Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Arlanda Airport Runestone

Discover Arlanda Airport Runestone in Stockholm, Sweden: An 11th-century runestone decorates the halls of Terminal 2 of this Scandinavian travel hub.

Smith Court

Discover Smith Court in Boston, Massachusetts: In the 19th century, this was the center of Boston's Black community.

Kalavryta Sacrifice Memorial

Discover Kalavryta Sacrifice Memorial in Kalavryta, Greece: A solemn reminder of the infamous World War II war crime that massacred almost all the men in a small Greek town.

Teitel Brothers

Discover Teitel Brothers in Bronx, New York: The mosaic Star of David at the front of this store hints that it's no ordinary Italian grocer.

Church of the Virgin Mary

Discover Church of the Virgin Mary in Kalamata, Greece: This sixth-century church housed an icon with eyes so beautiful legend has it they inspired the name of a Greek city.

Mark’s Hot Dogs

Discover Mark's Hot Dogs in San Jose, California: For roadside fast food, pull over at the giant orange.

Chateau de Mores

Discover Chateau de Mores in Medora, North Dakota: Home of a French nobleman's short-lived attempt at raising cattle in the Badlands of North Dakota.

Holmdel Teleport

Discover Holmdel Teleport in Holmdel, New Jersey: This giant satellite antenna services the transmission needs of government agencies and cable programmers.

Hermitage of Saint Onuphrius

Discover Hermitage of Saint Onuphrius in Italy: A two-hour hike in the Orfento Valley leads to the remote ruins.

Takayama Shōwa-kan Museum

Discover Takayama Shōwa-kan Museum in Takayama, Japan: Its collection distills more than 60 years of pop culture in Japan, from Godzilla to Hulk Hogan.

La Esquina del Camarón Mexicano

Discover La Esquina del Camarón Mexicano in Queens, New York: An everyday Jackson Heights bodega conceals a Mexican seafood paradise.

Bristol Museum Archeology Collection

Discover Bristol Museum Archeology Collection in Bristol, England: An array of ancient artifacts from Bronze Age Bristol and other civilizations are housed in this museum.

Gloria Dei Old Swedes’ Episcopal Church

Discover Gloria Dei Old Swedes' Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The oldest active church in Pennsylvania is also the second oldest Swedish Church in the United States.

Hofjagd und Rüstkammer

Discover Hofjagd und Rüstkammer in Vienna, Austria: A magnificent collection of imperial armor and weaponry.

The Beaumont Hotel

Discover The Beaumont Hotel in London, England: This five-star hotel was originally a swanky parking garage.

Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum

Discover Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum in Guthrie, Oklahoma: A museum and apothecary garden devoted to the history of frontier medicine.

Salty the Seahorse

Discover Salty the Seahorse in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts: Once a kitschy symbol for a gift shop, this 38-foot seahorse is now a staple roadside attraction.

Everything Is Terrible

Discover Everything Is Terrible in East Los Angeles, California: This store is dedicated to unique found footage and the strangeness of pre-internet pop-culture.

Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary

Discover Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary in Cochrane, Alberta: A rescue facility that caters specifically to wolf-dog hybrids, and educates about these unique animals.

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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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