Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Louwman Museum

Discover Louwman Museum in The Hague, Netherlands: In the Netherlands, one of the world's largest private car collections can be found.

The Freezer

Discover The Freezer in Rif, Iceland: A world-class theater sits hidden in this remote town in West Iceland.

Porte de Paris

Discover Porte de Paris in Lille, France: This triumphal arch celebrating the Sun King's conquest of Lille is a masterpiece of military architecture.

Museum ENTER

Discover Museum ENTER in Solothurn, Switzerland: Its vast collection of wondrous gadgets details the fascinating history of information technology.

Palace of the Inquisition

Discover Palace of the Inquisition in Mexico City, Mexico: This foreboding building was the headquarters of the terrifying Spanish Inquisition in Mexico.

Skull Rack of the Great Temple

Discover Skull Rack of the Great Temple in Mexico City, Mexico: A disquieting Aztec sculpture displays hundreds of stone skulls representing the victims of human sacrifice.

Murals of Cacaxtla

Discover Murals of Cacaxtla in Nativitas, Mexico: These strikingly colorful paintings were created by a mysterious Mesoamerican civilization.

Sluice

Discover Sluice in Ely, England: This striking steel sculpture transforms environmental data into art.

The Matilda

Discover The Matilda in Hobart, Australia: This simple sailing boat is one of the oldest preserved fishing vessels of its kind in the world.

Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park

Discover Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park in Calabasas, California: Pay your respects to departed pets, both celebrity and otherwise.

Ancient Sources of Retorbido

Discover Ancient Sources of Retorbido in Retorbido, Italy: These four fountains are said to have healing properties, with a glass of the 'miracle' water being given to Louis XII of France.

The Phil Silvers Archival Museum

Discover The Phil Silvers Archival Museum in Coventry, England: The only museum in the world dedicated to preserving the life and work of American comedian and entertainer, Phil Silvers.

Chastleton House Croquet Lawn

Discover Chastleton House Croquet Lawn in Chastleton, England: Where the rules of that most quintessentially English game were first devised by an eccentric inventor.

Kapiti Island Nature Reserve

Discover Kapiti Island Nature Reserve in New Zealand: Only 68 people per day are allowed to visit this New Zealand bird-watcher’s paradise.

Robert C. Williams Paper Museum

Discover Robert C. Williams Paper Museum in Atlanta, Georgia: One of the world’s largest collections of paper memorabilia chronicles 4,000 years of papermaking.

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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