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airpano.com
Aerial 3D Panoramas
360° Aerial Panorama
3D Virtual Tours Around the World
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AirPano is a non-commercial project focused on high resolution 3D aerial panoramas. The AirPano team is a group of Russian photographers and panorama enthusiasts. During the next 2-3 years, we plan to shoot a variety of aerial panoramas and create virtual 3D tours of the most interesting places of our planet.
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Aerial 3D Panoramas | 360 Video | Photogallery | News | Guest Book | AirPano Project | FAQ | Articles | Contact
AirPano is a non-for-profit project focused on high-resolution spherical panoramas shot from a bird’s eye view. Being the largest resource for 360° aerial panoramas in the world - by geographical coverage, number of aerial photographs, and artistic and technical quality of the images, AirPano has already photographed over two hundred most interesting locations on our planet. There are nearly two thousand 360° panoramas on our website at the moment.
Starry sky over mount Elbrus
We invite you to a journey to the mount Elbrus. You will be able to see incredible starry sky over the highest peak of Russia, mount Elbrus...
Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces, China
Yuanyang rice terraces (fields that follow the shape of a hill) turned out to be a great attraction for everyone who can appreciate natural beauty. There are no words to describe this stunning picture, and we don't need to — you will see it for yourself though our panoramas...
Sydney, Australia
One of the most beautiful cities of the planet, Sydney, unites more than 200 other works of modern cinematograph. Sydney is not the capital of Australia at all, though it is its oldest city. Sydney is a visit card of Australia, there are its most recognizable buildings: the fantastic Sydney Opera House and the grand Harbour Bridge...
Lencois Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, one of the main natural landmarks of the country, is located in northeastern Brazil. A flat surface occupying about 1,500 square kilometers is covered with large sand dunes reaching up to 40 meters in height...
360 video, The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Part II
Today we present the second 360 video of The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We invite you to a journey to one of the greatest wonders of nature! You will be able to see one of the most impressive nature monuments from the very unique point of views and catch a sense of a flight...
Thousand Island Lake, China
The Qiandaohu Lake, or Thousand Island Lake, has 1,078 islands of relatively large size and a countless number of tiny patches of land peaking from under the water. Good climate and water promoted lush vegetation on the islands, and now forests with lots of animals and birds cover over 80 percent of the land...
Varanasi, India
The ancient city of Varanasi is one of the most interesting landmarks of India, and it is probably the most unique. The fame of Varanasi is based not only on its architecture but also on its history and its important role in Hinduism...
San Francisco, California, USA
San Francisco is one of the most famous cities in the U.S. Its path is inseparably connected with the history of the country. The city of San Francisco experienced a rapid growth in the 19th century when gold was found in California This made San Francisco the largest city west of the Mississippi River, until Los Angeles claimed the title in 1920...
360 video, Starry sky over mount Elbrus
We invite you to a journey to the mount Elbrus. You will be able to see incredible starry sky over the highest peak of Russia, mount Elbrus. This video was filmed during Olympic Games in Sochi. We were in these places while shooting virtual tour of Elbrus. At that time we shot more than 10 hours of the starry sky, which we bring to your attention...
Berlin, Germany
We are so delighted with the victory of German national team over Brazilians — the hosts team of 2014 FIFA World Cup. That's why we decided to publish unscheduled virtual tour over Berlin, and thereby to congratulate the German fans and all football fans on a historic victory...
360 video, the Emirates (UAE)
We invite you to a journey to the United Arab Emirates. You will see the Abu Dhabi Corniche, the skyscrapers of Dubai, the famous hotel Burj Al Arab and the racetrack of Formula 1 — all from a very unique point of views...
Iceland, the best aerial panoramas
Spacious fields, mountains, and water exists in all possible states: from frozen ice to steaming geysers - this is what makes this unique, majestic, harsh and deserted landscape of Iceland, the country that looks so different from anything else in the world...
Download iPad application AirPano Travel Book
AirPano Travel Book is a collection of unique spherical photo panoramas of the most amazing places in the world shot from a bird’s eye view. AirPano Travel Book takes you on exciting journey with a real-life presence at a photographic location...
360 video, The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Today we present another 360 video: The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We invite you to a journey to one of the greatest wonders of nature! You will be able to see one of the most impressive nature monuments from the very unique point of views and catch a sense of a flight...
Meteora, Greece
The monastery complex of Metéora in Greece is one of the very few monuments on our planet that was created both by man and nature. The Metéora is an extremely unique example of harmonious craftsmanship that enriches the local landscape without changing it...
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Marvelous City is an unofficial name of Rio de Janeiro, and it suits the city very well. With the total area of 1,260 square kilometers, the city of Rio de Janeiro lies on the western shore of Guanabara Bay, the Atlantic coast of Brazil. Valleys, hills, mountains, and beaches create a picturesque landscape...
Mount Elbrus, Russia
Mount Elbrus, the highest peak of Russia, is located north of the Caucasus Mountain Range, on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia of Russia. The twin-peak mountain (5,642-meter and 5,621-meter summits) can also be considered the highest peak in Europe...
Maldives, Anantara Kihavah and Gili Lankanfushi
Many international resorts offer their guests "primordial purity, unique nature, snow-white beaches" and so on, when on the Maldives all these are perfect in a special way. This insular state consists of about 1190 islands in the Indian Ocean...
Waterfalls around the World
There are thousands of different waterfalls on our planet. They are wide and narrow, high and low, famous and unknown, but every "cascade of water falling from a height" is unique in its own way. See it for yourself when you take our virtual tour over waterfalls from several continents...
Beijing, China
During the course of its long history, the city of Beijing has lived through countless forays and devastation, and changing of names, governments, and administrative status. In 1421, the city finally received its modern name, Beijing. By that time, in the midst of the outside city, which was surrounded by brick walls, people built the world-famous Forbidden City...
360 video, Central Himalayas
This time we invite you to a journey into the highest Mountains on a planet! You will be able to see some of 8000-peaks and dozens of smaller mountains from the very unique point of views and catch a sense of a flight...
Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin on the Nerl River, Russia
After wondering through river channels for about an hour we saw a blurry silhouette of the Church. Right before the sunrise. The sun painted the sky and the water with such surreal colors that we almost forgot why we were there...
Oculus Rift support is added
Today AirPano offers a great opportunity to all owners of Oculus Rift glasses. We have created a first virtual tour with support of Oculus VR technology. Unique landscapes of the ancient city of Petra is perfect for demonstrating the virtual reality devices. You can see the virtual tour with panoramas of Petra in Oculus Rift here...
Casablanca, Morocco
The biggest city of Morocco is not the capital city of Rabat, as one may think. It is the ancient legendary city of Casablanca. Casablanca also is the largest Atlantic port of the country, one of the most influential trade centers in North Africa, and an important industrial and financial center...
Soyuz-AirPano rocket launch
Five, four, three, two, one, lift-off! You hear the roar of the boost engines and in a second the space ship is on its way to the open space... But it took us a long way to take an airscape of a spaceship launch. And finally, today, on the 1st of Aprill 2014, the launch of a space rocket called "Soyuz-AirPano" took place...
Bagan, Myanmar
The great ancient kingdom of Bagan was once located on the territory of the modern country of Myanmar. The capital of the kingdom was also named Bagan. The city of Bagan stretched along the western shore of the Irrawaddy River. Today, it is one of the largest archeological zones in the world...
New 7 Wonders of the World
The Seven Wonders of the World is a list of the most famous monuments of human genius created before our time. Since then, humanity has created a number of other amazing masterpieces of architecture. There have been multiple attempts to review and edit the original list, and even alternative lists have been proposed...
Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka, Russia
The Valley of Geysers — one of the most famous attractions of Kamchatka region. There are dozens of similar canyons in Kamchatka, but this is the only one with 40 geysers and numerous hot springs stretched 6 km from the mouth of the river. All known modern forms of hydrothermal activity is represented in the valley...
Sevastopol, Crimea
The city of Sevastopol is located on Heraclea Peninsula in the southwestern part of the Crimea. In 5th century BC a prosperous Greek colony of Chersoneses was located right on this spot. There are many unforgettable milestones in the history of the city. One of the most important historical events is the legendary First Siege of Sevastopol...
Three applications by AirPano available in the App Store
Three iPad applications from AirPano team are available in the App Store. The apps offer virtual tours to most beautiful places of Kamchatka: "Bears 360º", "Volcano 360º", and "Geysers 360º". Each virtual tour features spherical panoramas, 360º videos, set of photographs, and a brief story about our photo expedition.
Maya Pyramids, Chichen Itza, Mexico
There were a number of great civilizations on our planet. One of the most famous civilizations is Maya. They created a unique written language, art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems before disappearing without a trace. Remarkable monuments of Mayan architecture are found in Mexico, Chichen Itza...
XXII Olympic Winter Games
Having been to the Olympic Games I'd forgotten how to write "Sochi" and "2014" separately... I would never miss the 2014 Olympics and here is why: the Games were held in my country, they were only 3-hour flight away from my city, my friends lived on a hill with a nice view of the Olympic Park, an airfare was reasonable...
Cappadocia, Turkey
Caves and whimsical rocks of Cappadocia are not the only tourist attraction of the region. Travelers are also attracted by the opportunity to admire local landscape from a basket of a hot air balloon. Hundreds of them ascending simultaneously from different corners of the valley. What a spectacular sight!
Petra, Jordan
Petra is a city that lives in four dimensions. Or "lived" to be exact... My mind doesn't want to accept the fact that the majority of the breathtaking monumental rock castles are only random parts of a gigantic centuries-old multinational Necropolis. But Petra was not designed as Necropolis. Deep under the rocks, there once lived around twenty thousand people...
Lake Baikal, Russia
Lake Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet, and is one of the most famous landmarks of Russia and the world. In 1996 Lake Baikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Baikal is the largest reservoir of fresh water. It is fed by 336 inflowing rivers and is drained though a single outlet — the Angara River...
Madrid, Spain
Being the capital of Spain and its largest city, Madrid is also a popular tourist destination. Variety of monuments from different epochs, rich history, and unique culture attract tourists from around the world. Saving landmarks of its legendary past, Madrid went on building new exciting architectural masterpieces...
Venice, Italy
Located in the center of Europe, Venice is called the "city on water". There are no roads, cars, taxis, buses, trams, nor bikes. You either walk on foot or use water transportation: boats, motorboats, or gondolas. Tourists use the latter as a romantic adventure...
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China can be easily called a world landmark: there is hardly a person who doesn't know about it or its location, and it not just because of its obvious name. The Great Wall of China is the most famous monument, unparalleled in its glory. The wall was supposed to run along the mountain chain, rounding all the spurs and covering high rises and deep gorges...
The Land of Bears, Kurile Lake, Kamchatka, Russia
One of the craters of the long-extinct Kamchatka volcano (caldera) is filled with picturesque Kurile Lake. It's the second largest freshwater reservoir in Kamchatka. On a clear day a surface of the lake becomes a mirror that reflects volcanoes, creating landscapes of unimaginable beauty...
Niagara Falls, Canada-USA
At the North American Niagara River nature created a magnificent cascade of waterfalls. Each waterfall has its own name: the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls, and the Bridal Veil Falls. However all of them are known under one name — Niagara Falls. This is the most important landmark of the USA and Canada at the same time, as it separates one country from another...
Grand tour of Moscow, Russia
According to the legend Moscow is situated on seven hills. The Kremlin, a settlement around which the modern capital of Russia grew, is situated on one of those hills — the Borovitsky Hill. The first mention of Moscow dates back to year 1147, and since then, for almost nine centuries, the city experienced a myriad of events, and it has been destroyed and rebuilt over and over again...
Cancun, Mexico
Cancun is one of the most famous resorts towns in Mexico visited by almost seven million tourists every year. Half a million of local residents are involved in tourism industry and work hard to provide guests with high quality recreational experience. Meanwhile, in 1970 only three people lived here, and the only activity they did was looking after a coconut plantation...
Irkutsk, Russia
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, and one of the largest cities in Siberia. The city proper lies on the Angara River, a tributary of the Yenisei, 72 kilometers below its outflow from Lake Baikal...
Grand tour of Iceland
“Ice and fire” - these are two words, which despite their seeming mutual exclusiveness, perfectly grasp the nature of Iceland. Although called “the land of ice”, ironically, Iceland has boiling hot springs and geothermal lakes. And how magnificent are the flows of glowing lava from Eyjafjallajoekull, the famous volcano!
Peterhof, St. Petersburg, Russia
Nowadays Peterhof is a world-famous complex consisting of various palaces and gardens, and it's considered to be one of the most important sights in St. Petersburg and Russia. Modern Peterhof includes several palaces and park complexes that were under construction for almost two centuries...
Flamingo, Kenya, Lake Bogoria
The number of flamingos varies during a year depending on the water level and food availability, but at the peak of the season Lake Bogoria is covered by about half million of these graceful birds...
360 video, the Land of Bears, Kamchatka, Russia
We are pleased to offer to your attention unique 360 video. This film was captured in September of 2013 over the Kurile Lake in Kamchatka in natural habitat of Kamchatka bears...
Uzon caldera, Kamchatka, Russia
Uzon Volcanic Caldera (a cauldron-like collapse) was formed about 40,000 years ago on the site of the volcano that was destroyed by a series of eruptions. Just like an open air museum, this unique volcanic territory offers you almost all Kamchatka places of interest: both hot and narzan mineral water springs, mud pots, volcanoes, lakes, and streams...
The Great Migration, Kenya
Masai Mara, a unique nature reserve, is located in the south-western part of Kenya, with its northern part adjoining the Serengeti National Park. The reserve was named after the indigenous population (Maasai) and the Mara River. With an area of 1510 square kilometers, Masai Mara is one of the largest nature reserves in Kenya...
Florence, Italy
As any other ancient city, Florence has a lot to offer to tourists. However, its distinguishing feature is not only presented in architectural elements, but rather in continuous connection with history and culture of the world. Dante, Petrarch, Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and many other great Masters lived and worked in Florence...
Flooding in Amur River, Russia, 2013
The current flooding in Russia’s Far East, on a river Amur is the worst in the region in 120 years. The locals who have been fighting the high waters for the second month in a row are comparing the catastrophe to the Biblical Great Flood. Almost 30,000 people have been evacuated and almost 3,000 are in hospitals.
Trip to the North Pole
The most impressive thing is how fast it pushes through the ice floes. You could never forget the vibration of the vessel while it is making its way through the ice and the scratching sound it made. It seemed like the sensations pierced my whole body...
Bird's Eye View of the Moscow Kremlin
Today AirPano project and Russian Geographic Society (RGS) have prepared a gift for the city: a virtual tour over the Moscow Kremlin consisting of five spherical panoramas.
Inside the Thrihnukagigur volcano, Iceland
Iceland is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world, with eruptions occurring every 3-4 years on average. Thrihnukagigur volcano is dormant — it last erupted over 4,000 years ago. There are no indications of it erupting again in the near future...
Rome, Italy
Rome is one of the most famous and beautiful cities in the world. The fall of the Roman empire didn't affect the city's renown: its glory wasn't tarnished, but became of a different character. Nowadays countless sights of Rome built during legendary times attract many tourists...
Maldives, One&Only Reethi-Rah. Split-panoramas
The Maldives Islands are often associated with calm and lazy leisure full of utter bliss and tranquil solitude. Today we decided to gather all panoramas we have created for last years on Maldive Islands into one virtual tour...
Mexico City, Mexico
Sights of Mexico City turned the capital into one of the most popular tourist destinations in Latin America. If put together, all of Mexico City's contrasts: high crime rate vs. hospitality of local residents, ultra modern skyscrapers vs. Aztec pyramids, slums vs. magnificent palaces, hills vs. plains — provide the city with a special unforgettable atmosphere...
The Drakensberg - Dragon Mountains, South Africa
Drakensberg is a beautiful mountain range cut by numerous rivers. You can also see Tugela Falls that drops in five free-leaping falls from the eastern cliff. Here one can find peaks next to completely flat tops, and rainforests next to meadows and savannas...
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is one of the most famous and beautiful cities in the world. The city's nine hills are situated on the bank of the Vltava River, offering very picturesque views. There are many unique architectural landmarks in Prague that survived to this day: Powder Tower, medieval Vyšehrad fort, Old Town Square, Jewish Quarter, Charles Bridge, etc...
Flooding in Germany, 2013
It was very unusual and strange to see bushes, trees, street signs, and lampposts floating in the water. And it was even more unusual to see flooded homes in the distance. Seven hundred meters separated us from the Elbe River channel! Level of the raised water, its volume, and its speed made a horrendous impression on us...
The first "under ice" panorama in the world
Ice diving has a special place among all other types of diving. During this process you can't surface where you want, you have to carry more equipment, and the temperature of air and water is much lower. Salt water freezes when temperature drops below zero, about minus two degrees to be more precise. Water in the White Sea reaches freezing point...
Kazan, Summer Universiade 2013, Russia
Kazan is one of the oldest cities of Russia: in 2005 the city celebrated one thousand years since its foundation. Kazan is officially known as "the third capital of Russia": its population is over one million people, and the same number of tourists visit it every year. The 27th World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan will be held from July 6 to July 17, 2013...
Guilin National Park, China
Guilin is one of the most interesting cities in China, also famous for its wonderful natural monuments. The Guilin's mountains are among the most picturesque mountains in the world. They are often covered with soft haze, as calm water of Li's river has this magnetic aura, that excited the muses of artists and poets for ages...
Shanghai, China
During the centuries of Shanghai's history, the city has seen both peacetime and war: it was invaded and bombed, and then, with new powers, it was restored again. And now it's one of the world's major financial centers, the core of China's political intrigues, and, at the same time, the cradle of modern Chinese cinema and theater...
Flooding in Czech Republic, Usti nad Labem, 2013
Located North of Prague, at the confluence of Elbe and Bilin rivers, city of Usti nad Labem is experiencing a major flood at the moment. Our colleague Stas Sedov is working in Usti nad Labem right now. He was able to capture the “Big Water” from a bird’s eye view...
360 video, Manhattan at Night, New York, USA
Now we would like to show the unique 360 video of the night Manhattan, New York, USA, which has been taken in March 2013...
Athens, Greece
Being one of the oldest cities in the world Athens was first mentioned in 15th century BC. Athens is called the "cradle of civilization" — it's the birthplace of democracy, western philosophy, political science, literature, theater, and the Olympics...
Maya Pyramids, Tikal, Guatemala
The name Tikal, which in means "the place of spirit voices" Mayan language, appeared in the 1840s when Europeans discovered this area. Perhaps this monumental abandoned complex made explorers tremble in awe, and native Indians, descendants of the ancient Maya, decided to strengthen this impression by giving this place an appropriate name...
Singapore - Dream City
Singapore is an eye-candy city-state. Being in the center (or, as it was in the ancient times, in the end) of Asia, this city has absorbed all the might and splendour of a modern western civilization and is happy to showcase it to the world — it's definitely worth it.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is located in the eastern part of Australia and it is one of the greatest wonders of nature. It stretches 2,500 kilometers along the coast. It is the largest coral ecosystem of our planet and the largest natural object formed by living organisms...
President of Russia V. V. Putin handed AirPano the Grant Certificate from the RGS
On 30th of April President of Russia V. V. Putin handed Sergei Semenov, the representative of AirPano team, the Grant Certificate from the Russian Geographic Society (RGS)...
Norwegian Fjords
Fjords are considered to be among the most beautiful sights of the world: narrow, winding, and cut deep into the land, these sea bays are lodged between steep cliffs that sometimes reach 1,000 meters high. They can be found all around the world but when you mention fjords, most people think about Norway — it has the highest number of most beautiful fjords in the world...
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is one of the most famous ancient cities in the world. The center of the old city is the Gothic Quarter. It still has many structures that were built during the Middle Ages, and even some buildings that were built around the time of the first Roman settlements...
Flooding in Germany, Fischbeck and Lostau Towns, Ultra High Resolution
The situation in Germany is getting slowly back to normal, but there are still many places which are still under water. We would like to suggest you two ultra high resolution panoramas from Fishbeck and Lostau towns...
Shooting spherical stereo panorama
We shot a lot of complex and unique spherical panoramas in various parts of the globe. But so far we could not make a spherical panorama with a 3D image. Today we managed to solve this seemingly unsolvable problem...
Abbey Mont Saint-Michel, France
Mont Saint-Michel, is a name that has a lot of charm, it sounds almost poetic and lyrical. But don't let it fool you: Mont Saint-Michel is a small rocky tidal island situated on the north-west coast of France...
Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Many Athens landmarks have survived to this day, and the most famous of them, without a doubt, is the Acropolis. It became the famous landmark of the world and a symbol of Greece, just like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Kremlin in Moscow ...
Top Hotels in Turkey
Turkey is famous for its resorts. Millions of tourists come to Turkey every year. More and more hotels are being built on the Turkish shore. The variety of Turkish hotels can satisfy every taste. There are true masterpieces of architecture, secluded club houses surrounded by green golf courses, boutique bed and breakfasts, and huge ultra-modern hotels...
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital of the world, was founded by Ingólfur Arnarson, a Norwegian Viking, who decided to settle down and farm somewhere far away from his homeland. In 874 he built a farm on the southeastern tip of Iceland and called this area Reykjavík, which stands for "Bay of Smoke"...
Maldive Islands
The Maldives Islands are often associated with calm and lazy leisure full of utter bliss and tranquil solitude. Today we decided to gather all panoramas we have created for last years on Maldive Islands into one virtual tour...
Thermal Resort "Blue Lagoon", Iceland
The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica and sulphur and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases...
Santorini (Thira), Oia, Greece
There is no time, no rush. Eyes are resting, slowly moving along wonderful, as if carefully picked by an artist, details: the rhythm of blue-and-white stairs, a black cat napping on a white parapet. Everything has its special charm. This is an amazing island, capable of filling up not only view finders of your camera, but your entire soul...
360 video, Plosky Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, 2012
Now we would like to show the unique 360 video of the Plosky Tolbachik volcano eruption, Kamchatka, Russia which has been taken in December 2012...
Orda Cave. The first underwater cave panorama in the world
Underwater caves are considered the hardest subject of underwater photography. Overhead environment, inability to surface when you need to, underwater narrows, you have to squeeze through, and complete darkness - here are just a few difficulties that one faces in cave diving...
Iguasu Falls, Argentina-Brazil. Grand tour
The waterfalls are unbelievably cool! A true endless flow of water! Approximately 1,5 to 3 million liters per second of water flows down the Iguazu Falls every second depending on the season. Entire canyon is covered with think mist created by falling water...
Highlands of Iceland, Langisjor and Veidivotn
“Ice and fire” - these are two words, which despite their seeming mutual exclusiveness, perfectly grasp the nature of Iceland. Although called “the land of ice”, ironically, Iceland has boiling hot springs and geothermal lakes. Iceland is also one of the most active volcanic regions in the world...
The Matterhorn Mountain, Switzerland
Ranking traditional icons of Switzerland by their increasing size may look like this: Swiss watch, Swiss knife, Swiss chocolate, Swiss cheese, and Swiss bank. The largest icon of Switzerland - the Matterhorn Mountain — caps the list...
Flight to Stratosphere
Sending cameras into the stratosphere is done by using balloons filled with helium. These balloons rise 35-37 kilometers above the ground, gradually increasing in size until they are as big as three-story house. At this altitude balloons suppose to burst and send cameras safely to the ground by parachute...
Bryce Canyon in Winter, Utah, USA
Truly the Bryce Canyon is not just another attraction in the USA; it is one of the very few places on our planet that puzzles our human mind unable to find logical explanation and process visual information. So if you ever happen to be in The Bryce Canyon — don't panic. This gigantic forest of orange and rose asparagus is very real...
Volcano Plosky Tolbachik, Kamchatka, Russia, 2012
As we got closer to Tolbachik, we realize how incredibly lucky we were! The slopes of the volcano were clear of clouds; the visibility was perfect up to the horizon. The morning sun lit up the plume of smoke from the active volcanic cone. We are going straight to the cone...
Taj Mahal, India
In 1997 famous Frenchman Bertran photographed Taj Mahal from a helicopter. Since that moment nobody else has been able to get a permission to shoot the Indian landmark from air for 15 years. AirPano has achieved the impossible — for the first time in world's history we created a virtual aerial photo tour of Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World...
Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
During sunrise the wind blew from the ocean and gradually cleared the fog away from the hill, leaving behind fantastic colors. Suddenly a huge heavy cloud floated above our heads became brightly coloured in orange. Dima shouted: "Urgent take off!" And we were on our way! ...
Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
Arabian proverb says, "Everything in the world is afraid of time, and time is afraid of the pyramids". In the end of this year we would like to invite our visitors to have a bird-eye view of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt — the only one of "Seven Wonders of the World" which is still standing...
Grand tour of Manhattan, New York, USA
I remember this photo shoot by one funny detail: there were no headphones for passengers in the helicopter's cabin. I had to shout from the back seat (while trying to overcome the engine roar that was coming from the open door) to let the pilot know where to go. I also had to tap on his shoulder and then point the direction...
Paris, France
France is one of the most famous countries in Europe, and Paris is probably the most famous city in the world. Paris is rightfully called "the city of light". It is because the capital of France has been a center of education, arts and philosophy for many many centuries...
Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
It's not surprising that the Shwedagon Golden Pagoda was repeatedly plundered over the years, and some parts, like three hundred years old bell encrusted with jewels, are now lost. However, the Golden Pagoda in Myanmar has survived to see our days in its full glory...
Vatican City State
Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world with a total area of 0.44 square kilometers and the total length of the state border of 3 kilometers. Vatican has almost two thousand years of history and it is more than just a church, the square, and museums...
Angel Waterfall of Venezuela - The World's Highest Waterfall
In March of 2011, Dima Moiseenko flew to Venezuela to shoot Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall. The photo session lasted for two days. However, all of difficulties were overcome and Dima managed to shoot Angel Falls and two other waterfalls that flow from the Tepui.
New York, Manhattan, Night
Technically this shooting from the hotel Millennium UN Plaza was enough difficult, and we spent more several years thinking about this panorama. The idea has arisen in 2007 after we had made our first panorama using four meters bar. We had some difficulties to ressolve before the shooting ...
St-Petersburg, Virtual Tour
That evening we left St. Petersburg accompanying with the sounds of thunder. The big rain drops were pattering on the train's windows but we were not upset anymore - our work had been done. A year of preparation, a month and a half of waiting for a good weather and an hour and a half of the flight over one of the most beautiful cities in Russia - all those were in past.
Matterhorn-Cervino, Monte Rosa, Zermatt
In terms of altitude, the Matterhorn is the fifth among the Alpine peaks, but the difficulty of a climb ranks it second to none. Its faces are so deceptive, that even the most experienced climbers could not ascend them until 1865; and the southern slope remained unconquered for another 66 years...
Swaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi, India
The world's largest Hindu temple is situated in the capital of India. It was opened in 2005. The construction took over 5 years and involved 7 thousand artisans and 3 thousand construction workers from all over India. Construction of this beautiful site was funded by donations and done through a spirit of volunterism...
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Angkor includes a number of majestic temples complexes, the most famous of which is the "Temple City" of Angkor Wat. It was built as a temple and mausoleum for King Suryavarman II in 1112-1152. It's considered to be one of the biggest cult buildings in the world...
Moscow City Center, Kremlin
The treasury of our Moscow panoramas is gradually increasing. We have already been shooting aerial panoramas for 6 years. However, we didn't succeed in shooting Moscow, the city we live in, though we did our best. The case is the flights over Moscow are forbidden except those of Russian Federation Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Response and Russian police...
Ta Prohm temple, Angkor, Cambodia
Ta Prohm is a beautiful temple, bound by massive roots of huge trees. Back in the days it was very different: one could see walls decorated by precious stones, hear beautiful music, and dancing in the halls. When in late nineteenth century Ta Prohm was discovered by French, they decided not to conduct a full-scale restoration of the temple...
Moscow, Aerial 360 Video testing
In early 2011 we developed and published a method for filming and editing 360 spherical video. We also filmed a test video from the car around the Moscow Kremlin. Now we offer you something that was impossible for many years: flying in the full 360 video ...
AirPano - the laureate of the competition “Runet Award 2012”
The laureates of people choice award of Runet 2012 were announced on the 21st of November during their official award ceremony. The projects AirPano, Yarmarka Masterov, This is Horosho and Warface were awarded 4 kilogram statues covered with gold...
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Tuscany, Central Italy
First of all, Pisa is famous for Torre Pendente di Pisa, The Leaning Tower of Pisa. It's so famous that it outshines all other Pisa tourist attractions and monuments combined. Locals call it the "long-drawn miracle". Ironically enough, the tower is located at Piazza dei Miracoli (the Square of Miracles)...
Virtual Tour of Toronto, Canada
Toronto is the biggest Canadian city and 5th largest city in North America after Mexico City, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. In 1998 the rapidly growing Toronto and six other communities are merged to form a new Mega-city, else known as GTA (Greater Toronto Area)...
Roman Colosseum, Italy
The Colosseum is a monument with a great history. It probably wouldn't even have been built if not for the vanity of the Emperor Vespasian, Nero's successor. In his attempt to outshine the glory of the former ruler, in 70 AD Vespasian ordered to build a huge amphitheater, which could amaze everyone with its beauty and magnitude...
Iceland, Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon
“Ice and fire” - these are two words, which despite their seeming mutual exclusiveness, perfectly grasp the nature of Iceland. Although called “the land of ice”, ironically, Iceland has boiling hot springs and geothermal lakes. Iceland is also one of the most active volcanic regions in the world...
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
The Eiffel Tower ... One might ask, "What else is there to say?" There is hardly a person in the world that doesn't know or haven't heard of the famous Paris landmark. Well, we are going to tell you what you might already know anyway...
Most Famous Mosques in Istanbul, Turkey
Among the many landmarks in Turkey, the three famous mosques of Istanbul that deserve special attention. The most beautiful one — The Blue Mosque — is considered the greatest masterpiece not only of Islamic architecture, but also of the world. Hagia Sophia Museum and The Suleymaniye Mosque - two other great architecture landmarks...
Virtual Tour over Artificial Islands in Dubai, UAE
The United Arab Emirates is one of the most amazing countries in the world. Millions of tourists come there to see its places if interest, however, almost all of them are man-made.
Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland
“Ice and fire” - these are two words, which despite their seeming mutual exclusiveness, perfectly grasp the nature of Iceland. Although called “the land of ice”, ironically, Iceland has boiling hot springs and geothermal lakes. Iceland is also one of the most active volcanic regions in the world...
Montenegro, Kotor Bay
Montenegro is located in the southwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and is often called the gem of the Adriatic. It is a unique country with blue ocean, well maintained sandy and pebble beaches, most beautiful nature, and cleanest air. Wild nature of Montenegro coexists in harmony with small towns, resorts, and monuments of ancient architecture...
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Halong Bay is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking places on the planet. In 2011 the magnificent landmark of Vietnam was declared one of the "New Seven Natural Wonders of The World" beating serious "competitors" like Vesuvius Volcano in Italy, Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and even Baikal, the deepest lake in the world...
Hong Kong - the City Where Dreams Come True
Our photographer Dima Moiseyenko had a stop-over in Hong Kong on the way from Bali Island to Moscow. This photo session of Hong Kong would have never happened if it were not for the amazing circumstances — somebody above the clouds had heard his girlfriend Alina's wish to stay there for a week :)
Moai Statues, Easter Island, Chile
I was amazed by Easter Island the minute I walked across the field of the local airport. Rich, vibrant colors made me feel like a Disney cartoon character. Later that evening I went sightseeing with my friend Dima and wound up on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. It was the second time I lost my breath: the local color palette was beyond my imagination...
Las Vegas at Dusk and Night
The attentive visitor will tell that we already have shown something similar on our pages. And he will be right. However, shooting of night panoramas is extremely difficult task so we have decided to show the second part of our night shootings over Las Vegas...
Sunset and Dusk Time View of Manhattan, New York, USA
In 2011 we returned to New York to once again photograph Manhattan: this time making it much better technically and artistically. Enjoy the sunset nd dusk time aerial panoramas of Manhattan now. Recently has been published the virtual tour of Manhattan at daytime...
Forest waterfall, 360 video panorama
It took us awhile to figure out how to add some action to our panoramas. Finally we decided to create a panorama of a forest waterfall, which would be filled with sounds and falling water, to show it in its true glory...
¿Quieres ver AirPano en español?
Por eso, estamos proponiendo a nuestros visitantes la siguiente variante de cooperación: si crees que realmente es necesaria una versión en español de la web, te pedimos que entres en nuestra página de Facebook y hagas click en "Me gusta"...
Grand Canyon West, USA
The deepest canyon in the world is one of the most famous US tourist attractions. And it's respectively called the Grand Canyon of Colorado Plateau: "grand" means "big, magnificent, enormous, great" and so on and so forth. The Grand Canyon was added to the famous UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 and the Grand Canyon was one of its first entries...
Unreal Aircraft of Ivan Roslyakov
No one knows how our colleague, Ivan Roslyakov, managed to shoot this panorama. Witnesses say, that Ivan opened the airplane window to take some photos, before the co-pilot grabbed Ivan's camera. Others say, Ivan himself gave his camera to the co-pilot, and had him lean outside the small cockpit window to take some photos of Ivan along the way...
Day view of Manhattan, New York, USA
I remember this photo shoot by one funny detail: there were no headphones for passengers in the helicopter's cabin. I had to shout from the back seat (while trying to overcome the engine roar that was coming from the open door) to let the pilot know where to go. I also had to tap on his shoulder and then point the direction...
San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge in the Fog
I've been waiting for this photo shoot for a long time... Perhaps even my whole life. Over the past 20 years and despite numerous visits, I haven't seen the Golden Gate Bridge covered in its famous fog. For me, it has been really unlucky...
Nazca Lines. South America, Peru
No one knows exactly what Nazca lines are. The only indisputable fact is that they are located in South America, at the Nazca Desert plateau in the southern part of Peru. However this is where the indisputable facts end, leaving the scientists with numerous unsolved mysteries.
Balloon flight in Bagan, Myanmar
I would definitely class Bagan as one of The Wonders of the World — wherever you look, there are stupas and temple spires as far as the eye can see, from tiny ones to huge ones. Moreover, at dawn all this splendor is surrounded by a light mist, and the higher you get - the further is the horizon. It's an incredible and breathtaking sight ...
The Geoglyphs in Palpa Valley, South America, Peru
Palpa is a deserted plateau at southern coast of Peru, in 20 km to the north of desert Nazca. The drawings found in Palpa represent huge human figures. Besides, there are images of different animals and fantastic beings too...
Machu Picchu — the ancient city of the Inca Empire
I quickly assembled the machine, took a deep breath and took off into the abyss. We shot several spherical panoramas and landed. As soon as the helicopter touched the ground we heard applause of the spectators and whistles of the security guards running towards us....
Fussen Town, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles, Germany
This virtual tour concludes our series of panoramas about the most beautiful castle in Bavaria — Neuschwanstein. Around the famous castle located many other attractions. We were able to capture the castle Hohenschwangau as well as the very nice town of Fussen...
Virtual Tour over Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Neuschwanstein is first and foremost a true fairy tale made of stone. The castle is located in Bavaria, near the town of Fussen. It became the prototype for the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland Paris and a source of inspiration for Tchaikovsky's ballet «The Swan Lake»...
Dominican Republic - Caribbean Paradise
The Dominican Republic may be described as "heaven on earth". Millions of tourists cannot be wrong about that. Just look at the weather in the Dominican Republic! The eternal summer here is very comfortable and mild. The island has several large resorts with almost ideal conditions for a relaxed vacation...
Virtual Tour of Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town is one of the most popular cities on the African continent. It is located in the southwestern part of the continent, on the shore of the Atlantic ocean, near the Cape of Good Hope. The history of the Republic of South Africa begins in year 1652, when a Dutch seafarer Jan van Riebeeck founded the city of Cape Town...
Waterfalls of Iceland
Iceland has a north Atlantic climate that produces frequent rain or snow and a near-Arctic location that produces large glaciers, whose summer melts feed many rivers. Small or large, high ot low - all of Iceland 's waterfalls have a special attraction of their own, each providing locals and visitors with a great sight worth remembering...
Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe border
"Victoria" — is one of the most unusual waterfalls in the world. It is created by the Zambezi River that suddenly plummets into a narrow, 100-meters deep chasm. At the same time, Victoria — is the only waterfall in the world that is over one kilometer wide and over one hundred meters deep...
Underwater Maldives. Stingrays
This sphere shot in warm waters of the Maldives Islands continues the series of our underwater spherical panoramas. 8 years had already passed since my last diving and I remembered almost nothing. But the instructor encouraged me: "Put the oxygen cylinder on and jump into water. There you will remember everything." And I jumped...
Virtual Tour of Dubai City, UAE
In short, Dubai is a paradise city, a page from a science fiction book, a true picture of how even the most bizarre and ambitious ideas may be implemented into reality. We hope that the panoramas and photos of Dubai will transmit the incredible greatness of the unique and the most famous city of the United Arab Emirates...
Neuschwanstein Castle in Fog, Germany
In a few minutes, here it was — our helicopter returned from the white foam of the fog, all wet, as if it was in a shower. Everything was covered with large drops of water: the helicopter, the camera, and the lens. Nevertheless, the equipment did its job just fine...
Lake Powell, Utah-Arizona, USA
Flooding of Glen Canyon has created a landscape treasure that is completely unique not only in the US, but in the entire world. The shore line of the lake is cut up by over a hundred of large and small canyons that join the main riverbed, some of which spread over many miles...
Hawaii, Oahu Island Virtual Tour
The main places of interest on Hawaii are beaches and the amazing nature: volcanoes, waterfalls and national parks. In general, Hawaii isn't called «paradise islands» in vain — it seems that both weather, and the magnificent nature of Hawaii are specially created to awaken people's senses...
AirPano project on Google Earth
We are very happy to announce that AirPano has been presented on Google Earth Travel & Tourism gallery. You can go to our page and download KML file. Open our KML file in Google Earth application and look for the red helicopter icons or select our panoramas from the left side menu.
Luminous Las Vegas at Dusk and Night
After we had taken the first and the third prizes in the contest Epson International Pano Awards, had shot the spherical panorama at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour, had dived and had shot from inside the microwave oven, in a supermarket our photographer Dima Moiseenko bought the book Ten Easy Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Photos.
New York, I love you
Technically this shooting from the hotel Millennium UN Plaza was enough difficult, and we spent more several years thinking about this panorama. The idea has arisen in 2007 after we had made our first panorama using four meters bar. We had some difficulties to ressolve before the shooting...
New York. Remembering 9/11
The term «Ground Zero» has several meanings. Since September, 11th, 2001 phrase «Ground Zero» is often used in connection with tragical events of that day, when terrorists have hijacked four jets and directed them into highly significant for the USA targets, including towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) in a southern part of Manhattan.
Miami, Florida, USA
I only came for two days of playing
But everytime I come I always wind up stayin
This the type of town I could spend a few days in
Miami the city that keeps the roof blazin
Will Smith - Miami
St.Moritz, Swiss Alps, Virtual Tour
«Exacting people recreation» - they say about Saint Moritz in travel guides. Saint Moritz has surprised me twice but not with its restaurants among alpine skiing tracks where visitors in ski boots are served with black caviar and truffles and live orchestra music sounds in the neighborhood as well as "weightless, salubrious and sparkling champagne air". Virtual tour contains 9 panoramas.
Spherical 360 Video, Test Shooting
When we received the $63.000 proposal from Immersive Media for the equipment, we have decided to try to create our own 360 video. We spent a week for a brain storm, week for the shooting experiments and the first 360 video has been created. Our server was not too happy and after 10 minutes it stopped working :)
Night Maldives
We continue the series of Maldivian panoramas and offer you enjoying of the night one. It was shot at 2 a.m. when the full moon was shining there.
Moscow City View, Stereo Panorama
A new spherical stereo panorama, photographed from the rooftop of the 301-meters high "Moscow City" tower — the tallest building in Europe — is now available on our website. All you need to view this photo is a pair of red-and-cyan stereo glasses. See below for shopping suggestions.
Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.
The real most southwestern point of the African continent is actually situated several kilometers away — it's an unremarkable place by the water, with a small parking lot nearby and an official plate. This location is hardly known and is visited by less than 10% of all tourists...
Moscow Kremlin at Night
This spring Dima Moiseenko became the first man in the world who shot a fantastic areal panoramic view of Las Vegas at night from his heavy-duty tripod installed in the helicopter. Inspired by his success we decided to shoot a panoramic photo of Moscow at night. Unfortunately there are no real helicopters allowed above the city of Moscow...
Horseshoe Bend, Colorado River, Arizona
How deep is 1,000 feet? Imagine standing at the rooftop of 99-storey building. Can you get to the edge? You just casually walk on the giant plateau until suddenly the abyss opens up under your feet. You breath is taken away, and even the bravest of us feel dizzy and weak for a moment.
Churun-meru (Dragon) and Cortina falls, Venezuela
Unexpectedly, in five minutes a cloud appeared from below and we were standing in a thick fog that moment. Several hours long the fog was so thick that a pilot refused not only to shoot but he even didn't think of flying up. We got stuck on the mountain top...
The Twelve Apostles, Australia
The Twelve Apostles stacks located on the South of Australia not far from Melbourne is the second most known symbol of Green Continent after the Opera House in Sydney. Unfortunately, the sea feels no mercy towards the stacks wearing away soft limestone. The Apostles haven't been 12 yet for a long time...
Bangkok, Thailand
The full name of Bangkok is as follows: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. The city was recorded in the Guinness book as the city with the longest name in the world.
Moscow. The view from 300 meters above. Gigapanorama
A beautiful blond stood near Kremlin Tower and looked busy sending a text message. The screen letters were too small and I could hardly read what she was typing. The gusts of wind on the roof of the skyscraper "City of Capitals" started getting stronger and my eyes became watery, so I turned away from the camera...
Underwater Shooting on the Maldives. Divers
This sphere shot in warm waters of the Maldives Islands continues the series of our underwater spherical panoramas. 8 years had already passed since my last diving and I remembered almost nothing. But the instructor encouraged me: "Put the oxygen cylinder on and jump into water. There you will remember everything." And I jumped...
Moscow State University
The main building of Moscow State University is not only one of the most famous Moscow buildings but also the biggest Stalin style high-rise building in the capital city. Moreover, 37 years long it had been the highest building in Europe till 1990, when in Frankfurt the MesseTurm skyscraper was built.
Sydney, Australia
In 2008 I decided to visit New Zealand for a couple of weeks. On my way back a stayed for a night in Sydney and in the morning, before leaving for the airport, I shot these panoramas in the harbour near the Opera House. That time we still couldn't shoot HD spheres, so, they are represented in standart resolution.
Underwater Shooting on the Maldives. Coral reefs
It was not very convenient to take panoramas from the plane, so we decided to try it from the underwater. It is our first experience of the underwater panoramic photography.
Hollywood, USA
A famous sign HOLLYWOODLAND with its huge letters appeared in 1923 on the South slope of Mount Lee at a height of 491 meters with an advertising purpose exclusively. It was the way to announce publicly about itself of the Hollywoodland Construction Company. After the renovation letters LAND were removed and well known HOLLYWOOD comes to our days.
Moscow City View from the Highest Tower In Europe
This May with the help of Dmitry Chistoprudov we came on the roof of the Capitals' City building complex. We were standing there at a height of 300 meters above Moscow and shooting several spherical panoramas from the highest tower in Europe.
Kiev, Ukraine
Then, near St. Sophia Cathedral we were attacked by a crow. And while we were fighting in the air duel, the sun disappeared in the clouds. We had nothing to do but land our model and wait for the light. It was good luck for us when by the moment the light appeared the crow had already been bored to wait for the flight of its unknown competitor and had flown away.
Ai-Petri in Crimea, Russia
And imagine: on the edge of the rock there is a man trembling with fear who is afraid of heights. In his shaking hands there is some metallic thing, he almost sees nothing with his closed eyes because of the bright sunlight. There is so much adrenaline in his body that “steam goes from his ears”. The first flight is always the most fearful.
On the edge of the Grimsvotn volcano crater
Recently Dima had a helicopter flight over the half of Iceland but the volcano was covered with clouds and he wasn't able to shoot. This time he was able to rich the Grimsvotn volcano crater by the car and on foot.
Novodevichy Convent, Moscow
This shooting of the Novodevichy has an old history. It was our first shooting in Moscow completely realized by ourselves and with own AirPano’s equipment. In the beginning of this year we bought a radio controlled helicopter, improved it and adjusted to the shooting of spheres.
St-Petersburg, Ultra-High Resolution panoramas
One of the key tasks of our flights in St. Petersburg in August 2010 was the air shooting of ultra high resolution panoramas. Finally, the spherical panoramas of 18.000x9.000 resolution were shot in the air of St. Petersburg. As we know, that hasn't been realized by anybody in the world yet.
Los Angeles at dusk, CA, USA
It was an occasion when we realized our late evening helicopter shooting over downtown of Los Angeles for the first time. It happened when our photographer, Dima Moiseenko, as he said us, had loitered with the take-off, but I would say he had been late for the shooting for half an hour :) Finally, he flew up at that time we usually land...
Fiordland, New Zealand
Two days of travel under a haviest rain I have ever seen. Forty eight hours with no single sun ray. Every minute the strong wind was reducing the probability of successful flights over the Fiordland- the most beautiful place of New Zealand. But we didn't surrender...
Golden Eagles fly to Moscow
In May, we managed to get on board of a helicopter, which flew over the city during the military fly-past rehearsal dedicated to the 65th Anniversary of the Great Victory. On our way back we decided to try the spherical panorama shooting from the moving helicopter.
Maldives from the Plane
For two hours I was flying around Northern and Southern Male atolls which is approximately 10% of the area of Maldives. I had four cameras with me and the most of the time I was shooting plain photos, but eventually have decided to try to shoot a spherical panorama. I had no idea how it can be done from the plane flying with the speed 150 km/h...
Moscow, Gigapixel Panorama
This panorama gives a unique opportunity to see lots of famous places in Moscow. As we know it is the first gigapixel panorama taken from a helicopter.
Moscow Virtual Tour
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world. It is located by the Moskva River in the European part of Russia.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal city of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd (1914-1924) and Leningrad (1924-1991). It is often called just Petersburg and is informally known as Piter.
MKAD, Moscow, Russia
MKAD is a ring road encircling the City of Moscow. The acronym is a transliteration of the Russian "Moskovskaya Koltsevaya Avtomobilnaya Doroga", or Moscow Automobile Ring Road.
Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi. Today, Dubai has emerged as a global city and a business hub. Palm Jumeirah is one the main touristic attraction.
Moscow from 1000 meters
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world. It is located by the Moskva River in the European part of Russia.
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Chicago is the largest city in the state of Illinois. With over 2.8 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous city in the country. Chicago was founded in 1833. Nowadays the city is a center for business and finance and is listed as one of the world's top ten Global Financial Centers.
St.Moritz, Swiss Alps
«Exacting people recreation» - they say about Saint Moritz in travel guides. Saint Moritz has surprised me twice but not with its restaurants among alpine skiing tracks where visitors in ski boots are served with black caviar and truffles and live orchestra music sounds in the neighborhood as well as "weightless, salubrious and sparkling champagne air".
Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island, New York, USA
There is a new panorama over the Statue of Liberty added to the virtual tour shot over New York in 2007. Unfortunately, the pilot couldn't go closer though before the start had promised to go 100 meters close to the statue. In this case we would see the tourists walking inside the crown on head of the Liberty.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA
This panorama was shot in May of 2008 from one of the main sightseeing of San Francisco - the Golden Gate Bridge. the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. To shoot it we took with us a 4 meter collapsible telescope when we left Moscow for the USA.
Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius
The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 km to the north-east from Moscow by the road to Yaroslavl, and currently is home to over 300 monks.
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa
We shot this sphere in Cape Town in the beginning of 2010. It was shot right over the Green Point Football Stadium which was being built that time and it is devoted to the World Cup Football Championship. There are still bulldozers on the project site in the sphere, but now the stadium is completely ready.
New Jerusalem Monastery, Russia
New-Jerusalem monastery of Resurrection founded by Patriarch Nikon in year 1656 is one of the most complicated and interesting monuments of Russian spiritual culture.
Helicopter Journey over Manhattan
400 years ago there was the loudest and the most beneficent real estate transaction in the human history: the Indians sold Manhattan to the Europeans for 24 dollars. Now the island has changed beyond recognition and for this amount of money one can buy except perhaps a ticket to visit the skyscraper of Empire State Building.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2008
It's very convenient to fly over Rio by helicopter. Unlike most of other big cities of the world, where there are many restrictions and often special flight permissions are needed, in Rio de Janeiro you can fly almost everywhere and at any flight-level, surely, satisfying safety requirements and common sense.
The Iguazu Falls, Argentina-Brazil, 2008
On the border of two countries of South America, Brazil and Argentina, there is a complex of the Iguazu Falls which is one of the most spectacular nature miracles. The most detailed definition of the Iguazu Falls was given by Eleanor, the wife of the American President Franklin Roosevelt: "Poor Niagara! This makes Niagara look like a kitchen faucet".
Millennium UN Plaza Hotel New York, USA
View from the window of Millennium UN Plaza Hotel
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Petronas tower
Petronas Twin Towers are the symbol of Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. They are the highest twin towers in the world; their altitude is 452 meters. Picturesque architecture along with really giant dimensions of the towers make these skyscrapers ones of the most impressive buildings on the planet.
Argentina's Tango. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tango has millions of the fans and very many styles. So, there is Finnish Tango, though it's difficult to imagine how the severe Northern people do this with hot passion. But the most famous tango is the Argentinean one: romantics and sensuality, temptation and inaccessibility are united in it as nowhere else.
Virtual tour over the Amsterdam and Holland
Amsterdam is one of the most well-known cities in the world, rich in historical events and intensive culture life. Particular here, for instance, the Hermitage, a famous Russian museum, founded its filial. But in spite of all the cultural and educational efforts, we associate Amsterdam not only with the museums and tulips.
Kalyan Minaret, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
The part of Silk Road and the ancient capital of khanate is Bukhara. Bukhara is one of the most picturesque and legendary cities of the world. It had been captured, destroyed many times and restored again. And behind the walls of its numerous harems no laughing south passion was burning...
San Juan River, Goose necks, Utah, USA
The Goose Necks are on the San Juan River. The photos of that place can be found in any geology textbook. Speaking scientific language, these intricate curves of the river, which were formed in the beginning of the Miocene (about 25 million years ago), are named the Meanders. And one more cult place is seen on the back side, it is Monument Valley.
Virtual tour of Iceland
Iceland is a wonderful and beautiful country where sliding from the mountains glaciers neighbor with the blue lagoons filled by the hot thermal waters, and the rumbling waterfalls come down to the fuming black lava fields. Besides, there are no predators and mosquitoes.
San Juan and Colorado rivers. Utah, USA
In the fall of 2006 I made the first in my life sphere of this place shot from the helicopter, and then I could join its parts in the computer. It became clear, that it's possible to shoot the spheres not only from the ground with a tripod, as it usually happens according to the classical canons, but also being in the air.
Moeraki boulders, New Zealand
These enigmatic huge boulders of the right spherical form with the diameter from one up to two meters are located on the Eastern Coast of New Zealand, on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, in the place named Moeraki.
Mono Lake, California, USA
The Mono Lake is a salty and alkaline lake: there are 4-7 trillion brine shrimp living in the lake as well as millions of alkali flies that live both in the water and along the shore. Many limestone figures called tufa are shown from water...
Our first aerial panorama :)
This first aerial test sphere had been shot nearly a month before the shooting in New York at the hotel Millennium UN Plaza.
Panoramas and 3D Virual Tours of the Most Beautiful Places Around the World:
Guilin National Park, China | Masai-Mara, Kenya | Plosky Tolbachik Volcano , Russia | 360 video, mount Elbrus, Russia | UAE, UAE | Australia, Australia | Kurile Lake, Kamchatka, Russia | Mont Saint-Michel Abbay, France | Acropolis, Athens, Greece | Ay-Petri, Russia | Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia | Angel falls, Venezuela | Angkor Wat, Cambodia | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Mariana Trench, Mariana Islands | Athens, Greece | Bagan, Myanmar | Bagan, Myanmar | Bangkok, Thailand | Barcelona, Spain | Beijing, China, China | Berlin, Germany, Germany | Moscow Kremlin, Russia | Bryce Canyon, USA | Cancun, Mexico | Cape Good Hope, South Africa | Cappadocia, Turkey | Casablanca, Morocco, Morocco | Chicago, Illinois, USA | Corcovado, Brazil | Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, Russia | Venezuela, Surroundings of Angel Falls, Venezuela | Manhattan, New York, USA | The Caribbean, Dominican Republic | Paris, France | Everest, Nepal | Everest, Nepal | Fiordland, New Zealand | Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland | Lake Bogoria, Kenya | Pereslavl-Zalesskiy, Russia | Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia | Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic | Flooding, Germany | Florence, Italy | Forest falls, Brazil | Fussen Town, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles, Germany | Moscow Region, Russia | Golden Gate Bridge, USA | Grand Canyon, USA | Manhattan, New York, USA | Moscow, Russia | Egyptian Pyramids, Egypt | The Great Wall of China, China | Cape-Town, South Africa | Halong Bay, Vietnam | Oahu, Hawaii, USA | Manhattan, New York, USA | Langisjor and Veidivotn, Iceland | Hollywood, California, USA | Hong Kong, China | Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, USA | Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon, Iceland | Iceland, the best, Iceland | Iguasu Falls, Argentina | Iceland, Iceland | Irkutsk, Russia | Kalyan Minaret, Bukhara, Uzbekistan | Kazan, Russia | Kiev, Ukraine | Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia | Lake Baikal, Russia | Lake Powell, USA | Las Vegas, USA | Pisa, Tuscany, Italy | Los Angeles, California, USA | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Machu Picchu, Peru | Madrid, Spain | Matterhorn-Cervino, Switzerland | Chichen Itza, Mexico | Tikal, Guatemala | Meteora, Greece, Greece | Mexico, Mexico | Miami, USA | Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York, USA | MKAD, Moscow, Russia | Easter Island, Chile | Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand | Mono Lake, California, USA | Kotor Bay, Montenegro | Moscow, Kremlin, Russia | Moscow City, Russia | Moscow City, Russia | Moscow, Russia | Moscow Kremlin, Russia | Moscow, MSU, Russia | Moscow, Russia | Moscow, Russia | Krokus Expo Center, Moscow, Russia | City of Capitals, Russia | Istanbul, Turkey | Mount Elbrus, Russia | Nazca Lines, Peru | Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany | New Jerusalem Monastery, Russia | Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York, USA | Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York, USA | Manhattan, New York, USA | Niagara Falls, USA | Norwegian Fjords, Norway | Novodevichy Convent. Moscow, Russia | Grimsvotn, Iceland | Orda Cave, Russia | Ramenki, Moscow, Russia | Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE | Paris, France | Petra, Jordan | Prague, Czech Republic | Reykjavik, Iceland | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Brazil | Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil | Roman Colosseum, Italy | Romw, Italy | Saint Petersburg, Russia | San Francisco, California, USA | Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA | San Juan and Colorado rivers, USA | Goosenecks, Utah, USA | Oia, Greece | Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia | Shanghai, China | Moscow, Russia | Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar | Kremlin, Moscow, Russia | Saint-Petersburg, Russia | Saint Petersburg, Russia | Sankt-Moritz, Switzerland | Sankt Moritz, Switzerland | Statue of Liberty, New York, USA | Manhattan, New York, USA | Swaminarayan Akshardham, India | Sydney, Australia | Ta Prohm, Angkor, Cambodia | Taj Mahal, India | The Drakensberg, South Africa | White Sea, Russia | Palpa, Peru | Great Barrier Reef, Australia | The Iguazu Falls, Brazil | The Land of Bears, Kurile Lake, Kamchatka, Russia, Russia | Matterhorn, Switzerland | Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, Australia | Blue Lagoon, Iceland | Trinity Lavra of Sait Sergius, Russia | North Pole, North Pole | Cramp fish, Maldives | Maldives, Maldives | Uzon caldera, Kamchatka, Russia, Russia | Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka, Russia | Italy, Vatican | Venice, Italy | Victoria Falls, Zambia | Cape Town, RSA | Dubai, UAE | Toronto, Canada | Dubai, Islands, UAE | Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany | Amsterdam, Holland | Kamchatka, Volcano Plosky Tolbachik, Russia | Waterfalls, Iceland | Sochi, Russia
(E?)(L?) http://www.airpano.com/seven-wonders-world.php
New 7 Wonders of the World
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the first known list of the most remarkable creations of classical anti- quity. Today, the only ancient world wonder that still exists is the Great Pyramid of Giza. New 7 Wonders of the World was an initiative started in 2001 to choose another Wonders of the World from a selection of 200 existing monuments. The popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the New7Wonders Foun- dation based in Zurich, Switzerland.
New 7 Wonders of Nature
Also a list of New 7 Wonders of Nature chosen by people through a global poll has been created. To see "New 7 Wonders of Nature" click the link.
- Chichen Itza (Yucatan, Mexico) - Virtual tour is in progress
- Christ Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - Open virtual tour
- Colosseum (Rome, Italy) - Open virtual tour
- Great Wall of China (China) - Virtual tour is in progress
- Machu Picchu (Peru) - Open virtual tour
- Petra (Jordan)
- Giza Pyramid Complex (Egypt) - Open virtual tour
Finalists
- Acropolis of Athens (Athens, Greece) - Open virtual tour
- Alhambra (Spain) - Virtual tour is in progress
- Angkor (Cambodia) - Open virtual tour
- Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey) - Open virtual tour
- Kiyomizu Temple (Kioto, Japan)
- Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany) - Open virtual tour
- Statues of Easter Island (Easter Island, Chile) - Open virtual tour
- Stonehenge (United Kingdom)
- Sydney Opera House (Australia) - Open virtual tour
- The Eiffel Tower (Paris, France) - Open virtual tour
- The Kremlin and Red Square (Russian Federation) - Open virtual tour
- The Statue of Liberty (New York, USA) - Open virtual tour
- Timbuktu (Mali)
Erstellt: 2013-11
atlasobscura.com
Atlas Obscura
Wondrous, curious, and bizarre locations around the world
Obskure Orte auf der ganzen Welt
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/
Atlas Obscura is the definitive guide to the world's wondrous and curious places.
In an age where everything seems to have been explored and there is nothing new to be found, we celebrate a different way of looking at the world. If you're searching for miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper, the Atlas Obscura is where you'll find them.
Atlas Obscura is a collaborative project. We depend on our far-flung community of explorers (like you!) to help us discover amazing, hidden spots, and share them with the world. If you know of a curious place that's not already in the Atlas, let us know.
There is plenty out there to discover, so let's start looking!
(E?)(L?) http://www.atlasobscura.com/books/
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (September 20, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0761169083
ISBN-13: 978-0761169086
Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders
Inspiring equal parts wonder and wanderlust, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders celebrates more than 600 of the strangest and most curious places in the world.
“Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel...Bestest travel guide ever.”
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-atlas-obscura-guide-to-ruins-of-super-science
ESSENTIAL GUIDE: Ruins of Super Science
Places in this Article
- Superconducting Super Collider - Waxahachie, Texas
- Project HARP Space Gun - Barbados
- Brick house at the Nevada Test Site - Atomic Survival Town - Nevada
- Teufelsberg - Berlin, Germany
- A Rockwell B-1B strategic bomber is prepared for testing at Atlas-1 in 1989. - ATLAS-I - Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Vozrozhdeniye Island, Kazakhstan
- A view of the Biosphere's million-gallon "ocean" - Biosphere 2 - Oracle, Arizona
- The drill resides under the site's 200-foot tower - Kola Superdeep Borehole - Murmansk, Russia
- El Caracol -The Observatory of Chichen Itza - Chichen Itza, Mexico
- Wardenclyffe Laboratory - Tesla's Wardenclyffe Laboratory - Shoreham, New York
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/root-bridges-cherrapungee
root bridges of Cherrapungee
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/schwebebahn-wuppertal
The floating railway of Wuppertal
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/electrum
the world's largest Tesla coil
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mundaneum
Mundaneum, Mons, Belgium, the first internet, made of index cards
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-nyos-the-deadliest-lake-in-the-world
"In all, 1,746 people were killed. The villages of Nyos, Kam, Cha, and Subum were left all but wiped out. And, more than 3,500 livestock perished in a matter of minutes." The killer? A lake
(E?)(L1) http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-isla-de-las-munecas
"Don Julian Santana devoted his life to honoring this lost soul in a particularly unique, fascinating and for some, unnerving way: he collected and hung up dolls by the hundreds. Eventually Don Julian had transformed the entire island into a kind of bizarre, and to some, horrifying doll infested wonderland."
(E?)(L1) https://www.atlasobscura.com/places
All Places - Ordered by most recently added
- New Delhi, India
- Cafe Lota
- Nestled among the artifacts of the National Crafts Museum, this hidden gem offers hard-to-find regional foods from all over India.
- Monhegan, Maine
- D.T. Sheridan Shipwreck
- The steel hull of a wrecked tug rests on Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island’s rocky southeastern shore.
- Worthing, England
- Dome Cinema
- It was once the longest continuously running cinema in the United Kingdom.
- Glendale, California
- Grand Central Air Terminal Museum
- This historic aviation building is now a museum owned and operated by Disney.
- Singapore, Singapore
- Krishna's Kitchen
- Little India's hidden gem of kindness and good food.
- Monterrey, Mexico
- Palacio del Obispado (Bishopric Palace)
- One of Monterrey's oldest buildings is perched atop a hill boasting impressive views of the city.
- Mesa, Arizona
- Organ Stop Pizza
- Come for the pizza, stay for the organ.
- London, England
- Ernest Shackleton Statue
- An effigy of the famous polar explorer stands outside the Royal Geographical Society's headquarters.
- Lakonia, Greece
- Dimitrios
- This wrecked ghost shipped has been rusting on a Greek beach since the 1980s.
- Qatar
- Al Thakira Mangroves Forest
- A mesmerizing wonderland of salt-encrusted tree branches and pencil roots.
- Toronto, Ontario
- Toronto Music Garden
- This urban oasis is a marvelous meld of music and landscape architecture.
- Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
- Brooks Range Supply
- This general store is a one-stop-shop for workers at the Prudhoe Bay oil field.
- Palm Beach, Florida
- Henry Morrison Flagler Museum
- This railroad and oil tycoon's lavish estate now stands as a time capsule of the Gilded Age.
- Meriden, Connecticut
- Talcott Basalt Lava Pillows
- Hidden behind a Target are pillows of cooled lava that formed at the bottom of a deep lake in the Mesozoic Era.
- Midleton, Ireland
- Punishment Book at Jameson Distillery
- The whiskey producer's archives includes a historical list of infractions committed by and associated penalties exacted upon employees.
- Garching bei München, Germany
- Lego Extremely Large Telescope
- A miniature model of what will be the world's largest telescope.
- Manistee, Michigan
- S.S. City of Milwaukee
- The restored ferry is now a dockside museum and a unique bed and breakfast.
- Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Jebel Hafeet Beehive Tombs
- The cluster of igloo-like domes forms the remains of an ancient burial ground.
- Lower Beeding, England
- Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens
- This breathtakingly beautiful botanical garden is home to a horde of wonderful wallabies.
- Redmond, Oregon
- Redmond Caves
- A sprawling cave network created by a lone lava tube.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Tantolunden Flak Position
- Tucked away in a downtown Stockholm park are the remains of a World War II defense position.
- Vienna, Austria
- Gugumuck Wiener Schneckenmanufaktur
- An IT-specialist-turned-farmer reintroduces an Austrian food tradition while promoting snails as a sustainable "future food" option.
- Barcelona, Spain
- 'Dona i Ocell' ('Woman and Bird')
- This colorful statue welcomes visitors to a Barcelona park.
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Venice Cafe
- This mosaic-covered bar is brimming with curated curios.
- Naples, Italy
- Via dei Presepi
- Every day is like Christmas on this street where the traditional Neapolitan nativity scene comes to life.
- Xicotepec de Juárez, Mexico
- Virgen Monumental de Xicotepec
- This enormous statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe has become one of the world's most recent Catholic pilgrimage sites.
- Ussana, Italy
- Abandoned Ussana Brick Factory
- An eerie gravel road full of shards of red bricks leads to the ruins of a deserted factory.
- Spencer, Massachusetts
- Spencer Brewery
- The only certified Trappist brewery outside of Europe hides in the central Massachusetts hills.
- Abiquiu, New Mexico
- Ghost Ranch
- Its history includes dinosaur fossils, cattle rustlers, Georgia O'Keeffe, and a mythical giant rattlesnake named Vivaron.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Bokbåten
- Twice a year, this floating library delivers thousands of books to the remote islands of Stockholm’s archipelago.
- Seaham, England
- Vane Tempest Sculptures
- Public art now takes pride of place on the site of one of County Durham's last deep coal mines.
- Kaneohe, Hawaii
- Battery Cooper Bunker
- This World War II-era bunker is now packed with posters and props from movies and TV shows filmed nearby.
- Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
- Folk Art Farms
- An eclectic retreat speckled with whimsical folk art.
- Leh, India
- Kardung La
- Over 3 miles up in the Himalayas this pass is one of the highest drivable roads in the world.
- Hope Valley, England
- The Round Building
- This petite cutlery factory sits on the foundations of a defunct gasworks.
- Kamnik, Slovenia
- Samostan Mekinje Monastery
- This 14th-century monastery survived Turkish raids, Nazi occupation, and even a stint as a spot to store towels.
- Madrid, Spain
- Edificio Mirador
- This postmodern apartment block was designed to be a vertical neighborhood.
- Vista, Australia
- Newman's Nursery Ruins
- The haunting remains of a beautiful old plant nursery founded in the 1850s.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Philbert the Pig
- This beloved marketplace mascot poops money and grants good luck.
- Ledburn, England
- Bridego Bridge
- The site of the notorious Great Train Robbery of £2.6 million, one of the biggest heists in English history.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Jiyu Gakuen Girls' School Myonichikan
- The buildings are among the few Frank Lloyd Wright structures still standing in Japan.
- Keeler, California
- Cerro Gordo
- A lawless ghost town deep in Death Valley, famous for its riches and its death rate.
- Öjebyn, Sweden
- Paltzerian
- A tiny village is home to the world's only diner completely devoted to the many varieties of traditional Swedish dumplings.
- Grange-over-Sands, England
- Grange Lido
- Abandoned for over 20 years, this art deco seaside swimming pool is a magnificent waste.
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Capital Gate
- No building in the world leans as far as the so-called “Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi.”
- Park City, Kentucky
- Bell's Tavern Ruins
- A former 19th-century tavern, famous for its peach brandy and honey concoction.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Trap Music Museum
- A provocative museum dedicated to the genre and the harsh realities that inspired its origins.
- Tillamook, Oregon
- 2nd Street Coffee House
- Stepping inside this coffee shop is a journey through time.
- New York, New York
- African Elephants Diorama
- This magnificent herd of stampeding elephants has been frozen in time for over a century.
- Dearborn, Michigan
- The Roundhouse at Greenfield Village
- One of the few working locomotive roundhouses in the United States.
- New York, New York
- Dvorák Room
- A small piece of the composer's New York home lives on in the center of Czech culture in Manhattan.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion
- This Philly landmark has a giant butterfly pavilion, three floors of insect displays, and withstood a $40,000 heist.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Dominican Convent
- A 13th-century convent where St. Margaret of Hungary spent her teenage years.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Budapest Chairlift
- A two-way chairlift system between Zugliget and the highest point in the city.
- Ocotlán de Morelos, Mexico
- Rodolfo Morales Municipal Palace Mural
- A little-known hall almost completely covered in art by the beloved local painter.
- Isla Mujeres, Mexico
- Isla Mujeres Sea-View Cemetery
- An island graveyard with spectacular views of the Caribbean.
- Port Huron, Michigan
- The Raven Cafe
- Located in a Civil War era building, this cafe is engrained with the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe.
- Brno, Czechia
- 11-Year-Old Mozart Statue
- The strange statue depicts a young boy's body with an adult Mozart's head and a single wing.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Wall Poems of Charlotte
- Colorful murals stationed throughout Charlotte bring poetry to everyone.
- Williamstown, Massachusetts
- The Spruces
- This abandoned neighborhood is now a park filled with beautiful trees, wildflowers, and hints of its past.
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Pine State Creamery Butter Churn
- A giant cement churn carries the legacy of American resilience, unity, and greed.
- Los Angeles, California
- Snow White Cafe
- This Hollywood dive houses a mural painted by the artists who animated its namesake film.
- Belper, England
- Strutt's North Mill
- This industrial gem was one of the earliest examples of a metal-framed building.
- Lawton, Oklahoma
- Parallel Forest
- A peculiar forest that was handcrafted for government experiments.
- Lovagny, France
- Gorges du Fier
- A suspended footbridge allows for traversing this gorge carved through the French Alps.
- Seaham, England
- 'Eleven 'O' One'
- Locals affectionately dubbed this World War I memorial "Tommy."
- Akureyri, Iceland
- Akureyri Heart-Shaped Traffic Lights
- Instead of solid circles, the stoplights in this northern Icelandic town have glowing red hearts.
- Innerstaden-Östermalm, Sweden
- Shopping
- The world's first purpose-built indoor shopping mall opened in Sweden in 1955.
- Marknesse, Netherlands
- Waterloopbos
- This former hydraulic laboratory is now a woodland dotted with old engineering models.
- Pudong Xinqu, China
- A.P. Xinyang Market
- A labyrinth of clothing, electronics, and other counterfeit items.
- Fair Lawn, New Jersey
- Radburn, New Jersey
- The first neighborhood to implement the Garden City model in its suburban planning.
- Southbridge, Massachusetts
- Optical Heritage Museum
- A quirky museum paying tribute to the history of the optical industry.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The Blue Horizon
- A legendary boxing venue and ring featured in Rocky V.
- Batang Duri, Brunei
- Sumbiling Eco Village
- A remote lodge nestled among some of the world's best-preserved rainforests.
- Lampasas, Texas
- World's Largest Spur
- A spur fit for a giant sits just off Highway 281 in Texas.
- Greater London, England
- Alfred Russell Wallace Statue
- A tribute to an explorer and naturalist often overlooked by history.
- Carrabelle, Florida
- Crooked River Lighthouse
- Tucked away in the forests of North Florida resides a 19th-century lighthouse.
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- The Sea Turtle Centre
- One of Canada's tiniest museums tackles the world's largest turtle.
- Thomson, Georgia
- The Old Rock House
- Built in 1785, this residence is the oldest stone house in Georgia.
- Pinellas Park, Florida
- Replica Fardier de Cugnot
- The only known working replica of the world's first self-propelled vehicle.
- Salamanca, Spain
- Masonic Lodge Museum
- An unusual but excellent display created in the 1930s as propaganda against the Freemasons.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park Fairy Trail
- This enchanting forest trail leads to ethereal abodes and a giant bird's nest.
- København, Denmark
- Jorck's Passage
- Site of the first radio and telephone broadcasting companies in Copenhagen.
- Surrey, British Columbia
- 1001 Steps Park
- A winding stairway to a secluded beach in a residential neighborhood.
- St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Signal Hill
- The first transatlantic wireless signal was received at this 17th-century fort.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Class of 1959 Chapel
- The strikingly modern structure stands out among the brick buildings speckling Harvard University's campus.
- Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
- CIS San Javier
- This palatial building has lived many lives as a convent, prison, cultural center, state archives, and government offices.
- Montreal, Québec
- St. Patrick's Basilica
- Its columns were all carved from the same white oak tree.
- South Africa
- Sudwala Caves
- These otherworldly caverns form Earth's oldest known cave system.
- Chile
- Lego Atacama Large Millimeter Array
- A surprisingly detailed model of the world's most powerful radio telescope.
- Setagaya, Japan
- Noumin Cafe
- This “peasant cafe” in the middle of Tokyo re-creates the atmosphere of the Japanese countryside.
- Edgard, Louisiana
- Evergreen Plantation
- This 19th-century sugar cane plantation is one of the most well-preserved estates of its kind in the United States.
- Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Neak Pean
- A small 12th-century temple surrounded by waters believed to have curative properties.
- Gijón, Spain
- Jardín Botánico Atlántico (Atlantic Botanic Garden)
- This enchanting green space houses a labyrinth lined with toxic plants.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Casa de la Memoria Indómita (House of Indomitable Memory)
- Its exhibits are dedicated to educating the public about state terrorism in Mexico.
- Lima, Peru
- Abtao Submarine Museum
- The retired vessel is South America's first floating museum.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Kojo
- This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.
- Clarence, New York
- Greatbatch Barn
- This exhibit pays tribute to the “humble tinkerer” who invented the implantable pacemaker.
- Sado, Japan
- Sado Island's Tarai Bune
- These unconventional "tub boats" let locals row around the island's turbulent coast.
- Rolling Meadows, Illinois
- Opera in Focus Puppet Theater
- Grand opera on a miniature scale.
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Panther Milk Bar
- A secret door leads to this cozy dive that sells only “milk.”
- Del Norte, Colorado
- Penitente Canyon Wagon Tracks
- Historic wagon wheel ruts formed by ox carts cutting into the soft volcanic ash in the mid-1800s.
- Amsterdam Island, Norway
- Smeerenburg Blubber Ovens
- These circular ruins are all that remain of a 17th-century Arctic whaling outpost.
- Loveland, Colorado
- Loveland’s Sweetheart Couple
- A tribute to Loveland’s most famous sweethearts, who helped spread cupid’s message to millions.
- Westminster, England
- Fleet Air Arm Memorial
- A haunting monument dedicated to the Royal Naval Air Service and the Fleet Air Arm.
- Milton, Ontario
- Halton County Radial Railway
- Take a ride on antique streetcars from across Canada.
- Marxzell, Germany
- Fahrzeugmuseum Marxzell
- This private museum is packed with 20th-century traffic and technology artifacts.
- New York, New York
- Scavenger Taxidermy Diorama
- This morbid scene depicts the Darwinian drama of death on the African savannah.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Grand Trunk Pub
- The grandiose interior of this bar speaks to its past as home to famous jewelers and railway offices.
- Regensburg, Germany
- Wurstkuchl (Sausage Kitchen)
- This riverside restaurant has been serving customers since 1146.
- Doha, Qatar
- Pearl Monument
- This fountain pays homage to Qatar's history of pearling, the primary industry before oil.
- Quezon, Philippines
- Mount Banahaw
- This volcano in the Philippines is believed to have miraculous healing powers.
- Neot Semadar, Israel
- Kibbutz Neot Semadar
- An autonomous community living in the southern Negev desert.
- Rome, Italy
- 'Il Babuino' ('The Baboon')
- Romans decided this 16th-century "talking statue" was so ugly, they named it after a primate.
- South Pittsburg, Tennessee
- Nickajack Cave
- This large cave is a summer home to thousands of bats and has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times.
- Calistoga, California
- Calistoga Water Truck Sculpture
- A sculpture dedicated to Napa Valley's oldest mineral water company.
- Canberra, Australia
- Australian-American Memorial
- From a distance, this statue of an eagle looks like a giant chicken on a stick.
- Del Norte, Colorado
- Madonna of Penitente Canyon
- A mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe painted on the rock wall by canyon's religious namesake.
- Tikal, Guatemala
- Tikal Temple IV
- Deep in the Guatemalan jungle stands an ancient pyramid that once marked the reign of a king.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Brouwerij’t IJ
- This bird-loving brewery is situated in an old municipal bathhouse, nestled beside a 300-year-old windmill.
- Tervuren, Belgium
- Royal Museum for Central Africa Natural History Collections
- A fascinating and enormous collection of natural history exhibits stained by a dark colonial legacy.
- Colborne, Ontario
- The Big Apple
- This giant roadside fruit is home to an array of apple-based treats.
- Montejo de Tiermes, Spain
- Tiermes
- The ruins of an ancient Celtiberian town with incredible rock-cut buildings and a Roman aqueduct.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Secretariat of Public Education Murals
- Diego Rivera hid various people and symbols in his first large-scale mural project.
- Greenfield, Scotland
- Willie MacRae Memorial
- The solitary cairn marks a mysterious death that's still controversial more than two decades later.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Dooky Chase's Restaurant
- Parts of the civil rights movement unfolded in this historic eatery, helmed by the "Queen of Creole Cuisine."
- Canberra, Australia
- National Gallery Sculpture Garden
- Dozens of large-scale creative and evocative curios dot the calm outdoor space surrounding the National Gallery.
- Fortescue, Australia
- Totem Pole
- Many rock climbers have come to conquer this slender sea stack, with various degrees of success.
- San Agustín Etla, Mexico
- Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (Arts Center of St. Augustine)
- The former textile factory is now an oasis for the arts.
- Ashford, England
- Mark IV World War I Tank
- A rare example of this century-old British tank stands near the center of town in Ashford.
- London, England
- The Attendant, Fitzrovia
- Drink your espresso at a Victorian-era urinal in this underground-restroom-turned-coffee-bar.
- Sierra Gorda, Chile
- Chacabuco
- This abandoned nitrate town was repurposed as a dictator's prison.
- Macquarie, Australia
- The Big Owl
- This roadside attraction became locally famous for its unintentionally phallic shape.
- Salamanca, Spain
- Cave of Salamanca
- A hidden medieval crypt where a famous legend says the devil used to teach black magic.
- Munich, Germany
- Pinakothek der Moderne Futuro House
- One of the most easily accessible examples of the rare 1960s UFO houses.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Zak Bagans Haunted Museum
- A collection of haunted objects and macabre oddities under one roof.
- Leander, Texas
- Davis Cemetery
- Victims of the Webster Massacre are buried here in a mass grave.
- Chennai, India
- Fort St. George
- The first English fort built in India.
- Taos, New Mexico
- Tiwa Kitchen
- Taos Pueblo recipes, foraged ingredients, and outdoor ovens define the menu at this eatery.
- Dipkarpaz, Cyprus
- The Donkeys of Dipkarpaz National Park
- The animals wander freely amid this gorgeous stretch of nature.
- Richmond, British Columbia
- Larry Berg Flight Path Park
- An ideal location for plane spotting in British Columbia.
- Isfahan, Iran
- Vank Cathedral
- The cathedral stands in New Jufa, Isfahan's Armenian quarter that was established in 1606.
- Durango, Colorado
- Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
- This spectacular track has run continuously since 1882.
- South Yorkshire, England
- Wortley Top Forge
- This industrial museum is based on one of the oldest standing iron forges in the U.K.
- Washington, West Virginia
- Abandoned Lock No. 19
- One of the few surviving examples of the first lock and dam system built on the Ohio River.
- Canberra, Australia
- The Shine Dome
- This copper-coated, multi-arched dome is surrounded by a moat and lights up at night.
- Tula, Russia
- Tula Pryanik Museum
- A tea party concludes each visit to this Russian spice cookie sanctum.
- Vienna, Austria
- Justizcafe
- A rooftop restaurant hides in plain sight atop Vienna's Palace of Justice.
- Doha, Qatar
- 'Untitled (Lamp/Bear)'
- This 23-foot-tall bear stands amid the hustle and bustle of Hamad International Airport.
- Shimanto-cho, Japan
- Kaiyodo Kappa Museum
- A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.
- Lekki, Nigeria
- Lekki Conservation Center
- This Nigerian nature reserve is home to the longest canopy walkway in Africa.
- Tampa, Florida
- Odyssey 2001 'Spaceship'
- The strip club's VIP lounge is actually a rare repurposed Futuro House.
- Del Norte, Colorado
- La Ventana Arch
- Unlike most arches, this geological oddity formed in a volcanic dike.
- Callander, Scotland
- Lady Kentmores Antiques
- A weird and wonderful collection of items that pique curiosity and haunt nightmares.
- Tarpon Springs, Florida
- The Hempcrete House
- Florida’s first home built with eco-friendly hempcrete.
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Meteorite Museum (Museo del Meteorite)
- A massive display of meteorites all found in the Atacama Desert.
- Murfreesboro, North Carolina
- Brady C Jefcoat Museum
- A vast collection of everyday items amassed by one man.
- Agawa Bay, Ontario
- Agawa Rock
- A sacred Ojibwe site covered in pictographs next to Lake Superior.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- George Boedecker's Dinosaur Sculpture Garden
- Dinosaurs invade a suburban Nashville neighborhood.
- Payson, Utah
- Devil's Kitchen
- A dazzling display of red rocks weathered into spires and hoodoos.
- Indian Head, Saskatchewan
- The Indian Head Statue
- Dedicated to the people of Indian Head, Saskatchewan.
- Monroeville, Pennsylvania
- George A. Romero Bust
- An ode to filmmaker George A. Romero, who used the mall to film an iconic horror movie.
- Rimini, Italy
- Italia in Miniatura
- Famous landmarks and structures from across Italy fill this miniature park.
- Pakistan
- World's Highest ATM
- Just in case you need some cold cash at the top of the world.
- Stratford, New Zealand
- Stratford Glockenspiel Clock Tower
- This mechanical clock performs "Romeo and Juliet" in a Shakespeare-themed New Zealand town.
- Paddys River, Australia
- Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
- It's home to the antenna that received the first images of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.
- Gundagai, Australia
- Marble Masterpiece
- A miniature cathedral made of 20,948 tiny pieces of marble.
- Ypres, Belgium
- In Flanders Fields Museum
- This memorial museum chronicles the apocalyptic destruction of the First World War.
- Dudley, England
- The Crooked House
- This pub can leave even the sober feeling slightly unsteady.
- Afar Zone 2, Ethiopia
- Gaet’ale Pond
- The Earth's saltiest natural body of water belches toxic gas.
- Sparks, Nevada
- Last Chance Joe
- The colossal cartoon man stands outside a Nevada museum.
- Cruztón, Mexico
- Maya Crosses of Romerillo Cemetery
- This isolated Maya cemetery in Chiapas is distinguished by its towering, colorful wooden crosses.
- Kobayashi, Japan
- Crepe Vending Machine
- Ever needed a chocolate-filled crepe in the wee hours of the morning?
- Trieste, Italy
- Bora Trieste
- The Adriatic's most famous wind can be reliably experienced in the city's Marina.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- La Belle Nouvelle Orleans Antiques
- This unique shop is full of memento mori art, antique medical equipment, secret society paraphernalia, and historical relics.
- Chile
- Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA)
- One of the world's most advanced radio observatories sprawls across the Atacama Desert.
- Chicago, Illinois
- L.H. Selman Glass Gallery
- Over 1,000 pieces of one of the most niche art objects imaginable: the glass paperweight.
- Roswell, New Mexico
- Roswell UFO Spacewalk
- A blacklight journey through a celestial art exhibit.
- Granada, Spain
- Muslim Gravestones of the Alhambra
- Spanish architects used seized Muslim gravestones to rebuild parts of the fortress.
- Newhaven, England
- Newhaven Fort
- A Victorian Fort built into the chalky cliffs that overlook the English Channel.
- Cape Girardeau, Missouri
- Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse
- This 1854 courthouse along the Mississippi River has a storied history.
- Paris, France
- Gobelins Tapestry Factory
- This facility has manufactured stunning tapestries for France's royalty ever since the 17th century.
- Quebradillas, Puerto Rico
- Puente la Bellaca (La Bellaca Bridge)
- This former railroad bridge was named after the great river that once flowed below it.
- Segovia, Spain
- Civil War Bunkers of Alto del León
- These Bullet-scarred bunkers are haunting reminders of the Spanish Civil War.
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Bockenheimer Warte Subway Station Entrance
- The entrance to this Frankfurt subway station looks like an old tram car crashed into the concrete sidewalk.
- Toronto, Ontario
- Redpath Sugar Refinery Museum
- In the back of a bustling factory lurks a quiet museum honoring the history of Canadian sugar manufacturing.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Proyecto Público Prim (Public Project Prim)
- This once-abandoned mansion is now a dreamy event space.
- Jeongseon, South Korea
- Grasshopper's Dream Cafe
- Along a rail-biking route, giant insects house a two-story restaurant.
- Cáceres, Spain
- Torre de las Cigüeñas (Tower of the Storks)
- The tallest tower in Cáceres's Old Town.
- Grates Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Walled Landscape of Grates Cove
- The stone barriers in this historic fishing village were once used for farming and gardening.
- Thurgoland, England
- Thurgoland Tunnel
- A repurposed railway tunnel with otherworldly acoustic characteristics.
- South Pittsburg, Tennessee
- Cast Iron Cookware Man
- The pan man stands as a testament to the functionality of American cast iron cookware.
- Ashford, Washington
- Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park (Ex-Nihilo Park)
- Not far from Mount Rainer, an iron wonderland claims the landscape.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Coca-Cola Secret Formula Vault
- One of corporate America's best-kept secrets is also one of the most publicly displayed.
- London, England
- Victoria & Albert Museum Dining Rooms
- Revel in the Victorian splendor of the world's oldest eating establishment inside a museum.
- Kassel, Germany
- GRIMMWELT Kassel (Grimm World Kassel)
- A modern museum dedicated to the fairytales and dictionary work of the Brothers Grimm.
- Frankfort, Michigan
- Frankfort Marine Gateway
- The structure has welcomed visitors to this scenic harbor city on Lake Michigan for many decades.
- Chile
- Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache (Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache)
- You can swim in these highly salty, mesmerizingly blue lakes in the Atacama Desert.
- Paris, France
- Paris Space Invaders
- The video game-themed street art first popped up in the French city.
- Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Prime Berth Twillingate Fishery & Heritage Centre
- This quirky museum celebrates the history of a local cod fishing industry.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- José Luis Cuevas Museum
- Its most enigmatic sculpture is a giantess with a ghostly face on her knee.
- Haslingden, England
- 'Halo'
- At night, the enormous sculpture looks like a UFO hovering above the English hills.
- Esrange, Sweden
- Esrange Rocket Shelters
- The wilderness of northern Sweden is full of shelters to protect people from sounding rockets returning from space.
- Wallace, Idaho
- Sierra Silver Mine
- It was once used as a classroom to teach mining skills to local high school students.
- Tikal, Guatemala
- Howler Monkeys of Tikal
- These roaring primates were considered a divine creature in the cosmology of the Maya.
- Soda Springs, Idaho
- Geyser Park
- Home to a timed geyser created by complete accident.
- Bukit Batok, Singapore
- Little Guilin
- A disused quarry turned lake in the middle of a residential district.
- Anegada, British Virgin Islands
- Anegada Conch Middens
- A mountain of conch shells created by centuries of fishermen.
- Lebanon, Tennessee
- Cedars of Lebanon State Park
- This park contains one of the largest concentrations of cedar glades, a unique and rare ecosystem.
- Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Grave of Caroline Walter
- Flowers have mysteriously appeared on her effigy every day for the last 150 years.
- Thursford, England
- Thursford Collection
- A large collection of steam engines, organs, and fairground attractions.
- Varley, Australia
- Rabbit Cemetery
- A unique memorial to the bunnies who died because of Australia's historic Rabbit Proof Fence.
- Acton, Australia
- The Big Dish
- With a surface area of nearly 500 square meters, welcome to the world's largest paraboloidal dish solar concentrator.
- Nicholls, Australia
- Dinosaur Garden
- Outside the National Dinosaur Museum, dozens of dinosaur statues and sculptures claim the landscape.
- Romulus, New York
- Spud Chuckin'
- Launch vegetables using oversized slingshots at this Fingerlakes winery's roadside attraction.
- Malabon, Philippines
- Demon in the Cemetery
- A very peculiar and macabre statue calls Tugatog Cemetery home.
- Hinsdale, New Hampshire
- Northfield Drive-In Theater
- This New England drive-in was built to straddle the border between two states.
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Hanny's
- A former department store turned restaurant with a few quirky additions.
- San Francisco, California
- Venus Statue
- The contorting sculpture is the tallest in San Francisco.
- Segovia, Spain
- The Selfie Devil
- A controversial art piece that harkens back to local folklore.
- Martinsburg, West Virginia
- Big Apple Time Capsule
- A giant time capsule not scheduled to be cored until 2040.
- Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
- The Rolls-Royce Foundation Museum
- A museum and research center dedicated to preserving the history of Rolls-Royce and Bentley motorcars.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Kerepesi Cemetery
- Time stands still at this serene burial ground in the center of Budapest.
- San Francisco, California
- Jack's Record Cellar
- This surreptitious shop is only open five hours per week.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 'We the Youth'
- South Philadelphia is home to Keith Haring's only surviving in situ collaborative public mural.
- Haddam, Connecticut
- Haddam Shad Museum
- Springtime is go time for this repurposed shack and the fish it venerates.
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art
- An incredible collection of Mesoamerican art assembled by one of Mexico's great artists.
- Osaka, Japan
- Fudo Myo-o Statue
- A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.
- Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
- The Little Falls
- For decades, this waterfall remained hidden because of an artificial dam.
- Consett, England
- 'Terris Novalis'
- These giant sculptures are supported by a bizarre menagerie of feet.
- San Francisco, California
- Duboce Bikeway Mural
- This painted marvel is San Francisco's 400-foot ode to urban biking.
- Lindesnes, Norway
- Under
- The world's largest underwater restaurant is submerged off the southern tip of Norway.
- Richmond, Virginia
- Agecroft Hall and Gardens
- A genuine Tudor manor transported piece by piece from England.
- Cancún, Mexico
- El Rey Ruins
- A small collection of iguana-infested ruins hides amid Cancún's bustling hotel zone.
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Pukará de Quitor
- The ruins of a pre-Columbian fortress city so secure it held off the Spanish conquistadors for over 20 years.
- Ripon, England
- Ripon Cathedral Crypt
- Reputedly based on the tomb of Jesus Christ, this crypt is the oldest surviving structure of any cathedral in England.
- Gea de Albarracín, Spain
- Albarracín-Cella Roman Aqueduct
- This ancient tunnel is of the most important examples of Roman hydraulic engineering in Spain.
- Mejillones, Chile
- Punta Guaque 01
- This hidden pre-Columbian rock art depicts a whale hunt.
- Dala-järna, Sweden
- Café i Fårhus
- This restaurant gives a new meaning to farm-to-table cuisine.
- Wallace, Idaho
- Pulaski Tunnel Trail
- This trail leads to a mine that was used as a sanctuary during the Great Fire of 1910.
- Pasadena, California
- Pasadena Cheeseburger Plaque
- A California city claims to be the home of a fast-food classic.
- Hinsdale, New Hampshire
- Northfield Drive-In Theater
- This New England drive-in was built to straddle the border between two states.
- Liphook, England
- Hollycombe Steam in the Country
- This incredible collection contains rare steam-powered engines, rides, and trains.
- Fontenille, France
- Motte de la Jacquille
- This 5,000-year-old tomb once had its own hinged door.
- Pavia, Italy
- Monumento alla Lavandaia
- An ode to the washerwomen who called Pavia home.
- San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Librería del Desierto
- A beautiful little bookshop located in the middle of a desert.
- Segovia, Spain
- The Selfie Devil
- A controversial art piece that harkens back to local folklore.
- East Lothian, Scotland
- Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum
- Journey through one of the oldest industrial sites in Scotland.
- Perquín, El Salvador
- Museo de la Revolución Salvadoreña (Museum of the Revolution)
- Military artifacts from the Salvadoran Civil War are displayed in this small but notable museum.
- Statesville, North Carolina
- Fort Dobbs
- North Carolina's only restored fort from the French and Indian War.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Mary A. Whalen Oil Tanker
- A retired oil tanker now offering amazing views of New York City.
- Copiapó, Chile
- Museo Mineralógico (Mineralogical Museum)
- One of the world's most complete mineralogical collections.
- Ravenna, Italy
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
- An incredible mosaic-lined monument said to have held the remains of an ancient Roman empress.
- Tosashimizu, Japan
- Ashizuri Underwater Observation Tower
- This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.
- Strasbourg, France
- Château Musée Vodou
- This fascinating museum in an old water tower holds the world's largest collection of Vodou artifacts from western and central Africa.
- Rancho Cordova, California
- Back to the 80s Cafe
- This diner's a kitschy dreamland for anyone whose heart is stuck in the 1980s.
- Sark, Guernsey
- Sark Prison
- One of the world's smallest prisons boasts just two small cells.
- Talacre, Wales
- Point of Ayr Lighthouse
- This 1776 beacon on the coast of Wales is said to have a ghost called Raymond, the last lighthouse keeper.
- Ensenada, Mexico
- La Bufadora
- Legend says one of the world's largest marine geysers is actually a whale that got wedged within the rocks.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- John Livingston's Tomb
- Nestled among the living residents is the final resting place of an apothecary plague victim.
- Songjiang, China
- Guangfulin Relics Park
- This theme park presents 5,000 years of Shanghai history and includes a "sunken" exhibition hall.
- Stockton, California
- Pixie Woods
- This hidden amusement park is a magical escape for kids and kids-at-heart.
- San Francisco, California
- Doggie Diner Head
- This grinning pup statue is all that's left of what was once a ubiquitous Bay Area diner chain.
- Lorton, Virginia
- Stoney Lonesome Cemetery
- A small, forgotten prison cemetery marked only by a wrought-iron fence and eerie depressions left in the ground.
- Washington, D.C.
- Annie's Paramount Steakhouse
- This restaurant has been a haven for D.C.'s LGBTQ community since the 1950s.
- Hilo, Hawaii
- Waianuenue (Rainbow Falls)
- This legendary urban waterfall creates a dazzling display of rainbows.
- Mistley, England
- Old Knobbley
- This ancient oak tree sheltered accused "witches" in the 17th century.
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Hólavallagarður Cemetery
- This verdant, tree-lined Reykjavik graveyard is both enchanting and eerie.
- Ravenna, Italy
- Baptistery of Neon
- Psychoanalyst Carl Jung reported a paranormal experience after visiting this mosaic-lined Roman baptistry.
- Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
- Kaohsiung National Stadium
- This dragon-shaped sports arena is the world’s largest solar-powered stadium.
- Copiapó, Chile
- Statue of Juan Godoy
- A monument of the man who spurred Copiapó's silver mining industry.
- London, England
- 'The Ambassadors'
- A mysterious shape catches the eye in this 16th-century painting.
- Escondido, California
- Heartbreak Hotel House
- Sojourn to the past at this residence teeming with 1950s memorabilia.
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Panteón General (General Cemetery)
- The graveyard boasts a medley of diverse and imaginative funeral architecture
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Graffiti Pier (Pier 18)
- The abandoned coal loading dock is a canvas for unsanctioned art.
- Waterbury, Connecticut
- Abandoned Fairy Village
- A miniature village lies nearly forgotten in the forest by the side of a major highway.
- Nejapa, El Salvador
- Bolas de Fuego (Fireball Festival)
- This risky summer festival honors a historic volcanic eruption.
- Chile
- La Silla Observatory
- The Chilean mountain is freckled with (relatively) small European telescopes.
- Wallace, Idaho
- Oasis Bordello Museum
- After this former brothel closed, its interior remained almost frozen in time.
- Lowell, Massachusetts
- Jack Kerouac Park
- A monument park dedicated to the influential Beat Generation author and poet, Jack Kerouac.
- Paris, France
- The Bears of Gobelins
- During the summer months, giant teddy bears take over Paris near Les Gobelins metro station.
- Seattle, Washington
- Georgetown Castle
- An allegedly haunted mansion with a tragic, tawdry past.
- London, England
- Charing Cross Mural
- The medieval woodcut-style artwork chronicles life in medieval London.
- Washington, D.C.
- National Academy of Sciences
- For 60 years, the academy had no permanent location until members voted Washington D.C. as its forever home.
- London, Ontario
- Labatt Memorial Park
- The world’s oldest baseball field had to fight to earn its record.
- Ravenna, Italy
- Arian Baptistry
- A medieval, mosaic-lined baptistry built by a heretical Christian sect.
- Copiapó, Chile
- The Copiapó
- South America's oldest surviving locomotive.
- Captain Cook, Hawaii
- Kona Coffee Living History Farm
- Try your hand at old-fashioned coffee growing at this museum devoted to one of the world's most coveted beans.
- Rossville, Australia
- Black Mountain
- Legend says entire herds of cattle have disappeared within this boulder-strewn landscape.
- Centerville, Indiana
- Warm Glow Candle Outlet
- A giant lumpy candle serves as a beacon for this highly scented pit stop.
- Basel, Switzerland
- Museum Tinguely
- An interactive exhibition space dedicated to the kinetic sculptures of Swiss artist Jean Tinguely.
- Yalcobá, Mexico
- Cenote Palomitas
- Take a dip in this subterranean pool.
- Seoul, South Korea
- Sewoon Sangga (Sewoon Plaza)
- Its humdrum facade only adds to its electrifying appeal: a rooftop with panoramic views of a shapeshifting metropolis.
- Bournemouth, England
- Fisherman's Walk Cliff Lift
- The world's shortest funicular ferries beachgoers a whopping 128 feet from clifftop to shore.
- La Coruña, Spain
- Elevador del Monte de San Pedro
- This panoramic lift provides a futuristic ride up San Pedro Mountain.
- Brooklyn, New York
- 'The Dinner Party'
- This enormous banquet-themed artwork honors over 1,000 notable women throughout history.
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Africville Museum
- Housed inside a replica church, its collection honors the black community displaced by the Halifax government.
- Amherst, Massachusetts
- Hitchcock Ichnological Cabinet
- This exhibit is one of the largest and most well-preserved collections of Jurassic-era trackways in the United States.
- Basel, Switzerland
- Spielzeug Welten Museum
- An unassuming Swiss institution houses Europe's largest toy museum.
- Houston, Texas
- Arthur B. Cohn House
- A historic, century-old house plopped along the perimeter of Houston's ballpark.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- The Betts House
- The oldest brick house in the state of Ohio.
