samanthahale's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Rome, Italy

St. Valentine's Skull

The skull of the patron saint of lovers lies in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin—maybe.
Rome, Italy

Domus Aurea

The engineering wonder and pleasure dome of a much-maligned emperor still holds undiscovered secrets.
Rome, Italy

Papal Hearts at Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Trevi

This former Roman Catholic Church still contains the embalmed hearts and organs of 22 popes.
Rome, Italy

Porta Alchemica

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.
Rome, Italy

Keats-Shelley Memorial House

Museum dedicated to literary greats of the Romantic Period is also the home in which Keats met his untimely end.
Rome, Italy

Meridian Line of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs

Installed in an act of one-upsmanship, the annual sundial in this church is also a symbolic victory for the Gregorian calendar.
Madrid, Spain

Palacio de Cristal

Madrid's romantically ornate crystal palace has been offering shelter to plants and art for over a century.
Madrid, Spain

Chamberí Ghost Station

Abandoned for decades, trains still pass through the now-restored remains of one of Madrid's first metro stations.
Barcelona, Spain

Labyrinth Park of Horta

This semi-secret storybook hedge maze is also the oldest garden in the city.
Barcelona, Spain

Tibidabo

Mountain where Jesus was first tempted by the Devil.
Barcelona, Spain

Bunkers of Carmel

These secluded and abandoned anti-aircraft defenses have become one the most scenic viewpoints in Barcelona.
Barcelona, Spain

Sewers of Barcelona

Barcelona's historic 19th-century sewers, whose foundations were laid in medieval times, are open to the public for exploring.
Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona's Baby Drop-off

Turntable anonymously received orphans, alms, and groceries.
Barcelona, Spain

Chocolate Museum

Gaze upon chocolate sculptures depicting everything from chariot races to Gaudí's famous church at this shrine to sweets.
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Tree of Life

This knobby, drooping New Orleans oak is a favorite place both for climbing and for meeting giraffes.
New Orleans, Louisiana

F. Scott Fitzgerald's Boarding House

A house of courtship where the Jazz Age's most storied lovers got their start.
New Orleans, Louisiana

Lafayette Cemetery

This historic "City of the Dead" lies prominently in the center of New Orleans' famous Garden District.
New Orleans, Louisiana

Dixie Brewing Company

This relatively recently abandoned brewery is a tragic reminder of the continuing effects of Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Faerie Playhouse

A pink cottage covered in hearts served as a haven and a resting place for LGBTQ activists.
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Eiffel Tower of New Orleans

A little piece of Paris in the sultry south of the U.S.
New Orleans, Louisiana

Tomb of the Unknown Slave

Made of giant chains and hung with shackles, this iron cross honors those unknowns who perished under American slavery.
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Absinthe Museum

Introducing the Green Fairy to her fawning masses.
New Orleans, Louisiana

Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo

A museum and shop on Bourbon Street located in the former home of the second Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.
New Orleans, Louisiana

Séance Room at Muriel's Jackson Square

The restaurant keeps a hidden séance room on the second floor and reserves a table for the spirit of the former owner each night.