Michael VanCouver's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Skagway, Alaska

The Slide Cemetery

A tiny wilderness cemetery commemorates the deadliest episode of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Dawson City, Yukon

The Sourtoe Cocktail

A famed drink seasoned with an amputated toe, now on its tenth digit.
Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth's Bavarian Village

One small town in the Pacific Northwest transformed itself into a Bavarian-themed tourist destination.
Tacoma, Washington

Bridge of Glass

A beautiful footbridge with over 2,000 glass sculptures along the walls and ceiling.
Seattle, Washington

Kubota Garden

This semi-secret garden in south Seattle emulates a traditional Japanese garden using the plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Barcelona, Spain

Park Güell

Gaudí's famously flamboyant architectural style is on full display in this sprawling park and garden.
Barcelona, Spain

Casa Batlló

One of Antoni Gaudí's most classic buildings is well-known for its "dragon-back" design.
Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Família

Construction of Barcelona's iconic (but controversial) church is expected to be completed in 2026—a century after the death of its architect.
Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb's Museum of Broken Relationships

Where the lovelorn find a home for their sentimental keepsakes.
Split, Croatia

Gregory of Nin’s Big Toe

The big toe of this towering monument to a Croatian national hero is worn from years of superstitious rubbing.
Zadar, Croatia

Pillar of Shame

Now harmless, this looming post struck fear into the heart of medieval troublemakers.
Zadar, Croatia

Sea Organ

A musical instrument played by the sea.
Mont Saint-Michel, France

Mont Saint-Michel

This 1,300 year old monastery built atop a single rock was once only accessible depending on the whims of the tide.
Maincy, France

Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte

This stunning French estate was so lavish that it landed its original owner in jail for the rest of his life.
Paris, France

Père Lachaise Cemetery

France's most famous cemetery, with some of its most curious tombs.
Paris, France

Pont de la Concorde

This bridge was constructed from the rubble of the infamous Bastille.
Paris, France

La Conciergerie

This former “ante-chamber to the guillotine” has been refurbished to illustrate the brutal history of French justice.
Paris, France

Centre Pompidou

An "inside out" building in the historical center of Paris, featuring Europe’s largest modern art museum.
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cementerio de la Recoleta

Buenos Aires' city of the dead contains some very famous remains, including Eva Perón.
Paraty, Brazil

Masonic Symbols of Paraty

This Brazilian town built by Freemasons is full of colonial Masonic architecture and symbolic imagery.
Niterói, Brazil

Niterói Contemporary Art Museum

An art museum with an eclectic design and a scandalous past.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

This massive Brazilian church is built like an angular, technicolor pyramid left by Mayans from the future.
Lisbon, Portugal

Rhinoceros of Belem Tower

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

Memento Park

Budapest's Communist-era statues, banished to the suburbs.