Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Orchard House

Discover Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts: Louisa May Alcott based “Little Women” on her experiences growing up in this house with her sisters.

Fuencaliente Saltworks

Discover Fuencaliente Saltworks in La Palma, Spain: The largest salt farm in the Canary Islands is located at the foot of an active volcano.

Black Star Square

Discover Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana: An enormous public square and parade ground built to celebrate Ghana's independence.

Belgian Monument

Discover Belgian Monument in Amersfoort, Netherlands: This gigantic monument hidden in the woods was built to thank the Dutch for sheltering Belgian refugees during World War I.

The Martorana

Discover The Martorana in Palermo, Italy: This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

Tupperware Confidence Center

Discover Tupperware Confidence Center in Orlando, Florida: A museum preserving one company’s history of preserving food.

The Workhouse

Discover The Workhouse in Southwell, England: In the U.K., a historic workhouse shines a light on the early, harsh treatment of the poor.

Pegu Club

Discover Pegu Club in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma): An eerie abandoned gentlemen's club built for British officials during the colonial era.

Veterinary Museum of Missouri

Discover Veterinary Museum of Missouri in Jefferson City, Missouri: This museum presents a dogged pursuit of 500 years of veterinary history.

‘Sentinel’

Discover 'Sentinel' in Birmingham, England: This eye-catching roundabout sculpture commemorates one of England's best World War II-era "shadow factories.".

Nabemba Tower

Discover Nabemba Tower in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo: The tallest building in the Republic of the Congo is a source of pride despite its towering maintenance costs.

Bosco del Sasseto

Discover Bosco del Sasseto in Acquapendente, Italy: A magnificent Neogothic tomb hides within this Italian fairytale-like forest.

Spain’s Good Luck Frog

Discover Spain's Good Luck Frog in Madrid, Spain: This lucky bronze frog was gifted to Madrid by a casino.

Coso Rock Art District

Discover Coso Rock Art District in Inyo County, California: A mountain range on an active U.S. Navy base hides thousands of mysterious prehistoric rock carvings.

Archive of the Afterlife

Discover Archive of the Afterlife in Cameron, West Virginia: The museum calls itself the "National Museum of the Paranormal" and is full of eerie oddities.

Alexander’s Island Border Dispute

Discover Alexander's Island Border Dispute in Arlington, Virginia: The Pentagon sits on a former island that was in Virginia at low tide and D.C. at high tide.

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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

PP ToS