Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Westvleteren

Discover Westvleteren in Vleteren, Belgium: Stocking up on the world's best beer requires a pilgrimage to a monastery drive-through.

Daniels and Fisher Tower

Discover Daniels and Fisher Tower in Denver, Colorado: A focal point of in Denver’s skyline for over a century, inspired by a Venetian basilica.

Bon Scott Statue

Discover Bon Scott Statue in Kirriemuir, Scotland: A monument to the 70s rock icon stands on the road into this small Scottish town.

Jaman Mural Village

Discover Jaman Mural Village in Jeonju-si, South Korea: Throughout this South Korean village, homes and businesses are covered in fantastic handpainted murals.

Castello del Catajo

Discover Castello del Catajo in Battaglia Terme, Italy: Known as the Royal Palace of the Euganean Hills, this often overlooked castle has been home for multiple noble families over the centuries.

Roque Idafe (Idafe Rock)

Discover Roque Idafe (Idafe Rock) in La Palma, Spain: Indigenous cultures believed all life would end if this enormous rock toppled.

Ana Kai Tangata (Cannibal Cave)

Discover Ana Kai Tangata (Cannibal Cave) in Easter Island, Chile: The ominously named cave is home to some remarkable ancient art.

Last Woolworth’s Lunch Counter

Discover Last Woolworth's Lunch Counter in Bakersfield, California: An antique store houses the last operational diner from the defunct department store chain.

Draugasetrid

Discover Draugasetrid in Stokkseyri, Iceland: Inside this museum, visitors venture through ghost stories entrenched in Icelandic folklore.

Valerie Hobson Mural

Discover Valerie Hobson Mural in Larne, Northern Ireland: A vibrant portrait celebrates the actress in her hometown.

Quelmer Boat Graveyard

Discover Quelmer Boat Graveyard in Saint-Malo, France: Old vessels have been transformed into artistic canvases in this unusual cemetery.

Castello degli Ezzelini

Discover Castello degli Ezzelini in Bassano del Grappa, Italy: This medieval castle was home to a known tyrant and features several hidden passages.

Kulminator

Discover Kulminator in Antwerp, Belgium: To enter this cluttered-yet-cozy sanctum of Belgian brews, ring the bell and tell the gatekeepers you've come “to taste beer.”.

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Discover Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center in Asheville, North Carolina: Carrying on the legacy of a short-lived experimental school tucked away in the mountains of North Carolina.

Grover the Geologic Rover

Discover Grover the Geologic Rover in Flagstaff, Arizona: An important piece of history from mankind's journey to the moon sits in the lobby of a government science lab.

Umbrella Alley

Discover Umbrella Alley in Baytown, Texas: Tucked away down this Baytown alley exists a one-of-a-kind art exhibit of technicolor umbrellas.

Los Encinos State Historic Park

Discover Los Encinos State Historic Park in Los Angeles, California: The remains of the ranch preserve slivers of the the property’s Spanish and French Basque histories.

Menu

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