Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Harran Beehive Houses

Discover Harran Beehive Houses in Harran, Turkey: The ancient abodes are a testament to human ingenuity amid harsh climates.

Western Town at Paramount Ranch

Discover Western Town at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills, California: An Old West film set seen in countless TV shows and movies is open for the public to explore.

Bensberg Old Castle

Discover Bensberg Old Castle in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany: This strange building looks like a medieval fortress crashed into a 1960s Brutalist office block.

Witch Dungeon Museum

Discover Witch Dungeon Museum in Salem, Massachusetts: Experience the hysteria of a 17th century witch hunt through goofy reenactments and wax dummies that should probably be burned at the stake.

Kodachrome Basin Spires

Discover Kodachrome Basin Spires in Henrieville, Utah: This quiet park's strange sedimentary spires were named after Kodak's color film.

The Museum of Death in New Orleans

Discover Museum of Death in New Orleans, Louisiana: A collection of oddities including Dr. Kevorkian's suicide device, the Thanatron.

Golden Gate of Kyiv

Discover Golden Gate of Kyiv in Kyiv, Ukraine: A reconstructed medieval gateway that was the magnificent entrance to the capital city dating back to 1037.

Denver Zine Library

Discover Denver Zine Library in Denver, Colorado: A collection of over 15,000 zines works to preserve DIY publishing culture.

Roman Urn Collection at SAMA

Discover Roman Urn Collection at SAMA in San Antonio, Texas: Amazingly detailed marble cinerary urns that once held the cremains of Roman elite.

Alamere Falls

Discover Alamere Falls in Bolinas, California: This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs down onto the beach.

Natural Selection

Discover Natural Selection in Reno, Nevada: This mother-daughter run curiosities shop is a beautifully odd mix of taxidermy and exotic plants.

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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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