On a quiet evening in Laramie, Wyoming, what looks like a lone file cabinet sits near an abandoned barn. As the sun dips below the horizon, a commotion begins. Soon, there are paws scratching and teeth gnashing against aluminum and wood as fuzzy butts bump each other out of the w … | Continue reading
While driving on US Highway 7 in Leicester, Vermont, you may do a double take. Standing in front of Pioneer Used Auto Sales stands the 19-foot concrete gorilla known as "Queen Connie." Connie was built in 1987 by artist T.J. Neil ) to draw business to the car lot. This enormous p … | Continue reading
Over a century ago, in 1912 to be precise, the groundbreaking department store Zum Strauss was built by a Jewish merchant in just nine months, adorned with elements of Historicism and Art Nouveau. Today, it's the only department store from that era preserved in its original form. … | Continue reading
The topography of Goa’s capital Panaji is most fascinating. It is a city nestled around Altinho Hill with the ocean on one side, a river on the other and marshes on the third. It is surrounded by a peninsula, an estuary and a creek. One of the city's most striking features is its … | Continue reading
When I grow pole beans, it’s rare they even make it to the kitchen. I wander by the planting box, in the morning to get the mail or at night coming back from a bar, and pause to pull green beans off the vine. I crunch them between my teeth, the snap and the juice, a true pleasure … | Continue reading
Once an imposing coastal fortress, it is now an overlooked relic of Croatia’s naval history. Fort Forno was a commanding and formidable fortress, though years of disuse have left it in a dilapidated state. The fort was built in 1904. It stood 25 meters above sea level and was bui … | Continue reading
When the Japanese took control of Taiwan in 1895 and began logging the forests in the island's interior, they discovered this 3,000-year-old cypress tree. They immediately set it apart as a sacred tree due to its size and age and preserved it, even as they logged most of the surr … | Continue reading
Built in 1934 and named after the man who was president of the country at the time, the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Market was intended to represent a new ideal for a city market. It was designed by architect Antonio Muñoz, and features details of several architectural styles that were … | Continue reading
The route from Cimarron to Eagle Nest, New Mexico, has long been known for its beauty. The western half of the route is preserved as Cimarron Canyon State Park, and the crown jewel of the park is the Palisades Sill. The canyon was created by the Cimarron River, and this particula … | Continue reading
Close to the A169 near Pickering in North Yorkshire, England, is a deep hole in the ground rumored to have been the work of a legendary giant named Wade. The Hole of Horcum is a geological feature formed by spring-sapping, in which upwelling water eats away at the ground, creatin … | Continue reading
In 1962, a local woman discovered a deposit of fossilized deer bones in a small cave in the town of Yamashita, located south of Mount Ōno in Naha. She informed the Ryukyu government, and, upon closer examination, traces of human tools were found on some of the bones. Immediately, … | Continue reading
The fourth Meow Wolf installation, the Real Unreal, has layers. On the surface, it is a colorful but unrevealing storefront in the Grapevine Mills shopping mall that invites shoppers to "come find yourselfs" [sic]. Its next lower stratum is a gift shop and café with an extremely … | Continue reading
Tucked away at the southern end of Amsterdam’s central canal ring, just a stone’s throw from the Rijksmuseum and bustling Leidseplein, this Neo-Gothic building will draw your attention if not by its architecture, then by the size of the queue at the entrance that forms here almos … | Continue reading
On the Moon, there is no normal. There is no wind, no rain, no erosion. Nothing flies overhead, and nothing green strains toward the sky. There are no daily rhythms like those we experience on Earth—no chirping of crickets, no sunset breeze. Time itself seems to stop, or at least … | Continue reading
If you are into boats, this is a deep dive into Paraíba's power for surreal experiences. In the city of Cabedelo, you will encounter something the locals call a lancha, which translates to speedboat. The friendly locals can help you find the spot: a wooden pier suspended over the … | Continue reading
Western movies always tell tales of landlords with vast tracts of mountains and ranges. Few of these fictional characters can compare with the real-life holding of Lucien Bonaparte Maxwell, who once owned more than 2 million acres of land in northeast New Mexico. Maxwell came fro … | Continue reading
