Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Hanbury Crater

Discover The Hanbury Crater in Staffordshire, England: The site of one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, created when a massive bomb dump accidentally exploded.

Ra Obelisk

Discover Ra Obelisk in Columbia, South Carolina: An old train trestle re-imagined as an Egyptian obelisk.

Soviet Dacha

Discover Soviet Dacha in Moscow, Russia: This frozen-in-time summer home outside Moscow provides a look at Russian life in the 1950s.

Ford’s Hospital

Discover Ford's Hospital in Coventry, England: For over 500 years this timbered alms house has provided a home for elderly residents of Coventry.

Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

Discover Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London, England: An small and easily overlooked archaeology museum chock full of Egyptian artifacts.

The Earl of Sandwich

Discover The Earl of Sandwich in Boston, Massachusetts: A men’s restroom became a sandwich shop.

Elda Footwear Museum

Discover Elda Footwear Museum in Elda, Spain: This Spanish shoe museum has history, has design, and has a pair of Rafael Nadal's tennies!

Old Prussian Hags of Northern Pomerania

Discover Old Prussian Hags of Northern Pomerania in Gdańsk, Poland: These rare statues are one of the few remaining material witnesses to Old Prussian culture.

Curwood Castle

Discover Curwood Castle in Owosso, Michigan: The writing studio of an American adventure author, built in the style of a medieval castle.

Bell Island Mine Museum

Discover Bell Island Mine Museum in Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador: This former iron ore mine comes alive with fascinating stories of its history.

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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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