Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Geographic Center of South America

Discover Geographic Center of South America in Cuiabá, Brazil: An obelisk marks the exact center of the continent, as per the calculations of the legendary Brazilian explorer Cândido Rondon.

Grassy Point Railroad Bridge

Discover Grassy Point Railroad Bridge in Minnesota: A haunting army of decomposing, moss-covered stuffed animals and dolls guard this swinging truss.

Discoversea Shipwreck Museum

Discover Discoversea Shipwreck Museum in Fenwick Island, Delaware: A desiccated merman and a walrus penis bone are among the oddities in this eclectic collection of shipwreck treasures.

London’s Peter Pan Statue

Discover Peter Pan Statue in London, England: A statue marks the exact spot where The Boy Who Never Grows Up made his first literary appearance.

The World’s Largest Pipe

Discover Giant Pipe of Pipestone in Pipestone, Minnesota: A town honors its legacy of traditional American Indian pipe carving with one gigantic pipe.

Jules Rimet Trophy Replica

Discover Jules Rimet Trophy Replica in Manchester, England: The fake World Cup prize was secretly created after the first one was stolen in 1966.

Sunland Park Dinosaur Tracks

Discover Sunland Park Dinosaur Tracks in El Paso, Texas: Search for traces of the dinosaurs that roamed here more than 90 million years ago.

Ruins of Madame Sherri’s Castle

Discover Madame Sherri's Castle in Chesterfield, New Hampshire: Ruins of the elaborate house where the enigmatic costume designer threw glamorous parties for New York's theatrical elite.

Arizona Copper Art Museum

Discover Arizona Copper Art Museum in Clarkdale, Arizona: The state's only comprehensive museum dedicated to the mineral that defined its history and economy.

England’s Smallest Window

Discover England's Smallest Window in Hull, England: What looks like missing grout is actually an old pub's peephole.

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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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