JohnVanDyke's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Lucerne, Switzerland

Lion of Lucerne

This memorial commemorating fallen Swiss Guards of the French Revolution has been called the saddest stone in the world.
Puno, Peru

Taquile Island

On this tiny spot of land in the middle of Lake Titicaca the only ones who do the knitting are the men.
Boudry, Switzerland

Saut de Brot

This lovely little bridge hidden in a Switzerland gorge is essentially a fairytale.
Skellefteå, Sweden

Västerbottensost Visitors Center

This little gallery is devoted to one small town's passion for a very special cheese.
French Polynesia

Teti'aroa Atoll

This beautiful eden was once the vacation home of Tahitian royals before Marlon Brando bought it.
Bergen, Norway

Fantoft Stave Church

The burning of this 12th-century church kicked off a campaign of Norwegian Black Metal terror.
Stockholm, Sweden

Lost Toys of the Nybohov Funicular

No one knows who's responsible for decorating this tunnel with stuffed animals, but the people love it enough to protest their removal.
Cloquet, Minnesota

Frank Lloyd Wright Gas Station

The famed architect designed this Minnesota gas station of the future with a lookout tower.
Cook Islands

Suwarrow Atoll

A desert island with both a buried treasure and a famous castaway.
Luster, Norway

Urnes Stave Church

An intricately carved Viking church overlooks a glistening fjord.
Limones, Panama

Tigre Salvaje

A no-frills, DIY nature preserve manned by a U.S. expat who has dedicated his life to turtle conservation.
Schonach im Schwarzwald, Germany

World's Largest Cuckoo Clock

A Black Forest cuckoo clock theme park features one timepiece big enough to walk inside.
Ennetbürgen, Switzerland

Hammetschwand Elevator

The tallest outdoor elevator in Europe rockets passengers on a dizzyingly precarious ride to the top of a mountain.
Kyoto, Japan

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

The 10,000 Torii shrine.
Nara, Japan

Tōdai-ji Daibutsuden (The Great Buddha Hall)

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.
Aguas Calientes, Peru

Huayna Picchu

If you’ve ever seen a picture of Machu Picchu, then you’ve seen a picture of Huayna Picchu—you just didn’t realize it.
Whitsundays, Australia

Whitehaven Beach

A small, but award-winning beach known for its literally spotless reputation.
East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Komodo National Park

A sprawling nature preserve harbors the world's only living dragons.
Marshall Islands

Bikini Atoll

The birthplace of both the Atomic Age and Godzilla, and the namesake of the bathing suit.
Devils Tower, Wyoming

Devils Tower

The first declared National Monument in the United States.
Sequoia National Park, California

General Sherman

Quite simply the largest tree in the world (by volume).
Pāhoa, Hawaii

Big Island Lava Flow

Watch the newest land on the planet form before your eyes.