Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Chicago’s Massive Poetry Library

Discover Poetry Foundation Library in Chicago, Illinois: The 30,000-volume library is one of the world's most impressive poetry collections.

Jean Jules Jusserand Memorial

Discover Jean Jules Jusserand Memorial in Washington, D.C.: An obscure federal monument honors the French diplomat who served as Ambassador to the U.S. during WWI.

Liberty Bell of the West

Discover Liberty Bell of the West in Chester, Illinois: Now nearly abandoned, Kaskaskia was once the capital of Illinois and one of the most important towns on the upper Mississippi.

Lytham Mussel Tanks

Discover Lytham Mussel Tanks in Lytham, England: Once upon a time these giant concrete tanks were used by local fishermen to clean their wild-caught mussels.

Treetop Tower of Rügen

Discover Treetop Tower of Rügen in Binz, Germany: A long spiraling walkway winds through the woods, and around a copper beech tree at the center.

D.H. Lawrence Forbidden Art

Discover D.H. Lawrence Forbidden Art in Taos, New Mexico: Reproductions of nine banned oil paintings coyly hidden behind a curtain in a New Mexico conference room.

Window of the World

Discover Window of the World in Shenzhen Shi, China: 130 replicas of world wonders squeezed into just 118 acres of space.

The Actual Line in the Sand at the Alamo

Discover Alamo Line in the Sand in San Antonio, Texas: Legend has it the commander of the defenders drew a fateful line in the dirt with his sword just before the final battle.

The Manhattan Eruv

Discover The Manhattan Eruv in New York, New York: This nearly invisible wire transforms much of the city into one big, symbolic home on the holy day.

Museum of the Mummies

Discover Museum of the Mummies in Ferentillo, Italy: Naturally preserved bodies are eerily staged throughout the crypt in varying poses.

The Highlandman’s Umbrella

Discover The Highlandman's Umbrella in Glasgow, Scotland: Displaced highlanders would take shelter from the wet Scottish climate under the large walled bridge at Glasgow Central Station.

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To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 260 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. 474 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. 499 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. 633 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. 135 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. 167 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). 252 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 148 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. 96 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. 166

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