Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Roman Walls of Cardiff Castle

Discover Roman Walls of Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales: The castle still holds traces of the abandoned Roman fort it was built atop.

Welwyn Preserve

Discover Welwyn Preserve in Glen Cove, New York: The abandoned grounds and derelict greenhouses of this once-magnificent Edwardian estate are now a nature preserve open for exploration.

Bodegas of Aranda de Duero

Discover Bodegas of Aranda de Duero in Aranda de Duero, Spain: A network of hundreds of interconnected wineries in caves hides under the town center.

Ghost Trees of Pescadero Point

Discover Ghost Trees of Pescadero Point in Del Monte Forest, California: Haunting and beautiful trees, doomed to die.

Port Racine

Discover Port Racine in Saint-Germain-des-Vaux, France: The smallest port in France is named after the pirate who created it.

M.S. Rau Antiques

Discover M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans, Louisiana: A treasure trove of rare and exquisitely detailed antiques.

Viscri Fortified Church

Discover Viscri Fortified Church in Viscri, Romania: A medieval church built up to defend its village.

Pickwick Theatre

Discover Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge, Illinois: A towering Art Deco movie palace made to look like a Mayan temple.

Gainsborough Old Hall

Discover Gainsborough Old Hall in Gainsborough, England: A medieval relic whose great hall once hosted Mayflower pilgrims, one of Henry VIII’s ill-fated wives, and plenty of royal intrigue.

Tatami-ishi (Tatami Rocks)

Discover Tatami-ishi (Tatami Rocks) in Kumejima-chō, Japan: Unusual hexagonal rocks formed by cooling lava named for their resemblance to traditional Japanese tatami mats.

San Thome Basilica

Discover San Thome Basilica in Chennai, India: This Gothic-style church is reputedly built atop the remains of one of Jesus's apostles.

Secret Entrance to the White House

Discover Secret Entrance to the White House in Washington, D.C.: The winding route passes through an enclosed alleyway, two tunnels, and leads to the White House basement.

Menu

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