Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Malleco Viaduct

Discover Malleco Viaduct in Collipulli, Chile: This bright yellow bridge is a true engineering feat.

Blue Moon Valley

Discover Blue Moon Valley in Lijiang, China: A bright turquoise river cascades beautifully down stepped terraces in southern China.

Ukraine’s Toilet Museum

Discover Toilet History Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine: A quirky collection flush with information on commode culture from ancient times to modern day.

Food Gatherers’ Giant Carrots

Discover Food Gatherers' Giant Carrots in Ann Arbor, Michigan: The 10-foot-tall vegetables belong to Michigan’s first food rescue program.

Thomas Jefferson’s Original Tombstone

Discover Thomas Jefferson’s Original Tombstone in Columbia, Missouri: The obelisk meant to mark the founding father's grave at Monticello is actually on the University of Missouri campus.

Pozo de Yanayacu

Discover Pozo de Yanayacu in Chachapoyas, Peru: This well held a sacred source of water supposedly unleashed from the barren rocks by a wizard-like archbishop.

Bir Zekreet

Discover Bir Zekreet in Zekreet, Qatar: Some of the ancient-looking huts among these strange rock formations aren't ancient at all, but built as part of a movie set.

The Embrace of Bolivar and Morillo

Discover Embrace of Bolívar and Morillo in Santa Ana, Venezuela: The monument marks where Simón Bolívar and his Spanish adversary Pablo Morillo met to have a drink together.

Delaware Art Museum

Discover Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, Delaware: This local gem houses the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings outside of the U.K.

The Masque

Discover The Masque in Los Angeles, California: The remains of LA's first punk club.

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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

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