- Tokoroa, New Zealand
- Talking Poles
- The wooden sculptures are studded throughout a small New Zealand town.
- Wrenshall, Minnesota
- Free Range Film Barn
- This century-old barn is home to a homey, eclectic film festival.
- Hamburg, Germany
- Hall of Fame Heimfeld
- One of the largest legal spray spots in Hamburg.
- Prague, Czechia
- Velvet Revolution Monument
- Nine bronze hands protruding from a wall honor the student uprising that led to the fall of Czechoslovakia's Communist government.
- Maricopa, California
- Lakeview Gusher
- Remnants of the United States's largest accidental oil spill still mar a California valley.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Museo de Geología (Museum of the Institute of Geology)
- The museum houses "the most studied meteorite in history," among other geological oddities.
- St Regis, Montana
- St. Regis Trout Museum
- Between Missoula and Spokane, a family-owned travel center has an unusual museum in the back.
- Cambridge, England
- Kettle's Yard
- Students can borrow artwork from this gallery to display in their own residences.
- Granada, Colorado
- Granada War Relocation Center
- The remains of a World War II-era Japanese American internment camp dot a windswept Colorado hill.
- Queens, New York
- Cassinelli Pasta
- The oldest pastificio in Queens offers visitors fresh noodles and a peek inside the macaroni-making magic.
- Faroe Islands
- Faroe Islands One-Lane Tunnels
- The narrow passages will challenge even the bravest driver.
- Birmingham, England
- Birmingham Walk of Stars
- The star-studded street honors the city's most notable Brummies.
- Sydney, Australia
- Charles Dickens Statue
- This rare effigy of the author spent years lost in storage.
- Richardson, Texas
- Texas Triffid Ranch
- "Dallas’s pretty much only carnivorous plant gallery."
- London, England
- Horniman Aquarium
- A wonderfully eclectic Victorian aquarium lies in the basement of the Horniman Museum.
- Nottingham, England
- The Caves of Nottingham
- A labyrinthine underworld of tunnels and caverns hides beneath the city.
- Alaska
- Arctic Circle Monument Sign
- The stickered marker pinpoints where the only maintained road in the United States crosses into the polar region.
- Paris, France
- El Clan Destino
- The storefront of a ramshackle Parisian puppet theater.
- Plymouth, Connecticut
- Ted Knight Memorial Bridge
- A bridge commemorating the actor's legacy and his Terryville roots.
- Franklin, Kentucky
- Octagon Hall Civil War Museum
- A unique home built by Andrew Jackson Caldwell that also served as a military hospital.
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Glasgow Cathedral's Hebrew Inscriptions
- In the depths of Glasgow Cathedral's crypt, one pillar stands out from all others.
- Denver, Colorado
- The Room of Lost Things
- A store that specializes in all things odd and macabre.
- Tulsk, Ireland
- Rathcroghan
- This ancient Irish landscape boasts hundreds of legendary ruins.
- Taltal, Chile
- Kitson Meyer Locomotive
- The antique vehicle is a preserved relic of Chile's nitrate mining industry.
- New York, New York
- Catacombs of Old St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Historical figures from New York City's Catholic community lie within the crypts.
- Teruel, Spain
- Los Arcos Aqueduct
- This multi-level, aqueduct-footbridge hybrid is one of the greatest works of the Spanish Renaissance.
- Brussels, Belgium
- Laeken Cemetery Crypt
- This recently restored crypt was once plagued by liquefying coffins and exploding caskets.
- Silea, Italy
- Cemetery of the Burci
- A haunting collection of sunken wooden barges litters this Italian river bend.
- Neece, Texas
- Cast Away Crossroads
- It's where the final scene of the beloved Tom Hanks movie was filmed.
- New York, New York
- Shorakkopoch Rock
- A large boulder marks the place where the island of Manhattan was purportedly sold to the Dutch.
- John o' Groats, Scotland
- John o' Groats Marker
- The sign marks one of the endpoints to mainland Britain's longest overland travel route.
- Antofagasta, Chile
- Antofagasta Mountainside Messages
- Instead of using billboards, some people here relay their messages on the side of a mountain.
- Albertslund, Denmark
- 'Scenarie'
- An artist has turned what most people would consider a bathroom nightmare into a work of political art.
- Cornuda, Italy
- Tipoteca
- This Italian museum is a one-of-a-kind celebration of printing and type.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Museo del Metro (Metro Museum)
- This underground museum highlights the history of Mexico City's subway system.
- Chadron, Nebraska
- Museum of the Fur Trade
- This Great Plains museum pays tribute to both the prosperity and tragedy of the North American fur trade.
- Teruel, Spain
- The Two Lovers of Teruel
- These magnificently sculpted tombs represent Spain's own legendary version of "Romeo and Juliet."
- Rõuge, Estonia
- Pesapuu Watchtower
- This Estonian watchtower looks like a big tree with two giant bird nests on it, complete with a "golden egg."
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- The Archaearium
- This museum for people who really dig colonial American history holds an unsavory secret.
- Tring, England
- Tring Natural History Museum Hybrid Animals
- A menagerie of curiously bred creatures.
- Kulin, Australia
- Tin Horse Highway
- There's a lot of horsing around on this lonely stretch of Australian highway.
- Geneva, New York
- Mike Weaver Drain Tile Museum
- This museum pays homage to a device that precipitated a watershed moment in Finger Lakes food production.
- Nuremberg, Germany
- Historischer Kunstbunker
- Now a museum dedicated to its former purpose, Nazis once stored stolen art in this former beer cellar.
- Simi Valley, California
- Corriganville Park
- The ruins of the movie ranch owned by actor and stuntman Ray "Crash" Corrigan.
- Peniche, Portugal
- Fort of São João Baptista (Berlengas)
- A fortress off the West coast of Portugal that dates back to 1502.
- Novelda, Spain
- Novelda Shrine of Mary Magdalene
- The 20th-century church looks like a rustic version of the Sagrada Familia.
- Calabasas, California
- Leonis Adobe Museum
- The restored estate of a wealthy rancher was once at the heart of an unprecedented legal victory.
- Tehran, Iran
- Iran Mall
- The world's largest shopping mall complex covers an area of 15 million square feet—and it's still set to grow.
- Pohuehue, New Zealand
- Mahurangi Harbour
- A drowned river valley that was important to the Maori and European settlers.
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Musée de La Femme (Women’s Museum)
- Northern Africa's first museum of its kind preserves the culture of Moroccan women and their artistic achievements.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Ekibenya Matsuri
- A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.
- Vienna, Austria
- Steinhof Church
- The first modernist church in Europe.
- Chernobyl, Ukraine
- 'Monument of the Third Angel'
- The biblical sculpture honors those who died combating the Chernobyl disaster.
- Sado, Japan
- Earth Celebration
- Japan's longest-running music festival takes place on an isolated butterfly-shaped island.
- Búðardalur, Iceland
- Eiriksstadir
- A fantastic reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking longhouse.
- Pernik, Bulgaria
- Surva Carnival at Pernik
- Founded in the 4th-century, the town of Pernik plays host to the Surva Carnival?—a magnificent display of masked Kukeri dancers.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- SCOP Center
- Murals made with millions of colorful stones adorn the abandoned building.
- Monroeville, Pennsylvania
- Monroeville Mall
- The Pennsylvania shopping center was once the setting for the 1978 film, "Dawn of the Dead."
- New York, New York
- Staple Street Skybridge
- Imagine having a street run right through your home, or better yet, a historic bridge three stories high.
- Peninsula, Ohio
- Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
- A throwback train ride transports passengers through one of the lesser-known national parks in the U.S.
- Katakolo, Greece
- Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology
- Get hands on with the technological marvels of the Classical world.
- Batna, Algeria
- Timgad
- Classical ruins that remember ancient Rome's presence in Africa.
- Palmdale, Florida
- Gatorama
- Get up close with some alligators at this roadside farm attraction.
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- First Official 4th of July Celebration Plaque
- This metal disk commemorates the birth of a historic American holiday.
- Erin, Tennessee
- Rock Quarry Cave
- Hiding behind a grocery store is a spectacular cavern carved as part of an old limestone quarry.
- Corbridge, England
- Aydon Castle
- This medieval manor house was hastily fortified when it found itself in the middle of the Scottish fight for independence.
- Staten Island, New York
- Silver Lake Park
- Staten Island's original central park is the former home of the city water supply as well as thousands of immigrant graves.
- Bovec, Slovenia
- Fort Hermann
- A crumbling World War I fort that is reached through a series of concrete tunnels.
- Tübingen, Germany
- Schlosslabor
- The old castle kitchen where nucleic acid was first isolated is considered the "cradle of biochemistry."
- Bronx, New York
- La Morada
- Rare moles meet activism at this Oaxacan eatery.
- Zagan, Poland
- Stalag Luft III Prisoner Camp Museum
- The site of one of the largest prison escapes of World War II.
- St. Francis, Colorado
- Colorado Low Point
- While other states boast lower points than Colorado, Colorado has the highest low point of any other state in the U.S.
- Freiberg, Germany
- Terra Mineralia
- A Saxony castle houses one of the largest and most outstanding mineral collections in the world.
- New York, New York
- Okapi Taxidermy Diorama
- This impressive scene portrays the elusive forest giraffe of Central Africa.
- New Delhi, India
- Lodhi Art District
- India's first open-air public art district sits in the heart of the country's capital.
- Gannan Zangzuzizhizhou, China
- Labrang Meditation Huts
- These picturesque structures speckle the hill above the monastery.
- L'viv, Ukraine
- Znesinnia Park Rail Tracks
- The largest park in Lviv is surrounded by a network of disused rail tracks.
- Aladdin, Wyoming
- Aladdin Coal Tipple
- The crumbling structure is a rare surviving relic of the area's bygone mining industry.
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Castillo de San Marcos
- The walls of America's oldest masonry fort famously "swallowed" cannonballs.
- Dresden, Germany
- Yenidze
- Tourists often confuse this beautifully ornate former cigarette factory for a mosque.
- Valencia, Spain
- Central Market of Valencia
- This amazing example of Valencian Art Nouveau looks more like a cathedral than a public market.
- Fermo, Italy
- Roman Cisterns of Fermo
- A 2,000-year-old engineering wonder hides beneath an Italian town.
- Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
- St Marienkirche's Stained Glass Windows
- This unique medieval artwork featuring the story of the Antichrist remained lost for decades.
- Tembagapura, Indonesia
- Grasberg Mine
- This mile-wide crater high in the mountains of Indonesia is the largest gold mine in the world.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Bessie Sheppard Stone
- This lonely memorial marks the supposedly haunted site of a brutal 19th-century murder.
- Nederland, Colorado
- Devil's Slide Trestles
- These decaying bridges 1,000 feet high are a reminder of the skill it took to cross the Colorado Rockies by rail.
- Peñíscola, Spain
- Bufador de Peñiscola
- The blowhole bursts spectacularly right next to the buildings in a medieval seaside town.
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Moogseum
- A museum dedicated to the legacy of Bob Moog and his pioneering synthesizers.
- Moscow, Maine
- Roadside Birdhouses of Moscow, Maine
- A collection of birdhouses await curious motorists and avian squatters.
- El Mirage, California
- Aviation Warehouse
- Where decommissioned airplanes and helicopters go to become part of Hollywood.
- Southampton, England
- Ruins of Holyrood Church
- Now a memorial to merchant sailors and Titanic victims, this medieval church was destroyed by bombing raids in 1940.
- King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
- Washington Memorial Chapel
- An eccentric priest's tribute to George Washington, this chapel tells the story of the American Revolution.
- Nederland, Colorado
- Rifle Sight Notch
- This old train trestle and collapsed tunnel once allowed the railroad to negotiate the steep slopes of the Colorado Rockies.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- North Point Water Tower
- What appears to be a wizard's lair in Milwaukee actually houses a massive water pipe.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Washington Park Wall
- The unassuming structure was part of a Major League Baseball stadium.
- Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Tiny Town
- Everything in this miniature world was handmade from matches, paperclips, wires, tin cans, and other everyday objects.
- Dunnet, Scotland
- Dunnet Head Lighthouse
- The most northern place on the mainland of Great Britain.
- St Kilda, Australia
- St. Kilda Pier Penguin Colony
- You'll find the little birds tucked within the rocks of this Australian beach.
- Merv, Turkmenistan
- Ancient Merv
- This famed Silk Road oasis was one of the largest cities in the world before it was destroyed by a Mongol horde.
- Chicago, Illinois
- American Writers Museum
- Small and slightly hidden, the American Writers Museum is preserving the legacy of America's finest authors.
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Maynard Street Parking Garage Signs
- Its floors are marked by colorful cues depicting Michigan's native fauna.
- Hualqui, Chile
- 'Independent Republic' of Hualqui
- Despite being of the most short-lived republics in history, this small Chilean town won’t forget its two days of independence.
- Queens, New York
- Luna de Xelajú
- Deliciousness abounds at a Guatemalan restaurant masquerading as a pizzeria.
- London, England
- Statue of Guy the Gorilla
- A sculpture of a famous ape who was once a beloved household name in London.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Casa Goofy International
- This scrap yard doubles as a naive art gallery full of found art and farm animals.
- New York, New York
- Libyan Desert Diorama
- This poignant display is now a memorial to these regionally extinct species.
- Kaltbach, Switzerland
- Kaltbach Cave
- A 22-million-year-old sandstone cave is a natural habitat for award-winning cheese.
- Randers, Denmark
- Memphis Mansion
- An Elvis superfan built Denmark's own version of Graceland.
- Shibli, Israel
- Mount Tabor
- This dome-shaped mountain boasts amazing views and has a rich religious history.
- Glencoe, Scotland
- Ralston Cairn
- Nestled atop a wind-swept crag in the Scottish Highlands is a lonely memorial to a beloved hiker.
- Altea, Spain
- St Michael's Russian Orthodox Church
- The magnificent sanctuary is Spain's first purpose-built structure of its kind.
- Douglas, Isle of Man
- The Old Fairy Bridge
- This hidden bridge is where local children leave gifts and messages for the island's fay folk.
- Zacatecas, Mexico
- Mina El Edén Rock and Mineral Museum
- The spectacular subterranean collection includes dazzling minerals, including a piece of "kryptonite."
- Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Museo Robert Brady
- An incredible little museum of interior design full of artifacts collected from around the world.
- Bedford, Pennsylvania
- Dunkle's Gulf Service
- This Art Deco service station has been providing tune-ups and turning heads for close to a century.
- London, England
- Kew Gardens Underground Aquarium
- permanently closed
- A marine aquarium with an astounding variety of fish hides in the basement beneath the famous Palm House.
- Bronx, New York
- Nano Billiards Cafe
- A basement pool hall is the front for some of the best Dominican food in New York City.
- Chilas, Pakistan
- Thalpan Petroglyphs
- Thousands of ancient rock carvings are scattered just off the highway.
- Durango, Mexico
- Durango Walk of Fame
- A series of sculptures depict the actors who starred in the many cowboy movies shot in this Mexican city.
- Schönau an der Brend, Germany
- Rhönrad-Denkmal Schönau (Schönau Gyrowheel Monument)
- A memorial to a dizzying sports device and its creator.
- Torrelavega, Spain
- Vaulted Ceiling of Iglesia de la Virgen Grande
- This magnificent brick dome was made with an unusual design method.
- Østervrå, Denmark
- Pixlart
- A beautiful photography exhibition space housed in a former church.
- New York, New York
- Sambar and Wild Dog Diorama
- This taxidermy scene brings the struggle for survival in the Indian jungle to a quiet corner of a Manhattan museum.
- Kolkata, India
- Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary
- Kolkata’s only Portuguese church has a curious link with chickens.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Panteón Francés de La Piedad
- This French cemetery houses some of the most exquisite examples of funerary art in Mexico City.
- Ukiah, California
- City of 10,000 Buddhas
- One of the largest Buddhist communities in the West sits on the site of an old hospital.
- Argentina
- Mysterious Ruins
- Are they the remains of a fallen hotel, or the final stronghold for escaped Nazis?
- Dallas, Texas
- Gravesite of Clyde Barrow
- The final resting place of infamous outlaw Clyde and Marvin Barrow.
- Dallas, Texas
- The Grave of Bonnie Parker
- The final resting place of an outlaw, whose legend grew after death.
- Alcoi, Spain
- Llotja de Sant Jordi
- This exhibition space designed to look like the skeleton of a whale is hidden underground.
- Walsh Island, Ireland
- Ringfort Relic
- An unassuming historical marker for an iron age fort leads you to an oddly adorned cemetery for unbaptized children.
- Montpelier Station, Virginia
- Montpelier Horse Cemetery
- The grave of a champion Thoroughbred hides within the former presidential estate.
- London, England
- Quantum Cloud
- Sculptor Antony Gormley used chaos theory and fractal growth to design his tallest creation.
- Madrid, Spain
- Carpetana Metro Station Museum
- Replicas of fossils unearthed during renovation work reveal how this area would have looked millions of years ago.
- Charlevoix, Michigan
- Weathervane Restaurant Boulder Fireplace
- In the main dining room, a nine-ton boulder caps the fireplace designed by local architect Earl Young.
- Mahabaleshwar, India
- Pratapgad Fort
- This fortress played a key role in the battle that would ultimately give rise to the Maratha Empire.
- London, England
- The 'Scribble'
- A giant scrawl on the skyline of south London.
- Grayling, Michigan
- Camp Grayling Military Cemetery
- At the top of a local ski mountain is a hidden cemetery containing the graves of just two soldiers.
- Bingley, England
- Milner Field Ruins
- A lavish Victorian mansion wound up inheriting a gruesome reputation that would be its demise.
- Washington D.C., United States
- Boy Scout Memorial
- The innocent intentions of this monument to the history of the Boy Scouts are somewhat lost in the sculpture's muscled imagery.
- Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Bloodroot Feminist Vegetarian Restaurant
- This last stalwart of the now-forgotten feminist restaurant movement has been serving food in an activist atmosphere since 1977.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Childs Restaurant Building
- The flagship building of an early national restaurant chain is a superb example of terra cotta art.
- Dolceacqua, Italy
- Dolceacqua's Ponte Vecchio
- Claude Monet immortalized this medieval bridge in two of his paintings.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- National Museum of Anthropology Murals
- The unique collection often goes unnoticed by visitors focused only on the archaeological objects.
- London, England
- Topolski's 'Memoir of the Century'
- Tucked inside a South Bank bar is an epic expressionist chronicle of the 20th century.
- Rock Stone Pond, Belize
- Altun-Ha
- An important Mayan religious and trading center dating back to 200 BC.
- Cañon City, Colorado
- Garden Park Fossil Area
- The site of the "Bone Wars" between two rival paleontologists during the dinosaur rush of the 19th century.
- Looe, England
- The Monkey Sanctuary
- A wonderful safe haven founded in the 1960s to rescue endangered monkeys from the pet trade.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Johnny Angel's Ginchy Stuff
- One Pittsburgh musician's decades-in-the-making memorabilia collection is on display at this rock-n-roll curio shop.
- Dunloe Upper, Ireland
- Gap of Dunloe
- Traveling this mountain pass reveals quaint stone buildings, stunning Irish scenery, and a bridge said to grant wishes.
- Canning, Nova Scotia
- Black Hole Falls
- A beautiful waterfall and beach where precious stones are plentiful.
- Clinton, Tennessee
- Asa Jackson’s Perpetual Motion Machine
- This improbable contraption was passed down through five generations of industrious Tennesseans.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Fonoteca Nacional
- Mexico's National Sound Library houses music, recordings, and voices from the nation's rich past.
- London, England
- Queen Caroline's Bath
- The plunge pool is a surviving relic of a rowdy royal residence.
- Kubinka, Russia
- Patriot Park
- You'll find rocket launchers, not rollercoasters, at Russia's “military Disneyland.”
- Brocton, New York
- Marmaduke Statue
- The world's only statue dedicated to the greatest Great Dane in comic strip history.
- Pittston, Pennsylvania
- Abandoned Knox Coal Distribution Center
- The graffitied ruins stand hidden within the Pennsylvania woods.
- Florence, Italy
- La Berta
- Legend says this mysterious stone head belongs to a woman who was petrified by an alchemist.
- Durango, Mexico
- Paseo Túnel Minería Durango (Durango Mining Tunnel Walk)
- This subterranean passage reveals the city's mining history as well as its legendary terrors.
- Staten Island, New York
- Booze History Museum
- Crammed into several rooms of a Staten Island home, this museum is a vodka-soaked paean to the pleasures of drinking.
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Church of St. Elizabeth
- Also known as the Blue Church, the building was consecrated to the daughter of Andrew II.
- Crestone, Colorado
- Crestone Ziggurat
- Climb to the top of this spiritual tower, and you'll be rewarded with spectacular views.
- London, England
- Crystal Palace Subway
- A relic of Victorian grandeur hides beneath a busy South London road.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Gene Kelly's Pittsburgh Plaque
- This plaque marks a place where one of Hollywood’s most famous dancers got his start.
- Natchez, Mississippi
- The Grave of Florence Irene Ford
- Florence’s mother built a stairway down to her daughter’s coffin so she could comfort her during storms.
- Tlalnepantla, Mexico
- Mexica Sculpture Museum Dr. Eusebio Davalos Hurtado
- The 19th-century hacienda house is filled with Aztec sculptures.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Penn Museum's Collection of Ancient Tweezers
- These medicine cabinet staples are part of the museum's collection of everyday objects.
- Odate, Japan
- Nipro Hachiko Dome
- This sports stadium was made from 25,000 cypress trees and ranks among the world's largest wooden domes.
- Barentsburg, Norway
- Barentsburg
- This Arctic mining town is home to a cat that's spent years masquerading as a fox.
- South Queensferry, Scotland
- The Loony Dook
- Every New Year's Day, locals don gaudy costumes and dive into the frigid Firth of Forth.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Zócalo Metro Models
- These subterranean models show Mexico City's central square during three different eras.
- Ontinyent, Spain
- Pou Clar
- Locals use these rock pools and waterfalls for swimming and cliff diving.
- India / Pakistan
- Siachen Glacier
- This disputed mass of ice is home to the highest battlefield on Earth and the world's highest military base.
- White Pigeon, Michigan
- Chief Wahbememe (White Pigeon) Memorial
- A memorial to a Potawatomi chief who ran nearly 150 miles to alert local settlers of an impending attack.
- Shinjuku, Japan
- Omoide Yokocho
- Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”
- Argentina
- Huemul Island
- The island houses the ruins of a secret nuclear fusion lab that once employed high-profile Nazi scientists
- Lecarrow, Ireland
- Rindoon
- Wander among the abandoned ruins of this once-powerful medieval town.
- Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
- Ruins of Lazaretto de Isla de Cabras
- The crumbling remnants of this 19th-century quarantine hospital hint at the touristy island's darker past.
- Outer Hebrides, Scotland
- Catalina Wreck
- The rusting remnants of a flying boat lie scattered near the site of its fatal crash.
- Sant Adrià de Besòs, Spain
- Tres Xemeneies (Three Chimneys)
- The unexpectedly beloved remnants of a controversial thermal power plant.
- Firbank, England
- Waterside Viaduct
- The abandoned railway bridge stands hidden in the farmland of rural Cumbria.
- Grimsby, England
- Grimsby Dock Tower
- Despite its ornamental looks, this towering Tuscan-inspired anomaly was a masterpiece in hydraulic engineering.
- Ahmedabad, India
- Jama Masjid
- This 15th-century mosque is a beautiful blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture.
- Tsovagyugh, Armenia
- Fish-Selling Mannequins of Tsovagyugh
- Men and special assistants stand by the road to sell the day's catch in this lakeside village.
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Burning of Zozobra
- Setting this massive marionette aflame rids Santa Fe of doom and gloom for another year.
- Dale Abbey, England
- Hermits Cave at Dale Abbey
- Inspired by a dream, a hermit carved out a home in this sandstone bank to live a life of contemplation and prayer.
- Minato City, Japan
- Little Peeing Monk of Tokyo
- This Japanese Manneken Pis gets new outfits for every occasion.
- Storforshei, Norway
- Arctic Circle Centre
- This roadside attraction looks like a flying saucer parked atop the tundra.
- Gokdepe, Turkmenistan
- Saparmurat Hajji Mosque
- A memorial to the thousands of Turkmen soldiers and civilians who died in a bloody 1881 battle.
- New York, New York
- Bill's Place
- This speakeasy continues the Prohibition-era legacy of Harlem's jazzy Swing Street.
- New Castle, Pennsylvania
- Cascade Park
- This public space is speckled with the eerie remnants of a defunct amusement park.
- Cuenca, Spain
- Castilla-La Mancha Paleontological Museum
- This museum is known as the "Land of the Dinosaurs," but its full-scale dino models are just the start.
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Bamboo Playhouse
- A delightful architectural wonder awaits on a lake island in Kuala Lumpur’s oldest park.
- Cuauhtémoc, Mexico
- Café La Habana
- This old-school cafe is famous for serving coffee, chilaquiles, and the Cuban Revolution.
- Glynn, Northern Ireland
- The Fairy Well
- A former watering trough turned local heritage site.
- Albacete, Spain
- Albacete Fairgrounds
- This uniquely shaped 17th-century structure comes alive in early September.
- Slubice, Poland
- Wikipedia Monument
- The first, and perhaps only, monument dedicated to Wikipedia.
- Empire, Michigan
- Manning Memorial Lighthouse
- This tribute to a local man towers within a quaint lakeside park.
- Lincoln, England
- Temple Bruer
- This lone tower casts an outstretched shadow over the site of a once-wealthy Knights Templar preceptory.
- Havana, Cuba
- Grand Lodge of Cuba
- The largest masonic lodge in Cuba.
- Greensburg, Pennsylvania
- St. Clair Park
- Originally a cemetery, this city park remains speckled with a handful of scattered gravestones.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Millennium Clock Tower
- The dance of this huge clock is a magnificent and eerie commentary on good and evil in the history of humankind.
- East Timor
- Rock Art at Nino Konis Santana National Park
- Ancient images hide within the park's caves.
- Doorn, Netherlands
- Huis Doorn
- The elegant manor house where Kaiser Wilhelm II lived in exile after World War I.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Wonderville
- An arcade packed with a rotating collection of unique independent video games.
- Colmar, France
- Museum of Natural History and Ethnography
- A charming little museum founded by the designer of the Statue of Liberty.
- Benton, Illinois
- George Harrison Commemorative Mural
- The famous Beatle secretly visited this Illinois town several times to visit his sister.
- Peebles, Scotland
- Neidpath Train Tunnel
- An abandoned, desolate train tunnel that was used during World War II.
- Reno, Nevada
- Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts
- An iconic 1960s theater with a Buckminster Fuller-style geodesic dome.
- Móstoles, Spain
- Móstoles Planets Garden
- A model solar system adds a celestial touch to this suburban park.
- Bolivia
- Torotoro National Park Dinosaur Footprints
- Thousands of fossilized footprints speckle this Bolivian national park.
- High Point, North Carolina
- Hoggatt House
- This colonial cabin is the oldest building in High Point, built by one of the first settlers in the area.
- Hillerød, Denmark
- Frederiksborg Castle
- This striking royal residence is the largest Renaissance-style castle in Scandinavia.
- Tallassee, Tennessee
- Abrams Creek Underwater Bridge
- Abandoned for 60 years, this submerged bridge was completely forgotten until the lake was drained.
- Milan, Italy
- 'Selva Elettrica' ('Electric Jungle')
- The enigmatic sculpture hides above an escalator in a Milan metro station.
- Cartagena, Colombia
- KGB Cartagena
- In the middle of one of South America's most historic walled cities lies a bar with an enormous collection of Soviet memorabilia.
- Summerville, Georgia
- Abandoned Luten Arch Bridge
- Bypassed and forgotten, this double arch bridge is slowly being reclaimed by nature.
- Chalcatzingo, Mexico
- Chalcatzingo
- In the Valley of Morelos lies a mysterious Olmec site with signs of jaguar veneration.
- Lucknow, India
- Bara Imambara
- This magnificent 18th-century hall consists of a maze of nearly a thousand interconnected passages.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Faulkner House Books
- Shop for books in the New Orleans house where William Faulkner once lived.
- Asmara, Eritrea
- Tank Graveyard
- Wander among hulking piles of rusted machinery left over from the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.
- La Paz, Bolivia
- Abandoned Chacaltaya Ski Resort
- The world’s highest ski resort was deserted after an 18,000-year-old glacier melted away.
- Offham, England
- Offham Quintain
- Horsemen once used this tilting post during jousting practice.
- Oughterard, Ireland
- Alpacas of Curraghduff Farms
- Fluffy and friendly alpacas nestled against the border of the beautiful Connemara region.
- Masua, Italy
- Porto Flavia
- This cliff-face port is considered a masterpiece of mining engineering.
- Beira, Mozambique
- Macuti Lighthouse and Shipwreck
- This rusted shipwreck directly in front of a century-old abandoned lighthouse looks almost surreal.
- Birchington-on-Sea, England
- Powell-Cotton Ethnographic Collection
- A vast archive of cultural artifacts collected from numerous expeditions across Africa and Asia.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- La Casa Estrecha (The Narrow House)
- This tiny home was originally a narrow alleyway.
- Tampa, Florida
- Grindhouse Video
- This video store is a horror buff's dream.
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida
- DC-7 at Epic Flight Academy
- An aviation relic that made coast-to-coast travel possible.
- Munich, Germany
- Monopteros
- This beautiful 19th-century temple stands atop the ruins of its predecessor.
- Pune, India
- Statue of Aryabhata
- A tribute to the creator of the present day Hindu number system.
- Genova, Italy
- Ascensore Castello d'Albertis-Montegalletto
- This peculiar Italian elevator runs both horizontally and vertically.
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Sternenweg Sculpture
- This enormous abstract sculpture is part jungle gym, part elaborate noise-making machine.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Bengt Erland Fogelberg's Norse God Statues
- Finally reunited, the three effigies now stand in a museum courtyard.
- Lewisburg, West Virginia
- Lost World Caverns
- Home of a 28-foot tall stalagmite known as the War Club.
- The World's First Internet-Enabled Park Bench
- Long before wi-fi, this public seat provided the wonder of being online while outdoors.
- Nuuk, Greenland
- Nuuk Center
- Greenland's first shopping mall also hosts the country's government.
- Lairg, Scotland
- Ard Neackie Lime Kilns
- The ruins of a defunct limestone quarry still haunt this Scottish promontory.
- Willcox, Arizona
- Heart of the Rocks Loop
- Hike the unusual hoodoos and rock formations that form this little-known natural wonder.
- Lyon, France
- Curiosities Garden
- This hidden garden boasts amazing views of Lyon.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Mark Bischof's Studio
- This subterranean studio is filled with fascinating kinetic art.
- Erie, Colorado
- Wise Homestead Museum
- This restored farmhouse is a time capsule of a 19th-century Colorado homestead.
- Tehran, Iran
- Tehran Aerospace Exhibition Center
- A graveyard of old and rare planes that once were the glory of Persian aviation.
- Varanasi, India
- Cremation Ghats of Varanasi
- Many Hindus make the long pilgrimage to this holy city to have their remains burned on the banks of the Ganges River.
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Iceberg Alley
- Hundreds of enormous icebergs drift through this waterway every year.
- Denver, Colorado
- Carpio Sanguinette Park
- An innovative local park built from an abandoned sewage treatment plant.
- Játiva, Spain
- The Upside Down Painting of King Philip V
- This portrait of Philip V is always hung upside down, in a protest three centuries in the making.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- St Giles' Cathedral Thistle Chapel
- The 20th-century chapel’s intricate woodwork includes amazing details, most notably angels playing bagpipes.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Marine Park Salt Marsh
- This preserved wilderness hides the remains of a colonial grain mill used to feed George Washington's troops.
- Camuy, Puerto Rico
- Iglesia Cristiana Avivamiento La Piedra (The Stone Church)
- This memorial to a family's dead son has survived a century of hurricanes and earthquakes.
- Lynford, England
- Grime's Graves
- A strange and ancient landscape hides the dark, cavernous remains of a 5,000-year-old flint mine.
- Prilep, North Macedonia
- Museum of Tobacco
- Thousands of objects tell the story of a city famous for its tobacco.
- Kurashiki, Japan
- Matsuka Seimen Noodle Factory
- Fans line up at the crack of dawn for a slurpy bowl of deliciousness at this noodle counter inside a factory.
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Ethyl the Whale
- This sculpture of a blue whale is made of hand-recycled plastic trash.
- Porrentruy, Switzerland
- JURASSICA Museum
- This little museum is packed with information about the region's past and present biodiversity.
- Sapporo, Japan
- Moerenuma Park
- This futuristic public park includes large sculptures and an artificial geyser.
- Guánica, Puerto Rico
- Guánica Lighthouse Ruins
- Invading U.S. troops were first seen from this now-abandoned tower, leading to the Spanish-American War.
- Skørping, Denmark
- Thingbæk Kalkminer
- An old limestone mine transformed into a beautiful and unusual sculpture museum.
- Gormaz, Spain
- Castle of Gormaz
- This Arabic fortress was once the largest citadel in Western Europe.
- Gallipolis, Ohio
- Silver Bridge Disaster Memorial
- The failure of one component toppled this entire bridge during rush hour.
- Madrid, Spain
- Parque el Capricho Bunker
- A subterranean relic of the Spanish Civil War hides below this picturesque park.
- London, England
- Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries
- This long-hidden space above Westminster Abbey now displays the battle gear of the legendary King Henry V.
- Madrid, Spain
- Convent of the Holy Spirit Crypts
- Remains of the lost church hide beneath this Spanish Parliament building.
- Gwalior, India
- Sasbahu Temples
- A pair of nearly 1,000-year-old temples profusely covered in meticulous stone carvings.
- Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
- Christian Sanderson Museum
- An unusual and eclectic collection of local historical memorabilia.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Charles II Statue
- Edinburgh's oldest statue hides within a parking lot behind the city's iconic cathedral.
- Springfield, Illinois
- Mr. Accordion's Grave
- The empty tomb that houses the memories of Roy Bertelli's revenge.
- Prague, Czechia
- 'Llamas (He and She)'
- The rusted creatures wait to be discovered in Prague's botanical garden.
- Palermo, Italy
- Lajos Tüköry Memorial Plaque
- A plaque honoring a Hungarian hero of Italy is hidden in plain sight in Palermo.
- Kirkby Lonsdale, England
- Devil's Bridge
- A beautiful medieval bridge allegedly constructed by the Devil.
- Prague, Czechia
- 'Il Commendatore' ('Cloak of Conscience')
- This spooky statue sits outside a famous Prague theater.
- Camden, New Jersey
- Walt Whitman's Grave
- The final resting place of one of the United States's greatest poets.
- Petoskey, Michigan
- Lake Michigan Crucifix
- Winter weather reveals a large Italian marble crucifix drowned beneath Lake Michigan.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Monumento a la Revolución
- Many people don't realize there’s a lot going on inside—and below—the world’s tallest triumphal arch.
- Baginton, England
- Lunt Roman Fort
- This reconstructed ancient fort was home to one of the few horse training rings in the Roman Empire.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Tweeddale Court
- This 16th-century close preserves an unusual piece of Edinburgh's transportation history.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Abandoned Scar House Village
- The remains of a remote village that once housed over 1,200 dam workers and their families.
- London, England
- The Mount
- The remains of a historic football stadium that once housed 50,000 spectators.
- Hawthorne, California
- SpaceX Space Cheese
- The first privately-owned space capsule to orbit and land carried a secret payload: a wheel of Le Brouère.
- Florence, Italy
- Cimitero delle Porte Sante (Sacred Doors Cemetery)
- The graveyard is filled with beautiful funerary art and boasts breathtaking views of Florence.
- Isle Au Haut, Maine
- The Keeper’s House
- A former lighthouse keeper's abode is now a rustic vacation rental.
- Hacienda Heights, California
- Hsi Lai Temple
- An unexpected and peaceful oasis on a hillside.
- Bonampak, Mexico
- Murals of Bonampak
- Three small rooms in the jungle house the most elaborate and intact murals of the Mayan world.
- North Webster, Indiana
- The Dixie Sternwheeler
- Indiana's oldest sternwheel paddle boat has been plying the placid waters of Webster Lake for 90 years.
- London, England
- London's Rose-Ringed Parakeets
- Legend says these colorful, invasive residents are the descendants of birds released by Jimi Hendrix.
- Cashel, Ireland
- Hore Abbey
- The ruins of a medieval monastery named after a type of tree.
- Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- WaldMenschen Sculpture Trail
- A series of haunting wooden totems are hidden in the woods surrounding a German environmental center.
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
- Gary Gygax Memorial
- Legend says Dungeons and Dragons players can get their diced blessed at the creator of the game's memorial.
- Ronda, Spain
- Central Electric Ruins
- The hidden ruins of an old hydroelectric plant reclaimed by nature.
- Velha Goa, India
- Church of St. Cajetan
- The last remaining colonial-era Italian church in Old Goa.
- Druzhnyy, Russia
- Goliath Transmitter
- The Russians still use the transmitter Nazis built during World War II to communicate with submarines.
- Fairfield, Ohio
- Jungle Jim's International Market
- An unusual, super-sized grocery adventure awaits in an Ohio suburb.
- Portland, Oregon
- Ota Tofu
- The oldest tofu shop in the United States is a firm favorite with locals.
- Wirksworth, England
- Moot Hall
- This unique medieval court deals solely with the lead mining laws in two small areas of Derbyshire.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Blair Street Underground Vaults
- A labyrinthine network of chambers with a storied past hides below Edinburgh's South Bridge.
- Page, Arizona
- Street of the Little Motels
- These mid-century motels once housed the workers who built the Glen Canyon Dam.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Scotsman Steps
- The colorful stairs are made with marble from the world's major quarries.
- Gisenyi, Rwanda
- Congo Nile Trail
- A hiking/biking/exploring trail that winds across over 140 miles of Rwandan shoreline.
- Nicosia, Cyprus
- Cyprus Buffer Zone
- This no man's land slicing through the island is strewn with abandoned relics of another time.
- Hersey, Michigan
- Rimwood Chapel
- The smallest useable chapel in Michigan is five-by-eight feet and has seating for three.
- Gili Meno, Indonesia
- Rabbit Tree Hostel
- A crazy maze of a hostel, where every trap door and secret entrance brings you to a new wacky, wonderful room.
- Auray, France
- Port of Saint-Goustan
- A quaint medieval harbour where Benjamin Franklin landed in 1776.
- Stellendam, Netherlands
- Tij Bird Observatory
- Watch the local Netherlands birds from inside this giant eco-egg.
- Huot, Minnesota
- Old Crossing Treaty Memorial
- A lone bronze figure stands in memory of historic a 19th century land grab.
- Feshiebridge, Scotland
- Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail
- These skilfully executed, poignant works of art dot a verdant Scottish dell.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Dunbar's Close
- A verdant 17th-century-style garden hidden along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
- Baildon, England
- Shipley Glen Tramway
- This quaint funicular has been ferrying people up and down an English valley since the Victorian era.
- Berlin, Germany
- Tegel Creek Water Buffaloes
- The non-native bovine herd was brought in to help conserve these Berlin wetlands.
- Vandalia, Illinois
- The Kaskaskia Dragon
- Buy a token from the liquor store and you can make this beast spew flames on command.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- National Museum of Interventions
- A bullet-scarred monastery chronicles Mexico's turbulent history of foreign invasions.
- Hapeville, Georgia
- Hapeville Worry Rock
- This hidden stone has absorbed decades of human anxiety.
- Banyeres de Mariola, Spain
- Valencian Paper Museum
- A lovely look back at the manufacture and use of paper in all its forms.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Albemarle-Kenmore Terraces
- These century-old townhouses contain some of the first car garages built in the United States.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- St Cecilia's Hall
- Scotland's oldest purpose-built concert hall houses an incredible collection of ornate, centuries-old keyboards.
- New Haven, Kentucky
- Thomas Merton's Hermitage
- The Trappist monk, prophet-poet, and rebel never really got to live out the eremitic life he was seeking.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Crescent City Cat Club
- A calm and comfortable place to hang out with cats and kittens up for adoption.
- Invergarry, Scotland
- Glengarry Viewpoint
- From here, the loch appears to take the shape of mainland Scotland.
- Windber, Pennsylvania
- Grand Midway Hotel
- An occult-y, historic hotel with a giant Ouija board on the roof.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Baked Potato Jazz Club
- From sax to spuds, get 'em all at this landmark music establishment.
- Brantford, Ontario
- Mohawk Chapel
- The 18th-century church's stained-glass windows tell the story of the Haudenosaunee people.
- London, England
- Water Dragons of Kew Gardens
- These docile dragons are ideal inhabitants for the conservatory greenhouses.
- Greenwood, Mississippi
- Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market
- A decaying building marks the site associated with Emmett Till's brutal 1955 murder, an event largely credited with sparking the civil rights movement.
- Clachan-Seil, Scotland
- Clachan Bridge
- The "Bridge Over the Atlantic" lets you cross the waterway in mere seconds.
- Stuttgart, Germany
- Monte Scherbelino
- This natural hill rose another 130 feet from the debris and rubble added after World War II.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- The First Heinz Pickle Charm
- The souvenir got the company’s founder out of a pretty pickle at the World’s Fair.
- Durham, North Carolina
- Bennett Place
- The scene of the largest surrender of Confederate troops at the end of the American Civil War.
- Ibi, Spain
- Old Payá Toy Factory
- Ibi's pioneering toy factory now houses two small but mighty museums.
- Vallejo, California
- Vallejo Vinyl & Pinball
- Come for the records, stay for the retro pinball machines.
- Bologna, Italy
- Monument to Fallen Partisans
- A striking memorial recalls thousands of Bolognese men and women killed fighting fascists in World War II.
- Panguitch, Utah
- Quilt Walk Memorial Park
- If it wasn’t for an innovative use of quilts during a crisis, the city of Panguitch might not exist today.
- Osborne, Kansas
- Geodetic Center of North America
- This lesser-known geographic marker was the reference point for all surveys of the continent for 75 years.
- Rome, Italy
- Museo Storico Nazionale Dell' Arte Sanitaria
- One of the most important yet well-hidden museums dedicated to the history of medicine.
- Aguascalientes, Mexico
- Museo José Guadalupe Posada
- A museum dedicated to the famous Mexican illustrator's iconic calaveras.
- Vaduz, Liechtenstein
- The Prince of Liechtenstein's Vineyard and Wine Cellar
- In one of the world's smallest countries, a royal's personal winery is open to the public.
- Woodside, California
- Filoli
- This old-world mansion with lush gardens is a gem in the heart of Silicon Valley.
- Henderson, Texas
- Rusk County Youth Expo Center
- Your one-stop-shop for antique tractor shows and emotional paintings of children championing livestock.
- Beacon, New York
- Old Beacon Hat Mill
- A 19th century hat factory still stands as a crumbling ruin in upstate New York.
- Payson, Arizona
- Camp Verde to Payson Mail Route Memorial
- The handsome statue is a tribute to the post riders who traversed 52 miles of tough Arizona terrain.
- Alicante, Spain
- Archibald Dickson Memorial
- A monument at Alicante Marina honors a little-known hero of the Spanish Civil War.
- Richmond, England
- Tan Hill Inn
- At 1,732 feet above sea level, this spectacularly isolated yet surprisingly bustling bar is the highest pub in Britain.
- Suzhou, China
- London Tower Bridge Replica
- The Chinese have long been excellent at the art of copying, but this epic replica takes the biscuit.
- Ibi, Spain
- The Walking Students of Ibi
- Oversized versions of a beloved toy dot a children's playground in a Spanish toymaking town.
- Marshall, Liberia
- Libassa Ecolodge
- This Liberian resort facilitates eco-friendly hospitality guided by a mission of sustainability.
- Chernobyl, Ukraine
- Canteen 19
- The dining hall that nourishes workers in Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone is also open to visitors.
- Royalton, Vermont
- Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial
- An obelisk marks the farmhouse where the founder of Mormonism was born.
- Brockville, Ontario
- Brockville Tunnel
- Canada's oldest railway tunnel is illuminated in a rainbow of color as it passes under the streets of this small city.
- Chesham, England
- Chesham Cozies
- A line of iron bollards with colorful, handknitted cozies fitted over them.
- Gigante, Colombia
- La Mano del Gigante (The Giant’s Hand)
- The enormous appendage offers spectacular views of Colombia's Huila Department.
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- Red Mountain
- The eroded core of an ancient volcano is now accessible by a short hike.
- Parkersburg, West Virginia
- Blennerhassett Island
- Visit a replica of the estate where Aaron Burr allegedly plotted a treasonous scheme against the United States.
- Biar, Spain
- Medieval Aqueduct of Biar
- This 15th-century aqueduct with distinctive pointed arches was used for irrigation in the Vinalopó valley.
- Mineral del Monte, Mexico
- Panteón Inglés
- The English graveyard of Mineral del Monte, a magical little piece of Cornwall in Mexico.
- Turkmenistan
- Dekhistan Ruins
- The remains of a medieval city loom in one of the most isolated desert regions of Turkmenistan.
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Graylyn Estate
- This stunning home looks like it belongs in medieval Europe, not North Carolina.
- Ibi, Spain
- Toy Autogyro Sculpture
- This fantastic sculpture of an early model helicopter celebrates the local toy industry.
- Madrid, Spain
- Kiosko de Horchata Miguel y José
- Madrid's last horchata kiosk is a blue-and-white beacon of refreshment.
- Tullamore, Ireland
- Lough Boora Discovery Park
- An Irish peat mine has become a stunning sculpture park.
- Domžale, Slovenia
- Domžale Straw Hat Museum
- A wonderful museum dedicated to the local straw hat industry.
- Queenston, Ontario
- Niagara Falls Floral Clock
- This impressive working clock made of 16,000 plants changes its flowers twice a year.
- Miami, Florida
- Burger Museum
- This shrine to bovine consumption and all things fast food is a slice of culinary history both rare and well done.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Coney Island Mermaid Parade
- The famed amusement district marks the beginning of summer with a wild procession of nautical creatures.
- Uganda
- Murchison Falls
- Where the White Nile River dramatically cascades between Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert in Uganda.
- Givenchy-en-Gohelle, France
- Canadian National Vimy Memorial
- A monument to the thousands of Canadian soldiers who died capturing the French ridge during World War I.
- Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
- Caparra Archaeological Site
- The ruins of the first Spanish settlement in Puerto Rico.
- Entebbe, Uganda
- Kigungu Missionary Landing Site
- A monument marks the spot where the first Catholic missionaries arrived in Uganda.
- Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
- Zoo Miguel Álvarez del Toro
- Catch a glimpse of local, native wildlife at this zoo dedicated to conservation and education.
- New York, New York
- Bluestockings Bookstore
- New York City's only radical feminist independent bookstore.
- Binghamton, New York
- Bundy Museum of History and Art
- This local landmark is home to art galleries and the area's only community darkroom.
- Rome, Italy
- Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana
- Also known as the Square Colosseum, this building is a prime example of fascist-era rationalist architecture.
- Encarnación de Díaz, Mexico
- Mummies of Museo de las Animas
- An impressive if morbid collection of mummified remains from different eras of the region's history.
- Sahinbey, Turkey
- Nazaretian House
- A beautiful 19th-century Armenian mansion is preserved above an unassuming cafe.
- Orchha, India
- Cenotaphs of Orchha
- These medieval funerary monuments are now home to a colony of critically endangered vultures.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Ostermalm Echo Dome
- Sound travels strangely in this underground whispering gallery.
- Seria, Brunei
- Billionth Barrel Monument
- A monument built to commemorate the billionth barrel of oil extracted from the Seria oil field in Brunei.
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Bill's Trail Little Lending Library
- A trove of tiny treasures hidden within a Florida park.
- Ahmedabad, India
- Sidi Saiyyed Mosque
- This 16th-century mosque is the hallmark of the African architectural legacy in India.
- Barolo, Italy
- Barolo Wine Museum
- A stunning medieval castle houses this eclectic, interactive tribute to all things wine.
- Palenque, Mexico
- Rabbit Skull Relief
- The enigmatic skull gazes out over the ruins of a once-great Mayan city.
- Muang Khoun, Laos
- Wat Phia Wat
- This ruined temple's giant Buddha statue bears the scars of the Second Indochina War.
- Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
- Türkmenbasy Ruhy Mosque
- The controversial final resting place of the equally controversial first president of Turkmenistan.
- Regina, Saskatchewan
- Reginald the Grasshopper
- This bushy bug is one of the unsanctioned public sculptures that have survived in Regina.
- Tailem Bend, Australia
- Old Tailem Town
- This pioneer village is like a time capsule of 19th-century Australia.
- Madrid, Spain
- Costitx Bulls
- These ancient artifacts are a testament to the enduring significance of the bull in Spanish culture.
- Tomkins Cove, New York
- Bear Mountain Walt Whitman Statue
- The poet's been ambling through these New York woods since 1940.
- Dublin, Ireland
- The Oscar Wilde House
- The house where the writer spent his formative years.
- Paro, Bhutan
- Drukgyel Dzong
- The ruins of an abandoned 17th-century fort that was almost completely destroyed by a fire.
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- National Textile Museum
- An exploration of Malaysian heritage through the lens of traditional textiles.
- Regina, Saskatchewan
- Albert Memorial Bridge
- This Art Deco landmark claims to be the longest bridge over the shortest span of water in the world.
- Sanibel, Florida
- Grave of Captain Oliver Bowen
- The bizarre story of the mysterious death and hidden treasure of one of Sanibel Island's early homesteaders.
- Pantelleria, Italy
- Giardino Pantesco
- This ancient walled garden turns fog into food.
- Bronx, New York
- William Spain Seismic Observatory
- An unassuming stone building houses New York City's oldest seismic station almost 30 feet below the Bronx.
- Glasgow, Scotland
- The Lighthouse
- Climb this overlooked gem's spiral staircase and you'll be rewarded with spectacular views of Glasgow.
- Palmer, Alaska
- Castle House
- The only house built with a turret, crenellations, and a moat in Palmer, Alaska.
- Arcadia, California
- Denny's Windmill
- A relic from a forgotten bakery chain still spins atop a diner.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Ahsan Manzil (Pink Palace)
- This colorful palace is an oasis of calm amid the hustle and bustle of the Buringa riverfront.
- Modena, Italy
- Modena Synagogue
- This beautiful 150-year-old synagogue survived Italy's fascist period and the Second World War.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Avenue H Station House
- This unusual subway stop was originally a real estate office.
- Trongsa, Bhutan
- Chendebji Chorten
- An 18th-century Nepalese-style chorten built to subdue demons and evil spirits.
- Bronx, New York
- Fordham Cemetery
- A small graveyard is hidden in the midst of a bustling university campus.
- Kumi, Uganda
- Nyero Rock Paintings
- Six rock shelters covered in abstract art created by ancient Ugandan tribes.
- Kigali, Rwanda
- Kuruhimbi Milk Bar
- One of the capital's last independent milk bars remains a crucial community watering hole.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Armenian Church of Dhaka
- All that is left of an Armenian community that thrived in Dhaka 200 years ago.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Lalbagh Fort
- The untimely death of a dignitary's daughter led to this fort being abandoned before it was ever finished.
- Palenque, Mexico
- Scarlet Macaws of Palenque
- After becoming locally extinct, this esteemed avian now flies free in the forests around the ancient ruins.
- Tallinn, Estonia
- St Nicholas Church Danse Macabre
- Only a fragment of this 15th-century Dance of Death survives today.
- Yeonnam-dong, South Korea
- Cafe Yeonnam-Dong 223-14
- Step into a cartoon at this Seoul cafe that aims to evoke a two-dimensional scene.
- Leetonia, Ohio
- Leetonia Beehive Coke Ovens
- Rows of 19th-century brick ovens used to process coal into coke form the center of a wooded park.
- Indio, California
- Shields Date Garden
- A giant knight, sex education, date shakes, and Jesus coexist happily in this Coachella Valley desert oasis.
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Kendall Band
- A three-piece musical sculpture installed between the subway tracks at Kendall Station near MIT.
- Sahinbey, Turkey
- Abandoned Turkish Bath
- This hidden gem is bathed in beautiful natural light.
- Frederikshavn, Denmark
- Cloos Tower
- Plans for this local observation tower were debated for so long, the allocated funds lost value and the design had to be changed.
- Meadview, Arizona
- Pearce Ferry
- The lost ruins of the forgotten ferry lie hidden beneath the silt.
- Sonargaon, Bangladesh
- Panam Nagar
- This historic textile city was abandoned after being ravaged by fire.
- Dublin, Ireland
- John Kavanagh ('The Gravediggers')
- This pub built its reputation pouring post-shift pints for employees of the cemetery with which it shares a wall.
- Ratlinghope, England
- Grave of the Last Sin-Eater
- A quiet country churchyard holds a monument to the last known sin-eater in England.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Boston Bricks
- These whimsical works of art tell the story of the city's past and present.
- Tende, France
- Valley of Wonders
- Tens of thousands of ancient rock carvings hidden in the heart of a French national park.
- Ibi, Spain
- Ibi Toy Locomotive Sculpture
- An enormous roadside attraction in the heart of Spain's toy-making hub.
- Ishigaki, Japan
- Yonekoyaki Craft Center Shisa Park
- Along the side of the road on a small Japanese island is an extensive garden of uniquely designed Shisa statues.
- Punakha, Bhutan
- Punakha Suspension Bridge
- This colorful overpass is one of Bhutan's longest suspension bridges.
- Parker, Arizona
- Parker Dam
- This huge dam across the Colorado River caused an armed standoff between two U.S. states.
- Uncasville, Connecticut
- Wells Dinosaur Haven
- A free display of artistic lifesize dinosaur sculptures in a backyard garden.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Star Mosque
- A tiny mosque decorated with mosaics using an early form of recycling.
- El Pueblito, Mexico
- The Pyramid of El Cerrito
- The ruins of an ancient pyramid built by the mysterious Chupícuaro civilization.
- Altadena, California
- Mountain View Mortuary and Cemetery
- This magnificent mausoleum is as much a work of art as it is a historic resting place.
- Brest, France
- National Botanical Conservatory of Brest
- Admire endangered plants in a verdant garden that looks straight out of a Monet painting.
- Interlaken, Switzerland
- Jungfrau Park
- A Swiss amusement park entirely dedicated to the theory of ancient astronauts.
- Greenville, Maine
- B52 Crash Site
- The debris forms a solemn memorial to those who died in a 1963 accident.
- Ozd, Romania
- Castle of Magyarózd
- Home of the first female Hungarian poet, where her secret writing lay hidden for over a century.
- Connemara, Ireland
- Kylemore Abbey
- A stunning Victorian abbey and walled garden on a lakefront.
- Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
- Living Water Wayside Chapel
- Only six people can sit inside this delightfully quaint sanctuary.
- Ibi, Spain
- Pozo de Nieve Roundabout
- A replica of the ice houses that once formed the basis of a local ice cream industry sits proudly in the middle of traffic.
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Museo de Filatelia de Oaxaca
- This amazing collection includes rare stamps from around the world, including fluorescent ones.
- Salzburg, Austria
- 'Gurken'
- Amidst medieval and baroque buildings, five human-sized gherkins stand tall.
- Klamath Falls, Oregon
- Baldwin Hotel Museum
- This hotel has hardly changed in over a century, like a time capsule of old Oregon.
- Calixtlahuaca, Mexico
- Calixtlahuaca
- The striking and little-touristed ruins of an ancient city destroyed and rebuilt by the Aztecs.
- Vienna, Austria
- Austrian State Archives
- More than a millennium's worth of municipal records preserve the political history of Austria.
- Northampton, England
- Northampton Museum and Gallery
- The museum houses one of the world's largest shoe collections, boasting over 12,000 pairs.
- Santa Barbara, California
- Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park
- Colorful Native American paintings are hidden within this small cavern.
- Vaadhoo, Maldives
- Sea of Stars
- Bioluminescence in the reefs of the Maldives causes the sea to glow like a starry night sky.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Grave of Walter White
- The fictional star of "Breaking Bad" is memorialized with a real-life gravestone in his hometown.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Calumet Fisheries
- One of Chicago's last seafood smokehouses perfects a dying breed of fishcraft.
- Presidente Franco, Paraguay
- Salto de Monday
- An underexplored, 130-foot tropical waterfall that you will have all to yourself.
- Rocky Hill, Connecticut
- Glacial Lake Hitchcock Sediment Dam
- Now home to hardy plants, these sand and gravel dunes once held back a massive prehistoric lake.
- Berlin, Germany
- Humboldthain Flak Tower
- These former Nazi anti-aircraft towers offer a singular view of the north of Berlin in the summer, and a sanctuary for bats in winter.
- Fishtail, Montana
- Tippet Rise Art Center
- A working ranch doubles as a sustainable hub for world-renowned classical music and large-scale sculptures.
- London, England
- Trellick Tower
- This iconic high-rise residential block was one of the last to be built in the Brutalist style.
- Leland, Michigan
- Leland Champion Cottonwood Tree
- A preserved stump is all that remains of the once-mighty hardwood.
- Proaza, Spain
- Cercado Osero
- A mountain path passes by several sprawling enclosures home to a pair of rescued brown bears.
- Salinas, California
- The Steinbeck House Restaurant
- Eat a tasty meal in the house where John Steinbeck was born.
- Cádiz, Spain
- Cádiz Phoenician Anthropoid Sarcophagi
- The discovery of these rare, ancient artifacts led to the creation of a new museum.
- Buxton, England
- Solomon's Temple
- This landmark Victorian folly rewards visitors with spectacular views over the Peak District.
- Amman, Jordan
- Umbrella Staircases of Amman
- An oasis of shade and color amidst the bustle of the old city.
- Woods Landing-Jelm, Wyoming
- Woods Landing Bar & Cafe
- Dance on a hand-hewn log floor padded with bouncy boxcar springs at a saloon built in 1883.
- Manchester, New Hampshire
- Ralph Baer Memorial
- This riverfront statue honors the inventor of the first video games ever sold.
- Porto, Portugal
- Banco de Materiais (Bank of Materials)
- Building owners can take out tiles for free at this repository for historic building materials.
- Leland, Michigan
- Leelanau Preservers Tile Wall
- The artwork honors those who are dedicated to preserving the beautiful Michigan peninsula.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Miller Mausoleum
- This enormous, elaborate tomb looks oddly out of place next to a suburban Edinburgh bowling club.
- Sidney, Ohio
- Wagner Manufacturing Company Factory
- The headquarters of a pioneering cast iron and cast aluminum cookware company is in ruins, but still standing.
- Jinja, Uganda
- Jinja War Cemetery
- The final resting place of soldiers who fell during the First and Second World Wars.
- Metten, Germany
- Baroque Library of Metten Abbey
- This 8th-century Bavarian monastery is home to an exquisite Baroque-era library.
- Tilburg, Netherlands
- Meta Maze
- A dream-like maze full of strange art, surreal spaces, and fantasy landscapes to get lost in.
- London, England
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Vectors of Disease Frieze
- The Art Deco artwork depicts gilded carriers of deadly illnesses.
- Sutton Courtenay, England
- George Orwell's Grave
- In a sleepy village in Oxfordshire, the visionary English writer's gravesite attracts a yearly pilgrimage.
- Balkanabat, Turkmenistan
- Yangykala Canyon
- Few people have ever heard of, let alone visited, one of Turkmenistan’s most impressive natural attractions.
- Norwich, England
- Tombland Alley
- A 16th-century footpath said to be haunted by a young girl that died trapped within its misshapen old house.
- Yermo, California
- Peggy Sue's '50s Diner & Diner-Saur Park
- Like a kitschy mirage in the Mojave, this eatery serves up classic 50s-style diner meals and a dinosaur sculpture garden.
- Ellsworth, Maine
- Finn's Irish Pub
- This architectural onion has an original 1932 Jerry O'Mahony dining car at its core.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Bacchus House
- The god of wine stares out at passersby on this busy Pittsburgh thoroughfare.
- Krakow, Poland
- Statue of Jan Matejko
- Extremely famous in his native country, this Cracovian painter is all but unknown beyond Polish borders.
- Los Angeles, California
- Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden
- This “living museum” at UCLA exhibits thousands of plant species from all over the world.
- Whitby, England
- Whitby Horse Mounting Blocks
- These carved, weathered stones once gave mail carriers and pub goers a leg up.
- New York, New York
- Timbuktu Islamic Center Food Vendors
- These small stands sell Malian snacks to worshippers and passersby after Friday prayers in Harlem.
- Maulburg, Germany
- Knickebein #12
- Obscured within a ring of trees, this abandoned World War II relic hides on a German hillside.
- Queens, New York
- Rokhat Kosher Bakery
- Serving crisp Central Asian breads, this bakery brings Bukhara to Queens.
- Rakvere, Estonia
- Rakvere Aurochs Statue
- This behemoth bovine guards an Estonian town and is a memorial to the lost species.
- Whitby, England
- Whitby Wishing Chair
- Legend says squeezing into this slender stone seat will make your wish come true.
- Tubmanburg, Liberia
- Bomi Blue Lake
- An abandoned mine pit is now a beautiful, colorful attraction.
- New Delhi, India
- Judah Hyam Synagogue
- This synagogue is the only place of worship for New Delhi’s small Jewish community.
- Valletta, Malta
- St. John’s Co-Cathedral Skeleton Tombstones
- The floor of this spectacular Baroque sanctuary is covered in memento mori.
- Moscow, Russia
- 'Compassion'
- A monument to Malchik, a stray dog who lived in a Moscow metro station until his tragic death.
- Knob Noster, Missouri
- Whiteman Minuteman Missile Site
- The only remaining Cold War-era Minuteman II missile control center in Missouri.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Calvert Vaux Cove
- This small, hidden cove is home to an abandoned boat.
- Isfahan, Iran
- Khaju Bridge
- This 17th-century structure is a beautiful testimony to traditional Persian architecture
- Tambon Pong Ngam, Thailand
- Wat Tham Pla
- A Buddhist shrine in a cave protected by macaques next to dark passages lined with creepy paintings.
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Royal Malaysian Police Museum
- This surprising museum tells the story of modern Malaysia through the history of its law enforcement.
- Bloomington, Illinois
- Dorothy's Grave
- The carved remains of a 200-year-old oak tree memorialize the namesake of the iconic "Wizard of Oz" character.
- Homestead, Florida
- Fruit and Spice Park
- Found: Garden of Eden in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
- Reading, England
- Thames Lido
- Soak up some local history in this restored Edwardian era swimming pool.
- Mexico, New York
- Casey's Cottage
- A carriage house converted into what resembles an 11th-century English manor house
- South Bathurst, Australia
- Ben Chifley's Model Airplane
- The intriguing artifact can be found in the former Australian prime minister's home.
- Olintepeque, Guatemala
- Chapel of El Rey San Pascual
- Hidden in the highlands of Guatemala, a small shrine venerates a forbidden folk saint.
- London, England
- St. Sepulchre's Execution Bell
- On the eve of a condemned prisoner's death, this bell rang 12 times outside their cell.
- Qujing, China
- Duge Beipanjiang Bridge
- The highest bridge in the world rises a dizzying 1,854 feet above the river.
- Bardstown, Kentucky
- Jailer's Inn Bed and Breakfast
- Kentucky's longest operating jail is now a spooky spot to spend the night.
- London, England
- S.O.E. Monument
- A bronze bust commemorates the heroism of the secret agents who led covert operations against the Nazis.
- Anacortes, Washington
- Overgrown Ship Hulk
- This dilapidated ship carcass covered in trees is a striking sight.
- Queens, New York
- Lhasa Fast Food
- A hidey-hole sandwiched between cellphone, DVD, and jewelry stores features Tibetan delights.
- Quebrada, Puerto Rico
- Cueva Clara
- An enchanting natural wonder in Puerto Rico's Camuy River Park.
- Adalar, Turkey
- Prinkipo Orphanage
- One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.
- Peterborough, England
- Old Scarlett's Grave
- A humble homage to a gravedigger tucked within the dignified Peterborough Cathedral.
- Salcoatitán, El Salvador
- La Ceiba Park
- A legendary tree towers within its own vibrant sanctuary.
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Elephant Building
- This Bangkok high-rise looks like a rudimentary LEGO elephant.
- Wendover, Utah
- Desert Bottle Tree
- A quirky old tree covered in tokens, cans, and bottles of wishes.
- Szentendre, Hungary
- Szamos Marzipan Exhibition and Workshop
- Everything from miniature biblical scenes to life-sized statues are almond-based at this sweet and nutty gallery.
- Usterling, Germany
- Growing Rock of Usterling
- Nestled within a German forest is an intriguing, growing rock.
- Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico
- Crocodiles of Sumidero Canyon
- In this breathtaking canyon, crocodiles bask on boulders and glide through the murky waters.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Bennets Bar
- This historic pub has maintained much of its 1906 decor, including a small sequestered room for women, where orders were slipped through a tiny window.
- Datia, India
- Datia Palace
- This deserted palace is one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture in India.
- Xalapa, Mexico
- Xalapa Museum of Anthropology
- The largest collection of artifacts from the Olmec civilization, the mother culture of Mesoamerica.
- New York, New York
- American Museum of Natural History Mountain Gorilla Diorama
- Creating this diorama spurred naturalist Carl Akeley to begin advocating to protect the apes.
- Glendale, Colorado
- Four Mile Historic Park
- It's easy to forget what century it is as you wander this rustic homestead.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Renaissance Book Shop
- A wonderfully curated used bookstore at the airport.
- Greenville, Mississippi
- Doe's Eat Place
- In the mid-20th century, a tamale-slinging juke joint attracted a diverse clientele in the Mississippi Delta.
- Scarborough, Maine
- Lenny the Chocolate Moose
- This 1,700-pound edible sculpture is way better than your average chocolate mousse.
- Buffalo, New York
- Edward M. Cotter
- This vessel is believed to be the oldest operating fireboat in the world.
- Copley, England
- Copley Chimney
- This industrial chimney looks rather out of place, isolated in the middle of an attractive woodland.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Museo del Pulque y las Pulquerías
- Explore the history of Mexico's lesser-known ancient alcoholic beverage.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Aunt Green, Aunt Brown, and Aunt Lavender
- The three colorful women depict characters from a beloved children's story.
- Kinver, England
- Holy Austin Rock Houses
- The last occupied troglodyte dwellings in England weren't abandoned until the 1960s.
- Barnard Castle, England
- Egglestone Abbey
- A little-known ruin with a convoluted history and a fascinating latrine drainage system.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Leroy's Place
- This interactive gallery makes you feel like you've stepped into a fantasy world filled with whimsical monsters.
- Brescia, Italy
- Bonomini Tomb
- Legend says the only thing buried within this magnificent tomb was a dog.
- Akhmeta, Georgia
- Alaverdi Monastery Cellar
- Monks in the empyreal Alazani River valley have preserved their 1,000-year-old winemaking tradition.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- 'Las Razas y La Cultura' Mural
- This stunning and ethereal mural symbolizes the beauty, unity, and diversity of humankind.
- Whitby, England
- 199 Steps Coffin Benches
- These planks were originally installed to hold the dead.
- Odense, Denmark
- Tidens Samling
- This museum is a portal to 20th-century Denmark.
- New York, New York
- Komodo Dragon Diorama
- Here be dragons.
- Meols, England
- Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Telephone Box
- After the band included its number in one of their songs, the booth became a monument to the musical group.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Site of the Looby House Bombing
- The attack of a prominent black attorney's house sparked a watershed moment in Nashville's civil rights movement.
- Forest-in-Teesdale, England
- High Force and Low Force Waterfalls
- These remarkable cascades are the jewels of Upper Tees.
- Rushock, England
- John Bonham's Grave
- The grave of the legendary "Bonzo" can often be seen covered in cymbals and drumsticks.
- Everett, Pennsylvania
- The Igloo Soft Freeze
- Built in the 1970s, this curious modular home found new life as a sundae-shaped ice cream stand.
- Port Pirie, Australia
- Port Pirie Barnacle Bill
- Worship at the altar of seafood at this fish-and-chip shop housed inside the town's oldest stone church.
- Naqu, Tibet
- Tanggula Railway Station
- At 16,627 feet above sea level, this unstaffed station is the highest in the world.
- East Gwillimbury, Ontario
- Sharon Temple
- An architectural marvel built by a nearly forgotten Canadian Quaker sect, the Children of Peace.
- Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
- Frieze of Lions
- This pair of running lions engraved on animal bone is one of the earliest artistic depictions of big cats.
- Lille, France
- Lille Natural History Museum
- An astounding collection of taxidermy, fossils, skeletons, and even a few strange live beasts.
- Langtry, Texas
- Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center
- Once called the Jersey Lilly, this former saloon was the domain of infamous Judge Roy Bean.
- Hubertus, Wisconsin
- Holy Hill
- According to the legend, this strikingly beautiful hill has miraculous healing powers.
- Doha, Qatar
- National Museum of Qatar
- The building is a gigantic piece of art inspired by the shape of a desert rose.
- Marfa, Texas
- Faith Alive Cowboy Church Radio Station
- Not everything is bigger in Texas.
- Fontanellato, Italy
- The Labirinto della Masone
- The world's largest bamboo labyrinth is a living demonstration of the plant’s immense potential.
- Anjuna, India
- Anjuna Flea Market
- This weekly bazaar started in the 1960s as a way for hippie travelers to barter their goods.
- Beulah, Michigan
- Old Benzie County Courthouse
- This former county courthouse was originally an opulent hotel and entertainment venue.
- Quito, Ecuador
- La Carolina Park
- This huge green space packed with activities will make you forget you're in the middle of the Ecuadorian capital.
- Qurain, Kuwait
- Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum
- The site of a bloody showdown between invading Iraqi forces and a cell of the popular resistance in Kuwait.
- Cairns, Australia
- Cairns Library Bats
- These flying foxes dangle from the trees around the library like fuzzy black fruit.
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Indy's Teeny Statue of Liberty Museum
- The building is topped by a Statue of Liberty statue whose torch has stayed burning since the museum opened.
- Molson, Washington
- Okanogan Highland Ghost Towns
- This former mining mecca holds a surprising abundance of undisturbed relics from the Old West.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Kronblom on a Walk
- Wooden cutouts of the fictional family from the popular Swedish comic strip take a stroll along the side of the road.
- Morelia, Mexico
- 'People and Landscape of Michoacán' Mural
- This masterpiece of muralism depicts the rich culture of the people of Michoacán and their timeless connection to the land.
- Havana, Cuba
- World's Longest Cuban Cigar
- The enormous smoke hides within a little known, semi-secret exhibit inside Havana's Morro Castle Historic Park.
- Posada de Valdeón, Spain
- Cantabrian Chamois of Asturias
- These ungulates have quite literally bounced back from the brink of extinction.
- Lithonia, Georgia
- Arabia Mountain
- Like Mars, but much closer.
- Elgin, Ontario
- The Stone Arch Dam
- Thanks to its curved shape, this incredibly durable dam "whispers" to visitors.
- Mexcaltitán de Uribe, Mexico
- Mexicaltitán de Uribe
- Legend says this tiny ancient island is the lost ancestral homeland of the Aztecs.
- Burke, Virginia
- Marshall Family Cemetery
- A 14-foot monument marks the resting place of two of the town's earliest residents—and one unknown soldier.
- Fairfax, Virginia
- Fairfax Nike Missile Site
- A lone historical marker off the highway and scattered debris are all that remain of this Cold War-era missile site.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Skepptuna Church
- A 12th-century church with a medieval fresco and an intriguing “Greek runestone.”
- Jabriya, Kuwait
- Tareq Rajab Museum of Islamic Calligraphy
- A private collection of over 30,000 ancient and modern items showcasing the beauty of Islamic calligraphy.
- Seville, Spain
- Royal Shipyards of Seville
- Its appearance in "Game of Thrones" may spur on the long-awaited restoration of this medieval shipyard.
- Cisco, Utah
- Home of the Brave
- Within the former ghost town of Cisco is a carefully restored tiny town with one resident and its own art residency.
- Haarlem, Netherlands
- Grote Kerk
- This towering church is home to a world-famous organ and a treasure trove of medieval art.
- Kawthaung, Myanmar (Burma)
- Nesting Turtles of Wa Ale Island
- How often do you find security guards patrolling tropical beaches to protect rare sea turtles from poachers?
- Currarong, Australia
- Mermaid Inlet Cliffs
- These sea cliffs are an epic natural wonder.
- Washington, D.C.
- Ben's Chili Bowl Mural
- A gorgeous mural outside a beloved D.C. restaurant pays homage to famous African-Americans.
- The Hague, Netherlands
- Van Kleef Museum and Distillery
- Rumored to have been frequented by Vincent van Gogh, it's the only remaining genever producer in the Hague.
- Areguá, Paraguay
- Castillo Carlota Palmerola
- An unlikely neo-Gothic castle in the Paraguayan countryside.
- Baldwin, Michigan
- World’s Largest Brown Trout Sculpture
- This enormous fish commemorates the unplanned release of brown trout into a Michigan river.
- Gilboa, New York
- Gilboa Fossils
- This Catskills museum preserves stumps from the earliest known fossil forest on Earth.
- London, England
- Blenheim Gardens Estate
- A wonderfully preserved example of London's 1960s-style high-density, low-rise public housing.
- Kolkata, India
- Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth
- This historic complex is home to the oldest Christian grave in Kolkata, India.
- Green River, Utah
- Elgin Cemetery Sentimental Statues
- A cemetery full of touching tombstones from a community of railroad workers, uranium miners, and Cold War missile launchers.
- Naantali, Finland
- The Moomin House
- A replica of the home of a famous fictional troll family.
- Eastham, Massachusetts
- Doane Rock
- The largest glacial erratic boulder on Cape Cod.
- Panueli, Solomon Islands
- Egg Fields of Savo Island
- Megapodes incubate their eggs using the heat of an active volcano on this Pacific isle.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- 'El Perfil del Tiempo'
- A "time traveler's" vision of human history stretches throughout Mexico City's Copilco metro station.
- Bronx, New York
- Bronx Zoo 'Fountain of Youth'
- Hidden inside one of the world's most well-visited zoos is a secret plaque promising eternal life.
- Springfield, Massachusetts
- Barney Family Mausoleum
- The final resting place of a wealthy landowner who helped create the largest public park in Western Massachusetts.
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Kakku Pagodas
- This unique temple complex remains off the typical tourist trail.
- Bartow, Florida
- Grave of 'America's Oldest Man'
- Charlie Smith was almost certainly not 137 years old when he died, but why let that get in the way of a great story?
- Nottingham, England
- The Flying Horse
- A 15th-century former coaching inn forms the implausibly grand entrance to a 1980s shopping mall.
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Bratislava’s Hidden Bunkers
- A line of disused military bunkers built to defend against Nazi invasion lies hidden on the outskirts of the city.
- Vimmerby, Sweden
- Pippi Longstocking's House
- A replica of the beloved character's house, modeled after the author's own drawings.
- Buffalo, New York
- Silo City
- Buffalo's abandoned concrete grain elevators are getting a second life as a unique cultural event space.
- Sponsored by Visit Buffalo Niagara
- Buffalo, New York
- Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
- This restored house is like a time capsule of the president's unconventional inauguration.
- Sponsored by Visit Buffalo Niagara
- São Paulo, Brazil
- 'Imprensa' Mural
- A beautiful midcentury mural by the famed Brazilian modernist artist Emiliano Di Cavalcanti.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Anders Celsius's Thermometer
- The first thermometer made with the almost-universal temperature scale is backwards.
- Consolação, Brazil
- 'Imprensa' Mural
- A beautiful midcentury mural by the famed Brazilian modernist artist Emiliano Di Cavalcanti.
- London, England
- Urine Deflectors of Fleet Street
- One of the few remaining examples of 19th-century London’s attempt to clean up its reputation.
- Gennevilliers, France
- Grave of Philibert Aspairt
- The tombstone of an unfortunate explorer who disappeared in the Paris Catacombs.
- New York, New York
- Central Filing Bar
- A hidden bar inside an ad agency has a deliberately misleading name, so employees can stay late under pretext of paperwork.
- Washington, D.C.
- Howard Theatre
- Throughout the decades, black music stars have performed at this historic hub for music and the arts.
- Fjärdingen, Sweden
- Anders Celsius's Thermometer
- The first thermometer made with the almost-universal temperature scale is backwards.
- Lübeck, Germany
- Niederegger Marzipan Museum
- Twelve sweet, nutty, life-sized statues are housed in this second-story shrine to almond paste.
- Staten Island, New York
- Swinburne Island
- This abandoned artificial island off the coast of New York City is now home to dozens of harbor seals.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Polaroid
- An enormous Polaroid picture adds an artistic flair to Rotterdam.
- Madrid, Spain
- Tío Pepe Sign
- For decades, Puerta del Sol has been illuminated by a giant, guitar-wielding bottle of sherry.
- London, England
- Torso in Metal from Rock Drill
- This haunting sculpture was created as a statement on the mechanized warfare of the First World War.
- Wroclaw, Poland
- Hydropolis
- This oddly beautiful water cistern is a techno-temple to the wet stuff and a multimedia masterpiece.
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Symonds Street Cemetery
- One of Auckland's oldest cemeteries was partially demolished during the construction of a major highway in the 1960s.
- Nga Khin Nyo Gyee Island, Myanmar (Burma)
- Boulder Island
- This remote island known for its balancing boulder may have inspired Peter Pan's Neverland.
- Manchester, England
- Rochdale Pioneers Museum
- A museum of co-operativism housed in the birthplace of the modern movement.
- Abdali, Kuwait
- 'Highway of Death'
- This road earned its macabre nickname after hundreds of Iraqi troops died along it in 1991.
- Miajadas, Spain
- Miajadas Tomato
- A small town celebrates its cash crop with a giant highway sculpture.
- Oviedo, Spain
- Iglesia Santa Maria del Naranco
- The atmospheric ruins of a historic church can be found on a hill above the city of Oviedo.
- Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Parc de Tsarasaotra
- See hundreds of herons and egrets in the heart of the city in this dreamy hidden park.
- Oviedo, Spain
- The Mafalda Monument
- The much-loved protagonist of famed Argentinian comics can be found sitting on a park bench.
- Madrid, Spain
- Parque del Oeste Pillboxes
- These three pillboxes still remain as a witness of the Spanish Civil War in a park of Madrid.
- Paris, France
- Paris Catacombs Golem
- A mud statue stands in the dark tunnels, seeming to hold up the weight of the city above.
- Drumheller, Alberta
- Star Mine Suspension Bridge
- Not for the faint of heart, this long pedestrian bridge rewards those who brave the wobbly walk with a beautiful view.
- Fernandina Beach, Florida
- The Outhouse
- This former bathroom has been transformed into the smallest bar in Florida.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Edgar Degas House
- The only home of the famous French impressionist painter open to the public is now a museum and bed and breakfast.
- Colunga, Spain
- Jurassic Museum of Asturias
- A wonderful collection of fossilized dinosaurs and other creatures that roamed the landscape millions of years ago.
- Zoor, Kuwait
- Failaka Island
- Wander among the ghostly ruins of an island where civilization flourished for thousands of years.
- Texcoco, Mexico
- Museo Paleontológico Tocuila (Paleontological Museum of Tocuila)
- Get a close look at the gigantic remains of long-extinct mammoths.
- Manchester, England
- Guardian Telephone Exchange Tunnels
- This nondescript building hides an entrance to an underground nuclear tunnel system.
- Terre Haute, Indiana
- Indiana Track & Field & Cross Country Hall of Fame Museum
- The modern museum honors the achievements of the state's all-star athletes.
- Nokia, Finland
- Pirunpesä (The Devil's Nest)
- This honeycomb-textured tafone looks like a petrified troll head.
- Quebradillas, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Hermina Ruins
- Legend has it this historic port was a popular hideout and smuggling spot for pirates.
- Wheeling, West Virginia
- Sweeney Punch Bowl
- The largest piece of cut lead crystal adorned a grave for 75 years and is now the shining star of a glass museum.
- Swidnica, Poland
- Swidnica Peace Church
- This centuries-old wooden wonder was built in less than a year and is one of Europe's largest timber-framed churches.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Het Badkonijn
- A giant floating rubber duck-bunny painted with a different design every year.
- Hailuoto, Finland
- Hailuoto Church
- This modernist island church incorporates the Finnish nature into its worship.
- Littlefield, Arizona
- Glitter Mountain
- This old selenite mine is dotted with tiny crystals that make it shimmer like it's covered in glitter.
- Osaka, Japan
- Maishima Incineration Plant
- This whimsical garbage disposal facility receives around 12,000 accidental tourists each year.
- Los Angeles, California
- Bob Hope Grave and Memorial Garden
- The final resting place of one of Hollywood’s most prolific and talented actors is on the grounds of a California Mission.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Oepfelchammer
- A 200-year-old tavern challenges guests to finish a glass of wine while hanging from a ceiling beam.
- Wroclaw, Poland
- The Train to Heaven
- A 90-ton, gravity-defiant steam locomotive shoots for the skies in this bizarrely beautiful public artwork.
- Boisie, Idaho
- Big Idaho Potato Hotel
- When in Idaho, sleep in a giant potato.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Coatlicue Statue
- Come face to face with the ferocious visage of the serpent-headed mother goddess of the Aztecs.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Hat of Lou Bandy
- From afar it looks like someone's hat blew into the water, but closer inspection reveals a giant floating sculpture.
- Easdale Island, Scotland
- World Stone Skimming Championship
- Every September, international competitors flock to a tiny Scottish island's flooded quarries.
- Yarmouth, Massachusetts
- Whydah Pirate Museum
- This Cape Cod museum exhibits what it claims is the only authenticated pirate treasure in the world.
- Cabanas, Spain
- Fragas do Eume
- This enchanting natural park is a magical example of a temperate rainforest in Europe.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Flowers & Gardens Spring Festival
- Mexico City decorates its facades with extravagant floral arrangements every year.
- Kalkaska, Michigan
- Kalkaska Shoe Tree
- Michigan’s most famous shoe tree.
- Denton, Texas
- The Chairy Orchard
- A quirky collection of old chairs fills a random vacant lot in suburban Texas.
- Williams, Arizona
- Sultana Bar
- Bootleggers ran booze beneath this building before (and after) Route 66 appeared beside it.
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- The Pashupatinath Temple
- The oldest Hindu temple complex in Nepal serves as the seat of Nepal’s national deity, Lord Pashupatinath.
- Villamarzana, Italy
- Michelangelo da Vinci
- Two planes stand abandoned after the closure of an aircraft-themed restaurant.
- Scotland
- Corryvreckan Whirlpool
- Legend says a witch conjured the world's third largest whirlpool to protect Scotland from a nasty pirate.
- Pyongyang, North Korea
- Arch of Triumph
- Pyongyang’s Arch of Triumph is the second tallest triumphal arch in the world.
- Burlington, Ontario
- Martimas's Grave
- The racehorse's headstone highlights a forgotten part of the Hendrie Park Gardens' history.
- Kailua, Hawaii
- Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm
- Get up close and personal with these majestic fish.
- London, England
- Epstein's Medical Sculptures
- A series of carved figures that scandalized British society.
- Tartu, Estonia
- Karl Ernst von Baer Statue
- Once a year, local students "clean" this statue with a champagne shower.
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- Worcester Common Burial Ground
- A grave surprise in the downtown area of New England's second-largest city.
- Mörbylånga, Sweden
- Sandby Borg Ringfort
- Archaeologists are still unraveling the secrets of the brutal massacre that wiped out this ancient fort.
- Cáceres, Spain
- Don Alvaro Alley
- Fragments of human bones are embedded in the walls of this quaint alley.
- Asturias, Spain
- Teverga Prehistoric Park
- See replicas of Europe's most famous cave paintings and even some of the animals that feature in the art.
- Åkraberg, Sweden
- Borrås Skåra
- Walking through this narrow gorge will make you feel like you've fallen into a fairytale landscape.
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- The Drovers Inn
- Nestled amid the peaks and lochs of the Scottish Highlands, this inn and pub has played host to outlaws and ghosts.
- Nardò, Italy
- Monteruga Ghost Town
- A fascist-era rural village abandoned since the early 1980s.
- Lincoln, England
- The Lincoln Imp
- Legend says this demonic carving inside a medieval cathedral was one of Satan's minions.
- Erlach, Switzerland
- St. Peter’s Island
- The idyllic island where the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau spent “the happiest time of his life.”
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- 'Abbott & Cordova, 7 August 1971'
- This enormous photomural pays homage to Vancouver's infamous history of public activism.
- Nteko, Zambia
- Zwangendaba's Gravesite
- A Zulu warrior is buried far from home, near the very northern border of Zambia.
- Fjärdingen, Sweden
- Uppland Runic Inscription 489
- A rare rune stone dedicated to a woman.
- Jinhua Shi, China
- ZJNU Museum of African Culture
- A museum at a Chinese university is the first of its kind in the country.
- Savoca, Italy
- Bar Vitelli
- A quiet Sicilian village is home to a cafe that had an important role in "The Godfather."
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Saint Erik's Spring
- Legend has it this spring formed at the spot where a medieval Swedish king was killed.
- Candamo, Spain
- Cueva de La Peña de Candamo
- A prehistoric cave in Spain contains paintings dating back to the Ice Age.
- Brussels, Belgium
- Musée des Égouts Bruxelles (Brussels Sewer Museum)
- Head underground and take a tour of the city's working sewer system.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Runestone in Gamla Uppsala Church
- This mysterious runestone embedded in a church wall is linked to the medieval cult of Saint Erik.
- Oviedo, Spain
- El Sidrón Neanderthal Bones
- It's believed these prehistoric individuals were the victims of cannibalism.
- Borgholm, Sweden
- Neptuni Åkrar
- An otherworldly fossil-rich cobble beach marked with Viking graves.
- Kangaroo Island Council, Australia
- Kangaroo Island Bee Sanctuary
- An island off the coast of South Australia is home to the last purebred Ligurian bees.
- Ödeshög V, Sweden
- Alvastra Abbey
- The ruins of a monastery where Saint Bridget of Sweden had her revelations recorded.
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- North Shore Dance Paving Stones
- Follow the steps, and this roadside artwork will teach you how to dance.
- Quartzsite, Arizona
- The Red Ghost of Quartzsite
- A scrap-metal sculpture recalls an infamous 19th-century camel.
- Kamakura, Japan
- Yoshiya Nobuko Memorial Museum
- The former home of queer novelist Yoshiya Nobuko memorializes her contributions to modern-day manga.
- Trinidad, Colorado
- Art Cartopia Museum
- A roadside attraction filled with an astounding array of gloriously wacky vehicles.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- 'Thing of all Swedes' Mound
- The official meeting point for the oddly named governing assembly of ancient Sweden.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Rathskeller Cafe
- A 114-year-old restored German dining hall awaits those who venture beneath the Minnesota State Capitol.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Urdar's Well and Yggdrasil
- Legend says this fabled well held part of a mythical Norse tree.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
- The world-record holder for the longest bridge stretching continuously over water.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum
- This quirky museum has a collection of more than 10,000 bobblehead dolls.
- Vientiane, Laos
- Patuxai
- When the USA donated cement and funds to expand the airport in Laos, the Laotians built a massive monument instead.
- Asotin, Washington
- Cloverland Ghost Town
- The century-old remains of an abandoned farm town in eastern Washington.
- Los Cerrillos, New Mexico
- Los Cerrillos
- This sparsely populated town offers a look back in time.
- Mount Pleasant, Michigan
- Mission Creek Indian Cemetery
- The final resting place of a prominent Chippewa chief and several American-Indian children who died at the boarding school nearby.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Evel Pie
- “Live hard, ride fast, eat pizza” at this joint filled with Evel Knievel memorabilia.
- Oviedo, Spain
- The Green Skeleton
- This Bronze Age man spent millennia buried in a mine, giving his bones an eerie hue.
- London, England
- Tower Bridge Chimney
- An architectural oddity hides in plain sight on this iconic London bridge.
- London, England
- The Blind Beggar
- This East End pub gained notoriety as the site where gangster Ronnie Kray publicly shot a rival.
- Bramhope, England
- Bramhope Tunnel North Portal
- This Gothic castle-like portal is a testament to the amazing craftsmanship of the navvies who built the railway tunnel.
- Middlefield, Connecticut
- Powder Hill Dinosaur Park
- This petite park lets visitors see and touch examples of fossilized dinosaur tracks.
- Berlin, Germany
- Stadtbahn Viaduct World War II Damage
- Reminders of the Battle of Berlin still scar the railway.
- Glenreagh, Ireland
- The Devil’s Bit
- It's said this geological anomaly was caused when the Devil took a bite out of the Irish mountainside.
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries
- The graves in Florida's oldest African-American cemeteries are marked with shells, stones, and mementos of the deceased.
- Maracaibo, Venezuela
- General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge
- Once considered a marvel of engineering, there are now doubts about the structural integrity of this 5.4-mile cable-stayed bridge.
- Cangas del Narcea, Spain
- Cantabrian Bears of Asturias
- Head to the mountains to catch a glimpse of Spain's endangered subspecies of brown bear.
- Marietta, Ohio
- Ohio River Museum
- One of the few places where you can explore a 1918 paddlewheel steamboat from stem to stern.
- Alexandria, Virginia
- George Washington's Distillery
- The only place for a truly presidential dram.
- Glendale, California
- Vintage Arcade Superstore
- This childhood throwback has hundreds of arcade games and pinball machines to transport you back in time.
- Moab, Utah
- Potash Evaporation Ponds
- Few things look more out of place than the electric blue ponds in the reddish-brown desert of Utah.
- Bastrop, Texas
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre Gas Station
- The real-life version of the horror flick's pit stop serves beef and pork, not people.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Dickens and Little Nell
- The oldest of only three existing statues of the great novelist stands in a city he did not care for.
- Suzhou, China
- Chongyuan Temple's Guanyin Statue
- An enormous effigy of the goddess of compassion hides within the sanctuary.
- Jáchymov, Czechia
- Hotel Radium Palace
- Visitors flock to the historic birthplace of radiobalneology for its therapeutic radium treatments.
- Menlo Park, California
- The Great Spirit Path
- A trail weaves through the verses of a poem illustrated by stone sculptures inspired by Native American pictographs.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Rune Staff Collection
- The second-largest collection of runic calendar staffs in Sweden.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Calle García Moreno
- This historic street in Quito is known for its seven stone crosses—and one presidential assassination.
- Olympia, Washington
- Procession of the Species
- Celebrate Earth Day with a menagerie of vibrant, artistic animal costumes.
- Valence-sur-Baïse, France
- Flaran Abbey
- A treasure trove of fine art is hiding inside this small medieval abbey in Gascony.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Spruce Hill Bird Sanctuary
- Hidden behind West Philadelphia rowhomes is a haven for migratory and local bird species both ordinary and rare.
- Pomeroy, Ohio
- Kerr’s Run Colored School
- The oldest African American schoolhouse still standing in southeastern Ohio.
- Johnstone, Scotland
- Kenmure Hill Temple
- A mysterious ruin shrouded in more folklore than fact.
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Chapman's Peak Drive
- This road winds through the steep coastal cliffside offering spectacular views for those who brave the drive.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Universitetshuset Runestone Circle
- A large collection of ancient runestones decorates this university courtyard.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The 'Dowager Empress' Crystal Ball
- The world's third-largest crystal sphere has sat in the Penn Museum since 1927 with the exception of one outlandish theft.
- Captain Cook, Hawaii
- The Painted Church
- A priest with no formal artistic training used basic house paint to create gorgeous religious scenes inside this historic church.
- Ruhnu, Estonia
- Ruhnu Lighthouse
- It's rumored this unique Baltic beacon was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself.
- Tucson, Arizona
- El Tiradito
- Make a wish at what might be America's only Catholic shrine to a sinner.
- Lviv, Ukraine
- The Most Expensive Galician Restaurant
- Get past the gatekeeper's apartment and enter an elaborate hoax of a restaurant with a Masonic feel.
- Inari, Finland
- Treriksrøysa
- This cairn marks the only place where Central European Time, Eastern European Time, and Further-eastern European Time meet.
- Ithaca, New York
- Cayuga Nature Center
- A six-story treehouse offers spectacular views of New York's Finger Lakes region.
- Krimulda Parish, Latvia
- Virtaka Cliff
- This remote sandstone cliff has one of the richest collections of Livonian petroglyph marks.
- New Delhi, India
- Yamuna Ghat
- Ancient traditions and surreal birdwatching come into sharp relief along one of the world's most polluted rivers.
- Ohër, North Macedonia
- National Workshop For Handmade Paper
- See how paper's made the old-fashioned way.
- Huntsville, Utah
- Shooting Star Saloon
- Eat burgers beneath gargantuan taxidermy and thousands of dollar bills in Utah's oldest continuously-operating bar.
- Valencia, Spain
- Torre Miramar (Miramar Tower)
- This abandoned viewing platform has become a monument to unnecessary government spending.
- Berwick on Tweed, England
- The Loovre
- One of the few surviving examples of Victorian-era public toilets now houses a coffee bar.
- Newmarket, England
- Potoooooooo
- A misunderstanding gave this 18th-century racehorse a most amusing name.
- Pomeroy, Ohio
- St. John’s Church Cemetery
- A lost cemetery stands forgotten on a hilltop, known only to the older residents of Pomeroy.
- Ronda, Spain
- Puente Nuevo
- One of the most spectacular bridges in Spain spans a narrow chasm that divides the city of Ronda.
- Baker, California
- Travelers Monument
- This large pile of traveler-curated rocks by the dry lakebed is a longstanding tradition on the Old Mojave Road.
- Cedar Lake, Michigan
- Two-Story Outhouse
- There are two legends behind the origin of this unusually tall sanitary structure.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- 'In Between'
- What looks like a birch tree smushed between two pieces of glass often confounds commuters.
- Grahovo, Montenegro
- Grahovo Memorial Park
- This memorial to local World War II heroes is slowly being reclaimed by nature.
- Portland, Oregon
- Paxton Gate PDX
- Entering this curiosity shop is like stepping into a mad scientist's lab.
- Caracas, Venezuela
- Esfera Caracas
- One of the most iconic sculptures in Caracas looks like a large orange ball suspended in the air.
- East Liverpool, Ohio
- The First Evangelical Presbyterian Church
- A storybook church made from a mesmerizing medley of multi-colored stones.
- Ribadesella, Spain
- Tito Bustillo Cave
- A magnificent place to see authentic paleolithic cave paintings that are an astounding 33,000 years old.
- Vlychada, Greece
- Tomato Industrial Museum
- A former factory serves as a shrine to the industry that sustained Santorini for decades.
- Lochawe, Scotland
- Saint Conan's Kirk
- This eclectic sanctuary is a hodgepodge of various architectural styles, all crammed into one building.
- Valladolid, Mexico
- Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman
- Found down a long dirt road, a sacred Mexican cenote and 18th-century hacienda remain hidden.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Newton's Apple
- This giant subway sculpture celebrates the fruit that inspired the theory of gravity.
- Alicante, Spain
- The Head of the Moor
- Legends surround this natural rock formation that looks like a Moorish king wearing a crown.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Cementerio de San Diego
- One of the most historic cemeteries in Quito is an eclectic mix of architectural styles and famous tombs.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Mårten Trotzigs Gränd
- Stockholm's narrowest alley is barely over two feet wide.
- Rome, Italy
- Elephant and Obelisk
- A detailed pachyderm supports Rome's smallest Egyptian obelisk.
- London, England
- Whitechapel Bell Foundry
- This unassuming building produced some of the world's most famous bells.
- Kramfors N, Sweden
- Bålberget Memorial
- This serene wooded hilltop has a dark history as the climactic point of the Swedish witch trials.
- Deal, England
- Deal Maritime and Local History Museum
- A jumble of treasures in a small space, this old-fashioned local museum is full of surprises.
- Hisor, Tajikistan
- Hisor Fort
- The first version of this stalwart construction appeared around 3,000 years ago.
- Konitsa, Greece
- Konitsa Bridge
- One of the largest single-span stone-arch bridges in the Balkans looks like something straight out of a fairytale.
- Leland, Michigan
- Leland's Historic Fishtown
- A charming remnant of 19th-century fishing towns sits on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula.
- Moab, Utah
- Landscape Arch
- Utah is home to the fifth-longest natural arch in the world, and the longest outside China.
- Halle (Saale), Germany
- Anton Wilhelm Amo Monument
- The monument honors the first (and for a long time, only) African-born philosopher to teach at a German university.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Cherry Growers Weigh Station
- This vacant station is a relic of harvest processing techniques of the mid-20th century.
- Aquinnah, Massachusetts
- Aquinnah Cliffs
- Colorful clay cliffs tower over an unofficial nudist beach on Martha's Vineyard.
- Pueblo, Colorado
- Pueblo Levee Mural
- This three-mile concrete levee in Pueblo, Colorado was transformed into the world’s longest painting.
- Barquisimeto, Venezuela
- Flor de Venezuela
- This iconic pavilion in Barquisimeto has a roof made from 16 “petals” that open and close depending on the weather.
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Chicken Bone Beach
- Once forgotten, this strip of sand was a rare beachside haven for African Americans in Atlantic City.
- Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux, France
- Parc des Félins
- A unique zoological park home to over 30 species of wild cats, both big and small.
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Pizza Pi
- Swim or sail to this pie-slinging boat off the coast of St. Thomas.
- Tikal, Guatemala
- Spider Monkeys of Tikal
- Monkeys inhabit the lush forest surrounding ancient Mayan ruins once considered sacred.
- Suttons Bay, Michigan
- The Archduke of Austria's Michigan Grave
- Where else would you expect to find the gravesite of European royalty than the windswept dunes of rural Northern Michigan?
