Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Cave of Salamanca

Discover Cave of Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain: A hidden medieval crypt where a famous legend says the devil used to teach black magic.

Justizcafe

Discover Justizcafe in Vienna, Austria: A rooftop restaurant hides in plain sight atop Vienna's Palace of Justice.

Abandoned Lock No. 19

Discover Abandoned Lock No. 19 in Washington, West Virginia: One of the few surviving examples of the first lock and dam system built on the Ohio River.

Tiwa Kitchen

Discover Tiwa Kitchen in Taos, New Mexico: Taos Pueblo recipes, foraged ingredients, and outdoor ovens define the menu at this eatery.

Vank Cathedral

Discover Vank Cathedral in Isfahan, Iran: The cathedral stands in New Jufa, Isfahan's Armenian quarter that was established in 1606.

Wortley Top Forge

Discover Wortley Top Forge in Wortley, England: This industrial museum is based on one of the oldest standing iron forges in the U.K.

Tula Pryanik Museum

Discover Tula Pryanik Museum in Tula, Russia: A tea party concludes each visit to this Russian spice cookie sanctum.

Odyssey 2001 ‘Spaceship’

Discover Odyssey 2001 'Spaceship' in Tampa, Florida: The strip club's VIP lounge is actually a rare repurposed Futuro House.

The Shine Dome

Discover The Shine Dome in Canberra, Australia: This copper-coated, multi-arched dome is surrounded by a moat and lights up at night.

Spud Chuckin’

Discover Spud Chuckin' in Romulus, New York: Launch vegetables using oversized slingshots at this Fingerlakes winery's roadside attraction.

Kaiyodo Kappa Museum

Discover Kaiyodo Kappa Museum in Shimanto-chō, Japan: A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.

La Ventana Arch

Discover La Ventana Arch in Del Norte, Colorado: Unlike most arches, this geological oddity formed in a volcanic dike.

Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary

Discover Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr, Minnesota: Where you can photograph wild black bears without worrying about becoming dinner.

La Belle Nouvelle Orleans Antiques

Discover La Belle Nouvelle Orleans Antiques in New Orleans, Louisiana: This unique shop is full of memento mori art, antique medical equipment, secret society paraphernalia, and historical relics.

Marmaduke Statue

Discover Marmaduke Statue in Brocton, New York: The world's only statue dedicated to the greatest Great Dane in comic strip history.

The Rolls-Royce Foundation Museum

Discover The Rolls-Royce Foundation Museum in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: A museum and research center dedicated to preserving the history of Rolls-Royce and Bentley motorcars.

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