Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Catacombs of San Gennaro

Discover Catacombs of San Gennaro in Naples, Italy: An underground paleo-Christian burial site composed of the remains of several cemeteries and Basilicas.

Calcata

Discover Calcata in Calcata Vecchia, Italy: Medieval town turned hippie commune, once home to the secret foreskin of Jesus Christ.

Villa Pisani Labirinto

Discover Villa Pisani Labirinto in Stra, Italy: A complex, nine-layer maze on the grounds of a Venetian doge's playground.

Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra

Discover Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra in Volterra, Italy: This real life asylum of horrors is now an abandoned ruin that hides the unbreakable code to one patient's insanity.

Monte Testaccio

Discover Monte Testaccio in Rome, Italy: This hill made entirely of ancient Roman jars was simply a garbage dump to the people of the time.

Keats-Shelley Memorial House

Discover Keats-Shelley Memorial House in Rome, Italy: Museum dedicated to literary greats of the Romantic Period is also the home in which Keats met his untimely end.

Lacus Curtius

Discover Lacus Curtius in Rome, Italy: A mysterious chasm in the heart of the ancient Roman Forum, the Lacus Curtius was once believed to be a gateway to hell.

Sant’Agata de’ Goti

Discover Sant'Agata de' Goti in Sant'Agata Dé Goti, Italy: This medieval Italian town is a sheer (and beautiful) cliffside defense.

Mamertine Prison

Discover Mamertine Prison in Rome, Italy: This ancient Roman prison is decorated with an upside-down cross not as blasphemy but as saintly tribute.

Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio

Discover Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio in Rome, Italy: More sculpture than building, this architecturally significant temple was built on the spot of Saint Peter's crucifixion.

Temple of Damanhur

Discover Temple of Damanhur in Pramarzo, Italy: Eco-village hidden in the foothills of the Alps that created a massive system of psychedelic underground temples.

Vasari Corridor

Discover Vasari Corridor in Florence, Italy: This private skyway is filled with art and was expanded explicitly so that Hitler could appreciate a river.

Vigna Randanini

Discover Vigna Randanini in Rome, Italy: One of seven Jewish catacombs in Rome and one of only two open to the public.

Lazzaretto Nuovo

Discover Lazzaretto Nuovo in Venice, Italy: The plague quarantine island home to the alleged "Vampire of Venice.".

Flooded Crypt of San Francesco

Discover Flooded Crypt of San Francesco in Ravenna, Italy: Filled with goldfish swimming in a shallow pool of sea water, this ancient crypt is more wishing well than burial site.

Arch of Gallienus

Discover Arch of Gallienus in Rome, Italy: This Roman arch marks the location of an ancient gate at one of the Seven Hills of Rome.

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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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