Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Gugumuck Wiener Schneckenmanufaktur

Discover Gugumuck Wiener Schneckenmanufaktur in Vienna, Austria: An IT-specialist-turned-farmer reintroduces an Austrian food tradition while promoting snails as a sustainable "future food" option.

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

Discover Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens in Lower Beeding, England: This breathtakingly beautiful botanical garden is home to a mob of wonderful wallabies.

Via dei Presepi

Discover Via dei Presepi in Naples, Italy: Every day is like Christmas on this street where the traditional Neapolitan nativity scene comes to life.

Virgen Monumental de Xicotepec

Discover Virgen Monumental de Xicotepec in Xicotepec de Juárez, Mexico: This enormous statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe has become one of the world's most recent Catholic pilgrimage sites.

Cares Gorge

Discover Cares Gorge in Asturias, Spain: A spectacular walk on the flank of a gorge.

Newman’s Nursery Ruins

Discover Newman's Nursery Ruins in Vista, Australia: The haunting remains of a beautiful old plant nursery founded in the 1850s.

Abandoned Ussana Brick Factory

Discover Abandoned Ussana Brick Factory in Ussana, Italy: An eerie gravel road full of shards of red bricks leads to the ruins of a deserted factory.

Samostan Mekinje Monastery

Discover Samostan Mekinje Monastery in Kamnik, Slovenia: This 14th-century monastery survived Turkish raids, Nazi occupation, and even a stint as a spot to store towels.

Heartbreak Hotel House

Discover Heartbreak Hotel House in Escondido, California: Sojourn to the past at this residence teeming with 1950s memorabilia.

World’s Largest Spur

Discover World's Largest Spur in Lampasas, Texas: A spur fit for a giant sits just off Highway 281 in Texas.

Edificio Mirador

Discover Edificio Mirador in Madrid, Spain: This postmodern apartment block was designed to be a vertical neighborhood.

Battery Cooper Bunker

Discover Battery Cooper Bunker in Kaneohe, Hawaii: This World War II-era bunker is now packed with posters and props from movies and TV shows filmed nearby.

Ghost Ranch

Discover Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico: Its history includes dinosaur fossils, cattle rustlers, Georgia O'Keeffe, and a mythical giant rattlesnake named Vivaron.

Vane Tempest Sculptures

Discover Vane Tempest Sculptures in Seaham, England: Public art now takes pride of place on the site of one of County Durham's last deep coal mines.

Chacabuco

Discover Chacabuco in Sierra Gorda, Chile: This abandoned nitrate town was repurposed as a dictator's prison.

Spencer Brewery

Discover Spencer Brewery in Spencer, Massachusetts: The only certified Trappist brewery outside of Europe hides in the central Massachusetts hills.

Sweden’s ‘Book Boat’

Twice a year, the floating library delivers thousands of books to the remote islands of Stockholm’s archipelago.

Kardung La

Discover Kardung La in Leh, India: Over 3 miles up in the Himalayas this pass is one of the highest drivable roads in the world.

Folk Art Farms

Discover Folk Art Farms in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia: An eclectic retreat speckled with whimsical folk art.

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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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