Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Baltimore’s Frank Zappa Bust

Discover Frank Zappa Bust in Baltimore, Maryland: The likeness of the Baltimore music icon was unveiled in time for the anniversary of his Senate hearings on music censorship.

The Maple Syrup Museum of Ontario

Discover Maple Syrup Museum of Ontario in Saint Jacobs, Ontario: This quaint museum taps into the sweet history of the maple syrup industry.

The Bizarre Cave House of Tulsa

Discover Cave House of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma: A former chicken restaurant that doubled as a speakeasy is now a quirky home full of wonderfully strange traditions.

Antrim Coast Road Memorial

Discover Antrim Coast Road Memorial in Larne, Northern Ireland: An unassuming tribute to engineer William Bald and the workers who built one of Europe's most scenic coastal roads.

Ferrari World

Discover Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: This enormous sports car themed amusement park is home to the world’s fastest roller coaster.

Silly Walks Tunnel

Discover Silly Walks Tunnel in Eindhoven, Netherlands: Crouch down, stretch tall, and be sure to flail your legs to pay homage to the Monty Python classic.

Lesbian Herstory Archives

Discover Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, New York: The world's largest collection of materials relating to lesbian history is housed in a Brooklyn townhouse.

Texas Centennial Art Deco Buildings

Discover Texas Centennial Art Deco Buildings in Dallas, Texas: A "Texanic" (gigantic Texas) collection of Art Deco architecture at Dallas' historic Fair Park.

Bali’s Abandoned Plane

Discover Bali's Abandoned Plane in Kuta Selatan, Indonesia: Someone left a Boeing 737 in a field in southern Bali.

Coventry Cathedral Ruins

Discover Coventry Cathedral Ruins in Coventry, England: The bombed out remains of the old church were kept intact next to the new one, as a reminder of the futility of war.

Za’abal Castle

Discover Za'abal Castle in Sakakah, Saudi Arabia: This fortress sits atop a centuries-old well system.

Revolution House

Discover Revolution House in Old Whittington, England: A secret meeting in this small cottage changed the course of British 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

PP ToS