Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Centre Pompidou

Discover Centre Pompidou in Paris, France: An "inside out" building in the historical center of Paris, featuring Europe’s largest modern art museum.

La REcyclerie

Discover La REcyclerie in Paris, France: This Parisian café sticks almost exclusively to an ethos of reuse.

Secret Apartment on the Eiffel Tower

Discover Gustave Eiffel's Secret Apartment in Paris, France: High atop the Eiffel Tower is a small apartment built exclusively to entertain the science elite and make the rest of Paris jealous.

Jules Lavirotte’s 29 Avenue Rapp

Discover Jules Lavirotte's 29 Avenue Rapp in Paris, France: A scandalous Art Nouveau collaboration that set Paris all atwitter at the turn of the century.

Un Regard Moderne Bookstore

Discover Un Regard Moderne Bookstore in Paris, France: A counter-culture bookstore like no other hides in plain sight in the streets of Paris.

Museum of the History of Medicine

Discover Museum of the History of Medicine in Paris, France: One of the oldest medical collections in Europe focusing on rare surgical instruments.

I Love You Wall

Discover I Love You Wall in Paris, France: Paris' linguistic guide to the international language of, yes, love.

Musée des Arts Forains

Discover Musée des Arts Forains in Paris, France: A museum of carnival attractions where you are invited to ride the rides.

Mont Saint-Michel

Discover Mont Saint-Michel in Mont Saint-Michel, France: This 1,300 year old monastery built atop a single rock was once only accessible depending on the whims of the tide.

House of Nicolas Flamel

Discover House of Nicolas Flamel in Paris, France: The oldest stone house in Paris was built by its most famous alchemist.

Montmartre Cemetery

Discover Montmartre Cemetery in Paris, France: A horde of stray cats rule in this secluded Parisian cemetery under a bridge.

Shakespeare and Company

Discover Shakespeare and Company in Paris, France: This iconic Parisian bookstore doubles as the "Tumbleweed Hotel" for traveling writers.

59 Rivoli

Discover 59 Rivoli in Paris, France: Notorious artist squat renovated into legal studios.

Petite Ceinture

Discover Petite Ceinture in Paris, France: Abandoned railway line circling the city of Paris.

Catacombes de Paris

Discover Catacombes de Paris in Paris, France: The vast, legendary catacombs hold secrets much stranger than stacked bones.

Violet Volcanic Tea

Discover Violet Volcanic Tea in Furnas, Portugal: When Azorean green tea meets volcanic hot springs water, a luminous brew is born.

Parque el Desafío

Discover Parque el Desafío in Gaiman, Argentina: A retiree's challenge to build an outdoor wonderland out of trash.

Cabildo de Córdoba

Discover Cabildo de Córdoba in Córdoba, Argentina: One of the oldest colonial buildings still standing in South America.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 260 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. 474 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. 499 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. 633 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. 135 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. 167 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). 252 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 148 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. 96 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. 166

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