Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Eagle’s Nest

Discover The Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, Germany: Soaring over 6,000 feet in the Bavarian Alps, this beer garden was once Hitler's 50th birthday present.

Burgermeister

Discover Burgermeister in Berlin, Germany: Where once there was a train station bathroom, there is now this German burger joint.

Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes

Discover Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes in Saalfeld, Germany: "The most colorful grottoes of the world.

Hitler’s Olympic Village

Discover Hitler's Olympic Village in Wustermark, Germany: The 1936 Summer Olympics site is a crumbling remnant of sportsmanship and a history its host country would like to forget.

Karl Junker House

Discover Karl Junker House in Lemgo, Germany: An intricate and amazing house built by architect Karl Junker.

Auerworld Palace

Discover Auerworld Palace in Auerstedt, Germany: Living trees form the structure of an open-air palace.

Vestiges of the Berlin Wall

Discover Vestiges of the Berlin Wall in Berlin, Germany: On the Spree bank, discover one of the last reminders of a symbolic wall that divided, and was torn down by the people.

The ‘Peacock Island’ of Berlin

Discover Pfaueninsel in Berlin, Germany: This Berlin island is home to a flock of free-roaming peacocks, as well as a historic ivory folly.

Linderhof Palace

Discover Linderhof Palace in Ettal, Germany: A small but immensely extravagant palace built by the "Night King.".

The DDR Museum

Discover The DDR Museum in Berlin, Germany: A fascinating insight into daily life in the Eastern Bloc.

Lichtenstein Castle

Discover Lichtenstein Castle in Lichtenstein, Germany: A striking 12th-century-style castle built on the edge of a cliff.

Museum fur Naturkunde

Discover Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin, Germany: Berlin's natural history museum houses the world's largest mounted dinosaur and the late beloved polar bear Knut.

Kunsthofpassage Singing Drain Pipes

Discover Kunsthofpassage Singing Drain Pipes in Dresden, Germany: When the rain falls, this drain system turns into a musical instrument.

The Skeletons of Waldsassen Basilica

Discover The Skeletons of Waldsassen Basilica in Waldsassen, Germany: Skeletons dressed in extravagant 18th century royal costumes cavort in the aisles of this German basilica.

Teufelsberg

Discover Teufelsberg in Berlin, Germany: An abandoned NSA listening post on Berlin's "Devil's Mountain.".

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe

Discover Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel, Germany: A sprawling Baroque park with 300-year-old hydro-pneumatic waterworks.

Stasi Museum

Discover Stasi Museum in Berlin, Germany: A museum dedicated to the history of a terrifying secret police is now held in their former headquarters.

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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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