cchholman's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
Dolomites, Italy

Via Ferrata Pisciadù

A climbing route in the mountains of Italy’s Dolomites, built for soldiers during World War I.
Milan, Italy

War obelisk in Milan

Remnants of cone-shaped fascist bomb shelters in Milan.
Rome, Italy

Stadio dei Marmi

This Italian stadium makes liberal use of fascist statuary to evoke classical sporting arenas.
Gubbio, Italy

Basilica of the Mummified Saint Ubaldo

The venerated body of a 12th century saint is celebrated each year with the 'Race of the Candles.'
Genoa, Italy

Roman Polanski's Neptune

Massive galleon from a box-office bomb docked in Genoa.
San Carlo, Italy

Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo

For hundreds of years, this huge figure has been blessing visitors before they explore his body.
Venice, Italy

Torcello

The small peaceful island off the Venice tourist circuit is where the city began more than 1,500 years ago.
Venice, Italy

Reliquaries of St Mark's Basilica Treasury

An extensive collection of reliquaries containing the bones of saints housed in the largest Catholic church in Venice.
Milan, Italy

Royal Pavilion at Stazione Centrale

An exclusive waiting room built for the royal family in the 1920s is hidden in Milan’s central station.
Rome, Italy

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

One of Catholicism's four major basilicas has a series of papal portraits that are said to predict the end of the world.
Milan, Italy

Horned Madonna of Portinari Chapel

The odd depiction of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus is rooted in the Catholic Church's eradication of Catharism.
Milan, Italy

Leonardo's Horse - Il Cavallo dello Sforza

Da Vinci's equestrian statue, 500 years in the making.
Zermatt, Switzerland

Solvay Hut

One of the highest emergency huts in the world has been waiting almost a century to give imperiled climbers a place to lie down.
Florence, Italy

The Bull of Santa Maria del Fiore

This strange bovine gargoyle is said to have been put in as a passive aggressive form of revenge.
Rome, Italy

Santa Francesca Romana

St. Francesca Romana, patron saint of drivers, resides in the church she founded.
Milan, Italy

Milan's Duomo "Dinosaur"

Milan's duomo is covered in beautiful carving including a curious "dinosaur-like" beast.
Ravenna, Italy

Dante's Tomb

Italian poet Dante Alighieri is entombed in this small mausoleum in Ravenna, and his hometown of Florence has never been too happy about it.
Padua, Italy

Scrovegni Chapel

Built to repay the sins of the father, this church is home to one of the most valuable works of Western art.
Lucca, Italy

Torre Guinigi (Guinigi Tower)

Fortified medieval tower house with lovely roof garden.
Riomaggiore, Italy

Via dell’Amore

A lover's walk between hilltop towns, decorated with graffiti love notes.
Rome, Italy

Campo de Fiori

This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.
Vatican City

La Resurrezione

If you want to talk to the Pope you will have to stare down this surreal vision of Jesus rising from a nuclear hell.
Milan, Italy

Santa Maria presso San Satiro

Small on the outside, big on the inside, this church is an astonishing act of visual deception.
Gubbio, Italy

Fontana Dei Matti

Fountain where visitors can earn a license to be mad.