Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Kojo

Discover Kojo in Tokyo, Japan: This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

Greatbatch Barn

Discover Greatbatch Barn in Clarence, New York: This exhibit pays tribute to the “humble tinkerer” who invented the implantable pacemaker.

Panther Milk Bar

Discover Panther Milk Bar in Glasgow, Scotland: A secret door leads to this cozy dive that sells only “milk.”.

Loveland’s Sweetheart Couple

Discover Loveland’s Sweetheart Couple in Loveland, Colorado: A tribute to Loveland’s most famous sweethearts, who helped spread cupid’s message to millions.

Kibbutz Neot Semadar

Discover Kibbutz Neot Semadar in Neot Semadar, Israel: An autonomous community living in the southern Negev desert.

Madonna of Penitente Canyon

Discover Madonna of Penitente Canyon in Del Norte, Colorado: A mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe painted on the rock wall by canyon's religious namesake.

Grand Trunk Pub

Discover Grand Trunk Pub in Detroit, Michigan: The grandiose interior of this bar speaks to its past as home to famous jewelers and railway offices.

Pearl Monument

Discover Pearl Monument in Doha, Qatar: This fountain pays homage to Qatar's history of pearling, the primary industry before oil.

Scavenger Taxidermy Diorama

Discover Scavenger Taxidermy Diorama in New York, New York: This morbid scene depicts the Darwinian drama of death on the African savannah.

Mount Banahaw

Discover Mount Banahaw in Quezon, Philippines: This volcano in the Philippines is believed to have miraculous healing powers.

Fahrzeugmuseum Marxzell

Discover Fahrzeugmuseum Marxzell in Marxzell, Germany: This private museum is packed with 20th-century traffic and technology artifacts.

Wurstkuchl (Sausage Kitchen)

Discover Wurstkuchl (Sausage Kitchen) in Regensburg, Germany: This riverside restaurant has been serving customers since 1146.

‘Il Babuino’ (‘The Baboon’)

Discover 'Il Babuino' ('The Baboon') in Rome, Italy: Romans decided this 16th-century "talking statue" was so ugly, they named it after a primate.

Librería del Desierto

Discover Librería del Desierto in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile: A beautiful little bookshop located in the middle of a desert.

Calistoga Water Truck Sculpture

Discover Calistoga Water Truck Sculpture in Calistoga, California: A sculpture dedicated to Napa Valley's oldest mineral water company.

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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

PP ToS