- Bovey Tracey, England
- House of Marbles
- This historic factory peddles classic toys from the picturesque English county of Devon.
- Berlin, Germany
- Schöneberg Gasometer
- The skeletal frame of a decommissioned gas-pumping station offers breathtaking views of greater Berlin.
- Petros, Tennessee
- Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
- This former maximum-security prison is creepy, sobering, and supposedly haunted.
- London, England
- 'Tapestry of Life' Mural
- This peeling mural of Adam and Eve was inspired by the greenhouses at Kew Gardens.
- Prague, Czechia
- Periodic Table of Charles University
- A giant interactive periodic table with real samples of the elements.
- Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico
- Son of the Tree of the Night of Sorrows
- A sapling of the legendary tree where conquistador Hernán Cortés sat and wept after an Aztec uprising.
- Duns, Scotland
- Scottish Borders Wojtek the Soldier Bear
- The beloved war-time celebrity spent time in the area before retiring to the Edinburgh Zoo.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Coast Guard City Monument
- A humble ode to the heroic air rescue efforts of the United States Coast Guard serving on the Great Lakes.
- Ikateq, Greenland
- Bluie East Two
- A surprisingly beautiful abandoned World War II military base in East Greenland.
- Hatteras, North Carolina
- Hatteras Weather Bureau Station
- This historic sunny-yellow building has an unfortunate connection to the sinking of the Titanic.
- Alexandria, Egypt
- Tamr Hena Museum
- Part shoe store, part sociopolitical art gallery, part zoo.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Tyska Kyrkan Weather Vane
- This centuries-old rooster survived a devastating fire.
- Haddonfield, New Jersey
- Hadrosaurus Foulkii Leidy Site
- The first partially complete dinosaur skeleton was discovered here, forever changing the world's view of the ruling reptiles.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Percys Trappa
- A wooden street sign is the last remnant of this 400-year-old alleyway.
- Halle (Saale), Germany
- Museum of Livestock Science
- A beautiful old horse stable hosts one of the largest collections of domestic animal skeletons and taxidermy.
- Jamestown, New York
- National Comedy Center
- The first and only American institution dedicated to the enduring value of comedy in the United States.
- Berwick-upon-Tweed, England
- Penguins of Berwick
- Over a decade ago, painted penguins mysteriously appeared around Berwick-upon-Tweed for no apparent reason.
- Halle (Saale), Germany
- Nebra Sky Disc
- The 3,600-year-old archeological sensation is considered to be the oldest representation of the cosmos.
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Joe Ley Antiques
- A curiosity-seeker's paradise set inside a three-story historic school house.
- Lake George, New York
- The Last Howard Johnson's
- All that remains of the once-booming chain is a single orange-roofed restaurant.
- Prague, Czechia
- The Penguins at Kampa Park
- A series of playful yellow penguins share a serious message about the environment.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Hidden Heart of Music Row
- It may take some time to locate, but it's sure to warm even a heart of stone.
- El Calafate, Argentina
- Glaciarium
- This glacier interpretation center houses the world’s only bar made completely from glacial ice.
- Rootsiküla, Estonia
- Kihnu Island
- This little gem in the Gulf of Riga has a very rich heritage and distinct culture.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Concrete Animal Cemetery
- Discarded animal sculptures stand forgotten by an abandoned aquarium and water park in Bosque de Chapultepec.
- Marietta, Ohio
- Washington County Courthouse Motifs
- Dozens of striking Indian symbols cover the second-floor hallways of this rural courthouse.
- Bo’ness, Scotland
- Hippodrome Cinema
- This vintage gem is one of the oldest surviving purpose-built movie palaces in Scotland.
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Sahachat Memorial
- This ambiguous pig shrine is actually a monument to a beloved queen.
- Kayabwe, Uganda
- Equator Line Restaurant
- This small roadside eatery exists in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, as the equator runs right through it.
- Evanston, Illinois
- Halim Time & Glass Museum
- The first and only museum dedicated to stained glass and horology opened outside of Chicago in 2017.
- Washington, Wisconsin
- Nelsen’s Hall & Bitters Club
- The oldest continuously-operating tavern in Wisconsin used a clever loophole to serve alcohol during Prohibition.
- Thorold, Ontario
- Blue Ghost Tunnel
- Abandoned for over a century, this chilling train tunnel is now a destination for ghost hunters.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Palacio de Carondelet
- Ecuador’s historic seat of government has been quietly looted in recent decades, and no one knows how or by whom.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Boy Scout Catfish
- This quirky local sculpture is quite literally a fish out of water.
- Foxworth, Mississippi
- Red Bluff
- A dramatically eroding canyon thousands of miles from the desert.
- Madison, Minnesota
- Lou T. Fisk
- This giant fiberglass cod celebrates Madison's self-proclaimed status as the U.S. capital of lutefisk.
- Cusco, Peru
- Plaza de Armas
- Built on the remains of one the Incas’ most important gathering spots, this square keeps the spirit of a fallen empire alive.
- Mecca, California
- Dos Palmas and San Andreas Springs
- These lush groves of fan palms rise up like oases out of southern California's Colorado Desert.
- Kuwait City, Kuwait
- Kuwait Water Towers
- Kuwait City's uniquely designed water towers look straight out of a retro sci-fi cityscape.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Isa Yusuf Alptekin Park
- A tiny park in the middle of some big power politics.
- Springfield, Illinois
- Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon
- One of the largest carillons in the world, this giant instrument has 67 cast-iron bells played by a keyboard.
- Mporokoso, Zambia
- Chilubula Mission
- The first Catholic Mission to the Bemba people of Zambia still stands.
- Agra, India
- Sheroes' Hangout
- This small cafe aims to empower acid attack victims and stop violence against women in India.
- Lares, Puerto Rico
- Hacienda Lealtad
- After years of neglect, new life is being breathed into this 19th-century coffee plantation.
- Twentynine Palms, California
- The Ruins of Ryan Ranch
- The decaying adobe remains of an old homestead are just off the beaten path in Joshua Tree National Park.
- Tagish, Yukon Territory
- Venus Silver Mine
- The picturesque remains of an abandoned silver mine slope down to Tagish Lake in the Yukon.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Kane Street Impaled Pumpkins
- For 20 years, local pumpkins have met their fate on the iron fence surrounding this Cobble Hill home.
- Troutdale, Oregon
- Tad’s Chicken ’n Dumplins
- This old-fashioned roadhouse's quirky neon sign is as famous as its enormous dumplings.
- Southampton, England
- The Wool House
- This 700-year-old storehouse was a POW jail, aviation workshop, and Titanic memorial before becoming a brewpub.
- Thousand Palms, California
- Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
- Hike amid the palm trees that thrive among Southern California's Indio Hills.
- Oxford, England
- Jane Burden's Birthplace
- A plaque marks the humble origins of an artistic muse who embodied the ideals of Pre-Raphaelite beauty.
- Tambon Tham Lot, Thailand
- Tham Lod Cave
- A mile-long navigable cave adorned with stalactites and stalagmites reaching up to 65 feet tall.
- Louisville, Kentucky
- The Witches' Tree
- Locals place their offerings on this nightmarish gnarled tree so the witches won't summon another storm.
- Clifton, Arizona
- Clifton Cliff Jail
- This Old West prison built into the side of a cliff was said to be inescapable.
- Nanjing, China
- Librairie Avant-Garde
- With former lives as a bomb shelter and government parking lot, this shop is one of China’s most extraordinary locales for book-lovers.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Peace Sign Geoglyph
- A heartwarming message to those entering and departing Music City from above.
- San Francisco, California
- Clarion Alley
- This one-block alleyway is stuffed with street art that is colorful, cultural, and intensely political.
- Tuscumbia, Alabama
- Rattlesnake Saloon
- You'll need cowboy boots to trek to this old-fashioned saloon that’s nestled in a giant natural cave.
- Po, Thailand
- Phu Chi Fah
- This mountain sunrise is one of the most breathtaking views in Thailand, yet well off the tourist trail.
- Oxton, England
- Robin Hood's Hill
- This Bronze Age burial mound used to be called "Robin Hood’s Piss-Pot" until it was renamed by spoilsport Victorians.
- Willcox, Arizona
- James Garfield Memorial Fireplace
- This fireplace-turned-monument pays tribute to the assassinated U.S. president.
- Howth, Ireland
- Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio
- A former fortified tower now houses a collection of classic communications equipment.
- Batumi, Georgia
- Batumi McDonald's
- Fast food feels like fine dining at this award-winning modern Georgian building.
- Begunje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia
- Alpine Ski Museum
- This cutting edge museum details the history of skiing, from its ancient origins to its status as a sport.
- Detroit, Michigan
- The Raven Lounge
- One of Detroit’s oldest blues clubs stands in defiance of the passage of time and the city’s shifting fortunes.
- Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Hotel Hershey
- This extraordinary Depression-era expenditure was modeled after a postcard of a Mediterranean hotel.
- Taungbi, Myanmar (Burma)
- Nat Taung Kyaung
- Amazingly, this centuries-old wooden monastery is still standing today.
- Hinckley, Minnesota
- Hinckley Fire Museum
- Its collection contains relics from the devastating disaster that set the town ablaze.
- Kinsale, Ireland
- Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance
- A memorial created by an Irish nurse who lived in New York City during 9/11.
- Pine Bush, New York
- Ellenville Fault Ice Caves
- The largest known open fault in the United States is basically a giant natural refrigerator.
- Luling, Texas
- Luling Watermelon Water Tower
- A fruit-loving town welcomes visitors with a giant melon set against the sky.
- Tambon Mueang Kao, Thailand
- Phra Achana
- An enormous Buddha peers through a gap in its ruined chamber.
- Stanbury, England
- Ponden Hall
- The English bed-and-breakfast believed to have inspired Emily Brontë's novel "Wuthering Heights."
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Laksegade
- This ordinary street was made infamous by a legendary visit from the devil.
- Denver, Colorado
- Denver Omelet Plaque
- This sidewalk tribute honors Colorado's great culinary creation.
- Kiruna, Sweden
- LKAB’s Visitor Center
- The world's largest underground iron ore mine.
- Detroit, Michigan
- St. Joseph Oratory
- Once the tallest building in Detroit, this Gothic church houses some of the oldest stained-glass windows in the country.
- Mazirbe, Latvia
- Mazirbe Boat Cemetery
- These abandoned vessels are destined to be reclaimed by the forest.
- Turin, Italy
- 'Baci Rubati' ('Stolen Kisses')
- This building has a giant piercing through one of its corners.
- Cairo, Egypt
- The Hanging Church
- Standing atop 2nd-century Roman ruins, this church is one of the oldest and most iconic in Old Cairo.
- Rovaniemi, Finland
- Rovaniemi's Arctic Circle Border
- If you visit Santa's village, you can get your passport stamped to show you crossed into the Arctic Circle.
- Al Madam, United Arab Emirates
- Buried Village of Al Madam
- An abandoned desert hamlet swallowed up by sand.
- Hamelin Bay, Australia
- Hamelin Bay Beach
- Incredible rock formations jut from the southern end of this spectacular stingray-viewing spot.
- Kent, England
- The Rook in the Red Coat
- This strangely dressed taxidermy creature has a heartbreaking story.
- London, England
- Shield of Parade
- This magnificently macabre shield shows the power of chivalrous love in medieval times.
- Split, Croatia
- UNESCO-Protected SPAR Supermarket
- When a supermarket opened up shop within a medieval building it became protected by UNESCO on a technicality.
- Alicante, Spain
- Volvo Ocean Race Museum
- This interactive museum highlights the history and philosophy of one of the world's most difficult sailing races.
- London, England
- Wolf-God of Woodeaton
- A gruesome and mysterious ancient sculpture of a pagan deity from the Roman occupation of Celtic Britain.
- Hachioji, Japan
- Yakuo-in Temple
- This incredible mountainside temple is home to intriguing statues of demon-like creatures.
- London, England
- The Aurochs Skull
- The gigantic skull of a long-extinct species that once roamed the forests of England and Ireland.
- Portsoy, Scotland
- Findlater Castle
- These ruins are a hidden gem, complete with fantastic views over the cliff edge.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Szimpla Kert
- A Trabant car, a kangaroo statue, and a plethora of plants take over this abandoned-factory-turned-bar.
- Seoul, South Korea
- Noryangjin Fish Market
- Buy your fish and have it cooked to order in this bustling, eight-floor seafood market.
- Clare, Michigan
- Michigan Transportation Employees Memorial
- The statues honor the state transportation employees who've died while performing their work-related duties.
- New York, New York
- Hall of North American Mammals
- Outstanding taxidermy dioramas showcase the grandeur of the continent's wildlife with spooky realism.
- Larnaca, Cyprus
- Larnaca Salt Lake
- Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds.
- York, England
- Baile Hill
- The little-known second castle that William the Conqueror built in York.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- The Sweets Section at Mercado de la Merced
- Mexico City's largest market contains a Willy Wonka-esque wonderland.
- Dragoon, Arizona
- The Grave of Johnny Ringo
- The remote resting place of a notorious Wild West outlaw whose death is shrouded in mystery.
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Tbilisi Sulfur Baths
- A cluster of historic bathhouses built on the famed hot springs that gave the Georgian capital its name.
- Quito, Ecuador
- El Panecillo
- A short volcanic hill in Quito doubles as a stellar observation point of an iconic statue.
- Yavapai County, Arizona
- Verde Hot Springs Resort
- A once popular resort—said to be the vacation spot of gangster Al Capone—now remains abandoned in the woods of Arizona.
- Battle Creek, Michigan
- The Former Battle Creek Sanitarium
- Dating back to the 1800s, two imposing buildings in Michigan have had countless transformations over the years.
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Estufa Fría
- This once-forgotten oasis in the middle of Lisbon was first created over a century ago quite by accident.
- Wakefield, England
- Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin
- A tiny chapel perched along a 14th-century bridge.
- Reading, England
- Henry West's Grave
- The wooden grave marker of a railroad worker who died in a freak whirlwind.
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Asheville Mystery Museum
- A collection dedicated to the mysterious and dark side of the area, housed in the basement of a Masonic lodge.
- Dolinka, Kazakhstan
- KarLag Memorial Museum
- A sober museum housed in the original administrative building of one of Stalin's largest gulags.
- Jerusalem, Israel
- Church of the Pater Noster
- Dozens of elegant ceramic tiles decorate these ancient walls, each displaying the Lord's Prayer in a different language.
- Bermiego, Spain
- Bermiego Yew
- One of Europe's oldest yew trees is more than 2,000 years old.
- Bsaira District, Jordan
- Dana Village
- A ghost village sits atop a mountain within Jordan’s largest biosphere reserve.
- Milan, Italy
- The Wall of the Dolls
- This poignant art installation raises awareness of violence against women.
- Paris, France
- Georges Méliès's Grave
- The final resting place of the "father of special effects."
- Okemos, Michigan
- No. 2 Plank Road Tollgate House
- The last remaining tollhouse in Michigan built during the 19th-century plank road craze.
- Williamsport, Pennsylvania
- Thomas Pursell’s Escape Burial Hatch
- A retired firefighter created this contraption so he and his family wouldn't die if accidentally buried alive.
- Karak, Jordan
- Kerak Castle
- Perched above the bustling town of Kerak is a sprawling, ruinous castle that has witnessed nearly a millennia of Levantine history.
- Lowell, Massachusetts
- Worthen House Cafe
- The oldest tavern in Lowell has dedicated fans of its fan.
- Göttingen, Germany
- Göttingen Royal University Observatory
- Renowned mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss once worked at this observatory.
- San Diego, California
- El Campo Santo Cemetery
- This historic graveyard was partially paved over to create a streetcar line.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Burcht van Leiden
- This 11th-century castle sits so low you can't see it behind the surrounding buildings.
- Quartzsite, Arizona
- Reader's Oasis Books
- The shop's owner has spent decades in the desert wearing nothing but a strategically placed sock.
- London, England
- 'Monument for a Dead Parrot'
- The sculpture of the deceased cockatoo flops atop its personal plinth.
- Penny, British Columbia
- Ancient Forest/Chun T'oh Whudujut
- Thousand-year-old trees tower within one of the world's only inland temperate rainforests.
- Washington, D.C.
- 'Spirit of American Youth' Statue
- A replica of the famous memorial statue at the Normandy American Cemetery hides in an office building in downtown D.C.
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Sebastopol Artillery Mortar Replica
- This roadside monument commemorates the huge weapon built by an Ethiopian emperor's hostages.
- Boge, Sweden
- Tjelvar's Grave
- A Bronze Age stone ship said to be the grave of the mythical founder of Gotland.
- Valongo, Portugal
- Valongo Sanatorium
- An abandoned tuberculosis hospital said to be haunted by the patients who died within its walls.
- Washington, D.C.
- Sweet Home Cafe
- This unique museum cafeteria showcases the history and regional diversity of African American cuisine.
- Lycksele, Sweden
- Lycksele Ice Pillar
- This small town's local tradition is to create the world's tallest ice pillar.
- Oak Ridge, Tennessee
- The Prophet of Oak Ridge's Grave
- John Hendrix predicted the creation of the "Secret City" built as part of the Manhattan Project.
- Älvdalen N, Sweden
- Trollvägen Magic Hill
- Gravity seems to fail at this intriguing Swedish attraction.
- London, England
- Electric Avenue
- "We gonna rock down to Electric Avenue, and then we'll take it higher..."
- Junction, Texas
- Deer Horn Tree
- A curious cone-shaped structure made of wire and covered with antlers.
- Hicksville, New York
- The Long Island Puppet Theater
- The last standing puppet theater on Long Island.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Murals in the Market
- Detroit’s Eastern Market has been transformed into an outdoor museum with colorful murals that address social issues and symbolize the city.
- Rome, Italy
- Vespa Museum
- This subterranean shrine beneath a bike rental store celebrates the iconic Italian scooter.
- Bridge of Allan, Scotland
- Ben Gunn's Cave
- A carved bench marks the Scottish cave that inspired the classic adventure novel "Treasure Island."
- Aguascalientes, Mexico
- Museo Espacio
- A formerly derelict railway workshop is home to a new world-class contemporary art museum in Central Mexico.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Museum Depot
- Unknown to many, this is where items not displayed in a Dutch history of science museum are held.
- London, England
- The Charterhouse Black Death Skeleton
- This historic building displays the remains of a victim of the devastating 14th-century plague.
- Tartu, Estonia
- World’s Largest Hoberman Sphere
- The enormous isokinetic structure hangs within a science center in Estonia.
- San Jose, California
- Orchestria Palm Court
- This restaurant's marvelous musical machines include a self-playing violin.
- Townsend, Georgia
- Memory Park Christ Chapel
- Dubbed the "smallest church in America," this tiny sanctuary was a local grocer's dream come true.
- Orkney, Scotland
- Kirkwall Ba
- Twice a year, this Orkney town hosts a rowdy game of medieval mob football.
- Bodiam, England
- Bodiam Castle
- A beautiful ruin of a 14th-century Plantagenet castle built by a medieval mercenary.
- White Oaks, New Mexico
- No Scum Allowed Saloon
- In a largely deserted ghost town, a little brick building recalls its history as a gold rush hub and haven for outlaws.
- Garfield, Washington
- Elberton Ghost Town
- A nearly abandoned 19th-century town on the Palouse.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Vikingaliv Runestone
- Outside a Viking museum sits a modern-day runestone made by a Swedish runemaster using traditional methods.
- London, England
- Mold Gold Cape
- This intriguing Bronze Age artifact spent centuries hidden within a Welsh faerie hill.
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- The Raven's Nest
- This oceanside Reykjavik spot is speckled with recycled sculptures and large stones.
- Shingleton, Michigan
- Chapel Rock
- This lone tree and dramatic sandstone outcropping are so beloved by Michiganders they can be found on one of the state’s coins.
- Aguascalientes, Mexico
- Templo de San Antonio
- This ornate church designed by a self-taught architect is an eclectic masterpiece in the heart of Central Mexico.
- Seattle, Washington
- Ballyhoo Curiosity Shop
- This Seattle store is packed with all sorts of curious creatures and creations.
- Michamvi, Tanzania
- The Rock
- Sitting atop a rock on Michamvi Pingwe beach, this restaurant becomes its own island at high tide.
- Saudi Arabia
- The Edge of the World
- These towering cliffs jut dramatically from the middle of a barren desert.
- Mount Pleasant, Michigan
- Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial School
- This solemn facility remembers the tragic effort to compel American-Indian children to relinquish their culture.
- Paris, France
- Quai Branly Museum
- This Parisian gem is one of the most incredible ethnographic museums in the world.
- Älvdalen N, Sweden
- Nipgubben
- This tiny Swedish troll protects the land and all who wander within it.
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Tuwaiq Palace Heart Tent
- This mesmerizing, colorful structure looks like a tent made from stained glass.
- Troy, New York
- Troy Gasholder Building
- This relic of 19th-century infrastructure is one of the few remaining coal gas storage tanks in the U.S.
- Hartsville, South Carolina
- The Last Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken Restaurant
- The sole remaining outpost of a once-thriving South Carolina chain still sells “pic-a-nic” baskets.
- Sanborn, New York
- Native American Museum of Art
- This diamond in the rough outside Niagara Falls preserves and celebrates Iroquois culture.
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Dry Bridge Market
- You'll find just about anything in this funky Tbilisi flea market.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- 'Center of Edinburgh' Bollard
- This mundane post marks the old location of the city's main postal hub.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Graveyard Groenesteeg
- This early 19th-century graveyard is the final resting place of Vincent van Gogh's mother.
- Sacramento, California
- Johnny Cash Mural
- This 15-story mural celebrates the 50th anniversary of the musician's iconic "At Folsom Prison" album.
- San Juan Teotihuacan de Arista, Mexico
- Mural of the Great Goddess
- A striking depiction of Teotihuacan's mysterious "Spider Woman."
- Hirzel, Switzerland
- Johanna Spyri Museum
- Its collection commemorates the author of the iconic children's book "Heidi."
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Pompe the Dog's Grave
- A tombstone on the grounds of the royal castle marks the burial site of a Swedish king's beloved dog.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Monoliths of the Templo Mayor
- This museum houses two of Mexico's most impressive Aztec monoliths.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Asitane Restaurant
- This eatery re-creates dishes from the Ottoman Empire so you can dine like a sultan.
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Tbilisi AutoMuseum
- This extensive collection of vintage Soviet cars is the only one of its kind in the Caucasus.
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Father Goose Memorial
- This stone marker honors the man who released Canada goose goslings in Fort Collins, Colorado.
- San Francisco, California
- California Historical Society Headquarters
- A former hardware store near Yerba Buena is the official home of California's history.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- 'Bagage'
- A striking memorial to the Jews of Leiden who were murdered during World War II is scattered throughout the city.
- Cuenca, Spain
- Los Ojos de la Mora
- Two large eyes painted anonymously on a mountain overlooking the city pay homage to an old legend.
- Accra, Ghana
- La Tante DC 10
- This grounded passenger jet is now a restaurant, complete with rows of seats and “flight attendant” servers.
- Barquisimeto, Venezuela
- Monumento Manto de María
- This unique depiction of the Virgin Mary may be the tallest kinetic art sculpture in the world.
- Th? Quang, Vietnam
- Lady Buddha
- Vietnam's largest Buddha statue depicts a female sage.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- John Knox's Grave
- The Scottish Reformation leader's grave was paved over and is now a parking lot.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Civil Defense Control Center
- An abandoned underground bunker not far from downtown New Orleans.
- Middletown, Connecticut
- Joseph Barratt's Grave
- The gravestone of an eccentric Connecticut doctor features dinosaur tracks and a pair of fossil tree casts.
- Fribourg, Switzerland
- Taxidermy Whale of Fribourg
- This unique preservation is one of the only taxidermies in the world made with real whale skin.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Street Art Museum
- An art museum inside an active factory.
- Stow-on-the-Wold, England
- St Edward's Church
- This medieval sanctuary's tree-framed door looks like a portal to a mythical realm.
- Lisbon, Portugal
- History of Lisbon Mural
- Hidden beneath a beautiful overlook you’ll find the history of the city depicted in comic strip format next to a pay toilet.
- Skagway, Alaska
- Red Onion Saloon
- Originally a brothel during the Klondike Gold Rush, this bar once used dolls to denote when ladies were working.
- Mkawer, Jordan
- Ma'in Hot Springs
- This cascade of mineral-rich hot springs and waterfalls is an oasis in the Jordanian desert.
- Icod de los Vinos, Spain
- Drago Milenario
- This local emblem is the oldest and largest dragon tree in the Canary Islands.
- Keetmanshoop, Namibia
- Quiver Tree Forest
- A rare cluster of alien-like plants grows along a dusty highway.
- Singapore
- Kampong Lorong Buangkok
- Singapore's last surviving traditional village is hidden among giant skyscrapers and modern infrastructure.
- Ecuador
- Cueva de los Tayos
- This cave system allegedly holds the "metallic library" of a lost ancient civilization.
- Hatch, New Mexico
- Sparky's
- A wealth of pop culture statuary and green chile dishes give this roadside restaurant clout.
- Southwell, England
- The Leaves of Southwell
- Exquisite carvings of leaves, Green Men, and the occasional dragon adorn a medieval chapter house.
- Bray, England
- Oakley Court
- You can spend the night in Dr. Frank-N-Furter's castle.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
- It took 160 years to complete the most ornate church in Ecuador.
- Ouarzazate, Morocco
- Ouarzazate Solar Power Station
- The world's largest concentrated solar power plant.
- Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
- Manyate Coffee Village
- An Ethiopian cloud forest protects some of the last wild arabica plants.
- Ranua, Finland
- Ranua Wildlife Park
- Finland's northernmost zoo is home to the country's only polar bears.
- Chevilly-Larue, France
- Rungis International Market
- Walk through spectacular aisles of hanging meat and wagon wheel–sized cheese at the world’s largest wholesale food market.
- Tamana, Japan
- Tonkararin
- A mysterious set of tunnels carved into a Japanese mountain.
- New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Ghost Mask Museum
- One man's hand-sculpted collection of colorful masks representing a host of gruesome spirits.
- Craswall, England
- Craswall Priory
- Britain’s highest medieval monastery is a remote ruin nestled at the head of a valley 1,240 feet above the sea.
- Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
- Amparo Museum
- This beautiful and unmissable little museum is full of fascinating artifacts from Mesoamerica's great civilizations.
- Boise, Idaho
- Freak Alley Gallery
- The largest outdoor art gallery in the northwestern United States.
- Dalat, Vietnam
- 100 Roofs Cafe
- This Vietnamese bar doubles as a multistory labyrinth.
- Rudbaxton, Wales
- Church of St. Michael
- Eerily lifelike effigies stare at everyone who enters this sanctuary.
- Seaside, Oregon
- Elsie Cemetery
- This small, rural pioneer cemetery is full of interesting grave markers.
- Almuñécar, Spain
- Cave of the Seven Palaces
- Despite its grandiose name, this enigmatic first-century void under the town is no cave, and it's possibly not a palace either.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Observatory
- When this 18th-century observatory's meridian was moved, it set Sweden's time back by 0.04 seconds.
- Naples, Italy
- Toledo Art Station
- This shining multicolored metro station deep under Naples is said to be the most beautiful in Europe.
- Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Mercury House
- Freddie Mercury's childhood home is now a monument to the iconic Queen rockstar.
- Butte, Montana
- Pekin Noodle Parlor
- The oldest continuously-operating Chinese restaurant in the United States has been in business since 1911.
- London, England
- 'An Allegory of Man'
- This mysterious and unique painting is filled with symbolism.
- Kamiah, Idaho
- Heart of the Monster
- This landmark is a central figure in the Nez Perce origin story.
- Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan
- Little Manitou Lake
- This mineral lake known for its healing powers is so buoyant it's been dubbed the "Dead Sea of Canada."
- Stockport, England
- The Garden House
- This delightful hidden farm is home to Victorian ruins and a wonderful menagerie of animals.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- La Casa de los Azulejos
- Once home to an aristocratic family and a workers' organization, this intricately tiled building now houses a chain restaurant.
- Tipaza, Algeria
- Tipasa Roman Ruins
- An extraordinary mix of Phoenician, Roman, early Christian, and Byzantine ruins beautifully set overlooking the Mediterranean.
- Washington, D.C.
- Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
- A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Replica of Duchamp's 'The Large Glass'
- One of three official copies of Marcel Duchamp's enigmatic masterpiece is on display in an obscure Tokyo museum.
- Karaman, Cyprus
- Saint Hilarion Castle
- The ruins of a fairytale castle with a tumultuous history stand high atop the mountains.
- Santiago, Chile
- Monument to the Indigenous People
- This sculpture meant to honor the bravery of the indigenous Mapuche people of Chile proved controversial.
- Piódão, Portugal
- Piódão
- Nestled in the mountains of Portugal is a tiny village made almost entirely of schist.
- Basel, Switzerland
- Hoosesagg Museum (Pants Pocket Museum)
- The smallest museum in Basel, Switzerland, is a two-foot-by-two-foot window in the door of a 600-year-old house.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Shrine of St. Thaddaeus
- Hundreds of notes give thanks to the patron saint of lost causes.
- Winnebago, Nebraska
- Angel De Cora Museum and Research Center
- A Winnebago Tribe collection featuring arrowheads, artwork, and a mysterious rock carving.
- Krakow, Poland
- Wojtek the Soldier Bear Statue
- A memorial to the beloved brown bear that served in the Polish army during World War II.
- Alcobendas, Spain
- Castilla-La Mancha Park 3D-Printed Bridge
- This technological marvel is one of the world's first 3D-printed bridges.
- Silverado, California
- Modjeska Shakespeare
- This 75-year-old Shakespearean sculpture is painted by a local artist for every season.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Last Home of Descartes
- A plaque marks the house in Stockholm where the French philosopher René Descartes lived up until his death.
- Juneau, Alaska
- Aquilean Whale Tail Sculptures
- A whale of a public art display towers atop Juneau's cruise ship dock.
- Oakham, England
- Oakham Castle Horseshoes
- Hundreds of huge, centuries-old horseshoes adorn the walls of this nontraditional 12th-century castle.
- Talaván, Spain
- Hermitage of Santo Cristo
- Disturbing winged beings decorate the walls of this strange abandoned hermitage.
- Nottingham, England
- The Exchange Murals
- These 90-year-old murals of local kings, Vikings, and outlaws hide in plain sight in a beautifully baroque shopping arcade.
- Bloomfield, New Jersey
- Holsten's Brookdale Confectionery
- This old-fashioned candy shop, ice cream parlor, and diner served as the setting for one of TV's most controversial series finales.
- Bledów, Poland
- Bledów Desert
- People in Poland have rallied to save this unnatural desert from being reclaimed by the forest.
- San Diego, California
- Spreckels Organ Pavilion
- The world's largest outdoor organ is played weekly by one of just two civic organists in the U.S.
- Wigtown, Scotland
- The Open Book
- This seaside Scottish holiday rental lets you live out your bookselling dreams.
- Toms River, New Jersey
- Insectropolis
- A "Bugseum" dedicated to all things insect-related, tucked behind a pest control company.
- Marianna, Arkansas
- Jones Bar-B-Q Diner
- The most acclaimed eatery in Arkansas is a two-table diner on the ground floor of a family home.
- Kiplingcotes, England
- Kiplingcotes Derby
- You don't have to be a professional jockey to ride in Britain's oldest horse race.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Sundbybergs Köksbryggeri
- Located in an old church, this brewery produces a different kind of holy water.
- Karpacz, Poland
- Karpacz's Gravitational Anomaly
- On this Polish road, an optical illusion makes cars seem to roll uphill.
- British Columbia
- Spirit Bears of the Great Bear Rainforest
- This vast, pristine wilderness is home to a rare subspecies of black bear.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Death Mask of Pakal the Great
- The striking jade death mask of an ancient Mayan king is displayed in a replica tomb in Mexico City.
- Margilan, Uzbekistan
- Yodgorlik Silk Factory
- Witness traditional silk production in the Uzbek city that's been a hub of sericulture for over a thousand years.
- Skagway, Alaska
- Skagway Centennial Statue
- A monument commemorating the role of Alaska's native Tlingit guides in the Klondike Gold Rush.
- Tainan City, Taiwan
- Anping Tree House
- The tangled roots of a giant banyan tree have fully reclaimed the ruins of this abandoned warehouse.
- Carlingford, Ireland
- Sliabh Foy Loop Trail
- The home of Ireland's last leprechauns is officially protected by the European Union.
- Reading, England
- Reading Museum Bayeux Tapestry
- This unique, full-sized copy of the Bayeux Tapestry sports a few modern additions, including underwear.
- Ndola, Zambia
- Ndola Slave Tree
- Once a meeting point for Swahili slave traders, this ancient tree is now a monument to those killed by the slave trade.
- London, England
- St. Nicholas Church Memento Mori
- These morbid carvings remind churchgoers of the inevitability of death.
- Keetmanshoop, Namibia
- Garas Park Rest Camp
- A rustic place to spend the night, complete with amazing quiver trees and outsider art.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Moriarty Monument
- The tallest monument in a historic New Orleans cemetery was prompted by romance and dash of pettiness.
- California
- Dumont Dunes North Pole
- Peek inside this sandy mailbox and you'll spot kids' letters to Santa.
- Karpacz, Poland
- Vang Stave Church
- This fairytale medieval church in Poland originally spent centuries in Norway.
- Esporles, Spain
- La Granja de Esporles
- This 17th-century manor house provides a fascinating glimpse into old-world Mallorcan life.
- Merritt Island, Florida
- Georgiana Cemetery
- Believed to be haunted, this old cemetery is beautifully adorned with Spanish moss hanging from the trees.
- Rascafría, Spain
- Peñalara National Park
- A breathtaking and biodiverse wilderness in the mountain setting of Ernest Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls."
- London, England
- The Lioness and the Lesser Kudu
- This striking statue brings a scene from the African savannah into central London.
- Sheffield, England
- The Old Queens Head
- Amidst towering office buildings, a local pub lives inside Sheffield’s oldest surviving domestic building.
- London, England
- Genius Treasure Museum
- This informal museum is a magical trove of anonymous art collected from car boots and flea markets.
- Sanford, Florida
- Mr. Imagination's Memory Wall
- This whimsical outsider art wall holds tiny treasures donated by the local community.
- Colares, Portugal
- Convent of the Capuchos
- The verdant mossy ruins of a Franciscan monastery lie in the remote Sintra hills awaiting exploration.
- Helsinki, Finland
- Seurasaari Open Air Museum
- A small island dotted with old, historic Finnish buildings.
- Tübingen, Germany
- Tübingen University Paleontological Collection
- One of the world's oldest fossil exhibits is on display in a beautiful antique "naturalienkabinett."
- Rockland, Maine
- The Center for Science, Leadership & Marine Research
- On Hurricane Island, a former ghost town has been transformed into a forward-thinking research center.
- Tønsvik, Norway
- Tromsø Arctic Reindeer Experience
- At this Arctic outpost, get to know members of the indigenous Sámi community and meet their herds.
- Diani Beach, Kenya
- Ali Barbour's Cave Restaurant
- Drink and dine in a coral cave that's at least 120,000 years old.
- Orrville, Alabama
- Old Cahawba Archeological Park
- This ghost town houses the remains of Alabama's old state capital.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Museu de Arte de São Paulo
- This singular art museum in São Paulo is unique inside and out.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Berzelius Park
- This statue and park honor the Swedish chemist Jacob Berzelius, one of the founders of modern chemistry.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Grave of Rudolf Kwiek
- The final resting place of the last "gypsy king" of Poland.
- Nottingham, England
- Park Tunnel
- An engineering error ensured this cavernous 350-foot-long subterranean thoroughfare was never used as intended.
- Turin, Italy
- Plana's Perpetual Calendar
- A landmark in the history of technology and computing is hidden in a tiny Baroque chapel.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Casa Museo Pablo Escobar
- This unofficial museum details the rise and fall of Colombia's most notorious narcotrafficker, Pablo Escobar.
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- Kathmandu Durbar Square
- This historic square in Nepal is home to temples dating back to the third century.
- Bologna, Italy
- Roman Ruins of Salaborsa Library
- The remains of an ancient Roman city are hidden underneath Bologna's beautiful public library.
- Paris, France
- Statue Le Rhinoceros
- A beautiful Victorian statue shows France's enduring love of the rhinoceros.
- Jardim Anapolis, Brazil
- Dedo de Deus
- Known as the "Finger of God," a dramatic rock formation resembles a divine hand extending towards the heavens.
- Pristina, Kosovo
- Newborn Monument
- This massive monument was unveiled the day Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
- Wheeler, Texas
- The Wheeler Historical Museum
- A local museum honors Wheeler native Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Der Trauerautomat
- An unusual vending machine designed to support mourners during funeral ceremonies at Zurich's largest cemetery.
- Asunción, Paraguay
- Casa de la Independencia
- The fighters and conspirators that won independence for Paraguay held secret meetings at this historic house.
- Uppsala, Sweden
- Pelle Svanslös Crosswalk
- Uppsala's adorable feline sign celebrates a popular children's book set in the Swedish city.
- Bagni San Filippo, Italy
- Fosso Bianco
- Nestled in the hills of Tuscany are gorgeous, multicolored hot springs.
- Yarnell, Arizona
- Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial
- The stone circle honors the 19 firemen who perished during the Yarnell Hill Fire.
- Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Brewers’ and Bakers’ Guild Windows at Freiburg Minster
- This medieval cathedral houses stained-glass windows featuring saints and pretzels.
- Pompei, Italy
- Villa dei Misteri
- This amazingly well-preserved villa just outside Pompei boasts rare examples of ancient Roman paintings.
- San Francisco, California
- Free Gold Watch
- This print shop boasts one of the largest pinball arcades in San Francisco.
- London, England
- Strand Lane 'Roman Baths'
- Victorian-era Londoners really wanted to believe this 17th-century cistern was actually an ancient artifact.
- Mbala, Zambia
- Mbala Old Prison
- This old brick building has held everyone from prisoners of war to freedom fighters during its turbulent history.
- Silver Spring, Maryland
- National Capital Trolley Museum
- A suburban museum tells the story of a historic transportation network and even provides rides in antique trolley cars.
- Lacoste, France
- Château de Lacoste
- The castle where the Marquis de Sade lived out his darkest fantasies.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Museo Franciscano del Padre Almeida
- This overlooked, beautiful convent hides an original Hieronymus Bosch among its many treasures.
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Caza das Vellas Loreto
- This charming candle shop has been in business since 1789.
- Ithaca, New York
- Namgyal Monastery
- This peaceful gem in upstate New York was chosen as the future home of the 14th Dalai Lama's Library and Museum.
- Sponsored by Visit Ithaca
- Jerusalem, Israel
- The Austrian Hospice
- This unassuming oasis elevated just above the busy streets of Jerusalem offers one of the best views of the Old City.
- Cáceres, Spain
- The 'Astronaut' of Casar
- A strange anthropomorphic stele with a mysterious inscription that has never been deciphered.
- Champasak, Laos
- Crocodile Stone
- This mysteriously shaped boulder may have been used for human sacrifice in ancient times.
- Areedh Sub-District, Jordan
- River Canyons of Jordan
- Concentrated around the Dead Sea, these surprising canyons are filled with coursing water, fish, and even crabs.
- Mears, Michigan
- Silver Lake Sand Dunes
- An unlikely beach paradise of giant sand dunes lies between two lakes just a few minutes from Michigan's cherry country.
- Cornaa, Isle of Man
- Bellite Factory Ruins
- The ruins of an unfinished explosives factory can be found while taking a gentle stroll through a Manx glen.
- Liverpool, England
- Western Approaches Museum
- Hiding in plain sight is a World War II-era bunker that looks like it's frozen in time.
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Pavilhão Chinês
- Ring the bell to enter a bar that looks equal parts museum and old curiosity shop.
- New Haven, West Virginia
- Philip Sporn Mine
- This abandoned mine and power plant was built atop land once given to Revolutionary War soldiers.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Polish Army Museum
- This extensive collection covers thousands of years of Polish military history.
- Lahic, Azerbaijan
- Lahic
- The village's cobblestone streets are lined with shops displaying exquisite copper craftsmanship.
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Alberta Railway Museum
- Ride aboard a centuries-year-old steam engine and explore dozens of trains parts, including an unusual "comboose."
- Sanok, Poland
- Museum of Folk Architecture
- An open-air museum of 18th-century homes and churches transported from various villages in Southern Poland.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- 'La Conquista de la Energia' ('The Conquest of Energy')
- This mid-century mural portrays humankind's spiritual and scientific journey.
- Carrollton, Texas
- Russian Banya Family Spa and Café
- Hidden within a spa in a Texas strip mall is a restaurant specializing in Eastern European foods.
- Baku, Azerbaijan
- The Maiden Tower
- This mysterious but iconic tapered tower appears in many Azeri fairytales and legends.
- Churchill, Manitoba
- Churchill River Beluga Whales
- You don't have to visit the deep blue sea to see these majestic creatures swimming wild and free.
- Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Observatory
- Finland's oldest astronomical observatory once played a crucial role in seafaring and timekeeping.
- Orange Walk, Belize
- Cuello Mayan Ruins
- These enigmatic ruins continue to vex archaeologists.
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- Keahole Point Blowhole
- This unusual lava tube spouts seawater during high surf.
- Coleford, England
- Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
- On this wooded path, a stained glass window creates a spellbinding forest cathedral.
- Mbala, Zambia
- Mbala Pioneer Cemetery
- A small cemetery on a hill overlooking Mbala contains the history of the town's colonial past.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Protected Indian Trail Marker Tree
- This tree was warped centuries ago to serve as a botanical wayfaring tool.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine Mural
- A gigantic, symbolic artwork covers the side of the building.
- Tongyeong-si, South Korea
- Dongpirang Mural Village
- This hillside village by the sea has been revitalized by street art.
- Isle of Skye, Scotland
- Isle of Skye Dinosaur Tracks
- On this stunning Scottish island, you can walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs.
- Conneltown, Barbados
- The Animal Flower Cave
- Under the desolate and windswept northern coast of Barbados stands a small oasis filled with sea anemones.
- Los Angeles, California
- Korean Bell of Friendship
- This symbol of peace is appropriately positioned overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
- Puerto Varas, Chile
- Pablo Fierro Museum
- This fairytale house on the shore of a Chilean Lake oozes an eclectic mix of Chilote and German Cultural heritage.
- Hume, California
- Buck Rock
- This hidden fire lookout offers spectacular views of Sequoia National Park.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Parque Trianon
- This park feels like a lush little jungle full of wildlife nestled within São Paulo.
- Skrzynsko, Poland
- Skrzynsko Parish Church
- Legend says a giant, venomous spider once dwelled within this Polish church.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Bowen Stone House Ruins
- The remains of this rugged homestead ranch offer a brief glimpse into a bygone era.
- Polotsk, Belarus
- St. Sophia's Cathedral
- Though it was heavily modified, fragments of the original medieval cathedral still survive.
- Cape Reinga, New Zealand
- Cape Reinga
- Watch the seas clash at the place where according to Maori tradition, the spirits depart for their journey to the afterlife.
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Industrial National Bank Building
- Rhode Island's tallest building bears a resemblance to the "Daily Planet" building and remains empty after over five years.
- Wadi Rum Village, Jordan
- Wadi Rum
- Known as the "Valley of the Moon," this Jordanian wadi is one of the most amazing desertscapes on Earth.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Tucson's Retro Airport Control Tower
- This iconic 1958 tower welcomes air travelers to Tucson with neon-lit letters and architectural style.
- King's Lynn, England
- Seahenge
- This captivating Bronze Age timber circle spent centuries concealed by the tides.
- Elk Rapids, Michigan
- Talula the Elk Rapids Swan
- Talula the swan has been welcoming visitors to Elk Rapids, Michigan, for more than four decades.
- Padua, Italy
- La Specola Observatory
- This old medieval prison tower has been a site of astronomical research for more than 250 years.
- Es-Salt, Jordan
- Es-Salt
- This ancient town is full of stunning Ottoman architecture and streets so narrow trash collection is done by donkey.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Lady of Cerro de los Santos
- This enigmatic artifact is a rare depiction of an ancient Iberian noblewoman.
- Lansing, Michigan
- World's Largest Lug Nut
- Perched atop a brick smokestack, this enormous lug nut symbolizes the local minor league baseball team.
- Acre, Israel
- El-Jazzar Mosque
- A stunning mosque owes its design to an Ottoman ruler nicknamed "The Butcher."
- Ilkeston, England
- The Ilkeston Giant Statue
- A wooden statue commemorates a local celebrity who became a national sensation for his height.
- Arizona
- El Camino del Diablo
- This ancient trail has claimed the lives of over 2,000 people.
- Cusco, Peru
- Cusco Cathedral
- Situated on a sacred Inca site, this 16th-century cathedral took nearly 100 years to build.
- Incline Village, Nevada
- Thunderbird Lodge
- This historic estate on the east shore of Lake Tahoe was home to an eccentric millionaire (and his pet elephant, Mingo).
- Sponsored by TravelNevada
- Yokohama, Japan
- Pink Holiday
- Barbies stare from the walls, sit on the tables, and even pop out of cakes at this quirky cafe.
- Shaki, Armenia
- Shaki Waterfall
- After visiting hours, this picturesque waterfall is essentially turned "off" to be used for hydroelectric power.
- Warsaw, Poland
- The Warsaw Basilisk
- A menacing statue of this mythical creature can be seen at the legendary site of the monster's lair.
- Round Mountain, Texas
- Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center
- This beautiful grotto is one of those places where you can't believe you're just outside Austin.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Street Name Tiles of New Orleans
- This distinctive Crescent City tradition dates back to the days of horse-drawn carriages.
- Falaise, France
- Château de Falaise
- The birthplace of the ferocious William the Conqueror, this castle is awash in medieval history.
- Moneragala, Sri Lanka
- Biso Pokuna
- This enigmatic stone pool is all that remains of an ancient palace.
- London, England
- Site of Execution Dock
- Where condemned pirates met their grisly end at the gallows on the River Thames.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Congo Square
- Once the site of a Native American harvest festival, this humble clearing later played an invaluable role in the birth of jazz.
- Glastonbury, England
- Tomb of Dion Fortune
- The final resting place of one of the most influential modern occultists.
- Paris, France
- Gnomon of Saint-Sulpice
- This 18th-century sundial was designed to calculate the date of Easter each year.
- Freeport, Maine
- Freeport McDonald's
- When the town wouldn't allow the fast-food behemoth to build a new restaurant, they put one inside an 1850 home.
- Noratus, Armenia
- Noratus Cemetery Khachkars
- Hundreds of intricately carved Armenian stone crosses can be found within this huge cemetery.
- Bielefeld, Germany
- Bielefeld Viaduct
- A viaduct serves as a reminder of World War II.
- West Baden Springs, Indiana
- West Baden Springs Hotel Library
- A historic hotel library in Indiana hides more than a few secrets on its shelves.
- Columbia, Missouri
- University of Missouri Columns
- The iconic remains of the original Academic Hall that burned down in 1892.
- Hong Kong
- HSBC Building Feng Shui Cannons
- Two cannon-like cranes were installed on top of the bank building to fend off bad feng shui.
- Coamo, Puerto Rico
- Puente General Méndez Vigo
- This ''hidden'' 19th-century bridge played a simple, yet important role during the Spanish-American War.
- Cusco, Peru
- The Twelve-Angled Stone
- This geometric feat is a testament to the Incas' mesmerizing architectural abilities.
- Rouen, France
- Tower of Joan of Arc
- This medieval tower is all that remains of the castle where Joan of Arc was held before being burned at the stake.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- New Calton Cemetery Watchtower
- Overlooking the burial ground is a tower designed to prevent thieves from snatching the recently deceased.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Oriental Institute Museum
- This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.
- New York, New York
- Mercury Theatre Plaque
- Where the legendary Orsen Welles got his theatrical start before "Citizen Kane."
- Ponce, Puerto Rico
- El Ponce
- The abandoned remains of this once-thriving hotel looms over the city, awaiting an uncertain future.
- Sasbachwalden, Germany
- Schlafen im Weinfass
- You haven’t properly toured a winery until you’ve slept in an actual wine barrel.
- Cabuya, Costa Rica
- Cabuya Island Cemetery
- There is a small island in the Gulf of Nicoya where the only human inhabitants are dead.
- New York, New York
- Taste of Persia NYC
- Some of the best Persian food in New York comes from the front window of an unassuming pizza shop.
- Melbourne, Australia
- The Nicholas Building
- A beautiful 1920s tower filled with local hidden gems.
- Texas City, Texas
- Texas City Museum
- This huge repository of local history housed in an old J.C.Penney's is home to the largest model train set in Southeast Texas.
- Nemoli, Italy
- Lake Sirino
- This small but lovely sinkhole lake is the last remnant of a great prehistoric water basin.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Museum of Kites
- This tiny museum hidden above a restaurant houses thousands of modern and traditional kites.
- Venus, Florida
- The Venus Project
- The futuristic test model of an iconoclastic visionary who wanted to redesign the world.
- Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland
- Cedar Hill Cemetery
- A historic cemetery filled with quirky faux wood art and unique tombstones.
- Leticia, Colombia
- Parque Santander
- This small city park is best known for the nightly convergence of thousands of shrieking parakeets.
- Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Victory Column
- A monument to the three wars that led to German unification towers within a Berlin traffic circle.
- Dorothy, West Virginia
- Stanley Heirs Park
- This small West Virginia park is a land trust holdout against mountaintop removal mining.
- Lincoln, England
- High Bridge
- The oldest of the three remaining bridges in England with buildings on top of them.
- Valle, Arizona
- Valle Planes of Fame Air Museum
- An incredible airplane graveyard sits outside this small museum dedicated to preserving aviation history.
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Neon Sign Museum
- An outdoor installation of 20 vintage signs that once hung in front of businesses throughout town.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Baths of Moctezuma
- The ruins of the bathhouse used by the ill-fated last Aztec emperor still lie in Chapultepec Park.
- Franconia, New Hampshire
- New England Ski Museum
- Packed with gear and memorabilia, this museum chronicles the history of skiing and how its rise shaped New England.
- New York, New York
- Flying Carpet Over Isfahan
- A controversial magical figure is hidden within a diorama of the city.
- Amherst, New Hampshire
- Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary
- A 12,000-year-old bog boasting rare plants and fauna.
- Oakland, California
- 'World's Smallest Park'
- A gap in the concrete has been transformed into a miniature playground for the mind.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- West Kruiskade Teapot
- A huge image of a teapot lights up a home for the elderly.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Chopin Monument
- In the summer, the area around this sculpture transforms into a vibrant concert venue.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The King's Chamber
- This was once a hall in which a 16th-century royal banquet was hosted by King James VI of Scotland.
- Sergelen, Mongolia
- Eej Khad (Mother Rock)
- Buddhist pilgrims journey to this sacred rock to leave offerings and have their wishes granted.
- Whistler, British Columbia
- Parkhurst Ghost Town
- An abandoned logging settlement nestled in the woods near a popular ski town.
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- The Athenaeum
- This stately clubhouse has showcased German-American culture for over a century.
- Bowness-on-Windermere, England
- New Hall Inn (The Hole in t' Wall)
- This 17th-century pub once had a hole in its wall so the neighboring blacksmith could easily access beer.
- Vail, Arizona
- Colossal Cave
- Legend says train robbers stashed their gold within the depths of this unusual cave.
- Oxford, England
- Martyr's Mark
- The spot where three Protestant clergymen were burned at the stake during the reign of "Bloody Mary."
- San Francisco, California
- Church of 8 Wheels
- This 19th-century church is now a popular roller rink in San Francisco, California.
- Sakaiminato, Japan
- Yokai of Mizuki Shigeru Road
- The hometown of a beloved manga artist created a treasure hunt for his popular ghostly characters.
- London, England
- Evelyn’s Mulberry
- Legend has it this gnarled old tree was planted by Tsar Peter the Great during his visit to London.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Mask of the Bat God
- This ancient jade mask depicting the Zapotec bat god was found in the ruins of the pyramids of Monte Alban.
- Uden, Netherlands
- Strawberry Drive-In
- Drive past the giant fruit sculptures and up to the window for a menu of fruity treats.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Gallery of Medieval Art
- One of the world's largest collections of medieval religious art.
- Bayeux, France
- Bayeux Tapestry
- This enormous "cloth of the conquest" depicts the Norman invasion of England in mind-blowing detail.
- Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Zelionyj Bazaar
- This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Atlantic City's First Slot Machine
- Amazingly, this old machine within the Resorts Casino still functions.
- Geoagiu, Romania
- Round Church of Geoagiu
- This 11th-century structure is one of the oldest churches in Romania.
- Volendam, Netherlands
- Mr. Kaor's Portrait
- The portrait of a man from Japan who sent weekly letters to a Dutch hotel he never visited.
- Actopan, Mexico
- Open Chapel Murals of Actopan
- These nearly 500-year-old scenes are largely faded by the ravages of time, yet still maintain their power to horrify.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Mosaic Votive Skull
- The turquoise-studded skull of a long-dead Aztec man sits within Mexico City’s Museum of Anthropology.
- Bahamas
- Preacher’s Cave
- The site of the earliest colonial settlement in the Bahamas started as a place of religious refuge.
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park
- Fort Garry was a pivotal post for the Hudson’s Bay Company and a major factor in the economy and political culture of the area.
- Pensacola, Florida
- O’Zone Pizza Pub
- A former hospital is now home to a pizza parlor and maybe a few ghosts.
- Tambon Phra Prathom Chedi, Thailand
- The Abandoned Bangkok Mansions
- Abandoned mini-mansions that were once intended for affluent Bangkok families now sit empty.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Aifur
- Dine on food tied to Viking history and legend at this subterranean Stockholm spot.
- Townsend, Tennessee
- The Great Smoky Mountains' 'Missing Link'
- In one of America’s oldest mountain ranges, a long-awaited section of a scenic highway is now open to the public.
- Lodi, Italy
- Museo Paolo Gorini
- A macabre anatomy museum tucked within an old Italian hospital.
- London, England
- Giro the Dog's Grave
- The final resting place of a German diplomat's beloved companion.
- Oregon
- No Name Lake
- Unknown to many, this sparkling turquoise lake hides amid Oregon's snowcapped mountains.
- Amman, Jordan
- Iraq al-Amir
- Just outside of Jordan's capital lies an ancient castle and intriguing caves dating back to the Copper Age.
- Rivonia, South Africa
- Liliesleaf Farm Museum
- This unassuming farm complex was once the epicenter of an underground liberation group.
- Madrid, Spain
- Museo de América
- This fascinating and poignant museum chronicles every imaginable aspect of Spanish colonialism in the Americas.
- Leupp, Arizona
- Grand Falls
- Witnessing the might of this dessert-colored desert waterfall is a rare, powerful treat.
- Luxor, Egypt
- Hatshepsut's Myrrh Tree
- This unassuming tree stump reportedly traces its roots to the famous pharaoh queen's reign.
- Solwezi, Zambia
- Kifubwa Stream Rock Shelter
- Rare pigmented engravings cover the walls of this Stone Age shelter.
- Nazca, Peru
- Puquios
- The sophisticated hydraulic system of the Nazca civilization.
- Hull, England
- White Phone Booths of Hull
- The phone booths in this English town have distinctly milky hues.
- Cusco, Peru
- Coricancha
- A Christian monastery stands on what was once a holy Incan temple.
- Bowling Green, Ohio
- Wood County Historical Center and Museum
- Evidence from a brutal 1880s murder is on display at this former infirmary house.
- Caserta, Italy
- Peschiera Grande
- Nobles would stage mock naval battles on this large lake at the Royal Palace of Caserta.
- Sesquilé, Colombia
- Lake of Guatavita
- Known as the site of 'El Dorado,' this mysterious lake is rumored to hold gold beneath its waters.
- Helsinki, Finland
- Sompasauna
- No matter how many times this community-run sauna gets destroyed, it always rises from the ashes.
- Montezuma, Costa Rica
- The Rock Garden at Piedra Colorada
- Balanced rock sculptures pay tribute to a murdered conservationist and his pioneer wife.
- Ndola, Zambia
- Dag Hammarskjöld Crash Site
- A memorial marks the spot where a plane crash killed several United Nations members on a peace mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Grodno, Belarus
- Augustów Canal
- An engineering marvel at the time of its construction, this cross-border waterway sought to connect the Black Sea to the Baltic.
- Gateside, Scotland
- Bunnet Stane
- This unusual rock looks like a giant, otherworldly mushroom sprouting atop a cave.
- Zombe, Zambia
- Fort Zombe
- The ruins of a massive World War I fort overlook the border between Zambia and Tanzania.
- New York, New York
- Tender Buttons
- This tiny store is your one-stop shop for all sorts of rare and wonderful buttons.
- Hodovytsya, Ukraine
- All Saints Church
- The ruins of an abandoned church loom within a picturesque Ukranian village.
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Fort Gibraltar
- The intense competition of the 19th-century fur trading industry played out at this fort in Western Canada.
- Zambia
- Source of the Zambezi
- Africa's fourth longest river originates from a burbling spring in a secluded stretch of woods.
- Dorloo, New York
- The Glove Museum
- The only American museum exclusively dedicated to the exhibition of gloves.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Warsaw's Chopin Benches
- Special benches that play Chopin's music are scattered throughout his native city.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Wild West Morningside
- An American ghost town hides along a side street in Scotland's capital.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum
- The childhood home of the Sultan of Swat is just a line drive away from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
- Panguitch, Utah
- Butch Cassidy's Childhood Home
- The notorious Wild West outlaw was raised in this unassuming abode.
- West Auckland, England
- 'First World Cup' Memorial
- This memorial depicts the unlikely team that won England the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy.
- Encinitas, California
- 1883 Schoolhouse
- The oldest structure in a beachside California city was built to serve eight students.
- Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Hoia-Baciu Forest
- Some call this eerie forest of crooked trees the "Bermuda Triangle of Romania."
- Unguja Ukuu, Tanzania
- Unguja Ukuu
- A remote island settlement off the coast of Tanzania is a storied archaeological site with an ancient past.
- Shildon, England
- Winston Churchill's Funeral Train
- The train that took the prime minister on his final journey now rests in a British museum.
- Dorset, England
- Lyme Regis Museum
- A local museum honors the overlooked discoveries of Mary Anning, one of the first professional fossil hunters.
- Newport, Minnesota
- Peacebunny Island
- A teenager transformed this 22-acre island into a summer home for a lovable bunch of bunnies.
- London, England
- The Four Mother Goddesses
- One of the figures in this Celtic sculpture continues to puzzle archaeologists.
- Asuka-mura, Japan
- Takamatsuzuka Tumulus
- This frescoed ancient burial mound is a colorful window into China’s influence in early Japan.
- Berlin, Germany
- Hubertusbad
- An abandoned swimming pool decays on the outskirts of Berlin.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Battle of Grunwald Painting
- This enormous 32-foot painting depicts Poland's greatest medieval battle in glorious detail.
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 'Faces' of Locksmith Street
- A trough of 700 strange bronze faces runs through a narrow alley in Ljubljana's old town.
- Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
- Martha's Vineyard Gingerbread Houses
- This candy-colored storybook village originated as a 19th-century Methodist campground.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Hey STHLM
- A Japanese video game arcade hides in the back of a Swedish pool hall.
- Paris, France
- Le Stryge
- This demon atop the Notre-Dame de Paris looks utterly bored.
- Bangor, Maine
- Bangor Opera House
- This Art Deco theater is the last remaining opera house in the “little Broadway of the North.”
- Toledo, Ohio
- Jimmy Carter's Hot Dog Bun
- Bread signed by the 39th president is on display at a restaurant in Toledo, Ohio.
- County Durham, England
- Inkerman Beehive Coke Ovens
- Rare remnants of the brick-domed ovens birthed in the Durham coalfield during the Industrial Revolution.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Papermoon Diner
- This beloved Baltimore spot features caged dolls, a giant Pez collection, and many, many mannequins.
- Florence, Arizona
- Tom Mix Monument
- At an isolated roadside rest area stands a monument marking where famous Western star Tom Mix died in 1940.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen
- Towering high above the neighborhood of La Candelaria, the church is easily recognizable by its distinctive red-and-white striped facade.
- Palm Beach, Florida
- Johnnie Brown's Grave
- Grab a slice of pizza next to the remains of the "human monkey" who ran for mayor.
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- The Garden of Dreams
- This elegant neoclassical garden is a peaceful oasis in the middle of the Nepalese capital.
- Heyd, Belgium
- La Balade des Gnomes
- A fantastical bed and breakfast with magically unique rooms.
- Caorle, Italy
- Bell Tower of Caorle
- Over 900 years old and slightly leaning, this is the only cylindrical bell tower with a conical top in the world.
- Milton Keynes, England
- Midsummer Boulevard Light Pyramid
- This suburban British town holds secrets that would have made the druids proud.
- Dover, Delaware
- Golden Fleece Tavern Site
- In 1787, a group of delegates met at this very spot to drink, be merry, and ratify the Constitution of the United States.
- Strasbourg, France
- Stained-Glass Demons of Strasbourg Cathedral
- Explore this medieval cathedral by trying to spot all the malevolent monsters hiding in its beautifully colored windows.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Old Town Wishing Bell
- This bell stars in a tragic love tale and is said to make wishes come true.
- Quito, Ecuador
- La Virgen de Quito
- This 12-inch-tall wooden sculpture of a winged Virgin Mary has inspired much devotion and countless replicas.
- London, England
- London Underground Labyrinths
- A labyrinth hides in plain sight at each of the city's 270 Tube stations.
- Asiago, Italy
- Asiago War Memorial
- The remains of 50,000 World War I soldiers rest under a towering arch overlooking the Alpine battlefields.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
- Hollywood's oldest hotel is the site of the first Academy Awards, the birthplace of Marilyn Monroe's career, and the home of Montgomery Clift's ghost.
- Hartlepool, England
- HMS Trincomalee
- The oldest warship in Europe is still afloat.
- Tübingen, Germany
- Steinkind von Leinzell
- The Tübingen University anatomical collection hosts an example of an extremely rare medical phenomenon.
- Tübingen, Germany
- Pi-Chacán
- This giant statue of a vulva became internationally famous after an American exchange student got stuck in it.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Muschats's Cairn
- This stack of stones honors a murdered 18th-century woman.
- Blåvand, Denmark
- Blåvand Beach Bunker Mules
- These old World War II fortifications have been transformed into an unusual equine attraction.
- Schenectady, New York
- Vedder Family Cemetery
- The small burial plot is located in a mall parking lot.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Parque Arvi
- Located outside Medellín, this Colombian park focuses on conservation and sustainability.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Ashtown Castle
- After it was swallowed by a Georgian mansion, this medieval castle remained forgotten for centuries.
- Nazca, Peru
- Nazca Lines Observation Tower
- This metal tower in the desert provides views of a handful of Nazca geoglyphs.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Mermaid of Warsaw
- The Polish capital has had a deep connection to its guardian mermaid for almost a millennium now.
- Phoenix, Arizona
- World Championship Hoop Dance Contest
- This unique competition celebrates an American Indian and Canadian First Nation cultural tradition.
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- 'Shukai'
- A collection of miniature, symbolic sculptures hides in plain sight across Kyiv.
- Podgorica, Montenegro
- Brutalist Church of Podgorica
- This virtually windowless mass of smooth concrete is the only Catholic church in the city.
- Casabermeja, Spain
- Millennial Olive of Arroyo Carnicero
- This surreal-looking tree pruned more than 1,000 years ago is still producing olives for oil.
- Encinitas, California
- Encinitas Boat Houses
- These unusual houses look like giant boats that washed ashore on a residential street.
- La Meignanne, France
- Asinerie du Dolmen
- At this unique farm, you can interact with adorable donkeys and view an ancient dolmen.
- Wiesbaden, Germany
- Gebr. Stern GmbH's Giant Cuckoo Clock
- This tremendous timepiece was once the largest cuckoo clock in the world.
- Montevallo, Alabama
- Pettus Randall Miniature Museum of American History
- The permanent home of a 1960s traveling museum of tiny historical dioramas.
- Praia A Mare, Italy
- Dino Island
- The abandoned ruins of a failed resort hide on this verdant, picture-perfect island.
- Barmby Moor, England
- Bar Farm Antiques
- This quirky shop on a former farm is full of weird and wonderful oddities and antiques.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Comuna 13
- Outdoor escalators and art have helped change what was once a notoriously dangerous part of Medellín.
- Annapolis, Maryland
- Banneker-Douglass Museum
- A Maryland museum dedicated to African-American history, housed in a historic church.
- Hatton, England
- The Hatton Flight
- Known as the "Stairway to Heaven," this historic canal dates back to the 1700s.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Museo Botero
- A celebration of Colombia’s premier contemporary artist.
- Warsaw, Poland
- 'Greetings from Jerusalem Avenue'
- An artificial date palm stands as a memorial to Warsaw's Jewish community.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Grave of Callum DeVillier
- For posterity, a singular achievement: 3,780 hours of dancing.
- Troy, New York
- First Baptist Church of Troy
- This historic church with a connection to "Uncle Sam" is now a fraternity house.
- London, England
- Viking Tombstone of St. Paul's Cathedral
- This Viking gravestone carved in a rare runic style was dug up from a London churchyard.
- Kilsyth, Scotland
- Antonine Wall
- Scotland still bears an enormous scar of its Roman past.
- Rosser, Manitoba
- Prairie Dog Central Railway
- The oldest operating steam locomotive in Canada runs along this heritage railway.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie Museum
- This biographical museum honors the groundbreaking scientist at her birthplace in Warsaw.
- Ithaca, New York
- Cornell Hip Hop Collection
- This rare archive of original recordings and photos uncovers the early days of hip hop culture.
- Sponsored by Visit Ithaca
- Washington, D.C.
- African-American Civil War Memorial
- The first memorial dedicated solely to the African-American troops who fought for the Union.
- Warwickshire, England
- Baddesley Clinton
- This medieval manor house was equipped with secret compartments for hiding priests.
- London, England
- Walbrook Skulls
- It's a mystery why these remains were found with no traces of their bodies in sight.
- Castellana Grotte, Italy
- Castellana Caves
- The sunlight passing through the opening of this huge cave system creates a magical effect.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Bogotá Botanical Garden
- Colombia's biggest botanical garden contains plants from all across the country.
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Riel House
- The historic home of the pivotal political activist who led the Métis people in rebellion against the Canadian government.
- Ar Rayyan, Qatar
- 'The Miraculous Journey'
- Fourteen sculptures showing the development of a fetus stand outside a hospital for women and children.
- Pietrelcina, Italy
- Birthplace of Padre Pio
- A small town lost in the mountains of southern Italy hosts the childhood home of one of the most famous saints of the 20th century.
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
- This former KGB building is now a museum memorializing the people who suffered during the Soviet regime.
- Kusadasi, Turkey
- Kusadasi
- A charming beach town in Turkey captures all the colors of the rainbow.
- Lansing, Michigan
- The Queen City
- A horse-drawn 1858 steam pumper fire engine encased in glass on the front lawn of a Michigan insurance company.
- New Mexico
- Cabezon Peak
- This towering volcanic plug stands out among the dramatic formations that dot this otherworldly desert valley.
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights
- The world’s first museum dedicated to exploring human rights unleashed a wave of controversy.
- Cusco, Peru
- Tambomachay
- An Inca spa, military outpost or maybe… both?
- Luderitz, Namibia
- Shark Island
- This deceptively beautiful island was known as "Death Island" and home to a German concentration camp.
- Yerevan, Armenia
- Katoghike Church
- This little medieval church hidden in the center of Yerevan was lost and rediscovered—twice.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Marie Curie's Tree
- A tree planted by Marie Curie is treasured by the Radium institute that she set up.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- BD Bacatá
- The world's first crowdfunded skyscraper has not gone quite to plan.
- Petersburg, Virginia
- The Crater
- An innovative attempt to break a siege in the American Civil War still scars the earth today.
- Polotsk, Belarus
- Geographic Center of Europe
- A monument in the Belarusian city of Polotsk claims to mark the exact midpoint of the European continent.
- Telega, Romania
- Doftana Penitentiary
- This enormous abandoned prison was once dubbed the "Bastille of Romania."
- Dublin, Ireland
- Samuel Beckett Bridge
- Dublin's most modern, visually spectacular bridge is modeled after Ireland's national emblem.
- Lisse, Netherlands
- Black Tulip Museum
- A journey through 430 years of bulbiculture in the Netherlands.
- London, England
- London's Stretcher Railings
- The fences outside some of South London's estates are made from recycled World War II stretchers.
- Venice, Italy
- Torcello Bell Tower
- Stare out over the lagoon and beyond from this 10th-century campanile on the island where the city of Venice began.
- San Martino Al Cimino, Italy
- San Martino al Cimino
- This medieval Italian village was transformed into an architectural marvel by the famous "Papessa" Donna Olimpia.
- Wohlen, Switzerland
- Straw Museum
- A rare museum dedicated to a rather overlooked material in the history of fashion.
- Changunarayan, Nepal
- Changu Narayan
- Dating back to the fourth century, it's the oldest Hindu temple still in use in the Kathmandu Valley.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Doug Murdick’s Rooftop Box of Fudge
- For more than 50 years, an iconic sign has greeted visiting “fudgies” to the Traverse City area.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Mieszko the Stone Bear
- Legend says this is actually a heartbroken prince waiting for his true love's kiss.
- San Francisco, California
- Last Known Carville House
- The sole surviving relic of the San Francisco neighborhood cobbled together from old horsecars and streetcars.
- London, England
- PsychoBarn
- A traditional American farmhouse plopped in the middle of a Piccadilly courtyard.
- Nazca, Peru
- Museo Antonini
- This archaeological museum in one of Peru’s most intriguing regions exhibits ancient artifacts from the Nazca civilization.
- Kemzeke, Belgium
- Verbeke Foundation
- A collection of weird and wonderful art fills a former houseplant nursery.
- Toronto, Ontario
- Berczy Park Dog Fountain
- This whimsical fountain pays tribute to Toronto's four-legged friends.
- Silver Spring, Maryland
- 'Coastline' Wave Pool
- Live data is transmitted from the Atlantic coast to instantly recreate the ocean waves in this fountain at the NOAA headquarters.
- Lítla Dímun, Faroe Islands
- Lítla Dímun
- This isolated island is often capped by its own fluffy cloud.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Dollhouse Museum
- A delightful museum entirely dedicated to the tiny homes of dolls.
- Chester, New Hampshire
- Chester Village Cemetery
- The gravestones in this historic cemetery are carved with mysterious faces.
- Incheon, South Korea
- Jjajang Myeon Museum
- This tiny museum immortalizes the birthplace of an iconic Chinese-Korean noodle dish.
- Newport Beach, California
- Bunnyhenge
- Fourteen curious and controversial white bunnies sit in a circle near Newport Beach City Hall.
- Encinitas, California
- Surfing Madonna
- What began as an illegal art installation has become a symbol for unity, ocean awareness, and coastline preservation.
- Ventotene, Italy
- Santo Stefano Prison
- Built to be the ideal penitentiary, this abandoned panopticon saw several revolts and even a prisoners' coup.
- Umm Bab, Qatar
- Umm Bab Clay Quarry
- This unconventionally beautiful landscape possesses stunning scenery you won't easily forget.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Virgen de El Panecillo
- The world's tallest aluminum statue is also the world's tallest image of a winged Virgin Mary.
- Warsaw, Poland
- The Canaletto Room
- These 18th-century paintings of Warsaw were used to reconstruct the city after World War II.
- Venice, Italy
- Monument to Niccolò Tommaseo
- The pile of books behind the dignified writer gave the statue a most undignified nickname.
- London, England
- V&A Dog Memorials
- Hidden in the courtyard of the Victoria and Albert Museum is a little-known tribute to two celebrity pooches.
- Meriden, Connecticut
- Castle Craig
- A lone tower rises above the cliffs in a city park, offering fantastic views of the Connecticut landscape.
- Lviv, Ukraine
- Salo Art Museum
- This cheeky restaurant has a serious devotion to lard sculptures.
- Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
- Germany's Secret Government Bunker
- A top-secret bunker now turned museum, is an eerie look at what life would have looked like in the event of nuclear war.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Basílica del Voto Nacional
- Legend says if this neo-Gothic basilica is ever officially completed, the world will come to an end.
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Browns Island
- This quiet island in the middle of a bustling city is actually a volcano dotted with Maori ruins.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Nicolaus Copernicus Monument
- The giant statue and its model solar system honor the native Pole who declared that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- The Grave of Fiddlin' John Carson
- The first singer to cut a country music record is buried in a small graveyard in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- The Last Remaining Sigma Derby Machine
- Fans of vintage Vegas, kitsch, and toy pony-based gambling now flock to a casino called The D.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Bambibrunnen (Bambi Fountain)
- This charming fountain honors Felix Salten, the creator of the iconic storybook deer.
- Pearl River, Louisiana
- Honey Island Swamp
- Legend says a primate-like cryptid prowls this otherworldy sliver of the Louisiana bayou.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Monolith of Tlaloc
- This colossal ancient sculpture of the monstrous Aztec rain god has a literally stormy history.
- Nottingham, England
- Birthplace of Herbert Kilpin
- The founder of the A.C. Milan football club was actually from England.
- Medora, North Dakota
- Elkhorn Ranch
- The ruins of Theodore Roosevelt's beloved ranch stand in a forgotten corner of a National Park named after the president.
- Nottingham, England
- Green's Mill
- A curious urban windmill once owned by a renowned British mathematical physicist.
- Matera, Italy
- Chiesa del Purgatorio
- Skulls and skeletons are omnipresent in this church dedicated to souls trapped in purgatory.
- Saint-Malo, France
- Grand Bé
- On this romantic tidal island reachable only at low tide the tomb of a famous French writer overlooks the sea.
- Reims, France
- Joan of Arc Statue
- An image of the legendary saint stands in the shadow of a cathedral she liberated.
- Amman, Jordan
- Roman Theater of Amman
- This exceptionally well-preserved ancient marvel also houses a small museum dedicated to Jordanian folk tradition.
- Ocaña, Colombia
- Column of the Freedom of the Slaves
- Colombia’s only monument erected to mark the end of slavery in the former Republic of New Granada.
- Coventry, England
- 'Coventry Doom'
- This amazing 15th-century mural remained hidden in plain sight for centuries.
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- Picture Canyon
- A nature and cultural preserve named for its multitude of petroglyphs carved by the Northern Sinagua people.
- Palmanova, Italy
- Palmanova Star Fort
- A star-shaped fortress town fort built in the geometric model of the Renaissance utopian city.
- Venice, Italy
- Piraeus Lion
- Thousand-year-old Viking runes adorn an ancient Greek lion at the entrance to the Venetian Arsenal.
- Ventotene, Italy
- Ventotene
- A founding document of the European Union was written on an island where Roman emperors once banished women.
- Bridgend, Wales
- St. John's House
- This 500-year-old Tudor home is a treasure trove of history and mystery.
- Mmatshumo, Botswana
- Kubu Island
- An enchanting rocky island of scraggly baobabs surrounded by an ancient sea and sprawling salt pans.
- Leland, Michigan
- Wreck of the Francisco Morazan
- The rusted remains of an ill-fated freighter lie just off the coast of South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan.
- Bhaktapur, Nepal
- Nyatapola Temple
- Towering at a height of over 30 meters, this turn-of-the-18th-century landmark is the tallest temple in Nepal.
- Centrum, Sweden
- Kiruna Cage Balconies
- These coffin-like Brutalist balconies were inspired by a nearby mine.
- Torre Annunziata, Italy
- Rock of Rovigliano
- This tiny islet has somehow housed an ancient temple, two monasteries, a church, a fortress, and a restaurant.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Xochipilli
- The most complete statue of this Aztec god sits a top a throne carved with images of hallucinogenic plants.
- Torre Annunziata, Italy
- Ruins of Oplontis
- Buried next to Pompeii, this lesser-known Roman villa was the opulent vacation home of Emperor Nero's wife.
- Be'er Sheva, Israel
- Ein Avdat
- A magical oasis in the middle of the Negev Desert.
- Llucmajor, Spain
- Puente de las Siete Bocas
- This spectacular bridge is part of an abandoned train line that once connected Mallorcan capital to the southeastern coast.
- Souzay-Champigny, France
- The Troglodyte Trail of Souzay-Champigny
- Ivy-covered Medieval tunnels cut through this charming town in France's Loire Valley.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Rotterdam Historic Harbor
- Old ships and machinery fill a historic harbor in the city that's home to Europe's largest port.
- Woodlands, Montserrat
- Runaway Ghaut
- Legend says those who drink from this trickle of water are destined to return to the ill-fated island of Montserrat.
- El Jadida, Morocco
- El Jadida Community Oven
- Enjoy fresh-baked bread and fish from a repurposed Portuguese fortress.
- London, England
- Tower of London Barbary Lion Skulls
- The bones of two medieval royal lions were discovered at the historic fortress.
- San Diego, California
- Bali Hito
- The tiniest tiki room in San Diego.
- Ladugårdsgärdet, Sweden
- The Grave of Morgan
- A simple stone remembers one of the most menacing horses in the Swedish military.
- Payson, Arizona
- Abandoned Mineral Belt Railroad Tunnel
- A partial tunnel blasted into a steep ridge is all that remains of a failed railway across Arizona.
- San Anselmo, California
- Imagination Park
- George Lucas donated this park to honor the birthplace of his two biggest movie franchises.
- Santa Ysabel, California
- The JAB Canid Education and Conservation Center
- Spend a day hanging out with domesticated Russian foxes.
- Beacon, New York
- Ruins of the Mount Beacon Incline Railway
- The remains of what was once the world's steepest passenger funicular.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Grand Hotel Amrâth Paternoster Lift
- This unusual elevator doesn’t stop or slow down.
- East Sussex, England
- The Quarter Boys
- Two gilded cherubs perched on a church bell tower have been reminding visitors of the finitude of life since 1760.
- Wiesloch, Germany
- Stadtapotheke Wiesloch
- This inconspicuous pharmacy went down in history as the first gas station in the world after fueling the first road trip ever taken.
- Monsanto, Portugal
- Necropolis of São Miguel
- A windswept necropolis carved into the rocks overlooks the "most Portuguese town in Portugal."
- Erie, Pennsylvania
- Schaefer's Auto Art
- A quirky collection of outsider art made from automobile parts.
- London, England
- Parliamentary Division Bells
- A network of bells in the pubs and restaurants around Westminster alerts politicians when it's time to cast their votes.
- Queens, New York
- The Birthplace of Scrabble
- A uniquely lettered street sign marks the corner where the iconic word game was invented.
- Swans Island, Maine
- Buckle Island
- This uninhabited island in Maine is home to various works of art left by visitors over the years.
- Quito, Ecuador
- La Plaza Grande
- Quito's historic, main square dates back to the 16th century.
- Elizabeth Bay, Namibia
- Elizabeth Bay Ghost Town
- The ruins of this mining boom town stand like skeletal reminders of the settlement's dark history.
- Naples, Italy
- Gaiola Island
- A magical-looking island notorious for being cursed.
- Palestrina, Italy
- Triangolo Barberini
- An abandoned 17th-century baroque hunting lodge with a wonderfully strange architectural plan.
- Northumberland, England
- The Cement Menagerie
- A father's love for his son has weathered the test of time in this whimsical garden of outsider art.
- Apia, Samoa
- Baha'i House of Worship of Samoa
- The "Mother Temple of the Pacific Islands" stands at the center of 20 acres of lush, tropical prayer gardens.
- Allendale Town, England
- Neil Cole's Adventures in Science Fiction: Museum of Sci-fi
- Aliens and monsters lurk inside this museum dedicated to one man's lifelong adoration of all things sci-fi.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Lisa Frank Factory
- The fading, forgotten remains of a once bright and booming factory.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Traverse Colantha Walker's Grave
- The world champion cow is buried within a historic old asylum.
- Pompei, Italy
- Stone Phalluses of Pompeii
- The walls and streets of the ancient city are peppered with penises.
- Bucharest, Romania
- Palace of the Parliament
- This communist behemoth is the heaviest building in the world and a legacy of a brutal regime.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Sanctuary Stone
- The shiny "S" marks the boundary of an old refuge for those seeking safety from debt collectors.
- Beyoglu, Turkey
- Pera Palace Hotel
- This historic hotel preserves many treasures from its heyday hosting passengers on the Orient Express.
- Kent, England
- Alphege Windows
- A set of medieval stained-glass windows in Canterbury Cathedral tell the gruesome story of a Viking siege.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Archeological Park Matilo
- It's forbidden to dig within this ancient Roman fort hidden beneath a playground.
- T'bilisi, Georgia
- Vank Bell Tower
- When the Soviets destroyed the historic Armenian monastery they somehow left its bell tower intact.
- Madrid, Spain
- Atocha Station Tropical Garden
- A lush indoor jungle fills this bustling Madrid transportation hub.
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Australia
- Heard and McDonald Islands
- Australia's only active volcanoes and highest peak are located on these remote islands thousands of miles away from the mainland.
- Glendale, California
- Adams Square Mini Park
- An abandoned 1930s gas station turned bustling neighborhood park.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Centro de Cultura Digital
- Beneath the most controversial monument in Mexico City is a cultural center that exhibits only digital art.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Margareta Krook's Statue
- A heated statue pays tribute to one of Sweden's great actresses.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- La Ciclovía de Bogotá
- Every Sunday, Bogotá turns 75 miles of its city streets into a bicycle superhighway.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Delftse Poort
- A modern reimagining of a medieval city gate.
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
- Little Free Library in a 110-Year-Old Tree Stump
- A black cottonwood gets a second life as a home for books.
- Bento Gonçalves, Brazil
- Capela Nossa Senhora das Neves
- After a terrible drought, townspeople used wine to build this church.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Parque de las Luces
- Three hundred illuminated pillars form this “artificial forest” in Medellín.
- Schwetzingen, Germany
- The Mosque of Schwetzingen Palace Gardens
- This 18th-century folly is one of Europe's rare "garden mosques."
- Padua, Italy
- Pietra del Vituperio (Stone of Shame)
- In medieval times this small stone seat was used as a bizarre way to punish insolvent debtors.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Ordnance Datum
- This large copper bolt represents the benchmark for measuring sea levels in most of Europe.
- Ain Tagourait, Algeria
- Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania
- The original resting place of Queen Cleopatra and Mark Antony's only daughter.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Kleine Trippenhuis
- One of Amsterdam's narrowest houses is located right across the canal from its widest.
- Oman
- Tayq Sinkhole
- A powerful cyclone once made one of the world's largest sinkholes completely fill with water.
- Colditz, Germany
- Colditz Castle
- An officers prison camp believed to be impregnable by the Germans saw over 30 successful escapes.
- Kalkaska, Michigan
- National Trout Memorial
- This tremendous trout welcomes visitors to a northern Michigan town with a rich fishing history.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Parque de los Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Park)
- This city park wants you to take your shoes off.
- Cassino, Italy
- Montecassino Abbey
- This breathtaking monastery was established by Saint Benedict himself 1,500 years ago.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Museum of Medieval Stockholm
- The discovery of an old wall led to the creation of this fascinating museum about the city in the Middle Ages.
- Tambon Pak Nam, Thailand
- Krabi Traffic Lights
- Cavemen, elephants, and eagles greet passengers driving through the town's main intersection.
- Essex, England
- The 'Gants' of Braintree
- You won't find these curiously named passageways anywhere else in England.
- Nîmes, France
- Maison Carrée Reconstructed Inscription
- The lost Latin words were reconstructed using the holes from the nails that once pinned them in place.
- Baker, California
- Mojave Megaphone
- No one's quite sure why there's a metal megaphone bolted on two rocks in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
- Stilo, Italy
- Cattolica di Stilo
- A small Byzantine church lost in the middle of the mountains of southern Italy.
- Olaya, Colombia
- Puente de Occidente (Bridge of the West)
- What was once the longest suspension bridge in Latin America was directly inspired by the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
- L-Imgarr, Malta
- Il-Barri Air Raid Shelter
- Hidden beneath a restaurant, underground tunnels tell the story of Malta’s tragic role in World War II.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- KISS by Monster Mini Golf
- A blacklight mini-golf fever dream pays tribute to the iconic rock band.
- Darmstadt, Germany
- Museum Jagdschloss Kranichstein
- This baroque palace displays an impressive collection of taxidermy, art, and rare objects from the days of courtly hunting.
- London, England
- The Lewis Chessmen
- These mysterious Viking chess pieces spent centuries hidden on a remote Scottish island.
- Misfat al Abriyyin, Oman
- Misfat al Abriyyin
- Traditional architecture and ancient irrigation systems are on display in this gorgeous mountain village.
- Lansing, Michigan
- Lansing's Rotary Steam Clock
- This mechanical wonder towers above a river in Michigan's capital city.
- Eyüp, Turkey
- Theodosian Wall Stone Ladder
- Climb a set of vertiginous stone steps to the top of this impressive ancient edifice.
- Ubar, Oman
- Ubar
- Some claim these desert ruins are from the legendary "Atlantis of the Sands."
- Bollengo, Italy
- Ciucarun
- An abandoned bell tower in the middle of nowhere is the last testimony of a forgotten medieval village.
- Pergamino, Argentina
- Casa Auto
- A father built this one-of-a-kind house in the shape of his's son race car.
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Point Grey Battery Ruins
- Two graffiti towers stand like ghosts of Vancouver's World War II-era defensive outpost.
- Eastland, Texas
- Old Rip
- Legend says the horned lizard spent 31 years sealed in a time capsule before he was discovered alive.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Medical Museion
- A novel collection of medical curiosities housed in an 18th-century surgeon training academy.
- Palo Alto, California
- Nikola Tesla Statue
- This small monument to the great inventor contains a time capsule and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Tonopah, Nevada
- The Mizpah Hotel
- In the middle of a remote desert town is a surprisingly opulent hotel said to be haunted by the many guests who met their untimely end there.
- Savannah, Georgia
- Abe's on Lincoln
- This bar hosts an ever-evolving napkin art installation devoted to an American president.
- Oxfordshire, England
- The Alfred Jewel
- One of Oxford's greatest treasures likely belonged to the legendary King Alfred the Great.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Magyar Rádió
- This quiet, unassuming spot in Budapest was the birthplace of the bloody 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
- Crotone, Italy
- Capo Colonna
- A single column facing the sea is all that's left of one of the most important temples of Magna Graecia.
- London, England
- WWT London Wetland Centre
- London's marvelous wildfowl reserve along the Thames.
- Ramla, Israel
- Pool of Arches
- You can row a boat through this ancient underground reservoir.
- Tlalnepantla, Mexico
- The Pyramid of Santa Cecilia Acatitlán
- This partially reconstructed Aztec pyramid gives a glimpse of what its larger counterparts would have looked like.
- Albany, New York
- The Mummy Ankhefenmut
- A CT scan revealed the identity of this 3,000-year-old mummy that everyone erroneously thought was female.
- Neillsville, Wisconsin
- Silver Dome Ballroom
- Built in 1933, this unique ballroom is nicknamed the "floating dance floor."
- Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy
- Amphitheatre of Capua
- This Roman amphitheatre was also the location of the first gladiator school.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Sylvette
- A nearly 25-foot concrete sculpture of Sylvette, Picasso's muse.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Biddison Family Cemetery
- A small 19th-century graveyard tucked away in the middle of a suburban neighborhood.
- Constantine, Algeria
- Sidi M'Cid Bridge
- This dizzying span over the ancient Algerian city was once the highest suspension bridge in the world.
- Venzone, Italy
- The Mummies of Venzone
- Meet the oldest inhabitants of this Italian hamlet, a series of oddly preserved mummies.
- Manchester, England
- Manchester and Salford Junction Canal
- An abandoned canal route lies hidden under the streets of Manchester.
- Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
- Haunted Vista
- A rock maze opens up to a panoramic viewpoint at an abandoned mine full of ghost stories.
- Central Aguirre, Puerto Rico
- The Ruins of Central Aguirre
- This nearly abandoned "company town" is a ghost of Puerto Rico's once-lucrative sugar industry.
- San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain
- Royal Library of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
- This influential Renaissance-era library was once the haunt of kings and monks.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- 1/4 Milestone of Stockholm
- This stone obelisk is a relic of the 17th-century Swedish mile markers.
- Swiebodzin, Poland
- Internet Antennas of Christ the King
- This towering statue of Jesus provided internet to the surrounding area.
- Galena, Illinois
- The Dowling House
- The oldest house in Galena, Illinois, now is a reminder of when this city was the world's lead mining capital.
- Duqm, Oman
- Rock Garden Duqm
- A section of the desert with an array of unusual sandstone and limestone formations.
- Logan, Ohio
- The Caves of Hocking Hills State Park
- Rare recess caves fill this unbelievably beautiful Ohio park.
- Bath and North East Somerset, England
- Bailbrook Mission Tin Church
- This overgrown Victorian chapel made of corrugated metal looks utterly out of place.
- Oman
- Wadi Dawkah Frankincense Trees
- These gnarly desert trees produce the prized aromatic resin traded along the ancient incense trail.
- Chemnitz, Germany
- 'Lulatsch'
- This giant glowing "beanpole" adds much-needed pops of color to an otherwise drab power plant.
- Samovodene, Bulgaria
- Transfiguration Monastery
- Outstanding, eerie frescoes and decorations fill this 19th-century monastery.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Ehrenfest's Signature Wall
- For over 100 years the most important physicists in the world have autographed this university wall.
- Perth, Australia
- Bottle Cap Tree
- Hundreds of people walk past this palm tree every day without spotting its secret.
- Vienna, Austria
- Ampelparchen
- Vienna's diversity-themed traffic lights were inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Fuente de los Coyotes
- In Coyoacán, a pair of coyotes crown a public fountain in reference to the ancient Aztec name of the borough.
- Venice, Italy
- 'Dragon Bones' of Santa Maria e San Donato
- Hanging within this medieval cathedral are the bones of a beast allegedly slain by a fourth-century saint.
- Cadillac, Michigan
- Old Indian Trail
- A series of 33 stone markers maps an ancient 55-mile transportation route.
- Santa Barbara, California
- Lil' Toot
- This nonsensical smiling boat shuttles passengers between two places they could've easily walked between.
- Diomede, Alaska
- Little Diomede Island
- Locals have subsisted on this tiny isolated island next to Russia for over 5,000 years.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Fikkie
- This charming pup is meant to celebrate the youth and stubbornness of the city's students.
- Prescott, Arizona
- Old Governor's Mansion
- Arizona's first government hub is a rustic cabin now preserved as part of a historical museum.
- Lancashire, England
- Preston Martyrs Memorial
- A harrowing sculpture commemorates the four people shot down during the workers strike of 1842.
- Parksville, New York
- Parksville
- This Central New York ghost town was once a prosperous railroad community.
- Madrid, Spain
- El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Strawberry Tree)
- This sweet-toothed bear searching for snacks has been a symbol of Madrid for centuries.
- Vientiane, Laos
- Lao National Museum
- American bombs, morbid memorabilia, and graphic photographs tell the story of the CIA-led “Secret War” from the Pathet Lao perspective.
- West District, Taiwan
- Painted Animation Lane
- A small alleyway lined with locally drawn scenes of nostalgic anime and cartoon characters.
- Lampedusa e Linosa, Italy
- Rabbit Islet
- Contrary to what its name suggests, you won't find any bunnies here.
- Medway, England
- Rochester Castle
- This foreboding medieval castle was twice besieged by barons rebelling against the English king.
- Stirling, Scotland
- Grave Robbing Headstone
- A grave marker depicting a body snatching tableau on a 19th-century tombstone.
- Namibia
- Shipwreck Lodge
- Ten shipwreck-shaped chalets lie along the sand dunes on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.
- Park City, Utah
- I-80 Wildlife Overpass
- The largest wildlife crossing in Utah allows local fauna to safely traverse the six-lane Interstate 80 at Parleys Canyon.
- Bern, Switzerland
- Méret Oppenheim Fountain
- The Swiss artist's bulbous and overgrown shape-shifting sculpture controversially graces the center of Bern.
- Evanston, Illinois
- Little Northwestern
- A student designed this 3D-printed scale replica of the entire university campus.
- Chemnitz, Germany
- Karl-Marx-Monument
- One of the largest busts in the world celebrates the German city's erstwhile namesake.
- Chicago, Illinois
- St. Mary of the Angels
- This titanic Catholic church in Chicago is also a refuge of the fictional cult-favorite wizard detective Harry Dresden.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Gorilla Building
- A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Schouwburgplein Kinetic Lamp Posts
- Four giant movable street lights decorate this modern Rotterdam square.
- Stirling, Scotland
- Beheading Stone
- Legend says this rock was once a chopping block for public executions.
- Monteverde, Costa Rica
- El Arbol Hueco
- A secret climbing tree hides along the side of a Costa Rican road.
- Città del Vaticano, Vatican
- Vatican City Walls
- Historic fortifications form the boundary of Vatican City, but it’s not entirely surrounded by walls.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Suga Shrine Staircase
- This ordinary set of steps is a must-see destination for fans of a certain romantic anime.
- Dresden, Germany
- Pillnitz Camellia
- An engineering wonder at Pillnitz Castle protects a precious 230-year-old flowering shrub.
- Eydhafushi, Maldives
- Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve
- The world's seventh-largest coral reef contains an incredible amount of biodiversity.
- Dooey, Ireland
- Boyeeghter Bay
- A spectacular hidden beach in Ireland has the dark, disturbing nickname of "Murder Hole Beach."
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Dykande Måsen
- A concrete Picasso in the middle of a student housing complex on the outskirts of Stockholm.
- Cohoes, New York
- Site of the Cohoes Mastodon
- A 13,000-year-old mastodon skeleton was found during the construction of a 19th-century New York mill.
- Hanover, Germany
- The Victims of Fritz Haarmann Memorial
- The mass grave of the 27 victims of the "Vampire of Hanover."
- Delme, France
- Gue(ho)st House
- This building’s ghostly exterior reflects its former lives as a prison, school, and funeral home.
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Fortaleza Ozama (Ozama Fortress)
- The oldest colonial fortress in the Americas was once the home and later prison of Christopher Colombus.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- HSB Paternoster lift
- Stockholm's last remaining paternoster elevator.
- Kabetogama Township, Minnesota
- Ellsworth Rock Gardens
- Terraced flowerbeds and rock sculptures in the midst of the Minnesota wilderness.
- Kent, England
- The Resting Place of Pocahontas
- The last resting place of the famous Native American princess is marked by a haunting monument.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Schoonoord Historical Garden
- An early 19th-century English style garden hidden in the Rotterdam cityscape.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Bullet Hole Markers at the Ministry of Agriculture Building
- This easily overlooked memorial immortalizes the scars from the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
- Twentynine Palms, California
- Sunvale Village
- In this roadside "community for the small," abandoned toys gain new lives.
- New York, New York
- New York's Adam and Eve Sculptures
- Two large-scale sculptures of Adam and Eve greet visitors in the nude at the Time Warner Center in NYC.
- Tang Valley, Bhutan
- Ogyen Choling Palace and Museum
- This Bhutanese site is one of eight sacred locales established by a revered 14th-century Buddhist master.
- Gudhjem, Denmark
- Østerlars Church
- The largest of Denmark's seven mysterious round churches stands on an island in the Baltic Sea.
- Trassenheide, Germany
- Upside-Down House of Trassenheide
- The first (but not only) upside-down house in Germany.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Guillermo Tovar de Teresa House Museum
- The now-public home of a renowned art collector is full of unique pieces from viceregal and 19th-century Mexico.
- Toledo, Washington
- Gospodor Monument Park
- These memorials built by an eccentric bachelor on the side of Interstate 5 cause both wonder and traffic accidents.
- East Renfrewshire, Scotland
- Rouken Glen Park Waterfalls
- These semi-natural waterfalls hint at the park's Victorian-era industrial past.
- Kent, England
- Tomb of the Black Prince
- An impressive armored bronze effigy marks the tomb of one of the medieval era's greatest warriors.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Scharmer's Small Solar Telescope
- A scale model of the world's second largest lensed telescope.
- Pereira, Colombia
- Bolívar Desnudo (Nude Bolívar)
- This unusual monument shows a naked Simón Bolívar stripped of clothing, medals, and swords.
- Bhutan
- Kyichu Lhakhang Temple
- One of Bhutan's oldest temples was purportedly built to halt a giant female ogre from preventing the spread of Buddhism across Tibet.
- Tskaltubo, Georgia
- Abandoned Soviet Sanatoriums of Tskaltubo
- The decaying remains of a once-luxurious Soviet spa town.
- Pietrapertosa, Italy
- Volo dell'Angelo
- The steel cable lets adventurers zoom between two mountain towns at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour.
- Santana do Riacho, Brazil
- Cachoeira do Lajeado
- This unique 230-foot waterfall is a natural beauty hidden within the vast wild landscape.
- Auckland, New Zealand
- OnDo Giant Noodle Sculpture
- In an Auckland neighborhood, looming chopsticks lift noodles from the sidewalk.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory Plaque
- A plaque hidden in the law faculty at Leiden University honors the first scientist to make liquid helium.
- Inverness, California
- Point Reyes Lighthouse
- The lighthouse central to the 1980s horror classic "The Fog" is in fact located in one of the foggiest areas of the Pacific Coast.
- Desert Springs, Australia
- Olive Pink Botanic Garden
- Olive’s garden serves up a seemingly endless helping of outback delights.
- Jenner, California
- Fort Ross
- The southernmost outpost of the Russian Empire in colonial America.
- Campbell, Ohio
- Iron Soup
- There is beauty and history in the ruins of this former company town.
- Trujillo, Honduras
- Grave of Filibuster William Walker
- Fenced off in a garden cemetery in Honduras lies the grave of the most notorious American filibuster.
