Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Maiden’s Tower

Discover The Maiden's Tower in Innerstaden, Sweden: Known locally as the Jungfrutornet, this Medieval tower hides a dark legend.

Old Gorhambury House

Discover Old Gorhambury House in Hertfordshire, England: These ruins of Francis Bacon's once-magnificent manor are hidden in the English countryside.

Trojaborg

Discover Trojaborg in Visby, Sweden: Legend has it that this large rock maze in Sweden was created as punishment by the daughter of a wealthy captain.

Singing Wind Bookshop

Discover Singing Wind Bookshop in Benson, Arizona: Hidden on a cattle ranch in Arizona, this bookstore has been celebrating Southwest literature for more than 40 years.

The Rising Sun Shipwreck

Discover The Rising Sun Shipwreck in Maple City, Michigan: Hidden beneath the waters of Lake Michigan rests a perfectly intact ship from the early 1900s.

Louwman Historic Telescopes

Discover Louwman Historic Telescopes in The Hague, Netherlands: The world's largest private telescope collection hides in a secret wing of a Dutch auto museum.

Wadi Qelt

Discover Wadi Qelt in Almon, Israel: A serene desert oasis speckled with ancient artifacts.

Kerrytown Chime

Discover Kerrytown Chime in Ann Arbor, Michigan: Everyone's invited to put on a miniature concert with this world-class musical wonder.

Tustin Blimp Hangars

Discover Tustin Blimp Hangars in Tustin, California: These enormous World War II relics are some of the largest wooden structures in the world.

Mitchell Domes

Discover Mitchell Domes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: A unique botanical garden housed in three giant geodesic domes.

Salem Village Parsonage

Discover Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Massachusetts: Located just behind a quiet residential neighborhood, this is ground zero for the Salem witchcraft hysteria of 1692.

Hermitage of Saint Fructus

Discover Hermitage of Saint Fructus in Carrascal del Río, Spain: Medieval ruins nestled within a breathtaking swath of Spanish nature.

Navajo Code Talkers Tribute

Discover Navajo Code Talkers Tribute in Phoenix, Arizona: The first permanent memorial to a unique secret weapon of World War II.

O’Brien’s Castle

Discover O'Brien's Castle in Inisheer, Ireland: These moss-covered medieval ruins tower atop the smallest of Ireland's Aran Islands.

Holy Cave of Covadonga

Discover Holy Cave of Covadonga in Asturias, Spain: A historic Christian shrine nestled within a spectacular natural cave.

The Witchery

Discover The Witchery in Edinburgh, Scotland: Near the former site of numerous witch burnings, this lavish Edinburgh mainstay pays homage to Scotland's brutal history.

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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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