Thomas Poston's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Yerevan, Armenia

Spider Statue

Destruction from Armenia's 1988 earthquake inspired an artist's sculptures of scrap metal.
Monmouth, Wales

Monnow Bridge

The only medieval bridge in Britain with its defensive tower still in tact.
Washington, D.C.

Riggs Bank

The bank that helped fund the Mexican-American War and the purchase of Alaska met its downfall after helping Augusto Pinochet launder money.
Washington, D.C.

Man Controlling Trade

A muscular Art Deco monument represents the struggle between regulators and unbridled markets.
Washington, D.C.

D.C. War Memorial

An overlooked memorial honoring the local Washington residents who died in World War I.
Washington, D.C.

Federal Reserve Tennis Court

The only tennis court that falls under the jurisdiction of the central bank.
Washington, D.C.

The Cairo

This unacceptably tall building was the real reason for Washington, D.C.'s skyscraper ban.
Washington, D.C.

Georgetown Waterfront

The little-known, 300-year history of the area includes former lives as a bustling tobacco port, parking lot, and industrial dump.
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.
Washington, D.C.

Temperance Fountain

A much-maligned monument to teetotalism.
Washington, D.C.

The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly

Light bulbs, scrap wood, and tinfoil comprise this homemade throne of the gods.
Washington, D.C.

Albert Einstein Bronze Statue

The beloved statue at the National Academy of Sciences is oh so inviting to sit on.
Washington, D.C.

House of the Temple

This imposing Masonic temple a mile from the White House was the first public library in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Renwick Gallery

The first purpose-built art gallery in the United States is once again open as a center of craft arts.
Washington, D.C.

The Old Patent Model Museum

During the Industrial Revolution this “Temple of Invention” was full of intricate miniature machines and gadgets.
Washington, D.C.

Summerhouse

A hidden gem on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Barbados

Harrison's Cave

This popular tourist cave was ignored for almost 200 years before being mined into an attraction.
Zurich, Switzerland

Heureka Useless Machine

One of a series of no-purpose kinetic artworks by Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely.
Zurich, Switzerland

Cabaret Voltaire: the Dada House

One hundred years ago this small house in downtown Zürich became the birthplace of the Dada movement.
Colmar, France

The Isenheim Altarpiece

This unusual piece of Renaissance art depicting the bodily horror of crucifixion and skin disease may have been inspired by fungus-induced hallucinations.
Zadar, Croatia

Sea Organ

A musical instrument played by the sea.
Strasbourg, France

Historic Wine Cellar of Strasbourg Hospital

This 14th century wine cellar is home to the oldest barrel-stored wine in the world.
Mont Saint-Michel, France

Mont Saint-Michel

This 1,300 year old monastery built atop a single rock was once only accessible depending on the whims of the tide.
Tintern, Wales

Tintern Abbey

This well-preserved Cistercian Abbey in a romantic pastoral setting has inspired artists like the poet Wordsworth.