Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Fountain of Dogs

Discover Fountain of Dogs in Bilbao, Spain: This 19th-century fountain's namesake animal isn't what you think it is.

Rosita’s Bridge

Discover Rosita's Bridge in San Antonio, Texas: An ivy-covered arch bridge dedicated to Tejano music singer and legend Rosita Fernandez.

Richmond Castle in Kalutara

Discover Richmond Castle in Kalutara in Kalutara, Sri Lanka: This palatial, 99-doored Colonial mansion is a marvel of architectural fusion.

Museum of the House Cat

Discover American Museum of the House Cat in Sylva, North Carolina: This vast kitty-themed collection illustrates the history of human-cat interaction.

Southwold Jack

Discover Southwold Jack in Southwold, England: Keep a lookout for replicas of this wooden soldier hiding in plain sight all around town.

Earth Eagle Brewings

Discover Earth Eagle Brewings in Portsmouth, New Hampshire: One of the few brewers in the U.S. experimenting with hop-free beers.

Zodiac Mosaic of Hammat Tiberias

Discover Zodiac Mosaic of Hammat Tiberias in Tiberias, Israel: The mosaic floor of a 4th-century synagogue features a pagan zodiac wheel alongside traditional images of a Torah ark and menorahs.

Mackwoods Tea Plantation Sign

Discover Mackwoods Tea Plantation Sign in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan tea factory's ironic take on the Los Angeles landmark.

Al Bidya Mosque

Discover Al Bidya Mosque in Al Bidya, United Arab Emirates: The oldest surviving mosque in the UAE has mysterious origins and unusual architecture.

Budapest Castle Hill Funicular

Discover Budapest Castle Hill Funicular in Budapest, Hungary: Built in 1870 at the bridge that connected Buda and Pest, this spectacular incline railway was almost lost forever during World War II.

Daniels, Maryland

The eerie, decaying ghost town is destined to fade into the forest.

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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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