Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Kona Skatepark

Discover Kona Skatepark in Jacksonville, Florida: Winding paths and vertical ramps that have been inspiring skateboarders for nearly half a century.

Cranston Street Armory

Discover Cranston Street Armory in Providence, Rhode Island: A gothic-styled structure that has been the location for several movies.

Stone’s Bridge

Discover Stone's Bridge in Framingham, Massachusetts: A historic bridge no one is allowed to cross.

National Museum of Cambridge Glass

Discover National Museum of Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, Ohio: A collection of thousands of pieces of unique, colorful glass made in this Ohio town.

Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum

Discover Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum in Lynchburg, Virginia: The Harlem Renaissance poet and activist wrote, organized, and hosted travelers in this Lynchburg, Virginia oasis.

Mammoth Spring

Discover Mammoth Spring in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas: The seventh largest spring in the world.

Seven’s Pinballorama

Discover Seven's Pinballorama in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island: Part arcade, part museum, this collection features vintage and modern pinball machines.

Otford Solar System

Discover Otford Solar System in Sevenoaks, England: The largest scale model in the world.

Grave of Walter “Snowy” Farr

Discover Grave of Walter "Snowy" Farr in Oakington, England: After this beloved Cambridge character passed away, the community raised funds to provide him with a proper gravestone.

Falls Creek Falls

Discover Falls Creek Falls in Rebel Creek, Nevada: An unusual waterfall in the Santa Rosa Range, within the Great Basin of Nevada.

Meow Wolf Convergence Station

Discover Meow Wolf Convergence Station in Denver, Colorado: A multiversal transit station located right below a highway interchange.

Superquadra 205/206

Discover Superquadra 205/206 in Brasília, Brazil: The most unusual block in Brasília.

Post Office Oak

Discover Post Office Oak in Council Grove, Kansas: Once a giant oak that served as the region's post office.

The Great Refractor of Potsdam

Discover Großer Refraktor (Great Refractor) in Potsdam, Germany: The first telescope built specifically for doing astrophysics is still the fourth-largest lensed telescope today.

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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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