The necropolis of Saqqara is home to the Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in the world. Interestingly, its identification is said to have been helped by tourist graffiti left in the complex over 3,000 years ago. The graffiti can be found inside the Pavilion of the South, an … | Continue reading
For nearly 250 years, the Floris family has been operating out of the same storefront, located in the fashionable district of Piccadilly in the heart of London. In fact, both the eighth and ninth generations continue to ship fragrances and toiletries around the globe. Not only ar … | Continue reading
When 34-year-old Robert Devereux, the 2nd Earl of Essex and ill-fated leader of a failed rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, laid his head on the executioner’s block in 1601, the prospect of inspiring a hit ballad was likely the furthest thing from his mind. Yet his grisly demis … | Continue reading
When 34-year-old Robert Devereux, the 2nd Earl of Essex and ill-fated leader of a failed rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, laid his head on the executioner’s block in 1601, the prospect of inspiring a hit ballad was likely the furthest thing from his mind. Yet his grisly demis … | Continue reading
George Leslie Mackay was a Canadian missionary and physician, well regarded in Taiwan for his selfless medical work. After landing ashore in what is now Tamsui District, New Taipei City, he remained on the island until his death in 1901, providing free medical treatment to locals … | Continue reading
Though it's known as one of the lost rivers of London, the River Westbourne hasn't actually gone missing. We know right where it is: flowing through a pipe at the Sloane Square tube station, on the District and Circle lines of the London Underground. London was once crisscrossed … | Continue reading
Tucked away in the heart of Salem, Massachusetts, Yin Yu Tang offers a fascinating glimpse into Chinese heritage, culture, and architecture. The 16-bedroom house was transported piece-by-piece from the Huizhou region in southeastern China in the 1990s as part of a cultural exchan … | Continue reading
It's rare that a country's geographic midpoint is in an easy-to-reach place, and the geographic midpoint of Flanders is no exception. What sets this one apart from many of its counterparts, however, is the fact that it was derived as a homework assignment. The midpoint was derive … | Continue reading
The Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles, a nondescript residential area bordering Culver City, doesn’t have many unique features. But it’s known for one iconic piece of art: a giant hot dog. This absurdist art crowned multiple L.A. businesses on the other side of the city until it … | Continue reading
Located in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, Scotland, the Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow is a prominent sculpture that pays tribute to the town's rich maritime heritage and the skilled workers who contributed to its shipbuilding industry. The sculpture stands at Coronation Park, near the … | Continue reading
Just over five miles outside the center of Reykjavik is a piece of land that looks like an odd assortment of buildings and lodgings. On closer inspection, one will find themselves transported back to the 1800s. This stretch of land was once a farm, but now is home to more than ne … | Continue reading
Copenhagen is a city filled with homages to Denmark's most prominent storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen, from the Little Mermaid to numerous statues of the author himself. Less known is the sculpture outside St. Peter's Church, which is based on an obscure fairy tale titled "Th … | Continue reading
Born in 1914 near Poreč, Croatia, in the humble village of Rakovic, he is one of Croatia’s famous liberators of Istria. Joakim Rakovac was the main organizer of the People’s Liberation Struggle in Istria: a protector, a freedom fighter, and a hero to the Croatian people. In his a … | Continue reading
Nestled high in the Himalayas, the Shandur Polo Field holds the distinction of being the highest polo field in the world. Located at an elevation of 3,700 meters above sea level in northern Pakistan, this unique venue hosts an annual polo tournament that draws spectators and play … | Continue reading
“When people in different parts of the world are asked to rank their favorite colors, without any context,” says Charles Spence, an experimental psychologist at Oxford University, “it always comes out that blues and greens are preferred.” But what happens when people are asked ab … | Continue reading
The local tradition of wrecking boats on the Essex salt marshes has left a fleet of broken masts and helms just moments from the picturesque seaside town Leigh on Sea. But one of these boats set within the marine graveyard is unlike the rest, it hides in plain sight, its old wood … | Continue reading