- Nachikatsuura-cho, Japan
- Fudarakusan-ji
- A temple made famous by Japanese Buddhist monks who sacrificed themselves at sea.
- Muscat, Oman
- Chandelier at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
- This spectacular mosque houses the second-largest chandelier in the world.
- Colobraro, Italy
- Colobraro
- Just saying the name of this town out loud is said to bring bad luck.
- London, England
- Kirkaldy Testing Museum
- A collection of machines designed to break things for science.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Lake Claire Community Land Trust
- A hidden oasis just two minutes from downtown Atlanta.
- London, England
- British Library Treasures Gallery
- The library houses an incredible collection of some of the world's most impressive books and manuscripts.
- Laadla, Estonia
- Kingdom of Torgu
- A clerical error gave rise to this imaginary micronation in the southwestern corner of Estonia.
- Venosa, Italy
- Incompiuta di Venosa
- The construction of a new church near Venosa was started in the 11th century, but never finished.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Foro Sol
- The F1 Mexican Grand Prix circuit goes right through the middle of this old baseball stadium.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- The River Guardian
- A 12-foot sculpture serves as a constant reminder of the importance of protecting and restoring the Boardman River.
- Saint Petersburg, Florida
- James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art
- This Florida museum dedicated to western artwork is entered through an artificial sandstone canyon.
- Florence, Italy
- The English Cemetery
- Many famous English poets including Elizabeth Barrett Browning are laid to rest at this Swiss-owned cemetery in Florence.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden's Monumental Urinal
- This public toilet built in the famous Amsterdam School architectural style is a Dutch national monument.
- London, England
- Boadicea and Her Daughters
- A statue of the legendary Celtic warrior queen who fought the Roman invaders stands in one of the cities she once destroyed.
- Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, Netherlands
- Beth Haim Cemetery
- A Portuguese Jewish cemetery filled with stunning grave monuments that date back to 1614.
- Doha, Qatar
- Al Jassasiya Petroglyphs
- A staggering number of rock carvings in an abandoned quarry.
- Qalhat, Oman
- Bibi Maryam Mausoleum
- This lonely tomb is all that remains of a once-bustling ancient trade hub visited by Marco Polo.
- Zhangjiajie, China
- Bailong Elevator
- The world’s tallest outdoor lift stretches along the stone pillars that inspired the floating mountains in the movie “Avatar.”
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Gravensteen's Whipping Pole
- A relic of the old jail still stands in its original location.
- Tanger, Morocco
- Caves of Hercules
- Along the most northwestern point in Africa is an ancient cave surrounded by legends.
- Inuvik, Unorganized, Northwest Territories
- The Smoking Hills
- These hellish-looking cliffs in the Canadian Arctic have been burning for centuries.
- Stamullen, Ireland
- Fourknocks Passage Tomb
- An ancient chamber filled with wonderful rock art and a Neolithic carving of a human face.
- Consuegra, Spain
- Consuegra Windmills
- This line of 12 tower mills described in the story of Don Quixote is among the most iconic landscapes in Spain.
- London, England
- A Geological Map of England and Wales and Part of Scotland
- William Smith's iconic "map that changed the world" is hidden behind a curtain in the Geological Society building.
- Granite Falls, Washington
- Lime Kiln Trail
- Four abandoned limekilns tower above the Douglas fir forest in Washington.
- Vonore, Tennessee
- Sequoyah Birthplace Museum
- This museum pays tribute to the Cherokee leader who created a written language for his people.
- Arecibo, Puerto Rico
- La Estatua de Colón
- This giant bronze image of Christopher Columbus embarked on a voyage of its own.
- Outer Hebrides, Scotland
- Gearrannan Blackhouse Village
- Spend the night in this formerly abandoned traditional Scottish village.
- Nardò, Italy
- Nardò Ring
- This high-speed test track is popular with car manufacturers, speed freaks and orbiting astronauts.
- Illes Balears, Spain
- La Mola Lighthouse
- A solitary lighthouse in Spain was an inspiration to the great Jules Verne.
- Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
- El Cañuelo
- This small fort played a huge role defending Puerto Rico’s capital city.
- Kuta Selatan, Indonesia
- Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue
- It took 28 years to build this massive statue of the Hindu god Vishnu riding a mythical bird.
- Saratoga Springs, New York
- Orenda Spring Tufa
- A beautiful multicolored mound formed by the mineral deposits of the Orenda Spring.
- Riga, Latvia
- Stone Head of Salaspils
- This enigmatic artifact remained buried in a churchyard for years.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Terra Cotta Row
- In a quiet north Chicago neighborhood rests a stunning relic of the golden age of earthenware design.
- Colares, Portugal
- Praia da Ursa
- In Portugal, a secluded stretch of untouched natural beauty hides at the bottom of a steep hill.
- Darmstadt, Germany
- The Darmstadt Dioramas
- The zoological collection at the Hessisches Landesmuseum hosts some of the world's oldest habitat dioramas.
- Clyde Hill, Washington
- Evergreen Point Floating Bridge
- The longest and widest floating bridge in the world.
- Rhydymwyn, Cymru
- M. S. Factory, Valley
- Following years of secrecy, the hidden history of a World War II site is being brought to light.
- Baga, India
- Calangute Market Square
- Known as the "Queen of Beach Markets," Calangute epitomizes Goa's beach flea market scene.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Kraatpaal
- A strangely curved lamppost stands tall over this avenue in Rotterdam.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Tacubaya's Subway Mural
- Inside a busy metro station, an impressive mural depicts the prehispanic city of Tenochtitlán.
- Santa Marta, Colombia
- Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
- The 17th-century hacienda where Simón Bolívar spent his last days before dying from tuberculosis.
- Evanston, Illinois
- Northwestern University Shakespeare Garden
- Roses and other fascinating flora fill this garden built to commemorate Britain's immortal Bard.
- Suzhou Shi, China
- The Seven Cats of Shantang Street
- Thanks to a bit of wordplay, seven auspicious stone cats guard this ancient canalside street.
- London, England
- 'A Conversation With Oscar Wilde'
- An unusual ode to the late Irish playwright, complete with a squiggly bust and coffin-shaped bench.
- Key West, Florida
- African Cemetery at Higgs Beach
- Near the ruins of a Civil War coastal fortress lies the only known African refugee cemetery in the U.S.
- Blue Bell Hill, England
- Kit's Coty House
- The Neolithic megalith was one of the first archaeological ruins protected by the British government.
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Andrew Young Crossing
- Bronze footprints mark the path where a civil rights leader tried to march in peaceful protest before being knocked unconscious.
- Cape Town, South Africa
- BOS 400 Shipwreck
- The haunting beauty of this little-visited wreck makes it a true hidden treasure.
- London, England
- Charing Cross Storm Tree
- A living memorial to the trees London lost during the Great Storm of 1987.
- Cáceres, Spain
- Moorish Cistern of Cáceres
- The largest medieval water tank on the Iberian Peninsula is preserved beneath the Cáceres Museum.
- Portugal
- Covão dos Conchos
- This gaping hole in the middle of a remote mountain lake looks like a portal to another dimension.
- Bra, Italy
- Museo Civico Craveri di Storia Naturale
- A collection of wonderfully preserved 19th-century creatures, as well as hunting trophies seized during a police raid.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The BMW
- A dramatic art installation features a BMW flying out of a building in Rotterdam.
- Pismo Beach, California
- Monarch Butterfly Grove
- Thousands of migrating monarchs wait out the winter clustered in the eucalyptus trees.
- Sponsored by Santa Maria Valley
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Roque de los Muchachos
- A series of well-preserved ruins show the culture of the ancient Benehoaritas people.
- London, England
- Davenports Magic Shop
- The world's oldest family-run magic shop is hidden beneath a bustling London thoroughfare.
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Tunnels of Traverse City State Hospital
- A subterranean world of tunnels links several buildings of this rare 19th-century asylum.
- Viyar, Iran
- Dashkasan Dragon Temple
- Two Chinese dragons guard the caves of this medieval temple in Iran.
- Sendai-shi, Japan
- Sendai Daikannon
- One of the tallest statues in the world, and the tallest statue of a goddess in Japan.
- Myrtou, Cyprus
- Mavi Kösk (The Blue House)
- The eccentric midcentury home of a suspected mafia gun-runner.
- Fetlar, Scotland
- The Hjaltadans Stone Circle
- On a remote island, legend has it that a fiddler and his wife were turned to stone.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Gamla Riksarkivet Lift
- Sweden's first electric elevator remains hidden within a fortress-like building.
- Amiens, France
- Amiens Cathedral Labyrinth
- A sublime medieval path adorns the marble floor of one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in France.
- London, England
- York Water Gate
- These ornate arches show how the course of the River Thames has changed.
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Queen's Staircase
- This slave-built staircase in a lush tropical grotto was named to honor Queen Victoria's role in ending slavery in the British Empire.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Bakkerssteeg Street Sign
- This century-old street sign is a forgotten remnant of the old city.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Concrete Traffic
- An actual 1957 Cadillac De Ville, encased in 15 cubic yards of concrete.
- Tarpon Springs, Florida
- Tarpon Springs Epiphany Celebration
- Every January 6, young men dive into Spring Bayou in search of a cross and a year's worth of maritime blessings.
- Mojstrana, Slovenia
- Monument to the Fallen Partisan Alpinists
- The monument honors the mountaineers who were part of Europe’s best anti-Nazi forces.
- Soshanguve, South Africa
- Tswaing Meteorite Crater
- An ancient impact crater on the outskirts of Pretoria.
- Smith Island, Maryland
- Smith Island
- An isolated island home to one of the oldest English-speaking communities in the region and Maryland's state dessert.
- Calgary, Alberta
- Calgary's Utility Box Art
- Decorated by local artists, the city's utility boxes have become three-dimensional canvases.
- Yazd, Iran
- Yazd Atash Behram
- The fire inside this temple has burned for more than 1,500 years.
- Silvis, Illinois
- Hero Street USA
- Lined with plaques and tributes to veterans, this patriotic street was founded by Mexican immigrants.
- London, England
- Church of Notre Dame de France
- Colorful murals by Jean Cocteau hide within this peaceful London sanctuary.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Huddesteen
- The last of Amsterdam's original sea level markers remaining in place.
- London, England
- Rubens Ceiling at the Banqueting House
- The sumptuous ceiling was one of the last things Charles I saw before his execution.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Light Kiosk
- Colombia's first concrete structure doubles as a replica of Versaille's Petit Trianon Belvedere and a symbol for development.
- Oak Park, Illinois
- Park Grove Manor
- Pumpkin-like gargoyles peer down from the rooftop of this unassuming apartment building in Illinois.
- Kilcoy, Australia
- Kilcoy
- This small Australian town is considered home to the "Yowie" or the Aussie Big Foot.
- London, England
- Cecil Court
- A charming 17th-century alley lined with secondhand bookstores and antiquarian shops.
- Chicago, Illinois
- David Wallach Memorial Fountain
- A 19th-century horse lover's bequest led to the construction of this unique fountain in Chicago.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Casino de la Rabassada
- A once grand hotel now sits eerily abandoned in the Catalan countryside outside Barcelona.
- Elmira, New York
- John W. Jones Museum
- A historical home in upstate New York honors the work of the former slave, John W. Jones.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Cosmic Ray Detectors
- One of the largest pieces of scientific equipment ever carried on a NASA space shuttle sits in a Chicago alley.
- Hazard, Kentucky
- Mother Goose House
- An enormous goose sits atop this nest-shaped home.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Lego Swedish 1-M Solar Telescope
- A 1:42 scale model of the world's second largest lensed telescope.
- Orschwiller, France
- Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle
- The castle was reconstructed to fit Kaiser Wilhelm II's romanticized vision of the Middle Ages.
- Ávila, Spain
- Medieval Walls of Ávila
- These magnificent city walls rise from the barren sun-baked Spanish plains like something straight out of a fairytale.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- The Ex-Votos of Churubusco
- These unusual paintings give thanks to the saints and deities who granted people favors and miracles.
- Funchal, Portugal
- Madeira Botanical Garden
- A lush oasis full of vibrant plants and striking geometric displays.
- Northport, Michigan
- Woolsey Memorial Airport
- A lonely stone-sided terminal stands next to a grass airstrip on Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula.
- Venice, Italy
- Palazzo Dario
- Those who own or stay at this 500-year-old, allegedly cursed house often meet terrible fates.
- Minions, England
- The Hurlers
- Cornish legend says these ancient circles were people turned to stone for playing hurling on a Sunday.
- Acton, Australia
- Australian National University Classics Museum
- A little-known museum of Ancient Roman and Ancient Greek artifacts.
- Port Renfrew, British Columbia
- Big Lonely Doug
- Saved by a logger, this Douglas fir is one of the last great old-growth trees in Canada.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Lincoln Street Art Park
- This former industrial site has transformed into a community sculpture garden that hosts monthly Full Moon parties.
- Kobe, Japan
- Maya Hotel
- An abandoned Art Deco hotel nestled on the side of a wooded mountain.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Robert Burns' Masonic Apron
- The beloved bard's garb is proudly displayed within a Freemason's hall.
- Qatar
- Musfur Sinkhole
- Climb down into the largest sinkhole in Qatar.
- Cornwall, England
- Rocky Valley Labyrinths
- These mysterious mazes carved on the rock may be up to 4,000 years old.
- Cornwall, England
- St Clether Holy Well Chapel
- A holy well supposedly infused with a saint's spirit flows within this quaint chapel.
- York, England
- Lloyds Bank Coprolite
- An incredibly well-preserved piece of ninth-century Viking poop.
- North Saanich, British Columbia
- Canada's Knottiest Tree
- By public opinion, this is Canada's knottiest tree.
- Krakow, Poland
- St. Mary's Basilica
- St. Mary's features one of the most spectacularly decorated cathedral interiors in all of Europe.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden's Floating Christmas Market
- A market built atop boats is one of the few floating holiday markets in Europe.
- Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
- Powell Memorial
- A monument to the one-armed geologist who led the first documented expeditions through the Grand Canyon.
- Saint Petersburg, Florida
- Chihuly Collection
- The first custom-designed building to showcase the works of Dale Chihuly is a wonderland of glass and light.
- Madrid, Spain
- Madrid's Walk of Fame
- Just like in Hollywood, Madrid has also a forgotten walk of fame.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Victoria Amazonica
- People have been placing babies on these lilies for photoshoots since the Victorian era.
- London, England
- Kyoto Garden
- A little slice of Japan and its aesthetics in London's Holland Park.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Museo Anahuacalli
- The Mexican painter Diego Rivera created this unusual museum to display his collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts.
- Roche, England
- Roche Rock Hermitage
- This ruined 15th-century hermitage is steeped in myth and mystery.
- Stahovica, Slovenia
- Velika Planina
- An otherworldly alpine pasture with its own unique microculture that recalls Middle Earth.
- London, England
- Coade Stone Caryatids
- A measuring mishap led to these artificial stone ladies losing their stomachs.
- Cisco, Texas
- Site of the Santa Claus Bank Robbery
- Where Santa Claus held up a Texas bank and started a statewide manhunt.
- Arnhem, Netherlands
- Skatehal Arnhem
- A long-closed church turned into a saintly skate park.
- Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
- La Pasita
- This cluttered cantina is famed for its cheese-spiked, raisin-flavored liqueur.
- Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, Brazil
- The Patriarch Tree
- This magnificent tree towering over the Atlantic rainforest is one of the oldest and largest in Brazil.
- London, England
- Panyer Boy
- A mysterious carving from 17th-century London seemingly depicts a young boy sitting on a bread basket.
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Sunken Crosses of Malpique
- This underwater graveyard commemorates a group of murdered 16th-century missionaries.
- Ireland
- Ballyedmonduff Wedge Tomb
- This Bronze Age tomb is the centerpiece of a clearing within a beautiful Irish forest.
- London, England
- Whitefriars Crypt
- Buried for centuries, this hidden cellar is all that remains of London's medieval Whitefriars Monastery.
- Pokhara, Nepal
- Annapurna Natural History Museum Butterfly Collection
- Feast your eyes upon hundreds of Nepal's native butterflies and moths.
- London, England
- The Deadhouse
- Tombstones and enigmatic inscriptions hide within a vault beneath a popular London arts venue.
- Glenside, Australia
- Z Ward
- A perfectly preserved abandoned criminal asylum in South Australia.
- Chacala, Mexico
- Alta Vista Petroglyph Complex
- Tucked along a river are enigmatic stone carvings created thousands of years ago.
- London, England
- The Clockmakers' Museum
- This museum inside a museum tells the story of London's timepieces.
- Calipatria, California
- Carcass Beach
- At this deceptively beautiful beach, nothing is what it seems.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- World's End Close
- This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile was, quite literally, the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.
- Licenza, Italy
- Abandoned Abbey of Santa Maria del Piano
- The ruins of an abbey believed to have been founded by Charlemagne in the 9th century.
- London, England
- The Executioner's Ax
- Tucked away in the Tower of London is the weapon once used to execute high-profile prisoners.
- Bala, Ontario
- Koilos Sculpture
- This nomadic monster has divided opinions as it prowls across Canada.
- Slovenia
- Kamnik
- This small Slovenian town has become a magnet for microbreweries.
- Rancho Mirage, California
- Sunnylands
- You don't have to be a diplomat to visit the so-called Camp David of the West.
- Horto Florestal, Brazil
- The Capuchin Monkeys of Manduri
- In the Manduri reserve of Sao Paulo, you can see the endangered black-horned capuchin monkey up close.
- El Madania, Algeria
- Martyrs' Memorial
- This massive monument towers over the city as a constant reminder of the lives lost during Algeria's hard-won war for independence.
- Kenya
- Lake Turkana
- The world’s largest permanent desert lake is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Portland, Oregon
- Portland Art & Learning Studio
- This Portland Art gallery doubles as a studio that supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Calgary, Alberta
- The New Central Library
- The New Central Library is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture in the midst of downtown Calgary.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Museum of Edinburgh
- This 16th-century house tells the city's history through old artifacts and quirky tales.
- Jakar, Bhutan
- Jambay Lhakhang
- According to legend, this temple was built to pin down the body of a demoness who lay across the Himalayas.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Katarina Elevator
- This gem from the industrial age helps visitors and residents alike traverse hilly Stockholm.
- Messinia, Greece
- Old Navarino Castle
- Ruins of a 13th-century fortress perched above a breathtaking Mediterranean bay.
- Dakar, Senegal
- Mosque of the Divinity
- This unique religious structure is an architectural gem with arresting ocean views.
- Hobart, New York
- Hobart Book Village
- This small Catskills village has five independent bookstores and more books than people.
- Sur, Oman
- Dhow Factory of Sur
- Where artisans use centuries-old techniques to build traditional Arabian ships.
- Qom, Iran
- Fatemeh Maasoume Shrine
- One of the holiest Shi'i shrines in Iran honors the life and death of a learned noblewoman who became a saint.
- Abu AR Rish Qebli, Egypt
- Tombs of the Nobles
- A network of ancient Egyptian tombs built into the cliff face along the Nile.
- Bhutan
- The Burning Lake
- Legend has it a sacred treasure hidden by an ancient guru was revealed with a burning butter lamp from these waters.
- Bhutan
- Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten
- A stupa built to protect Bhutan from evil forces and help bring peace to the world.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Normalhöjdpunkten
- Hidden in plain sight, Sweden's official ordnance datum is now abandoned.
- Sana'a, Yemen
- Bayt Baws
- A nearly abandoned Jewish settlement perched atop a hill in the heart of Yemen.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Disk of Death
- This strange sculpture of a menacing skull surrounded by sun rays was discovered at the foot of the Pyramid of the Sun.
- Thimphu, Bhutan
- Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan
- The nation’s first institution dedicated to the conservation of Bhutanese textiles.
- Bellevue, Ohio
- Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum
- In northern Ohio, the glorious past of America's trains is on full display.
- Niland, California
- East Jesus
- An off-grid art installation that encourages its visitors to imagine a world without waste.
- Coolin, Idaho
- Lionhead Natural Water Slides
- Natural rock water slides hidden in the remote forests of northern Idaho.
- London, England
- Temple Bar Memorial Dragon
- The fierce beast perches atop a pedestal marking where the historic City of London gates once stood.
- Seattle, Washington
- Seattle Center Armory
- A community gathering place that once housed half-ton tanks and the World's Fair.
- Madrid, Spain
- San Antonio de los Alemanes
- The little church's beautifully frescoed ceiling has earned it the nickname “the Sistine Chapel of Madrid.”
- Reynoldston, Wales
- Maen Ceti (Arthur's Stone)
- A Neolithic burial tomb connected with a colorful array of legends.
- Timbuktu, Mali
- Djingareyber Mosque
- One of Western Africa's oldest mosques, this Timbuktu icon has stood for nearly 700 years.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Sir Nils Olav
- This king penguin is a knighted brigadier of the Norwegian Army.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- UNAM Botanical Garden
- These biodiverse university gardens form a green oasis amid the urban chaos of Mexico City.
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- The Church of St. Anne
- Legend has it that Napoleon Bonaparte fell in love with this Gothic church.
- Selçuk, Turkey
- Basilica of St. John
- This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint's tomb.
- Venilale, East Timor
- Venilale Tunnels
- These underground shelters dug by the Japanese during World War II later helped East Timor achieve its independence.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Hidden FC Barcelona Coat of Arms
- Barça football fans might see the insignia hidden in a church window as a divine sign.
- Sandusky, Ohio
- Plum Brook Station
- This NASA test station is home to some of the world’s largest and most powerful space environment simulation facilities.
- Akron, Ohio
- The Glendale Steps
- An elegant sandstone stairway built by the WPA still connects two neighborhoods in Akron.
- Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
- Kaibab Lookout Trees
- The remnants of a creative early method of wildfire prevention.
- Padua, Italy
- Padua Astronomical Clock
- One of the world's oldest working clocks is curiously missing the Zodiac sign of Libra.
- Waddesdon, England
- Waddesdon Manor Aviary
- An ornate aviary built during the Victorian trend of collecting exotic birds.
- Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Statue of Panfilov's 28 Guardsmen
- This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth.
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- The Mermaid of Užupis
- Travelers who fall victim to this mermaid's charms are destined to stay in Užupis forever.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Beltane Fire Festival
- Summer in Scotland begins with a spectacularly wild and colorful event rooted in ancient pagan traditions.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Kulturama
- Zurich's evolution museum hosts a unique collection of skeletons among its natural history treasures.
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Female Pedestrian Lights
- These traffic lights celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the women's suffrage movement in Lithuania.
- Gwynedd, Wales
- Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel
- This Welsh hotel is the spiritual home of the British 1953 Everest expedition, the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.
- Surrey, England
- 'The Martian'
- An enormous alien invades Woking, England, as an homage to the H.G. Wells classic "The War of the Worlds."
- Fort Pierre, South Dakota
- Verendrye Monument
- A monument to the forgotten French explorers and their landmark expedition.
- New York, New York
- Patent Pending
- Nikola Tesla's former home contains an homage hidden from plain sight.
- Vicksburg, Mississippi
- Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum
- A museum in Mississippi celebrates the history of Coca-Cola and the man who brought it to the masses.
- Wroclaw, Poland
- Monument In Honor of the Slaughtered Animals
- In the center of Wroclaw's old meat market stands a somber tribute to the city's livestock.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Museum of Childhood
- The world’s first museum dedicated to the history of childhood opened in Edinburgh in 1955.
- Narmada, India
- Statue of Unity
- The tallest statue in the world is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty.
- Guyana
- Fort Kyk-Over-Al
- A brick arch is all that remains of this Dutch fort, once a focal point for colonial power struggles in Guyana.
- Monte Albán, Mexico
- Monte Albán
- These sacred Mesoamerican ruins feature peculiar petroglyphs hidden in the stones.
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Nairobi Animal Orphanage
- Located in Nairobi National Park, this animal orphanage is the oldest of its kind in Kenya.
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Kyiv Institute of Information
- This exquisite, alienesque piece of Soviet architecture is being threatened by modern shopping malls.
- Blenheim, South Carolina
- Blenheim Mineral Springs
- Discovered by a soldier during the Revolutionary War, these springs helped create an iconic South Carolina ginger ale.
- Hlavní mesto Praha, Czechia
- Museum of the Infant Jesus
- This Czech church doubles as something of a permanent fashion exhibition for a statue of the Infant Jesus.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Alexander Von Humboldt Monument
- A bronze statue of the famed Prussian naturalist commemorates the year he spent exploring the Mexican country.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Old Spanish Fort
- Before becoming a public park, this spot was a shell midden, a fort, and an amusement park.
- Hlavní mesto Praha, Czechia
- David Cerný's Embryo
- One of the famous Czech artist's lesser-known Prague installations appears to be a glowing fetus affixed to a drainpipe.
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Karen Blixen Museum
- The farmhouse owned by the Danish author who wrote "Out of Africa" is now a museum honoring her legacy.
- Kirkjubøur, Faroe Islands
- St. Magnus Cathedral
- This mysterious, medieval cathedral remains unbuilt but fiercely protected.
- Queens, New York
- The Kitty Genovese Residence
- A young woman's senseless murder led to the controversial psychological theory of the "bystander effect."
- Georgetown, Guyana
- St. George's Cathedral
- Georgetown’s most impressive building is also one of the tallest wooden churches in the world.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- John Knox House
- This charming old building's loose connection with the Scottish Reformer is what saved it from demolition after it split apart.
- Rome, Italy
- Villa Doria Pamphili Park
- A huge enchanting public park just outside the ancient walls of Rome.
- Melrose Park, Illinois
- Kiddieland Sign
- The sign to a demolished amusement park now stands in front of a local library.
- Daraga, Philippines
- Cagsawa Ruins
- This belfry is all that remains of the town that was buried by a violent volcano eruption.
- Pocahontas, Arkansas
- Pocahontas 'Meteorite'
- Despite what scientists think, the town still says this is an extraterrestrial rock.
- Jiuquan Shi, China
- Mogao Caves
- Hundreds of caves filled with thousands of centuries-old statues and murals.
- Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Okapi Wildlife Reserve
- Home to pygmy hunter-gatherers, hundreds of animal and bird species, and the strange okapi, or forest giraffe.
- Highland, Scotland
- Cawdor Castle
- The location of this historic castle was inspired by a donkey.
- Santiago, Mexico
- Tropic of Cancer Monument
- This spot along the 23.5 degree north parallel marks the northern boundary of the tropics.
- Urueña, Spain
- Urueña
- This charming, medieval walled village is Spain's first "book town."
- Manzanares el Real, Spain
- Manzanares el Real Castle
- A magnificent, long-abandoned castle built in the wake of the reconquest of Spain.
- Highland, Scotland
- Dunrobin Castle
- A castle in the Scottish Highlands has been continuously inhabited since the 1300s.
- San Juan Teotihuacan de Arista, Mexico
- Quetzalpapálotl Palace
- Dating back to the second century, vestiges of prehispanic mural paintings are found in this underground palace.
- United Arab Emirates
- The Dubai Frame
- The world's largest frame offers spectacular views of the city's past and present.
- Nyabushozi, Uganda
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Uganda's smallest savannah park is home to over 350 species of birds and mammals.
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Belle of Louisville
- The oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat still navigates the Ohio River.
- Fez, Morocco
- Dar Batha
- This former royal palace with gorgeous gardens became the first museum in Morocco.
- Mbarara, Uganda
- Igongo Cultural Centre
- One of the most detailed and historically accurate collections of Ugandan artifacts depicting Bahima tribal history, culture, and daily life.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Los Pinos
- The official Presidential Residence of Los Pinos became an emblem of Mexico's opulence and presidential corruption.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Virunga National Park
- The most biologically diverse protected area in Africa is also the most dangerous.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Ibex of La Pedriza
- This species of wild goat stars in witchy legends and frolics among the park's eerie rock formations.
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Kyiv Crematorium
- This oddly shaped building is a surprising Soviet-era crematorium.
- Whittier, Alaska
- Portage Ghost Town
- The ruins of a town wiped out by the second-largest earthquake in recorded history.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Margaret Mitchell House
- The small first-floor apartment where the author wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Gone with the Wind.”
- Duzluk, Croatia
- Ružica Grad
- Legend has it fairies gathered at the site of this medieval castle.
- La Convención Province, Peru
- Pongo de Mainique
- A paradisical gorge with rapids, waterfalls, and wildlife whose raw beauty is the stuff of CGI movies.
- Comunidad Challapampa, Bolivia
- Chincana Ruins
- Mysterious Incan ruins on a tiny island in Lake Titicaca.
- London, England
- Hoa Hakananai'a
- The "lost friend” is the most famous of the six moai statues that were removed from Easter Island.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- National Observatory of Colombia
- Erected in 1803, it is the first astronomical observatory that was built in the Americas.
- Highland, Scotland
- Dunrobin Castle
- A castle in the Scottish Highlands has been continuously inhabited since the 1300s.
- San Juan Teotihuacan de Arista, Mexico
- Quetzalpapálotl Palace
- Dating back to the second century, vestiges of prehispanic mural paintings are found in this underground palace.
- United Arab Emirates
- The Dubai Frame
- The world's largest frame offers spectacular views of the city's past and present.
- Nyabushozi, Uganda
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Uganda's smallest savannah park is home to over 350 species of birds and mammals.
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Belle of Louisville
- The oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat still navigates the Ohio River.
- Fez, Morocco
- Dar Batha
- This former royal palace with gorgeous gardens became the first museum in Morocco.
- Mbarara, Uganda
- Igongo Cultural Centre
- One of the most detailed and historically accurate collections of Ugandan artifacts depicting Bahima tribal history, culture, and daily life.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Los Pinos
- The official Presidential Residence of Los Pinos became an emblem of Mexico's opulence and presidential corruption.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Virunga National Park
- The most biologically diverse protected area in Africa is also the most dangerous.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Ibex of La Pedriza
- This species of wild goat stars in witchy legends and frolics among the park's eerie rock formations.
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Kyiv Crematorium
- This oddly shaped building is a surprising Soviet-era crematorium.
- Whittier, Alaska
- Portage Ghost Town
- The ruins of a town wiped out by the second-largest earthquake in recorded history.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Margaret Mitchell House
- The small first-floor apartment where the author wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Gone with the Wind.”
- Duzluk, Croatia
- Ružica Grad
- Legend has it fairies gathered at the site of this medieval castle.
- La Convención Province, Peru
- Pongo de Mainique
- A paradisical gorge with rapids, waterfalls, and wildlife whose raw beauty is the stuff of CGI movies.
- Comunidad Challapampa, Bolivia
- Chincana Ruins
- Mysterious Incan ruins on a tiny island in Lake Titicaca.
- London, England
- Hoa Hakananai'a
- The "lost friend” is the most famous of the six moai statues that were removed from Easter Island.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- National Observatory of Colombia
- Erected in 1803, it is the first astronomical observatory that was built in the Americas.
- Madrid, Spain
- Museo Lazaro Galdiano
- This small and often-overlooked museum holds some of Spain's finest artistic treasures.
- Oslo, Norway
- 'She Lies'
- This floating sculpture of ice is a poignant reminder of nature's power.
- Gamle Oslo, Norway
- 'She Lies'
- This floating sculpture of ice is a poignant reminder of nature's power.
- San Juan, Mexico
- Princess Donají Tomb
- This abandoned convent keeps the tomb of a legendary beheaded princess.
- Vienna, Austria
- Palmenhaus
- Dine amidst exotic plants at this former royal greenhouse.
- Choum, Mauritania
- Mauritania Railway
- Climb atop one of the world's longest and heaviest trains for an unbelievable journey across the Sahara Desert.
- Mexico
- Pyramid of the Niches
- The singular ruins of the mysterious lost city of El Tajin.
- London, England
- Mary Anning's Plesiosaur
- This marine dinosaur was discovered by one of the 19th century's greatest fossil hunters.
- Namatjira, Australia
- Gosse Bluff
- A spectacular impact crater in the rugged heart of Central Australia.
- Madrid, Spain
- Dolmen de Dalí
- The only urban monument in the world designed by the great surrealist painter Salvador Dalí.
- Bruges, Belgium
- House Bouchoute
- The compass on its front was a handy tool for 17th-century merchants who needed to know the direction of the wind.
- New York, New York
- Rat Rock in Morningside Heights
- This giant boulder is sandwiched between apartment complexes in upper Manhattan.
- Équihen-Plage, France
- Inverted Boat Houses
- These rustic holiday homes are made from discarded fishing boat hulls.
- Krong Ban Lung, Cambodia
- Yeak Laom
- Arguing within this idyllic, circular volcanic lake is forbidden.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
- The birthplace of the Ford Model T is now a museum full of antique cars.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta Glass Treehouse
- Suspended above the ground in a thicket of towering Georgia trees is a modern architectural wonder.
- Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
- The Venus of Brassempouy
- This prehistoric figurine is the oldest known realistic depiction of a human face.
- Cabrera, Colombia
- Sumapaz Páramo
- The world's largest ecosystem of its kind is home to South America's only native species of bear.
- Castalla, Spain
- La Foia Catalina
- This site is both a remarkable reminder of the town's mining history and a fantastic government blooper.
- Prasat Sambour, Cambodia
- Sambor Prei Kuk
- More than 100 Hindu temples are slowly being swallowed by the forest.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Switchyards Ping Pong Stadium
- The only subterranean ping pong table in Atlanta.
- Calgary, Alberta
- Peace Bridge
- With its webbed walls and bright red coloring, Calgary's iconic bridge looks like a finger trap puzzle stretched across the river.
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum
- A museum dedicated to Nantucket's legacy as the "graveyard of the Atlantic."
- London, England
- 'Titania and Bottom'
- This macabre painting of a Shakespearean scene looks like something out of a nightmare.
- Järva-Jaani, Estonia
- Museum of Soviet Vehicles
- Rusted cars, trucks, and buses form a fascinating collection of Soviet-era machinery.
- Rome, Italy
- Tor Fiscale Park
- This park on the outskirts of Rome boasts two ancient Roman aqueducts and a medieval tower.
- Lumphat, Cambodia
- Tonle Srepok
- The river depicted in the antiwar film "Apocalypse Now" was likely based on this Mekong tributary.
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Almoravid Koubba
- The oldest monument in Marrakesh and the city's only surviving example of Almoravid architecture.
- Marovoay, Madagascar
- Ambalabongo Canyon
- The runoff from these fiery cliffs sends red water flowing into the sea.
- Kamianets'-podil's'kyi, Ukraine
- Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle
- This Ukranian fortress is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe.
- Ramah, New Mexico
- Inscription Rock at El Morro
- Countless inscriptions show this rare desert spring has been an oasis for travelers for over a thousand years.
- Alicante, Spain
- Central Market Building
- This magnificent market stands as a poignant symbol of the suffering caused by the Spanish Civil War.
- Sosúa, Dominican Republic
- Castillo Mundo King
- An eccentric German artist built this weird and wondrous castle packed with shocking sculptures and alien art.
- Richmond, Virginia
- Richmond Airport Civil War Fortifications
- The airport was once a Civil War battleground, and the earthwork defenses can still be seen today.
- East Wemyss, Scotland
- Wemyss Caves
- These ancient sea caves hold Britain's highest concentration of Pictish rock carvings.
- Rome, Italy
- Parco degli Acquedotti
- This beautiful park on the outskirts of Rome protects the ruins of two colossal ancient aqueducts.
- Oxfordshire, England
- Oxford Botanic Garden
- The fantastic charm of England's oldest botanical garden has made it a place of writerly inspiration for centuries.
- Morocco
- ANIMA
- This amazing oasis of art and plants is hidden on the outskirts of Marrakesh.
- Firminy, France
- Saint-Pierre of Firminy
- This church looks more like a spaceship than a house of worship.
- Bhutan
- Gangteng Gompa
- This 17th-century Bhutanese monastery is ensconced in Buddhist legend.
- Arc-et-Senans, France
- La Saline Royale
- The shape of this old salt factory complex was inspired by the course of the Sun.
- Mizhhirs'kyi district, Ukraine
- Synevyr Lake
- This stunning mountain lake was named for a pair of tragic lovers whose statues stand at the center.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Lego Åhléns City
- A miniature model of the iconic Stockholm department store.
- Savannah, Georgia
- American Prohibition Museum
- Performers, intricate sets, and a real speakeasy tell the story of the 18th Amendment.
- London, England
- Richmond Park
- This beautiful deer park was built so King Charles I and his court could go hunting while escaping a deadly plague outbreak.
- Moneragala, Sri Lanka
- Buduruwagala
- Seven beautiful 1,000-year-old rock-cut Buddhist statues.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- David Hume's Statue
- Touching this 18th-century Scottish philosopher’s toe allegedly conjures good fortune.
- Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland
- Zaklady Wlókien Chemicznych
- Dubbed "Wistom" by locals, this abandoned factory is an urban explorer's dream.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Ocelotl Cuauhxicalli
- This colossal ancient jaguar sculpture was used as a vessel for the hearts torn from sacrificial victims.
- Milford, Massachusetts
- Milford Irish Round Tower
- This stone tower in a small town's graveyard looks as though it would be more at home in a fairy tale.
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Satyagraha House
- The home of Mahatma Gandhi during part of the 21 years he spent living in South Africa is now a guest house.
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Kuona Trust Arts Centre
- This local art collective supports contemporary artists through a coveted residency program.
- Dakar, Senegal
- Gorée Island
- This tiny, tranquil Senegalese island serves as a powerful symbol of the Atlantic slave trade.
- Barnesville, Georgia
- Wind Gap Mural
- A mural in rural Georgia welcomes visitors to a fictional Missouri town.
- Sighi?oara, Romania
- Sighi?oara Saxon Cemetery
- This hauntingly beautiful cemetery outside a medieval citadel is full of winding paths and ivy-covered graves.
- New Zealand
- World's Loneliest Tree
- The most remote tree in the world is more than 170 miles from its nearest neighbor.
- Parika, Guyana
- Shell Beach
- A nesting ground for four of the world’s seven marine turtle species, most of which are endangered.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Desierto de los Leones (Desert of the Lions)
- Explore the atmospheric ruins of an abandoned convent in the dense forests of Mexico's first national park.
- Jaffna, Sri Lanka
- Kantharodai
- This rural Sri Lankan village hides a cluster of small, enigmatic stupas.
- Kent, England
- Aefre
- These 1,500-year-old remains were found in a mysterious Anglo-Saxon mass grave.
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Jemaa el-Fna Square
- Fortune tellers, snake charmers, poets, and storytellers all gather on this historic square in Morocco.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Writers' Museum
- This small museum in a 17th-century building honors three iconic Scottish writers.
- Zakho, Iraq
- Pira Delal
- This ancient stone bridge is a hub for daredevils.
- Seegräben, Switzerland
- Sauriermuseum Aathal
- Europe's largest dinosaur museum was founded by a passionate autodidact.
- Fès, Morocco
- Al-Attarine Madrasa
- The courtyard of this small Marinid madrasa is a dazzling example of intricate Islamic architecture.
- Tokyo, Japan
- 8bit Cafe
- Transport yourself to the 1980s era of video games at this themed restaurant and bar.
- Rome, Italy
- Basilica of Santa Sabina
- The best preserved Paleochristian basilica in Rome hides a number of oddities and secrets.
- Fes, Morocco
- Ibn Danan Synagogue
- This restored 17th century synagogue is one of the few remaining structures in Morocco’s ruined Jewish quarters.
- Idlewild, Michigan
- Idlewild
- This iconic African American resort community was known as the "Black Eden of Michigan."
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Pyramids of Tlatelolco
- These haunting ruins of a 700-year-old Prehispanic city have witnessed centuries of wars and massacres.
- Gainesville, Georgia
- Dare Stones
- A mysterious inscription may hold a clue about the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Lauriston Castle
- This allegedly haunted 16th-century tower house-turned-museum exhibits thousands of spectacular objects.
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Bahia Palace
- This vast masterpiece of Moroccan architecture spreads across 20 acres.
- Cherokee, North Carolina
- Bat Creek Stone
- Cherokee alphabet, proof of ancient North American Jews, or just a hoax?
- Georgetown, Guyana
- Statue of Queen Victoria
- Though dynamited and defaced, the statue still stands outside the law courts in Georgetown, Guyana.
- Leggiuno, Italy
- Santa Caterina del Sasso
- This monastery built into a cliff hides a perfectly preserved hermit in a glass coffin.
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Golden Statue of David
- The Midwestern United States' tribute to Michelangelo is a foam statue sprayed with gaudy gold paint.
- Rome, Italy
- Sisinnius Fresco in the Basilica San Clemente
- A rather vulgar example of the transition from Latin to the Italian vernacular.
- Centro, Mexico
- Futura CDMX
- A detailed model of Mexico City is the star attraction within this interactive exhibit inside an old theater.
- Kent, England
- Saltwood Castle
- This Norman castle has been the scene of assassination plots, religious persecution, and Nazi conspiracies throughout its long history.
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Ben Youssef Madrasa
- The largest madrasa in Morocco once housed more than 900 students within its exquisite walls.
- Angers, France
- La Maison d'Adam (Adam's House)
- A medieval house adorned with enigmatic carvings, including one of a man displaying his masculine attributes.
- Swinton, England
- Waterloo Pottery Kiln
- The remains of a historic kiln once used to produce the famous Rockingham porcelain.
- Coquimbo, Chile
- Church of Guayacán
- A charmingly unusual prefabricated metal church designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.
- Georgetown, Guyana
- 1763 Monument
- A monument to Cuffy, a rebellious enslaved person who became a national hero in Guyana.
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Old Slater Mill
- The place where Samuel "Slater the Traitor" brought the Industrial Revolution to America.
- Brooklyn, New York
- West 8th Street - NY Aquarium Subway Station
- New York's southernmost subway station is whimsically wavy.
- Highland, Scotland
- The Quiraing
- Islanders once used this dramatic, otherworldly landscape to hide their cattle from Viking raiders.
- Georgetown, Guyana
- Stabroek Market
- The largest market in Guyana, designed and built by the Edge Moor Iron Company of Delaware.
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Jardin Majorelle
- It took 40 years to build this Eden-like garden in Marrakech, later restored by Yves Saint-Laurent.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Cincinnati Mercantile Library
- Hidden on two floors of downtown building, the library has an incredible deal on rent.
- Dakar, Senegal
- Henriette Bathily Women's Museum
- This Dakar museum exhibits artworks and artifacts honoring the daily lives of Senegalese women.
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Bomas of Kenya
- This tourist village in Nairobi celebrates the traditional lifestyles and customs of Kenyan tribes.
- Ejido del Centro, Mexico
- Gamers El Moro Video Game Museum
- A curious museum of old video game consoles hidden in the back of a store.
- Old Man Bay, Cayman Islands
- Davinoff's Concrete Sculpture Garden
- Grand Cayman is home to a colorful sculpture garden filled with giant concrete animals.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Senkwekwe Mountain Gorilla Center
- The world's only facility where orphaned mountain gorillas are cared for.
- Montreal, Québec
- The Murals on Saint Laurent Boulevard
- Every year, the colorful murals of Montreal get a complete makeover.
- Gdansk, Poland
- Wisloujscie Fortress
- This 700-year-old structure is one of the most unique architectural and historic monuments in Gdansk.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Kahuzi-Biéga National Park
- One of the last refuges of the endangered eastern lowland gorilla.
- Portland, Oregon
- Portland's Windows of Wonders
- Hundreds of handmade critters fill this tiny window gallery in the heart of Portland's Alberta Arts District.
- Lasva, Estonia
- Lasva Water Tower
- This old and disused water tower has received a new life as an art gallery with a piano staircase.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Ignite Sign Art Museum
- This collection of neon icons is preserving Arizona's history, one sign at a time.
- Xcalacoop, Mexico
- Cenote Ik-Kil
- A magical sinkhole on the Yucatan peninsula adorned with mini waterfalls and hanging vines.
- Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Lakkatura Tea Garden
- One of the largest and most scenic of Bangladesh's tea gardens.
- Areedh Sub-District, Jordan
- Fortress of Machaerus
- These ruins by the Dead Sea is where John the Baptist met his untimely end.
- London, England
- The Ghost of a Flea
- William Blake claimed to have painted this gothic masterpiece after encountering this nightmarish being in a vision.
- Bethel, New York
- Woodstock Site
- The dairy farm in upstate New York where nearly half a million people gathered for three days of peace and music in 1969.
- Dakar, Senegal
- IFAN Museum of African Arts
- Dakar is home to one of the oldest African art institutions in West Africa.
- Aldbury, England
- Aldbury Stocks and Whipping Post
- A relic of medieval punishment marks the center of this quintessential English village.
- Palestrina, Italy
- Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia
- The city of Palestrina was built around this magnificent terraced sanctuary dedicated to the pagan goddess Fortuna.
- Wheat Ridge, Colorado
- Tower of Memories
- A seven-story 1920s mausoleum outside Denver houses thousands of remains.
- London, England
- Still Life
- Hackney's newest private museum and natural curiosity shop.
- Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
- Antigua CORCO
- Puerto Rico's once thriving oil company is now an abandoned wonderland of rusty steel.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Kitchen Witch Cookbooks
- This colorful New Orleans bookstore features rare and used titles, with a specialty in Cajun fare.
- Madison, Wisconsin
- L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum
- A hundred-year-old museum filled with giant physics toys and experiments designed by grad students.
- Buckinghamshire, England
- Dockey Wood Bluebells
- Each spring this woodland floor is carpeted with purplish flowers as far as the eye can see.
- Dunsyre, Scotland
- Little Sparta
- This Arcadian garden in the Pentland Hills boasts over 270 artworks by Scottish artist and poet, Ian Hamilton Finlay.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Dublinia
- Experience what life was like in Ireland during the Viking and medieval ages.
- Bakhchisaray, Crimea
- Eski-Kermen Cave Town
- One of the cave cities of Crimea, built by the Goths in the sixth century.
- Umm ar-Rasas, Jordan
- Um er-Rasas
- The remains of three different ancient civilizations have been found at this rich archaeological site.
- Fourways, South Africa
- Montecasino Bird Gardens
- Over 60 species of birds inhabit this colorful aviary park in South Africa.
- Palestrina, Italy
- Nile Mosaic of Palestrina
- This splendid mosaic embodies ancient Rome's fascination with the exotic allure of Egypt.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Villa Patumbah
- This eclectic architectural gem played witness to Zurich’s colonial past.
- Washington, D.C.
- General Sheridan's Horse Rienzi Winchester
- This taxidermy horse was a Civil War hero.
- New York, New York
- Joanne Hendricks Cookbooks
- Unusual books about food and drink abound in this 19th-century New York townhouse.
- Hamaam, Israel
- Mount Arbel
- An iconic view point of the Sea of Galilee offers a look into Israel's past.
- Birnam, Scotland
- Beatrix Potter Garden
- This Birnam-based garden honors the legacy of 19th-century children’s book author Beatrix Potter.
- Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh
- Cox's Bazar Beach
- One of the longest natural sand beaches in Bangladesh.
- Hertfordshire, England
- St Mary's Church
- Home to one of the tallest church spires in Europe, this historic church once played host to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- ‘The Shadow Boxer’ at Chancellor House
- A large-scale steel sculpture entitled 'The Shadow Boxer' pays tribute to Nelson Mandela.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- BMike's Studio Be
- An abandoned warehouse turned art sanctuary in New Orleans.
- Glasgow City, Scotland
- Spitfire LA198
- An icon of the Battle of Britain is frozen in flight inside a grand Victorian museum.
- Fès, Morocco
- Borj Nord Arms Museum
- This 16th-century Moroccan fortress-turned-armory museum offers prime views of the historic quarter in Fes.
- Marseille, France
- Le Jardin des Vestiges
- This garden houses the remains of the ancient Greek port of Marseille.
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Glehn Park
- A forest park outside Tallinn full of architectural and artistic curiosities.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- The Elvis Shrine Vault
- An old bank vault in Atlanta, is now the eternal shrine of Elvis Presley.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Inverleith House
- Once home to a Scottish baronet, this 18th-century historic house doubles as a legendary art space.
- Temple Normanton, England
- Saint James the Apostle Church
- A unique 1980s designed church sits uncomfortably in its traditional Victorian churchyard.
- Namibia
- Bwabwata National Park
- Known as "The People's Park," this verdant oasis is home to elephants and villagers alike.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Center for Puppetry Arts
- The largest puppetry museum in the USA, houses the world's most complete collection of Jim Henson artifacts.
- Hamnen, Sweden
- Disgusting Food Museum
- This collection of 80 polarizing foods aims to challenge your subjective notions of repulsion.
- Wilkieston, Scotland
- Jupiter Artland
- Large-scale contemporary artworks tower over fields and lurk in forests around a Jacobean manor house.
- Cervara di Roma, Italy
- Cervara di Roma
- The second-highest village in Lazio has attracted artists for 400 years and is now a spectacular open-air art gallery.
- Tambon Pong Ngam, Thailand
- Doi Tung Trenches
- The Thai Army has dug deep trenches along the Thai/Myanmar border to prevent drug smuggling.
- Genova, Italy
- Genoa Cathedral
- This cathedral hides a sculpted dog that determines your fate and an unexploded shell from World War II.
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Flat Iron Sculpture
- This giant iron playfully pays tribute to an early 20th-century architectural trend.
- Lake Placid, Florida
- Lake Placid Murals
- Many of the murals covering this sleepy Florida town hide some sort of intentional error.
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
- The first mosque in the world to receive electricity.
- Tambon Rim Kok, Thailand
- Tham Tu Pu
- This elegant carving of the Buddha guards a small Buddhist temple within a cave.
- Bologna, Italy
- Antica Aguzzeria del Cavallo
- Once known for its horse-powered knife sharpening, this 200-year-old shop offers an array of blades and hard-to-find culinary tools.
- Lecce, Italy
- Roman Amphitheater of Lecce
- A long-buried ancient ruin unearthed right in the middle of the city.
- Berlin, Germany
- Friede sei mit Dir
- This obscene artwork on the side of a newspaper office pokes fun at a rival paper's former editor-in-chief.
- Eganville, Ontario
- Bonnechere Caves
- One of Mother Nature’s geological gems, home to many prehistoric fossils.
- Catcliffe, England
- Catcliffe Glass Cone
- The oldest surviving glass furnace cone in Western Europe.
- Los Angeles, California
- Capitol Records Building Morse Code
- The blinking light atop the iconic landmark has been sending secret messages for decades.
- Soriano Nel Cimino, Italy
- Papacqua Fountain
- A stunning fountain depicting a mythological she-goat carved directly into the rocks on the grounds of a Renaissance palace.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- The White Horse Tavern
- The oldest still-operating tavern in the United States was once owned by a pirate.
- Prineville, Oregon
- Steins Pillar
- This great stone guardian of the forest is a relic from the land's volatile volcanic past.
- Saúde, Brazil
- Jardim Botânico de São Paulo
- A jungle in the heart of São Paulo reminds visitors of what Brazil looked like untouched by man.
- Sooke, British Columbia
- Abandoned Deertrail Resort
- A crumbling cliffside ruin hidden in the woods.
- Scotland
- Callanish Stones
- The mysterious megaliths have enchanted and intrigued visitors for thousands of years.
- Alliat, France
- Niaux Cave Paintings
- Trek into the depths of the cave where 17,000-year-old paintings exist alongside 400-year-old graffiti.
- Goslar, Germany
- Brusttuch House
- A peculiar trapezoidal building covered with wonderful humorous reliefs.
- Zossen, Germany
- Winkel Towers of Zossen
- Several of these strange cone-shaped bunkers can still be seen around the former Nazi headquarters.
- Cibola County, New Mexico
- Budville Trading Post
- In 1967, murder and mayhem disrupted the tranquility along this quiet stretch of Old Route 66.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- John Lennon Street
- A small and surprising passageway in Saint Petersburg devoted to the Beatles.
- Narlai, India
- Narlai Stepwell
- Designed to serve primarily the Maharaja, this is an interesting variation on the traditional stepped well.
- Glasgow City, Scotland
- Hidden Gardens
- A leafy, peaceful oasis nestled in the heart of Glasgow's busy south side.
- Zhangye Shi, China
- Mati Si
- Monks turned this mountain into a temple by digging grottoes, tunnels, and a huge pagoda-like hall.
- Vitorchiano, Italy
- The Moai in Vitorchiano
- A lonesome Moai stands in a small Italian town some 9,000 miles away from its Easter Island brethren.
- Santa Elena de Uairén, Venezuela
- Mount Roraima Tripoint Marker
- A pyramidal marker where the borders of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana meet on top of Mount Roraima.
- Musashino, Japan
- Yurei Izakaya
- Haunted house kitsch meets Japanese folklore at this theme bar where patrons can “die” and have their own mock funeral.
- Waldenburg, Germany
- Naturalienkabinett Waldenburg
- A wonderfully versatile natural history curio cabinet preserved since the 1840s.
- Soriano nel Cimino, Italy
- Etruscan Pyramid of Bomarzo
- This ancient altar emerges from the thick forests to reveal the mysteries of Etruscan sacrificial rituals.
- Soriano nel Cimino, Italy
- Santa Cecilia Necropolis
- A fascinating assortment of cave dwellings, medieval ruins, and sarcophagi are being devoured by the forest.
- Munich, Germany
- Fraunhofer Refractor at the Deutsches Museum
- The telescope that discovered Neptune.
- ???, Ukraine
- Museum of Unnecessary Things
- A Kiev-based repository for all manners of discarded curiosities.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- The Rhenish Rod
- An unassuming rod in the Netherlands was once the old standard unit of length for the entire Dutch empire.
- South Yorkshire, England
- The Steelworker Mural
- This magnificent mural was created with over 30,000 colored bricks.
- Camerata Nuova, Italy
- Camerata Vecchia
- The ruins of a medieval village that was abandoned after a 19th-century inferno.
- 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
- Bolwoningen
- This neighborhood of futuristic ball houses looks like an alien settlement in a science fiction film.
- Munich, Germany
- Volkssternwarte München
- A delightful but little-known public observatory and planetarium in Munich.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Garita del Diablo
- Legend tells how a Spanish soldier disappeared from this isolated sentry box without a trace.
- Soriano nel Cimino, Italy
- Tower of Chia
- Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini fell in love with this lonely 13th-century tower while making his most famous film.
- Armenia
- Kobayr Monastery
- The ruins of a medieval monastery built on a perilous slope.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Edinburgh Book Sculptures
- Anonymously sculpted and donated, these sculptures made from poetry books and pages are sprinkled around the city.
- Centro, Mexico
- Biblioteca Miguel Lerdo de Tejada
- Psychedelic murals coat the inside of a nondescript research library.
- Mexico
- Cuzamá Cenotes
- Three sinkholes filled with warm, crystal-clear water reached by a horse-driven cart on an old train track through the jungle.
- Georgetown, Guyana
- Demerara Harbour Bridge
- The end appears to be nigh for the world's fourth-longest floating bridge.
- Derbyshire, England
- Chesterfield Snail
- This enormous spiral sculpture looks strangely out of place on the edge of a housing development.
- Garching bei München, Germany
- Queen Elizabeth's Telephone Box
- This red London phone booth once stood in front of Buckingham Palace and was used by the queen.
- East Ayrshire, Scotland
- Scottish Dark Sky Observatory
- This observatory within Europe's first dark sky park offers stunning views of the night sky.
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Het Bootje (The Little Boat)
- The patron of this extravagant Art Nouveau confection insisted that nothing less than a boat should project from its facade.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gable Stones
- In the days before house numbers, these colorful signs held clues about various buildings' purposes.
- Goseck, Germany
- Goseck Circle
- A Neolithic celestial calendar standing in a nondescript wheat field.
- Kartuzy, Poland
- Carthusian Church Monastery
- The coffin-shaped church was once home to monks who slept in coffins.
- Phoenix, Arizona
- MacAlpine's Soda Fountain
- Open since 1938, this diner has kept its fountain, malt machine, and all the gum that greasers left beneath its counter.
- Hertfordshire, England
- Magic Roundabout
- A giant roundabout made up of six smaller roundabouts.
- Cumbria, England
- Hardknott Roman Fort
- One of the highest Roman forts in Britain is set amid dramatic scenery on a notoriously difficult road.
- Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain
- The Cerro de la Oliva Trenches
- In Rivas-Vaciamadrid, perfectly preserved trenches date back to the Spanish Civil War.
- South Yorkshire, England
- The Birley Spa Bathhouse
- This old Victorian bathhouse is fed by an ancient holy spring.
- Kungsholmen, Sweden
- Stadshuskällaren
- Eat a Nobel banquet from any year in the basement of Stockholm's City Hall.
- Wallace, Idaho
- Burke Ghost Town
- An abandoned mining town built in a canyon so narrow, the railroad ran right through the hotel lobby.
- Guatemala
- La Danta
- One of the world's largest pyramids stands within El Mirador, the "lost city of the Maya."
- Gouville-sur-Mer, France
- Gouville-sur-Mer Beach Huts
- Rows of multicolored bathing huts paint the sand dunes with pops of color.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Nakilbent Cistern
- A sixth-century Byzantine cistern hidden below a modern carpet store.
- Pennapiedimonte, Italy
- Tavole dei Briganti
- Inscriptions found in the Majella mountains reveal stories of resistance and rebellion after the unification of Italy.
- Lapalice, Poland
- Lapalice Castle
- This imposing 20th-century castle was abandoned before it was ever completed.
- Henderson, Nevada
- Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden
- Nevada's largest cactus collection stands outside a candy mogul's small factory.
- Baguio, Philippines
- Old Diplomat Hotel
- This eerie abandoned building with a dark history is said to be one of the most haunted places in the Philippines.
- Tarim, Yemen
- Minaret of Al-Muhdhar Mosque
- The tallest minaret in Yemen is 150 feet high and entirely made of mud.
- Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Palace of Cortés
- The conquistador's former fortress is the oldest preserved colonial building in the Americas.
- Woolford, Maryland
- Old Trinity Church
- The United States' oldest Episcopal church still in active use.
- Wiesenthau, Germany
- Walberla
- An ancient pagan site swirling with legends in the foothills of Franconian Switzerland.
- Fort Loudon, Pennsylvania
- Buchanan's Birthplace State Park
- A pyramid commemorates the birthplace of James Buchanan, one of the worst presidents in United States history.
- Telgárt, Slovakia
- Chmarošský Viaduct
- A gorgeous stone viaduct crosses over a bucolic valley.
- Flora, Mississippi
- Mississippi Petrified Forest
- A preserved stretch of ancient fossilized trees with an impressive gem collection to boot.
- Béccar, Argentina
- Villa Ocampo
- A beautiful riverside mansion where the intellectual life of early-20th-century Argentina flourished.
- Los Angeles, California
- Crossroads of the World
- A few iconic structures are all that remain of America’s first outdoor shopping mall.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Ricardo Rojas House Museum
- A pocket of serenity in hectic Buenos Aires, complete with a peaceful courtyard and massive library.
- Madrid, Spain
- Peironcely 10
- An iconic photograph from the Spanish Civil War saved this shrapnel-scarred historic house from destruction.
- Mitchell, Indiana
- Virgil I. Gus Grissom Rocket Monument
- This memorial to the Mercury Seven astronaut stands at the site of his former elementary school.
- Santos Lugares, Argentina
- The House of Ernesto Sábato
- Honor one of Argentina's most prolific writers at his historic home.
- Breña Baja, Spain
- The Black Beaches of La Palma
- Volcanic rocks ground down into sand make this Spanish beach as black as night.
- Kashi Diqu, China
- Afaq Khoja Mausoleum
- An exquisite example of Uyghur Islamic architecture.
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Ocean Atlas
- The world’s largest underwater sculpture is found just off the coast of Nassau.
- Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain
- Pajarito Water Tunnels
- These crevices cut into the mountains collect the island’s main source of precious freshwater.
- Jibla, Yemen
- Queen Arwa Mosque
- One of Yemen’s oldest and most beautiful mosques was named for the incredible, historical queen buried inside it.
- Hertfordshire, England
- Natural History Museum at Tring
- The incredible private taxidermy collection of an eccentric zoologist.
- Somerville, Massachusetts
- Emerson’s Pickle Factory Plaque
- This unassuming stone commemorates a condiment factory gone up in smoke.
- Upland, California
- Stone Castle Powerhouse
- The ruins of an abandoned 19th-century powerhouse are slowly being consumed by nature.
- East Aurora, New York
- Roycroft Campus
- This former hub for crafty philosophers was founded by a writer who died aboard the infamous RMS Lusitania.
- Tigre Partido, Argentina
- Sarmiento House
- The house of a former Argentinian president stands protected within a large glass case.
- Los Angeles, California
- Stone Gates of Hollywood
- These two monoliths have stood at the entrance to the neighborhood since the days it was called "Hollywoodland."
- Tamajón, Spain
- Enchanted City of Tamajón
- Whimsical sculptures and caves chiseled by nature over the millennia.
- Xuzhou, China
- Western Han Dynasty Terracotta Warriors Museum
- The tiny statues form China's only known terracotta army from the Han dynasty.
- Srokowo, Poland
- Bismarck Tower Ruin
- This hilltop ruin is of the hundreds of stone columns built in tribute to the first German chancellor.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Pyramid of Cuicuilco
- This ancient structure was built by a mysterious civilization that was largely destroyed by a volcanic eruption.
- Jbeil, Lebanon
- Byblos Archaeological Site
- A patchwork of ruins from various civilizations in one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities.
- Los Angeles, California
- Chase Mosaic Movie Montages
- This Chase branch is an homage to Old Hollywood.
- Kent, Ohio
- Kent State May 4 Visitors Center
- This campus museum commemorates a national tragedy.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Babylon Court
- This centerpiece of the Hollywood & Highland shopping center is a recreation of a long-lost movie set.
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Fleming's Hotel Paternoster Lift
- A rare chance to ride one of the few continuous elevators still in operation.
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Stone Man of Pico de la Fuente Nueva
- A rocky face gazes out over an enormous volcanic crater.
- Tampa, Florida
- Tampa Theatre
- One of the last of the great 1920s movie palaces is a Floridian Greco-Spanish-Persian dreamscape.
- Morenci, Arizona
- Morenci Mine
- The largest copper mine in Arizona, this enormous open pit emerges from the hills like an alien landscape.
- Toba, Japan
- Ama Hut Hachiman Kamado
- Huts like this were once a hub for the female divers who collected pearls and seafood off Japan's coasts.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Lady of Elche
- An iconic and controversial ancient Iberian funerary urn with a hauntingly penetrating gaze.
- Hemel Hempstead, England
- Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
- An oasis of calm, nestled in the English countryside.
- England
- Blake's Cottage
- Poet William Blake penned some of his most famous work during his brief stay at this beloved country cottage.
- Kawazu, Japan
- Kawazu Nanadaru Loop Bridge
- An ingenious solution to a tricky engineering problem, this circular bridge takes drivers for a dizzying spin.
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Saadian Tombs
- Deliberately hidden for centuries, the magnificent Saadian Tombs were eventually uncovered in 1917.
- Odawara, Japan
- The Hydrangea Train
- Coast along Japan’s only mountain railway for coveted views of magnificent Japanese hydrangeas.
- Hull, Massachusetts
- Nantasket Fascination Parlor
- The only remaining place where you can play this century-old game for cash.
- East Timor
- Sia Maubara
- A haunting place that is now home to thousands of birds.
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Le Frigo
- Walk through a restaurant's refrigerator door to reach this hidden bar.
- Los Angeles, California
- High Tower Elevator
- Instead of hoofing it up steep stairs, residents can hitch a ride on this private lift.
- Tempe, Arizona
- Eisendrath House
- The historic “pink house on the hill” is an architectural gem that now serves as a center for water conservation.
- Milan, Italy
- Antichi Vizi
- Nestled in the heart of Milan is a real wunderkammer of morbid curiosities.
- Imler, Pennsylvania
- Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument
- It marks the spooky spot where the bodies of two young boys were found in the 19th century.
- Fez, Morocco
- The Fez Mellah
- The designated Jewish quarter in Fez dates back to the 15th century.
- Los Angeles, California
- Hieroglyph Murals at the Egyptian Theatre
- The decor of this Hollywood movie palace just barely predated the opening of King Tut's tomb.
- New York, New York
- Rivers Cosmogram
- A memorial marks the library lobby where Langston Hughes' ashes are buried.
- Uley, England
- Uley Long Barrow
- You can crawl inside this atmospheric 5,000-year-old tomb.
- Bangor, Maine
- Mount Hope Cemetery
- The second-oldest garden cemetery in the U.S. was also a college brainstorm spot of Stephen King.
- Seattle, Washington
- Beacon Food Forest
- This edible park is open to any and all foragers.
- Los Angeles, California
- Camera Collection at the American Society of Cinematographers
- Inside this clubhouse is a cinephile's paradise.
- Montgomery, Alabama
- National Memorial for Peace and Justice
- Colloquially known as "the lynching museum," this is the United States' first memorial to the victims of racial terror at home.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Caelum
- This cafe offers a curated collection of treats and tipples made by monks and nuns.
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- Lend-Lease Monument
- This super-sized statue is the only public memorial to the deal that ended America's neutrality during World War II.
- British Virgin Islands
- Kodiak Queen
- Divers can encounter an abandoned warship encircled by a giant kraken submerged in the British Virgin Islands.
- Malinalco, Mexico
- House of the Eagles
- The ruins of a former sanctuary for elite Aztec warriors.
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- Glitchy's Believe It Or Don't Oddity Museum
- This small collection in the back of a shop is the only oddities museum in Saskatoon.
- Isabela, Puerto Rico
- Palacete los Moreau
- This 20th-century mansion plays a key role in one of Puerto Rico's greatest novels.
- Naples, Italy
- MUSA Anatomy Museum
- This Neapolitan exhibition hall grants weird and wonderful insight into the intricacies of human biology.
- East Timor
- Escola do Reino de Haudere Ruins
- A surprisingly large and sturdy ruin on the outskirts of a remote village.
- Krakow, Poland
- Wawel Chakra
- This grubby wall is said to be one of the Earth's esoteric energy centers.
- Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Belgian Monument
- This gigantic monument hidden in the woods was built to thank the Dutch for sheltering Belgian refugees during World War I.
- Palermo, Italy
- The Martorana
- This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Fuencaliente Saltworks
- The largest salt farm in the Canary Islands is located at the foot of an active volcano.
- Accra, Ghana
- Black Star Square
- An enormous public square and parade ground built to celebrate Ghana's independence.
- London, England
- Tyburn Tree Marker
- Never actually a tree at all, this spot was the site of London's public hangings for nearly 600 years.
- Concord, Massachusetts
- Orchard House
- Louisa May Alcott based “Little Women” on her experiences growing up in this house with her sisters.
- Orlando, Florida
- Tupperware Confidence Center
- A museum preserving one company’s history of preserving food.
- Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Big Almaty Lake
- A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.
- Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
- Pegu Club
- An eerie abandoned gentlemen's club built for British officials during the colonial era.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- The Workhouse
- In the U.K., a historic workhouse shines a light on the early, harsh treatment of the poor.
- London, England
- The London Library
- More than a million titles fill the labyrinthine shelves of this prestigious private library.
- Gamla Staden, Sweden
- 'The Knotted Gun'
- This poignant sculpture of a gnarled weapon is a symbol of non-violence.
- Breña Baja, Spain
- LEGO Nordic Optical Telescope
- A detailed 1:32 scale model of Scandinavia's largest telescope.
- Windsor, Ohio
- Servants of Mary Center for Peace
- The world's largest Our Lady of Guadalupe statue overlooks this Ohio sanctuary.
- Acquapendente, Italy
- Bosco del Sasseto
- A magnificent Neogothic tomb hides within this Italian fairytale-like forest.
- Malinalco, Mexico
- Murals of the Parish of the Divine Savior
- These colonial murals are a fascinating hybrid of Spanish and indigenous aesthetics.
- Madrid, Spain
- Spain's Good Luck Frog
- This lucky bronze frog was gifted to Madrid by a casino.
- Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Nabemba Tower
- The tallest building in the Republic of the Congo is a source of pride despite its towering maintenance costs.
- Coso, California
- Coso Rock Art District
- A mountain range on an active U.S. Navy base hides thousands of mysterious prehistoric rock carvings.
- The Hague, Netherlands
- Louwman Museum
- In the Netherlands, one of the world's largest private car collections can be found.
- Iceland, Iceland
- The Freezer
- A world-class theater sits hidden in this remote town in West Iceland.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Xoloitzcuintles of the Dolores Olmedo Museum
- A small pack of an ancient, hairless breed of dog once believed to guide souls through the underworld lives on its grounds.
- San Francisco, California
- Hoppers Hands
- At the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, a small sign basically begs for a high-five.
- Lille, France
- Porte de Paris
- This triumphal arch celebrating the Sun King's conquest of Lille is a masterpiece of military architecture.
- Jefferson City, Missouri
- Veterinary Museum of Missouri
- This museum presents a dogged pursuit of 500 years of veterinary history.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Skull Rack of the Great Temple
- A disquieting Aztec sculpture displays hundreds of stone skulls representing the victims of human sacrifice.
- London, England
- Billingsgate Roman House and Baths
- A Roman spa buried deep beneath the City of London.
- Natívitas, Mexico
- Murals of Cacaxtla
- These strikingly colorful paintings were created by a mysterious Mesoamerican civilization.
- England
- Sluice
- This striking steel sculpture transforms environmental data into art.
- Centro, Mexico
- Palace of the Inquisition
- This foreboding building was the headquarters of the terrifying Spanish Inquisition in Mexico.
- Calabasas, California
- Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park
- Pay your respects to departed pets, both celebrity and otherwise.
- Hobart, Australia
- The Matilda
- This simple sailing boat is one of the oldest preserved fishing vessels of its kind in the world.
- Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Root Cellars of Elliston
- This small Newfoundland town has declared itself the “Root Cellar Capital of the World.”
- Coventry, England
- The Phil Silvers Archival Museum
- The only museum in the world dedicated to preserving the life and work of American comedian and entertainer, Phil Silvers.
- Retorbido, Italy
- Ancient Sources of Retorbido
- These four fountains are said to have healing properties, with a glass of the 'miracle' water being given to Louis XII of France.
- Solothurn, Switzerland
- Museum ENTER
- Its vast collection of wondrous gadgets details the fascinating history of information technology.
- Chastleton, England
- Chastleton House Croquet Lawn
- Where the rules of that most quintessentially English game were first devised by an eccentric inventor.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Robert C. Williams Paper Museum
- One of the world’s largest collections of paper memorabilia chronicles 4,000 years of papermaking.
- London, England
- Hampstead Pergola
- This secluded walkway overlooks a magnificently wild London green space.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Columbus Park of Roses
- An unassuming 13-acre park is home to over 12,000 roses.
- Turangi, New Zealand
- Creel Tackle House & Cafe
- Come for the bait, stay for the brioche.
- Jining, China
- The Temple and Cemetery of Confucius
- The family compound and final resting place for the philosopher, Confucius, and over 100,000 of his descendants.
- Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain
- The Colorful Balconies of Avenida Maritima
- These wooden balconies that are both decorative and functional.
- Wulumuqi Shi, China
- Tarim Mummies
- These excavated burials from the Tarim Basin are wrapped in mystery.
- Bruges, Belgium
- Frietmuseum
- Potato-peeling mannequins, Inca art, and a dangling tuber mobile help trace the history of fries at this Belgian museum.
- Laguna de Duero, Spain
- 'Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat)'
- This macabre masterpiece of a mural is one of Francisco Goya's "Black Paintings."
- Sunderland, England
- National Glass Centre
- A museum pays tribute to the glass-making industry of Sunderland.
- New Zealand
- Kapiti Island Nature Reserve
- Only 68 people per day are allowed to visit this New Zealand bird-watcher’s paradise.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Pizza Brain's Museum of Pizza Culture
- Enjoy a slice while browsing the world's largest collection of pizza memorabilia.
- Centro, Brazil
- Monumento Mãe Preta
- This somber statue remembers the enslaved women who were forced to nurse their owners' babies.
- Suiderstrand, South Africa
- Wreck of the Meisho Maru No. 38
- All that remains of a Japanese fishing vessel that ran aground in 1982.
- Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
- Taukkyan War Cemetery
- Myanmar's beautiful cemetery for Allied soldiers who perished during World War II.
- Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Calle 25 de Enero
- These red and black houses were awarded to the firefighters who saved their city from an enormous blaze.
- Bardon, Australia
- Logical Unsanity Books & Miscellaneous Phantasmagoria
- This rickety old shed hides a trove of secondhand literary treasures.
- Bears, Netherlands
- Uniastate Bears
- This steel frame is a skeletal mirage of a lost 16th-century stone building.
- Southampton, England
- Marine Air Terminal Ruins
- The rusting relics of Southampton's former luxurious flying boat industry.
- Bjarnarhöfn, Iceland
- Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum
- At this museum in Iceland, visitors can sample fermented Greenland shark.
- Tula, Mexico
- Tula Giants
- These enigmatic columns tower over the ruins of an ancient Toltec city.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Chicago Mosaic School
- Assemble a masterpiece at the first and only North American school exclusively dedicated to mosaic art.
- Shelby, Michigan
- Cherry Point Farm and Market Lavender Labyrinth
- West Michigan’s Cherry Point Farm and Market boasts a lavender labyrinth so large it’s visible on Google Earth.
- Roslyn, Washington
- Roslyn Cemetery
- Its 27 graveyards represent the many nationalities and ethnic groups that voyaged to this wilderness in the late 19th century.
- Los Angeles, California
- Hollywood Sculpture Garden
- This collector's home is a constant work in progress.
- London, England
- Trafalgar Square Imperial Measurements
- These official units of measurement lie hidden beneath tourists' feet in a popular London hub.
- Los Angeles, California
- Samuel Freeman House
- This forgotten Frank Lloyd Wright house is an architectural marvel at the end of a sleepy residential street.
- North Adams, Massachusetts
- Hillside Cemetery
- This sprawling 18th-century cemetery features unique and beautiful gravestones, including one shaped like a tree.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Serpents of the Great Temple
- These spectacular, symbolic serpents lie within the shadow of the Great Temple.
- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Beatles Monument
- A beloved tribute to the Fab Four and the freedoms they inspired.
- Naxos, Greece
- Kouros of Apollonas
- This ancient statue of Dionysus lies unfinished and abandoned in one of Greece's oldest quarries.
- El Castell de Guadalest, Spain
- Museo de Saleros y Pimenteros
- Europe's only museum devoted to salt and pepper shakers features more than 20,000 designs.
- El Campello, Spain
- Illeta dels Banyets
- The legendary bathing site of a Moorish queen is actually part of a Roman fish farm.
- Guiyang, China
- Liebian International Building
- On special occasions, one of the world's tallest artificial waterfalls gushes down the side of this Chinese skyscraper.
- Utsunomiya, Japan
- The Venus of Gyoza
- At a Japanese train station, a goddess emerges from a dumpling.
- Abergele, Wales
- Gwrych Castle
- After years of slow decline, a derelict Gothic castle is now being restored to life.
- Mombasa, Kenya
- Fort Jesus
- This colonial fort is an intriguing example of Renaissance military architecture.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Jarmers Tower
- The only surviving piece of Copenhagen's 16th-century defensive wall.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Tiny Hidden Houses on Westerstraat
- Seven mini rowhouses fill the gap between 54 and 70 Westerstraat.
- Buckinghamshire, England
- Ivinghoe Beacon
- Model aircraft soar over 360-degree views of the countryside at the start of England's oldest road.
- Tramonti di sotto, Italy
- Pàlcoda Ghost Town
- This overgrown mountain village has been abandoned for nearly a century.
- Nago-shi, Japan
- Clinton Home
- An exact replica of Bill Clinton's childhood home stands within a resort in Japan.
- Parque Residencial Portao, Brazil
- Museu Afro Brasil
- A labyrinthine museum chronicling the history of African culture in Brazil.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Huis te Vraag Cemetery
- An overgrown and largely forgotten cemetery lies hidden within the outskirts of Amsterdam.
- Segovia, Spain
- Allegory of 'The Tree of Life'
- A curious memento mori hangs in the magnificent Cathedral of Segovia.
- Crawick, Scotland
- Crawick Multiverse
- Modern megaliths form this work of cosmic, Celtic landscape art.
- Qrendi, Malta
- Il-Maqluba Sinkhole
- This 50-foot-deep sinkhole created in the 14th century is home to rare plants and fungi.
- Piton Sainte-Rose, France
- Notre Dame des Laves
- At the foot of an active volcano sits a church miraculously spared by its lava.
- Northumberland, England
- Grace Darling Museum
- This museum honors the young maritime hero who became an unexpected Victorian-era celebrity.
- Thasos, Greece
- Aliki Ancient Marble Quarry
- The partially submerged ruins of a white marble quarry used in ancient Greece for over 1,200 years.
- Adelaide, Australia
- 'A Day Out'
- These bronze sculptures sow whimsy by hamming it up on a pedestrian mall.
- Huangpu Qu, China
- Site of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
- The powerful party began with a secret meeting in this shikumen in 1921.
- Enskede-Årsta-Vantör, Sweden
- Johanneshov Sconce
- Part of an abandoned 19th-century fortress hides in plain sight inside a modern office building.
- Santa Margalida, Spain
- Necropolis of Son Real
- The largest prehistoric cemetery on the Balearic Islands dates back over 2,500 years.
- Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany
- Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet
- This marvelous array is one of the largest collections of mechanical instruments in Europe.
- Arbour Hill, Ireland
- Arbour Hill Cemetery
- The burial place of 14 of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising.
- Two Harbors, Minnesota
- 3M Birthplace Museum
- This institution celebrates the happy accidents of uncommon sticktoitiveness.
- Colta, Ecuador
- Iglesia de Balbanera
- Ecuador's first Catholic church was built by Spanish conquistadors in 1534.
- Onil, Spain
- Museo de la Muñeca
- Learn how dolls are made in this fascinating museum inside a 19th-century mansion.
- Cittaducale, Italy
- Sunken Church of San Vittorino
- The marshy karst plain has reclaimed this beautiful 17th-century church.
- Ceredigion, Wales
- Constitution Hill
- A 19th-century funicular railway shuttles visitors up this surprising sea cliff to one of the world's largest camera obscuras.
- Falkland Islands
- Bertha's Beach
- This remote stretch of sand is a penguin lover's paradise.
- Alnwick, England
- Barter Books
- This enormous secondhand bookstore inside a Victorian train station sparked the "Keep Calm and Carry On" craze.
- Almuñécar, Spain
- El Majuelo Ruins
- The extensive relics of an ancient Roman and Phoenician fish processing plant hide in a town park.
- Calvert City, Kentucky
- Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland
- A whimsical folk art garden full of punny pieces and a diorama containing 3,500 toys.
- London, England
- Norbury Hall Park
- This peaceful park with centuries of history hides in an overlooked section of South London.
- The Hague, Netherlands
- World Peace Flame Pathway
- Lumps of significant stone from around the world surround a flaming monument for peace.
- Millbrook, New York
- Innisfree Garden
- This once-private estate is now a dreamy, meditative garden that's open to the public.
- Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
- Bicycle Wheel Dome
- A spoke-tacular artwork constructed from recycled bicycle rims.
- England
- 'Sentinel'
- This eye-catching roundabout sculpture commemorates one of England's best World War II-era "shadow factories."
- Olive Branch, Mississippi
- Brussel's Bonsai Nursery
- Walk through row upon row of manicured miniature trees at the United States' largest bonsai nursery.
- Ukiah, California
- Ukiah Latitude Observatory
- One of only five observatories in the world built to measure the Earth's wobble.
- Athens, Greece
- Fallen Aviators Monument
- This striking sculpture of Icarus honors Greece's fallen flyers.
- Palermo, Argentina
- Casa Redonda
- A mysterious architectural gem in one of the most elegant areas of Buenos Aires.
- Tlalnepantla, Mexico
- 'Tomb of the Years' at Tenayuca Pyramid
- An archaeological museum at the Aztec pyramid displays signs of the New Fire ritual performed every 52 years.
- Georgia
- Sataplia Nature Reserve
- The cave holds a spectacular array of stalactites and stalagmites, including one shaped like a giant human heart.
- Panama City, Panama
- Baha'i Temple
- From a distance, Latin America's first Baha'i Temple looks like an enormous egg perched atop a hill.
- Red Cloud, Nebraska
- Willa Cather Prairie
- Over 600 acres of idyllic open grassland honor Nebraska’s georgic storyteller.
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Noir Arts & Oddities
- Tucked away between two 19th-century buildings, this small shop specializes in the macabre.
- Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Ascension Cathedral
- In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.
- Adelaide River, Australia
- Charlie the Water Buffalo
- The taxidermy remains of the mighty beast made famous by a Crocodile Dundee film.
- Tyne and Wear, England
- St. Peter's Church
- One of England's oldest stone churches and the birthplace of the "father of English history."
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Wheeler Ferris Wheel
- The surprising home of the iconic Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel.
- Tyne and Wear, England
- 'Shadows in Another Light'
- This steel sculpture made from a recycled crane towers above a former shipyard.
- Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania
- Indian Caverns
- A soon-to-be-forgotten roadside spectacle loaded with local lore.
- Highland, Scotland
- The Old Man of Storr
- An ancient Scottish rock formation said to be the gravesite of a giant remains ensconced in legend and intrigue.
- Hertfordshire, England
- Old Gorhambury House
- These ruins of Francis Bacon's once-magnificent manor are hidden in the English countryside.
- Sweden
- Trojaborg
- Legend has it that this large rock maze in Sweden was created as punishment by the daughter of a wealthy captain.
- Maple City, Michigan
- The Rising Sun Shipwreck
- Hidden beneath the waters of Lake Michigan rests a perfectly intact ship from the early 1900s.
- Innerstaden, Sweden
- The Maiden's Tower
- Known locally as the Jungfrutornet, this Medieval tower hides a dark legend.
- Benson, Arizona
- Singing Wind Bookshop
- Hidden on a cattle ranch in Arizona, this bookstore has been celebrating Southwest literature for more than 40 years.
- Batavia, Illinois
- Batavia Depot Museum
- An exhibit of items from the mental institution where Mary Todd Lincoln lived after her son conspired to have her committed.
- The Hague, Netherlands
- Louwman Historic Telescopes
- The world's largest private telescope collection hides in a secret wing of a Dutch auto museum.
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Kerrytown Chime
- Everyone's invited to put on a miniature concert with this world-class musical wonder.
- Tustin, California
- Tustin Blimp Hangars
- These enormous World War II relics are some of the largest wooden structures in the world.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway
- This secluded walking trail is a hidden gem of a Pittsburgh park.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Mitchell Domes
- A unique botanical garden housed in three giant geodesic domes.
- Almon, Israel
- Wadi Qelt
- A serene desert oasis speckled with ancient artifacts.
- Asturias, Spain
- Holy Cave of Covadonga
- A historic Christian shrine nestled within a spectacular natural cave.
- Galway, Ireland
- Abandoned Menlo Castle
- A moody and picturesque riverside ruin overgrown with vegetation.
- Ischia di Castro, Italy
- Poggio Conte Hermitage
- A dreamlike medieval church dug into the tuff rock with unusual carvings and possible traces of the Templar Knights.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Witchery
- Near the former site of numerous witch burnings, this lavish Edinburgh mainstay pays homage to Scotland's brutal history.
- Inisheer, Ireland
- O'Brien's Castle
- These moss-covered medieval ruins tower atop the smallest of Ireland's Arran Islands.
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Navajo Code Talkers Tribute
- The first permanent memorial to a unique secret weapon of World War II.
- Assaka, Morocco
- Imsouane
- Hidden behind mountains in Morocco, a remote town hides a thriving surfing community.
- Tatev, Armenia
- Wings of Tatev
- The world's longest nonstop reversible cable car soars through spectacular scenery to the medieval Tatev Monastery.
- Milan, Italy
- Shoah Memorial of Milan
- The train platform where Jews were sent to concentration camps is now preserved as a Holocaust memorial.
- Carrascal del Río, Spain
- Hermitage of Saint Fructus
- Medieval ruins nestled within a breathtaking swath of Spanish nature.
- Danvers, Massachusetts
- Salem Village Parsonage
- Located just behind a quiet residential neighborhood, this is ground zero for the Salem witchcraft hysteria of 1692.
- Highland, Scotland
- Ruthven Barracks
- These ruins witnessed the final gathering of the failed Jacobite Rebellion.
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Ásatrú Temple
- Iceland's first pagan temple in 1,000 years is underway in Reykjavík.
- Appomattox, Virginia
- Joel Sweeney's Grave
- The final resting place of a controversial man who was instrumental in plucking the banjo from obscurity.
- Little Gaddesden, England
- Jarman's Coffin
- Local legend says this unusual chimney is actually a broken-hearted man's tomb.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Museu Frederic Marès
- An eclectic collection of thousands of items owned by the sculptor Frederic Marès.
- Eagle, Alaska
- Fort Egbert
- This remote fort on the Yukon River is a vestige of the wild Alaska gold rush.
- Charleston, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Trinity Loop
- This abandoned amusement park hints at the twisted history of the Newfoundland Railway.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- School Patrol Flagpole
- This plaque marks the spot where the first crossing guards helped get kids safely to school.
- Vienna, Virginia
- Dolhareubang of Meadowlark Gardens
- Volcanic stone sentinels stand watch at a Korean Bell Garden in Virginia.
- Kilcreggan, Scotland
- Tut-Tut Rock
- A painted tribute to an ancient Egyptian king lurks along a stretch of Scottish shore.
- Iqadi, South Africa
- Mzinyathi Falls
- This beautiful waterfall is not easy to reach, but offers a stunning view of the pristine green valley.
- Darwin, Falkland Islands
- Lieutenant Colonel "H" Jones Memorial
- It marks the spot where the high-ranking British officer died during the Falklands War.
- North Kingstown, Rhode Island
- Gilbert Stuart Birthplace
- The idyllic colonial home of the artist behind the famous portraits of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
- Stanley, Falkland Islands
- Falkland Islands Totem Pole
- Where British troops serving on the remote islands paid tribute to their faraway hometowns.
- Athens, Greece
- Prosfygika
- This once architecturally advanced housing complex is now a haven for squatters that still bears the scars of war.
- Falkland Islands
- Blue Beach Military Cemetery
- A small cemetery remembers the British troops who fell during the Falklands War.
- Richmond, British Columbia
- RAPS Cat Sanctuary
- One of the largest cat sanctuaries in North America is considered a "Club Med" for felines.
- Delft, Netherlands
- Reactor Institute Delft
- A nuclear reactor created for Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" campaign is now used for research at a Dutch university.
- Raleigh, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Album Rock
- A remote landmark named for a whimsical photograph taken by a 1850s photographer and his crew of graffiti artists.
- Qu?n 1, Vietnam
- The Tomb of Lê Van Duy?t
- An ornate tomb pays tribute to one of the most influential and cherished military leaders in Vietnam's history.
- Hunawihr, France
- NaturOparc Stork Reintroduction Center
- Wander among free-roaming storks at the sanctuary that helped save them from local extinction.
- Fort Sumner, New Mexico
- Bosque Redondo Memorial
- A somber monument commemorates the site of a Native American reservation marked by suffering.
- Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
- Museum of Aviation
- A fascinating aviation museum where you can chat with the veterans who once flew the aircraft on display.
- Garching bei München, Germany
- LEGO Very Large Telescope
- A surprisingly detailed model of one of the most powerful telescopes in the world.
- Morrison, Colorado
- Colorow's Cave
- In the middle of a suburban Denver neighborhood is a cave that once provided solace for a prominent Ute chief and his family.
- Duntroon, New Zealand
- Vanished World Centre
- A hidden gem of a museum that lets you search for your own fossils.
- Villerouge-Termenès, France
- Cathar Castles
- The site of the first medieval crusade that pitted Christians against Christians.
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Isipathanaramaya Temple
- This peaceful sanctuary is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo.
- Niagara Falls, New York
- Book Corner
- Western New York's largest independent bookstore doubles as a historical repository of all things Niagara Falls.
- Iceland
- Námafjall
- In Northeastern Iceland lies something of an oxymoron: a steaming desert.
- Itagüi, Colombia
- Pablo Escobar's Grave
- The (usually) serene burial place of the world's most notorious drug lord.
- Orange, Texas
- Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center
- Nestled in the heart of a Texas town is a dreamy secret garden dating back to the 1940s.
- Airville, Pennsylvania
- Indian Steps Museum
- A small museum along the Susquehanna River is home to a rich collection of Native American artifacts.
- Hertfordshire, England
- Snook's Grave
- The eternal resting place of the last highwayman hanged in England.
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Beluga Point Fresh Water Spring
- Clean, cold drinking water flows from a nondescript pipe in a roadside rock face.
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Woodward's Spiral Staircase to Nowhere
- A unique spiral staircase that doesn't quite make it up to the top floor.
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Sambodhi Chaithya
- This space rocket-like Buddhist stupa sits atop two giant arches and can be seen from out at sea.
- Littleton, Colorado
- Bradford House II
- A prehistoric rock shelter that's literally in someone's backyard.
- Lindsborg, Kansas
- Swedish Phone Booth
- A unique blue and yellow phone booth in America's "Little Sweden."
- Bucharest, Romania
- Carture?ti Carusel Bookstore
- This once-derelict building is now one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
- Los Angeles, California
- Dearly Departed Museum
- A macabre tour of Hollywood’s deadly history.
- Northamptonshire, England
- Glenn Miller Memorial at King's Cliffe
- This World War II airfield is the last place the bandleader performed before he disappeared.
- Sighi?oara, Romania
- Towers of Sighi?oara
- Nine centuries-old fortresses guard the walls of this medieval Romanian city.
- Falkland Islands
- Argentine Military Cemetery
- A hilltop collection of crosses remembering the hundreds of Argentine troops who fell during the Falklands War.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Quimby's Bookstore
- The beloved home to all publications indie, erotic, and punky.
- Tombstone, Arizona
- Jewish Pioneers Memorial
- The Jewish section of the famous Boothill Graveyard was abandoned for nearly 100 years.
- Goshen, Massachusetts
- Three Sisters Sanctuary
- A whimsical garden filled with fantastical environmental folk art.
- Burgos, Spain
- Fadrique de Basilea Book Museum
- A delightful museum devoted to the history of books.
- H? Chí Minh, Vietnam
- Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
- Witnesses claim the Virgin Mary statue outside the church once mysteriously shed a single tear.
- Austin, Texas
- The Texas State Cemetery
- A high-octane shrine to the greatest Texans who ever lived.
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Gallop to Glory
- This hidden jockey “walk of fame” celebrates the winning riders of the Kentucky Derby.
- Iceland
- Gjáin
- Surrounded by ash fields in Iceland, an impossibly verdant valley looks like something out of a fairytale.
- Elmira, New York
- Mark Twain's Grave
- The little-known final resting place of one of America's greatest writers.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Garden of Unborn Children
- Rows of stone statues are dressed up to mourn children that are lost before birth.
- England
- Bridgewater Monument
- You can climb to the top of the column built to honor the "father of British inland navigation."
- Acharnes, Greece
- Tholos Tomb of Menidi
- This beehive tomb built for royalty sat hidden for over 3,000 years.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Plaza Botero
- Home to 23 voluptuous and instantly lovable sculptures by one of Latin America's most celebrated artists.
- Madrid, Spain
- Caños del Peral Archaeological Museum
- This small museum tucked within a subway station holds pieces from Madrid's past.
- San Nicolas, Argentina
- Mausoleum of José de San Martín
- The final resting place of the liberator of Argentina is guarded around the clock by two soldiers.
- Amanlis, France
- La Maison Sculptée
- An enchanting work of outsider art, full of whimsical sculptures and carvings.
- Qu?n 1, Vietnam
- The Former U.S. Embassy to South Vietnam
- This historic spot was where America's involvement in the Vietnam War officially came to an end.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Van der Wall Telescope
- Once the world's biggest telescope, it was later used as a coat hanger by a famous Dutch astronomer.
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Phsar Thmei (Central Market)
- One of the biggest markets in Asia, under one of the continent's largest domes.
- Brooks, Kentucky
- Valley of the Drums
- This calm grassy field was once a Superfund site full of thousands of nasty chemicals.
- Mumbai, India
- Gilbert Hill
- A 66-million-year-old rock formation stands tall over Mumbai, offering stellar city views.
- Villa de Leyva, Colombia
- Villa de Leyva
- This colonial town in Colombia sits around the largest stone paved square in South America.
- Mumbai, India
- The Magen David Synagogue
- In Mumbai, a bright blue synagogue is the largest one for the Baghdadi Jewish community in Asia.
- Barracas, Argentina
- Pasaje Lanín
- A vibrant street away from the typical tourist track, lined with colorful, mosaic-covered houses.
- Tyne and Wear, England
- Mowbray Park Walrus
- This lonely bronze walrus celebrates a character in a Lewis Carroll poem.
- Ireland
- ‘Why Go Bald’ Sign
- This neon landmark has been posing this deadpan question to follicly-challenged Dubliners for over 50 years.
- Qu?n 5, Vietnam
- Ch? L?n Mosque
- One of Vietnam's only mosques pays tribute to the country's Muslim minority.
- Derbyshire, England
- Rowtor Rocks
- This mysterious hilltop collection of Druid carvings isn't quite what it seems.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Museo del Oro
- This Bogotá museum houses the world's largest collection of pre-Columbian gold relics.
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Planetarium
- The first and only planetarium in Sri Lanka.
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Foreshore Freeway Bridge
- Despite many attempts to finish this bridge, it has been abandoned since the 1970s.
- San Gil, Colombia
- The 'Wise Old Men' of El Gallineral Park
- The centuries-old trees are draped with Spanish moss to make them look like wizened elders.
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Igrali Se Konji Vrani (Black Horses at Play)
- The unusual sculptures are believed to be powerful political symbols.
- Worksop, England
- Chapel of Saint Mary the Virgin
- English Protestants once criticized this enormous private chapel for being too ornate.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Museo Casa de la Memoria (House of Memory Museum)
- A museum of memories in what was once one of the most violent cities in the world.
- Chino, California
- Chino Planes of Fame Air Museum
- A museum dedicated to restoring vintage aircraft, located at a working airport.
- Saddell, Scotland
- 'Land'
- Originally intended as a temporary installation, this sculpture is now a permanent part of a stunning Scottish beach.
- Augathella, Australia
- Big Meat Ant
- Inspired by the local football team, this giant ant is meant to draw tourists to a tiny Australian town.
- Manchester, England
- Mr Smith's Dream
- A tiny, heartwarming piece of art hiding in plain sight.
- Strongsville, Ohio
- Gardenview Horticultural Park
- Acres of English cottage gardens, unexpectedly nestled in a Cleveland suburb.
- Chincoteague Island, Virginia
- Misty of Chincoteague
- The taxidermy remains of the most popular pony in children's literature.
- Vouliagmeni, Greece
- Temple of Apollo Zoster
- These ruins of a sacred Ancient Greek temple stand next to a luxurious modern resort.
- Capitan, New Mexico
- Smokey Bear's Grave
- The final resting place of the living embodiment of the famous Forest Service symbol.
- Holbrook, Australia
- HMAS Otway
- The decommissioned submarine is now the symbol of a small, inland Australian town.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- The Archbishop's Palace
- Once a palace for the Archbishop of York, these 15th-century ruins now serve as a haunt for history buffs.
- Iceland
- Hengifoss
- The bright red stripes streaking across the rocks are the star feature at this Icelandic waterfall.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- King's Chapel Crypt
- A more than 260-year-old crypt built on Boston's oldest English burial ground.
- Schiphol, Netherlands
- Schiphol Clock
- It appears as if a man is standing behind this giant airport clock, painting the hands in real time.
- Surrey, England
- The Mount Cemetery
- This unassuming Victorian cemetery is the final resting place of author Lewis Carroll.
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Edna Lawrence Nature Lab
- An unusual library of dead things at the Rhode Island School of Design.
- Gainsborough, England
- Marshall's Yard
- Once the largest factory complex in all of Europe, this converted shopping center celebrates its industrial past in a big way.
- Kyoto, Japan
- Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
- Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.
- Volcano, California
- Black Chasm Cavern
- Its dark depths conceal millions of rare, delicate crystal formations.
- Blaubeuren, Germany
- The Blautopf
- In this brilliant blue spring in Germany, legend has it that a sad mermaid learned to finally laugh.
- Saint-Malo, France
- The Maison du Québec
- In France, a medieval-style home pays homage to the intrepid explorer who discovered Québec.
- Ingleton, England
- The Ingleton Trail
- This amazing trail among the many waterfalls around Ingleton has been enchanting visitors since 1885.
- Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins
- Mother Nature and years of neglect took their toll on this 19th-century lighthouse.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- 1960s Hyperbolic Paraboloid Gas Station Canopy
- One of the earliest large-scale "hyper" roofs in the U.K. is now a derelict roadside attraction.
- Ejido del Centro, Mexico
- Carmen Tower
- This lonely tower survived the landslide that devastated much of a Mexican mining town.
- Bellville, Texas
- Newman's Castle
- A medieval castle in the middle of rural Texas.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Future Forest
- A colorful "forest" made entirely from three tons of recycled plastic waste.
- Leavenworth, Kansas
- C.W. Parker Carousel Museum
- This quaint museum lets you take a ride on its antique carousels.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- CCEMx Site Museum
- The remains of an Aztec school and various intriguing artifacts lie below a modern cultural center.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Many Plaques of Buster Keaton Studios
- The silent film master's legacy commemorated in all the right and wrong places.
- Iran
- Deir-e Gachin Caravanserai
- One of the largest and oldest caravansaries in Persia.
- Portland, Maine
- Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
- Its unique collection details the history of the state's svelte railroads.
