Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The King of Olten

Discover The King of Olten in Olten, Switzerland: A bronze statue commemorating his royal meowjesty, Toulouse.

House of Leaves

Discover House of Leaves in Tirana, Albania: A museum dedicated to secret surveillance.

Fuente de los Tres Sombreros

Discover Fuente de los Tres Sombreros in Bécal, Mexico: This hat-shaped fountain pays tribute to a centuries-old textile tradition in the Yucatán Peninsula.

Formica Léo

Discover Formica Léo in Sainte Rose, Réunion: On one of the world's most active volcanoes, a pebble-filled crater changes color with the wind.

Charles Grimes Expedition Cairn

Discover Charles Grimes Expedition Cairn in Fairfield, Australia: A neat pile of shale marks an early English trip to the Yarra River.

D.C.’s Floating Chandeliers

Discover D.C.’s Floating Chandeliers in Washington, D.C.: Mysterious installations bring levity and light to a sometimes stodgy city.

‘Jackson’

Discover 'Jackson' in Reno, Nevada: This former New Jersey bus now exists as a public art exhibit.

The Hay Inclined Plane

Discover The Hay Inclined Plane in Telford and Wrekin, England: One of the first canal boat-lift inclines ever created.

La Llama

Discover La Llama in Barcelona, Spain: A bookstore dedicated to the intersection of comedy and art.

The 11 Bridges of Wayne

Discover The 11 Bridges of Wayne in Wayne, Alberta: To get to or from this Canadian ghost town, you'll need to cross 11 single-lane bridges.

Gennarino Scugnizzo

Discover Gennarino Scugnizzo in Capri, Italy: This bronze boy sits on one of Capri's rocky cliffs, waving at the passing boats.

Walt Disney’s Bench

Discover Walt Disney’s Bench in Anaheim, California: Inspiration struck on this seat outside the Griffith Park merry-go-round.

Abandoned Cotton Gin

Discover Abandoned Cotton Gin in Salley, South Carolina: Hidden in this little-known town stands a piece of agriculture history.

Sotheby’s Sekhmet

Discover Sotheby's Sekhmet in London, England: Heralded as the oldest statue in London.

Big Chiques Bridge #4

Discover Big Chiques Bridge #4 in Manheim, Pennsylvania: One of the few remaining covered bridges in Lancaster County.

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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

PP ToS