Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Red Chair

Discover Red Chair in Iceland: A giant red chair bolted to a rock on a remote mossy hillside in Iceland.

The Island of Inishmaan

Discover The Island of Inishmaan in Inishmaan, Ireland: Certain traditions prevail on the least-visited island of the Aran Islands.

Chicago Water Cribs

Discover Chicago Water Cribs in Chicago, Illinois: These chunky stone towers out in Lake Michigan are the key to Chicago’s drinking water.

Museum of the Dog

Discover The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in New York, New York: An extensive collection of fine art devoted to man's best friend.

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.

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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