Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Yde Girl

Discover Yde Girl in Assen, Netherlands: Remarkably preserved body discovered in a peat bog.

Hans Brinker Budget Hotel

Discover Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands: Debatably clever, or just plain honest hotel advertised as "The Worst Hotel in the World.".

The World’s Tallest Freestanding Climbing Wall

Discover Excalibur Climbing Wall in Groningen, Netherlands: This imposing tower named after the mythical sword of King Arthur is considered the tallest freestanding climbing wall in the world.

Rietveld-Schröder House

Discover Rietveld-Schröder House in Utrecht, Netherlands: This still-celebrated home was a radical architectural experiment in 3D De Stijl.

Royal FloraHolland

Discover Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer, Netherlands: The largest flower auction house in the world.

The Wall Poems of Leiden

Discover The Wall Poems of Leiden in Leiden, Netherlands: The works of poetry's biggest names grace the walls of the city of Leiden, all carefully painted by hand.

Green Cathedral

Discover Green Cathedral in Almere, Netherlands: Lombardy poplars planted to imitate the size and shape of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims.

Miniature Walcheren

Discover Miniature Walcheren in Middelburg, Netherlands: A 1:20 scale piece of the Netherlands commissioned by a queen lets visitors take a stroll as giants.

Preserved Mummies of the Hervormde Kerk

Discover Preserved Mummies of the Hervormde Kerk in Wiuwert, Netherlands: A bizarre form of natural mummification was discovered in the church of this Frisian village.

Lapin Botanique

Discover Lapin Botanique in 's-Graveland, Netherlands: The place where houses are born.

Johan’s Ark

Discover Johan's Ark in Dordrecht, Netherlands: “And the Lord said unto Johan, build for thee an ark for the end of the world is approaching.”.

Radio Kootwijk

Discover Radio Kootwijk in Radio Kootwijk, Netherlands: This disused VLF radio station is no longer in service but the surrounding town still bears its name.

The Clog Museum

Discover The Clog Museum in Zaandam, Netherlands: A Dutch clog company in the town of Zaandam loves the wooden shoes so much it made a museum for them.

Roman Catacombs Museum

Discover Museum Romeinse Katakomben (Roman Catacombs Museum) in Valkenburg, Netherlands: Visit the ancient, mysterious Roman catacombs … in the Netherlands.

Apparent Dead House in the Hague

Discover Apparent Dead House in the Hague in The Hague, Netherlands: A preserved building where the dead were once watched for signs of life.

The Clog Museum

Discover The Clog Museum in Zaandam, Netherlands: A Dutch clog company in the town of Zaandam loves the wooden shoes so much it made a museum for them.

Eisinga Planetarium

Discover Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker, Netherlands: Home to the world's oldest functioning orrery.

Leiden Observatory

Discover Leiden Observatory in Leiden, Netherlands: Devious political maneuvering and four ancient, working telescopes are central to the world's second-oldest observatory.

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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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