- Mumbai, India
- Mumbai's Parsi Fire Temples
- The place of worship for Zoroastrians, Mumbai's Parsi fire temples use fire and ash for purification.
- Egina, Greece
- Tower of Markellos
- This pink watchtower served as the seat of the Greek government after independence from the Turks.
- Caerphilly, Wales
- Sultan the Pit Pony
- The enormous earthwork sculpture honors the ponies that lived and worked in the old colliery.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- The Source of the Risco
- An extravagant 18th-century fountain built with bits of broken ceramic.
- England
- The Gnome Reserve
- The world's largest collection of garden gnomes lives among the trees and wildflowers on this woodland reserve.
- Stor-Elvdal, Norway
- Storelgen (The Big Elk)
- The world's largest moose statue towers above the highway between Oslo and Trondheim.
- London, England
- Joseph Grimaldi Park
- An unassuming London park is actually a pilgrimage site for modern clowns.
- San Diego, California
- PSA Flight 182 Crash Site
- An inconspicuous suburban street corner is the site of San Diego's worst air disaster.
- Mumbai, India
- Mahakali Caves
- Nineteen ancient rock-cut Buddhist caves can be found on the outskirts of Mumbai.
- Tyne and Wear, England
- Steel Men Of Wearside
- This tribute to Sunderland's mining past stands outside the home of its football club.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Polish War Graves of Newark Cemetery
- The final resting place of hundreds of Polish airmen who died fighting the Nazis in Britain.
- York, England
- York Minster Astronomical Clock
- This memorial to World War II's fallen airmen shows us the movements of the stars that once guided them.
- Natural Bridge, Virginia
- Hidden J.R.R. Tolkien Quote
- Lines from a walking song are etched into a rock in Natural Bridge State Park.
- South Lyon, Michigan
- Michigan War Dog Memorial
- This quaint stretch of road is the final resting place for hundreds of America's four-legged veterans.
- Lille, France
- Vieille Bourse Book Market
- Tables of secondhand books fill the inner courtyard of this 17th-century stock exchange.
- Kalamata, Greece
- Kalograion Monastery Silk Weaving
- The nuns here cultivate silk to weave some of the finest scarves in the world.
- Tangub City, Philippines
- Tangub City Christmas Symbols Festival
- An annual festival full of illuminated replicas of iconic landmarks from around the world.
- Tlalnepantla, Mexico
- Mini Mundos
- Detailed miniature models of iconic landmarks in Mexico and around the world.
- Scituate, Massachusetts
- Maritime and Irish Mossing Museum
- A quaint museum nestled in a former hub of Irish moss harvesting.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Wash Woods Settlement
- The eerie ruins of a remote abandoned hamlet said to be founded by the survivors of a shipwreck.
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Belfast Peace Lines
- These barriers stand as stark reminders of Northern Ireland's troubled past.
- Karlovy Vary, Czechia
- Kaiserbad Spa
- Before serving as James Bond's Casino Royale, this Victorian-era spa catered to the world's elite.
- Montreal, Québec
- Musée Eudore Dubeau
- The only museum about the history of dentistry in Canada.
- Somerset, England
- 'King Arthur's Tomb'
- In the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey lies the alleged resting place of the legendary king.
- Brownville, Maine
- Katahdin Iron Works
- The remains of a large iron mill that once stood in the remote woods of northern Maine.
- Wakrah, Qatar
- Al Wakrah Dhow Harbor
- A superb spot to appreciate the traditional boats of the Indian Ocean.
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland
- Clach an Truseil
- The 5,000-year-old megalith is believed to be Scotland's tallest standing stone.
- Arkadiko, Greece
- Arkadiko Bridge
- Built by the Ancient Greeks, this chariot bridge is still in use today.
- Catas Altas, Brazil
- Maned Wolves of Santuário do Caraça
- This neo-Gothic monastery offers a rare chance to witness the unique maned wolf right up close.
- England
- The Snickelways of York
- This network of narrow, medieval passages has the most delightful name.
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Fountain of Union
- Now broken, Slovakia's largest fountain is a relic of its Soviet past.
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat
- Iceland's tribute to its thankless civil servants.
- Garrison, New York
- Manitoga
- This sprawling woodland estate was the brainchild of iconic American industrial designer Russel Wright.
- Spanish Battery, England
- Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House Museum
- A collection of maritime artifacts from the world's first volunteer life brigade.
- Le Château-d'Olonne, France
- Le Puits d'Enfer (The Well of Hell)
- This crack in France's seaside cliffs once hid a sinister secret.
- Homewood, Illinois
- Ken Norman's Abandoned Mansion
- The NBA player's elaborate former home is now a ghost of its old glory.
- Bengaluru, India
- Neuropathology Brain Museum
- India’s only Brain Museum displays over 200 fascinating ways that your brain might kill you.
- Funchal, Portugal
- Principality of Pontinha
- A micronation on an islet along the coast of a Portuguese island.
- Oneida, New York
- Oneida Community Mansion House
- The shared home of a utopian commune that practiced "free love" a century before the hippies.
- Montecatini Terme, Italy
- Montecatini Terme Funicular
- The bright red cars take travelers through breathtaking Tuscan scenery.
- Smardale, England
- Smardale Gill Viaduct
- A spectacular disused railway viaduct in a beautiful countryside nature reserve.
- London, England
- Beauchamp Tower
- Graffiti from the 16th and 17th centuries cover the walls of this part of the Tower of London.
- Athens, Greece
- Gestapo Interrogation Memorial
- The site where hundreds of Greeks were tortured by the Nazi secret police is now a cosmetics store.
- Senoia, Georgia
- Senoia Main Street
- The picturesque southern city served as the zombie-filled town of Woodbury in "The Walking Dead."
- St George's Place, England
- St George's Hall
- Charles Dickens described the concert room in this amazing Victorian hall as "the most perfect room in the world."
- Bishopthorpe, England
- York Solar System Trail
- Cycle the solar system—from the sun to Pluto—right here on earth.
- Den Burg, Netherlands
- The Wadden Sea
- Rich with fauna and flora, nature-lovers can walk across the sea at this UNESCO World Heritage spot.
- Athens, Greece
- The Athens Polytechnic Monument
- A crushed gate and giant bronze head serve as a reminder of Greece's fight for freedom.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- The Saracen's Head Hotel
- A 13th-century inn where the ill-fated King Charles I spent his last night of freedom.
- Cedar Point, Kansas
- The Graves of Maud and Gus Wagner
- Homestead Cemetery hold the remains of the United States' first known professional tattoo artists.
- Sundance, Wyoming
- The Quaal Windsock
- An antique Beechcraft airplane serves as a giant windsock for people driving through the blustery open country of eastern Wyoming.
- Taito, Japan
- Shitamachi Museum
- A museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo's often-overlooked working-class district.
- Lusaka, Zambia
- Zesco Cooling Tower
- The abandoned tower is the last remnant of Lusaka's first major power plant.
- Athens, Greece
- Roman Tomb in Zara
- The ruins of an ancient Roman tomb hidden in the basement of a trendy clothing store.
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Harvard Divinity School Labyrinth
- This hidden labyrinth offers walkers some brief peace of mind.
- Kintamani, Indonesia
- Bayung Gede Placenta Graveyard
- In this Balinese village, coconut shells containing placentas are hung from trees.
- Bottineau, North Dakota
- Tommy the Turtle
- The world's tallest turtle riding the world's largest snowmobile.
- Berlin, Germany
- Prussian National Monument for the Liberation Wars
- A towering monument to war, located on a beautifully peaceful hill.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Pyramid of Ehécatl
- The ruins of an ancient temple to the Aztec wind god discovered in the middle of a metro station.
- Mpika, Zambia
- Nachikufu Cave
- This fascinating cave is packed with prehistoric rock art and Stone Age tools.
- Marseille, France
- Cimetière Saint-Pierre
- France's third-largest necropolis offers a peaceful respite from a busy port city.
- Tyne and Wear, England
- The Red House
- An enigmatic sculpture depicts a ruined home with debris stretching for over half a mile along the river.
- Ireland
- Bridges of Ross
- This natural sea arch highlights Ireland's rugged coastal beauty.
- Mbala, Zambia
- Itimbwe Gorge
- A series of caves within the gorge hold artifacts from the Stone Age.
- London, England
- Word on the Water
- This 1920s Dutch barge is now a floating bookstore.
- Thessaloniki, Greece
- Pasha Gardens
- A little-known park with unusual, half-ruined structures and a mystical energy.
- Merseyside, England
- Prince Rupert's Tower
- This abandoned lock-up was saved because of its connection to a local football team.
- Silver Spring, Maryland
- Bust of the 'Homeless Mayor'
- A tribute to the beloved, kind-hearted "homeless mayor" of Silver Spring.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Golden Horn Chain
- A section of the long chain that blocked enemy ships from entering Constantinople.
- Fairport Harbor, Ohio
- Finnish Heritage Museum
- The charming collection celebrates a small Ohio village's Finnish roots.
- England
- Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse
- The unusual stilted beacon is the town's only active lighthouse.
- Fergus Falls, Minnesota
- Broken Down Dam Park
- A riverside park built around the ruins of a massive dam that collapsed in 1909.
- Mpulungu, Zambia
- Hulk of the SS Good News
- The forgotten remains of the first steamship that launched on Lake Tanganyika.
- England
- The Oil Patch Warrior
- A memorial to American oil drillers who volunteered to travel secretly to England in 1943 and work in the U.K.'s only oil field.
- Buffalo, New York
- Blocher Memorial
- An elaborate memorial to a man local legend says died of a broken heart.
- Porvoo, Finland
- Söderskär Lighthouse
- A rare octagonal brick beacon on an isolated island in the Baltic.
- Mbala, Zambia
- Stevenson Road
- This little-known colonial road helped determine the Zambia-Tanzania border.
- Blidworth, England
- Will Scarlet's Grave
- A mysterious medieval monument said to mark the final resting place of Robin Hood’s henchman.
- Teshig, Mongolia
- Mongolia/Russia Border Crossing No. 487
- This extremely remote border crossing was closed to prevent smuggling and looting.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Location of the First Gas Street Lamp
- A single light illuminates one man's overshadowed contributions to street lamp history.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Rufford Abbey
- The undercroft is a spectacular example of medieval Cistercian architecture.
- Kasama, Zambia
- Mwela Rock Art Paintings
- One of the largest concentrations of rock paintings in Southern Africa.
- Brooklyn, New York
- 'Jumping Jack' Power Plant
- A mysterious, abandoned building rotting on the Brooklyn waterfront.
- Carmel Hamlet, New York
- New York's Chuang Yen Monastery
- The largest Buddha statue in the Western Hemisphere is just 50 miles north of NYC.
- Cavalier, North Dakota
- Remote Sprint Launcher #3 Missile Site
- Part of a secret 1970s nuclear defense program is now open to the public.
- Beverly, Massachusetts
- Charley the Haunted Doll
- Rumored to have tormented a family in the late 1960s, this toy now resides in a quiet little oddities shop.
- Kasama, Zambia
- Chishimba Falls
- Arrogance and quarreling are forbidden near these three sacred waterfalls.
- Punta Arenas, Chile
- Nao Victoria Museum
- A display of hand-built replicas of the legendary vessels used by Patagonian and Antarctic explorers.
- Serenje, Zambia
- Kasanka Bat Migration
- Zambia's smallest national park is home to one of the world's largest annual mammal migrations.
- Mialet, France
- 100,000 Soldiers of Trabuc Caves
- This army of concretions is an unexplained geological phenomenon unlike anything else in the world.
- Dinant, Belgium
- The Charles de Gaulle Saxophone Bridge
- A whimsical bridge uses saxophones to pay tribute to two great men and the European Union.
- Bermuda
- Admiralty House Park
- In Bermuda, this formal naval residence has become a go-to for cliff-jumpers and hikers.
- Ireland
- Darby's Bed
- A Neolithic passage tomb said to have sheltered two legendary Irish lovers.
- Athens, Greece
- Hadrian's Reservoir
- This ancient hydrological marvel is now the base of a modern outdoor cinema.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Coldstones Cut
- A dramatic sculpture high up in Yorkshire with vistas on an industrial scale.
- Natchez, Mississippi
- 'Turning Angel' Statue
- This monument to the victims of a tragic explosion is said to turn and look at passing cars.
- Qu?n 5, Vietnam
- Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda
- One of the oldest temples in Ho Chi Minh City, dedicated to a deified Chinese military leader.
- Vienna, Austria
- Karl Marx-Hof
- The housing complex served as an anti-fascist fortress during the Austrian Civil War.
- Saint Davids, Wales
- St. Non’s Chapel and Well
- The remains of a small medieval chapel mark the legendary birthplace of the patron saint of Wales.
- Lusaka, Zambia
- Freedom Statue
- Based on a real event, the statue is dedicated to those who fought and died for Zambia's independence.
- Torslanda, Sweden
- Tumlehed Rock Paintings
- Sweden's southernmost prehistoric rock art is hidden just outside Gothenburg.
- Decín, Czechia
- Hunger Stones of Decín
- When the river dries up, these stones start talking.
- Orlando, Florida
- Randall Knife Museum
- Home to a giant switchblade and one of the world's largest collections of pocket knives, this museum is a cut above the rest.
- Qu?n 1, Vietnam
- Saigon Central Post Office
- This French colonial post office is arguably the grandest in all of Southeast Asia.
- Langrick, England
- The Bubblecar Museum
- A working farm turned into a museum dedicated to the world's most unbelievably tiny cars.
- Entebbe, Uganda
- Aero Beach
- An aeronautical-themed resort forged around rusty relics from the golden age of air travel.
- Englefield Green, England
- The JFK Memorial at Runnymede
- The patch of land below the memorial was gifted by the British to the United States.
- Santa Cecilia, Brazil
- 'The Indian and the Anteater' Sculpture
- This mesmerizing statue of a child wrestling an anteater symbolizes the native culture and biodiversity of São Paulo.
- Chisinau, Moldova
- Moldova's Little Prince Statue
- At less than four inches in height, this iconic fictional character is the smallest public statue in all of Moldova.
- Villavieja, Colombia
- Tatacoa Astronomia
- A self-taught astronomer fell in love with the stars and built his own observatory in Colombia.
- Harris, North Carolina
- Graveyard Island
- The final resting place of the hundreds of bodies originally buried where Badin Lake sits now.
- Bergdala, Sweden
- Bergdala Glastekniska Museum
- The machines behind the famous handblown glass from Sweden's "Kingdom of Crystal."
- Split, Croatia
- Gregory of Nin’s Big Toe
- The big toe of this towering monument to a Croatian national hero is worn from years of superstitious rubbing.
- Liberdade, Brazil
- Museum of Japanese Immigration in Brazil
- Its collection details the experiences of the largest Japanese community outside Japan.
- Saint Davids, Wales
- Coetan Arthur Dolmen
- A Neolithic tomb hidden among a spectacular boulder-strewn stretch of coast.
- Gdynia, Poland
- Torpedownia
- A World War II torpedo launch station abandoned off the Polish coast.
- Melbourne, Australia
- Larry La Trobe Statue
- Melbourne's favorite bronze dog.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Crackpot Hall
- The dramatic remains of an abandoned farmhouse sit high on the edge of a remote hillside.
- London, England
- Isokon Flats
- An exercise in radical design and social living that became the epicenter of Soviet spy networks in London.
- Baffin, Unorganized, Nunavut
- Ellesmere Island
- The third-largest island in Canada is one of the remotest places on Earth.
- Roosevelt, Arizona
- Tonto National Monument Upper Cliff Dwelling
- This 40-room dwelling tucked within a cliff was built by the basin's prehistoric residents.
- Taito, Japan
- Yanaka Cemetery
- This sprawling scenic burial ground is the final resting place of Japan's last shogun.
- Falkland Islands
- Bodie Creek Suspension Bridge
- This abandoned suspension bridge on the Falkland Islands is now crumbling into the water.
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Lewis Spring House
- One of only two pod-shaped homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Wat Phnom
- The capital of Cambodia is named after the hill on which this ancient temple complex stands.
- goldapski, Poland
- Stanczyki Viaducts
- The two abandoned overpasses are among the largest bridges in Poland.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Buttertubs Pass
- A steep and winding road in the Yorkshire Dales passes by these deep natural potholes.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Swaledale Corpse Way
- A winding medieval path used by mourners to carry their dead to the nearest church.
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Cambodia–Vietnam Friendship Monument
- Bombed and burned, this monument represents the often controversial ties between Vietnam and Cambodia.
- Staffordshire, England
- Erasmus Darwin House
- The house where Charles Darwin's grandfather formed many of his influential ideas and inventions.
- Rome, Italy
- Palazzo Naiadi Roman Baths
- Ancient ruins hidden underneath a modern luxury hotel.
- South Lyon, Michigan
- Witch's Hat Depot
- This 19th-century former train station’s unusual roof shape earned it a rather witchy name.
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Museum of Dumb Guy Stuff
- This small museum is an eccentric shrine to boyhood in the 1960s.
- Storrington, England
- South Downs WWII Churchill Tank
- An abandoned World War II tank left to rust in the downland.
- Honduras
- Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Research Center
- This incredibly diverse research station is one of the largest tropical botanical gardens in the world.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Monumental Kitty
- This feline raises a friendly paw at drivers barreling toward the freeway.
- Capel Saint Andrew, England
- Rendlesham Forest UFO Landing
- The scene of the U.K.'s most famous UFO incident, dubbed the "British Roswell."
- England
- Odiham Castle
- It's believed King John of England stayed at this 13th-century castle before riding off to sign the Magna Carta.
- Spetses, Greece
- The Neith of Spetses
- Overlooking the harbor is a beautiful neglected mansion guarded by two Egyptian sphinxes.
- Kaiteriteri, New Zealand
- Tokangawha / Split Apple Rock
- This unusual rock formation looks like an apple that has been neatly sliced in half.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Standard Hill
- The English Civil War began right here in 1642.
- Naubinway, Michigan
- Top of the Lake Antique Snowmobile Museum
- More than 150 snowmobiles fill this Michigan museum.
- Glenelg, Scotland
- Glenelg Welcome Sign
- The sign announces the Scottish village's cosmic connections, as it's twinned with Glenelg, Mars.
- Selçuk, Turkey
- Çamlik Railway Museum
- This beautiful train graveyard is one of the largest collections of steam locomotives in the Mediterranean and Europe.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Preamble in License Plates
- The preamble to the U.S. Constitution written entirely from vanity license plates hangs in the Smithsonian museum.
- Clear Fork, West Virginia
- Luther Elkins Petroglyphs
- A cult archaeology conspiracy theory claims these West Virginia petroglyphs were written by Irish monks in Ogham.
- Saddell, Scotland
- Saddell Abbey Grave Slabs
- The carved medieval stones stand near the ruined abbey's parking lot.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Original Puppets from 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'
- The residents of the Land of Make-Believe live without much fanfare within the Pittsburgh Children's Museum.
- Lichfield, England
- Damaged Faces of Lichfield Cathedral
- These medieval carvings bear scars left by Parliamentarian troops during the English Civil War.
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Foreign Correspondents Club
- Originally a meeting place for foreign correspondents and war reporters, the FCC remains an atmospheric spot for sunset drinks in Phnom Penh.
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Al-Serkal Mosque
- The largest mosque in Cambodia was built to unite the country's Muslim community but soon sparked division and controversy instead.
- Los Angeles, California
- Gower Gulch
- The mall's looks were inspired by the cowboy extras who used to meet up—and cause real trouble—at this Hollywood hub.
- New Hartford, Connecticut
- Satan's Kingdom State Recreation Area
- Who knew the Devil's domain was a hot spot for tubing?
- Calhoun, Georgia
- Rock Garden Calhoun
- Incredible miniature towns and buildings created and decorated with thousands of tiny rocks.
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Puck's Glen
- This ethereal, rainforest-like gorge is home to waterfalls, quaint bridges, and fairy folk.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- La Madone de São Paulo
- This giant mural of Santa Muerte in downtown São Paulo reminds passersby of their own mortality.
- Santa Ana, Venezuela
- Embrace of Bolívar and Morillo
- The monument marks where Simón Bolívar and his Spanish adversary Pablo Morillo met to have a drink together.
- Bhimashankar, India
- India's Giant Technicolor Squirrels
- These particularly resplendent rodents are the state animal of Maharashtra.
- Shlisselburg, Russia
- Oreshek Fortress
- An abandoned 14th-century castle and prison complex on a small island in the Neva River.
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Food Gatherers' Giant Carrots
- The 10-foot-tall vegetables belong to Michigan’s first food rescue program.
- Belvedere Tiburon, California
- Old St. Hilary's Chapel
- One of the last remaining Carpenter Gothic churches is situated on a wildflower conservatory overlooking the bay.
- Paris, France
- Notre Dame du Travail Church
- The industrial architecture honors the laborers who brought the Exposition Universelle of 1900 to life.
- Torrey, Utah
- Factory Butte
- A striking, menacing sandstone peak towering above a landscape that's equal parts Mordor and the Moon.
- Moulton, England
- Moulton Crow Fair
- Every July, men dressed as giant crows dance around a scarecrow who comes to life.
- Coventry, England
- Cheylesmore Manor Gatehouse
- All that remains of the medieval palace of the famous "Black Prince."
- Sonora, California
- Legends Books, Antiques & Soda Fountain
- A cozy bookstore is tucked within an old gold mine shaft beneath the cafe and ice cream shop.
- Beverly, Massachusetts
- Mice Manor
- A dollhouse full of taxidermy rodents, each one handcrafted and given a sordid past.
- Washington, D.C.
- Philo Farnsworth Statue
- This statue of the "father of television" stands prominently in the United States Capitol.
- South Yorkshire, England
- Dale Dyke Dam Marker and Memorials
- The collapse of the brand-new dam caused one of the worst floods in British history.
- Salem, Massachusetts
- Lyceum Hall
- The lecture hall where Alexander Graham Bell first demonstrated the long-distance phone call.
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Kayman’s Gate Bell Tower
- A neglected bell tower in modern Colombo is a symbol of the city's colonial past.
- New York, New York
- The Cross at Ground Zero
- Pulled from the rubble of one of the worst modern tragedies, a steel crossbeam became a symbol of hope for New Yorkers.
- Siracusa, Italy
- Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo
- Built on a medieval synagogue, this church has a burial crypt, tunnel system, and Jewish ritual bath hiding deep underneath.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Sé Station Mural
- An enigmatic mural hiding in plain sight in one of São Paulo's busiest metro stations.
- Sheffield, England
- Shepherd Wheel
- In England, an 18th-century water-powered workshop still stands.
- Sheffield, England
- Burton Street School
- It's known as the "Full Monty school" thanks to its role in the beloved British comedy film.
- Davis, California
- Bats of Yolo Causeway
- Each summer, the migratory bats living beneath the bypass form "batnadoes" at dusk.
- Elora, Ontario
- Golden Jubilee Graffito
- Among the cliffs of the Elora Gorge is an oft-overlooked piece of celebratory graffiti.
- Caerleon, Wales
- Caerleon Amphitheatre
- This Roman amphitheater is said to be King Arthur's legendary Round Table.
- Ventaquemada, Colombia
- Puente de Boyacá
- This small bridge serves as a symbol of South America's independence.
- Visby, Sweden
- Sankt Göransporten Arrow Slit
- A catapult rock from Gotland’s 13th-century civil war is still lodged in Scandinavia's best-preserved medieval city wall.
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Pettah Floating Market
- Pettah's beautiful floating market was once a stinky canal in a sketchy industrial area.
- Emeryville, California
- Big Daddy's Complete Rejuvenating Community Garden
- This small oasis of flora and art was created in remembrance of a local auto business owner.
- Bristol, England
- Lollipop Be-Bop
- A plaque claims this artwork outside a children's hospital was used in the 1998 Quidditch World Cup.
- Izumo-shi, Japan
- Izumo-Taisha
- What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shinto mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.
- Maitland, Nova Scotia
- Burntcoat Head Park
- The highest tides in the world come in and out here twice a day, allowing you to essentially walk along the ocean floor.
- Berlin, Germany
- The 'Hand with Watch' Sculpture
- Known simply as "The Hand," this famous public sculpture in Berlin was featured in a Depeche Mode music video.
- Medellín, Colombia
- La Alpujarra Administrative Center
- In the heart of Medellín, an artsy urban complex sets the stage for demonstrations and protests.
- Highland, Scotland
- Well of the Seven Heads
- This macabre monument atop an ancient well gives a nod to a brutal episode in Scottish clan history.
- Cave City, Kentucky
- Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum
- Amazing taxidermy dioramas from the 1960s in a cement building meant to look like an ice cave.
- Tambon Bang Ta Then, Thailand
- Wat Phai Rong Wua
- Parts of this sprawling temple complex are deteriorating, but its founder’s body remains intact.
- Batchelor, Australia
- Karlstein Castle Replica
- This mini version of the famous Bohemian castle was lovingly built by a Czech immigrant and mineworker.
- Crockett, California
- Wreckage of the S.S. Garden City
- The remains of a deserted steamboat sit rusting beside an old ferry pier and an abandoned train platform.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- La Puerta Falsa
- This tiny shop has been serving traditional tamales for more than 200 years.
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Ragnhildsholmen Castle Ruin
- This viking ruin in the middle of nowhere is a gem for wildlife enthusiasts.
- London, England
- Anaesthesia Heritage Centre
- This knockout museum lies in a sleepy corner of London.
- Hinckley, Ohio
- Worden's Ledges
- Faces carved into the cliffs create an otherworldly walking trail.
- Catoosa, Oklahoma
- D.W. Correll Museum
- It reportedly took three years to sort through all the objects in this eclectic lifelong collection.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Aztec Serpent Head Cornerstone
- On a cornerstone of the City Museum is the head of a monstrous serpent stolen from an Aztec pyramid 400 years ago.
- Walhalla, South Carolina
- Oconee Station State Historic Site
- A historic blockhouse and trading post give a glimpse into the early colonial history of South Carolina.
- Sponsored by SCPRT
- Kassel, Germany
- Artists Necropolis (Künstler-Nekropole)
- At this cemetery, artists are invited to design their own gravestones.
- Los Angeles, California
- Wells Fargo History Museum
- Hidden in one of the skyscrapers on Bunker Hill, this museum features an 1895 stagecoach and peers into California’s gold-lined history.
- Inverness, California
- KPH Maritime Radio Receiving Station
- An enchanting tunnel of cypress trees leads to an old morse code station still used today.
- Millport, Scotland
- Cathedral of the Isles
- The United Kingdom's smallest working cathedral also serves as a quaint bed and breakfast.
- Palermo, Italy
- Santa Maria dello Spasimo
- This skeletal, unfinished Gothic church once housed a miraculous masterpiece by Raphael.
- Sevan, Armenia
- Sevanavank
- This ancient monastery complex was transformed from an island to a peninsula when the lake was partially drained.
- Perth and Kinross, Scotland
- Tomnadashan Mine
- Monty Python fans will recognize this abandoned mine as the Cave of the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog.
- Coventry, England
- Caludon Castle Ruins
- This ruin in a suburban park may be the place where Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was first performed.
- Bosque, New Mexico
- Bernardo Waterfowl Area
- The winter home of thousands of beautiful snow geese and sandhill cranes.
- Creede, Colorado
- Creede Underground Firehouse
- The only firehouse built entirely into the side of a mountain.
- Hobart, Australia
- 'Heading South' Statues at Hobart Harbor
- Bronze statues honor the brave explorers who passed through this Antarctic gateway.
- Adelaide, Australia
- Santos Museum of Economic Botany
- A wealth of plants and horticultural curiosities fill this charmingly antique museum.
- Brussel, Belgium
- Black Tower
- A fantastical 13th-century fortification sandwiched by a modern hotel in central Brussels.
- Sweden
- Lummelunda Cave
- This fantastic cave remained unexplored until 1948 when three schoolboys discovered a hidden entrance.
- ??, Kyrgyzstan
- Muzey Sulayman Too
- An outstanding piece of retro Sci-Fi architecture built into a sacred mountain.
- Weston, West Virginia
- Blenko Man
- This colorful West Virginia cowboy greets passersby with a glassy stare.
- Athens, Greece
- Lycabettus Funicular
- The railway carts travelers to central Athen's highest peak, which offers stunning vistas of the city.
- Boston, England
- Misericords of Boston Stump
- These carved medieval "mercy seats" are among the finest in the world.
- Chicago, Illinois
- The U.S. Pizza Museum
- In Chicago, a pizza-enthusiast has opened a museum dedicated to the history of pizza.
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Colorado's Airplane Restaurant
- This Boeing KC-97 tanker is now a restaurant for aviation lovers.
- Estes Park, Colorado
- Birthplace of the American Board of Orthodontics
- The start of the group that straightened the teeth of a nation.
- Tacoma, Washington
- Bridge of Glass
- A beautiful footbridge with over 2,000 glass sculptures along the walls and ceiling.
- Pechory, Russia
- Pskov-Caves Monastery
- This 15th-century cave complex is one of the very few monasteries to stay open throughout World War II and the Soviet regime.
- ???, Kazakhstan
- Filles Dansantes
- A statue of traditional Kazakh dancers adds some beauty to this Soviet-era mining city.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Fuente de las Nereidas
- A beautiful fountain sculpted by a female artist who was ahead of her time.
- Port McNeill, British Columbia
- The Ronning Burl
- A Canadian port town is oddly home to two of the largest tree burls in the world.
- Saint-Cloud, France
- Le Grand K
- The global standard for the exact weight of one kilogram sits under lock and key outside Paris.
- Faroe Islands
- The Nykur of Sørvágsvatn
- In Faroese legend, this sinister horse-shaped beast lures unsuspecting passersby only to drown them in the lake.
- Whitby, England
- Fortune's Smokehouse
- This tiny traditional smokehouse is the only one left in this historic fishing port.
- Siavonga, Zambia
- Chirundu Fossil Forest
- The petrified remains of 150-million-year-old trees can be seen in and among the houses of the local villagers.
- Zittau, Germany
- Zittau Narrow-Gauge Railway
- This historic little railroad runs through some of the most beautiful scenery in Germany.
- Borgholm, Sweden
- Trollskogen (The Troll Forest)
- Crooked windswept pines give this old forest an enchanted and magical look.
- La Falda, Argentina
- Hotel Edén
- This magnificent abandoned hotel was long haunted by its Nazi past.
- Bartow, Florida
- Wonder House
- Given just one more year to live, Conrad Schuck built his dream house in Bartow, Florida.
- Harhorin, Mongolia
- Imperial Map Monument
- History, geography, and shamanism meet in this eye-catching monument to the greatness of three empires.
- Pueblo, Colorado
- The Colorado Mental Health Museum
- A mental health hospital dating back more than 139 years, now features a museum.
- Seoul, South Korea
- Coffee Hanyakbang
- About as hidden as can be, this specialty coffee shop is wedged between multi-story buildings at the end of a dark, skinny alleyway in Seoul.
- Newark-on-Trent, England
- The Newark Castle Remains
- This English medieval castle is where King John died of dysentery.
- Oak Ridge, Tennessee
- B-1 Flat Top in Oak Ridge
- One of the Cemestos prefab homes built to secretly house thousands of Manhattan Project workers.
- Nohijai Pançakent, Tajikistan
- Ancient Panjakent
- The remains of an ancient city-state along the Silk Road.
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Frunze Museum
- Dedicated to a Bolshevik revolutionary, this museum is a true time capsule of the Soviet era.
- Matsuyama-shi, Japan
- Kururin Ferris Wheel
- A giant rooftop ride with unbeatable views of Matsuyama city, the nearby mountain ranges, and the Inland Sea.
- Schwerin, Germany
- The Ducal Family Crypt in the Church of St. Nikolai
- Seventeen members of the local royal family are interred in this Baroque church in northern Germany.
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Tchai-Ovna House of Tea
- Hidden on a cobblestone street in Glasgow, a Czech Cajovna-inspired teahouse serves as a hangout for Bohemians.
- Sun Valley, Idaho
- The Hemingway Memorial
- Tucked away on a scenic trail, a modest memorial honors one of the greatest writers of our time.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Saint Mary of the Seven Sorrows Catholic Church
- This church houses the “incorrupt” body of its founding Bishop.
- Tortosa, Spain
- Commemorative Monument of the Battle of the Ebro
- This memorial, built by fascist dictator General Franco in 1960, has been repurposed by the people of Catalonia.
- Alnwick, England
- The RMS Olympic Dining Room
- This restaurant was removed from the famed sister ship of the Titanic and placed within a hotel.
- Vernon Hills, Illinois
- Cuneo Mansion
- The study has wall paneling from a 17th century ship.
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Church of Santa Engrácia
- Portugal's National Pantheon has a history of curses, collapses and financial problems.
- Asmara, Eritrea
- Fiat Tagliero Service Station
- Eritrea's futuristic gas station is a nod to Italy's fascist history.
- Portland, Oregon
- Collins Beach UFO Boat
- This abandoned boat sits on a nude beach, is shaped like a UFO, and is covered in graffiti.
- Queens Domain, Australia
- The Ruins of Hobart Zoo
- Once the home of Tasmanian tigers, this forgotten zoo is now a reminder of the past.
- Wellfleet
- The Pest House Cemetery
- A 19th-century smallpox cemetery is being reclaimed by scrub forest and sand dunes.
- Federal Way, Washington
- Pacific Bonsai Museum
- A comprehensive collection of bonsai set in a beautiful campus.
- Tambov, Russia
- Museum of Sin
- A home-made anatomical collection of medical anomalies and accidental catastrophes.
- Tromsø, Norway
- Svalbard Satellite Station
- This Norwegian satellite station provides ground services to more satellites than any other facility in the world.
- Sheffield, England
- Posh Pillar and her Daughters
- As part of a larger public art project, three pillars honor the past of Wincobank.
- Snowshill, England
- Snowshill Manor
- The home of an eccentric Edwardian gentleman is packed to the rafters with handcrafted items collected over a lifetime.
- Medellín, Colombia
- Virgen Rosa Mystica (Virgin of the Mystic Rose)
- The religious shrine that Pablo Escobar's men would allegedly visit before completing a mission.
- Przhevalsk, Kyrgyzstan
- Dungan Mosque
- Built entirely of interlocking pieces, construction of this Chinese Muslim house of worship required zero nails.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Original Tomb of Tomás Guido
- The humble tomb of an Argentine general, hand-built by his son using stones brought down from the Andes.
- Athens, Greece
- St. John Around the Column
- There are many Byzantine-era churches still standing in Athens, but this is the only one with a 2,500-year-old column rising through its roof.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Mafalda Monument
- These small sculptures pay homage to the lovable star of an iconic Argentine comic strip.
- Bensalem, Pennsylvania
- Wat Mongkoltepmunee
- A glittering Thai Buddhist temple in suburban Pennsylvania.
- Philipsburg, Montana
- Granite Ghost Town
- A little-visited ghost town state park offers a glimpse into Montana’s "Silver Queen."
- Vero Beach, Florida
- Indian River Citrus Museum
- This small museum concentrates on the juicy history of orange production in Florida.
- Sheffield, England
- The Giant Hands and Giant Feet of Wincobank
- In this quiet English suburb, giant steel hands and feet dot the landscape.
- Kabwe, Zambia
- 'Broken Hill Man' Monument
- The skull of an ancient hominid was discovered at this spot.
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Reunification Palace
- Meant to be a lavish presidential home, the palace became a symbol of the fall of South Vietnam.
- Georgetown's Haunted Halcyon House
- This stately mansion, built in 1787 by America's first Secretary of the Navy, is rumored to be one of the most haunted buildings in Washington, DC.
- Oakland, California
- Kaiser Quarry Ruins
- An abandoned car and strange wooden debris are among the scattered remains of the old sand and gravel quarry.
- Messinia, Greece
- The Well at Meligalas
- A sobering memorial at the site where hundreds of prisoners and civilians were executed in the aftermath of World War II.
- Geelong, Australia
- Geelong Bollards
- More than 100 colorful residents stand post in this seaside Australian city.
- Sheffield, England
- Enchanted Chairs
- A collection of throne-inspired sculptures dot the landscape of Wincobank.
- Second Mesa, Arizona
- Awatovi Ruins
- More than 300 years ago, a revolt at this Hopi pueblo shaped the future of the American Southwest.
- Nye County, Nevada
- Project Faultless Site
- The site of an underground detonation of a megaton nuclear bomb in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
- Athens, Greece
- Agia Dynami
- This small Byzantine-era church in Athens that's almost entirely surrounded by a modern building.
- Wheaton, Illinois
- The Hurley Gardens
- Tucked away amongst townhomes lies a restored, early 20th-century tea house and garden, the only remains of a historic estate.
- Serenje, Zambia
- Livingstone Memorial
- An obelisk marks the spot where a British explorer's heart was buried before the rest of his body was transported to England.
- Sheffield, England
- The Lost Gateway
- In the ancient Woolley Woods, an art project promises access to new worlds.
- Montclair, New Jersey
- Thomas Edison's Concrete Houses
- Edison's cast-in-place concrete houses were a massive failure, but way ahead of their time.
- Beyoglu, Turkey
- Yeralti Camii (Underground Mosque)
- A surprising and unconventional mosque hidden in the subsoil of Istanbul.
- Coventry, England
- Remains of the Whitefriars Friary
- The historic site where Queen Elizabeth I once gave a searing speech.
- Oakland, California
- Watermelon Rock
- A unique piece of graffiti offers a little slice of local history and mystery.
- Abiquiu, New Mexico
- Penitente Morada of Abiquiú
- The building stands within a quiet, postcard-perfect New Mexico village.
- George Town, Malaysia
- Pinang Peranakan Mansion
- The lavish, well-preserved home of a wealthy Baba Nyonya family is now a cultural museum.
- Mpulungu, Zambia
- Niamkolo Church
- Now abandoned, this stone church was part of the missionary efforts that initiated the Christianization of Zambia.
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Telegraph Building Belfast Blitz Scars
- A small plaque highlights the damage caused by German air raids during World War II.
- Cagnano Varano, Italy
- The Grotto Church of Saint Michael
- A spiritual sanctuary in a natural cave.
- Millport, Scotland
- Crocodile Rock
- A bizarre stone beast lurks on the beach of a popular tourist island.
- Berkeley, California
- Berkeley Tool Lending Library
- Part of the Berkeley Public Library, this tool library lets you check out a shovel along with your Shakespeare.
- Mbala, Zambia
- Mbala Surrender Monument
- A memorial in the middle of a roundabout marks the spot where German forces formally surrendered, finally ending World War I in Africa.
- Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Tippu Tip's House
- This slowly crumbling mansion was home to one of East Africa's richest and most powerful slave traders.
- Hoà Phú, Vietnam
- Golden Bridge
- This spectacular bridge supported by two gigantic hands looks like something out of a fantasy universe.
- Fregene, Italy
- Casa Sperimentale
- This abandoned Brutalist treehouse is a hidden architectural relic.
- Failford, Scotland
- Peden's Cave
- A historic cave in Scotland once served as a hiding place for a famous Covenanter.
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Wheatland
- The home of possibly the least-loved U.S. president stands as a sort of unpopular Monticello.
- Booluvampatti, India
- The Adiyogi Shiva Statue
- The world's largest bust sculpture celebrates the Hindu deity, Shiva.
- El-Montaza, Egypt
- Baron Empain Palace
- Located near Cairo's El Korba district, the abandoned mansion continues to inspire mystery and rumor throughout the city.
- Devon, England
- 'My Dear Mother' Clock
- Instead of numerals, the unusual clock face spells out a memorial to a lost loved one.
- Ming-Kush, Kyrgyzstan
- Min Kush
- This village was once a thriving Soviet uranium mining center, but is now semi-abandoned and desolate.
- Zanesville, Ohio
- Lock #10 on the Muskingum River
- One of the last few period-correct, hand-operated canal locks in the country.
- Howick, South Africa
- Nelson Mandela Capture Site
- A mesmerizing sculpture marks the site where the activist was arrested after evading capture for 17 months.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Kungsträdgården Metro Station
- Stockholm's deepest subway station is also a stunning ecological wonder.
- Paris, France
- Pep's Maison
- One of the last umbrella repair shops in Paris upholds the nostalgic art of umbrella making.
- Summit, New Jersey
- Abandoned Summit Greenhouse
- An enormous overgrown greenhouse teeming with graffiti and wildlife.
- Sweden
- Villa Villekulla
- Visit the home of Sweden's beloved fictional character, Pippi Longstocking.
- Toronto, Ontario
- Simcoe Park 'Worker's Monument'
- The artwork commemorates the many ways 20th-century people perished while on the clock.
- Joliet, Illinois
- Joliet Correctional Center
- A historic and oft-filmed prison stands in a Chicago suburb.
- Câr?a, Romania
- Câr?a Monastery
- Climbing to the top of the cathedral's bell tower offers sweeping views of these medieval ruins.
- Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
- The Great Auk Sculpture
- A memorial to a giant seabird that was hunted to extinction.
- Bradenton, Florida
- Braden Castle Ruins
- These crumbling foundations are all that remain of the once-stately 1840s manor that gave the town of Bradenton its name.
- East Ayrshire, Scotland
- Ballochmyle Cup and Ring Marks
- These ancient symbols freckling a Scottish cliff remained hidden for centuries.
- Ravenna, Italy
- Mausoleum of Theoderic
- The roof of this ancient mausoleum is made from a single Istrian stone weighing a massive 230 tons.
- Paisley, Scotland
- Paisley Abbey's 'Alien' Gargoyle
- A familiar otherworldly creature guards this 12th-century Scottish abbey.
- Kasama, Zambia
- Chambeshi Monument
- A stone memorial marks the spot where the fighting of World War I finally ceased—three days after the armistice was signed in Europe.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- The Sideways Grave of Sideways the Dog
- A slanted tomb honors the faithful, furry companion of the Georgia Tech student body.
- Monroe, Washington
- Reptile Zoo
- "The Reptile Man's" very own roadside zoo features an albino alligator.
- Læsø, Denmark
- Museumsgården
- This antique farmhouse is one of Læsø's rare seaweed houses.
- Seattle, Washington
- Fremont Solstice Parade
- Once a year, thousands of naked cyclists flood the streets of a Seattle neighborhood.
- Howick, South Africa
- Howick Falls
- Local lore says a serpent-like beast lurks in the deep basin below the falls.
- Lumberton, Mississippi
- Salmon/Sterling Nuclear Tests Marker
- This largely forgotten piece of Cold War history stands hidden in the woods just north of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- Guilford Township, Indiana
- Who North America
- One of the largest collections of merchandise from the famous British sci-fi show can be found smack in the middle of Indiana.
- Bruges, Belgium
- Smedenpoort Skull
- The bronzed skull of a beheaded traitor was affixed to the city gate in the 17th century.
- Chehalis, Washington
- Yard Birds Mall
- A giant roadside black bird marks the location of this eclectic local mall.
- Abernethy, Scotland
- Abernethy Round Tower
- One of two Irish-style round towers in Scotland, this structure has mysterious origins.
- Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
- Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
- This sacred fig tree with a link to the Buddha is one of the oldest human-planted trees in the world.
- Saranac Lake, New York
- Saranac Lake 'Cure Cottages'
- Dozens of houses in the Adirondack Mountains are reminders of a literal "cottage industry" to cure people of a deadly disease.
- Stirling, Scotland
- Doon Hill and Fairy Knowe
- This enchanting hill is home to fairy lore and a sinister local mystery.
- Cedarburg, Wisconsin
- Pagoda Fine Jewelry
- The building was originally a gas station built to resemble a Japanese tea house.
- Dushanbe, Tajikistan
- Wall of Great Tajik Writers
- A building facade covered with the statues of 11 giants of Tajik literature.
- Barlborough, England
- Golden Gate Memorial Arch
- This Victorian gate contains cryptic inscriptions in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
- Maltby, England
- Roche Abbey Ruins
- Legend has it the famous Robin Hood would attend mass at this 12th-century Cistercian abbey in Sherwood Forrest.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Carousel Bar
- The only rotating bar in New Orleans has been slowly spinning since 1949.
- Vashon, Washington
- Fence of Doors
- Walking by this fence is like strolling along a portal to various fictional worlds.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Teleférico Quito
- The gondolas let you glimpse a bird's-eye view of one of the world's highest capital cities.
- Kyrgyzstan
- Aalam Ordo
- This mysterious complex of abandoned yurts and fading murals was meant to be a center of science and spirituality in Kyrgyzstan.
- Chester, England
- Chester Town Hall Clock Tower
- The west-facing wall was supposedly left blank to snub the Welsh.
- South Hero, Vermont
- Miniature Castles of South Hero
- A gardener's enduring labor of love is spread throughout a small Vermont town.
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Davaar Island Cave Painting
- The artwork is tucked within a cave on a tiny Scottish island only accessible at low tide.
- London, England
- Euston's Lost Tunnels
- A network of concealed passageways lies within a busy London Underground station.
- Gouverneur, New York
- Giant Life Savers Roll
- A giant roll of mints marks the birthplace of one of America's most famous candy brands.
- Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, Québec
- Liberator III Crash Site
- The remains of the worst military aviation accident in Canada's history.
- New York, New York
- Gay Liberation
- The first piece of public art dedicated to LGBT rights.
- Tularosa, New Mexico
- Three Rivers Petroglyph Site
- More than 21,000 images fill this overlooked gem of a prehistoric site.
- Kojomkul, Kyrgyzstan
- Kojomkul Memorial
- An unusual monument to a gentle giant who became a Kyrgyz hero.
- Waterford, Connecticut
- Seaside Sanatorium
- Ruins of a historic medical facility with a troubling past sit eerily by the water.
- London, England
- Alfred Hitchcock's London Flat
- One of the greatest movie directors of all time lived and worked in this London flat from 1926 to 1939.
- Tash-Bashat, Kyrgyzstan
- Eki-Naryn Forest Swastika
- The origin of this sinisterly shaped forest is rooted in mystery.
- Dunure, Scotland
- Dunure Labyrinth
- This modern labyrinth lies in the shadow of a ruined medieval castle.
- New York, New York
- Survivor Tree
- The last living thing to come out of the rubble after 9/11 is now a symbol of hope and resilience.
- Sweden
- Gnisvärd Stone Ships
- Ancient stone graves shaped like ships provided a Viking-like burial to carry the dead to the afterlife.
- Tambon Ao Nang, Thailand
- Chicken Island
- This nugget of paradise earned its name for obvious reasons.
- Amer, India
- Amber Fort
- This opulent 16th-century Maharaja’s palace is a unique mix of Hindu and Muslim designs.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Czar PRL: Life Under Communism Museum
- This hidden collection of everyday objects illustrates life within communist Poland.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Norber Erratics
- A group of glacial erratic boulders improbably balanced on white limestone pedestals.
- Cachi, Argentina
- Ovnipuerto Cachi
- A Swiss man built this airstrip for aliens because a UFO captain telepathically told him to.
- Whiston, England
- Whiston Manorial Barn
- In England, a barn-turned-wedding venue dates back to the 13th century.
- Pacific Grove, California
- Pacific Grove Butterfly House
- Hopeless romantics will swoon over the sweet story behind this bright and colorful home.
- Ulricehamn SV, Sweden
- Sjö-Gunnarsbo Sanatorium
- An abandoned, deteriorating tuberculosis hospital from the turn of the 20th century.
- Missoula, Montana
- A Carousel for Missoula
- A classic carnival ride that was carved to be untouchable.
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Greater Light
- A pig barn converted into one of the most eclectic residences in Nantucket.
- Vladimir, Russia
- Cathedral of Saint Demetrius
- Thousands of biblical and pagan images are carved into this small 12th-century church.
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Mister Rogers Icon at St. Paul's Church
- Everyone's favorite neighbor is remembered fondly in this small-town church.
- Shirakawa-mura, Japan
- Shirakawa-go
- This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Monserrate Sanctuary
- Pilgrims each carried a brick to the top of Mount Monserrate to help build this historic sanctuary in Colombia.
- Melbourne, Australia
- 'Mr. Lizard and the Gumnut Baby' Statue
- Children's author May Gibb’s beloved stories about the tiny, human-like "Gumnut Babies" are immortalized in bronze.
- London, England
- Roman Wharf Timber
- The 2,000-year-old beam is tucked within the pedestrian entrance to the old London Bridge.
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Biltmore Estate's Secret Passages
- The enormous 250-room Vanderbilt mansion conceals hidden doors and secret passageways.
- Sponsored by Explore Asheville
- Jordan, Minnesota
- Minnesota's Largest Candy Store
- This bright yellow building is packed with sweet treats from all around the world, from chocolate-covered crickets to whoopie pies.
- Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- IG Farben Haus
- From Nazi chemicals to the CIA, this gargantuan architectural marvel has played a fascinating role in German history.
- Ishkoshim, Tajikistan
- Yamchun Fort
- This ancient Silk Road outpost overlooking the Wakhan Valley is miraculously still standing.
- Boulder, Montana
- Elkhorn Ghost Town
- This off-the-beaten-path abandoned town is a relic of Montana's silver mining boom.
- Anaconda, Montana
- Washoe Theater
- This tiny movie theater was the last one in the U.S. constructed in the Nuevo Deco architectural style.
- Tokamachi-shi, Japan
- House of Light
- This traditional Japanese-style house doubles as one of James Turrell's colorful works of art.
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Elephant Nature Park
- Thailand's distressed elephants find peace at this Chiang Mai sanctuary.
- Queens, New York
- The Welling Court Mural Project
- A collaborative art project that transformed a neighborhood in NYC's Queens.
- Llanes, Spain
- Bufones de Arenillas
- Stormy conditions send jets of seawater bursting through holes in the cliffs.
- Madrid, Spain
- Muslim Walls of Madrid
- Among the oldest structures in Madrid, these Moorish walls once guarded the medieval city of Mayrit.
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Alcázar de Colón
- After Christopher Columbus died, his son built a fancy house to rule from.
- Xiva, Uzbekistan
- Walls of Itchan Kala
- Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.
- Bristol, England
- Redcliffe Caves
- There's a labyrinth of manmade tunnels stretching for over an acre beneath Bristol.
- New York, New York
- Audubon Mural Project
- Walking around West Harlem reveals a scavenger hunt of beautiful bird murals.
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Downtown Presbyterian Church
- Victorian-era Egyptomania left its mark on this Nashville landmark.
- Chittorgarh, India
- Chittorgarh Fort
- A former bastion of Rajput chivalry, this massive hill fort is the site of legend and tragedy.
- Stokke, Norway
- Sti For Øye
- Art becomes an enchanting part of the environment at this wooded sculpture park.
- Saint Jacobs, Ontario
- Maple Syrup Museum of Ontario
- This quaint museum taps into the sweet history of the maple syrup industry.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Kastellet Stockholm
- The Swedish flag over this small naval fort signals whether or not the nation is at peace.
- Kronshtadt, Russia
- Kronshtadt Sea Gauge
- This historic system is the zero level benchmark for measuring the depths and altitudes of the Baltic.
- Cashiers, North Carolina
- Grimshawes Post Office
- This 5-by-6-foot wooden hut is the smallest historic post office in the U.S.
- Sponsored by Visit North Carolina (Jackson County)
- New York, New York
- Portrait of an Unidentified Woman
- The mysterious image is believed to show Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, in a beautiful blue dress.
- Navajas, Spain
- Salto de la Novia
- Translating as "The Jump of the Girlfriend," this stunning waterfall has a tragic legend behind it.
- Bristol, England
- Vale Street
- England's steepest street has such a drastic incline that locals tie their parked cars to lampposts when it gets icy.
- Zanzibar, Tanzania
- The House of Wonders
- In Zanzibar, a historic 19th-century palace is a reminder of the world's shortest war.
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca (Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca)
- A 16th-century monastery boasts a lush array of plants native to Mexico’s most biodiverse region.
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Clover HSQ
- A Harvard-area eatery preserves the uncovered tiles of its century-old predecessor.
- Craftsbury, Vermont
- Witch Windows
- According to the folklore, Vermont's slanted windows were installed to keep witches from flying into the house.
- Goslar, Germany
- Dukatenmännchen
- This cheeky statue of a man defecating gold coins graces the facade of a medieval guildhall.
- San Lawrenz, Malta
- The Inland Sea
- The fishing boats that moor in this small lagoon enter and leave through a tunnel to the sea.
- Berlin, Germany
- Carillon Berlin-Tiergarten
- One of the world's heaviest musical instruments towers within a popular urban park.
- Ramla, Israel
- Harry Potter's Grave
- This 1939 grave of a British soldier now receives legions of unlikely visitors.
- Bristol, England
- Clifton Rocks Railway
- The abandoned funicular tunnel was a secret base for the BBC during World War II.
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Basilica of Saint Lawrence, Asheville
- This rare basilica nestled right in downtown Asheville is an architectural marvel, inside and out.
- Sponsored by Explore Asheville
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Pritchard Park Drum Circle
- Every week, a festive public jam session breaks out in downtown Asheville.
- Sponsored by Explore Asheville
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Folk Art Center
- A wonderful display of arts and crafts handmade by local artisans in the Southern Appalachians.
- Sponsored by Explore Asheville
- Pamplin, Virginia
- Steins Unlimited
- One man's lifelong collection of 10,000 rare steins tells the story of beer drinking from 1350 to today.
- Barnardsville, North Carolina
- Craggy Gardens Rhododendron Tunnels
- Gnarled canopies of pink and purple wildflowers arch over the trail to the summit.
- Sponsored by Explore Asheville
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Homespun Museum
- The fine fabric handwoven at Biltmore Industries was once coveted around the world.
- Sponsored by Explore Asheville
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The Times They Are A-Changin'
- This kaleidoscopic mural shows Bob Dylan throughout his transition from young troubadour to Nobel laureate.
- East Riding of Yorkshire, England
- Rudston Monolith
- Britain's tallest megalith towers over the cemetery of a quiet English village.
- Nieuwkuijk, Netherlands
- Castle d'Oultremont
- This medieval castle was dyed pink as part of a now-abandoned children's theme park.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Museum of Sound
- An unusual collection of self-made musical instruments and unique noises.
- Compton, England
- Watts Cemetery Chapel
- This quaint mortuary chapel hides a stunning Celtic Revival and Art Nouveau interior.
- Cuba, New Mexico
- Crow Canyon Petroglyphs
- One of the American Southwest's most extensive collections of Navajo Rock art.
- London, England
- Brixton Windmill
- A fully functional, 200-year-old remnant of the time when Brixton was mostly fields.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Lenin's Hut
- A replica of the straw hut where Vladimir Lenin lived in hiding, disguised as a hay farmer, in 1917.
- Jerusalem, Israel
- President's Room
- On holy holidays, Israel's second president used this room atop Mount Zion as a refuge to read the Torah.
- Jaisalmer, India
- Jaisalmer Fort
- The oldest still-inhabited hill fort in India looks like a magnificent golden sandcastle.
- Portsmouth, England
- Spinnaker Tower
- This striking observation tower shaped like a spinnaker sail is the newest icon in historic Portsmouth.
- Liepupes pagasts, Latvia
- Kurmrags Lighthouse
- This abandoned beacon is moving closer and closer to the sea.
- Caledonia, Missouri
- Amalgam Gallery of Art
- This "little gallery in the middle of nowhere" is housed in a 170-year-old horse barn in the Missouri Ozarks.
- Tetbury, England
- Tetbury Dolphins
- It's a mystery as to why this inland village chose the dolphin as its symbol.
- Euclid, Ohio
- Hillandale Bridge
- This abandoned bridge to nowhere stands secluded in the woods of a Cleveland suburb.
- Oakland, California
- Cleveland Cascade
- A restored 1920s cascade stairway provides one of the best views of Oakland's Lake Merritt.
- Oranienburg, Germany
- Abandoned SS Brotfabrik
- A crumbling bakery where forced laborers from the nearby concentration camp toiled to feed their fellow prisoners and Nazi soldiers.
- Atherton, Australia
- Hou Wang Temple
- The last timber and iron Chinese temple in Australia.
- Sacramento, California
- Eagle Theatre
- A replica of the first public theater built in California.
- New York, New York
- Amiable Child Monument
- One of the only single-person private gravesites in New York City.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Longstone of Minchinhampton
- Local lore says passing infants through its holes could magically cure them of measles and rickets.
- College Park, Maryland
- Pinball Parlor at MOM's Organic Market
- Two dozen pinball games hidden away inside a most unlikely location.
- Geneva, Illinois
- Fabyan Villa Museum
- This house renovated by Frank Lloyd Wright was the centerpiece of a lavish 20th-century estate.
- London, England
- Down Street Underground Station
- The secret wartime bunker built on the platforms of an abandoned Tube station.
- Bay Village, Ohio
- Porter Creek Bridge Ruins
- The overgrown remains of an old rail bridge rise above the valley like ancient Greek ruins.
- Jodhpur, India
- Mehrangarh Fort
- This stunning 15th-century royal hill fort preserves the age of chivalry in Rajasthan.
- Barrow-in-Furness, England
- Furness Abbey
- What was once England's second-richest abbey is now a haunting ruin.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Union Stock Yard Gate
- One of the few remaining relics of the meatpacking hub that made Chicago the "hog butcher to the world."
- Hull, England
- Seven Seas Fish Trail
- Explore Hull's historic Old Town by following the sea creatures scattered throughout its charmingly cobbled streets.
- Glendale, California
- Tropico Post Office
- Don't bother sending any mail to this ghost town.
- Cornwall, England
- Tregothnan
- Grab a cuppa at England's first and only domestic tea plantation.
- Erkrath, Germany
- Feldhofer Grotto
- The first recognized Neanderthal remains were found in this now-lost cave in 1856.
- Berkhamsted, England
- Berkhamsted Castle
- This early Norman castle was the first historical monument protected by an act of Parliament.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Bibliotheca Thysiana
- This public library and its impressive collection of academic books have not changed since the 17th century.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Lappis Scream
- Every Tuesday, students let off steam by screaming into the night air.
- Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
- Schilthorn Piz Gloria
- A cablecar station-turned-revolving restaurant with 360-degree views of the Swiss skyline.
- Rye, England
- Rye Water House
- An ancient water supply dating back more than 100 years can still be found standing in East Sussex.
- Levashovo, Russia
- Levashovo Memorial Cemetery
- Pictures tacked onto trees remember the more than 40,000 of Stalin's victims buried here in mass graves.
- Bucharest, Romania
- Memorial of Rebirth
- This memorial to the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989 is often compared to a potato on a skewer.
- Wytheville, Virginia
- Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum
- The birthplace of Appalachia's only first lady, who some have dubbed the United States' "first female president."
- Widecombe in the Moor, England
- Widecombe Fair Horse
- This painted wooden sculpture depicts the characters of a popular Devon folk song.
- Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
- Ilana Goor Museum
- A modern-day cabinet of curiosities housed in a 300-year-old inn.
- Ust'-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
- Balbals of Oskemen
- Stelae-eyed stones greet visitors to a corner of Kirov Park.
- Bishop Auckland, England
- Auckland Castle Deer House
- This Georgian Gothic building was created to shelter and feed deer.
- Berlin, Germany
- Kaninchenfeld (Rabbit Field)
- These brass bunnies honor the rabbits that dominated the no-man's-land around the Berlin Wall.
- Bloomfield, New Mexico
- Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Study Area
- The land is full of geologic eye candy like otherworldly spires, mushroom-shaped hoodoos, and prehistoric fossils.
- Prague, Czechia
- Vinárna Certovka
- This walkway is so narrow it needs its own light to stop pedestrian traffic jams.
- Neenah, Wisconsin
- Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass
- The museum houses one of the world's largest collections of glass paperweights.
- Iceland
- Red Chair
- A giant red chair bolted to a rock on a remote mossy hillside in Iceland.
- Goslar, Germany
- Goslar Nail Head
- This strange sculpture is an enigmatic icon of this medieval German town.
- Ranthambhore Fort, India
- Ranthambore Fort
- The evocative ruins of a 1,000-year-old hill fort lie within a popular tiger reserve.
- Zhongshan District, Taiwan
- Leaning Mailboxes
- These charming mailboxes became social media stars after a typhoon failed to topple them.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- reCARstruction
- A giant ball made from pieces of an old Jeep.
- Cross Plains, Texas
- Robert E. Howard Museum
- The house where the pulp fiction writer and Conan the Barbarian creator lived and died.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Russian Museum of Military Medicine
- Rare documents, old instruments, and gruesome specimens showcase the history of military medicine.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The Times They Are A-Changin'
- This kaleidoscopic mural shows Bob Dylan throughout his transition from young troubadour to Nobel laureate.
- East Riding of Yorkshire, England
- Rudston Monolith
- Britain's tallest megalith towers over the cemetery of a quiet English village.
- Nieuwkuijk, Netherlands
- Castle d'Oultremont
- This medieval castle was dyed pink as part of a now-abandoned children's theme park.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Museum of Sound
- An unusual collection of self-made musical instruments and unique noises.
- Compton, England
- Watts Cemetery Chapel
- This quaint mortuary chapel hides a stunning Celtic Revival and Art Nouveau interior.
- London, England
- Brixton Windmill
- A fully functional, 200-year-old remnant of the time when Brixton was mostly fields.
- Blanco, New Mexico
- Crow Canyon Petroglyphs
- One of the American Southwest's most extensive collections of Navajo Rock art.
- Jerusalem, Israel
- President's Room
- On holy holidays, Israel's second president used this room atop Mount Zion as a refuge to read the Torah.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Lenin's Hut
- A replica of the straw hut where Vladimir Lenin lived in hiding, disguised as a hay farmer, in 1917.
- Jaisalmer, India
- Jaisalmer Fort
- The oldest still-inhabited hill fort in India looks like a magnificent golden sandcastle.
- Portsmouth, England
- Spinnaker Tower
- This striking observation tower shaped like a spinnaker sail is the newest icon in historic Portsmouth.
- Liepupes pagasts, Latvia
- Kurmrags Lighthouse
- This abandoned beacon is moving closer and closer to the sea.
- Tetbury, England
- Tetbury Dolphins
- It's a mystery as to why this inland village chose the dolphin as its symbol.
- Caledonia, Missouri
- Amalgam Gallery of Art
- This "little gallery in the middle of nowhere" is housed in a 170-year-old horse barn in the Missouri Ozarks.
- Euclid, Ohio
- Hillandale Bridge
- This abandoned bridge to nowhere stands secluded in the woods of a Cleveland suburb.
- Oakland, California
- Cleveland Cascade
- A restored 1920s cascade stairway provides one of the best views of Oakland's Lake Merritt.
- Oranienburg, Germany
- Abandoned SS Brotfabrik
- A crumbling bakery where forced laborers from the nearby concentration camp toiled to feed their fellow prisoners and Nazi soldiers.
- Atherton, Australia
- Hou Wang Temple
- The last timber and iron Chinese temple in Australia.
- Sacramento, California
- Eagle Theatre
- A replica of the first public theater built in California.
- New York, New York
- Amiable Child Monument
- One of the only single-person private gravesites in New York City.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Longstone of Minchinhampton
- Local lore says passing infants through its holes could magically cure them of measles and rickets.
- College Park, Maryland
- Pinball Parlor at MOM's Organic Market
- Two dozen pinball games hidden away inside a most unlikely location.
- Geneva, Illinois
- Fabyan Villa Museum
- This house renovated by Frank Lloyd Wright was the centerpiece of a lavish 20th-century estate.
- London, England
- Down Street Underground Station
- The secret wartime bunker built on the platforms of an abandoned Tube station.
- Bay Village, Ohio
- Porter Creek Bridge Ruins
- The overgrown remains of an old rail bridge rise above the valley like ancient Greek ruins.
- Jodhpur, India
- Mehrangarh Fort
- This stunning 15th-century royal hill fort preserves the age of chivalry in Rajasthan.
- Barrow-in-Furness, England
- Furness Abbey
- What was once England's second-richest abbey is now a haunting ruin.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Union Stock Yard Gate
- One of the few remaining relics of the meatpacking hub that made Chicago the "hog butcher to the world."
- Hull, England
- Seven Seas Fish Trail
- Explore Hull's historic Old Town by following the sea creatures scattered throughout its charmingly cobbled streets.
- Glendale, California
- Tropico Post Office
- Don't bother sending any mail to this ghost town.
- Cornwall, England
- Tregothnan
- Grab a cuppa at England's first and only domestic tea plantation.
- Erkrath, Germany
- Feldhofer Grotto
- The first recognized Neanderthal remains were found in this now-lost cave in 1856.
- Berkhamsted, England
- Berkhamsted Castle
- This early Norman castle was the first historical monument protected by an act of Parliament.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Bibliotheca Thysiana
- This public library and its impressive collection of academic books have not changed since the 17th century.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Lappis Scream
- Every Tuesday, students let off steam by screaming into the night air.
- Palermo, Italy
- Porta Nuova
- This triumphal 16th-century arched gateway leads to the oldest street in Palermo.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Hidden Basement in Smit
- A retail shop has preserved the 17th-century food cellar from the old building it now occupies.
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Untitled (Lamp/Bear)
- This blue behemoth of a bear is a colorful homage to Brown University's mascot.
- Madrid, Spain
- House of Beasts of Retiro Park
- The remains of the second-oldest zoo in Europe can be seen within these library gardens.
- Stockton, New Jersey
- Green Sergeant's Covered Bridge
- New Jersey's last historic covered bridge was rebuilt from pieces of the original 19th-century structure.
- Brighton, England
- Mechanical Memories Museum
- A vintage penny arcade hidden in the back of a fun fair-themed bar.
- Burhanpur, India
- Shahi Qila
- A fresco in this magnificent palace is said to have been the first depiction of the Taj Mahal's design.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Järnpojke
- Stockholm's tiniest statue is of a small boy looking at the Moon.
- Unzen-shi, Japan
- Obama Onsen
- Japan's hottest hot spring has a memorable name.
- Tilbury, England
- Tilbury Fort
- This star-shaped artillery fort protected the mouth of the Thames from the 16th century to the Second World War.
- Excelsior, Minnesota
- The Steamboat Minnehaha
- This vintage "streetcar boat" lay at the bottom of Lake Minnetonka until the 1980s.
- Main Beach, Australia
- Southport Cable Hut
- The Australian terminal of the Pacific Cable that linked the continent to North America.
- Medway, England
- Grain Tower Battery
- This abandoned gun tower was built to defend the River Thames from a French naval attack.
- Moss Landing, California
- Elkhorn Slough
- More than 700 species live within this murky marvel of a swamp on California's coast.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Magneto Mural
- The Master of Magnetism dominates the walls of a scrap metal yard to keep graffiti artists at bay.
- Bellingham, Washington
- Fairhaven Historic Markers
- Stones speckled along Harris Avenue reveal hidden nuggets of the past.
- Athens, Greece
- Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
- The only surviving choragic monument is a trophy awarded in 334 BC for the winning dramatic chorus.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Ribbinska Huset
- It is said that each of the white stones in the red facade of this medieval house represents the head of a murdered Swedish noble.
- Portslade, England
- Armada Beacon
- This large torch on the Hove coastline helped Sir Francis Drake defend England from the Spanish fleet.
- Tillamook, Oregon
- Tillamook Creamery
- This unassuming cheese empire in rural Oregon churns out more than 150,000 pounds of cheese each day.
- Sheboygan, Wisconsin
- James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden
- Whimsical sculptures dot a woodland path surrounding their creator's old summer cottage.
- Lviv, Ukraine
- Arkhivna Street
- This street has over a half-dozen names, all at once.
- Nederland, Colorado
- Rollins Pass Game Traps
- Paleoamericans built these ancient walls high in the Colorado Rockies as part of an extensive hunting system.
- Baraboo, Wisconsin
- International Clown Hall of Fame
- This circus town museum recognizes the outstanding clowns of history.
- Figueres, Spain
- Technology Museum of l'Empordà
- This overlooked museum houses an amazing collection of rare, antique typewriters.
- Riga, Latvia
- Castle of Light
- Latvia's symbolic mountain-shaped national library is home to millions of cultural tomes.
- Rovaniemi, Finland
- Santa Claus' Main Post Office
- Roughly 17 million letters to Santa have found their way to this Arctic Circle post office.
- Turnhout, Belgium
- National Museum of the Playing Card
- Relics from as far back as the 16th century are on display in a city known for its playing card industry.
- Madrid, Spain
- Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery
- Five million people are laid to rest here, more than the population of Madrid itself.
- Skagway, Alaska
- Arctic Brotherhood Hall
- The facade of this relic from the Klondike gold rush is decorated with over 8,800 pieces of driftwood.
- Athens, Greece
- St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church
- A Byzantine church containing the holy remnants of three saints sits atop the site of an ancient temple.
- Cannon Beach, Oregon
- Crescent Beach
- This gorgeous beach hides behind two headlands in Oregon's Ecola State Park.
- Salina, Utah
- CCC & POW Camp
- Where a guard killed nine German prisoners during one of the worst 20th-century POW camp massacres in U.S. history.
- Ararat, Australia
- Kennel Road
- Plastic pups and their colorful homes greet travelers on this otherwise ordinary Australian street.
- Palermo, Italy
- San Giovanni degli Eremiti
- Behind medieval walls in a corner of bustling Palermo is a breathtaking former mosque once inhabited by a wolf-taming hermit.
- Film City, Qatar
- Film City
- A creepy, deserted mock Arabian village in the middle of the Qatari desert.
- Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
- Beth Sholom Congregation
- Frank Lloyd Wright built this suburban synagogue late in life, but it stands among his most iconic masterpieces.
- Borås SV, Sweden
- Bockaby Urban Warfare Facility
- This abandoned urban warfare facility is a dream come true for airsoft and paintball enthusiasts.
- Borås, Sweden
- 'Pierre Brassau' Paintings at Borås Zoo
- The art critic claiming that "only an ape could have done this" was in fact right.
- Delta, Utah
- Topaz Museum
- A museum in rural Utah documents the history of the Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated there.
- Athens, Greece
- Tower of the Winds
- An ancient octagonal weather station named for the eight Greek gods of wind.
- Vancouver, Washington
- The Old Apple Tree
- The oldest apple tree in the Pacific Northwest.
- Roscoe, Illinois
- Historic Auto Attractions
- This deceivingly ordinary warehouse hides an enormous collection of pop culture treasures.
- Oxnard, California
- Prisoner of War Bone Model Ships
- French prisoners carved these boats from the bones of their meat rations.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory
- One of the world's premier laboratories for hydraulic engineering research takes full advantage of the water's power.
- Baraboo, Wisconsin
- International Crane Foundation
- This unique zoo is the only place in the world where you can see all 15 species of crane.
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Roedde House Museum
- This rare example of Vancouver's Victorian past was the home of one of the city's first bookbinders.
- Neillsville, Wisconsin
- World's Fair Wisconsin Pavilion
- This odd-shaped relic from the 1964 New York World's Fair found its way back home to Wisconsin.
- Northumberland, England
- Holy Island Boat Sheds
- These upturned herring boats make nifty storage sheds for fishing goods.
- Seguin, Texas
- Pape’s Nutcracker Museum
- One nutty businessman’s unique tribute to an ancient tool.
- Noli, Italy
- Nemo's Garden
- The world's first underwater farm is home to more than 700 plants.
- Borås, Sweden
- Figurines of Borås
- These miniature works of art are hiding in plain sight on buildings around the city.
- Kabul, Afghanistan
- Tajbeg Palace
- The abandoned palace stands as a wounded but proud beacon of Afghan hope.
- Fairfax, California
- Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
- Centuries of biking history are nestled in the shadow of the birthplace of contemporary mountain biking.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Hagia Sophia Wishing Column
- Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet your wish will be granted.
- Cardiff, Wales
- Roman Walls of Cardiff Castle
- The castle still holds traces of the abandoned Roman fort it was built atop.
- Athens, Greece
- Old Madrasa of Athens
- The ruined doorway is a portal to the building's turbulent and torturous past.
- Arrowtown, New Zealand
- Arrowtown Chinese Settlement
- This preserved village shows the modest lifestyles of the area's 19th-century Chinese gold miners.
- Province de Zagora, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga
- Exploring the wilder, more passionate sibling of Erg Chebbi feels like discovering a secret sun-kissed planet from another galaxy.
- Senoia, Georgia
- Barbie Beach
- This ever-changing arrangement of naked dolls even caught the attention of "The Walking Dead" crew.
- Rye, New Hampshire
- Pulpit Rock Tower
- The only one left of the 14 World War II watchtowers that dotted the New Hampshire seacoast.
- Calatafimi, Italy
- Temple of Segesta
- This amazingly preserved Doric temple was abandoned before it was ever completed.
- Red Cliffs, Australia
- Big Lizzie
- One of the world's largest tractors was built to replace camel caravans.
- Kerry, Ireland
- Fahan Beehive Huts
- Ireland's most remarkable collection of these curious cone-shaped houses is worth the buzz.
- Singapore
- LASALLE Campus Green
- A quiet patch of astroturf laid out between a building that seems to be splitting in half.
- Beitun District, Taiwan
- Carton King Creative Park
- Life-size animals and furniture made entirely from cardboard fill this odd paper-themed restaurant.
- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs
- An exceptional assortment of fossils recovered from private collections.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Puppet Cabinet at Monteiro Lobato Library
- Dozens of vintage puppets are displayed in an unassuming hallway at the public library.
- Fleury-devant-Douaumont, France
- Zone Rouge
- A swath of France so devastated by war it is still forbidden to go there.
- Trenton, New Jersey
- Shaky Bridge
- This tiny structure was built by the creator of the Brooklyn Bridge.
- New York, New York
- NYC Barber Museum
- This nostalgic blast from the grooming past is also a working barbershop.
- Highland, Scotland
- MV Glenachulish
- The last manually operated turntable ferry in the world.
- Lundin Links, Scotland
- Lundin Links Standing Stones
- A trio of giant megalithic stones in the middle of a golf course.
- Sarasota, Florida
- Molly the Mollusk
- The colossal squid's 27-foot-long corpse lies preserved within a Sarasota aquarium.
- Staffordshire, England
- Bevin Boys Memorial
- A long-overdue monument to the forgotten British men drafted into the coal mines during World War II.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Ao Rei das Mágicas
- São Paulo's oldest magic shop has been hiding in plain sight for nearly four decades.
- Siglufjörður, Iceland
- Herring Era Museum
- This excellent museum recreates the boom days of the herring rush in the "Atlantic Klondike."
- Erice, Italy
- Phoenician Walls of Erice
- Tourists to the mountaintop Sicilian town often overlook its ancient fortifications.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Westview Cemetery
- The largest cemetery in the American Southeast is a hidden gem near the heart of Atlanta.
- Saint-Denis, France
- Art Workshop of the Réunion des Musées Nationaux
- This hidden workshop is filled with molds of France's most iconic sculptures.
- Oxfordshire, England
- 'The Nuba Survival'
- In an isolated field near a dilapidated barn stands this chilling portrayal of the plight of the Nuba peoples of Sudan.
- ???, South Korea
- Korean Axe Murder Incident Memorial
- A monument to the two U.S. officers killed by North Korean troops while trying to trim a poplar tree.
- Norway
- Diskobukta Kittiwake Colony
- Thousands of birds nest in the cliffs while arctic foxes prowl below.
- La Ferté-sur-Chiers, France
- Ouvrage La Ferté
- This striking fort on the Maginot Line looks just as it did after being destroyed in the Fall of France.
- Eagle, Alaska
- Poker Creek
- The northernmost international land border crossing in the United States.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 'Miracle on Ice' Statue
- This statue of Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks immortalizes one of the greatest moments in American sports history.
- Waverly, Virginia
- First Peanut Museum in the U.S.
- A museum in the heart of Virginia peanut country devoted to the humble goober.
- Naples, Italy
- Anatomy Museum of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
- An eerie, little-known Neapolitan museum filled with preserved human remains.
- ???, South Korea
- Bridge of No Return
- The site of many tense prisoner exchanges across the Military Demarcation Line between North and South Korea.
- Mesa, Arizona
- Salt River Wild Horses
- These free-roaming horses were once destined to disappear from the land.
- Cairo, Egypt
- Al-Andalus Garden
- A preserved oasis with traditional Andalusian-style architecture and beautiful views of the Nile.
- Concord, Massachusetts
- Paul Revere Lantern
- One of two lighted lanterns hung in the church belfry on the eve of the Revolutionary War to warn that the British were on their way.
- Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Chile Pepper Institute
- At this research institute, the chile is king.
- Wiltshire, England
- West Kennet Long Barrow
- It's possible to walk inside one of the largest Neolithic tombs in Britain.
- Matmatat-Al-Qadimal, Tunisia
- Matmata Underground Houses
- Made famous by "Star Wars," these troglodyte homes face an uncertain future.
- Larne, Northern Ireland
- Larne Museum and Arts Centre
- Artifacts and exhibits tell the story of a small town that has punched above its weight and influenced history.
- Rhinelander, Wisconsin
- Rhinelapus
- Meet the "Green Monster" of Monico, Wisconsin.
- Melbourne, Australia
- Mailbox Art Space
- Tiny artwork tucked within glass letterboxes form this hidden gem of an art gallery.
- Tortosa, Spain
- Jardins del Príncep
- A botanical garden full of thought-provoking contemporary sculptures.
- Coventry, England
- Ford's Hospital
- For over 500 years this timbered alms house has provided a home for elderly residents of Coventry.
- Manteo, North Carolina
- William B. Umstead Bridge
- So many migrating birds roost on the bridge, it has a special summer speed limit.
- Kilkenny, Ireland
- Kells Priory
- These imposing walls and towers look more like the ruins of a fortress than a monastery.
- Kunming Shi, China
- Tomb of Nie Er
- The memorial gravesite of the young composer of China's national anthem.
- Melbourne, Australia
- Princess Theatre
- One of the oldest theaters in Australia, it's also said to be haunted by a performer who died on stage.
- Bavay, France
- Bavay Ancient Forum
- These ruins reveal the remarkably intact layout of a Roman marketplace.
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Tito's Blue Train
- Ride in 1960s style on the private luxury train Marshal Josip Tito used to travel around Yugoslavia.
- Islandmagee, Northern Ireland
- Ballylumford Dolmen
- This Bronze Age tomb makes the most unusual front garden fixture.
- Rome, Italy
- Stumbling Stones of Rome
- Brass cobblestones mark the places where individual Holocaust victims were taken from their homes.
- Dunbar, Scotland
- John Muir's Birthplace
- The small Scottish townhouse where the "Father of the National Parks" was born.
- Xanten, Germany
- Klever Gate
- These tenacious 14th-century towers defied demolition and are now a fairytale vacation rental.
- Montmartre, Saskatchewan
- Eiffel Tower of Montmartre
- The "Paris of the Prairies" wouldn't be complete without a replica of the iconic landmark.
- Dolgarrog, Wales
- Remains of the Dolgarrog Dam Disaster
- The worst flood disaster in Welsh history might have been a lot worse if it had not happened on movie night.
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Wellington Cable Car
- New Zealand's only running funicular railway.
- Anamosa, Iowa
- Hula Hoop Tree
- Two hula hoops appeared on the tree after a storm, and the collection kept growing.
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Capitol Park
- These ruins are all that's left of the former Alabama State Capitol.
- Culver City, California
- Old Growth (New/Now)
- A pair of disused Los Angeles electrical poles now glow with delicate windows into the past.
- North Ogden, Utah
- Stump Spring
- Water flowed out of the town's unusual tree stump fountain in the 1930s, and the well still runs today.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- The Z Machine
- The most powerful laboratory radiation source in the world pulses with 1,000 times the electricity of a lightning bolt.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Gates of Hell
- The entrance to this sinisterly named tunnel hides behind a Tim Hortons.
- Portland, Oregon
- USS Blueback
- The U.S. Navy's last diesel-electric submarine rests half-submerged in the middle of Portland.
- Canora, Saskatchewan
- Lesia
- The giantess welcomes travelers to a small Saskatchewan town with a traditional Slavic greeting of bread and salt.
- Queens, New York
- Greaser on a Clock
- A mysterious statue of a leather jacket-clad rebel leans coolly on an odd yellow clock.
- London, England
- Peace Garden at Tavistock Square
- A quiet, semi-secret square with statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Virginia Woolf, and a conscientious objectors stone.
- Los Angeles, California
- Los Angeles Fire Department Museum
- Formerly Fire Station No. 27, the museum is a hidden gem in the heart of Hollywood.
- Breña Baja, Spain
- Pirámide de Vandama
- A pre-Hispanic pyramid in the middle of a tourist district in the Canary Islands.
- Metepec, Mexico
- Pino Suárez Linear Garden
- This sculpture garden is a serene oasis wedged in the middle of a busy highway.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- 'Birthplace of Dixie' Plaque
- The South's nickname was supposedly born at a former bank in New Orleans' French Quarter.
- Labruge, Portugal
- Praia de São Paio
- Iron Age runes and ruins hide in plain sight along this Portuguese beach.
- Papua New Guinea
- Talasea Airstrip
- Two World War II aircraft lie within the jungle around this abandoned runway.
- New York, New York
- Dyckman Farmhouse
- This Dutch Colonial home is the oldest remaining farmhouse in Manhattan.
- Santa Barbara, California
- Whale House
- This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa.
- Auchtermuchty, Scotland
- Jimmy Shand Statue
- A small Scottish town's larger-than-life tribute to the celebrated accordion player.
- Zanesville, Ohio
- Vasehenge
- A circle of giant painted vases in the former pottery capital of the U.S.
- Watford, England
- The Watford Hornet
- Flying high, this unusual hornet statue celebrates the local soccer team formerly owned by Elton John.
- Florence, Italy
- Platform 16 Holocaust Deportation Memorials
- Memorials at a Florence railway station remember the citizens who were deported from Italy and sent to extermination camps.
- Hobart, Australia
- Maritime Museum of Tasmania
- Countless expeditions have left Tasmania to explore Antarctica, but this island state has an even deeper connection with the sea.
- Chartres, France
- Chartres Cathedral Crypt
- The largest crypt ever constructed in France was built in the 12th century on an ancient Druid sacred site.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- AlbaNova Telescope
- Sweden's largest optical telescope sits on a rooftop in Stockholm.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Maastunnel
- The Netherlands' first car tunnel has an unusually rectangular shape.
- Ochopee, Florida
- Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport
- This isolated airport in the middle of the Everglades sees more alligators than planes.
- Akron, New York
- Destroyer Park Golf
- A masked wrestling legend has opened the first U.S. course devoted to a meditative Japanese golf variant.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Temple of Taffeh
- An ancient Egyptian temple sits within a modern European museum.
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Tesco Metro
- A palatial former bank building now houses what may be the poshest convenience store in Belfast.
- Seki-shi, Japan
- Monet's Pond
- This pond is so stunning it looks like you've stepped into one of Monet's masterpieces.
- Civitacampomarano, Italy
- CVTà Street Fest
- A medieval Italian village is fighting depopulation with this vibrant annual street art festival.
- Iisalmi, Finland
- Kuappi
- The smallest restaurant in the world.
- Moira, England
- Moira Furnace
- This early 19th-century blast furnace only survived because it was a financial and technical failure.
- Bruceton Mills, West Virginia
- Henry Clay Iron Furnace
- A well-preserved relic of the industrial age steel and iron works that dotted West Virginia.
- Hilliard, Ohio
- Early Television Museum
- A retro walk through the history of the tube.
- Datong District, Taiwan
- Rixing Type Foundry
- Taiwan's last Chinese character letterpress preserves the dying art of Chinese character mold making.
- Irlavas pagasts, Latvia
- Bridge to Nowhere
- A railway bridge leading nowhere stands lonely in the middle of a meadow.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Pantheon of San Fernando
- The burial place of some of Mexico's most prominent residents is full of macabre stories and hidden masonic symbols.
- Staten Island, New York
- Alice Austen House
- The pioneering photographer's prints are immortalized inside her childhood home.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Uppland Runic Inscription 53
- An ancient Viking runestone hidden in plain view in Stockholm's old town.
- Darwin City, Australia
- Darwin Oil Storage Tunnels
- World War II ended before these tunnels built to protect vital oil from Japanese bombs were ever used.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholms Spelmuseum
- It's always game time at Stockholm's only museum devoted solely to video games.
- Georgia
- Ananuri
- This architecturally eclectic fortress witnessed centuries of bloody turmoil, including the massacre of its ruling clan.
- Burgos, Spain
- Arco de Santa María
- The most elaborate of 12 medieval arched doorways to the old city of Burgos.
- Glynn, Northern Ireland
- St. John's Church
- Local legend says there's treasure hidden within its crowded graveyard.
- Evanston, Illinois
- Grosse Point Lighthouse
- A historic beacon built in the aftermath of the worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes.
- Athens, Greece
- Dromeas (The Runner)
- A sharp sculpture made of thousands of pieces of jagged glass.
- Rome, Italy
- Mussolini's Balcony
- The spot where the fascist dictator made some of his most famous speeches including declaring war on Britain and France.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Castroville Hearse
- An antique horse-drawn hearse provided French luxury for the dead in this Texan town.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Frank Lloyd Wright's Burnham Block
- Six tiny houses built for working class people form the largest intentional cluster of Wright homes anywhere.
- Vatican City
- Vatican Mosaic Studio
- A hidden workshop for creating and restoring Papal mosaic masterpieces.
- Leça da Palmeira, Portugal
- Tidal Pools of Leça da Palmeira
- An early work of the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, these swimming pools blend into the beach.
- Wicklow, Ireland
- The Central Shop
- Not actually a shop, but one fan's passionate show of support for a rival county's Gaelic football team.
- Workington, England
- Lookout
- This unique sculptural clock transforms into a periscope every hour.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Wollaton Hall
- A striking 500-year-old mansion provides an unexpectedly sublime home for live deer and a menagerie of exotic stuffed animals.
- Point Pleasant, West Virginia
- West Virginia State Farm Museum
- The farming museum contains an extensive taxidermy collection, including the world's largest stuffed horse.
- Longyearbyen, Norway
- Svalbard Bryggeri
- The world's northernmost brewery uses water from a 2,000-year-old glacier to create its beer.
- Macau
- Old Protestant Cemetery
- The final resting place of 19th-century sailors previously banned from being buried within Portuguese Macau.
- Nasca, Peru
- The Paredones
- These overlooked ruins give an intimate look at the Inca Empire's urban planning prowess.
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Europa Hotel
- It was once nicknamed "the most bombed hotel in Europe."
- Queens, New York
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery
- The graveyard holds the remains of Irish immigrants who arrived in Queens after fleeing the Great Famine.
- Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
- Van Gelder Studio
- Hundreds of iconic jazz records were made in this church-like space.
- Harrodsburg, Kentucky
- Old Fort Harrod State Park
- A full-scale replica of a 1774 colonial settlement in Kentucky.
- Flåm, Norway
- Ægir Brewery
- A Viking-style brewpub named for a Norse sea giant, in the heart of fjord country.
- London, England
- Dick Whittington’s Cat
- A monument to the thrice mayor of London who according to lore made his fortune by selling his rat-chasing cat.
- Larne, Northern Ireland
- Larne Standing Stone
- The enigmatic stone has towered over a Northern Ireland town for thousands of years.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Sculpture Clock
- This 1960s kinetic artwork has been restored and is once again whirling away in downtown Minneapolis.
- Queens, New York
- Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass
- The world’s largest collection of Tiffany glass sits in a warehouse in Queens.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Garden of Gethsemane
- Religious statues built because of one man's bargain with God fill this peaceful sculpture garden.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Calf Pasture Pumping Station
- This beautiful architectural gem was the first waste treatment facility in Boston.
- Lincolnshire, England
- Bowthorpe Oak
- England’s ancient oak tree has such an impressive girth, people have been hosting parties within the hollow trunk for centuries.
- Sudbury, Massachusetts
- Ford's Folly
- This dam in the woods, built by Henry Ford with only manpower and oxen, holds no water and serves no purpose.
- Kuopio, Finland
- Puijo Tower
- A 246-foot-high revolving restaurant rises unexpectedly from a forested Finnish hilltop.
- Nykøbing Falster, Denmark
- Museum Obscurum
- This secret collection of the strange and occult was rediscovered in a forgotten room of an old house.
- Mérida, Mexico
- The Corners of Mérida
- Iconic red and white plaques show the creative names invented to navigate the city streets.
- Dunedin, New Zealand
- Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery
- Three rooms of bones, curios, and one artist's collection of natural artifacts create this intriguing museum.
- Virginia, Minnesota
- Floating Loon of Virginia
- The world's largest floating loon bobs in the lake to kick off an annual festival.
- Selfoss, Iceland
- Öndvegissúlur
- A replica of the decorated wooden pillars Viking sailors threw overboard when finding new places to establish a settlement.
- Burgos, Spain
- Museum of Human Evolution
- This remarkable museum sprung from one of the most important prehistoric archaeological sites in the world.
- Heuvelland, Belgium
- Potato Vending Machine
- Because sometimes you need to make a batch of frites even when the stores are all closed.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Hahn/Cock
- One of two giant blue cockerel statues erected with an intentional double meaning.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Marathon March
- A competition inspired by Stephen King's psychological horror novel "The Long Walk."
- Nottinghamshire, England
- The Lost Caves
- Hidden in a grotto 26 feet below Nottingham's oldest hotel, this stylish subterranean drinking den is notoriously hard to find.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Classmates
- What was meant as an innocent piece of art has earned a reputation as the "mansplaining sculpture."
- Puentedey, Spain
- Natural Arch Bridge
- A charming Spanish village sits atop this natural limestone overpass.
- Haidong Shi, China
- White Horse Temple (???)
- This temple located on a vertical drop of a rocky mountain houses relics from the Song Dynasty.
- Rolea Baear, Cambodia
- Kampong Chhnang Airport
- The abandoned airport is a strangely intact remnant of Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge regime.
- Ehrenberg, Arizona
- Ehrenberg Pioneer Cemetery
- The stone-covered graves lie within the ruins of an Old West ghost town.
- Haigerloch, Germany
- Alraunes Privatmuseum
- Stuffed people arranged in unsettling scenes give a voyeuristic glimpse of life within a historic old hotel.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Fiesta Tower
- Colorful curls of hand-blown glass form a captivating tower in San Antonio's Central Library.
- Vintondale, Pennsylvania
- Wehrum
- The ruined remains of a coal mining ghost town are hidden within the woods.
- Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
- Casa del Títere (House of Puppets)
- A former factory hosts an amazing collection of Mexican marionettes.
- Leeds, England
- Horned Helmet Of Henry VIII
- The bizarre headgear looks like it was made for a fool, not a king.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Man With Fish
- This awkward aquarium sculpture is one of the strangest statues in Chicago.
- Zacatecas, Mexico
- Rafael Coronel Museum
- Mexico's largest collection of masks is found within the ruins of an abandoned convent.
- Rottweil, Germany
- ThyssenKrupp Test Tower
- Built to test magnetically levitated elevators, the tower also boasts Germany's highest visitor platform.
- Colgate, Wisconsin
- Bobrowitz Spectacular Sculpture
- This whimsical sculpture garden is a local treasure.
- Seattle, Washington
- Rubber Chicken Museum
- The flock of plastic poultry is an ode to the classic comedy staple.
- Stavanger, Norway
- Iron Age Farm
- A reconstructed farm shows what life was like in Norway 1,500 years ago.
- Hatgal, Mongolia
- Abandoned Petroleum Distribution Center
- Traces of the thriving lake trade that once linked the Soviet Union with Mongolia.
- Rozendaal, Netherlands
- Castle Rosendael
- A late-medieval Dutch castle with trick fountains in its whimsical water gardens.
- Turan, Russia
- Feynman Diagram Rock Carving
- A tribute to Richard Feynman is carved into the land he planned to see but never got to visit.
- Mexico City, Mexico
- UNAM Central Library
- This incredible college library is a visual masterpiece of mosaic art. It also looks kind of like a giant boombox.
- Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico
- Museum of Miniatures
- Hidden inside a hotel is a museum of miniature models depicting the traditions and history of Mexico.
- Dolores, Colorado
- Geyser Spring Trail
- Colorado's only true geyser is hidden within the San Juan National Forest.
- Kingsburg, California
- Swedish Coffee Pot Tower
- A water tower shaped like a giant coffee pot looms over a small Swedish village in Central California.
- Vilminore di Scalve, Italy
- Gleno Dam
- The sinister ruins of one of the worst dam failures of the 20th century lie in this astonishing alpine setting.
- Queens, New York
- 'The Ramp'
- Where the four original members of the Ramones hung out and revolutionized punk rock.
- Kodiyat, India
- Monsoon Palace
- This magical place built as an astronomical center starred as a James Bond villain's lair.
- San Pablo Villa de Mitla, Mexico
- Column of Death
- A mysterious pillar in an ancient burial chamber is said to predict how long you have to live.
- Bucksport, Maine
- Northeast Historic Film
- A restored historic movie theater is the perfect place for a regional film archive.
- Innsbruck, Austria
- Tyrolean Folk Art Museum
- Devilish masks, handicrafts, and pieces of old buildings create a snapshot of life in a historic Alpine region.
- Manassas, Virginia
- Ben Lomond Historic Site
- Hear, smell, see, taste, and touch history at this immersive Civil War hospital.
- Lawrence, Kansas
- Museum of Odd
- The quirky collection includes treasures like Elvis' underwear, Bob Barker's toothbrush, and hundreds of sock monkeys.
- Sheffield, England
- Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Memorials
- Three memorials honor the victims of the worst sports stadium disaster in Britain.
- Toronto, Ontario
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Toronto
- This Hindu temple is an architectural marvel designed and built according to ancient Indian principles.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Old San Juan Cemetery
- This bleach-white graveyard overlooking the ocean is accessed through a tunnel.
- Sehzadeler, Turkey
- Manisa Relief
- This mysterious cliffside carving of an ancient Hittite deity has baffled scholars for centuries.
- Ejido del Centro, Mexico
- Biblioteca de México
- This "City of Books" holds a museum, library, and the complete personal book collections of five of Mexico's greatest thinkers.
- Aguascalientes, Mexico
- Automaton Clocks of Aguascalientes
- Public clocks around the city chime with bullfights, cockfights, old railways, and other local traditions.
- County Donegal, Ireland
- 'Eire 80' Sign
- This World War II relic let Allied pilots know they were entering neutral airspace.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- The Wax Musum
- An incredibly random collection of wax figures is displayed in a shopping center walkway.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Dragonfly Mosaic
- Thousands of people walk over this fantastic work of art every day, but how many notice it?
- Gallitzin, Pennsylvania
- Glenn White Coke Ovens
- A hidden piece of Altoona's railroad history in a long-forgotten abandoned town.
- London, England
- Nomadic Community Gardens
- This secret garden has bloomed into London's most unique hub of urban creativity.
- Lafayette, Indiana
- Family Tree Gravestones
- Tombstones carved to look like tree trunks are used for multiple generations of family members.
- Oran, Algeria
- Sacred Heart Cathedral of Oran
- This former cathedral is now a bustling library packed with students and pigeons.
- Poni, Burkina Faso
- Ruins of Loropéni
- These mysterious 1,000-year-old walls have revealed little about their past.
- Shorewood, Wisconsin
- Shorewood Ghost Train
- A circus of light and sound forms a sensory ode to an iconic train that will never pass through town again.
- Dunfermline, Scotland
- Saint Margaret's Cave
- A hidden tunnel leads to a medieval queen's shrine buried beneath a parking lot.
- Long Beach, California
- The RMS Queen Mary
- The awe-inspiring ship from the golden era of cruising has an incomparable history and a reputation as one of the world’s most haunted places.
- East Melbourne, Australia
- Fairies Tree
- A whimsical menagerie of creatures carved into a 300-year-old tree trunk.
- Ioannina, Greece
- Drakolimni
- Local lore says two enemy dragons live within these breathtaking mountain lakes.
- Melbourne, Australia
- AC/DC Lane
- A colorful street named for the legendary Australian rock band.
- Larne, Northern Ireland
- Antrim Coast Road Memorial
- An unassuming tribute to engineer William Bald and the workers who built one of Europe's most scenic coastal roads.
- Eyam, England
- Hall Hill Troughs
- One of the U.K's earliest public water supplies is within the "plague village."
- Cienfuegos, Cuba
- Cementerio la Reina
- A cemetery full of exquisite statuary, including a monument to a woman some say died of a broken heart.
- Fillmore, Utah
- Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum
- The only completed wing of Utah's first capitol is filled with artifacts and odd stories about its past.
- Savannah, Georgia
- Pin Point Heritage Museum
- A unique museum dedicated to the Gullah-Geechee people, housed within an old oyster cannery.
- Libya
- Gaberoun Oasis
- A deserted Bedouin village lines the shores of this stunning desert oasis.
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- University of Virginia's Seven Society
- The story behind the mysterious "7" symbol painted in front of the famous Rotunda.
- Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Gander International Airport Lounge
- The tiny airport in remote Newfoundland that inspired a hit musical is also a modernist architectural gem.
- Zacatecas, Mexico
- Petroteca of San Agustín
- Fragments of the former temple's lost facade are now displayed in a strange library of stones.
- Charlemont, Massachusetts
- 'Hail to the Sunrise'
- A monument to the Mohawk people stands along an old Native American trade route.
- Wisbech, England
- Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum
- Peek inside restored planes at this off-the-beaten-path collection of aviation archaeology.
- Iceland
- Grave of Bobby Fischer
- The final resting place of the controversial chess champion.
- Durango, Mexico
- Benigno Montoya Funerary Art
- A historic cemetery doubles as a museum containing hundreds of unique tombs sculpted by a single artist.
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Livraria Simão
- One the smallest bookstores on the planet.
- East Jerusalem, West Bank
- Royal Palace at Tel el-Ful
- The abandoned shell of what would have been the Jordanian royal family's summer palace.
- Longmont, Colorado
- Saul the Sticker Ball
- The world's largest sticker ball weighs in at a mighty 231 pounds.
