olaobrien's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Paris, France

The Gravestone Courtyard

Walk upon the mementos of the dead in this Parisian courtyard paved with medieval tombstones.
Paris, France

Centre Pompidou

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

House of Nicolas Flamel

The oldest stone house in Paris was built by its most famous alchemist.
Paris, France

59 Rivoli

Notorious artist squat renovated into legal studios.
London, England

Church of Notre Dame de France

Colorful murals by Jean Cocteau hide within this peaceful London sanctuary.
London, England

Whitefriars Crypt

Buried for centuries, this hidden cellar is all that remains of London's medieval Whitefriars Monastery.
London, England

Hand of St. Etheldreda

One of the oldest remaining Catholic churches in England is home to the hand of a 7th-century saint.
London, England

Carting Lane Sewer Lamp

The pretty iron lamp is a reminder of the architecture underneath London's streets.
London, England

Hidden Cells of Newgate Prison

Remnants of cells from the most notorious London prison may lie in the basement of a rare Victorian Gin Palace.
Paris, France

La Conciergerie

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

Stationers' Hall

This building contains a door only used by members of the royal family.
Paris, France

Le Stryge

This demon atop the Notre-Dame de Paris looks utterly bored.
Paris, France

Paris Padlocks of Love

The celebrated eyesore created by starry-eyed sweethearts.
London, England

Benjamin Franklin House

One of America's founding fathers lived in this London lodging between 1757 and 1775.
London, England

'Potteries and Piggeries' Bottle Kiln

A relic from one of London's worst 19th-century slums.
London, England

Books for Cooks

This bookstore serves recipes from the cookbooks on sale.
London, England

K2 Telephone Boxes

The wooden telephone box hidden away in London's Piccadilly was the original prototype of the iconic kiosk.
London, England

Francis Bacon's Studio and Home

A plaque pays tribute to the artist's longtime London home.
London, England

Tulip Stairs

The first geometric self-supporting spiral stairs in Britain are a truly beautiful sight.
London, England

575 Wandsworth Road

What started as a way to address damp basement walls turned into a house filled with intricate hand-carved designs.
London, England

Lincoln's Inn

This inn of the court provides a fascinating window into London’s legal and architectural history.
London, England

Of Alley and the Duke’s Streets

An agreement meant to honor the Duke of Buckingham led to this unusually-named passageway near Charing Cross.
London, England

St. Sepulchre's Execution Bell

On the eve of a condemned prisoner's death, this bell rang 12 times outside their cell.
London, England

Long John Silver Figurehead Collection

The world's largest collection of ship figureheads includes figures from legends and history alike, from Sir Lancelot to Abraham Lincoln.