to the occult in Slavic tradition.

Mirabilia Gallery

Discover Mirabilia Gallery in Rome, Italy: A wunderkammer of curious objects and intriguing art nestled within a hub of ancient Roman sites.

Badger Sculpture of the USS Wisconsin

Discover Badger Sculpture of the USS Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin: Comprised of Spanish war cannons, this sculpture once graced the bow of a WWI warship.

Museu do Homem do Norte (Northern Man Museum)

Discover Museu do Homem do Norte (Northern Man Museum) in Manaus, Brazil: This anthropological museum offers a glimpse into the lives of the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon River Basin.

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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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