Max Cortesi's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Max Cortesi's activity rankings
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Places visited in Pakistan
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Places added to Thailand
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Places edited in Pakistan
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Places visited in Thailand
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Places added to Ecuador
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Places edited in Sri Lanka
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Places visited in Sri Lanka
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Places added to Italy
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Places edited in Bolivia
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Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Centre of Shaman Eternal Heavenly Sophistication

A nondescript dirt lot hides an intriguing center of shamanic healing.
Wrocław, Poland

Neon Side Gallery

A collection of old neon signs from all over Poland line a secluded courtyard.
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek Circus

This retro, UFO-like structure is a remnant of the Soviet-era circus.
Istanbul, Turkey

Museum of Energy

This shuttered power plant is now Turkey's first industrial archaeology museum.
Istanbul, Turkey

Vlora Hanı

An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.
Istanbul, Turkey

Ottoman Bird Palaces

The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.
Istanbul, Turkey

The Museum of Innocence

This museum was invented in a novel before being made real by the author.
Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Old Kachcheri

These abandoned ruins in the middle of Jaffna have withstood centuries of tumultuous power struggles.
Jerusalem, Israel

Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem

The only quarter of the Old City not dedicated to a major world religion.
London, England

Cabmen’s Shelter in Russell Square

Originally built for London’s cab drivers, this bright green hut now serves anyone a hot drink or meal.
Alqosh, Iraq

Rabban Hormizd Monastery

An ancient sanctuary that has long been a holy site for the Chaldean Christian Church.
Nižná Slaná, Slovakia

Huta Etelka

An abandoned 19th-century iron factory perched along the outskirts of an idyllic village.
Laos

Vang Sang Buddhas

A mysterious, hidden cluster of Buddha sculptures carved into the rocks.
Yemen

Hababah Water Cistern

A mesmerizing reservoir nestled at the heart of a pre-Islamic Yemeni village.
Doha, Qatar

Bin Jelmood House

This unique museum doesn't shy away from highlighting Qatar's role in the history of slavery.
Qatar

Al Wukair Scrapyard

Some 20,000 dust-covered unwanted vehicles languish in the desert.
Qatar

Al `Arish

An abandoned fishing village in pre-oil Qatar.
Vientiane, Laos

COPE Visitor Centre

In the world's most bombed country relative to its size, this incredible organization helps pick up the pieces.
Amedi, Iraq

Bahdinan Gate

This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.
Beijing, China

Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

The embalmed remains of the communist leader lie within a custom crystal coffin.
Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Shifting Sand Dunes

These strange piles of magnetized volcanic ash travel across the desert about 50 feet per year.
Bundi, India

Raniji ki Baori

A small town in Rajasthan has been dubbed the "City of Stepwells," and Raniji ki Baori is the queen.
Doha, Qatar

Qatar National Library

The enormous diamond-shaped building packs a trove of academic and literary treasures into one futuristic space.
London, England

The Soho Square Hut

The Tudor-style cottage in the middle of the square is not quite what it seems.