Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Monroeville Mall

Discover Monroeville Mall in Monroeville, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania shopping center was once the setting for the 1978 film, "Dawn of the Dead.".

Ard Neackie Lime Kilns

Discover Ard Neackie Lime Kilns in Heilam, Scotland: The ruins of a defunct limestone quarry still haunt this Scottish promontory.

Eiriksstadir

Discover Eiriksstadir in Búðardalur, Iceland: A fantastic reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking longhouse.

Ekibenya Matsuri

Discover Ekibenya Matsuri in Tokyo, Japan: A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

Musée de La Femme (Women’s Museum)

Discover Musée de La Femme (Women’s Museum) in Marrakesh, Morocco: North Africa's first museum of its kind preserves the culture of Moroccan women and their artistic achievements. .

Surva Carnival at Pernik

Discover Surva Carnival at Pernik in Pernik, Bulgaria: Founded in the 4th-century, the town of Pernik plays host to the Surva Carnival⁠—a magnificent display of masked Kukeri dancers.

Staple Street Skybridge

Discover Staple Street Skybridge in New York, New York: Imagine having a street run right through your home, or better yet, a historic bridge three stories high.

SCOP Center

Discover SCOP Center in Mexico City, Mexico: Murals made with millions of colorful stones adorn the abandoned building.

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Discover Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Peninsula, Ohio: A throwback train ride transports passengers through one of the lesser-known national parks in the country.

Aydon Castle

Discover Aydon Castle in Corbridge, England: This medieval manor house was hastily fortified when it found itself in the middle of the Scottish fight for independence.

Okapi Taxidermy Diorama

Discover Okapi Taxidermy Diorama in New York, New York: This impressive scene portrays the elusive forest giraffe of Central Africa.

Silver Lake Park

Discover Silver Lake Park in Staten Island, New York: Staten Island's original central park is the former home of the city water supply as well as thousands of immigrant graves.

Rock Quarry Cave

Discover Rock Quarry Cave in Erin, Tennessee: Hiding behind a grocery store is a spectacular cavern carved as part of an old limestone quarry.

La Morada

Discover La Morada in Bronx, New York: Rare moles meet activism at this Oaxacan eatery.

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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