markwagon's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
Tenerife, Spain

Mount Teide

According to the Guanches, the aboriginal people of the Canary Islands, the king of evil lives inside this volcano.
Colares, Portugal

Cabo da Roca

One Portuguese poet described this cape, the westernmost point in mainland Europe, as "where the land ends and the sea begins."
Lisbon, Portugal

Rhinoceros of Belem Tower

A king's pet, a pope's gift, an artist's inspiration, and a tragic shipwreck.
Porto, Portugal

Livraria Lello

One of the most beautiful bookstores in the world hides a neo-Gothic interior behind an art nouveau facade.
Gijón, Spain

Jardín Botánico Atlántico (Atlantic Botanic Garden)

This enchanting green space houses a labyrinth lined with toxic plants.
Marmirolo, Italy

Bosco Fontana

Once the hunting reserve of a noble family, this is one of the few remnants of Pleistocene planitial forest in northern Italy that still stands.
Grazie, Italy

Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie (Sanctuary of Our Vergine Maria of Grace)

In this medieval church, a centuries-old stuffed crocodile hangs from the ceiling.
Mantua, Italy

Sala dei Giganti (Chamber of the Giants)

A room filled with frescos that make it seem like the walls are crumbling down while giants die in despair.
Mantua, Italy

Dropped Triglyphs of Palazzo Te

An architectural oddity where the triglyphs of the courtyard of walls create an optical illusion.
Mantua, Italy

Imprisoned Bell Tower

Inside the small garden of two mid-century apartment buildings stands a centuries-old bell tower, separated from its original church and hidden from view.
Mantua, Italy

Mantua Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Pietro)

The seat of the Mantua bishop holds many secrets within its walls.
Mantua, Italy

Torre della Gabbia (Tower Cage)

A medieval tower with a suspended iron cage used as an open-air jail for criminals who were exposed as a warning.
Mantua, Italy

Basilica di Sant'Andrea

It took more than 300 years to build this church, which is home to two sacred vessels believed to hold the blood of Christ.
Mantua, Italy

Rotonda di San Lorenzo

The oldest church in Mantua was buried for centuries under the facades of other structures.
Groningen, Netherlands

Excalibur Climbing Wall

This imposing tower named after the mythical sword of King Arthur is considered the tallest freestanding climbing wall in the world.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Cirkelbroen (The Circle Bridge)

This bridge's unique architecture honors nautical heritage and encourages self-awareness.
Copenhagen, Denmark

The Little Mermaid

The de facto symbol of Copenhagen is this bronze fairytale which cannot seem to keep its head for very long.
Helsingør, Denmark

Kronborg Castle (Elsinore)

Old Danish castle immortalized in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Copenhagen, Denmark

CopenHill

The world's first combination ski slope and power plant.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Freetown Christiania

Danish tourist destination well known for open stalls where vendors sell marijuana on the street.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Laksegade

This ordinary street was made infamous by a legendary visit from the devil.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Hans Christian Andersen's Grave

The final resting place of the author who gave us the Little Mermaid, the Ugly Duckling, and many more beloved fairy tales.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Niels Bohr's Grave

The final resting place of one of the brightest physicists of the 20th century.
Hellerup, Denmark

Tuborgflasken

Danish observation tower designed to look like a giant beer bottle.