- Shiraz, Iran
- Nasir al-Mulk Mosque
- A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.
- Quincy, Massachusetts
- Granite Railway Incline
- The ruins of one of the first railroads in the U.S. lie hidden within a neighborhood cul-de-sac.
- Puri, India
- Jagannath Temple
- This 11th-century temple gave rise to the word "juggernaut," as well as some mysteries that defy scientific explanation.
- Cambridge, Maryland
- Bucktown Village Store
- This 1830s store is believed to be the site of Harriet Tubman's first stand.
- Oxnard, California
- La Jenelle Park
- Rusty pieces of metal jutting out of a breakwater are all that's visible of the 12,500-ton ocean liner that capsized just off the beach.
- Comuna Obreja, Romania
- Tunnel of Love
- The romantic botanic tunnel feels like a well-kept secret.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Oudemanhuispoort
- An ancient passage filled with stalls selling used books, once frequented by Vincent Van Gogh.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Begijnhof Chapel
- A hidden church in a hidden courtyard tells the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam.
- Savannah, Georgia
- The Pirates' House
- This kitschy tavern is also home to rare early editions of "Treasure Island."
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Conserveira de Lisboa
- The best place in the world to buy canned fish.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- De Waag
- Amsterdam's former hotspot for public executions and dissections.
- Savannah, Georgia
- The Waving Girl
- A statue honoring 44 continuous years of greeting passing ships.
- Savannah, Georgia
- Lucas Theatre
- The first public building in Savannah to offer air conditioning was a luxurious cinema that still operates today.
- South Hero, Vermont
- Birdhouse Forest
- Driftwood dinosaurs lurk within trees covered in a rainbow array of avian abodes.
- Antonito, Colorado
- Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
- An antique narrow gauge railway line still running through the Colorado and New Mexico mountains.
- Liverpool, England
- Liverpool Central Library Entrance Riddle
- The red letters in the literary pavement leading to the library form a mysterious code.
- Gällivare, Sweden
- Solar Egg
- A golden egg-shaped sauna in the Arctic tundra.
- Stuttgart, Germany
- Stuttgart Cable Car
- This old wooden funicular railway leads to a cemetery in the forest.
- Tryon, North Carolina
- Nina Simone's Childhood Home
- The wooden house where the jazz great learned to play the piano.
- Concepción, Chile
- Bismarck Tower
- Dedicated to the first German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, this aging edifice is the only one of its kind in the Americas.
- Athens, Greece
- Wax Museum of Andreas Syggros
- A grotesque collection of wax limbs depicting the symptoms of venereal disease.
- Chicago, Illinois
- N. W. Harris Learning Collection
- Where dioramas can follow you home.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Narwhals at the Field Museum
- To find the "unicorns of the deep" you've got to go downstairs.
- Livorno, Italy
- Ex-Votos of Santuario di Montenero
- This Tuscan church contains a gallery of over 700 ex-votos depicting near-death experiences.
- Metamora, Indiana
- Monroe Allison House
- Locals dubbed this abandoned abode the "gingerbread house" because of its odd architecture.
- Kenilworth, England
- Kenilworth Castle
- This ruined medieval castle was the scene of Lord Robert Dudley’s seductive reception for Queen Elizabeth I.
- Juneau, Alaska
- Aunt Claudia's Dolls, a Museum
- One toy collector's legacy of hundreds of unique items includes the most diverse display of northern indigenous dolls.
- Storuman, Sweden
- Wildman
- The giant club-wielding wildman stands proud as the symbol of Swedish Lapland.
- Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
- Diamond Jubilee Wood
- Whimsical woolen creatures have taken over this historic Northern Ireland park.
- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Shop #47 at Mwenge Woodcarvers Market
- An exquisite and eclectic selection of African masks stands out within a massive woodcarving marketplace.
- Iran
- Radkan Tower
- A sophisticated astronomical tower built by one of the greatest Persian scholars of the Islamic Golden Age.
- Bulgan, Mongolia
- Flaming Cliffs
- Dinosaur eggs were first discovered at these fiery red cliffs.
- Rajac, Serbia
- Rajac Cemetery
- Beautifully carved tombstones fill this unmarked graveyard, uniquely situated near the village's famous stone wine cellars.
- Topeka, Kansas
- Grave of Carrie Frances Kiene
- A mysterious local has been dressing the child's grave for decades.
- Melaka, Malaysia
- Hang Jebat Mausoleum
- A mausoleum dedicated to a warrior felled by misplaced loyalty and tragic circumstances.
- Pasadena, California
- Cheesewright Studios
- This 1920s masterpiece of French Quarter architecture hides a secret tunnel used by Albert Einstein.
- Knaresborough, England
- Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag
- A 600-year-old mini shrine guarded by a sword-wielding knight hides in a crumbling cliff face.
- Munich, Germany
- Klenze's Stone Bench
- The unusually large seat sits atop the base of a ruined temple.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- King John's Palace Ruins
- These bleak 800-year-old ruins were once the royal residence of choice for hunting in Sherwood Forest.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Barker-Karpis Hideout House
- Where the notorious gang lived while on the run from the FBI.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Thorp Building Navy Guard Towers
- During World War II the Thorp building was guarded by the OSS, FBI, and US Navy because of the top-secret bombsight being produced there.
- Heckington, England
- Heckington 8-Sail Windmill
- The last working windmill in the U.K. that has eight sails.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Couch Tomb
- No one knows how many bodies are in this vault in a Chicago public park.
- Chinsali, Zambia
- Kapishya Hot Springs
- A secluded natural oasis hidden deep along a rainforest trail.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- General Register Building of the National Archives of Scotland
- Every birth, death, and marriage is recorded in these color-coded leather-bound books.
- Seattle, Washington
- Union Station
- Though strikingly beautiful, Seattle's other railway station is now largely forgotten.
- Hopewell, Virginia
- Grant's Headquarters at City Point
- For nearly a year, General Ulysses S. Grant was based here during the American Civil War.
- Holyoke, Massachusetts
- Dinosaur Footprints of Holyoke
- A careful eye can find hundreds of dinosaur tracks running along the Connecticut River.
- Mogarraz, Spain
- Portraits of Mogarraz
- Images of neighbors past and present guard the streets of this charming alpine village.
- Kyoto-shi, Japan
- Ukiyoe Small Museum
- A tiny collection of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, open only when the owner feels like it.
- Two Harbors, Minnesota
- Iona's Beach
- The pink rocks tinkle like millions of tiny bells at this "singing" beach.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Guardian Building Art Deco Lobby
- To truly appreciate Detroit's landmark skyscraper, you have to step inside.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Newberry Library Postcard Collection
- Rifle through images of skyscrapers, Worlds Fairs, and more in the largest public postcard repository in America.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Swing Park
- An off-the-beaten-path place to literally hang beneath Milwaukee's Holton Street Bridge.
- Guangzhou, China
- Tomb of Sa'ad Ibn Abi Waqqas
- A shrine to the missionary who first brought Islam to China.
- Munich, Germany
- Wurmeck
- A fearsome dragon clings to a corner of Munich's city hall.
- Paris, France
- 145 Rue Lafayette
- What looks like a normal building is really a hollow facade hiding a subway vent.
- Union City, Indiana
- Union Literary Institute
- One of the first schools in the U.S. to admit students without regard to race or gender.
- Waukesha, Wisconsin
- M-74 Nike Missile Site
- A forgotten Cold War relic hidden in the outskirts of a Wisconsin city.
- Hucknall, England
- Church of St. Mary Magdalene
- Lord Byron's embalmed body lies within this medieval church.
- Ngô Thì Nh?m, Vietnam
- Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama's Dinner Table
- The spot where the two men ate together now stands enclosed in glass.
- Alpine, Texas
- Target Marathon
- This is probably not the Target you're looking for.
- Miami, Florida
- Miami Jai-Alai
- The timeworn "Yankee Stadium" of the fastest game in the world isn't going anywhere.
- Spokane, Washington
- Monroe Street Bridge Bison Skulls
- The decorations were inspired by an unlikely missing treasure.
- Bellingham, Washington
- SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention
- An electrifying collection of gadgets and literature from the 16th through 20th centuries.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Hunter House
- The first newspaper printed by an expeditionary force was published in this colonial mansion.
- Fairplay, Colorado
- Rocky Mountain Land Library
- This 19th-century ranch is being transformed into a residential library with thousands of books about the natural world.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Pillsbury A-Mill
- This old residential building was once the largest flour mill in the world.
- Grandfontaine, France
- Site of Victor Hugo's Conception
- A sandstone block marks the alleged spot where the legendary writer was conceived.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Museum of Timekeeping
- A magnificent mansion hides a delightful collection of historic timepieces.
- Frutillar, Chile
- German Colonial Museum
- A sliver of 19th-century Germany sits on the shore of a Chilean lake.
- Miami, Florida
- Miami City Cemetery
- Neglected resting place of some of the city's early luminaries—and a woman encased in concrete.
- Pohang, South Korea
- Daewonsa Temple
- To enter the lower hall of this temple, you must first walk through a dragon.
- Spokane, Washington
- Dodd House
- The former home of the "Mother of Father's Day."
- Reykholt, Iceland
- Friðheimar
- Inside this Icelandic greenhouse, geothermal energy keeps tomatoes warm and growing.
- Inyo County, California
- Ubehebe Crater
- A massive hydrovolcanic explosion left a half-mile wide crater in Death Valley.
- Derbyshire, England
- Betty Kenny's Tree
- This 2,000-year-old tree inspired the nursery rhyme "Rock-a-bye Baby."
- Liverpool, England
- Martins Bank Building
- Most of Britain's gold reserve was secretly stashed here after the start of World War II.
- Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
- A wall within the institution displays the names of 13,000 Jews who took refuge in the city during World War II.
- Washington, D.C.
- Reading Room at the Folger Shakespeare Library
- Home to a vast and influential collection of Shakespeareana.
- Porto, Portugal
- Carmo and Carmelitas Churches
- A hidden three-foot-wide house separates these two regal churches.
- Iceland
- Hofskirkja
- This fairytale-like structure is the last turf church ever constructed in Iceland.
- Mafra, Portugal
- Mafra Palace Library
- At night, bats patrol this magnificent 18th-century space in search of book-eating pests.
- West Lafayette, Indiana
- Fort Ouiatenon
- Historians and hobbyists head to this former French outpost for the annual Feast of the Hunters' Moon.
- Key Biscayne, Florida
- Crandon Park Zoo Ruins
- It turns out that a hurricane-prone beach is probably not the best place to house wild animals.
- Juneau, Alaska
- Last Chance Mining Museum
- Impressive artifacts from Juneau's gold mining days fill this mining site-turned-museum.
- Bayan Lepas, Malaysia
- Snake Temple
- Come in, light some incense, and ignore the live snakes around you.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Bell Inn Caves
- There's a labyrinth of medieval chambers hidden deep below a 15th-century pub.
- Amposta, Spain
- Casa de Fusta
- This Canadian hunting lodge is a long way from home.
- Paju, South Korea
- Dorasan Station
- South Korea's largely symbolic, barely used gateway to the North.
- Denton, Texas
- Goatman's Bridge
- A registered historic landmark shrouded in unsettling local legends.
- Isle of Man
- Manx Giant's Pillar
- An unusual monument to a 19th-century circus star.
- Larne, Northern Ireland
- Chaine Memorial Tower
- This picturesque lighthouse at the edge of the Irish Sea looks like a giant stone pencil.
- Midland, South Dakota
- Skeleton Man Walking Skeleton Dinosaur
- Just a man taking his prehistoric pet for a stroll.
- Ojika-cho, Japan
- Nozaki Island
- A deserted island in southwest Japan that once sheltered persecuted Christians.
- Detroit, Michigan
- John K. King Used & Rare Books
- This sprawling bookstore spans four floors and has more than a million books in stock.
- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Mongolian Military Museum
- Thousands of artifacts tell Mongolia's military history, from the Bronze Age to the present.
- Collipulli, Chile
- Malleco Viaduct
- This bright yellow bridge is a true engineering feat.
- Cedar, Michigan
- Sugar Loaf Ski Lodge
- A crumbling mountain resort that looks like it was abandoned in an instant.
- Tampa, Florida
- Ulele Fairyland Figures
- These former theme park figures have a new lease on life outside a water plant-turned-restaurant.
- Haines, Alaska
- Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center
- The cultural center preserves the history of the native tribe that's lived in this Alaskan village for over 10,000 years.
- Biei-cho, Japan
- Blue Pond
- This mesmerizingly colorful pond looks like a scene straight out of a fairytale.
- Stanton Lees, England
- Nine Ladies Stone Circle
- Legend says this little-known stone circle is formed from people petrified as punishment for dancing on the Sabbath.
- Capelle aan den IJssel, Netherlands
- Gouwe Aqueduct
- Yup, that's a 330-foot yacht passing over the highway.
- Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain
- Castillo Torre Salvana
- The abandoned ruins of a beautiful medieval castle just outside Barcelona.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Saint Edwin's Chapel Cross
- This lonely metal cross may hint at the true location of a medieval showdown between Christian and Pagan kingdoms.
- Monterey, California
- Jellyfish Exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium
- One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.
- Spokane, Washington
- Indian Painted Rocks
- Protected from the elements, these Native American rock paintings have survived approximately 250 years.
- Ozora-cho, Japan
- Shibazakura Park
- Japan's largest area of "pink moss" turns the hillside bright pink every spring.
- Rjukan, Norway
- Giant Sun Mirrors of Rjukan
- For six months of the year, three giant mirrors direct a pool of sunshine onto this otherwise occluded town.
- Sankt Vith, Belgium
- Sourdough Library
- Burbling away in refrigerators are 105 sourdough starters from around the world.
- Los Angeles, California
- Riverside Roundabout
- An L.A. traffic island where the faces of locals have been carved into massive granite eggs.
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Kildalton Cross
- This 1,300-year-old marker is one of the finest and most complete early Christian crosses in Scotland.
- Remedios, Cuba
- Parrandas of Remedios
- This Cuban town sets the sky on fire around Christmas each year.
- Carson, California
- Gnome Village
- Gnomes have their very own bonsai-landscaped settlement on a university campus.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Arthur Ashe's Tennis Racket
- The tennis legend used this racket while breaking the race barrier and becoming the first black man to win the US Open.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- BOK Tower
- A half-size replica of the World Trade Center towers above Tulsa.
- Redmond, Washington
- Nike Nuclear Missile Site S-13/14
- This Cold War missile launch site has been abandoned for 40 years.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Rose Island Lighthouse
- You can spend the night as an honorary lighthouse keeper in this quaint, historic beacon.
- Topeka, Kansas
- Great Mural Wall of Topeka
- Topeka has its own great wall, and it's covered in colorful images from the city's history.
- Havana, Cuba
- Coppelia
- Castro's communist ice cream mothership has been serving five-scoop "salads" for over 50 years.
- Paris, France
- Grave of Antoine-Augustin Parmentier
- The tomb of history's greatest potato promoter is surrounded by tubers.
- Montserrat
- AIR Studio Ruins
- George Martin's Caribbean recording studio now rots within the shadow of an active volcano.
- Palmerston North, New Zealand
- Mt. Cleese
- A New Zealand rubbish dump named after British comedian John Cleese.
- Danvers, Massachusetts
- Endicott Pear Tree
- The oldest living cultivated fruit tree in North America.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- First National Bank Building Skyway
- Built in 1931, this small passageway is believed to be the first modern skyway.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Auto Hawk
- A sculpture of a flying hawk made from colorful car doors.
- Smyrna, New York
- Wolf Mountain Nature Center
- A chance to see wolves, coyotes, and arctic foxes in a natural environment in New York.
- London, England
- One Tree Hill
- A historic hill of tall tales, with one rather special tree.
- Shinile, Ethiopia
- Hadar Archaeological Site
- The skeletal remains of the famous hominid "Lucy" were found at this spot.
- Hallsands, England
- Ruins of Hallsands
- The abandoned fishing village was swept right into the sea.
- Kisoro, Uganda
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Home to half of the world's population of critically endangered mountain gorillas.
- Naples, Italy
- Cave of Dogs
- Suffocating dogs was a common spectacle in the fumes of this noxious cave.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Brooklyn Taxidermy
- At this hidden studio, the dying art of taxidermy is alive and well.
- Lemmon, South Dakota
- Kokomo Gallery
- This sculpture gallery is home to magnificent beasts made of scrap metal and found objects.
- Waipu, New Zealand
- Waipu Caves
- A galaxy of glowworms hides deep within the belly of these caves.
- Chamberlain, South Dakota
- Dignity of Earth and Sky
- A striking sculpture honoring the women of the Lakota and Dakota Nations.
- New York, New York
- Venetian Room
- This lavish room at NYC's French Embassy is a rare relic from the end of the Gilded Age.
- Orange, Connecticut
- PEZ Visitor Center
- The world's largest public collection of PEZ memorabilia.
- Los Angeles, California
- Brown Derby
- Outposts of this restaurant chain were shaped like jaunty chapeaus.
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Picnic Point Beach House
- This forgotten beach house built to look like a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece overlooks a hidden beach.
- Uxbridge, Ontario
- Thomas Foster Memorial
- An arresting temple full of mosaics as colorful as the politician they memorialize.
- Calgary, Alberta
- Udderly Art Pasture
- A herd of colorfully painted bovine statues can be found in the middle of "cowtown."
- Juneau, Alaska
- Wizard of Oz Metal Statues
- On top of a sheet metal business in Juneau stand nearly a dozen charming Wizard of Oz statues.
- Haninge C, Sweden
- Gålö Seal Training Station
- This secret facility trained seals for the Swedish navy during the Second World War.
- Highland, Scotland
- CairnGorm Mountain Railway
- Scotland's only funicular railway is also the United Kingdom's highest.
- Viggianello, Italy
- Italus
- The oldest scientifically dated tree in Europe lives on a remote cliff.
- Musashino-shi, Japan
- Inokashira Park Benzaiten Shrine
- Legend says the goddess this shrine honors curses any couples that pass by.
- Twentynine Palms, California
- Love Signs of Twentynine Palms
- Colorful pieces of roadside art that say "love" in different languages.
- El Paso, Texas
- Sunland Park Dinosaur Tracks
- Search for traces of the dinosaurs that roamed here more than 90 million years ago.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Giant Hog Stand
- This big empty pig is a nostalgic throwback to mid-20th-century Texas barbecue.
- Brännaberget, Sweden
- Brännaberget Folkpark
- This abandoned Swedish folkpark offers an amazing view over the town of Överkalix.
- Grantsville, Utah
- Iosepa Ghost Town
- A desert settlement founded and later abandoned by Mormon Hawaiians in Utah's Skull Valley.
- London, England
- Black Cats of Carreras Cigarette Factory
- Black cat statues guard this old Egyptian revival cigarette factory.
- Slavutych, Ukraine
- Slavutych
- The last planned Soviet city was built for the former residents of Pripyat after the Chernobyl disaster.
- Bellvue, Colorado
- B-17 Bomber Crash Site
- The wreckage of a World War II bomber is hidden high in the Colorado wilderness.
- Valencia, Spain
- Espai Verd
- This architectural oddity is an oasis of green on the outskirts of Valencia.
- Tortosa, Spain
- Abandoned Gas Holder
- These ruins are all that remain of Tortosa’s lost coal gas manufacturing industry.
- Paris, France
- Treaty of Paris Plaque
- A simple plaque on the facade is the only reminder that the treaty ending the American Revolution was signed inside.
- Monticello, Minnesota
- Swan Park
- Thousands of majestic trumpeter swans fill this park, sounding distinctly like a certain brass instrument.
- Dugway, Utah
- Iosepa Ghost Town
- A desert settlement founded and later abandoned by Mormon Hawaiians in Utah's Skull Valley.
- Cambrils, Spain
- En la Pla de les Serenes
- This amazing piece of modern art honors the hundreds of fishermen killed during Cambrils' "year of misfortunes."
- University Park, Illinois
- Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park
- A sprawling museum filled with larger-than-life works of art.
- Envigado, Colombia
- La Casa de las Piedritas
- This exceptional home was a 32-year labor of love by a man determined to build his wife the most beautiful stone house in the world.
- Brattleboro, Vermont
- Estey Organ Museum
- Play everything you see at a museum dedicated to a town's historic organ industry.
- Iceland
- Laufskálavarða
- Cairns built to bring travelers good luck stretch across the land like miniature stone mountains.
- Iran
- Kharanaq
- The tower in this 1,000-year-old mud-brick village seems to vibrate for no apparent reason.
- Franklin, Québec
- Dorea Institute
- This abandoned orphanage-turned-asylum witnessed a terrible chapter in Québec's history.
- El Paso, Texas
- John Wesley Hardin's Grave
- A prison-like structure guards the remains of a notorious Old West outlaw.
- Buffalo, New York
- Abandoned Wonder Bread Factory
- A forsaken wonder in the middle of the East Side neighborhood.
- Calgary, Alberta
- Nose Hill Siksikaitsitapi Medicine Wheel
- This First Nations monument is a peaceful spot with vast views of the Calgary prairie.
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Charter Oak Frame
- A portrait of the Charter Oak hangs in a frame made from the Charter Oak.
- New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Evans/Ellis Cemetery
- Seven people are buried in the middle of what's now a movie theater parking lot.
- Preveza, Greece
- Nicopolis
- The ruins of this monumental city founded by the first Roman Emperor are strangely overlooked by most travelers.
- New York, New York
- Riot Grrrl Collection at NYU
- A collection of fanzines, recordings, and documents detailing the rise and influence of the feminist punk movement.
- Stony Point, New York
- Old Letchworth Village Cemetery
- Hundreds of numbered stakes hidden in the woods mark the graves of the lost souls of a nearby asylum.
- El Paso, Texas
- B-36 Bomber Crash Site
- The wreckage of a crash that killed nine people still litters the Franklin Mountains.
- Somerset, Ohio
- Old Perry County Courthouse
- The nearly 200-year-old building displays a perplexing grammatical error.
- Neustadt am Kulm, Germany
- Rauher Kulm
- A tiny basalt mountain with an observation tower overlooking the beautiful Bavarian countryside.
- London, England
- Animals in War Memorial
- A unique tribute to the millions of animals who served and died for the British military.
- Richmond, California
- Stone Cats at Nike Missile Site
- An abandoned Cold War missile radar site is now home to several mysterious cat statues.
- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Centre of Shaman Eternal Heavenly Sophistication
- A nondescript dirt lot hides an intriguing center of shamanic healing.
- Pittsford, New York
- Fairy Houses of Tinker Nature Park
- An unassuming nature trail winds through dozens of tiny houses built for the wee people.
- London, England
- Audley Square Spy Lamp Post
- This overlooked street light once served as a KGB dead letter box.
- Hamilton, New Zealand
- The Huddleston
- A steampunk airship "floats" above Hamilton Gardens delivering plants and compost.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling
- Every year locals tumble 650 feet down to the bottom of the hill chasing a Double Gloucester cheese.
- Medellín, Colombia
- The Gondolas of Medellín
- An unusual and beautiful form of mass transit serves the city's steepest neighborhoods.
- Ewing Township, New Jersey
- The Sarnoff Collection
- A surprising museum of 20th-century technology.
- Dandarah, Egypt
- Hathor Temple
- One of the most well-preserved temples of ancient Egypt.
- Weybridge, England
- Brooklands Racetrack Remains
- The world's first purpose-built motor racetrack was destroyed by the outbreak of two world wars.
- Mountain View, California
- The Real Birthplace of Silicon Valley
- The first high-tech company in the valley that actually worked with silicon devices.
- Imsil-gun, South Korea
- Imsil Cheese Theme Park
- A 32-acre fun park dedicated to all things cheese.
- Villar del Pozo, Spain
- Ciudad Real Central Airport
- An abandoned airport in the middle of nowhere.
- Tarragona, Spain
- Roman Circus and Praetorian Tower
- Long tunnels run under the ancient chariot racing circuit to the tower.
- London, England
- Clown Egg Register
- An archive of ceramic eggs painted to record clowns' personal makeup designs.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Aviator’s Arrow
- This beacon for pre-radar pilots once guided Charles Lindbergh to a safe touchdown in Tulsa.
- South Wharf, Australia
- Polly Woodside
- This historic tall ship traveled 1.5 million miles around the globe, and once did duty as the mythical pirate ship in Peter Pan.
- Seattle, Washington
- Tree Grate Museum
- Five varieties of trees with custom-designed grates around the trunk are planted along the route of the Seattle Transit Tunnel.
- New London, Connecticut
- Annual Burning of Benedict Arnold
- New London, Connecticut still holds a grudge against its hometown son who turned traitor and burned the city.
- Milan, Italy
- Bar Luce
- A Milanese cafè entirely designed by the American director Wes Anderson.
- Iceland
- Aldeyjarfoss
- A little-visited waterfall in an otherworldly landscape.
- Sant Just Desvern, Spain
- Walden 7
- A science fiction-inspired apartment building designed by a famous Spanish architect.
- Isle of Man
- The Passages Shipwreck
- The remains of the wrecked steam trawler can be found on the beach at low tide.
- George Town, Malaysia
- Penang Jewish Cemetery
- The oldest Jewish cemetery in Southeast Asia is a monument to a disappearing community.
- Melbourne, Australia
- Raising the Rattler Pole
- Not the result of an accident, hurricane, or aliens, this is an eye-popping tribute to the Melbourne tram.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Cornè House
- The home of the artist credited with introducing the tomato to the American diet.
- Melbourne, Australia
- Marionette Fob Watch
- Every hour a secret compartment drops from this giant pocket watch, revealing a lovely surprise.
- Isle of Man
- The Hassal Grave
- Mysterious chains and iron stakes adorn this strange grave, with no explanation.
- Cantil, California
- Saltdale
- Salt is slowly eating away this abandoned saltworks town in the desert.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Zero Kilometer Stone
- The geographical center of Budapest is marked with a 10-foot-tall stylized zero.
- Kiryat Tiv'on, Israel
- Beit She'arim Necropolis
- A sprawling ancient Jewish cemetery with over 30 rock-hewn burial caves.
- Danby, Vermont
- Danby Quarry
- The world’s largest underground marble quarry is hiding in Vermont.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Grave of Ann Franklin
- The widow of Benjamin Franklin's brother became the first female newspaper editor in the United States.
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Bishkek Circus
- This retro, UFO-like structure is a remnant of the Soviet-era circus.
- Mengwi, Indonesia
- Ogoh-Ogoh Museum
- Giant effigies of Bali's demons and monsters.
- Wroclaw, Poland
- Neon Side Gallery
- A collection of old neon signs from all over Poland line a secluded courtyard.
- Tiberias, Israel
- Zodiac Mosaic of Hammat Tiberias
- The mosaic floor of a 4th-century synagogue features a pagan zodiac wheel alongside traditional images of a Torah ark and menorahs.
- Cambrils, Spain
- Parc Samà
- This magical space partly designed by Antoni Gaudi is one of the best examples of romantic gardening in the Mediterranean.
- Columbia, Missouri
- Chinese Stone Lions at the University of Missouri
- Two Ming Dynasty lion statues guard the entrance to the journalism school.
- Hebron, Connecticut
- Gay City State Park
- The ruins of an abandoned 18th-century town that is slowly being reclaimed by the forest.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Nuclear Ship Savannah
- America's first nuclear-powered merchant ship is now a time warp to the atomic age.
- Fife, Scotland
- Crail Airfield
- Soviet intelligence had a keen interest in the Cold War linguistic school at this old Scottish airfield.
- Marfa, Texas
- Hotel Paisano
- A little stop along the Texas highway where Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean stayed while shooting the 1955 film "Giant."
- Twentynine Palms, California
- Samuelson's Rocks
- The only thing stranger than stumbling on these philosophical musings is the story of the homesteader who created them.
- Guangzhou, China
- Ceramic Pillows at the Museum of the Nanyue King's Mausoleum
- Three floors above a 2,000-year-old royal tomb is a rare collection of ancient porcelain pillows.
- Astoria, Oregon
- Museum of Whimsy
- A delightfully quirky blend of oddities spread throughout an old 1920s bank.
- Helena, Montana
- Stonehouse in Reeder's Alley
- One home in the historic strip hides secret compartments and the ghostly songs of long-gone canaries.
- Sponsored by Helena CVB
- Topeka, Kansas
- Evel Knievel Museum
- See the motorcycles that launched the stuntman to fame and the gear that saved his life.
- Marfa, Texas
- Stardust Motel Sign
- This old abandoned sign flickers to announce a motel that isn't even there.
- Palermo, Italy
- Arabic Inscription of Palermo Cathedral
- Why a column on the entrance is inscribed with a verse from the Quran is one of Sicily's many mysteries.
- Seattle, Washington
- The Arctic Club
- The historic bar where local ship captains, traders, and gold miners would come together to do business a century ago.
- Los Angeles, California
- LAX Theme Building
- This quirky UFO-shaped curiosity is often mistaken for the airport’s control tower.
- Seydisfjordur, Iceland
- 'How's It Going?' Phone Booth
- An isolated, rusty phone booth commemorates Iceland's first international telegraph cable.
- RajendraNarayanpur, India
- Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary
- More than 2 million Olive Ridley sea turtles are hatched from this mass nesting ground every year.
- Rochester, New York
- Hutchison Hall Specimen Collection
- Antique skeletons and taxidermy creatures were found crammed in a university closet.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Bonaventure Hotel
- The space-age building is home to one of the few remaining rotating restaurants in America, and the only one that inspired a 1980s sitcom.
- Sparta, Greece
- Mystras
- The ruins of an abandoned medieval city where the last Byzantine emperor was crowned.
- Highland, Scotland
- Cairngorm Reindeer Centre
- Britain's only herd of free-ranging reindeer.
- Saryazd, Iran
- Sar Yazd Castle
- This ancient fortress in Iran was once the oldest and largest treasury in the world.
- Marble Canyon, Arizona
- Lee's Ferry and Lonely Dell
- This isolated outpost was once the only place to cross the Colorado River for hundreds of miles.
- New York, New York
- Daredevil Tattoo Museum
- This iconic tattoo shop has its own onsite museum with artifacts from the early history of modern body art.
- Forks, Washington
- Second Beach
- A surreal landscape where fanged rocks rise from the ground and the ocean feels like a great mystery.
- Wasserauen, Switzerland
- Berggasthaus Aescher Wildkirchli
- This 170-year-old Swiss guesthouse built into the side of a mountain is best accessed by a cable car.
- New York, New York
- The Cartoon Wall at Overlook
- In the back of a nondescript sports bar is a museum-worthy mural by legendary cartoonists.
- Moose, Wyoming
- T. A. Moulton Barn
- This rustic old building is said to be the most photographed barn in America.
- Fulton, Missouri
- National Churchill Museum
- A gem in the small Missouri town where Winston Churchill coined the term "Iron Curtain" and effectively began the Cold War.
- Arlington, Virginia
- James Parks Grave
- Born a slave on the Arlington estate, Parks dug the first graves at Arlington National Cemetery, and was buried there, too.
- Yazd, Iran
- Dolat Abad Windcatcher
- Long before air conditioning, Persian architects found an ingenious way to cool off.
- Bristol, Connecticut
- New England Carousel Museum
- A parade of antique steeds offers a quirky ride through history.
- Naples, Italy
- Catacombs of Saint Gaudiosus
- The burial place of an obscure North African saint was turned into a macabre body preservation factory for the 17th-century Neapolitan elite.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Philbrook Museum of Art
- The collection is housed in an exquisite mansion that makes you feel like you've been transported to an Italian villa.
- Valparaiso, Chile
- Botica Salcobrand
- Buying your medicine at this particular pharmacy is like taking a trip back in time.
- Hyams Beach, Australia
- Hyams Beach
- The sand is such a bright white that on sunny days you practically need sunglasses to look at the ground.
- Marfa, Texas
- Wrong Store
- This quirky outpost and gallery inside a former church is an unexpected trove of handcrafted art.
- Wilson, Kansas
- Old Tobias Water Tower and Jail
- This tiny old water tower once doubled as a makeshift jail.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Viking Runes at Hagia Sophia
- A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.
- Berkeley, England
- Temple of Vaccinia
- The "father of immunology" used this humble hut to offer the local people some of the world's first free vaccinations.
- Columbia, Missouri
- Blind Boone House
- The modest, restored home of the legendary ragtime musician John William 'Blind' Boone.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Kulturtårnet
- A little-known cafe in an old copper bridge tower with 360-degree views of the harbor.
- Ísafjörður, Iceland
- Hversdagssafn
- Discover the magic in the mundane in Iceland's Museum of Everyday Life.
- Chatsworth, Georgia
- Fort Mountain 'Ancient Wall'
- The mysterious 855-foot zigzagging stone wall has been baffling people for centuries.
- Mitaoli, India
- Chausath Yogini Temple
- This ancient goddess temple inspired the design of India’s Parliament House.
- Helena, Montana
- Guardian of the Gulch
- The old fire tower is one of the last of its kind in the United States.
- Sponsored by Helena CVB
- Viña del Mar, Chile
- Reloj de Flores (Flower Clock)
- Built for the 1962 World Cup, this fully functioning botanical clock is still ticking.
- Llandudno, Wales
- Great Orme Tramway
- One of the few surviving street funiculars in the world.
- North Adams, Massachusetts
- Gunnar Schonbeck Exhibit
- More than 200 unconventional musical instruments that anyone can play.
- Noisy-sur-École, France
- Les Sables du Cul du Chien
- An unusual sand beach in the middle of a forest.
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Convento de la Popa
- Perched atop the highest hill in Cartagena, this 17th-century convent offers spectacular views of the city.
- Tintagel, England
- Tintagel Post Office
- A whimsical cottage from the 1300s with a preserved Victorian-era post office inside.
- Iannazzo, Italy
- Monte Alpi's Fish Fossil
- A fossil of a 30 million-year-old fish is unexpectedly hidden thousands of feet above sea level.
- Ocotillo, California
- Coyote's Flying Saucer Retrievals and Repairs
- A UFO scrapyard in the California desert.
- Warwickshire, England
- Dick's Lane Bridge
- A great example of the inventive canal bridges that were deliberately split down the middle.
- Acharnes, Greece
- Tatoi Palace
- The abandoned summer estate of the former Greek Royal Family.
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Ábaco Libros y Café
- A cozy bookstore and coffee shop in the heart of Cartagena's Old City.
- Seattle, Washington
- Comet Lodge Cemetery
- The gravestones in this lost burial ground were bulldozed and replaced with houses and a dog park.
- Bristol, Connecticut
- American Clock and Watch Museum
- Thousands of American timepieces on display in the former clock-making capital of the country.
- San Diego, California
- Balboa Park Moreton Bay Fig Tree
- One of the largest trees of its kind in California.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Woody Guthrie Center
- A museum packed with instruments, lyrics, and other mementos of the American folk icon.
- Karachi, Pakistan
- Mazar-e-Quaid
- This commanding mausoleum holds the remains of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
- London, England
- Cabmen’s Shelter in Russell Square
- Originally built for London’s cab drivers, this bright green hut now serves anyone a hot drink or meal.
- Shiraz, Iran
- Tomb of Hafez
- A dreamy mausoleum honors Persia's most famous poet.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Cain’s Ballroom
- Sid Vicious famously punched a hole in the wall of this iconic music venue.
- Antwerp, Belgium
- St. Anna's Tunnel
- Rare wooden escalators lead deep down into an otherwise staggeringly monotonous tiled tunnel.
- Bologna, Italy
- Fountain of Neptune
- Legend has it this fountain built to symbolize the Pope’s power hides a strange secret concerning Neptune's manliness.
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Door Knockers of Cartagena
- The colonial city's social history is reflected in its fanciful door knockers.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Boston Avenue Methodist Church
- One of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States.
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Paddy the Wanderer Fountain
- A memorial to Wellington's well-loved, well-traveled wharf dog.
- Bainbridge Island, Washington
- Japanese American Exclusion Memorial
- This monument remembers the first Japanese Americans forcibly relocated during World War II.
- Naples, Italy
- The Arm of St. Thomas Aquinas
- The remains of the left arm of the levitating philosopher-saint are kept in a 13th-century Neapolitan basilica.
- Valparaiso, Chile
- Iglesia de San Francisco
- This iconic hilltop church doubled as a lighthouse in the 19th century, guiding ships into the port of Valparaíso.
- Washington, D.C.
- Lincoln Book Tower
- A three-story tower of books about Abraham Lincoln is one of the more unusual monuments to the president.
- Barnsley, England
- Dickie Bird Statue
- This tribute to a beloved cricket umpire is a magnet for risqué pranksters.
- Banan, Cambodia
- Battambang Bat Cave
- Take a hidden path to the mouth of the cave to watch millions of bats swarm at sunset.
- Jerusalem, Israel
- Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem
- The only quarter of the Old City not dedicated to a major world religion.
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Wellington Airport Runway
- High winds and a short landing strip make this one of the scariest runways in the world.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- The Church Studio
- Songwriter Leon Russell transformed this church into a recording studio used by many legendary musicians.
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- New Dominion Bookshop Rose Garden
- Behind the oldest bookstore in Virginia lies a hidden slice of the English countryside.
- Ravenna, Italy
- Basilica of San Vitale
- This 6th-century church has the largest and best-preserved collection of Byzantine mosaics outside Constantinople.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- F. Scott Fitzgerald House
- The home where a lovestruck Fitzgerald wrote his first published novel, "This Side of Paradise."
- Queens, New York
- Materials for the Arts
- A New York warehouse filled with an enormous amount of goods saved from the landfills and donated for creative use.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Cave House of Tulsa
- A former chicken restaurant that doubled as a speakeasy is now a quirky home full of wonderfully strange traditions.
- Portland, Oregon
- Portland Troll Bridge
- Not-so-fearsome tiny trolls live under this wooden train trestle in Portland.
- Varanasi, India
- Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple
- Known as the leaning temple, the sacred structure has somehow developed a severe nine-degree slant.
- Cork, Ireland
- Baltimore Beacon
- An oddly conical beacon perched atop beautiful Irish cliffs.
- French Guiana
- Devil's Island
- An abandoned colonial French prison notorious for its hellish conditions.
- Columbia, Missouri
- Thomas Jefferson’s Original Tombstone
- The obelisk meant to mark the founding father's grave at Monticello is actually on the University of Missouri campus.
- Cologny, Switzerland
- Villa Diodati
- Where Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" and John William Polidori's "The Vampyre" were born.
- Osaka-shi, Japan
- Hanshin Expressway
- This highway in Japan passes through the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of an office building.
- Blaenau Gwent, Wales
- Aneurin Bevan Memorial Stones
- A memorial to the British politician who spearheaded the National Health Service.
- Zhubei City, Taiwan
- Wind City Moon Restaurant
- A nostalgic restaurant evokes life in Taiwan from the 1940s to the 1970s.
- Te Pahu, New Zealand
- Toothbrush Fence
- Hundreds of toothbrushes hang from a wire fence along a quiet New Zealand road.
- Catania, Italy
- Elephant Fountain
- A mysterious ancient elephant said to possess magic powers is now the symbol of a Sicilian city.
- Elmhurst, Illinois
- Barbara A. Kieft Accelerator ArtSpace
- A former atom smasher turned into an art gallery.
- San Antonio, Texas
- 'Johnny Loves Vivian' Bench
- The wood bears a hidden love note carved by a young Johnny Cash.
- Sisian, Armenia
- Zorats Karer
- Called the "Armenian Stonehenge," this ring of menhirs pierced with holes may be a prehistoric astronomical observatory.
- Helensburgh, Australia
- Glow Worm Tunnel
- An abandoned railroad tunnel is now filled with bioluminescent bugs.
- Prague, Czechia
- The Heydrich Terror Memorial
- Bullet holes in the church wall are a reminder of the violence that followed the assassination of a high-ranking Nazi officer.
- Livingston, Illinois
- Pink Elephant Antique Mall
- Oversized statues are just the tip of this nostalgic Americana roadside attraction.
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Christchurch Basilica
- The ruins of New Zealand's largest classical-style church.
- Key Biscayne, Florida
- Cape Florida Lighthouse
- Located within a historic park, the beacon is the oldest standing structure in Miami.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Moni Strofadon, Greece
- Strofades Monastery
- A lonely medieval monastery on an uninhabited island.
- Pensacola, Florida
- San Pablo Shipwreck
- Though nicknamed the “Russian Freighter,” this ship was actually sunk off the coast of Pensacola by the U.S. government in a top-secret operation.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Lakeland, Florida
- 'Child of the Sun' Campus
- A Florida college boasts the world's largest single-site collection of structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Trinidad, Colorado
- Steam Engine 638
- This small piece of railroad history sits behind the parking lot of a chain grocery store.
- Ponce Inlet, Florida
- The Green Mound
- One of the largest Native American shell middens stands 30 feet tall.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Ormond Beach, Florida
- Ormond Beach Watchtower
- A replica of one of the more than 15,000 civilian lookout towers that lined the U.S. coast during World War II.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Athens, Greece
- First Cemetery of Athens
- The oldest cemetery of modern-day Athens blends the modern and ancient worlds.
- Naples, Florida
- Clam Pass Beach
- A hidden beach at the end of a tunnel of mangrove trees.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Ormond Beach, Florida
- Dummett Sugar Mill Ruins
- The ruins of a once-thriving sugarcane plantation that was burned in the Second Seminole War.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Jaffna, Sri Lanka
- Old Kachcheri
- These abandoned ruins in the middle of Jaffna have withstood centuries of tumultuous power struggles.
- Highland, Scotland
- Calum's Road
- One man spent 10 years building a spectacular section of road because no one else would.
- San Diego, California
- Pearl of the Pacific
- An ode to the friendship between four Pacific Rim countries.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Damen Silos
- These abandoned grain silos and tunnels are an urban exploration dream.
- Fife, Scotland
- Isle of May Beacon
- This short white tower is all that's left of Scotland's first permanently manned lighthouse.
- Pensacola, Florida
- USS Oriskany
- The 44,000-ton aircraft carrier was purposely sunk to create an artificial reef teeming with life.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Pensacola, Florida
- Wreck of the USS Massachusetts
- The "worst battleship ever built" is enjoying a grand second act, submerged 30 feet in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Pensacola, Florida
- Fort Barrancas
- This now-deactivated naval base defended the Florida coast for centuries.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Worthington, England
- Worthington Round House
- This old village lock-up is known as the "round house," but it is actually octagonal.
- Kerkira, Greece
- Corfu British Cemetery
- The Greek island's old British cemetery feels like a forgotten garden.
- Ischia, Italy
- Poor Clares Convent Cemetery
- Deceased nuns were placed on stone chairs to decompose, while the surviving nuns prayed near the lifeless bodies.
- Seattle, Washington
- Chinese Community Bulletin Board
- In the absence of a Chinese-language newspaper, for years the community posted daily updates on this simple bulletin board.
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Castle Otttis
- Two men built this castle on the Florida coast as an artistic “landscape sculpture.”
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Lafayette, Indiana
- Cholera Mass Graves of Fink Cemetery
- An unknown number of cholera victims are buried in two nondescript graves.
- Queens, New York
- Flushing Town Hall
- This landmark building is now a vibrant performing arts space with musical acts from around the world.
- Padua, Italy
- Tomb of Antenor
- The tomb of the mythological founder of Padua is not hidden in some obscure crypt, but stands right in the middle of the city square.
- Pensacola, Florida
- Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park
- One of the best places in Florida to spot rare, carnivorous pitcher plants.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Key Largo, Florida
- Christ of the Abyss
- An underwater statue of Christ blesses the depths off Key Largo.
- Crawfordville, Florida
- Wakulla Springs
- One of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs, where mastodons once roamed.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Marianna, Florida
- Florida Caverns State Park
- The only Florida state park with publicly accessible caves.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Marco Island, Florida
- Otter Mound Preserve
- Decorative shell walls built in the 1940s sit atop an ancient midden created by the Calusa Native Americans.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Marco Island, Florida
- Tigertail Beach
- Wading through a small lagoon reveals a secret, wild stretch of pristine beach.
- Sponsored by Visit Florida
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- The Tinkers' Heart
- A rare permanent monument to the Scottish Travellers.
- Tel Kaif, Iraq
- Rabban Hormizd Monastery
- An ancient sanctuary that has long been a holy site for the Chaldean Christian Church.
- Tambon Mae Raem, Thailand
- Elephant Poo Poo Paper Park
- You'll never meet anyone this passionate about elephant droppings.
- Conwy, Wales
- Laburnum Arch
- A breathtaking flower tunnel bursting with beautiful golden blossoms.
- Blimbing, Indonesia
- Kampung Tridi
- Bright Indonesian villages painted in a rainbow of competing color schemes.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Abundant Life Building
- This abandoned, windowless concrete block is one of the strangest buildings in Tulsa.
- Algonquin, Illinois
- Algonquin Rocks
- Quirky, colorful rocks are hiding all around this Midwestern village, waiting to be found.
- Geneva, Switzerland
- La Tulipe
- A rare, flower-shaped example of Brutalist architecture in Switzerland.
- Padua, Italy
- Capital Without Column
- Something's missing between the arcades of the Palazzo della Ragione in "the city of the three withouts."
- Great Falls, Montana
- Roe River
- The shortest river in America flows for just 201 feet.
- Whipsnade, England
- Whipsnade White Lion
- This unusual geoglyph was built as a warning so low-flying aircraft wouldn't scare the zoo animals.
- St Monans, Scotland
- St Monans Salt Pans
- The ruins of Scottish sea salt production.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Roslyn Place
- The last street in Pittsburgh that's paved with wood.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Sneinton Dragon
- When the public was consulted about a new piece of street art, they naturally asked for an enormous metal dragon.
- Seattle, Washington
- Seattle's Giant Sequoia Tree
- This grand old 80-foot sequoia towers above the buildings in the city’s retail center.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Art-o-mat
- These banned cigarette vending machines now sell little pieces of pocket-sized art.
- Seattle, Washington
- The Bullitt Center
- This unique Seattle structure was designed to be the greenest commercial building on the planet.
- Battle Ground, Indiana
- Prophet's Rock
- The large rock formation where the Shawnee prophet Tenskwatawa stood and encouraged his warriors during the Battle of Tippecanoe.
- Munich, Germany
- Bruno the Bear
- The taxidermy remains of the first brown bear to enter Germany in 170 years.
- Southwold, England
- Southwold Jack
- Keep a lookout for replicas of this wooden soldier hiding in plain sight all around town.
- Northamptonshire, England
- Lyveden New Bield
- The intended purpose of this unfinished Elizabethan building remains a mystery.
- Murfreesboro, Arkansas
- Mauney House and Mine
- The remains of the first public diamond mine in Arkansas.
- Nottingham, England
- The Arboretum
- This unchanged Victorian park is rumored to have been the inspiration behind Peter Pan's Neverland.
- Athens, Greece
- Magic Sphere of Helios
- This mystical orb covered in strange symbols is thought to have been used in ancient Greek magical rituals.
- Seattle, Washington
- Burke Museum Ichthyology Collection
- This remarkable collection devoted to the study of fish includes 1 million preserved specimens from all around the world.
- Cairndow, Scotland
- The Tinkers' Heart
- A rare permanent monument to the Scottish Travellers.
- Burlington, Vermont
- Burlington Earth Clock
- Stand at the center of this lakefront sundial, and you'll become part of the timepiece.
- Bologna, Italy
- Towers of Bologna
- Over 100 towers were built in Bologna during the Middle Ages, but only 22 survive.
- London, England
- Hyman Archive
- The world’s largest magazine collection was born from a single shelf in a teen’s bedroom.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Sukkulenten-Sammlung Zürich
- See the rare bloom of the "Queen of the Night" cactus at one of the world's largest succulent collections.
- Rudder Cut Cay, The Bahamas
- The Musician
- A full-scale sculpture of a mermaid and baby grand piano hidden underwater by David Copperfield.
- Gibsonville, North Carolina
- Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
- Dedicated to an incredible woman who founded a pioneering school for rural African-American students.
- Keelung, Taiwan
- 100-Year Bomb Shelter
- A secret passageway from World War II is now a quirky pedestrian shortcut.
- Seattle, Washington
- Seattle Labor Temple
- This historic hub for labor unions has survived the city's changing landscape.
- Itter, Austria
- Castle Itter
- German and American troops joined forces to defend this fortress during the strangest battle of World War II.
- Kilburn, England
- Kilburn White Horse
- England's largest white horse isn't even white.
- Barnsley, England
- Monk Bretton Priory
- These medieval monastery ruins are surprisingly overlooked by most tourists.
- Peoria, Illinois
- Uniroyal Gal
- This rare female version of the Muffler Man has its clothes removed each summer to signal the start of pool season.
- Eyemouth, Scotland
- 'Widows and Bairns'
- A poignant memorial shows the widows and children left heartbroken by the worst fishing disaster in Scottish history.
- Karachi, Pakistan
- Asia's Largest Cross
- The bulletproof cross stands at the only operational Christian cemetery in Pakistan's most populated city.
- Daly City, California
- Broderick-Terry Duel Site
- Two pillars set 10 paces apart commemorate the "last notable American duel."
- L'Agulhas, South Africa
- Cape Agulhas Marker
- This small monument marks the divide between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at the southernmost tip of Africa.
- Geneva, Switzerland
- 'Wandering the Immeasurable'
- CERN's beautiful, bending sculpture is a tribute to the spread of knowledge.
- Derby, England
- Hanson Log Boat
- This Bronze Age boat was found buried remarkably intact in an English gravel pit.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Nelson's Courtyard
- A surreal pile of colorful junk fills a small yard in an otherwise gray neighborhood.
- Bremerton, Washington
- Sail of the USS Parche
- The only surviving piece of a submarine said to be the most decorated vessel in U.S. history.
- Alqosh, Iraq
- Rabban Hormizd Monastery
- An ancient sanctuary that has long been a holy site for the Chaldean Christian Church.
- North Berwick, Scotland
- Bass Rock
- This tiny island is home to the world's largest colony of Northern gannets.
- Longville, Minnesota
- Longville Turtle Races
- Summer in the "Turtle Racing Capital of the World" means rousing weekly reptile races.
- Kuopio, Finland
- Branch Boy Sculptures
- A stick-sprouting statue watching a duo of disembodied dancing deities.
- York, England
- Shambles of York
- Follow the original medieval paths that wind through this intriguing section of the city.
- Helsinki, Finland
- Fortress of Suomenlinna
- This irregularly shaped sea fortress has defended not one but three different sovereign states.
- Playa Girón, Cuba
- Museo Girón
- A small museum in the Bay of Pigs gives the Cuban perspective on the famously failed U.S. invasion.
- Shanghai, China
- Shimao Wonderland
- The world's first hotel built in an abandoned water-filled quarry.
- Dunbar, Scotland
- Bridge to Nowhere
- At high tide this strange footbridge appears to have no purpose whatsoever.
- Seattle, Washington
- James Turrell Skyspace
- An enclosed rotunda at the Henry Art Gallery in which viewers can look up and see the uninterrupted sky.
- Prague, Czechia
- Gulliver Airship
- What looks like a crashed Zeppelin is actually a bright, airy reading room perched atop a modern museum.
- Berlin, Germany
- Buchstabenmuseum
- A collection of abandoned typographic signs from Berlin and beyond.
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- American Antiquarian Society
- This little-known rival to the Library of Congress houses one of the largest collections of pre-1876 American books, newspapers, and manuscripts.
- Savannah, Georgia
- Sears Mishap House Myth
- Local myth claims this is a Sears catalogue home with its windows installed upside-down.
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Elephant Poo Poo Paper Park
- You'll never meet anyone this passionate about elephant droppings.
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
- Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
- The world's only bushplane museum captures the spirit of the early planes and pilots and their contributions to northern life in Canada.
- Ilkeston, England
- Scala Cinema
- This 1913 single-screen cinema is a charming survivor in the age of the multiplex.
- Santa Marta, Colombia
- Ciudad Perdida
- Colombia's ancient lost city.
- Nižná Slaná, Slovakia
- Huta Etelka
- An abandoned 19th-century iron factory perched along the outskirts of an idyllic village.
- Inyo County, California
- Marble Bath
- This desert oddity hides in plain sight thanks to a cartographic error and a desert explorer with a punny sense of humor.
- Tal-y-Cafn, Wales
- Laburnum Arch
- A breathtaking flower tunnel bursting with beautiful golden blossoms.
- Cornwall, England
- Restormel Castle
- The ruins of an 11th-century Norman castle with a rare, perfectly circular shape.
- Port Talbot, Wales
- Baked Bean Museum of Excellence
- The world’s only museum dedicated to baked beans.
- Malang, Indonesia
- Kampung Tridi
- Bright Indonesian villages painted in a rainbow of competing color schemes.
- Mukundpura, India
- Mukundpura Baoli
- This diminutive yet beautiful local stepwell once yielded enough water to irrigate the lush fields of the village.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Steinberg Sculpture Garden
- A beautiful collection of architectural ornaments rescued from demolished New York City buildings.
- Ogden, Utah
- Star Noodle Dragon
- Dubbed the "Blade Runner dragon," this buzzing neon sign is a beloved local icon.
- Derbyshire, England
- Swarkestone Bridge
- The longest stone bridge in England has an impressive history that dates back over 700 years.
- Old Whittington, England
- Revolution House
- A secret meeting in this small cottage changed the course of British history.
- Laos
- Vang Sang Buddhas
- A mysterious, hidden cluster of Buddha sculptures carved into the rocks.
- Bainbridge Island, Washington
- Haleets Rock
- Mysterious ancient petroglyphs carved on a glacial boulder at the tip of Bainbridge Island.
- WaKeeney, Kansas
- WaKeeney North Pole
- The holiday spirit lingers year-round in the "Christmas City of the High Plains."
- Bainbridge Island, Washington
- Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial
- This monument remembers the first Japanese Americans forcibly relocated during World War II.
- Eureka, North Carolina
- Goldsboro Nuclear Mishap
- A sign marks the plane crash that caused two nuclear bombs to fall in North Carolina.
- Goffstown, New Hampshire
- Goffstown Giant Pumpkin Regatta
- Row, row, row your pumpkin quickly down the stream.
- College Station, Texas
- Century Tree
- Campus tradition says couples who walk beneath this enormous oak will stay together forever.
- Toronto, Ontario
- Arthur Conan Doyle Room
- One of the foremost Sherlock Holmes collections is hidden away at a Toronto library.
- Binz, Germany
- Treetop Tower of Rügen
- A long spiraling walkway winds through the surrounding woodlands, rising up above a copper beech tree at the center.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Cinkota Old Cemetery
- A forgotten graveyard lost in the tangles of an overgrown garden.
- Denver, Colorado
- Hidden Elves at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
- A small horde of mythical creatures lurk almost imperceptibly within the museum's wildlife dioramas.
- Lagoudera, Cyprus
- Panagia tu Araka
- Breathtaking Byzantine paintings cover the inside of this 12th-century church.
- Raisen, India
- Bhimbetka Rock Shelters
- A giant repository of accidentally discovered cave paintings up to 30,000 years old.
- Meyrin, Switzerland
- Nataraj Statue
- This statue of a Hindu cosmic dancer at CERN is a metaphor for modern physics.
- Eyüp, Turkey
- Museum of Energy
- This shuttered power plant is now Turkey's first industrial archaeology museum.
- Cork, Ireland
- 'Kindred Spirits' Sculpture
- A tribute to the incredible generosity the Choctaw Nation showed the Irish people during the Great Famine.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Purton Hulks
- Abandoned boats decaying in the largest ship graveyard in mainland Britain.
- Omihachiman-shi, Japan
- Okishima Island
- A Japanese cat island also populated by the descendants of a band of banished samurai.
- Gatteville-le-Phare, France
- Phare de Gatteville
- A beautiful lighthouse with as many steps as days in the year, as many windows as weeks, and as many levels as months.
- Frederick, Maryland
- One-Million-Liter Test Sphere
- This four-story steel sphere in Maryland was used to test biological weapons.
- Moscow, Russia
- Ticket to the USSR
- This small museum is basically a time capsule of daily life in the Soviet Union.
- Saint-Germain-des-Vaux, France
- Port Racine
- The smallest port in France is named after the pirate who created it.
- Robe, Australia
- Robe Chinese Monument
- A simple tribute to the migrant workers who landed here before walking hundreds of miles to Victoria's gold mines.
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Trompe-l'œil Murals of Hanoi
- Life-sized painted illusions let pedestrians blend in with the street art.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Grave of Andreas von Zirngibl
- A one-armed veteran of the Battle of Waterloo lies in a cemetery for one in the middle of a Chicago scrapyard.
- Moscow, Russia
- Peter the Great Statue
- One of the world's tallest statues is also one of its most hated.
- Meyrin, Switzerland
- Birthplace of the Web
- The World Wide Web was created in this nondescript corridor at CERN.
- Sheffield, England
- Women of Steel
- A tribute to the women who quietly kept the local steelworks alive during both world wars.
- New York, New York
- Antioch Chalice
- Once thought to be the fabled Holy Grail, it is now known to be an oil lamp.
- Gildeskål, Norway
- Uredd Rest Area (Ureddplassen)
- Norway has built what may be the world's most beautiful public toilet.
- Buffalo, New York
- Guaranty Building
- A 19th-century architectural wonder designed by the "father of the skyscraper."
- Winkler County, Texas
- Wink Sink
- Two massive and unstable sinkholes are yearning to unite, and their consummation could be catastrophic.
- Hong Kong
- Un Chau Estate Flower Tunnel
- A fairytale flower tunnel hidden within the gardens of a public housing complex.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Edinburgh Maiden
- This early version of the guillotine was used to execute the man responsible for its construction.
- Estonia
- Peko
- A wooden statue of an Estonian pagan god and King of the Setos stands atop a sacred hill.
- Flourtown, Pennsylvania
- Morris Arboretum
- This hidden gem of garden has one of the only surviving Victorian ferneries in America.
- Seattle, Washington
- Montlake Spite House
- This tiny home built on revenge appears to be scarcely wider than a Volkswagen.
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Wat Umong
- Buddha shrines hide within dark tunnels at this unique forest temple.
- Leonora, Australia
- Gwalia Ghost Town
- This once-booming gold mining hub was basically abandoned overnight.
- San Antonio, Texas
- McNutt Sculpture Garden
- This hidden sculpture garden full of Wild West art is one of San Antonio's best-kept secrets.
- Yemen
- Hababah Water Cistern
- A mesmerizing reservoir nestled at the heart of a pre-Islamic Yemeni village.
- Seattle, Washington
- Book Arts & Rare Book Collections
- Peruse rare tomes like poetry bound in pearls or books with branches and berries growing out of their spines.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran 'Ghost Church'
- One-of-a-kind preserved ruins of an abandoned 1880s church in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
- Göttingen, Germany
- Wiechert Earthquake Station
- Home to the world’s oldest seismograph and a four-ton steel ball that makes its own earthquakes.
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Necco Wafer Sculpture
- A tiny monument to the classic American candy.
- Coventry, England
- St. Mary's Guildhall
- Built in the 1300s, this magnificent building that hosted England's kings and queens transports you to the Middle Ages.
- Hullo, Estonia
- Vormsi Cemetery
- Hundreds of unusual wheel crosses poke above the earth in this small Estonian cemetery.
- Whatstandwell, England
- Leawood Pump House
- Its impressive still-working beam engine is a thing of beauty for engineering history fans.
- Bucharest, Romania
- Romanian Kitsch Museum
- A celebration of all things tacky, garish, and bizarrely creative in the Romanian capital.
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- Engineers Tradition Stone
- A sarcastic monument that threatens to curse any "idiot" who dares remove it.
- Seattle, Washington
- Harry Partch's Musical Instruments
- A collection of odd-shaped and quirky sounding instruments handmade by a midcentury inventor-composer.
- New York, New York
- Edward Mooney House
- Built just after the American Revolution, the oldest row house in New York City still stands in Chinatown.
- Sasso di Castalda, Italy
- Ponte alla Luna
- Crossing this suspension bridge feels like walking through the sky, a fitting tribute to the head of the Apollo program.
- Treviso, Italy
- Fontana delle Tette
- Centuries ago, red and white wine poured from the statue's breasts whenever a new Venetian ruler was elected.
- Killarney, Ontario
- Burwash Correctional Center
- A long-abandoned provincial prison left to crumble in the frigid air of Ontario.
- Toronto, Ontario
- Winter Garden Theatre
- A botanically themed auditorium blooms within the world’s last operating double-decker theater.
- Elx, Spain
- Palmeral of Elche
- Originally planted by the ancient Carthaginians, this sprawling palm grove is one of the largest in the world.
- Abang, Indonesia
- Pura Lempuyang Luhur
- Bali's remote "gateway to heaven" is one of the most sacred places on the island.
- Zaragoza, Spain
- Leaning Tower of Zaragoza Memorial
- A statue of a boy looks up at where the famous rival to the Leaning Tower of Pisa once stood.
- Ulm, Germany
- Einstein Fountain
- Albert Einstein's head sticks out of a snail shell stacked on a rocket in this truly bizarre monument to the scientist.
- Cold Spring, Minnesota
- Grasshopper Chapel
- After four years of grasshopper plagues, this chapel was erected as a plea to God to make them end.
- Ruteng, Indonesia
- Spider Web Rice Fields
- The unique design was created by the traditional way communal rice paddies were divided up among the indigenous people.
- Córdoba, Spain
- Cross of the Captive
- A curious carving hides on a marble column in the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.
- Boyne City, Michigan
- Sunset Park Ice Pole
- Every winter, water dripping from a pole creates an ever-changing ice sculpture.
- San Jose, California
- Quetzalcóatl Sculpture
- It is locally loved and ridiculed for literally looking like poop.
- Isola San Giulio, Italy
- Isola San Giulio
- A fairytale island floats in the middle of Italy's little-known Lake Orta.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Grave of Ida Lewis
- The final resting place the famous Rhode Island lighthouse keeper who heroically saved dozens of people from drowning.
- Passau, Germany
- Broken Glass Villa
- Shimmering sea-colored mosaics and Jesus statues cover this opulent building.
- Damascus, Oregon
- Temple of Oculus Anubis
- A mysterious front gate that sends visitors' imaginations running wild.
- Doha, Qatar
- Bin Jelmood House
- This unique museum doesn't shy away from highlighting Qatar's role in the history of slavery.
- Austin, Texas
- Yippee Ki Yay Stickwork Sculptures
- An exquisite grouping of structures made from 10 tons of invasive saplings.
- Palasi, Estonia
- Brown Bear Watching Hide
- Two well-hidden huts let animal lovers spend the night among the bears, wolves, and other predators of the forest.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Snösätra Wall of Fame
- Street artists transformed this abandoned industrial neighborhood into one of Europe's largest graffiti exhibitions.
- Sheffield, England
- Cobweb Bridge
- The whimsical steel spider lurking in the shadows of this suspension bridge shows that engineers can have a sense of humor.
- Qatar
- Al Wukair Scrapyard
- Some 20,000 dust-covered unwanted vehicles languish in the desert.
- Brištane, Croatia
- Visovac Monastery
- This picturesque medieval monastery guards a small trove of historic treasures.
- Kunštát, Czechia
- Cave of the Blanik Knights
- An army of sleeping knights sculpted by a self-taught local artist beautifully depict an old Czech legend.
- Üsküdar, Turkey
- Ottoman Bird Palaces
- Carved into the sides of buildings are ornate miniature mansions, home for Istanbul's feathered residents.
- Viken, Sweden
- MidSweden 365
- A former top secret military tunnel is now stuffed with snow and open year-round to skiers.
- New York, New York
- Henry Bliss Plaque
- A memorial to the first person killed by a motor vehicle in the Western Hemisphere.
- Alcoi, Spain
- Alcoy and Maigmó Greenways
- A dictator's failed public works is reborn as two linked cycling trails through spectacular scenery.
- Nordstrand, Germany
- The Lorenbahn
- A tiny island is connected to the mainland by a private railway that residents travel in their own personal wagons.
- Ujala Baoli
- This magical and eccentric stepwell is a hidden treasure within the ancient fort city of Mandu.
- Lyon, France
- Lumière Villa
- Antique cinematography artifacts fill this museum dedicated to the inventors of the moving picture.
- Port Orange, Florida
- Bongoland Ruins
- Strange beasts lurking in a garden are all that remain of a quirky, short-lived theme park.
- Pueblo, Colorado
- Forgotten Grumman TLRV
- A futuristic hovertrain is parked unceremoniously alongside a nondescript road.
- Busan, South Korea
- Japanese Ruins of Busan
- The 400-year-old remains of the samurai invasion of Korea.
- Qatar
- Al `Arish
- An abandoned fishing village in pre-oil Qatar.
- Edessa, Greece
- Kanavourgio
- Once the largest rope factory in Greece, this abandoned plant now stands like a ghost of industry past.
- Cornwall, England
- Merlin’s Cave
- It is said the legendary wizard once lived in this sea cave beneath Tintagel Castle.
- Bristol, England
- 'Well Hung Lover'
- Banksy's image of a naked man dangling from the window of a sex health clinic.
- Angoulême, France
- Murals of Angoulême
- The vibrant buildings in the “capital of the comic strip” celebrate the art form that made it famous.
- Seattle, Washington
- Amazon Spheres
- The tech giant built three enormous glass orbs in Seattle so employees could work inside a rainforest greenhouse.
- Stirling, Scotland
- Devil's Pulpit
- A strange rock with a sinister reputation lurks within the crimson waters of this Scottish glen.
- Columbia, Missouri
- McBaine Burr Oak
- This majestic tree has survived 400 years of storms, droughts, and floods, and is a beloved natural landmark in Missouri.
- Salzburg, Austria
- Hommage to Mozart
- This strange statue features a bust of the famous composer plopped atop a woman's body.
- Guatape, Colombia
- Guatape
- The Andean town where every single building is decorated with a brightly colored frieze.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Logan Airport 9/11 Memorial
- The small glass cube is a peaceful out-of-the-way sanctuary at the busy airport.
- Saltville, Virginia
- Great Channels of Virginia
- This maze-like slot canyon is a unique gem within an already fascinating geological area.
- Wakefield, England
- Sandal Castle
- Though much of the castle was robbed of its stones, the underlying earthworks are among the best-preserved in England.
- Neemrana, India
- Neemrana Baori
- This abandoned stepwell is one of the largest, deepest, and certainly one of the creepiest in India.
- Bath, England
- Botanical Gardens of Bath
- With lush plants and flowers, huge trees, ponds, and hidden monuments, this place feels a bit like discovering Narnia.
- Øygarden kommune, Norway
- Ocean Wave Power Plants
- Ruins of two abandoned stations destroyed by the power they sought to harness.
- Pasadena, California
- Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden
- A rare surviving example of a pre-WWII Japanese garden, restored after years of neglect.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Blaak House
- Elegant marble and old vaults fill this historic Dutch bank turned office space.
- Seattle, Washington
- Plymouth Pillars Park
- The four tall pillars once marked the entrance of the historic Seattle church that fought for women's suffrage and civil rights.
- Pacific, Missouri
- Black Madonna Shrine
- This wooded grove of beautiful hand-built stone grottos is a hidden gem within a shuttered Franciscan monastery.
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Harvard Lampoon Building
- The headquarters of one of the world’s longest-running humor magazines bears a noticeable resemblance to a head wearing a Prussian helmet.
- Kulionys, Lithuania
- Lithuanian Ethnocosmology Museum
- The first museum dedicated to exploring humanity's cultural relationship with the celestial world.
- Hampi, India
- Stepped Tanks of Hampi
- The ancient water tanks remain some of the ruined city’s most beautiful architecture.
- Kaunas, Lithuania
- Žaliakalnis Funicular Railway
- The oldest funicular in Lithuania has been climbing this steep hill since 1931.
- Ota-ku, Japan
- Tokyu Plaza Rooftop Ferris Wheel
- The small candy-colored ride is the last rooftop Ferris wheel in Tokyo.
- Washington, D.C.
- Peacock Room
- This stunning blue and gold room changed cities twice before becoming part of the Smithsonian.
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Château Laurier
- The mastermind behind this palatial hotel perished on the Titanic weeks before its grand opening.
- Covehithe, England
- Ruins of St Andrew's Covehithe
- A 17th-century church is nestled within the walls of a 15th-century ruin.
- Rahway, New Jersey
- Grave of the Unknown Woman
- The final resting place of a famous 19th-century murder victim whose identity is still a mystery.
- Rothwell, England
- Rhubarb Triangle
- A stretch of land where the sour-sweet vegetable is cloaked in darkness and grows so fast you can hear it crack, squeak, and pop.
- Medellín, Colombia
- The Birds of Peace
- Two identical statues by Fernando Botero, one blown to pieces in a terrorist bombing, the other donated as a gift for peace.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Scallop Shell Pulpit
- The oldest operational cathedral in the U.S. has one shell of a way of projecting the voices of its speakers.
- Garching bei München, Germany
- Parabolic Slides
- Four-story slides send people whizzing through the math department at this Munich university.
- Springfield, Missouri
- Wonders of Wildlife Museum
- An unexpected but incredible collection of wildlife dioramas spanning rainforests, swamps, forests, and plains.
- Durham, England
- Durham Obelisk
- An abandoned tower once used to study the cosmos hides within a thicket of greenery.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Roman Urn Collection at SAMA
- Amazingly detailed marble cinerary urns that once held the cremains of Roman elite.
- Yunnan, China
- Blue Moon Valley
- A bright turquoise river cascades beautifully down stepped terraces in southern China.
- West Sacramento, California
- 'Subtile' Sculpture
- A mesmerizing disco ball-like sculpture along the Sacramento River Walk.
- Forest Grove, Montana
- Bear Gulch Pictographs
- A scenic ravine with an astounding collection of Plains Indian rock art.
- Sponsored by Central Montana
- Choteau, Montana
- Old Trail Museum
- Touch an actual dinosaur bone at this eclectic trove of Rocky Mountain treasures.
- Sponsored by Central Montana
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Pathfinder and the MPTA-ET
- It may look like no more than a full-scale model, but every part of this full Space Shuttle stack had a working role in aviation history.
- Jodhpur, India
- Mahila Baag Jhalra
- Hidden in the shadow of a rocky fortress is one concubine’s long-forgotten legacy.
- Valletta, Malta
- Valletta Tunnels
- A centuries-old forgotten underworld lies beneath Malta.
- Brussels, Belgium
- Royal Train Station
- The Belgian royal family's private depot now stands abandoned and forgotten alongside the tracks.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Fort Mifflin
- This little-known Revolutionary War fort is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of its past.
- Brihuega, SpainChoteau, Montana
- Old Trail Museum
- Touch an actual dinosaur bone at this eclectic trove of Rocky Mountain treasures.
- Sponsored by Central Montana
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Pathfinder and the MPTA-ET
- It may look like no more than a full-scale model, but every part of this full Space Shuttle stack had a working role in aviation history.
- Jodhpur, India
- Mahila Baag Jhalra
- Hidden in the shadow of a rocky fortress is one concubine’s long-forgotten legacy.
- Valletta, Malta
- Valletta Tunnels
- A centuries-old forgotten underworld lies beneath Malta.
- Brussels, Belgium
- Royal Train Station
- The Belgian royal family's private depot now stands abandoned and forgotten alongside the tracks.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Fort Mifflin
- This little-known Revolutionary War fort is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of its past.
- Brihuega, Spain
- Cívica
- This enchanting hamlet carved into the rock looks like something straight out of Tolkien's Rivendell.
- Lyon, France
- Metallic Tower of Fourvière
- Lyon's miniature version of the Eiffel Tower was built as a statement in support of French secularism.
- Rijeka, Croatia
- Torpedo Launch Station
- Now abandoned, the world's first torpedo factory is crumbling into the sea.
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Solitude Speedway
- An enormous image of Utah's salt flats made entirely from tape.
- Sacramento, California
- Spirit of Sacramento
- Before it was abandoned and left to rust alongside the road, this riverboat starred in a John Wayne movie.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Vision del Futuro
- San Antonio's first 3-D stereoscopic mural is a trippy treat for the eyes.
- New York, New York
- Bryant Park Bathroom
- The fanciest public restroom in New York City boasts fresh flowers, art, and a classical music soundtrack.
- Hutchinson, Kansas
- Cosmosphere
- The world’s largest combined collection of U.S. and Russian aircraft got its start in a poultry building.
- London, England
- Camera Museum
- This museum tucked below a charming cafe gives a brief snapshot of photographic history.
- Marawi, Sudan
- Jebel Barkal
- Crumbling pyramids and temple ruins stand within the shadow of this sacred butte.
- Halifax, England
- Piece Hall
- This Georgian architectural masterpiece is the only cloth hall left in Britain.
- Geneva, Illinois
- Sacred Heart Seminary Shrine
- A hidden grotto on the grounds of the Kane County Government Center.
- Highland, Scotland
- Glenfinnan Viaduct
- Now famous as the "Harry Potter bridge," this impressive concrete viaduct has long been an icon in its own right.
- Adalaj, India
- Adalaj Ni Vav
- A deeply beautiful 15th-century stepwell with a tragic story.
- Newbury, Massachusetts
- Plum Island Pink House
- This picturesque abandoned home is the ultimate spite house.
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Old Salem Coffee Pot
- This roadside attraction has been serving out its fair share of hearty folklore and chaos since 1858.
- Park Ridge, Illinois
- Pickwick Theatre
- A towering Art Deco movie palace made to look like a Mayan temple.
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands
- Port Couvreux
- Scattered ruins and a tiny cemetery are all that remain of a failed attempt to colonize the inhospitable Desolate Islands.
- Saint-Evroult-Notre-Dame-du-Bois, France
- Ruins of Abbey of Saint-Evroul
- This 1,400-year-old abbey was once a powerhouse for music and intellectualism known across Normandy.
- Halifax, England
- Wainhouse Tower
- This tallest folly in the world began its life as an elaborate factory chimney.
- Hastings, England
- Jack in the Green
- Every May Day, townspeople welcome summer with a bizarre pagan parade led by a man wrapped in garlands.
- Moscow, Russia
- The 'Golden Brains'
- Some Moscow residents once claimed the bizarre, contorted mass of metal on top of the building was used to manipulate minds.
- Larnaca, Cyprus
- The Zenobia Shipwreck
- The water here is so clear you can see the mysteriously sunken ship from the surface.
- Orleans, Massachusetts
- Nauset Beach
- Centuries-old hoofprints and wagon tracks reveal themselves in the peat after a good winter storm.
- Clevedon, England
- Clevedon Pier
- Constructed from recycled wrought iron railroad tracks, it's been described as the most beautiful seaside pier in England.
- Lviv, Ukraine
- Lychakiv Cemetery
- Monumental sculptures guard many of the graves, transforming this necropolis into an open-air fine art museum.
- West Chester, Pennsylvania
- Brinton 1704 House
- Descendants of this colonial Pennsylvania family still travel from far and wide to visit the 300-year-old home of their Quaker ancestors.
- Pärnu, Estonia
- Pärnu Seawall
- Legend says lovers who hold hands while venturing along this stone jetty and kiss at the end will remain together forever.
- Vientiane, Laos
- COPE Visitor Centre
- In the world's most bombed country relative to its size, this incredible organization helps pick up the pieces.
- Paris, France
- LaBeL RéCuP'
- An off-the-beaten-path boutique stuffed with an eclectic collection of upcycled goods.
- Chauvin, Louisiana
- Our Lady of the Sea
- Installed as a beacon of hope for a hurricane-racked island, the statue had to be moved multiple times due to the eroding coast.
- Windsor, Connecticut
- Windsor Murder Factory
- The historic home of a female serial killer whose story inspired the Broadway hit "Arsenic and Old Lace."
- Lasithi, Greece
- Spinalonga Island
- This abandoned Greek island was the last active leper colony in Europe.
- Chicken, Alaska
- Chicken of Chicken, Alaska
- A giant poultry statue immortalizes one of Alaska's more humorous town names.
- Canmore, Alberta
- Curbside Museum
- A small and quirky museum hidden inside a fence.
- Hastings, England
- The Amsterdam Shipwreck
- This remarkably intact 260-year-old cargo ship is only visible at the lowest of spring tides.
- Poundbury, England
- Poundbury
- Before 1993, this historic-looking village—Prince Charles' pet project—didn’t exist at all.
- Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
- Monument to a Century of Flight
- Down the road from where the Wright brothers lifted off is another flight tribute practically hidden from sight in the woods.
- Santa Maria, Portugal
- Poço da Pedreira
- Rainwater transformed this old quarry into a peaceful pond you won't find in most tourist books.
- New Delhi, India
- Agrasen ki Baoli
- A startling, centuries-old subterranean marvel hides in plain sight.
- Seattle, Washington
- Fort Lawton
- This Puget Sound military post has a long, turbulent history as a gateway to the Pacific.
- Luján de Cuyo, Argentina
- Puente del Inca
- A brightly colored natural bridge formed by mineral-rich hot springs high up in the Andes.
- Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
- Bensberg Old Castle
- This strange building looks like a medieval fortress crashed into a 1960s Brutalist office block.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Freemasons' Hall
- The Grand Lodge of Ireland is one of the oldest in the world, full of fantastical, elaborately themed rooms.
- Windsor, England
- 'The Queen' Locomotive
- A replica of the steam engine that hauled Queen Victoria's Royal Train is on display at Windsor.
- Withernsea, England
- The Sandcastle
- This two-towered gateway is all that remains of the unluckiest pier in the world.
- Huntsville, Alabama
- MPTA-098
- A propulsion engine testbed that paved the way for the Space Shuttle launch sits without recognition at this rocket center.
- Halifax, England
- The Halifax Gibbet
- A copy of the brutal decapitation device that predated the French Guillotine by about 200 years.
- San Miguel, Chile
- Museo a Cielo Abierto
- The gorgeous murals at this open-air museum form the largest street art collective in Chile.
- Onomichi, Japan
- Shimanami Kaido Bikeway
- The 43-mile route crosses through six islands with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea.
- Venice, Italy
- Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs
- This Roman statue is missing a limb from when the Venetians stole it from Constantinople during the Crusades.
- Huntsville, Alabama
- K’REX
- This 12-foot-tall T-rex is the largest K’Nex skeleton sculpture in the world.
- Katowice, Poland
- Spodek
- While the U.S. and Soviet Union were engaged in a space race, Poland built a UFO on the ground.
- Ashton-in-Makerfield, England
- Rectory Nurseries
- Quirky outsider art transforms this garden shop into a little stone fantasyland.
- Kampen, Netherlands
- Schepenzaal
- This stately council chamber hasn't changed since 1545.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Alamo Line in the Sand
- Legend has it the commander of the defenders drew a fateful line in the dirt with his sword just before the final battle.
- Mitsero, Cyprus
- Abandoned Mitsero Mines
- Rusted structures stand like ghosts of Cyprus' 6,000-year-old copper industry.
- Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Sacred Heart Grotto
- A crescent of 12 simple statues poised on a small windswept island off the coast of Newfoundland.
- Rayne, Louisiana
- Wrong Way Cemetery
- The above-ground crypts at this Catholic cemetery face north-south instead of the usual east-west.
- Stockton, California
- Wat Dhammararam
- Giant jewel-toned statues fill the grounds of this Cambodian Buddhist temple in California.
- Winterhaven, California
- Valley of the Names
- Since World War II people have been decorating this stretch of the Yuma desert with signatures arranged out of rocks.
- Victoria, British Columbia
- Moss Lady
- Greenery cloaks this serene sculpture inspired by the famous Lost Gardens of Heligan.
- Wicklow, Ireland
- Seefin Passage Tomb
- This 5,300-year-old tomb with mysterious carvings crowns an Irish mountain.
- Larne, Northern Ireland
- Madman's Window
- It is said a heartbroken man visited the gap every day to stare blankly out at the sea.
- Larrivière-Saint-Savin, France
- Notre Dame du Rugby
- This medieval chapel is now a shrine to the region's favorite sport.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Intermediatheque
- An unexpected curiosity cabinet hidden within a department store in the Japan Post tower.
- Tambon Sa Kamphaeng Yai, Thailand
- Wat Sa Kamphaeng Yai Hell Garden
- Gruesome statues of people reborn in Buddhist hell stand among the ruins of an 11th-century sanctuary.
- Sheffield, England
- Water Sculptures of Sheaf Square
- An enormous steel waterfall is a nod to the substance that shaped Britain's Steel City.
- Riga, Latvia
- The Three Brothers
- The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.
- St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Apothecary Hall
- An old drug store full of mortars and pestles, pill-making machines, and medicines reputed to cure most any illness.
- Wilmington, Delaware
- Delaware Art Museum
- This local gem houses the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings outside of the U.K.
- Patan, India
- Rani Ki Vav
- This magnificent stepwell is designed as an inverted temple and adorned with 1,500 sculptures.
- Amedi, Iraq
- Bahdinan Gate
- This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Portland Cement Plant Ruins
- A tall smoke stack and boarded-up buildings are all that's left of the pioneering plant.
- Manchester, England
- The Manchester Bee
- Be on the lookout for the symbolic insect all over the city.
- Springfield, New Zealand
- Springfield Doughnut
- A giant doughnut was gifted to the small New Zealand town of Springfield to promote "The Simpsons Movie."
- Stoneville, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Beothuk Interpretation Centre
- The last remains of the extinct Beothuk people native to the island of Newfoundland.
- Seattle, Washington
- Scarecrow Video
- Browse through roughly 130,000 titles in the world's largest independent video rental store.
- Finike, Cyprus
- Foinikas
- A crumbling ghost town with prime views of the dam that doomed it.
- Bilbo, Spain
- Fountain of Dogs
- This 19th-century fountain's namesake animal isn't what you think it is.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Gordale Scar
- A long, winding trek rewards you with a gorge so captivating it inspired a painting in the Tate.
- Monmouth, Wales
- Monnow Bridge
- The only medieval bridge in Britain with its defensive tower still in tact.
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Mer Bleue Bog
- A boardwalk winds above this beautiful bog full of wildlife and a rare type of turtle.
- Sparta, Tennessee
- Tent Graves of Mt. Gilead Cemetery
- These early tent-shaped grave coverings are unique to Tennessee.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Sibthorpe Dovecote
- This 600-year-old tower was built as a comfy residence for cherished pigeons.
- Salento, Colombia
- Wax Palms of Cocora Valley
- The world's tallest palm trees look like the whimsical kind of plant you'd find in a Dr. Seuss story.
- Frithsden, England
- Devil's Bridge on Spooky Lane
- A mysterious bridge built on a sunken Roman road.
- Clovelly, England
- The Sledges of Clovelly
- Wooden sleds have replaced donkeys to cart goods around this utterly charming car-free village.
- Bundi, India
- Raniji ki Baori
- A small town in Rajasthan has been dubbed the "City of Stepwells," and Raniji ki Baori is the queen.
- Wicklow, Ireland
- Dan Clancy Memorial Chair
- A teddy bear sits on a chair watching the sunset from the mountaintop—just as the late Dan Clancy had done since childhood.
- Ngorongoro, Tanzania
- Shifting Sand Dunes
- These strange piles of magnetized volcanic ash travel across the desert about 50 feet per year.
- Comfort, Texas
- Hygieostatic Bat Roost
- This unique tower has been home to malaria-fighting bats for 100 years.
- Brookville, Pennsylvania
- Scripture Rocks Heritage Park
- Dozens upon dozens of boulders engraved with scripture tell the story of one man's troubled life.
- Beijing, China
- Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
- The embalmed remains of the communist leader lie within a custom crystal coffin.
- Ogasawara, Japan
- Nishinoshima
- This volcanic island in the Pacific just keeps growing and growing.
- Long Branch, New Jersey
- Garfield Tea House
- A small structure built from used railroad ties honors the short term of America's 20th president.
- Walker County, Georgia
- Fantastic Pit
- The perfectly named cave drop is the deepest in the continental U.S., almost matching the height of Seattle’s Space Needle.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Fr. Pat Noise Memorial Plaque
- A mysterious plaque to the even more mysterious "Fr. Pat Noise," killed in "suspicious circumstances."
- Kolkata, India
- Nipponzan Myohoji
- This overlooked Japanese Buddhist temple is a respite from the bustle of Kolkata.
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Chaiselongue
- This colossal couch is an unlikely monument to Europe's first female Doctor of Law.
- Villa de Leyva, Colombia
- Casa Terracota
- This whimsical home made entirely from clay is basically a giant piece of pottery.
- Cambridgeshire, England
- Holme Fen Posts
- Once-buried markers show England’s lowest land point keeps getting lower.
- San Antonio, Texas
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux Painting
- A priceless work of art created by the saint's own blood sister hangs in a San Antonio basilica.
- Cave del Predil, Italy
- Cave del Predil
- With its mine closed, this old village is starting to resemble a ghost town.
- Los Angeles, California
- William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
- "The greatest unknown literary treasure in Los Angeles."
- Honolulu County, Hawaii
- Tern Island
- This airstrip atoll is uninhabited by humans, but absolutely full of birds.
- Wilmington, Delaware
- Nemours Estate
- This splendid Versailles-inspired mansion has the largest French-style formal gardens in North America.
- Iceland
- Fjaðrárgljúfur
- Strange rock formations tower above the river that snakes through this enchanting Icelandic canyon.
- Toshima-ku, Japan
- Owl Police Box
- This adorable birdlike police box is designed based on a play on words.
- DeKalb, Illinois
- The Egyptian Theatre
- This architectural stunner is one of the few surviving Egyptian Revival theaters in the U.S.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- The Secret Room at M.S. Rau Antiques
- A treasure trove hidden within a treasure trove.
- Wilmington, Delaware
- The Crying Giant
- This weeping 10-foot-tall sculpture was a maquette for a 9/11 memorial.
- Ar-Rayyan, Qatar
- Qatar National Library
- The enormous diamond-shaped building packs a trove of academic and literary treasures into one futuristic space.
- Coventry, England
- Coventry Cathedral Ruins
- The bombed out remains of the old church were kept intact next to the new one, as a reminder of the futility of war.
- Huntly, New Zealand
- DEKA Sign
- This faded sign to nowhere is a beloved icon in New Zealand.
- Carpinteria, California
- Carpinteria Harbor Seal Preserve
- Happy harbor seals frolic and snooze on this warm, sandy stretch of coast.
- Poznan, Poland
- Nierozpoznani
- A cluster of headless, armless sculptures looms within a popular Polish park.
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theater
- A small but hugely whimsical theater where marionettes play out the "The Battle of Stalingrad."
- St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Cape Spear Battery
- A World War II gun battery sits at the easternmost point of North America.
- Coventry, England
- Thrust SSC and Thrust 2
- One of these two land speed record-breaking vehicles went so fast it shattered the sound barrier.
- Somerville, Massachusetts
- Underwater Boston Tea Party
- A little Lego easter egg is hidden underwater in the Boston Tea Party tableau at Miniland.
- Rochester, New York
- Cary Graphic Arts Collection
- Explore the evolution of printing technology, from cuneiform to Kindle.
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland
- Barra Head Lighthouse
- The highest lighthouse in Scotland shines from an abandoned island.
- Lincoln, England
- Newport Arch
- Modern commuters still pass through this 2,000-year-old Roman archway.
- Sanremo, Italy
- Edward Lear's Grave
- There once was a man named Lear / Who found limericks so dear / His final resting space / Is an unusual place / Most people don’t know he’s here.
- Newport, Wales
- Newport Transporter Bridge
- The largest of only eight working transporter bridges left in the world.
- Lewes, Delaware
- Zwaanendael Museum
- A grotesque Fiji merman dwells within this traditional Dutch-style building.
- Manchester, England
- Ice Age Andesite Boulder
- A hunk of prehistoric lava rests amid the Gothic architecture of a campus quad.
- Comfort, Texas
- Seashell Graves of Comfort Cemetery
- No one is sure why this mysterious tradition started.
- Shropshire, England
- Titterstone Clee Hill
- Centuries of human activity have forged an eerie landscape of ruins and craters on an exposed and windswept hilltop.
- Musteika, Lithuania
- Ancient Beekeeping Museum
- A tiny traditional village keeps an ancient method of beekeeping alive.
- London, England
- The Soho Square Hut
- The Tudor-style cottage in the middle of the square is not quite what it seems.
- Concepción, Chile
- Enrique Molina Theater
- The ruins of a grand theater destroyed during the most powerful seismic catastrophe ever recorded.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Myth of Tomorrow
- After being lost for decades, this striking mural depicting the atomic bomb covers the wall of a busy Tokyo metro station.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Mardi Gras Bead Tree
- After the parade, people throw their beads onto this tree for good luck.
- Florián, Colombia
- Windows of Tisquizoque
- A three-tiered waterfall plummets from a mountain cave with amazing views over the countryside.
- Kesennuma-shi, Japan
- Tsunami Stones
- Stone slabs along the coast warn of Japan's tsunami-ravaged past, often marking the highest point of a wave's reach.
- Tinum, Mexico
- Chichen Itza Chirp
- Clap your hands at the base of the pyramid, and the song of a sacred Mayan bird will echo through the air.
- Kirantidiya, Sri Lanka
- Brief Garden
- This luscious masterpiece created by landscape designer Bevis Bawa inspired the work of his brother, a famous Sri Lankan architect.
- Iceland
- Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse
- A lonely beacon, precariously perched atop a remote sliver of rock.
- Chichen Itza, Mexico
- Chichen Itza Chirp
- Clap your hands at the base of the pyramid and the song of a sacred Mayan bird will echo through the air.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Brattle Book Shop
- One of the oldest used bookstores in the U.S. has been selling antiquarian treasures since 1825.
- Liepaja, Latvia
- Karosta North Pier
- The mile-long pier stretches from a ruined fortress out into the Baltic.
- Nederland, Colorado
- Nederland Mining Museum
- One of the few surviving Panama Canal steam shovels stands outside a tiny Colorado mining museum.
- Beruwala, Sri Lanka
- Brief Garden
- This luscious masterpiece created by landscape designer Bevis Bawa inspired the work of his brother, a famous Sri Lankan architect.
- Alexandria, Virginia
- Gadsby's Tavern
- This colonial tavern played host to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other famous early Americans.
- Oía, Greece
- Atlantis Books
- A quirky bookstore hidden beneath a sea of whitewashed Greek villas.
- Kuta, Indonesia
- Bali's (Other) Abandoned Plane
- The wing of this deserted Boeing 737 almost touches the Dunkin' Donuts next door.
- Elgin, Scotland
- Dandy Lion
- A baffling beast so absurd a town councilman called it "intellectual vomit in technicolor."
- Roswell, New Mexico
- POW Iron Cross
- The symbol was surreptitiously built into the river bank by German prisoners of war.
- Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
- Cats of Longwood Gardens
- These lush botanical gardens employ the most purrfect pest control force.
- New Carlisle, Indiana
- Studebaker Tree Sign
- One of the world’s largest living advertisements is made out of pine trees.
- Ely, England
- Octagon Tower
- A remarkable medieval structure born from a 14th-century disaster.
- Valenciennes, France
- Abandoned Eurostar Train
- This is what trains will look like after the zombie apocalypse.
- Waiau, New Zealand
- The Waterworks
- Water-powered gadgets whirr to life in this quirky eco park.
- Veszprém, Hungary
- Soviet Ghost Town
- The abandoned military base looks like a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
- Seoul, South Korea
- 108 Heaven Stairway
- A remnant of Korea's colonial past lies forgotten in a hip neighborhood in Seoul.
- Hyderabad, India
- Maqtha Art District
- A magical expanse of colorful street murals lies hidden within the quiet neighborhood.
- Westman Islands, Iceland
- Þrídrangaviti Lighthouse
- A lonely beacon, precariously perched atop a remote sliver of rock.
- Bolinas, California
- Alamere Falls
- This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs directly into the sea.
- Wilmington, Delaware
- Gibraltar Gardens
- Enchanting gardens surround a derelict mansion, all hidden in plain sight behind a stone wall.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Rocker Grandma
- This amazing abuela became a diehard metal fan late in life and an icon of Madrid's '80s rock scene.
- Bra?ov, Romania
- Biserica Neagra (The Black Church)
- A fire once nearly devoured this gorgeous 14th-century Gothic cathedral.
- Luxor, Egypt
- Colossi of Memnon
- These Egyptian statues have survived for 3,400 years and were an acoustic wonder of the ancient world.
- Centro, Mexico
- The Cake Room at Pastelería Ideal
- Where layer cakes tower above one’s head and there is never a shortage of icing.
- Niigata, Japan
- Wara Art
- Giant animal sculptures are created with the rice straw leftover from the fall harvest each year.
- Narvik, Norway
- Z2 Georg Thiele Shipwreck
- The rusted hull of a WWII German destroyer pokes above the surface in a Norwegian fjord.
- Letanovce, Slovakia
- Kláštorisko
- The ruins of a 13th-century monastery that long served as a place of refuge from wars and raids.
- Rome, Italy
- Galleria Sciarra
- This hidden Art Nouveau courtyard is an opulent feast for the eyes.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The Nerve of Harriet Cole
- The meticulously extracted nervous system of a 19th-century cleaning lady who donated her body to science.
- Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Museum of the Flat Earth
- This quirky museum will make you question everything, including the shape of the planet.
- Nemocón, Colombia
- Nemocón Salt Mine
- Colorful lights and mirror-like brine pools create trippy illusions within the historic mine.
- Radford, Virginia
- St. Albans Sanatorium
- Paranormal investigators say this abandoned asylum is the most haunted spot in the eastern U.S.
- Agoura Hills, California
- Western Town at Paramount Ranch
- An Old West film set seen in countless TV shows and movies is open for the public to explore.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- Tulufan Shi, China
- Tuyoq
- Natives of this mud-brick desert village use an ancient irrigation system to grow sweet, seedless grapes.
- Lancashire, England
- Lytham Mussel Tanks
- Once upon a time these giant concrete tanks were used by local fishermen to clean their wild-caught mussels.
- Stabilimenti, Italy
- Devil's Valley
- Once an ancient Roman bath, now a hotbed of geothermal energy and a hub for energetic innovations.
- Sunnyvale, California
- WeirdStuff Warehouse
- An Aladdin's cave of old Silicon Valley tech.
- Lompoc, California
- Lompoc Valley Drive-In
- With its peeling paint and faded sign, this theater-turned-recycling plant is a nostalgic relic of 1950s Americana.
- Caiguna, Australia
- Giant Readymix Logo
- Some of the world's largest letters are carved into the limestone bedrock of the Nullarbor Plain.
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Jumah Mosque
- At this rare mosque in Tbilisi, Sunni and Shia Muslims pray side by side.
- London, England
- Yeoman Warders Club
- There's an exclusive Beefeaters pub hidden in the Tower of London.
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Stalin’s Underground Printing House
- The secret room where early Bolsheviks cranked out propaganda fliers on a smuggled printing press.
- Agoura Hills, California
- Peter Strauss Ranch
- A strange mishmash of ruins and abandoned structures hint at the park's many lives.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- Guatavita, Colombia
- Guatavita la Nueva
- The entire town looks like a slice of Spain that was carted across the ocean and plunked in the Andes.
- London, England
- Brown Hart Gardens
- It is still illegal to "quarrel" at this unlikely urban oasis built on top of an electrical substation.
- Somosierra, Spain
- Battle of Somosierra Memorial
- A tiny church remembers the Polish cavalrymen who charged their way into a Napoleonic victory.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Swinton Druids Temple
- Although it appears ancient and mysterious, the quirky folly was actually built 200 years ago by an eccentric estate owner.
- Lido, Italy
- San Lazzaro degli Armeni
- Originally a leper colony, the island is now an Armenian monastery home to an incredible manuscript library.
- Hrabušice, Slovakia
- Sokolia Dolina Gorge
- Climb around the high waterfalls on series of iron ladders and bridges within the wildest gorge in the Slovak Paradise.
- Florence, Italy
- Dante's Dagger
- A medieval weapon rumored to have been used by the brilliant poet himself.
- Sisli, Turkey
- Vedat Tek House
- The eclectic home of a leading Turkish architect is a gorgeous piece of eye candy.
- Los Angeles, California
- Heritage Square Museum
- Beautiful Victorian buildings from LA's forgotten architectural past.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- West Lafayette, Indiana
- The Smoking Fence
- Purdue students would lean over this iron fence to skirt campus rules against smoking and courting.
- Oslo, Norway
- Edvard Munch's Grave
- The painter of "The Scream" is laid to rest under a stoic bust of himself in the humble corner of an Oslo cemetery.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Reanimation Library
- Obscure and obsolete publications are given new life as works of art.
- Montrose, Colorado
- Museum of the Mountain West
- An eclectic collection of artifacts from the Wild West are preserved in a remote fictional pioneer town.
- Kobe, Japan
- Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum
- A collection of the specialized tools used to construct Japan’s beautiful architecture.
- San Francisco, California
- Swedenborgian Church
- The rustic cabin-like decor of this Arts and Crafts-style church reflects the love of nature central to its little-known theology.
- Venice, Italy
- Tomb of Antonio Canova
- A sinister pyramid in the Frari contains the heart of the famous neoclassical sculptor.
- Port Townsend, Washington
- Fort Worden Artillery Battery
- An abandoned network of military bunkers and tunnels open for anyone willing to descend into the darkness.
- Megab, Ethiopia
- Abuna Yemata Guh
- Reaching the "Church in the Sky" requires scaling the cliff face of a sandstone pinnacle with a 650-foot drop.
- Agoura Hills, California
- The Old Place Restaurant
- The beloved dining spot stands at the cross-section of Hollywood and the Old West.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- Vlissingen, Netherlands
- Vlissingen Wind Organ
- A set of 27 bamboo tubes creates an eerie soundscape that changes with the wind.
- Qatar
- Inland Sea
- The shallow, salty inlet was a safe haven for 19th-century pirates.
