Lonavala is a hill station nestled between Pune and Mumbai in Western India. Monsoon season brings gushing waterfalls and sheets of heavy fog to the green hills. Atop a mountain around six miles east of Lonavala sit the ancient Karla Caves. Also known as Valuraka during ancient t … | Continue reading
Every year, tourists flock to Alishan, a mountainous cloud forest in the heart of Taiwan, famous for its stunning "sea of clouds." Among the many visitors, few people stop to look at this unique monument. In 1935, the Japanese colonial government in Taiwan erected the Pagoda of t … | Continue reading
The Red Dog Memorial in Paraburdoo, Western Australia, stands as a poignant tribute to a beloved canine icon whose legend has captured the hearts of locals and visitors alike. Erected in honor of Red Dog, a charismatic and loyal Kelpie cross, the memorial commemorates his remarka … | Continue reading
Cambodia has a long history of performing arts that share commonalities with what is grouped under the "circus" banner nowadays. And like many of the country's ancient artforms, these traditions of acrobatics found themselves oppressed and vilified by the Khmer Rouge regime of di … | Continue reading
First established by a Sicilian chef in 1686, Le Procope has claimed the title of the oldest restaurant in Paris (though it has not been operating continuously for the last three centuries). Over the course of that history, the café in the 6th arrondissement has hosted notable gu … | 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). Let’s say that you want to observe wild animals doing whatever it is they normally do. But because you’re around, w … | Continue reading
Tim and Diane Vandersall were on the open water near Staten Island, New York, when the call came across the radio: “All mariners on the Atlantic Ocean find immediate safe harbor.” A storm was on its way. All day the water had been choppy on this section of the Great Loop, a serie … | Continue reading
Death Comes Lifting is a goth gym space that is exactly as welcoming, dark, and unique as it sounds. Deadlift in the dungeon, get personal training to "strengthen your corpse," wake up with "Mourning Yoga," get strong in a Vampire or Lifting Dead Group Training, or just pop in to … | Continue reading
It’s almost 11 a.m. at the Peabody hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, and a crowd has gathered in the elegant, oak-paneled lobby. Suddenly, the sound of a marching band comes booming across the hotel’s speakers, and all eyes turn toward the main elevator. When its gleaming brass doors … | Continue reading
In 1995, the Grammy-winning queen of Tejano music Selena Quintanilla-Perez was killed by Yolanda Saldivar in Corpus Christi, Texas. Saldivar ran Selena's fan club and was found to have embezzled over $30,000 from the club. She was convicted of fatally shooting Selena in the back … | Continue reading
On the island of Ibiza, a former smuggler's cave now shines with an otherworldly glow. The Cueva de Can Marçà is filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and other geological formations that have been given a range of imaginative names. One of those is the Waterfall Chamber, where t … | Continue reading
The southern coastline of Miura is known for its rocky beaches, often showing traces of littoral erosion. While it has plenty of tide pools and sea caves within easy reach, its most scenic, storied sight requires a bit of wild trekking. Overlooking the uproarious waters of Bisham … | Continue reading
Located on the campus of Hampshire College and near the Eric Carle Museum is another center dedicated to books. However, unlike children and picture books of the former, this location contains perhaps the largest collection of material in New England dedicated to the preservation … | Continue reading
In the last days of the Second Spanish Republic and also during the subsequent Spanish Civil War, many churches went up in flames and many religious images were also burned. A woman from a small town in La Mancha, who had never been to school and had no artistic training, took it … | Continue reading
In Canneto sull'Oglio, a small town in the province of Mantua, there is a small church where the walls are covered in thousands of photographs of the dead. The Church of Santa Croce was built between 1697 and 1745, as an ex-voto following the plague of 1630 that halved the popula … | Continue reading
Tashkent is home to dozens of museums of varying quality, but one of the most obscure and downright bizarre is the Islam Karimov Museum. Established in 2017, it commemorates the life of an ultra-authoritarian ruler who passed away in 2016. For context, Karimov served as the Presi … | Continue reading
