Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Statue Le Rhinoceros

Discover Statue Le Rhinoceros in Paris, France: A beautiful Victorian statue shows France's enduring love of the rhinoceros.

Villa dei Misteri

Discover Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii, Italy: This amazingly well-preserved villa just outside Pompeii boasts rare examples of ancient Roman paintings.

Museo Franciscano del Padre Almeida

Discover Museo Franciscano del Padre Almeida in Quito, Ecuador: This overlooked, beautiful convent hides an original Hieronymus Bosch among its many treasures.

Strand Lane ‘Roman Baths’

Discover Strand Lane 'Roman Baths' in London, England: Victorian-era Londoners really wanted to believe this 17th-century cistern was actually an ancient artifact.

Mbala Old Prison

Discover Mbala Old Prison in Mbala, Zambia: This old brick building has held everyone from prisoners of war to freedom fighters during its turbulent history.

The Mourning Vending Machine

Discover Der Trauerautomat in Zurich, Switzerland: An unusual vending machine designed to support mourners during funeral ceremonies at Zurich's largest cemetery.

Free Gold Watch

Discover Free Gold Watch in San Francisco, California: This print shop boasts one of the largest pinball arcades in San Francisco.

Casa de la Independencia

Discover Casa de la Independencia in Asunción, Paraguay: The fighters and conspirators that won independence for Paraguay held secret meetings at this historic house.

Fosso Bianco

Discover Fosso Bianco in Bagni San Filippo, Italy: Nestled in the hills of Tuscany are gorgeous, multicolored hot springs.

Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial

Discover Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial in Yarnell, Arizona: The stone circle honors the 19 firemen who perished during the Yarnell Hill Fire.

Château de Lacoste

Discover Château de Lacoste in Lacoste, France: The castle where the Marquis de Sade lived out his darkest fantasies.

National Capital Trolley Museum

Discover National Capital Trolley Museum in Silver Spring, Maryland: A suburban museum tells the story of a historic transportation network and even provides rides in antique trolley cars.

Polish Army Museum

Discover Polish Army Museum in Warsaw, Poland: This extensive collection covers thousands of years of Polish military history.

Alberta Railway Museum

Discover Alberta Railway Museum in Edmonton, Alberta: Ride aboard a centuries-year-old steam engine and explore dozens of trains parts, including an unusual "comboose.".

Philip Sporn Mine

Discover Philip Sporn Mine in New Haven, West Virginia: This abandoned mine and power plant was built atop land once given to Revolutionary War soldiers.

Bellite Factory Ruins

Discover Bellite Factory Ruins in Cornaa, Isle of Man: The ruins of an unfinished explosives factory can be found while taking a gentle stroll through a Manx glen.

Crocodile Stone

Discover Crocodile Stone in Champasak, Laos: This mysteriously shaped boulder may have been used for human sacrifice in ancient times.

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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