Ursa Major's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Rome, Italy

Galleria Sciarra

This hidden Art Nouveau courtyard is an opulent feast for the eyes.
Rome, Italy

Mercatus Traiani (Trajan's Market)

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

Arch of Janus

This one-of-a-kind Roman arch is not actually dedicated to the god Janus.
Rome, Italy

Pons Fabricius

This is the oldest Roman-made bridge in the city still existing in its original state.
Rome, Italy

Pons Aemilius

The only remaining arch of the oldest stone bridge in Rome stands in the middle of the Tiber.
Rome, Italy

Temple of Portunus

This small, ancient Roman temple was once a church dedicated to the patron saint of penitents.
Rome, Italy

Temple of Hercules Victor

This curious, round temple is the oldest still-standing marble building in Rome.
Rome, Italy

Sculpture of Giovanni Paolo II

A sculpture serving as an homage to Pope John Paul II.
Rome, Italy

Zuccari Palace

Architectural monsters are devouring this palace's every door and window.
Rome, Italy

The Water Clock

This hydrochronometer was invented by a Dominican monk and is a prime feature in this garden.
Rome, Italy

Fontana dell'Acqua Felice

A monumental fountain in Rome features a large statue of Moses that has been criticized for centuries.
Rome, Italy

Il Tempio di Adriano (Temple of Hadrian)

The remains of this 2nd-century Roman temple are incorporated into a modern building.
Rome, Italy

Piè di Marmo (Marble Foot)

A massive marble foot is tucked away in a small alley near the Pantheon.
Rome, Italy

Monument to the Fallen of Dogali

An ancient Egyptian obelisk is now used to commemorate fallen Italian soldiers.
Rome, Italy

Elephant and Obelisk

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

The Dome Illusion

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.
Rome, Italy

Pyramid of Cestius

The only "Egyptian" pyramid in Europe and the legendary tomb of Remus.
Rome, Italy

Stumbling Stones of Rome

Brass cobblestones mark the places where individual Holocaust victims were taken from their homes.
Rome, Italy

The "Little London"

A modern sliver of architecture in Roma.
Rome, Italy

Campo de Fiori

This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.
Vatican City

Vatican City Walls

Historic fortifications form the boundary of Vatican City, but it’s not entirely surrounded by walls.
Trieste, Italy

Arco di Riccardo

This Roman monument is surrounded by more recent construction, offering a stark contrast between ancient architecture and the modern urban landscape.
Berlin, Germany

Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism

Dedicated to the European Sinti and Roma peoples murdered during the Holocaust.
Brussels, Belgium

Cemetery Dieweg

Nature is slowly overtaking this disused cemetery on the outskirts of Brussels.