mfrenchie's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Paris, France

World's Oldest Basketball Court

Despite being considered a thoroughly American sport, basketball's oldest surviving playing field is found in the basement of a Paris YMCA.
Stockholm, Sweden

Birthplace of the Stockholm Syndrome

Now a hotel, this former bank was the site of a robbery that spawned a psychological phenomenon.
Stockholm, Sweden

Codex Gigas (The Devil's Bible)

An illuminated manuscript comprising the life's work of a lone monk, inexplicably decorated with a portrait of Satan himself.
Stockholm, Sweden

Vasa Museum

It houses the remains of a 17th-century version of the Titanic.
Strängnäs, Sweden

The Lion of Gripsholm Castle

This wonky bit of historical taxidermy is experiencing a second life online.
La Paz, Bolivia

Bolivia's Witch Market

Popular tourist destination where witches in dark hats sell dried llama fetuses for good luck.
Chichen Itza, Mexico

Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chich'en Itza

Every equinox this Maya pyramid puts on a spooky ancient light show.
Alnwick, England

Alnwick Castle

This iconic 1,000-year-old medieval castle is a favorite of the film industry, most notably as the location for Hogwarts in Harry Potter.
Grangemouth, Scotland

The Kelpies

The heads of two giant mythological water horses honor Scotland's horselord past.
Prague, Czechia

Tančící dům - Dancing House of Prague

This tipsy office building in downtown Prague was originally called “Fred and Ginger.”
Highland, Scotland

Ben Nevis

The highest peak in the United Kingdom has a history of physics, specters, and a pilgrimage of strange objects.
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston's Old Burying Grounds

Macabre headstones carved with winged skulls, dancing skeletons, and pithy reminders of impending death.
New York, New York

Strawberry Fields Memorial

This mosaic dedicated to John Lennon was tended for years by a Beatles super-fan.
Glenfinnan, Scotland

Glenfinnan Viaduct

Now famous as the "Harry Potter bridge," this impressive concrete viaduct has long been an icon in its own right.
Prague, Czechia

Sex Machines Museum

The first museum in the world devoted to sexual gadgetry.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Mary King's Close

17th century streets hidden under Edinburgh were once a breeding ground for the black death.
Kutna Hora, Czechia

Saint Barbara's Church

An enormous and lavish Gothic church in Czechia.
Prague, Czechia

'Il Commendatore' ('Cloak of Conscience')

This spooky statue sits outside a famous Prague theater.
Prague, Czechia

KGB Muzeum

One man's personal collection of KGB memorabilia is presented along with his strange viewpoint.
Prague, Czechia

Old New Synagogue

Synagogue built from the stones of Solomon's temple contains the golem of Prague.
Prague, Czechia

The Thief's Arm at Kostel Sv. Jakuba Vetsiho

A 400-year-old mummified arm dangles from the ceiling of St. James the Greater, serving as a warning to thieves.
Prague, Czechia

Old Jewish Cemetery

Around 100,000 bodies are buried below the medieval headstones, many of which mark graves with multiple bodies stacked up to 12 deep.
Prague, Czechia

Speculum Alchemiae

The hidden lair of an alchemist rediscovered in a 2002 flood.
Prague, Czechia

Prague Astronomical Clock

Macabre astrological automaton clock dating to the late 1400s.