Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Cretto di Gibellina

Discover Cretto di Gibellina in Sicily, Italy: Leveled by an earthquake, this Italian village is now preserved as a concrete art project.

Cathedral of St. Ambrose

Discover Cathedral of St. Ambrose in Vigevano, Italy: The Cathedral of St. Ambrose has been hiding a special parishioner within its walls.

Bialbero di Casorzo

Discover Bialbero di Casorzo in Casorzo, Italy: A cherry tree growing atop a mulberry tree.

Slice of Polenta

Discover Fetta di Polenta in Turin, Italy: When this funny little building went up in the 19th century, most people thought it would simply fall over.

Cabinovia Monte Capanne

Discover Cabinovia Monte Capanne in Marciana, Italy: Take a giant yellow bird cage to the top of Elba's highest mountain.

Well of Santa Cristina

Discover Well of Santa Cristina in Paulilatino, Italy: This elaborate hole in the ground was built as a sacred site for an ancient civilization.

Su Nuraxi di Barumini

Discover Su Nuraxi di Barumini in Barumini, Italy: This one-of-a-kind archeological site is home to strange prehistoric ruins, the original use of which is still a mystery.

San Cataldo Cemetery

Discover San Cataldo Cemetery in Modena, Italy: This ultra-modern burial building would have stacked the dead like a giant filing cabinet.

Borgo Schiro

Discover Borgo Schiro in Monreale, Italy: Abandoned village in Sicily built during the agricultural reforms of Mussolini.

House of the Shells

Discover House of the Shells in Rimini, Italy: One Italian taxi driver covered his entire house in small seashells creating a weird bit of architecture that is preserved to this day.

S’Archittu

Discover S'Archittu in S'Archittu, Italy: The titular "little arch" near this Italian resort is one of the most popular diving spots in the country.

War obelisk in Milan

Discover War obelisk in Milan in Milan, Italy: Remnants of cone-shaped fascist bomb shelters in Milan.

Fresco of John Hawkwood

Discover Fresco of John Hawkwood in Florence, Italy: In Florence's great Duomo, a 26 foot fresco honors a mercenary famous for attacking Florence.

Battle of the Oranges

Discover Battle of the Oranges in Ivrea, Italy: A 12th-century Italian skirmish gets reenacted with 500,000 pounds of flying citrus.

Sa Sartiglia

Discover Sa Sartiglia in Oristano, Italy: This mysterious Sardinian festival sees a horde of blank-faced equestrians compete for tin stars.

Massa Marittima Mural

Discover Massa Marittima Mural in Massa Marittima, Italy: Does this strange mural depict witches battling beneath a penis tree?

Ettore Guatelli Museum

Discover Ettore Guatelli Museum in Gaiano, Italy: A rambling museum which honors the beauty in everyday objects.

Colonia Fara

Discover Colonia Fara in Chiavari, Italy: This former fascist summer camp was abandoned for decades.

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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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