Archives: Atlas Obscuras

‘Tras Julia’

Discover 'Tras Julia' in Madrid, Spain: Dedicated to a young woman who broke gender barriers at the University of Madrid.

‘The Dreamer’

Discover 'The Dreamer' in Edinburgh, Scotland: Designed to illustrate two parts of the human psyche.

Letterbox Village

Discover Letterbox Village in Wellington, New Zealand: Leave a trinket in this artistic collection of mailboxes.

Grave of Beautiful Jim Key

Discover Grave of Beautiful Jim Key in Shelbyville, Tennessee: Known by many as once the world's smartest horse.

The Dana Prison

Discover The Dana Prison in Shropshire, England: A prison with a more than 200-year history.

Kyotomangekyo Museum

Discover Kyotomangekyo Museum in Kyoto, Japan: Visitors to this museum will discover that kaleidoscopes are much more than toys.

Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

Discover Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery in Nagcarlan, Philippines: The crypt under this cemetery's chapel was used as a meeting place by Filipino revolutionaries.

It’s A Burl

Discover It's A Burl in Kerby, Oregon: An art gallery home to a plethora of art from local artists who can often be seen hard at work.

Remains of the Old London Bridge

Discover Remains of the Old London Bridge in London, England: Only a few pieces remain of the structure that carried people and goods across the Thames for some 600 years.

Spaç Prison

Discover Spaç Prison in Kodër Spaç, Albania: This abandoned prison was so notorious that its name has become a metaphor throughout Albania.

Robertsport Ghost Ship

Discover Robertsport Ghost Ship in Robertsport, Liberia: After several weeks of radio silence, this abandoned oil tanker washed up on a remote beach in Liberia.

Hotaling Place

Discover Hotaling Place in San Francisco, California: The oldest alley in San Francisco is paved with a reminder of the city's original shoreline.

Cessford Castle

Discover Cessford Castle in Cessford, Scotland: The ruins of a 15th-century castle that has seen its fair share of bitter feuds.

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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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