Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Crooked House

Discover The Crooked House in Dudley, England: This pub can leave even the sober feeling slightly unsteady.

Gaet’ale Pond

Discover Gaet’ale Pond in Afar Zone 2, Ethiopia: The Earth's saltiest natural body of water belches toxic gas.

Marble Masterpiece

Discover Marble Masterpiece in Gundagai, Australia: A miniature cathedral made of 20,948 tiny pieces of marble.

Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

Discover Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex in Paddys River, Australia: It's home to the antenna that received the first images of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.

Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower

Discover Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower in Stratford, New Zealand: This mechanical clock performs "Romeo and Juliet" in a Shakespeare-themed New Zealand town.

In Flanders Fields Museum

Discover In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium: This memorial museum chronicles the apocalyptic destruction of the First World War.

Vanocni dum

Discover Vanocni dum in Karlovy Vary, Czechia: A mansion where wonders of Christmas are celebrated all year long.

Last Chance Joe

Discover Last Chance Joe in Sparks, Nevada: The colossal cartoon man stands outside a Nevada museum.

Maya Crosses of Romerillo Cemetery

Discover Maya Crosses of Romerillo Cemetery in Romerillo, Mexico: This isolated Maya cemetery in Chiapas is distinguished by its towering, colorful wooden crosses.

Crepe Vending Machine

Discover Crepe Vending Machine in Kobayashi, Japan: Ever needed a chocolate-filled crepe in the wee hours of the morning?

The Tower of the Storks

Discover Torre de las Cigüeñas (Tower of the Storks) in Cáceres, Spain: The tallest tower in Cáceres's Old Town.

Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA)

Discover Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile: One of the world's most advanced radio observatories sprawls across the Atacama Desert.

L.H. Selman Glass Gallery

Discover L.H. Selman Glass Gallery in Chicago, Illinois: Over 1,000 pieces of one of the most niche art objects imaginable: the glass paperweight.

The Selfie Devil

Discover The Selfie Devil in Segovia, Spain: A controversial art piece that harkens back to local folklore.

Big Apple Time Capsule

Discover Big Apple Time Capsule in Martinsburg, West Virginia: A giant time capsule not scheduled to be cored until 2040.

Civil War Bunkers of Alto del León

Discover Civil War Bunkers of Alto del León in Guadarrama, Spain: These Bullet-scarred bunkers are haunting reminders of the Spanish Civil War.

Puente la Bellaca (La Bellaca Bridge)

Discover Puente la Bellaca (La Bellaca Bridge) in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico: This former railroad bridge was named after the great river that once flowed below it.

The Big Dish

Discover The Big Dish in Acton, Australia: With a surface area of nearly 500 square meters, welcome to the world's largest paraboloidal dish solar concentrator.

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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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