bjones5001's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Stavanger, Norway

Sverd I Fjell

Monuments don't get much more metal than these three giant viking swords planted in a Nordic hill.
Oslo, Norway

Viking Ship Museum

Home to three historic ships from the age of Vikings.
Oslo, Norway

Vigeland Sculpture Park

One man's exploration of the human form, including the bizarre and delightful "Man Attacked by Babies."
Marseille, France

Château d'If

This historic island prison holds one of the dungeons from the Count of Monte Cristo even though it is a work of fiction.
Marseille, France

Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations

This modern museum of Mediterranean culture is surrounded by a surreal concrete honeycomb.
Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Família

Construction of Barcelona's iconic (but controversial) church is expected to be completed in 2026—a century after the death of its architect.
Barumini, Italy

Su Nuraxi di Barumini

This one-of-a-kind archeological site is home to strange prehistoric ruins, the original use of which is still a mystery.
Ercolano, Italy

Herculaneum

Pompeii's less famous neighbor is still revealing her secrets.
Pompeii, Italy

The Brothels of Pompeii

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.
Pompeii, Italy

Thermopolia of Pompeii

Ancient snack bar of the Roman Empire re-opened.
Pompeii, Italy

Plaster Citizens of Pompeii

The last moments of the ill-fated Pompeiians, frozen forever in plaster.
Marousi, Greece

Athens Olympic Sports Complex

What once sat in the world’s spotlight is today a largely disused ghost complex.
Athens, Greece

The Athenian Agora

This ancient Greek place of assembly and marketplace is being revealed layer by layer below the modern Athens cityscape.
Sultaniye Köyü, Turkey

House of the Virgin Mary

The alleged house of the Virgin Mary is tucked away in a park and nature preserve on Mt. Koressos in Turkey and is holy to both Catholics and Muslims alike.
Selçuk, Turkey

The Public Toilets of Ephesus

The ancient latrines of the Greeks, in all their public glory.
Istanbul, Turkey

Piri Reis Map at Topkapi Palace

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.
Istanbul, Turkey

Obelisk of Theodosius

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.
Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg Tun

Sitting in the basement of a castle, the largest wine barrel in the world is bigger than most apartments.
Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Hash, Marijuana and Hemp Museum

The history and future of cannabis.
Chichen Itza, Mexico

El Caracol

No telescopes, no power, no gift shop: The Observatory of Chichen Itza, one of the world's oldest observatories, takes astronomy back to basics.
Chichen Itza, Mexico

Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chich'en Itza

Every equinox this Maya pyramid puts on a spooky ancient light show.
Key West, Florida

Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.

A monument celebrating the idea of reaching inaccessible places.