lukefater's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Paris, France

Fourier's Fourth Apple

A giant silver apple a day keeps the perils of capitalism away.
Ponce, Puerto Rico

Hacienda Buena Vista

This museum preserves the heyday of Puerto Rican coffee.
Itō, Japan

Usami Kannon-ji

The largest seated Buddha statue in Japan is the centerpiece of an abandoned complex in a quiet, seaside town.
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Haus zum Walfisch

This Late Gothic building that once housed Erasmus is now known as the filming location of "Suspiria."
Canterbury, England

West Gate Tower Museum

A defensive structure built during the Hundred Years War has remained useful in one way or another for nearly 700 years.
Munich, Germany

Wolfsbrunnen

Oddly enough, a pair of Wolfs funded the construction of this Little Red Riding Hood sculpture.
Devon Meadows, Australia

Crystal World Exhibition Centre

A potpourri of rocks, fossils, and crystals is rounded out by a dinosaur garden and a 15-foot great white shark.
Lochwinnoch, Scotland

Castle Semple Collegiate Church

The ruins of a small church belonging to a powerful Scottish family still hold the remains of its patriarch.
Whitby, England

Old Mulgrave Castle

This historic castle was already in ruins by the 13th century.
Foss, England

Lythe Mill

The ruins of a 19th-century corn mill are haunted by a malevolent cave-dwelling spirit.
San Diego, California

Yiddishland California

The Yiddish language stages a renaissance in a shtetl-inspired cultural center on the San Diego coast.
Acteal, Mexico

Acteal Pillar of Shame

A 26-foot tall roadside concrete pillar recalls a yet-unresolved 1997 political massacre.
Panauti, Nepal

Indreshwar Mahadev Temple Complex and Museum

One of the largest pagodas in Nepal is a 13th century testament to regional craftsmanship.
Vallombrosa, Italy

Vallombrosa Abbey

A 14th-century abbey founded by a forest-loving order of monks now sits in the center of a pristine nature preserve.
Tallinn, Estonia

Kalamaja Cemetery Park

This 16th-century cemetery became a recreational park during the Soviet occupation—today it's a little bit of both.
Karlsruhe, Germany

Platz der Grundrechte (Square of Fundamental Rights)

A thought-provoking outdoor art installation sits in the seat of German law.
Naarden, Netherlands

Grote Kerk Cannonballs

The Siege of Naarden ended in 1814, but the cannonballs embedded in the town church remain.
Bordentown, New Jersey

Point Breeze Estate

A New Jersey state park that was once Napoleon's brother's sprawling estate.
Frankfurt, Germany

Alter Flugplatz Frankfurt am Main

Revitalization efforts converted a former U.S. military heliport into a sprawling urban park.
Uchon, France

Les Rochers du Carnaval

Erosion left these fascinating granite formations strewn across fields and mountains in Burgundy.
Oslo, Norway

Neseblod Records

This record shop and unofficial black metal museum is an ode to Oslo's heaviest musical export.
Sasaguri, Japan

Nanzoin Temple

A serene mountaintop temple complex featuring one big, bronze Buddha.
Varanasi, India

Dhamek Stupa

A bulky, ancient stupa marks the site of Siddhartha Gautama's seminal Buddhist teaching.
Mexico City, Mexico

Reloj Chino (Chinese Clock)

This stately clock was gifted from China's last imperial government to the people of Mexico.