Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Rhinelapus

Discover Rhinelapus in Rhinelander, Wisconsin: Meet the "Green Monster" of Monico, Wisconsin.

Former World’s Largest Jackalope

Discover Former World's Largest Jackalope in Douglas, Wyoming: This Wyoming town is clearly fascinated with the mythical creature it invented.

Palazzo Naiadi Roman Baths

Discover Palazzo Naiadi Roman Baths in Rome, Italy: Ancient ruins hidden underneath a modern luxury hotel.

Standard Hill

Discover Standard Hill in Nottingham, England: The English Civil War began right here in 1642.

Çamlik Railway Museum

Discover Çamlik Railway Museum in Selçuk, Turkey: This beautiful train graveyard is one of the largest collections of steam locomotives in the Mediterranean and Europe.

The Sistine Chapel of Rupestrian Art

Discover The Crypt of the Original Sin in Matera, Italy: A cave in southern Italy adorned with thousand-year-old Biblical frescoes existed in obscurity until fairly recently.

Ogopogo the Canadian Cryptid

Discover Okanagan Lake in Peachland, British Columbia: The large fjord lake is thought to be the home of "Ogopogo," a giant sea serpent.

The Ruins of Odiham Castle

Discover Odiham Castle in North Warnborough, England: It's believed King John of England stayed at this 13th-century castle before riding off to sign the Magna Carta.

Rendlesham Forest UFO Landing

Discover Rendlesham Forest UFO Landing in Capel Saint Andrew, England: The scene of the United Kingdom's most famous UFO incident, dubbed the "British Roswell.".

Global Convergence Sculpture

Discover Global Convergence Sculpture in Orlando, Florida: Remarkably realistic Florida shoal bass "swim" inside this large globoid sculpture.

Fort Defiance Park

Discover Fort Defiance Park in Cairo, Illinois: The lowest point in the state of Illinois, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

Monnow Bridge

Discover Monnow Bridge in Monmouth, Wales: The only medieval bridge in Britain with its defensive tower still in tact.

The Museum of Dumb Guy Stuff

Discover Museum of Dumb Guy Stuff in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: This small museum is an eccentric shrine to boyhood in the 1960s.

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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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