Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Stoney Lonesome Cemetery

Discover Stoney Lonesome Cemetery in Lorton, Virginia: A small, forgotten prison cemetery marked only by a wrought-iron fence and eerie depressions left in the ground.

Waiānuenue (Rainbow Falls)

Discover Waiānuenue (Rainbow Falls) in Hilo, Hawaii: This legendary urban waterfall creates a dazzling display of rainbows.

Baptistery of Neon

Discover Baptistery of Neon in Ravenna, Italy: Psychoanalyst Carl Jung reported a paranormal experience after visiting this mosaic-lined Roman baptistry.

Gatorama

Discover Gatorama in Palmdale, Florida: Get up close with some alligators at this roadside farm attraction.

Statue of Juan Godoy

Discover Statue of Juan Godoy in Copiapó, Chile: A monument of the man who spurred Copiapó's silver mining industry.

Kaohsiung National Stadium

Discover Kaohsiung National Stadium in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan: This dragon-shaped sports arena is the world’s largest solar-powered stadium.

‘The Ambassadors’

Discover 'The Ambassadors' in London, England: A mysterious shape catches the eye in this 16th-century painting.

Jack Kerouac Park

Discover Jack Kerouac Park in Lowell, Massachusetts: A monument park dedicated to the influential Beat Generation author and poet, Jack Kerouac.

Arian Baptistry

Discover Arian Baptistry in Ravenna, Italy: A medieval, mosaic-lined baptistry built by a heretical Christian sect.

Pesapuu Watchtower

Discover Pesapuu Watchtower in Rõuge, Estonia: This Estonian watchtower looks like a big tree with two giant bird nests on it, complete with a "golden egg.".

Georgetown Castle

Discover Georgetown Castle in Seattle, Washington: An allegedly haunted mansion with a tragic, tawdry past.

National Academy of Sciences

Discover National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.: For 60 years, the academy had no permanent location until members voted Washington D.C. as its forever home.

Panteón General (General Cemetery)

Discover Panteón General (General Cemetery) in Oaxaca, Mexico: This graveyard boasts a medley of diverse and imaginative funeral architecture.

Abandoned Fairy Village

Discover Abandoned Fairy Village in Waterbury, Connecticut: A miniature village lies nearly forgotten in the forest by the side of a major highway.

Graffiti Pier (Pier 18)

Discover Graffiti Pier (Pier 18) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The abandoned coal loading dock is a canvas for unsanctioned art.

Charing Cross Mural

Discover Charing Cross Mural in London, England: The medieval woodcut-style artwork chronicles life in medieval London.

Oasis Bordello Museum

Discover Oasis Bordello Museum in Wallace, Idaho: After this former brothel closed, its interior remained almost frozen in time.

La Silla Observatory

Discover La Silla Observatory in Chile: The Chilean mountain is freckled with (relatively) small European telescopes.

The Betts House

Discover The Betts House in Cincinnati, Ohio: The oldest brick house in the state of Ohio.

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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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