Hidden along the coast of Istria, remnants of a former cable car hide in the dark forest. Despite its inadequate use now, the Teleferika was a former bauxite mine in its prime, the remains of which can be seen from the seaside town of Rabac. Although bauxite mining was essential … | Continue reading
This story was originally published on The Conversation. It appears here under a Creative Commons license. New results from the first archaeological fieldwork conducted in space show the International Space Station is a rich cultural landscape where crew create their own “gravity … | Continue reading
The western half of Tokyo is known to have been a hilly area in feudal times, and there remain a number of slopes, some steep but most not so much. Dorikono-zaka is one such slope in Setagaya City, the southwestern ward of Tokyo, with a fascinating history. To begin with, the nam … | Continue reading
According to a local legend, during the Kyōhō era (1716–1736), a tailor’s apprentice was taking an afternoon nap outside when someone came and stole expensive fabrics from him. With no suspect around, the police arrested a Jizō (Ksitigarbha) statue that "stood by and did nothing. … | Continue reading
Amsterdam boasts numerous converted spaces that have radically changed their purposes. A monumental century-old building with the inscription "Pathologisch Anatomisch Laboratorium" on the facade is one of the best examples, beloved by the locals. Once a part of a huge hospital na … | Continue reading
The Golden Heart Plaza at First Avenue and Cushman Street is home to a monument paying tribute to entrepreneur E.T. Barnette, who was forced to take a detour up the Chena River on his way to setting up a supply store elsewhere. Facing low water, the Lavelle Young riverboat left h … | Continue reading
Nagoya is home to a beautifully reconstructed castle and gardens. Historically, it belonged to the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan, built on the site of warlord Oda Nobunaga's family fort by the order of Shogun Ieyasu. A lot less visited, not far from Nagoya—10 minutes or so aw … | Continue reading
The run-up to D-Day was tense, the world hung in the balance and the allies were determined to get Europe back from the Nazis, however, in the lead-up to D-Day, six men would go on to lose their lives in an ambitious training exercise. One of the original plans for D-Day was to l … | Continue reading
In the summer of 1859, John Brown rented this small cabin and farm as a barracks, training ground, short-lived antiracist utopia, and launching point for his fateful raid on Harpers Ferry. Using the alias of Isaac Smith, Brown claimed interest in establishing a mining operation l … | Continue reading
The island of Bang Krachao is often known as "Bangkok's Green Lung," but also colloquially as "Pig Stomach Island." This used to be a peninsula formed by a bend of the Chao Phraya River, but these days, a thin canal separates it from the mainland, making it technically an island. … | Continue reading
This is a beautiful small garden straight off a main road in the Cotswold town of Chipping Campden. You enter through a small gated archway in a stone wall and a tranquil green garden haven hides behind it. (Do watch your head, it's a low arch.) The garden was created in the 1970 … | Continue reading
Santa Paula has a rich history of agriculture dating back centuries, and many generations of farmworkers have made the city in Southern California a haven for fruits and vegetables. This community-driven memorial was founded to honor the thousands of individuals who have spent ma … | Continue reading
Along the stunning coast of Pula’s residential area is Saint Theodore’s Quarter, known as Četvrt Sv. Teodora in Croatian, and the home of many archaeological finds. The name potentially derives from a nearby Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Theodore and may have existed b … | Continue reading
Tucked within the Danish Royal Library in Copenhagen and the Bavarian State Library in Munich, rare medieval manuscripts depict something unusual, even for the Middle Ages—a man and woman fighting in a trial by combat. The man is drawn waist-deep in a hole armed with an edged clu … | Continue reading
Each week, Atlas Obscura is providing a new short excerpt from our upcoming book, Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders (September 17, 2024). Over the mountains near the western Iranian desert, a peckish migrating lark spots a welcome sight: a big, juicy sp … | Continue reading
For over two decades, this family-run Peruvian-Chinese restaurant in Astoria, Queens has been quietly turning out rotisserie birds that could give the roast chickens at far fancier Manhattan restaurants a run for their money. Whether you order by the quarter, half, or whole hen, … | Continue reading