Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Paxton Gate PDX

Discover Paxton Gate PDX in Portland, Oregon: Entering this curiosity shop is like stepping into a mad scientist's lab.

The Red Baron’s Grave

Discover The Red Baron's Grave in Wiesbaden, Germany: The final resting place of the famed German pilot, the "Red Baron.".

Elephant and Obelisk

Discover Elephant and Obelisk in Rome, Italy: A detailed pachyderm supports Rome's smallest Egyptian obelisk.

Mårten Trotzigs Gränd

Discover Mårten Trotzigs Gränd in Stockholm, Sweden: Stockholm's narrowest alley is barely over two feet wide.

The Head of the Moor

Discover The Head of the Moor in Alicante, Spain: Legends surround this natural rock formation that looks like a Moorish king wearing a crown.

Newton’s Apple

Discover Newton's Apple in Stockholm, Sweden: This giant subway sculpture celebrates the fruit that inspired the theory of gravity.

Saint Conan’s Kirk

Discover Saint Conan's Kirk in Dalmally, Scotland: This eclectic sanctuary is a hodgepodge of various architectural styles, all crammed into one building.

Cementerio de San Diego

Discover Cementerio de San Diego in Quito, Ecuador: One of the most historic cemeteries in Quito is an eclectic mix of architectural styles and famous tombs.

Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman

Discover Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman in Valladolid, Mexico: Found down a long dirt road, a sacred Mexican cenote and 18th-century hacienda remain hidden.

Deal Maritime and Local History Museum

Discover Deal Maritime and Local History Museum in Deal, England: A jumble of treasures in a small space, this old-fashioned local museum is full of surprises.

Whitechapel Bell Foundry

Discover Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, England: This unassuming building produced some of the world's most famous bells.

Witch Mountain Memorial

Discover Bålberget Memorial in Kramfors N, Sweden: This serene wooded hilltop has a dark history as the climactic point of the Swedish witch trials.

House of Marbles

Discover House of Marbles in Bovey Tracey, England: This historic factory peddles classic toys from the picturesque English county of Devon.

Konitsa Bridge

Discover Konitsa Bridge in Konitsa, Greece: One of the largest single-span stone-arch bridges in the Balkans looks like something straight out of a fairytale.

Hisor Fort

Discover Hisor Fort in Hisor, Tajikistan: The first version of this stalwart construction appeared around 3,000 years ago.

Spider Monkeys of Tikal

Discover Spider Monkeys of Tikal in Tikal, Guatemala: Monkeys inhabit the lush forest surrounding ancient Mayan ruins once considered sacred.

Aquinnah Cliffs

Discover Aquinnah Cliffs in Aquinnah, Massachusetts: Colorful clay cliffs tower over an unofficial nudist beach on Martha's Vineyard.

Flor de Venezuela

Discover Flor de Venezuela in Barquisimeto, Venezuela: This iconic pavilion in Barquisimeto has a roof made from 16 “petals” that open and close depending on the weather.

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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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