Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Calligraphy Brush Museum

This little town supplies Japan with most of its calligraphy brushes, still made by hand from animal fur.

The Abandoned São Domingo Mine

The deserted mining village now resembles a post-apocalyptic landscape of derelict buildings and blood-red pools of water.

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun

Discover Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, North Korea: A former palace transformed into a mausoleum for North Korea's supreme leaders.

Holy Mountain of Grabarka

Discover Holy Mountain of Grabarka in Grabarka, Poland: Crosses of all shapes, sizes and colors litter the mountain, the site of a huge yearly Orthodox pilgrimage.

Tulane’s Mardi Gras Bead Tree

Discover Tulane’s Mardi Gras Bead Tree in New Orleans, Louisiana: After the parade, students throw their beads on the tree hoping for good luck on exams.

Kolossi Castle

Discover Kolossi Castle in Kolossi, Cyprus: This 700-year-old Cyprus castle is the birthplace of the world's oldest wine, said to be toasted by Richard the Lionheart at his wedding.

Nose Hill Siksikaitsitapi Medicine Wheel

Discover Nose Hill Siksikaitsitapi Medicine Wheel in Calgary, Alberta: This First Nations monument is a peaceful spot with vast views of the Calgary prairie.

National Museum of the Playing Card

Discover National Museum of the Playing Card in Turnhout, Belgium: Relics from as far back as the 16th century are on display in a city known for its playing card industry.

The Coffee Pot

Discover The Coffee Pot in Lexington, Virginia: The oddly shaped, steam-spewing building is now an art studio and gallery.

Lord Howe Island’s Time

Discover Lord Howe Island's Time in Lord Howe Island, Australia: In a strange timezone anomaly, Daylight Saving Time here sets the clocks forward just 30 minutes.

Public School 972

Discover Public School 972 in Dallas, Texas: A school-themed restaurant where gastronomy is the core curriculum.

The Troll Hole

Discover The Troll Hole in Alliance, Ohio: A record-size collection of wild-haired troll dolls tells the story of the mythical creature's roots in Scandinavian folklore.

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i
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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