Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Dead Falls of Lake Ragunda

Discover The Dead Falls of Lake Ragunda in Jämtland, Sweden: A botched 18th-century canal silenced one of Sweden's most magnificent waterfalls.

Hven

Discover Hven in Landskrona, Sweden: This Scandinavian island is the site of the first modern observatory.

Feskekôrka – The “Fish Church”

Discover Feskekôrka – The "Fish Church" in Gothenburg, Sweden: A Gothic-inspired fish market is Gothenburg's best place to find loaves and fishes.

Pyramid of Stjärneborg

Discover Pyramid of Stjärneborg in Aneby C, Sweden: This pyramid in southern Sweden houses the remains of an eccentric nobleman, who spent his life doing whatever he felt like doing.

Greta Garbo Statue of Integrity

Discover Greta Garbo Statue of Integrity in Härjedalen, Sweden: This statue, deep in a Swedish forest, is all alone, just like the renowned recluse would have wanted.

Ängelholm UFO Memorial

Discover Ängelholm UFO Memorial in Ängelholm V, Sweden: A memorial to a Swedish hockey player's "encounter" with aliens.

Winter Lights

Discover Winter Lights in Linköping, Sweden: For a couple of months each year this Swedish city turns into a festive neon phantasmagoria.

The Flogsta Scream

Discover The Flogsta Scream in Uppsala, Sweden: A nightly tradition fills the streets of Flogsta with a collective scream.

Långholmen Crash Site

Discover Långholmen Crash Site in Stockholm, Sweden: A steel paper plane is all that remains of a crashed aircraft that caused an amazingly small amount of damage.

The Lion of Gripsholm Castle

Discover The Lion of Gripsholm Castle in Strängnäs, Sweden: This wonky bit of historical taxidermy is experiencing a second life online.

Galgberget Gallows

Discover Galgberget Gallows in Visby, Sweden: This trio of stone spires claims to be the only preserved medieval execution site in Europe.

Horologium mirabile Lundense

Discover Horologium mirabile Lundense in Lund, Sweden: This Swedish astronomical clock was in storage for almost a century before its glorious workings were put on display once more.

Turning Torso

Discover Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden: Swedish skyscraper with a 90° twist.

Gävlebocken

Discover Gävlebocken in Gävle, Sweden: If there is one thing you don't want to be in Sweden during Christmas, it's a Yule Goat.

Rock Carvings in Tanum

Discover Rock Carvings in Tanum in Tanumshede, Sweden: Despite the groans of archaeologists, this astounding groups of Bronze Age petroglyphs have been painted red for tourists.

Cannibal Museum

Discover Arnold's Cannibal Museum in Hörby, Sweden: A former hen house turned curiosity cabinet displays one man's lifelong fascination with cannibalism.

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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