- Cochin, Saskatchewan
- Cochin Lighthouse
- The unusual lighthouse looms over waves of prairies with no sea in sight.
- Peterborough, England
- RTV 31 Tracked Hovercraft
- A clumsy-looking flying locomotive rusts within sight of a busy rail station.
- Rodos, Greece
- Tsambika Monastery
- Scores of wax baby figurines add an unusual mood to this beautiful church on the Greek coast.
- Centralia, Pennsylvania
- Centralia Ghost Town Church
- A mine fire has been burning under the deserted town since 1962, but this church is still going strong.
- Bamburgh, England
- Teak Ceiling at Bamburgh Castle
- The medieval-looking hammer beam teak roof may be a Victorian vanity, but it's still absolutely magnificent.
- Joshua Tree, California
- Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum
- The quirky salon doubles as a a retro museum run by the world's leading "hairstorian."
- Suffolk, England
- Bures Dragon
- A hill carving of the legendary dragon that terrorized the village of Bures in the Middle Ages.
- Blackpool, England
- Comedy Carpet
- A typographic tribute to the many comedic greats who make Great Britain laugh.
- Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
- Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail
- A meandering boardwalk across the bogland leads to a "stairway to heaven" with sublime views.
- Copper Harbor, Michigan
- Keweenaw Rocket Range
- The site where Michigan launched its first rocket into space lies abandoned in the dense woods along Lake Superior.
- Florence, Italy
- Santa Margherita de' Cerchi
- Some say this medieval church is where the poet Dante married his wife and also met the love of his life.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- General Laundry Building
- It's clear this abandoned Art Deco gem was no ordinary cleaners.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Dr. Gloom's Crypt of Curiosities
- Fiji mermaids, mummified remains, and recreated cryptids are among the morbid oddities at this Baltimore museum.
- Martigny, Switzerland
- Barryland
- Enormous, fluffy dogs frolic around this museum dedicated to a legendary St. Bernard.
- Lanzo D'intelvi, Italy
- Balcony of Italy (Balcone d'Italia)
- The Sighignola summit on the Swiss border offers views so breathtaking it's been named one of the most beautiful places in Italy.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Educación
- A colorful public mural in San Antonio's West Side encourages students to stay in school.
- Los Angeles, California
- Biddy Mason Memorial Park
- A beautiful memorial tells the story of a former slave whose kindness shaped a burgeoning LA.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- Agoura Hills, California
- Western Town at Paramount Ranch
- An Old West film set seen in countless TV shows and movies is open for the public to explore.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- New York, New York
- Saint Vartan Armenian Cathedral
- A replica of a 7th-century church hides in plain sight in the middle of the concrete jungle.
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- River Farset
- Belfast's namesake river still winds below the city center, hidden from sight.
- Hrastovlje, Slovenia
- Danse Macabre of Hrastovlje
- The walls of this medieval church are covered with perfectly preserved frescos, including a pristine example of the Dance of Death.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Memorial Park at UT Health Science Center
- The cremains of those who donated their bodies to science are buried in a tiny cemetery behind the building.
- Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea
- Vantablack Hyundai Pavilion
- The darkest building on Earth was built for the snow-white scenery of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
- Los Angeles, California
- Heritage Square Museum
- Beautiful Victorian buildings from LA's forgotten architectural past.
- Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
- Herrsching am Ammersee, Germany
- Roman Gravestone at St. Michael's Church of Widdersberg
- A carved grave marker from the 2nd century is mounted in the alcove wall of this Bavarian church.
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Wat Mahabut
- A shrine honoring a legendary ghost bride lies within this vibrant temple.
- Muriwai, New Zealand
- Muriwai Gannet Colony
- New Zealand's west coast is one of the best places in the world to view these large seabirds.
- Nevada City, California
- 'Ladies of the Evening' Marker
- Hidden in a hotel parking lot is a strange historical plaque erected by an obscure fraternal society.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Fell Family Cemetery
- Wedged between two sets of row houses is an awkwardly located family graveyard.
- Taos, New Mexico
- D.H. Lawrence Forbidden Art
- Nine oil paintings banned from England in 1929 are now improbably hidden behind a curtain in a New Mexico conference room.
- Ust'-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
- Ust-Kamenogorsk Lock
- Tucked away along a riverbend in an area known for its uranium mines is one of the world's tallest locks.
- Hebron, New Hampshire
- Sculptured Rocks
- This narrow canyon has been carved by the river over thousands of years into spectacular and curious forms.
- Swisttal, Germany
- Iron Man
- This mysterious pig iron pillar does not rust, despite being weathered by the elements for centuries.
- Namibia
- Eduard Bohlen Shipwreck
- Far from the shore, this sandy victim of the Skeleton Coast looks like it was plopped in the middle of the desert.
- New York, New York
- Nathan Hale Hanging Site
- A plaque immortalizes the spot where the early American spy said his famous last words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
- Izena-son, Japan
- Izena Island
- Ruins and statues dot the landscape of this tiny island rich with royal history.
- New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale Collection of Musical Instruments
- A quirky assortment of musical marvels from around the world.
- Guanajuato, Mexico
- Hacienda del Cochero
- Peaceful gardens hide an underground torture museum.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Grundtvig’s Church
- This sublime architectural marvel is a rare example of an expressionist church.
- La Paz, Bolivia
- Mi Teleférico
- The soaring gondola lines form the longest aerial cable car system in the world.
- Carpinteria, California
- Wardholme Torrey Pine
- At 130 years old and 126 feet tall, it is the largest known example of the rare Torrey pine tree.
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Slavín
- Thousands of slain Soviet soldiers are buried within the shadow of this enormous obelisk.
- San Jacinto, Nicaragua
- Boiling Mud Pools of San Jacinto
- Volcanic activity causes small pools of super-heated mud to boil furiously.
- Dnipropetrovs'k, Ukraine
- Art Center Kvartira
- A beautiful art space and unusual mini-hotel hidden in the city center of Dnipro.
- Iran
- Naqsh-e Rustam
- The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings.
- Carpinteria, California
- Carpinteria Tar Pits
- Inky sludge oozes to the surface of this beach thanks to a rare natural tar seep.
- Rhinelander, Wisconsin
- The Hodag
- The menacing creature had a tremendous influence on the local culture before being exposed as a hoax.
- San Bernardino County, California
- Kelso Ghost Town
- The abandoned train depot now doubles as a well-placed rest stop for those who take the road less traveled.
- Brinchang, Malaysia
- Rose Centre
- A lush terraced garden full of thousands of colorful roses and mystical art.
- Detroit, Michigan
- Detroit Masonic Temple
- The world’s largest Masonic temple was saved by the White Stripes.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- United Fruit Company Building
- The beautiful, fruit-covered facade hints at this building's former life.
- North Ayrshire, Scotland
- Machrie Moor Standing Stones
- More stones than Stonehenge, all scattered within a windswept landscape sure to enchant "Outlander" fans.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Old Egyptian Courthouse
- This strange example of the Egyptian Revival architecture trend now holds Mardi Gras floats.
- Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe
- Fort Delgrès Memorial
- A stone circle on the slopes of a Caribbean volcano commemorates the leader of an anti-slavery uprising.
- Kashan, Iran
- Bazaar of Kashan
- A historic trade hub teeming with gorgeous architecture, colorful goods, and vibrant designs.
- Garraf, Spain
- Bodegas Güell
- This whimsical winery by Antoni Gaudí looks ripped from the pages of a fairytale.
- Jefferson City, Tennessee
- Branner Cemetery Field Stones
- Over 200 people were buried here with only a small stone to mark their final resting place.
- Portland, Oregon
- Portland Horse Rings
- Tiny horses tethered to antique rings are scattered around the city.
- Drogheda, Ireland
- Saint Oliver Plunkett's Head
- The severed head of a 17th-century Irish martyr lies within an intricate golden shrine.
- Guano, Ecuador
- Momia de Guano
- A mummified Spanish monk found in the walls of an Ecuadorian church, alongside a mummified mouse.
- Los Angeles, California
- Cactus Store
- The neighborhood shop is a sort of tiny cactus museum full of exotic specimens you can take home.
- Kawazu-cho, Japan
- Kawazu Sakura Festival
- Cherry blossom season comes early in this Japanese town where pink flowers line the streets and riverbanks.
- Oravský Podzámok, Slovakia
- Orava Castle
- The 700-year-old fortress was the site of Count Orlok's castle in "Nosferatu."
- Mukilteo, Washington
- Future of Flight Aviation Center
- A rare tour of a commercial jet assembly plant, held inside one of the largest buildings in the world.
- Wellington, Kentucky
- Broke Leg Falls
- Beautiful waterfalls in a canyon visibly torn by a violent tornado.
- Kerman, Iran
- Lut Desert (Dasht-e Lut)
- The hottest, driest, and most scenic desert on Earth.
- Okains Bay, New Zealand
- Maori and Colonial Museum
- One of the largest collections of traditional Maori artifacts in New Zealand.
- Pozzuoli, Italy
- Flavian Amphitheater of Pozzuoli
- Italy's third-largest Roman arena gives a peek into the underground operations beneath the ancient spectacles.
- Bamberg, Germany
- Bird Hall of Bamberg Natural History Museum
- A beautiful collection of taxidermy birds and rare pomological wax models.
- Manchester, England
- Soviet Engels Statue
- Manchester salvaged this sculpture of the adopted Mancunian when it was no longer wanted in Ukraine.
- Qatar
- Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum
- This mix of Islamic art, vintage vehicles, weaponry, architecture, and history is an ode to eclecticism.
- Esperance, Australia
- Skylab’s Remains
- A tiny museum in Esperance, Australia, displays a bunch of space debris from NASA’s Skylab.
- Newark, Delaware
- Grave of Thomas Ogle
- The tombstone of the founder of the lost town of Ogletown is now stuck inside a traffic median.
- Glastonbury, England
- The White Spring
- A dark Victorian well house now plays host to mystical waters and pagan shrines.
- Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Bell Island Mine Museum
- This former iron ore mine comes alive with fascinating stories of its history.
- Alexandria, Virginia
- Civil War Graffiti at Washington's Tomb
- The tomb was guarded by soldiers from both sides of the war, and some left their initials carved in the brick.
- Sierra Madre, California
- Sierra Madre Wistaria Vine
- Gorgeous purple flowers drape from the world's largest blossoming plant.
- Princeton, New Jersey
- Princeton Chapel Bulldog
- The mysterious canine hides atop a drain pipe on the back of the building, some say as a sneaky shoutout to Yale.
- County Durham, England
- Killhope
- An iconic waterwheel in the Pennine Hills marks the location of one of Britain’s most profitable lead mines.
- Wilmington, Delaware
- Winterthur
- A blend of art, antiquities, and Americana fill this museum, surrounded by whimsical, enchanting gardens.
- Quanzhou Shi, China
- Jhaishan Tunnel
- The wartime boat shelter now doubles as an underground concert hall where musicians play on rafts down the waterway.
- Denpasar Timur, Indonesia
- Taman Festival
- A haunting abandoned theme park slowly being swallowed by the jungle.
- Kuta Selatan, Indonesia
- Bali's Abandoned Plane
- Someone left a Boeing 737 in a field in southern Bali.
- Hendaye, France
- Château d'Abbadie
- The eclectic observatory castle of a 19th-century astronomer and explorer.
- Fallbrook, California
- Fallbrook Pioneer Odd Fellows Cemetery
- Famous and forgotten figures lie beneath the faded headstones and decaying planks of wood.
- Prague, Czechia
- Defenestration of Prague Window
- The palace window through which Protestant nobles flung two Catholic regents, thus sparking the Thirty Years' War.
- Yangyang, South Korea
- 38th Parallel Beach
- A thriving surf community exists in relative remoteness along the former boundary between North and South Korea.
- Springfield, Illinois
- Abraham Lincoln's Receiving Vault
- The original vault that held the president's remains still stands, empty, not far from where he was finally buried.
- Venice, Italy
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo
- This palatial spiral staircase was so unusual the name "snail" was given to the noble family who built it.
- Westerhaar-Vriezenveensewijk, Netherlands
- Veenmuseum
- Hop aboard a charming bog train to explore this rare open-air museum of peat.
- Cercado de Lima, Peru
- Cripta de los Héroes
- The elaborate crypt where Peruvian heroes of the War of the Pacific were laid to rest.
- San Antonio, Texas
- San Fernando Cathedral City Centers
- Conflicting markers on its floor tell a tale of two city centers in San Antonio.
- Twentynine Palms, California
- Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill
- Crumbling pink walls and murder memorials preserve the pioneer history of Joshua Tree.
- Al-Shikhan, Iraq
- Aqueduct of Jerwan
- The surviving pieces of an ancient aqueduct that may have fed into the lost Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
- Amritsar Cantt., India
- Golden Temple
- This peaceful Sikh gurudwara serves around 50,000 free meals every day within its gilded walls.
- Fatih, Turkey
- Flora Han
- An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.
- Sirjan, Iran
- Stone Garden
- Hundreds of stones dangle from barren trees in the middle of the desert.
- Golden Valley, Arizona
- Fish Bowl Spring
- A secret fresh water spring for animals and humans alike hidden along the most famous road in the United States.
- Inari, Finland
- Siida Museum
- A beautiful Arctic museum and nature center preserves the culture of the Sámi people.
- Mae Klong, Thailand
- Maeklong Railway Market
- Six times a day a train runs right through the middle of this Thai street market, sending vendors scrambling.
- Saint-Pierre, France
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- These colorful French islands spent a stint bootlegging booze during American Prohibition.
- New Hope, Pennsylvania
- Boomer
- This strange, big-tailed beast became a Pennsylvania town's unofficial mascot.
- Paris, France
- Le Chat Noir Collection
- Original cabaret handbills, posters, and feline artwork are a purrfect highlight of the Museum of Montmartre.
- Bruges, Belgium
- Secret Garden of Bruges
- You would never come across this tiny green oasis if you didn't know it existed.
- Dokan, Iraq
- Qyzqapan Tomb
- Ancient rock-cut tomb? Definitely. That of a great Median king? Unlikely.
- Chamchamal, Iraq
- Chamchamal Fire Well
- A boiling wellspring flowing with natural gas burns in a continual blaze.
- Manila, Philippines
- Paco Park Cemetery
- The cemetery was built for the Spanish colonial elite, but its most famous residents were all buried in unmarked graves.
- Guildford, England
- Guildford Medieval Synagogue
- The remains of the oldest synagogue in Britain lay forgotten for seven centuries, hidden under a humble shop.
- Panaji, India
- Fontainhas
- This colorful colonial neighborhood in Panjim is one of the only Latin Quarters in Asia.
- Southampton, England
- Southampton Walls
- A half-mile-long stretch of medieval forts built after a devastating pirate attack persists amid the modern port city.
- San Diego, California
- Space Invaders
- The classic Atari game's iconic aliens have invaded downtown San Diego.
- Alassio, Italy
- Wall of Alassio
- Ernest Hemingway was the first to sign this colorful wall covered in thousands of celebrity signatures.
- Lota, Chile
- The Devil's Blast
- The hellish conditions of this abandoned mine that snakes beneath the Pacific Ocean gave it its diabolic name.
- Athenry, Ireland
- Athenry Dominican Priory
- Ruins battered by centuries of war and disaster offer a wondrous glimpse of medieval Ireland.
- Brasília, Brazil
- Cathedral of Brasília
- A stunning Catholic cathedral built by a curve-loving communist in Brazil’s newly created capital.
- Allahabad, India
- The Triveni Sangam
- The world's largest human gathering is held at the confluence of three sacred rivers, one of which is mythical.
- Umm Salal Muhammed, Qatar
- Barzan Towers
- These beautiful historic watchtowers were used for both scanning the desert for enemy invaders and observing the celestial world.
- Yanan Shi, China
- Abandoned China Medical University
- Forgotten for decades, the first medical school built in Communist China is full of surprises today.
- Preston, England
- Preston Bus Station
- Locals spent years successfully fighting to save this beloved Brutalist behemoth from demolition.
- Florence, Italy
- Bronze Replica of Michelangelo’s David
- A copy of the famous statue can be found in this Florence piazza, along with one of the most breathtaking views of the city below.
- Lakki, Greece
- Lakki Cinema
- This Greek cinema was architecturally inspired by Mussolini's vision of a fascist Mediterranean utopia.
- Oxford, England
- J.R.R. Tolkien's Grave
- The names Lúthien and Beren can be found inscribed on the shared grave of the famous writer and his beloved wife and muse.
- Vilhelmina, Sweden
- Wilhelmina Ice Pole Sitting Contest
- Locals perched on icy thrones brave frigid temperatures during this bizarre winter tradition.
- Il-Gzira, Malta
- Duck Village
- The eclectic seaside sanctuary caters to a rather fowl crowd.
- Cercado de Lima, Peru
- Francisco Pizarro Statue
- A monument to the conquistador became increasingly controversial in the very city that he founded.
- San Javier, Bolivia
- Mission Church of San Xavier
- This gorgeous, colorful 18th-century church is part of one of Bolivia's few surviving Jesuit missions.
- Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
- Poe's Tavern
- A quirky Poe-themed joint on an island keen to celebrate its overlooked connection to the famous writer.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Six Collection
- A rare tour of an aristocrat's private home reveals valuable 17th-century paintings from artists like Rembrandt.
- Yanan Shi, China
- Yan'an News Memorial Hall
- A quiet ode to Communist China's propaganda machine, including a newspaper edited by Mao Zedong's own hand.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Garden of Constants
- This whimsical campus lawn is dotted with large sculpted numbers and hidden mathematical formulas.
- Thessaloniki, Greece
- Heptapyrgion Fortress
- An abandoned Byzantine fortress and notorious prison.
- Oxford, England
- C.S. Lewis's Grave
- The beloved fantasy novelist is buried near a church containing a whimsical etched glass window full of Narnia favorites.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Freud's Dream Museum
- Dark, eerie exhibits make for a surreal exploration of the subconscious.
- Bonn, Germany
- Bonn Cherry Blossoms
- Thousands of flowers create enchanting pink tunnels over the city streets.
- England
- Four Shire Stone
- The centuries-old obelisk may have inspired J. R. R. Tolkien.
- Alexandria, Virginia
- Mount Vernon Slave Cemetery
- The graveyard holding the remains of George Washington's slaves was forgotten for nearly 200 years.
- Riverside, Ohio
- SAM 26000
- You can walk through the first Boeing Air Force One, which famously carried JFK's casket from Dallas back to D.C.
- Noble, Oklahoma
- Timberlake Rose Rock Museum
- A collection of beautiful crystals shaped like freshly plucked roses.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- La Casa Mínima
- The narrowest house in Buenos Aires is less than 10 feet wide.
- Louth, Ireland
- Proleek Dolmen
- A mysterious Neolithic tomb is perched along the edge of a modern golf course.
- Zeitz, Germany
- Cheese Mite Memorial
- A simple tribute to the microscopic arachnid that gives its juices and its life to help make a speciality German cheese.
- Szentendre, Hungary
- Micro Wonder Museum
- A collection of intricate sculptures so small they have to be seen through a microscope.
- Jersey City, New York
- Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital
- Now abandoned, the first public health hospital in the U.S. saw more than one million immigrants from around the world.
- Iceland
- Selatangar
- Eerie ruins of an abandoned medieval fishing village crumble atop an unforgiving stretch of earth.
- Ray, Ohio
- Leo Petroglyph
- A slab of sandstone covered with mysterious 1,000-year-old rock carvings from a vanished North American culture.
- Lessines, Belgium
- Hopital Notre-Dame à la Rose
- One of Belgium's oldest hospitals saw patients from the 13th to 20th centuries before becoming a museum.
- Couëron, France
- House in the Loire
- The sunken structure looks like the victim of a catastrophic flood.
- Oxford, England
- Annora's Tomb
- The weathered grave of a medieval anchoress who walled herself up in a cell attached to a church.
- Zadar, Croatia
- Pillar of Shame
- Now harmless, this looming post struck fear into the heart of medieval troublemakers.
- Ellicott City, Maryland
- Daniels
- An eerie, decaying ghost town destined to fade into the forest.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Japanese Tea Garden
- A gorgeous garden oasis with winding paths, stone bridges, and a troubling history.
- Ards, Northern Ireland
- Saint Cooey's Well
- Legend says the water within these mysterious sacred springs stays cold even when boiled.
- Fredericksburg, Virginia
- Abandoned National Slavery Museum
- An overgrown garden stands as a grim marker of an unrealized dream.
- Egmont, British Columbia, Canada
- Skookumchuck Narrows
- The water swaps direction twice a day, whipping into a frenzy of whirlpools and rapids.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Photo Antiquities Museum
- Its vintage camera collection gives a snapshot of the past as viewed through a photographic lens.
- Madrid, Spain
- Reverte Coma Forensic Museum
- The morbid items in this small and hidden museum are not for the weak stomached.
- Prague, Czechia
- Saint Michael's Church
- This charming wooden church was disassembled and moved not once but twice before settling in this Prague garden.
- Hillsboro, Oregon
- Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
- A midcentury ranch house hides a literal treasure trove of unique rocks and minerals.
- New Delhi, India
- India Gate Canopy
- The mysterious empty cupola behind the monumental arch points to an ancient prophecy of Delhi.
- Kapaa, Hawaii
- Kalalau Trail
- This narrow coastline trail through the dense Kauai wilderness is among the most beautiful and dangerous in the world.
- Cambridge, Ohio
- Dickens Victorian Village
- Hundreds of 19th-century characters descend upon an Ohio town every autumn.
- Leuven, Belgium
- Fons Sapientiae
- This whimsical statue dumps water on its head to symbolize knowledge flowing into his brain. Or maybe booze.
- Ndieulé Mbam, Senegal
- Langue de Barbarie
- A tree seems to grow from the ocean floor on this strange strip of sand slowly being overtaken by the sea.
- Lubec, Maine
- McCurdy Smokehouse
- This waterfront museum in Maine is dedicated to the history of the smoked-herring trade.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Homewood Cemetery
- A quiet, gothic haven nestled between Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze neighborhoods.
- Capannori, Italy
- Oak of the Witches
- This enchanting 600-year-old tree is so magical it inspired the beloved tale of Pinocchio.
- Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Metro Stations
- The gorgeous entrances into the city's underbelly look more like grand halls than subway stops.
- Campobello, Canada
- Roosevelt Campobello International Park
- The 32nd president's sprawling cottage sits on an island enclave jointly managed by the U.S. and Canada.
- Pushkar, India
- Pushkar Brahma Temple
- There are millions of temples in India, but only one prominent temple dedicated to the Hindu creator god.
- Berrioplano, Spain
- Fort of San Cristóbal
- This huge abandoned fortress hidden inside a mountain holds a world of subterranean secrets.
- Breckenridge, Colorado
- Edwin Carter Discovery Center
- The cabin of a gold miner turned naturalist whose collection of 3,000 taxidermy animals was used to found a museum.
- Chester, England
- Chester Imp
- A mysterious demonic figure peers down from its perch within the gorgeous Chester Cathedral.
- Province de Ouarzazate, Morocco
- 'Hills Have Eyes' Gas Station
- An abandoned horror film set sits eerily along a highway through Hollywood's "door to the desert."
- Bacoli, Italy
- Casina Vanvitelliana
- The Bourbon royal family had this unique octagonal hunting "cottage" built on a tiny islet in Lake Fusaro.
- Caliente, Nevada
- Delamar Ghost Town
- The eerie ruins of an isolated abandoned town nicknamed "the Widowmaker" for its deadly gold mine.
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Hidden Train in a Cherub Relief
- An unexpected Easter egg lurks in the background of a cherub wall relief at the Breakers mansion.
- Malinovka, Kazakhstan
- ALZHIR
- A Stalinist prison camp for the wives and children of men accused of betraying the Soviet state is now a memorial museum.
- Dorset, Vermont
- Freedlyville Quarry
- This cavernous abandoned marble mine is popular with ice skaters in the winter.
- Saguache, Colorado
- Soldierstone
- Hidden high on a remote mountain peak is a humbling and mysterious Vietnam war memorial.
- London, England
- 'The Rocket' Locomotive
- This innovative steam machine was no doubt the most famous of the pioneer locomotives.
- Trongsa, Bhutan
- Trongsa Dzong
- The largest and, arguably, most scenic fortress in Bhutan.
- Lake Charles, Louisiana
- The USS Orleck
- After serving in Vietnam, Korea, and even a stint in the Turkish navy, the unique ship is now open as a museum.
- Delta, Colorado
- Ute Council Tree
- The giant stump of the once towering cottonwood where local Ute Indians held tribal meetings.
- Martinsburg, West Virginia
- National Tracing Center
- Endless rows of boxes of paper records line the hallways of the archaic federal facility where guns are traced.
- Montville, Connecticut
- Naskart Racing
- The world's largest indoor go-kart racetrack is hiding in Connecticut.
- Saint-Nazaire, France
- Suite de Triangles
- These red marks, seemingly placed at random, are in fact not.
- Carlsbad, California
- Copper Creek Falls and Mine
- The overgrown ruins of a once thriving World War I-era copper mine.
- Chester, England
- Medieval Coffin of St John's
- A rare wooden coffin set vertically into the Gothic arch of an ruined church.
- Thimphu, Bhutan
- Motithang Takin Preserve
- Strange, gentle beasts resembling goat-cow hybrids roam within this patch of forest.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Alamo Cat Graves
- Two small markers remember the Alamo's feline protectors.
- Bath, England
- Pulteney Weir
- This picturesque horseshoe weir was first built in the 1600s to prevent flooding in the town of Bath.
- Bouée, France
- Villa Cheminée
- This tiny hotel perched atop a 50-foot tower really puts things into perspective.
- Stazzema, Italy
- Monte Forato
- A massive natural rock arch gives the Tuscan mountain its own window to the sky.
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil
- The largest library in Latin America owes its existence to an Old World earthquake and a Napoleonic invasion.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- The Weeping Glass
- A beautiful oddities shop crammed with strange and morbid curiosities.
- Blatce, Czechia
- Houska Castle
- Folklore says this medieval fortress was plopped atop a portal to hell to trap the demons below.
- Chester, England
- Minerva's Shrine
- The last outdoor Roman shrine in Western Europe sits in an unassuming park once frequented by ancient quarrymen.
- Kiev, Ukraine
- Toilet History Museum
- A quirky collection flush with information on commode culture from ancient times to modern day.
- Naples, Italy
- Bourbon Tunnel
- Dug as a secret royal escape route, the tunnel became a wartime bomb shelter and dumping ground for vintage cars.
- Stamford, Connecticut
- Stamford's Miniature Ghost Town
- Forgotten under the construction of a new urban roadway is a small, abandoned part of town.
- Jajepura, India
- Chambal River
- An ancient curse kept humans from living on the water, and now it's brimming with rare wildlife and is one of the most pristine rivers in India.
- Paris, France
- Fountain of Innocents
- A 16th-century fountain marks the site of a lost medieval cemetery once filled with mass graves.
- Përmet District, Albania
- Benja Thermal Baths
- A medieval bridge stretches over a sulfur-rich river that leads to year-round natural hot springs.
- Al Haouz, Morocco
- Tin Mal Mosque
- The remains of a magnificent medieval fortress that was the capital of a vast empire.
- Kolkata, India
- Mud Statues of Kumortuli
- The potters' quarter is packed with artists sculpting clay gods with mud from the sacred Ganges river.
- Campamento Geotermico Corfo, Chile
- El Tatio Geysers
- The largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere is a spectacular sight.
- Hettingen, Germany
- Gewandhaus Museum Inneringen
- Opulent period costumes and murals lead you on a journey through fashion history.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Fliers and Explorers Globe
- A prized globe signed by Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh sits in the Brooklyn office of the American Geographical Society.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Couch Place (The Alley of Death)
- This alley in downtown Chicago held the bodies of over 600 people after the fateful Iroquois Theatre fire.
- Sewell, Chile
- Sewell Ghost Town
- The “City of Stairs” sits high in the Andes above the world’s largest underground copper mine.
- Hythe, England
- Hythe Pier Railway
- The world's oldest operational public pier railway has shuttled seagoing commuters from ship to shore since 1909.
- Chesterfield, Missouri
- Pecan Legacy Park
- After miraculously surviving a giant flood, the 19th-century nut tree and its offspring are protected with their own tiny park.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Saint Audoen's Gate
- The enchanting archway is the only surviving portal into Dublin's lost medieval wall.
- Clarkdale, Arizona
- Arizona Copper Art Museum
- The state's only comprehensive museum dedicated to the mineral that defined its history and economy.
- Santa Barbara County, California
- Torrey Pines of Santa Rosa Island
- Windswept and remote, the island was once the home of a rare mammoth and today is home to an even rarer tree.
- Hong Kong
- Quarry Bay 'Monster Building'
- This hulking behemoth is actually five interconnected towers built in the 1960s.
- Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Psychedelic Salt Mines
- It's hard to believe the dizzying patterns covering this abandoned mine are completely natural.
- Houston, Texas
- The Wilde Collection
- An oddities shop packed with twisted treasures inspired by Oscar Wilde and Edgar Allan Poe.
- C?a Nam, Vietnam
- Hanoi's Train Street
- Twice a day a speeding train passes only inches from the homes of this residential neighborhood.
- Merta, India
- Meera Mahal
- This small and unknown museum recounts the life of Mirabai, a remarkable mystic saint of the 16th century.
- London, England
- George Michael Memorial
- An unsanctioned shrine that sprung up outside the late singer's home is causing a stir in London's Highgate neighborhood.
- Tateyama-machi, Japan
- Snow Canyon
- A massive wintry wall of snow up to 66 feet tall flanks a highway through Japan's mountains.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta Rainbow Crosswalks
- A colorful square marks the heart of the city's LGBTQ community.
- Valdivia, Chile
- Foucault Pendulum of Valdivia
- A 63-foot-tall swinging ball hypnotizes passersby, and proves to any remaining doubters that the Earth is spinning.
- Kusini, Tanzania
- Kuza Cave
- This sacred, circular cave is lined with pools so clear and still that it's hard to tell where the water begins.
- Quispicanchi, Peru
- Rumicolca
- The Incas turned this ancient Wari aqueduct into an imposing defensive gate.
- Ocala, Florida
- Gypsy Gold Horse Farm
- Visit these gentle, bell-bottomed, exquisite equines at the home of North America's first Gypsy Vanner horses.
- Côn Ð?o, Vietnam
- Côn Ð?o Prison
- The wartime prison now features haunting sculpted reenactments of the atrocities that took place there.
- Irkutsk, Russia
- The Irkutsk Babr
- Thanks to a spelling mistake this bizarre beaver-tiger hybrid became the symbol of a Siberian town.
- Žytkavicki rajon, Belarus
- Stone Crosses of Turov
- The centuries-old crosses "growing" in the cemetery are steeped in local lore and are believed to have healing powers.
- Hallandale Beach, Florida
- Pegasus and Dragon
- The behemoth beasts engaged in an epic battle is the second-tallest statue in the contiguous United States.
- Urubamba, Peru
- Machu Picchu Discovery Plaques
- It took 82 years and four different plaques to finally get the story right.
- Naples, Italy
- Naples Underground
- A labyrinth of ancient tunnels hidden below the city holds the ruins of 2,500 years of history.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Church Cemetery
- A spooky juxtaposition of caves and graves gives this legend-filled cemetery a particularly haunting vibe.
- Cercado de Lima, Peru
- Plaza de Toros de Acho
- This bullring in Lima is the oldest in the Americas and the second-oldest in the world.
- Del Mar, California
- Free Flight Exotic Bird Sanctuary
- This unique sanctuary invites you to interact with the beautiful birds.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Michael's Museum
- A curious collection of miniatures in a quiet corner of the Chicago Children's Museum.
- Erto e Casso, Italy
- Vajont Dam
- When a massive landslide hit one of the world's tallest dams it created a tragic environmental disaster.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- World's Largest Air-Insulated Van de Graaff Generator
- The massive machine creates cracking displays of indoor lightning.
- Lerna, Illinois
- World's Fastest Pop Machine
- The 40-year-old machine serves soda quicker than you can catch it for a mere 75 cents a pop.
- Ludbreg, Croatia
- Ludbreg's 'Center of the World'
- Colorful concentric circles honor a small Croatian town's supposed spot at the nucleus of it all.
- New Delhi, India
- Hijron ka Khanqah
- This hidden Sufi cemetery is a spiritual monument for India's third gender community.
- Marion, Kentucky
- Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum
- Thousands of unique minerals, including some of the most impressive fluorite crystals in the world.
- Lorton, Virginia
- Workhouse Prison Museum
- A small museum in a former prison tells the story of a dark but pivotal chapter in the women's suffrage movement.
- Waterford, Ireland
- Tankardstown Engine House
- Impressive mining ruins overlook a spectacular view of Ireland's Copper Coast.
- High Point, North Carolina
- High Point Chest of Drawers
- A six-foot pair of socks hangs from a drawer of the world's largest bureau.
- Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
- The Rue Obscure
- A medieval military street hidden beneath a charming French fishing village.
- Baguio, Philippines
- Japanese Tunnels of Baguio
- Some locals believe the fabled lost gold of General Yamashida is hiding somewhere beneath the city.
- San Isidro, Peru
- Bosque el Olivar (Olive Grove Forest)
- A pretty park of over 1,600 olive trees that grew from just three saplings brought over from Spain.
- Ypres, Belgium
- Sanctuary Wood
- A rare example of World War I trenches from the British front.
- Wall Township, New Jersey
- Project Diana Site
- The first dish to bounce radio signals off the Moon, it was the forerunner to the U.S. Space Program.
- Balaghat, India
- Barasingha of Kanha National Park
- This reserve is the only place in the world where you can see the Barasingha swamp deer in the wild.
- Sandown, England
- National Poo Museum
- This British museum hopes to take the taboo out of poo.
- Maynas, Peru
- Amazon Rescue Center
- Feeding these fat little baby manatees is good for them and good for you.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Bugsy Siegel Monument
- An overlooked monument to the celebrity gangster who helped put the sin in Sin City.
- Šibenik, Croatia
- St. Nicholas Fortress
- Large, airy hallways hide within an impenetrable fortress that beckons urban explorers.
- Lamu, Kenya
- Donkeys of Lamu Island
- Kenya’s oldest town is more than 700 years old and home to 6,000 donkeys.
- Front Royal, Virginia
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
- This sprawling farm was once a Cold War-era hideaway for the nation's top diplomats.
- Milan, Italy
- Palazzo Berri-Meregalli
- This curious building hides eclectic details like medieval gargoyles alongside naked angels and Art Nouveau mosaics.
- Barnegat Light, New Jersey
- Grave of Sinbad the Dog
- A granite monument honors a beloved World War II canine mascot.
- Stapleford, England
- The Hemlock Stone
- Left by the Devil, an ancient quarry or just plain old erosion, this enigmatic rock pillar rises 28 feet from the hillside.
- Hull, England
- England's Smallest Window
- What looks like missing grout is actually an old pub's peephole.
- Port Arthur, Texas
- Museum of the Gulf Coast
- Hidden within a Gulf Coast port city is a wonderfully eclectic museum whose beginnings were housed in a bank window.
- East Warburton, Australia
- Redwood Forest Tree Art
- Woven tree art gives this towering Australian woodland a touch of mystical whimsy.
- Lac Léman, Switzerland
- Swiss Museum of Games
- A Swiss board game museum housed inside a picture-perfect castle.
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Allison Mansion
- This elaborate estate contains a stunning marble aviary, a sunken conservatory, and a magnificent music room with a two-story pipe organ.
- Tingloy, Philippines
- Cemetery Beach
- Nearly 100 concrete graves lie hidden just beyond the pristine waters along the coast.
- London, England
- 'Treatment Rooms' Mosaic House
- This home on a quiet suburban street is completely covered with vibrant mosaics.
- Cyprus
- Cyprus Railways Museum
- This museum in a shuttered train station remembers the island's forgotten rail system.
- Newcastle upon Tyne, England
- Lit & Phil
- This gorgeous space is England's largest independent library outside of London.
- Northwest Arctic, Alaska
- Great Kobuk Sand Dunes
- The massive mounds of golden sand look like a desert landscape randomly plopped in an Arctic forest.
- Florence, Italy
- Gipsoteca Bartolini
- A slightly creepy gallery of plaster cast models in the same museum as Michelangelo's David.
- Penalolen, Chile
- Bahá’í Temple of South America
- A fantastical and futuristic temple of light built from nine monumental glass veils.
- Whitchurch-Stouffville, Canada
- Pleasantville Curve
- The roadway bend where highway painters practice their craft looks like expressionist art.
- London, England
- Public Standards of Length
- 19th-century scientists would make the pilgrimage here to verify the precision of their measuring sticks.
- Cambridgeshire, England
- Fourwentways Bronze Age Cemetery
- A 4,000-year-old burial site hides behind a roadside Burger King.
- Middlesbrough, England
- Moses Carpenter's Grave
- The final resting place of a celebrated First Nations man who traveled through England with a snake oil salesman.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- The Nook Basement
- The basement bowling alley of this St. Paul dive bar is decorated with thousands of dollar bills.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Cinnamon Kandy the Circus Elephant
- For over 75 years, this cute stone statue has warmed the hearts of San Antonio.
- Chachapoyas, Peru
- Pozo de Yanayacu
- This well held a sacred source of water supposedly unleashed from the barren rocks by a wizard-like archbishop.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Mystic Falls Park
- This vintage animatronics show is the Vegas version of a walk through the woods.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- William Wallace and Robert the Bruce Statues
- Overlooked by many, the two famous Scottish warriors guard the main gate of Edinburgh Castle.
- Lausanne, Switzerland
- The Births of the Full Moon
- A constellation of golden cobblestones shows the names of local children born under a full moon.
- San José de Maipo, Chile
- Tinoco Tunnel
- Locals visit this abandoned train tunnel where a man took his own life to ask favors of his spirit.
- Akranes, Iceland
- Dularfulla Búðin
- Iceland's only steampunk shop imagines a retro-futuristic world that never was.
- Titusville, Florida
- American Space Museum
- The unique collection includes bronze cast handprints of some of America's most famous astronauts.
- London, England
- The Tower Ravens
- Six ravens are kept captive (but well-fed) at the Tower of London to prevent the fall of the Crown.
- Beruwala, Sri Lanka
- Kande Vihara
- This amazing mountain temple is topped by one of the tallest sitting Buddha statues in the world.
- Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Russian Realist Art
- One of the largest collections of socialist realist art shows the surprising depth of the official art of the Soviet Union.
- Larne, Northern Ireland
- The Armada Tree
- This gnarled old tree supposedly sprouted from seeds kept in the pocket of a 16th-century Spanish sailor.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Museu Penitenciário Paulista
- A former prison complex now displays a historic collection of inmate artwork.
- Greenland
- Summit Camp
- This remote research station sits amid the second-largest ice sheet on the planet.
- Bailleau-Armenonville, France
- Vélorails Pays Chartrain
- A bike train runs along a disused railway line through the tranquil French countryside.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Watson Fothergill's Office
- When it came to designing his own small office building, the eccentric architect wasn't afraid to show the world what he could do.
- Tartu, Estonia
- Noora
- The labyrinthine home of the National Archives of Estonia is an experimental blend of architecture, art, and history.
- Chartres, France
- Les Fresques de Bel Air
- A once drab public housing estate is transformed into a colorful gallery of trompe l’oeil murals.
- Fragkokastello, Greece
- Frangokastello Castle
- Every spring, locals see the shadowy figures of a ghost army of slain Greek soldiers descend upon this ruined fort.
- Neerpelt, Belgium
- Klankenbos Sound Forest
- Artwork tucked within the trees greets visitors with surreal sonic experiences.
- Paris, France
- Rue Crémieux
- This charming cobbled backstreet may be the most Instagram-perfect block in Paris.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cuypers Library
- This gorgeous reading room houses the oldest and largest art history library in the Netherlands.
- Varaždin, Croatia
- Varaždin Cemetery
- Trimmed trees grow alongside the graves like topiary tombstones.
- Rovigo, Italy
- La Rotonda
- A rare example of an octagonal Catholic church.
- Cusco, Peru
- Rodadero Slides
- Did Inca children also slide down these smooth rocky slopes above Cusco?
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Mosaic Courtyard
- A city block packed with whimsical sculptures that seem to be plucked from a tiled fantasy world.
- Naska pruwinsya, Peru
- Cerro Blanco
- This unimaginably large pile of sand near Nazca is one of the tallest dunes in the world.
- Matera, Italy
- La Palomba
- An abandoned quarry hides an open-air gallery of huge sculptures, some made from the rubble of 9/11.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Museu da Tatuagem (Tattoo Museum)
- Brazil's only museum dedicated to the art and evolution of tattoos.
- Pomposa, Italy
- Pomposa Abbey
- The 1,000-year-old abbey is the birthplace of modern musical notation.
- Houston, Texas
- Palace of the Golden Orbs
- An unrealized Taoist palace left abandoned in a Houston suburb.
- Iporanga, Brazil
- Gruta Casa de Pedra
- At 705 feet high, Brazil's "House of Stone" is the largest cave mouth in the world.
- Toshima-ku, Japan
- Detective Bar Progress
- The bartenders at this crime-fighting theme cafe are actual private detectives by day.
- Seville, Spain
- Expo '92 Grounds
- An eerie collection of the surviving structures from a past celebration of the future.
- Valdivia, Chile
- O'Brien Submarine Museum
- A 300-foot-long Cold War submarine floats in a Chilean River as a maritime museum.
- Rutland, England
- The Singapore
- A locomotive that was captured as a prisoner of war is now recognized as a WWII memorial.
- New York, New York
- Queensboro Trolley Kiosk
- A forgotten relic from New York's bygone trolley system hides in plain sight under a bridge.
- Rochester, New York
- ARTISANworks
- The floor-to-ceiling collection in an old factory is a unique alternative to stuffy galleries.
- Rockmart, Georgia
- Braswell Mountain Rail Tunnel
- An abandoned railroad tunnel forgotten by time awaits inquisitive hikers.
- Sundsvall, Sweden
- Bureplatsen
- A massive land art sculpture fills a green space once tarnished by a landfill.
- Ilkley, England
- Ilkley Moor
- This strange moor has a song written about it, Bronze Age carvings, and an alien sighting.
- Washington, D.C.
- Benjamin Grenup Monument
- This grisly headstone doesn’t seem to be resting in peace.
- Stará Bystrica, Slovakia
- Stará Bystrica Astronomical Clock
- The world's newest astronomical clock is also its most accurate.
- Fort Qu'Appelle, Canada
- Fort San
- The abandoned tuberculosis sanatorium is said to be one of the most haunted places in Canada.
- Bahamas
- The Cow and the Bull
- These two giant boulders mysteriously perched on a 60-foot cliff may have been slung up there by a raging tsunami.
- Schwyz, Switzerland
- Stoosbahn Funicular
- The steepest classic funicular in the world glides along a dizzying incline.
- Blue Ridge, Georgia
- Expedition Bigfoot (The Sasquatch Museum)
- Home of an impressive collection dedicated to the mythical beast.
- Moscow, Russia
- House With Animals
- Its front wall is striped with a menagerie of fantastic beasts and magnificent monsters.
- Vallejo, California
- Alden Park
- The perfect spot for a picnic, right next to a giant ballistic missile.
- New York, New York
- The Sisyphus Stones
- Hordes of precariously balanced stone figures crowd the shores of the Hudson River.
- Reno, Nevada
- Natural Selection
- This mother-daughter run curiosities shop is a beautifully odd mix of taxidermy and exotic plants.
- Key West, Florida
- Key West Cemetery
- The island residents are known for taking their quirky sense of humor with them to the grave.
- Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Silly Walks Tunnel
- Crouch down, stretch tall, and be sure to flail your legs to pay homage to the Monty Python classic.
- Moscow, Russia
- Melnikov House
- The avant-garde design was able to bypass strict Soviet regulations on architecture.
- Fairfield, Pennsylvania
- Raven Rock Mountain Complex
- The Cold War-era "underground Pentagon" is a sprawling subterranean hideaway for the Defense Department.
- Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Radimlja Necropolis
- A field filled with carved medieval tombstones called stecak.
- Maribor, Slovenia
- The Old Vine
- The world's oldest grape-producing vine has survived four centuries of turmoil and even has its own anthem.
- Jodhpur, India
- Rajaram Meghwal Burial Place
- Legend has it a commoner volunteered to be buried alive in the foundation so that the great fortress could be built.
- Aachen, Germany
- The Toaster
- A distinctive former power plant turned university lecture hall looks like it could make you breakfast.
- London, England
- Kennel Club Library
- The canine-themed book collection claims to be Europe's largest dog library.
- Woodstock, Vermont
- Five Elm Arches
- An artist sees trees as a medium for sculpture.
- Xining Shi, China
- The Great Thangka
- Stretching almost 2,000 feet, this painting is one longest pieces of Buddhist artwork in the world.
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- Lord Botetourt
- Affectionately known as "Lord Bot," this historic statue has a cult social media following and rightly claims to be “the most metal inhabitant of the Wren Yard.”
- Windhoek, Namibia
- The Gibeon Meteorites
- A public display of prehistoric space rocks named for the Namibia village where they were found.
- Lospalos, Timor-Leste
- Uma Lulik
- These sacred totem houses connect the Fatakulu people with the spirits of their ancestors.
- Alexandria, Virginia
- Hollensbury Spite House
- The narrowest house in America is seven feet of pure spite.
- Truckee, California
- Donner Pass Summit Tunnels
- The now-abandoned tunnels were built for the transcontinental railroad on the route where the first wagon train entered California.
- Wiltshire, England
- Hackpen White Horse
- England's only square-dimension hill horse was built to celebrate Queen Victoria's coronation.
- Mumbai, India
- Banganga Tank
- Tucked in Mumbai’s wealthiest neighborhood is one of the city’s oldest and most sacred sites: a temple complex believed to house the waters of the Ganges.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Miraflores
- An abandoned, decaying sculpture garden built by an eccentric physician in the 1920s now looks more like a forgotten cemetery.
- Offaly, Ireland
- Birr Castle Box Hedge
- The world's tallest box hedge is found in a delightful garden.
- Milan, Italy
- Loggia dei Mercanti Whispering Gallery
- The secret medieval communication system will whisk your words above the noise of the crowd.
- Bronx, New York
- Thain Family Forest
- This plot of old-growth forest is the largest surviving remnant of New York City's original woodland.
- phu?ng 6, Vietnam
- The Venerable Thich Qu?ng Ð?c Monument
- A memorial to the monk who set himself on fire to protest the persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam.
- Wilmington, North Carolina
- Cape Fear Serpentarium
- An exotic reptile facility showcasing some of the rarest, most venomous snakes in the world.
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Images of the Unconscious Museum
- An overlooked collection of over 350,000 artistic works created by psychiatric patients using art therapy.
- Fort Meade, Maryland
- Architect of the Capitol Archival Warehouse
- A remote horde of architectural treasures fit for Indiana Jones.
- Córdoba, Argentina
- Rueda Eiffel
- An intriguing antique iron Ferris wheel that most locals are sure was designed by Gustave Eiffel.
- Vorden, Netherlands
- Het Knopenlaantje
- Where lovers tie birch branches into long-lived knots.
- Seattle, Washington
- Kurt Cobain's Benches
- A sliver of nostalgia in Seattle's Viretta Park.
- Qullaw pruwinsya, Peru
- Steamship Yavari
- The 19th-century vessel floats proudly on Lake Titicaca, but its journey from Britain to the Peruvian altiplano was far from smooth sailing.
- Toronto, Canada
- Allan Gardens Conservatory
- The Victorian-era greenhouse is stuffed with tropical plants, and open 365 days a year.
- Denver, Colorado
- Denver Zine Library
- A collection of over 15,000 zines works to preserve DIY publishing culture.
- Paris, France
- Cimetière du Calvaire
- The oldest and smallest cemetery in Paris is only open to the public twice a year.
- Ohrdruf, Germany
- The Living Fence
- Made from trees and then abandoned, this fence is still growing along a path in Germany.
- Horning's Mills, Canada
- Ark Two Shelter
- This extensive nuclear fallout shelter built from 42 school buses could house 500 people in its tunnels.
- San Francisco, California
- Encryption Lava Lamps
- The randomness of this wall of lava lamps helps encrypt up to 10 percent of the internet.
- Guadalajara, Spain
- Osborne Bull
- Originally used to sell brandy, the bull-shaped billboard became an iconic symbol of Spain.
- Los Angeles, California
- José de San Martín Bust
- A forgotten tribute to a South American hero hidden in a cluster of traffic islands.
- Kasendorf, Germany
- The Dance Linden
- For centuries, Germans have been dancing in trees.
- Hamilton, New Zealand
- Riff Raff Statue
- The "Rocky Horror Picture Show" character has a hidden camera that broadcasts people doing the "Time Warp."
- Columbia, South Carolina
- Ra Obelisk
- An old train trestle re-imagined as an Egyptian obelisk.
- Urubamba, Peru
- Inca Bridge
- A backdoor to Machu Picchu that only the most foolhardy infiltrator would attempt to breach.
- Beijing, China
- Great Wall of China Slide
- Why walk on this historical site when you can zoom down instead?
- Vancouver, Washington
- DEVIL-ish Little Things Museum
- A whimsical menagerie of devils, krampuses, satyrs, and other horned creatures.
- Nagold, Germany
- Platanenkubus
- A German town is growing a building out of trees.
- Houston, Texas
- Smither Park
- A park filled with vibrant mosaics created by more than 300 folk artists.
- Houston, Texas
- World’s Longest Car Wash
- 255 feet of suds, scrubbers, and blow dryers.
- Obergoms VS, Switzerland
- Hotel Belvédère
- A once-thriving hotel in the Swiss Alps couldn't compete with climate change.
- Staufen im Breisgau, Germany
- The Cracking Buildings of Staufen
- A geothermal energy project gone wrong is fracturing the city's picturesque architecture.
- Seguin, Texas
- World's Largest Pecan
- The saga of the massive nut begins and ends in Texas.
- Nentershausen, Germany
- Naturbauten Park
- At this unusual park, domes, ladders, chairs, and more are made from trees.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Chizhik Pyzhik
- Perhaps the tiniest sculpture in Saint Petersburg is a little bronze finch inspired by a song.
- London, England
- British Optical Association Museum
- The world's oldest optical museum is an odd collection where the exhibits look at you.
- Silver Spring, Maryland
- Super PACyderm
- An allegorical sculpture in Maryland wears the artist’s politics on its trunk.
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Turnagain Arm Bore Tide
- To the delight of Alaskan surfers, the Moon sends waves surging against the current.
- Out Skerries, Scotland
- Schoolhouse Cinema
- A remote island holds what claims to be Scotland's smallest cinema.
- Dubuque, Iowa
- Union Park
- The remains of a bustling turn-of-the-century park built to showcase the wonders of electricity.
- Yeadon, Pennsylvania
- The Unmarked Grave of H.H. Holmes
- America's first serial killer rests in anonymity.
- Madrid, Spain
- Caja Madrid Obelisk
- A towering monument in Spain has proven to be more labor-intensive than initially planned.
- Foynes, Ireland
- Foynes Flying Boat Museum
- The world's only flying boat museum honors a small Irish village that sent 20th-century aviation to new heights.
- Madrid, Spain
- Tiflológico Museum
- A unique exhibit lets blind people experience famous works of art and architecture with their hands.
- Mito, Japan
- Ogushi Kaizuka Park
- A park built around the legend of a clam-loving giant who created a monumental midden.
- Gubbio, Italy
- Mount Ingino Christmas Tree
- The world's largest "Christmas tree" is illuminated by hundreds of lights stretching 2,000 feet up the slope of Mount Ingino.
- Toronto, Canada
- SkullStore Oddity Shop
- A one-stop shop for human remains, animal body parts, and many other macabre curiosities.
- Washington, D.C.
- USS Balao Conning Tower
- Part of a WWII submarine is lurking outside the Washington Navy Yard parking lot.
- Lamas, Peru
- Castillo de Lamas
- A kitschy Italian medieval-style castle incongruously located amidst one of the most historic towns in the Peruvian Amazon
- Aquiraz, Brazil
- Insano Body Slide
- From 135 feet high riders plunge down the world's tallest freestanding body slide at 65 mph.
- Jaipur, India
- Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan
- Ornate, dome-topped cenotaphs fill this royal crematorium.
- Puerto Misahuallí, Ecuador
- Sinchi Warmi Amazon Lodge
- An exotic jungle hideaway run entirely by indigenous Kichwa women.
- Sun Valley, California
- APEX Electronics
- This stockpile of junked electronic and mechanical gadgets is a favorite among Hollywood prop masters.
- Pomerode, Brazil
- Carl Weege Immigrant House Museum
- The preserved home of the first settler of "the most German town in Brazil."
- Ascona, Switzerland
- Monte Verità
- The Swiss hilltop housed an early 20th-century vegetarian nudist colony.
- Ouro Preto, Brazil
- Museu do Aleijadinho
- A display of works by one of the world masters sacred art, an 18th-century Brazilian sculptor nicknamed "the little cripple."
- Washington, D.C.
- Hinckley Hilton President's Walk
- A hidden passageway now marks the site of an assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan that some say broke a 140-year-old curse.
- Cushamen, Argentina
- Butch Cassidy's Cabin
- With the Wild Bunch hunted almost to extinction and the law closing in on him, Butch Cassidy fled to this remote cabin in Argentina.
- Kyaukse, Myanmar (Burma)
- Werawsana Jade Pagoda
- The tower claims to be the world's only pagoda made entirely from Myanmar's lucrative gemstone.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Poetry Foundation Library
- The 30,000-volume library is one of the world's most impressive poetry collections.
- Shakaria, Jordan
- Hejaz Railway Train of Wadi Rum
- A refurbished locomotive from a bygone era in the middle of the Jordanian desert.
- Quito, Ecuador
- Garcia Moreno Prison Museum
- An abandoned Ecuadorian prison that once held ex-presidents and notorious con artists is frozen in time as a museum.
- Bensalem, Pennsylvania
- Horse at Water
- This giant disembodied horse head seems to balance impossibly on its nose.
- Washington, D.C.
- Alferd Packer Cannibal Plaque
- A brass plaque dedicated to a convicted cannibal hangs in the National Press Club, and that's not even the craziest part of the story.
- San Bernardino County, California
- Mojave Lava Tube
- A volcanic tunnel illuminated by natural skylights offers a shaded respite from the desert sun.
- Sousa, Brazil
- Valley of the Dinosaurs
- One of the few places in the world where visitors can walk alongside fossilized tracks from 80 different dinosaur species.
- London, Canada
- London Psychiatric Hospital
- Clusters of abandoned buildings hint at the facility's 144-year history with psychiatric health.
- Leymebamba, Peru
- Mummies of Museo Leymebamba
- Hundreds of mummies in a silent room, some with eerily pained expressions preserved on their faces.
- Lahti, Finland
- Lahti Ski Jump Tower
- Every summer, an open-air swimming pool appears at the base of a Finnish city's beloved winter attraction.
- Lamas, Peru
- Castillo de Lamas
- A kitschy Italian medieval-style castle incongruously located amidst one of the most historic towns in the Peruvian Amazon
- Warsaw, Poland
- Galeria Forty / Forty
- A hidden art gallery in an abandoned Warsaw fort.
- Folkestone, England
- Folkestone White Horse
- One English town's celebratory landmark spurred more trouble than anticipated.
- Orion, Canada
- Red Rock Coulee
- Huge spherical rocks in the middle of the prairie.
- Karnack, Texas
- Caddo Lake
- Foragers once flocked to this big beautiful bayou to hunt for pearls.
- Cervia, Italy
- Woodpecker Disco
- A domed disco abandoned since the '70s now attracts artists and explorers under its unique roof.
- Sakyo-ku, Japan
- Kyoto Botanical Garden
- With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.
- Columbia, New Jersey
- Paulinskill Viaduct
- Once the world's largest reinforced concrete structure, this abandoned bridge now beckons urban explorers.
- Washington, D.C.
- Old Stone House
- The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.
- Lakewood, Ohio
- Museum of Divine Statues
- An old church full of restored Catholic relics is a makeup artist's labor of love.
- Il-Mosta, Malta
- Rotunda of Mosta
- This spectacular dome managed to survive after being bombed in World War II, in an event known as the "Miracle of Mosta."
- Tarpon Springs, Florida
- Spongeorama Sponge Factory
- A small museum lets visitors soak up the history of the "sponge capital of the world."
- Capbreton, France
- Capbreton Blockhouses
- Abandoned blockhouses from Nazi Germany's Atlantic Wall erode into the sea on a French beach.
- Yaropolets, Russia
- The Church of Our Lady of Kazan
- An unusual abandoned church damaged in World War II sits in a small village outside Moscow.
- Kolossi, Cyprus
- Kolossi Castle
- This 700-year-old Cyprus castle is the birthplace of the world's oldest wine, said to be toasted by Richard the Lionheart at his wedding.
- Sviyazhsk, Russia
- Assumption Cathedral and Monastery
- A former military outpost of Ivan the Terrible, the 16th-century church contains some of the rarest examples of Eastern Orthodox mural paintings.
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City Underground
- Travel through the hidden underbelly of the city in colorful tunnels filled with art and history exhibits.
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Haiku Pathway
- A serene garden path lined with 36 haiku stamped into clay stones.
- Dunedin, New Zealand
- The Alexander Piano
- One of the world's largest pianos is displayed in the workshop of the man who built it as a teenager.
- Thabo Mofutsanyane, South Africa
- Motouleng Caves
- The subterranean sanctuary home to local shamans is a sacred site for people of all religions.
- Recife, Brazil
- Ricardo Brennand Institute
- A Tudor-style castle in Brazil holds one of the world's largest armory collections.
- Provincia de Bongará, Peru
- Yumbilla Falls
- The world's fifth tallest waterfall is a spectacular silver chute of water that cuts through the cloud forest in northern Peru.
- Beirut, Lebanon
- The Grudge (Al Ba’sa)
- Beirut's thinnest building was the result of feuding brothers.
- Lanham, Maryland
- NASA Goddard Rocket Garden
- A lawn full of retired spacecraft on display at one of NASA's first research labs.
- Lübeck, Germany
- Half Tower
- A tilted half-timbered house from 1672 is built into a salvaged segment of a medieval wall.
- Al Badrashin, Egypt
- Pyramid of Djoser
- This ancient structure is widely thought to be the oldest intact pyramid in the world.
- Harvard, Nebraska
- Harvard Jail House
- The two-cell building in Nebraska was briefly owned by a teenage boy and then a Hollywood dummy.
- Leeds, England
- Lawnswood Cemetery
- This Victorian graveyard in Leeds is a macabre collection of beautiful tombs and memorials.
- Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Keyboard Monument
- Russia's giant concrete QWERTY keyboard is likely the largest in the world.
- Kurashiki-shi, Japan
- Washuzan Highland
- A dilapidated amusement park with a million-dollar view.
- Barranco, Peru
- The Diana Room
- A small, emotionally charged room inside the Mario Testino Museum dedicated to Princess Diana and one famous photo shoot.
- Winchester, Connecticut
- American Museum of Tort Law
- It was founded by Ralph Nader to educate the public about an often-maligned area of law.
- Old Station, California
- Painted Dunes
- The sunset-colored dunes of volcanic ash make taking a poor photo impossible.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Lucent
- A shining sculpture made of 3,115 lights, the number of visible stars in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Chuo-ku, Japan
- Kumamoto Castle
- The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.
- Cambridge, Maryland
- FDR Smokestack Memorial
- The elevator hidden in a smokestack on Roosevelt's yacht now serves as a monument to the former president.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Rosita's Bridge
- An ivy-covered arch bridge dedicated to Tejano music singer and legend Rosita Fernandez.
- Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, France
- Ruined Church of Ablain-Saint-Nazaire
- The 16th-century church was kept in its ruined state as a reminder of the casualties of World War I.
- Cercado de Lima, Peru
- Larco Museum's Erotic Art
- The large collection of pre-Columbian pottery might make you blush.
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Eros Bendato
- A creepy sculpture of a decapitated head invites viewers to see St. Louis through its empty eyes.
- Unyun pruwinsya, Peru
- Cotahuasi Canyon
- With nearly double the depth of the Grand Canyon, this Peruvian canyon is one of the deepest in the world.
- Paducah, Kentucky
- Floodwall Murals
- A collection of outdoor art by renowned muralist Robert Dafford depicts the history of a flooded city.
- New York, New York
- 7000 Oaks
- Twenty-three trees, each paired with a basalt stone, line a street in Chelsea, continuing an urban project started by German Fluxus artist Joseph Beuys.
- Ecuador
- Tiputini Biodiversity Station
- This research hub in the Amazon Rainforest is perched amid one of the world's most biologically diverse landscapes.
- Midrand, South Africa
- Grand Central Water Tower
- A giant concrete Brutalist water tower in suburban Johannesburg.
- Pyongyang, North Korea
- The USS Pueblo
- Captured in 1968, the Cold War spy ship is the only U.S. Navy vessel being held by a foreign government.
- Washington, D.C.
- Missing Capitol Building Cornerstone
- A promising candidate for the lost rock laid by George Washington was unearthed, but the hunt is still on.
- Cercado de Lima, Peru
- Gran Hotel Bolivar
- Visiting dignitaries and Hollywood stars once stayed at the 1920s hotel, alongside the ghosts that are said to haunt its corridors.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- City Hall Urinal
- A public urinal so pretty, it was given the status of National Monument.
- Helotes, Texas
- Dinosaur Tracks at Government Canyon
- Over 100 million years ago, beach-bound dinosaurs left their permanent marks on San Antonio's landscape.
- Roudbar Alamout, Iran
- Alamut Castle
- This ruined fortress was the stronghold for a persecuted medieval leader and his infamous Assassins.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- The Bunny Hutch
- The home of pigs, snakes, chameleons, and the alleged largest bunny in the United States.
- Gavaragiriya, Sri Lanka
- Pahiyangala Cave
- The remains of a 37,000-year-old prehistoric society were discovered in this mammoth cave, one of the largest in Asia.
- Ida Grove, Iowa
- Castles of Ida Grove
- An eclectic assortment of medieval architecture in a small Iowa town.
- Jasper, Canada
- The Athabasca Glacier
- This natural wonder is disappearing at an alarming rate.
- Sevastopol, Ukraine
- The 'Valley of Death'
- This vineyard was the site of the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade.
- Washington, D.C.
- NIST Newton Apple Tree
- A clone of a cloned tree that was so important it allegedly had its own guards.
- Key West, Florida
- Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden
- Visitors are welcome to enter this lush Key West sanctuary to entertain its plethora of rescued parrots.
- Kupari, Croatia
- The Abandoned Hotels of Kupari
- The now-overgrown beach resort was once frequented by Yugoslav military elite.
- Brighton, England
- Anna's Museum
- A private selection of curiosities, carefully curated by a young Brighton local.
- Trujillo, Peru
- Museo del Juguete
- Peru’s only toy museum houses everything from pre-Inca whistles to lead soldiers and terrifying dolls.
- Cefalù, Italy
- Lavatoio Medievale
- A medieval wash house where people washed clothes in a river allegedly formed by the tears of a mourning nymph.
- Mito-shi, Japan
- Mito Low District Water Tower
- This beautiful defunct water tower adds a European flair to a traditional Japanese neighborhood.
- Vancouver, Canada
- Vanier Park Column
- After spending more than a century on the ocean floor, this shipwrecked column is finally resting atop solid ground.
- Hampshire, England
- Portuguese Fireplace
- This unlikely memorial honors the Canadian and Portuguese laborers who felled trees for the Allies in World War I.
- Poitiers, France
- Le Clitoris
- This anatomical sculpture raises awareness about violence against women and promotes gender equality.
- Moscow, Russia
- Sokol
- An early-20th-century "dacha" village of quaint cottages curiously located in a modern part of Moscow.
- Ashland, Kansas
- St. Jacob's Well
- Stories of sightless fish and ghostly cowboys are only a fraction of the legends surrounding this Kansas sinkhole.
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Hotel Belvedere
- The complex has been abandoned since the Croatian War of Independence, barring a stint as a set for "Game of Thrones."
- Seattle, Washington
- Orient Express Restaurant
- This quirky Seattle joint serves food inside an old train car once used by FDR.
- Moffat, Colorado
- Crestone End of Life Project
- Open-air cremations in Colorado's self-proclaimed spiritual mecca.
- Bensalem, Pennsylvania
- Haunted Lane
- The residents of this ominous-sounding street in Pennsylvania liked its name so much they fought to keep it.
- Kesrouane, Lebanon
- Tower of Claudius
- The ruins of a monumental tower in the heart of Lebanese mountains still puzzle archeologists.
- Chicago, Illinois
- DANK Haus German American Cultural Center
- You can take a class, browse the library, or visit the lavish lair of an international men's humor society.
- Russia
- Mount Elbrus
- Europe's highest peak is a key pillar of the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge.
- England
- Barbury Castle
- This strategically placed hill fort has served defensive forces from the Iron Age up until the 20th century.
- Ecuador
- Isla de la Plata
- This small uninhabited island offers Galapagos-like biodiversity.
- Lille, France
- Monument to Carrier Pigeons
- This statue honors the thousands of Allied avians that served and died for France during World War I.
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Flood 1936 Marker
- A tiny memorial for the year the Connecticut River almost destroyed New England.
- Chiloquin, Oregon
- Train Mountain Railroad
- All aboard the world's longest miniature railway.
- Yaiza, Spain
- Green Lagoon
- This beautifully verdant lagoon is tucked below a massive volcano in a crater atop a black pebble beach.
- Hartlepool, England
- Heugh Gun Battery Memorial Tablet
- This memorial honors the first British soldier killed by enemy action on home soil during World War I.
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
- Nike Missile Site W-92
- Three abandoned missile silos are hiding in plain sight behind a suburban development in Maryland.
- Kabul, Afghanistan
- Marjan the Lion Memorial
- This monument honors the life of a long-suffering lion whose story captivated the world.
- West Yellowstone, Montana
- Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center
- The residents at this Yellowstone wildlife park will certify your cooler as "bear-proof."
- Szatmárcseke, Hungary
- Szatmárcseke Calvinist Cemetery
- Hundreds of boat-shaped headstones fill this graveyard as part of a centuries-old custom with mysterious origins.
- Vancouver, Canada
- Cambie Climbing Tree
- Locals transformed this Canadian evergreen into a secret hangout with spectacular views of Vancouver's skyline.
- Landers, California
- The Dream Wanderer
- A parked bus takes patrons on a trippy virtual reality journey mediated by mediums from a psychic utopian community.
- Battsengel, Mongolia
- Taikhar Rock
- People have been scribbling on this massive chunk of granite for more than 1,500 years.
- Washington, D.C.
- Navy Yard Railroad Gun
- One of the largest artillery pieces in the world sits in a Washington D.C. parking lot.
- Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Mostar Sniper Tower
- A former bank seized as a sniper vantage point during the Bosnian War is now a secret graffiti art gallery.
- Ine-cho, Japan
- Funaya of Ine
- The traditional houses along the coast of this charming Japanese fishing village allow people to sleep above the sea.
- Beltsville, Maryland
- Smokey Bear Archive
- The Forest Service's surprisingly sophisticated collection of wildfire prevention art features America's most beloved bear.
- Santo Stefano Quisquina, Italy
- Teatro Andromeda
- Gorgeous views of Italian mountains and valleys form the backdrop of this unique open-air theater.
- Green River, Utah
- Buckhorn Wash Pictograph Panel
- This gallery of prehistoric red ochre art lines the wall of a scenic segment in Utah's San Rafael Swell.
- Ise, Japan
- Ise Grand Shrine
- This ancient shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years since the eighth century.
- Anoka, Minnesota
- Anoka State Hospital
- For over a century, it was a crucial center of mental health treatment and also the source of many local legends.
- Alaior, Spain
- Torre d'en Galmes
- This remarkable prehistoric town is full of watchtowers and houses that have withstood thousands of years.
- Seattle, Washington
- Hat 'n' Boots
- Seattle's super-sized cowboy apparel once belonged to a themed gas station that wrangled in herds of tourists.
- Liwa, United Arab Emirates
- Moreeb Dune
- One of the largest sand dunes in the world is nicknamed the "Scary Mountain" due to its steep slope and sharp incline.
- Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberger Bergbahnen
- This historic funicular system combines the old with the new while offering delightful views over the surrounding valley.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Toleration Statue
- Contrary to popular belief, this secluded statue doesn't represent Pennsylvania's founder.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Old Time Wooden Nickel Company
- A 2,500-pound wooden nickel makes this woodworking museum easy to spot from the road.
- Steyl, Netherlands
- Mission Museum Steyl
- This massive collection of taxidermy is full of specimens collected by missionaries during their international travels.
- Seattle, Washington
- Mount Pleasant Cemetery
- This graveyard contains markers and monuments dedicated to some of the darkest chapters in Washington's history.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Wehrmacht Graffiti
- Bored potato-guarding Nazis etched their thoughts onto a brick storage building in Copenhagen's Meatpacking District.
- Miyazu-shi, Japan
- Amanohashidate
- Turn around and stick your head between your legs for the best view of this tree-covered sandbar.
- Denver, Colorado
- Colfax Avenue Museum
- This eclectic collection documents the wild legacies of "America's Wickedest Street."
- Shatili, Georgia
- Anatori Burial Vaults
- Legend says these stone structures are where the doomed citizens of a vanished village sent themselves to die.
- Los Angeles, California
- Chandelier Tree
- Dozens of lights dangle from the branches of what may be the brightest tree in Los Angeles.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden’s Wall Formulae
- Science meets wall art to highlight the beauty of famous mathematical equations.
- Mineral Wells, Texas
- Mineral Wells Fossil Park
- This former Texas landfill is flush with 300 million-year-old fossils, all fit for the taking.
- Shamrock, Texas
- U-Drop Inn
- Once in disrepair, this popular Texas stop along iconic Route 66 has been restored to its past glory.
- Dennis, Massachusetts
- Cape Cinema
- The ceiling of this vintage movie palace is covered in fantastic Art Deco murals.
- New York, New York
- Water Tower
- This translucent sculpture represents a quintessential component of New York City's skyline.
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Vilnil Museum of Illusions
- Things aren't quite what they seem at this mind-bending museum.
- Los Angeles, California
- Feral Cat Colonies of Hollywood Forever Cemetery
- Dozens of feral felines rule a segment of Hollywood's only graveyard.
- La Maddalena, Italy
- Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach)
- Crushed coral and crystals give the sand its signature pink pigment.
- Changzhi Shi, China
- East Taihang Glasswalk
- This terrifying glass bridge on the side of a mountain cracks as you step on it.
- Ballygalley, Northern Ireland
- Polar Bear of Ballygalley
- Every year locals give the bear a fresh coat of paint to preserve its signature goofy grin.
- Portland, Oregon
- Morrison Street Minigallery
- A tiny art gallery in Sunnyside helps keep Portland weird.
- Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
- Sherry-Drinking Mice of Tío Pepe
- A complimentary beverage is offered to the bodega's resident rodents every day.
- Zrenj, Croatia
- Pietrapelosa
- Croatia's "hairy stone" fortress is one of the most well preserved Istrian castles.
- Doylestown, Pennsylvania
- Moravian Pottery and Tile Works
- A pride of the state, this working museum craft pottery mosaics in the style of Pennsylvania's earliest European settlers.
- Antarctica
- Don Juan Pond
- Scientists use the world's saltiest body of water as a terrestrial base for studying water on Mars.
- Angoulême, France
- Galarie D'Art Park
- A tiny, forgotten park of surrealist sculptures in Angouleme.
- Herndon, Virginia
- Kidwell Farm
- Where pardoned turkeys spend their all-too-brief final days.
- New York, New York
- Wild Bird Fund
- New York City's only wildlife rehabilitation center treats more than 3,000 feathered and furry patients each year.
- Kabul, Afghanistan
- OMAR Mine Museum
- A sobering museum dedicated to landmines and the personnel working to remove them from Afghanistan.
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Site of the First Public Payphone
- An easy-to-miss plaque marks the building that first held this 19th-century telephone innovation.
- Eutin, Germany
- Bridegroom's Oak
- This ancient oak tree plays matchmaker for singles willing to branch out from the usual dating scene.
- Bedale, England
- Bedale Leech House
- The only surviving leech house in the United Kingdom was a home for bloodsucking worms until the 1900s.
- Wilmington, United KIngdom
- The Long Man of Wilmington
- This giant geoglyph of mysterious origins is now the site of neo-pagan rituals.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Blessing of the Fleets Ceremony
- The fountains of the U.S. Navy Memorial are annually salted with water from the Seven Seas as part of a nautical ritual.
- San Francisco, California
- Peephole Cinema
- A tiny theater hidden in an alley plays a constant stream of short silent films for anyone willing to peer through the peephole.
- Washington, D.C.
- Clean Rivers Tunnel
- An 18-mile-long tunnel for sewage waste will soon wind within the bowels of Washington, D.C.
- Denver, Colorado
- American Museum of Western Art
- The huge collection of paintings of the American West is one of Denver's best-kept secrets.
- Porto, Portugal
- Igreja de São Francisco
- The stunning interior of this Gothic church is covered in ornate gold details.
- Gemert, Netherlands
- 3D-Printed Bike Bridge
- The Netherlands is home to the first bridge ever to be printed out of reinforced concrete.
- Issaquah, Washington
- Treehouse Point
- A whimsical village of unique treehouses within a Washington forest.
- Nicosia, Cyprus
- Fairy Tale Museum
- A magical museum of fairy tale treasures near Cyprus' buffer zone.
- Stepanakert, Azerbaijan
- We Are Our Mountains
- This striking icon of the micronation Republic of Artsakh caused a stir at a Eurovision Song Contest.
- Greenbelt, Maryland
- Greenbelt Historic District
- A relic of FDR's brief foray into utopian urban planning.
- Vienna, Austria
- Supersense
- A neo-Gothic mansion now houses a wunderkammer of analog tech that hits on all the senses.
- Inyo County, California
- Teakettle Junction
- Travelers leave tea kettles in a remote part of Death Valley as part of a mysterious, decades-old tradition.
- San Antonio, Texas
- The Picasso Benches
- Tile mosaics and quotes from Pablo Picasso add an artistic flair to these bus stop benches.
- Shelburne, Vermont
- Fire Hydrant Jack
- A giant toy jack made of numerous welded-together fire hydrants.
- Fort Belvoir, Virginia
- Army Museum Support Center
- The U.S. Army's giant warehouse of war art includes Hitler’s watercolors and Norman Rockwell oil paintings.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Tucson Mineral and Gem World
- A natural history wunderkammer in the middle of the desert.
- Madrid, Spain
- Guanche Mummy of Madrid
- This embalmed man is one of the best preserved mummies from the Canary Islands.
- Royal Leamington Spa, England
- Royal Pump Rooms
- Preserved baths in a Victorian-era spa town frequented by the most famous people of its day.
- Montcada i Reixac, Spain
- Puig Castellar
- Remote ruins of a 2,400-year-old Iberian settlement.
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Bird's Botanicals
- A cave 150 feet beneath Kansas City is the perfect climate for growing 10,000 delicate orchids.
- Hawarden, Wales
- Gladstone's Library
- At the United Kingdom's only residential library you can sleep among the books.
- Washington, D.C.
- District of Columbia Center Point
- A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb marks the exact center of the city.
- Pico Rivera, California
- Kater-Crafts Bookbinders
- The small family-run business has kept alive the fading art of creating beautiful handmade book covers.
- Wiltshire, England
- Alton Barnes White Horse
- This massive chalk hill carving is one of England's most beloved giant horse geoglyphs.
- Picacho, Arizona
- Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch
- Take a monster truck tour around an ostrich farm in the middle of the desert.
- Little River, California
- Pygmy Forest Trail
- A raised boardwalk winds through a thicket of stunted century-old trees no more than nine feet tall.
- Bayuda Desert, Sudan
- Battle of Abu Klea Memorial
- A remote monument to one of the fiercest battles fought by the Victorian British Army.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Kingsland Wildflowers
- Thriving meadows span a rooftop in one of Brooklyn's most heavily industrialized neighborhoods.
- Toledo, Spain
- Museo de la Tortura
- A display of torture devices used in the Spanish Inquisition and other scourges of medieval Europe.
- Port Townsend, Washington
- Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race
- Quirky movable sculptures have been racing through the town since 1983.
- Washington, D.C.
- USS Missouri Model Ship
- The U.S. Navy’s preposterously detailed mini battleship took 77,000 hours to complete.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Wanamaker Grand Court Organ
- The sounds of the world's largest fully functioning pipe organ dazzle shoppers at a Philadelphia Macy's.
- London, England
- Charlton House
- The grounds of this Jacobean estate contain one of the oldest mulberry trees in England.
- San Rafael, California
- Marin County Civic Center
- Frank Lloyd Wright died a year before construction on his largest public project even began.
- Sakyo-ku, Japan
- Honen-in Temple
- The cemetery houses the remains of Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, one of Japan's most famous novelists.
- Piti, Guam
- Emerald Valley
- A beautiful waterway tucked in the corner of a power plant.
- Algeria
- Tassili n'Ajjer
- The abstract sandstone rock formations at this Algerian national park are rich with prehistoric art.
- Los Angeles, California
- Fern Dell Nature Museum
- A common entry point to the Griffith Observatory trail holds its own wonders.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Casa Vicens
- Step inside the first house designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, considered to be one of the first Art Nouveau buildings.
- Omdurman, Sudan
- Sheikh Hamad-al Nil Tomb
- Every Friday, Sufi dervishes whirl around the tomb in a trance-like state as part of a sacred ritual called dhikr.
- Malibu, California
- Adamson House
- Malibu's first beach home features an astonishing trove of ceramic tiles.
- Motobu-cho, Japan
- Bise Village
- A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.
- Seville, Spain
- Hospital de los Venerables
- This former charity hospital for elderly clergy houses some of Seville’s most treasured paintings.
- Antarctica
- Pegasus Wreck
- The remains of a doomed Antarctic plane, buried beneath layers of ice and snow, await those willing to do a bit of digging.
- San Felipe, Mexico
- Hacienda del Jaral de Berrios
- During its heyday, the massive estate boasted its own railroad station and post office.
- Papatowai, New Zealand
- The Lost Gypsy Gallery
- This quirky collection is an interactive exhibit crammed with creative contraptions and tinkered-with toys.
- Abang, Indonesia
- Amed Beach
- The inky volcanic sand leads to reefs teeming with aquatic life waiting to be discovered by snorkelers and divers.
- Jönköping N, Sweden
- Amalia Eriksson Statue
- The trailblazing Swedish businesswoman created a beloved minty candy called polkagris.
- Kyoto, Japan
- Yasui Kompira-gu Shrine
- Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.
- Kadiköy, Turkey
- Tombili
- A meow-velous tribute to a beloved street cat, made famous on the internet.
- Joiner, Arkansas
- Bassett POW Camp
- On the side of Arkansas' Great River Road stand the remains of a forgotten World War II POW Camp.
- Kochi-shi, Japan
- Sawada Mansion
- Though technically an illegal structure, this eclectic DIY apartment complex is beloved by its residents.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- The Oldest Fire Hydrant in New Orleans
- This Birdsill Holly fire hydrant is the remnant of a very different type of hydration innovation.
- Eastsound, Washington
- The Aproximada
- This 50-ton ship on Orcas Island has never seen the ocean.
- Los Angeles, California
- Cardiff Tower
- This "synagogue" is not what it seems to be.
- Beverly Hills, California
- Union 76 Gas Station
- The dramatic upward-curving roof is one of the most iconic examples of Googie architecture that still stands today.
- Norwich, England
- Balthild Seal Matrix
- This unusual 7th-century Frankish seal offers more questions than answers about its past.
- Kita-ku, Japan
- Satsuki and Mei's House
- A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."
- New York, New York
- Vintage Massimo Vignelli Subway Map
- There's a piece of New York City transportation history hidden in plain sight at a Manhattan subway stop.
- Syracuse, New York
- Tree of 40 Fruit
- A Frankenstein blend of science and art allows one tree to produce 40 different types of stone fruit.
- Altivole, Italy
- Brion Tomb
- A visionary Italian architect created an impressive cluster of Brutalist structures for a family's private tomb.
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- F. M. Dostoyevsky Literary Memorial Museum
- An ever-growing literary collection housed in the apartment where the Russian author penned his final novel.
- Lombard, Illinois
- Sheldon Peck Homestead
- Escaped slaves passed through the oldest house in Lombard, Illinois on their northbound journey to freedom.
- Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
- Nagar Glass Factory
- The ruins of this prominent glass factory yield hidden treasures buried among the jungle floor.
- Belleville, Wisconsin
- Stewart Tunnel Ice Formations
- Every winter, the wind carves blocks of frozen water into beautiful abstract shapes inside this unusually curved tunnel.
- Washington, D.C.
- International Temple of the Order of the Eastern Star
- Obscure Freemasons still live in D.C.’s largest private residence.
- Joplin, Missouri
- National Cookie Cutter Historical Museum
- A small museum dedicated to the whimsical tool that turns sugar cookies into works of art.
- Deming, New Mexico
- Cabinetlandia
- A half-acre utopia in the New Mexico desert features a graveyard, a library, and a mailbox.
- Bethlehem, Connecticut
- Abbey of Regina Laudis
- These Benedictine nuns have been making artisanal cheeses since before it was cool.
- Washington, D.C.
- Catacombs of Washington, D.C.
- Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.
- Yangzhou Shi, China
- The Yangzhou Zhongshuge
- Mirrored floors and arched shelves create the illusion of an infinite tunnel of books.
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Al Green’s Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
- The R&B singer's modest church guarantees a religious experience, regardless of your beliefs.
- San Bernardino County, California
- Searles Lake
- This sun-scorched lakebed contains samples of half the natural elements known to humankind.
- Dorset, England
- Holloways of Dorset
- These ancient sunken lanes were naturally tunneled into the soft ground by countless footsteps.
- Atsimo-Andrefana, Madagascar
- Aven Cave
- This underwater cave in Madagascar is home to what is thought to be the country's largest fossil graveyard.
- Havana, Cuba
- Callejon de Hamel
- A colorful narrow alley in Cuba is full of street art and sculptures made of found objects.
- Kamikawa-cho, Japan
- Tonomine Highlands
- A thick blanket of beautiful pampas grass cloaks this unique Japanese landscape.
- Romeno, Italy
- San Romedio Sanctuary
- A stunning hermit's shrine on a steep rocky spur in Northern Italy.
- Kalutara, Sri Lanka
- Richmond Castle in Kalutara
- This palatial, 99-doored Colonial mansion is a marvel of architectural fusion.
- Bélmez de la Moraleda, Spain
- Bélmez Faces
- Mysterious face-like images that appeared within an Andalusian house are surrounded by legends of the paranormal.
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- The Music Tree
- A hurricane-stricken oak tree has been reborn as beautiful a chainsaw artwork.
- Bethesda, Maryland
- Congressional Country Club
- Proto-CIA agents trained with grenades in the sand traps and fired machine guns from the fairways.
- Edison, New Jersey
- World’s Largest Light Bulb
- A giant light 13 feet high shines near Thomas Edison's old lab.
- Lemery, Philippines
- Fantasy World
- The abandoned medieval theme park was meant to be the "Disneyland of the Philippines."
- Šalinac, Serbia
- Šalinac Grove
- An eerie, protected forest of old-growth oak trees, many of which are now dead.
- Szafarnia, Poland
- The Chopin Centre in Szafarnia
- The manor house where the Polish composer spent childhood summer holidays is now a museum and concert hall.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Sant Pau Recinte Modernista
- The largest Art Nouveau complex in the world is a Barcelona hospital with a 600-year-long history.
- Chanhassen, Minnesota
- Paisley Park
- Find out what it sounds like when doves cry at Prince's recording studio estate turned museum.
- Madinat Zayed, United Arab Emirates
- Million Street
- Every December, this stretch of dusty desert road transforms into a catwalk for a camel beauty pageant.
- Paraty, Brazil
- Masonic Symbols of Paraty
- This Brazilian town built by Freemasons is full of colonial Masonic architecture and symbolic imagery.
- New York, New York
- Cathedral Peacock Hutch
- The church's three resident peacocks now have their own Gothic-style abode.
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Red Terror Martyrs' Memorial Museum
- A powerful tribute to the victims who suffered under Ethiopia's most devastating regime.
- Mill Valley, California
- B612 Foundation
- Astronomers plan to launch a space telescope into orbit to find out exactly stands in the way of an asteroid hitting Earth.
- Improvement District No. 24, Canada
- World's Largest Beaver Dam
- The half-mile long structure is so impressive, it even shows up on satellite images.
- Wilmington, New York
- Santa's Workshop
- A hamlet full of permanent Christmas spirit holds one of the earliest theme parks in the United States.
- Venice, Italy
- St. Mark's Lost Third Column
- Two stone columns flank the grand Venice square, but there were supposed to be three.
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- Algae Growing Ponds
- Football field-sized microalgae production tanks on the Hawaiian coast create a stunning view from space.
- Brumadinho, Brazil
- Inhotim
- The largest open-air contemporary art center in Latin America is a unique experience in the Atlantic Forest.
- Iceland
- Abandoned Djúpavík Herring Factory
- This rusting remnant of the local herring industry is being given a second life.
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Site of the Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit-in
- This North Carolina store preserves a historic moment in America's movement for racial equality.
- Antarctica
- The Ceremonial South Pole
- Naked scientists race around the pole in the frigid cold to try to join Antarctica's exclusive 300 Club.
- Pensacola, Florida
- 'Wall South' Vietnam Memorial
- Florida’s half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Wall.
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Largest Street Art Mural in the World
- Eduardo Kobra’s breathtaking 32,300-square-foot graffiti wall took over Rio’s Olympic Boulevard.
- Commerce City, Colorado
- National Wildlife Property Repository
- Over 1.3 million confiscated wildlife products fill this macabre menagerie of illegal animal specimens.
- Eugene, Oregon
- Pre's Rock
- A memorial for the mustachioed record-setting runner.
- Sonoma, California
- Location of the Microsoft Windows XP Default Wallpaper
- The unedited photograph called "Bliss" has graced the screens of over a billion computers.
- Washington, D.C.
- The K-9 of the Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Those with a sharp eye can find the hidden image of a German Shepherd on the memorial's Mural Wall.
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Compton Hill Water Tower
- One of few surviving standpipe water towers in the U.S.
- Port Royal, Virginia
- Assassin's End
- The Virginia farm where John Wilkes Booth met his grisly end is now largely forgotten.
- Key West, Florida
- Blue Heaven Rooster Cemetery
- A small poultry graveyard in the courtyard of a popular Key West watering hole.
- Exeter, England
- Parliament Street
- At just 25 inches at its narrowest point, it's one of the smallest streets in the world.
- Washington, D.C.
- C&O Boat Elevator Ruins
- This forgotten boat elevator was an engineering marvel in its heyday.
- Kerry, Ireland
- Cathair Crobh Dearg
- An important pilgrimage site for pagans and early Christians, named for a Celtic goddess-turned-saint.
- East Molesey, England
- The Great Vine
- The world's largest grapevine has produced a delicious harvest at Hampton Court Palace for almost 250 years.
- Himeji-shi, Japan
- Taiyo Park
- A remote and slightly overgrown park filled with replicas of world landmarks.
- Nashtifan, Iran
- Nashtifan Windmills
- The vertical-axis windmills of ancient Persia have been grinding flour for 1,000 years and counting.
- Isla Mujeres, Mexico
- Joyxee Island
- One man's fulfilled dream of living on an artificial island made of recycled plastic bottles.
- Idaho Springs, Colorado
- Nevadaville Ghost Town
- This deserted gold rush town is home to a Masonic lodge that, strangely enough, still holds meetings.
- Rome, Italy
- Saint Victoria's Incorruptible Body
- The martyr's wax-enhanced skeletal remains lie preserved in a glass case in the Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.
- Dexter, Iowa
- Bonnie and Clyde Dexter Shootout Marker
- The notorious couple camped at this site after a bloody shootout with police.
- Washington, D.C.
- Senate Corncob Capitals
- Corn-inthian columns with a uniquely American take on neoclassical architecture.
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland
- Teampull na Trionaid
- The ruins of a medieval seminary some say is the oldest university site in Scotland.
- Mount Creighton, New Zealand
- Little Paradise Lodge
- A lakeside garden in the Southern Alps full of whimsical artwork and thousands of beautiful flowers.
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Freddi Arcade & Toys
- A vintage video game wonderland in downtown Reykjavik.
- Poland
- Trójstyk Granic
- A small granite monument marks where the borders of three countries meet.
- Paris, France
- Sculptures de Décure
- Exquisite wall sculptures carved in secret by an early quarryman in an obscure corner of the Paris Catacombs.
- Tarrytown, New York
- Lyndhurst Bowling Alley
- One of the earliest bowling lanes in the U.S. doubled as a sewing school during a time when women had little job opportunity.
- Frostburg, Maryland
- The Jail in the Gunter Hotel
- The antique hotel still has a jail in the basement, though the cockfighting ring is long gone.
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Statue of Rover
- A tribute to the truly loyal dog who waited outside a hospital for his owner to come back.
- Paris, France
- Place de la Reunion Fountain
- Ordinary art transforms to extraordinary thanks to locals' quirky sense of humor.
- Budweis, Czechia
- Stray Boulder (Bludný Kámen)
- Locals say the stone that marks the spot where the gallows once stood can lead you astray.
- San Luis Obispo, California
- Cal Poly Architecture Graveyard
- A deserted hodgepodge of experimental structures designed by nearby university students.
- Madrid, Spain
- Olmec Head Roundabout
- An exact replica of a colossal Olmec head sits atop a pyramid within a Madrid traffic circle.
- Gainesville, Florida
- 'Some Were Quite Blind'
- Four metal statues of massive animal penises stand outside the Animal Sciences building at the University of Florida.
- Berjo, Indonesia
- Candi Sukuh
- This Javanese-Hindu temple from the 15th century is unmissable for anyone with even a passing interest in erotic art.
- Bruges, Belgium
- Lumina Domestica
- Explore 400,000 years of humans' "battle against darkness" in this offbeat but thorough lamp museum.
- Erbil, Iraq
- Erbil Citadel
- An ancient fortified mound raised over the millennia from settlements built one on top of the other.
- Gwynedd, Wales
- The Blue Lake
- A hidden tunnel leads to an abandoned slate quarry that's now a secret swimming spot guarded by cliffs.
- Delta, Louisiana
- Grant's Canal
- The ill-fated plan to reroute the Mississippi so that Union ships could bypass Confederate fortifications on the river bend.
- Parshall, North Dakota
- Paul Broste Rock Museum
- One North Dakota man's vast collection of rare rocks, polished orbs, and geological wonders.
- Georgia
- Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument
- A cylinder monument with a spectacular vista commemorates a friendship that some say never existed.
- Florence, Alabama
- Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall
- The longest un-mortared wall in the U.S. is one man's tribute to his displaced Yuchi ancestor's 5-year journey back to her homeland.
- Tha Bak, Laos
- Tha Bak Bomb Boats
- Villagers have recycled bomber fuel tanks from the Vietnam War and turned them into very, very strong boats.
- Monroe, Washington
- Wayside Chapel
- The tiny church offers succor to travelers driving by, but only eight at a time.
- London, England
- Sir John Franklin Expedition Memorial
- A tribute to the intrepid explorer and his crew who perished in terrible conditions on an ill-fated expedition to the Arctic.
- Berlin, Germany
- Friedrichsfelde Socialist Cemetery
- The final resting place of many of Germany's most famous communists.
- Soest, Netherlands
- Lange Duinen
- This large sand dune in the Netherlands is home to wind-whipped trees with "floating" roots.
- Leavenworth, Washington
- Iron Goat Trail
- The site of the Wellington avalanche, one of the America's worst railroad disasters.
- Moscow, Russia
- Soviet Dacha
- This frozen-in-time summer home outside Moscow provides a look at Russian life in the 1950s.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Mat Bevel's Museum of Kinetic Art
- A Tucson museum and performance space full of found-object movable sculptures.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Budapest Telephone Museum
- Beautiful antiques and obscure engineering artifacts trace the evolution of phones from rare luxuries to ubiquitous.
- Salem, Massachusetts
- The Satanic Temple
- The headquarters in Salem doubles as an occult art gallery.
- Tambon Tham Nam Phut, Thailand
- Wat Tham Ta Pan
- Grotesque statues of figures from Buddhist hell haunt the temple's Sin Park.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- 54 Columns
- Atlanta's strange assortment of concrete pillars inspires reflection in some, confusion in others.
- Nushabad, Iran
- Nushabad Underground City
- A 1,500-year-old, 3-story subterranean city where ancient Persians took refuge in times of war.
- Rome, Italy
- Parish Church of Santa Maria del Popolo
- A treasure trove of Renaissance-era funerary art in a Roman church built on top of Nero's grave.
- San Antonio, Texas
- The Berlin Bear
- The quirky gift from West Berlin for the 1968 World's Fair still stands in Hemisfair Park.
- Billund, Denmark
- Lego House
- An enormous playhouse designed to look like 21 stacked Lego bricks, with another 25 million colorful Legos inside.
- Washington, D.C.
- Russian Ambassador's Residence
- Was there a small "backpack nuke" hidden in the attic? JFK apparently thought so.
- Sajama, Bolivia
- Sajama Lines
- A mysterious ancient network of thousands of perfectly straight lines stretching across miles of Bolivian desert.
- Vancouver, Canada
- Brock Commons
- The "plyscraper" is the world's tallest building made predominantly out of wood.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Sweny's Pharmacy
- The 19th-century pharmacy (now a used bookstore) was featured in James Joyce’s "Ulysses," and has changed very little to this day.
- Shipka, Bulgaria
- The Tomb of Seuthes III
- The remarkably well-preserved final resting place of a powerful ancient Thracian king.
- Manchester, England
- The Undamaged Red Post Box
- The small bright red pillar survived the 1996 Manchester bombing virtually unscathed.
- Paris, France
- Napoleon's Angels
- Twelve grave-faced marble angels guard the emperor's tomb at Les Invalides.
- Singapore
- Bukit Brown Cemetery
- The largest Chinese cemetery outside of China spent years overgrown and forgotten.
- Morda, England
- Knife Angel
- The sculpture is made of more than 100,000 knives collected to raise awareness about violence.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Ghost Swastikas
- The art museum is decorated with creatively remodeled pre-Nazi swastikas.
- Pietranera, Italy
- Colonia di Rovegno
- The now-abandoned Fascist summer colony served a dark purpose during World War II.
- Vancouver, Canada
- Neon Vancouver | Ugly Vancouver
- The collection of signage remembers the midcentury pushback against the new neon light.
- Washington, D.C.
- Embassy Gulf Service Center
- Behind an abandoned storefront is an example of pioneering 1930s gas station architecture.
- Qiannan Buyizumiaozuzizhizhou, China
- The Eye of Heaven
- The largest radio telescope in the world searches for extraterrestrial life from the remote limestone peaks of southern China.
- Stockport, England
- The Hat Works
- Great Britain's only hat-making museum.
- Innsbruck, Austria
- Chamber of Art and Curiosities
- Archduke Ferdinand II's collection of rare objects is considered one of the oldest museums in the world.
- Austin, Texas
- Frost Bank Tower
- Locals dubbed it the "Owl Building" because of its bird-like appearance.
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Bellefontaine Cemetery
- The first rural cemetery west of the Mississippi is home to the elaborate tombs of St. Louis' local beer barons.
- Montalegre, Portugal
- Ponte da Misarela (Misalera Bridge)
- Local lore says the devil built this beautiful medieval bridge to help a fleeing bandit.
- Rome, Italy
- Metropoliz Museum of the Other and the Elsewhere
- An abandoned Roman salami factory has found new life as an art space home to 200 squatters.
- Riom-Parsonz, Switzerland
- Juliertheatre
- A tower-like theater in the Swiss Alps built to withstand the high winds and avalanches of the mountain pass.
- Portugal
- Lazarim Carnival Celebrations
- One of the few places in Portugal where the pre-Celtic ritual of wearing large wooden masks is still practiced.
- Al-Shikhan, Iraq
- Lalish Temple
- The sacred shrine of the Yazidis, an obscure ancient Mesopotamian religion that's been persecuted for centuries.
- Ogdensburg, New Jersey
- Fluorescent Rocks of Sterling Hill Mine
- Hundreds of glow-in-the-dark objects light up a museum in a historic zinc mine.
- Las Palmas, Peru
- Cueva de Las Lechuzas
- A jungle cave in Peru of unknown depths, otherworldly sounds, and strange nocturnal birds that navigate by echolocation.
- New York, New York
- The Manhattan Eruv
- This nearly invisible wire transforms much of the city into one big, symbolic home on the holy day.
- Bailleau-Armenonville, France
- Musée Ateliers des Pionniers
- A small museum of antique transport that's a must-see for bicycle lovers.
- Notre-Dame-de-Montauban, Canada
- Les Chutes du $5
- The falls were named for the mistaken idea that they were the ones pictured on the Canadian $5 bill.
- Portland, Oregon
- Rose City Rollers
- Inside a humble hangar is some of the best roller derby the world has to offer.
- Alto, Georgia
- The School Bus Graveyard
- Where school buses go to die and be reborn as whimsical works of art.
- Paris, France
- Beware of Words
- A French artist's vague warning hangs over Belleville.
- Comuna Bude?ti, Romania
- Cavnic Gravity Hill
- A spooky spot along the road where things mysteriously seem to move uphill by themselves.
- Iquitos, Peru
- The Grave of Carlos Fitzcarrald
- The forgotten tomb of the Peruvian rubber baron who was the inspiration for Werner Herzog's epic film "Fitzcarraldo."
