Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Rocky Mountain Land Library

Discover Rocky Mountain Land Library in Fairplay, Colorado: This 19th-century ranch is being transformed into a residential library with thousands of books about the natural world.

Edward Lear’s Grave

Discover Edward Lear's Grave in Sanremo, Italy: There once was a man named Lear / Who found limericks so dear / His final resting space / Is an unusual place / Most people don’t know he’s here.

Goldsboro Nuclear Mishap

Discover Goldsboro Nuclear Mishap in Eureka, North Carolina: A sign marks the plane crash that caused two nuclear bombs to fall in North Carolina.

Gewandhaus Museum Inneringen

Discover Gewandhaus Museum Inneringen in Hettingen, Germany: Opulent period costumes and murals lead you on a journey through fashion history.

Moving Sand Dunes

Discover Moving Sand Dunes in Poland: These massive moving sand dunes have swallowed an entire village and are still on the run.

The Z Machine

Discover The Z Machine in Albuquerque, New Mexico: The most powerful laboratory radiation source in the world pulses with 1,000 times the electricity of a lightning bolt.

Tropico Post Office

Discover Tropico Post Office in Glendale, California: Don't bother sending any mail to this ghost town.

Bronze Replica of Michelangelo’s David

Discover Bronze Replica of Michelangelo’s David in Florence, Italy: A copy of the famous statue can be found in this Florence piazza, along with one of the most breathtaking views of the city below.

Gog and Magog

Discover Gog and Magog in Melbourne, Australia: These mythological giants take time out of their busy day guarding a Victorian market to let you know what time it is.

Chester Imp

Discover Chester Imp in Chester, England: A mysterious demonic figure peers down from its perch within the gorgeous Chester Cathedral.

A Brick-and-Mortar Matchmaking Club

Discover Modern Love Club in New York, New York: This narrow shop in the East Village hosts a matchmaking service for the new millennium.

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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

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