Piece of the Berlin Wall in Bexley, Ohio

Since November 9, 1989, when the wall dividing East and West Berlin came down, pieces of the concrete barrier have scattered around the globe. One graffiti-sprayed, bullet hole-riddled slab wound up in Columbus, Ohio, where it can still be seen today. To prepare for the AmeriFlor … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 55 minutes ago

'Die Räuberköpfe' ('The Robbers' Heads') in Kiel, Germany

On an exterior wall of a convent in Kiel, northern Germany, two stone medallions known as Die Räuberköpfe ("The Robbers' Heads") display carved portraits that local lore links to two infamous highwaymen, Kruse and Rott. One version of the story recounts that after the robbers wer … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 hour ago

Qinngua Valley in Greenland

Greenland is ice and Iceland is green, or so the saying goes. In reality, Iceland does have significant ice caps, and while Greenland was supposedly named to attract settlers, it may have once had some forests. Almost all were cut down by the early Norse for wood, but there is st … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 hours ago

Swansea Bus Museum in Winch Wen, Wales

This little-known Swansea sanctuary was set up to celebrate that most humble form of public transport: the bus. Within this quirky museum, which is housed in a large hangar on an unassuming industrial estate to the north of the city center, visitors will find a fleet of over 30 b … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 hours ago

Red Rock Canyon in Lake Forest, California

Amidst Loma Ridge in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, the sight of barren red rocks and canyons stands out in the coastal county. Nearly 40 million years ago, sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone deposited along what was once the shoreline, making the Sespe Formation. Alth … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 4 hours ago

Ulysses Lodge in Xagħra, Malta

Ramla Beach on the north coast of Malta’s island of Gozo is one of the most popular sandy beaches in the archipelago. While most visitors come here to sunbathe and splash around, there's more to this spot than meets the eye. Looming on the hill to the west of the beach are the di … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 21 hours ago

Blood-Powered Toes Give ‘Skydiving’ Salamanders a Boost

Up in the canopy of Northern California’s old-growth coast redwoods, about 100 feet above the ground, lives a community of skydiving salamanders. With mottled brown skin and a body small enough to fit on a credit card, the wandering salamander (Aneides vagrans) can go its entire … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 22 hours ago

Poughkeepsie Cast Iron Building (and Its Lego Model) in Poughkeepsie, New York

Downtown Poughkeepsie's 1872 Cast Iron Building is a monumental tribute to the material that dominates its facade. Cast iron was popular in the 19th century for its structural, ornamental, and fire-resistant properties. The building was designed by architect James S. Post and bui … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 23 hours ago

Arab Baths of Girona in Girona, Spain

At the base of Girona Cathedral, the small dome of the Arab Baths peeks above a medieval stone structure. Despite their name, these baths are not of Arab origin. Built in the 12th century in Romanesque style, they borrow architectural elements from Roman baths, Muslim hammams, an … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

The Sunwheel in Hadley, Massachusetts

Each solstice, on the outskirts of the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, students and community members gather around a sun wheel, a primitive version of a calendar consisting of stones aligned in a circle that allow for people to track the orientation of the sun. A now … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

How a UC Davis Research Center Is Changing the World of Coffee

On a recent frosty morning, I stood outside a small building on the University of California, Davis, campus. I was there for a chat with William Ristenpart, the head of the UC Davis Coffee Center, who, at 10 a.m. sharp, whizzed up on a bicycle. “That’s my daily commute!” he said … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju-si, South Korea

The Odusan Observatory is the closest place to Seoul, South Korea, from which you can observe North Korea without having to book a tour or go through security screening. The observatory sits atop a hill where the Han and Imjin rivers meet. It offers a beautiful view of the North … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

Gasholders in London, England

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the area north of King’s Cross Station in London was a notable industrial zone. At the beginning of the 21st century, after industry had declined and property prices had risen, the area was targeted for redevelopment. King’s Cross contained man … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum in Everett, Washington

The late Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, collected vintage aircraft, and later armored vehicles, with a twist: he had them restored, insofar as possible, to operating condition. He founded a museum to display them, which moved to three hangars off Payne Field in 2008. After … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

Ceavccageađge in Norway

The Neolithic settlement of Mortensnes sits on the coast of Eastern Finnmark, at the very northern tip of Norway. There, traces of the Indigenous Sami people's settlements stretch back more than 9,000 years. The area features two sacrificial sites, the most famous being the Trans … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

The Oddities Museum in Chamblee, Georgia

The Oddities Museum is a serial collector’s dream. This gallery of miscellany, loaded with outsider art and biological wonders of grotesque beauty, traveled as a U.S. roadshow at the Oddities and Curiosities Expo before attaining its official status as a non-profit museum on the … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

