Kumamoto Castle

Discover Kumamoto Castle in Kumamoto, Japan: The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

Gravity Hill

Discover Gravity Hill in Prosser, Washington: The strange phenomenon causing gravity to "work backwards" on this hill has been blamed on the paranormal.

Goonhilly Earth Station

Discover Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, England: Arthur, Merlin, and Guinevere are among the largest and oldest satellite dishes on the planet.

Wreck of the Steam Trawler Sheraton

Discover Wreck of the Steam Trawler Sheraton in Hunstanton, England: All that remains of the fishing-vessel-turned-warship is its weathered hull.

Assassin’s End

Discover Assassin's End in Port Royal, Virginia: The Virginia farm where John Wilkes Booth met his grisly end is now largely forgotten.

Kent County Lunatic Asylum

Discover Kent County Lunatic Asylum (Oakwood Hospital) in Maidstone, England: This former abandoned hospital, a complex of stunning 19th century buildings, once housed 2,000 psychiatric patients.

Isaac Knight Memorial

Discover Isaac Knight Memorial in Evansville, Indiana: A tribute to a 13-year-old boy who was kidnapped in 1793 and escaped over two years later.

Forest of the Future Library

Discover Forest of the Future Library in Oslo, Norway: One thousand trees were planted in Norway to be used to print books a century from now.

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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