Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Emerald Valley

Discover Emerald Valley in Piti, Guam: A beautiful waterway tucked in the corner of a power plant.

Il Bosco della Ragnaia

Discover Il Bosco della Ragnaia in Asciano, Italy: Stumbling upon this whimsical wooded garden is like stepping into an enchanted forest full of philosophical musings.

La Tulipe

Discover La Tulipe in Geneva, Switzerland: A rare, flower-shaped example of Brutalist architecture in Switzerland.

A Viking Burial Ship in Minnesota

Discover Hjemkomst Viking Ship in Moorhead, Minnesota: This replica of an 8th century burial ship actually sailed to Norway before returning home to Minnesota.

The ‘Fr. Pat Noise’ Hoax Plaque

Discover Fr. Pat Noise Memorial Plaque in Dublin, Ireland: A mysterious plaque to the even more mysterious "Fr. Pat Noise," killed in "suspicious circumstances.".

Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum

Discover Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum in Shanghai, China: A wall within the institution displays the names of 13,000 Jews who took refuge in the city during World War II.

Multi-Named Street

Discover Arkhivna Street in Lviv, Ukraine: This street has over a half-dozen names, all at once.

The Druid Stone

Discover The Druid Stone in Nottinghamshire, England: An enigmatic natural rock formation with a manmade passage cut through the center.

Russian Embassy

Discover Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.: The U.S. government's 300-foot spy tunnel under the embassy never quite delivered as promised.

Last Chance Mining Museum

Discover Last Chance Mining Museum in Juneau, Alaska: Impressive artifacts from Juneau's gold mining days fill this mining site-turned-museum.

Snösätra Wall of Fame

Discover Snösätra Wall of Fame in Stockholm, Sweden: Street artists transformed this abandoned industrial neighborhood into one of Europe's largest graffiti exhibitions.

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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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