David Černý's Lilith is a provocative and captivating art installation in Prague, Czech Republic. This striking sculpture depicts a larger-than-life female figure hugging the external wall of a modern residential building. The steel statue is 24 meters tall and weighs 35 tons. Th … | Continue reading
At one end of San Canciano Bridge, perched atop a pillar, hang two small iron hooks (also called "anchors" by locals). According to legend, touching them is believed to bring good luck. In the past, the location where the hooks reside was the main landing point for boats heading … | Continue reading
Tucked away in the majestic Rila mountain range of Bulgaria lies a forgotten gem of the past—a sanatorium that once stood as a beacon of leisure and relaxation. Constructed amidst the tranquil beauty of the mountains in the 1930s, this retreat was a cherished destination for the … | Continue reading
“Ladies and gentlemen we are coming to you live from the world-famous Little Vegas Chapel,” Chad Collins drawls into the camera. Even if he weren’t dressed in a black jumpsuit studded with gold sunbursts, even if his thick black hair wasn’t combed back, a single strand hanging ro … | Continue reading
One of only three slot canyons in New Mexico, San Lorenzo Canyon is fantastic for hiking, camping, and general observation. And although it's not an official Dark Sky sanctuary, the stargazing here is supreme. Like other slot canyons, San Lorenzo was formed over hundreds of thous … | Continue reading
Found in North Nibley on the famous Cotswold Way footpath, the Tyndale Monument, also known as Nibley Monument, is situated deep in the Cotswolds on a steep hillside overlooking the Severn Valley. After scaling a steep uphill footpath and each of its 121 steps, the Tyndale Monume … | Continue reading
This strange limestone sculpture has a prominent place in the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Madrid. It has been dated between the fifth and the sixth centuries B.C. and depicts a hybrid creature with the body of a bull and the head of a human with animal features. Th … | Continue reading
Tokoname is a city adjacent to Centrair, the gateway to Central Japan. While many visitors head straight to Nagoya, which is within easy reach, the city itself is an attraction famed for its pottery ware, made since the 12th century. The tradition lives on to this day, though its … | Continue reading
In December 2004, San Francisco business owner John Dorning embarked on his first journey aboard the iconic Queen Elizabeth 2. Dorning was making the crossing from Southampton, England, to New York City. It was their first full day at sea. “Sometime during the afternoon, the weat … | Continue reading
Tucked away at the end of an industrial parkway, Trammel Fossil Park is a place to explore the deep history of the eastern United States. It features a large exposure of fossil-bearing limestone that formed about 440 million years ago, during the Ordovician Period. The park is co … | Continue reading
Nestled away in North Berkeley lies a museum that claims to be the world's first and only totally dedicated to wingnuts. What is a wingnut, exactly? It's a type of nut, a common fastening tool with a threaded hole that allows it to screw onto something, often a bolt. Wingnuts hav … | Continue reading
The capital of Indiana Territory was moved from Vincennes to Corydon on May 1, 1813. When the territory became a state three years later, the Harrison County Courthouse would serve as its capitol building, now celebrated as Indiana's first. After the Illinois Territory was split … | Continue reading
The Museum of Medical History is located just outside of downtown Sacramento in the administrative offices of the local medical society. Don't let that fool you, though—it houses an impressive array of old medical equipment and vivid descriptions of medical and nursing history in … | Continue reading
The Basilica of Panagia Limeniotissa was built in the early fifth century, when Cyprus was part of the Byzantine Empire. Originally, the church consisted of three aisles with two rows of marble columns, an apse, and a narthex. The floors and walls of the church were decorated wit … | Continue reading
For much of Delaware’s history, it has acted as a transportation hub and a bridge between the northern and southern United States. Even today, visitors are more likely to drive through Delaware than stop within its borders. One important link between north and south could be foun … | Continue reading
Nestled in the heart of the historic old town hall, the Mijas Folklore Museum whisks visitors back in time to this charming Andalusian town. Visitors can touch the tools that tilled the fields, smell the fragrant rosemary and thyme of the countryside, and marvel at the artistry i … | Continue reading
