Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Big Meat Ant

Discover Big Meat Ant in Augathella, Australia: Inspired by the local football team, this giant ant is meant to draw tourists to a tiny Australian town.

Gardenview Horticultural Park

Discover Gardenview Horticultural Park in Strongsville, Ohio: Acres of English cottage gardens, unexpectedly nestled in a Cleveland suburb.

House of Memory Museum

Discover Museo Casa de la Memoria (House of Memory Museum) in Medellín, Colombia: A museum of memories in what was once one of the most violent cities in the world.

Black Horses at Play

Discover Igrali Se Konji Vrani (Black Horses at Play) in Belgrade, Serbia: The unusual sculptures are believed to be powerful political symbols.

Chapel of Saint Mary the Virgin

Discover Chapel of Saint Mary the Virgin in Nottinghamshire, England: English Protestants once criticized this enormous private chapel for being too ornate.

‘Land’

Discover 'Land' in Saddell, Scotland: Originally intended as a temporary installation, this sculpture is now a permanent part of a stunning Scottish beach.

Chino Planes of Fame Air Museum

Discover Chino Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California: A museum dedicated to restoring vintage aircraft, located at a working airport.

Misty of Chincoteague

Discover Misty of Chincoteague in Chincoteague Island, Virginia: The taxidermy remains of the most popular pony in children's literature.

Mr Smith’s Dream

Discover Mr Smith's Dream in Manchester, England: A tiny, heartwarming piece of art hiding in plain sight.

HMAS Otway

Discover HMAS Otway in Holbrook, Australia: The decommissioned submarine is now the symbol of a small, inland Australian town.

Smokey Bear’s Grave

Discover Smokey Bear's Grave in Capitan, New Mexico: The final resting place of the living embodiment of the famous Forest Service symbol.

Goodwin’s Court

Discover Goodwin's Court in London, England: An easily overlooked stretch of ornate window fronts and gaslight lamps that could be right from the pages of Dickens.

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.

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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