In the village of Zaouia Tahtania, 18 kilometers south of the famous ksour (ancient mud village) of Taghit lies an ancient art gallery. Drawings of antelopes, ostriches, giraffes, gazelles, camels, horses, and elephants sit alongside geometric symbols and depictions of the human … | Continue reading
In the summer of 2017, over 35,000 scouts converged in Sønderborg, southern Denmark, for an international jamboree. The event’s theme, “We Leave Marks,” materialized with the unveiling of an extraordinary landmark: a colossal hiking boot named Støvlen ('The Boot'). Stretching 66 … | Continue reading
In a sleepy shopping arcade in Gifu City, stuck in the past, a retro moviehouse stands out with its nostalgic fare. Opened in December 1977 as the city’s brand-new cinema, the Royal Theatre has stood the test of time while the rest of the world grows increasingly digital. About a … | Continue reading
Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall over 1,000 miles south of New York City, the storm had an impact there. There certainly was rain in the days after the 2005, Category 5 hurricane hit Louisiana and Mississippi but other effects were not meteorological. Government officials … | Continue reading
At the southern end of the main beach area of South Shields is a seafood restaurant housed in striking Neoclassical building, which cleverly hides its past as a public lavatory. The original Doric-columned structure was built in 1931 to provide shelter from the changeable Tynesid … | Continue reading
The Mermaid of Ustka symbolizes the town that it calls home, embodying jovial days at the beach and the laid-back coastal attitude of the whole community. Most importantly though, this statue is said to grant a wish and a half to anybody that touches the mermaid's left breast. Wh … | Continue reading
This story was originally published on The Conversation. It appears here under a Creative Commons license. In 2023 alone, the board game industry topped $16.8 billion and is projected to reach $40.1 billion by 2032. Classics like “Scrabble” are being refreshed and transformed, wh … | Continue reading
The Horloge Charvet in Lyon, France, is a historic clock known for its intricate design and longevity. It was installed in 1864 on the facade of the Charvet haberdashery, a well-known company in Lyon. The clock was crafted by Aimé Jacquet, a famous local clockmaker, and features … | Continue reading
Brothers Homer and Verne Adams worked this mine beginning in about 1933. Production records are scanty, but the sheer scale of the operation indicates it enjoyed some degree of success. Operation presumably ceased in 1942 when gold mining was deemed inessential to the war effort. … | Continue reading
Located in the Village of Wind Point, about halfway between Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin, the Wind Point Lighthouse has served the Lake Michigan coastal community since 1880. The structure, and the old foghorn buildings, can still be seen standing on the grounds today. Origina … | Continue reading
Since 1989, the customers of this eclectic pizzeria have been writing messages, place names, or otherwise doodling on one dollar bills which are then glued to the walls, tables, ceiling or anywhere else they will fit. According to servers, there is now around $40,000 covering the … | Continue reading
What pairs best with Czech wines, well puppets of course! The Pohádkové domy, or Fairy Tale house, is an eclectic and entertaining combination of a puppet museum and a massive wine collection. Puppets are everywhere in Czechia, and the art form is a UNESCO-recognized piece of cul … | Continue reading
Located in the industrial port town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, the Big Wheelbarrow is a unique and eye-catching landmark that symbolizes the town's rich mining heritage. Situated at the Port Hedland Visitor Center, this oversized sculpture is a nod to the hard work and … | Continue reading
Okehazama is known as the site of one of the most defining battles in Japanese history alongside Sekigahara and Dan-no-ura, where the bloody echoes of clashing steel may still be heard. On June 12, 1560, samurai lord Imagawa Yoshimoto invaded the province of Owari, but the local … | Continue reading
In the heart of Nitra, Slovakia, stands the striking Sword of Pribina—a captivating blend of artistry and history that commands attention in the city's bustling pedestrian zone. This monument isn't your typical street sculpture; it's a larger-than-life replica of a 9th-century sw … | Continue reading
What may just look like an ordinary bridge that connects two neighborhoods bisected by a busy local road in the city of San Juan is the only remaining section of an aqueduct that once supplied water to the city of Manila from a nearby water reservoir during the Spanish colonial t … | Continue reading
