rhgaijin2's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Rome, Italy

Elephant and Obelisk

A detailed pachyderm supports Rome's smallest Egyptian obelisk.
Rome, Italy

Lacus Curtius

A mysterious chasm in the heart of the ancient Roman Forum, the Lacus Curtius was once believed to be a gateway to hell.
Rome, Italy

Mercatus Traiani (Trajan's Market)

This ancient market is often referred to as the oldest shopping mall in the world.
Bucharest, Romania

Arcul de Triumf

Romania's triumphal arch looks out over Bucharest.
Bucharest, Romania

Palace of the Parliament

This communist behemoth is the heaviest building in the world and a legacy of a brutal regime.
Bucharest, Romania

Cărturești Carusel Bookstore

This once-derelict building is now one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
Bran, Romania

Bran Castle

The possible imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler here earned the medieval castle its nickname, "Dracula's Castle."
Sinaia, Romania

Peleș Castle

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.
Beijing, China

Working People's Cultural Palace

This smaller cousin of the Forbidden City has gone from ancestral sacrifice to tourist's whispers.
Beijing, China

Ming Dynasty Tombs

Ming Dynasty necropolis raided during the Cultural Revolution.
Beijing, China

The Forbidden City

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.
Koya, Japan

Okunoin Cemetery

Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.
Kyoto, Japan

Rokuon-ji Temple

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.
Ise, Japan

Meoto Iwa

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.
Tokyo, Japan

Odaiba Statue of Liberty

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.
Kyoto, Japan

Kiyomizu-Dera Temple

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.
Kamakura, Japan

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.
Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshima's Hypocenter

A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.
Iwakuni, Japan

Kintai Bridge

One of Japan's most famous sights, the bridge was originally built in 1673.
Hatsukaichi, Japan

Itsukushima Shrine

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.
Kyoto, Japan

Ryōan-ji

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.
Tokyo, Japan

Akihabara Electric Town

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.
Tokyo, Japan

Giant Unicorn GUNDAM Robot

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.
Nara, Japan

Tōdai-ji Daibutsuden (The Great Buddha Hall)

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.