Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Santa Maria dell’Isola Monastery

Discover Santa Maria dell’Isola Monastery in Tropea, Italy: A fairytale-like medieval church perched atop a rocky cliff on Italy's "Coast of the Gods.".

Trójstyk Granic

Discover Trójstyk Granic in Poland: A small granite monument marks where the borders of three countries meet.

The World’s Most Beautiful Milk Shop

Discover Pfunds Molkerei in Dresden, Germany: In addition to fine dairy products, the world's most beautiful milk shop also offers a feast for the eyes.

Media Archaeology Lab

Discover Media Archaeology Lab in Boulder, Colorado: A research lab and hands-on museum where visitors can experiment with retro technology.

Adalaj Stepwell

Discover Adalaj Ni Vav in Adalaj, India: A deeply beautiful 15th-century stepwell with a tragic story.

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Discover George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington, Virginia: This isn't your average roadway—it's actually a National Park and a transportation pioneer.

Houston Bowery Art Wall

Discover Houston Bowery Art Wall in New York, New York: This wall on a street corner in Lower Manhattan has been a blank canvas for a rotation of renowned artists since the 1980s.

Nomadic Community Gardens

Discover Nomadic Community Gardens in London, England: This secret garden has bloomed into London's most unique hub of urban creativity.

Skeletons: Museum of Osteology

Discover Skeletons: Museum of Osteology in Orlando, Florida: Hundreds of skulls and bones at the largest skeleton museum in the country.

Emily Dickinson’s Bedroom

Discover Emily Dickinson's Bedroom in Amherst, Massachusetts: The mighty room where the poet spent most of her life is available to rent for an hour or two.

Stardust Motel Sign

Discover Stardust Motel Sign in Marfa, Texas: This old abandoned sign flickers to announce a motel that isn't even there.

Korean Axe Murder Incident Memorial

Discover Korean Axe Murder Incident Memorial in Paju, South Korea: A monument to the two U.S. officers killed by North Korean troops while trying to trim a poplar tree.

Daintree Entomological Museum

Discover Daintree Entomological Museum in Diwan, Australia: Australia's largest collection of rare and bizarre insects.

Ottoman Bird Palaces

Discover Ottoman Bird Palaces in Istanbul, Turkey: The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.

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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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