On a clear, crisp morning in 80, Rome was abuzz. For the last few years, it seemed the gods had cursed the empire. In 64, a six-day fire ripped through the capital. Around 78, a deadly plague devastated locals. In 79, the southern city of Pompeii was buried beneath ash and fire. … | 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). As you probably know, Galápagos finches are famous for their beaks. Years of evolution have specialized their schno … | Continue reading
Snowboarding equipment is not an unusual sight in Colorado restaurants. Somewhat less common are Iron Maiden memorabilia and Christmas decorations. Finding all three together is entirely unheard of, except at one very unusual spot. What does each element have in common? Absolutel … | Continue reading
Franz Liszt was a 19th-century Hungarian composer who was so popular with his audiences that he literally drove them crazy. While this phenomenon is rather well known at concerts these days, back then it was worrying enough that it got its own medical term: Lisztomania. Liszt wor … | Continue reading
On a cold April day in 2022, six shaggy, stocky ponies huddled together in the chill Canadian air, hot breath pluming from their noses. The whites of their eyes and bright face markings stood out against their full, dark winter coats. Their hooves crunched through frost on the ha … | Continue reading
Samuel Lockhart, born in 1850, was a member of a renowned circus family. His work as England's first elephant trainer began when he imported three elephants from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka). Lockhart's circus, showcasing his elephants' remarkable skills, was set against the ba … | Continue reading
Joselito was a Spanish matador, considered one of the finest of all time. Joselito came from a family of bullfighters and was the youngest man ever to receive the title of matador beginning his professional career at the age of 12. Along with Juan Belmonte, he is credited with re … | Continue reading
Before the Internet era, television was incredibly influential. In Moriya, a rural suburb one hour north of Tokyo, an unusual traffic jam was once caused by rumors of paranormal phenomena spread on prime time. It all began in 1975, when a local girl claimed to have seen ghostly f … | Continue reading
The Fukagawa Edo Museum may not be quite as big or well-known as the Edo-Tokyo Museum or the Shitamachi Museum, which are similar in theme. It's a must-visit nonetheless for those wishing to get a glimpse of life in Tokyo as it once was when the city was the Tokugawa shogunate's … | Continue reading
This 35-foot-tall fiberglass chef standing outside the Buckeye Express Diner has cheeseburgers instead of hands and claims the title of the World's Largest Bobblehead. Jacques, as he is known, started life in the late 1960s as a French waiter and mascot of a restaurant in Mansfie … | Continue reading
Those passing by this house on the street in Rua Costa Cabral will not suspect that it hides one of Porto's best hidden gems. Nothing has been left to chance in the Fernando de Castro House Museum, and the density of the decoration is breathtaking. During the first half of the 20 … | Continue reading
One of the historic pubs of Glasgow, the Clutha's story is one of resilience and community. Originally built in 1819, it served generations located on the ground floor of a high rise tenement that burned down in the 1960s. Some of the notable figures that have graced the stage in … | Continue reading
The Old Pearler restaurant is a striking example of architectural innovation. The entire building is constructed from a unique material: coquina. This material is formed from millions of tiny mollusks, specifically Cardiid cockles, also known as Hamelin Cockle Shells (fragum erug … | Continue reading
In the run-up to D-Day, millions of soldiers prepared for Operation Overlord, the massive offensive to free Europe from the Axis Powers. It's documented that around 3.5 million soldiers departed for France from Southampton and many more soldiers were shipped out across various lo … | Continue reading
What makes humans, well, human? Most people will point to a behavioral trait, something that feels innate, and exclusive, to our species of surface-dwelling primates. And some behaviors do seem to be unique to us; for example, I’ve never encountered a zoologist who claimed anothe … | Continue reading
Sinkholes typically occur in humid climates with limestone bedrock, where rainfall dissolves the limestone over time, leading to the collapse of the overlying rock into the void. They are less expected in arid country, where limestone is resistant to weathering. Other rocks can d … | Continue reading
