Uredd Rest Area (Ureddplassen)

Norway’s newest landmark is a place of absurd beauty. The redesigned rest area, situated along a section of the Norwegian Scenic Route, overlooks stunning views of the fjords and the open sea, and is a popular spot for visitors and locals to watch the northern lights in winter and the midnight sun in summer.

Now this picturesque place is quickly gaining a stranger kind of fame, for being home to what may be the most beautiful public toilet the world over.

As part of a project to enhance Norway’s scenic highways with innovative architecture, a sleek viewing area with marble benches and amphitheater steps leading down to the water was built along the roadside. And next to them, a striking, wave-shaped public restroom.

Made of frosted glass and concrete, in quintessential minimalist design, the structure seems to glow in the dark as the glass is lit at night. In the daytime, the facility offers just about the most breathtaking view you could hope to enjoy while relieving yourself.

The rest area gets its name from the World War II memorial located at the site. The monument commemorates the Norwegian “Uredd” submarine (meaning “fearless”) that sank during the war, causing 42 sailors to lose their lives.