Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Pajarito Water Tunnels

Discover Pajarito Water Tunnels in La Palma, Spain: These crevices cut into the mountains collect the island’s main source of precious freshwater.

Queen Arwa Mosque

Discover Queen Arwa Mosque in Jiblah, Yemen: One of Yemen’s oldest and most beautiful mosques was named for the incredible, historical queen buried inside it.

Natural History Museum at Tring

Discover Natural History Museum at Tring in Hertfordshire, England: The incredible private taxidermy collection of an eccentric zoologist.

Stone Castle Powerhouse

Discover Stone Castle Powerhouse in Upland, California: The ruins of an abandoned 19th-century powerhouse are slowly being consumed by nature.

Sarmiento House

Discover Sarmiento House in Tigre Partido, Argentina: The house of a former Argentinian president stands protected within a large glass case.

The Babylon Court

Discover The Babylon Court in Los Angeles, California: This centerpiece of the Hollywood & Highland shopping center is a recreation of a long-lost movie set.

Derbyshire Well Dressing

Discover Derbyshire Well Dressing in Tissington, England: The tradition of using flowers to decorate wells is once again thriving in England.

Antichi Vizi

Discover Antichi Vizi in Milan, Italy: Nestled in the heart of Milan is a real wunderkammer of morbid curiosities.

Saadian Tombs

Discover Saadian Tombs in Marrakesh, Morocco: Deliberately hidden for centuries, the magnificent Saadian Tombs were eventually uncovered in 1917.

Nantasket Fascination Parlor

Discover Nantasket Fascination Parlor in Hull, Massachusetts: The only remaining place where you can play this century-old game for cash.

Le Frigo

Walk through a restaurant's refrigerator door to reach this hidden bar.

Sia Maubara

Discover Sia Maubara in East Timor: A haunting place that is now home to thousands of birds.

Eisendrath House

Discover Eisendrath House in Tempe, Arizona: The historic “pink house on the hill” is an architectural gem that now serves as a center for water conservation.

Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument

Discover Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument in Imler, Pennsylvania: It marks the spooky spot where the bodies of two young boys were found in the 19th century.

Rivers Cosmogram

Discover Rivers Cosmogram in New York, New York: A memorial marks the library lobby where Langston Hughes' ashes are buried.

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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

PP ToS