Located on the shore of Loch Caolisport, Scotland, St. Columba's Cave is a historically significant site believed to have been used by a 6th-century Irish missionary. The cave, nestled in the remote landscape near the water's edge, is an important landmark in early Scottish Chris … | Continue reading
Visitors to the Nanmenkou Park (South Gate Park) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan will be struck by the sight of an old concrete spiral slide, its staircase flanked by red wrought iron railings. No one can use this slide, as the way up is blocked by iron bars. Rather, it is one of the few en … | Continue reading
A fleet of old arcade machines line the upper landing at Abbey House Museum in Leeds, England. Among them stands a curious 1934 glass-fronted automaton. The diorama within perfectly renders a museum in miniature. Tiny artifacts pack display cases. To one side, a pocket-sized crim … | Continue reading
The Magic Meadows Yurt lies hidden within the Slate River Valley, so deep in the mountains that it’s beyond reach of both road and trail. Getting there isn’t exactly straightforward: the yurt is only open for dinner service December through March, and diners must cross-country sk … | Continue reading
The Bruneau River rises in the Jarbidge Mountains of extreme northern Nevada and flows north into Idaho, meeting the Snake River near the present site of the C. J. Strike Dam. Along the way, it is joined by the Jarbidge River as well as by several smaller tributaries. On its way … | Continue reading
Part medical center, part refugee housing, part event space, Mango House is a sprawling community center designed to help refugees and new immigrants find the resources they need. It’s also home to some of the incredible Asian, Middle Eastern, and East African food in Colorado. M … | Continue reading
The Roman city of Caesar Augusta, today's Zaragoza in Spain, was founded by Emperor Augustus in 14 B.C. It was strategically located on the banks of the Ebro and was an important military and commercial hub in the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis. The city, named in honor … | Continue reading
The Stane Alane standing stone, located near Lochgilphead in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, is a remarkable relic from the Neolithic period. This solitary menhir, standing at approximately 2.4 meters tall, is positioned on a small bank, slightly leaning, and offers a glimpse into anc … | Continue reading
Hiking enthusiasts who visit Xiaoliuqiu, off the western coast of Taiwan, should be sure not to miss the Shanfu Ecological Walk. Interspersed along this winding cliffside trail are cute miniature figures and signs that encourage hikers around the next bend. These signs culminate … | Continue reading
I’ve recently become obsessed with the species identification feature of iNaturalist and its sister app, Seek. It’s a great tool for learning to recognize local animals and plants whenever I find myself outdoors, and sometimes, the results are surprising: like when I pointed my p … | Continue reading
The city of Matsusaka is best known for its beef, the most expensive kind of wagyu. Historically, it was also a major emporium, where many of feudal Japan’s prominent merchants hail. The merchant princes of Matsusaka include Mitsui Takatoshi, the founder of one of Japan's top con … | Continue reading
Dry Fork Canyon has been historically difficult to farm. These ruins of an old flume mark one failed attempt to bring water to the agricultural community. Despite Dry Fork Creek running through the region, the area is rampant with sinkholes that absorb and divert creek water, lea … | Continue reading
This article is from Hakai Magazine, an online publication about science and society in coastal ecosystems. Read more stories like this at hakaimagazine.com. A pair of scientific surveys recently turned up a few surprises on the seafloor off the coast of Los Angeles, California. … | Continue reading
The canals across the United Kingdom, which were mainly constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries, often encountered hilly landscapes. To descend or ascend slopes, canal builders typically used one or more locks that could raise and lower boats from one level to another. However … | Continue reading
Born in the late 1500s in Silkeborg, central Denmark, Kirsten Lauridsdatter began her life on a farm before relocating to Køge, south of Copenhagen, to work as a maid for Johanne Thomes, the wife of a merchant. This move had dire consequences for Lauridsdatter, culminating in her … | Continue reading
A "rock city" consisting of large blocks weathering out of an outcrop is common in arid environments, and not only can be an aesthetically attractive feature but a recreational resource. Such features are not common in a humid environment like the Appalachians, however, where wea … | Continue reading