Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Swedish Coffee Pot Tower

Discover Swedish Coffee Pot Tower in Kingsburg, California: A water tower shaped like a giant coffee pot looms over a small Swedish village in Central California.

The Ingleton Trail

Discover The Ingleton Trail in Ingleton, England: This amazing trail among the many waterfalls around Ingleton has been enchanting visitors since 1885.

Black Chasm Cavern

Discover Black Chasm Cavern in Volcano, California: Its dark depths conceal millions of rare, delicate crystal formations.

Schiphol Clock

Discover Schiphol Clock in Schiphol, Netherlands: It appears as if a man is standing behind this giant airport clock, painting the hands in real time.

Marshall’s Yard

Discover Marshall's Yard in Lincolnshire, England: Once the largest factory complex in all of Europe, this converted shopping center celebrates its industrial past in a big way.

Wakulla Springs

Discover Wakulla Springs in Crawfordville, Florida: One of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs, where mastodons once roamed.

Hengifoss

Discover Hengifoss in Iceland: The bright red stripes streaking across the rocks are the star feature at this Icelandic waterfall.

The Archbishop’s Palace

Discover The Archbishop's Palace in Southwell, England: Once a palace for the Archbishop of York, these 15th-century ruins now serve as a haunt for history buffs.

King’s Chapel Crypt

Discover King's Chapel Crypt in Boston, Massachusetts: A more than 260-year-old crypt built on Boston's oldest English burial ground.

Hanson Log Boat

Discover Hanson Log Boat in Derby, England: This Bronze Age boat was found buried remarkably intact in an English gravel pit.

Edna Lawrence Nature Lab

Discover Edna Lawrence Nature Lab in Providence, Rhode Island: An unusual library of dead things at the Rhode Island School of Design.

The Mount Cemetery

Discover The Mount Cemetery in Guildford, England: This unassuming Victorian cemetery is the final resting place of author Lewis Carroll.

The Maison du Québec

Discover The Maison du Québec in Saint-Malo, France: In France, a medieval-style home pays homage to the intrepid explorer who discovered Québec.

The Blautopf

Discover The Blautopf in Blaubeuren, Germany: In this brilliant blue spring in Germany, legend has it that a sad mermaid learned to finally laugh.

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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