matthewtaub's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Chicago, Illinois

Lower Lower Wacker Drive

Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.
Forks, Washington

One Square Inch of Silence

A tiny red pebble marks what may be the quietest outdoor spot in the United States.
Yucca Valley, California

Bob's Crystal Cave

A meditative space out of a fantasy story.
Monopoli, Italy

Chiesa di Santa Maria del Suffragio detta del Purgatorio

Macabre symbols of death and mummies on display set the tone of this Italian purgatory church.
Sinaia, Romania

Peleș Castle

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.
Sukhumi, Georgia

Abandoned Council of Ministries Building

Ruins of a former government building destroyed during the Georgian-Abkhaz war in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union.
Washington, D.C.

The Old Patent Model Museum

During the Industrial Revolution this “Temple of Invention” was full of intricate miniature machines and gadgets.
Sea Ranch, California

Sea Ranch Chapel

This whimsical seashell-shaped place of worship was designed to blend into its surroundings.
Providence, Rhode Island

Providence Athenaeum

A 19th century library favored by Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, known by locals as "the Ath."
Landers, California

Giant Rock

A regular looking rock with an unbelievable history.
Yachats, Oregon

Thor's Well

On the Oregon coast there is a natural hole that seems to be draining the sea.
Camarillo, California

Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology

Over one million bird-related artifacts await.
East Lyme, Connecticut

Book Barn

With some 500,000 books across five buildings, this bookstore is a reader's paradise.
Stratton, Colorado

419.99 Mile Marker

When zealous marijuana enthusiasts kept stealing the "Mile 420" highway marker, the State of Colorado got creative.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden

Philadelphia boasts one of the best — and most often overlooked — traditional Japanese gardens in North America.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg's Mini Statue of Liberty

A local prank turned town icon.
Grand Lake, Colorado

Holzwarth Trout Lodge

The remains of an early 1900s dude ranch that operated until the 1970s.
Arcadia, Oklahoma

Pops

The future of roadside attractions is this sci-fi soda mecca that is home to a 66-foot tall neon pop bottle.
Pušaloto seniūnija, Lithuania

Niurkoniai Chapel

This lonely Lithuanian chapel looks more beautiful and haunting in decline than it ever did in life.
Duncans Mills, California

Mammoth Rubbing Rocks

Massive prehistoric mammals used these stones as oversized scratching posts.
Dildo, Newfoundland and Labrador

Dildo, Newfoundland

This oddly named town refuses to change its phallic moniker.
Leggett, California

Chandelier Tree

This massive redwood tree has a hole in the base big enough to drive through.
Hunedoara, Romania

Corvin Castle

This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.
Amado, Arizona

Longhorn Grill and Saloon

This giant steer-skull edifice refuses to die.