A uniquely positioned Venetian glass museum can be found near the approach to Mt. Fuji. Straddled between these volcanic mountains is one of the largest collections of preserved Venetian glass found outside of Europe. In 1291, the Republic of Venice forced all glass artisans to m … | Continue reading
Café Sperl ranks the finest of Vienna's grand coffee houses. To this day, the establishment oozes Old World charm and serves exceptional traditional Viennese fare. Among the aged booths covered in velvet red and silvery-gold brocade worn by its occupants, it’s easy to picture you … | Continue reading
Renovating an old home can sometimes unearth interesting surprises—a lovely hardwood floor under the carpet, a unique tile pattern in the kitchen, or even treasures hidden in the walls. Of all the strange discoveries that might be had, one of the last you’d expect to find is a mu … | Continue reading
Kaohsiung, Taiwan's largest southern city and largest port, has a storied history. Though much of its development is recent, the historic Hamasen area in Gushan District is full of buildings which date from the Japanese colonial era (from 1895 to 1945) and boast elegant Japanese- … | Continue reading
Tucked at the end of Dewey Avenue, you'll find a dark, stone fort that looks out of place among the modern surrounding areas with the tree-lined streets, proper sidewalks, and manicured front yards. The Spanish Navy authorized the construction of the Arsenal de Olongapo on March … | Continue reading
This volunteer-built skatepark was constructed by over 100 helping hands from 22 countries, allowing a safe skate space for travelers and locals. The community has existed since 2017, launched by MakeLifeSkateLife. Veterans of the sport—some with over 35 years of experience—teach … | Continue reading
During its establishment in 301, the Republic of San Marino had only one public cistern, located near the First Tower. To accommodate the ever-increasing population, new cisterns were later built or dug directly into the rock, forming a network of water supply systems hidden insi … | Continue reading
Lobanillo Swales is a site along El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail, preserving ruts dug out by wagon wheels over time—known as swales—on a historic road. El Camino Real de los Tejas was a route established over centuries, allegedly following trails first establi … | Continue reading
The Mudéjar style is the only architectural form that is unique to Spain, arising from the particular political, social, and cultural conditions that prevailed in Spain after the Reconquista. Muslim craftsmen and artisans, known as Moors, remained in Christian territories after t … | Continue reading
This story was originally published on The Conversation. It appears here under a Creative Commons license. Throughout the mountains of the American West, carvings hidden on the trunks of aspen trees tell the stories of the sheepherders who made them as they passed through with th … | Continue reading
The southwestern part of Colorado is well-known for its hot springs. Pagosa Springs, Durango, and Ouray all feature luxurious pools, heated by Mother Earth herself. While you can expect to pay a non-trivial fee to soak in these pools, there is at least one free option available. … | Continue reading
Comino may be the third-largest island in the Maltese Archipelago, but, throughout its history, it has been relatively sparsely populated compared to the neighboring islands of Malta and Gozo. Many tourists travel to the island every day, but most only visit the shores of the Blu … | Continue reading
James Davidson and his wife Maria joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Scotland, and emigrated to Utah with their son Joseph in about 1866. James was a skilled machinist who was heavily involved with the attempts to spin cotton into cloth in southern Utah, as … | Continue reading
Recently reopened to the public, Drake's Island has a wealth of history from a 16th-century fort to an army barracks station to an adventure center. Hop on the ferry from the Barbican and join your tour guide for a two-hour journey around the abandoned buildings and underground t … | Continue reading
On October 23, 1911, some 400 guests sat down to one of the most pivotal meals of the 20th century. The setting was the Louis XVI room in Chicago’s Hotel Sherman, a “luxurious meeting place for the elite” that catered to swaggering politicians and mafiosi alike. There, under the … | Continue reading
Guhō-ji is an old temple in Ichikawa City, Chiba, originally founded in 737 though the complex has been rebuilt numerous times, most recently in 1972. Its main approach is a steep stone-step path, consisting of over a thousand blocks, one of which bears a curious story. On the 27 … | Continue reading