Architectural Oddities - Atlas Obscura
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Architectural Oddities

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Normanton, England

Normanton Church

The sanctuary seems to either float atop the water or sink into the dirt, depending on the water level.
Added by daryleconners
East Hampton, New York

Hayground Windmill

This 19th-century Hamptons windmill was once home to modernist painter Agnes Pelton.
Added by Rachel Gould
London, England

10 Adam Street

England's most famous front door has an accidental doppelganger.
Juliejoolz Added by Juliejoolz
Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast Botanic Gardens Palm House

For part of the year, this innovative greenhouse is painted white to keep the plants from getting scorched.
jbartlett2000 Added by jbartlett2000
Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland

Rathlin West Lighthouse

A beloved upside-down beacon off the coast of Northern Ireland.
Added by Rachel Gould
Vals, France

Église Notre-Dame de Vals (Church of Our Lady of Vals)

A medieval church built into an ancient cave.
Added by slatonanthony
Greenback, Tennessee

Fortress of Faith (Greenback Castle)

One man has spent decades faithfully constructing this unique brick and cinderblock castle.
Campbell Pack Added by Campbell Pack
Mexico City, Mexico

Hellenic Cultural Institute's Coffered Ceiling

This piece of a Renaissance-era Spanish castle remained lost for decades.
Mario Yair TS Added by Mario Yair TS
Puerto Morelos, Mexico

The Leaning Lighthouse

Still standing despite its considerable slant, this tilted lighthouse has become a local symbol of resilience.
linkogecko Added by linkogecko
Rocca Sinibalda, Italy

Rocca Sinibalda Castle

This unusually shaped fortress houses a blend of centuries-old frescoes and modern art.
LatiumMirabile Added by LatiumMirabile
Los Angeles, California

Art Deco Doors of City National Bank Plaza

These massive bronze doors were saved from the demolition of the Richfield Building.
jbartlett2000 Added by jbartlett2000
San Francisco, California

Heineman Building

This tall and trim architectural oddity is one of the skinniest buildings in San Francisco.
jbartlett2000 Added by jbartlett2000
Huauchinango, Mexico

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption)

This modernist church's massive sci-fi dome may be one of Latin America's largest.
linkogecko Added by linkogecko
Singapore

Changi Airport Slides

The busy transport hub is home to the tallest airport slide in the world.
Added by Rachel Gould
Cuilápam de Guerrero, Mexico

Ex-Monastery of Santiago Apóstol

This exquisite example of early colonial architecture remains unfinished almost 500 years after construction began.
Tra Hitt Added by Tra Hitt
New Orleans, Louisiana

Music Box Village

An otherworldly musical haven in The Big Easy.
Amber C Snider Added by Amber C Snider
Oviedo, Spain

Portada de la Antigua Iglesia de San Isidoro (Arch of the Old Church of San Isidoro)

The surviving remnants of a destroyed medieval church now stand in a public park.
Monsieur Mictlan Added by Monsieur Mictlan
Athens, Greece

Anafiotika

The Cycladic architecture makes this Athens neighborhood feel like an island paradise hidden in the shadow of the Acropolis.
gus619USA Added by gus619USA