Staro Zdanje in Aranđelovac, Serbia

One of Serbia’s most stunning palaces is Staro Zdanje. Although it sits abandoned today, it was once regarded as one of the most beautiful structures in the Principality of Serbia and a fine example of Serbian architecture in the 1880s, which sought to combine traditional Serbian … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 day ago

World War I-Era Rudder in Alexandria, Virginia

Soon after the United States entered World War I in 1917, the government placed a heavy emphasis on shipbuilding, including the construction of merchant ships. This led to the government issuing many new contracts to new privately owned shipyards that opened up on the country’s c … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Subway Cave in Old Station, California

The Hat Creek basalt lava flow erupted about 24,000 years ago, near the present site of Old Station, California, and flowed along the Hat Creek Valley. It reached the vicinity of Rising River Lake, about 20 miles north. The flow generated lots of lavatubes, in which flowing lava … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Radio Tave in Houston, Texas

As portals to other worlds, radio and television broadcasts have long maintained a prominent position in the public consciousness. Alien signals leaking into speakers or screens suffuse countless urban legends. ETNL Radio, one of the strangest stations on the air, seems to emanat … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Futuro House no. 001 in Espoo, Finland

The saucer-looking "Futuro houses" were designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the late 1960s and early 70s. The house was designed as an easily transportable skiing lodge for remote locations. At only 22 feet wide, it contains a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. The desig … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Leaning Mosque in Ash-Shahaniyah, Qatar

The Muslim-majority country of Qatar is home to over 2,000 mosques. In the heart of Al Shahaniya, one stands out from the crowd. This 88-foot-tall mosque leans at a striking 20-degree angle, with both the minaret and mosque structure inclined. Designed by Sheikh Faisal, it was bu … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

As Cities Get Warmer, Rat Populations Are On the Rise

This story was originally published in Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Rats are in many ways better adapted to cities than the humans that built them. While urbanites struggle with crowds, sparse parking spaces, and their upstairs neighbors stomp … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Cosanti in Paradise Valley, Arizona

Italian Paolo Soleri came to America to study under renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1947. From him, Soleri learned a lot regarding the integration of architecture into the landscape, but disagreed immensely with his vision of a spread out, proto-suburban "Broadacre City. … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

The Quest to Save the World’s Rarest Pasta

This article is adapted from the February 1, 2025, edition of Gastro Obscura’s Favorite Things newsletter. You can sign up here. In October 2021, Canadian chefs Rob Gentile and David Marcelli found themselves in the stark, mountainous countryside of Sardinia, surrounded by sheep. … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Shiozawa Tsumugi Fabric Museum in Minamiuonuma, Japan

For centuries, residents in the snowy mountains of the Niigata, Japan, have stayed warm with the help of meticulously crafted fabrics. The region has long been known for its textiles, and that heritage continues today at the Shiozawa Tsumugi Fabric Museum where visitors can weave … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 2 days ago

Ask Us Your Burning Travel Questions

Have you ever found yourself wondering how to visit the Gates of Hell, the manmade inferno that’s been burning in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert for more than 50 years? Do you wish you knew what kinds of edible flowers you could forage for that are safe to eat? Or maybe how to pho … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 days ago

Tennessee Pride Sausage Grave in Nashville, Tennessee

Odom’s Tennessee Pride Country Sausage has been a Southern breakfast staple since its founding in 1943. Company founder Douglas Odom Sr., a butcher by trade, began crafting sausage in his backyard using a simple recipe of select pork cuts, sage, and pepper. His flavorful, old-fas … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 days ago

Tozan Shrine in Arita, Japan

Arita, a small town in western Saga prefecture, enjoys a long history as one of the main centers of traditional porcelain production in Japan. It maintained its heritage throughout turbulent times toward the end of the Edo period, and has continued to produce high-quality porcela … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 days ago

Duke Homestead in Durham, North Carolina

Following the Civil War, Washington Duke (as in Duke University) converted his Durham, North Carolina farm into a small tobacco-manufacturing factory, which he operated it with his sons, Buck and Ben. A few years later, Buck invested in a newly developed cigarette-rolling machine … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 days ago

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

These well-maintained ruins scattered around the north-central province of Sri Lanka are all that remains of the former Sinhalese capital. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, the ancient city was the second capital city of Sri Lanka. It has structures dating back to … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 days ago

Roman Ruins Underneath a Starbucks in Varna, Bulgaria

As you wait for the barista to make your drink at this Starbucks in Varna, Bulgaria, don’t pull out your phone and start scrolling—there are better ways to pass the time. Below the shelves of branded mugs and bags of coffee beans is a 2,000-year-old street scene from the ancient … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 3 days ago

