Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Seattle’s Pac Man Park

Discover Pac Man Park in Seattle, Washington: This painted blacktop brings the classic arcade game to life.

Chausath Yogini Temple

Discover Chausath Yogini Temple in Mitaoli, India: This ancient goddess temple inspired the design of India’s Parliament House.

Dante’s Church

Discover Santa Margherita de' Cerchi in Florence, Italy: Some say this medieval church is where the poet Dante married his wife and also met the love of his life.

Stained Glass at Navy Pier

Discover Stained Glass at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois: A display of magnificent stained glass windows is the first exhibit of its kind.

Pearl of the Pacific

Discover Pearl of the Pacific in San Diego, California: An ode to the friendship between four Pacific Rim countries.

World’s Largest Pecan

Discover World's Largest Pecan in Seguin, Texas: The saga of the massive nut begins and ends in Texas.

Art Nouveau Elevator

Discover Art Nouveau Elevator in Bad Schandau, Germany: An ornate century-old elevator still connects the two halves of Bad Schandau.

The Armada Tree

Discover The Armada Tree in Larne, Northern Ireland: This gnarled old tree supposedly sprouted from seeds kept in the pocket of a 16th-century Spanish sailor.

Alfred Hitchcock’s London Flat

Discover Alfred Hitchcock's London Flat in London, England: One of the greatest movie directors of all time lived and worked in this London flat from 1926 to 1939.

The Secret Polish Eagle on Fara Church

Discover The Secret Polish Eagle on Fara Church in Bydgoszcz, Poland: This symbol of Polish heritage survived the occupation during World War II, hidden in plain sight.

The Adventurers’ Club of Los Angeles

Discover The Adventurers' Club of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California: Hidden above a drug store on a nondescript corner of Lincoln Heights is a private clubhouse for intrepid explorers.

The Runner

This sharp sculpture is made of thousands of pieces of jagged glass.

The Cow and the Bull

Discover The Cow and the Bull in Bahamas: These two giant boulders mysteriously perched on a 60-foot cliff may have been slung up there by a raging tsunami.

Marx and Engels Forum

Discover Marx and Engels Forum in Berlin, Germany: One of downtown Berlin's last reminders of its Communist past.

Slemish Mountain

Discover Slemish Mountain in Ballymena, Northern Ireland: A brisk climb up this solitary peak leads to the origin story of a towering figure in Irish history.

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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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