Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Whorlton Castle

Discover Whorlton Castle in Whorlton, England: An abandoned Yorkshire castle that is hidden in plain sight.

Verzasca Dam

Discover Verzasca Dam in Gordola, Switzerland: If James Bond bungee-jumped off the side of a 720-foot dam, would you do it too?

Joesting-Gorsuch House

Discover Joesting-Gorsuch House in Street, Maryland: Slated for demolition, this house was relocated piece by piece.

Charlotte Forten Grimké House

Discover Charlotte Forten Grimké House in Washington, D.C.: The historic home of an educator, abolitionist, activist, and poet.

Agua Caliente Park

Discover Agua Caliente Park in Tucson, Arizona: Previously a hot spring, this park remains a site of unique history, wildlife, and geology.

Fréjus Place

Discover Fréjus Place in Fredericksburg, Virginia: This plaque celebrates the sister city relationship between Fredricksburg and Fréjus.

U.S. Mint Coin Store

Discover U.S. Mint Coin Store in Washington, D.C.: Coins and medals straight from the mint await visitors to this shop in the nation's capital.

Sanatorium Lake

Discover Sanatorium Lake in Mount Macedon, Australia: This artificial lake was built to provide water for a planned facility that would treat tuberculosis patients.

Ballycopeland Windmill

Discover Ballycopeland Windmill in Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland: The last working windmill in Northern Ireland.

Dżok the Dog Monument

Discover Dżok the Dog Monument in Krakow, Poland: A statue commemorating a Polish dog who took his role as man's best friend very seriously.

Physical Graffiti Building

Discover Physical Graffiti Building in New York, New York: The East Village tenement from the cover of Led Zeppelin’s 1975 album has a tea shop on the ground floor.

Rising Sun Tavern

Discover Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg, Virginia: Constructed by the younger brother of George Washington.

Trappist Monastery

Discover Trappist Monastery in Winnipeg, Manitoba: The ruins of a burned-down monastery have become a serene park and community space. .

Foy & Gibson Factory

Discover Foy & Gibson Factory in Melbourne, Australia: The Collingwood production facility for a department store that was among the largest and earliest in Australia.

Asansör

Discover Asansör in İzmir, Turkey: This elevator was built in 1907 to connect two neighborhoods separated by a steep, rocky cliff.

Hans Christian Andersen’s Grave

Discover Hans Christian Andersen's Grave in Copenhagen, Denmark: The final resting place of the author who gave us the Little Mermaid, the Ugly Duckling, and many more beloved fairy tales.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 260 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. 474 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. 499 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. 633 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. 135 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. 167 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). 252 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 148 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. 96 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. 166

PP ToS