- Strasbourg, France
- Strasbourg Cathedral's Antique Graffiti
- Visitors dating back to the 1600s carved their marks in the stones of the iconic tower.
- Wicklow, Ireland
- Glencree German War Cemetery
- Ireland's only German military cemetery holds the remains of a spy who was moved there under the cover of darkness.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Chedworth Roman Villa
- Deep in the countryside lie the remains of one of the grandest Roman dwellings in Britain.
- Henrieville, Utah
- Kodachrome Basin Spires
- This quiet park's strange sedimentary spires were named after Kodak's color film.
- San Martín, Peru
- Petroglyphs of Polish
- This set of mysterious petroglyphs in the Peruvian jungle could shed light on centuries-old activities in the region.
- Salzburg, Austria
- Almkanal of Salzburg
- The medieval network of canals hidden underneath the city is opened to explorers each year.
- Washington, D.C.
- Bare-Chested George Washington
- Perhaps the most scandalous statue of America's first president.
- Madrid, Spain
- Air Crash
- A whimsical brother of the nearby Fallen Angel statue takes the falling part quite literally.
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Nebraska State Capitol Mosaic Floor
- An ornate Art Deco tile mosaic representing Nebraskan life, both modern and prehistoric.
- Al Bidya, United Arab Emirates
- Al Bidya Mosque
- The oldest surviving mosque in the UAE has mysterious origins and unusual architecture.
- Dochula, Bhutan
- Dochula Pass Meditation Caves
- The small sanctuaries lie just off the beaten path near one of Bhutan's most famous attractions.
- Rothwell, England
- Rothwell Bone Crypt
- Under a church hides a forgotten 13th-century ossuary containing the remains of around 2,500 people.
- Lappajärvi, Finland
- Lake Lappajärvi
- Nuclear waste experts study this prehistoric crater lake to envision landscapes one million years in the future.
- Säter, Sweden
- Säter Museum of Mental Health
- A museum dedicated to the history of psychiatric treatment featuring a gallery of art made by patients.
- Richmond, Virginia
- Church Hill Tunnel
- Under a playground is a little-known sealed train tunnel that likely contains the bodies of workers trapped by cave-ins.
- Municipiul Sebe?, Romania
- Râpa Ro?ie
- Romania's "Red Ravine" is a little-known natural wonder that bears a resemblance to the Grand Canyon.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Tower of the Bones
- Part of the medieval watchtower is displayed in an otherwise ordinary parking garage.
- Paradise Valley, Arizona
- Phoenix Bat Cave
- Thousands of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats soar around an abandoned storm drain at sunset each summer.
- Zabid, Yemen
- Brick Buildings of Zabid
- Elaborate patterns adorn the city's disappearing traditional architecture.
- Lexington, Virginia
- The Coffee Pot
- The oddly shaped, steam-spewing building is now an art studio and gallery.
- Corner Brook, Canada
- Captain James Cook National Historic Site
- A statue of the early navigator stands overlooking the land he first surveyed.
- Fagersta N, Sweden
- Oil Island
- Few would expect the world's oldest preserved oil refinery to be found in Sweden.
- Thimphu, Bhutan
- Garden of Phallus (Wangchuk Chenmoi Dümra)
- This garden is very fertile.
- Silver Spring, Maryland
- Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery
- Dogs, cats, horses, monkeys, frogs, and fish are laid to rest at the second-oldest pet cemetery in the U.S.
- Berlin, Germany
- Marx and Engels Forum
- One of downtown Berlin's last reminders of its Communist past.
- Osijek, Croatia
- The Red Fico
- A tribute to an iconic act of defiance from the Croatian War of Independence involving a small car.
- Cornwall, England
- Goonhilly Earth Station
- Arthur, Merlin, and Guinevere are among the largest and oldest satellite dishes on the planet.
- Larnaca, Cyprus
- Kyriazis Medical Museum
- Ancient stone dildos and other odd pieces of medical history are displayed at this quirky Cyprus gem.
- Cáceres, Spain
- Vostell Malpartida Museum
- An old wool-washing house filled with Fluxus contemporary art.
- Cornwall, England
- The Merry Maidens
- Perhaps the only prehistoric monument with its very own public bus stop.
- Les Sables-d'Olonne, France
- L'île Penotte Seashell Art
- Wall after wall of this French seaside neighborhood is intricately decorated with seashells and corals.
- Iceland
- Arctic Circle Marker
- A giant concrete orb in far north Iceland marks the ever-shifting boundary.
- Bridgnorth, England
- Bridgnorth Cliff Railway
- This charming railway is one of the oldest and steepest funiculars in England.
- Cortenova, Italy
- Villa de Vecchi
- The abandoned "Ghost Mansion" was left to decay in the mountains of Northern Italy.
- Novo Selo Palanjecko, Croatia
- Monument to the Detachment in Brezovica Forest
- A tower marking the spot where Yugoslavia began its resistance against the invading Nazis stands neglected, but not quite forgotten.
- San Antonio, Texas
- Worlds Largest Cowboy Boots
- These boots are made for selfies.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Pentagon Cable Crossing Sign
- Please don’t anchor your boat onto the Department of Defense’s underwater data cables.
- Warsaw, Virginia
- Menokin
- The Virginia home of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence is being preserved with a unique glass facade.
- Deyme, France
- The Abandoned Galleon
- The deserted pirate-themed restaurant still entices explorers.
- Sibiu, Romania
- Sibiu's Houses with Eyes
- Something's watching you.
- Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Garavice Memorial Park
- A forgotten and crumbling Yugoslav monument to the victims of fascism.
- New York, New York
- Statue of Liberty's Original Torch
- Lady Liberty's first beacon of enlightenment is now displayed inside the Pedestal lobby.
- Bu?teni, Romania
- The Mountain Sphinx
- Conspiracy theories and occult legends surround this mysterious natural rock formation.
- Las Condes, Chile
- National Astronomical Observatory of Chile
- This observatory high on a hilltop in the center of Santiago got its start in 1852.
- Washington, D.C.
- Sharpshooter's Tree
- A diminutive plaque recalls the treetop sniper who almost killed Abe Lincoln.
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Telliskivi Creative City
- Estonia's largest creative city is a vibrant bohemian hub located within a former industrial complex.
- Conwy, Wales
- Surf Snowdonia
- Britain's only artificial surfing lake is nestled in the beautiful mountains of Wales.
- Tennille, Georgia
- Pig Monument
- An odd and heartwarming stone marker enshrines the moment a community saved a farmer's pig that fell in a well.
- Minnesota
- Grassy Point Railroad Bridge
- A haunting army of decomposing, moss-covered stuffed animals and dolls guard this swinging truss.
- Salzburg, Austria
- Meteorological Pillar of the 19th Century
- The beautiful, ornate weather station is the most popular geocache in Salzburg.
- Washington, D.C.
- St. Elizabeths Hospital
- Government testing at the asylum briefly explored using marijuana as a "truth serum" on Nazi prisoners of war.
- Onsted, Michigan
- Prehistoric Forest Amusement Park
- The remains of an abandoned dinosaur theme park litter the woods just off the highway.
- Fenwick Island, Delaware
- Discoversea Shipwreck Museum
- A desiccated merman and a whale penis bone are among the oddities in this eclectic collection of shipwreck treasures.
- Wiltshire, England
- The Skeletons of Stonehenge
- Ancient human remains unearthed around the iconic monument.
- Eufaula, Alabama
- The Tree That Owns Itself
- An autonomous oak in Alabama.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Alice on Wednesday
- Go through the looking glass in Tokyo's Wonderland-themed shop.
- Dublin, Ireland
- The Hungry Tree
- An 80-year-old plane tree is devouring an iron bench at Ireland's oldest law school.
- London, England
- London Transport Museum Depot
- The majority of the museum's large collection is held in a storage space open to the public twice a year.
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Wade Memorial Chapel
- Inside the unassuming cemetery chapel is a magnificent stained glass window and mosaics.
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Old Police Station at Slottsskogen
- The charming storybook building now houses a small police museum.
- Kragujevac, Serbia
- Šumarice Memorial Park
- Abstract monuments express sorrow and resilience at the site of a horrific massacre in Nazi-occupied Serbia.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Oratory of the Sacred Heart
- A nun spent 16 years painting the stunning Celtic mural that covers the interior of this WWI memorial.
- Washington, D.C.
- Knife Edge
- Architecture lovers won’t stop touching the National Gallery's 19.5 degree marble prow.
- Grožnjan, Croatia
- Grožnjan Town Loggia
- The Renaissance-era courthouse is a relic from the fortified town's centuries of Venetian rule.
- Gdansk, Poland
- Dwór Artusa
- A merchant court dedicated to the fictitious King Arthur is heavily adorned with bizarre Renaissance art.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- The Horse You Came In On Saloon
- A 200-year-old bar with a cheeky name claims to have served Edgar Allan Poe his final drink.
- Egerszalók, Hungary
- Salt Hill
- The massive white mound and accompanying water terraces are a striking geological oddity.
- Washington, D.C.
- Ruins of the Columbian Cannon Foundry
- These recently uncovered walls are all that's left of Washington, D.C's first defense contractor.
- Taunggyi, Myanmar (Burma)
- Floating Gardens of Inle Lake
- A series of tiny artificial islands rich with produce bob atop the surface of the lake.
- Parnamirim, Brazil
- World's Largest Cashew Tree
- You feel like you're in a forest, but you're actually walking amidst the branches and trunks of a single giant tree.
- Ferentillo, Italy
- Museum of the Mummies
- Naturally preserved bodies are eerily staged throughout the crypt in varying poses.
- Petersburg, Virginia
- The Tombstone House
- A home built with marble tombstones from the graves of 2,200 Union soldiers buried in a Virginia cemetery.
- Torrevieja, Spain
- The Pink Lake of Torrevieja
- Bacteria and algae give the salty water its bubblegum hue.
- Zionsville, Indiana
- Antique Fan Museum
- A collection of 450 air-moving devices of all kinds displayed in the Fanimation headquarters.
- Fort Washington, Maryland
- Fort Foote Rodman Guns
- A mammoth pair of Civil War artillery guns abandoned out in the forest.
- Salzburg, Austria
- The World of Puppets Museum
- A small marionette collection located within the dark cellars of an 11th-century Austrian castle.
- Kruševac, Serbia
- Slobodište Memorial Park
- Curious carved stones and bird-like wings are a symbol of Serbian resilience and freedom on the site of a WWII massacre.
- Almaly, Kazakhstan
- Bayzhansay Ghost Town
- An abandoned Soviet-era mining town in the mountains of South Kazakhstan.
- Sperlonga, Italy
- Villa of Tiberius
- The Roman Emperor's lost summer home and grotto full of enormous sculptures sit along the Italian seashore.
- Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
- Steinhardt Museum of Natural History
- Israel's first dedicated natural history museum is home to 5 million specimens and still growing.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Flodden Wall
- Remnants of the 16th-century defensive wall still stand unassumingly within Edinburgh.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Annesley Hall
- This romantic, decaying 13th-century ruin on the edge of Sherwood Forest is reputedly one of England's most haunted places.
- Moundsville, West Virginia
- Archive of the Afterlife
- The museum calls itself the "National Museum of the Paranormal" and is full of eerie oddities.
- Ponta do Pargo, Portugal
- Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse
- Portugal’s highest lighthouse has one of the most impressive focal planes in the world.
- Birchington-on-Sea, England
- Powell-Cotton Dioramas
- An English explorer's vast natural history collection has the first realistic dioramas of animals staged in their natural habitats.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Cramond Ghost Island
- Accessible only at low tide, the deserted island is dotted with World War II ruins.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Remains of Dolly the Sheep
- The taxidermy remains of the first mammal ever cloned from an adult cell are on display in Edinburgh.
- Asciano, Italy
- Il Bosco della Ragnaia
- Stumbling upon this whimsical wooded garden is like stepping into an enchanted forest full of philosophical musings.
- Concord, New Hampshire
- Redstone Rocket Replica
- The 92-foot-tall structure is based on the aircraft that carried the first Americans into space.
- Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey
- The Sinatra House
- Along a busy beachfront strip you may hear Frank Sinatra singing from one boardwalk home.
- Lake Itasca, Minnesota
- Headwaters of the Mississippi River
- At this Minnesota state park you can easily wade across the source of the mighty Mississippi.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Berlin Wall Urinal
- A piece of the iconic wall found an unlikely new home in a Vegas bathroom.
- Rantepao, Indonesia
- Londa Burial Caves
- The unique funeral practices of the Toraja can be seen here with graves carved into caves and hung off cliffs.
- Washington, D.C.
- Pierce Mill Spy Station
- Cold War intelligence agents monitored communist embassies from an attic in a former pigeon coop.
- San Diego, California
- Friendship Park
- Every weekend, people gather here for a brief chance to see their loved ones on the other side of the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Smith's, Bermuda
- Spittal Pond Nature Reserve
- Where a rare geological phenomenon created a section of rock that resembles a checkerboard.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Tonga Hut
- Though tiki culture has gone in and out of fashion, the Tonga Hut has always been flying the flag in Los Angeles.
- Eaton, Colorado
- Lee Maxwell Washing Machine Museum
- The world's largest washing machine collection has more than 1,400 antique items in its exhibit.
- Trøllanes, Faroe Islands
- Kallur Lighthouse
- The isolated structure beckons adventurers with sublime views of the Faroe Islands.
- Washington, D.C.
- Library of Congress Book Conveyor Tunnel
- A fantastic array of trays and cables once whisked books over to the Capitol at 600 feet per minute.
- Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
- Gan HaGat (Wine Press Garden)
- A 2,000-year-old wine press hidden in an overlooked park in Tel Aviv.
- Manitowoc, Wisconsin
- Sputnik Crash Site
- A metal ring in the middle of the road marks the exact spot where the Soviet satellite crash-landed in 1962.
- Windsor, England
- Queen Charlotte Street
- At just 51 feet and 10 inches long, it's the shortest street in Britain.
- Jabuka, Serbia
- Stratište Memorial Complex
- An abandoned monument remembering the "Pancevo Holocaust" now stands as a shadow of its former self.
- Austin, Texas
- The Harry Ransom Center
- The upstairs reading room is packed with millions of rare books, literary manuscripts, and historical treasures.
- Sax, Spain
- Colony of Santa Eulalia
- An abandoned socialist utopia built in the late 19th century.
- Ir-Rabat, Malta
- St. Cataldus Catacombs
- Overshadowed by other, more famous Maltese catacombs, this ancient burial chamber has one of the best examples of a ritual agape table.
- Moorestown, New Jersey
- Flexible Flyer Museum
- An unusual assortment of steerable wooden sleds is on display in a library in New Jersey where they were first invented.
- Yachats, Oregon
- Bazalgette the Whale
- There's something big lurking beneath the surface of a tiny park in Yachats, Oregon.
- Funchal, Portugal
- CR7 Museum
- A shrine-like museum entirely dedicated to soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Washington, D.C.
- Legislative Bell System
- An ear-piercing buzzer calls lawmakers to a vote with a series of long and short rings to form coded messages.
- Gwynedd, Wales
- Nant Gwrtheyrn
- An abandoned quarrying village turned commune is now a hub for learning the Welsh language.
- Karlovy Vary, Czechia
- Karl Marx Monument
- A larger-than-life statue of the German revolutionist stands proud in a small town where he never lived.
- Harran, Turkey
- Harran Beehive Houses
- The ancient abodes are a testament to human ingenuity amid harsh climates.
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Royal Waiting Hall
- Although rarely used, there is still a hidden room for the royal family at the Stockholm central station.
- Aranda de Duero, Spain
- Bodegas of Aranda de Duero
- A network of hundreds of interconnected wineries in caves hides under the town center.
- Kharkhorin, Mongolia
- Kharkhorin Rock
- A mysterious phallic rock on the grounds of a Buddhist monastery.
- Washington, D.C.
- Barbie Pond on Avenue Q
- A rotating cast of guys and dolls in front of a Washington, D.C. building.
- Maywood, Illinois
- Fred Hampton Pool
- It is named for the young black revolutionary who was killed before getting to see a non-segregated pool in his hometown.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- University of Minnesota Shoe Tree
- No one's quite sure where this quirky university tradition originated.
- Cacak, Serbia
- Cacak Mausoleum of Struggle and Victory
- This symbol of Yugoslav liberation decorated with 620 carved heads of mythical creatures is now a forlorn relic of another time.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Library of Mistakes
- A library where thousands of books explain how to avoid another Great Recession.
- Bethesda, Maryland
- Naval Surface Warfare Center
- This massive swimming pool is the high tech home to the human-powered submarine races.
- Puerto de Mazarrón, Spain
- Roman Fish-Salting Factory
- Remnants of the rich history of fish salting in this ancient Mediterranean port town.
- Nepean Island, Australia
- Nepean Island
- This tiny uninhabited islet off the coast of Norfolk Island was formed by blowing sand from nearby dunes.
- Slope Point, New Zealand
- Slope Point
- The most southerly spot on New Zealand's South Island is home to surreally shaped, permanently mangled trees.
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Cactus Thiemann
- The largest cactus farm in Africa.
- St. Louis, Missouri
- 1904 World's Fair Flight Cage
- What was meant to be a temporary exhibit is now a permanent fixture at the St. Louis Zoo filled with beautiful birds.
- Catskill, New York
- Catskill Game Farm
- The abandoned ruins of America's first private zoo are open for exploration in the Catskills.
- Long Beach, California
- Astronaut Islands
- These six islands right offshore have waterfalls, colorful lights, fancy buildings, and a secret purpose.
- New York, New York
- The Real Winnie the Pooh and Pals
- The original toys that inspired the beloved children's stories are on display at the New York Public Library.
- Zlatiborski okrug, Serbia
- Kadinjaca Memorial Complex
- A grand Yugoslav memorial to the group of partisans who fought and died resisting western Serbia’s Nazi occupation.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Johnston's J-Bar-B Stables
- A private Las Vegas horse ranch adorned with whimsical artwork.
- London, England
- Sake Dean Mahomed Plaque
- The "shampooer of kings" who opened London's first curry cafe was a celebrity in the 19th century, but is all but forgotten now.
- Dallas, Texas
- Texas Centennial Art Deco Buildings
- A "Texanic" (gigantic Texas) collection of Art Deco architecture at Dallas' historic Fair Park.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Thermae Maiores
- Legions of Roman soldiers bathed in this ancient spa complex under a Budapest transit station.
- Liverpool, England
- Mausoleum of William Huskisson
- A memorial to the politician who became Great Britain's first railway fatality.
- Farmington, Connecticut
- The Grave of Foone
- The final resting place of one member of the Amistad slave revolt who never made it back home.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Tabulating Machine Co.
- The early data processor factory founded in Washington for the 1890 U.S. Census went on to become IBM.
- Linn, Missouri
- Pigs Aloft Museum
- The only pig museum in the U.S. holds one of the world's largest collections of pig items.
- Ogallala, Nebraska
- Petrified Wood Gallery
- A fascinating collection of art made from petrified wood and fossils by two octogenarian twin brothers.
- Aden, Yemen
- Cisterns of Tawila
- This impressive system of tanks was used to store drinking water as long as 2,000 years ago.
- Vukovar, Croatia
- Dudik Memorial Park
- Built as an anti-fascist tribute, this surreal Yugoslav memorial became an unwelcome symbol after the Croatian war for independence.
- L'Aquila, Italy
- Fountain of 99 Spouts
- A medieval fountain lined with 99 unique stone faces whose origins and meaning remain unknown.
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland
- Flannan Isle Lighthouse
- What happened to the three lighthouse keepers who vanished from this place remains a mystery over a century later.
- Farmington, Connecticut
- Shade Swamp Sanctuary
- An abandoned Depression-era zoo hidden just off the highway.
- Everett, Washington
- Laura Palmer's House
- The owner of the iconic house is willing to welcome the "Twin Peaks" fans who come to visit.
- Youngsville, North Carolina
- Tomb of William Jeffreys
- A young state senator's deathbed plea to be buried inside a rock resulted in this unusual grave site.
- Ir-Rabat, Malta
- Domvs Romana
- The remains of a 1st-century aristocratic Roman town house featuring beautiful well-preserved mosaics.
- Los Angeles, California
- Los Angeles Breakfast Club
- Friendships have been forged over ham and eggs every Wednesday morning for nearly a century.
- Windsor, United KIngdom
- The Queen's Swans at Windsor
- All unmarked mute swans on the Thames are owned by the Queen per a tradition that began in the 12th century.
- Washington, D.C.
- Senate Bathtubs
- Senators used to relax in the nearly forgotten marble tubs now hidden in the U.S. Capitol Building's basement.
- Los Angeles, California
- The LAPD Koban
- Common all over Japan, kobans are small community police boxes, and now one is guarding one of L.A.’s megamalls.
- London, England
- Traitors' Gate
- The watery entrance for condemned prisoners heading to the Tower of London is still visible along the Thames.
- Desert Hot Springs, California
- Cabot's Pueblo Museum
- The Hopi-style structure was built by the man who discovered Desert Hot Springs' famous mineral water.
- Alacant, Spain
- Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ)
- Fascinating exhibits of prehistoric and ancient artifacts displayed with a uniquely modern touch.
- Machecoul, France
- Château de Machecoul
- The ruins of a medieval castle linked to the murderous French lord that inspired the famous legend of Bluebeard.
- Barstow, California
- Painted Rocks
- The cluster of boulders near Fort Irwin is covered in military insignia.
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Old Lincoln Highway in Omaha
- The longest surviving brick-paved section of the historic coast-to-coast highway.
- Concord, New Hampshire
- Dress Worn by U.S. President Franklin Pierce
- The dress young Pierce wore prior to his breeching ceremony in the 1850s is now on display for all to see.
- Cabin John, Maryland
- USDA Rammed Earth House
- This suburban house is made of dirt, and almost sparked a revolution in home construction.
- Derbyshire, England
- The Crazy Pinnacle
- There's a strange stone hoodoo towering atop a wooded hillside and no one is quite sure how it got there.
- Racine, Wisconsin
- The Golden Rondelle
- The spaceship-like theater, which is still in use, was one of the most popular exhibits at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
- Washington, D.C.
- Freezing Newsmen Plaque
- A small token of gratitude from freezing cold journalists who were given a warm haven while covering JFK's inauguration.
- Site archéologique de Carthage, Tunisia
- Tophet at Carthage
- An ancient burial ground believed to have been used for ritual sacrifice.
- Prague, Czechia
- Prague Meridian
- The slender brass strip in Prague's Old Town Square was used to tell time from 1652 to 1918.
- Schwerin, Germany
- Henry the Lion Monument
- A city's controversial tribute to its founder depicts townspeople flashing their bare behinds.
- Lübeck, Germany
- Danse Macabre Stained Glass
- Dancing skeletal figures pay homage to a medieval mural destroyed during World War II.
- Sheffield, England
- Paternoster Lift at the Arts Tower
- One of the last doorless, continuously moving elevators still in use in the U.K.
- Paris, France
- Lines of Cremains at Père Lachaise Cemetery
- Stripes of human ashes cover a back lawn in the most sought-after burial grounds in Paris.
- Sillamäe, Estonia
- Sillamäe
- This Soviet-era "closed town" was a top secret uranium producer often left off of maps.
- Panzini, Italy
- Hermitage of St. Albert Butrio
- A beautiful chapel on the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese claims to house the tomb of King Edward II of England.
- Washington, D.C.
- The National Gallery's Art Materials Collection
- The institution is sitting on a goldmine of 21,000 paints, varnishes, pigments and primers preserved for posterity.
- Niederfinow, Germany
- Schiffshebewerk Niederfinow
- This giant, 83-year-old ship elevator is an engineering feat to behold.
- Broadstone, England
- Alfred Russel Wallace's Grave
- The biologist's fossilized headstone was meant to reflect his love of nature. Its, ahem, unusual shape is probably just a coincidence.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Vote Against Prohibition Sign
- A faded sign from the 1920s remembers Baltimore's resistance toward banning alcohol.
- Atyrau, Kazakhstan
- Atyrau Airport
- At 72 feet below sea level, it's the lowest commercial airport in the world.
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- Deed Rock
- This boulder with a 200-word legal dedication to God has remained hidden in the woods for over 150 years.
- Austin, Texas
- Skyspace: The Color Inside
- A view-altering observatory at the University of Texas.
- Orost, Iran
- Badab-e Surt
- Iran's colorful terraces are a rare geologic masterpiece.
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Collectors Treasury
- Over a million items cram the shelves at Africa's largest shop of used and rare books.
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Frau Rauscher Fountain
- This German fountain of a legendary apple wine-loving drink thief will spit on you.
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Pigeon Express
- Birds with backpacks expedite film development for a rafting company on a remote Colorado river.
- Mgarr, Malta
- Bingemma Troglodyte Settlement
- Enigmatic tombs and cave dwellings on the outskirts of a rural village.
- Mumbai, India
- Kwan Kung Temple
- The only Chinese temple in Mumbai.
- Chiavenna, Italy
- Paradiso Botanical Archaeological Park
- An archaeological treasure trove towers over the valley of Chiavenna.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- Ratstrinkstube Clock Tower
- At the strike of each hour the doors open to reenact the legend of the heroic mayor who saved his town by drinking a gallon of wine.
- Timor-Leste
- Marobo Hot Springs
- No one is quite sure of the origins of these idyllic natural hot springs at an abandoned mountain resort.
- Genova, Italy
- Civic Museum of Natural History Giacomo Doria
- Genoa's collection of over 4 million zoological, botanical, and geological specimens from around the world.
- El Alto, Bolivia
- Ernesto Che Guevara Statue
- This likeness of the famous revolutionary is entirely made of recycled scraps of metal.
- Ashwell, England
- Medieval Graffiti of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin
- Historical etchings such as “Miserable, wild, distracted 1350" and “The Archdeacon is an ass.”
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Boy and Frog
- A beloved, quirky little fountain featuring a large frog spitting water at a naked boy.
- Sinsheim, Germany
- Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim
- It has an American Dream Car exhibit, Europe's largest Formula One collection, and many, many mannequins.
- San Pawl il-Bahar, Malta
- Bugibba Temple
- The ruins of a megalithic monument sit right in the garden of a luxurious Maltese resort.
- Laurel, Maryland
- On the Brink
- A haunting exhibit in a wildlife refuge center highlights threatened species and the conservation efforts needed to save them.
- Brooklyn, New York
- THNK1994 Museum
- A Brooklyn exhibit all about Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding in 1994.
- Palermo, Italy
- Galleria delle Vittorie
- An abandoned shopping gallery built during Fascist Italy tucked in the center of Palermo.
- Corvallis, Oregon
- Corvallis Sidewalk Stamps
- Contractors in this Oregon town have been stamping their names in sidewalks since 1908.
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France
- La Villa Santo-Sospir
- Nearly every wall in this French villa has been "tattooed" by artist Jean Cocteau and other famous painters.
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Site of a Japanese Balloon Bomb Explosion
- These experimental weapons brought World War II to Nebraska as well as 26 other U.S. states.
- Meyrueis, France
- Mont Aigoual Weather Station
- France's highest manned weather station is the only one still inhabited by meteorologists.
- Oslo, Norway
- St. Hallvard's Church and Monastery
- The Brutalist building harbors an unusual inverted dome that swoops down over its central sacred room.
- Palermo, Italy
- Palazzo Chiaramonte
- Haunting graffiti left by prisoners of the Spanish Inquisition.
- Pembroke, Wales
- Wogan Cavern
- A spiral staircase connects the limestone cave with Pembroke Castle, birthplace of King Henry VII.
- Chippendale, Australia
- White Rabbit Gallery
- It's said to be one of the most significant collections of contemporary Chinese art in the world.
- Coventry, England
- Ruins of St. Mary's Priory Cathedral
- All that remains of the only English cathedral destroyed in the Protestant Reformation.
- Tucson, Arizona
- Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory
- Giant telescope mirrors built in a spinning furnace under a college football stadium.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Site of the Jefferson Street Ballpark
- The humble field where the first Major League Baseball game was played.
- Baki, Azerbaijan
- Heydar Aliyev Center
- The building's fluid, wavelike walls are a true feat of architectural ingenuity.
- Waddesdon, England
- Waddesdon Manor Wine Cellars
- The luxurious English estate houses the world’s largest private collection of French Rothschild wines.
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Schubert Club Museum of Musical Instruments
- A collection of pianos and more guaranteed to delight anyone interested in music history.
- Lavender Bay, Australia
- Wendy's Secret Garden
- Built over an abandoned train yard, this hidden gem is full of winding paths and offers gorgeous views of Sydney Harbour.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Pierre L’Enfant’s (Second) Gravesite
- The controversial urban planner who designed Washington, D.C., was buried in Maryland, and can presently be found in Virginia.
- Bremen, Germany
- Bremen Drop Tower
- The only microgravity tower in Europe can produce nine seconds of weightlessness.
- Santa Luzia, Portugal
- Cemetery of Anchors
- Dead weights honor the dead of Portugal's fishing industry.
- Sainte-Mère-Église, France
- Private John Steele Monument
- An effigy of a trapped paratrooper commemorates when part of the D-Day invasion went tragically wrong.
- East Riding of Yorkshire, England
- Greenwich Meridian Trail
- This long-distance walking route follows the Prime Meridian line as it passes through England.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Arlington Cemetery's Headstone-Eating Trees
- The rogue roots are gradually consuming some of the historic marble grave markers.
- Tomar, Portugal
- Museu dos Fosforos
- Europe's largest collection of matchbox designs is a fascinating exploration of the cultural history of the world.
- Heidelberg, Germany
- The Mauer 1 Jawbone
- The jaw of one of humankind's earliest ancestors on display at an overlooked geology museum.
- Wapakoneta, Ohio
- The Temple of Tolerance
- A gregarious Ohio resident has been building his whimsical temple to peace for decades.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Joseph Marthon Memorial Mainmast
- The naval commander’s proudest moment in battle is memorialized in this unique tomb at Arlington Cemetery.
- Duluth, Minnesota
- Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
- Home to part of the world’s largest private collection of original manuscripts and documents.
- London, England
- British Dental Museum
- The collection contains over 25,000 items and details the painful dental practices of the past.
- Ternate Island
- The remote island home of the overlooked explorer who co-discovered the theory of evolution.
- Redruth, England
- Gwennap Pit
- The excellent acoustics of this natural amphitheater made it a popular preaching spot for the founder of the Methodist Church.
- Los Angeles, California
- Historic Street Lighting Museum
- The illuminating collection of LA street lights is run by the city and only opens one day per month.
- Los Angeles, California
- Café Jack
- A "Titanic" superfan changed his name to Jack and set up this strange shrine to the blockbuster, complete with Korean food and Tarot readings.
- Qiannan Buyizumiaozuzizhizhou, China
- Yelang Valley
- It took an artist 20 years to create this sprawling sculpture garden honoring the area's ancient inhabitants.
- Melbourne, Australia
- The Limelight Department
- A cramped wooden attic that once housed one of the world's first movie studios.
- Alacant, Spain
- Lucentum
- A well-restored ancient archaeology site gives a real feel for life during the Roman age.
- Docklands, Australia
- Victoria Police Museum
- Unusual finds include a 19th-century vampire slaying kit and the death mask of an infamous Australian serial killer.
- Lübeck, Germany
- Astronomical Clock at St. Mary's Church
- A stunning two-story timepiece within a medieval Brick Gothic church.
- Barranquilla, Colombia
- Shakira Monument
- This 16-foot, 6-ton statue in the singer's hometown doesn't actually look like her.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Fenway Victory Gardens
- One of the last remaining World War II Victory Gardens in the U.S. is quietly growing across from Fenway Park.
- Melbourne, Australia
- The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek
- A friendly monster lurks outside the State Library Victoria.
- Hrodna, Belarus
- Mona Lisa of Grodno
- The old fire station features a mural that has more to it than first meets the eye.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Potato Shed Memorial
- Sacks of potatoes, made of cast stone, mark where the iconic potato sheds once stood along the river.
- Washington, D.C.
- D.C. War Memorial
- An overlooked memorial honoring the local Washington residents who died in World War I.
- East Melbourne, Australia
- Fire Services Museum of Victoria
- A firefighting museum housed in a historic station whose Lookout Tower watches over Melbourne.
- Friskney, England
- RAF Wainfleet Control Tower
- The control tower at the historic weapons range is now available as a highly unusual vacation rental.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Columns of the Temple of Augustus
- The 2,000-year-old Roman columns are hidden within Barcelona's Gothic Quarter.
- St. John's, Canada
- Marathon of Hope Mile 0
- Where a young athlete began his run across Canada after losing his right leg to cancer.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Giant of Extremadura
- The lengthy skeleton of one of the tallest Spaniards of all time is on display in Madrid.
- Batumi, Georgia
- Batumi Tower Ferris Wheel
- The first skyscraper to include a Ferris wheel built into the facade.
- Hjärup, Sweden
- Jakriborg
- This cobblestoned medieval-style town was entirely constructed in the 1990s and 2000s.
- Dresden, Germany
- Cockerwiese (Joe Cocker Meadow)
- Joe Cocker's 1988 concert at this site in East Germany marked a changing sea tide that would eventually lead to reunification.
- Gore, New Zealand
- Hokonui Moonshine Museum
- Celebrating the history of whiskey production during New Zealand's era of prohibition.
- Baker City, Oregon
- The Great Salt Lick
- A bronze replica of half-consumed salt lick honors a quirky town tradition.
- Manchester, England
- The Washhouse
- This Manchester laundromat is hiding something.
- Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy
- Mithraeum at Santa Maria Capua Vetere
- The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient Roman religious cult contains an exquisite traditional fresco.
- George, Washington
- George Washington Bust in George, WA
- A bust of the first president welcomes visitors to the only town in America called George, Washington.
- Kuldiga, Latvia
- The Venta Rapid
- The widest waterfall in Europe is a natural wonder and one of the only places where fish are caught in the air.
- McCall, Idaho
- B-23 'Dragon Bomber' Wreckage
- The secluded site of a 1943 plane crash and amazing rescue is only accessible by hiking through the woods.
- Lakeside, California
- Rancho Cañada de los Coches
- The smallest Mexican land grant in California was given, and then taken from, a 19th-century teacher and nurse.
- Qurayyat, Oman
- Bimmah Sinkhole
- A sinkhole turned swimming hole, full of dazzling turquoise water.
- Austin, Texas
- Casa Neverlandia
- This eclectic, mosaic-clad home includes a bamboo ping-pong loft and a "Whispermaphones" intercom.
- West Hartford, Connecticut
- Noah Webster Statue
- This tribute to the founding father of the American dictionary originally contained a spelling error.
- Buffalo, New York
- Blue Sky Mausoleum
- This unique crypt designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his longtime friend was not completed in either man's lifetime.
- Washington, D.C.
- Washington Aqueduct Castle Gatehouse
- A building shaped like the Army Corps of Engineers logo, because why not?
- London, England
- Memorial to Mahomet Weyonomon
- A sculpture outside London's oldest cathedral honors the Mohegan chief who died while petitioning the king.
- Washington, D.C.
- Man Controlling Trade
- A muscular Art Deco monument represents the struggle between regulators and unbridled markets.
- Yarraville, Australia
- The Trugo Mural
- The artwork celebrates Trugo, a odd yet beloved local sport played only around Melbourne.
- Washington, D.C.
- Site of the Union Station Train Crash
- A 1,100-ton train fell through the floor in 1953. Workers got it patched up in just 72 hours.
- Kerry, Ireland
- Saint Brendan’s Well
- An ancient holy well said to be used by the patron saint of sailors and travelers, lost in the boggy west of Valentia Island.
- Portugal
- Espigueiros do Soajo
- A cluster of granite granaries perched on stilts.
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
- U.S. National Prototype Kilogram
- This golfball sized platinum iridium cylinder is the official starting point for all national weight calibrations
- Minden, Louisiana
- Germantown Colony and Museum
- A 19th-century utopian religious society designed to align with the latitude of Jerusalem.
- Washington, D.C.
- Secret Entrance to the White House
- The winding route passes through an enclosed alleyway, two tunnels, and leads to the White House basement.
- Manises, Spain
- The Ceramics of Manises
- Beautiful tiles decorate many of the town's surfaces and stand testimony to its glorious artistic history.
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Ichthus ?Art? ?Gallery
- A secluded art gallery hidden within the cellars beneath Tallinn’s medieval monastery.
- San Martino della Battaglia, Italy
- Ossario di San Martino
- The skulls and bones of thousands of soldiers line the walls of this small Italian chapel.
- Capriate San Gervasio, Italy
- Crespi d’Adda Cemetery
- A massive mausoleum towers over the gravestones in a 19th-century Italian "model village."
- Breckenridge, Colorado
- Breckenridge Snow Sculptures
- Each year, teams of the world's best snow sculptors have 65 hours to create their frozen masterpieces.
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Jami Ul-Alfar Masjid (Red Mosque)
- This mesmerizing architectural wonder will take your breath away with its unusual color patterns.
- Hunstanton, England
- Wreck of the Steam Trawler Sheraton
- All that remains of the fishing-vessel-turned-warship is its weathered hull.
- Lee, Massachusetts
- Santarella
- Stay at this storybook estate, featuring Sir Henry Hudson Kitson's masterpiece "Gingerbread House."
- Colfax, Washington
- The Codger Pole
- A town's monument to a touch-football victory 50 years in the making.
- Madrid, Spain
- The Royal Quartet
- A rare set of strings by famed instrument maker Antonio Stradivarius is on display in the Royal Palace.
- Staten Island, New York
- New York Chinese Scholar's Garden
- This small and serene place for quiet reflection on Staten Island was built in China based on the gardens of the Ming Dynasty.
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Giant Of Rotterdam
- A statue of the second-tallest Dutchman in history.
- Mechanicsville, Virginia
- The Ghost Church
- The skeletal white beams stand as a monument to religious dissent.
- Shanghai, China
- Chinese Printed Blue Nankeen Exhibition Hall
- A small gallery and shop dedicated to an ancient style of hand-printed textile.
- Praha, Czechia
- Brown-Nosers
- The risqué mixed-media sculptures are supposedly a metaphor for Czech politics.
- Port Huron, Michigan
- Boatnerd Vantage Point
- A place for ship-lovers to watch the passage of freighters traversing the Great Lakes while learning about their history.
- Il-Birgu, Malta
- The Executioner's House
- The medieval home is still engraved with the symbol of the profession, an eye flanked by two axes.
- Narva, Estonia
- Kreenholm Manufacturing Company
- An abandoned textile factory on the "island of crows" was home to Estonia's first workers' strike.
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Elvis Karate Fight Plaque
- A stone marker memorializes the spot where the King broke up a street fight with a classic karate stance.
- Goleta, California
- Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gas Station
- This little gem of Spanish Colonial architecture has been abandoned since the 1950s.
- Paris, France
- Musée Edith Piaf
- This museum in a Paris apartment gives a unique look at the iconic French singer's life.
- Brookfield, Illinois
- Brookfield Zoo's Sinclair Dinosaur
- It was originally part of a "terrible lizards" collection at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
- Washington, D.C.
- Glenwood Cemetery's Chainsaw Sculptures
- The towering figures were created from the cemetery's fallen old-growth trees.
- Washington, D.C.
- Evelyn Y. Davis's Gravestone
- A memorial to a still-living shareholder activist feared by CEOs around the United States.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Musical Highway
- If drivers cross the rumble strip on this stretch of Route 66 at just the right speed it plays "America the Beautiful."
- Amherst, Massachusetts
- Emily Dickinson's Bedroom
- The mighty room where the poet spent most of her life is available to rent for an hour or two.
- Idar-Oberstein, Germany
- Felsenkirche (Crag Church)
- A tiny chapel clings to a precipice above Germany’s gemstone capital.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Magdalen Chapel
- The 16th-century church has the only stained glass windows that survived the Scottish Reformation intact.
- Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England
- Saltburn Cliff Lift
- This beautiful example of Victorian engineering is the oldest water-balanced funicular anywhere in the world.
- Dublin, Ireland
- The Little Museum of Dublin
- More than 5,000 artifacts donated by the people of the city, plus a room entirely devoted to the band U2.
- Almeida, Portugal
- Fortress of Almeida
- The medieval town's star-shaped walls are geometrically dazzling, though not entirely impenetrable.
- Woomera, Australia
- Woomera Range Complex
- Bomb tests and sheep ranchers share the world's largest military land base.
- Hillside, Illinois
- The Italian Bride
- Julia Buccola Petta's body was peculiarly well-preserved when it was exhumed six years after her death.
- Des Moines, Iowa
- 'Better Homes and Gardens' Test Garden
- The magazine keeps a perfectly groomed display garden for its photo shoots.
- New York, New York
- Power Station
- One of the last full-orchestra recording studios in New York City and an acoustical marvel.
- Bluemont, Virginia
- Soviet Embassy's 'Summer Camp' House
- Conveniently located within binocular range of a nuclear bunker, the "summer camp" area was a painfully obvious spy house.
- East Sussex, England
- Camber Castle
- Henry VIII's forgotten castle was built by the gunpowder-obsessed king to be defended solely by canons.
- Pinhal Novo, Portugal
- Museum of Mechanical Music
- This architectural beauty is the home to a personal collection of more than 600 examples of mechanical musical instruments.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Cairo
- This unacceptably tall building was the real reason for Washington, D.C.'s skyscraper ban.
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Smiling Sun Mural
- A symbol for the opposition to nuclear power around the world.
- Glasgow, Scotland
- The Drying Green
- The old tradition of drying laundry on poles in the public green is still guaranteed by Glasgow city law.
- Fontainebleau, France
- Fontaine de Diane (Fountain of Diana)
- Peeing dogs guard the Roman hunting goddess atop a fountain at France’s Château de Fontainebleau.
- Netzschkau, Germany
- Göltzsch Viaduct
- The largest brick bridge in the world.
- Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Bridge Monkey
- It's good luck to be mocked by this monkey.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Curzon Hall
- The fight to make Bengali an official language started in this stunning university hall.
- Boulder, Colorado
- Media Archaeology Lab
- A research lab and hands-on museum where visitors can experiment with retro technology.
- Washington, D.C.
- Capitalsaurus Court
- The discovery site of the "Capitalsaurus," the official dinosaur of Washington, D.C.
- Quedlinburg, Germany
- Quedlinburg Abbey
- The medieval institution is home to the precious treasure stolen in World War II in one of the greatest art thefts of the 20th century.
- Plymouth, Massachusetts
- National Monument to the Forefathers
- Plymouth's huge yet little-known memorial to the Pilgrims.
- Prášily, Czechia
- Poledník Lookout Tower
- A Cold War secret surveillance tower used to spy on radio communications.
- Bremen, Germany
- Bleikeller
- Eight naturally mummified bodies in glass coffins are housed in an underground crypt.
- Darlington, England
- Brick Train
- A locomotive made from 185,000 bricks celebrates the town's pioneering railway history.
- Iceland
- Geysir Glíma Restaurant
- A restaurant devoted to "trouser grip" wrestling, an ancient form of Viking wrestling that is Iceland's national sport.
- Washington, D.C.
- Holt House
- There's a crumbling old mansion inside the Smithsonian National Zoo.
- St Helier, Jersey
- Le Crapaud
- A statue erected in honor of the toadish nickname given to Jersey residents by the French.
- Union, Connecticut
- Traveler Restaurant
- This small-town Connecticut restaurant gives each diner a free book from its vast library.
- Berlin, Germany
- Stolpersteine Holocaust Memorials
- Tiny memorials honor individual victims of the Holocaust.
- Guatemala
- Atitlan Antique Rose Garden
- A collection of heirloom roses tucked in a spectacularly beautiful botanical garden on Lake Atitlan.
- Cardston, Canada
- Remington Carriage Museum
- One of the largest collections of carriages, buggies, and wagons in the world.
- Devon, England
- Burgh Island
- Take a sea tractor to the Art Deco hotel on the island that inspired Agatha Christie.
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Wallabies of Inchconnachan
- An eccentric aristocrat brought these Australian natives to their current Scottish home.
- Oroville, California
- Mother Orange Tree
- The oldest orange tree in California spawned a generation of citrus farmers.
- Guatemala, Guatemala
- Mapa en Relieve (Relief Map)
- An impressive century-old, to-scale topographical map of Guatemala.
- Porto, Portugal
- McDonald's Imperial
- This restored Portuguese cafe may well be the most beautiful place in the world to grab a Big Mac.
- Eisenach, Germany
- Wartburg Castle
- The castle where Martin Luther secretly translated the New Testament from Greek to German while in hiding.
- London, England
- Meeksville Sound Plaque
- The home studio one of Britain's first independent record producers is also the site of a murder-suicide.
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Isle of Shoals Humpbacks
- One of 100 “Whaling Wall" murals painted in 13 different countries by a renowned marine life artist.
- Devens, Massachusetts
- Sweetheart Memorial
- A tribute to the couples who brave long periods of separation during wartime.
- Ticonderoga, New York
- Star Trek Original Series Set Tour
- A perfect replica of the beloved show's first set.
- Leuven, Belgium
- 'Snow Whites' of Leuven
- The Belgian library displays burned books that were salvaged from the fires of both world wars.
- Dixon, Illinois
- Penis-Shaped Church
- When viewed from above this church appears to resemble a giant phallus.
- Kansasville, Wisconsin
- Richard Bong State Recreation Area
- The Bong-area park police have asked visitors to please, stop sealing the signs.
- Taylor, Nebraska
- The Villagers
- This Nebraska town wants to double its population with plywood cut-outs of townsfolk.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Winfield Scott Memorial
- The sculptor was instructed to add “stallion attributes” to the general's bronze mare.
- Washington, D.C.
- Vigilant Firehouse
- ‘Bush the old fire dog died of poison July 5th, 1869. RIP.’
- Gillingham, England
- The PS Medway Queen
- The "Heroine of Dunkirk" rescued over 7,000 Allied troops during the historic World War II evacuation.
- London, England
- Clowns' Gallery and Museum
- Three small rooms at the back of the “official” church of London's clowns.
- Sulphur Springs, Arkansas
- AR-MO-OK Tri-State Marker
- Three markers installed over the course of 140 years mark the point where Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma converge.
- Hidalgo, Texas
- 'World's Largest Killer Bee'
- A statue in the Texas town that proudly calls itself the killer bee capital of the world.
- Iceland
- Drangurinn Rock
- Icelandic folklore says this giant boulder was ripped from the mountains and placed at its current location, where it became home to elves.
- Forks, Washington
- John's Beachcombing Museum
- One man's eclectic collection of treasures found at sea.
- Seattle, Washington
- Pac Man Park
- This painted blacktop brings the classic arcade game to life.
- DeLand, Florida
- Hontoon Island Owl Totem
- The only ancient owl carving found east of the Mississippi.
- London, England
- River Tyburn Conduit
- A plaque marks the underground site of one of London's "lost rivers."
- Washington, D.C.
- Gun Barrel Fence
- This robust fence in front of a historic Georgetown home is likely made from hundreds of recycled Revolutionary War firearms.
- Mikulov, Czechia
- Podobenství s Lebkou (Parable With Skull)
- An existential riddle in the world's largest ancient castle.
- Toledo, Spain
- Roman Circus of Toledo
- The ruins of an ancient stadium that hosted gripping chariot and horse races.
- Kiel, Germany
- Hörnbrücke
- The world's first and only three-segment bascule bridge folds up into the shape of a capital "N" to let boat traffic through.
- Tallahassee, Florida
- McCord Park's Komodo Dragon
- Though it's unclear why it's there, the lifelike sculpture of the giant lizard is oddly charming.
- Meybod, Iran
- Yakhchals
- Ancient structures used to make and preserve ice in the deserts of Persia.
- Norfolk, England
- The Devil's Punchbowl
- A mysterious crater-like pond has a spooky tendency to empty and fill with complete disregard to rainfall patterns.
- Suwon, South Korea
- Mr. Toilet House
- The toilet-shaped house of South Korea's sanitation pioneer is now a museum to the john.
- Suminoe-ku, Japan
- Osaka Maritime Museum
- An abandoned giant glass dome sits in the bay in “the Venice of the East.”
- Washington, D.C.
- The Lockkeeper's House
- A derelict bit of infrastructure from the canal that once ran through D.C. is landlocked in the heart of the city.
- Lincolnville, Maine
- Lamp/Bear
- Maine's bizarre, multimillion-dollar roadside bear sculpture.
- Fanny Bay, Canada
- Wacky Woods
- The whimsical legacy of a Canadian artist.
- Estes Park, Colorado
- Baldplate Inn Key Collection
- The world's largest key collection features keys to the White House, Frankenstein's castle, and Hitler's bunker.
- Toronto, Canada
- The Rainbow Tunnel
- This colorful creation wasn't always a welcome part of Toronto's Moccasin Trail Park.
- Tandjouare, Togo
- Nok Caves
- Hidden dwellings in the cliffsides of North Togo used by local Moba tribes to evade 18th-century slave traders.
- Iz-Zejtun, Malta
- Secret Passage in St. Gregory's
- A hidden tunnel of bones in one of Malta's oldest churches.
- Derbyshire, England
- England's 'ER' Plantations
- The patches of trees pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
- San Francisco, California
- Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption
- The neighborhood church casts a breast-shaped shadow that locals have come to call the “two o’clock titty.”
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Ugly Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue
- One Confederate statue that accurately reflects the ugliness of its subject.
- Mdina, Malta
- Mdina's Neo-Gothic House
- This unique building in the main square stands out among the city's typically Baroque architecture.
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Horace Wells Memorial
- The tragic tale of the dentist who pioneered the use of anesthesia.
- Whitehorse, Canada
- Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre
- Home to a full cast of the largest woolly mammoth ever recovered in North America.
- Houghton le Spring, England
- Penshaw Monument
- The nearly 200-year-old folly has a secret spiral staircase hidden in one of its pillars.
- Rancho Cucamonga, California
- Sam Maloof House
- A living museum dedicated to the legendary woodworker and his soulful furniture.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Oersoep
- A Dutch passageway's artistic, aquatic-themed makeover pays tribute to the capital city's famed waterways.
- Conakry, Guinea
- Keita Fodeba Centre for Acrobatic Arts
- The school produces some of Africa's most talented acrobats and contortionists.
- Washington, D.C.
- Theodore Roosevelt Island
- The national park was once a plantation estate.
- Ouidah, Benin
- The Temple of Pythons
- Dozens of snakes are housed and worshipped within the walls of this Vodun temple.
- South Brisbane, Australia
- Streets Beach
- Brisbane's manmade urban beach has enough water to fill five Olympic-sized swimming pools.
- Cleethorpes, England
- The Signal Box Inn
- This tiny business claims to be "the smallest pub on the planet."
- Bradenton, Florida
- The Sea Hagg
- An eclectic treasure trove of maritime marvels.
- El Paso, Texas
- Casa de Azucar
- The house's confection-like decorations are the result of one man's painstaking work over decades.
- London, England
- Fetter Lane Moravian Burial Ground
- Some of the earliest leaders of the Moravian congregation are buried here.
- Il-Mosta, Malta
- Ta’ Bistra Catacombs
- These lesser-known Maltese catacombs date back over 1,700 years.
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
- World's Largest Deadweight Machine
- The U.S. government built the million-pound stack of steel during the Space Race.
- Forest Park, Illinois
- Haymarket Martyrs Monument
- Chicago’s incendiary role in the labor movement.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Strip
- This alleyway once had rooftop snipers and moved 55 pounds of cocaine per day.
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art
- The "Jade Museum" is full of thousands of intricately carved works of art made from various precious stones.
- Dundee, Scotland
- Lemmings Statue
- A bronze tribute to the wildly popular video game from the '90s.
- Bremen, Germany
- Spuckstein Gesche Gottfried
- A spitting ode to a German serial killer.
- Washington, D.C.
- Kilroy Was Here
- There’s a hidden military meme engraved on the World War II Memorial.
- Câmpina, Romania
- Iulia Hasdeu Castle
- This eccentric folly house was designed by Romanian thinker Bogdan-Petriceicu Hasdeu, with a helping hand from his deceased daughter's spirit.
- West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
- Balloch Park Fairy Trail
- A local tree surgeon has created a whimsical walk full of carved tree stumps near Scotland's Loch Lomond.
- East Molesey, England
- Anne Boleyn's Gateway
- Carved initials which are nearly 500 years old preserve the deposed Queen's presence at Hampton Court Palace.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Cuban Embassy's Hemingway Bar
- When it opened during the final years of the embargo, all the drinks and cigars were free.
- London, England
- Barbican Conservatory
- This hidden green space is the city's second largest conservatory.
- Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Lincoln Monument of Council Bluffs
- An obelisk commemorating Lincoln's role in connecting the coasts.
- London, England
- 'Potteries and Piggeries' Bottle Kiln
- A relic from one of London's worst 19th-century slums.
- Dilijan, Armenia
- Khanjian Villa
- The luxurious circular mansion built for a Communist leader now lies abandoned.
- Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
- Tel Aviv Central Bus Station
- The maze-like transportation hub contains abandoned areas, derelict stores, and even has its own resident bat colony.
- Carthage, Missouri
- Boots Court Motel
- This historic motel standing at the "crossroads of America" offers a radio in every room and was saved by local protesters.
- Riga, Latvia
- The World of Hat
- A small museum contains one of the largest collections of ethnic and traditional headgear in the world.
- Namibia
- Tropic of Capricorn Crossing
- Road signs in Namibia mark the location of one of the five major circles of latitude.
- Derbyshire, England
- Clock Cottage
- A gardener saved a beloved clock face from destruction by building it into a wall outside his house.
- Il-Birgu, Malta
- Prison in Fort Saint Angelo
- This almost-forgotten underground dungeon housed several convicts over the years, including Caravaggio.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Murdering Lane and Cutthroat Lane
- Though they've since been renamed, these two streets hint at Dublin's darker days.
- Warsaw, Poland
- Maly Powstaniec (The Little Insurrectionist)
- A statue honors the children who fought Nazis in Poland.
- Johns Creek, Georgia
- Monkey Massacre Memorial
- The statues commemorate the legendary mass killing of escaped circus monkeys.
- Austin, Texas
- Snake Island
- A small island hides in plain sight on Austin's Lady Bird Lake.
- Toppenish, Washington
- Toppenish Murals
- Over 75 historically themed murals grace the walls of a small Washington city.
- Marbach, Austria
- Mauthausen Memorial
- The site of Austria's biggest concentration camp now honors its victims.
- Pembrokeshire, Wales
- Folly Farm
- Go back 50 years with a turn on one of the park's carefully restored vintage fairground rides.
- Berlin, Germany
- Denkzeichen Georg Elser
- A monument to the man who almost killed Hitler.
- Leicestershire, England
- Bradgate House
- The alleged birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, who was executed at age 16 for claiming the throne of England.
- Kiev, Ukraine
- Tatyana Markus memorial
- A tribute to a Ukrainian heroine who went undercover and killed several Nazi operatives.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Allegheny County Belt System
- Color-coded signs direct drivers on a network of routes designed to avoid Pittsburgh traffic.
- Venice, Italy
- Scuola Grande di San Marco
- The marble facade hides a little-known medical museum with early surgical instruments and rare copies of canonical texts.
- Kimball, South Dakota
- South Dakota Tractor Museum
- An impressive collection of farm equipment and other artifacts from life on the prairie.
- Valjevo, Serbia
- Stjepan Filipovic Monument
- A tribute to a man who defied the Nazis until his last breath.
- Jonesport, Maine
- Maine Central Model Railroad
- An elderly widow still operates the incredibly detailed model railroad she and her husband built by hand.
- Portland, Oregon
- Transcendence
- A sculpture of a salmon swimming through a brick building.
- Greifswald, Germany
- Welt der Gifte
- At this exhibit on the world of poison, venomous animals steal the show.
- Smithfield, Virginia
- World’s Oldest Edible Ham
- The 115-year-old piece of pork wears a brass collar and was once a man's "pet ham."
- Warsaw, Poland
- Warsaw Uprising Monument
- A tribute to the Polish insurgents who fought in the failed attempt to end their city's Nazi occupation.
- New York, New York
- Albertine
- Though its celestial ceiling is impressive, the true star is the vast collection of French books.
- Mae Klong, Thailand
- Samut Songkhram Salt Farms
- Acres of salt crystal pyramids dry in the sun along Thailand's "salt road."
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Linby Docks
- A blunder resulted in these charming stone-lined streams becoming the target of a Nazi bombing.
- North Yorkshire, England
- Wreck of the MV Creteblock
- The remains of the concrete ship can be seen during low tide.
- Tampere, Finland
- Lenin Museum
- The last permanent exhibit dedicated to the Soviet leader.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Bartram's Garden
- The oldest surviving botanic garden in the United States.
- Lund, Sweden
- Skyddsmantelmadonnan
- A modern, secular take on a traditional Virgin Mary motif.
- Washington, D.C.
- The Unabomber's Cabin
- It was once the base for a series of domestic terror attacks.
- Jefferson City, Missouri
- Missouri State Penitentiary
- The maximum security facility was once thought to have "the bloodiest 47 acres in America."
- Lucca, Italy
- Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
- This bustling Italian plaza is built on the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater.
- Dillon, Montana
- Old Pitt's Burial Site
- The famous 102-year-old circus elephant was struck and killed by lightning.
- Portland, Oregon
- Kelly Butte Civil Defense Center
- Portland had a unique approach to Cold War-era protections.
- Rijeka, Croatia
- PEEK&POKE Computer Museum
- This Croatian computer club features such gaming relics as the infamous Virtual Boy and an 8-bit Pacman machine.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Lower Lower Wacker Drive
- Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.
- Nagoa Ash Shatb, Egypt
- Temple of Kom Ombo
- One of its engravings is believed to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments.
- Heligoland, Germany
- Heligoland
- This strategic isle was once swapped between empires and almost entirely destroyed in a bomb explosion.
- Inuvik, Canada
- Inuvik Community Greenhouse
- Canada's most northerly commercial greenhouse was once a hockey arena.
- Castlemaine, Australia
- The Departure
- An art gallery, studio, and shop that celebrates death.
- Castleton, England
- Peak Cavern's Rope Factory
- Some of England's last cave dwellers lived and worked within this huge cave.
- Moffat, Scotland
- The Moffat Ram
- “It has nae lugs!”
- New York, New York
- Bemelmans Bar
- The walls are decorated with whimsical murals painted by the creator of the Madeline franchise.
- Jonesport, Maine
- Nellie Chapin Day Memorial
- A memorial to an ill-fated Holy Land mission once described by Mark Twain as “a complete fiasco.”
- Lordsburg, New Mexico
- Fraggle Rock
- The outcropping is graffitied with the name of the beloved musical Muppet television series.
- Inuvik, Canada
- Our Lady of Victory Church
- This house of worship in the Arctic Circle is shaped like an igloo.
- Gerrards Cross, England
- Chalfont Viaduct
- Locals call it the "Give Peas a Chance" bridge because of its distinct graffiti.
- Byurakan, Armenia
- Byurakan Observatory
- Armenia's premier center of astrophysical research was established during the Soviet era.
- West Ballina, Australia
- The Big Prawn
- There's nothing shrimpy about the world's largest artificial prawn.
- Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
- Chin Tsong Palace
- This extravagant villa built by a Burmese merchant is part pagoda and part European mansion.
- England
- Thetford Warren Lodge
- This 15th-century fortification was built to defend bunnies.
- Hathersage, England
- Little John's Grave
- A headstone notes where the most famous of Robin Hood's legendary Merry Men is reportedly buried.
- Riga, Latvia
- Big Christopher
- The statue of a legendary giant who carried Christ and shouldered the world's sins.
- Bathurst, South Africa
- The Big Pineapple
- The world's largest pineapple building honors Bathurst's star fruit.
- Nahouri, Burkina Faso
- Cour Royale de Tiébélé
- In this African village, the walls of the chief's compound are painted with beautiful traditional designs.
- Prague, Czechia
- Paternoster Lift at Prague City Hall
- This doorless 20th-century elevator doesn't stop or slow down.
- Seoul, South Korea
- Museum Kimchikan
- Tracking the 1,500-year history of Korea's star cabbage.
- Saint-Rivoal, France
- Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts
- An isolated 17th-century chapel on a remarkable site once dedicated to Celtic sun worship.
- New York, New York
- Site of the Pan Am Helipad
- This Manhattan skyscraper is a reminder of the brief but glorious age of urban air taxis.
- Bethesda, Maryland
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
- FDR's Art Deco hospital tower was hopelessly inefficient.
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Glasgow City Center Mural Trail
- A scattered trail of street art adds a pop of color to the city's stark structures.
- Moldova
- 'Welcome to Gagauzia' Sign
- This sign marks the entrance to a tiny proto-state within the small country of Moldova.
- Nagasaki, Japan
- Head of the Virgin Mary
- The statue's head is one of the few fragments of the original Urakami Cathedral to survive the atomic bomb.
- Bristol, England
- The Nails
- 17th-century merchants in Bristol nailed their deals by placing money on these pedestals.
- Kearny, New Jersey
- Sky Mound
- This huge work of functional public art replaced a landfill in New Jersey's Meadowlands.
- Washington, New Hampshire
- Captain Jones' Leg
- A gravestone marks where a man's lost limb was laid to rest.
- Rotherham, England
- The Chapel of Our Lady
- This oddly placed 15th-century church is one of only six bridge chapels left in England.
- Bellingham, Washington
- Rock Rings
- The cardinal directions, set in stone.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Dark Star Park
- This unique historical monument features large concrete spheres designed to resemble fallen stars.
- San Bernardo, Colombia
- Mummies of San Bernardo
- No one knows for sure why this town's dead refuse to rot.
- San Francisco, California
- AIDS Interfaith Memorial Chapel
- The first AIDS memorial chapel in San Francisco and one of only a few in the U.S.
- San Francisco, California
- The Last Standard Oil Company Gas Station in California
- Chevron maintains one “Standard” brand station per state so it doesn’t lose the trademark.
- Lincolnshire, England
- The Outer Trial Bank
- "The Donut" was built as part of an expensive, ill-fated engineering endeavor.
- Washington, D.C.
- Mount Zion Cemetery's Underground Railroad Shelter
- Escaped slaves may have hidden inside a corpse vault.
- Wilmington, North Carolina
- Museum of the Bizarre
- A curious collection of oddities including a lock of Alexander Hamilton's hair and Harry Houdini's ouija board.
- White Pine County, Nevada
- Hamilton Ghost Town
- A Nevada mining boomtown that ran out of silver and luck.
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- Nagasaki, Japan
- Atomic Bomb Medical Museum
- A sobering scientific reminder of the human damage caused by the advent of the nuclear age.
- Nikko-shi, Japan
- Kanmangafuchi Abyss
- A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.
- North Miami Beach, Florida
- Miami Showmen's Association Rest
- A gaudy painted elephant stands in memory of south Florida's fallen carnies.
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Earnestine & Hazel's
- The juke joint where legendary soul artists ate, drank, and made merry.
- Talala, Oklahoma
- Winganon Space Capsule
- A detached cement mixer has been transformed to resemble a relic from some obscure NASA mission to Oklahoma.
- Larnachs Castle, New Zealand
- Larnach Castle
- One of New Zealand’s few castles boasts beautiful gardens, grand architecture, and a history filled with family drama.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Sezincote Estate
- A majestic mansion designed in Mughalai style, complete with a turquoise onion dome.
- Stoke Heath, England
- National Telephone Kiosk Collection
- An ode to the classic piece of British street furniture.
- Speculator, New York
- The Mini Route 66
- The great American road trip, but smaller.
- Duluth, Minnesota
- Uncle Harvey's Mausoleum
- The watery grave of an impractical idea.
- Wausau, Florida
- Possum Monument
- A tribute to the furry local heroes who helped get residents through many tough times.
- Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina
- Charleston Tea Plantation
- The only working large-scale tea plantation in the United States.
- Blantyre, Malawi
- Saint Michael and All Angels Church
- This amateur-built East African church with mismatched towers is an architectural abnormality.
- Amherst, Massachusetts
- Stearns Steeple
- The monumental steeple on Amherst College's campus has no church attached to it.
- Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France
- Futuroscope
- France's high-tech, future-themed amusement park.
- Nagasaki, Japan
- Museum of Tropical Medicine
- A hub of information on tropical diseases and their treatments.
- The Rocks, Australia
- Sirius Building
- Though considered an eyesore by some, this boxy Brutalist high-rise plays a significant role in Sydney's past.
- Bankhead, Canada
- Bankhead Ghost Town
- The ruins of the "20-year town" lay out among the mountains of Alberta.
- Buffalo, New York
- Shark Girl
- The absurd creation is a compulsory destination for selfies in Buffalo.
- York, England
- Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate
- One of the shortest streets in York has an especially odd name.
- Buldhana, India
- Lonar Lake
- This rare basalt crater lake is used to study the Moon and Mars.
- Ransom Canyon, Texas
- Robert Bruno’s Steel House
- A wacky, UFO-shaped house in a suburban neighborhood.
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- The Genetically Modified Little Mermaid
- Hans Christian Andersen for the postmodern world.
- San Francisco, California
- Short Story Vending Machine
- With the touch of a button, you can read a randomly selected short story.
- Vidalia, Georgia
- Vidalia Onion Museum
- A sweet tribute to Georgia's official state vegetable, which even has its own mascot: "Yumion."
- Bristol, England
- Corn Exchange Dual-Time Clock
- The unusual clock on this 18th-century market building has an extra minute hand for "Bristol time."
- Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Center for Lost Objects
- An unusual assortment of art, furniture, and other curiosities.
- Washington, D.C.
- Capitol Bollards
- The 5.5-mile ring of steel posts around the Capitol Building is one of the largest (and most uniform) of its kind in the world.
- Sheffield, Massachusetts
- Thom Reed UFO Monument Park
- The site of the first "historically true" UFO encounter in the U.S.
- Gloucestershire, England
- Severn Bore
- This stretch of the River Severn where large waves flow against the current is the birthplace of river surfing.
- Berkeley, California
- Aftel Archive of Curious Scents
- Nose around a unique collection of more than 300 natural aromas used to craft perfume fragrances.
- Blimbing, Indonesia
- Kampung Warna-Warni (Village of Color)
- This Indonesian village was revitalized by a vibrant rainbow paint job.
- Orange, Massachusetts
- Woman's Christian Temperance Union Fountain
- A remnant of the 19th-century dream to discourage people from drinking booze by offering them water.
- Saint Simons Island, Georgia
- Saint Simons Island Tree Spirits
- Carved faces add a touch of magic to this island's impressive oak trees.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Arlington Temple United Methodist Church
- This church built atop a gas station promises to "equip you for the next stage in your life’s journey."
- Donalda, Canada
- Donalda Lamp Museum
- The museum is home to four times as many lamps as there are people in town.
- Coreglia Antelminelli, Italy
- La Rocca
- An 11th-century mountaintop fortress that played a crucial role in Italy's papal wars is now a vacation rental.
- Tambopata, Peru
- Tambopata Research Center
- One of the most remote lodges in the Amazon offers rare wildlife encounters and undisturbed views of the Peruvian rainforest.
- Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Naval Observatory Library
- A horde of sky catalogs, astrophysical journals, even the works of Galileo and Copernicus.
- Krujë, Albania
- Krujë Castle
- The elliptical citadel resisted the advance of the mighty Ottomans several times, thanks to the military prowess of the "Dragon of Albania."
- Highland, Scotland
- Inchindown Oil Tanks
- This abandoned oil depot produces world's longest echo in a manmade structure.
- London, England
- The Mayflower Pub
- The London pub overlooks where the Mayflower was moored before setting sail for the New World.
- Duckmanton, England
- Walking Together
- A poignant memorial to the 106 coal miners killed in three major accidents in Derbyshire.
- Woodstock, New York
- Woodstock Artists Cemetery
- Now the final resting place of prominent artists and musicians, it was originally founded to separate the rich from the poor in death.
- Breezanddijk, Netherlands
- Afsluitdijk
- The 20-mile causeway that separates the Netherlands from the sea.
- Canmore, Canada
- Big Head Sculpture
- The granite head appears to be deep in thought and half buried in the ground.
- McConnelsville, Ohio
- Big Muskie Bucket
- All that remains of a gigantic earth-moving machine.
- Budapest, Hungary
- Béla Lugosi Bust at Vajdahunyad Castle
- Late at night, the bust of the "Dracula" actor was snuck onto the facade of this Budapest castle.
- Danbury, Connecticut
- 'Danbury Crowns Them All' Sign
- A jewel of early electric boosterism once again charms Connecticut's historic "Hat City."
- Traverse City, Michigan
- The Hippie Tree
- Though its branches are painted bright colors by generations of locals, the tree is said to be a haunted portal to hell.
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Cementiscope
- A cement mixer-turned-kaleidoscope in downtown Norfolk offers different views of the city.
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland
- Hirta Island Ghost Town
- The last inhabitants of one of the U.K.'s most remote islands were evacuated in 1930.
- Seattle, Washington
- Georgetown Steam Plant
- A frozen relic of Seattle's hydroelectric boom is now a teaching facility for future engineers.
- Malinska, Croatia
- Abandoned Haludovo Palace Hotel
- This truly palatial work of Communist-era architecture now sits crumbling on a Croatian beach.
- Ars-en-Ré, France
- Oyster Vending Machine
- For those late-night mollusk cravings.
- Leiden, Netherlands
- Café De Vergulde Kruik (The Gilded Jar Café)
- One of the Leiden's oldest pubs is also the birthplace of the Heineken star.
- Earlimart, California
- Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
- A ghost town originally established and governed solely by African Americans seeking a place of their own free from discrimination.
- Arlington, Virginia
- Reagan National Airport Bird Cannon
- The system of air guns are fired off remotely to scare any trespassing avians.
- Vancouver, Canada
- 'Giants' on Granville Island Silos
- The colorful, smiling concrete silos of Vancouver.
- Agoura Hills, California
- M*A*S*H Filming Location
- The show's fictional Korean medical camp was created in the Santa Monica hills.
- Seattle, Washington
- Freeway Park
- The first park to ever be built over a freeway was a brutalist masterwork.
- Hatteras, North Carolina
- Shipwrecked Doritos
- The time thousands of bags of chips washed ashore in the Outer Banks is memorialized in a local museum.
- Kerry, Ireland
- Telegraph Field Valentia Island
- This beautiful site is where the first transatlantic telegraph was sent from.
- Dallas, Texas
- Public School 972
- A school-themed restaurant where gastronomy is the core curriculum.
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Stara Elektrarna (The Old Power Station)
- A relic from the Industrial Revolution got a second life as a contemporary performing arts space.
- Coronado, California
- Accidental Swastika at Coronado Navy Base
- Don't worry, it wasn't intentional.
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Primeval Forest National Park
- Impressive sink holes fill this untouched old-growth forest in the Bahamas.
- Seoul, South Korea
- Poopoo Land
- A bright and wacky exhibit answers every question you may have had about human excrement, flatulence, and more.
- Wroclaw, Poland
- Przejscie (Passage)
- A striking public sculpture representing the period of martial law in Communist Poland.
- Southwold, England
- Under the Pier Show
- A chaotic collection of coin-operated slot machines designed to delight and disturb in equal measure.
- North Fremantle, Australia
- Dingo Flour Sign
- Visible from both land and sea.
- Pello, Finland
- Oranki Art
- A little-known sculpture park of contemporary environmental art in a Lapland forest.
- Borgo a Mozzano, Italy
- Gothic Line Fortifications
- The only substantial part of Nazi Germany's formidable defensive line through Northern Italy that survives today, largely intact.
- London, England
- Henry VIII Gatehouse Statue
- London's only public statue of the much-married monarch adorns the gate to St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
- Okaton, South Dakota
- Okaton Ghost Town
- The deserted railroad town had a last gasp as a ghost town attraction before being abandoned for good.
- Meriden, England
- National Cyclists Memorial
- The obelisk honors the cyclist troops who were killed during World War I.
- Pella, Iowa
- Vermeer Windmill
- This Iowa town celebrates its heritage with the tallest Dutch windmill in North America.
- Alton, Illinois
- Robert Wadlow Statue
- The world's tallest man was 8 feet 11 inches when he died—and still growing.
- London, England
- Michael Faraday's Laboratory
- The lab where the scientist made his groundbreaking discoveries is preserved on the basement floor of the Faraday Museum.
- Ely, Nevada
- Garnet Hill Rockhound Area
- Rich red almandine gemstones are waiting inside the drab volcanic rock strewn across this eastern Nevada hillside.
- Sponsored by TravelNevada
- Vrbice, Czechia
- Vrbice Wine Cellars
- A mesmerizing landscape of 18th-century cellars carved out of the land.
- Winslow, Arizona
- Rock Art Ranch
- A working cattle ranch with remarkably well-preserved prehistoric petroglyphs and ancient ruins.
- Bryrup, Denmark
- Velling Koller Fairy Tale Gardens
- The decaying remains of a 1960s mechanical wonderland that never officially closed.
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin
- EAA's AirVenture Oshkosh
- One of the largest aviation events in the world brings half a million aircraft enthusiasts to Wisconsin each year.
- Mantova, Italy
- Lovers of Valdaro
- A young Italian couple has been locked in an embrace for over 6,000 years.
- Brewer, Maine
- Chamberlain Freedom Park
- Maine’s only official memorial to the Underground Railroad.
- London, England
- Two Princes Staircase
- Richard III supposedly disposed of his nephews' bodies here in an effort to seal his claim to the throne.
- Hartbeespoort, South Africa
- Witwatersrand Basin
- It's estimated that half of the world's gold was mined from South Africa's "golden arc."
- Fife, Scotland
- Elie Chain Walk
- The only fixed chain and post trail in Scotland snakes its way along the base of a towering seaside cliff.
- Nye County, Nevada
- Atomic Bank Vault
- The contents of this safe survived a 37-kiloton nuclear bomb.
- Douglas, Wyoming
- Former World's Largest Jackalope
- This Wyoming town is clearly fascinated with the mythical creature it invented.
- Canada
- Graves of Beechey Island
- The remote graves mark the mysterious deaths of four 19th century explorers.
- Canada
- Graves of Beechey Island
- The remote graves mark the mysterious deaths of four 19th century explorers.
- El Paso, Texas
- Lhakhang Cultural Exhibit
- A Bhutanese temple gifted from the isolated Himalayan kingdom is now a surprising cultural gem in El Paso.
- Teec Nos Pos, Utah
- Four Corners Monument
- The marker offers a rare chance to be in four U.S. states at once, though there's some controversy over its geographic accuracy.
- Sweetwater, Texas
- National WASP WWII Museum
- A tribute to the little-known group of women who were the first ever to fly aircraft in the U.S. military.
- Cornwall, England
- King Arthur's Stone
- A 6th-century stone lies at the site of the mythical battle waged between King Arthur and his nemesis Mordred.
- Vancouver, Canada
- 9 O'Clock Gun
- This quirky piece of naval artillery has been deafening Canadians for over a century.
- Baffin Region, Canada
- Prince Leopold Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary
- Over 400,000 birds spend their summers nesting on this small Arctic island.
- Bran, Romania
- Bran Castle
- The possible imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler here earned the medieval castle its nickname, "Dracula's Castle."
- Los Angeles, California
- Miniature Garden of Whimsy
- An quirky collection of figurines backdropped by city views is hidden next to a popular restaurant in the Hollywood hills.
- Iceland
- The Eggs of Merry Bay
- These enlarged egg sculptures represent the native birds of eastern Iceland.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Homomonument
- Three connected pink triangles memorialize persecuted gays and lesbians throughout history.
- Concepción, Chile
- 'The Presence of Latin America' Mural
- The imposing piece of artwork is a celebration of Pan-American fraternity.
- Washington, D.C.
- Uncle Beazley the Triceratops
- A celebrity from the late Cretaceous period.
- Topeka, Kansas
- Equality House
- A rainbow-colored house promotes LGBTQ tolerance right across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church.
- Bantimurung, Indonesia
- Prehistoric Cave Art of Maros Pangkep
- These 40,000-year-old stenciled hands are older than the famous cave art in France and Spain.
- Macedonia
- Little Pioneers Youth Camp
- An abandoned resort in Macedonia is a relic from the Communist Party of Yugoslavia.
- Kvarntorp, Sweden
- A Pile of Art
- An eclectic sculpture park rises atop a giant pile of ashes in Sweden.
- Washington, D.C.
- Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum
- Before founding the American Red Cross, Clara Barton had a tremendous humanitarian impact by locating thousands of missing soldiers.
- Improvement District No. 9, Canada
- Lake Minnewanka Underwater Ghost Town
- The only way to visit this old resort hotel is with scuba gear.
- London, England
- Goodwin's Court
- An easily overlooked stretch of ornate window fronts and gaslight lamps that could be right from the pages of Dickens.
- Nafplio, Greece
- Bourtzi
- This 15th-century island fortress later served as home to the executioners no one wanted to live near.
- Charlevoix, Michigan
- Former World's Largest Cherry Pie Pan
- There's more contention than one might expect from cherry pie pans.
- Pendine, Wales
- Pendine Sands
- Several land speed world records were shattered at this Welsh beach.
- Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Sewer System
- Vienna's underworld of tunnels and subterranean rivers made an iconic appearance in a 1949 Orson Welles film.
- Nottinghamshire, England
- Newstead Abbey
- The ancestral home of beloved English poet Lord Byron has a bizarre history.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cementerio de la Chacarita
- A vast necropolis where you'll find the elaborate mausoleums of Argentinian tango stars.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Erotic Heritage Museum
- Thousands of artifacts relating to human sexuality, including the world's largest sex bike.
- Menands, New York
- World’s Largest Nipper Statue
- This giant monument of the RCA mascot is a beloved fixture in Albany, New York.
- Eldon, Canada
- Eisenhower Tower
- Canada’s surprisingly controversial monument to Dwight Eisenhower.
- Flossenbürg, Germany
- Flossenbürg Concentration Camp
- A preserved Nazi labor camp now has a Holocaust museum on site and memorials to the thousands that died while imprisoned at the camp.
- Sheffield, England
- Brendan's Glove Garden
- A fitting tribute to a beloved local boxing coach that's produced four world champions.
- San Diego, California
- Louie Mattar’s Fabulous Car
- One man's quest for the ultimate road trip vehicle.
- Tissington, England
- Derbyshire Well Dressing
- The tradition of using flowers to decorate wells is once again thriving in England.
- Port Orchard, Washington
- Elandan Gardens
- Bonsai trees that are up to a thousand years old.
- Bangor, Maine
- Hannibal Hamlin Death Couch
- Abraham Lincoln's vice president took his last breath here on July 4, 1891.
- Kolkata, India
- Ronald Ross Memorial
- A monument to the British doctor who connected mosquitoes to malaria.
- Tartu, Estonia
- The Struve Geodetic Arc
- A historic scientific breakthrough that crosses nine borders.
- Kilkenny, Ireland
- The Lost Town of Newtown Jerpoint
- Local legend says the remains of Father Christmas lie within the medieval grounds.
- Wentworth, England
- Wentworth Woodhouse
- The UK's largest private house was the subject of a long-lasting political dispute.
- La Paz, Bolivia
- La Paz Cebritas
- A black and white solution to the Bolivian city's traffic problems.
- Falun, Sweden
- The Grave of Fet-Mats
- His body was found mysteriously preserved in a Swedish mine over 40 years after his initial disappearance.
- New York, New York
- The Jane Hotel
- This historic building housed the surviving crew members of the Titanic, who were left destitute after the wreck.
- Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Museum of Sexual Cultures of the World
- It's the only museum of its kind in Ukraine.
- Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania
- Kilwa Kisiwani Ruins
- Stunning ruins of what was once the center of one of the greatest empires in East Africa.
- Galway, Ireland
- Thoor Ballylee
- W.B. Yeats renamed his 14th-century tower house in order to connect it more with its Irish heritage.
- Sutton-in-Ashfield, England
- Hamilton Hill
- The English town of Mansfield likely got its name from this enigmatic breast-shaped mound rising abruptly from the earth.
- Dyess, Arkansas
- Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash
- The Man In Black grew up in a large agrarian community established by the federal government in the Great Depression.
- Trenton, Tennessee
- Trenton Teapot Museum
- The world's largest collection of porcelain "veilleuses-theiere," or night light teapots, includes four that belonged to Napoleon.
- Aberystwyth, Wales
- University of Aberystwyth Old College
- A real-life Professor Snape once taught in this Welsh university building, which students of course nicknamed “Hogwarts.”
- Toledo, Ohio
- Art Tatum Celebration Column
- A 30-foot stack of piano keys memorializes one of the greatest keys players in jazz history.
- Övertorneå N, Sweden
- The Unofficial Mosquito-Catching World Championship
- A Swedish town came up with an out-of-the-box way to eliminate the bloodthirsty insects.
- Hackensack, New Jersey
- USS Ling Submarine
- A World War II-era submarine is stuck in the mud in New Jersey.
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Chuck Berry's House
- The red brick house where the father of rock 'n' roll wrote some of his classic hits.
- Washington, D.C.
- Arizona Avenue Trestle
- The span is crooked and made from two older recycled bridges.
- Québec City, Canada
- The Murals of Quebec City
- A contemporary fresco movement illustrates the region's rich history.
- Meridian, Mississippi
- Grave of the Gypsy Queen
- The simple gravesite of a Romany clan leader is dotted with offerings, including cans of her favorite drink, Crush orange soda.
- Scottish Borders, Scotland
- The Bear Gates of Traquair
- The main gates have been locked since 1745 and will remain so until the Stuart Dynasty returns to the throne.
- Corolla, North Carolina
- Corolla Wild Horses
- One of the best places to see feral Colonial Spanish Mustangs in the United States.
- Vilcabamba, Ecuador
- Vilcabamba
- In this pristine Ecuadorian hippie town, residents remain active well into their eighties and nineties.
- Winnipeg, Canada
- The Zoohky Mural
- A celebration of one of the West End’s most recognizable figures, who made helping others his life's work.
- Buckingham, Virginia
- The Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS)
- The flower-shaped temple in Virginia aims to transcend the boundaries of the world’s religions.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- Medieval Crime Museum
- Horrifically creative torture devices and shame punishments line the walls of this chilling museum.
- Oman
- Snake Canyon
- Nature's water park in the Wadi Bani Awf valley is full of pools flanked with cliffs and natural water slides.
- Newburyport, Massachusetts
- Newburyport Maritime Museum
- A historic custom house with ties to George Washington is now a shrine to local nautical history.
- Alofi, Niue
- Niue
- A tiny, remote island packed with wonders both natural and geeky.
- Norfolk, England
- SS Vina Shipwreck
- The wreckage of an old coastal trading vessel is only visible at low tide.
- Los Angeles, California
- The Adventurers' Club of Los Angeles
- Hidden above a drug store on a nondescript corner of Lincoln Heights is a private clubhouse for intrepid explorers.
- Lynn, Massachusetts
- High Rock Tower
- At the supposed instruction of Ben Franklin and Socrates, a Spiritualist believer intended to birth a mechanical messiah here.
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Witches' Well
- A cast-iron fountain marks the spot where hundreds of accused witches were burned at the stake.
- São Paulo, Brazil
- The Crypt of the São Paulo Cathedral
- The crypts are so large they're basically their own underground church.
- Conwy, Wales
- The Great Orme Copper Mines
- The world's largest prehistoric copper mine had 30,000 animal bones scattered throughout the maze of passageways.
- Llandudno, Wales
- The Great Orme Copper Mines
- The world's largest prehistoric copper mine had 30,000 animal bones scattered throughout the maze of passageways.
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Silver River Center for Chair Caning
- This Asheville chair museum wants to revive a dying art.
- Havana, Cuba
- Viaje Fantástico
- No one knows the meaning behind this giant sculpture of a nude woman with a fork riding a rooster in Havana.
- Forks, Washington
- One Square Inch of Silence
- A tiny red pebble marks what may be the quietest spot in the United States.
- Cromford, England
- Cromford Mill
- The world's first successful water-powered cotton mill paved the way for the factories of the British Industrial Revolution.
- Guadalajara, Mexico
- Panteón de Belen (Santa Paula Cemetery)
- This historic cemetery built for victims of the epidemics that swept Guadalajara is shrouded in macabre tales.
- Whitehaven, England
- Fairy Rock
- Local legends say that fairies used to dance in the moonlight here and invite handsome young men into their grottoes.
- Terre Haute, Indiana
- Stiffy Green
- Whether his story is true or not, Stiffy Green is the most beloved bulldog in all of Indiana.
- Palm Desert, California
- Curves and Zigzags
- A black and white painted wall creates an optical illusion in the California desert.
- Vågsøy, Norway
- Kannesteinen Rock
- Thousands of years of crashing waves gave this mushroom-shaped rock its svelte figure.
- Keenesburg, Colorado
- The Wild Animal Sanctuary
- The world's largest carnivore sanctuary is home to over 450 meat-eating rescues.
- Walla Walla, Washington
- Museum of Un-Natural History
- "Enter and be entertained or annoyed by Dada in Walla Walla."
- Nice, France
- La Crypte Archéologique de Nice
- The construction of a tram line unveiled hidden remnants of the old medieval city.
- Osaka, Japan
- Chapel Goedele
- A 14th-century European chapel sticks out of the facade of a Japanese hotel.
- Coreglia Antelminelli, Italy
- Museum of Plaster Figurines and Emigration
- The link between these two seemingly disparate themes is crucial to the history of this Tuscan hill town.
- Denver, Colorado
- International Church of Cannabis
- A technicolor place of worship for Elevationists.
- Lincoln, England
- Lincoln Tank Memorial
- The world's first military tank was designed in this English city amid the stalemate of WWI trench warfare.
- San Marcos, Texas
- Freeman Ranch Body Farm
- Human remains in varying states of decay are strewn about this Texas State facility for scientific study.
- Garapan, Northern Mariana Islands
- Old Japanese Jail
- This spooky jail once controlled by the Japanese military now sits abandoned on a remote Pacific island.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- The Great Spring
- A tiny plaque marks the location of the water source that facilitated the birth of modern-day Boston.
- West Stockwith, England
- The Trent Aegir
- In the right conditions a wall of water up to five feet tall flows upstream against the current on the River Trent.
- Miami, Florida
- The Kampong
- This beautiful Miami garden was designed as a laboratory for tropical plants.
- Saint Andrews, Canada
- Loyalist St. Andrews
- A small Canadian town founded as a refuge for Loyalists following American Independence.
- Island Park, Idaho
- Yellowstone's Zone of Death
- A legal loophole makes it possible to get away with murder within this 50-square-mile section of Yellowstone.
- Chicago, Illinois
- National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
- Honoring Italian greats from Joe DiMaggio to Rocky Marciano.
- Grantsville, Maryland
- Casselman River Bridge
- This beautiful stone arch bridge wasn't even expected to stand for one day, but people have been crossing it for centuries.
- Panguitch, Utah
- The Cassidy Trail
- Local lore holds that Butch Cassidy took an escape route through Red Canyon's sandstone hoodoos after an attempted murder.
- Lübbenau/Spreewald, Germany
- Gurkenmuseum (Cucumber Museum)
- A museum honoring Germany’s cucumber mecca offers a great dill of gherkin history.
- Carnoët, France
- Vallée des Saints (Valley of the Saints)
- A remote hilltop covered in giant monoliths haunts the Brittany countryside.
- Lecce, Italy
- Museo Faggiano
- One man's quest to fix his toilet unearthed over 5,000 artifacts spanning more than 2,000 years of history.
- White, Georgia
- Old Car City
- One of the world's largest automobile junkyards is a unique landscape of metal and moss.
- Heysham, England
- 'Poet Philosopher & Failure' Gravestone
- A succinct inscription commemorates the ebb and flow of a woman's life.
- Wonewoc, Wisconsin
- The Painted Forest
- An unassuming house in Wisconsin hides a transient artist’s magnum opus.
- New York, New York
- William Lescaze Townhouse
- New York City's first Modernist house.
- Fruita, Colorado
- 'Mike the Headless Chicken' Sculpture
- It would be easy to walk past this unusual piece of art and have no idea it pays tribute to the odd life of a real chicken.
- Nakhl, Oman
- Nakhal Fort
- An imposing Omani fortress surrounded by date palm trees.
- Pisa, Italy
- Guy Rope Anchors for the Leaning Tower of Pisa
- The only visible reminders of an elaborate engineering project that kept the tower from reaching the tipping point.
- Saint Andrews, Canada
- Ministers Island
- A rare opportunity to drive across the ocean floor.
- Hastings, Nebraska
- The Hastings Museum Kool-Aid Exhibit
- The home for all things Kool-Aid offers everything except a chance to actually enjoy the drink.
- Richmond, Virginia
- World's Largest Slinky
- On display alongside a giant Gumby, it’s as tall as a 9-story building when fully extended.
- Devon, England
- Exercise Tiger Memorial
- A disastrous D-Day rehearsal was relatively unknown until this sunken tank was discovered 40 years later.
- Lonaconing, Maryland
- Klotz Throwing Company
- A remarkable time capsule of American manufacturing deep in Maryland coal country.
- Millburn, New Jersey
- South Mountain Fairy Trail
- These mystical miniature houses bring a touch of magic the New Jersey woods.
- Kiev, Ukraine
- Sarcophagus of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
- The medieval prince founded the first library in Ukraine at Saint Sophia's Cathedral where he was interred.
- Agrilos, Greece
- Fairytale Castle of Agrili
- A magical, if a bit tacky, 1960s castle conjures up medieval fairytales and Greek mythology.
- San Remo, Italy
- Old Bussana (Bussana Vecchia)
- An ancient rogue artist community hidden next to one of the world's most glitzy and glamorous cities.
- Darmstadt, Germany
- The Ludwigshöhe
- A former Nazi lookout tower with a magnificent view of the Rhineland.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Ruins of Schoolmaster Hill
- Ralph Waldo Emerson spent two years living here decades before it became a Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park.
- Stoke Heath, England
- The Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings
- A slightly surreal menagerie of structures that were lovingly spared from demolition and reconstructed in a field.
- Brooklyn, New York
- Do the Right Thing Way
- Spike Lee's provocative film is officially honored right where it was made, the first time a work of art was used as a secondary street name.
- Crownsville, Maryland
- Crownsville Hospital Center
- The United States' third asylum for African Americans is haunted by its horrible history.
- Farmington, Pennsylvania
- Jumonville Glen
- The site of the little-known Pennsylvania battle that sparked the Seven Years' War.
- Hillsdale, New York
- Circle Museum (Bijan’s Junk Art)
- Eight whimsical acres of scrap metal art.
- Haxey, England
- The Haxey Hood
- One of England's oldest ongoing games is basically a town-wide scrummage that aims to push a leather tube into a local pub.
- Manitou Springs, Colorado
- Manitou Mineral Springs
- There are eight natural springs around town, each with a slightly different taste.
- Essen, Germany
- Villa Hugel
- The monumental home of Prussia’s eccentric "Cannon King."
- Broomfield, Colorado
- Shep the Broomfield Turnpike Dog
- The final resting spot of the Colorado Transportation Department's beloved unofficial mascot.
- Moorhead, Minnesota
- Hjemkomst Viking Ship
- This replica of an 8th century burial ship actually sailed to Norway before returning home to Minnesota.
- Sacramento, California
- Sacramento Locomotive Works
- This 19th century train workshop is a treasure trove of railroad history.
- Witcham, England
- World Pea Shooting Championship
- The best place to acquire pea shooting fame.
- Washington, D.C.
- Southwest Duck Pond
- This lovely pocket park is one of the most under appreciated in D.C.
- Panenský Týnec, Czech Republic
- The Unfinished Gothic Church of Panenský Týnec
- The 14th century ruins are said to contain healing powers.
- Cherhill, England
- Cherhill White Horse
- The geoglyph once sported a glass bottle eye.
- Cusco, Peru
- Coca Museum (Museo de la Coca)
- A fascinating little museum all about the rich history of Peru’s famous plant.
- Barcelona, Spain
- Street Performers of Las Ramblas
- The iconic boulevard is the perfect place to catch sight of a bicycling skeleton, a levitating Satan, or a chef with his head stuck in a pizza.
- Glen Gardner, New Jersey
- Abandoned Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital
- A recently abandoned psych ward at the end of Sanatorium Road.
- Koblenz, Germany
- Augenroller (Eye Roller)
- Every half hour the eye-rolling clock face sticks out its tongue to mock the good citizens of Koblenz.
- Chatham, New York
- Taconic Sculpture Park
- Three acres of mythology-inspired sculptures visible from the highway.
- Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria
- Lindwurmbrunnen
- The medieval "dragon" on an Austrian city's coat-of-arms comes to life in a fountain.
- Fortville, Indiana
- Martini-Drinking Pink Elephant
- The bespectacled, cocktail-sipping pachyderm is a strange but fitting liquor store mascot.
- Washington, D.C.
- Dumbarton Oaks
- The Byzantine, pre-Columbian, and medieval art at this stately mansion are some of the most under-appreciated collections in D.C.
- Shetland Islands, Scotland
- Broch of Mousa
- A remarkably well preserved tower dating all the way back to the Iron Age.
- Rome, New York
- Erie Canal Village
- A historic recreation of the golden age of the Erie Canal now sits dilapidated and abandoned.
- Stoneham, Massachusetts
- Where Shute Fell
- This headstone-like marker inscribed with three words has been an utter mystery for over a century.
- Prague, Czechia
- Memento Mori: 'Of One's Own Volition'
- A controversial artwork draws attention to the dark history of Prague's "Suicide Bridge."
- Centro, Mexico
- Museo de Arte Popular
- An airy Art Deco space devoted to the weird and wonderful folk art traditions of Mexico.
- Koblenz, Germany
- Schängelbrunnen
- This fountain of a little boy that spits on passersby at erratic intervals is a town icon.
- Washington, D.C.
- Cuban-American Friendship Urn
- The only National Monument ever to go missing for nearly 50 years then resurface in a dump.
- Gotham, England
- The Original Gotham
- The storied English village that pretended to be insane inspired NYC's nickname and the fictional namesake in the DC Comics universe.
- Richland Center, Wisconsin
- A.D. German Warehouse
- The only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structure in the architect's hometown.
- Glenfinnan, Scotland
- The Leaning Tower of Glenfinnan
- A close look reveals that the Scottish monument is just slightly off-kilter.
- Crécy-la-Chapelle, France
- Le Moulin Jaune
- This professional clown's home is an outsider art wonderland.
- Highland, Scotland
- The Geographic Center of Scotland
- A cross marks the spot in a small Scottish village that claims to be the exact center of the country.
- Byaduk, Australia
- Tumuli Lava Blisters
- These naturally occurring but rare geological formations are each about the size of a small house.
- Littleton, New Hampshire
- Pollyanna Statue
- A town wears its heart on the sleeve of a smiling girl, arms flung wide open in a cheerful greeting for all who encounter her.
- Tutume, Botswana
- Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
- Spanning over 10,000 square miles, this ancient salt pan is one of the largest on the planet.
- Hammondsport, New York
- Glenn H. Curtiss Aviation Museum
- Curtiss is a forgotten figure in the early history of flight.
- Göttingen, Germany
- The Göttingen Collection of Mathematical Models
- These beautiful objects represent beautiful ideas.
- Washington, D.C.
- Blind Whino
- A historic neighborhood church is reborn as a psychedelic arts collective.
- Nova Friburgo, Brazil
- Jardim do Nêgo (Nêgo's Garden)
- Moss-covered sculptures fill this small Brazilian gorge.
- Orrtanna, Pennsylvania
- Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum
- An eccentric collection of elephants, all shapes and sizes, is on display at this roadside attraction.
- Madrid, Iowa
- High Trestle Trail Bridge
- Half a mile long and 13 stories high, the bridge over the Des Moines River Valley lights up the wide night vista.
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scotland
- Eriskay Football Pitch
- FIFA deemed this isolated pitch one of the most remarkable places to play football.
- Albany, New York
- The First Shaker Village
- The first American home of the isolated, egalitarian religion has a trove of Shaker architecture and artifacts.
- Sutter, California
- Sutter Buttes
- Rising out of miles of farmland, these buttes are sometimes called the world's smallest mountain range.
- Cork, Ireland
- Boole House
- An important landmark in the history of algebraic logic.
- Gourma Rharous, Mali
- Gaddafi Canal
- Muammar Gaddafi's well-intentioned investment in his favorite city turned out to be a nightmare.
- Antigua, Guatemala
- Casa Popenoe
- This restored colonial house was once home to the botanist responsible for bringing avocados to the U.S.
- Copalis Crossing, Washington
- Ghost Forest of Copalis
- This grove of ghostly cedars was killed in 1700 by an enormous tsunami that was felt from the U.S. to Japan.
- Boston, Massachusetts
- First Spiritualist Temple
- America's original house of worship for Spiritualism, the religious movement based on communing with the dead.
- Lincoln, Montana
- Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild
- A collection of huge, site-specific sculptures sitting in the Montana woods.
- Wanaque, New Jersey
- Van Slyke Castle Ruins
- The remains of a century-old mansion that met its demise after years of desertion.
- Barcelona, Spain
- La Carbonería
- One of the most photographed buildings in a city known for its Modernista architecture is an abandoned squat.
- Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands
- Whale Jaw of Schiermonnikoog
- An awe-inspiring giant blue whale jaw bone stands in the center of this Dutch island.
- Devon, England
- Hollowcombe Bottom
- The site of a mysterious pony massacre is rich with extraterrestrial conspiracy theories.
- Folsom, California
- The Folsom Powerhouse
- This 19th century hydroelectric powerhouse was the first of its kind.
- Kuta Alam, Indonesia
- Tsunami 'Noah's Ark'
- After a 2004 tsunami, this stranded boat was left in place.
- San Jose, California
- First Honey Bees in California
- A plaque outside the San Jose airport commemorates the insect's arrival to the West Coast.