Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Burning Lake

Discover The Burning Lake in Bhutan: Legend has it a sacred treasure hidden by an ancient guru was revealed with a burning butter lamp from these waters.

Sarona

Discover Sarona in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel: Tel Aviv's popular neighborhood went though endless waves of transformation.

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

Discover Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten in Bhutan: A stupa built to protect Bhutan from evil forces and help bring peace to the world.

Disk of Death

Discover Disk of Death in Mexico City, Mexico: This strange sculpture of a menacing skull surrounded by sun rays was discovered at the foot of the Pyramid of the Sun.

Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum

Discover Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevue, Ohio: In northern Ohio, the glorious past of America's trains is on full display.

Bayt Baws

Discover Bayt Baws in Sana'a, Yemen: A nearly abandoned Jewish settlement perched atop a hill in the heart of Yemen.

Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan

Discover Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan in Thimphu, Bhutan: The nation’s first institution dedicated to the conservation of Bhutanese textiles.

Lionhead Natural Water Slides

Discover Lionhead Natural Water Slides in Coolin, Idaho: Natural rock water slides hidden in the remote forests of northern Idaho.

East Jesus

Discover East Jesus in Niland, California: An off-grid art installation that encourages its visitors to imagine a world without waste.

Djingareyber Mosque

Discover Djingareyber Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali: One of Western Africa's oldest mosques, this Timbuktu icon has stood for nearly 700 years.

Temple Bar Memorial Dragon

Discover Temple Bar Memorial Dragon in London, England: The fierce beast perches atop a pedestal marking where the historic City of London gates once stood.

Seattle Center Armory

Discover Seattle Center Armory in Seattle, Washington: A community gathering place that once housed half-ton tanks and the World's Fair.

Maen Ceti (Arthur’s Stone)

Discover Maen Ceti (Arthur's Stone) in Reynoldston, Wales: A Neolithic burial tomb connected with a colorful array of legends.

San Antonio de los Alemanes

Discover San Antonio de los Alemanes in Madrid, Spain: The little church's beautifully frescoed ceiling has earned it the nickname “the Sistine Chapel of Madrid.”.

UNAM Botanical Garden

Discover UNAM Botanical Garden in Mexico City, Mexico: These biodiverse university gardens form a green oasis amid the urban chaos of Mexico City.

Waddesdon Manor Aviary

Discover Waddesdon Manor Aviary in Waddesdon, England: An ornate aviary built during the Victorian trend of collecting exotic birds.

The Church of St. Anne

Discover The Church of St. Anne in Vilnius, Lithuania: Legend has it that Napoleon Bonaparte fell in love with this Gothic church.

Padua Astronomical Clock

Discover Padua Astronomical Clock in Padua, Italy: One of the world's oldest working clocks is curiously missing the Zodiac sign of Libra.

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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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