sommermathis's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Townsend, Tennessee

The Great Smoky Mountains' 'Missing Link'

In one of America’s oldest mountain ranges, a long-awaited section of a scenic highway is now open to the public.
Amber C Snider Added by Amber C Snider
Paris, France

Le Stryge

This demon atop the Notre-Dame de Paris looks utterly bored.
Monsieur Mictlan Added by Monsieur Mictlan
London, England

London Underground Labyrinths

A labyrinth hides in plain sight at each of the city's 270 Tube stations.
Monsieur Mictlan Added by Monsieur Mictlan
Phoenix, Arizona

World Championship Hoop Dance Contest

This unique competition celebrates an American Indian and Canadian First Nation cultural tradition.
colecathleen Added by colecathleen
Newport Beach, California

Bunnyhenge

Fourteen curious and controversial white bunnies sit in a circle near Newport Beach City Hall.
leiris Added by leiris
Tokyo, Japan

Gorilla Building

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.
Michael LoRe Added by Michael LoRe
Sendai-shi, Japan

Sendai Daikannon

One of the tallest statues in the world, and the tallest statue of a goddess in Japan.
Tony Dunnell Added by Tony Dunnell
Woolford, Maryland

Old Trinity Church

The United States' oldest Episcopal church still in active use.
Sarah Laskow Added by Sarah Laskow
Odawara, Japan

The Hydrangea Train

Coast along one of Japan’s mountain railways for coveted views of magnificent hydrangeas.
Added by Rachel Gould
Virginia City, Nevada

St. Mary’s Art Center

A former mining hospital is now a vibrant artistic hub.
Kerry Wolfe Added by Kerry Wolfe
Clark County, Nevada

Gold Butte National Monument

Nearly 300,000 acres of wildlife, natural splendor, and a hidden ghost town have been designated a national monument.
Nikki Vargas Added by Nikki Vargas
Rome, Italy

Palazzo Naiadi Roman Baths

Ancient ruins hidden underneath a modern luxury hotel.
Added by dombrunaccioni
Izumo-shi, Japan

Izumo-Taisha

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.
Andrew McCormick Added by Andrew McCormick
Provincetown, Massachusetts

The Pest House Cemetery

A 19th-century smallpox cemetery is being reclaimed by scrub forest and sand dunes.
Callmenemoplease Added by Callmenemoplease
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

Dungan Mosque

Built entirely of interlocking pieces, construction of this Chinese Muslim house of worship required zero nails.
Max Cortesi Added by Max Cortesi
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.
gus619USA Added by gus619USA
Italy

The Grotto Church of Saint Michael

A spiritual sanctuary in a natural cave.
Added by mfilipazzi
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Wheatland

The home of possibly the least-loved U.S. president stands as a sort of unpopular Monticello.
dlc31723 Added by dlc31723
Kojomkul, Kyrgyzstan

Kojomkul Memorial

An unusual monument to a gentle giant who became a Kyrgyz hero.
Max Cortesi Added by Max Cortesi
Asheville, North Carolina

Biltmore Estate's Secret Passages

The enormous 250-room Vanderbilt mansion conceals hidden doors and secret passageways.
Meg Added by Meg
Asheville, North Carolina

Basilica of Saint Lawrence, Asheville

This rare basilica nestled right in downtown Asheville is an architectural marvel, inside and out.
Added by zackofalltrades
Asheville, North Carolina

Pritchard Park Drum Circle

Every week, a festive public jam session breaks out in downtown Asheville.
Meg Added by Meg
Asheville, North Carolina

Folk Art Center

A wonderful display of arts and crafts handmade by local artisans in the Southern Appalachians.
Meg Added by Meg
Black Mountain, North Carolina

Craggy Gardens Rhododendron Tunnels

Gnarled canopies of pink and purple wildflowers arch over the trail to the summit.
Meg Added by Meg