Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Arte Sella

Discover Arte Sella in Borgo Valsugana, Italy: An open-air museum in a mountain valley features works designed to blend in with—and disintegrate back into—their natural surroundings.

Il Castello Incantato

Discover Il Castello Incantato in Sciacca, Italy: A madman's personal garden filled with 1,000 sculpted heads.

Stromboli Island

Discover Stromboli Island in Stromboli, Italy: A volcanic old faithful, Stromboli has been erupting continuously for the last 2000 years.

Ponte della Maddalena

Discover Ponte della Maddalena in Borgo a Mozzano, Italy: A stunning bridge that appears as if it's lunging to the shore, and has a legend of a devilish architect.

Phlegraean Fields

Discover Phlegraean Fields in Pozzuoli, Italy: A sulfuric hellscape in southern Italy.

Saint Catherine of Bologna

Discover Saint Catherine of Bologna in Bologna, Italy: The mummified relic of St. Catherine sits forever on a golden throne.

Museum of Prosciutto di Parma

Discover Museum of Prosciutto di Parma in Langhirano, Italy: Ham is serious business at the Prosciutto Museum-Serious, delicious business.

Chiesa dei Morti (Church of the Dead)

Discover Chiesa dei Morti (Church of the Dead) in Urbania, Italy: Eighteen mummies have stood guard behind the altar of this tiny church since 1833.

Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater

Discover Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater in Padua, Italy: The world's oldest surviving anatomical theater, where "the dead are pleased to help the living.".

Abbey of San Galgano

Discover Abbey of San Galgano in Chiusdino, Italy: These gutted monastery ruins still stand proudly in the middle of the Italian countryside.

Santa Francesca Romana

Discover Santa Francesca Romana in Rome, Italy: St. Francesca Romana, patron saint of drivers, resides in the church she founded.

Lucrezia Borgia’s Love Letters

Discover Lucrezia Borgia’s Love Letters in Milan, Italy: "The prettiest love letters in the world" … or so said Lord Byron.

The Horned Madonna

Discover Horned Madonna of Portinari Chapel in Milan, Italy: The odd depiction of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus is rooted in the Catholic Church's eradication of Catharism.

Museum of Human Anatomy

Discover Museum of Human Anatomy in Pisa, Italy: Anatomical cabinet holds unexpected treasures.

Il Gigante

Discover Il Gigante in Monterosso al Mare, Italy: The bomb-ravaged remains of of a colossal Neptune.

Earth Pyramids of Platten

Discover Earth Pyramids of Platten in Perca, Italy: These delicate sand pyramids look like naturally occurring gothic spires.

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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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