luc's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Astana, Kazakhstan

Bayterek Tower

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Khan Shatyr

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.
Turin, Italy

Plana's Perpetual Calendar

A landmark in the history of technology and computing is hidden in a tiny Baroque chapel.
Turin, Italy

Medieval Village

A fake medieval village in the middle of Turin.
Turin, Italy

Cesare Lombroso's Museum of Criminal Anthropology

The astonishing collection of an infamous criminologist.
Istanbul, Turkey

Panorama 1453 Museum

Step back in time and witness the fall of Constantinople.
Istanbul, Turkey

Piri Reis Map at Topkapi Palace

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.
Istanbul, Turkey

The Museum of Innocence

This museum was invented in a novel before being made real by the author.
Istanbul, Turkey

Miniaturk

Large miniature theme park with 100-plus models.
Istanbul, Turkey

Kaiser Wilhelm Fountain

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.
Istanbul, Turkey

The Spoonmaker's Diamond

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.
Istanbul, Turkey

Minyatür’s Nautical Instruments

Turkish adventurer antiques in the heart of the Grand Bazaar.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombs of the Sultans

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombili

A meow-velous tribute to a beloved street cat, made famous on the internet.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Athens, Greece

St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church

A Byzantine church containing the holy remnants of three saints sits atop the site of an ancient temple.
Athens, Greece

The Athens Polytechnic Monument

A crushed gate and giant bronze head serve as a reminder of Greece's fight for freedom.
Athens, Greece

Prosfygika

This once architecturally advanced housing complex is now a haven for squatters that still bears the scars of war.
Athens, Greece

Pittaki Street

150 or so scrounged-up lamps, chandeliers, and lanterns light up this alley in central Athens.
Athens, Greece

Gestapo Interrogation Memorial

The site where hundreds of Greeks were tortured by the Nazi secret police is now a cosmetics store.
Athens, Greece

St. John Around the Column

There are many Byzantine-era churches still standing in Athens, but this is the only one with a 2,500-year-old column rising through its roof.
Athens, Greece

Choragic Monument of Lysicrates

The only surviving choragic monument is a trophy awarded in 334 BC for the winning dramatic chorus.