Why Sarasota Is an Ideal Destination for Nature Lovers

BY JENNIFER FRANKLIN With its white-sugar sand and turquoise gulf waters, it’s not surprising that southwest Florida is a bucket list destination for sun-seekers. However, insiders know that there’s much more to explore. “Sarasota County is home to some of the most beautiful beac … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 5 days ago

JQD Saltworks in Malden, West Virginia

After more than a decade of working as a chef in restaurants around North Carolina, Nancy Burns reconnected with her own gastronomic heritage. Her time in the kitchen led to an interest in collecting salts from around the globe. Eventually she started to research her own roots an … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 5 days ago

First Flight Monument in Shibuya, Japan

Standing underneath some trees in the southwest corner of Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park is a set of monuments marking the first airplane flight in Japan. The main monument consists of a broad stone structure featuring an eagle with outstretched wings. The first men to fly airplanes in Japa … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 5 days ago

Glanum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France

During Vincent van Gogh’s stay at Saint Paul de Mausole, he was sometimes able to leave the grounds of the asylum. During these field trips, he painted fields of wheat, cypresses, and groves of olive trees. He told his brother Theo, “the rustle of the olive grove has something ve … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Masked God Boze of Akusekijima Island in Kagoshima, Japan

Every year, at the end of the Obon holidays, a trio of Raihō-shin or “visitor deities” known as Boze appears on Akusekijima, an island in the Tokara Islands. Dressed in fan palm leaves and a large Polynesian-style mask, Boze carries a phallic staff and chases around women and chi … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Plague Grave in Alloa, Scotland

The Black Death, or more commonly referred to as the bubonic plague pandemic, is said to have originated in Central Asia sometime in the mid-14th century. It would make its way across to mainland Europe, and eventually the United Kingdom, carried by fleas on the backs of rats who … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Rifle Falls in Rifle, Colorado

Just a short distance from the desert vistas that dominate western Colorado, Rifle Falls feels as though it would be more at home in Hawaii or the Pacific Northwest. Three powerful waterfalls tumble side by side over a travertine dam, spilling 70 feet into the pool below. Fed by … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Canon of Banastarim in Panaji, India

On the promenade in Campal, a neighborhood in the western area of Panaji, one can see a huge canon opposite Dr. F. L. Gomes Garden. In 1515, the Canon of Banastarim, sometimes referred to as the Canon at Campal, would have been a force to be reckoned with in Goa. Fernando Anes, a … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Snake Stories: Our Favorite Reads

On January 29, communities around the world rang in the Lunar New Year. In the Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle aligns each year with its own animal, as well as one of five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, or water. As we bid farewell to the Year of the Wood Dragon, we welcome t … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Clocks of St. George’s Basilica in Ir-Rabat Għawdex, Malta

When St. George’s Basilica in Victoria, Malta, was built in 1678, its front façade included two circular spaces that could be used for either sundials or clocks so that people in the square in front of the church could tell the time. However, these circular spaces were left blank … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Atlas Obscura’s Juiciest Pope Drama

In the 2024 film Conclave, which received eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture, the process of selecting a new pope reveals skeletons in each candidate’s closet. Although the story is fictional, the real-life papacy has had no shortage of secrets and scandals over the c … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 6 days ago

Frank Gilbert Crichlow Plaque in London, England

Frank Gilbert Crichlow was part of the Windrush generation. Named after the ship HMT Empire Windrush, which arrived in the United Kingdom in 1948, the generation is often defined as the migrants who arrived in the country from Commonwealth nations between 1948 and 1971. While the … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 7 days ago

Sansuna’s Rock in Ix-Xagħra, Malta

While the town of Xagħra on Malta’s island of Gozo is best known for the neolithic site of Ġgantija, its not the only one in town. Another lesser-known neolithic spot is located within a small courtyard on the north side of Xagħra. The 13-foot-long limestone rock monument is comm … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 7 days ago

A Fine Balance in Petaluma, California

“A Fine Balance” is a public art installation in Petaluma, California, created by San Francisco artist Brian Goggin. The sculpture features two Victorian-era clawfoot bathtubs mounted on stilts, situated in the H Street Pocket Park along the Petaluma River. In 2014, the Petaluma … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 7 days ago

Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta, Malta

Opera became so popular in Malta in the mid-19th century that the island's theaters reached capacity. In 1860, the Governor of Malta formally approved the construction of a new theatre near Valletta’s main entrance. The neoclassical Royal Opera House, which was designed by notabl … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 7 days ago

Pennine Tower in Lancashire, England

Following World War II, an expanded network of motorways began to crop up across the United Kingdom. The construction of these roads also brought the rise of service areas where drivers could get gasoline and refreshments, as well as use the restroom. Forton Services, which is no … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 7 days ago